Bell Hooks’ Notion and Definition of Feminism Essay Example

Bell Hooks’ Notion and Definition of Feminism Essay Samuel Okorie 27 October 2010 Philosophy 110 bell hooks’ notion and definition of feminism In this paper, I will examine and expand on the meaning of feminism as put forth by bell hooks in her book â€Å"Feminism is for everybody: Passionate Politics† and her argument that the definition of feminism and the primary goal of the feminist movement is one and the same: that feminism is a movement to â€Å"end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression† of all women. This is not a critical analysis of the entire book as whole or in sections; instead, it is an argument in support of the meaning of her definition of feminism. Although, she argues that women can be just as sexist as men, however, she asserts that the goal of the feminist movement is to eradicate an institutionalized sexism perpetrated by men against women in our patriarchy society which I fully support. I believe hooks’ definition of feminism enhances her overall argument that the feminist movement cannot be just about women seeking equal rights in race, gender, or class but that feminist principles should include the goal to end sexism in general. She asserts that the goal of the movement is to challenge sexism and patriarchy while still allowing women to recruit and convert men to their feminist beliefs and thinking and to the feminist movement at large. We will write a custom essay sample on Bell Hooks’ Notion and Definition of Feminism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Bell Hooks’ Notion and Definition of Feminism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Bell Hooks’ Notion and Definition of Feminism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Hooks’ definition of feminism is one that could easily be incorporated into the mainstream teachings of feminist politics because it is focused on issues of domination which goes beyond sex and gender. hooks presents a unique view of all forms of domination stemming from a feminist understanding of gender and sexual inequality that can be incorporated into the teachings of social relations between individuals, social structures, and the state. Here are three examples she offers in support of her claim that feminism is a movement to â€Å"end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression† of all women. One example hooks puts forth in support of her claim is for women to challenge sexism and patriarchy by organizing to protect â€Å"Our bodies, Ourselves and Reproductive Rights† and protest against the sexual exploitation of their bodies, a common occurrence during the early part of the feminist movement. She cites examples of women burning their bras in protest at a Miss American pageant. She explains that women’s rights to have a safe contraceptives and legal abortion, the availability of an effective birth control pills and the pain of unwanted pregnancy were front and center at the beginning of the movement and continued throughout its peak years until these goals were achieved. These and other important changes in women’s reproductive rights and health care is part of her goal to redefine feminism as a movement to â€Å"end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression† of all women. Another example hooks puts forth in support of her claim is for women to challenge sexism by embracing the idea of â€Å"beauty within and without. † She argues that women reject the sexist thinking that puts too much emphasis on their appearance in having to wear make-up and fashion accessories just to please men. And instead learn to love their body in its natural state by wearing no make-up, and accept and embrace its natural beauty. She cites an example when many feminist in the early part of the movement stopped wearing uncomfortable high-heeled shoes. These changes led the shoe makers and the industry to adapt and design new low-heeled shoes for women. These and other changes in the fashion industry is part of her goal to redefine feminism as a movement to â€Å"end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression† of all women. Thirdly, hooks put forth the idea that women can be just as sexist as men. She speaks firsthand about the issues in class privilege, gender and race discrimination as she is a woman of color and experienced this discrimination during the peak years of the feminist movement in the ’70s and ’80s. For instance, as with class privilege, she views the formation of large women’s organizations, like NOW ( National Organization for Women) as the beginning of a stage where the feminist movement took on the role of empowering white, middle class women at the expense of women of color and working class women. While the early fight for women’s equality in the workplace was a necessity because women were entering the workforce in greater numbers, the â€Å"ultimate result was the inclusion of privileged white women into a white supremacist, patriarchal hierarchy. hooks argues that the beneficiaries of the feminist movement have by far been white women co-opted by white supremacist, patriarchal capitalism because it is easier to incorporate them into the mainstream American than women of color. However, this is changing too as more women of color are educated and entering the workforce in increasing numbers, these and other changes is part of her goal to redefine feminism as a movement to â€Å"end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression† of all women. Finally, she presents feminist struggle as the struggle against institutionalized sexism and male domination. Whether it is patriarchal violence against women in the home, the imposition of sexual morality upon others, the limitation of women’s ability to control their own bodies, in terms of both general health care and reproductive rights, or the imposition of class, gender and race based exploitation; she presents all of these features of modern society as stemming from sexist notions of domination. While there are some who would disagree with this analysis of the origins of inequality and domination, it is hard to argue against the notion that these forms of domination do not constitute a serious threat to the freedom of all individuals, especially women. Works Cited hooks, bell. Feminism is for everybody: passionate politics. Cambridge, MA: South End Press, 2000. Print.

Hawthorne Dispels Puritan Belief through Destiny essays

Hawthorne Dispels Puritan Belief through Destiny essays Puritan men held dark suspicions of all women as daughters of Eve, hungry for both control and sexual indulgence. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne investigates the nature of sin and criticizes Puritan cruelty and intolerance. Throughout the novel, the scarlet A comes to represent a refusal to accept the Puritan social structure because Hester Prynnes strength, honesty, and compassion carry her through a life she had not imagined. Hester did good womanly deeds, such as needlework around the town, which led people to believe that the scarlet letter represents the word Able rather than adultery. Arthur Dimmesdale died after his confession on the scaffold and Roger Chillingworth died from his own jealousy, but Hester the only character accused of an actual sin, lives on peacefully. Women should be viewed with awe and reverence, just as the scarlet A on Hesters bosom had been described at the end of the novel (Hawthorne 238) The Scarlet Letter dispels the idea of womens sin ful passion and the social and judicial structure of the Puritans (Hawthorne 73). Hester Prynne is guilty of a sin of unrestricted emotion, and therefore Hawthorne allows the scarlet A (a representation of Hesters sin, adultery, put to public humiliation) to change meaning and symbolism through the character Hester (Stubbs). As the story unfolds, Hester steps out of the prison bearing the scarlet A, that she had embroidered herself with gold thread making it look fancy, which intimidated the other women. Although the scarlet A was intended for punishment by the Puritan elders, Hawthorne uses it to show weakness in their social and lawful structure. Since Hesters punishment allowed everyone to know that she was an adulteress, the towns people treated her like a criminal, condemning her for her sin everywhere she went. Hester was forced to l...

The Public Needs to Know Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Public Needs to Know - Essay Example More essentially, health and nutrition is a remarkable topic for children because of their growth. Recently, the school made changes to the breakfast and lunch programs to improve nutrition and health mainly because of its importance to the children`s growth, economic situation, special needs of the children, process and the benefits of the program. The recent economic trends all over the world have not been friendly or up to people`s expectations. The economic recession and downfall has seen many people struggling to provide basic needs for their families while at the same time affording other secondary needs that include leisure activities. Despite the negative economic changes, people must continue living and catering for the basic needs of which education, health and nutrition are included (Marotz, 2011). This means that whatever the case, people must be healthy and take proper nutrition to survive. Despite the economic situation, the school has endeavored to provide a balanced d iet for children so that learning can take place effectively the same way their growth and development can. In this manner therefore, the school decided to change the breakfast and lunch program for the schoolchildren to fit the economic hardship while maintain the health of the children in the best way possible. The expensive foodstuff was reduced by substituting them with foods with the same nutrients but at a lower cost. For example for breakfast, the school substituted manufactured cereals with a muffin and a glass of milk for every child (Dalton, 2005). This was also added with fruits. For lunch, the school substituted processed juices with fruits while maintain the normal diet (Marotz, 2011). Schoolchildren eating a healthy meal In the change of the breakfast and lunch programs, the school took into account the special needs of the children. As it is clear, not all persons take the same type of diet because of bodily issues and medicinal concerns. This program is meant for chi ldren roughly between four years and twelve years. The school put this into consideration and took care of all special needs of the children (Marotz, 2011). The children are at a very delicate but essential part of their lives. This is a special need because their bodies are at growing and development stage. Any interference or inadequate feeding means that their growth and development will be impaired and stunted. Children naturally prefer foods that they enjoy most. Therefore, it is essential to make healthy food choices appealing. Children also imitate their caregivers. Therefore, they require caregivers who act as role models by eating healthy. Children with medical problems were also catered for in the change. This means that the school introduced a wide variety of diet for children because of their special nutritional and developmental needs, which include medicinal and health related issues. This was aimed at helping children grow and develop and at the same time enjoy learni ng (Marotz, 2011). A child eating an excessive fatty food Another most important area that was featured in the recent changes in breakfast and lunch program changes to improve nutrition and health is process (Shilstone, 2009). Process in this case all the considerations that were looked into before the changes were made. For example, the school had to take a survey of the children`s needs, age, health and medicinal requirements before the change was made. For example,

The Big Sleep Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Big Sleep - Movie Review Example The detective is a cynical, smart, professional investigator who mouths witty dialogues and works on cases, on being hired. The man who hires the detective is rather old and fragile in exercising his courage and efforts to put an end to the troublesome threat calls. The old man's daughters are extremely good looking girls, who are thoroughly spoilt and headstrong. There also lies a suspicious side to the older daughter, besides some other dubious characters of the novel. All this constitute the typical characterization based on the Hard-Boiled formula. c. Setting: The setting of the novel is again typically Hard-Boiled. The first few scenes showcase the encounter of the detective with the person who proposes to hire him. This takes place in a rather rich, gloomy huge bungalow, which gives the introductory feeling into the storyline consisting of a mystery and subsequently, a detective solving it. Later, the setting shifts to one oppressive crime scene to another, which mark the collection of clues and solving of the case. "...winding down curved rain swept streets, under the steady drip of trees, past lighted windows in big houses in ghostly enormous grounds, vague clusters of eaves and gables and lighted windows high on the hillside, remote and inaccessible, like witch houses in a forest. I came out at a service station glaring with wasted light, where a bored attendant in a white cap and a dark blue windbreaker sat on a stool, inside the steamed glass, reading a paper... on a night like this you could grow a beard waiting for a taxi." Label the characteristics in the passage. a. The above lines are written in first person, which is a characteristic of the Hard-Boiled formula. b. The detective is the speaker or narrator, here, which again is typical of the Hard-Boiled genre. c. The detailing is rather precise with vivid and picturesque descriptions, following a rhythmic pattern of speech, which is how Hard-Boiled specialist writers write. d. We get an insight into the lighting of the whole setup, which is dark, gloomy with occasional neon lighting. This, again, is a characteristic of the Hard-Boiled formula. e. The last line, "on a night like this you could grow a beard waiting for a taxi." Is rather witty and a wise cracking, which is the characteristic linguistic style used by the characters of the Hard-Boiled fiction formula. Do you think the above passage you've copied is well-written Why or why notPersonally, I feel the above passage is written quite well. It gives the reader very picturesque details and descriptions which helps him/her imagine and follow the occurrences effectively. The fictitious novel is not a visual medium and therefore, descriptions help readers imagine the scene beautifully and the writer has succeeded in this. Following the lines of description, the writer is wise enough to break the monotony

Discrimination Of Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Discrimination Of Women - Essay Example As we all know, global society is divided across many epidemiological variables and out of all these variables â€Å"gender† is the most primary one; as gender and equality have been the subject of many heated debates over the years. There are certain lines that are drawn according to one’s sex and these restrictions are particularly imposed upon women. Women all over the world; be it a developed or a developing country, all women endure the problems of harassment, discrimination and ill-treatment. Discrimination of women surfaces in the society in many forms; however, in the workplace, such occurrences are more ostensible and occur in the form of unequal pay, lower workforce participation, and a major disparity in the access that is given to all the male and female employees in the workforce. The problem has been a scourge and as mentioned earlier, it exists in the facet of the society. There has been numerous where women were subjected to intense discrimination; in many circumstances were looked down upon and deemed inferior to men. The bigotry involved in the view of women is a multifaceted phenomenon and its existence gave birth to the concept of â€Å"feminism† that subsequently led to the birth Women Empowerment movements. Its dynamics and prevalence in the society will be discussed in greater details as the substance of the prose progresses. Sex discrimination is a phenomenon that has been around for ages, as it is stated earlier; women were often deemed as the weaker sex and men were at the forefront all activities. This is also largely due to the fact that since women have ability t procreate, they were required to restrict themselves to domestic chores. This led to widespread domestication of women and they had a very restricted role in the society. This was fundamentally because of the physiological differences between men and women, but there were plenty other factors that contributed to the disparity that will be discussed in greater detail in the following parts. In the past, women were treated as â€Å"articles of trade† and were used to settle disputes between two tribes. There was widespread objectification of women, men viewed them only objects of pleasure and they did not have any real position in the society. Indian societal dynamics epitomizes this aspect of the subject and is perfect to further elab orate and compare the role of women in ancient and contemporary society. In India, female infanticide and sex-selective abortions are highly prevalent. (Weisner, 2001, p. 108) Incidents of female infanticide and feticide are particularly common in the rural India, where people are vastly hardwired to their religious and cultural values that are often considered to be quite misogynistic in their teachings. In India, the birth of a female child is considered a bad omen; an aspect that is similar to the Chinese society as well. However, in case f Indian societies there is an economic reason as well due to the widespread trend of dowries and the high costs that are associated with it have often led to disparity between males and females. Sex selective abortions were so prevalent in the early 70’

Levi Strauss Case Study Marketing Essay

Levi Strauss Case Study Marketing Essay Levi Strauss is the worlds best-known jeans brand, but its hard to see much chance of the company regaining its former glory without a substantial overhaul. Iconic or not, what kind of future lies in store for a company which derives around 85% of its annual revenues from selling pants? And only really two sorts of pants at that, which are also sold by just about every other clothing manufacturer on the planet. Either Levi Strauss needs to diversify substantially, and bolt on other brands or more likely needs to sacrifice its long cherished but out-of-date independence and become part of someone elses larger multi-brand portfolio. These years of struggle against a vast array of competitors have merely added to the gradual erosion of the brand. The development of value line Signature has helped, but despite doubling in size during 2004, its contribution has steadily decreased ever since. In the late 1990s, Levis became a victim of their own success. Too involved in corporate restructuring, the company effectively ignore a seismic shift in the youth market. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Levis 501 jeans had managed to dominate the market for everyday clothing as a result of high quality manufacturing and smart marketing. There were many kinds of jeans, went the general perception, but Levis was the brand to which all others aspired. A brilliant marketing campaign, especially in Europe, reinforced the brands hip status. But in the late 1990s, Levis jeans suddenly became a victim of its own success. They were seen by the new generation of teenagers as the jeans my Dad wears, and that put them completely out of fashion. Fashions in cut came and went but Levis failed to respond, leaving the market wide open for competitors The companys biggest mistake, arguably, was to ignore the baggy cut, which rode in on the back of the mid-1990s grunge movement, and remained the leading fashion style for the rest of that decade. While Levis stuck rigidly with the 16-inch straight-leg cut that appealed to the now ageing market who had rediscovered the brand in the 1980s, even the least hip of US retailers began selling extreme-cut. Millers Outpost, Tommy Jeans, JNCO and even JC Penney and Sears were selling jeans with legs as wide as 23 or 40-inches. The fashion-conscious teenage market began buying their jeans from other manufacturers, while a new breed of retailers, led by The Gap, captured the middle ground. Protecting their premium status, Levis refused to chase the market and strictly adhered to their long-established policy of only selling through specialist outlets and avoiding discount stores including Wal-Mart. Although this held the brands perceived value it also restricted sales to only around half of the US retail market. Worse still, later that decade the market as a whole began moving away from denim altogether as combat and cargo pants became the new fashion Question 2) How could a sensitive and informative Marketing Information System (MIS) have helped Levis to identify these environmental variable and form future strategies ? THE NEED FOR MARKETING SUPPORT In 1986, Levis relaunched the 501 with the Launderette and Bath commercials. The tremendous success of these executions and the campaign that developed from them has been well documented. All of the commercials featured the 501 jean and most stated 501 specifically in the end frame. The advertising success was not restricted to the 501 alone. There was a halo effect on the whole Levis range. But naturally the 501 took on a dominant share of Levis business. This dominance was intended. The 501 was positioned as definitive. It is an anti-fit jean which is right for most people, and, in a sense, 501 for most people took fit out of the purchasing equation. Despite this, there were (and still are) a significant number of people who, for reasons of personal physique or style, did not consider the 501 as the right fit for them. For this significant minority Levis developed a range of other Red Tab fits. The range includes: Historically the strategy had been to sell these non-501 Red Tab fits in-store, via POS and retailer advice. Levis own retailer and consumer research indicated, however, that the non-501 Red Tab fits had been underperforming in the market. There were a number of reasons. l Many consumers were under the impression that Levis was really just about 501. They were unaware of the availability of other Red Tab fits. So if they tried on 501 and were not completely happy, they would try on another brand, rather than another Levis fit. Or if they knew from the start that they wanted a fit other than 501, they would go directly to another brand. 517: Regular Fit 518: Loose Fit 511: Zip Fly 536: Girls Fit l Many retailers were not directing failed 501 traffic onto other Red Tab fits. l Some retailers, in the absence of specific consumer demand for non-501 Red Tab fits, were deciding not to stock these fits at all. The above factors created a problem that reproduced itself Levis was losing out to competitive brands in this significant minority of the premium jeans market. And there was a risk that if no action was taken, the scale of the problem would spiral. Clearly the Red Tab range required marketing support, and advertising was deemed necessary. THE BRIEF We determined that there was a very specific role for advertising: to raise awareness of the multiplicity of Levis Red Tab fits. Advertising should make people understand that if they want something other than 501, it will be there in the store for them. They can discover exactly the right fit in-store. And we drafted a very simple proposition to address this task: Levis Red Tab jeans come in as many different styles as the people that wear them. THE ADVERTISING MINEFIELD This seems relatively straightforward. But in fact, in identifying these as the role for advertising and proposition, we had also identified what advertising could not do or say. Examination of previous competitive advertising relating to product ranges and fits indicated to us a series of problems and misconceptions both strategically and creatively. It was important that we map out for the creative team where these perils and pitfalls lay, in order that they could steer a clear path through the minefield. The 501 issue We were concerned that above-the-line support for fit numbers other than 501 would confuse people and dilute the definitive status of 501. We realised that we could not expect people to memorise a series of fit numbers and their definitions. It had taken a great deal of time and money to establish one fit number in public consciousness. Indeed, we did not want non-501 fit numbers to develop their own identify to the extent that they became sub-brands. The non-501 Red Tab fits could not approach the wealth of heritage and associated imagery commanded by 501. They could not really aspire to being brands in the same sense. More importantly we did not want to compromise in any way the definitive status of 501. Thus we specified in the brief that executions should avoid discussion of or comparison with 501s. Moreover, we determined that we could keep the Red Tab communication separate from 501 communication by adopting an entirely new medium for Levis: posters. More specifically, Adshels offered a street level impact, in keeping with our youthful target and within sight of most retailers. Since advertisings role was not to raise awareness of individual fit numbers, we decided its effectiveness should not be judged by peoples ability to recollect specific numbers, but by their awareness that Levis have a range of Red Tab fits. Range advertising Advertising a range of products is often strategically unsound and creatively uninspiring. People generally do not buy ranges; they buy individual products. A range campaign tends to proclaim the benefits of the range as a whole, or to highlight the differences within the range. But if people are interested in individual products, all they really want to know is what is good about that product. Moreover, a brief for range advertising can often lead to creative cul-de-sacs: a row of products and an invitation to the consumer to make his or her own choice etc. Consequently, although the objective of the advertising was not to establish individual fit identities, we did specify that each execution should feature one fit only and would talk about the benefits of that fit. Across a range of executions we aimed to establish a sense of the multiplicity of the fits, thereby addressing the key objective. Fit adverting Fit messages also pose a strategic and creative challenge. People choose different jeans fits for reasons both of personal physique and current fashion. If advertising addresses one motivation, it struggles to communicate the other. And the more obvious creative solutions tend not to be challenging or motivating. For example, a tight fit can be communicated by showing a thin person and a loose fit by showing a fatter person. But the latter expression clearly does little for loose fit. And what of the people who wear loose fit for style rather than physical reasons? Alternatively, a fit message can be conveyed by showing the overall style or fashion of the wearers of different fits. For example, a punk in tight jeans and a hip-hop fan in loose jeans. But youth fashion cannot easily be compartmentalised into discrete tribes with conveniently different jeans fits. Moreover, young people quite naturally recoil from any cynical attempt by advertisers to mirror their own street-level cultures. And, as with the above, what of the people who do not choose fits for fashion reasons? We concluded that these more literal expressions of fit were not worth exploring and we directed the team to seek out more lateral solutions. THE CREATIVE SOLUTION The creative team, conscious of the objectives of the advertising and the strategic and executional minefields to be avoided, came up with an innovative solution to the brief. They developed a range of executions each employing a black and white still from the respected photographer Bill Brandt to deal with one Red Tab fit message. They did not talk about fit in a literal way. Rather they implied the various fit messages. Moreover the images employed were not completely unrelated to fit. (They were not vegetables or fruit!) Rather all the executions focused on the human form, which is after all the basis of any fit choice. ADVERTISING EFFECT The poster campaign ran nationally for four weeks only in April 1993. Millward Brown tracking showed very high advertising recognition: over 40% of a sample of 17 to 29-year-olds recognised the posters. More importantly, spontaneous and prompted awareness of Red Tab rose from 35% to 45% and from 57% to 75% respectively. The percentage of respondents able to quote any non-501 fit number rose from 50% to 60%. We are unable to divulge actual sales data. SUMMARY The planners role does not only entail pointing the creative team in one particular direction; it can also involve illustrating to them the strategically unsound and creatively fruitless routes. In advertising non-501 Red Tab fits for the first time, Levi Strauss were entering a minefield. By identifying the best role for advertising and mapping out the geography of that minefield, the planner was able to play a part in the development of advertising which maintained Levis best standards of creativity and effectiveness. CREATIVE BRIEF Why are we advertising? To raise awareness of the range of Levis Red Tab jeans by demonstrating that Levis produce different fits to compliment different body shapes and personal styles. Who are we talking to? Boys and girls, 15 to 19 years old. They are aware of Levis advertising and recognise that 501s are the original, definitive jeans. In fact, they may already own a pair of 501s, but find certain aspects of 501s either inconvenient (ie button fly) or uncomfortable. They are at the middle end of the market (early/late adopters) and are often insecure and lack confidence. They therefore need to be reassured that they can buy into the imagery associated with 501s, while having a pair of jeans that fits comfortably and flatters their individual shape. What must the advertising say? Levis Red Tab jeans come in as many different styles as the people who wear them. And why should the consumer believe it? Levis make a range of different fits to suit your shape and tastes. What tone of voice? Confident, classic (ie timeless), cool and sexy. What practical considerations? The campaign must work as both posters and press. The campaign should avoid discussion of, or comparison with, 501s. This is not an opinion leader campaign, and is aimed at a younger, more mass-market consumer. Question 3) Analyse the importance of the various marketing mix elements in the success :failure of Levi, how important is design? Levis share of the denim market plummeted. In 1990, according to Tactical Retail Monitor, more than 48% of men chose Levis as their preferred choice of jeans. By 1998, this had tumbled to 25%, while Lee and Wrangler had risen from 22% to 32%, and private label brands including Gap from 3% to more than 20%. In sales terms the brand slipped from a 30% US market share to 14%. (Upmarket designer labels such as Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein got a great deal of publicity but never achieved more than around 7% of the market). The percentage of teenage boys who thought Levis was a really cool brand had dropped from 21% in 1994 to just 7% by 1998. Levis position has, for the most part stabilised since then, but competition remains intense The Levis brand now houses several sub-brands. Chief amongst these is Levis Red Tab, which includes the legendary 501 button-fly design. (The number 501 was originally the products stock number, first adopted in 1890; the red fabric tab was first used in the back pocket from 1936). Levis Vintage features a broader range of classic retro designs. In pursuit of the youth market, the company has tried to turn back the tide with more extreme cuts, such as Levis Engineered Jeans, introduced in 2000 and supposedly designed ergonomically to fit the bodys contours. Some cuts are even pre-stained with oil. Another stylised new design launched in early 2003 as Levis Type One. These offered exaggerated versions of traditional features such as rivets, stitching and the tab, blown up in size. However sales were slow to take off, especially in the US, despite high profile marketing, including a Super Bowl ad (which the company later claimed admitted was unsatisfactory). They, along with another st ylised line known as Silvertab, were replaced by the Levis Capital E line. Levis ICD, a partnership with Philips to market workwear with integrated electronic devices such as mobile phones, MP3 players etc, was withdrawn in 2002. The group also licenses out the Levis brand to other manufacturers for branded T-shirts and accessories. Combined sales of the core brand improved in 2007, reaching almost $3.2bn. Levis is primarily a menswear brand, with just under three quarters of all pairs sold bought by men. After its many attempts to introduce more stylized or fashion-oriented designs had failed, the company agreed to abandon its premium positioning and chase the mass-market as well. A new design, Levi Strauss Signature, launched in July 2003, initially available exclusively through Wal-Mart. By the end of the year it had become apparent that the new line was the much-needed hit for which the company had been searching. The group rebranded the range as Signature by Levi Strauss, extended distribution to Target Stores and Kmart in 2004, and also introduced the range into selected mass-marketers in Australia (including Coles Myers Target and Kmart), Japan and other Asian markets. It was also launched in the UK (through Asda), France (through Carrefour), Germany (through Wal-Mart) and Switzerland (through Migros), but performed poorly and was withdrawn in 2007. Yet after a strong start, sales of the Signature line have fallen steadily since 2005, declining from a peak of around $410m that year to $260m in 2007. Dockers, first launched in the US in 1986, is the companys khaki-based casualwear line. It was launched as something of a reaction to inroads into the market by Gap and others, serving as a halfway point between jeans and smarter dress pants. Dockers Slates, a sub-brand of dressier and more expensive trousers, was discontinued in 2004. Although it has been generally successful, Dockers remains very much the second string in the groups portfolio behind its jeans line. In 2004, Levi Strauss put the Dockers brand up for sale in order to concentrate on its still struggling core business, but failed to attract a suitable buyer. Sales of the brand were reported at $1bn for 2003, but had fallen to around $775m by 2005, with sales concentrated in the US. Since then it has repositioned itself as a wider casualwear brand, diversifying into shirts, sweaters and blazers, as well as a line of womens clothing. The unit was rewarded with an increase in revenues for 2006, its first for several years . For 2007, it generated sales were around $915m. The group also generates significant income from royalties on Dockers belts, footwear and other accessories manufactured by other companies under license. Levi Strauss has production facilities and customer service centres throughout the world. Until comparatively recently the company maintained a policy of manufacturing its goods in the regions in which they are sold, but rising labour costs and declining sales made this increasingly unfeasible. Production in the US and Europe began to be farmed out to cheaper regions in the late 1990s. Having already closed six of its US factories by 2003, the group announced that the remaining four in North America would also be shuttered by early 2004. The group supplies its products to around 60,000 retail outlets worldwide. It owns and operates around 200 of its own Levis or Dockers branded stores, and franchises around another 1,300. More than half of these stores are located in the Asia Pacific region. Otherwise sales are through department stores and national chains. There are three regional business units: Levi Strauss North America operates local subsidiaries in the US, Canada and Mexico, and accounts for almost 60% of revenues, or $2.5bn in 2007 (compared to a peak of $4.8bn in 1996). Levi Strauss EMEA is the second biggest market, but performance there took longer to recover than in other markets. Sales rose in 2007 for the first time in several years, finally returning above the $1.0bn barrier. Asia Pacific remains the smallest market for now, but has been the companys strongest performing region for several years. Sales rose by a further 6% in 2007 to $805m, with Japan contributing a little under half of all sales. Question 4) As a strategic marketing consultant, advise Levi about what now it should now do ? It is every businesss objective to maximize their profits and lessen their expenses. Levis has invested on one of the most important resource that a company could have its employees. Their corporate strategy has now been aligned with their human resource management which is valuing their employees due to high costs of recruiting and training new staff. It must be noted that losing an employee can be very expensive and high staff turnover can eventually ruin a business. The last thing that businesses need is for its competitors to benefit from the training, knowledge and experience that it has built within its workforce. It is suggested that employers give their people the opportunity to make their own benefits decisions. This way, employees will take a keener interest in their benefits. The traditional company benefits package often has a rigid one size fits all approach; it fails to consider the varying needs of individual employees. In addition, the traditional company benefits package may sometimes be complicated and difficult to manage. Thus, it is greatly recommended that companies like Levi Strauss and Co. implement a flexible benefits package to help reduce costs and provide a greater choice for their workforce. Furthermore, flexible benefits provide additional lifestyle choices along with traditional company benefits such as private healthcare and the company pension scheme which will allow employees to choose the benefits that they want which in turn will motivate them and make them more productive. It is also important that companies like Levi Strauss and Co. consider some of the following pointers: (1) the main goals of the companys employee benefits programme, the last time that the company last reviewed their benefits scheme, steps or initiatives undertaken to ensure that the companys benefits programme underpins their business strategy, knowledge of employees regarding the benefits that the company offers and how they benefits from it, issues like sickness and absence, healthcare and dental care, and (6) the extent of the relevance and significance of the recruitment and key staff in employers business and their industry.

Essay on Voltaires Candide - Voltaires Opposition to Optimism

Voltaire’s Opposition to Optimism in Candide Philosophy is a means by which humans search for a general understanding of the world and its concepts. Through experience, thought, and observation, one can arrive at a conclusion that forms the basis of his ideas. However, if one simply thinks and does not act, this conclusion does not make any significant difference on his life. This is a major point that Voltaire tries to make in Candide. He is trying to change society by demonstrating the absurdity of optimism. Voltaire attacks optimism by pointing out the evils of the world, criticizing actual people and events of the time, and criticizing Pangloss' philosophy. In Candide, Voltaire often criticizes war, denial, and religious views. He opposed violence and this is evident in many situations in Candide. For example, he used the war of the Bulgarians and the Abarians to point out the pointlessness of war. He believed that optimism was unnecessary and unjustified. If this were the best of all possible worlds, war would not have a purpose. Voltaire believed that God created the world and simply left it alone. Therefore, evil is inevitable because human nature leads people to perform evil actions. Voltaire strongly condemns "optimistic theories, for him they deny reality." (Juan Zerolo) Voltaire does not believe that by saying something, it will come true. Therefore, denying the existence of evil is not logical and does not amount to any greater good. Voltaire also denounced other's religious beliefs and intolerance. He criticized the belief that the world is in its best state because a higher being created it from the best of all pos sible worlds. He did not appeal to the corruption of the church, whi... ...g impractical goals on people who have demonstrated that they will never obtain them. This will only end in unhappiness and disappointment. These people have shown that there is a slim chance that their behavior will drastically change to reflect the goals imposed on them. Works Cited and Consulted: Bottiglia, William. "Candide's Garden." Voltaire: A Collection of Critical Essays. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. Frautschi, R.L. Barron's Simplified Approach to Voltaire: Candide. New York: Barron's Educational Series, Inc., 1968. Jonas, Eric, from: http://www.ericjonas.com/ Accessed via the Internet 2/25/03 Kahn, Ludwig W. Voltaire. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1980. Voltaire. Candide. New York: Viking Publishers, 1998. Zerolo,Juan. Voltaire's Candide and the Critics. California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc., 1996.