7 Poor Parking Signs

7 Poor Parking Signs 7 Poor Parking Signs 7 Poor Parking Signs By Mark Nichol I’m inured to ineptly expressed messages on parking signs, but the signage reproduced here prompts a ticketing spree by the spelling police. What, exactly, is a low-emmiting, fuel-efficent vehicle can it park there if it’s magn-efficent? and how do you know whether you have one? This sign should read â€Å"Low-Emitting, Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Parking Only.† Sign makers in the United Kingdom are so polite! They ever so regretful that they must inconvenience you by informing you that this parking area is unsuitable for HGV’s. (In other words – to translate for Americans don’t park your semi here, bub.) That’s a charming sign, but an apostrophe and an s signals possession; an s alone indicates a plural, and that’s what â€Å"HGVs† is. Therefore, the message invites the question, â€Å"Unsuitable for HGV’s what? And who is HGV?† That’s comforting to know that none customers I guess that means â€Å"no customers† will be towed away. (Sometimes, after I dine at a Mexican restaurant, I feel like I need to be towed away or, better yet, hoisted onto a flatbed truck.) Oh, I get it now: noncustomers. What really clinches this failure of a sign is the gratuitous period after away, and the resulting fragment that follows. What’s a privae, and how does one park it (or them, as the Latin plural appendage -ae seems to indicate)? How kind of the sign maker, by the way, to refrain from taking up all that space on the weekends with a fleet of privas. Here, two possessive nouns are rendered erroneously in different ways: They should read Golfers’ and Rafters’ (unless, of course, the sign is targeting a single rafter). Customer’s only what? We expect better of a progressive international grocery store chain. (And â€Å"1 hour parking†? I know that commercial advertising is inimical to hyphenation that is perhaps the most ubiquitous signage error but, really, does Whole Foods Market have to be as careless as every other merchant?) You had to see this one coming: otherwise known as privates parking. (Entrance on Whitley, printing by Witless.) These images are from the websites Apostrophe Abuse, Funny Typos, and The Great Typo Hunt. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Coordinating vs. Subordinating ConjunctionsDifference between "Pressing" and "Ironing"Confusion of Subjective and Objective Pronouns

A Guide to the Origins and Celebration of Kwanzaa

A Guide to the Origins and Celebration of Kwanzaa Unlike Christmas, Ramadan, or Hanukkah, Kwanzaa is unaffiliated with a major religion. One of the newer American holidays, Kwanzaa originated in the turbulent 1960s to instill racial pride and unity in the black community. Now, fully recognized in mainstream America, Kwanzaa is widely celebrated. The U.S. Postal Service debuted its first Kwanzaa stamp in 1997, releasing a second commemorative stamp in 2004. In addition, former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush recognized the day while in office. But Kwanzaa has its share of critics, despite its mainstream status. Are you considering celebrating Kwanzaa this year? Discover the arguments for and against it, whether all blacks (and any non-blacks) celebrate it and the impact of Kwanzaa on American culture. What Is Kwanzaa? Established in 1966 by the African-American professor, activist and author Ron Karenga (or Maulana Karenga), Kwanzaa aims to reconnect black Americans to their African roots and recognize their struggles as a people by building community. It is observed every year between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1. Derived from the Swahili term, â€Å"matunda ya kwanza,† which means â€Å"first-fruits,† Kwanzaa is based on African harvest celebrations such as the seven-day Umkhost of Zululand. According to the official Kwanzaa website, â€Å"Kwanzaa was created out of the philosophy of Kawaida, which is a cultural nationalist philosophy that argues that the key challenge in black people’s [lives] is the challenge of culture, and that what Africans must do is to discover and bring forth the best of their culture, both ancient and current, and use it as a foundation to bring into being models of human excellence and possibilities to enrich and expand our lives.† Just as many African harvest celebrations run for seven days, Kwanzaa has seven principles known as the Nguzo Saba. They are: umoja (unity); kujichagulia (self-determination); ujima (collective work and responsibility); ujamaa (cooperative economics); nia (purpose); kuumba (creativity); and imani (faith). Celebrating Kwanzaa During Kwanzaa celebrations, a mkeka (straw mat) rests on a table covered by kente cloth, or another African fabric. On top of the mkeka sits a kinara (candleholder) in which the mishumaa saba (seven candles) go. The colors of Kwanzaa are black for the people, red for their struggle, and green for the future and hope that comes from their struggle, according to the official Kwanzaa website. Mazao (crops) and the kikombe cha umoja (the unity cup) also sit on the mkeka. The unity cup is used to pour tambiko (libation) in remembrance of ancestors. Lastly, African art objects and books about the life and culture of African people sit on the mat to symbolize commitment to heritage and learning. Do All Blacks Observe Kwanzaa? Although Kwanzaa celebrates African roots and culture, the National Retail Foundation found that just 13 percent of African Americans observe the holiday, or approximately 4.7 million. Some blacks have made a conscious decision to avoid the day because of religious beliefs, the origins of the day and the history of Kwanzaa’s founder (all of which will be covered later). If you’re curious about whether a black person in your life observes Kwanzaa because you want to get him or her a related card, gift, or another item, simply ask. Don’t make assumptions. Can Non-Blacks Celebrate Kwanzaa? While Kwanzaa focuses on the black community and African Diaspora, people from other racial groups may join in the celebration. Just as people from a range of backgrounds partake in cultural celebrations such as Cinco de Mayo, Chinese New Year or Native American powwows, those who aren’t of African descent may celebrate Kwanzaa. As the Kwanzaa Web site explains, â€Å"The principles of Kwanzaa and the message of Kwanzaa has a universal message for all people of good will. It is rooted in African culture, and we speak as Africans must speak, not just to ourselves, but to the world.† New York Times  reporter Sewell Chan grew up celebrating the day. â€Å"As a child growing up in Queens, I remember attending Kwanzaa celebrations at the American Museum of Natural History with relatives and friends who, like me, were Chinese-American,† he  said. â€Å"The holiday seemed fun and inclusive (and, I admit, a bit exotic), and I eagerly committed to memory the Nguzo Saba, or seven principles†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Check local newspaper listings, black churches, cultural centers or museums to find out where to celebrate Kwanzaa in your community. If an acquaintance of yours celebrates Kwanzaa, ask for permission to attend a celebration with her. However, it would be offensive to go as a voyeur who doesn’t care about the day itself but is curious to see what it’s about. Go because you agree with the principles of the day and are committed to implementing them in your own life and community. After all, Kwanzaa is a day of tremendous significance for millions of people. Objections to Kwanzaa Who opposes Kwanzaa? Certain Christian groups who regard the holiday as pagan, individuals who question its authenticity and those who object to founder Ron Karenga’s personal history. A group called the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny (BOND), for one, labeled the holiday as racist and anti-Christian. In an article in the self-avowed right-wing anti-muslim magazine FrontPage, BOND founder the Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson takes issue with the trend of preachers incorporating Kwanzaa into their messages, calling the move â€Å"a horrible mistake† which distances blacks from Christmas. â€Å"First of all, as we’ve seen, the whole holiday is made up,† Peterson argues. â€Å"Christians who celebrate or incorporate Kwanzaa are moving their attention away from Christmas, the birth of our Savior, and the simple message of salvation: love for God through his Son.† The Kwanzaa Web site explains that Kwanzaa isn’t religious or designed to replace religious holidays. â€Å"Africans of all faiths can and do celebrate Kwanzaa, i.e., Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists†¦,† the site says. â€Å"For what Kwanzaa offers is not an alternative to their religion or faith but a common ground of African culture which they all share and cherish.† African Roots? and a Troubled Founder Even those who don’t oppose Kwanzaa on religious grounds may take issue with it because Kwanzaa is not an actual holiday in Africa and, furthermore, the customs founder Ron Karenga based the holiday on roots in Eastern Africa. During the  transatlantic slave trade, however, blacks were taken from Western Africa, meaning that Kwanzaa and its  Swahili  terminology aren’t part of most African Americans’ heritage. Another reason people choose not to observe Kwanzaa is the background of Ron Karenga. In the 1970s, Karenga was  convicted  of felony assault and false imprisonment. Two black women from the Organization Us, a black nationalist group with which he’s still affiliated, were reportedly victimized during the attack. Critics question how Karenga can be an advocate for unity within the black community when he himself was allegedly involved in an attack on black women. Wrapping Up While Kwanzaa and its founder are sometimes subject to criticism, journalists such as Afi-Odelia E. Scruggs celebrate the holiday because they believe in the principles it espouses. In particular, the values Kwanzaa gives to children and to the black community at large are why Scruggs observes the day. Initially, Scruggs thought Kwanzaa was contrived, but seeing its principles at work changed her mind. In a  Washington Post  column, she wrote, â€Å"I’ve seen Kwanzaa’s ethical principles work in many little ways. When I remind the fifth-graders I teach that they aren’t practicing ‘umoja’ when they disturb their friends, they quiet down. †¦When I see neighbors turning vacant lots into community gardens, I’m watching a practical application of both ‘nia’ and ‘kuumba.’† In short, while Kwanzaa has inconsistencies and its founder a troubled history, the holiday aims to unify and uplift those who observe it. Like other holidays, Kwanzaa can be used as a positive force in the community. Some believe this outweighs any concerns about authenticity.

Group Development Application Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Group Development Application Paper - Assignment Example This paper is mainly meant to establish a workable leadership plan that a director can employ in performing his or her duties. The paper puts into consideration works done by other scholars and how some of their ideas can help build the plan in question. The plan will have a structure that will contain the background factors to be considered in making the plan; the leadership style that the plan will capitalize on; the stages of development of the plan and the factors to consider such as the limitations of the plan and the possible critics of the same. As a director of school, one ought to follow some sort of framework or ideologies in order to perform his or her duties satisfactory. It is important that one understand the duties he is expected to perform at his or her position so that he can achieve the goal of the organization that he or she is directing as well as his personal goals. In order to fulfill the duties of school director, a director must be present at the school during most of its operating hours and shall have designated someone with sufficient authority to function as director in his/her absence. This is to say that the director should be able to delegate duties responsibly even when he or she is not in a position to make an appearance at the school (Lawson 3-4). It is therefore important for students interested in venturing into this career setting to come up with an intellectual plan to guide them in leadership and performance of their duties as directors of schools. As a director one ought to come up with a leadership style that suits his or her situation and organization. For instance, the leadership plan in this paper will be structured in a way that it will suit the duties of a director in a school. In order to supervise a school effectively, a direct should take into consideration the following: Be available during the normal operational hours of the school and have

Types of Surveys Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Types of Surveys - Essay Example 32. Dole Pineapple, Inc., is concerned that the 16-ounce can of sliced pineapple is being overfilled. Assume the standard deviation of the process is .03 ounces. The quality control department took a random sample of 50 cans and found that the arithmetic mean weight was 16.05 ounces. At the 5 percent level of significance, can we conclude that the mean weight is greater than 16 ounces? Determine the p-value. 38. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal reported that the 30-year mortgage rate is now less than 6 percent. A sample of eight small banks in the Midwest revealed the following 30-year rates (in percent): As the p – value is greater than 0.01, the null hypothesis can be accepted. Hence it can be concluded that there is no significant difference in the mean number of times men and women take – out dinners in a month. 46. Grand Strand Family Medical Center is specifically set up to treat minor medical emergencies for visitors to the Myrtle Beach area. There are two facilities, one in the Little River Area and the other in Murrells Inlet. The Quality Assurance Department wishes to compare the mean waiting time for patients at the two locations. Samples of the waiting times, reported in minutes, follow: 52. The president of the American Insurance Institute wants to compare the yearly costs of auto insurance offered by two leading companies. He selects a sample of 15 families, some with only a single insured driver, others with several teenage drivers, and pays each family a stipend to contact the two companies and ask for a price quote. To make the data comparable, certain features, such as the deductible amount and limits of liability, are standardized. The sample information is reported below. At the .10 significance level, can we conclude that there is a difference in the amounts quoted? 23. A real estate agent in the coastal area of

Firework by katy perry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Firework by katy perry - Essay Example The song Firework was written by Katy Perry, Ester Dean, Sandy Wilhelm, Tor Hermansen, and Mikkel Eriksen. While this is the case, the song is always assumed to have been written by Katy Perry. The song recorded by Katy Perry was meant to inspire people, especially the youth, to overcome their insecurities and fears (Gundersen par. 5). Perry reminds her audience that within them is a spark that can ignite them and make them shine (AZLyrics.com par. 5). Perry’s personal experiences greatly relate to the song having been brought up in a Christian family. Her mother restricted her from listening to or even singing secular music. She was brought up in an environment that only encouraged gospel music, which in her view was quite restrictive. Perry made several attempts to produce albums that would drive her to fame in vain. She however did not give up, instead choosing to ignite her fireworks until she became famous. Later in life she threw her restrictions and fears to the wind an d has been a great success in the secular music realm, both locally and internationally. She is internationally celebrated as a renowned actress, song writer, and recording artist with many awards to her name. Perry reflects social ideas in that she seeks to empower people to live beyond their common fears and shine. While the song does not respond to a historical movement, it represents the current state of affairs in society – many people struggling with various issues that limit their potential. The audience should know that Perry has struggled to become a success story. The target audience of the text includes all people, the youth especially, who feel like giving up their dreams. The target audience of the text is captured by the words â€Å"Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin; Like a house of cards, one blow from caving in?† (AZLyrics.com par. 1). The text in this regards excludes the audience of people who are feeling good or who

Issues of Mineral Based Economies: Nigeria and Botswana

Issues of Mineral Based Economies: Nigeria and Botswana Why do Mineral-Based Developing Economies Face Economic Problems? The Case Study of Nigeria and Botswana 1. Introduction. Mineral-based economies have been defined as â€Å"those developing countries which generate at least 8 percent of their GDP and 40 percent of their export earnings from the mineral sector†. (Auty, 1993: p. 3). Two main categories of mineral-based economies have been identified. These include hydrocarbon producers and hard mineral exporters (producers of ores such as copper and tin). (Auty, 1993). Although one may reasonably expect developing mineral-based economies to witness tremendous economic development owing to their rich mineral resources, this has hardly been the case. According to Davis (1995: p. 1766) â€Å"mineral-based economies rather have development problems than development advantages†. In addition, Davis (1998) notes that economists and political scientists have recently proposed that mineral economies’ growth is below par, despite the mineral windfalls (rents) generated from mineral extraction. The mineral sector has even been classified as a ‘loser’ sector in the economic development race. (Shafer, 1994) cited by Davis (1998). Citing from a recent World Bank conference on mining and economic development, Davis (1995: p. 1765) states that several invited experts noted with concern the historical poor per capita economic growth of the mineral-exporting nations. In particular, participants from mineral-based developing economies were justly anxious about their fate. (Davis, 1995: p. 1765). In addition to fears of the â€Å"Dutch disease† and the â€Å"resource curse thesis† (explanations of these terms follow in subsequent sections), delegates were also concern about the appropriate policy response measures to these issues. (Davis, 1995). This paper aims at explaining why mineral-based developing economies rather face economic problems rather than economic development as one would expect. In meeting with this objective, the paper makes use of two case studies of mineral-based developing economies which include Nigeria (A hydrocarbon exporter) and Botswana (a hard mineral exporter). The rest of the paper is organized as follows: section two presents a literature review on why mineral-based economies rather face economic problems rather than economic development with particular emphasis on the Dutch Disease and the resource curse thesis; section 3 presents a discussion of the case studies making reference to their GDP growth, export revenue from mineral resources and per capita GDP; and section 4 presents some conclusions and recommendations. 2. Literature Review. Much of the literature has attributed underdevelopment of mineral-based developing economies to the Dutch disease. (Roemer, 1985) cited by Davis (1998) The Dutch disease is defined as a situation where an economy highly dependent on natural resources witnesses a decline in economic development as a result of a depletion of the natural resource or a sudden drop in the price of the resource. (Auty, 1993: p. 3). According to Davis (1995: p. 1768), the Dutch disease is a ‘morbid’ term that denotes the coexistence of booming and lagging sectors in an economy due to temporary or sustained increase in earnings. Mineral economies have been identified to generate an ideal environment for the disease given their notable minerals booming sector. (Davis, 1995). Mineral-based economies are characterized by a booming minerals sector at the expense of the manufacturing and agricultural sectors. (Davis, 1995). Ross (2003) suggests that mineral exports may cause economic volatility, inco me inequality, and crowding out of productivity growth in the manufacturing sector, which effects could increase poverty and reduce social welfare. Cordon and Neary (1982) cited in Auty (2001) explain the role of the Dutch disease on the deterioration of mineral-based economies using a three-sector model composed of a resource sector such as oil or other primary product exporting industry, a sector of tradeables, such as the manufacturing and agricultural sectors and non-tradeables. According to the model, a boom in the resource sector has three effects: a spending effect; a relative price effect and a resource movement effect. Looking at the spending effect, Auty (2001) suggests that the increased export revenues increases the demand for both tradables and non-tradables although spending on tradables fails to raise their domestic prices because prices in an open economy are determined in international markets. Consequently, any excess demand is met by imports. (Auty, 2001). Looking at the relative price effect, Auty (2001) suggests that failure to sterilize the increase in foreign exchange will result to an appreciation of the currency, which will in turn reduce the domestic prices of exports as well as those of imports competing with domestic products. In addition, a currency appreciation will lead to a reduction of the rents of the booming sector but may not be sufficient to reduce the sector’s output. (Auty, 2001). Domestic prices of non-tradables will rise with the rise in demand and these prices will neither be affected by the currency appreciation nor competitive imports. This will therefore result to an increase in the prices of non-tradables relative to the prices of tradables, as well as a reduction in exports and an increase in imports. (Auty, 2001). Macroeconomic theory suggests that the national income of a country is positively related to exports and negatively related to imports. The net increase in imports therefore leads to a reduction in the national income of the mineral-based State, which in turn hurts its economic development. Finally, as concerns the resource movement effect, Auty (2001) suggests that the movement of resources between sectors will also affect capital accumulation. Assuming a relatively labour-intensive non-tradable sector and a capital-intensive tradable sector, the movement in favour of the non-tradable sector will tend to raise wages and lower returns to capital thereby reducing capital accumulation. (Auty, 2001). In addition, assuming manufacturing is favourable to growth and that mineral resource booms cause it to decline, the mineral-based economy could experience slower long-term growth than the case would be if it had no mineral resources. (Auty, 2001). To support this view, Auty (2001) cites a number of studies that argue in favour of the fact that mineral resource booms tend to limit the growth of developing mineral based economies. For example, Matsuyama (1993It has also been sugges ted that mineral windfall facilitate irresponsible fiscal and trade policies. (e.g., Gelb, 1988; Ranis, 1991; Ranis and Mahmood, 1992) cited by Davis (1988). The issue as to why mineral-based economies remain underdeveloped is somehow controversial. (Auty, 2001). On the one hand, Mainstream economists have argued that primary commodity exports are the only way that countries in the early stages of development can generate the foreign exchange necessary to pay for essential imports and to service foreign debt. (Auty, 2001). On the other hand, Structurist economists (e.g., Presbish, 1950) cited by Auty (2001) argued that a long-run decline in prices for primary exports is an inevitable result of the increasing use of synthetics, shrinking raw material content of finished products and low elasticity of demand for raw materials. In addition Auty (2001) argues that oligopolistic markets in developed countries indicated that productivities increases there were captured in the form of higher income by workers and owners, while in the developing countries productivity gains were passed on to (northern) consumers in the form of lower prices. What the structurists economists are saying in effect is that mineral-rich developing countries because they lack the capacity to transform their raw materials into finished products often supply these products to developed or industrialized countries at very low prices. Industrialised countries in turn transform these raw materials into finished products and sell them to developing countries at very high prices, which do not match the prices for which they supplied their raw materials. By so doing mineral-rich developing countries continue to face declining levels of economic developing at the expense of developed countries. This idea is consistent with dependency theory[1]. For example, Presbish (1950) cited by Auty (2001) projected a downward trend in the terms of trade for primary products in relation to manufactured goods imported by developing countries from developed countries. In addition, Abubakar (1989: p. 19) describes Africa as a continent locked in an unequal exchange with t he developed world. Being perhaps the richest continent in the world, Africa has been transformed into undeniably the poorest continent. The following is a quote from Julius Nyerere, a prominent leader in Africa: â€Å"Every morning I listen to the B.B.C. to learn the price of the cotton and coffee with which Tanzania earns its foreign exchange. The prices of tractors and other goods we need to buy are not announced; they are fixed by the manufacturers in the Developed World, and we learn what they are when we go to buy†. (Abubakar, 1989: p. 19) quoting Julius Nyerere. 3. Case Studies of Nigeria and Botswana 3.1 Nigeria Nigeria falls in the first category of mineral-based economies identified by Auty (1993) as hydrocarbon producers. Minerals constitute 62.3% of the country’s merchandise exports and 9.6% of GDP and its mineral dependence index is 36 (the mineral dependence index is defined as the mean percentage contribution of minerals to GDP, merchandise exports, and government revenues). (Davis, 1995) citing Kuburshi (1984); United Nations (1974, 1976, 1987, 1993a, 1993c); World Bank (1993). Nigeria’s mineral dependence index of 36 indicates that it is highly dependent on minerals. This is following from Auty (1993) who considers a mineral dependence index of 20% or more to indicate mineral dependence. Nigeria was ranked 19th among developing countries that depended on minerals in 1970. This was based on the ranking of countries according to mineral dependence index in 1970. Based on 1991 rankings, Nigeria still maintained the 19th position and its minerals as a percentage of merchan dise exports had increased to 86.0 percent, minerals as a percentage of GDP stood at 7.6 percent and its mineral dependence index was 46.8 percent. (Davis, 1995). According to Eifert et al. (2002) oil represents an estimated 37 percent of GDP in Nigeria, and 63 percent of consolidated government revenues. The political economy of Nigeria has had an important role to play on how oil resources are managed in Nigeria. The public sector is the principal controller of these resources, which has fuelled the functioning of an extensive machinery of rent seeking a political patronage. (Eifert et al., 2002). Nigeria is characterised by a fragile ‘political coalition’ of diverse ethnic and religious groups with diverse interests. Eifert et al. (2002) asserts that public expenditures in Nigeria are always ratcheted out of control during oil booms, leading to macroeconomic instability owing to the diverse number of ethnic and religious interests that characterise the country. For e xample Eifert et al. (2002) suggest that an estimated amount of $300billion constituting oil revenues has enriched a small group politically and socially influential elite during the last 2 to 3 decades at the expense of the majority of Nigerians who have become impoverished. This indicates that Nigeria has failed to benefit from a general economic welfare from its oil boom because of the selfish desires of a small political influential minority. This situation is consistent with Gelb (1988); Ranis (1991); Ranis and Mahmood (1992) cited by Davis (1998) who attribute poor economic development of mineral-based developing economies to mineral windfalls’ facilitation of irresponsible fiscal and trade policies. Nigeria’s case is also consistent with Karl (1997); Mahon (1992); and Shafer (1994) cited by Davis (1998) who attribute mineral-based economies’ failure to achieve substantial economic development to the entrenched socio-political rigidity and rent-seeking ass ociated with an extended period of mineral extraction. According to Eifert et al. (2002) Nigeria’s economic growth has been stagnant and it is estimated that its per capita income has fallen from approximately $800 in the early 1980s to approximately $300 as at 2002. Nigeria’s failure to grow can be attributed to its government structure. Throughout the military regime described by Eifert et al. (2002) as a period of military dictatorship, the manner in which the oil cycle was managed was solely determined by the federal executive. Government spending was so high that in 1976 it accounted for more than the entire increase in oil revenue. (Eifert et al., 2002). Nigeria therefore faced rising fiscal and current account deficits following a failure of the 1975 oil price rise to bring the budget back into a surplus. By 1981, Nigeria had accumulated huge amounts of external debt, accompanied by capital flight. (Eifert et al., 2002). Increase government spending therefore fa iled to accelerate growth and there was little evidence of an increase in overall welfare that would have been expected during the sharp real appreciation that followed the spending binge. (Eifert et al., 2002). Eifert et al. (2002) attribute Nigeria’s failure to develop to the fact that its potential gains were rather absorbed in the sharply growing inefficiency of a corrupt and progressively more wasteful and distorted economy. Nigeria has made some efforts to adopt a democratic State but Eifert et al. (2002) conclude that the outcomes in the management of Nigeria’s oil cycle in the new democracy are thus so far not very different from the past pattern. This indicates that Political institutions in Nigeria are therefore shaped by a longer history than the current political regime. There is still an excessive an unsustainable increase in public expenditure, with considerable macroeconomic instability, and little to show in the growth and economic development. (Eifert, 2002). 3.2 Botswana. Botswana was ranked 35th in the mineral dependence index for developing countries in 1970. It had 0 percent for minerals as a percentage of merchandise exports, 19.6 percent for minerals as a percentage of GDP and 9.8 for mineral dependence index. (Davis, 1995). Following the ranking based on the minerals dependence index for developing economies in 1991, Botswana was ranked 8th with an 83.0 percent of minerals as a percentage of merchandise exports. Its minerals as a percentage of GDP had also increased to 41 percent and its mineral dependence index was 62.0. (Davis, 1995). Unlike Nigeria, Botswana falls in the second category of mineral-based economies with diamond, copper, nickel and coal constituting the principal hard minerals that it exported. (Curry, 1985). According to Curry (1985), Botswana, unlike other mineral-based economies in Africa that suffer from economic stagnation and political turmoil, Botswana has recorded an economic growth and political stability as a result of its fortuitous endowment of mineral wealth and sound macroeconomic management. Despite this development, Curry (1985) suggests that this growth strategy has produced underdevelopment and economic stagnation in rural agriculture, as well as increasing economic dependency on the republic of South Africa. Increases in mineral revenue has enriched the elite who have joined white farming families as the country’s large scale cattle owners, purchasing land and cattle from savings of relatively high salaries in the mining and public sectors. This situation has created two factions in Botswana. One rich and the other poor and there is an emerging clash between the rich and the poor that could destabilise and threaten an African success story as described by Curry (1985). In effect, mineral revenue in Botswana while it has helped to fuel economic development is threatening the growth of the agricultural sector and has also helped to widen the gap between the rich and the poor. Botswa na’s case is consistent with the Dutch disease which is consistent with the idea that a boom in one sector threatens a recession of other important sectors of the economy. The boom in the mineral sector has helped to fuel a recession in the agricultural sector in Botswana. 4. Conclusions and Recommendations This paper aimed at studying why mineral-based developing economies have witnessed more of economic problems than economic development. Nigeria’s case indicates that the country has suffered from autocratic and fractional democracies that have resulted to a poor management of the revenues from oil booms. As a consequence, mineral revenue has been spent without any fiscal discipline. This has led to the satisfaction of the desires of an influential minority at the expense of the welfare of the greater majority. Nigeria has basically not witnessed any economic development throughout boom in its oil sector. On its part, Botswana has witnessed growth and development as a result of its mineral resources. However, the boom in the mineral sector is hurting the agricultural sector and the situation has only benefited the rich who are using the mineral revenue to take over all land in Botswana for cattle rearing. Like Nigeria, Botswana’s mineral revenue has to some extent benefi t an influential minority. Based on the above, this paper recommends a more democratic regimes in mineral-based economies as well as an emphasis of the importance of all sectors in the economy. Governments in developing countries need to understand the importance of the manufacturing industry. Nigeria for example should be more concern about building its own oil refineries so as to boost its manufacturing industries. In Botswana, the government should implement high taxes on the rich elite so as to help redistribute the mineral income to the poor. Subsidies should be provided to the poor farmers. By so doing, there can be an equitable distribution of land, which will in turn boost the agricultural sector. Bibliography Abubakar A. (1989). Africa and the Challenge of Development: Acquiescence and Dependency Versus Freedom and Development. Praeger Publishers. New York. Auty R. M. (2001). Sustaining Development in Mineral Economies: The Resource Curse Thesis. Routledge. Auty R. M. (2001). The Underperformance of resource-abundant economies. Resource Abundance and Economic Development. Edited by R.M Auty. UNU/WIDER studies in Development Economics. Oxford. Curry R. L (1985). Mineral-based growth and development-generated socioeconomic problems in Botswana: Rural Inequality, Water scarcity, food insecurity, and foreign dependence challenge governing class. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, vol. 44, No. 3, pp. 319-336. Davis G. A. (1998). The minerals sector, sectoral analysis, and economic development. Resource Policy, vol. 24, No. 4, pp 217-228. Davis G. A. (1995). Learning to Love the Dutch Disease: Evidence from the Mineral Economies. World Development, vol. 23, No. 10, pp. 1765-1779. Eifert B., Gelb A., Tallroth N. B. (2002). The Political Economy of Fiscal Policy and Economic Management in Oil-Exporting Countries. Policy Research Working Paper, No. 2899. The World Bank, Africa Regional Office. Lievesley G. (2003).DependencyThe Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics. Ed. Iain McLean and Alistair McMillan. Oxford University Press, Oxford Reference Online. Tà ©treaul M. A., Abel C. F. (1986). Dependency Theory And The Return Of High Politics. Greenwood Press. New York. Footnotes [1] Dependency theory built upon the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA) which characterized the world as divided into centre (the developed, inudstrialised North) and periphery (the underdeveloped agricultural South). (Tà ©treaul and Abel, 1986; Lievesley, 2003). Dependency theory tries to explain the external mechanisms of control exerted by the centre on the periphery. The centre maintained the periphery in a state of underdevelopment for purposes of super exploitation. (Tà ©treaul and Abel, 1986; Lievesley, 2003). Dependency theory therefore indicates that underdevelopment was not an original or inherent condition, it could rather be explained by the historical relationship between the developed and developing world.

Comparing the Treatment of Women in Hedda Gabbler, A Dolls House and G

Women as Victims in Hedda Gabbler, A Doll's House and Ghosts      Ã‚   In Ibsen's plays - Hedda Gabbler, A Doll's House and Ghosts - the female protagonists of Hedda Gabler, Nora and Mrs. Alving demonstrate how social expectations and restrictions of women impacts the life every woman on a very personal level.      Conservative social and religious leaders imposed women's restricted social roles.   Women had to be married; there was not another socially acceptable option.   After marriage they had to stay with their families and fulfill their social and moral duty regardless of their personal feelings or how their husbands treated them.   Ibsen presents his characters Hedda, Nora and Helene as victims of the patriarchal system of family and marriage that was supported by the church and society in general.   In these plays, Ibsen did not present marriage as a blissful state of love and mutual respect; in the case of Hedda and Mrs. Alving the main objective of marriage was to maintain a socially acceptable image.   In Nora's case her husband was constantly concern about what people might think about their family.   In each play there is an emphasis on the effort of the women to maintain the appearance of happy marriage regardless of how pitiful the actual circumstances might be.   E ventually, each woman becomes aware of her plight and takes a drastic measure to liberate herself - regardless of the personal costs.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although Hedda's personality is much stronger than that of Nora and Mrs. Alving, she also is victimized by the prevailing social norms.   Hedda's fate results from her unconscious decision to be like her father.   Hedda is a woman with masculine view of the world.   Her hobby is to shoot guns which is an... ... Sensational Heroines in Mid-Victorian Society." Thesis. Brigham Young U, 1990. Fjelde, Rolf.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Henrik Ibsen: The Complete Major Prose Plays. 1st. ed. Toronto: McGraw-Hill   Reyerson Ltd. 1978 Hemmer, Bjorn. "The dramatist Henrik Ibsen." http://odin.dep.no/ud/nornytt/ibsen.html Ibsen, Henrik. Four Major Plays: A Doll's House, Ghosts, Hedda Gabler, The Master Builder. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Ibsen, Henrik.   Hedda Gabler.   New York:   Dover, 1990. Lyons, Charles R. Hedda Gabler, Role and World. 1990. Twayne's Masterwork Studies 62. Boston: Twayne, 1991. Mazer, Cary M. "Hedda Gabler." http://www.english.upenn.edu/~cmazer/hedda.html. Salomà ©, Lou. Ibsen's Heroines. Ed. and trans. Siegfried Mandel. Redding Ridge: Black Swan, 1985. Worthen, W.B. Anthology of Drama. New York: Harcourt Brace and Company 1993         

Best Buy Case Study

ESLSCA: GROUP 39D | | | | |Best Buy Co. , Inc. pic] | |Strategic Audit | |August 2012 | | | | | Presented to Dr. Sanya EL Galaly Table of Contents About Best Buy Co. , Inc4 Best Buy’s History4 1. Current Situation5 A. Current Performance5 B. Strategic Posture5 . Mission5 2. Objectives5 3. Strategies5 4. Policies6 II. Strategic Managers6 A. Board Members6 B. Top Management7 III. Market Overview7 IV. External Environment8 2. Natural Environment8 2. Social Environment8 2. 1. Economic8 2. 2. Technological8 2. 3. Political–Legal8 2. 4. Sociocultural8 3. Task Environment9 V. Internal Environment9 1. Corporate Structure9 2. Corporate Culture9 3. Corporate Resources9 3. 1. Marketing9 3. 2. Finance9 3. 3. R&D10 3. 4. Operations10 3. 5. Human Resources10 3. 6. Information Systems10 VI. Analysis of Strategic Factors10 . Situational Analysis (SWOT) (SFAS Matrix; see Exhibit 3)11 1. 1. Situational Analysis11 1. 1. 1. Summary of Internal Factors11 1. 1. 2. Summary of External Fact ors11 1. 1. 3. Review of Mission and Objectives11 VII. Strategic Alternatives and Recommended Strategy12 1. Corporate Strategy12 2. 1. Growth Strategy12 2. 2. Stability Strategy13 2. 3. Retrenchment Strategy13 3. Business Strategy13 3. 1. Cost Leadership Strategy13 3. 2. Differentiation Strategy14 4. Financial Positions14 4. 1. Best Buy Income Statement as of 2009-201214 4. 2.Best Buy Balance Sheet as of 2009-201211 4. 3. Cash Flow Statement for period ended in 2011-201212 B. Recommended Strategy14 VIII. Implementation14 IX. Evaluation and Control14 X. List of Tables15 Exhibit #1 Ratio Analysis Table15 Exhibit #2 IFAS16 Exhibit #3: EFAS17 Exhibit #4: SFAS18 Exhibit #5: TWOS Matrix19 Exhibit #6 IFinancial Position Documents20 About Best Buy Co. , Inc. Best Buy Co. , Inc. (NYSE:BBY) Headquartered IN Richfield, Minnesota, is a leading multi-channel global retailer and developer of technology products and services. 1,100 stores in U.S (21% Market Share), also operated over 2,800 stores global (Canada, Mexico, China and Turkey), 170,000 employees whom are committed to helping deliver the technology solutions that enable easy access to people, knowledge, ideas and fun. The company’s subsidiaries such Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video, and Pacific Sales, and operated under both name Best Buy & Future Shop labels In CANADA People at BB are aware of their role and impact on the world, and are committed to developing and implementing business strategies that bring sustainable technology solutions to consumers and communities.For information about Best Buy, visit www. bby. com and to shop at Best Buy, visit www. bestbuy. com. Best Buy’s History: In 1966 Best Buy incorporated with original name as Sound of music, the company started as a retailer of audio components and expanded to retailing video products in the early 1980s with the introduction of the videocassette recorder to its product line. In 1983 Best Buy name has been changed to Best Buy Co. Inc. (Be st Buy). Shortly thereafter, Best Buy began operating its existing stores under a â€Å"superstore† concept by expanding product offerings and using mass marketing techniques to promote those products.Since 1989 the company altered the function of sales staff structure (policy) dramatically to be transformed from commission basis oriented to be educators and customer assist oriented. Simply sales mission was to generate sales but now changed to answer customer’s question to help for decide which product fit for their needs. In 2000 the company step up to Market space by launched: BestBuy. com (online retail store), which is very important for BB’s customers thus expanding among them to access to store easily without physical visit. I.Current Situation: A. Current performance Volatility of financial position, declining in company’s income compared with last fiscal year, increasing debts as well as operating costs ? Facing increased fears competition ? Rais ing in operational costs and increasing in debt & reducing liquidity of cash. ? Adverse economic climate and financial stress (declining in net income) B. Strategic Posture Mission ? To make technology deliver on its promises to customer ? Keeping customers centered in technological changes â€Å"To make life fun and easy†. To improve customer’s awareness of their needs. Objective ? The top objective of company were sustained growth and earnings (growth oriented) ? Differentiation in retail industry by present unique product & service that customer never get before. ? Keeping cost down without sacrificing customer experience given by Best Buy. Strategies ? Developed in 1966 as (a low price strategy) and moved to be service-oriented firm (differentiation strategy) in 1989. ? Global & national growth through acquisition and alliance with Car phone Warehouse Group, UK. Use its economies scale with over 1,000 locations to obtain cost advantage from suppliers due to high qu antity of orders, also increase its Advertising budget for massive campaigns In order to cove over entry market barriers. ? Having multiple brands for different customer lifestyles through M&A merge and Acquisition. ? Providing customers with highly trained sales associates who available to educate customers regarding product features. ? Construct a diversified portfolio of product offerings by building a significant customer data-base (Customer centricity model) Policies Growth oriented by expansion vertically & horizontally. ? Cost reduction is very important (restructure commission sales scheme, shipping the correct inventory to the correct locations). ? Training & educate employees regularly, promotion from within at all levels. ? Rapidly response to external change. II. Strategic Mangers A. Board Of Directors ? Sixteen members –three are outsider. ? Chairman and founder (Richard M. Schulze), his beneficial ownership of 17. 1 % ? Brian Dunn as Previous CEO, Currently (Mik e Mikan) as Interim CEO of Best Buy, who has been Director since 2008. All directors and executive officers as a group, and each person we know who beneficially owns more than 5% of the outstanding shares of Best Buy common stock. [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] Richard Shultze Mike Mikan Shari Ballard Jim Muehlbauer Carol Surface Founder, Chairman Interim CEO President International CFO VP, Chief HR & Enterprise EVP B. Top Management The two former CEO’s was Richar Shultze and Brad Anderson, but recently Brad stepping down, Brian Dunn replaced, and now replaced with Interim CEO. ? June 7, 2012  Ã¢â‚¬â€ The board of directors of Best Buy Co. , Inc. (NYSE:BBY) today announced the appointment of Hatim A. Tyabji as chairman of the Company, effective immediately. Mr. Tyabji, currently Chairman of the Audit Committee, has served as a director since 1998. ? Top managers are recently promoted internally and externally hired ? Top Mangers whom : Richard Shultze: Founder & Chairman. G. Mike Mikan : Interim CEOShari Ballard : President, International and Enterprise EVP. Jim Muehlbauer: Executive VP. And CFO. ? Top management members are very experienced in Industry III. Market Overview The Best Buy family of brands and partnerships collectively generates more than $49 billion in annual revenue and includes brands such as †¢ Best Buy; †¢ Best Buy Mobile; †¢ Audio visions; †¢ The Carphone Warehouse; †¢ Future Shop; †¢ Geek Squad; †¢ Jiangsu Five Star; †¢ Magnolia Audio Video; †¢ Napster; †¢ Pacific Sales; and The Phone House. Community partnership is central to the way Best Buy does business.In fiscal 2010, the company donated a combined $25. 2 million to improve the vitality of the communities where best Buy employees and customers live and work. Strategic priorities focus on growth opportunities, operations, and improved international returns. IV. External Environment (EFAS TABLE; see Exhibit 1) Natural Environme nt 1. Global warming that increasing by emissions of technology usage. (T) 2. Energy availability a growing problem. (T) Societal Environment 1. Economic a. Unstable economy (stumble) along with eliminate of consumer expends. (T) b.Individual economies becoming interconnected into a world economy. (O) c. Financial crisis that hit EU, might be essential reason to eliminate the Investment in Euro zone. (T) 2. Technological a. IT & communication revolution. (O) b. Entering computerization at all fields such â€Å"Manufacturing, business, Agriculture,†¦etc. † (O) c. Trend of social media online & digital marketing. (O) 3. Political-Legal a. NAFTA, EFTA, and other agreements between countries to free trading cycle are opening doors to penetrate markets in Latin America and other emerging markets. (O) b.Regulations of Federal Reserve Bank that effect on retail sector's credit systems. (T) c. Environmentalism being reflected in Laws on pollution and energy usage. (T) 4. Socio C ultural a. Decreasing of unemployment rate which is indicator of increasing of families income then Expands rate. (O) b. Transforming in purchasing behavior from market place to market space. (T) c. Trend of using digital devises rather than paper & blocks for daily functions such â€Å"news, reading books, schedule organizer,†¦etc†. (O) d. Trend to value for money as a concept of consumers behavior. (T) Task Environment 1.North American market mature and extremely competitive—vigilant consumers demand high quality with low price in safe, environmentally sound products. (T) 2. Industry going global as North American and European firms expands internationally. (T) 3. Rivalry High. GameStop Corp, Amazon. com, Wal-Mart expanding into consumer electronics and stepping price competition†¦ (T) 4. Buyers’ Power Law. Technology and materials can be sourced worldwide. (O) 5. Power of Other Stakeholders Medium. Quality, safety, environmental regulations increasi ng. (T) 6. Entry Barriers High. New entrants unlikely except for large international firms. T) V. Internal Environment (IFAS Table; See Exhibit 2) (IFAS Table; See Exhibit 2) A. Corporate Structure 1. Good Domestic Management through separating the Market into Eight territories each is Divided into Districts (S) 2. Best Buy had an international operation Segment (S) B. Corporate Culture 1. Every employee must have the company’s vision embedded in their service and attitude (S) 2. Best Buy had a reputation for retaining talent and was widely recognized for its superior service (S) C. Corporate Resources 1. Marketing a. Using Customer Centricity Model to market various products (S) b.Supply products that address the needs of Customer (S) c. Meet Customer Needs through End to end Solutions (S) d. More training to BestBuy Employees help it supply customer with Knowledge service which is A Value added Service (S) 2. Finance (See Exhibits 4 and 5 â€Å"Ratios & cash flows† ) a. Increase in Long Term Debt from fiscal 2008 to 2009 (W) b. After the Acquisition of Napster and BestBuy Europe Decrease in Available Cash in 2009 (W) c. Increase in Company Total Assets and Revenues due to Successful Acquisitions (S) d.Declining in the Net Income and operating Margin (W) e. The Risk of Having Bad Debts Due to increase in inventory and increase of Revenues However it’s not matching the Big increase in Account receivable (W) 3. R a. Best Buy is Willing to participate in tests of New products (with limited cost to company) (W) 4. Operations a. Increasing Revenues By growing its Customer Base and Increasing its market share Internationally (S) b. Good Domestic Management through separating the Market into Eight territories each is Divided into Districts (S) c.Best Buy had an international operation Segment (S) 5. Human Resources a. Main Objective is supplying the customer with the right knowledge of products and services (S) b. Changing the compensation struc ture into non-commissioned-based (S) c. Claims that Best Buy employees misrepresented the Manufacture warranty in order to sell its own product service and replacement plan (W) d. Best Buy had undisclosed â€Å"Anti-price matching policy† (W) 6. Information Systems a. Consolidate Data from Retialers , Act as a clearing house for info and results.Communicate the common needs and encourage innovation (S) VI. Analysis of Strategic Factors Situational Analysis (SWOT) (SFAS Matrix; see Exhibit 3) 1. Strengths. †¢ Company Image and Profile †¢ Sales Stuff Policy †¢ Strong financial Position †¢ Customer Centricity Model †¢ Diversified portfolio in Global Markets †¢ Good Horizontal Integration †¢ Talent management †¢ Good Domestic management †¢ Successful Acquisitions †¢ Credit payment policy †¢ Value Added Services 2. Weaknesses †¢ Market Space Sales †¢ Pricing Policy †¢ Assets Management †¢ Operational Cost à ¢â‚¬ ¢ Increase in LTD and Debt Management Fluctuating Leadership 3. Opportunities †¢ Potential market of Medical Portable Devices †¢ Gaming Segment growth and Smart Phones †¢ Technology Revolution †¢ Bankruptcy of Circuit City †¢ Expansion of Global Market place 4. Threats †¢ Regulations of Federal Reserve Bank †¢ Economic Down turn †¢ Decreasing the entry barrier †¢ Online Competitor †¢ Price War with Wal-Mart †¢ Wal-Mart Deal with Nintendo and Apple †¢ Strong penetration Of Competitor Review of Current Mission and Objectives 1. Bad financial position according to last 2 years. 2. Facing a fierce competition and new challenge expected. VI.Strategic Alternatives and Recommended Strategy: Strategic Alternatives. Corporate Strategy 1. Growth Strategy †¢ Growth vertically through open new stores across U. S to fill gap in fierce competition. Pros: come over competitors expansion’s strategy Cons: Cash Liquidity Iss ues. †¢ Continuing of global expansions, and focus on emerged & untapped markets. Pros: supporting of Best Buy’s overseas position to be Leader in this Marekts. Cons: domestic regulations in foreign countries and security. †¢ Horizontal integration by joint venture with new suppliers. Pros: more control on operational costCons: Management issue, and conflictions. 2. Stability Strategy †¢ Hold acquisitions in Euro zone according to economic crisis, and in Canada as well. Pros: saving more capital & cost to be invested in North America and other virgin markets. Cons: allow to competitors to raising their market share in such left market. 3. Retrenchment Strategy †¢ Develop downsizing policy in costly labor markets such (Europe). Pros: Divesting BBY improves bottom line and focus ME & Asia Markets. Cons: loosing Europe’s market share. †¢ Decreasing some of discretionary expenses in such (Advertising ) in one or two of states that saturated.Pros: s aving a lot of regular cost to be invested in domestic expansion. Cons: risk of loose customer’s positioning by time. Business Strategy 1. Differentiation Strategy †¢ Develop trade-off strategy that allow Best Buy’s customers to replace their own devices by new technology devices in justified prices. Pros: another source of money that generate liquidity for company Cons: adding operational cost line 2. Alliance strategy Build a solid strategic Alliance with a reliable brand in market space that has urgently need to access to retail market. (Win/Win) Pros: Access to know-how of online market.Cons: reveal of operations and management techniques. RECOMMENDED STRATGIES 1. Growth Strategy †¢ Growth vertically through open new stores across U. S to fill gap in fierce competition. Pros: come over competitors expansion’s strategy Cons: Cash Liquidity Issues. †¢ Continuing of global expansions, and focus on emerged & untapped markets. Pros: supporting of B est Buy’s overseas position to be Leader in this Marekts. Cons: domestic regulations in foreign countries and security. †¢ Horizontal integration by joint venture with new suppliers. Pros: more control on operational cost Cons: Management issue, and conflictions. . Differentiation Strategy †¢ Develop trade-off strategy that allow Best Buy’s customers to replace their own devices by new technology devices in justified prices. Pros: another source of money that generate liquidity for company Cons: adding operational cost line. VII. Implementation: †¢ As the recommended strategies is growth strategy so business development dept. should select strategic locations across U. S that include high traffic . †¢ The operations and mainly the supply chain department must do their best for getting best prices and cutting operations cost. Maintain the current global expansion plan and build solid studies for emerging markets and developing countries customer†™s culture there. †¢ Developing more powerful CRM application and POS systems to recognize customers data. XI. Evaluation and Control: †¢ involving the top managers, key persons and employees in operations efficiency programs †¢ Monitoring the performance regularly especially after new application applied. †¢ Follow up the plan of domestic operations that related to supplier. Exhibit 1 E F A S Exhibit 2 I F A S Exhibit 3 S F A S Exhibit 4 | |BEST BUY CO. , INC. | |CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET | |($ in millions, except per share amounts) | | | | | | | | | | | |  |February  28, |  |  | | | |2009 | | | |  | Assets |  |   |   |  |  | |Current Assets |  |   |   |  |  | |   |C|   |$|4| | |a| | |9| | |s| | |8| | |h| | | | | |a| | | | | |n| | | | | |d| | | | | |c| | | | | |a| | | | | |s| | | | | |h| | | | | |e| | | | | |q| | | | | |u| | | | | |i| | | | | |v| | | | | |a| | | | | |l| | | | | |e| | | | | n| | | | | |t| | | | | |s| | | | |   |  |To|   |  |8| | | |ta| | |,| | | |l | | |1| | | |cu| | |9| | | |rr| | |2| | | |en| | | | | | |t | | | | | | |as| | | | | | |se| | | | | | |ts| | | | |   |L|   |  |7| | |a| | |5| | |n| | |5| | |d| | | | | |a| | | | | |n| | | | | |d| | | | | |b| | | | | |u| | | | | |i| | | | | |l| | | | | |d| | | | | i| | | | | |n| | | | | |g| | | | | |s| | | | | |  |   |6,940 |  |  | |   |L|   |  |2| | |e| | |,| | |s| | |7| | |s| | |6| | |a| | |6| | |c| | | | | |c| | | | | |u| | | | | |m| | | | | |u| | | | | |l| | | | | |a| | | | | |t| | | | | |e| | | | | |d| | | | | |d| | | | | |e| | | | | |p| | | | | |r| | | | | e| | | | | |c| | | | | |i| | | | | |a| | | | | |t| | | | | |i| | | | | |o| | | | | |n| | | | |   |  |Ne|   |  |4| | | |t | | |,| | | |pr| | |1| | | |op| | |7| | | |er| | |4| | | |ty| | | | | | |an| | | | | | |d | | | | | | |eq| | | | | | |ui| | | | | | |pm| | | | | | |en| | | | | | |t | | | | |Tradenames |  |   |173 |  |  | |Customer Relationships |  |   |322 |  |  | |Equity and Other Investments |  |   |395 |  |  | |Other Assets   |   |367 |  |  | |   |  |   |  |  | |Total Assets |  |$ |15,826 |  |  | |   |  |   |  |  | |Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity |  |   |   |  |  | |Current Liabilities |  |   |   |  |  | |   |A|   |$|4| | |c| | |,| | |c| | |9| | |o| | |9| | |u| | |7| | |n| | | | | |t| | | | | |s| | | | | |p| | | | | |a| | | | | |y| | | | | |a| | | | | |b| | | | | |l| | | | | |e| | | | |   |  |To|   |  |8| | | |ta| | |,| | | |l | | |4| | | |cu| |3| | | |rr| | |5| | | |en| | | | | | |t | | | | | | |li| | | | | | |ab| | | | | | |il| | | | | | |it| | | | | | |ie| | | | | | |s | | | | |Long-Term Debt |  |   |1,126 |  |  | |Minority Interests |  |   |513 |  |  | |Shareholders' Equity |  |   |   |  |  | |   |P |   |  |—| | |r| | | | | |e| | | | | |f| | | | | |e| | | | | |r| | | | | |r| | | | | |e| | | | | |d| | | | | |s| | | | | |t| | | | | |o| | | | | |c| | | | | |k| | | | | |,| | | | | |$| | | | | |1| | | | | |. | | | | |0| | | | | |0| | | | | |p| | | | | |a| | | | | |r| | | | | |v| | | | | |a| | | | | |l| | | | | |u| | | | | |e| | | | | |:| | | | | |A| | | | | |u| | | | | |t| | | | | |h| | | | | |o| | | | | |r| | | | | |i| | | | | |z| | | | |e| | | | | |d| | | | | |  | | | | | |—| | | | | |4| | | | | |0| | | | | |0| | | | | |,| | | | | |0| | | | | |0| | | | | |0| | | | | |s| | | | | |h| | | | | |a| | | | | |r| | | | | |e| | | | | |s| | | | | |;| | | | | |I| | | | | |s| | | | | |s| | | | | |u| | | | | |e| | | | | |d| | | | | a| | | | | |n| | | | | |d| | | | | |o| | | | | |u| | | | | |t| | | | | |s| | | | | |t| | | | | |a| | | | | |n| | | | | |d| | | | | |i| | | | | |n| | | | | |g| | | | | |  | | | | | |—| | | | | |n| | | | | |o| | | | | |n| | | | | |e| | | | |   |  |Total shareholders' |  |  | | | |equity | | | |Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity |  |$ |15,826 |  |  | |   |  |   |  |  | BEST BUY CO. ,  INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS ($  in millions) (Unaudited and subject to reclassification)    | |CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS | |($ in millions) | |(Unaudited and subject to reclassification) | | | | | | | | | | |Mar. 3, 2012 | |Feb. 6, 2011 | |ASSETS | | | | |Current assets | | | | |Cash and cash equivalents |  $            1,199 | |  $            1,103 | |Short-term investments |                           -| |                          22 | | |   | | | |Receivables |                 2,359 | |                 2,348 | |Merchandise inventories |                 5,731 | |                 5,897 | |Other current assets |                  1,079 | |                 1,103 | |Total current assets |              10,368 | |              10,473 | |Net property & equipment |                 3,471 | |                 3,823 | |Goodwill |                 1,335 | |                 2,454 | |Tradenames |                       130 | |                       133 | |Customer relationships | 29 | |                       203 | |Equity and other investments |                       140 | |                       328 | |Other assets |                       403 | |                       435 | |TOTAL ASSETS |  $         16,076 | |  $         17,849 | | | | | | |LIABILITIES & EQUITY | | | | |Current liabilities | | | | |Accounts payable |  $            5,435 | |  $            4,894 | |Accr ued liabilities |                 2,968 | |                 2,771 | |Short-term debt |                       480 | |                       557 | |Current portion of long-term debt |                          43| |                       441 | |Total current liabilities |                 8,926 | |                 8,663 | |Long-term liabilities |                 1,099 | |                 1,183 | |Long-term debt |                 1,685 | |                       711 | |Equity |                 4,366 | |                 7,292 | |TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY |  $         16,076 | |  $         17,849 | | | |BEST BUY CO. , INC. | |CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS | |($ in millions, except per share amounts) | |   |  | | | | | |Feb. 8, | | | | | |2009 | | |Revenue | | |$ |4 5,015 | | |Cost of goods sold | | |34,017 | | |Gross profit | | |10,998 | | |Gross profit % | | |24. 4% | | |Selling, general and administrative expenses | | |8,984 | | |SG % | | |20. 0% | | |Restructuring charges | | |78 | | |Goodwill and tradename impairment | | |66 | | |Operating income | | |1,870 | | |Operating income % | | |4. % | | |Other income (expense) | | | | | |Investment income and other | | |35 | | |Investment impairment | | |(111 |)| |Interest expense | |)|(94 |)| |Earnings before income tax expense and minority interests | | |1,700 | | |Income tax expense | | |674 | | |Effective tax rate | | |39. % | | |Minority interests | | |(30 |)| |Equity in earnings (loss) of affiliates | | |7 | | |Net earnings | | |$ |1,003 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Earnings per share | | | | | |Basic | | |$ |2. 43 | | |Diluted(1) | | |$ |2. 39 | | | | | | | | |Dividends declared per common share | | |$ |0. 4 | | | | | | | | |Weighted average common shares outstanding (in millions) | | | | | |   | | | | | |Basic | | |412. 5 | | |Diluted(1) | | |422. 9 | | |BEST BUY CO. , INC. | |CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS | |($ in millions, except per share amounts) | | | | | | | |Feb. 7, | | | | |2010 | |Revenue | | |$ |49,694 | | |Cost of goods sold: | | | | |Cost of goods sold | | |37,534 | | |Restructuring charges – cost of goods sold | | |— | | |Total cost of goods sold | | |37,534 | | |Gross profit | | |12,160 | | |Gross profit % | | | 24. 5 |% | |Selling, general and administrative expenses | | |9,873 | | |SG&A % | | |19. 9 |% | |Restructuring charges | | |52 | | |Operating income | | |2,235 | | |Operating income % | | |4. |% | |Other income (expense) | | | | |Investment income and other | | |54 | | |Interest expense | | |(94 |) | |Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates | | |2,195 | | |Income tax expense | | |802 | | |Effective tax rate | | |36. 5 |% | |Equity in earnings of affiliates | | |1 | | |Net earnings including noncontrolling interests | | |1,394 | | |Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests | | |(77 |) | |Net earnings attributable to Best Buy Co. , Inc. | |$ |1,317 | | | | | | | | | | | | |Earnings per share attributable to Best Buy Co. , Inc. | | | | |Basic | | |$ |3. 16 | | |Diluted(1) | | |$ |3. 10 | | | | | | | |BEST BUY CO. , INC. | |CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS |($ in millions, except per share amounts) | |(Unaudited and subject to reclassification) | | | | | | | | | | | | |Twelve Months Ended | | | | |Mar. 3, | |Feb. 26, | | | | |2012 | |2011 | | |Revenue | |  $ 50,705 | |$49,747 | | |Cost of goods sold | |38,113 | |37,197 | | |Restructuring charges – cost of goods sold | |                 19 | |                 9 | | |Gross profit (24. 8%, 25. 25. %) | |     12,573 | |  12,541 | | |Selling, G&A expenses | |  Ã‚  10,242 | |10,029 | | |Goodwill impairment | |1,207 | |  Ã¢â‚¬â€ | | |Restruc turing charges | |                 39 | |           138 | | |Operating income | |        1,085 | |      2,374 | | |Other income (expense): | | | | | | |Gain on sale of investments | |                 55 | |  Ã¢â‚¬â€ | | |Investment income and other | |                 37 | |              43 | | |Interest expense | |         (134) | |           (86) | | |Earnings from continuing operations before income tax    | |        1,043 | |      2,331 | | |expense and equity in (loss) earnings of affiliates | | | | | | |Income tax expense | |            709 | |           779 | | |Effective tax rate | |68. 0% | |33. 4% | | |Equity in (loss) earnings of affiliates | |               (4) |                 2 | | |Net (loss) earnings from continuing operations | |            330 | |      1,554 | | |Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax | |         (308) | |        (188) | | |Net (loss) earnings including noncontrolling interest | |               22 | |      1,366 | | |Net earnings from continuing operations attributable to | |     (1,387) | |        (127) | | |noncontrolling interests | | | | | | |Net loss from discontinued operations attributable to | |            134 | |              38 | | |noncontrolling interests | | | | | | |Net (loss) earnings attributable to Best Buy Co. , Inc. | |  $(1,231) | |  $ 1,277 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Continuing operations | |  $   (2. 89) | |  $    3. 51 | | |Discontinued operations | |  $   (0. 47) | |  $ (0. 37) | | |Basic (loss) earnings per share | |  $   (3. 36) | |  $    3. 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Continuing operations | |  $   (2. 89) | |  $    3. 44 | | |Discontinued operations | |  $   (0. 47) | |  $ (0. 36) | | |Diluted (loss) earnings per share | |  $   (3. 36) | |  $    3. 08 | | | | | | | | | |Dividends declared per Best Buy Co. , Inc. common share | |  $       0. 2 | |  $    0. 58 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Basic | |        366. 3 | |      406. 1 | | |Diluted | |        366. 3 | |      416. 5 | | |F|   | |e| | |b| | |r| | |u| | |Febru |   | |BEST BUY CO. INC | |CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS | |($ in millions) | |(Unaudited and subject to reclassification) | | | | | | | | | |Twelve Months Ended | | | |Mar. 3,   | |Feb. 6,   | | | |2012 | |2011 | |OPERATING ACTIVITIES | | | | | |Net earnings including noncontrolling interests | |  $                  22 | |  $             1,366 | |Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to total cash provided by| | | | | |operating activities: | | | | | |Depreciation and amortization of definite-lived intangible | | 45 | |                     978 | |assets    | | | | | |Goodwill impairment | |               1,207 | |  Ã¢â‚¬â€ | |Realized gain on sale of investments | |                    (55) | |  Ã¢â‚¬â€ | |Other, net    | |                    462 | |                     209 | |Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquired | | | | | |assets and liabilities: | | | | | |Receivables | |                    (28) | |                    (371) | |Merchandise inventories | |                    120 | |                    (400) | |Accounts payable | |                    643 | |                    (443) | |Other assets and liabilities    | |                    (23) | |                    (149) | |Total cash provided by operating activities | |               3,293 | |                  1,190 | | | | | | | |INVESTING ACTIVITIES | | | | | |Additions to property and equipment | |                  (766) | |                    (744) | |Other, net    | |                     42 | |                     175 | |Total cash used in investing activities | |                  (724) | |                    (569) | | | | | | |FINANCING ACTIVITIES | | | | | |Repurchase of common stock | |              (1,500) | |                 (1,193) | |Borrowings (repayments) of debt, net    | |  

Agriculture 1760-1820 Britain essays

Agriculture 1760-1820 Britain essays Explain why and in what ways agriculture change affected both landowners and labourers in the years between 1760 and 1820. During this period in question, agriculture was going through a period called the Agrarian revolution, although historians dispute if it can be called a revolution as it lasted around 150 years, massive change took place that changed the face of agriculture. It is generally considered that the later half of the 18th Century brought the major changes to the agricultural industry, through the vast influx of ideas, machines and the enclosure system. Up to 1760 much of the land was farmed in what was called the Open field system, which was suited towards subsistence farming. The Open field system divided the village land into three great fields without hedges each lying fallow in turn. The cultivated area was divided into many strips each individually being farmed by the labourer, which had many disadvantages. The waste of land, the spread of weeds, plant diseases and crop damage from the unfenced animals, meant that farming could not progress. There was also a common land for which the labourer could breed his cattle. However all this changed with Enclosure. Between 1760 and 1793 1,355 parliamentary enclosure acts were passed, and between 1793-1815, the years of French war, there were 1,934 enclosure acts passed. Enclosure meant the joining of strips of open field to make compact pieces of land, and using the common land for farming. A heavy burden of enclosure costs were put on the labourers, and as Arthur young (Supporter of enclosure) put it nineteen out of twenty enclosure bills, the poor were injured. Enclosure had the complete support of Government and landowners who then pressed it onto the labourer, who either suffered immensely or moved to the towns selling their land to a landowner. However historians dispute, to what extent is this an exaggeration. It is ...

How To Use Instagram For Business The Best Guide - CoSchedule

How To Use Instagram For Business The Best Guide Theres a lot of hype around Instagram, and how important it is for businesses of all sizes? But, should you actually believe it? The answer is a resounding yes. With 800 million active users per month, its impossible to ignore if you want to get your brand in front of your target audience. The next question you probably have is, How exactly do I use Instagram to build my business? Theres a lot to know, and your success will rely on a mix of smart strategy and creative execution. Fortunately, youre in the right place. In this post, well cover everything you need to know to start growing your brand on this important social network. Youre about to learn: All the basics, from setting up a business account to setting ambitious yet achievable goals. How to shoot awesome photos and create great visual content thats perfect for the platform. The best ways to analyze your content and measure your results to prove your work makes a difference. Plus, youll know everything you need about different post formats, how to leverage Instagram Stories, and more. + Instagram = Success: Did you know you can schedule Instagram posts on one integrated marketing calendar platform with ? See how it works. Then, start your free trial or schedule a demo. How to Use Instagram for Business: The Most Complete Guide via @ Table Of Contents: Building the Business Case for Using Instagram Setting Up Your Business Profile Optimizing Your Instagram Business Profile Find Influencers In Your Niche to Follow Set Instagram Marketing Goals Plan a Basic Instagram Content Strategy Building Your Visual Style And Brand Aesthetic On Instagram Growing Your Audience and Engagement Instagram Best Practices Schedule Instagram Posts With Make Creating Instagram Posts Easy with these 100+ free stock images. Use these as the basis for your own creative content to help you get started fast. Then, follow the tips in this post to take your Instagram marketing to the next level. Building the Business Case for Using Instagram You might be here because you're curious if Instagram has any actual business value. To make that decision, it's helpful to have hard data. Check out these stats: How to Get Started: Setting Up a Business Account The very first thing to do in order to start marketing on Instagram is to set up a business account. This video from Alex Fleck will help show you the steps: Take some time and use Instagram yourself before using it too heavily for your business (if you're not someone who uses it personally). Optimizing Your Instagram Business Profile Next, make sure your profile is completely optimized. This means: Writing a compelling bio. You have 150 characters to summarize what your business is about. Use a recognizable profile image. Your logo is typically a sound choice. Choose a good profile link. On Instagram, links are only allowed on profiles (and not on posts). Two options are your brand's website homepage  or a link to a new page or piece of content you're promoting.Find Influencers In Your Niche to Follow When you're first starting out, you'll need to choose accounts to follow. Here are some types of accounts to think about starting with: Your partner brands. Companies you work with are a great place to start. Influencers in your niche. These are people and brands that your audience follows. Start by searching a few keywords for accounts related to your brand or product. Brands you're inspired by. This will help you get ideas for your own posts and campaigns. Your competitors. Nothing wrong with keeping tabs on what they're up to. While doing so, note what type of  content  works for them, and find out what your competitors  are doing. Ask yourself these questions: What draws you to their Instagram posts? How often are they posting? What do you dislike about their posts? What type of information do they include in their profile? Is there a consistent theme? Keep what you learn in mind for later. Set Your Instagram Marketing Business Goals Once you have some research and inspiration stored away, it's time to think about your business! What are your goals as a company? Here are some Instagram goals you might want to focus on: Increasing  your follower count Growing your brand awareness Greater engagement Whatever your goal might be, make sure it's clear and concise so that you can always refer to it throughout your Instagram process. When it comes to your goals, you’ll also want to make sure to use SMART goals. Is your goal specific,  measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based? Use the SMART goals to purify your goal to its most  simple, effective form. For example, a great goal would be: "We want to increase our following by 20% over the course of the next month." This goal is specific in what metric to track, states the desired outcome, and has a clear deadline for that outcome. Recommended Reading:  How To Use Social Media Analytics To Create The Best Content Aligning Instagram Metrics With Business Objectives Growing an Instagram following and getting tons of engagement on your posts is great. But, if your goals are connected to actual business outcomes, then they don't matter much. So, when you're setting goals, know how you're aiming to improve your brand each time you post. To do this, select metrics to track that help drive certain business objectives. Follow this chart to help you select business goals and pair them up with the best Instagram metrics: Know How You'll Measure Your Instagram Marketing Efforts It can't be stressed enough how important this one is. Whether you're starting out or revamping your current Instagram, it's time to start recording your data! Remember that one aspect of SMART goals? Measurable. If you can't track your efforts, you'll never be able to see if your strategy is working. Use Google Sheets or Excel to track the analytics behind your posts. Make sure to record these 5 elements of every Instagram post from here on out: Date Total Followers Type of Post (i.e. Culture, Product, Inspiration, etc.) Time Engagement after x amount of time Once you have this data from all of your posts, you'll be able to make smart, strategic decisions every time you post. Find what works, take out what doesn't, and watch it grow your Instagram account. Create a simple spreadsheet like this (click File Make a Copy, or recreate something similar for yourself): Then, track your performance for each post over time. Do This With : Want even more analytics? Try out 's social sharing and analytics functionality for Instagram (and all your other social networks). It's the easiest way to schedule and measure every post alongside all your marketing projects and campaigns, all in one marketing management platform. Plan a Basic Instagram Content Strategy Now, before you go posting just anything on Instagram, understand why you're creating that content in the first place. Everything you post should have a purpose, support your goals, and strengthen your brand. Outlining a simple content strategy can help achieve these aims. Start With Your Story The final step  in defining your strategy is to brainstorm how you can connect the story of your product to your audience.  What was the original idea that made your business idea come to life? Take that and run with it. For example, Lululemon was founded on the  idea that working out together could also cultivate  community. According to their website, "Our vision for our store was to create more than a place where people could get gear to sweat in, we wanted to create a community hub where people could learn and discuss the physical aspects of healthy living, mindfulness and living a life of possibility." The idea was simple: Health and community to live a fuller life. That is their story. On their Instagram account, that same narrative continues to tells the story among all of their posts: It's almost instantly evident what they're about, and it's consistent across their entire page. In order to find your own narrative, ask yourself these three questions: What is the core idea behind your product? What do people love about your product? What would your audience miss about your business if you stopped tomorrow? These three questions will help shape your story. Combine your narrative with your goal, and now you have a strategy. To find success on Instagram, you need to find your narrative. Understand Which Post Types Work Best Now that you have an awesome strategy in place, it's time to decide what types of posts you want to share with your audience. Every audience is different, so trying out different types of posts to see what works will be very beneficial for both audience building and increased engagement. Inspiration: Inspirational posts are really great for motivating your audience. Who doesn't need a good morning pick-me-up? Inspirational posts often come in the form of quotes, so find some key people who believe in your narrative and/or goal, and use that as a starting point. Company Culture: Culture posts are ones that truly align with the heart and core values of your business. It could be for fun and play, or something you personally support. Either or, culture posts are great for being transparent and honest with your audience. Show them who you really are! Let them share in your funny, office shenanigans behind the scenes. Product Posts:   While maybe the most obvious, product posts are one of the most essential Instagram types to use.  After all,  the ever-present goal is always to grow your business, right? Instagram is a great platform to show off how your products work, promote new stuff, and get people interested in what you have to offer. Event Photos: Attending a conference? Hosting an event? Snap some shots for Instagram. Interesting Stats: Everyone loves a fact or figure that sounds almost impossible to believe, but is totally accurate. Stats that help businesses make decisions are great, too. Designed Images: Event flyers, ads, and other such items would fall under this category. See Some Instagram Post Examples It'll be helpful to see some examples of what good Instagram posts look like. Here's a handful to check out: Inspiration from Gary Vaynerchuk: . Winners love the hate - #garyvee - Tag a winner A post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee) on Apr 18, 2018 at 2:30pm PDT Culture from : 2017 might have been our best year yet. We opened a brand new office, hired a bunch of great people and added a boatload of new features to help marketers get even more organized. Thank you for a great year, rs! #thankyou #marketingteams #getorganized #nye2017 #marketing #marketingprojects #contentmarketing #contenthacking #projectmanagement A post shared by (@) on Dec 31, 2017 at 8:33am PST Product from Nike: Live from London, the next chapter of @nikefootball has arrived. Introducing the #Mercurial Superfly 360, built for the fastest players in the game. â  â‚¬Ã¢  â‚¬ â  â‚¬ Check out our Mercurial Instagram Story to see more from the launch event. #BornMercurial A post shared by nike (@nike) on Feb 7, 2018 at 11:40am PST Event Video Post from Red Bull: No perfect performance, no problem.   #redbull1976games #oldschool #skiing #winter #snow #fun A post shared by Red Bull (@redbull) on Mar 20, 2018 at 2:11am PDT Interesting Stat from ESPN: Jaylen Brown is doing things in the playoffs that haven't been done in 8 years 💠ª A post shared by NBA on ESPN (@nbaonespn) on Apr 22, 2018 at 2:15pm PDT Designed Image from Mod Cloth: It’s World Art Day! Who’s your fave female artist? #WorldArtDay A post shared by ModCloth (@modcloth) on Apr 15, 2018 at 9:02am PDT Recommended Reading:The 6 Types Of Social Media Content That Will Give You The Greatest Value Building Your Visual Style And Brand Aesthetic On Instagram One of the  unique qualities about Instagram among all the other social platforms is that it's primarily visual with its ongoing feed of imagery. This allows business to visually show off their product, rather than just  tell; however, this also presents a challenge. How can you make your  business narrative seen through a consistent, visually appealing brand? Here are five key factors that will ensure your Instagram feed looks great and tells your story well. Build your brand on #Instagram the right way.The Bare Essentials While top-notch, expensive camera gear surely  has its benefits, it's definitely not required to have a great visual presence on Instagram. What you do need is a smartphone with a camera, and some good natural  light. Whether you're taking photos of people experiencing the benefits of your product outside, or you're taking photos of physical  products indoors, these two are essential  to get going. To watch how to post to Instagram on your iPhone check this video from Jana Williams. Natural Lighting Quality lighting for your photos can take them to the next level! The best lighting source is found outside, but there are also ways to capture this gorgeous light indoors. If you want to take your photo outside, the best time of day for lighting is called golden hour. This is the hour after sunrise or before sunset when the skies turn golden and make everything seem magical. Depending on where you live, taking photos at those times of day may not be ideal, so if you need to take photos in the middle of the day here are a couple of tips: 1.  Avoid direct, high-noon sun outside. In the middle of the day, the sun is directly above which can cast harsh shadows on your subject. Instead, we want evenly lit light to highlight your subject so to avoid the bright sun, find some shade. In the shade, your image will have even light, making for a wonderful photo. 2. Avoid dark, indoor spaces. While its common to have offices and buildings with  tiled, white fluorescent lighting in the ceiling, this is not ideal for your images because it will make them appear yellow. Instead, try finding a nearby window that has some room for your photo. This way, you'll capture the great natural lighting while still being inside. 3.   Use a reflector. If you can't go outside and you don't have any windows nearby, you can purchase a $20 reflector to help you bounce the available light. I personally use this for my photography, and it always comes in handy. Simply choose to either add more light with the silver or gold sides or take away light with the white, diffuser side. Tilt the reflector side-to-side as well as up-and-down until you see the desired light, and you're all set! Rule of Thirds When it comes to visuals, the layout of your subjects can also be optimized to create visual interest. Using the rule of thirds, you can ensure your image is balanced, natural, and professional.  The rule of thirds creates a 9-part grid providing four lines where your subject can  be placed. Recommended Reading: How To Create A Marketing Strategy That Will Skyrocket Your Results By 9,360% Choosing Your Filter One you've taken your image with great lighting, positioned with the rule of thirds, and have taken your image, its time to edit it! The first thing you'll want to do,is choose your filter. Filters are several different styles and editing presets that are ready to use. There are an extremely high number of filter options out there today from a variety of apps, including Instagram's 21 default filter options so be careful when you choose your filter. Ask yourself this: Does this filter reflect the mood of my business narrative? Does this filter draw attention to itself or does it enhance my subject in the photo? Is this filter consistent with my other imagery? Once you've chosen a filter or two that works best for your business, make sure to stick with that filter. While it's okay to experiment right away, too many different filters at once can disrupt the mood and emotion of your Instagram feed as a whole. When your audience goes to your account and sees nine images together, consistency needs to be evident in telling your story well. Find a couple of filters and stick to it. Brands on Instagram: use consistent filters to create a consistent look.Some Popular Instagram Tools From start to finish, there are apps and tools out there to help you get the best photo possible. Here's a grand list of some of my favorite photo tools from creation to hitting publish: VSCO: Use their camera grid to apply the rule of thirds, and utilize their hand-crafted filters for great color. Snapseed: Once you've taken your image, open it in Snapseed for several advanced editing tools and filters. Filterstorm Neue: While only available for iPhone,  the app has a diverse collection of customizable editing options. TouchRetouch: Need to edit out something? This app is perfect for detailed retouching! ProCamera: If you'd like more control of your iPhone camera, this app allows you the full functionality. While there are several more tools out there, these are the ones that have worked best for me and . Explore the different options, and see what works best for you. Every workflow is unique, so choose an app that matches your photo process best. Growing Your Audience And Engagement First of all, congrats! You've thoroughly developed your Instagram strategy, created some awesome Instagram posts, recorded your data, and now its time to optimize everything for the next level of audience engagement! At this point, you know what works well and you're ready to fine-tune everything to achieve your goals faster and better. There are eight  easy steps to optimizing your entire Instagram account from the descriptions and imagery, to tagging others and building a community. Here's how to grow your following on #Instagram: Write Perfect Post Captions Instagram is all about striking visuals. But, having the perfect caption can help give your images better context and make them more engaging. Follow these guidelines every time you write post copy: Using Hashtags Hashtags are really important to your Instagram posts because they allow others to find you that may not have heard of your product before. They let you reach a broader audience, and who doesn't want that? An easy way to find what hashtags are currently trending is to use Top-Hashtags.com.  They provide a nice, clear list with the highest rated hashtags and how many posts currently have that hashtag. It also lets you click on the hashtag to see examples of how others are using it! How many hashtags should you use? That's a great question. Instagram allows you to use up to 30 hashtags for each post, but its best practice to use 5-10 hashtags. While more hashtags often is better, is always important to remember to avoid being  spammy. You can find the perfect amount of hashtags to use by doing two things: Look at what other hashtags the influencers in your industry are using and how many. Test your own Instagram posts with a variety of hashtag amounts, and see what works best. Tag Industry Influencers In order to grow your community, look to the big influencers and see how you can involve them in your Instagram strategy. Not only can you learn from them, but you can easily share their quotes, products, and other resources within your own posts that align with your business' narrative. For example, we're big fans of Seth Godin and his mantras so we've  read a bunch  of his content. He has so many great takeaways, and we want to share that with our own audience, too.What's that one thing constantly on your mind that you've always wanted to do but just haven't taken the leap? Maybe it's time to just go for it! #vscocam #vsco #bismarck #photography #content #contentmarketing #socialmedia #team #culture #calendar #quote #inspiration #office #mantra #motivation #justdoit #sethgodin A photo posted by (@) on Sep 15, 2016 at 8:12am PDTWhen you share content  from others, make sure your posts are still original. Take your own images, design your own quote graphics, and still create something that matches your own business, but remember to give them credit. Tag them in your posts so that they see it, their audience might see it, and then watch your audience grow. Recommended Reading:How To Get Insanely Loyal Followers On Social Media Adding A Location Every Instagram post has the option to add a location to it. This is yet another way Instagram users can search to find people to follow. If your business is known especially in a specific region, this is even more valuable! You can either search for your location and find it using maps, or you can create your own custom location.  Custom locations can be especially helpful for business events as you can add a personal touch. Using Instagram locations are a simple extra way to allow your potential audience  to find you. Add a location to your Instagram posts to target local audiences.Optimize Your Link In Your Profile Instagram has a very minimal profile space to personalize the information to your business and its goals, so businesses must take advantage of what they're given. One of the best ways to do so, is by updating and modifying your link  for each Instagram post. While a best practice is to have your business or product website link there  on a long-term basis, feel free to customize that link with posts that direct your  audience to something more specific. Do you have a feature launch coming up? Was your business just featured on a reputable news source? Use those opportunities to post about it on Instagram, and directly link to it in your profile. Don't forget you can drive Instagram traffic with profile links.This allows your audience to avoid mis-typinganything, and gives instant access to precisely what you want them to see. Just remember to add "link in profile" to your Instagram post description, and then they'll know to hit the link in your profile. For example, recently announced our new podcast series, Actionable Content Marketing, and used Instagram to direct our audience to that specific page for easy accessibility: Create An  Instagram Engagement Pod InstaRevealed  recently launched the new idea of comment or pods so that users could connect more with their industry niche, while also growing each other's engagement. Once you sign up, you're placed into a 5-10 person direct message where you can send the heart icon every time you post. The heart alerts the group to check it out, like and comment, and boost your engagement. If you'd like to do this for your business, you can sign up on their website. Maybe you'd like an engagement comment pod, but with people and brands you know! Well, that's possible too. Make a list of the 5-10 key people you'd like to include in your group. Contact them, tell them what it's about, and let them accept your invitation. Then, simply create a direct message, and add your biggest fans, industry influencers, or  anyone else on your list. The next time you share an Instagram post, go to that direct message and choose the heart icon. Your engagement group will know exactly what to do, and suddenly you'll have great engagement and interaction on all of your posts. Of course, this engagement group is for their posts as well. Make sure to reciprocate the Instagram love by commenting and engaging with their content. By simply choosing to work as a supportive community, you'll also interact with all of their audience's. It's a win-win for everyone involved. Have you tried building an Instagram engagement pod?Post at the Best Times for Instagram Instagram is a mobile-focused app. And, since users are frequently on their phones, this means almost any time is a great time to share on the platform. But, are some times shown to be better than others? This graphic shows our findings: Now, your best times may vary from what research shows. Remember that data that you started collecting? This is where it comes into play. Analyze all of the times recorded in your note, as well as the engagement levels for that post to find the best time to post for your business. To do this, follow these three steps: First, in order to simplify your times, categorize them by hour. (i.e. All posts published within 9am, 10am, etc.) Then, tally how many posts you had within each hour. Now let's take a look at your engagement. Under the same hour categories, write down all of the engagement scores associated with that hour. Once that's complete,  add up the total engagement score for that hour. Next, divide it by amount of posts in that hour. You've now found your average engagement for posts published during that hour. You'll want to repeat this process for each of your hours, and then it will be loud and clear what time(s) work best for you! Recommended Reading:The Best Times to Post on Social Media (According to 23 Studies) Know How Often To Post Along with the best time, frequency is a major factor when publishing to Instagram. On one hand, you don't want to post so often that it looks spammy and turns away your followers, but on the other you want enough posts that continually build up for your Instagram community. According to Buffer, the top brands post about 1.5 times per day. So what does that mean for you? Let's test it. For each week that you recorded, count how many Instagram posts you've published. Then,  take your first day of the week's follower count and your last day of the week's follower count, and find the difference. Do this same process for every week that you've published content. What do you notice? Are there some weeks that have a lot of posts, but lower follower growth? Or did posting a lot triple your follower count? did this same process, and we found that posting 3 times a week compared to 5 times increased our follower count by 64%! For us, less is more. But what's most important is that you use your own data to find your best frequency. Your business is unique, and so will your data. Take the time to analyze and reflect, and you'll be amazed at the results. Recommended Reading:  This Is The Social Media Posting Schedule That Will Boost Your Traffic By 192% Advertise With Instagram Instagram ads are 2.8x higher than other forms of online advertising. Once you know what type of Instagram post works, its time to make it an ad and let it work for you! Instagram ads are integrated with Facebook ads and can be in the form of image, video, or carousel  style, where multiple  images are in a scroll for your audience to tap through. Using what you already know, you can simply promote your posts to go just a bit further, making a big difference. Instagram advertising is great for businesses because it's yet another thing you can measure to reach your goals. Not only that, but it adds a direct call to action in your ads that you can lead  your audience directly to your product. When  over a third  of Instagram users have used their mobile to purchase a product online, your Instagram is an easy way to reach into that moment of purchase. Using Facebook's Ads Manager to create an ad for Instagram, you can choose a custom audience, define the region you'd like to reach, age, gender, language, as well as demographic interests or behaviors. There you have it! Eight  ways to optimize your Instagram account from head to toe. Start with one or two, and perfect them before going into the next. Slowly but surely, you'll notice not only great engagement but an increased ROI on your product. Instagram Best Practices: Brand. Craft. Community. That might seem to be a lot to remember, so let's go over the best practices. If you must take away one thing, or maybe three, these would be it.