Group Concepts Essay Example for Free

Group Concepts Essay Elements of an effective group. An effective group has several essential elements: positive interdependence (group members are linked with each other and are aware of this connectedness, they feel that their personal success depends on group success and group success depends on their personal success); two-way communication (exists when communication channels work in both directions and feedback is appreciated); distributed leadership (having more than one source of leadership, seeing every member of a group as an expert who is capable of making a difference); power based on expertise (those in power are those who hold the expertise; expertise becomes a source of power and an expert can influence others). Comprising all these elements, a group is â€Å"more than the sum of its parts† (Johnson Johnson, 2009, p. 20). These characteristics foster creativity and open-mindedness, for everyone can freely express his or her thoughts feeling that the feedback is appreciated. Such an environment allows challenging one another’s views, which helps seeing problems from different points of view and finding the optimal decision. 2) Team versus Group. Positive synergy is what distinguishes teams from groups. A group is a collective of individuals who share information and make decisions but who do not have a need for joint work. A group’s performance is the sum of its members’ performance. At the same time, a team is a collective of individuals united by a common goal and the need for joint efforts. A team’s performance is more than the sum of its members’ performance. Team members depend on each other and are interconnected, whereas each of group members primarily works on their own. Different tasks require different types of groups – for some, joint effort is not necessarily needed and the summation of individual performances of experts will bring the desired results; in other cases, working together is absolutely necessary for achieving the goal. It primarily concerns creative tasks that require innovation and more than one perspective. In such cases, teams can produce a better result than groups. To work in teams, not merely expertise is needed but also the desire and the ability to collaborate (Lecture 1. 1). 3) Team Effectiveness. Effective teams have the following characteristics: the goals are clear and coordinated with the individuals’ goals so that each team member is committed to achieving the team goals; conflicts are not suppressed but managed as the sources of creativity and innovation; there is two-way communication instead of one-way communication, open relationships rather than closed relationships, and feedback is asked and provided openly; all team members participate in group work, nobody is left behind; leadership is shared among team members; decision-making and problem solving involves all team members and participation is encouraged at all levels; risk taking is encouraged and mistakes are treated as the sources of learning rather than failures that deserve punishment (Lecture 1. 3). This is a rather long list but meeting all these criteria is not that complex as it seems to be, for most of these characteristics are interconnected and acquiring one entails another. For me, open relationships and two-way communication are the crucial skills; they involve opportunities for providing feedback, open discussion of goals, of conflict situations, participation in decision-making, etc. These require open mindedness and results in group’s being â€Å"more than the sum of its parts†, which is an essential characteristic of a work team that distinguishes it from a work group (Johnson Johnson, 2009, p. 20). 4) Sources and Value of Diversity. There are three major sources of diversity: demographic characteristics (ethnicity, race, religion, sex, language, age, social class, regional differences); personality characteristics (educational level, different attitudes, lifestyles, etc. ); abilities and skills (expertise in different areas, different technical or social skills, etc. ). Diversity can be a source of conflicts, misunderstandings, and hostility. However, if there is tolerance and respect to others, diversity is a powerful source of learning and creativity. If the mind is open, diversity brings in many new ideas and perspectives. People of different cultures and/or backgrounds often see the same things very differently, and acknowledging their different perspectives allows adopting a new creative and innovative approach. 5) Avoidance of Controversy. Controversy is often avoided in groups and perceived as a negative and stressful phenomenon. Thus, fear and ignorance stops group members from engaging in controversy. Yet, it should be valued and even stimulated. Controversy is an important part of any decision-making process. It means that more than one view on the problem is presented. Controversy helps weigh all possible views and find the optimal decision. In most situations, there is more than one view on the problem, and controversy helps find out the advantages and disadvantages of each view. Without an opportunity for controversy, the drawbacks of the chosen position may remain unnoticed and lead to tragic consequences. 6) Groupthink (how does leadership identify and prevent? ). Groupthink is one of the factors hindering group decision-making. It takes place when a group adopts an uncritical view of its own judgments. Usually it comes out when the group is homogeneous, values consensus, and has little time for producing a decision. It can be identified by its symptoms which include: belief that their judgments are right; illusion of invulnerability; collective rationalizing of poor decisions; sharing stereotypes concerning out-groups; self-censorship; maintaining illusion of unanimity; exercising pressure on those who disagree; protecting authority (PowerPoint Lecture 2. 2). Some of the strategies to prevent negative effects of groupthink include: resort to the help of outside experts; one of group members should be assigned a role of a critical evaluator who will question all decisions; the leaders should avoid making their own preferences explicit; allow time for discussion and elaborating alternative decisions. 7) Group Norms and how they are created. Group norms are implicit or explicit modes of conduct within the group that guide group members’ behavior without the direct application of power. Norms establish the rules and define what can be regarded as acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Group members should conform to group norms if they want to be a part of the group. Those who disobey usually experience pressure from the other group members up to the exclusion from the group. Group norms are created as a result of interaction between individuals and agreement on what can be considered right. They experience influence from the dominant culture in which the group operates. It is a kind of synergy of cultural norms, adopted organizational practices, and individual norms of every group member. Group norms regulate things from how much one can talk at a group meeting to how many times a day one can drink tea without being suspected to be lazy. 8) Experiential Learning (Lewin’s 12 principles). Experiential learning is, in short, learning through experience. It helps change learner’s attitudes, behavioral patterns, and action theories. Lewin defined 12 principles of experiential learning which describe the process of experiential learning and its effects. This kind of learning is more effective than simply acquiring new information. One of Lewin’s principles states that people tend to believe more in knowledge they discovered themselves than in knowledge taught by others. Experience is a form of active learning that is more effective than a passive process and that is able to change one’s attitudes and action theories. If action theories and attitudes do not change, the effect of learning will be only temporary. For changes in attitudes to occur, perception of oneself and one’s social environment must change. This kind of change can be easier achieved in a group context than in an individual context, and this context has to be a friendly and supportive one in order to facilitate the person’s ability to experiment with new attitudes. In fact, these 12 principles are the elaboration of the simple truth that we all learn from mistakes and experience. Like a child gets to know that fire hurts from firsthand experience rather than from the precautions of adults, we all tend to acquire new knowledge and change our behavioral patterns according to our own experience rather than taking somebody’s theories on trust. 9) Epistemic Curiosity. Epistemic curiosity is a state of mind that forces the person to search actively for more information in an attempt to relieve tension from conceptual conflict. Conceptual conflict or discrepancies in the existent practices and conditions point out that there is an information gap, which results in uncertainty and dissatisfaction. To eliminate dissatisfaction, the person strives to get more information and fill the information gap thus explaining to himself the discrepancies and acquiring certainty. Thus, epistemic curiosity is a powerful drive for knowledge. It is one of the ways by which controversies can be resolved. Stimulating data gathering and learning, it helps find optimal ways and grounds for adopted decisions. 10) Group Dynamics (what does this mean? ). The term group dynamics refers to the study of group development and of interactions within the group. Understanding group dynamics, one can diagnose how well the group is functioning, what can be done to improve performance, and intervene to make the required changes. It requires understanding of group processes and stages of group development. The essential point here is that the group is viewed not as a collection of individuals but as a real unit bound by positive interdependence. Simply put, group dynamics means the development of group over time, the processes that take place within the group, the relationships and interactions, changing attitudes, etc. B. A. R. T. analysis is a useful tool for studying group dynamics as it reveals major dimensions: boundaries (in terms of time, territory, tasks), authority (both formal and informal), roles (multiple formal and informal roles), and tasks (visions, missions, different understandings of the task, practical challenges, etc. ). 11) Stages of Group Development. Different authors describe different stages of group development. Tuckman elaborated a 5-stage model that comprises forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Johnson and Johnson (2009) list 7 stages of group development: (1) defining and structuring procedures, (2) conforming to procedures, (3) recognizing mutuality and building trust, (4) rebelling and differentiating, (5) committing to and taking ownership for the goals, procedures, and other members, (6) functioning maturely and productively, and (7) terminating (p. 28). Both models describe group development from its formation to its dismissal, but Johnson and Johnson’s model is a more elaborated and detailed one. In fact, it breaks the initial stage of forming to three stages that include defining procedures, conforming to procedures, and building trust. Thus, it underlines the normative element at the initial stages of group development. It is interesting also that according to both models rebelling, or storming, should take place before the group begins to function maturely. It once again proves the value of conflict. 12) Leadership Styles. There are three major leadership styles: autocratic, when the leader dictates his will and makes decision by himself without consulting group members; these decisions are enforced then; democratic, when the leader encourages involvement of group members into decision-making process, values opinions of others, and takes into account different views; laissez-faire, when the leader’s participation in decision making is minimal and group members are allowed maximum freedom. It cannot be concluded that one of these styles is better than the other, for the choice of style usually depends on the situation, on the leader’s personal abilities, and on company values. Some situations require autocratic leadership (for example, when there is no time for discussion and the decision, either good or bad, has to be made and implemented quickly), whereas in other cases democratic or laissez-faire leadership will work better. Giving freedom to employees make them feel valued and trusted which stimulates them. 13) Sources of Power. There are five major sources of power: legitimate power, having its source in the person’s position (group members believe that the person has a right to influence others in virtue of his or her position in the organization); reward power, having its source in the person’s ability to reward certain types of behavior; coercive power, having its source in the threat of punishment; expert power, having its source in the skills and knowledge of a person (group members believe that the person has a right to influence others in virtue of his or her expertise); referent power, having its source in person’s being liked and respected by others (group members comply out of respect). Legitimate, reward, and coercive power are usually associated with a formal position of the person, whereas expert power and referent power have its sources in the person’s abilities. Coercive power is very likely to produce resistance, and referent power results in commitment to the person. For leaders and managers, it is better to combine more than one source of power and have expert and/or referent power in addition to power based on formal position. In this case the followers will comply more willingly. 14) Organizational Culture. Organizational culture is a set of basic assumptions, norms, values, and behavioral patterns that regulate how people interact within an organization and with outsiders. It comprises rules, customs, symbols, visions, organizational environment and structures, etc. It is formed under the influence of the national culture, the management beliefs and values, and the sum of individual beliefs. None of these factors can form organizational culture on itself, but each of them can influence the formation and development of organizational culture. In fact, organizational culture is what distinguishes one organization from another. It is strong when it can stimulate a sense of belonging in the employees. Changing organizational culture is a very complex task that requires much time and care. The attempts to impose new values at once are likely to rouse a good deal of resistance. 15) Social Interdependence. Social interdependence among group members is the essence of a group. It means that one’s outcomes depend on the others, and vice versa. Social interdependence theory states that the type of interdependence existing in a group defines the type of interaction among members and, therefore, the results. Positive interdependence facilitates promotive interaction, when group members promote each other’s efforts to achieve the goal. Negative interdependence facilitates oppositional interaction when group members oppose and obstruct each other’s efforts to achieve the goal. When there is no interdependence, no interaction occurs, and group members focus on their individualistic efforts. Social interdependence makes a group a whole, because when a group member cannot achieve a goal on his own he has no choice but to interact with others. Positive interaction results in higher level of performance, because it creates supportive and collaborative working environment that stimulates each member’s efforts. 16) Gaining and loosing trust. Trust is a complex notion that is difficult to define, but without trust normal functioning of a group is impossible. Distrust increases competition and often results in conflict leading to destructive consequences. To gain trust, risk and confirmation are necessary. Risk and disconfirmation lead to losing trust. Thus, in both cases risk is an essential factor. A person should risk by disclosing his personal thoughts and feelings to another person, and in case his openness is accepted trust is built, whereas when the person’s openness is betrayed trust is destroyed. Trust is easier destroyed than built. It is enough to betray one’s feelings only once to lose trust, but it takes much time and efforts to restore it. Therefore, one needs to behave very carefully in order not to destroy trust and not abuse the other’s vulnerability. 17) Superordinate Identity (4-steps). Developing a superordinate identity is one of the four steps of the process of recognizing and valuing diversity in groups. This process includes: (1) appreciating one’s own identity (culture, religion, gender, etc. ), (2) appreciating the others’ identities; (3) developing a superordinate identity, and (4) learning a pluralistic set of values. The superordinate identity is the summation of all personal identities existent in the group; it unites and comprises diverse values in a single group identity. It is based on a pluralistic set of values and does not exclude any of the personal identities of group members. It helps overcome otherness and value differences. 18) Language Sensitivity. Being language sensitive means understanding which words and expressions are appropriate and which are inappropriate for communication with diverse groups and people of different backgrounds. It is clear that we communicate differently with our friends than with our boss. Similarly, what is good for people of one background may be inappropriate in communication with people of a different background? To avoid misunderstandings and miscommunication, individuals should heighten their language sensitivity and avoid using language that can be abusing for others. In some cases, the difference between communication patterns is obvious (like in the example with friends and boss); in other situations, we may not even be aware of differences (for example, when communicating with people from different cultures who can be used to absolutely different communication patterns). Therefore, language sensitivity often requires not merely â€Å"sensitivity† as it is but sensitivity supported by knowledge about different cultures. 19) Egocentrism. Egocentrism is the opposite of perspective-taking, or adhering to one’s own point of view so that other viewpoints are ignored. Egocentric person may even not be aware of the other points of view and of possible limitations of his or her own perspective. One’s own views are accepted uncritically whereas others’ views are criticized, and valued only if they agree with one’s own (Johnson Johnson, 2009, p. 297). Egocentrism limits the ability to see things objectively and therefore hinders decision-making process. When each member is uncritical about his personal views, a competition develops that aims not at producing the optimal decision but at proving that â€Å"my† view is the best one and making others comply. It often results in low-quality decisions. 20) Team Ethics. Team ethics is a set of moral principles adopted in a team that govern members’ behavior and define what is right. In this respect, it is related to organizational culture and group norms, for it also relies on common values. Team members are expected to comply with these moral principles, for unethical behavior is never praised. Team ethics develops alongside with team culture and experiences the influence of ethical systems adopted in the national culture and of the ethical beliefs of management and team members. However, it is usually more than a sum or a compromise of many ethical considerations. Team ethics should not level off individual ethical systems; it should rather provide a more elevated and demanding understanding of what is right. For team ethics to create a collaborative and supportive environment, it has to comprise such values as respect for others, acknowledging each member’s rights and needs, valuing liberty and diversity, respect for human rights, etc. 21) 5 steps to effective problem solving. Five steps to effective problem solving include: 1) identify the problem (formulating a single question the answer to which is likely to resolve the problem; that is why this tactics is also called Single Question Format); 2) create a collaborative setting (an agreement on principle for discussion should be reached and any assumptions and biases brought to surface); 3) identify and analyze the issues (to fully understand the nature of the problem, some minor issues, or sub-questions, should be identified and discussed); 4) identify possible solutions (several possible courses of action as well as their respective advantages and disadvantages should be defined); 5) resolve the single question (choose the optimal solution among those proposed that answers the single question). (Lecture 2. 4. ) This approach has a benefit of focusing attention on the most important issue without dispersing it to minor issues. Defining a problem correctly is a half of success in problem-solving. When the single question is defined correctly, it gets to the root of the problem, and answering it is likely to resolve all minor problems associated with the greater one. 22) Reflections on Virtual Groups and Teams. During this course, we participated in virtual groups. This experience is very different from participating in face-to-face communication. Many limitations impede group development. First of all, virtual team members communicate directly with each other only rarely, which gives only few opportunities for knowing each other better and developing trust and confidence. Then, technical issues (like the problems some of us had with microphones) may interrupt communication from time to time. Finally, I think that the lack of nonverbal communication is also an obstacle, for we often perceive the other’s feelings and intentions from facial expressions, eye gaze, etc. In this case, we only had to rely on words. I believe that all these obstacles result in the need for more time for a group to become a team and for trust and confidence to develop compared to face-to-face communication. However, the need for joint work and effort united us, and by the end of the course we were feeling quite confident. Therefore, to unite virtual groups, there is a need for regular and frequent communication and tasks that require joint efforts. References Johnson, D. W. , Johnson, F. P. (2009). Joining together: Group theory and group skills. 10th ed. Boston, MA: Allyn Bacon.

Elizabethan Drama as a Mirror :: Plays Literature Essays

A. How [God] hath dealt with some of our countrymen your ancestors, for sundry vices not yet left, this book named A Mirror for Magistrates can shew; which therefore I humbly offer unto your Honors, beseeching you to accept it favorably. For here as in a looking glass, you shall see (if any vice be in you) how the like hath been punished in other heretofore, whereby, admonished, I trust it will be a good occasion to move you to the sooner amendment. William Baldwin, A Mirror for Magistrates (1559) B. In Playes, all cosonages, all cunning drifts ouer guylded with outward holinesse, all strategems of warre, all the cankerwormes that breede on the rust of peace, are most lieuely anatomiz'd: they shew the ill successe of treason, the fall of hastie climbers, the wretched end of vsurpers, the miserie of ciuill dissention, and how iust God is euermore in punishing of murther. And to proue euery one of these allegations, could I propound the circumstances of this play and that play ... they are sower pils of reprehension, wrapt vp in sweete words ... and as for corrupting [prentices] when they come, thats false; for no Play they haue, encourageth any man to tumults or rebellion, but layes before such the halter and the gallowes; or praiseth or approoueth pride, lust, whoredome, prodigalitie, or drunkennes, but beates them downe vtterly. Thomas Nashe, Pierce Penilesse (1592) C. 0 London, mayden of the misstresse Ile, Wrapt in the foldes and swathing cloutes of shame: In thee more sinnes then Niniuie containes, Contempt of God, dispight of reuerend age. Neglect of law, desire to wrong the poore: Corrpution, whordome, drunkennesse, and pride. Swolne are thy browes with impudence and shame. 0 proud adulterous glorie of the West, The neighbors burn, yet doest thou feare no fire Thy Preachers crie, yet doest thou stop thine eares. The larum rings, yet sleepest thou secure. London awake, for feare the Lord do frowne, I set a looking Glasse before thine eyes. 0 turne, 0 turne, with weeping to the Lord Repend 0 London Thomas Lodge and Robert Green, A Looking Glass for London and England (1590), lines 2388-2404 D. Suit the action to the word, the word to the action; with this special observance, that you overstep not the modesty of nature: for anything so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the first and now, was and is, to hold, as Å’twere, the mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure.

Nutrition analysis verB

a. How many grams of fat can you consume in a day and not exceed 30 percent of your calories from fat? Use the CNPP recommendation for your daily calorie recommendation to calculate your answer. How did you do in this area for the day you recorded?On the â€Å"standard† daily calorie intake of 2,200 recommended for very active young women, the upper limit for fat intake is 73 grams (660 calories). If I was to be sedentary man or an active woman, I would roughly have to meet the same requirement, which is not to take in more than 73 grams of fat in a dayb. How many grams of saturated fat can you consume in a day and not exceed 10 percent of calories from saturated fat? How did you do in this area for the day you recorded?I need to consume only ten percent of calories from saturated fat, meaning, I may not exceed more than 300 mg of saturated fats in day. Saturated fats such as cholesterol, and trans fat which is not only bad for my diet but will also clog up my aorta(major hear t vein).c. For the day you recorded your intake if you ate a serving of a high-fat food, for example, lasagna, how could you avoid exceeding the recommended fat intake for the day?During the event that I eat food containing high amounts of fat, to be able to balance the amount of fat intake, I eat food that contain less fat and eat foods that were boiled, broiled or grilled. In doing so, I end up taking in less fat and still eating a lot. Because even if we avoid frying food it will still most likely contain fat, so I will at least minimize the amount of fat included in everything else I eat.d. If you could substitute a serving of lower fat lasagna for the higher fat choice, what effect would this have on your other food choices and on your calorie and nutrient intakes for that day?Replacing the lasagna, which contains a large amount of fat with lasagna that contains a lot less, will definitely make it a lot easier for someone to compensate concerning the other food options that I m ay have. Instead of having to choose low calorie and fat containing food, which may turn out to be bland, I can opt to eat regular food options that can not only fill my stomach but also fill my calorie requirement for the day.e. Considering regular lasagna, which ingredients most likely contribute most to the total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol in the higher fat lasagna selection?Perhaps lasagna could be included in one’s diet once a week, like on Sundays or special holidays. Making lasagna, with all its calories and fats, a part of one’s daily diet is not only irrational but is also risky when it comes to one’s health.f. How could you change those ingredients to reflect a reduction in fat content?I can reduce the fat content of lasagna by placing whole-wheat lasagna instead of the regular pasta, decreasing the amount of virgin olive oil that is placed in it, placing less butter, and also using ground chicken rather than ground beef.g. How did the dayâ₠¬â„¢s recorded total for calories and vitamins compare with your recommended amounts? Did the day’s meals meet or exceed your need for energy? Describe how your actual intake varied from the CNPP recommendation.Happily, I was able to exceed the needed amounts for calories and vitamins for the day. As for the vitamins, I was happy to see that I exceeded it because it means that I am eating a healthy diet. Although for the calorie intake, it scares me a bit because eating a calorie pack food without expending it properly will result to added body fats.h. Did your meals present too little of any of the vitamins and minerals listed in the CNPP materials? Which ones?Actually, my vitamin intake for the day exceeded what was expected from me greatly. I was able to take in more than what was required from me according to CNPP, which means none of them where under-represented.i. What changes in your choices among those foods would have improved the energy or vitamin or mineral totals for the day?Improvement when taken in a standard meaning would actually mean to increase, but in my case, to improve my diet I would have to decrease my energy intake and simply maintain my vitamin and mineral intake for the day.j. Did your choices provide enough folate to meet your requirement?I am glad to say that I actually met the required amount of folate that I had to take in within one day. In fact I was able to take in twice the required amount of 400 micrograms and was able to take in 784.5 micrograms.k. What are the sources of niacin in your day’s meals?Niacin is not really that abundant in standard food. Niacin can actually be found in whole refined grains. When mills refine grain they are required by law to add folic acid, NIACIN, iron and riboflavin. So therefore eating refined grains at least once a day may add to my Niacin intake.l. What about Vitamin C? What percentage of your daily need of Vitamin C did your meals provide? Which individual foods were the main contributors? To what food groups do they belong?I was able to take in a total of 126.78% vitamin C within one day. Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid is abundant in Citrus filled drinks and meals such as lemons, oranges and lime, all of which are in the Fruits part of the Food Pyramid. Also aside from normal food intake, it is easy to receive vitamin C by simply buying it in a local drugstore.m. How did your total energy intake compare with your energy recommendation? Is this consistent with your nutritional goals?In my food intake, I was able to take 6604 kcal worth energy, which is three times more the recommended 2339 kcal goal for a day. It is very impressive to see that I was able to take in that much energy. However, it is also true that if I am not able to expend that energy within a day, it turns to body fat which is terrible to have.n. Which of your foods are â€Å"vitamin bargains†? Those would be foods which are vitamin-dense, providing the most vitamins for the fewest c alories.Fruits and vegetables of course give me the most amounts of vitamins without having to increase my total number of calories significantly. In fact it can be noted that the best source of vitamins are vegetables because they don’t contain fructose like fruits do, but they contain a minimal amount of starch which makes up a good low calorie diet.o. Breakfast cereals are a great source of vitamins. What characteristic of these foods makes them so rich in vitamins?Breakfast cereals are made from plants specifically corn, wheat, and grains. Corn in itself is full of vitamins and wheat and grains may contain some vitamins as well. In addition, the fact that when we eat cereals it always comes with full cream or filled milk, which adds a significant amount of vitamins in a persons diet.p. What can you say about your recorded food intake and the vitamins and minerals that you obtained from the foods you ate that day?I can say that I actually exceed the requirements that are s et for a balanced diet. Although this is not such a good thing because too much of certain food groups may cause complications to my health.ReferencesDietary guidelines and the Guide to the Food Pyramid. West Virginia University, December 22, 2007, from http://www.wvu.edu/~exten/infores/pubs/fypubs/WLG_132_Food_Pyramid.pdfDietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, USDHHS, USDA, December 22,2007. fromKantor, L.S. December 22, 2007, from http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/aer772/aer772a.pdfLawrence J. Appel, M.D., M.P.H., Benjamin Caballero, M.D., Ph.D., and Fergus M. Clydesdale, Ph.D. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. December 22, 2007, from www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelinesNational Institute of Mental Health. (1990). Clinical training in serious mental illness (DHHS Publication No. ADM 90-1679). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Taking a Look at the Primark Profile - 1332 Words

PRIMARK PROFILE Primark is an Irish clothing retailer, operating in Australia, Belgium, Germany, Ireland (38 stores branded as Penny’s), Portugal, Spain, the Netherland and the U.K. The companys main base of operation is in Dublin and they are a supplementary of British food processing company ABF. Primark is first opened in June 1969 in Mary Street (Dublin). It became appreciable that more stores are needed and another four were added to the chain. Further extensionand success in Ireland command the move to the United Kingdom, when a large store was opened in 1971 in Belfast city center before opening 4 stores out of town in England in 1973. Derby and Bristol were the first high street stores. Competition is that of Primark sells clothes at the budget end of the market. Its main other cut-price clothing retailers such as supermarket lines which were one of the strong competitor. In 2006, Primark joined the Ethical trading initiative, a combining organization bringing together businesses, trade union and NGO’s to work on labor rights issues in their supply chains. Members of ETI committed to execute code of behavior based on the international labor organization basic trading. Now days to survive in the market it’s very important to have competitive advantage over your competitors. Strategic planning helps us to get the competitive advantage so that organization can increase their market shares and earn more profits and also accomplish their work in appropriate andShow MoreRelatedThe Business Environment Of Primark Corporation7113 Words   |  29 Pagesstrategic with the resources that they have within the industry that they are positioned. 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Provide online retailing to countries where the option is unavailable, especially US. Ask for gender of the customer during profile creation so that they have targeted advertisements about specific products in the home pageRead MoreEssay on Reiss Three Year Marketing Plan4683 Words   |  19 Pagesto  £12,424, which can be demonstrated in figure 3. o Opportunities †¢ E-commerce is gaining ground and customers are keener with buying clothes online. †¢ The menswear trend is moving away from formalwear and going towards more of a casual look. †¢ Older women, which partially fall into Reiss’s target market, are increasingly fashion conscious. †¢ Women and Men are increasingly becoming obese, potentially posing as an opportunity for Reiss’s designers. †¢ Department stores, which have aRead MoreInditex Case Study8764 Words   |  36 Pagesmain European markets: France, Germany, Italy , Portugal, Spain and the UK. â€Å"Online should act as a downward protection for trading news in the second half,† wrote Bernstein in a note. During the period, Inditex opened 98 stores in 29 countries, taking its footprint to nearly 5,000 stores in 76 nations around the world. Last month, it opened its first Indian shop in Delhi†. Histor y of Inditex Gr oup 2) Industria de Diseà ±o Textil (Inditex) makes disposable chic fashions that are here todayRead MoreSituation Analysis of International Marketing Environment (Marks and Spencer in Spain)3529 Words   |  15 Pageslow-cost outlets such as Kiabi or Primark, and the good performance of second-hand shops which will not have a significant change on opening MS in Spain. (Ibid) Marks and Spencer’s main competitor would be El Cortes ingles and Mercadona. Also, the Spanish retail market continues to be dominated by small, mostly family-owned companies. However, chained retailers increased in importance over the review period. In 2009, Mercadona led the Spanish retail market, taking El Corte Inglà ©s’s position. Mercadona