Saturday, May 23, 2020

The Fight For Women By Charlotte Butler - 870 Words

The Fight for Women Document 23.2 The British Parliament s passing of the Contagious Disease Acts in 1866 resulted in Josephine Butler writing a letter to the International Convention of Women in Washington. The purpose of the act was to reduce prostitution and sexually transmitted diseases, specifically occurring within the military forces. Butler’s letter included topics, arguments, and political issues women had to work on even though they were not given the right to vote or engage in politics. Butler starts her letter talking to the ladies of the Ladies National Association which was assembled in 1869, their goal is to repeal the Acts of Parliament on 1866-69. She apologizes for her absence at the meeting but her friend Mrs. Steward was able to attend and be the voice of Butler in the lack of her presence. Butler suggested the committee needed to elect a delegate who had shown great work in the field and for her Mrs. Steward was the lady for this position. She had done work not only in England but also Be lgium when English-girls were being bought, stolen, and destroyed under the State-protected vice. Butler explains that there are not many of the original women left, she says, â€Å"There is now a crowd of younger workers who are bravely preaching the purity crusade and doing excellent vigilance work; while there are few of the veteran s left who inaugurated in 1869 the fierce contest with our Government, the House of Lords and Commons, the Medical Boards, the Press,Show MoreRelatedFeminism in Novel Makaan of Paigham Afaqui1301 Words   |  6 Pageshuman being, before being cast into a gender stereotype. Not all these works follow a direct approach towards this goal of equality. It is only through such media that women believed a change was possible in the way they were perceived in society. Not all feminist literature has been written by women, but also by men who understood women beyond the roles they were expected to fit into, and delved into their psyche to understand their ne eds and desires. Some works may be fictional, while others may beRead MoreShould Herland Be Considered A Feminist Utopia?1945 Words   |  8 Pagesare depicted as strong independent women who educate the three male visitors to Herland about their peaceful history, unstructured government, and unconventional ideas to the point where the men begin to evaluate the conditions of women in America. Other critics say no, since these strong independent women are composed of only one group of women- the demographic of white, educated, upper class women. To these critics, the biases and exclusion of all other women from the novel does not make it a feministRead MoreIn What Ways Did African Americans Shape the Course and Consequences of the Civil War? Confine Your Answer to the Years from 1861 to 1870.1277 Words   |  6 Pagesavailable to be taken away from their current state. Quite often, slaves would cross the lines into Union territory and follow the Union army where it went, causing co nfusion to arise. In the case of Major General Benjamin F. Butler, a large number of former slaves, mainly women and children, had fled to his lines for protection, and he had no idea what to do with them or what their state was, and he certainly wasn’t alone in this confusion (Doc. A). Another issue that presented itself during theRead MoreAfrican Americans Participation During The Civil War1509 Words   |  7 PagesAmericans. Through their willingness to fight and support the Union cause, African Americans made the United States acknowledge their struggles and transformed the war into a fight for reconnection and freedom. Though hindered by racist people and policies, the African Americans’ participation during the war and Reconstruction greatly contributed to tremendous cultural change as well as the securing of legal rights to blacks. The African American’s desire to fight and support the war effort caused theRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper2088 Words   |  9 PagesAlyssa Butler Allen Anderl English 124 November 16, 2012 A Critical Analysis of Formal Elements in the Short Story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, published in 1899, is a semi-autobiographical short story depicting a young woman’s struggle with depression that is virtually untreated and her subsequent descent into madness. Although the story is centered on the protagonist’s obsessive description of the yellow wallpaperRead MoreAfrican Americans Shape The Course And Consequences Of The Civil War2013 Words   |  9 PagesIn what ways did African Americans shape the course and consequences of the Civil War? In the village of Hampton there was a man who goes by the name of Benjamin F. Butler who had in his words, â€Å"a large number of Negros, many of them are composed in a great measure of women and children who had fled thither within my lines for protection, who had escaped from marauding Rebels who had been gathering up able-bodied blacks to aid them in construction their batteries on the James and York rivers...Read MoreNew Woman Fictions2344 Words   |  9 Pageswritings. She advised upper class women to obtain a real teaching and occupation in order to make themselves economically free. Charlotte Elizabeth Tonna distribute with the Woman Question in her volume The Wrongs of Woman. She censored women’s industrial occupation and cultivated native feminism. Frances Trollope and Elizabeth Gaskell advised upper class women to grows active in the common sphere. Charlotte Brontà « and George Eliot censured communal marginalisation of women. An amount of Victorian feministsRead MoreSlavery Was Not A Bad Thing1941 Words   |  8 Pagesstatement on his own opinions toward slavery. In Chapter 13 The Slave South, there were 5 documents, they were titled Madison Heming’s Recalls life as Thomas Jefferson’s Enslaved Son, The Plantation Rules, Fanny Kemble Learns about Abuses of Slave Women, Nat Turner Explains Why He Became an Insurrectionist and lastly the Proslavery Argument which would lead up to Hammond’s letter to the English abolitionist. In each of these documents I will briefly explain each one of them and how they relate toRead MoreReconstruction : The Burning Years10732 Words   |  43 Pagesthrough Congress over Democratic opposition. On April 9, 1865, when Robert E. Lee surrendered, the Thirteenth Amendment was not even three months old. While the states began to ratify the amendment, Congress went ahead and freed any enslaved black women and children in the North who had free husbands fathers fighting in the Union army. These legal achievements seemed like the new birth of freedom that black activists like Frederick Douglass and William Cooper Nell, and white activists like AngelinaRead MoreJane Austen’s Novels and the Contemporary Social and Literary Conventions.12979 Words   |  52 Pagesbackground. The author uses two books as her main examples of the genre of conduct manuals. She founds her research on James Fordyce’s Sermons to Young Women and Thomas Gisborne’s Enquiry into the Duties of Female Sex. As further examples Dobosiewicz lists Dr. Gregory’s A Father’s Legacy To His Daughters (1774), Mrs. Griffith’s Essays Addressed to Young Women (1782) and the Reverend John Bennet’s Letters to a Young Lady (1791). From the above-mentioned books she draws the conclusion that: conduct manuals

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Standard Based Grading Measures Student Skills

What does an A on a test or quiz mean to a student? Mastery of skill or mastery of information or content?  Does an F grade mean a student understands none of the material or less than 60% of the material? How is grading used as feedback for academic performance? Currently, in most middle and high schools (grades 7-12), students receive letter grades or numerical grades in subject areas based on points or percentages. These letter or numerical grades are tied to credits for graduation based on Carnegie units, or the number of  hours of contact time with an instructor.   But what does 75% grade on a math assessment tell a student about his or her specific strengths or weaknesses? What  does a B- grade on a literary analysis essay inform a student about how he or she meets skills sets in organization, content, or conventions of writing?   In contrast to letters or percentages, many elementary and intermediate schools have adopted a standards-based grading system, one that uses a 1-to-4 scale. This 1-4 scale breaks down academic subjects into specific skills needed for a content area.  While these elementary and intermediate schools use standards-based grading may vary in their report card terminology, the most common four-part scale denotes a students level of achievement with descriptors such as: Excels or above grade level (4)Proficient or at grade level (3)Approaching proficiency or approaching grade level (2)Well below proficiency or below grade level (1) A standards-based grading system may be called  competency-based,  mastery-based,  outcome-based,  performance-based, or proficiency-based. Regardless of the name used, this form of a grading system is  aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English Language Arts and Literacy and in Math, which was established in 2009 and adopted by 42 out of 50 states. Since this adoption, several states have withdrawn from using CCSS in favor of developing their own academic standards. These CCSS standards for literacy and for math were organized in a framework that details specific skills for each grade level in grades K-12. These standards serve as guides for administrators and teachers to develop and implement the curriculum. Each skill in the CCSS has a separate standard, with skill progressions tied to grade levels. Despite the word standard in the CCSS, standards-based grading at the upper-grade levels, grades 7-12, has not been universally adopted. Instead, there is ongoing traditional grading at this level, and most middle and high school use letter grades or percentages based on 100 points. Here is the traditional grade conversion chart: Letter Grade Percentile Standard GPA A+ 97-100 4.0 A 93-96 4.0 A- 90-92 3.7 B+ 87-89 3.3 B 83-86 3.0 B- 80-82 2.7 C+ 77-79 2.3 C 73-76 2.0 C- 70-72 1.7 D+ 67-69 1.3 D 65-66 1.0 F Below 65 0.0 The skill sets outlined in the CCSS for literacy and math can be easily converted  to four point scales, just as they are at the K-6 grade levels. For example, the first reading standard for grade 9-10 states that a student should be able to: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. Under a traditional grading system with letter grades (A-to-F) or percentages, a score on this reading standard may be difficult to interpret. Advocates of standard based grading will ask, for example, what a score of B or 88% tells a student. This letter grade or percentage is less informative about a student’s skill performance and/or subject mastery.  Instead, they argue, a standards-based system would singularly assess a students skill to cite textual evidence for any content area: English, social studies, science, etc. Under a standards-based assessment system, students could be assessed on their skill to cite using a 1-to-4 scale that featured the following descriptors:   Score 4: excels in citing  strong and thorough textual evidence -explicit and inferential OR needs no support;Score 3:  proficient at  citing  strong and thorough textual evidence -explicit and inferential  OR needs minimal support;Score 2:  approaching proficiency at citing  strong and thorough textual evidence -explicit and inferential OR needs moderate support;Score 1:  below proficiency at citing  strong and thorough textual evidence -explicit and inferential OR needs extensive support and/or reteaching. Assessing students on a 1-4 scale  on a particular skill  can provide clear and specific feedback to a student. A standard by standard assessment separates and detail the skills, perhaps on a rubric.  This is less confusing or overwhelming to a student when compared to a combined skills percentage score on 100 point scale. A conversion chart that compares  a traditional grading of an assessment to standards-based graded assessment would look like the following: Letter Grade Standards-Based grade Percentage grade Standard GPA A to A+ Mastery 93-100 4.0 A- to B Proficient 90-83 3.0 to 3.7 C to B- Approaching proficiency 73-82 2.0-2.7 D to C- Below Proficiency 65-72 1.0-1.7 F Below Proficiency Below 65 0.0 Standards-based grading  also allows teachers, students,  and parents to see a grade report that lists overall levels of proficiency on separate skills instead of composite or combined skill scores. With this information, students are better informed in their individual strengths and in their weaknesses as  a standards-based score highlights the skill set(s) or content that need(s) improvement and allows them to target areas for improvement. Furthermore, students would not need to re-do all of a test or assignment if they have demonstrated mastery in some areas. An advocate for standards-based grading is educator and researcher Ken OConnor. In  his chapter,  The Last Frontier: Tackling the Grading Dilemma, in Ahead of the Curve: The Power of Assessment to Transform Teaching and Learning, he notes: Traditional grading practices have promoted the idea of uniformity. The way we are fair is we expect all students do to the same thing in the same amount of time in the same way. We need to move†¦ to the idea that fairness is not uniformity. Fairness is equity of opportunity (p128). OConnor argues that standards-based grading allows for grading differentiation because it  is flexible and can be adjusted up and down as students confront new skills and content. Moreover, no matter where students are in a quarter or semester, a standard based grading system provides students, parents, or other stakeholders an assessment of student understanding in real time. That kind of student understanding may  take place during conferences, such as the ones Jeanetta Jones Miller explained in her article  A Better Grading System: Standards-Based, Student-Centered Assessment in the September 2013 edition of the English Journal. In her description of how standard based grading informs her instruction, Miller writes that it’s important to set up appointments to confer with each student about progress toward mastery of course standards. During the conference, each student receives individual feedback on his or her performance in meeting one or more standards in a content area:   The evaluation conference provides an opportunity for the teacher to make it clear that the student’s strengths and areas for growth are understood and the teacher is proud of the student’s efforts to master the standards that are most challenging. Another benefit to standardized based grading is the separation  of student work habits that are often combined in a grade. At the secondary level, a point penalty for late papers missed homework, and/or uncooperative collaborative behavior is sometimes included in a grade. While these unfortunate social behaviors will not stop with the use of standards-based grading, they may be isolated and given as separate scores  into another category. Of course, deadlines are important, but factoring in behaviors such as turning an assignment in on time or not has the effect of watering down an overall grade. To counter such behaviors, it may be possible to have a student turn in an assignment that still meets a mastery standard but does not meet a set deadline. For example, an essay assignment may still achieve a 4 or exemplary score on skills or content, but the academic behavior skill in turning in a late paper may receive a 1 or below proficiency score. Separating behavior from skills also has the effect of preventing students from receiving the kind of credit that simply completing work and meeting deadlines has had in distorting measures of academic skill.   There are, however, many educators, teachers and administrators alike, who do not see advantages to adopting a standards-based grading system at the secondary level. Their arguments against standards-based grading primarily reflect concerns at the instructional level. They stress that the  transition to a standards-based grading system, even if the school is from one of the 42 states using the CCSS, will require teachers to spend immeasurable amounts of time on extra planning, preparation, and training. In addition, any statewide initiative to move to standards-based learning may be difficult to fund and manage. These concerns may be a reason enough not to adopt standards-based grading. Classroom time can also be a concern for teachers when  students do not reach proficiency on a skill. These students will need reteaching and reassessment placing another demand on curriculum pacing guides. While this reteaching and reassessment by skill does create  additional work for classroom teachers, however, advocates for  standards-based grading note that this process may help teachers to refine their instruction. Rather than add to continuing student confusion or misunderstanding, reteaching may improve later understanding. Perhaps the strongest objection to standards-based grading is based on the concern that standards-based grading might put high school students at a disadvantage when applying to college. Many stakeholders -parents, students teachers, guidance counselors, school administrators-believe that college admissions officers will only evaluate students based on their letter grades or GPA, and that GPA must be in numerical form. Ken OConnor disputes that concern suggesting that secondary schools are in the position to issue both traditional letter or numerical grades and standards-based grades at the same time. â€Å"I think it’s unrealistic in most places to suggest that (GPA or letter grades) are going to go away at the high school level,† O’Connor agrees, but the basis for determining these might be different. He proposes that schools might base their letter-grade system on the percentage of grade-level standards a student meets in that particular subject and that schools can set their own standards based on GPA correlation.   Renowned author and education consultant Jay McTighe  agrees with OConnor, â€Å"You can have letter grades and standards-based grading as long as you clearly define what those (letter-grade) levels mean.† Other concerns are that standards-based grading can mean the loss of class ranking or honor rolls and academic honors. But OConnor points out that high schools and universities confer degrees with highest honors, high honors, and honors and that ranking students to the hundredth of a decimal may not be the best way to prove academic superiority. Several New England states will be at the forefront of this restructuring of grading systems. An article in  The  New England Journal of Higher Education Titled directly addressed the question of college admissions with standard based grading transcripts. The states of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire have all passed legislation to implement proficiency or standards-based grading in their secondary schools.   In support of this initiative, a study in Maine titled Implementation of a Proficiency-Based Diploma System: Early Experiences in Maine  Ã‚  (2014) by Erika K. Stump and David L. Silvernail used a  two-phase, qualitative approach in their research and found: ...that benefits [of proficiency grading] include improved student engagement, greater attention to development of robust interventions systems and more deliberate collective and collaborative professional work. Maine schools are expected to establish a proficiency-based diploma system by 2018. The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) and the New England Secondary School Consortium (NESSC) met in 2016 with admissions leaders from highly selective New England colleges and universities and discussion was the subject of an article How Selective Colleges and Universities Evaluate Proficiency-Based High School Transcripts (April 2016) by Erika  Blauth and Sarah Hadjian. The discussion revealed that college admissions officers are less concerned with grade percentages  and more concerned that grades must always be based on clearly specified learning criteria.  They also noted that: Overwhelmingly, these admissions leaders indicate that students with proficiency-based transcripts will not be disadvantaged in the highly selective admissions process. Moreover, according to some admissions leaders, features of the proficiency-based transcript model shared with the group provide important information for institutions seeking not just high-performing academics, but engaged, lifelong learners. A review of the information on standards-based grading at the secondary level shows that implementation will require careful planning, dedication, and follow through for all stakeholders. The benefits for students, however, could be worth the considerable effort.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

A Report On LVMH HR Policies Education Essay Free Essays

Lvmh HR policies are in surplus of required and implement on the concern groups and companies. Through flexible regulation, it besides provides organisation. The map of corporate HR is to normalise certain ways, to exemplify program and to give force to companies ‘ HR squads. We will write a custom essay sample on A Report On LVMH HR Policies Education Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now In connexion with scheme, HR offers other than hardly of all time oblige. An employee work reciprocally with the concern group which study to corporate central office. Approximately 55 to 60 % of advancements are controlled by companies, the else managed by the concern groups or corporate. There are four types of HR directors at Lvmh. Subsequent the group ‘s construction, they operate on four degrees: corporate, regional, concern group and company degree. The subordinate HR Director or the individual moving as such, studies to the subordinate ‘s President. The subordinate ‘s HR Director gets recommendation and shore up from his company. The concern group ‘s HR Director organizes his companies ‘ HR Directors through monthly meetings. The intent of these meetings is to place vacant places throughout the universe and to analyze the list of possible campaigners for these places, between which are the Ready to Move. Lvmh has ready internal mobility – both geographic and functional – a footing of their human resources policy. This cross-fertilisation of experience within their ecosystem under the consolidative umbrella of the group creates matchless cause of proficient and personal fulfillment. International mobility is indispensable portion of every prospective calling way. It targets to make planetary directors many of them have far above the land cardinal practical move. As an illustration the caput of HR development remember the instance of a Gallic insurance specializer in the manner concern unit who was sent to Romania to head a shoe mill. LVMH be on familiar footings with they could make with hazards to develop likely impending. It needs to set them in new fortunes to assist them develop new accomplishments and set up their bravery. Lvmh actively supports the professional development of its employees. The decentralised organisation of the Lvmh group encourages single enterprise. Half of Lvmh ‘s senior executives and over 40 per cent of managerial staff are Gallic, whereas the Gallic history for 37 per cent of the group ‘s planetary work force. HR needs to develop more planetary concern directors so they can be a portion of globalized top direction. Lvmh mobility procedure works on the web of HR squads who largely staffed with locals. Lvmh did non direct out any experts because non hold local gift. Generally their experts fit two profiles: those sent out by the corporate HQ to command its subordinates and protect its involvements and sent out to develop their accomplishments. To back up the international concern growing relocate is lifting. Though, it non means that increasing figure of Gallic exiles will coerce this disposition. Lvmh lake of planetary directors creates their order adverse in footings of deploying adept director to company ‘s desire program or task given to that director. Lvmh did non pull experts by giving them higher fringe benefits in footings of their degree. The group is motivated for cost effectivity. They know that a good bundle is indispensable, but that it non the chief encouragement to travel abroad. The primary balance-sheet move in the way of bundle is based on the benchmark that proficient should neither lost nor turn from their reallocate. Lvmh ‘s C A ; B section has connected this draw near as a direct for it does remunerate bundle policy. Specific state based salary is evident for international mission. Salary will acquire hire during the period of mission. That is used as a vital for work out of societal security and pension payments. The mobility rewards are mean comparison to local labor market. Lvmh distinguishable two types of high potencies, HP1 and HP2 is an single likely to accomplish a top direction place such as member of Board commissions, Regional president or Subsidiary president. An HP2 is an employee probably to travel up one or two stairss in the hierarchy. For corporate HR this word picture of high potency is excessively wide and is more relevant for level constructions. It is now sing contracting it. It would retain the definition of HP1 and include those who are considered to be experts in their field. Lvmh is giving specific undertaking or mission to the planetary director in their working content for specific period and give him or her full authorization to take determination for the company, besides they want to larn from this sort of freedom to make new or dare things. Undertaking 2 To fit the planetary demand of concern working form Lvmh has to deploy local people instead than experts from the Gallic, because they do non hold know the local civilization or local market how they react in new or old section for their merchandises or what is the tendency among them for Lvmh ‘s merchandises. If they select local director with relevant expertness for their desire undertaking or purpose to accomplish. In this status they can acquire director with accomplishment which they want and besides acquire betterment from his cognition about their merchandise fiting the local public positions and if possible implement them for acquiring better consequences. For LVMH operates in all over universe so, they have to believe globally and move locally for their operations. For illustration they have decided same regulations and ordinances for the all employee universe broad like their rewards and benefits. In France they have decided to give 6500 ˆ per month wage to the planetary director for giving his or her services to the company as per same wage may non be pay in other continent like Asiatic states China or India. Populating criterion in all continents is different so, their policies should be different than headquarter and subordinate in footings of rewards. Lvmh has to take attention for the different civilization base for their scheme in HRM for illustration in Japan they can non deploy younger director on the employee who is senior in footings of age so him or her, because Nipponese have cultural usage that they respect elder individual and do non traverse their words of all time so, in that manner Lvmh has to be specific about cultural differences. Like in South East Asia India is a populated state and have more knowledge base potency campaigners are available to fit their standards but they have to maintain in head that Indian civilization is a versatile and full of festivals. If they want to establish the new merchandise there they have to look frontward for the appropriate gay season for their merchandises and the director who familiar with the usage of this festival and achieve company ‘s end. Before directing the planetary trough on his or her assignment they has to be given developing about linguistic communication which is locally spoken over at that place and have good bid over at least 3 linguistic communications other so French. Looking frontward the HRM policies of Lvmh is to follow divergency in footings of local environment like in UK people like to imbibe Beer while in USA and France prefer to imbibe Wine. Such things keep in head and develop their program for act in a planetary market through their planetary directors who really implement their policies to their concern. Undertaking 3 Lvmh has created his name in the planetary universe so they have to choose planetary linguistic communication like Good English talking individual because in the yesteryear they select staff from the France merely, they ca n’t talk English fluently for that they have to larn English as a preparation and development undertaking which is programmed by HR section and educate them to cover in English at planetary degree. How to cite A Report On LVMH HR Policies Education Essay, Essay examples

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Dahlia Furniture Pte. Ltd. free essay sample

On August 1984, Mr. Chua Boon Kang and Mr. Leong Sim Lam bought over Peter Lim’s forty six percent (46%) stake at Dahlia Furniture Private Limited. Although co-owners at one time, Mr. Chua and Mr. Leong have found Mr. Lim’s management of the company to be unsatisfactory. Some reorganization took place as most of the production workers who were doing subcontracting orders solely for Dahlia had resigned due to poor company performance in 1982. Dahlia also sold off seventy five thousand dollars ($75,000) worth of machinery used for mass producing furniture which was previously purchased by a former Managing Director, who has since left the company. Now at the helm, both are uncertain about the long term direction of the company. Meanwhile, they are both concerned over maintaining sales growth in a highly competitive industry. Dahlia Furniture made its entrance into the furniture industry in 1972 as subcontractors to two large furniture concerns, Chin Lin and Diethelm. It supplied mainly wall units and kitchen cabinets while bedroom set and dining sets were subcontracted out or obtained from local suppliers. Business went well and the company decided to branch into retailing. Between 1979 and 1980, Dahlia acquired two factories at Ang Mo Kio and Upper Thompson at a cost of $400,000 and $300,000 respectively. The factory at Ang Mo Kio was rented out on a monthly basis to furniture makers who were also subcontractors to Dahlia. The company also acquired two or more showrooms in the Bukit Timah and Upper Thompson area in 1978 and 1982 respectively. Nevertheless, the company was constantly in search for the right person to manage the business considering the expertises of the owners were limited to production operations. Nobody was suited to oversee the entire flow of business activities, i. e. from production, distribution, administration and marketing. Several changes in management were made until such time the co-owners settled for hiring their own relatives to manage the day to day operations of the company. Although the company has a strong market base for high income families, the growing industry faced stiff competition from both local and foreign companies engaged into retailing and production of various classes and styles of furniture items made of wood or plastic. Given this situation, management now identified the following concerns: 1. What is the long-term direction of the company in the coming years? 2. How will it maintain its sales growth? 3. Will it eventually concentrate into retailing (distribution) and import goods? 4. Will it expand its domestic production of the furniture items? Problem of the Case How a market leader and an exporter manufacture a high-quality custom-made furniture? Objective of the problem 1. To manufacture high quality and custom made furniture items. 2. TO maintain consistent sales growth. 3. To engage into export of highly valued pieces of furniture. Courses of Actions With the identified problems and taking into consideration of the vision and mission of the company, Dahlia has to undertake a SWOT Analysis in order to come up with appropriate courses of actions benefiting the company in both short and long term operation. Strengths Weaknesses Highly skilled owners producing quality furniture items Availability of competent subcontractors Commitment of owners of maintaining consistent sales growth Resources are available to fund production Poor and inefficient company management Absence of suitable manager Opportunities Threats Growth in construction and building industry Growing demand for furniture products Market for middle and high income families Market for low income households Growing export market and revenues Influx of foreign manufactured items Presence of international companies Perceived domination of foreign brands Expensive foreign labor High import duties Longer period to generate sales of imported items Erratic pricing Loss of income of local subcontractors Unemployment The SWOT Analysis revealed strengths overwhelmed weaknesses which can be resolved by having the owners themselves undergo crash training programs in management and at the same time engage 3rd party auditors to properly assess business operations and management. In a growing industry and open market system, it cannot be argued that imported goods would enter the market given the high income and preferences of consumers. This can be resolved through the intercession of the government regarding tariff, custom duties and tax. Transforming Weaknesses and Threats Into Positive Actions Weaknesses and Threats Positive Action Poor and inefficient company management Implement organizational assessment and development scanning Absence of suitable manager Constantly look for applicants and undertake thorough background check Influx of foreign brands and companies Establish linkage and partnerships where applicable High import duties Assess actual cost entailed Longer inventory holding period Apply just in time inventory system on items intended for sale Erratic pricing Import only items as per request of customers and maintain regular contact with clientele Loss if income of subcontractors/rising unemployment Ensure domestic production of not less than 60% of the total production requirement Analysis, Recommendation and Conclusion By engaging solely in the distribution of imported items and assuming all other things are held constant (overhead costs), it will be costly in the long run if the items are not disposed within a period of holding inventory balance. While expanding its production unit proved to be costly due to expensive labor, the company has to consider that it is producing simply custom-made furniture product line and not items for mass consumption. In addition, it should also close its Upper Thompson Area since this showroom only contributes 10% of annual sales of the company notwithstanding an expensive monthly rental. The company should likewise occasionally advertise its products and at the same time actively participate bidding on both public and private government entities. To further cement its hold in the market, the company should realign its goals by having 40% of its product line imported. This is to provide additional options of consumers in buying furniture line according to their needs. The 60% domestically produced custom made furniture items will be for domestic and foreign distribution since there are already available international markets. As the company does not see itself as being in direct competition with these large foreign based companies since it has its own market niche for high end consumers it should also assess the feasibility of carrying additional product lines relate to furniture.