Coles supermarket Essay Online For Free - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2617 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Case study Did you like this example? Analyse the business environment for Coles supermarket chain. 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background Coles is a national supermarket chain; liquor, fuel and convenience retailer in Australia. It was acquired in 2007 by Wesfarmers, â€Å"a diversified Australian company with strong, established market positions and recognised brands with the objective of delivering satisfactory returns to shareholders† (Wesfarmers, 2013, p.4).. According to Wesfarmers (2013), Cole’s sole purpose has been to give the Australian people a shop they can trust, to deliver quality, value and service. The main sources of business include the following: Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Coles supermarket Essay Online For Free" essay for you Create order 756 full service supermarkets 810 liquor outlets fewer than three brand and 92 hotels 636 fuel and convenience stores More than 99,000 team members As of 2013, according to Wesfarmers (2013), Coles operating results and drivers were: Revenue of $35.8 billion, up 4.9 per cent EBIT of $1,533 million, up 13.1 per cent Return on capital of 9.5 per cent, up from 8.7 per cent Total food and liquor sales growth of 5.5 per cent and comparative store sales growth of 4.3 per cent Over four years of industry outperformance Continued investment in customer value funded from cost reductions and business efficiencies Continued investment in product quality particularly fresh categories Ongoing transformation of the supply chain Launch of 90 more stores in renewal format and opening of 6 larger format stores and net space growth of 1.6 per cent Good progress on multi-channel initiatives including trials of new Coles Online website Growth in financial services including Coles Insurance and flybuys loyalty program Strong customer response to fuel offers and better range and value in the convenience store network 1.2 Scope and Approach This essay takes a critical look at the company, its current position, the internal capabilities, and its external environment, and considers strategic changes necessary to ensure Coles maintains its traditional offering of long term value creation. In developing this Business Analysis for Coles, the following tools have been used to assess present and future performance of the company: Situational Analysis, PEST Analysis, SWOT Analysis, 5 Forces Analysis Furthermore, this essay gives consideration to the current growth strategies adopted by the company and questions if these practices are the best options going forward, for delivering sustainability of the group’s strategic framework. 2.0 Situational Analysis 2.1 Internal Market Audit According to its 2013 sustainability report, Coles’ business focused on six key areas to improve its sustainability: Training and development of its team Customer trust in the produce range, value and quality Water savings and energy efficiency of the stores Workplace safety Supporting the local communities in which we operate Working with suppliers to further develop strong sustainable relationships. 2.1.1 Present Business Review Wesfarmers’ â€Å"operating model is focused on ensuring each of its Group’s divisions has a very strong management capability and day-to-day operational autonomy, overseen by divisional boards and a well-established Group-wide framework where governance processes are coordinated over a 12-month operating cycle. This approach encourages strong accountability for operating results and assurance in areas such as: Strategic planning, Budgeting and monitoring of performance; Risk management, including internal audit and insurance protection; Group-wide human resource management systems such as executive remuneration and share schemes, talent development and key role succession planning; Centralised statutory accounting, tax, treasury and legal support.† (Wesfarmers 2013, p. 6) Coles’ revenue in 2013 was $35.8billion, an increase of 4.9 per cent from the previous year. Its five year financial history report (See Appendix1) shows a steady growth in revenue generation. â€Å"Coles delivered earnings growth of 13.1 per cent to $1,533 million, building on the 16.3 per cent and 21.2 per cent earnings growth in the 2012 and 2011 financial years respectively† (Wesfarmers 2013, p. 3). Figure 1: Five year Revenue Increase Source: Adopted from Wesfarmers 2013, Annual reports. Coles’ proposed strategies and prospects are to: Embark on second wave of transformation with a focus on quality, service and value. And take advantage of further store renewal opportunities, supply chain transformation and operating efficiencies; as well as investment in category innovation, Coles brand and development, multi-channel integration and a tailored loyalty offer and a culture of continuous improvement. â€Å"In 2013, the Coles turnaroun d strategy produced strong trading results by improving quality, service and value. The business continued to out-perform the industry and successfully completed the final year of a five-year turnaround plan† (Wesfamers, 2013, p.25) 2.1.2 Customer Analysis From its various outlets nationally Coles handles more than 19 million customer transactions a week. Coles claims its customer-focused strategy continues to improve in efficiency and productivity, while investing in lower prices, delivering better quality through its ‘Australian First’ sourcing policy and developing a stronger store base through new store openings and renewing existing stores contributed to it steady revenue growth as the financial indicators have shown. â€Å"The transformation of Coles since its acquisition has progressed with operational efficiencies and continued fund reinvestment in price. As well as a sustained turnaround of the business, providing benefits for consumers, suppliers and employees for the past five years thus, delivering a much stronger platform for future growth† (Wesfarmers 2013, p.25). 2.1.3 Financial Analysis As of the last 2012/2013 financial year, Coles was able to generate earnings before interest and Tax (EBIT) of $1,533m as can be seen in figure 2 below. Figure 2: EBIT Source: Adopted from Wesfarmers 2013 Financial Reports. Tables 1 2 below show the key financial indicators and Coles’ performance over the past few years. Table 1: Key Financial data Coles 2012 2013 Revenue $m 35,780 34,117 Earnings before interest and tax $m 1,533 1,356 Segment assets $m 20,367 19,940 Segment liabilities $m 4,145 3,676 Capital employed $m 16,114 15,572 Return on capital employed % 9.5 8.7 Source: Adopted from Wesfarmers 2013 Financial Reports Table 2: Key Financial Indicators For the year ended 30 June 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Revenue ($m) 28,799 30,002 32,073 34,117 35,780 Earnings before interest and tax ($m) 831 962 1,166 1,356 1,533 Capital employed (R12) ($m) 15,140 14,886 15,018 15,572 16,114 Return on capital employed (%) 5.5 6.5 7.8 8.7 9.5 Capital expenditure ($m) 606 683 840 1,218 1,181 Source: Adopted from Wesfarmers 2013 Financial Reports. As reported in the Wesfarmers 2013 Financial Reports and shown in table1 above it can be observed that, for year 2012/2013, Coles has generated a healthy return on capital employed (ROE) of 9.5%, and improvement from 8.7% for the previous year. An increase in capital expenditure and liabilities has been due to the company’s support for net capital investments across the Group. This is up to an increase of $1.5 billion to $1.9 billion in 2014. â€Å"The group also managed strong credit ratings with Moody’s Investor Service upgrading Wesfarmers’ issuer and senior unsecured long-term debt rating from Baa1 (positive) to A3 (stable) consistent with the Group’s credit rating from Standard and Poor’s of A- (stable)†¦ It settled all outstanding debt in the name of the Coles group and continued to neutralise the dilution that would otherwise have occurred from the Dividend Investment Plan and Employee Share plans†(Wesfarmers 2013, p. 13). Interests, income and expenditure are however not allocated to operating segments at Wesfarmers. This type of activity is managed on a group basis. Revenue and earnings of various divisions are also affected by the effect of high seasonality such as, for the retail divisions like Coles, earnings are typically greater in the December half of the financial year due to the impact of the Christmas holiday shopping period on the retail business. 2.2 External Market Audit Given the nature and scale of Coles’ business, the impact of macro and micro forces on its operations is considered to be relatively large compared to the standard in the industry. The external market has been assessed based on PEST analysis and Competitor analysis. 2.2.1 PEST Analysis To explore how the macro environment has impacted the supermarket chain industry and Coles specifically, a PEST analysis has been used, which consists of Political, Economic, Social and Technology factors as shown below. Figure 3: PEST ANALYSIS – Coles Group Ltd Source: Author. i. Political Factors The supermarket chain industry attracts a great deal of attention from the government, non-governmental organizations and even advocacy groups. Due to the size of the industry and how significant a component of the economy and social welfare of countries it is, it has trigged debates on the future and current state of the industry on a global basis. The industry is mature in many countries and in Australia, it is considered a ‘duopoly’, which is a market situation where â€Å"two companies own all or nearly all of the market for a similar product or service† (Kumar Sharma 1998, p.229). With regards to Coles and the supermarket chain industry in Australia, the political situation as described in the preceding paragraph holds true. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Australia is one of the largest importers of grocery products and its a key contributor to the economy of neighbouring countries. Coles is also an equal opportuni ties employer which provides equal employment opportunities nationwide. Coles also sources products responsibly and contribute positively to the communities in which it operates. Other political factors that have an impact can include: Government initiatives and subsidies for local produce and foreign export policies Legislation for local farmers’ protection Market deregulation for foreign groceries to compete ii. Economic Factors The Supermarket chain industry is a high-risk industry, which requires a substantial strategic planning process, customer satisfaction and significant investment. To compete many companies have pursued alliances and joint ventures with shared facilities and outright buy outs to maintain the cost. The global recession of the past years has also had a significant impact on smaller retailers and the supermarket industry as a whole. Other economic factors that have had an impact include: Rise in currency rates Competition from developing countries Competitor rivalry Mergers and Acquisitions of big players Market seasonality and trade cyclesSupplier and customer drivers iii. Social Factors Aging populations and longer life expectancies, changing taste, healthy living styles and specific dietary requirements have increased demand for more organic food, and have been an important factor in the growth of new brands. In the US and UK, greater life expectancy will depend on diet, exercise and a positive attitude to life and increasing knowledge, according to Newell et al (2006). The Australian government’s plays an important role in promoting exercise, healthy living and a positive culture, which in effect can reduce consumption of certain brands and product demographics for Coles. iv. Technological Factors Increased use of the Internet has helped to reduce media costs and also made room for increase innovation in the supermarket chain industry. Coles has capitalised on the internet to continue to develop its online sales platform which has thus managed to attract interest from younger audiences and increased sales significantly. 2.2.2 Competitor Analysis 5 Forces The Five Forces model developed by Michael Porter provides a frame work to identify the competitive nature of an industry. Even though extremely subjective, a broad Five Forces analysis indicates that competitive rivalry within the supermarket chain industry is medium in Australia. Figure 4: Porter’s Five Forces Model Source: Author Based on the research and competitive analysis carried out and relative to Porter’s five analyses as shown in figure4, it can be observed that: As a known fact that, â€Å"Australia’s grocery markets is one of the most concentrated in the world, Woolworths and Wesfarmers (owner of Coles) account for almost 80% of supermarket sales, 60% of alcohol retail, 50% of petrol retail and 40% of all retail in Australia† (Ethical Consumer Group 2014). With their large market share they have and continue to exert considerable influence over suppliers and make the playing field extremely tough for much smaller independ ent retailers such as IGA, Foodland, 7-Eleven, Lucky 7, BP and several other liquor retailers. See figure 5 below. Figure 5: Australian Grocery Market Share Source: Ferrier Hodgson Ferrier’s Focus May 2011 from Wesfarmers and Woolworths annual reports 2010, NARGA November 2010 Report, Master Grocers Australia December 2010 Thus, Coles has only one major competitor – Woolworths; and a few direct competitors such as Aldi and Metcash. These four, Coles inclusive make up the big players in the industry. With each of them having a different and unique operating model, competitor rivalry is therefore high to medium. The market concentration of private label brands from these giants have been blamed for Australia having the fastest rising grocery prices in the developed world. Threat of substitution is therefore also high to medium because there are only four main competitors with similar prices. This is the same reason why customer bargaining power is me dium to low, and threat of market entry to compete with the big four is very low. Other competition therefore can only come from local harvests, independent grocers and small supermarkets and recently Costco. 3.0 SWOT Analysis As a result of the internal and external market audits undertaken, a complementing SWOT analysis for Coles’ group will help to evaluate areas of strength, weaknesses, growth opportunities and threats for the company. Results are shown in figure 5 below: Figure 6: SWOT Analysis for Coles Group Source: Author 4.0 Conclusion In conclusion, there are no real threats or key issues for Coles presently except for the recurrent price wars with its major competitor and concerns about the sustainability of these battles. With continuous market dominance however, leading to Australias powerful supermarket duopoly, this could be termed as inhospitable and leaving consumers to revel in cheaper staples. A key to survival of any business is the need to increase revenue and reduce dependence upon financing via debt bearing instruments. Coles, in respect to these strategic options is already in the process of developing new initiatives by reducing its debts and focusing on quality, service and value. Coles is in the forefront of innovation by taking advantage of further store renewal opportunities, supply chain transformation and a strategic approach to improved operational efficiencies and continued fund reinvestment in price. Reference List Ethical Consumer Group 2014, viewed 08 May 2014, www.ethical.org.au/get-informed/issues/supermarkets-in-australia/ Kumar, R Sharma, R 1998, Managerial Economics, New Delhi: India Atlantic Publishers Distributors Newell, RG, Jaffe, AB Stavins RN 2006, ‘The effects of economic and policy incentives on carbon mitigation technologies’, Energy Economics, vol. 28, p. 563 – 578. Wesfarmers, 2013, Wesfarmers Annual Report 2013. viewed 08 May 2014, https://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/14/144042/wes/WESFARMERS%20ANNUAL%20REPORT%202013.pdf Bibliography Brownlee II, ER, Ferris KR Haskins ME 1990, Corporate Financial Reporting: Text and Cases, Boston: BPI/Irwin, Grant, RM 2010, Contemporary Strategy Analysis, 7th edn, West Sussex, UK.: John Wiley Sons Ltd, Johnson, G, Scholes, K Whittington, R 2009, Fundamentals of Strategy, Essex, England: Pearson Education Kruger, C, Greenblat E Butler, B 2012, ‘Its all shelf interest in a price war’, Sidney Morning Herald, 21 April, viewed 08 May 2014, https://www.smh.com.au/business/its-all-shelf-interest-in-a-price-war-20120420-1xcms.html#ixzz31Bc7Z5gu Mableson, T Stewart, J 2011, Supermarket shootout: Will the independents survive?, Ferriers Focus, p.2. Porter, ME 2004, Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance, New York: Free Press,. Slack, N, Chambers, S, Johnston, R Betts, A 2009, Operations and Process Management: Principles and Practice for Strategic Impact, 2nd edn, Pearson Education, Essex, England. Stuart Alexander 20 14, viewed 09 May 2014, https://www.stuartalexander.com.au/aust_grocery_market_woolworths_coles_wholesale.php Wickham, PA 2004, Management Consulting Delivering an Effective Project, 2nd edn, Essex, England : Pearson Education Zehner, D Sanders, M 2012, The new reality for grocery suppliers in Australia, Bain Company, viewed 14 May 2014, https://www.bain.com/offices/australia/en_us/publications/new-reality-for-grocery-suppliers-in-australia.aspx Appendix : 5 year financial History All figures in $m unless shown otherwise 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 Summarised Income Statement Sales revenue 59,422 57,685 54,513 51,485 50,641 Other operating revenue 410 395 362 342 341 Operating revenue 59,832 58,080 54,875 51,827 50,982 Operating profit before depreciation and amortisation, finance costs and income tax 4,729 4,544 4,155 3,786 3,803 Depreciation and amortisation (1,071) (995) (923) (917) (856) EBIT 3,658 3,549 3,232 2,869 2,947 Finance costs (432) (505) (526) (654) (951) Income tax expense (965) (918) (784) (650) (474) Operating profit after income tax attributable to members of Wesfarmers Limited 2,261 2,126 1,922 1,565 1,522 Capital And Dividends Ordinary shares on issue (number) 000s as at 30 June 1,157,194 1,157,072 1,157,072 1,157,072 1,157,072 Paid up ordinary capital as at 30 June 23,290 23,286 23,286 23,286 23,286 Fully-franked dividend per ordinary share (declared) (cents) 180 165 150 125 110 Financial Performance Earnings per share (weighted average) (cents) 195.9 184.2 166.7 135.7 158.5 Earnings per share growth 6.4% 10.5% 22.8% (14.4%) (9.0%) Return on average ordinary shareholders equity (R12) 8.9% 8.4% 7.7% 6.4% 7.3% Fixed charges cover (R12) (times) 3.0 2.9 2.8 2.5 2.2 Net interest cover cash basis (R12) (times) 12.2 10.8 9.5 6.8 5.0 Financial Position As At 30 June Total assets 43,155 42,312 40,814 39,236 39,062 Total liabilities 17,133 16,685 15,485 14,542 14,814 Net assets 26,022 25,627 25,329 24,694 24,248 Net tangible asset backing per ordinary share $4.69 $4.45 $4.12 $3.61 $3.13 Net debt to equity 20.2% 19.1% 17.1% 16.3% 18.3% Total liabilities/total assets 39.7% 39.4% 37.9% 37.1% 37.9% STOCK MARKET CAPITALISATION AS AT 30 JUNE 45,936 34,846 36,913 33,171 26,337 Source: Adopted from West farmers 2013 Annual Report

Determinants Of A College Basketball Team - 3849 Words

Determinants of a college basketball team’s revenue 08/15/2014 Nils Weddig, Siena College, USA Abstract This paper shows empirical evidence of how a men’s college basketball program’s revenue is affected by several determinants. Results are being taken out of sample data from the past eight basketball seasons. The most important determinants considering a college basketball team’s revenue include advertising, ticket pricing, performance during the previous season as well as the past three games, performance of a local rival’s program in the previous season, quality of opponents faced, time of the event, and the Gross State Product. This article evaluates the listed determinants on the basis of a regression analysis to provide†¦show more content†¦College basketball is one of the most popular college sports to attend and to watch. The evaluated college is compared to other Division 1 programs a smaller college. However, their basketball team is still very competitive and has appeared in eleven national tournaments, six of which have been at the NCAA tournament. Over the past decade the program has seen a lot of success but they have also battled many hardships. Even though the success of the team has changed throughout the years the one thing that has never changed is the support from the students, alumni, faculty, and the community. At every home game the arena is filled with students, alumni, faculty, as well as the local community that attend to watch great basketball and support their favorite team. In this research article we are going to analyze how the program’s revenue is affected by different determinants. Collecting data of past ticket sales, pricing of the tickets, as well as the attendance for each game will enable us to determine the amount of revenue generated from this program. Some determinants that we are going to consider are the advertisement expenses for each game, the opponent’s team quality, the performance of the crosstown rival’s basketball program, whether the games are being held during the week or on weekends as well as the time of the game, and finally a demographic factor, the Gross State

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Bacteria Classification by Gram Staining Essay - 814 Words

Bacteria Classification By Gram Staining THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN CAIRO BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT SCIENCE 453 : BIOLOGY FOR ENGINEERS REPORT No.1 Presented By : Karim A. Zaklama 92-1509 Sci. 453-01 24/2/96 Objective: To test a sample of laboratory prepared bacteria and categorise it according to Christians gram positive and gram negative classes and also by viewing it under a high powered microscope and oil immersions; classify its shape and note any special characteristics. Introduction: Bacteria was categorised into two groups in 1884 by the Danish Bacteriologist Christian, gram positive and gram negative by a staining technique where the ability to avoid de-coloration of Crystal Violet solution by alcohol would render the category†¦show more content†¦11. Leave the slide to air dry. B. Examination: 1. Place the slide under microscope on low powered lens. 2. Move the slide using the apparatus until the sample can be seen as a blur under the microscope. 3. Focus the lens to ensure that there is a sample directly under the lens. 4. Move to higher powered lens, repeat step 3. 5. Move to higher powered lens, repeat step 3 6. Move microscope aside and add Oil immersion, leave for a few seconds and re-examine the slide. Note Shape and colour and any other observations. Results and Observations: It was evident by visual examination that the alcohol was de-colouring or a least partially de-colouring the bacteria. The sample appeared a dark pink or close to violet by the naked eye; a microscope was needed to ensure results. Under the low powered microscope shades of pink were noted. Under the medium power, the shades were more clear but no shape could be made out. Under the high powered microscope clumps of pink rod (bacilli) shaped bacteria cells could be observed. 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The AXE Man Free Essays

Advertisement, itself, is a creative genre in these post-modern days of ideas. If people in the future were to search for artifacts of our culture, in hopes of finding something that gives them insight into our culture and our life, they will be able to see what we leave behind in this consumer-driven world. Our ancestors left behind arrow heads and pottery, and we will leave behind a lot more that can easily communicate about who we are and what is important to us. We will write a custom essay sample on The AXE Man or any similar topic only for you Order Now Commercials and the products they advertise are some of the most important cultural artifacts in our society. They communicate what is important to or influences our culture, the good and the bad, because within any culture it is natural for the many different aspects of that culture to be portrayed on the screen or the page, from our stereotypes and biases, to what makes us proud and what makes us ashamed. One commercial that seems to represent an artifact of American culture is the recent AXE commercial, where a young man on a beach begins to spray AXE cologne, attracting literally hundreds of buxom beauties in bikinis, with the slogan being â€Å"Spray more, Get more†. The implications here about the way our culture stereotypes gender and what types of images we find to be suitable becomes part of the artifact and what it stands for in our culture. The first part of the advert shows a woman running in a wilderness. The first question that comes to mind is if this is a spoof of the new Mel Gibson movie â€Å"Apocalypto†? The theme of said movie is the hunter-hunted type of thriller where the protagonist is always on the run (from an AXE man perhaps? ). This is further implied by the choice of music – â€Å"Deus Irae† by Karl Jenkins which appears on his album â€Å"Requiem†. But then the video shows something else. There are many more than women running and therefore this is something else. The women are all focused with the task of reaching the goal first. They are single-minded indeed, to the point of being obsessed with whatever it is that made them run in the first place. All are jockeying for position and intense shoving and pushing is seen in the first few seconds. The second thing that hits the viewer is the fact that the women are not properly clad. If they are indeed going for a late afternoon jog then where is the sports wear needed to do the job? It is not usually normal to run with skimpy clothing! Then the next thing that hits the viewer is the fact that these are not only a group of young women running but it is actually a swarm. The multitude running together indicates mass hysteria. At this point the audience is becoming interested to know what this anarchy is all about; are they hunting for something? Again similarities can be drawn with â€Å"Apocalypto†. The next scene makes the video a bit confusing as a shot is taken from the other side of the terrain – a shot of the ocean where a similar number of horde of women are swimming frantically towards the shore. For a minute there one thinks that this may be something about the â€Å"Iron Woman† competition. But then it becomes clear as the video gives a top shot that shows where all the women are heading. The swarm is converging on the shore where a solitary male figure was spraying AXE cologne, specifically AXE Lynx. And the text flashed in the end saying, â€Å"Spray more. Get more. † If the AXE commercials are to be marked as anything of immediate interest, the popular tags that come to mind immediately are â€Å"pornographic advert† or â€Å"advert with sexual overtones. † Such terms are quite befitting as we find the women who are running from different topographical extremes have svelte, well-maintained physiques with sexual appeal, and the man on the beach stands armed with AXE cologne to attract more such women by spraying more of the heart-smashing fragrance. Commercials stand as an important artifact that can be used to understand a culture, and this commercial in particular says a lot about certain gender-related issues. Commercials such as this are not only for entertainment value, they are subconsciously sending messages to a population of people that view what they see on television as truth and fact. Someday, people will study such commercials in search of something historically or culturally important to our generation and will quickly realize that for all of our advances in our way of thinking and our technology, we were still submitting ourselves to the humiliation of gender-related stereotypes and sexually explicit material. If sexual excesses are not used deliberately, then why has such a slogan been floated in the air: Spray more, Get more? Is it not somewhat pornographic, tickling the fancy of men with the promise of winning an armful of femme fatales at one sprinkle of AXE? Why again a horde of belles are needed with immense sexual charms if no sexual implications are intended? When a condom, a bra or lingerie is advertised, the same types of images are blatantly paraded across the television screen, the sexual overtones not even subtle anymore. Even in odd places do we see such use of sexuality to sell a product, like the commercials that are for car insurance but are cartoons, using the cartoon character of a cute, busty girl to try and sell insurance for someone’s automobile. Even Pizza Hut commercials use Jessica Simpson’s sexuality to sell pizza, and Pepsi has been notorious for using stars such as Madonna to sell their product. The fact is that sex sells. Thus, if categorically the artifact is to be judged, then it is a piece of advertisement in the first place and then it is pornographic i. e. an advert with sexual overtones. In my view, whatever nomenclature may be piled on the term â€Å"advertisement†, it is a creative way of presenting an object or a commodity. So I would like to call it innovative advertisement. If we move a step further we will be able to see that innovative and sexually-exploitive adverts apply to all sorts of business tricks to catch the consumer youth. There is yet another genre that this advert falls into, and that is humorous. Despite its sexual overtones, the commercial is filmed in such a way that, at first glance, it appears to be harmless, comedic tone and all. The public seems to be very forgiving of any images or messages that are not politically correct when there is humor involved, as in this case. There is no complaining from the public even if a salacious picture or video clipping is used in order to make a commodity attractive to the target audience. It may appear denigrating in the eye of a few thoughtful, conservative people, but to hit the bull’s eye of consumerism, it is a weapon, a necessity, the need of the hour. In fact, this advert was shown only once on British television prior to a World Cup football game where it has reached near cult status. I never considered myself to be a conservative person, not even a little bit. I really thought the AXE commercial to be a great one with a sense of humor, but after I observed it many times closely, there were several things really bothering me. While it is common knowledge that marketers are using sex to sell their products, the issue that arises with this commercial is that it tried to hide the sexual content behind the product itself. The text did not imply anything sexual and therefore no one can accuse AXE of intentionally telling men of the benefits of using their cologne in terms of their becoming attractive sexually, but the imagery is enough to convince the viewer that it is selling the product through sex. In other words, AXE is using the fantasies of young men to bring them in as consumers of their product by promising them, visually, that there is something about their product that attracts women. If there is a law regulating sexual themes in advertising then it seems that the AXE advert is trying to beat the system. Those who do not agree with the blatant use of sex in advertising, be it implied or explicit, must heed the words of Tom Reichert when he wrote, â€Å"†¦other forms of sexual information is woven into ads [†¦] sexual content can vary in form and meaning, it is important to provide an overview of recurring representations of sex in advertising† (Reichert, 2003). The bone of contention here is how to draw the line between what is acceptable and what is not. J. Sivulka had warned that â€Å"when scholars have explained the changing nature of sex in advertising, they have often viewed this shift as an evolution from a relatively innocent representation of a sexually alluring woman to a new type of image, in which sex is explicit† (Sivulka, 2003). The world it seems is divided over what kind of judgment to give this sort of TV commercial, but fo r those who are looking for substance there is only one verdict. For those who are tired of being given information that is not based on truth but rather on assumptions and pop culture, the verdict is not positive. In the AXE commercial the first thing that does not escape the viewer is the stereotyping of the female. Geral Tellis observed that, â€Å"One of the most common criticisms of advertising is the gender stereotyping [†¦] endorsers are typically presented as young, beautiful, and sexually attractive†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Tellis, 2004). As a female watching this commercial I felt it not only was the dreaded stereotyping being used but also the fact that women were depicted as not having the intellect to comprehend what was going on and furthermore, that women were not valued for their intellect at all, but for their appearance. The women were portrayed like buffoons, parading themselves with no regard for their self-worth, with no obvious intelligence (in direct contrast with the ‘Iron Woman’ comparison). Instead of showing a commercial where the images show an intelligent, well-mannered male using AXE cologne and attracting an intellectual and strong woman, we are bombarded with yet more images of the stereotypical buxom bimbo and in my opinion, that is an insult to the feminists out there who are championing woman’s equal rights, access to power and control. The AXE commercial made them look like they have no ability whatsoever to control their destiny, much alone their lives and they are purely driven by instincts. Lorraine Code asserts that this kind of reaction is not new and she wrote that in fact, â€Å"In the 1970s feminists criticized advertisements for portraying stereotypical images of women†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Code, 2000). Forget about the feminist stereotype, what is disturbing about the way women were depicted in the AXE ad is the fact that there is no truth to what was being communicated. Granting that commercials are not supposed to be whole truths, still the fact that something can be created wholly out of imagination is a bit of a stretch. Adding another aspect of then forcing people to accept it or maybe worse, manipulating people to behave in a certain way are actions not acceptable for a highly influential medium. A casual survey of the real world will immediately inform the observer that women do not behave like those in the said commercial. If the producer of the AXE commercial would come back and say that this is the whole point; that making fantastic claims and using pure creative imagination to sell something is the reality of advertising, then it is going to be hard to argue that line of reasoning. Even if this were the case, not everybody will agree with the producer. Many believe that advertising is no longer a neutral medium but that it is an artifact that has the capacity to transform society, especially how people think, and therefore it is a medium to be regulated. If one allows the producer of the AXE commercial the benefit of the doubt, that there was no intention to demean women and to insult their intelligence, then the problem keeps on compounding because the next group that would be insulted by this commercial is the male population, because while it is common to hear women being exploited, more and more men are being devalued by the media as well. There is a movement out there that forces the world to recognize the place of women in society. It is almost a normal experience to constantly hear of women being abused and misrepresented, but it may be taken for granted that men can also be stereotyped. That there is a whole assumption out there that men are savages and no smarter than wild beasts who are being controlled by their carnal instincts would be insulting to me if I was male, and I cannot believe that the media can stereotype both genders in such simple terms. To be honest, however, no man would stand up and say that his reputation is on the line because of such media exploitation. For them, it is somewhat absurd, but if truth can be told and truth be the standard of knowing what must be done in this society then someone has to point out the problem with the AXE commercial. What exactly is wrong about it in terms of the male image is that this time men are not depicted as buffoons in the same way that the ladies were depicted running around half-naked and half-crazed when a potent brew aroused their senses and they could not control themselves. This time men were assumed to be buffoons, period. This assumption is basically a belief that when men will see the commercial then they will not stop to think and evaluate what is being projected on screen. They will simply instinctively pick up their wallets, head for the store and buy a crate full of AXE cologne – and â€Å"spray more†. It is interesting to note that marketers are well aware of what they are doing to the male stereotype and the projection of an image that will make men want to buy the cologne. As suggested by Stephen Fox in his study of the history of American advertising, marketers in the past made the generalization that, â€Å"†¦all men are fools† (Fox, 1997). They have expanded this theory into something more useful, â€Å"†¦that while men may be fools and sinners, they are everlastingly on the search for that which is good† (Fox, 1997). Advertising is the guide that leads them to the path of bliss and truth; yet, there is one more weakness of the male psyche that is being exploited here, but it must first be understood that this commercial was not created with the general public in mind. It is quite probable that the target-segment are young men between puberty and their twenties. It is possible that the target-market are adolescent males who lack the confidence to take their place in the world and establish relationships with the opposite sex and therefore need a touch of courage, in this case in the form of AXE cologne. There is evidence pointing to the fact that the target market is indeed the teenager segment of the population. Buddenberg pointed out that, â€Å"†¦despite being more knowledgeable about advertising, teens are still very susceptible to it† (Buddenberg, 2004). Fox enumerated the common behaviors considered normal for teens: a) struggle with sense of identity; b) feeling awkward or strange about one’s self and one’s body; c) concerns regarding physical and sexual attractiveness to others; and, d) worries about being normal (Fox, 1997). If Fox’s theory proves right then what a powerful effect the AXE commercial must be having on the minds of the teenage males that watch it. The video suggests achieving power and control where there is none – by simply spraying more AXE. To be fair, however, I must say that the humorous nature of the commercial was, even to me, funny at the beginning and I did not take it serious on first glance. The women, making funny faces and rushing this geeky-looking young man whose eyes are huge as he watches the scene unfold before him was more of a comedic event than anything. In this way, the producer of this commercial was not, perhaps, trying to use stereotypes about men and women to influence our culture, but perhaps just trying to make an impression, something that is hard to do in a society filled with a flood of advertisements at every turn. Despite my misgivings about the commercial, I do not remember any other cologne commercials vividly, only AXE, and perhaps that was the point all along. The advertisement used in this study can make people react in many different ways. The more important issue to address is the potential offensive effect of the commercial to both men and women, at least to those who are sensitive enough to really analyze the content of the video. The problem with the video is that it depicts women as stupid and at the same time assumes that young men are stupid enough to believe what they are seeing and will not take the time to verify it. Moreover, the commercial is trying to hide its sexual content and that is not acceptable for those who are shielding children and the rest of the public from too much exposure to indecency. Still, at the core of the problem is the unceasing evolution of advertising. This time what is perceived to be improper will soon change in a few years time. This will continue until one day, parents and concerned citizens will one day wake up to see sex in advertising being shown explicitly without shame. At some point, American advertising will turn the corner and, just as now, we will simply sit back, watch, hence evolving as viewers too, and let the images convince us of something just as ridiculous as the assumptions made in the AXE cologne commercial. Having said that, however, the public is not as taken in by adverts as we once were and so advertisers may be responding accordingly by making adverts more humorous, shocking and ridiculous in order to capture our attention and remember the product in question which is being advertised. Then just as the advert may be mocking women and/or men it may just as easily be merely ‘tongue in cheek’ and using the satirical content to try and get the consumer to simply buy a product which makes you smell nice! So, whether it be gender stereotyped, intellectually backward or in direct contrast, intellectually superior in order to be able to appreciate the humor in the AXE advert and not take it too seriously, the artifacts our commercial culture is leaving behind are, sadly, not a representation of who we really are, but who were are told to be. How to cite The AXE Man, Papers

Need for the code of ethics for construction professional & engineers

Abstract Engineers are the pioneer for global development and professionals are catalysts for problem solving but void of any rules, regulations, code of conduct or ethics, society would not allow the school of practical thinkers to advance or prosper in todays competent world. The study is to dwell deeper into the morals and ethical code of conduct and its valuable importance for professionals and engineers engaged into construction job. It is a call for duty towards the society and satisfaction of personal conscience. Introduction Code of ethics place integrity of interests of society and their security over the shoulders of professionals. Regardless of the job titles and posts, code of ethics is liable(Ladd, 1982) and should be necessarily followed as a benchmark for professionals around the globe. Professionals and engineers face numerous ethical dilemmas(Kultgen, 1988) in everyday life ranging from working under harsh environments, working on incompetent projects, to even sexual harassment in some areas. Every code of ethics namely business ethics, ethics for employees and professional ethical practices should be applied in civil construction practices. The need for ethics is prominent to uphold the fundamental canons of moral code to maintain dignity and truthfulness among the mass. The paramount for safety of the society lies in the hands of ethically behaving professionals. The principles and paradigms of ethics The need of the construction business is to produce, procure and prosper based on ethical conducts. There is a need for enforcement at initiating stage, construction stage and also at post construction stage. There is a need for enhancement in human welfare(Anshen, 1998) by building, maintaining and sustaining trust among the public. Since, safety is a prime concern in construction, therefore ethics are primarily based over safety concerns and serving the public with the fidelity(Hamzah et.al, 2010). To support the professional, technical, or entrepreneurial societies, ethics for professionals the prime necessity. Striving to achieve competency and prestige for the company and for the enterprise fundamental principles of ethics. The need of the hour and for the precious environment is to follow sustainable development strategies and these also form a part of the business ethics as described by the organizations. To prevent any kind of damage, hazard, disaster, accident or mishap engineers need to abide by the code of ethics by performing services in the areas matching the level and the degree of their competency(Carr, 1988). There is a recent upsurge of unethical practices in construction business such as bribery, corruption, bid cutting, bid shopping, cover pricing, or many other payment games being played by professionals. So, in order to curb these malpractices ethical implementation is necessary. In order to maintain the prestige and aura of the company social and public statements made by the managers or professionals of construction agencies need to be clear, concise, crisp and complete. Any kind of failure should be followed by immediate ethical norms and practices by giving objective replies and taking trustworthy remedial actions. The need of ethics to be followed at the time of conflict is a major area of concern. Construction engineers and professionals must rapidly resolve any kind of conflict arising in order to serve the general interest of public swiftly and with caution. For a construction firm of organization it is essential to maintain the reputation and the professional fame in order to remain competent in the construction business. A highlighting trait of competitive advantage is to function in the industry abiding by the set code of laws and ethics of the business market. In construction business there is no scope for fraud with raw materials and this is an evidence which profoundly speaks of the ethics to be followed by the professionals. There is a zero-tolerance policy in case of corruption and this should be included in the order book defining code of ethical practices(Loulakis,2003). In case of tender disclosures or documentation there is a dire need to follow business ethical practices in order to remain trustworthy and dependable. It is critically important to evaluate the ethics in the background of environment without any discrimination of performance in services on the basis of caste, creed or color without violating any lawful regulation in professional concern. Hence, the need of ethics is showcased in every domain and region of the professional arena from security, integrity, trust, performance, learning and skill refining. The laws of ethics Ethics are regulated by the government using various laws. The need to abide by the ethics are also in regard with respect of the law and following the regulations(Lavers, 2006) imposed by the law. Buildings Act 1993 clearly states the objectives(Australian Government, 2009) of enhancing the amenity of buildings by providing effective systems for building and by enforcing safety matters related to construction by regulating the building practitioners(McCarthy, 2012). It is mandatory for the professionals and engineers to go by the word of law and follow mentioned ethical practices in order to survive in the industrial arena. It is hence mandatory to follow the ethics and any breach in code of conduct may lead to a sign of professional misconduct under laws and acts. Laws are keys for setting standards for certifying building functions in public interest. Laws proclaim to follow the ethics and morals as per the expectations of the customers. Case studies There are several case studies calling for ethical practices to be taken seriously and morally. Quebec Bridge collapse and failure costed 88 lives and took a long span of time to complete(Pearson, 2006). The planning, design and execution were a mistake from the side of engineers. The engineers did not practice ethical means of execution while construction leading to disaster of collapse. Post disaster, other projects followed general guidelines for clearing ethical examinations to showcasing good character in order to understand the values required behind the construction and inherent processes. Another case study which is a striking example of unethical practices which became a lesson for others was Citicorp in New York. The structure of the building was unsound and due to unethical practices to save labor and material costs by replacing them with weaker bolts. The act of a leader to alert the damage of Citicorp was used as an example of ethical behavior for future. The need of ethical behavior was safety of public in empowering of strategic decisions(OLeary, 2008). Conclusion The summary of the study lies in the dire need of following and practicing business ethics in construction business in todays competent world. For security and safety of general public, following ethics is a must for professionals and engineers to prevent any disasters and set an epitome of ethical code of conduct for future construction business personnel to ensure trust and corruption free tender acquisition, high quality of raw material, regard for workers and responsibility post construction.