Essay on Borders Group, A Failed Business - 1604 Words

Introduction There are many businesses failing in the world today but there also a lot of business thriving. It is situations like this that leads to potential entrepreneurs to ask the question of why are some businesses successful while others are not. This course has given me some insight as to why some businesses fail. Having that information would make me better prepared for when I decide to start my business. My Failed Business Choice The company I chose to do research on is Borders Group, Inc. â€Å"Borders Group, Inc. is now the second largest bookstore in the world† (Hoovers company profiles, 2011). This is a company that I just recently found out about. I love book stores and living in a town where the bookstores are very few†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"By 1990, Borders was considered to be the premier book superstore chain. In 1992, the Borders brothers sold the company to Kmart Corporation. After purchasing the company Kmart implemented modernized cash registers, formal training programs for employees, a human resources department and introduced music to the store’s stock. After these changes were made Borders operations reached $224.8 million, which was a 15.8 percent increase in net sales from the previous year† (Hoovers company profiles, 2011). â€Å"Kmart later ended its ownership of Borders when the formation of Borders Group, Inc. In 2010, Borders Group, Inc. was operating 584 stores and employed almost 20,000 people. In 2009, the company had a $2.8 billion dollars in revenue† (Hoovers company profiles, 2011). Vision Statement â€Å"Borders Group, Inc. vision is to create richer, more satisfying lives through knowledge and entertainment. Borders prided itself on having first-rate customer service, offering customers a wide range of services from location out-of-print titles to community activities like children’s storytelling hours and poetry readings† (Hoovers company profiles, 2011). Competitors â€Å"Borders Group, Inc. competitors are Amazon.com, Barnes Nobles and Books-A-Million. Amazon.com started off as an online bookstoreShow MoreRelatedComparison between Borders Books and Amazon.com Books1726 Words   |  7 PagesBorders Books and Amazon.com Borders Books This essay examines similar bookselling businesses with dissimilar outcomes, Borders Books and Amazon.com books. The essay reviews their histories and business strategies and explores reasons behind their respective success and failure. The Borders Group Inc. was at one time the nations second largest retailers of books, along with music and other educational, informational and entertainment products. Borders was founded in 1971 by Tom and Louis BordersRead MoreMarketing Myopia1265 Words   |  6 Pagesessence it implies that organizations should not define their business based on their products and should attempt to identify the business based on customer centric evidence. Organizations need to focus on customer wants and use customer centric evidence forming strategic decisions. Key Points In his article Theodore Levitt points out to several key points that lead to short-sightedness within organizations. * Narrow definition of business * Product orientation rather than customer orientation Read MoreComparing Two Similar Businesses1291 Words   |  6 PagesComparing Two Similar Businesses Amazon and Borders books history and the core business of each company will be discusses. A comparison of the companies will be done to analyze each company’s management approach they took to internet marketing, and sales. At least three reasons will be given as to why Amazon is successful. 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In 1995 he started the website Amazon.com which was primarily an online book store at the time. â€Å"During the first 30 days of business, Amazon .com fulfilled ordersRead MoreThinking Outside the Covers of a Book: The Rise and the Fall of Amazon vs. Borders in the Online World1664 Words   |  7 PagesThinking outside of the box and the covers of a book: The rise and the fall of Amazon versus Borders in the online world Introduction With the rise in popularity of the Internet, the death of books was prophesized. The demise of Borders, once the most viable rival to the behemoth book chain Barnes Noble could be read as a symptom of this cultural phenomenon. However, another of Barnes Nobles rivals, that of Amazon.com is thriving. Amazon.com introduced a new model of profitability for onlineRead MoreThe Problem Of Illegal Immigration1508 Words   |  7 Pagesgovernment to reduce illegal immigrants are not giving newborns U.S citizenship, forcing border guards to be more active, and stop hiring illegal immigrants. Generally, for a long time the United States has complained about the huge number of illegal immigrants that come from Mexico and have found it difficult to block them. According to Zong and Batalova ,2014 â€Å"Mexicans have been the largest immigrant group in the United States. As of 2013, approximately 11.6 million Mexican immigrants residedRead MoreMergers And Acquisitions ( M S1625 Words   |  7 Pagesthe two companies alone† (Marks Mirvis, 1992, p. 69), It can even be argued that, with the globalization of business, MAs are needed to keep up (Hitt, Franklin Zhu, 2006). Unfortunately, the failure rate in MAs is extremely high with 70% of worldwide MA failing to increase stakeholder value (Mohibullah, 2009) and over 90% of European MA failing to reach financial objectives (Hay Group. 2007). Although there may be many different reasons for an MA not succeeding, failure is most often attributedRead MoreGlobalization and Its Effects on Mexico1055 Words   |  5 PagesGl obalization and its Effect on Mexico Mexico has the size and assets which could contribute to wealth and prosperity within their borders. The nation has the second longest border with the United States, significant oil resources, and the 11th largest population in the world. Mexico underwent all the necessary free market changes to help support globalization despite initial resistance, but they are yet to complete the interior microeconomic makeover they drastically need. Mexico has many thingsRead MorePersuasive Essay On Immigration824 Words   |  4 Pagesback on the amount of the immigrants granted entry every year into America in order to provide security to the people as well as save the culture. We need to control immigration to secure our borders and protect our unity. The terror attack on September 11, 2001 showed how the immigration policies have failed to keep criminal and terrorists out of the country. Laws have been made recently and in the past to limit the amount of immigration coming into America and according to the Immigration and NaturalizationRead MoreIllegal Immigration and the Destruction of America1329 Words   |  6 PagesThose 11 million illegals make up about 3.5 percent of the U.S. population (Kirkwood). This huge number grows every day as more and more people cross the border illegally. There are three different types of illegal immigrants: fraudulent entrants, visa abusers, and those who enter without inspection (EWIs). Eighty percent of illegals run the border and are known as EWIs (Anderson 54). When people hear the term â€Å"illegal immigrant† this is the type people typically think of. Some illegal immigrants

How to Use Harry Potter to Learn German

You can use Harry Potter to magically improve your German. The books and audiobooks are available in German, translated by Klaus Fritz. The books are popular in German-speaking countries and are readily available through Amazon.com and other booksellers. Print and Audiobook Versions of Harry Potter One reader bought the book and audiobook and read them together to learn pronunciation and rhythm. She often looked up unfamiliar words and phrases in a dictionary.  She said that listening to the audiobook the first time was a torrential blur of German. But after a few times, the words became distinct and soon the story emerged. She began reading the page aloud right after hearing it to improve her pronunciation. Harry Potter Audiobooks (Hà ¶rbà ¼cher) One of the attractions of the German Harry Potter books is the audio. Narrator Rufus Beck has won praise for his lively reading of the Potter books in German. Listeners say they are enticed to listen to them over and over again, and repetition is very good for learning. Just as the repetition of the Harry Potter tapes has made my speech in German class somewhat less stilted and hesitant. Harry Potter Titles in German The print books are available in electronic versions for the Kindle reader and app and as audiobooks through Amazon.com and Audible.com Harry Potter und der Stein der Weisen - The German edition of book one: The Sorcerers Stone, aka The Philosophers StoneHarry Potter und die Kammer des Schreckens - The second book in the series, The Chamber of Secrets.Harry Potter und der Gefangene von Askaban - Book three in the series: The Prisoner of AzkabanHarry Potter und der Feuerkelch - The fourth book in the series, The Goblet of Fire.Harry Potter und der Orden des Phà ¶nix - The German version of the fifth book in the series was published on Nov. 8, 2003.Harry Potter und der Halbblutprinz - The German version of the sixth book (Half-Blood Prince) in the series was published on Oct. 1, 2005.Harry Potter und die Heiligtà ¼mer des Todes - The German version of the seventh and final book. Names/Namenin German vs. English Harry Potter Books Most of the names for people - first and last - in the German Harry Potter books have been left in their original English form. Even Albus Dumbledore,  Voldemort, and Severus Snape  keep their original names in German.  However, for some reason â€Å"Aunt Marge† becomes â€Å"Tante Magda† or â€Å"Maggie† - even though Marge is a form of Margaret, and Magda is short for Magdalene. Any other name changes are usually minor: â€Å"Hermione† becomes â€Å"Hermine† in German. But the character named â€Å"Wormtail† is called â€Å"Wurmschwanz† in German - a logical and literal translation, Street names are translated fairly directly. â€Å"Privet Drive† becomes Ligusterweg in German (Liguster privet, a bush, genus Ligustrum, used for hedges). But the mythical â€Å"Diagon Alley† becomes Winkelgasse (â€Å"angle lane†) and the play on words of the original is lost. English-German Harry Potter Glossary This list compares words and expressions with keys to the hardcover editions. The sample sentences illustrate everyday vocabulary, as well as terms related to the books. Key:English, with hardcover volume/page (1/p4)Deutsch/German with Band/Seite (1/S9) yell at s.o/bawl s.o. out jdn. zur Schnecke machenhe yelled at five different people (1/p4)er machte fà ¼nf verschiedene Leute zur Schnecke (1/S8) stop dead wie angewurzelt stehenbleibenMr. Dursley stopped dead (1/p4)Mr. Dursley blieb wie angewurzelt stehen (1/S8) snap at s.o. jdn. anfauchenhe snapped at his secretary (1/p4)er fauchte seine Sekretà ¤rin an (1/S9) mantel/mantelpiece der KaminsimsOnly the photographs on the mantelpiece showed him how much time had passed. (1/p18)Nur die Fotos auf dem Kaminsims fà ¼hrten einem vor Augen, wie viel Zeit verstrichen war. (1/S24) booger der Popelâ€Å"Urgh - troll boogers.† (1/p177) »Uà ¤Ãƒ ¤Ãƒ ¤h, Troll-Popel. « (1/S194) argument der StreitNot for the first time, an argument had broken out over breakfast at number 4, Privet Drive. (2/p1)Im Ligusterweg Nummer 4 war mal wieder bereits beim Frà ¼hstà ¼ck Streit ausgebrochen. (2/S?) scar die NarbeIt was this scar that made Harry so particularly unusual, even for a wizard. (2/p4)Diese Narbe machte Harry sogar in der Welt der Zauberer zu etwas ganz Besonderem. (2/S?) dinner jacket der Smokingâ€Å"Right - Im off into town to pick up the dinner jackets for Dudley and me.† (2/p7) »Gut - ich fahr in die Stadt und hol die Smokings fà ¼r mich und Dudley ab. « (2/S?) peer intently konzentriert schauenAunt Petunia, who was bony and horse-faced, whipped around and peered intently out of the kitchen window. (3/p16)Tante Petunia, knochig und pferdegesichtig, wirbelte herum und schaute konzentriert aus dem Kà ¼chenfenster. (3/S?) put up with, tolerate ertragenHarry knew perfectly well that Dudley only put up with Aunt Marges hugs because he was well paid for it... (3/p22)Harry wusste genau, dass Dudley Tante Magdas Umarmungen nur ertrug, weil er dafà ¼r gut bezahlt wurde. (3/S?) odd, weird; diagonal schrà ¤gâ€Å"Always thought he was odd,† she told the eagerly listening villagers, after her fourth sherry. (4/p2) »Mir ist er immer schrà ¤g vorgekommen «, verkà ¼ndete sie nach dem vierten Glas Sherry den begierig lauschenden Dà ¶rflern. (4/S?) let s.o. go jmdn. laufen lassenAs there was no proof that the Riddles had been murdered at all, the police were forced to let Frank go. (4/p4)Da ein Mord an den Riddles nicht zu beweisen war, musste die Polizei Frank laufen lassen. (4/S?)

Albert Bandura-social cognitive learning theories Free Essays

Essay 4 Pieter van Rooyen 17333652 Albert bandura can be regarded as one of the most important representatives of social cognitive learning theories. He’s theory on observational learning (learning by observing behavior) is the single most important form of learning. He argues that people learn most of their behavior through observation and only a little through direct contact. We will write a custom essay sample on Albert Bandura-social cognitive learning theories or any similar topic only for you Order Now The reason for this is the complexity of most behavior, and that this can’t be learned through verbal instructions. This essay will focus on the principles of observational learning, highlight the strength and weaknesses, and also how observational learning can promote positive intergroup relations on campus at the University of Stellenbosch. Observation is a common learning tool and many, if not most do it unconsciously. The term modeling is used to describe this. This is when an observer observes the behavior of a model and then repeats the behavior. There are a few factors that influence this observational learning. They are the nature of the modeled behavior, the characteristics of the model, the characteristics of the observer, the result of the models behavior and the self-efficacy perception of the observer. The nature of the modeled behavior refers to the actual behavior. The situation in which the behavior takes place and if it is new or old behavior. New behavior attracts more attention than old behavior. The characteristics of the model plays an important role in observation learning. This includes age, sex, race and status. A model with high status is more likely to be imitated. The observer’s characteristics also play a major role in learning new behavior. The motivation and interests of the observer as well as the values and self-confidence has a major impact on the selection of models to imitate. An important factor is the result of the models behavior to determine whom to imitate. The reward gained from a certain behavior is a major motivator to imitate behavior. The final factor, the self-efficacy perception of the observer means that the observer needs to believe in his own capabilities to reproduce behavior. One can’t try to imitate an Olympic gymnast if you don’t believe you can. The strength of Bandura’s observational learning theory is that it gives a clear and accurate picture of how behavior is learnt. We can clearly see that adults and children copy each other’s behavior in certain situations. Strength to his theory is that it can be applied to real world problems, like cultural gaps or discipline problems at school level. This could mean that proper behavior can result large scale changes among people if only more people model the right behavior. One of the clear weaknesses in the observational learning theory is that too much emphasis is placed on what happens to the observer after he imitates the model rather that what the observer actually does with the information gained from the model. Intergroup relations at the University of Stellenbosch can really benefit from positive social behavior. When one social group sees another social group, regardless of race, gender, age or religion act in a positive and uplifting manner and reap rewarding results from this, this could lead to change in the former social group. Even more, if this is done properly, it can quickly spread and even more social groups can bring on change, first in their own group then by modeling it, change another group. This can defiantly lead to a positive change on Stellenbosch campus. How to cite Albert Bandura-social cognitive learning theories, Essay examples

Homeless biography Essay Example For Students

Homeless biography Essay I hear them get closer and closer as the porch creaks every step to the door. My heart feels like its pounding through my chest, and sweat is pouring off my face as I sprint in a panic. I hear the key turning and the door opening just as I jump out the window. Ive been staying in that house for over a week now. Its for sale and real estate agents come by every few days to show it. Im a light sleeper and Ive been able to slip out before anyone can see Ive been staying there. I have no where to go except the street, mission centers, and buildings I break into. I make my way to the mission center about 6 miles away. My feet ache and my stomach hurts from what little food Ive had to start the day. I panhandled for about an hour making enough money to last a few days. I arrive at the mission just in time before they quite serving breakfast. The smell of sausage makes my stomach squirm with desire. I inhale the biscuits and gravy they have served me and wish for more. I dont bother asking for more because I know there answer is no. I make my way down the road to McDonalds because my stomach still aches from the lack of food lately. Luckily I made over ten dollars panhandling by a freeway entrance for about an hour. I also use their bathroom to wash my face and clean my self up somewhat. Im a rare homeless man in the fact that most of my peers are addicts. I choose not to involve my self in that scene. I cant afford a place to sleep, so I shouldnt waist what little money I get on drugs and alcohol. I have in the past used drugs but I found myself falling into a deep depression dwelling on where my life has come. The warm sun feels nice as the heat beats off my skin as I stroll down the sidewalk. I just keep walking thinking of what choices in life have led me to this point Im at now. My father was a military man and growing up we switched schools every 3 months as he was stationed all over the country. It becomes rough on a kid never having any true friends because of the constant change, but I soon got used to it. I feel not having any childhood friends led me to join the Army just like my father. I was in only in for a couple of years before I was sent over to Vietnam. I have never been the same since because with my return I learned both my parents had passed away while I was over serving our country. I havent adapted to society since then. I walk and write my thoughts in a red wrinkled journal I keep in my backpack that a carry everywhere. I have come to the fact of not caring about many things. I go to Safeway and fill my pockets full of donuts with sprinkles, which are my favorite, and proceed to walk out not caring if someone stops me. They wont throw me in jail for donuts and if they did it wont change anything it is just another place to add to my journal. My day is mostly consumed with writing and pondering many questions that come into my head. Today Im in the center of a park surrounded by trees gazing into the water of a pond just ahead. Slowly watching the leaves drift to the edge of the pond I question my role in this world and if any one would care if I wasnt here. Since no one cares for me now thats what drives me to write in my journal so much. So maybe in my mind one day someone will find it and gaze into the poetry and get lost in thoughts which I have concieved. Maybe these questions that come to mind and haunt me will strike something in a reader some day. Until then I continue to put everything I can on paper so that Im no .