American Politics in the Context of Obama’s Election and First 100 Days Essay

The election of Barack Hussein Obama as the 44th President of the United States is a watershed in the history of American politics. In a country were blacks were once prohibited from voting just because of the color of their skin, his ascent into the White House is indeed a milestone. Obama’s victory is often attributed to several factors, including changes in voting behavior and public opinion and constant media exposure. Popular support of his regime did not end with the election hype – a 2009 Associated Press-GfK poll revealed that about 48% of Americans were satisfied with the economic outcomes of the Obama presidency’s first 100 days (Philstar. com n. pag. ). The rise of the Obama regime had a tremendous impact on American politics. It brought about the prospect of women and minorities gaining a greater voice in political institutions. But Obama’s first 100 days in office told a different story. His first 100 days revealed that the substance of his regime remained largely the same as that of George W. Bush’s. This just goes to show that in the context of Obama’s election and first 100 days, American politics changed its style but retained its hegemonic and elitist nature. Winning the nomination proved to be a greater challenge for Obama than winning the general elections. Because of a national political machine attached to her and her husband, Hillary Clinton was initially chosen by the Democrat Party to become its presidential candidate (Ceaser, Busch and Pitney 15). Although Obama was young, charismatic, cerebral and self-assured, the Democrats were apprehensive about his lack of experience in the political scene (Ceaser, Busch and Pitney 16). This weakness would probably not sit well with the American electorate, who were desperate for a leader who could rectify the damaging mistakes of the Republican administration (Ceaser, Busch and Pitney 15). But shifts in the economic and demographic profile of American voters rendered Obama a more suitable presidential candidate than Clinton. As of 2004, about 56. 6% of American voters were below 30 years old (Dahl n. pag. ). Majority of these individuals grew up using the Internet as an indispensable tool for work, study and leisure. When the Clintons staged their last national campaign in 1996, the Internet was just a fledgling industry. Obama’s youth and tech savvy (he kept a Blackberry with him at all times), therefore, would make him more appealing to the aforementioned voter’s age group than Clinton (Ceaser, Busch and Pitney 106). Obama must have been aware of these advantages of his – his election campaign involved mainly the utilization of the Internet. By April 2007, he already had 1,543,000 â€Å"friends† in his account in the social-networking website MySpace. com. In sharp contrast, Clinton only had 41,500 people in her network (Dupuis and Boeckelman 123). In the spring of 2008, Obama had at least 1 million â€Å"friends† in Twitter, while Clinton only had 330,000. Although they had the same number of Facebook â€Å"friends† during this period, the website’s largest pro-Obama group had over 500,000 members, while the largest Facebook group that supported Clinton only had 30,000 members (Tapscott 252). Furthermore, Obama’s rhetoric reflected the American public’s disillusionment with traditional political ideologies. His slogan, â€Å"Change You Can Believe In,† appealed to voters because it did not bombard them with highfaluting dogmas. Rather, it showed them that â€Å"change† meant exploring for new solutions to problems. The American people did not have to make do with traditional solutions which Obama believed have already failed them in the past. For instance, he is constantly criticized for his relative youth and limited high-level government inexperience. Obama downplayed this attack by claiming that â€Å"Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld have an awful lot of experience, and yet have engineered what I think is one of the biggest foreign policy failures in our recent history† (Dupuis and Boeckelman 123). Through this argument, he pointed out that adherence to convention is not always the best for the nation. There are instances when the government and the people must work together and come up with new solutions. In addition, Obama created a firm connection between himself and the people by letting them know that he also underwent their plights. In his campaign speeches, he often used his experience as the son of a working woman and as the husband of a working woman in order to show to the people that he knew how it felt to be in their shoes (Leanne 52). He knew how it was to be poor, marginalized and to work hard just to keep ends meet. Thus, his cynicism towards conventional ideologies – he and so many other Americans remained impoverished despite their application. Given such a populist and down-to-earth campaign strategy, it was no longer surprising if Obama won a landslide victory in the 2008 national elections. But his first 100 days in office revealed that his regime was essentially the same as that of George W. Bush’s. Obama’s first 100 days revealed the â€Å"right-wing character of his administration and the class interests that it serves† (Eley n. pag. ). If there was any difference at all, it was the approach – Bush assumed a warmonger-like stance to obtain the presidency, while Obama adopted a populist one. Obama continued the Bush administration’s militarist and aggressive foreign policy. Although he promised that he will all American troops out of Iraq, troop levels in Iraq remained virtually unchanged. Furthermore, Obama expanded the war in Afghanistan and even extended it to Pakistan. Worse, he proposed a defense budget worth $664 billion – believed to be the largest appropriation for military spending in American history (Eley n. pag. ). The prison camp at Guantanamo Bay remains open, despite Obama’s pledge to eventually close it down. As a result, its inmates are at risk of being shipped to US military prisons such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan, where they can be tortured and or killed in secret. Under the guise of â€Å"moving on,† he blocked all investigations and or criminal prosecution of parties that were responsible for the torture of detainees in US military prisons across the world. Obama’s government also intervened in the procedures of several court cases in order to deny habeas corpus to detainees in US military prisons in Afghanistan (Eley n. pag. ). While Obama was busy perpetuating Bush’s foreign policy, the American economy further deteriorated. Mounting layoffs took place, along with wage cuts, home foreclosures and depreciation of real estate value and retirement savings. These developments, in turn, resulted in escalating hunger and homelessness. But instead of creating concrete solutions to put an end to these calamities, the Obama administration used billions of dollars in public funds to bail financial institutions such as AIG, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch out of bankruptcy. Worsening the situation was that these banks were discovered to have been doling out huge portions of the bailout money to their executives as â€Å"bonuses† (Eley n. pag. ). It is very ironic that Obama, a black man who experienced growing up poor and marginalized, would end up perpetuating the repressive and anti-poor policies of his predecessor. But what Obama did reflected the recourse that the US most probably resorted to in order to steer itself from the economic crisis – tighten its grip over the Third World. It is during the current economic crisis that the US needs unlimited access to the natural resources of the Third World more than ever before. Thus, the Obama administration’s promise of â€Å"change† was replaced with the de facto continuation of the Bush regime. Works Cited â€Å"AP Poll: After Obama’s 100 Days, US on Right Track. † 24 April 2009. Philstar. com. 4 May 2009 . Ceaser, James W. , Andrew E. Busch, and John J. Pitney. Epic Journey: The 2008 Elections and American Politics. New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2009. Dahl, Melissa. â€Å"Youth Vote May have been Key in Obama’s Win. † 5 November 2008. MSNBC. 4 May 2009 . Dupuis, Martin, and Keith Boeckelman. Barack Obama: The New Face of American Politics. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2008. Eley, Tom. â€Å"Obama’s 100 Days. † 29 April 2009. GlobalResearch. ca. 4 May 2009 . Leanne, Shel. Say It Like Obama: The Power of Speaking with Purpose and Vision. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2008. Tapscott, Don. Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is changing Your World. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2008.

Housman’s “To an Athlete Dying Young”

A. E. Housman's â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young,† also known as Lyric XIX in A Shropshire Lad, holds as its main theme the premature death of a young athlete as told from the point of view of a friend serving as pall bearer. The poem reveals the concept that those dying at the peak of their glory or youth are really quite lucky. The first few readings of â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† provides the reader with an understanding of Housman's view of death. Additional readings reveal Housman's attempt to convey the classical idea that youth, beauty, and glory can be preserved only in death. A line-by-line analysis helps to determine the purpose of the poem. The first stanza of the poem tells of the athlete's triumph and his glory filled parade through the town in which the crowd loves and cheers for him. As Bobby Joe Leggett defines at this point, the athlete is â€Å"carried of the shoulders of his friends after a winning race† (54). In Housman's words: The time you won your town the race We chaired you through the market place; Man and boy stood cheering by, And home we brought you shoulder-high. (Housman 967). Stanza two describes a much more somber procession. The athlete is being carried to his grave. In Leggett's opinion, â€Å"The parallels between this procession and the former triumph are carefully drawn† (54). The reader should see that Housman makes another reference to â€Å"shoulders† as an allusion to connect the first †¦ †¦ middle of paper †¦ †¦ oem because the athlete lived a short choppy life, yet, be it for only a moment, he lived elaborately. Works Cited Bache, William. â€Å"Housman's To an Athlete Dying Young. † The Explicator, 1951. 185) Henry, Nat. â€Å"Housman's To an Athlete Dying Young. † The Explicator, 1954. (188-189) Housman, A. E.. â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young. † The Bedford Introduction To Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford Books Of St. Martin's Press, 1993. (967) Leggett, Bobby Joe. Land of Lost Content. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1970. Leggett, Bobby Joe. The Poetic Art of A. E. Housman. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1978. Ricks, Christopher ed.. A. E. Housman. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1968. John S. Ward

Unemployment and Crime in the Society Research Proposal

Unemployment and Crime in the Society - Research Proposal Example Unemployed persons who engage in criminal activities represent an individual matter that should not be associated with unemployment per se. Unemployed people are ready and willing to take work anytime if it is offered to them. They are ready to work and earn a decent living, but the challenge is the scarcity of job opportunities to absorb all the employment. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between crime and unemployment in the society. The investigation will involve the convicts of various crimes in society in a selected region in U.K. between the 1990 and 2013. The investigation will be conducted using questionnaires, observations, and interviews, and will target about two hundred respondents and gather details regarding the cause of conviction, respondents’ occupation prior to prior to conviction and the duration of imprisonment. The outcome of the investigation will be used to establish the extent to which unemployment has contributed to the crimes in t he society and the effect of law in deterring crimes in the society. Even though many people associate unemployment with criminal activities, the current increase in crime rate in the society is as a result of a failure of the security structures to deal with offenders and redress justice for the victims of crimes. Crimes are unlawful conducts stipulated by the state in the constitution of the country. The law specifies what is unlawful and the consequences of engaging in the unlawful conducts. There are many arguments that associated increase in the rate of unemployment with increasing rate of crimes in the society. Some researchers have linked poverty and unemployment of the youth to increasing criminal activities, and they argue that if the government does come up with strategies to curb the increasing poverty due to unemployment the society will be chaotic and uncontrollable.

In the communist manifesto karl marx states capital is... not a Essay

In the communist manifesto karl marx states capital is... not a personal, but a social power. Discuss what marx means by this - Essay Example In the book â€Å"The Communist Manifesto†, Karl Marx has shown the victory of the disciples of proletarian in the communist society. In the ancient period, all the powers of the old Europe were attracted towards the holy union in order to exercise the communism. The holy union was among the spies of German police and French radicals, Pope and Tsar and the Guizot and Metternich. During this period, it was highly realized by the Europeans that the communists must openly face the entire world and meet the study of communism with the policy of the party itself. Karl Marx had also stated that the capital is not a personal but a social power. A lucid explanation of this statement would be further discussed in the essay on the basis of the bourgeois, proletarians and the communists. Discussion on the Statement i.e. "Capital is... Not a Personal, But a Social Power" and Marx’s Use of the Word â€Å"Parasite† It has been a trend that the simple words ‘oppressorâ₠¬â„¢ and ‘oppressed’ have marked several histories of open fights, which ended with a revolution among the different classes of people in the society or destruction of a particular class of people. Likewise, the revolutionary action among the bourgeois and proletarians resulted in the abolition of the capitalists’ society and introduced communism in the society. Bourgeois and proletarians are the two major dimensions of the communists’ society in the ancient times. Bourgeois were the modern capitalists acting as the owner of the production activities and the employer of the labors. On the other hand, proletarians were the group of laborers who did not have their own modes of production and were compelled to sell their labor power to the bourgeois. At that period of time, bourgeois were holding the supreme power in the society as they were the middle class owners of the production activities and the labors. The labors were the proletarians who had no power in the society rather they were treated as the private labor of the bourgeois. The proletarians were compelled to sell their labors to the bourgeois in order to earn their living. The proletarians were suppressed by the bourgeois as they had no rights of property and self-esteem in that society. Nonetheless, it was frequently observed that the communists had represented the interests of the proletarians as a whole in the movement during their fight for the property and rights1. The communists had never opposed the other working class entities of the society. They always formed similar party to that of the working class. They served the similar aims of the party as the proletariat does. The distinction between the communists and the other working parties arrive on the basis of two of the grounds. The first base is that the communists had brought the common interest of the proletarians in light during their national fight in various countries. The other is that the communists were sig nifying the interests of all the parties in the movement as a whole during the stages of development of the proletarian society. These two characteristics of the communists not only made them different from the other working class parties in the world but they had also made them the most advanced party in the entire world. The communists had the similar aim to that of the proletarians. The aims of both these parties were end of the bourgeois superiority, development of proletariat into a class and invasion of the political

How do you feel about what has transpired surrounding the U.S. Supreme Essay

How do you feel about what has transpired surrounding the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on Obamacare (or the Affordable Care Act) - Essay Example They are at liberty to be insured by an agency of their choice. The Act makes healthcare more accessible and affordable to individuals, small business owners and families by reducing premium costs and offering tax relief. It is termed the biggest middle level tax reduction in history of healthcare (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 1). Members of the middle class who do not have healthcare coverage will now be compelled to contribute towards the insurance coverage of the rest of the people. This has a beneficial effect to all because a majority of the citizens will end up paying less than what they would have otherwise been required to pay, including those in the middle class. I see no justification in opposing an Act that provides all these benefits, apart from selfish political interests that would rather exclude the poor from accessing healthcare to ensure a comfortable life for the rest. America is the only developed country that leaves out millions of its poorest popula tion from healthcare (Liptak 1). The approval of this Act will be a bridge between the poor and a decent healthcare program. The Act regulates the insurance industry by setting and imposing rules that discourage abuse. It forbids insurance companies from denying insurance coverage to citizens who have pre existing health conditions while according insurance clients power to appeal an insurance company’s assessment that deny treatments ordered by doctors (Liptak 1). I feel this sets a ground for all industry players while giving citizens on of their basic rights. I feel the Act is not discriminatory. It extends Medicaid and treats all States equally.  It has also preserved the children’s insurance plan and made enrollment for individuals and families much simpler (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 1). Americans with disabilities also stand to gain as the Act enhances community based care for them. Expanding home care to those with long term needs of

A Discussion and Analysis of the Seven Sins of Memory Essay

A Discussion and Analysis of the Seven Sins of Memory - Essay Example Whereas the memory is a complex process that each and every human being possesses, the fact of the matter is that it cannot succinctly be described in general terms. Rather, understanding he unique ways in which different types of memory and memory loss relates to the individual is a fundamental step in attempting to grasp a further understanding of the way in which memory is governed and integrated within the human being. Remembers as a means of drawing inference from the discussion of these seven distinct types of memory loss. The first of these which Schacter introduces to the reader is that which is termed transient memory loss; or the type of memory loss that relates to a particular memory fading over a period of time. In this particular type of memory loss, the subject is able to recall a great deal more with relation to recent events than with regards to those that took place a long while ago. As the author notes, this particular type of memory loss is especially related to episodic memory in the fact that each and every time a particular episode is recalled it is, re-written, as it were; thereby altering the memory and making it more difficult to recall within the future (Renk et al, 2007). This type of memory loss most specifically affects the hippocampus. The second sin of memory, as the author dubs these failings, is that of absent mindedness. This is perhaps the most widely discussed and well known of the memory loss issues as it relates to attention span and issues with the memory interface. This type of memory loss most intimately affects the short term memory and can of course be exhibited in situations such as forgetting where one placed the remote control, leaving one’s keys inside the car, or forgetting about important dates or appointments.

Training and assement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Training and assement - Essay Example Steps to take 1. Establish the scenario: gather background information needed, identify the target group, and determine training needs. 2. Research and identify two units of competency from a nationally-recognised qualification that address the training needs. Determine program outcomes based on these units. 3. Collaborate with others as needed to design, develop and review the learning program. 4. Evaluate and select available learning resources for content relevance and quality. 5. Document the learning program plan. Evidence to submit Please submit the following as proof that you have completed this project: RESULTS Assessor to complete shaded areas: S NYS 1. Cover page This training program was carried out to use training packages and accredited courses to meet client needs. The client organization was made up of workers of bakery shops at a cluster area in the city. Though the clients were not from one company, they were at a cluster place and so accessibility to them was not a problem. The job positions for these clients were mostly newly recruited bakers and their managers. There were however some of them who were mere apprentices at the job. The duties of the apprentices were to ensure the day to day upkeep of the companies, whiles learning to become qualified bakers. The newly recruited bakers were regular salaried workers whereas the managers supervised all activities at the various companies. Quite a lot of the clients possessed some of the required skills and knowledge. For instance there were a lot of them who could read and write, perform basic numeracy operations, have good interpersonal relations and could interpret the content of the whole course. An outstanding characteristic of the clients that may affect the learning program is the availability of time and the schedule of learning period. This is because their work is demanding and so they hardly make time for private learning. The overall aim of the training was to equip learners with manag erial skills. The decision to select this training issue was because most of the clients, after working for companies for some number of years left the companies to start their own business. Such clients need managerial skills to mange their own companies. Clients were assessed through written test, observation, answering of questionnaires and peer report. 1. Cover Paged Completed and Attached    2. Learning program plan Submit a typed workplace document (about 2 – 3 pages) that outlines the final (approved) version of the learning program. The 2 units of competence used were TAEDES402A and TAEDES401A. These learning programs were needed to equip me with the skills and knowledge to handle clients with diverse learning needs. My most immediate target learning group was a group of bakers who were to receive training in office management. Most of these clients had good knowledge of the skills and knowledge prescribed in the course content. Example interpersonal relations, goo d communication skills, ability to read and write and ability to work numeracy problems. The dimensions of the course undertaken were introduction to office management, basic management skills, human management, assert management and company growth. For

MiniBusiness Plan Parameters( Food truck and we sell mainly smoothies Essay

MiniBusiness Plan Parameters( Food truck and we sell mainly smoothies king) - Essay Example The idea of a food truck will ensure we serve our clients at their convenience by making trips to their premises based on the truck schedule. Our staff are committed to ensure our clients’ interests are accorded first priority. Amazing smoothies is a limited liability company with all the members having an equal share capital in the business. The initial capital will be 100,000 dollars with the contribution of each member at 20,000 dollars with the possibility of further investment in future as agreed upon by the members. The investment will attract an interest of not more than 10% per annum. The monthly variable costs are estimated at 5,500 dollars and fixed cost at 3,000 dollars. The business partners will receive an equal salary at 500 dollars per month but may be subject to adjustment depending on the work rate assigned to each individual. Our sales revenues for the First year is projected at 12,000 dollars per month and to rise to 15,000 dollars within one year of operation. This represents an increase in sales at 12.5% annually. We are targeting expansion to buy more food trucks after the first year so as to be able to cover more market

Observational Essay -Time Square, New York Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Observational -Time Square, New York - Essay Example Most of the buildings are tall and seem to beckon to passers by. The streets are well tarmaced and clearly marked to make the follow of traffic as efficient as possible. The place is full of different types of businesses ranging from hotels, bars, peep shows, and supermarkets among others. The businesses and activities taking place in this area make it a fashionable tourist destination. This became evident as I could see many tourists waltzing in the area, and they kept coming in good numbers. My observation reveals that for its numerous attractions, the place attracts very huge numbers of tourists from different parts of the globe every day. I noticed a huge presence of uniformed police officers along the streets of Times Square. The officers patrol the place night and day to ensure that assure people’s security is secured. I noticed that Times Square hosts very many beautiful hotels some offering pocket friendly menus while others are extremely expensive. Some of the inexpensive hotels I happened to visit during my tour of the area include The Hotel at Times Square, The Portland Hotel at Times Square and the Comfort Inn Times Square Hotel. These hotels offer a variety of foods with some offering traditional and others exotic. The hotels I visited include the InterContinental Times Square, New York Times Square, and The Cooper Square. I discovered that since it is very expensive to have an accommodation in the three of these hotels, majority of those who eat or get an accommodation there are tourists and extremely rich nationals. Prostitution is also very high at Times Square, particularly male prostitution. Here, male prostitution appears to be a common entrepreneurial business, done in a very organized way. This is because it is openly done and is commonly referred to as ‘hustling’. The term ‘hustling’ is used since the young prostitutes use

Viva Translations Essay Example for Free

Viva Translations Essay For example, Translators without Borders is listed as Ð ° partner, together with Viva Translations in Lisbon and Eulogia (currently Ð ° dead link), on the Eurotexte site. Similarly, the Translators without Borders site features Ð ° link to Eurotexte on the main page and, after outlining the groups services to several humanitarian organizations, informs us that many Eurotexte translators and staff volunteer their time for these important translation jobs so that translations can be provided free to humanitarian NGOs. The narrative of Translators without Borders is also structurally incoherent in another respect, as Ð ° consequence of its dependence on and overlap with the Eurotexte narrative. Translators without Borders, listed under the rubric â€Å"Success Stories† on the Eurotexte site, espouse humanitarian and political ideals that are arguably at odds with Eurotexte practices. Lori Thicke, managing director of Eurotexte and founder of Translators Without Borders, addresses these ideals in an undated speech to the Italian Federation of Translation Companies, which she begins with Ð ° powerful reminder of the atrocities committed in Chechnya, Palestine, and Kosovo. Ð  man in Chechnya says, Ð  ground-to-ground missile killed my two sons in the market in Grozny. They werent fighters-they were just there to buy some jeans. The Palestinian girl who at first is too afraid to talk to the visitors, whispers, І dont think were going to come out of this alive. on Ð ° forced March to the border Ð ° mother in Kosovo cries as the soldier takes aim, Not him, hes not even 15! Thicke goes on to ask, If theres no money for translations, who will tell their stories? This is Ð ° valid question and an admirable call for intervention. Yet at the same time the Eurotexte site proudly lists among its top clients numerous companies that are directly or indirectly implicated in the very atrocities that communities like Translators without Borders are meant to be bringing to our attention. These include General Electric, the subject of an intense boycott campaign by various peace groups between 1986 and 1993 because of its involvement in the production and sale of nuclear weapons. As Ð ° major U. S. defense contractor, it is now back on the boycott lists of several anti-war groups. Similar criticisms could be leveled at other clients that Eurotexte proudly lists on its site, including Loreal, as well as its subsidiary Lancome. Apart from its dismal record on animal testing, Loreal established Israel as its commercial center in the Middle East in 1995 and in 1998 received Israels Jubilee Award, for organizations who have done most to strengthen the Israeli economy. Loreal is on the boycott lists of various solidarity groups set up precisely to respond to the kind of fear and oppression opposed by the humanitarian organizations that are served by Translators without Borders. At best, then, Eurotexte/ Translators Without Borders may be accused of taking only Ð ° superficial interest in the plight of the groups it presumes to defend and of failing to look into the wider context of the tragedies it purports to oppose. At worst Eurotexte knowingly and cynically exploits both oppressor and oppressed to further its own commercial success. In Fishers framework, fidelity ultimately ranks higher than coherence. Structural incoherence of the type outlined above in the narrative of Translators Without Borders can in principle be explained and even justified from the perspective of narrative fidelity. Narrative fidelity, as І explained earlier, allows us to test Ð ° story in relation to its reasons as well as the values it promotes In terms of reasons, one could argue that Eurotexte has not misrepresented its links with Translators without Borders and has not sought to mislead by omitting facts about how the two organizations relate to each other. Eurotexte can only gain by its links with Translators without Borders; thus, the reasons for its particular narrative being what it is is logical and justified. For Eurotexte, doing good comes at Ð ° price; the ability to use Translators Without Borders as Ð ° selling point at the same time as keeping its own operation focused on making money ensures that translators without borders can continue to enjoy Ð ° stable platform at the same time that Eurotexte can continue its associations with clients like General Electric and Loreal. In her speech cited above, Thicke explicitly maintains this duality, stating, I’m sure І dont have to convince you of the importance of humanitarian work. If you didnt believe in it, you wouldnt be here today. But were in business. We all need to make money. Good works are often Ð ° luxury we cant afford. or can us? The great news І have for you today is that good works not only help the world: they can also be good for business. Much as І believe in good works, I’m Ð ° businesswoman, through and through Apart from indirectly securing Ð ° financial basis for its activities by promoting its sponsor as Ð ° responsible agency, however, it is not obvious how the aims of Translators Without Borders are served by being commoditized to enhance the image of Eurotexte. It is this element of the commoditization of the humanitarian work of the group that undermines the narrative of Translators without Borders, particularly in light of Fishers fidelity principles. Here, we ask what kind of worldview is promoted by the narrative under examination and what cultural values it directly or indirectly gives credence to.

Fragrance Store Business Plan

Fragrance Store Business Plan Business Name: FRAGRANCES Company Summary Fragrances is a new natural and herbal cosmetics company proposing to set up a signature herbal cosmetics store in Central London. The store will deal in herbal cosmetics including perfumes. The company has been setup by a team of three members who have years of experience in understanding and managing cosmetics business, channel marketing and high-level sales. The promoters will initially fund the business themselves as they believe strongly in their product idea. Market research among over 1000 women in various age groups shows that there is a demand for such products. Sales projections for Fragrances are estimated be over  £1 million for the first year, with a decent net profit. The promoters feel that, by creating awareness of their products, many women will prefer to purchase their products for their own use, as will friends and family members. Objectives Create a niche market in herbal cosmetics industry Generate retail sales of over  £1,000,000 in year one. Maintain a gross margin of over 65%. Mission To give an unlimited opportunity to women of all ages to become beautiful naturally Keys to Success Fragrances will: Offer a unique line of herbal cosmetics that will take into account the differences in requirements of diverse age groups. Herbal cosmetic products are currently in demand today and are also available but there are no differences in cosmetics available for different age groups. Satisfy the demand of women who do not want to use cosmetics containing harmful chemicals Execute a targeted marketing campaign to generate awareness of the their products Fragrances will be a UK-based herbal cosmetics company offering its customers a series of unique herbal cosmetics including skincare products, hair care products and perfumes. There will a wide variety in these cosmetics and will take the differences in requirements of diverse age groups. The store will have two product experts who will help the customers choose the right products according to their ages and requirements. The company will reach out to customers through their own signature store as well as its website. In the future, the company will also explore the possibility of expanding to the entire UK by setting up a chain of such stores. Company Ownership Cosmetics industry in the UK is a growth industry dominated by a few key players. Fragrances needs to pool funding to be able to make its presence felt in the industry. It will be set up as a private limited company as the three promoters will pool in their funds and will form the core management team. As a private company it will be able to achieve its initial standing which would not have been possible as a sole proprietorship or partnership firm. Start-up Summary Start-up costs for Fragrances include legal costs, computer supplies, new product marketing, website design and regulatory costs for cosmetics[1]. Start-up assets are mostly dedicated to start-up stock. Start-up Expenses  £ Legal 1,000 Computer Supplies 1,250 Marketing 15,000 Web design 2,500 Regulatory 4,000 General Administration (including rent and salaries) 137,000 Total Start-up Expenses  £160,750 Start-up Assets Cash  £10,000 Start-up stock  £60,000 Other current assets 0 Fixed assets (Including fixtures)  £20000 Total assets  £90,000 Total Requirements for Expenses and assets 250,750 To start with, Fragrances will introduce its herbal range in skincare products perfumes. Skincare products These will include day creams, night creams, exfoliating creams, anti-wrinkle or anti-ageing creams. Within these there will be creams for specific age-groups and skin types. Perfumes Fragrances will start-off with a limited range of perfumes for the working women. In stage two, more variety will be introduced. Source: National Statistics, accessed from http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=6 Market Segmentation The three main segments of the market who would buy herbal cosmetics are working executives, college and university students and ageing women. There will also be those who would shop for women, perhaps a husband, friend or a family member. Though the store will be in Central London it will cater to the needs of entire UK. Women living outside London will buy the cosmetics online through the company website. The absence of a store in small towns will not impact the sale as the product will be extremely effective and safe. The confidence will be based on additional expenditure on creating awareness about the products. As per the mid census estimates, the total women population in all age groups in UK is 30,730,300 (Source: NSO Statistics). In addition, statistics indicate that on an average 93% of total women in all age groups buy cosmetics. The potential market may be set at 28,579,179 (93% of total women). Based on the primary and secondary segments, the projected sales forecast is conservatively set at less then 1% of the total potential market (285,790), as highlighted in the following table and chart. Potential Customers Growth 2008 2009 2010 CAGR Working women 0% 142,895 142,895 142,895 0% Young girls 0% 107,171 107,171 107,171 0% Ageing women 0% 26,793 26,793 26,793 0% Others 0% 8,931 8,931 8,931 0% Total 0% 285,790 285,790 285,790 0% Product Elasticity: The product is a necessity and is not highly price elastic. Consumers are ready to pay a higher product if they become aware of the unique benefits from the product. Industry Analysis The UK cosmetics industry accounts for  £5 billion sales. (Source: Euromonitor – Consumer Europe 2002/3 – 18th Edition Pub. Euromonitor International Plc)) 93% of British women use cosmetics in some shape or form making us one of the highest users in Europe. (Source: Key Note Report – Cosmetics Fragrances A Market Sector Overview 10th Edition, Ed. By Eleanor Hughes) Convenience and benefits continue to be a key trend for British cosmetics consumers. Easy application and usage, as well as effectiveness, are the main requirements. Some of these products have a higher price positioning, but consumers appear willing to pay higher unit prices if products can offer genuine benefits in terms of saving time. Fragrances will be a small segment of the cosmetics industry. The market is dominated by major players. Significant shifts in overall value share in this sector have primarily been achieved through major mergers and acquisitions such as L’Orà ©al’s purchase of The Body Shop. Competition Analysis Natural and herbal cosmetic products is a growing sector with the presence of a few big players such as L’Orà ©al’, Bodyshop, Boots and Johnson and Johnson. It is becoming stronger in the UK and UK is now competing with other European countries for product launches. There has been a 170 per cent increase on launches from the comparable period in 2006. According to a recent Mintel report, the UK has seen the largest increase in herbal beauty products of any European country even in the first quarter of 2007. The country accounted for a mere five per cent of the 1600 organic cosmetics launched worldwide in 2006, which has now risen to 19 per cent of the 1053 products that have already been launched globally in 2007. In recent years there has been an explosion of activity as consumers have become more aware of the health benefits of using natural ingredients. Supermarkets have now begun to pick up on this trend, with leading chains such as Asda, Tesco and Waitrose all developing own brands to capitalise on the growing consumer demand for organic and ethical products. Our marketing strategy is to create product awareness among women using cosmetics by strategically placing Internet ads, using direct mailers and generating PR. Competitive Edge The present herbal cosmetic retailers carry a mainstream line of cosmetics that are appealing to the masses. Due to their mass distribution model, it would not be prudent for them to carry small amounts of specialty items for specific age groups. By positioning in the market as a specialty store, Fragrances is confident that word of mouth will help to create product awareness across UK. Fragrances unique selling proposition is that its products will be exclusive and customised for women in accordance with their age groups, skin types etc. Currently, no major cosmetic retailer and online stores offer such customised herbal cosmetics. The primary weakness of Fragrance will be to generate awareness about the cosmetics and highlight how these are different from the other products available in the market. To generate sales, there is a need to first create awareness about the existence of the product and make it easy for potential customers to locate the speciality store. However, it will not be difficult to establish its presence in the cosmetics industry. Marketing Strategy Fragrances marketing strategy is crucial to its success. The company will need to create awareness of its products through: Strategically-placed ads in women’s magazines and women related websites Direct mail and e-mail advertising to working women New product PR in publications for women Sales Strategy Sales are dependent upon creating awareness and generating excitement about the herbal cosmetics. The company will strategically place pop-up and banner ads on web-sites relevant to both women, use direct mail and e-mail lists and seek public relations coverage in relevant media sources. Fragrances will fulfil orders through its speciality store. It will also offer returning customers an option to place their orders on the company’s official website, or fax in orders to the company. E-orders: Customer can purchase online 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Fax orders: Customers can fax in an order 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Sales Forecast The sales forecast for First Year 2008 takes into account slower sales at the beginning as the company creates awareness of its product and website. Initially the company will be selling limited range of skincare products and perfumes. As the company grows, it will explore the demand for other types of customised products. The following table illustrates unit sales of 109,500 units for the first year. This would require the company to sell to less than 1% of its target market. FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 Unit Sales Units Sold 109,500 115,000 121,000 Average unit price  £ 10  £10  £10 Sales Revenue  £ 1,095,000  £1,150,000  £1,210,000 Direct Unit Costs  £3  £3  £3 Direct Cost of Sales  £ 328500  £345000 363000 Initially the company will be managed by its promoters. They will oversee product development, the online store, speciality store and marketing efforts. Outsourcing will be used on some initial tasks, specifically the website design and maintenance. Personnel Plan As the company’s launch date approaches, two product experts will be hired to help with the speciality store sales. As the company grows, more personnel will be added as needed. Personnel Plan FY 2008 (in  £) FY 2009 (in  £) FY 2010 (in  £) Management team for 3 Members  £45,000  £45,000  £45,000 2 Employees  £20,000  £21,000  £22,050 Total People 5 5 5 Total Payroll  £65,000  £66,000  £67,050 Fragrances project the gross margin to be healthy percent (70%). Sales projections for 2008 are at over  £1 million. Refer appendix for a projected profit loss account, projected cash-flow statement and projected balance sheet for the period 2008-2010. Start-up Funding The promoters of the company will use personal funds to finance the start of this business. The primary start-up costs are as follows: Start-up Expenses  £ Start up Funding Start up Expenses to fund 160,750 Start up Assets to fund 90,000 Total Funding Required 250,750 Assets Non-cash assets from start-up 80,000 Cash 10,000 Additional cash Raised 0 Cash Balance on Starting Date 10,000 Total Assets 90,000 Liabilities and Capital Liabilities Current Borrowing 0 Fixed liabilities 0 Accounts payable 0 Other current liabilities 0 Total Liabilities 0 Capital Planned Investment Shareholders equity 250,750 Investor 0 Additional Investment Requirement 0 Total Planned Investment 250,750 Loss at Start-up (160,750) Total Capital 90,000 Total Liabilities and Capital 90,000 Break-even Analysis The following Break-even Analysis shows what is needed in monthly sales to break even. Break-even Analysis (Year 2008) Monthly units break-even 1,914 Monthly Revenue Break-even  £19,140 Assumptions: Average per-unit revenue  £10 Average per-unit variable cost  £3 Estimated monthly fixed cost  £13396 This Confidentiality Agreement (the â€Å"Agreement†) is by and between (hereinafter â€Å"Disclosing Party†) and the undersigned recipient of information. (hereinafter â€Å"Recipient†) Recipient and its Representatives shall not disclose any of the Confidential information in any manner whatsoever, except as provided under Permitted Disclosures. Recipient hereby agrees to indemnify Disclosing Party against any and all losses, damages, claims, expenses and legal fees incurred or suffered by Disclosing Party as a result of breach of this Agreement by Recipient or its Representatives Appendix A Projected Profit Loss 2008 ( £) 2009 ( £) 2010 ( £) Sales 1,095,000 1,150,000 1,210,000 Direct cost of goods 328,500 345,000 363,000 Other costs Cost of goods sold 328,500 345,000 363,000 Gross Margin 766,500 805,000 847,000 Gross Margin % 70% 70% 70% Total Operating Expenses 396,025 375,667 352,917 Profit Before Interest and Taxes 370,475 429,333 494,083 EBITDA 370,475 429,333 494,083 Interest Expense Taxes 148,190 171,733 197,633 Net Profit 222,285 257,600 296,450 Projected Cash Flow 2008 ( £) 2009 ( £) 2010 ( £) Cash Received Cash from Operations Cash sales 1,095,000 1,150,000 1,210,000 Subtotal cash from operations 1,095,000 1,150,000 1,210,000 Additional cash received VAT received 0 0 0 New current borrowing 0 0 0 New other liabilities 0 0 0 Sale of other current assets 0 0 0 Sale of fixed assets 0 0 0 New Investment received 0 0 0 Subtotal cash received 1,095,000 1,150,000 1,210,000 Expenditure Cash spending 58,000 86,000 95,000 Bills payment 652,232 691,342 727,276 Total spent on operations 710,232 777,342 822,276 VAT paid 0 0 0 Repayment of current borrowing 0 0 0 Purchase of other current assets 0 0 0 Purchase of fixed assets 0 0 0 Dividends 0 0 0 Subtotal Cash Spent 710,232 777,342 822,276 Net Cash Flow 384,768 372,658 387,724 Cash Balance 394,768 767,426 1,155,150 Projected Balance Sheet 2008 2009 2010 Assets Current assets Cash 394,768 767,426 1,155,150 Stock 60,000 60,000 60,000 Other Current Assets 0 0 0 Total Current Assets 454,768 827,426 1,215,150 Fixed Assets Fixed assets Accumulated 20,000 20,000 20,000 Depreciation 0 0 0 Total Assets 474,768 847,426 1,235,150 2008 2009 2010 Liabilities and Capital Current Liabilities Accounts payable 53,900 57,085 60,020 Current borrowing 0 0 0 Other current liabilities 108,583 220,456 308,795 Long term liabilities 0 Total liabilities 162,483 277,541 368,815 Capital including profits 312,285 569,885 866,335 Total liabilities and Capital 474,768 847,426 1,235,150 Bibliography Barrow Colin, Barrow Paul, Brown Robert, The Business Plan Workbook, (2001) Kogan Page Ltd Blackwell Edward, How to Prepare a Business Plan, (2004) Kogan Page Ltd Branson, Richard, The Best-Laid Business Plans: How to Write Them, How to Pitch Them (Virgin Business Guides), (2005) Virgin Books; New Ed edition Covello Joseph, Hazelgren Brian, The Complete Book of Business Plans (Jan 1993), Sourcebooks Eleanor Hughes, Key Note Report – Cosmetics Fragrances A Market Sector Overview 10th Edition Euromonitor – Consumer Europe 2002/3 – 18th Edition Pub. Euromonitor International Plc Finch Brian, How to Write a Business Plan, (2006), Kogan Page Ltd McKeever Mike P., How to Write a Business Plan,(1992) Nolo Press UK Population data accessed from http://www.statistics.gov.uk/glance/#population Footnotes [1] The UK cosmetics industry is regulated under the the Department of Trade and Industrys 1996 Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations.