According to Merium Webster, gender is the behavioral,...

According to Merium Webster, gender is the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex.† Our gender is not biological. Our sex is biological. Kathy Witterick and her husband, David Stocker decided to not reveal the sex of their child. In the birth announcement, instead of saying â€Å"its a boy† or â€Å"it’s a girl† they said Weve decided not to share Storms sex for now — a tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation, a stand up to what the world could become in Storms lifetime (a more progressive place?). Witherick explains that â€Å"When the baby comes out, even the people who love you the most and know you so intimately, the first question they ask is, ‘Is it a girl or a boy? If you really want to†¦show more content†¦A person with agency can make decisions and effect change. I try to connect the ideas of socialization, performativity and gender neutrality. I try to show how gender neu trality would give people agency. I used Judith Butler’s theory of performativity as a framework for this analysis. I connected how socialization forces us to â€Å"perform† in certain ways. Socialization is the process by which a person what society expects for them to be. Socialization effects us from the moment we arrived on the earth. I actually think that socialization is strongest when we are younger. I focused on the early years for a very specific reason. Socialization starts with the parents. The first way we understand a baby is by its gender. One study found that parents have different expectations for boys and girls a day after the child is born. (Rubin, Provenzano, Luria, 1974) The mother declaring the sex of the baby is the first step of socialization and loss of personal identity. I think this moment is important to focus on for many reasons. What the mother says will have long term consequences it will define how the child is talked to for the rest of their lives. Newborns are considered to be the most vulnerable members of society. The fact that so much of their identity is decided at this most vulnerable moment emphasizes how oppressive gender norms can be. Newborns have their whole lives ahead of them but they have already lost some control of it. There areShow MoreRelatedGender, Gender And Gender932 Words   |  4 Pagescommonalities found throughout the text, wh ich challenges the representation of gender identity in last week’s materials. One of the similarities found throughout this week’s materials is that gender is complex. Professor Davis’s lecture â€Å"Sex Gender – It’s Complicated† defines â€Å"Binary gender: man or women, female or male, and masculine and feminine. Two distinct categories† (slide 5). The Western society mostly see gender as binary, black and white. However, Baird writes in â€Å"Transgender: ‘as the starsRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Stereotypes1582 Words   |  7 PagesThere are multiple examples and instances where the object of a joke has something to do with gender and gender stereotypes. These types of jokes seem to take center stage at any comedy performance or routine, and the audience loves it. Gender in association with humor brings up a great deal of questions. Do males and females see humor differently? Are there any similarities in the way the sexes view humor? And is there any truth to the thought that humans enjoy crass humor more than other typesRead MoreGender : Gender And Gender1767 Words   |  8 PagesGender’s role in Authority In what ways is the male gender superior to the female gender in relation to â€Å"The Homeric Hymn to Demeter†? It tells the story of Persephone, goddess of spring, taken against her will by Hades. Her grieving mother, Demeter, goes through great lengths to be reunited with her beloved daughter. The hymn portrays a great divide in authority between both genders. The male gods use their authority without consequence. They assert their power on others without taking into accountRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Equality1391 Words   |  6 PagesThis essay will look at Gender discrimination in an Australian prospective with some overseas perspectives overlapping this essay will look at gender deference’s in pay in Australia and discuss the ideas and arguments surrounding gender equality in the work place. Gender equity in work place is still a heavily understudied in Australia and as is more or less worldwide. In Australia a country of so called â€Å"equality† w hich is still, even in the 21st century is an ambiguous and questionable ideal asRead MoreGender Inequality : Gender And Gender1575 Words   |  7 Pagesthere’s something â€Å"natural† about gender distinction because biology makes one sex different from the other. What they don’t know is gender is the personal traits and social positions that members of a society attach to being female or male. Gender is not a trait we are born with, rather it is a â€Å"brand† to which we are labeled with. It refers to the psychological, social, cultural, and behavioral characteristics that are being associated with being a female or male. Gender involves hierarchy, ranking menRead MoreGender Socialization : Gender And Gender1040 Words   |  5 Pagesillis Women Studies 9 online Oct 8, 2015 Gender Socialization Gender, according to Lorber, is the product of a range of social forces that influence our gender construction through a system of reward and punishment. throughout my life, I have been taught to be a women by family and through society, all that at some point supported the goals I had for myself or created obstacles by challenging my own ideas of what meant to be a strong women. Gender socialization is the process by which individualsRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Roles1476 Words   |  6 Pagesmen were the predominant head of the household and women were expected to cook, watch their kids, and clean? This is an excellent example of gender roles, and how they control some aspects of life. Gender roles according to multiple sources are, the way people behave, what they do and say, to express being a female or male. (â€Å"Gender Identity†, Blackstone, Gender Spectrum). They are forced upon an individual from the day that person is born even in the most trivial of terms of putting boys in blueRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Identity931 Words   |  4 Pagesor female gender. This self-identity problem can usually be accompanied by numerous forms of treatment to change ones’ physical appearance, and make it more consistent with their identified gender identity. In many cases, the individual can identify with the gender of the opposite sex to the point one believ es that he or she is a member of that gender group trapped in the wrong body. This is also called Gender Dysphoria or formerly known as Gender Identity Disorder. The person with gender dysphoriaRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Bias1429 Words   |  6 Pages Language and gender has become an increasingly popular topic of study over recent decades, most likely due to the second wave of feminism in the 1960s and 70s. This can also be seen in the fact that goals of linguistic studies shifted at this point, to not just look at grammatical differences between males and females but to examine sexism and gender bias in language. The wording of such studies becomes increasingly important in the modern era, as gender is now recognised as a socially constructedRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Discrimination1303 Words   |  6 Pagesprecipitating gender inequity (MacWilliams, Schmidt, Bleich, 2013; U.S. Census Bureau, 2013). Unfortunately male nurses have become victims of discriminatory stereotypes which deter the recruitment of males into the profession (Meyers, 2003; O’Lynn, 2004; Rajacich, Kane, Williston, Cameron, 2013). Barriers of equality are impeded by the historical origin of modern nursing and to achieve integration in a femi nine dominated field remodeling nursing to include equality for both genders. Selecting this

Clinically Related Data in the Healthcare Industry

Healthcare industry generates large volumes of clinically related data every minute. It can be in the form of electronic records, scan reports, printed documents, images etcetera. The sources of these records are technologies like CT scan, MRI scan, Ultrasound, ECG, Dialysis, biopsy equipment etc. The objectives of this smart approach are to make this data useful and productive for analysis and study of health patterns and create statistics. A detailed analysis can help the community to get awareness for improved nutrition and hygiene. Objectives †¢ Perform empirical analysis on the data and determine the forecasting power of the collected data to study health patterns †¢ Create statistics based on the information obtained in the form of user friendly charts and graphs †¢ Build an extensive GUI which makes the product understandable and easy to comprehend †¢ Help the customers customize the API to cater their needs. †¢ Design and implement use cases to tailor the needs of the health industry. †¢ Construct a web console with administrative facilities, a customizable dashboard, and a web accessible application for importing and exporting data. 1.2 Problem statement, project motivation, and needs In today’s world, all the information and knowledge is being collected in the form of data. The amount of data is huge, continually increasing and changing. To utilize this data, analyze it and derive useful information out of it, some cutting-edge technologies are being devised. ToShow MoreRelatedCoder Interview1019 Words   |  5 Pagesa claim. Many offices have their own most frequently used acronyms and abbreviations that they use to do their coding and billing. There are many acronyms and abbreviations used in all medical practices. Here are some examples: EDI (Electronic Data Interchange): Electronic claims that are sent to a central clearinghouse for distribution for individual carriers. EOB (Explanation of Benefits): This refers to a document that is issued by an insurance company that responds to a claim statementRead MoreInformation Technology And Legal Issues1692 Words   |  7 PagesInformation Technology and Legal Issues Technological advancements continue to expand worldwide, transforming businesses as it develops, especially in the health care industry. Technology plays a significant role in health care including patient intake, monitoring of data, order entry, and self-care strategies. Handheld devices such as iPhones and iPads as well as Android smartphones and tablets are replacing traditional monitoring and recording systems. Innovations in telemedicine allow patientsRead MoreClinical Documentation Improvement1293 Words   |  6 Pagesemerged as the most vital drive for overcoming the issues associated with maintaining a complete and good sound medical record in the U.S healthcare system. The main focus of CDI is to enhance clinical clarity of the health records which usually involves the process of improving the medical/health records documentation in order to promote effective patient outcome, data quality measures and accurate reimbursement for services and care rendered. For a medical r ecord to be meaningful and mirror the scopeRead MoreRisk Management: Patient Safety1805 Words   |  7 Pagesthe past few years. Regulatory and professional agencies have specified that patient safety education should be given to healthcare workers to improve health results. The primary purpose of this essay was to gain a better understanding of the present status of patient safety consciousness among those that work in the health care setting... Risk Management Issue Issues related to a lack of patient safety have been going on for a lot of years now. Throughout the first decade of the 21st century, thereRead MoreMy Career Goal Of Advance Practice Registered Nurse1615 Words   |  7 Pageslevel of acuity within managed care environments in the community. Have exceptional leadership and communication skill, with proven ability to increase organization profits through great customer service as an organizational leveraging insurance industry for reimbursement, creative problem solving, attention to detail and persistence ïÆ'Ëœ Have a strong interest in chronic disease and working with underserved communities and health disparities. As a senior Registered Nurse, Nurse Manager and educatorRead MoreAgeing Population And The Healthcare Industry1176 Words   |  5 PagesGlobally, the ever increasing ageing population is a cost to different societies in respect to healthcare provision. And while this is also a benefit, though not direct, to the society, there is need to manage this ageing population by providing necessary healthcare without harming the need for healthcare to this population. As the aging population rises, expenditure on healthcare becomes burdensome too. This, in essence, impacts negatively on any country’s economic and even social bases. One ofRead MoreThe Career Goal Of Advance Practice Registered Nurse1614 Words   |  7 Pageslevel of acuity within managed care environments in the community. Have exceptional leadership and communication skill, with proven ability to increa se organization profits through great customer service as an organizational leveraging insurance industry for reimbursement, creative problem solving, attention to detail and persistence ïÆ'Ëœ Have a strong interest in chronic disease and working with underserved communities and health disparities. As a senior Registered Nurse, Nurse Manager and educatorRead MoreEffects Of The Fast Food Industry On Canadians1263 Words   |  6 Pages This paper will look at the effects of the fast food industry on Canadians, specifically, the raise of obesity in Canada due to the wide availability of fast foods. This topic is covered by providing a background about obesity, examining the health consequences, the economic impact, and looking at the social impact and the psychosocial impact on individuals diagnosed as obese. The paper was researched by reading about the subject matter in peer-reviewed journals and grey literature. The search termsRead MoreFour Core IT Applications Paper1424 Words   |  6 Pagestechnology is the study or science of crafting. Clinical information technologies are changing the way healthcare is delivered. Networks of delivery systems and health plan s are being created by research organizations to support innovation and the advancement of technologies in healthcare. This clinical information technology is leaning towards prevention-oriented, consumer driven model of healthcare. Many factors prompt the innovation of new technologies: Consumer demand, clinical accountabilityRead MoreKnowledge Skills Abilities1362 Words   |  6 Pagesdistribution in the healthcare industry. As a medical device and capital equipment sales manager, I successfully managed three states within the United States of over 50 hospitals. REVELANT SKILLS  AND ABILITIES CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY TESTER AND PERFORMANCE REVIEW BOARD MEMBER I have lead in-depth comprehensive intake assessments and evalutions that included presenting and reviewing all surgical and non-surgical consumer products of Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan healthcare institutions’

Analysis of Cyber Crime Case Sony Pictures Company †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Cyber Crime Case of Sony Pictures Company. Answer: Introduction Ethics is the branch of philosophy, which deals with what is right or wrong. The definition has been widely been proposed to be the code of morals for a particular profession, the standard of conduct of given profession. It is important to understand unethical is not necessarily illegal (Buncombe, 2015). In everyday life, individuals, as well as organization, faces common ethical problems. There are many ethical dilemmas, which relates to the cybercrime such as the society right to security versus the cryptography, and the private versus the public control of the information (Dion, Weisstub Richet, 2016). These issues have been relevant today than any other time. The millions of computers, which are connected to each other, have made the information to be accessible as well as approachable. The technological changes have output on the ethical development, which brings about the unanticipated problem that has caused an ethical vacuum (Mack, 2015). There has been an increase in the nu mber of the computer crimes that have been committed by perfectly respectable individual who have shown the full limit to their understanding of the computer ethics. Based on this the essay will attempt to look at the ethical issue which the society is confronting about the cyber-crime. Sony ethical issue In the year 2014, there was one of the biggest and most expensive hacks ever to be recorded which took place at the Sony Pictures Company (Mack, 2015). The hackers broke into the computer system of the Sony pictures entertainment, stole huge swaths of confidential documents, and posted them online the following week, thus exposing everyone from the potential cyber criminals. Additionally, there were journalists who have been poring over the documents as well as reporting of the recent films productions (Mack, 2015). There were also employees data, which was laid vulnerable on the internet. The multiple reports from the USA government officials they believed that the attack was tied to the North Korean government, who had expressed the outrage over the Sony-backed film, which was called the Interview, which was an action comedy, centered on an assassination plot against the North Korean leader Jong Kim (Gallagher, 2015). The company canceled the theatrical release of the film on Wedne sday, and they responded to the vague threats against theaters that were showing the film which was posted by these hackers. It had taken around two weeks for the individuals who work at the Sony to get the grasp of the seriousness of the situation (Siegel Worrall, 2014). Sony Company top management refused to inform them about the extent of the damage, instead, the employees relied on the news sources from the social media (Peterson, 2014). Two weeks after the attack, the Sony employees found themselves thrown into what was regarded as the pre-PC age. Half of the organization six thousand eight hundred computers, as well as the servers, were rendered to be dead and they had all the information, which was stolen and deleted (Sharma, Mittal Verma, 2015). Due to this, the workers had to rewrite every single file that was deleted by hand. The paper became the main form of communication, which was used to write the memos and to do the lists. The hackers had even gotten the staff perso nal information. Analysis of the issue using theories This case is upsetting as well as disturbing especially when the information of the company, as well as personal data, was breached. This case could be analyzed using various ethical theories, which will highlight if they were violated based on the case. The first ethical theory to analyze the case is the individualism theory (Peterson, 2014). This theory state that individuals especially those who are high in the company should do everything in their power to satisfy the needs of the owners and the shareholders. In this case, we have seen the management has taken more than a week to notify the workers of the situation of the breach of their information. On one side, the management was acting in the best interest of the owners and the shareholders since they did not want the information to spread in regards to the breach. On another perspective, I think this was not the right thing to do (Peterson, 2014). These actions are not supported by the utilitarianism theory, which purports th at one should always do things, which are aimed to maximize the happiness for themselves as well as for the others. The majority of the employees who worked for Sony felt upset because the management did not tell them of the news in regards to what was happening to the company they held them from the social media (Peterson, 2014). When the story broke out it stained on the reputation of the company brand. Some individuals may view Sony company as terrible as well as unethical thus buy the products of the other brands. This means less money for the owners, which could lower their price per share, and this would take money aware from the shareholders. The effect of this would make the shareholders and the owners unhappy. Sony Company has broken on this theory because every individual who is involved is unhappy to some extent (Von Solms Van Niekerk, 2013). For example, the employees had to rewrite every single file, which was deleted by the GOP hackers. Recommendations The surge to the Cyberattacks has rattled on both the business as well as the consumers. To enable the companies to prevent a similar situation happening to them, the cyber experts said they need to do better on the job of segmenting their data in order to enable the employees to access the data they require (Kokas, Tryon, Gusterson Braun, 2016). Even the person to the top of the organization does not need an access to everything. It is important for the company to clamp on sharing their spreadsheets especially on the one which was not encrypted instead they should use databases which are secured in order to access the important information. In the case of Sony Company, the hackers leak the spreadsheet in the human resources, which were filled with vital medical as well as employee information. The use of the Kantianism theory could contribute greatly to make the decision better especially for the top corporate level individuals. The theory highlights that one should act rationally in order to make business decisions, respect people and help them to make the rational decisions. In the case of Sony, management did not make the decision rationally especially when they had to wait for more than a week to inform the employees of the situation the company was suffering (Peterson, 2014). To prevent future shortcomings on the same it is important to involve all the stakeholders involve and channel a common way to prevent such an occurrence again. Moreover, it is important for the organization to implement regular email deletion policy to prevent such vital information from leaking out especially when there has been an attack on the company. Conclusion As seen in the case of Sony Pictures, the company there was a hack on their system and vital information was stolen. This show the individuals who were involved do not observe classical ethics. The situation causes the company to lose a lot of money, especially when it was facing the lawsuits from the former employees who alleged that the company was neglecting protecting their personal information, which they entrusted it with such as the medical data that was compromised from the stolen spreadsheet. At a time the companies overlook at their security protocols and think they could not be hacked, it is important to implement a code of ethics which will help govern the organization especially when such situations occurs what should be done. Hiding the workers of the shortcoming the company faced could not help the company rather it would devastate them and they could sue them if their privacy data was breached. References Buncombe, A. (2015). Sony Pictures hack: US intelligence chief says North Korea cyberattack was most serious ever against US interests. The Independent, 7(01). Dion, M., Weisstub, D., Richet, J. L. (2016). Financial Crimes: Psychological, Technological,and Ethical Issues. Gallagher, T. (2015). CSCI 215E. 01: Social and Ethical Issues in Computer Science. Kokas, A., Tryon, C., Gusterson, H., Braun, J. (2016). Freedom Edition: Considering Sony Pictures and The Interview. Journal of Broadcasting Electronic Media, 60(4), 714- 728. Mack, R. L. (2015). Cybercrimes: Legislation and Current Trends. Marsh, D. (2017). Are Ethical Hackers the Best Solution for Combating the Growing World of Cyber-Crime? (Doctoral dissertation, University Honors College, Middle Tennessee State University). Peterson, A. (2014). The Sony Pictures hack, explained. The Washington Post, 1. Sharma, M., Mittal, S., Verma, A. (2015). Cyber Ethics in Security Application in the Modern Era of Internet. IITM Journal of Management and IT, 6(1), 140-143. Siegel, L. J., Worrall, J. L. (2014). Essentials of criminal justice. Cengage Learning. Yar, M. (2013). Cybercrime and society. Sage. Von Solms, R., Van Niekerk, J. (2013). From information security to cyber security.Computers Security, 38, 97-102.

Driving Stick Shift free essay sample

Learning to drive a stick shift is one of the things I mastered in life because of the effort and practice I’ve invested. I can still remember the day I learned how to drive a manual transmission car. My cousin stopped by our house and I asked him to teach me how to drive. The only problem was his car was a stick shift. I honestly got intimidated by those horrendous three pedals and that hair-chilling gear shifter, but nothing stopped me from wanting to learn because I knew it would be worth it and I thought I would make me look cooler. So he grabbed the keys and drove to a parking lot that had a wide empty road. He stopped, turned off the car, got out and said â€Å"Okay, your turn. † So I began the initiation into the high art of driving a stick shift. He gave me all the instructions, he told me to press down on the clutch so I can start the car. We will write a custom essay sample on Driving Stick Shift or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I kept my left foot on the clutch and put the car in first gear. I slowly released the clutch as I was slowly pressing on the gas pedal. Then, boom! I stalled and the car shut off. My cousin started laughing. I tried to get the car started again and I still stalled on my fifth attempt. He continued laughing while giving me advices. Finally, on my sixth attempt I got the car going. When he saw that I could stop and get the car moving normally and shift gears without grinding the clutch, he gave me the green light to drive to the main streets and freeways. It took me a lot of practices and effort before I got the gist of it. It was all worth it, I actually enjoyed it and promised that my next car would be a stick shift. At first I thought having a stick shift car would only make me look cooler, but when I had my own car I actually learned that it’s less expensive then automatic cars, gets better gas mileage and most of all it’s simply more fun!

The Reality Of Cornflower Skies free essay sample

When I looked up at the sky one fateful day ten years ago, a woman in a long wool skirt and v-neck sweater (trademark of the small private school I attended) said the sky was blue. I thought it looked a bit like the color of the cornflowers I put in my hair come spring. The color above seemed so much more elaborate than a plain, flat blue-colored plane, so I just nodded my head at her answer still thinking cornflower was the way to go that particular morning. Later on in the years I spent wearing gray and blue plaid skirts, I learned a lot of things I nodded to, but disagreed with. The whole fuss of finding the different object in our glossy workbooks of knowledge bothered me. Often I, myself, felt like that square in a line of circles, and I enjoyed it because it was an adventure. We will write a custom essay sample on The Reality Of Cornflower Skies or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I looked at my own scarlet-colored dress shoes on dress-up days, glanced at all the other girls wearing nearly identical black patent leather, and smiled because the color amused me. It was as if I was the only one who understood the beauty of cornflower skies and scarlet shoes. The other girls put an X over me, just like Sister Lilian had us do in our math books when there was a pear in line with a row of apples. I never liked the idea of defacing the object that separated the boring pattern of mass-produced likeness, and it was always a tough chore swallowing down the X over me, but l nodded and did my math, and I nodded and wore the scarlet shoes. The different viewpoint I had separated me from the other girls and their club behind the big oak tree in the schoolyard. I saw their black patent leather shoes through the years peer out at me, and I longed for company, so I picked up a book of poems one day and made friends with all of the characters with fondness for color who would say that the sky was cornflower, or violet, or something other than the plain flat blue the girls behind the tree saw. And those girls hung out at the malls and their friends bedrooms, putting on mak-eup and talking about the issues one hears on a weekly TV teen show. I started to make friends with them, nodded to their empty conversation, and found my way home to my room or to the beach outside my house, to sit with my current book to read reverently, thinking in color and saying aloud the fancy words the girls behind the tree never used. Almost four years have passed since I graduated from that little school and moved on to the huge world of public education. I have found that there are others like me, who see the world painted in different tones and colors. My view of the world continues to expand as I open up to these people and places who each have their story to tell, and a different sky to view. Soon Ill be done with high school, still wearing my scarlet shoes and gazing into the cornflower sky of my own reality. With my history studies and my memorization of algebraic equations, perhaps I will also carry around something more important than just the knowledge I nodded to and learned in classes. Perhaps I will have retained the desire to touch, taste, and wonder about knowledge, never wanting to deface anything simply because some educated person says it doesnt belong.

Sample Essay About Going to the Zoo

Sample Essay About Going to the ZooAn essay about going to the zoo is probably one of the most interesting samples you can write. What makes it a good sample? This sample, along with others I have seen online, often include the facts that the material in the essay is research. The information contained in the essay is often of an academic nature and more often than not will contain definitions, jargon and references.In essence, the research for this essay is probably what drove the writer to want to create a sample. After all, if the essay is going to be included in a high school or college composition paper, it must be research based. All writers and editors should strive to use the most appropriate language possible. In many cases, some writers might choose to lean towards popular examples or that which has been published by others. However, no matter how well written it is, it will not necessarily pass muster.An essay on the subject of going to the zoo is usually some of the most interesting to read because of the layering of a variety of concepts and facts. By having an essay about going to the zoo available for the high school student or college student writing the essay, they will have a chance to learn information in a number of different formats. It also allows the reader to see how a writer does his or her job and gives them a chance to see what they can do when they apply themselves. More often than not, a good writer is one who is able to take on challenges and make it work in their favor.Because it is important for a high school student or college student to be familiar with the subject matter, they should understand that a successful essay will consist of a mixture of facts, information and definitions. Those who can find the right words and use them will reap the greatest rewards.The benefits of the essay are many. First, it will allow them to view themselves as individuals in comparison to the other students in the class or, at the very least, th ey will gain a more realistic idea of their own level of success in their studies. It is just the proper way to go.For those who have just entered college or are looking for another type of degree, an essay about going to the zoo can be an excellent aid. It can help set a foundation for your goals and pave the way for those next steps.Research is a key ingredient in every field of study. Even if you do not take the time to do research for your samples, being aware of research principles can help give you a head start on making decisions when it comes to essays.

Strategic Perspectives The WritePass Journal

Strategic Perspectives Strategic Perspectives . In the former instance, the company was accused of employing suppliers in its outsourced production strategy who were running sweat shops, an accusation which subsequently led to the closure of one of its factories over poor labour conditions. The company agreed to these accusations taking the position that the misdeeds pointed out amounted to a serious breach to its code of conduct (Inditex, 2013; Economist, 2012). In the latter instance, testimonies and claims of abuse and terror meted on 25 of Zara’s employees, including store managers and staff, were aired in the media.   The company undertook to regularize such situations through the enhancement of supervision of the production systems of its entire network of suppliers (Economist, 2012). 2.1   Stakeholder theory The Stakeholder theory states that, without regard to the fact that some stakeholders would make more contributions to the organization, all stakeholders are entitled to equal treatment (Dricscoll and Hoffman, 2002). Stakeholders include individuals, organizations or groups that have legitimate interest in the business and who therefore affect or are affected by its actions (Nordberg, 2011). With crises and concerns over abuses of human rights, Zara’s corporate reputation and brand equity was hard hit giving it the image of a business entity which neither places sufficient importance to the needs of its stakeholders nor regard to them (Economist, 2012; Buelens, et al., 2011). With the interdependence between the company and its stakeholders, it is essential for an organization, in the recognition of the needs of its stakeholders, to act and reason rationally as well as to make ethical responses. The organization’s leadership is required to have the desire, will and the skill that will ensure that all stakeholders are treated with respect and their voices heard (Buelens, et al., 2011). 2.2   Corporate social responsibility Among the ways in which corporate entities may shore up their reputation and image as perceived by its stakeholders is through conformance and adherence to ethical principles (Dricscoll and Hoffman, 2002). A notable avenue is the pursuit of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which is a mechanism integrated into business processes and an organization’s business model that ensures that ethical principles and provisions in law are complied with and monitored (Nordberg, 2011; Dricscoll and Hoffman, 2002). It entails the deliberate attempts by an organization to do good as a corporate citizen in reciprocation of goodwill it enjoys from society. For success in ensuring adherence to ethical principles and in the endeavour to build up its corporate image and reputation, Zara needs to institute mechanisms towards CSR that would also serve to guide its mission towards a better relationship with its stakeholders, outline its stand on such issues and as well clearly indicate the promis es it intends to uphold for society as an entity obtaining its sustenance within society (Dricscoll and Hoffman, 2002). 2.3   Organizational ethics Organizational ethics is a concept that expresses the values of an organization to its stakeholders (Dricscoll and Hoffman, 2002). It includes written codes of ethics or standards such as Zara’s â€Å"Code of Conduct for External Manufacturers and Workshops of Inditex† which it claims to have had (Inditex, 2013); systems of reporting which are guarded with confidentiality; as well as ethics training and advice (Buelens, et al., 2011). Despite its claims of written codes of conduct, it is evident that they were not complied with, respected and adhered to. For its success in entrenching organizational ethics, Zara should endeavour to institute elaborate systems traversing the entire organization and its partners that enable the maintenance of requisite ethical standards (Nordberg, 2011). 3.0 Zara’s levels of strategy 3.1   Business level strategy of Zara The primary aim of a business in the competitive business environment, underpinning its goals and objectives of sustenance and growth, is to develop an edge over rival firms building on its resources and competencies. Porter fronts three generic strategies which a company can employ in its pursuit of competitive advantage over its rivals (Kim, Nam and Stimpert, 2004). They include cost leadership, in which a company seeks to offer similar value with a lower price; differentiation, achieved by a company when it offers benefits different from and of more value than those of its competitors; and, focus on either of the two (Kim, Nam and Stimpert, 2004). A company can pursue a hybrid of both strategies simultaneously, achieving differentiation and a price lower than its rivals. Zara pursues a hybrid strategy seeking to exploit both cost leadership and differentiation strategies. Its closest and most comparable rivals challenging its market presence and competitive advantage include Gap, HM and Benetton though Zara sits closest with HM in the more fashionable and less priced segment. Zara is however considered to be more fashionable among the three, a position the company intends to sustain and exploit (Inditex, 2013; Economist, 2012). Its strategic venture into the low-cost segment through its Lefties brand of stores illustrates its pursuit of a clear cost leadership strategy enabling Zara to tap into lower market segments meeting the need of customers in the current harsh economic times (Inditex, 2013). This ensures that the company is still better placed to sustain its growth and profits even with unfavourable shifts in the economy and consumer spending. However, Zara primarily pursues a differentiation strategy through significant focus on competitive strategies that enhance overall efficiency in its entire value chain (Economist, 2012; Inditex, 2013). Zara’s value chain, which is often tweaked to enhance efficiency and performance, is a major platform upon which the company derives its differentiation from rivals. Enhanced efficiency is enabled by vertical integration and therefore control of crucial processes; employment of technology to coordinate suppliers, production and distribution processes; outsourcing of intensive tasks; as well as its finely-tuned logistics and just-in-time manufacturing strategy which shorten response time and enable the achievement of greater flexibility in variety, frequency and amount of new styles produced (Economist, 2012; Inditex, 2013; BloombergBusinessweek, 2009). The constant refinement of operations in pursuit of continuous efficiency gains including leveraging on technology to enhance crucial production processes has enabled the company to reverse the trend of costs rising faster than revenues. Enhanced efficiency and attendant effectiveness lead to the minimization of costly errors, reduction in costs which consequently enables the enhancement of bottom line and price (Inditex, 2013; Carpenter and Sanders, 2007). Zara also derives its differentiation from its effective market intelligence and focus on continuous awareness and understanding of the customer. Customer feedback through personalized ‘word-of-mouth’ interactions with staff at store level used to assess their preferences and wants is used to guide design and development, as well as other essential improvements (Inditex, 2013; BloombergBusinessweek, 2009). Unlike its competitor’s reliance on electronic consumer data, this has enabled quick turnaround of merchan dise through quicker replenishment of popular items and removal of slow-selling lines enabling Zara to generate more cash, reduce inventory and eliminate the need for significant debt on held inventories which has a direct impact on costs (Inditex, 2013; BloombergBusinessweek, 2009). These strategies and the resultant efficiency have enabled the company to achieve enhanced return visits by customers far greater than the industry average on several indices, a significant competitive advantage (Inditex, 2013; Economist, 2012). They have also enabled Zara to incur significantly less expenditure on advertising with the saved revenue being redeployed to enhance competitive advantage (Inditex, 2013). 3.2   Corporate level strategy Corporate level strategy as the highest level of strategy in an organization is concerned with the overall scope, seeking to add value to constituent businesses/ elements within the entire organization (Lynch, R., 2006). In its pursuit of competitive advantage in the hostile business environment characterized by intense competition and economic challenges, Zara has adopted a growth focus in its corporate strategy. This is evidenced by its pursuit of vertical integration, market penetration, market development and product development strategies in an attempt to sustain its growth and strategic positioning in the fashion industry (Lynch, R., 2006; Inditex, 2013). Guiding these strategic decisions and particular choices, the Ansoff matrix highlights scenarios in consideration of the existence or newness of products or markets (Christodoulou and Patel, 2012; Mintzberg, et al., 2008). Existing product New product Existing market Market penetration Product development New market Market development Diversification Ansoff matrix 3.2.1   Market penetration and market development Zara is hindered by constraints resultant from its Spain-centred model, a major weakness in its endeavour to sustain growth and to maintain its strategic positioning (BloombergBusinessweek, 2009; Economist, 2012). An outward focus towards market development is essential. This has necessitated international expansion and the exploitation of untapped markets including North and South America, Asia, Middle East, Africa and the rest of Europe, particularly Italy.   Enabled by the construction of additional distribution facilities in Zaragoza, Spain and in South America, as well as the upward scaling of its logistics processes to enable the realization of economies of scale in the strategic expansion, the company has spread out into Asia, America, Australia, India and Africa (BloombergBusinessweek, 2009; Economist, 2012). The company has also sought to achieve market penetration in its development of virtual stores, tapping into the opportunities in internet retailing and marketing through online stores and boutiques. Available in ten countries and seeking entry into the USA and Korea, the company has since 2010 sought to exploit this model venturing into this field (Inditex, 2013; Economist, 2012). 3.2.2    Product development For a company to survive and grow in the fast changing fashion industry, it is essential that a business keenly enhances product development, matching or beating its rivals in output and production of new items. Zara has endeavoured to maximize its throughput of new items keeping merchandise in stores always new and fresh. This frequency, enabled by just-in-time manufacturing and focus on limited runs, also ensures that products do not stay long enough risking replication or imitation (Inditex, 2013; Carpenter and Sanders, 2007). The active pursuit of market intelligence and awareness and appreciation of customer preference ensures that the company does not become complacent and unresponsive thereby losing its track in the fast changing and intensely competitive industry (Carpenter and Sanders, 2007; Thompson, et al., 2008). 3.2.3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Vertical integration To enhance control of the entire business and its processes, achieve stability of production and thereby strengthen its competitive position, Zara has pursued vertical integration strategies. These include forward integration through the investment in distribution facilities and specialty stores, as well as backward into production and manufacturing facilities. Zara has also developed subsidiaries that manage its purchases of fabric and dyes (Inditex, 2013). The company has undertaken this strategy in an endeavour to minimize its exposure to expensive distributors and suppliers and the inefficiency attendant to the lack of complete control of especially crucial processes. 4.0 Recommendations Zara in its performance and strategic positioning can be considered to be a success. However, the company cannot afford complacency and should endeavour to maintain its competitiveness and to sustain its position in the fashion industry into the future. At its strategic position and level of maturity and given the slow growth of the fashion industry and attendant economic challenges (Economist, 2012; BloombergBusinessweek, 2009), a number of strategies are suggested for Zara to pursue for its sustenance into the future. Among these strategies is Diversification either into a business that also deals in fashion or to an unrelated field adding value and broadening present business. Also recommended is the strengthening and sustenance of its successful strategies such as efficiency in its entire value chain which has been the primary factor that has enabled its differentiation; Market Development in its international expansion and exploitation of new markets; and Market Penetration in the exploitation of the boom in the information technology field, enhancing its virtual platforms and stores. Such ventures have the potential of being important avenues through which the company can acquire additional revenue, as well as, reducing its exposure to vulnerabilities of its centralized model and complete focus on a single line of business. 5.0 Evaluation of strategies A simple and straightforward criteria used to evaluate strategy is the Suitability, Acceptability and Feasibility model (SAF). It offers a process of rationalization to assess importance, priority and likely success of each strategy identified (Haberberg, A., and A., Rieple, 2008; Thompson, et al., 2008). This report evaluates two strategies identified above including: diversification and continued market development. 5.1   Suitability Suitability is concerned with the rationale of the strategy and its overall fit in the organization’s mission (Thompson, et al., 2008). At the company’s level of maturation, with regard to the Industry Life Cycle (ILC), and stature in the fashion industry, diversification is highly recommended as a priority strategy given that its strong competitive position in the fashion industry is constrained by slowed growth in the market. This strategy would enable the broadening of present business to include complementary products (Carpenter and Sanders, 2007). Continued market development is also recommended for Zara enabling it to tap into new markets enhancing its growth and ensuring its sustainability. These strategies would generally also enable the company to lower its vulnerabilities to financial and political factors that could affect it given its centralized model, as well as risks attendant to the fashion industry (Economist, 2012; Mintzberg, et al., 2008). 5.2   Acceptability Acceptability deals with the expected outcomes of the implementation of strategy and expectations of stakeholders (Thompson, et al., 2008). Diversification, if pursued, would enable the capturing of cross-business strategic fits such as the creation of new competitive strengths and capabilities, the sharing of facilities to reduce costs, and/or the spreading of risks across diverse businesses (Christodoulou   and Patel, 2012). Market Development and entry into new territories/geographical areas and distribution channels enable the company to exploit markets that are not saturated, utilising its surplus production capacity. These strategies would enable the generation of additional revenue and the securing of shareholder interests which contribute to the enhancement of shareholder value (Carpenter and Sanders, 2007). They would also reduce risks due to Zara’s centralized mode of operations. 5.3   Feasibility Feasibility is concerned with the capacity of the organization to implement the strategy, especially focusing on the availability of resources (Thompson, et al., 2008). With Zara’s success in the fashion industry and, consequently, availability of adequate financial and organizational resources, as well as the consideration of the diminishing prospects of growth in the fashion industry (Economist, 2012; BloombergBusinessweek, 2009), diversification should be a priority strategy for Zara. Its surplus financial and organizational resources can be exploited to enable the company’s sustenance and growth. These surplus resources can also be utilized in pursuit of Market Development. Its highly efficient distribution system can be scaled up, such as in its present initiative to develop additional distribution facilities (Inditex, 2013), to build the company’s capacity to exploit the opportunity offered. Zara has successfully found activities that matter to customers and has significantly enhanced key activities enhancing its key activities. However, to sustain this strategic position and achieve necessary growth into the future, the company needs to pursue appropriate strategies as outlined above especially diversification, market development and the continuous pursuit of efficiency gains. 6.0 References BloombergBusinessweek, 2009. Zara Looks to Asia for Growth. August 26 Buelens, M., K., Sinding, C., Waldstrom, R., Kreitner, and A., Kinicki, 2011. Organisational Behaviour, 4th Edition: McGrawHill Higher Education Carpenter, M., and W., Sanders, 2007. Strategic Management: A Dynamic Perspective. Harlow: Pearson Prentice Hall Dricscoll, D., and W., Hoffman, 2002. 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