Financial Analysis of Ted Baker & Burberry Essay Example for Free

Financial Analysis of Ted Baker Burberry Essay INTRODUCTION Burberry is a global luxury brand offering menswear, womenswear, childrenswear, coats, dresses, shoes, accessories, bags, scarves, beauty and fragrance. The quintessentially British brand was first founded as an outerwear brand, well known for its iconic Burberry trench coat and distinct tartan print. The brand has over 497 directly operated stores and concessions operating in 32 countries; and via a third-party distribution network- 70 franchise stores in an additional 28 countries and approximately 1,400 wholesale department and specialty store doors in over 80 countries (as at 31 March 2014). The brand continues to develop its presence in existing and  under-penetrated markets. THE BASICS Burberry was founded by Thomas Burberry in 1855 in Hamphire England and remained an independent company until 1955, when it was taken over by Great Universal Studios (GUS). In 2005, GUS divested its remaining interest in Burberry. Burberry Group PLC was initially floated on the London Stock Exchange in July 2002. In 2013/2014, Burberry had a turnover of  £2,330 million (up 16.5% from the previous year), recording a profit before tax of  £461 million (up 7.7% from the previous year). The company employs 9698 employees across 34 countries and is headquartered in London. The accounts are presented in GBP, which is Burberrys functional currency. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker BRBY with a market capitalization of GBP6822.43 Million. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU. The accounts have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP with no reservations. MANAGEMENT CHANGES On the management side, the most significant change is the departure CEO Angela Ahrendt in April 2014 who left Burberry (to join Apple). Ahrendt the CEO since 2006 has lead the successful transformation of the company, tripling revenue three-fold during her tenure. Ahrendt was succeeded by Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative Officer (CCO) who has been with Burberry since 2001. Bailey holds the roles of CEO and CCO and his appointment as CEO is considered a natural progression. Other important changes include, the changes of the CFO and COO, and the appointment of three new non-executive directors. The new board appointments focus on evolving the Boards relevant skills and competencies for the future under its succession plan. THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT After three years of double digit growth, analyst estimated that the luxury sector growth slowed to 2% in 2013. This was in part due to a slowdown in China (the worlds 4th largest luxury market), in light of government policy changes on gift giving and the Chinese consumer increasingly shifting luxury consumption abroad (which has in turn help drive luxury sales in the rest of Asia and Europe). Whilst Burberry is a luxury brand, note that its growing beauty and fragrance lines are attainable luxury and has the capacity for resilience in unfavourable economic conditions. Burberrys five strategic themes which have sustained its growth during the period include:[1: Claudia DArpizio, Bain Report: Luxury Goods Worldwide Market Study Spring 2014 ]

The Reluctant Fundamentalist Essay -- Ethical Issues, Religious Fanati

Fundamentalism is a strict adherence to a set of ideas or beliefs that are conservative in nature. It is a pejorative term usually associated with religious fanaticism. Usually, this is what comes to mind when there is mention of a fundamentalist. However, in Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist starring the protagonist Changez, a Pakistani Princetonian who is a top-ranked employee at a prestigious New York valuation firm, turns out not to be an Islamic fundamentalist, but a reluctant fundamentalist of US Capitalism. Hamid challenges readers to reevaluate their preconceived notions and prejudices of people different from themselves in post 9/11 America by employing the use of motifs, aphorism, and suspense, to create a conflation of corporate culture and violence in the form of an allegorical frame story. This story not only proves relevant in historical contexts pertaining to the United States and their involvements in past wars, but also in contemporary settings, as in the current ongoing wars. Simply put, history repeats itself. The story takes place within the span of a day, as Changez approaches an American in the district of Old Anarkali in Lahore, Pakistan. He invites the American to have tea with him, which eventually leads into dinner and continues on into the late evening while he recounts the events of his life which has led up to their fated encounter. The story is told in the second-person narrative, meaning the voice of the American is never heard, but his reactions are implied and guided by Changez. In this way, the audience plays an interactive part in the story, enabling the reader to identify with both parties and make judgements about the outcome of the story. The author constantly plays with the idea... ... by the hand. But why are you reaching into your jacket, sir? I detect a glint of metal. Given that you and I are now bound by a certain shared intimacy, I trust it is the holder of your business cards† (Hamid 184). And with that, the author leaves us with a cliffhanger, for us to determine the ending however we see fit. Hamid has made clear that ideas and truths are all relative, that people should actively search for answers, instead of believing everything they are told. His characters allowed us to exercise our intuitions in search of hidden truths, and mostly to reaquaint ourselves with the elusive, common sense. The aphorism, focus on the fundamentals, is accentuated even further by the suspenseful ending and challenges us to ponder the wisdom of the story, when we consider whether or not the fully-bearded Changez has become another type of fundamentalist.

Week Dqs

More specifically a leader can Influence employee motivation, development of employees' knowledge and skills, shared beliefs and values, organizational structure, programs, systems, and the placement and use of resources to meet objectives (Yuk, 2010). An organizations success hinders on the managers, and how they interact with the employees. If a leader/manager cannot motivate the employees to achieve the goals set out then that means that the organization as a whole is not meeting the goals. I have worked for organizations where the managers did not have the skills to lead and it showed through the stores performance.But yet when I transferred to a different store, the managers there were more focused, had wonderful leadership skills, and outstanding communication skills and the store was #1 in the district for sales, production, and overhead reduction. Not only had that but the store had the lowest turnover rate in the trig-state area. I contribute this to the management staff and their Influence over their employees. Reference: Yuk, G. A. (2010). Leadership In organizations (7th deed. ). Upper saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. 2. What Is a significant employee behavior Issue managers confront?According to organizational behavior theories, how should It be addressed? Organizations strive to promote positive, healthy working environment for their employees and customers. However, managers are confronted with behaviors in which this concept can be extremely challenging. Behaviors that do not follow organizational policy or norms can be Identified as deviant workplace behaviors (Robbins ; Judge. 2011 Examples of deviant workplace behaviors are such: swearing, pushing chairs, yelling, or even physical aggression. Behaviors such as this can destroy team cohesion, productivity, or financial wellbeing of an organization.According to organizational behavior theories, noxious conduct such as deviant workplace behavior must be addressed. The manager is not only responsible for confronting these behaviors but is also charged with investigating the source of the discontent (Robbins ; Judge, 2011). Managers need to be cognizant of employee stress levels, intervene appropriately, and enforce a zero-tolerance for lateral violence (Stack, 2003). Battling deviant workplace behaviors Is daring for even the best manager to tackle. However, managers will need to evaluate employee workloads and ensure duties are assigned 1 OFF managers must intervene at once.Not investigating the origin cause for the poor actions will not bring resolution that is needed. Mangers can also encourage vacations, De-stressing classes, as well as encouraging employees to seek employee assistance programs (Stack, 2003). References Robbins, S. P. , ; Judge, T. A. (2011). Organizational behavior (14th deed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Stack, L. (2003, October). Employees Behaving Badly-How managers can recognize and combat employee â€Å"desk rage†. HER Magazine, 48(10), 111-116. 1 . What is the difference between managers and leaders?Is it possible to be an effective manager but not an effective leader? Provide examples. Managers want to get things done and have their subordinates perform better, compared to leaders who want to know what things mean to others, and how to get their followers to agree about what the most important things are that need to be done (Yuk,2010). I do believe that it is possible to be an effective manager while not being an effective leader. For example a person can be great at delegating what tasks need to be done, and assigning those tasks to operate efficiently.But when it comes to a manager actually having the proper communication skills necessary to be an effective leader they can be lacking. With my first management position I was more concerned about getting everything done and getting it done quick to try and impress my bosses at district that I never really took the time to get my employe es input about the tasks. I later found out that this was a big mistake, if I had taken the time and put in the extra effort to listen, and ask for their opinions I would have known that it would have been easier to do the tasks in a different order.A few of my employees had been employed at the store for almost 10 years, so they knew the shortcuts to get the store re-sets done easier and quicker. I think that to be a truly great manager you also have to be a leader. But it is possible to be an effective manager but not an effective leader, you Just won't be a great one. Reference Yuk, G. (2010). Leadership in organizations (7th deed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. 2. According to Robbins and Judge (201 1), a leader must acknowledge three primary roles as a manager.What are these management roles, and how do they affect the purpose, positions, and skills required by management? Provide an example from a current or past work experience that conveys these management rol es. Reference: Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. According to Robbins and Judge (201 1), a leader must acknowledge three primary current or past work experience that conveys these management roles. * Interpersonal roles * Informational * Decisional roles The purpose of the interpersonal role is to act as a figurehead, leader, and liaison (p. ); one that others look-up to for a sense of accomplishment or guidance as well as a networking relationship, all of which build trust. The interpersonal role will put management in the forefront of the organization and community. Skills required will include the ability to clearly communicate to others as well as effectively direct and dead subordinates. The informational role as described by Robbins & Judge (2011) carries out three objectives; to collect and distribute market information; to represent the organization.The purpose of this role is to realize customer trends and send that information back to those who can make the changes need ed to remain competitive. Again, management will need to network effectively with others to better understand changing market trends. The skills will require management to understand what tools will be needed that would deliver the best source of information. The decisional role consists of four elements; the entrepreneur role; the assistance handler; the resource locator; and the negotiator (p. 7).The entrepreneur role will allow management to use the market information that he or she has gathered to better align the organization to remain competitive. The disturbance handler puts management at the forefront of critical issues that may hinder performance. The resource locator will require management to understand what sources will be needed, including human capital, to accomplish the organization's goals. The negotiator role will require management to pull all of these resources together and to collaborate a way to be successful.

The Road By Cormac Mccarthy - 1367 Words

Within the book The Road by Cormac McCarthy, a main topic is the subject of isolation. Isolation is the act of remaining apart or separated from others. This typically refers to lack of social ties or lack of contact with people.On their journey to the coast the man and the boy experience some of the effects of isolation. They do come in contact with a few people, however for the majority the book the are on their own. Typically isolation refers to not coming in contact with people for a long period of time. In more modern society this commonly occurs in the elderly, those who aren t elderly can still experience isolation, too. Aside from commonly being separated from people, some believe that could be partly due to a third factor so to†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å" According to researcher John Cacioppo at the University of Chicago, 20 percent of all people are unhappy because of social isolation at any given moment† This shows that a good percentage of people are unha ppy due to isolation. To show effects of how isolation could affect the body and its health, the university of chicago medical center has gathered information that the isolation of mice causes increased tumor growth in mammary glands. This test was conducted in order to see if environment can affect a person s likeliness to get breast cancer of other chronic diseases. Two groups of mice were tested, one being exposed to ther mice, while others lived in individual isolation. Those that were isolated had an increased tumor growth in their mammary glands. It is shown that the social environment they lived in and the stress of living alone for the isolated mice is what caused this to happen. Being exposed to isolation can lead to it being a risk factor in your life, leading to possible diseases and habits such as obesity and smoking. Exposure to isolation can also lead to other effects such as stress, which carries many effects of the health such as developing diseases and habits related to stress. Isolation, even for a brief period, can lead to feeling what is called social chills. Of those surveyed on the temperature of a room, after recalling a time when they were away from friends or snubbed socially, they reported colder temperatures. Whereas those who recalledShow MoreRelatedThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1531 Words   |  7 Pagesof punishment that anyone could be faced with. Cormac McCarthy shows the reaction isolation had on the characters in The Road. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, follows an unnamed father and son as they travel towards the coast in search of safety after the world has been destroyed by a catastrophe. As they travel the road, the father has to pro tect his son from the threat of strangers, starvation, exposure and harsh weather. In The Road, Cormac McCarthy shows how humans react to isolation by when theRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1009 Words   |  5 PagesL’Heureux II, John Lang and Lit Year 2 2/10/2017 Written Task 2 Title of the text for analysis: The Road by Cormac McCarthy,2006 Part of the course to which the task refers: Part 4- Literature, a critical study Prescribed question: How does the text conform to, or deviate from, the conventions of a particular genre, and for what purpose? My critical response will: ââ€"  Show how the text conforms to the post-apocalyptic genre. ââ€"  Show how resources, including basics such as food and water, are a scarcityRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1584 Words   |  7 Pagestime can be unbearable if one is stripped of the most basic necessities. Such an event can greatly affect the behaviour of a person, as well as the ability to distinguish right from wrong. But like the boy and his father in the novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy they stuck to their morals to overcome the hardships they face. The novels recurring themes such as companionship, survival, and good versus evil, prove that a persons moral standards could change in a time of need. Companionship plays anRead MoreThe Road by Cormac McCarthy1708 Words   |  7 PagesThe Road by Cormac McCarthy is set in an apocalyptic world filled with hopelessness, mental fatigue, and few instances of happiness. Throughout the story, the man and the boy are looking for hope in anything and everything. Unfortunately every turn they take they continue to fall further into despair until they find a Coca-Cola. This soda has a unique meaning to the boy and the man. The Coca-Cola in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road symbolizes the world’s regression and gives hope to the man and boy byRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy2405 Words   |  10 PagesNovember 26, 2016 The Road by Cormac McCarthy and its View of Parental Love and Hope in a Post-Apocalyptic World The boy s father tells him My job is to take care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill anyone who touches you. Do you understand? (McCarthy The Road) this sends such a powerful message about instinct, hope, and paternal love. These words so passionately from the lips of the father perfectly describes Cormac McCarthy s story of The Road and the power a father sRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy968 Words   |  4 Pagescompassion in the toughest of situations, and leads us toward paths of peace. In this essay, examples will be drawn from Zak Ibrahim s keynote presentation, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Beautiful Boy; a film directed by Shawn Ku, and Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut. The loss of a loved one can help us find compassion. In The Road by Cormac McCarthy, the boy is the most compassionate person in the whole novel. At the end of the novel, when the boy s father dies, the boy is not thinking about hisselfRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1310 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å" The Road† written by Cormac McCarthy is a novel which uses a large variety of different language features to shape the reader s reaction and leading the readers into thinking the idea that our current world really is fallible.â€Å"The road† is about a strong loving relationship between the father and son. Which is shown on every page of the novel. They are fighting for survival in this apocalyptic world of humanity which is heading to an end. For anyone realising that our world is fallible is quiteRead MoreThe Road by Cormac McCarthy1281 Words   |  5 PagesTitle of the Work: The Road Author: Cormac McCarthy Date of Publication: September 26, 2006 (September 26, 2006) Genre: Novel Historical information about the Setting: The novel takes place in the Southeastern part of United States. The characters take a journey, passing Texas, the post-apocalyptic landscape. During this time the novel is taken place, the country was experiencing depression and poverty. When McCarthy was writing this book, he was thinking about the future environment ofRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy2062 Words   |  9 PagesReid Norberg Period 3 3/18/16 2016 AP Lodestar 1. Title: The Road Author: Cormac McCarthy Date of Publication: 2006 Genre: Post- apocalyptic fiction 2. The Road is a novel written by American author Cormac McCarthy. Although born in the North East, McCarthy was driven to the South West later in his life where he has since based most of his novels, including The Road. The Road tells a story of a man and his son in post apocalyptic America where the weather is winter-like and the ground isRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1205 Words   |  5 PagesThe Road by Cormac McCarthy a recurring theme in the story is gaining or losing hope. Throughout this story there are numerous instances and events that occur in which all seems lost at a dead end, but in those moment hope carries through and thrives. In this dystopian post apocalyptic world the man and boy are fighting to stay alive while keeping their humanity as well as searching for what humanity is left in this kill or be killed cannibalistic planet. As their time journeying down the road increases