The Stud Versus the Slut free essay sample

Western youth is consumed by a perception of gender roles and addicted to what is acceptable sexually for each female and male. Historical gender rolls, parental guidance, and the media are all leading examples as to how the sexual double standard (SDS) becomes evident in the lives of youth. Further, the negative perception of permissive females, as well as the negative perception of sexually inactive males, affects the social status and peer acceptance of students across the United States. The way sexual behaviors are perceived by gendered peers can be related and analyzed in the movie, Easy A. The scene includes Olive and a gay acquaintance, Brandon, who exit a room after faking a sexual encounter for an audience behind a closed door. From the experience, each character benefits from the sexual double standard as gender norms are bent and sexual expectations are shattered. Literature Review Numerous studies have been conducted on the sexual double standard as related to adolescence. We will write a custom essay sample on The Stud Versus the Slut or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Understanding how the SDS manifests and is perceived by both men and women is crucial in investigating the artifact. Through literary analysis, peer acceptance and relationships, as well as reasons for consistency in the SDS, will be examined. Typically, social norms tend shift as society evolves. For example, norms such as language, style, and ethics have changed regularly over centuries. While some argue that gender norms in contemporary Western society are currently developing, the SDS is an illustration against such claims. Hundreds of years ago, men were persistent on maximizing their offspring. To do so, they impregnated as many women as possible to amplify probability. Women however, focused on quality s opposed to quantity, searching for a stable mate to assist in raising her child (Ratter amp; Riccioli, 2009). Evolutionary psychology may allude to the origin of the sexual double standard. This idea is furthered by gender norms that are instilled in children by parents. According to King, children begin recognizing gender roles as early as 14 months old. He says by the age of four, children have generally embraced stereotypical gender, and pressures to fit into traditional gender roles become most prominent around age nine (as cited in Ratter amp; Riccioli, 2009, p. ). Therefore, the information and lessons a mother conveys to her child in their ripest age will most likely shape their early views on sexual standards. Research has concluded, that in regards to sexual development, mothers are usually more tolerable of their sons’ exploration then that of their daughters’ (Ratter amp; Riccioli, 2009). This intolerance of female sexual maturity is one of the first models of sexual bias seen by youth. When mid adolescence is reached, most will engage in sexual intercourse for the first time during a period of gender role intensification. This phase will continue into high school, where peer acceptance will persist in developing the sexual double standard. An adolescent’s number of sexual partners and their acceptance by peers are dramatically related according to a study done by Kaerger and Staff (2009). The study consisted of 5,944 girls and 5,530 boys across the nation, all ranging from seventh to 12 grade and 12 to 20 years old. Results showed that sexually permissive girls who had slept with eight or more partners had not only fewer friendships than those with no sexual partners, but were less accepted by peers. The correlation between a rising number of sexual partners and peer acceptance is nearly linear for both females and males. However, the male relationship is reversed, peer acceptance is enhanced with permissiveness. Males lacking in sexual experience on the other hand are characterized as having significantly less friends. Although other variables for measuring peer acceptance were tested, such as age, GPA, or participation in athletics, number of sexual partners trumped as most influential. High school popularity then consequently depends on one’s sexual promiscuity, or lack there of. Kaerger’s in depth study epitomizes the SDS and in addition, provides data that may explain why the double standard is not diminishing in spite of gender norms evolving in society. First, Kaerger gives an explanation for the constant SDS using media influences as an example. Female actors in the United States are under relentless scrutiny by society, particularly by young women. To avoid negative stigmas associated with licentious behaviors, actresses must keep their sexual activities secret. This serves as a model for young women. Increasing sexual partners and behaviors frequently poses a higher chance of closet activities being revealed to the public, thus having to endure social reaction. While the actress example deters permissiveness in girls, continuing the SDS, other factors also come into play. Ratter and Riccioli analyzed young women â€Å"talking† about the SDS and how they disliked it (2009). Even though they condemned the â€Å"stud† reputation men receive from promiscuity, the women suggested nothing of resistance or attempt to change norms. Instead, they lamely accepted the SDS as inevitable. Heidi Lyons of Oakland University completed a study in which one focus was the cultural reality of the SDS to adolescence (2011). Lyons discovered that regardless of sexual experience level, young women were by and large aware of key elements to the SDS and conscious that they were held to, â€Å"different normative standards compared to men† (2011). In addition, these women scorned the social labeling process that rewards men for similar behavior that degrades women. Some of the females bashing the gender bias were promiscuous themselves, but provided explanations and disclaimers to their behavior. They furthermore cursed permissive women, identifying a secondary female double standard. Data collected from Kaerger’s study on perceived peer status from strictly male or female perspectives also discovered major discrepancies in the SDS. Research suggested that, â€Å"permissive boys are more likely to gain status from female peers than from male peers†¦female reactions to sexual behavior simultaneously escalate the status of permissive boys and decrease the status of permissive girls† (Kaerger, 2009, p. 156). Therefore, womens desire to model media examples of hiding sexual activity, as well as accepting the SDS instead of refusing it, cause the SDS to continue unwaveringly. The manifestation of the sexual double standard was inevitable due to rooted gender norms and the parental proliferation of gender stereotypes. More recently, the SDS has remained relatively constant because of women’s own perception and double standard. The negative views towards both female and male sexual behaviors, or lack there of, affect the acceptance by peers in Western society. In reference to the artifact, Easy A, the following topics will be used for analysis: * Negative perception of permissive females * Negative perception of inexperienced males * Sex-status association Analysis Easy A, although comedic, includes serious social themes. The largest theme observed in the scene being analyzed is that of the sexual double standard. The negative perception of promiscuous females and conversely the negative perception of inexperienced males by adolescent peers are very apparent in the clip. In addition, sex-status association, or the relationship between sexual activity and social status, is also evident. In Easy A, Olive is the perfect subject to observe in regards to the SDS. First, as Olive exits the room, the crowd of students awaiting her and Brandon outside offer mixed feedback on the supposed â€Å"deed† as distinguished by their gender. Female onlookers immediately sink to a disgusted demeanor when they see the â€Å"slut† exit a room used for sex in a public setting. The previous rumor about losing her virginity is now amplified with an open location sex act, which demonstrated a rapid increase of sexual partners. As Kaerger explained, as number of sexual partners increases, acceptance of peers and number of friends decrease (2009). Olive has become ostracized from her female peers (Perry, 2011). Adversely, male students outside the room now see Olive as a possible â€Å"hook up†. They â€Å"check her out†, but also make fun of her behind her back by performing lewd gestures. Olive leaves the party early, upset, with her self-esteem low. The fact that Olive has not actually partaken in any sexual acts allows the audience to see the degree to which the double standard can reach. Brandon on the other hand, who also did not perform any sexual act, benefits from the SDS. In this scene, Brandon transforms by gaining peer acceptance and friends due to his fake sexual encounter. His popularity will grow according to Kaerger, and have the opposite affect that that of his counterpart. Unlike Olive, as Brandon exits the room he is greeted by nothing but positive responses. Before the stunt, he was subject to extensive bullying and abuse; the false reports create a temporary security from the antagonism he would otherwise face due to his rumored homosexuality and virginity (Zwarg, 2011). Now, he is perceived as a â€Å"stud† by male and female students alike. In his case, the SDS helped him to escape abuse and gain status. Although the general outcomes vary from positive to negative for the pair of Olive and Brandon, they were both successful in helping each other reach status quo (Perry, 2011). As invisible high school students, the duo strived to make names for themselves. Olive demonstrated in the scene that she would embrace her new popularity, whether positive or negative, by continuing to pretend to be sexually promiscuous (Zwarg, 2011). She behaves as the â€Å"popular boy† in Kaerger’s ordering of sexual partnerships and peer status (2009). He refers to the inverse double standard hypothesis in which status increases sexual partnerships as opposed to the other way around. He states, â€Å"unpopular girls would seek peer acceptance through sexual intercourse and popular boys would take advantage of their high status to have sex with many girls† (Kaerger, 2009, p. 159). As previously stated, Olive reverses roles as the only â€Å"popular† student involved in the fake sexual activity. As a result, Brandon, the homosexual, assumes the role of unpopular girl seeking acceptance. By the end of the scene, they both have received the attention and status satisfaction the set forth for. Conclusion In conclusion, Easy A is the romantic comedy that incorporates serious sexual issues that adolescence face in modern, Western society. The sexual double standard is branded on this film, re-defining and shocking viewers with gender role reversals and surprises. Today, youth conforms to perceptions of gender roles and labels others based on what is considered sexually acceptable. â€Å"Sluts† and â€Å"studs† are the vocabulary terms that rule the high school hierarchy and define students as popular, or a nobody. Further research could be done on the subject regarding Brandon’s homosexuality, and if there’s a correlation between same-sex partners and peer status (Kaergar, 2009). Another subject for further study could relate to the location of the high schools studied, and whether their cultural norms affect the way sexual promiscuity is perceived, especially in regards to social status. A final focus of further research could study the long-term affects of adolescent sexual double standard. Whether women that assumed the â€Å"slut† role can, as adults, hold relationships and become successful, and whether men that assumed the â€Å"stud† role can do the same.

Gothic conventions Essay Example

Gothic conventions Essay Example Gothic conventions Essay Gothic conventions Essay Gothic conventions consist of writing that would scare and excite the reader. Gothic writing was popular during the late 18th, early 19th century. Gothic features include supernatural forces, medieval castles, dungeons and darkness. The type of language is very melodramatic in its style of stereotyped characters. Gothic characters typically include spectres, monsters, demons, corpses, skeletons, evil aristocrats, vampires and Dracula. A Goth is one of a German tribe who invaded Eastern and Western Europe. They are normally barbarous, foul and uncouth. Gothic conventions usually involve journeys, quests, strange creatures and sinister buildings. Gothic novels are created to frighten their readers. In Gothic productions imagination and emotional effects exceed reason. Dracula was first published in 1897, other versions have adapted from the original. The main characters in Dracula include Jonathan Harker, Mina and Van Helsing. Throughout the story, Bram Stoker uses Draculas abilities, actions and appearance to create suspense for the reader. The novel opens with an extract from Jonathan Harkers journal relating to his journey. In the journal Jonathan Harker expresses his feelings; these include his worries and fears as he travels to Castle Dracula. Bram Stoker uses strange customs and sights to generate anxiety in Jonathan Harkers journal to the reader. : I did not sleep well, though my bed was comfortable enough, for I had all sorts of queer dreams, this creates fear to the reader because it explains there was weird existence during the sleep because it caused discomfort that was not visible. Sometimes we saw little tows or castles on the top of steep hills such as we see in old missals; sometimes we ran by rivers and streams which seemed from the wide stony margin on each side of them to be subject to great floods Jonathan Harker describes the strange sights and interpretations of his journey which can create suspense for the reader. The strangest figures we saw were the Slovaks, who were more barbarian than the rest, with their big cowboy hats, great baggy dirty-white trousers, white linen shirts, and enormous heavy leather belts, nearly a foot wide, all studded over with brass nails. A very descriptive view of the Slovaks, gives the reader a clear understanding of what Harker saw during the journey. When Jonathan Harker arrives at his destination he is greeted curiously by the innkeeper, He and his wife, the old lady who received me, looked at each other in a frightened sort of way. Harker discovers the innkeeper has an odd relationship with Dracula, When I asked him if he knew Count Dracula, and could tell me anything of his castle, both he and his wife crossed themselves, and, saying that they knew nothing at all, simply refused to speak further. This creates suspense for the reader by implying the innkeeper knew Dracula but was frightened to admit it as he may not be allowed to or may know something secreted. Later in the novel, Bram Stoker describes Draculas abilities to create suspense as they are beyond nature. This vampire which is amongst us is of himself so strong in person as twenty men, this specifies how strong and threatening Dracula can be. He is of cunning more than mortal, for his cunning be the growth of ages, Bram Stoker uses a comparison with mortals to be more accurate for the readers understanding, Stoker also uses a particular type of language that is complex to an extent to create tension. He is brute, and more than brute, he is devil in callous, and the heart of him is not; he can, within limitations, appear at will when, and where Bram Stoker explains Draculas abilities in great detail using comparisons and metaphors to excite the reader regarding Draculas abilities. Strange creatures defy logic, therefore are most likely to be scary or beyond nature. In the novel, Bram Stoker uses Draculas abilities to create disturbance towards the reader. He uses language to make a vivid picture. Gothic conventions usually include sinister buildings to produce suspense in the atmosphere. An example of this can be found of Draculas crypt. A crypt is an obvious location to set action related to death and suspense. The crypt is not a place the living normally spend time in, it is a place where the dead are at home. Bram Stoker sets the scene for Draculas crypt by using dark language to explain the atmosphere, the whole place was thick with dust gives the sense that the place is old and has been isolated for a long time. The floor seemed inches deep explains the extent of how long the place has been remote. The walls were fluffy and heavy dust, and in the corners were masses of spiders webs, whereon the dust had gathered till they looked like old tattered rags as the weight had torn them partly down, Bram Stoker uses very descriptive language to illustrate the atmosphere, Stoker uses similes to make the image more clear to the reader consequently creating a more mysterious understanding. Bram Stoker creates tense situations which cause the reader to feel to feel insecure. He creates tense situations by using descriptive language to express the atmosphere. The language he uses involves elements of mysterious and creepy surroundings, through these frowning walls and dark window openings it was not likely that my voice could penetrate. The reader shares a sense of fear with Jonathan because Stoker uses the first person narration to make the reader feel involved.

LinkedIn says the 2011 most overused professional buzzwords in the United States are “creative,” “organizational” and “effective”

LinkedIn says the 2011 most overused professional buzzwords in the United States are â€Å"creative,† â€Å"organizational† and â€Å"effective† On December 13, 2011, LinkedIn released its â€Å"most overused† buzzwords list for 2011.   Here is the list of the top 10, with â€Å"creative† reigning at the top.   When a particular country or countries stood out for overuse of a term, the country name(s) are listed in parentheses: Creative (Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States) Organizational Effective (India) Extensive experience Track record (Singapore) Motivated (Ireland) Innovative Problem solving (Italy) Communication skills Dynamic (France) The good news?   Some people heeded last year’s list and stopped overusing at least some of the following 2010 Overused Buzzwords: Extensive experience Innovative Motivated Results-oriented Dynamic Proven track record Team player Fast-paced Problem solver Entrepreneurial The four exact matches between 2010 and 2011 years are â€Å"motivated,† dynamic, innovative and extensive experience. There are also some near matches with â€Å"problem solving† vs. â€Å"problem solver† and proven track record vs. track record (I personally have tired of all of these terms). I believe job seekers and career professionals have done some good work changing the landscape four of the terms on the list have changed, and all of them have changed rank.    Lets face it:   There will be overused words every year.   I’m just glad to see we’re learning lessons along the way. How Creative are You? This year’s primary lesson:   Don’t say you are â€Å"creative† – demonstrate your creativity!   Design and upload a PowerPoint presentation to SlideShare and post it to your LinkedIn profile.   Give examples of marketing strategies you devised.   Include your artistic portfolio in your profile.   And don’t use the same words everyone else is using!   We now know that asserting you are â€Å"creative† is a sure way to prove that you are not. Met or Exceeded Organizational Goals? â€Å"Organizational† is a bit tougher.   How do you say you met organizational goals without saying you met organizational goals?   One thing to keep in mind is that of course you are going to strive for and meet organizational goals!   What other goals would you possibly want to report?   I admit I will be a little sad to let this term go, but I see the point of finding alternatives.   â€Å"Meet targeted goals† would be just as effective (oh did I say â€Å"effective†?   Send me to India where I’ll be in good company!)   Or perhaps a chart of goals vs. accomplishments would obviate the need for the term organizational.   I predict that next year â€Å"goal(s)† and â€Å"target(s)† will top this list. Devise an Effective Strategy Lately? Thankfully there are a multitude of ways to convey the concept of â€Å"effective.†   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Successful† is the clearest alternative, followed by â€Å"winning,† â€Å"profitable,† â€Å"lucrative,† â€Å"productive,† â€Å"fruitful,† â€Å"targeted† and even â€Å"efficacious† (I don’t love that last one as a resume/profile adjective).   Take your pick or find another way to say what you mean!   (Sometimes you can just leave out the adjective completely, as I did by avoiding â€Å"find another effective way† in that last sentence.) As for extensive experience and track record, these terms are like nails on a blackboard to me.   I see them a lot and make short work of them on my resumes. How many of these top 10 overused words show up in your profile?   Please share below. And   if you want expert assistance to craft a LinkedIn profile that stands out in a sea of 135 million LinkedIn users, contact The Essay Expert through our Web Form or at 608-467-0067. Like this article?   You might also enjoy Ten Buzzwords to Take Off Your LinkedIn Profile Now published by Time Newsfeed. Category:Archived ArticlesBy Brenda BernsteinDecember 19, 2011 2 Comments Kent V says: December 20, 2011 at 12:02 pm How did they miss sustainable? A particularly awful one since it has so many connotations: 1) environmentally friendly 2) doing something positive that sticks 3) keeping the business alive 4) not hogging or wasting resources (or not getting caught doing it) 5) from the old green revolution, when green meant crop based, not clean: using local, renewable stuff, rather than paying a big company for a remedy 6) an admirable word to put in the annual report or PR release to mean you operate responsibly, whatever that is. and on and on Some years back I would have added leverage as a verb. Too late, it stuck. Log in to Reply The Essay Expert says: December 20, 2011 at 12:31 pm Thanks for the suggested addition! Im sure this one is overused in certain sectors, though not universally enough to make it onto the list. Maybe this world would be a better place if sustainable were on the top of the list! Log in to Reply

International Corporate Finacial Strategy Case Study

International Corporate Finacial Strategy - Case Study Example The role of businesses in society these days has been emphasized particularly due to their sensitivity to social, ethical, and environmental issues. Issues like environmental damage, improper treatment of workers, or even faulty production that inconveniences or endangers customers are highlighted in the media. Reputation that can be built over a number of years can be ruined in hour through incidents that compromise social, ethical, and environmental standards. In some countries government regulation regarding environmental and social issues has increased. Even investors and investment fund managers have begun to take account of a company's Corporate Social Responsibility policy into investment decision-making, commonly known as ethical investing. The primary objective of Signet Group is to be a jewellery retailer of choice for a majority of the population in the countries where it has a footprint. Moreover, the primary financial objective of the Group is to be profitable in its operations and deliver an acceptable growth in value to shareholders, which is sustainable. In achieving its aforementioned objectives, Signet Group faces concerns regarding social, ethical and environmental matters. These matters, if not dealt with efficiently and effectively, may hinder the Group from progressing and achieving its objectives. These concerns are outlined below: Accountability to stakeholders Human rights Labour standards Health and safety; and The environment In recent years, expectations of stakeholders of public companies have increased. It is imperative that the companies manage and respond to these changing expectations so that business viability is not questioned. The success of Signet Group, for that matter any company, is dependent on the strength and effectiveness of its relationships with its various stakeholders: shareholders, customers, suppliers, and employees. Stakeholders have varying expectations from the company. For instance, shareholders or investors have an insatiable expectation of a competitive overall return from the company. They demand that the company maximize shareholder wealth. If Signet does not have a strong social, ethical and environmental (SEE) framework in place, there is a possibility that the company's reputation can be compromised which, in turn, may hurt its operations and finally, its revenue potential and profitability. Signet Group has a no-tolerance policy for unlawful discrimination. In respect of people with disabilities, full and fair consideration is given to employment. Unfair employment practices can potentially put the reputation of the organization at stake which may lead to losses. Signet Group actively participates in the Association of Jewelers of America to implement the SEE standards set by the industry across the organization. This is to ensure that SEE risks at the mining, trading and secondary processing phases of the supply chain are managed through effective cooperation within the industry. Whilst the direct

Agency Theory and Corporate Governance Research Paper

Agency Theory and Corporate Governance - Research Paper Example The objective of this paper is to evaluate the definition of corporation as a ‘nexus of contracts’ for interpreting its compatibility in the present modern business and thus to examine the importance of corporate governance. For verifying the assumption of the agency theory, the insights of the definition towards the theorists have been researched. It was discovered that there are various critics to this notion of the agency theorists in the modern world. The critics determined that the factor of morality has been ignored by the definition of the agency theorists. Moreover, for measuring the characterization of the definition towards importance of corporate governance, research was done and its was found that the definition has been termed as ‘misleading’ by various critics because of the fact that it incurs legal enforcement of the shareholders while at the same time shareholders hold the least power of legality among all the stakeholders. Introduction The agency theory in relation to the corporate governance represents a two-stage mode of controlling the firm. The two levels are those of the managers and the owners. This research paper is aimed towards discussing the various significant issues related to the existence of agency theory in a corporation. The paper will focus on the interpretation of ‘nexus of contracts’ in relation to the agency theory and corporate governance. ... The use of the phrase, ‘nexus of contracts’ provides a new dimension to the corporation definition. Under this term, the problem of conflicts within a firm is observed as a unit of the contract enforcement. Agency costs are determined as the contract enforcement costs on the basis of the assumption that corporation often acts as ‘nexus of contracts’. Under this definition, the structure of the corporation is defined to be adapting to an attempt aimed towards profit maximization by way of trading among the different parties of contract that meets within the corporation (Maloney, 2003). Relationship between Nexus of Contracts and Agency Theory The definition of the firm ‘nexus of contracts’ has been provided by the agency theory. The nexus of contracts has been defined among various suppliers of a firm’s resource. The nexus of contracts presume two central parties to the agency theory. These are the principals and the agents. Principals are those who supply the capital to the firm and agents are those who manage the operational functions of a firm. Agency costs are encountered by the organization because of the reason that the interests of the two parties do not coincide. The costs of contract enforcement under this presumption consists of the cost of observing the agents’ behavior inclusive of the practices of compensation, restrictions of budget allocation and also the profit and loss because of the rules of operations and that of management restrictions (Proffitt, 2000). Insights of ‘Nexus of Contracts’ for Agency Theorists Under the assumption of the agency theory that defines a firm as a nexus of contracts, it is taken for granted that it is the self-interest of the parties which acts as a

John Updikes A & P :: essays research papers

John Updike's "A & P" Do you remember the grocery store chain A&P? The letters stand for "Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company," and the store used to be one of the most popular in the United States. The third person narrator of a story (or poem, play, or novel) is not the same person as the author. The narrator of this story is named Sammy, which is a kid's or teenager's name; what we call Sammy's "voice," or his own particular way of thinking, comes through very clearly because he is the narrator. His "voice" reveals him to be a dissatisfied young adult male. Sammy is our first example of a narrator who is also a character. Sammy is what we call a 1st person narrator: 1st person: I am Plural: we 2nd person: you are Plural: you are 3rd person: he, she, it is Plural: they are A first-person narrator can present certain problems; e.g., he or she may have something to hide, and so may not be telling us the entire truth, or he or she may not know the entire truth. Do you see any problems in this area regarding Sammy? Judging by his tone of voice--the way he sounds--what kind of person do you think Sammy is? Is he a smart-ass? Is he just a bored kid? Sammy is bored. His entire world consists of the grocery store, which is artificially heated and cooled, and has everything one could ever need in the way of food and many other products. However, Sammy has been in his dead-end job for so long that he has contempt for his customers: he calls them "sheep." One day, when three girls walk into the store, Sammy is strongly attracted to one of them.

Neiman Marcus Sales Plan

Neiman Marcus is a premier luxury retailer with distinctive merchandise and superior service. They opened in Dallas, Texas in 1908. Since 1908, Neiman Marcus has opened 40 additional stores. In 2010, the current count is 41 retail stores and 28 clearance centers called Last Call Neiman Marcus. As you can see from the chart, Neiman Marcus sells very diverse items. The largest category is women’s apparel, followed by women’s shoes, handbags and accessories, men’s apparel and shoes, cosmetics and fragrances, designer and precious jewelry, home furnishings and decor and the smallest category is other items. Neiman Marcus’s Mission Statement: â€Å"Neiman Marcus Stores will be the premier luxury retailer recognized for merchandise leadership and superior customer service. We will offer the finest fashion and quality products in an exceptional environment. † For the fiscal year 2010, Neiman Marcus had strong sales numbers. The total sales in the first quarter included the months of August, September, and October. The total sales were $ 869 million. The second quarter included the months of November, December, and January. The total sales were $ 1,102 million. The third quarter included the months February, March, and April. The total sales in the third quarter were $ 895 million. These figures include all 41 retail stores and the Neiman Marcus on-line website. According to the latest annual report from the U. S. Census Bureau the total amount of sales for the U. S. retail industry was $ 4. 13 trillion. This report comes from the calendar year ending in December 2009. Neiman Marcus has three top competitors. They are Barneys New York, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Even though there are many other luxury retailers, only the three listed above can compete with Neiman Marcus’s customer service and diversity of products. Code of Ethics The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. placed a Code of Ethics and Conduct to all its sales associates. The following are only a few examples of the policies that were placed. Protecting Customer Information When it comes to customer information, Neiman Marcus is dedicated to protect their customer’s confidential information. The company places the responsibility of protecting customer information to each sales associate that comes in contact with that information. Not only is certain information protected by state and federal laws, it is also protected by the company’s own data security policies. Sales associates are prohibited from using a client’s personal information on personal PDA’s or any personal computer for future reference. Conflicts Of Interest Neiman Marcus’s Code of Ethics and Conduct describes situations in which sales associates should avoid. According to the Code of Conduct, associates should avoid any situations that their personal interests could conflict to those of the company. The sales associate should avoid lending money to its customers for them to buy from the company nor should he or she use the company’s information or a customer’s confidential information for personal gain. It is also stated that the â€Å"associates should not accept any gifts†. These rules are made to avoid any unethical transactions between its associates and its customers or other parties. Discipline For Violations Neiman Marcus has disciplinary guidelines for sales associates who authorize, condone, or participate in actions that violate not only the company’s policies but the law. This also applies to sales associates who encourage others to retaliate against whistleblowers. Sales associates who withhold information relating to a violation are also at risk of disciplinary action. Sales associates who also submit false reports of violations or suspected violations which are made in bad faith will also receive disciplinary action. Neiman Marcus also prohibits sales associates to share employee discounts. Because the company regards the employee discount as a courtesy and privilege extended to the employee, if discovered, sales associates can have their benefit revoked or be terminated. Recruiting and Selecting Part of how Neiman Marcus selects its sales force is through its interview process. Part of that process is the use of a personality assessment to screen for desirable candidates to fit with Neiman Marcus’s ideology. The screening tests are supposed to help an interviewer have objective information that is not subject to biases. According to the Dalrymple’s Sales Management text â€Å"Testing was found to be one of the most reliable predictors of entry level job success. † Three main tests mentioned are intelligence, personality, and aptitude. The application process is as follows: after a candidate completes a job application on a HRIS (Human Resource Information System) they are then transferred to the SHL system and complete an assessment test. They are then transferred back to the HRIS system. (â€Å"SHL is a company that provides workplace talent assessment solutions including ability and personality tests, and psychometric assessments in more than 50 countries and in 30 languages†. ) A report is then immediately available which enables the interviewer to hire right then and there. As a result of Neiman Marcus adopting this process they make claims of having a reduction in staff turnover by 18%. In locations where the new system is being used, the pay for sales associates have been increased by 15. % and the interview – to- hire cycle was reduced from several days to 24 hours. The criteria selected by Neiman Marcus for a sales associate position is a direct result from the planning process where the company would define the company culture by analyzing the job, analyzing the job description and determining the qualifications they want to invest in a sales force. After receiving that information, the company SHL designed a personality assessment based on key competencies, attitude, and behaviors that applied to top performing sales associates with good employment tenure records. The assessment is simple and easy to use by store managers for the purpose of minimizing the risk of poor interviewing techniques. 30% of businesses that were surveyed showed that they used personality tests in hiring. Many companies consider testing more important than experience or education, while other companies like Universal Studios Theme Park will still interview candidates regardless of test scores just in case there were errors in the assessment. In most cases the results are close to what is surmised in the interview. Long held debates question whether or not personality tests can reduce personality to a set of numbers. Examples of popular tests are the â€Å"The Myers-Briggs type indicators used to match job seekers with jobs based on four qualities of introversion/ extroversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, judgment/perceiving and for careers in positions of authority and trust. Another popular test is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory test, which looks for drug abuse or other pathologies. Questions remain unanswered. Could this sort of testing stigmatize applicants who have not committed any wrong doings and could it result in an injustice to innocent people? A survey showed that 49 percent of companies that used computerized hiring systems saw no changes in turnover rates. The American Psychological Association found little evidence that tests purporting to measure honesty are accurate. The danger that lies in these tests is they are not regulated or certified, and anyone can make up a test and make claims as they wish. Companies like â€Å"People Answers† make claims of â€Å"streamlining the recruiting process† and hiring process for hiring managers offer â€Å"full behavioral analysis on every candidate†. They claim they can uncover hidden attributes that reveal a candidates drive for success and can separate out the underachievers. While this procedure may save time and the associated costs of hiring staff, questions arise about these programs of whether they make allowances for people who come from different cultures and minorities. These programs may be set to be too narrow as to not give equal opportunity to deserving candidates. Creativity and innovation cannot be predicted by a computer survey. Also, candidates could gain knowledge on how to beat these tests rendering them useless. While these tests might prove to be a good indicator of the attributes of what a company finds desirable in a candidate, it is being suggested here that there is no substitute for good training and interview skills. Caution is indicated where there could be an over reliance on these procedures and could prove to be a drawback in the long run. Training Since Neiman Marcus’s training programs are decentralized, sales associates are trained at the store location where they will work. This instruction is done in a classroom setting that includes web conferences and online essions. This strategy reduces travel expenses and managers can observe the new employees first hand. The decentralized training for sales associates has worked well for them. One of the things Neiman Marcus has been doing right is their training philosophy and techniques. Much of what they have done has been imitated by others. The contemporary theory of customer service was popularized by Neiman Marcus. Neiman Marcus offers a five day training course to new employees, while Nordstrom has a less formal approach with more emphasis on incentives and providing information. New Sales force employees receive training that covers Neiman Marcus history, policies and procedures. They also receive a course called ‘The Art of Selling† which teaches new sales associates how to give outstanding service to clients. This training offers custom-designed materials and programs to fit the Neiman Marcus philosophy. The material covers product knowledge and how sales process behavior leads to a successful conclusion. Another thing Neiman Marcus does right is their follow up training. They use a variety of methods that include classroom session, video, web conferences, systems training, online resources, lending library, in the job coaching, and in-store/in-facility experiences. Associates receive 200 hours of training their first year and 150 hours of training in subsequent years. This constant training reinforces the Neiman Marcus culture and leads to continual improvement, better selling skills, increased product knowledge, and ultimately better customer relations. Retailers have found that better service often equals higher sales and almost always results in loyal customers. A new topic for sales training is technology based selling skills. This is an area that is changing all the time. Cutting edge technology can give a company a real advantage over the competition when they are early entrants. One new technology is customer relationship management hand held devices. In the past, product information that might only be known by a few specialists with years of experience is now at the finger tips of the entire floor of sales associates. This is the power of being trained in using customer relationship management hand held devices. These devices are called Mobile CRMs. The devices have the power to take customer service to a whole new level. Imagine a sales person being able to access customer data at any time. Sales people can up sell, make suggestions, check inventory availability, and even answer customer’s questions about a specific product without having to run off somewhere to get answers and information. Instead, they can get it on the spot. If a product is not available, they can put the customer on a call list to be notified when a product has become available. This cutting edge technology will free sales associates to make the buying experience as effortless as possible. Sales people can make the transactions for the customer without having to go back to the register counter or point of sale station. Customers can be on their way in just minutes. This type of device helps a sales person improve his/her efficiency by being more competent in carrying out one’s duties which will in turn improve customer relations that result in an increase of productivity that leads to more personal satisfaction resulting in reduced turnover. According to the New York Times article, â€Å"Creating a Better Sales Force†, Mr. Lyon of The Container Store states: â€Å"If you give great service, you make people happier. Not only do employees who are better prepared to sell have a greater sense of accomplishment, they contribute ideas that help the company grow, and they become the next generation of management. † Account Relationships Neiman Marcus prides itself as the premier luxury retailer dedicated to providing our customers with distinctive merchandise and superior service. Former President Stanley Marcus believed in the â€Å"best of the best†, both in products and customer relationships. It was his belief that providing superior customer support through consultative transactions would result in customer loyalty. The sales associates should provide a â€Å"personal shopping† experience with each customer. They assist by knowing where merchandise is located, what? s in stock, what? s coming in, what will meet a customer’s needs, and what will not. Associates build trust with customers by answering the customer’s needs rather than providing the nearest product with a simple solution. For example, if a customer arrived looking for a lightly colored lip gloss, a sales associate would try to determine if the customer was looking for nourishment, a concealer, or an enhancer, because each situation may have a different product as a result. To assist the sales associates, Neiman Marcus partnered with Business Objects in 2002 to redesign a strategic customer relationship application. The new computer system provided sales associates with product information. They are able to know what is in stock and on the floor at all times. The system was also created to include a computer based clientele tracking system. This system can track all sales for each client. Based on the information from the sale, such as designers, colors, sizes, time of purchase, and frequency, a profile can be built for each customer. It will also allow the sales associates to track life events and special occasions for each client to add value and build a meaningful personal relationship. This system will also allow department sales managers to access real time reporting on the sales of each associate in their department based on dollar amount, number of sales, and brands sold. Sales associates are also instructed to build a relationship and create loyalty by maintaining familiarity with InCircle, Neiman Marcus’s loyalty program. Each associate is expected to introduce new customers to the program and provide updates to existing members. To become a member, a customer only needs to open a new Neiman Marcus account. Once opened, they are enrolled and can register their American Express and Diners Club credit cards, the only other cards accepted in stores. Each dollar spent in the store or online will equal one point in the InCircle loyalty program. After the first purchase, members will receive advanced notices of promotions, shows, and invitations to exclusive events. It is these â€Å"soft rewards† that generate Neiman Marcus’s most loyal customers. Sales associates promote the exclusivity of the events to make members feel as though they are included in the most fashionable circles. At the exclusive InCircle events, shoppers mingle with other likeminded members who positively influence their spending. Members are also encouraged to bring a non-member to the events which generate promising new customers. Businesses can also benefit for the quality customer service at Neiman Marcus. Many businesses use the knowledge and reliability of associates to place bulk orders. Often a business relationship can develop over the phone, with products being delivered in person. This service allows minimal interruptions for busy business professionals. This service if often utilized during the holiday season by corporations looking to distribute luxurious gifts to their employees.