Organic Anion Transporters Essay -- Biology

The main location of the protein organic anion transporter 3 is in the kidney and the function of the kidney is to get toxins, usually in the form of organic anions, or even medications out of the body. In order to separate and transport these toxins through the blood to the kidney, specific proteins called organic anion transporters (OAT) exist. The sole function of these proteins is to bind to these molecules and take them to the kidney where they can be separated from the blood and excreted. The way these proteins work is that they have a highly specific active site (or binding site) which has unique properties that make it prone to attaching to various organic anions. To better understand the role of OAT 3, a specific OAT protein which is present in the choroid plexus (spinal fluid) and the kidney, an experiment was conducted in which this protein was removed from rats by replacing the DNA code for OAT 3 with a similar, but not functional code. These OAT 3 knockout rats showed an inability to transport certain organic anions including toxins, hormones, and drugs. Methods Procedures: 1. Isolation of the OAT3 Gene 2. Analysis of changes in tissues of the wild type and OAT3 type 3. Northern Analysis 4. RT-PCR 5. Methods of Measuring Transport 6. Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy 1. Isolation of OAT3 gene: The strategy used here was a deletion of exon 3. An exon is a portion of a DNA molecule that codes for part of a polypeptide, which gets expressed. So the deletion of this particular exon caused a frame-shift mutation and a premature stop codon to be brought in. This just means that the messenger RNA (mRNA) that is transcribed from the gene gets translated normally until the ribosome co... ...family will allow humans to further expand the effectiveness of drug treatment. First, if the organic anion transport system could be blocked, certain medicines then would stay in the system longer that would otherwise have been excreted. This would allow for more effective and shorter treatment. Second, not everyone has the same amount of organic anion transporters in their system, thus by genotyping a patient and discovering the amount of the transporters present in the individual, a personalized drug regiment could be devised , making it more effective for the individual. Third, by identifying the anion transported by each OAT (OAT 1-4), certain toxins could be transported out of the system much faster and prevent less damage of certain toxins to the system. By altering the amounts of the OAT family present doctors could speed up the recovery process.

Explain the Role of the First World War in the Decline and Fall of the Romanov Dynasty

Explain the role of the First World War in the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty The role of the first world in the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty has been contended debated. Russia’s lack of resources and preparation can be seen to attribute to the fall of the dynasty as lack of items such as bread and coal ked to contention amongst Russia’s people. Also contributing was Tsar Nicholas II’s lack of military experience and ability to use military force to crush the civilian protests that were occurring in Petrograd, Russia’s capital city. The generals of the military along with the Duma used the protests to their advantage to force the abdication of the Tsar and strengthen Russia’s’ war effort. However, Russia’s turbulent past of political and social turmoil also contributed to the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty. The lack of preparation on Russia’s behalf before the First World War began was an integral factor leading to the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty. For a war on a large scale, that being the First World War Russia’s lack of preparation severely crippled its efforts in the war with as many of 1 million of its soldiers departing for the eastern front without necessities such as Rifles or boots. In the circumstances when soldiers were equipped with weapons they were often stuck without the necessary ammunition to fire them, this would foreshadow the humiliating losses Russia would suffer in the months to come with battles such as Tannenburg costing the Russian army as many as 230,000 dead soldiers and many more captured by the forces of the Kaiser. Russia’s second army under the command of General Rennenkampf executed a retreat after the demise of the other half of Russian forces and whilst this was skilful 1. million men met death on the eastern front, if not from the enemy then the crippling lack of food and starvation that faced most soldiers of the Russian army. The news of these defeats did not fall on deaf ears back in the cities of Russia causing great discontent amongst the proletariat and intelligentsia alike, Russia already had a poor war records with a humiliation during the Crimean war at the hands of the Turkish and the recent Russo-Japanese war in 1905 b oth disgraceful defeats on Russia’s behalf. With news now that these losses were being bettered on the eastern front it caused a questioning of Russia’s autocracy, the Dynasty of the Romanov family. The liberal school of thought on the fall of the Romanovs greatly highlights the significance of the First World War on the fall of the autocracy and believe if the war was averted so to would be the fall of the Romanovs. Therefore it can be safely asserted that the liberal school of thought elucidates that the lack of preparation by Russia in response to the First World War contributed greatly to the eclectic nature of the Romanov Dynasty and its eventual decline and fall. The lack of military experience by Tsar Nicholas II as well as the disobedience of the Russian military is more or less of significant importance to the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty. From an early age Nikolay Alexandrovich Romanov was not groomed to be a traditional Tsar, his father Alexander III saw his son as a weak link to the Dynasty and unfit to rule because of his weak personality and mind, those of the liberal school of thought agree entirely with this stating â€Å"the weakness in the character of Nicholas†¦ ontributing to the fall of the Romanov Dynasty. † With little to no training in being the supreme autocrat of Russia it is a wonder that Tsar Nicholas thought it wise to personally take the role of the commader in chief with no military experience as well, for the Russian people this was a risky move seeing as how the last war Nicholas had spear-headed led to a loss of hundreds of kilometres of trans-siberian railway and the colony of Korea in the R usso-Japanese war. Thus upon the start of the First World War despite a surge of patriotism from the Russian people when the Russian Army performed consistently badly Tsar Nicholas was seen to be the cause. Already being investigated as a potential spy due to his marriage to the tsarina who hailed from Germany , the poor performance of Russia during the World War which was under Tsar Nicholas’ command is seen by the Liberal School as crippling to the intergrity and upkeep of Russias’ Autocracy and the Dynasty of the Romanov Family. Worse still was Nicholas’ leadership of Russia during the time of the war, being unable to disband civilian riots in the capital of Petrograd and by refusing offers from the Duma at first during the February/March revolution secured his abdication which was forced upon him by the military and the Duma cementing the lack of loyalty Nicholas’ cabinet had to him as a result of his poor leadership and military inexperience, which can be attributed to the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty. Furthermore the civilian protests in Russia as a reaction to the catalyst of the First World War were yet another reason as to the fall of the Romanov Family and their dynasty. Russias history of disgruntled peasants and proletariat provides a bleak foreshadow to the reaction the general public had towards the poor performance Russia turned in during the First World War and the lack of necessities such as food and coal that they had to fore-go due to poor preparation. It cannot be denied the crucial role that civilian riots had in the fall of the Romanov Dynasty, these riots can be traced to the 23rd of February 1917 as an English woman named Sybil Grey described the riots start as â€Å"a poor woman entered a bread shop†¦ and asked for bread. She was told there was none. On leaving the shop, seeing bread in the window she broke the window and took it. This simple act of taking bread was the turning point in civilian protests and the birth itself of the Russian Revolution, soon the streets of Petrograd were littered with protestors and the Duma refused the Tsar’s orders to disband the protests via the military, many of whom defected to the protestors to avoid being sent to the Eastern front. The food supplies in most cities were dire and the Russian economy was inflated to the point that most farmers refused to sell their wares in exchange for money. Prominent Russian industry such as the Pulitov Steelworks also closed due to a lack of finance and raw materials meaning 90,000 proletariat now had no jobs and no direction in society, which inevitably leads to protesting. Therefore it can be easily drawn that the protests that occurred with the civilians in Russia played an integral role in the decline and fall of teh Romanov Dynasty. Moreover Russia’s parliament, the Duma in conjunction with the Russian military officials many of whom were related to Tsar Nicholas himself used the First World War as a medium to force the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and attempt to govern Russia as a democracy. After the events of bloody Sunday in 1905 Tsar Nicholas II faced a dilemma, millions of Russians crying for change and challenging his power and the power of the autocracy. It was in these circumstances the ‘October Manifesto’ was issued to the people in hopes of tying down threats of insurrection amongst the people, the manifesto granted Russia a parliament that was so closely linked with the Tsar it had no purpose essentially. However, during the failures that followed Nicholas in the First World War the Duma was essentially in power in the capital city of Petrograd with the Tsar stranded at a military base in Tsarkoe Selo, finally reaching the peak of insurrection the Duma with the support of the Tsar’s trusted generals established a provisional government that attempted to repair the damage the war and Nicholas had caused. To the tsar this was an ct of insubordination and military force was demanded to shut the Duma down, this was not the case. The military had lost faith in Nicholas, fearing he was disadvantaging Russia in their efforts against germany, it was then clear what must be done; under desperation from the war and the people the Duma and the military requested Tsar Nicholas abdicate his power from the throne, in its stead would be a government running on elections in replica of England. Another role the Duma played was their facilitation in the civilian riots occurring with some Cossacks, guards supposedly loyal to the tsar assuring protestors â€Å"don’t worry we won’t shoot you† and the guard of the royal family abandoning their posts. The quintessential role then of the Duma and Military as a result of the first world war in the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty cannot be denied. However, when studying the decline and fall of the Romanov dynasty other schools of thought have differing opinions as to the significance of the War in the fall of the Romanovs. The revisionist school argues that the pre-existing and unresolved issues of Russia’s past greatly contributed to the decline and fall of the Romanov dynasty. Historian Sheila Fitzpatrick believes that even prior to the war Russia was in an unstable place, both socially and politically as she states â€Å"The autocracy’s situation was precarious on the eve of the First World War. Issues such as the massacre of bloody Sunday were still contemporary issues for the Tsar and the autocracy, with labels such as ‘Bloody Nicholas’ becoming household names, the activities of various revolutionary groups such as Vladimir Lenin’s Bolshevik party and the opposing Mensheviks of Leon Trotsky whilst fore-runners for change in Russian society both set a precarious scene during 20th century Russia, often trying to ignite crowds or events into protests or revolutions. These often took the form of Assassinations with targets including Prime Minister Petr Stolypin often upsetting the established order and descending society into complete chaos. It can be seen then that the revisionists make a strong argument as to why the Romanovs would have fallen even in the absence of the First World War. The contention does not rest there though, the living conditions of a vast majority of Russian society was also believed to be a contributing factor as to the decline and fall of the Romanovs, during the industrial revolution the conditions faced by the new class; ‘the proletariat’ or workers were seen to be inhumane, they were cramped into mall living areas, malnourished, exposed to dangerous work, shot at and payed incredibly poor amounts of money to ensure this cycle continued, they also made up over 90% of Russia’s population. It is easy to see then that a large amount of society exposed to these conditions for the betterment of others would eventually lead to a revolution en mass which is what revisionists, amongst other things believe would have been equally if not more significant than the First World War in the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty. All in all despite contention the role of the First World War in the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty can be seen as pivotal to some as Russia’s lack of preparation, poor leadership, riots and leaders were all influenced by the great war but is debated amongst others due to other factors such as; conditions faced by the working class, the autcracys weakened position and revolutionary groups.

Understanding White Supremacy

Historically, white supremacy has been understood as the belief that white people are superior to people of color. As such, white supremacy was the ideological driver of the European colonial projects and U.S. imperial projects: it was used to  rationalize unjust rule of people and lands, theft of land and resources, enslavement, and genocide. During these early periods and practices, white supremacy was backed by misguided scientific studies of physical differences on the basis of race and was also believed to take intellectual and cultural form. White Supremacy in US History The system of white supremacy was brought to the Americas by European colonists and took firm root in early U.S. society through the genocide, enslavement, and internal colonization of indigenous populations, and the enslavement of Africans and their descendants. The system of slavery in the U.S., the Black Codes that limited rights among newly freed blacks that were instituted following emancipation, and the Jim Crow laws that enforced segregation and also limited rights combined to make the U.S. a legalized white supremacist society through the late-1960s. During this period the Ku Klux Klan became a well-known symbol of white supremacy, as have other major historical actors and events, like the Nazis and the Jewish Holocaust, the apartheid regime of South Africa, and Neo-Nazi and white power groups today. As a result of the notoriety of these groups, events, and time periods, many people think of white supremacy as an overtly hateful and violent attitude toward people of color, which is considered a problem mostly buried in the past. But as the recent racist murder of nine Black people at Emanuel AME church has made clear, the hateful and violent breed of white supremacy is still very much a part of our present. Yet, it is important to recognize that white supremacy today is a multifaceted system that manifests in myriad ways, many not overtly hateful nor violent—in fact often quite subtle and unseen. This is the case today because U.S. society was founded, organized, and developed in a white supremacist context. White supremacy and the many forms of racism it employs is infused into our social structure, our institutions, our worldviews, beliefs, knowledge, and ways of interacting with each other. Its even encoded into some of our holidays, like Columbus Day, which celebrates a racist perpetrator of genocide. Structural Racism and White Supremacy The white supremacy of our society is evident in the fact that whites maintain a structural advantage over people of color in nearly every aspect of life. White people maintain an educational advantage, an income advantage, a wealth advantage, and a political advantage. White supremacy is also evident in the way communities of color are systematically over-policed (in terms of unjust harassment and unlawful arrest and brutalization), and under-policed (in terms of police failing to serve and protect); and in the way that experiencing racism takes a societal-wide negative toll on the life expectancy of Black people. These trends and the white supremacy they express are fueled by the false belief that society is fair and just, that success is the result of hard work alone, and an overall denial of the many privileges that whites in the U.S. have relative to others. Further, these structural trends are fostered by the white supremacy that lives within us, though we may be wholly unaware that it is there. Both conscious and subconscious white supremacist beliefs are visible in social patterns that show, for instance, that university professors give more attention to potential students who are white; that many people regardless of race believe that lighter skinned Black people are smarter than those with dark skin; and that teachers punish Black students more harshly for the same or even lesser offenses committed by white students. So while white supremacy might look and sound different than it has in centuries past, and may be experienced differently by people of color, it is very much a twenty-first-century phenomenon that must be addressed through critical self-reflection, the rejection of white privilege, and anti-racist activism. Further Reading For detailed and riveting historical accounts of how white supremacy was wielded in pursuit of economic, political, cultural, and social domination by Europeans from the 1500s on, see  The World is a Ghetto  by sociologist Howard Winant, and  Orientalism  by postcolonial theorist  Edward Said.For information on how white supremacy historically affected indigenous populations, Mexicans and Mexican Americans, as well as immigrants from Asia, see sociologist Tomà ¡s Almaguers book  Racial Fault Lines:  The Historical Origins of White Supremacy in California.Sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva investigates this phenomenon at length in his book  White Supremacy and Racism in the Post-Civil Rights Era

Analysis Of The Poem Native Guard - 1446 Words

A traumatic event will never define a person’s identity, it will never prove character, or show weaknesses. A person is defined by much more than a single life event. Natasha Trethewey uses her confusion and hurt that she experienced as pieces for an artwork that has yet to be finished. By writing Native Guard, Trethewey recreates herself like a disjointed collage. Using gut-wrenching poetry as her medium, Trethewey uses her words to represent a self portrait of her struggles. Giving the reader a chance to immerse themselves completely within â€Å"Native Guard†, her audience is a key element throughout the book. You, as the reader, become an empty shell for Trethewey to build herself anew; a skeleton structure for a new identity. Instead of showing herself to the reader entirely, Trethewey uses her own complex emotions to establish intimacy with the audience. You experience her emotions as raw as she writes them. In her poem, â€Å"After Your Death,† Trethewey seems to walk you through her actions, â€Å"I found it half eaten, the other side / already rotting, or - like another I plucked / and split open - being taken from the inside,† (13). When you look at this at face value it seems meaningless, monotonous, and something that shouldn’t be included in a poem about mourning. Nevertheless, Trethewey lets her emotions and thoughts seep through specific words of the poem. With phrases such as â€Å"rotting,† â€Å"split,† and â€Å"plucked† you can see a hidden aggressiveness that only shows itselfShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Poem Native Guard 913 Words   |  4 PagesPoetry Analysis Native Guard is a poem that is built on a lot of passion and precision that makes this entire book of poetry stand out. From the beginning with the elusive imagery and foreshadowing of her childhood and her mother’s life we are easily engulfed in the lifestyle of being born in the south. The imagery continues on in the new memory of the pinnacle time of slavery and the Civil War, which shows the true nature of the south through repetition and metaphoric sentences of many gruesomeRead MoreProblems with Hurricanes by Victor Hernandez Cruz736 Words   |  3 Pages A Literary Analysis of â€Å"Problems with Hurricanes† This poem was written by Victor Hernandez Cruz. â€Å"Victor Hernà ¡ndez Cruz was born on February 6, 1949, in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. He moved with his family to New Yorks Spanish Harlem at the age of five.† (Kannelos) He moved to America in 1954 and began writing in 1964, when he was 15. He published his first collection of poetry in 1969, at the age of 20.Victor Hernandez Cruzs poem â€Å"Problems with Hurricanes† is a poem addressing dark problemsRead MoreCauses Of The Mau Mau Revolt1012 Words   |  5 Pagespolitically controlled by the Kikuyu rebel group, had a rebellion or a movement against the British army because the British were coming to take their land. The British colony began to settle on the Kenyan land and they tried forcing the natives to become laborers. The natives did not accept this and instead began to fight for their land. After a bit of time, the Mau Mau rebels were defeated by the British Colonies. In 1954, the Mau Mau rebels sent a lett er to the British Government stating what they wantRead MoreEssay on Robert Frost1443 Words   |  6 PagesJanuary 29, 1963. Frost was considered to be one of America’s leading 20th century poets and a four-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize. He was an essentially pastoral poet who was often associated with rural New England. Frost wrote poems of a philosophical region. His poems were traditional but he often said as a dig at his archrival Carl Sandburg, that â€Å"he would soon play tennis without a net as write free verse.† Frost said this because he believed he was a pioneer of rhythm and meter and in the poeticRead MoreThe Representation of Colonized People in Rudyard Kipling’s Poem â€Å"the White Man’s Burden†: an Unrealistic Representation3227 Words   |  13 Pagesimperialism(Orwell 116). And this is well manifested in his poem The White Mans Burden published in 1899. It ideologically justifies the process of colonization and empire namin g it a burden. It urges the colonial power to take up the burden of colonialism representing the West as the superior whose responsibility is to civilize the backward colonized nations. Thus, in analyzing the issue of representation of colonized people in the poem from Edward Said’s perspective, one can find out that itRead MoreJohn Milton Opens Paradise Lost Essay2170 Words   |  9 Pagesintent, he makes a very ambitious statement of his goal, claiming that his book would be sufficient means by which â€Å"[He might] assert Eternal Providence, / And justify the ways of God to men† (Paradise Lost 1.25-26). So the reader should treat his epic poem as the attempted justification that it is, and ask themselves this: does this argument successfully justify God’s ways? A key—perhaps even the key—part of Milton’s book, and therefore of his argument, is God’s behavior with regards to the fall, whetherRead MoreThe Development Of Japanese Landscape Painting2295 Words   |  10 PagesThis Paper will be an analysis of the development of Japanese landscape painting, analyzing the historical context behind these paintings and what led to the changes in style. Both of these paintings are representative of their specific culture during this rapidly changing time and these changes will be discussed in relation to the artwork. I am going to be discussing Japanese landscape painting, the outside influences shaping Japanese landscape painting but also focusing on the internal elementsRead MoreThis Tournament Goes to Eleven4982 Words   |  20 Pagesof Acentejo occurred here in 1494 and was a setback for Fernà ¡ndez de Lugos attempts at colonization, which were begun when the 1474 Treaty of Alcà ¡Ãƒ §ova had ceded this place to Isabel of Castile. Antonio de Viana wrote an epic ode to the aboriginal natives of this place, and one of his works provides the name of Mount Teide, which is the highest point in its entire country. Secondary landmasses here include * Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gomera, and La Palma, while its largest component is named TenerifeRead MoreRomanticism and Modernism as Strange Bedfellows: A Fresh Look at Jack Kerouacs On the Road12240 Words   |  49 Pages . . a Denver Mexican . . . anything but what I was so drearily, a ‘white man’ disillusioned† (180). This is the counterpart of his romantic spirit of optimism and innocence. However, even the â€Å"mad ones† are not void of a modernist analysis. When describing Dean and his friend Carlo in romantic fashion, he ends on a bleaker note. â€Å"They rushed down the street together, digging everything in the early way they had, which later became so much sadder and perceptive and blank† (6). The spiritRead MoreSanskrit6594 Words   |  27 PagesSanskrit à ¤ ¸Ã  ¤â€šÃ  ¤ ¸Ã  ¥ Ã  ¤â€¢Ã  ¥Æ'à ¤ ¤Ã  ¤ ®Ã  ¥  saá ¹Æ'ská ¹â€ºtam Pronunciation [sÉ™ÌÆ'skÉ ¹ÃŒ ©tÃŒ ªÃ‰â„¢m] Spoken in Greater India Total speakers 14,135 native speakers in India (2001)[1] Language family Indo-European * Indo-Iranian o Indo-Aryan + Sanskrit Writing system DevanÄ garÄ « (de facto), various BrÄ hmÄ «Ã¢â‚¬â€œbased scripts, and Latin alphabet Official status Official language in India (Uttarakhand) one of the 22 scheduled languages of India Regulated by No official regulation Language codes

Are Babies Born on the United States Soil Be Considered...

A big issue that surrounds the United States today is whether or not babies born on United States soil are to be considered full-fledged citizens or not, regardless of the family’s recent migration into the United States. The children born in the United States to illegal alien mothers are often referred to as anchor babies†. Under current practice, these children are United States citizens at birth, simply because they were born on United States soil. They are called anchor babies because, as United States citizens, they become eligible to sponsor their relatives when they turn 21 years of age, thus becoming the legal United States anchor for an extended immigrant family (Shopper). Thus, the United States born children of illegal aliens not only represent additional U.S. population growth, but also act as anchors to eventually pull a large number of extended family members into the country legally; moreover, a whole industry has built up around the United States system o f birthright citizenship, thousands of pregnant women who are about to deliver come to the United States each year from countries as far away as South Korea and as near as Mexico so that they can give birth on U.S. soil (Anchor Babies, NumbersUSA).The original intent of the 14th Amendment was clearly not considering illegal aliens going around the United States laws. Estimates indicate there may be over 300,000 anchor babies born each year in the United States; overall, causing illegal alien mothers to addShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesD421.E77 2010 909.82—dc22 2009052961 The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992 Printed in the United States of America 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1 C ONTENTS Introduction Michael Adas 1 1 World Migration in the Long Twentieth Century †¢ Jose C. Moya and Adam McKeown 9 †¢ 2 Twentieth-Century Urbanization: In Search of an Urban ParadigmRead MoreMonsanto: Better Living Through Genetic Engineering96204 Words   |  385 Pages441 441 CASE STUDIES A summary of the case analysis I N T R O D U C T I O N Preparing an effective case analysis: The full story Hearing with the aid of implanted technology: The case of Cochlearâ„ ¢ – an Australian C A S E O N E high-technology leader Delta Faucet: Global entrepreneurship in an emerging market C A S E T W O DaimlerChrysler: Corporate governance dynamics in a global company C A S E T H R E E Gunns and the greens: Governance issues in Tasmania C A S E F O U R Succeeding in theRead MoreProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 Pagesof this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 22 2 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978)

Neiman Marcus Sales Plan Free Essays

string(109) " will still interview candidates regardless of test scores just in case there were errors in the assessment\." Neiman Marcus is a premier luxury retailer with distinctive merchandise and superior service. They opened in Dallas, Texas in 1908. Since 1908, Neiman Marcus has opened 40 additional stores. We will write a custom essay sample on Neiman Marcus Sales Plan or any similar topic only for you Order Now In 2010, the current count is 41 retail stores and 28 clearance centers called Last Call Neiman Marcus. As you can see from the chart, Neiman Marcus sells very diverse items. The largest category is women’s apparel, followed by women’s shoes, handbags and accessories, men’s apparel and shoes, cosmetics and fragrances, designer and precious jewelry, home furnishings and decor and the smallest category is other items. Neiman Marcus’s Mission Statement: â€Å"Neiman Marcus Stores will be the premier luxury retailer recognized for merchandise leadership and superior customer service. We will offer the finest fashion and quality products in an exceptional environment. † For the fiscal year 2010, Neiman Marcus had strong sales numbers. The total sales in the first quarter included the months of August, September, and October. The total sales were $ 869 million. The second quarter included the months of November, December, and January. The total sales were $ 1,102 million. The third quarter included the months February, March, and April. The total sales in the third quarter were $ 895 million. These figures include all 41 retail stores and the Neiman Marcus on-line website. According to the latest annual report from the U. S. Census Bureau the total amount of sales for the U. S. retail industry was $ 4. 13 trillion. This report comes from the calendar year ending in December 2009. Neiman Marcus has three top competitors. They are Barneys New York, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Even though there are many other luxury retailers, only the three listed above can compete with Neiman Marcus’s customer service and diversity of products. Code of Ethics The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. placed a Code of Ethics and Conduct to all its sales associates. The following are only a few examples of the policies that were placed. Protecting Customer Information When it comes to customer information, Neiman Marcus is dedicated to protect their customer’s confidential information. The company places the responsibility of protecting customer information to each sales associate that comes in contact with that information. Not only is certain information protected by state and federal laws, it is also protected by the company’s own data security policies. Sales associates are prohibited from using a client’s personal information on personal PDA’s or any personal computer for future reference. Conflicts Of Interest Neiman Marcus’s Code of Ethics and Conduct describes situations in which sales associates should avoid. According to the Code of Conduct, associates should avoid any situations that their personal interests could conflict to those of the company. The sales associate should avoid lending money to its customers for them to buy from the company nor should he or she use the company’s information or a customer’s confidential information for personal gain. It is also stated that the â€Å"associates should not accept any gifts†. These rules are made to avoid any unethical transactions between its associates and its customers or other parties. Discipline For Violations Neiman Marcus has disciplinary guidelines for sales associates who authorize, condone, or participate in actions that violate not only the company’s policies but the law. This also applies to sales associates who encourage others to retaliate against whistleblowers. Sales associates who withhold information relating to a violation are also at risk of disciplinary action. Sales associates who also submit false reports of violations or suspected violations which are made in bad faith will also receive disciplinary action. Neiman Marcus also prohibits sales associates to share employee discounts. Because the company regards the employee discount as a courtesy and privilege extended to the employee, if discovered, sales associates can have their benefit revoked or be terminated. Recruiting and Selecting Part of how Neiman Marcus selects its sales force is through its interview process. Part of that process is the use of a personality assessment to screen for desirable candidates to fit with Neiman Marcus’s ideology. The screening tests are supposed to help an interviewer have objective information that is not subject to biases. According to the Dalrymple’s Sales Management text â€Å"Testing was found to be one of the most reliable predictors of entry level job success. † Three main tests mentioned are intelligence, personality, and aptitude. The application process is as follows: after a candidate completes a job application on a HRIS (Human Resource Information System) they are then transferred to the SHL system and complete an assessment test. They are then transferred back to the HRIS system. (â€Å"SHL is a company that provides workplace talent assessment solutions including ability and personality tests, and psychometric assessments in more than 50 countries and in 30 languages†. ) A report is then immediately available which enables the interviewer to hire right then and there. As a result of Neiman Marcus adopting this process they make claims of having a reduction in staff turnover by 18%. In locations where the new system is being used, the pay for sales associates have been increased by 15. % and the interview – to- hire cycle was reduced from several days to 24 hours. The criteria selected by Neiman Marcus for a sales associate position is a direct result from the planning process where the company would define the company culture by analyzing the job, analyzing the job description and determining the qualifications they want to invest in a sales force. After receiving that information, the company SHL designed a personality assessment based on key competencies, attitude, and behaviors that applied to top performing sales associates with good employment tenure records. The assessment is simple and easy to use by store managers for the purpose of minimizing the risk of poor interviewing techniques. 30% of businesses that were surveyed showed that they used personality tests in hiring. Many companies consider testing more important than experience or education, while other companies like Universal Studios Theme Park will still interview candidates regardless of test scores just in case there were errors in the assessment. You read "Neiman Marcus Sales Plan" in category "Essay examples" In most cases the results are close to what is surmised in the interview. Long held debates question whether or not personality tests can reduce personality to a set of numbers. Examples of popular tests are the â€Å"The Myers-Briggs type indicators used to match job seekers with jobs based on four qualities of introversion/ extroversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, judgment/perceiving and for careers in positions of authority and trust. Another popular test is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory test, which looks for drug abuse or other pathologies. Questions remain unanswered. Could this sort of testing stigmatize applicants who have not committed any wrong doings and could it result in an injustice to innocent people? A survey showed that 49 percent of companies that used computerized hiring systems saw no changes in turnover rates. The American Psychological Association found little evidence that tests purporting to measure honesty are accurate. The danger that lies in these tests is they are not regulated or certified, and anyone can make up a test and make claims as they wish. Companies like â€Å"People Answers† make claims of â€Å"streamlining the recruiting process† and hiring process for hiring managers offer â€Å"full behavioral analysis on every candidate†. They claim they can uncover hidden attributes that reveal a candidates drive for success and can separate out the underachievers. While this procedure may save time and the associated costs of hiring staff, questions arise about these programs of whether they make allowances for people who come from different cultures and minorities. These programs may be set to be too narrow as to not give equal opportunity to deserving candidates. Creativity and innovation cannot be predicted by a computer survey. Also, candidates could gain knowledge on how to beat these tests rendering them useless. While these tests might prove to be a good indicator of the attributes of what a company finds desirable in a candidate, it is being suggested here that there is no substitute for good training and interview skills. Caution is indicated where there could be an over reliance on these procedures and could prove to be a drawback in the long run. Training Since Neiman Marcus’s training programs are decentralized, sales associates are trained at the store location where they will work. This instruction is done in a classroom setting that includes web conferences and online essions. This strategy reduces travel expenses and managers can observe the new employees first hand. The decentralized training for sales associates has worked well for them. One of the things Neiman Marcus has been doing right is their training philosophy and techniques. Much of what they have done has been imitated by others. The contemporary theory of customer service was popularized by Neiman Marcus. Neiman Marcus offers a five day training course to new employees, while Nordstrom has a less formal approach with more emphasis on incentives and providing information. New Sales force employees receive training that covers Neiman Marcus history, policies and procedures. They also receive a course called ‘The Art of Selling† which teaches new sales associates how to give outstanding service to clients. This training offers custom-designed materials and programs to fit the Neiman Marcus philosophy. The material covers product knowledge and how sales process behavior leads to a successful conclusion. Another thing Neiman Marcus does right is their follow up training. They use a variety of methods that include classroom session, video, web conferences, systems training, online resources, lending library, in the job coaching, and in-store/in-facility experiences. Associates receive 200 hours of training their first year and 150 hours of training in subsequent years. This constant training reinforces the Neiman Marcus culture and leads to continual improvement, better selling skills, increased product knowledge, and ultimately better customer relations. Retailers have found that better service often equals higher sales and almost always results in loyal customers. A new topic for sales training is technology based selling skills. This is an area that is changing all the time. Cutting edge technology can give a company a real advantage over the competition when they are early entrants. One new technology is customer relationship management hand held devices. In the past, product information that might only be known by a few specialists with years of experience is now at the finger tips of the entire floor of sales associates. This is the power of being trained in using customer relationship management hand held devices. These devices are called Mobile CRMs. The devices have the power to take customer service to a whole new level. Imagine a sales person being able to access customer data at any time. Sales people can up sell, make suggestions, check inventory availability, and even answer customer’s questions about a specific product without having to run off somewhere to get answers and information. Instead, they can get it on the spot. If a product is not available, they can put the customer on a call list to be notified when a product has become available. This cutting edge technology will free sales associates to make the buying experience as effortless as possible. Sales people can make the transactions for the customer without having to go back to the register counter or point of sale station. Customers can be on their way in just minutes. This type of device helps a sales person improve his/her efficiency by being more competent in carrying out one’s duties which will in turn improve customer relations that result in an increase of productivity that leads to more personal satisfaction resulting in reduced turnover. According to the New York Times article, â€Å"Creating a Better Sales Force†, Mr. Lyon of The Container Store states: â€Å"If you give great service, you make people happier. Not only do employees who are better prepared to sell have a greater sense of accomplishment, they contribute ideas that help the company grow, and they become the next generation of management. † Account Relationships Neiman Marcus prides itself as the premier luxury retailer dedicated to providing our customers with distinctive merchandise and superior service. Former President Stanley Marcus believed in the â€Å"best of the best†, both in products and customer relationships. It was his belief that providing superior customer support through consultative transactions would result in customer loyalty. The sales associates should provide a â€Å"personal shopping† experience with each customer. They assist by knowing where merchandise is located, what? s in stock, what? s coming in, what will meet a customer’s needs, and what will not. Associates build trust with customers by answering the customer’s needs rather than providing the nearest product with a simple solution. For example, if a customer arrived looking for a lightly colored lip gloss, a sales associate would try to determine if the customer was looking for nourishment, a concealer, or an enhancer, because each situation may have a different product as a result. To assist the sales associates, Neiman Marcus partnered with Business Objects in 2002 to redesign a strategic customer relationship application. The new computer system provided sales associates with product information. They are able to know what is in stock and on the floor at all times. The system was also created to include a computer based clientele tracking system. This system can track all sales for each client. Based on the information from the sale, such as designers, colors, sizes, time of purchase, and frequency, a profile can be built for each customer. It will also allow the sales associates to track life events and special occasions for each client to add value and build a meaningful personal relationship. This system will also allow department sales managers to access real time reporting on the sales of each associate in their department based on dollar amount, number of sales, and brands sold. Sales associates are also instructed to build a relationship and create loyalty by maintaining familiarity with InCircle, Neiman Marcus’s loyalty program. Each associate is expected to introduce new customers to the program and provide updates to existing members. To become a member, a customer only needs to open a new Neiman Marcus account. Once opened, they are enrolled and can register their American Express and Diners Club credit cards, the only other cards accepted in stores. Each dollar spent in the store or online will equal one point in the InCircle loyalty program. After the first purchase, members will receive advanced notices of promotions, shows, and invitations to exclusive events. It is these â€Å"soft rewards† that generate Neiman Marcus’s most loyal customers. Sales associates promote the exclusivity of the events to make members feel as though they are included in the most fashionable circles. At the exclusive InCircle events, shoppers mingle with other likeminded members who positively influence their spending. Members are also encouraged to bring a non-member to the events which generate promising new customers. Businesses can also benefit for the quality customer service at Neiman Marcus. Many businesses use the knowledge and reliability of associates to place bulk orders. Often a business relationship can develop over the phone, with products being delivered in person. This service allows minimal interruptions for busy business professionals. This service if often utilized during the holiday season by corporations looking to distribute luxurious gifts to their employees. How to cite Neiman Marcus Sales Plan, Essay examples

IT For Fast Fashion free essay sample

Spanish Inditex’s most successful retail clothing store Zara is known all across the world for its trendy apparel (Mcafee, Dessain, Sjoman, 2004). The company has been very successful throughout the years but management has recently decided that the IT infrastructure may need updating. The store currently runs off of a POS system supported by DOS, which has not been supported by Microsoft for several years (Ferdows, Lewis, Machuca, 2004). The POS system has been working flawlessly for many years, however, management is worried that the hardware vendor for the POS machines will stop providing this outdated machines (Ferdows et al., 2004). The purpose of this paper is for Salgado, the head of the technical department at Inditex, to analyze whether Zara should keep the system that has worked well for so long, or to upgrade it to a newer technology with more advanced features. The issues surrounding the DOS system, dial-up modem, networking abilities, manual inventory system, and handheld computers will be discussed in detail. Out of the alternatives and options examined, I will make recommendations to the company in favor of updating the POS system to Windows, as well as set an implementation plan for how they can rollout this project. Monitors and controls will be decided on how the project will be evaluated. Introduction Zara, Inditex’s most successful retail clothing store has come to a crossroads in regards to its IT infrastructure (Mcafee et al. , 2004). The company is headquartered in La Coruna, Spain (Mcafee et al. , 2004). There are 650 Zara stores across 50 countries (Mcafee et al. , 2004). Zara’s marketing task is focused on customer’s responsiveness to demand supplying small batches of clothing within three weeks of the emergence of the fashion trend (Mcafee et al. , 2004). This allows them to rely on their loyal customers to frequently visit their stores (Mcafee et al. , 2004). Zara’s competition includes The Gap, Benettons, and HM (Mcafee et al. , 2004). Zara manufactures it’s clothing to be worn a few times and prices are fairly affordable (Mcafee et al. , 2004). Zara does not use a heavily advertised business model, as they only spend 0. 3% of sales on marketing and advertising (Mcafee et al. , 2004). Zara’s uses a vertically integrated business model to produce trendy women’s, men’s, and children’s fashions and quick and efficient as possible (Ferdows et al., 2004). They own most of the manufacturing and distribution part of the supply chain, as well as developed all of the software related to their IT department (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Zara’s management uses a decentralized decision making strategy. A group within the company, called â€Å"Commercials† find the latest styles and decide what clothes to manufacture, and store managers decide what clothes they will sell in their stores (Mcafee et al. , 2004). The current IT infrastructure is run off of a POS (point of sale) system developed by Salgado, the head of IT for Inditex (Ferdows et al. , 2004). The system is run off of a DOS program, which Microsoft has not supported for many years (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Although the program has worked well for many years, the company is afraid that the hardware vendor for the POS system will stop providing this outdated technology and the company will be left without a POS system (Ferdows et al. , 2004). In the below analysis, Salgado will analyze the facts and come to a decision whether to upgrade the current computing infrastructure. Issue Identification The following issues dealing with Zara’s point-of-sale system will be discussed: 1)DOS system 2)Dial-Up Modem3)Networking Abilities. Manual inventory system 5)Handheld Computers Environmental and Root Case Analysis DOS System Our current POS system, supported by a DOS operating system, presents an issue as DOS has not been supported by Microsoft since 2003 (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Therefore, all new computer systems are not compatible with DOS. Zara’s hardware vendor could stop supplying the DOS compatible POS systems at anytime. The current program operating under DOS was written by myself and has worked so well for us for many years, as new stores do not need any training on it, and have not had any issues with it. We designed the program specifically to our wants and needs. However, some new features could be helpful. For example, the current POS program does not automatically track daily sales (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Getting a new operating system is urgent because POS systems are essential for business and there is uncertainty in how long the current system will be available for. The cost for new POS terminals at each store is â‚ ¬5,000 (Ferdows et al. , 2004). A Windows operating system for the new POS terminal would be a one time fee of â‚ ¬140 per computer and an annual maintenance fee of â‚ ¬30 per computer (Ferdows et al., 2004). It will take 32 hours per store and cost â‚ ¬2,000 per day to install the new programming to the new POS system and train the staff on how to use it (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Dial Up Modem Our current IT infrastructures in our various Zara stores are supported by dial-up modems (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Dial-up modems create problems, as only one computer in each store is able to connect to the Internet to communicate sales and orders with our headquarters (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Also, computers are not able to connect simultaneous to each other across a store. Store managers have to use a floppy disk to transfer information between computers (Ferdows et al. , 2004). This is a very outdated technology and this upgrade is inevitable. This is a more urgent requirement as this type of Internet connection is limiting our ability to conduct business. The cost per store for wireless Internet is a one time fee of â‚ ¬430, in addition to â‚ ¬240 annually (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Networking Abilities Another issue we have with our current IT infrastructure is that we don’t have ideal networking abilities. For example, our Zara store sales information is not sent to headquarters until the end of the day when managers manually transfer information to the only computer hooked up to the dial-up Internet (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Store-to-store networking is also non-existent, as Zara stores have to call each other to see if another store has a certain product (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Inventory transfers and returns to headquarters would be simplified with wireless Internet. Since management views communication between different functions as a vital part of business, this is considered as a priority upgrade. Once each POS terminal is connected to wireless Internet, it should be easy to get much better networking abilities without an added cost. Manual Inventory System Zara currently operates under a manual inventory system. This means that store managers have to physically walk around the store to get an understanding of what items are on the shelves (Ferdows et al. , 2004). This is time consuming for the store manager when they are conducting product orders and it doesn’t allow them to see what a popular seller is. Finding out what were popular selling items means having to talk to the salespeople to see what they sold most of. Part of this new inventory system should include a system for showing a more accurate total of inventory, compared to the theoretical inventory method they currently use. Inventory should also be constantly available for the headquarters to see. This is not an urgent requirement and can get done whenever the new operating system is working properly. The cost of programming the new inventory system is â‚ ¬450 per day and it will take roughly 5,000 hours total (Ferdows et al., 2004). Handheld Computers (PDA’s) Our store managers use small handheld computers (PDA’s) to see what new clothing the commercials are offering, and use these to also order new shipments (Ferdows et al. , 2004). These PDA’s are also used to handle garment returns to the headquarters. The negative thing about these PDA’s is that they are not connected to the POS system or the headquarters. Store managers also complain about the small screens and how the PDA’s are constantly being discontinued or replaced because of technical advances (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Even though this creates a hassle for our employees, this is not as urgent of a problem as we are still able to conduct business with the PDA’s. Upgrading our POS system would also require us to incorporate the ordering system onto the new operating system so that we no longer require PDA’s. Once the new operating system is installed, there are no additional costs to adding the functionality of the ordering process. There will actually be saving benefits, as PDA’s will no longer be required. Alternatives and Options OptionProConAlternative Keep the DOS POS systemReliable, Cost efficient, No training  required Obsolete technology, risk with hardware vendor, Limited functionsUpgrade to new POS system Purchase extra POS terminals supported by DOSGain extra time to make a decisionInvesting more money in technology that is obsoleteKeep the DOS POS systems as the hardware vendor assured us that they will not discontinue them Upgrade all POS terminals and transfer to Windows operating systemCan add more functionality to software, more communication, same system other stores rely onExpensive (â‚ ¬13,000 per store), Not as many personalized functions, Have to train staff on new system (â‚ ¬2,000/store) (Ferdows et al., 2004). Develop own software Develop a new operating system software using their IT knowledgeCan customize to suit Zara’s needsTime and labor consuming, limited to IT department’s knowledgePurchase already created operating system Recommendations From the above analysis, it is clear that it is time for Zara to upgrade its POS terminals and operating system. It is inevitable that the hardware vendor will at some time stop providing Inditex with the DOS operating POS system, and it would not be logical to continue investing in this technology if it is only short lived. The new POS operating system should be outsourced to a well-known system, such as Windows, because my knowledge and the rest of the IT department’s knowledge may be limited. Thousands of other stores currently use a Windows operating system and have no problems with it. The new functionalities that can be added will greatly improve the efficiencies of the business. Such functionalities include an automatic inventory system, daily sales and trends per store easily accessible by headquarters, product ordering, and communication to headquarters and between stores. This rollout will be mostly conducted by Inditex’s IT department and support staff. A pilot store will first test the technology and give feedback on how it is working for them. IT support staff will then train all store managers on the new POS system and begin to transfer all inventory data. The rollout of the new POS terminals and system will be conducted during slower retail shopping season and PDA’s will be phased out.   After each Zara store is set up with new POS terminals and operating systems, a post rollout assessment will be  conducted by IT support staff where the managers will give their input into how the transition went.