Curlys Wife--of Mice And Men :: essays research papers

Curley’s wife in Of Mice and Men is given a fairly one-dimensional portrayal throughout the novella, as her character stays, for the most part, enigmatic. The most obvious example would be her lack of a name. She is continually referred to as a possession of her husband and without a name she becomes almost insignificant. The author, however, drops hints throughout the book telling his audience that there may be more to Curley’s wife than what is easily deduced.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One scene involving a sympathetic portrayal of Curley’s wife is when she is looking for Curley in Crooks’ quarters after Lennie and Candy enter. She knows where Curley and the rest of the men have gone, and grows angry at the cold treatment she is given by the three men in the room. Curley’s wife confesses her loneliness of being stuck in the house all the time and to not liking Curley’s company. She becomes even more angry about the lie of the circumstances of Curley’s hand injury and it is now obvious that her and Curley’s relationship is extremely dysfunctional and probably emotionally damaging to the wife.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another important scene in which Curley’s wife is portrayed in a sympathetic manner is during her conversation with Lennie before her death. She confesses to Lennie that she dislikes Curley because he is angry all the time and says that she comes around because she is lonely and just wants someone to talk to. She speaks to Lennie not because she specifically cares for him, but because she lacks human interaction. Like George and Lennie, she once had a dream she sought for, of becoming an actress and living in Hollywood.

How To Handle Information Essay

1.1 Identify legislation and codes of practice that relate to handling information in social care settings Data Protection Act 1998 – it gives rights to individuals in respect of personal data held about them. Freedom of Information Act 2000 – it gives you the right to ask any public sector organisation for all the recorded information they have on any subject. Employees Policies & Procedures – to make sure that all records that are kept in the office are put away in a locked secure cabinet or securely saved on the computer. Health and Social Care Act 2008 – it requires us to publish a code that sets out the practice we will follow in obtaining, handling, using and disclosing confidential personal information. 1.2 Explain how legal requirements and codes of practice inform practice in handling information Legal requirements give us guidance and support when it comes to storing and handling personal / confidential information about the service users. It helps us to store information correctly and safely. For example we use key safes every day and we have to make sure not to tell anyone the number combination. Worst thing you can do is to right down the number on your rota next to the service user’s name where the address is also given. 2.1 Explain how to maintain records that are up to date, complete, accurate and legible A good way of maintaining records is on a computer or in a file that can be kept confidential and kept up to date. Records should be updated each time the service user is reviewed. 2.2 Describe practices that ensure security when storing and accessing information Passwords on computers blocks unauthorised people from accessing records. Locked away in a filing cabinet with a key that only someone who is authorised to open it has the key. Not leaving notes everywhere in the office with information on them about the service users. 2.3 Describe features of manual and electronic information storage systems that help ensure security Records saved electronically can be protected by passwords. Some PC systems only allow access by authorised person signed in with their unique password. Some computers are not connected to the internet to avoid the risk of intervention. If the records are not saved electronically then these have to be locked away when not in use (lockable filing cabinets). 3.1 Explain how to support others to understand the need for secure handling of information Ensure that others understand the need for secure handling of information by completing induction training and shadowing. Make sure that they understand the importance of keeping records safe and not leaving them where anyone can read them. They have to understand what information they can share and what to report if something unusual happens to the service user. 3.2 Explain how to support others to understand and contribute to records The best way to support others is by shadowing, when a new carer spends a few days with a senior carer who has a lot of experience. The senior carer should take time explaining what to do before each visit and to ask the new carer to complete all care tasks by themselves. Of course they can ask questions and the senior carer can always stop them if they think they are not carrying out the tasks correctly. I personally do not believe in the method where the new carer is just watching the senior carer. The best way to learn is by doing it.

School and Workplace Violence

Violence in schools and at workplaces is a common incidence in the American community. They are indeed a major threat to the guarantee of health and safety security in these crucial institutions of our nation’s economy. There are a number of events which can lead to school or workplace violence such as unfavorable environmental and interpersonal relationships between mates (Anthony, 2000). Just like any other act of violence in the community, law enforcement agencies are bound to safe the life of the victims and arrest the offender for interrogation. Due to our nation’s concern for the sustainable safety of the people, many rules, regulations, and practices have been developed to mitigate the problem. This essay is written as a discussion on school and workplace violence. The author identifies the events, facts and those involved in violence as well as how law enforcement respond to such incidences. A discussion on changes that have been made by those made by the institutions affected by violence incidents is also given. Workplace or school violence has been defined as any act of violence physical or psychological that as the end result of compromising the health and/or safety security of the victims (Rugala, 2003). Therefore, workplace and school violence encompasses; physical or threat of physical violence, harassment, and even intimidation. However, the most common form of violence is homicide (Kelleher, 1996). According to available statistics, such incidences can affect or involve staff, students (workers), and visitors. There are a number of events which can lead to violence at workplace or schools. First are poor interpersonal relations among individuals (Anthony, 2000). Understanding and appreciating others in a society is an important factor in the realization of sustainable relationships. Just to be stated here is the fact that different people have different worldviews as well as different ways of reacting to issues and circumstances. However, strong interpersonal relations serve to control risks of overreaction by enhancing communication (Anthony, 2000). Therefore, lack effective interpersonal relationships can lead to violence. Another event that can lead to violence is peer influence (Hunt, 2010). According to available research findings, most incidents of violence among students or workers are influence by groupthink mentality (Hunt, 2010). Just to be stated here is the fact the association can have the psychological impact of compromising individual reasoning and judgmental ability. Discriminative behavior can also cause violence. School of workplace bullying based on race, social-economic and personality are cited as having a major role in causing violence (Wodarski, Roberts & Rapp-Paglicci, 2002). This is because they can result to stress and depression on the victims, thus resulting into revenge mentality. School and workplace violence is marked with numerous facts. First, they threaten the health and safety of those involved. Homicide is the leading cause of fatal injuries in schools and workplace (Hunt, 2010). Such include school or workplace shootings and/or stabbing. Therefore, violence in such institutions can be attributed to prior threats rather than instantaneous reactions. It is due to this reason that threat assessment is found to be a crucial tool for preventing violence. Another fact is that most incidents of violence are caused by lack of proper institutional policies (Wodarski, Roberts & Rapp-Paglicci, 2002). Violence like harassment and intimidation are common between management and staff or students. Just to be noted is that the management must serve as a role model for the other members of the organization. Therefore, failing to ensuring respect for the personality, ethnical and cultural diversity in the organization evidently serves to influence workers and/or students negatively. According to statistic on incidents of school and workplace violence, most of the cases involve indoor members (Rugala, 2003). This has been closely attributed to the fact that it is in the institution where conflict among members can be more pronounced. Based on this, most offenders on incidents of homicide are students or workers (Rugala, 2003). On the other hand, in incidents of harassment and intimidation, the common offenders are the institutional managers such as teachers and company managers (Kelleher, 1996). This is closely attributed to misuse of power by instituting oppressive or discriminative behaviors towards certain members. Visitors are also common offenders particularly for homicide incidents but can also be victims of intimidation and harassment by members of the organization (Rugala, 2003). It is the sole purpose of the law enforcement agents to ensure the rule of law in the society. Incidents of school and workplace violence particularly homicide and assault are legally regarded as criminal offenses (Rugala, 2003). Therefore, the initial response by law enforcement is usually to intervene to save the life of the victim and arrest the offender for interrogation (Wodarski, Roberts & Rapp-Paglicci, 2002). This is important not only in mitigating further health and safety harm to the victims but also for setting the initial step towards the realization of justice for the incident. However, the process of realizing justice for violence incident requires adequate investigations not only to collect evidence for criminal charges against the offenders but also to seek lasting solutions to such incidents in the institution (Rugala, 2003). This is why law enforcement engages with members for establishing how, why and who were involved in the incidents. Still, since some incidents occur without the presence of law enforcement agents, the process of investigation can involve forensic crime analysis. This is mainly used as a technical way of qualifying evidence given by witnesses of the incident thus enhancing its admissibility during prosecution. Incidents of school and workplace violence have evidently led to many changes to those affected. First, the government, as the sole custodian of the people, has engaged in the development of effective rules and regulations for enhancing workplace and school safety (Anthony, 2000). Such actions by the government have led to the founding of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) which seeks to educate institutions on the importance of having an environment free of violence for workers (Wodarski, Roberts & Rapp-Paglicci, 2002). On the side of law enforcement, incident prone zones are usually marked with presence of police as a measure of ensuring fast and effective response to acts of violence. Another change is that most organizations respond to violence incidents by sucking the offender and developing anti-violence policies. Creating awareness among the parties involved in an institution is quite important (Anthony, 2000). Therefore, most of these anti-violence policies by organization are mainly tailored to advice people of how to identify and report or prevent violence threat incidents. An example is the requirement for training employees to be resources of the Employee Assistance Program (Anthony, 2000). In conclusion school and workplace violence incidents are evidently preventable mainly due to their predictable nature (Rugala, 2003). It is due to this reason that all stakeholders should cooperate in the identification and finding viable solutions to the problem. Such an effective strategy should involve creation of awareness and development of stiffer rules and regulation to govern school and workplace conduct. Still important is that institutions should engage in efforts for establishing an anti-violence corporate culture for the sustainable future of school and workplace safety. References Anthony, B. (2000). Violence in the Workplace. A Prevention and Management Guide for Business. Oxnard, CA: Pathfinder Publishing. Inc. Hunt, O. (2010). School and Workplace Violence. Retrieved March 27, 2010, from http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/204655/careers_and_job_hunting/school_and_workplace_violence.html Kelleher, M. (1996). New Arenas for Violence: Homicide in the American Workplace. Westport, CT: Praeger. Rugala, E. (2003). Work Place Violence: Issue in Response. Retrieved March 27, 2010, from http://www.fbi.gov/publications/violence.pdf Wodarski, J., Roberts, A., & Rapp-Paglicci, L. (2002). Handbook of Violence. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Inc.

Premature Baby

A new medical practice for premature babies -Touching or No Touching- In the world, more than 300 thousand people are born in a day, but 10 percent of them are born as premature babies. The premature birth rate has increased by about 36 percent since the early 1980s, and many of them have died. Fortunately the good news is that the survival rate of the preterm has increased remarkably due to improvements in neonatology, such as using incubator transport. However, compared with in utero transport, incubator transport, based on separation between with mother and infants, is not natural thing, and it still has risks.Incubator transport for preterm still has some known disadvantages including infant instability by lack of adequate systems for securing the infant, and separation of mother and infant. Even though it has some risk, it has been known as an optimal practice for care of extensible number of premature infants. According to Statehealthfacts. org, in the United States in 2009, th ere were 502,306 preterm births born. This is 12. 2% of births in the United States, 2009. Table. 1 Number of births, number of preterm births, and preterm births as a percent of all births in the United States 2009 Normal full term babies are born at 38 weeks.Babies born before 37 weeks are defined as premature babies, and those born between 24 and 29 weeks are ‘extremely premature’. They usually have less weight than 1. 5kg (3. 3lb). And all babies born with less than standard birth weight, 2. 1kg (4lb) are at risk. Therefore, babies born early need special care and monitoring to help them to gain weight. To reduce disadvantages of incubators and improve care preterm babies, ‘Kangaroo care,’ a new medical practice for preterm babies, was introduced and being conducted in some united states medical facilities.Kangaroo care is also known as kangaroo mother care, kangaroo baby care, and skin to skin care. Although the name varies, the concept is that holding an infant, naked except for a diaper and hat, against the bare chest of an adult for the purpose of providing the infant with a natural thermal environmental, nurturing touch, and enhanced opportunity to breast-feed. â€Å"Although numerous studies have explored the value of kangaroo care for premature or stressed newborns, the literature informing the effects of kangaroo care to people is scarce† the study by Janice Collisons said.Mostly, the incubator as a present medical system is being used. The current predominant model of neonatal stabilization like incubators involves placing the infant in an open warmer immediately after delivery. This practice immediately separates the mother and infant during a crucial period of extra uterine adaptation, and may be a venue for delayed neonatal physiological adaptation, reduced breast-feeding, and impaired maternal infant bonding. The goal of my research is to know the benefits of kangaroo care as a stabilization method for preterm infants, and to figure out how it contributes the health of infants.In March of 2010, a mother gave birth to a premature infant son, named Jamie. She was told that the baby had died despite the best efforts of the medical staff. She was given a chance to hold and cuddle him on her chest in order to say goodbye. When placed on her chest, his breath began coming in short bursts, and his parents and the medical staffs were astonished when Jamie opened his eyes with stable breathing. Jamie is now a normal active 2 year old boy. What this mother and child experienced is kangaroo care because it is similar to the same care a baby kangaroo receives in its mother’s pouch.Doctor, Susan Ludington says â€Å"many people don’t understand this situation, but there are eight reports of other babies revived by kangaroo care. The mother can stimulate the baby to live. I think the Kangaroo care helped† In fact, this method had been used in Colombia. Due to increasing mortality r ates in Bogota, Colombia, in 1978, Dr. Edgar Rey introduced kangaroo care to alleviate the shortage of caregivers and lack of incubators. This care was found to be an inexpensive and very beneficial experience to babies in Bogota, Colombia.The mortality rate finally fell to 30 percent from 70 percent. Most studies have proven that Kangaroo care has positive impacts on babies and their parents; some studies have proven there is no change; but no study has proven that kangaroo care has hurt either parent or baby. By offering it to newborns, they have a stable heart rate, more regular breathing, improved oxygen saturation levels, no stress, longer periods of sleep, more rapid weight gain, and earlier hospital discharge. The first benefit of the kangaroo care is that preterm babies can have longer periods of sleep.Researchers have come a long way in determining the major cause of colic. The common conclusion in 1999 is that colic is caused by a baby’s inability to transition from one sleep state to another – like from an alert state into a sleep state and back again. Kangaroo care performed in a quiet, low light environment with any baby has been proven to reduce crying and help the baby learn to transition from one sleep state to another. A study done by Patricia Messmer in 1997 found a significant increase in sleep time for the neonates during Kangaroo care.The kangaroo care can relieve the pain of preterm babies during treatment such as blood test, injection of medication, and several physical tests which give significant pain to the babies. Because the premature babies are really vulnerable to surroundings, doctors need to take blood samples to check their health every day. They usually take 3cc amount of blood from the babies. The volume of blood drawn (3cc) from babies is proportionate to that drawn (400cc) from adults. How painful it is for the babies to stand.The experiment that measured the pain level to premature babies from the blood test was conducted while kangaroo care procedure. The result of the experiment showed that the babies felt less pain when they were on mother’s chest. According to the article ‘Kangaroo care is effective in diminishing pain response in preterm neonates’, it concludes ‘Kangaroo care was effective in significantly decreasing pain response on the behavioral components of a validated composite measure of pain in preterm babies.Given the many invasive procedures that are part of clinical care in preterm babies, KC may be a safe analgesic alternative in neonates in whom it is feasible and with mothers who are comfortable providing KC for painful events’ The newest studies that are being done in Sweden and other countries concentrate on full term babies in respiratory distress. They take these babies, who would normally be put on respirators, and place them on the mom's chest immediately after birth in the Kangaroo Care position. Babies stayed on mom until the r espiratory distress was gone – within 48 hours for most babies.Oxygen hoods and cannulas (small tubes) were used if needed. In preterm babies, the effects of Kangaroo Care on these functions are just as dramatic. In 1998, Dr. Susan found a four-fold decrease in apnea during Kangaroo Care and ventilated babies were able to tolerate transfer and position changes without increased oxygen requirements. In 1997, GM Cleary, et al concluded there was no increase in bradycardia(slow heart rate –below 60 beats per min) episodes during Kangaroo Care. In 1998, Gay Gale and Kathleen Vandenburg concluded that the heart rate was more regular for Kangarooed infants.All-in-all, the baby fared much better when placed in Kangaroo Care. â€Å"With my own ventilated preemie (1 pound 12 ounces at birth) I noticed a 50% reduction in oxygen requirements, no apneas, more stable heart rate, and more spontaneous respiration when I held her skin-to-skin. † Holly Richardson concluded that more rapid weight gain was observed in Kangarooed infants. Kangaroo care allows the baby to fall into a deep sleep by conserving their energy for far more important things. This increased weight gain also leads to shorter hospital stays.Kangarooed infants can have as much as a 50% shorter hospital stay than babies who are not kangarooed. This means less expense for the parents and children. In 1990, Dr. Susan Ludington demonstrated that mothers showed thermal synchrony with their babies. A recent study placed babies in Kangaroo Care position on the mother's chest and temperatures were taken periodically of both the mother's chest and the baby. The study revealed that when the baby got cold, the mother's body temperature would increase to ‘warm' the baby up. The reverse was also true.Given a suggestion of â€Å"Your baby looks warm to me† by a nurse, the mother's chest temperature would decrease within minutes to compensate. Extra blankets and monitoring of baby's temper ature might be needed when Dad or others practice Kangaroo Care, but in 1997, Karl Bauer wrote that one hour of skin-to-skin contact (Kangaroo Care) was no cold to preterm infants. In 1998, Papi A Gomez found infants in Kangaroo Care for more than 50 minutes were 8 times more likely to breast feed spontaneously. Kangaroo Care allows for easy access to the breast, and the skin-to-skin contact increases milk let-down.A receiving blanket, strategically placed to catch extra milk is extremely helpful – especially if the baby is unable to breast feed. Otherwise, some doctors argue that there is risk of a bacterial infection if vulnerable infants come out from incubators. However, by using kangaroo care the immunity of premature babies is built up so they are not easily affected by any bacterial infection. Why? It’s because of the breast milk, containing lymphocytes and macrophages that produce antibodies. The kangaroo care facilitates an easy access breast feeding for both moms and babies than incubators.As long as mothers are in good health and can produce healthy breast milk, the premature babies’ immune system will develop. Richardson proposed that brain development is more rapid in the baby who benefits from Kangaroo care. Her research reveals that ‘alpha waves double in a baby being â€Å"kangarooed† versus a baby in an incubator. Alpha waves are the brain wave patterns associated with contentment and bliss. Delta brushes are a pattern formed when tracking brain activity that represents the creation of new neural synapses.Delta brushes are higher during Kangaroo care than during incubator care. ’ Through some cases and studies, kangaroo care can contribute to give an efficient treatment, as well as a miracle revival, to premature infants as long as it comes into wide use in a medical institution rather than using of artificial facilities which give stress to vulnerable infants. These benefits of kangaroo care are basica lly from mother’s love and communication. The incubator transport may give the stable care to the babies but it’s not perfect and not natural to them. It cannot be compared with mother’s bosom.Some hospitals, combining both this touching system and the incubator, experience the positive results from the kangaroo care. However, there is still a huge lack of the knowledge of the kangaroo care. How to encourage people to know about the kangaroo care? Telling is the best way to spread it out to people. When people become parents with knowledge of the kangaroo care, they may use this touching in their home. It’s easy for every parent to use. Parents should know that their love and touching are what vulnerable babies need, not a cold and impersonal facility.Bibliography Articles Barb Morrison. â€Å"Kangaroo Care: ‘Natures Best for our Little Ones’† (2006) Web Feb 22. 2012 <http://www. preciousimagecreations. com/presentations/kangaroocar e. pdf> Maria Blois. â€Å"Hold Me Close: ‘Encouraging essential mother/baby physical contact’† (2007) Web Feb 22. 2012 < http://www. babywearinginternational. org/Blois_research_summary. pdf> Dieter Sontheimer. â€Å"Kangaroo Transport Instead of Incubator Transport†(2004) Web Mar 11. 2004 < http://pediatrics. aappublications. org/content/113/4/920. full > Celeste Johnson. Kangaroo care is effective in diminishing pain response in preterm neonates† (2003) Web Mar 11. 2012 < http://archpedi. ama-assn. org/cgi/reprint/157/11/1084 > Leornard A. Herzenberg. â€Å"Soluable CD14 enriched in colostrum and milk induces B cell growth and differentiation† (2000) Web Mar 20. 2012 <http://www. pnas. org/content/98/2/603. full> Books Ludington-Hoe. â€Å"Kangaroo Care: The Best You Can Do for Your Premature Infant. † New York: Bantam Books(1993). Web Feb 22. 2012 Bergman. â€Å"Kangaroo Mother Care†. Geddes Product ions (2003). Web Feb 22. 2012 Web Mhaire Fraser. Mom Uses Kangaroo Care to Revive Child Pronounced Dead. † Care2 Make a Difference. Web. 22 Feb, 2012 Holly Richardson. â€Å"Kangaroo Care: Why Does It Work? † Midwifery Today. Web. 22 Feb, 2012 Krisanne Larimer. â€Å"Kangaroo Care Benfits† Premature Baby. Web. 22 Feb, 2012 Kaiser Family. â€Å"United States: Number of Birth, 2009† â€Å"United States: Number of Preterm Births, 2009† â€Å"United States: Preterm Births as a Percent of All Births, 2009† Statehealthfacts. org. Web Mar 14, 2012 Jane Sheppard. â€Å"Breastfeeding for a strong immune system†. Web. 20 Mar, 2012 Rebecca M. Pugh. â€Å"Supporting the birth that is right for you†. Web. 20 Mar, 2012

Luxury Cruise Ships Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Luxury Cruise Ships - Research Paper Example This offers the meal experience of a hotel, only that guests experience this while travelling; different meals in different locations. Guests have a vast range of beverages from which to select. Guests can choose from a selection of spirits, wines, soft drinks, juices, coffee, bottled water and champagne among others. Furthermore, guests can enjoy their choice of drinks throughout the ship rather than during meal times only. The preferred selections of guests are stocked in their specific suites. The entertainment facilities in luxury cruise ships are quite diverse and unique. There are no reservations, bar tabs or cover charges. There are variety acts, cabaret-style shows, feature films and special performances among others. Once in a while enrichment lecturers hold discussions pertaining to the voyage destination. Guests can also dance to live music. Casino lovers can play casino games. This variety of entertainment compliments the travel experience of guests (Smith 57). Most luxury cruise ships are usually small in size in order to personalize the experience for guests. Such ships are intimate and have more space and fewer guests on board. Such ships also allow guests to experience close encounters with culture and nature. During the journey, guests enjoy personalized one on one service. Small cruise ships are also able to dock in many harbors including small harbors where large cruise ships cannot dock. This increases the number of stops that a small luxury cruise ship can make along the way. The cost of services in a luxury cruise ship is quite high. The vast variety of facilities, in addition to the personalized services that are offered on board contributes to the high cost of luxury cruise trips. This leaves only the wealthy customers who can afford the services. The Cruise experience is far much better than the experience at a hotel, which makes the prices

Personality Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personality Development - Essay Example Similarly, if a person lacks the cognitive abilities by nature, that is, if there is some inherited mental deficiency, development will be at stake. Cognition, by virtue of its definition, plays the most vital part in developing an individual's personality. Moreover, evolution, genes, and environment are three other factors that highly contribute to the development of personality. It is not only the history of humankind and its birth but also the type of environment they are exposed to which shape an individual. As far as aggression is concerned, it takes its roots from all three factors. Evolution can lead to the appearance of aggressive personalities if relying on the trait of aggression for human survival is deemed necessary and vital for sustainability. If in the past, people who were more aggressive succeeded in sustaining themselves better, it is an evidence of a high proportion of aggressive personalities present today. Furthermore, it is also certain that an individual's pers onality is also a result of their genes. ... Circumstances in life, which an individual faces and the demands of those situations are best, reflected in the type of their personality. For a child, the parents are the best role models. In that, they shape the child's personality through different ways and interactions. For example, if a child's parents appreciate their time management, innovative drawings, or projects and encourage them to opt for newer challenging tasks, the child will be high on conscientiousness. Moreover, if those parents encourage behavior such as public speaking, socializing and deter them from introversion, the child will grow up to be an extrovert. Behaviors encouraged by parents, tend to be repeated and become a part of the child's personality. Self-efficacy is another important factor that plays a part in shaping an individual's personality. Basically, ''self-efficacy is defined as people's beliefs about their capabilities to produce designated levels of performance that exercise influence over events that affect their lives. Self-efficacy beliefs determine how people feel, think, motivate themselves and behave... A strong sense of efficacy enhances human accomplishment and personal well-being in many ways'' (Bandura, 1994). A person is rightly defined by their level of self-belief. If a person lacks the desired self efficacy, it is very likely that they will be adversely effected by the minor challenges in life or certain tasks and will not be able to cope up to achieve desired goals. Such behaviors lead to a weak personality that is easily discouraged and deterred by trivial problems. However, individuals who possess a strong self-efficacy can be seen as those with stronger personalities, those

Real Choices at True Religion Jeans Research Paper

Real Choices at True Religion Jeans - Research Paper Example Denim is a huge industry with a very few entry barriers but an extensive and aggressive competition exists within the industry. An effective strategy is built on the basis of real choices and the SWOT analysis. True religion jeans have used a combination of both and have achieved success over the years. True Religion Jeans entered the market in 2002 and faced enormous competition. It used its strengths to establish itself and is now a well-known brand. It not only made the best use of the opportunities that were available, but instead created new opportunities for the brand. True Religion Jeans is a luxury brand and charges a high premium for the products that it sells. It has a strong brand image of quality and class. The strength of True Religion Jeans lies in its differentiation point. What is delivered to its customers is something totally different from the other competing brands. At True religion Jeans stress is laid upon the classic style which follows the theme of Bohemian life and style. It has played along the lines and has used this different style as its strength. Not only this, but the brand guarantees a best fit to its customers. True religion jeans target the high-end consumer, but still provide with a lifetime guarantee of its products and in case of a malfunction provide its customers with a replacement policy. Customers do not hesitate in paying a high premium for a pair of jeans from True religion because they know that the brand is providing them with value for money (Temperino 2010). One of the strengths of this brand is that it is present globally across different countries. They have developed their own retail stores for a direct consumer contact. First the brand used to sell through other distributors but now the company has opened several retail stores in USA. These stores provide the customers with the whole range of its products. The product is manufactured in USA and the company has not outsourced any of its operations. The design team at True Religion Jeans comprises of 26 members who constantly work according to the changes in consumer demand and environment. Currently the brand is targeting the celebrities as they are the ones who would be most attracted to the new fashion. True Religion Jeans targets a niche market and this can be counted as a weakness for the company. They are getting all their profits from the small group of high-end consumers. To overcome this weakness the company can come up with a product which is targeted towards the mass market. Another weakness is that True religion faces in tense completion from the competing brands and most of this competition comes from the brands that have the backing of some large corporations. The company of True religion Jeans is not backed up by any such large corporation which means that it has limited resources as compared to its competitors. The greatest opportunity that True religion Jeans has is that it can expand into the global market. It can find new markets to penetrate and can target new customers. True Religion Jeans has expanded its product line and has the opportunity to expand it further. This opportunity can turn into success because the brand name will be associated with any product that it decides to produce and in marketing brand name is what sells. So far expansion of its product line has been successful. It started in 2002, and now it is expanding at a relentless pace. This expansion is a possible threat for the firm itself. True Religion Jeans has the risk of saturating the market if it keeps on expanding at the same pace. (University of Oregan Investment Group 2010) True Religion is a brand which faces a problem in the near future because the brand is