Fashion Essays Fashion and Hugo Boss

Fashion Essays Fashion and Hugo Boss Fashion and Hugo Boss Hugo Boss â€Å"Fashion is a uniquely sensuous, dynamic and international phenomenon, and HUGO BOSS holds a leading position in this fascinating market. The exceptional personal commitment and standout achievements of our employees form the cornerstones of our success.† (Dr. Bruno Sà ¤lzer, Chair of the Managing Board, HUGO BOSS AG). Hugo Boss AG is a fashion house based in Metzingen, Germany, specializes in high-end apparel. It is named after its founder, Hugo Boss. Hugo Boss has been successfully asserting and expanding its position as a global market leader in the upscale fashion market for many years. The HUGO BOSS brands encompass all key fashion areas, ranging from classic clothing, evening and leisurewear to functional sportswear and complementary accessories. Licensed products such as eyewear, watches, fragrances and cosmetics further enhance our collections. HUGO BOSS is represented in the fashion market by the BOSS, HUGO and BALDESSARINI brands. HUGO BOSS products are available worldwide in over 100 countries. HUGO BOSS the name denotes success, perfection and a style that transcends international borders. Its primary competitors are Gianni Versace, Armani and Gucci in the fashion retail sector. The BOSS and HUGO brands cover all the major fashion segments for men and women. Additional product groups such as shoes and accessories, fragrances, eyewear, and watches complement the individual collections. The target audiences mainly catered to by HUGO BOSS are individuals ranging between the age groups of 20-60 years. Largely, its customers are the young and the professional working class. The marketing channels used are the seasonally changing advertising strategies, business through the internet, public relations and various sales promotion schemes. Products HUGO BOSS is represented in the fashion market by the BOSS and HUGO brands. These brand collections and their fashion lines are aimed at various target groups, creating a brand world of extraordinary fashion diversity at a constantly high level of quality. The BOSS Black, BOSS Selection, BOSS Orange and BOSS Green lines as well as the accompanying accessory collections are all part of the core BOSS brand. BOSS Black The women’s collections in the BOSS Black line offer versatile fashion ranges with a rich array of elegant â€Å"modern classics† in business-, leisure- and formalwear: perfect looks that satisfy the most sophisticated tastes. BOSS Orange BOSS Orange offers casual collections for women who enjoy dressing in style and wearing surprising looks. Unusual materials, bold colors and beautiful details appeal to a clientele that delights in experimentation. HUGO HUGO delivers innovative looks for women with a young, upbeat attitude. The collections feature body-hugging silhouettes and up-to-the-minute styles. Accessories For the past several years, a broad selection of innovative lifestyle products has complemented the HUGO BOSS fashions. The segment Shoes Accessories has featured most prominently and represents considerable growth potential for the company. This product group was therefore integrated into the Group in 2004 and has been progressively expanded since. Micro-Environment Micro-environment denotes those elements over which the marketing firm has control or which it can use in order to gain information that will better help it in its marketing operations. In other words, these are elements that can be manipulated, or used to glean information, in order to provide fuller satisfaction to the company’s customers. P’S of Marketing Product For men include: Boss Black/Boss Black Selection, Boss Green, Boss Orange, Hugo, and Baldessarini. For women: Boss Black, Boss Orange and Hugo. Also part of the brand is Lifestyle Accessories. (As explained above ) Price The price that a customer pays varies for each type of their product. Their target market constitutes are people between the age of 20 and 60, i.e. for the young, professional and working class. The price of the products of an industry are determined by a number of factors including market share, competition, market costs, product identity and also the customer’s perceived value of product. Place Place comprises of two distinct elements: channels of distribution and transportation of goods. HUGO BOSS sells its products are various stores and outlets. It has various retail outlets. It also has logistics that relates to the physical warehousing and transportation of goods from various places. It is well organized and effectively working. Promotion HUGO BOSS promotes itself by advertising their products via Media, i.e. TV, newspapers, banners, internet, etc. Also, sponsorship, product placement, endorsements, direct mail, trade shows, etc help them to promote their brand efficiently in the market. It is also engaged in charitable work. Macro Environment Macro-environment refers to the surroundings in the market which are unavoidable and need to be adjusted with than manipulate them. It is essential to study these factors that affect the business techniques followed by the organization. Knowing these factors is very important; once exploited, they may prove to be very beneficial to the firm. Pest Analysis Political and Legal Factors Hugo Boss is involved in international operations. Thus, it faces the domestic as well as the international political concerns. They export and have joint ventures and subsidiary companies abroad. The political and legal factors in various countries differ a lot. Hugo Boss has to take in consideration all these factors since its products are available in over 100 countries. Special attention needs to be given to volatile conditions so that the political conditions are monitored very carefully. Government policy can severely affect the financial results of the business. For instance the aggressive US fiscal policy driven in art by the invasion of Iraq has caused the US dollar to depreciate against other currencies such as the EUR or GBP. Economic Factors Economic factors are of concern to HUGO BOSS because they are likely to influence, among other things, demand, costs, prices and profits. These factors are largely outside the control of the individual firm, but their effects on individual enterprises can be profound. Political and economic factors are often strongly related. Since HUGO BOSS is engaged in international marketing, changes in world economic forces are potentially highly significant. The rate of inflation, unemployment and the level of domestic interest rates affect the return from new investments and can inhibit the adoption and diffusion of new technologies. Economic changes pose a set of opportunities and threats, this it is very important that HUGO BOSS monitors the economic environment at both domestic and world levels. Social and Cultural Factors It is very important for HUGO BOSS to manifest itself in changing tastes, purchasing behavior and c hanging priorities. The type of goods and services demanded by the consumers is a function of their social conditioning and their consequent attitudes and beliefs. Social changes are preceded by changes over time in a society’s cultural values. The weather changes are also another factor to be taken care of. Every time the weather of a country changes they need to change their products. Consumers need different trends and styles. They do not need want to wear the same styles every time. The lifestyle trend changes to an extent every time. HUGO BOSS also has an outstanding advertising. All this helps them create the effectiveness of their products etc. Technological Factors HUGO BOSS plays an important part in technological progress. They have their own research department which plays a part in innovating new developments and new applications. A change in the technological environment affects the products and services that the firm produces and the way in which the firms carry out their business operations. There is a very important need to have technological improvements in the business in today’s world. The design of the collections and the development of groundbreaking production technologies both occur at corporate headquarters in Metzingen. There, for each of the year’s four seasons, their creative teams design the fashions that capture the contemporary zeitgeist. Swot Analysis SWOT analysis refers to the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats that a company evaluates in itself as well as from the market which it is trying to capture. With this knowledge, the internal and external factors of the firm can be easily analyzed and worked upon to improve the growth and market share of the firm. Strengths and Weaknesses form the internal factors and Opportunities and Threats form the external factors that influence the marketing activities of an organization. Strengths The strengths that a company represents the competitive advantage that it has over the other firms it’s competing with. HUGO BOSS has a very good reputation, resulting in a high market share, making it the biggest retailer on the high streets. A good repute brings a high consciousness of the brand name in the minds of almost every potential consumer. Its diversity and variety in the product offerings, furnishing to everyone’s needs whether man or woman, and middle aged customers has added on to being one of its strengths and reasons for loyalty in the marketplace. Weaknesses Weaknesses often discourage employees in a corporation, but identifying them is necessary in order to overcome them to re-enter the market. A company’s weaknesses are not just the problems from the firm’s point of view, but also from the consumer’s point of view. These limitations slow down the progress of the company when compared to its competitors. Some of HUGO and BOSS’ inabilities are keeping up with the changing trends in the retail market. Sometimes their incapability to target the right customers in terms of product range and potentiality also hinder the growth of the company. Opportunities Opportunities refer to the upcoming trends or social, economical or technological patterns that can be exploited to increase market share and customer loyalty. Since the age group targeted by HUGO BOSS is till the age of 60 years, more number of old people should be targeted as prospective customers. Collaboration with other companies to increase product breadth and depth, with more celebrity patronage is a sure opportunity that should be taken advantage of. Buying competitors who could pose a threat in the future is also a possibility that HUGO BOSS can utilize to keep up its market share. Threats Threats are the inevitable situations that might arise, which the company needs to handle tactfully. These are external factors that cannot be controlled by the company. Changing trends in fashion and economic and technological advances are some of the threats that all fashion industries face, including HUGO BOSS. The varying structures in the market, mostly in the younger clothing markets also are threats to retailers. Conclusion In 1987, Boss Orange for men was launched described as sporty and casual separating itself from the trendy Hugo brand and the sophisticated Boss Black brand. Boss Green is a completely sporty brand selling items designed for sport or a sporty look. The companys products, divided over three brands, are available throughout the world in 103 countries and more than 5,002 retail stores. These brands are Boss, Hugo, and since 2004, Baldessarini. The latter, Baldessarini GmbH, is a more independent business unit which focuses on a more prestigious image than its two sister brands. It sells, like the other Hugo Boss brands, clothing, shoes, fragrances and accessories but will leave Hugo Boss after the Spring/Summer 2007 collection has been sent to boutiques. This is due to the newly launched premium Boss line, Boss Black Selection, outselling Baldessarini. Todays sub-brands for men include: Boss Black/Boss Black Selection, Boss Green, Boss Orange, Hugo, and Baldessarini. For women: Boss Black, Boss Orange (announced in July 2005 for Spring/Summer 2006 launch) and Hugo. Also part of the brand is Lifestyle Accessories. With an analysis on the various factors affecting the firm along with its strengths and opportunities as internal factors and weaknesses and threats as external factors, there is a clear understanding on the position and market segment HUGO BOSS covers and satisfies. Its strengths and weaknesses along with its PEST factors, the behavior of the organization towards these aspects in the marketing field, are also identified. References 1) Kotler, P. (1996) ‘The Principles of Marketing’, Second European Edition, Prentice Hall 2) Marketing (2002) : ‘Dont let medias search for a story cloud the business issues.’ Vol 3, p. 16 3) www.hugoboss.com (as viewed on 10/12/07) 4) http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:jwO826q-jWgJ:monikgupta.net/bsc/MarketingReport.pdf+Hugo+Boss+SWOThl=enct=clnkcd=9gl=uk (as viewed on 10/12/07) 5) http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/swot.htm (as viewed on 11/12/07)

NASCAR drivers are true athletes

In the public consciousness, sport is normally associated with human-powered activities like football and basketball, whereas those, engaging with human-assisted activities like racing, are not viewed as true athletes as they allegedly do not need great physical effort to achieve success. This tradition derives from Ancient Rome, whereas the major emphasis was placed upon the activities, which demonstrate the perfection of human body, but in the modern world, due to the arrival of new technological novelties, it would be unwise to limit the list. The present paper presents the reasons for which NASCAR drivers can be categorized as athletes. First of all, it is necessary to provide a definition of a true athlete: athlete is a person who possesses either natural or trained skills, needed to do a particular type of sports on the professional basis, participates in the competitions, observing the rules prescribed,   and is able to use the skills they possess in a beneficial way. Thus, there are several key aspects, which characterize an athlete, so they can be used as categorization criteria. First and foremost, an athlete should engage with a particular type of sports. Thus, it is important to prove that motor racing belongs to the realm of sports; for this purpose, it is necessary to define the term â€Å"sport†. â€Å"Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determined of the outcome (winning or losing), but the term is also used to include activities such as mind sports and motor sports where mental acuity or equipment are major factor† (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport, 2006). Furthermore, true athletes should be skilled enough to engage with a specific type of sports. In the present case, they should have dexterity, good at car driving and have sufficient intellectual abilities and the basic knowledge of the physical laws, which rule the process of driving. Thirdly, the true athlete should be able to use their skills and proficiency in the particular type of sport in the beneficial way, because the utilization of such abilities determines the maintenance of qualification and expertise. Fourthly, the true athlete participates in the contests in their narrow sports sphere, as competition is an opportunity to look critically at oneself and assess one’s own skills in the proper way. As it has been mentioned, the athlete engages with professional sports, which require certain development and adjustment of one’s skills to the requirements of the present day, which could be achieved only through observing peer performance. Finally, the true athlete values competitive spirit and thus observes the major rules that regulate the competition, namely those which determine the fair contest. It is possible to disagree with the aforementioned criteria. For instance, a number of extremely professional athletes, who participate in international competitions, tend to abuse the disciplinary rules and demonstrate aggressive behavior, but in the present case major rules that determine the equality and evenhandedness in the contest are discussed. These rules normally prohibit artificial measures, taken to temporarily increase one’s strength or dexterity. In addition, it is also possible to criticize the criteria that relates to the beneficial use of one’s skills in sports. In fact, the term â€Å"beneficial† doesn’t actually points to making money on the basis of sport activity, in fact, it might include such minor issues as using strength to protect oneself or another person from violent hooligans or utilizing intellectual abilities, developed during the years of chess playing, in mathematics. Finally one might claim that competition is not necessary for self-development as an athlete, as it is possible to hire a very qualified coach and train without engaging into the interactions with other sportspeople, but according to the aforementioned definition, positive and inspired rivalry is a core of all sports and victory is their purpose. Applying the first criterion, it is necessary to state that beyond the traditional sports like tennis and gymnastics, there also exist activities, which need more mental capacities and can be also classified as sports. In addition, the NASCAR refers to the activity it promotes and develops (motor racing) as motor sports, and due to the fact that this association is national, it implies the conventional view on sports, approved by the experts in this sphere. Secondly, NASCAR drivers really possess the necessary skills and abilities – otherwise they wouldn’t have been accepted by the association of the national level. Most of them have been training for many years and using professional race equipment in order to provide continuous growth of their skills. Thirdly, the individuals, participating in NASCAR races, have managed to make the sport bring them money – this way of using the complex of sport skills can be considered beneficial. Nowadays, the NASCAR drivers are amongst the richest athletes in the country. Turning sports into one’s personal profitable work is a true art, so the NASCAR drivers have succeeded in utilizing their unique talent. Fourthly, the NASCAR drivers participate in a variety of races amongst which the NEXTEL Cup, the Busch Series and the Truck Series. In order to have an idea about the level of these competitions, it would be useful to read about the NEXTEL, for instance: â€Å"The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series is the sport’s highest level of professional competition. It is consequently the most popular and most profitable NASCAR series. The 2006 NEXTEL season consisted of 36 races over 10 months, with over $4 million in total prize money at stake at each race† (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASCAR#NEXTEL_Cup, 2007). This mean, the NASCAR drivers belong to the so-called â€Å"high sports†, as they participate in the national competitions. Finally, the NASCAR drivers observe the principles of fair competition. For instance, they â€Å"do not use performance-enhancing drugs† (McCormick, at http://nascar.about.com/od/drivers/a/nascarsteroids.htm, 2007) and tend to support the idea of the spirit of positive rivalry through following the rules of politeness and good tone in the relationships with other participants. Criticizing this argument, one can state that NASCAR races are not actually a sport, but rather a show with minor elements of competition. In this case, the accents are placed inaptly , as these races are a true competition in all aspects, but the modern mass-media have turned into a show, broadcasted by numerous TV-channels. In reality, the NASCAR is interested in maintaining its reputation and thus deals merely with professional sport rather than amateur shows . To sum up, the present paper successfully proves that NASCAR drivers are true athletes, as they meet the aforementioned criteria such as skillfulness, obedience to ethical codes, participation in racing and the corresponding competitions and use of their skills in the beneficial way   The paper thus illustrates that a true athlete should possess not merely skills, but also high intelligence, ability to negotiate and make career in the field of sports as well as satisfactory   inner moral culture. Works cited McCormick, S. â€Å"NASCAR Drivers Don’t Use Performance Enhancing Drugs†. 31 July 2007, Wikipedia. â€Å"NASCAR†. 17 July 2007, Wikipedia. â€Å"Sport†. 4 October 2006,                  

Mathew Restall’s Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest Essay

Mathew Restall’s Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest is a well-written book that serves an important purpose. That purpose being: the debunking of generally accepted falsehoods about the Spanish Conquest beginning in the 15th century. Restall’s book is separated into seven chapters that specifically address general myths most historians and students perceive as basic — universal truths. Restall uses the term â€Å"myth† to describe the inaccurate/fictitious depiction of history â€Å"commonly taken to be true, partially or absolutely.† These â€Å"myths† are the progenitors of unintentionally self-centered perceptions of events historically recorded in subjectivity. The Self-absorption, relating to the over exaggeration and mystification of the Spanish Conquest, germinated over time. Excitements about the â€Å"New World† took Spain by storm and subsequently lead to a heterogeneity of mythical depictions. The chapters of the book discuss seven myths; the myth of exceptional men, the king’s army, the white conquistador, completion, (mis) communication, native desolation, and superiority. Too much credit is given to the men who were apart of the conquest. These men are credited for innovating a unique skill set that allowed them to conquer the natives when in reality, they were merely utilizing strategies and techniques the Spaniards had been using for years in their conflicts in North Africa and other regions. Restall relied heavily on the writings of the conquistadors and natives to determine the truth behind all of the myth and folklore. A common myth is that the conquistadors were sent directly by the king of Spain to conquer the Americas as soldiers but Restall proves this myth to be incorrect based off of the writings of the conquistadors themselves. These men had a variety of â€Å"identities, occupations, and motivations—and were far more interesting than that.â⠂¬  Another common misconception speaks of the exclusivity and efficiency as to which the conquest was achieved. The myth is that the conquistadors conquered the America’s relatively quickly in a sovereign effort but Restall explains that the Spaniards had a lot of help from the Natives and African’s and the â€Å"completion† of conquest was anything but; as mass portions of the land remained unscathed by the conquest. Restall effortlessly explains how the conquistador myths of superior communication between the Spaniards and Natives were just as fabricated as the modern misconception of inferior communication by historians. The communication between the two, or lack thereof, fell somewhere between both myths. Restall uses his concise writing style to explain the resilience of the Natives, debunking the myth of Native desolation and how the myth of superiority derives from Eurocentric beliefs of racial dominance which lead to racist ideologies that â€Å"underpinned colonial expansion from the late fifteenth to early twentieth centuries.† Restall’s work in this book administers a revitalizing dose of truth to historic and modern misconceptions of the Spanish Conquest. The book is not very long but it is written in an entertaining prose that fluidly transitions between concepts. The arguments are solid and detailed making it almost too easy to follow. Restall’s research seemingly taunts historic perspective and makes you question how you could have ever believed the contrary. His clear and concise depiction of events paint an obvious picture of subjectivity on the part of the conquistadors and embellishment on the part of historians. The book challenges all major explanations of the Spanish Conquest and blames them on Eurocentric ideologies that boast racial superiority. It was this racist misconception that lead to an embellishment of circumstances over time. Historians rewrote history in a way that made them look far more superior then that of the Natives but Restall lays those misconceptions to rest. The book focuses on the big ideas that are – and have been – generally accepted as common knowledge, which is a much larger task than tackling ambiguous points that could be argued either way. Although this book isn’t very long, it is a very ambitious and bold correction of facile arguments that have stood the test of time. Restall’s critique and correction of the Spanish Conquest should be read on all levels of education. High school students should read this book as they begin to establish a basic level of understanding of these historical events. College students can use this text to challenge their established beliefs and grow their knowledge of the subject matter by gaining a new and exciting perspective. Teachers and professors can gain to learn more about the subject so that they may foster engaging debates and discussion in class on the course material. While this book challenges the accuracy or lack-thereof, of a specific historical event, it subsequently forces us as student, teachers and historians to view all events in history with a healthy sense of skepticism. Restall’s attempt to debunk common misconceptions or â€Å"myths† was very successful. Overall, his arguments were crisp, concise and convincing. The writing style of Restell made for an especially easy read that was as entertaining as it was informational. The ease at which he navigates through the subject matter makes you question your understanding of all major historical events. Not only should students on all levels who are interested in the subject be required to read this text but their teachers and professors as well. It’s important that teachers and professors make themselves familiar with the historical inaccuracies of this subject so that they won’t make the same mistakes and continue to proliferate the mis-education of the Spanish Conquest.

It s 1542, You, And Your Fair Maiden, Or Shiny Armored...

It’s 1542. You, and your fair maiden, or shiny-armored knight, have been betrothed. Immediately, you begin to contemplate how soon you two should be starting a family. Quickly after your marriage ceremony ends, you give birth to your first baby. However, baby number one passes in his first six months. After a short period of grieving--maybe a week or two--you and your beloved pop another chitlin out. This one seems to be doing okay! It’s been nine months and she hasn’t contracted pneumonia or smallpox yet. Even so, one child is not enough--there are two of you, so, in order to neutralize the population and keep your lineage well established, you must bear at least six or seven children, praying that at least two will survive. Now, it’s 2015. You, and your yellow-sundress-clad girlfriend, or patterned-button-up-wearing boyfriend, have finally been engaged. After marriage, and perhaps a few years of wanderlust, you begin to contemplate how soon you two should be starting a family. But it’s not 1542 anymore. Nowadays, death is an ordeal saved exclusively for the elderly. The world is different. Society is different. The economy is different. And the problems that once were far, far off on the horizon are now here. We are on the horizon we had thought to be so far off. As the population nears its bursting point, all members of society must begin to consider an interesting set of new moral questions. Above all, individuals must discover their role in the perpetuation of our