JC PENNYS FOCUS - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 1049 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Analytical essay Level High school Did you like this example? JC Penney to Close 33 Stores, Cut 2,000 Jobs January 27 2014 Studentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Name Instructorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Name JC PENNYà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢S FOCUS J.C. Penney Company, Inc. also known as JC Penney or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"The Companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ is one of the leading retailers of US. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "JC PENNYS FOCUS" essay for you Create order It offers a variety of family apparel, jewelry, shoes, accessories and home furnishings through its department storesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ chain and e-commerce website, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“jcp.com.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ In 2010JC Penny failed to handle customer traffic through ecommerce. It also failed to translate its business model for an online shopping experience andwas struggling internally; slow to beat competition, inefficient return policy,poor customer relationship management, which resulted in significant financial problemsand lost brand identity.In November 2011, Ron Johnson was appointed as the new CEO for JC Penney to help regain the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s competitive edge. THE NEW STRATEGY LINKING IMC His strategy included Pricingfor Sales Promotions:In order to portray the company image as a higher-quality retailer like its competitors; Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s and Kohlà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, JC Penney establishednew, three-tiered à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“fair and squareà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  pricing strategy; everyday prices,month-long values, and best prices. Everyday prices specified daily low prices (about 40 percent lower than previous ones), month-long values indicatedmonthly discounts on merchandise and the best prices stated the clearance prices established on every monthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s first and third Fridays. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Happy Returnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Policy:this new friendly policy to return any article, anytime and anywherewas established to regain the agitated customers.In the presence of receipt, the customer could exchange the product or get a full refund. However, in case of no receipt, the item could still be exchanged, or the customer could earn a full refund through a JC Pe nney gift card.Logo:The new, fresh and sleeker logo, designed to resemble the American flag in order to signify patriotism andemboss JC Penney as an American store.The logorepresented the new à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“fair and squareà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  pricing strategy. Store Layouts:in order to provide a patriotic American ambience, the large aisle passing through the middle of the store was named à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Main Street,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  and the old-fashioned central jewelry counters were replaced by a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Town Square.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Spokesperson:Ellen DeGeneres continued to be JC Pennyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s spokesperson. EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NEW STRATEGY The rebranding strategy by the CEO Ron Johnson had been ineffective as the communication flaws affected the company very badly; IdentityCrisis: Consumers are confused about the repositioning of JC Penny. Thecompany focusas a lower-end discounter and a higher-end department store has damaged the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s positioning as the retail spectrum where the company falls is no longer clear.Lost Customers, Sales and Profitability: The loyal customers preferred theJC Penney brandà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s system of coupons and seasonal sales. The new pricing created confusion over the quality and pricing of products. The new CEO, Ron Johnson focused on gaining new customersat the cost of abandoning its old customers.The result was dissatisfied customers who felt that the department stores became more expensive and less enjoyable. The middle-market lost its expected discounts. Employee Confusion About the new Internal Policies: As a CEO, Ron Johnson failed to communicate the strategy and plans to the employees which created more confusion and it made it hard for the employees to relate themselves to the policies. As a result, JC Penney had to rehire Myron Ullman in April 2013to replace Ron Johnsonfor JC Pennyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s survival. In January 2014, JC Penney Co. has planned to close down 33 stores and removearound 2,000 jobs to help save $65 million a year. LESSONS The lessons from CEOà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s ineffective communication strategy are as follows: Ineffective internal and external communication:While undergoing a radical brand transformation, the current direction needs to be effectively communicated to potential consumers. JC Penney failed to communicate the shift from the storeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s traditional model. Italso failed to effectively communicate and implement the new pricing system within the departments. This failure in effort to effectively communicate the transformation of brand image, identity and positioning resulted in the loss of traditional customers and is failure to attract new customers. This negatively impacted the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s revenue and profitability. This also led to customer ill will and customerunwillingness to shop at JC Penney. Ron Johnson lacked the art of directing the managers and employees to the new strategy and pricing system.As a result,managers and employees could not relate themsel ves to the stores. Inability to satisfy stakeholders: It is highly important for a CEO to safeguard interests of and satisfy the stakeholders but unfortunately it has not been the case here in Ron Johnsonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s tenure. The shareholders desire to retain profits and improve portfolios, consumers are confused about different products and quality, price system, and poor discounts, and employees are worried about losing their jobs with stores closing down. RECOMMENDATIONS The recommendations for the new CEO are to design an advertising campaign that can explain to its customers how it has made a transformation to satisfy their shopping needs, improve the reward system to further encourage loyalty by offering more discounts to loyal customers, gain customer insight to refine the shopping experience by gaining customer feedback through surveys,maintain clear lines of communication so that employees are informed of policy and strategic changes, send à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Miss Youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  letters to old customers and letters to current customers to explain to them JC Penney transformation, train employeesregularlybefore implementing changes to ensure employee awareness and understanding, enhance open communication in organization culture for effective information flow between managers and employees, and improve the ecommerce and communication through improvement in website. STRENGTHS Strong brand recognition Available in all sizes Partners with Davidà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Bridal Sephora Affordable rates Sweepstakes Large number of stores nationwide WEAKNESSES Decline in sales Low popularity Confused brand identity and position Less coupons Moderately expensive pricing Poor advertising campaign OPPORTUNITIES Interacting through social media Sponsorships Appoint younger designers New spokesperson New product lines can be introduced Improve online sales THREATS More informed consumers can compare brands online Increasing competition High labor cost in US Same clothing lines as competitors means less differentiation REFERENCES Beltran, Joshua et al. JC PENNEY, INC: The impact of rebranding on internal and external communication. 2013. The Web https://classic.marshall.usc.edu Kitchens, Ashley et al. jcp. The Web. https://www.slideshare.net JC Penney to Close 33 Stores, Cut 2,000 Jobs. 2014. The Web https://adage.com/article/news JCPenney Strategic Communication Plan Book. The Web. https://eportfolios.ithaca.edu

Mary Of The United States - 886 Words

Mary sat at her desk, just like she always did. The desk’s varnish had been worn down to the raw wood, and it was covered in scratches made by her own clawing nails. Mary couldn’t remember when she had been locked in there, in the blanched room. The room was vacant except for the debased desk, a plastic chair, and a very shabby Mary. Mary trembled due to the caffeine racing through her veins. Mary was always afraid. She was afraid of not being good enough. She was afraid of not meeting her parent’s expectations. Being less than Coeus, her brother. But, these were not ungrounded fears as they were based on truth. From the day Mary was born it was pounded into her tiny little brain that she was not as good as Coeus. She remembered her parent looking down on her for not getting grades as high as Coeus. No matter how she tried she was not good enough. Coeus’s existence was the reason she was locked in this room. Mary’s earliest memories were of education in fact, these were her only memories. Her security blanket was a set of q-cards. Her pacifier, a dose of caffeine. Her story book, the McGraw-Hill math text book. When her parents looked down on Coeus with tenderness, and care she was subjected to looks of disgust, and loathing. Mary heard the rap of knuckles on the metal door, it was a warning sign. Mary hunched back over her desk despite her chronic back pain, and resumed her exam. She ignored the clipped British tones from a woman who was her progenitor, â€Å"I have broughtShow MoreRelatedMary Parker Follett : A Social Worker Of United State Of America Essay1207 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction about Mary Parker Follett: Mary Parker Follett was a social worker of United State of America. She also well knew as the management consultant, organisational theory and behaviour. People believe that Mary Parker Follett as a management guru in early days of management theory. 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How was Hitler helped into power Free Essays

Although it is true to say that Hitler gained power through the ‘back-door’, it is unfair to argue that Hitler had got into power purely by luck or chance. Certainly the situation in Germany made the atmosphere right for a Nazi takeover, however certain events must be recognised as being a direct result of Hitler’s perseverance and strengths as a leader. Perhaps most importantly for the Nazi party- if not conventional – was the appeal of the party’s agenda. We will write a custom essay sample on How was Hitler helped into power? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Not only was the party’s agenda masterminded by Hitler, it was he who projected the party’s ideologies to the people efficiently, and powerfully to the public. Not only was this from his oratorical dexterity, but also from his brilliant propaganda methods. Hitler’s dexterous methods of propaganda clearly won public support. How Hitler manipulated Horst Wessel’s death is on instance, in which Hitler blamed the KPD party for his murder, whereas his death was due to other motives. Not only does this instance shows Hitler’s deftness, but also gives us an indication as to whom Hitler targeted in his propaganda. However, it seems although Hitler used propaganda to good effect, much of his support would not have been gained but for the circumstances in which Germany were in. Anti-Semitism, horrific as it may seem, was in fact staunchly supported, particularly within the Bavarian region of Germany. Much of this hatred became more widespread, especially amongst middle classes. This was largely due to the fact that the majority of the instigators of urbanisation happened to be Jews. However, Hitler’s nationalist theory and brilliant propaganda skills made the spread of Anti-Semitism easier and faster. In fact, much of the ideologies of the time that were widespread, such as anti-communism, nationalism, volkenmeingeschaft etc. orresponded to Nazi ideology. Hitler, with his brilliant leadership skills, was able to get such views across via propaganda and his great oratory skills. Consequently, due to the fact that many agreed with much of his ideologies, Hitler was imminently going to gain support. One instance is the very important group, the liturgy, which had Lutheran roots and thus very connected to Germany, supported the Nazis primarily because of their Nationalistic philosophies. Furthermore, the strength of the Nazi Party was its ideologies appealed to many sections of German society. Although the working class on the whole remained loyal to the socialist party, the socialist element of the Nazis 25-points (which amounted to little more than vague promises of land reform and attack on profiteering), did win some working class support. Instances such as these clearly gave Hitler some sort of power base to which he could gain leadership from. Hitler also appeared to be a factor in gaining a persona in which the Nazi party could easily get support from the party. This could only be gained through conventional means (i. . through elections), as oppose to their putschist tactics and by having a strong fuhrer to which the public could relate. Hitler offered both of these to the party, (A â€Å"Hitler cult† developed by his justification that there was a need for strong leadership to save the party from the so-called Jewish-socialist conspiracy) the ramifications of which were very pleasing for the National Socialists. By 1929, the Nazis were the second largest party in Germany. The biggest factor into Hitler gaining power was the Weimar republics collapse. This was largely due to the fact that more economic problems within the Weimar constitution led to Chancellors such as Von Papen and Schleicher over-using Article 48 in the Reichstag. This imminently led to the demise of the Weimar as a democracy. However, this is not to say that the collapse of the Weimar on its own led to the Nazi party takeover. In fact, at the time of the near collapse of the Weimar, the Nazi party was the largest party in the Reichstag. Coupled with the fact that Von Papen was eager to return to the Reichstag, Hitler was able to become Chancellor. Nonetheless, this did not indicate a complete takeover, although it did become the start of one. Another factor into the demise of the Weimar and thus Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor was the underestimation of Hitler as a manipulator. In essence, Papen especially was foolish to believe that he could control Hitler. In conclusion, it is just to say that Hitler’s ‘help’ was a little more than help. In fact, it was a combination of both Hitler’s qualities as a leader and propagandist and events within Germany that allowed Hitler’s ominous rise to power. How to cite How was Hitler helped into power?, Papers

Masque of the Red Death free essay sample

Discuss with reference to â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher†. We will write a custom essay sample on Masque of the Red Death or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For one to indentify Edgar Allen Poe’s creation of an American Gothic sensibility in the short story â€Å"The Usher† relate one must examine closely some feature which are associated with the genre o f American Gothic literature. I have chosen two particular topics to examine, and these are the atmosphere of gloom and darkness crafted throughout the story, and also the idea of symbolism and allegorical meaning within that is, a sense of double meaning. The atmosphere created in the poem is typical not only to American gothic writings, but to European writings also, however the second point, that of the use of allegory, is siad to be more particularly American. I will also include reference to other techniques used in the story used to create this Gothic consciousness in this essay. An atmosphere of mystery and gloom is a central gothic element in the short story â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher†. According to Anita Vickers in the book â€Å"A New Nation†, American gothic literature is laden with conventions such as â€Å"oppressive gloom, the underlying horror or dread of the protagonist of narrator† and a feeling of â€Å"uncertain doom† (Vickers, 2002, 163). Vickers goes on to say that these conventions are employed to create an atmosphere of â€Å"suspense, mystery, fearful apprehension and strangeness† (Ibid). These elements are most definitely present in â€Å"the Fall of the House of Usher†. A sense of gloom is potent from the outset of the story, with the initial introductory lines enshrouding the reader in a envelope of dreariness and uncertainty, â€Å"during the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly dreary tract of country† (Poe, ). The setting is, from the outset, conveyed as being mysterious and strange to the reader. In the first paragraph alone Poe makes countless references to the outright gloom and darkness which seem to haunt the setting of the tale. The references to â€Å"Melancholy†, â€Å"insufferable gloom† and â€Å"utter depression† (poe.. ) contribute to the gloomy and sinister atmosphere created for the reader in the opening of the story. Also relaying Vickers’ point about the atmosphere of American Gothic is Andrew-Lloyd Smith in his book â€Å"American Gothic Fiction: An introduction†. Smith compares American gothic literature to a gothic painting. He claims that the atmosphere in a gothic text or work of art is as important as the setting. He draws on the examination of a painting by the artist Piranesi, which Smith indicates, accomplishes effectively the portrayal of the atmosphere in American gothic texts and paintings. This successful gothic atmosphere created, he says, is one which induces a â€Å"sense of futility, despair and the loss of hope† (Smith, 2005, 7). Indeed in Poe’s â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† this sense of futility and despair is most evident, from the opening paragraph of the story, up until the last pages. In parts of the story Poe does not disguise this sense of foreboding within descriptive paragraphs, or hint at an atmosphere of dread through an account of the setting. Instead, Poe allows the narrator in the story to directly comment on the sense of doom and desolation that he feels on arrival to the house. The narrator articulates that on seeing the house, â€Å"a sense of insufferable gloom† (Poe.. ) saturated his spirit, and compares the feeling to â€Å"the after-dream of the reveller upon opium the bitter lapse into everyday life† (Poe ). This sense of darkness which he initially speaks of was intangible, however on further examination of the property, the narrator make the worrying ambience he has been describing corporeal, when he speaks of a sort of mist surrounding the area of the house. He describes an atmosphere which had no affinity with the air of heaven, but which had reeked up from the decayed trees, and the gray wall, and the silent tarn a pestilent and mystic vapour, dull, sluggish, faintly discernible, and leaden-hued. † (Poe ) As well as these indications of an eerie sense and feeling about the property of the Usher’s house, the narrator’s reflection on his attempts to cheer the spirit of Roderick Usher, also highlight an atmosphere of gloom directly associated with Usher himself. According to the narrator, encircling Mr. Usher was a â€Å"darkness, as if an inherent positive quality, poured forth upon all objects of the moral and physical universe, in one unceasing radiation of gloom. † (Poe ). All of these descriptions of a sense and atmosphere of doom and gloom are inextricably connected to the creation of a Gothic text. Poe’s inclusion of this atmosphere which the characters in the action of the story in the text highlights the particularly American gothic sensibility crafted in this text. Marita Nadal Blasco, in her essay on Poe’s American Gothic writing highlights that another element of the American gothic genre is the hint towards an allegorical meaning to the text. She writes â€Å"the gothic is most powerful, and most distinctly American, when is strains towards allegorical translucency† (Manuel, 2003, 355), that is that the author does not make a distinct connection to any specific part of American history or society, however critics have generated theories as to what some aspects of the story might be linked to, and if they have an allegorical meaning. Writing specifically about The Fall of the house of Usher Blasco makes reference to the â€Å"incomplete turn toward allegory† (ibid) in the text and goes on to say that the â€Å"allegorical signs generated are more important than the literal elements that constitute the text† (Ibid). An example of the allegorical and symbolic meaning that features of the story could have, is the inclusion and emphasis on the â€Å"House of Usher†. Blasco, in her essay draws on the work of Eric Savoy who â€Å"singles out the house as the most significant analogue and trope of American Gothic’s Allegorical turn† (Ibid) and also identifies a gothic house as being a structure which is haunted by the â€Å"return of the repressed† (Manuel, 2003, 356). The Usher house is said to be a link to a â€Å"traumatic history that can never be fully recovered† (Ibid). Poe, however, uses the symbol of the house, not only in the latter sense, but also as an indication towards the actual Usher family. This can be seen when the narrator suggests â€Å"House of Usher feature -an appellation which seemed to include, in the minds of the peasantry who used it, both the family and the family mansion. †, Poe here is hinting that the title of the story can also indicate the family as well as the physical dwelling place. The Usher family has only ever had one surviving member from each generation – indicated when the narrator explains that Madeline Usher’s death would leave Roderick as â€Å"the last of the ancient race of the Ushers.   (poe.. ). This too, support the idea that the family has had a disturbing, and one could be put in mind of a curse which haunts generations. In using Blasco’s words, Poe’s story indicates a â€Å"proliferation of signs without a clear reference† (Manuel, 2003, 356). As mentioned above, it is this â€Å"inconclusive and incomplete turn toward allegory† (Manuel, 2003, 355) which is significant in, and particular to, American Gothic writing. To briefly mention some other aspects of the short story that create an American Gothic sensibility in the text, one would refer to the focus on the interior and psychological within the story.