Columbine Essay -- essays papers

Columbine The tragedy at Columbine High School is something that will be remembered and talked about for many years to come. People from across the nation have all heard about this event. But there are still a couple questions that people have. For instance who’s to blame? The kids alone, the parents for how they brought the children up, or even actually the students at Columbine? Most say that the parents are to blame, but who actually knows? In my opinion the only two people that can actually answer this question truthfully are both dead. Everyone wants answers. Did the kids have help? Who was it? Who sold them the weapons and why? Why did they do this? How could they do this? I had a class about the last question. Who could actually go into a room and commit a crime of massacre in a school of people that you know and have grown up with? Most of our class thought that they couldn’t ever get enough anger to do anything even remotely as bad, but when you actually think about it, if you had no friends and where made fun of all the time. It looked like your parents, teachers, and even all your own piers where against you. I think anyone could snap and maybe even do something as drastic as this (Why at Columbine High). Did the boys, Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18, have any help doing this crime. As of yet no one has true evidence that proves they did except they did find who sold them the weapons. Police found around thirty small bombs and one twenty-pound propane bomb in the school, enough explosives to blow the school into almost nothing. For this reason people believe that the boys either had to have help or they had visited the school many times to plan this assault. No one talking though and no proof has been found. Their not only looking for information from someone that could point to someone that had helped they’re also looking for someone that had known that this was going to happen, so that they may find the answers to so many questions (The Colorado Shooting: Who Helped). Besides many bombs the police had also found a horrible suicide note. â€Å"Your children who have ridiculed me, who have chosen not to accept me, who have treated me like I am not worth their time are dead. THEY ARE (expletive) DEAD. I may have taken their lives and my own - but it was your doing. Teachers, parents, LET THIS MASSACRE BE ON YOUR SHOULDERS UNTIL ... ...no one except investigators and policemen in the school the police finally let them in. Everyone had something to get or look at, since the kids all had to leave their book bags in the school. A lot of the kids despised having to go back to school where many of their friends were killed or even injured (A Sad Homecoming at Columbine High). As of now in the little town of Littleton, the people are decided rather or not to destroy the old library and build a new one, for over three million dollars. They see the library as a horrible memory since ten of the students were killed and that’s where the boys committed suicide (Library Approval Delayed). This entire event got worse and worse as I read into it. Before now I never knew what was written in the suicide notes that they had written, but now that I do it’s really unbelievable that a human could think up such a thing and actually do it. It’s one thing to think about doing it, but strictly another going throug h with something so gruesome. I believe all of us feel left out sometimes, or maybe just seeing everything go wrong from them and that everyone’s against them, but I don’t see it in anyone to take that hated to these extremes.

BASF Case

When we speak on BASF’s efforts to restrict stakeholder pressure, the stakeholders, whom we are referring to, are the town’s commission and its populace. The two primary efforts which BASF has made to resist their pressure are: assuaging their fears and subverting their demands.Now, BASF attempted to their assuage fears by claiming no third party waste would be brought to this new waste facility. They also claimed that all waste, whether toxic or non-toxic, would be incinerated and, thus, should pose no threat to the townspeople.Additionally, BASF released two printed volumes which detailed how the waste would be incinerated. And, repeatedly, the company assured the public that building the new plant would create jobs and be perfectly safe for the community. They proclaimed that there would be no harmful effect on the environment now, nor at any time in the future. On the subversion end, BASF used many techniques. They cajoled the county commission into selling the prop erty without requiring appropriate background data and environmental information.Also, they altered their proposal after submitting it to the town council, and the data which they released was highly suspect according to a local professor. They also used high powered lawyers in efforts to push through the land’s sale and to obtain the appropriate environmental certification. This certification would allow the plant’s development to proceed. All of these tactics were a subversion of the local townspeople’s trust and wishes. However, these have been relatively affective measures in resisting stakeholder pressure, and, likely, the plant will be built.

The connection between macroeconomic variables and stock price - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 15 Words: 4590 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Economics Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? Over the past few decades, the connection between macroeconomic variables and the movement of stock prices has been a subject of interest among academics and researchers. It is often argued that stock prices are determined by some fundamental macroeconomic variables such as interest rate (Base Lending Rate, BRL), exchange rate, inflation (Consumer Price Index, CPI), industrial production index and money supply (M2). In fact, investors generally believe that macroeconomic events have a large influence on the volatility of the stock prices, which in turn motivates researchers to explore the relationship between macroeconomic variables and stock prices. 1.1 Research Background The relationship between stock prices and macroeconomic variables has been widely investigated in scientific literature. Sohail and Hussain (2009) claimed that the stock market plays an important role as it mobilizes domestic resources and channels them to productive investment, which leads to economic growth in a country. It acts as a mechanism that facilitates flow of funds from saver to borrower. A well-organized stock market makes an attractive feature of issuing and investing in stocks. From the corporations perspective, the stock market allows it to raise funds by selling additional shares of ownership. On the other hand, it also provides liquidity to investors. In other words, investors are able to quickly and easily convert their securities to cash. A companys stock price is determined by the perception of investors on true value of the stock. Stock prices are also affected by all forms of company and market news. According to Asmy, Rohilina, Hassama, and Fouad (2009) as well as Maysami, Lee, and Hamzah (2004), the efficient market hypothesis suggests that efficient market is where new information about changes in macroeconomic variable is quickly incorporated into the price so that the current market price reflects all available information. Therefore, no one can outperform the market or earn abnormal profit consistently in the market. However, some evidences are against this theory and shown that abnormally higher return can be earned. The stock price is the primary indicator of a countrys economic strength and development (Shahbaz, Ahmed, and Ali, 2008). This means that when stock prices move up or down, due to demand and supply of stock prices, it can be used to predict the economic condition in the future. A rise in stock prices always associate with increased business investment which improves the economy of a country and vice versa. Stock prices have some impacts on economy as revealed by Enisan and Olufisayo (2009). Firstly, stocks ar e one of the types of people assets, thus changes in stock prices will affect the wealth of investors. A fall in the stock price, for instance, will lead to loss of money on stocks that investors are holding. They become more hesitant to spend money and this contributes to a fall in consumer spending which then prohibit the economic growth. Other than this, stock prices can affect the investor confidence. As known that stock prices movement always reflect the condition of the economy, a fall in stock prices, for instance, discourage investors from investing in stock market which can lead to stagnant of economy. Moreover, stock prices are also play an important role in affecting the investment in a country. A fall in the stock prices, for instance, makes the ability to raise funds become more difficult. Thus, this discourages those firms from expanding their businesses and making investment. As a consequent, economy of a country will not be improved. Most countries in Asia were si gnificantly affected by the Asian Financial Crisis during year 1997, and Malaysia has been no exception. The crisis which originated from Thailand had great impact on Asia countries especially in aspect of currency value. Before the crisis, Malaysian currency was pegged to U.S. dollar. At that time, as U.S. dollar was operating under floating exchange rate, therefore, the pegged currency of Malaysian was floating as well. Thus, the currency of Malaysia was greatly affected by the crisis (Daniel, n.d.). At the beginning of 1997, the Malaysian currency is trading at 2.49 and KLSE composite index was 1216. After the emergence of the crisis, KLSE composite index continuously dropping around 75% and this phenomenon last until August 1998 which reached 303. While for currency, the Malaysian currency kept depreciating and reached its peak of 4.545 in January 1998. Besides, for industrial production index, was also declining in the beginning of 1998 due to fall of production in various d ivision including electricity and electronic, manufacturing and wood products. On the other hand, using year 1999 as the base year, the inflation rate increased from the initial 92.68 in the end of year 1997 to 97.59 in the end of year 1998. In response to the crisis, various defensive measures were introduced. One of them was fixing of the ringgit peg to the US dollar at 3.80 that imposed by the premier, Dr. Mahathir Mohammad (Dori, 1998). In order to fight against the depreciation of currency and rising of inflation, Malaysian government decided to temporarily raise interest rates. Therefore, the interest rate increased from initial 9.58% in July 1997 to 12.07% in July 1998. This led to higher return on Malaysian investment and attracted more foreign capital as a strategy to inflate the effect of depreciation. For inflation, rises in the interest rate encouraged people to save instead of spend that helped to reduce inflation. In this globalized era, the financial systems in different countries around the world are integrated. Again, Malaysia is suffering due to the global financial crisis that was originated from United States in year 2007. However, Malaysia may not witness sharp downturn as compared to Asian Financial Crisis in 1998 (Asmy et al., 2009). This might due to Malaysia stock market has little linkage with the subprime loan in United States. The negative shock from United States was transmitted to Malaysia in the fourth quarter of 2008. Malaysian government de-pegging of the Ringgit from the US dollar in 2005, the Malaysian currency had depreciated from initial 3.4575 in September 2008 to 3.6085 in January 2009. On the other hand, the industrial production index declined as well started from the end of year 2008. Among those divisions that were significantly affected were electrical and electronic, textiles wearing apparel and footwear, rubber, wood as well as paper products. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The connection between macroeconomic variables and stock price" essay for you Create order 1.1.1 Malaysian Stock Market Bursa Malaysia is an exchange holding company approved under Section 15 of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007. It operates a fully-integrated exchange, offering the complete range of exchange-related services including trading, clearing, settlement and depository services. The wholly-owned subsidiaries of Bursa Malaysia own and operate the various businesses. Today, Bursa Malaysia is one of the largest bourses in Asia with just under 1,000 listed companies providing a wide range of investment choices to the world (Bursa Malaysia, 2010). In 1930, the first formal securities business organisation introduced in Malaysia was the Singapore Stockbrokers Association. It was later re-registered as the Malayan Stockbrokers Association in 1937. The Malayan Stock Exchange was established in 1960 and the public trading of shares commenced in the clearing house of Bank Negara Malaysia. Due to the termination of currency interchange ability between Malaysia and Singapore, the Stock Exc hange of Malaysia and Singapore was divided into the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange Berhad (KLSE) and the Stock Exchange of Singapore (SES) in 1973 (Bursa Malaysia, 2010). On 14 April 2004, Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange Berhad changed their name to Bursa Malaysia Berhad. Besides, they employ demutualization in order to enhance the competitive position and to respond to global trends in the exchange sector, leading to become more customer-driven and market-oriented. On 18 March 2005, Bursa Malaysia was listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad. In Dec 2008, Bursa Malaysia launched a new trading platform called Bursa Trade Securities, enabling faster processing and execution of orders and providing wider trading functions and features (Bursa Malaysia, 2010). As part of Bursa Malaysias strategic initiative, the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) was enhanced to ensure that it remains robust in measuring the national economy with growing linkage to the global econom y. Bursa Malaysia together with FTSE, its index partner, had integrated the KLCI with internationally accepted index calculation methodology to provide a more investable, tradable and transparently managed index. The enhanced KLCI, whilst remaining representative of the Malaysian stock market, provided a platform for a wider range of investable and appealing opportunities. The KLCI is now known as the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI and the enhancements were implemented on 6 July 2009 (Bursa Malaysia, 2010). There are six main advantages for implementing FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI, which are the followings (Bursa Malaysia, 2010): The KLCI is known as FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI to provide global relevance, recognition and reach. The new index complies with the international accepted calculation method, enabling a comparison among other countries stock index that makes it more relevant with the global financial condition. A market barometer made up of primary market movers will more apt ly define market activities while remaining representative of the Malaysian stock market. Stocks that are not marketable or without a good rating should be eliminated out of the index because it will only drag the value of the average market index. Thus, the new index only consists of 30 most rated and marketable stocks from various sectors. The FTSE Bursa Malaysia index calculation methodology emphasises free float and liquidity screens for a clearer representation of the market. Unlike previous KLCI index which consists of 100 companies, the new index only focus on the 30 stocks which are always liquid and marketable in order to give a true picture of the market. A smaller basket of 30 stocks makes it easier to manage and more appealing for the creation of Index Linked products to promote market liquidity. The greater the stocks contained in the index, the higher of difficulties in calculating the index. Smaller basket of stocks therefore can make the calculations of index t o be easier and save efforts on monitoring and managing all these stocks. Besides, unsystematic risks can also be reduced because fewer companies are involved into the index. Increasing the frequency of index calculation from every 60 seconds to every 15 seconds tracks the market pulse closely and more efficiently. The new index provides a better accuracy of market values because it monitors the share price more frequently. Hence, it can reduce price misleading with the faster reflection of overall market share prices of index. The continuity of the KLCI index value preserves the historical movements of the Malaysian stock market. Rather than to start with a new value, the new index continues with the previous value to pertain the trends of the Malaysia market for market survey and statistical researches. On 3 August 2009, Bursa Malaysia effectively implemented a merging procedure where main board and second board merged into a single main market while Mesdaq revamped into ACE market. When the second board was established in November 1988, it was to complement the main board by providing smaller companies with firm growth potential, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with an avenue to raise funds in the equity market. The following year, only two companies were floated on the second board. The population grew to 14 in 1990 and to 160 five years later. Owing to the stock market boom over the next several years, the lightweight listings surged, keeping the ratio of main board companies to second board companies at about 5:3. The number of second board counters peaked in 2000 with 297 companies. The board began the decade with 292 companies but now has 219. The steady decline was partly the result of delisting by the exchange because the companies had failed to rescue themselves from financial woes. To create a well-defined board structure that caters efficiently to the different risk appetites of investors was the prime objective of the unification and the transformation of the Mesdaq Market into the ACE Market. The ACE Market is designed to offer emerging companies early access to equity funding. The Main Market will be for established companies, and will have uniform listing requirements and comprehensive market-based regulation. Another benefit of the merger is that it eliminates the problem of poor sentiment on Mesdaq and second board counters spilling into the main board (Second Board, 2009). Furthermore, this new framework for listings and equity fund-raisings is aimed at allowing efficient access to capital and investments, as well as making Bursa Malaysia a more attractive platform for Malaysian and foreign companies. There is a significant shift in the regulatory approach with regards to listings and equity fund-raisings. This shift to a more market-based regulatory approach is to ensure greater efficiency and competitiveness without compromising on investor protection. Enabling blocks have been pu t in place to enhance the standards of due diligence, disclosures and corporate governance. 1.2 Problem Statement Some of the fundamental macroeconomic variables such as inflation rate, interest rate, exchange rate, money supply and industrial production are generally believed that they are the determinants of the stock price. In general, a number of studies have been issued on the relationship between macroeconomic variables and stock prices in other countries such as the US, Singapore, and Japan. Different studies have provided different results. The result of previous studies have changed according to the macroeconomic variable used and the research methodology employed. This paper extends the literature by examining the effect on stock price due to the different macroeconomic variables by using different methodology approaches including descriptive statistics, unit root test, cointegration test, vector error correction model (VECM) . Besides, in this study, we tend to examine on the relationship between the macroeconomic variable and stock prices in Malaysia. This is due to the previous studies (Gan, Lee, Au Yong Zhang, 2006; Maysami et al., 2004) focus mainly on developed countries such as New Zealand and Singapore. However, developing countries such as Malaysia are less explored by the researcher because most of the people lack of knowledge in this field of study. Therefore, in this paper, we tend to focus this study in our developing country, Malaysia. In previous paper, there is no research investigating those five variables simultaneously with the stock prices in Malaysia. Therefore, we have chosen five macroeconomic variables including inflation rate, interest rate, exchange rate, money supply and industrial production index to examine the variables with the stock prices. Indeed, there are other variables that affect stock prices but we limit our discussion on these variables because of efficiency in modeling as incorporating many variables result in loss of degree of freedom. In our paper, five of the macroeconomic variables are assumed to be signifi cant to the stock prices. For example, we assume that exchange rate has a significant relationship with the stock prices. However, Ahmed and Mustafa (n.d.), Gan et al. (2006), Fama (1981) and Humpe and Macmillan (2009) do not include exchange rate in their research because it seems to be insignificant variable to them. Nevertheless, exchange rate is assumed to be extremely significant variable to the stock price because nowadays is global village where the linkage between local stock market and global stock market becomes tightened. It is due to the fact that fluctuation in exchange rate will affect the foreign investor decision in investing in our country. Home currency depreciation relative to the host country will intensify the demand for the domestic assets because it is relatively cheaper for them to hold. Hence, foreign investors will purchase domestic assets when the home currency is depreciate and sell when the home currency is appreciate in order the gain from the currency differences. For some macroeconomic variables, findings of prior studies are found to differ from our hypotheses since they examine using annually data, instead of monthly or daily data which could provide a better view of fluctuation in macroeconomic activities. Against this background, we reinvestigate the impact of the macroeconomic variable on stock prices based on monthly data. This is because monthly data can reflect a better vision of the fluctuation in the macroeconomic activities compare to the annually data (Rahman, Sidek Tafri, 2009). Therefore, for our research, we used up-to-date time series monthly data from year 1999 to year 2008 to explore the relationship between macroeconomic variables and the stock prices in Malaysia. Using obsolete data to derive the relationship between macroeconomic variables and stock price, it may mislead the current situation in the economy, which in turn brings the information futile. In contrast, using up-to-date data may reflect the current situation in the economy which guides the policy makers to propose an appropriate policy based on our economy situation. We hope this paper can help to shed some useful light for government in stabilizing the stock price in Malaysia. 1.3 Research Objectives 1.3.1 General Objective The objective of this study is to gather information and examine the relationship between macroeconomic variable and the stock prices in Malaysia by using time series data from year 1999 to year 2008. 1.3.2 Specific Objectives To examine the relationship between interest rate and stock prices. To investigate the effect on exchange rate with the stock prices. To explore the interaction between the inflation rate and stock prices. To estimate the result of the relationship between money supply and stock prices. To identify the effect of industrial production on the stock prices. To estimate which macroeconomic variables are better policy instrument in order to stabilize the stock prices. 1.4 Research Questions Two research questions are central to this study: Examine the relationship between macroeconomic variables and stock prices in Malaysia. Determine the macroeconomic variables that can be used to predict stock prices in Malaysia. 1.5 Hypotheses of the Study In order to achieve the objectives of the study, we will hypothesize certain relationships between exchange rate, industrial production index, inflation rate, interest rate and money supply with the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI). The following hypotheses are developed. Interest Rate A reduction in interest rates reduces the costs of borrowing and consequently serves as an incentive for expansion, as companies often finance their capital equipment and inventories through borrowings. This will have a positive effect on future expected returns for the firm. Thus, stock prices react negatively to the interest rate and consistent with the findings of Menike (2006), Maysami et al. (2004) as well as Pilinkus and Boguslauskas (2009). We hypothesize the same, saying that an inverse relationship between interest rate and stock prices. H0: Interest rate is negatively related to KLCI H1: Interest rate is positively related to KLCI Our null hypothesis describes that interest rate is negatively related to KLCI, while alternative hypothesis states that interest rate is positively related to KLCI. We assume our null hypothesis is true, in which we do not reject it. Inflation Rate A rise in inflation generates a level of uncertainty, which in turn decreases the economic activity and lowers the expected output in future that finally results a decline on the stock prices. Hence, it is concluded that inflation rate is inversely related to stock prices. The suggestion is consistent with Chatrath, Ramchander and Song (1997) study which provided an evidence of a negative relationship between market returns and inflationary trends in India. We hypothesize similarly, signifying that there is a negative relationship between inflation rate and KLCI. H0: Inflation rate is negatively related to KLCI H1: Inflation rate is positively related to KLCI Our null hypothesis is that inflation rate is negatively related to KLCI, and alternative hypothesis defines the opposite if null hypothesis is not true. We do believe that our results will not allow us to reject the null hypothesis. Exchange Rate Parallel to the empirical studies, we expect that exchange rate is directly correlated to KLCI. This is because assuming that Malaysia is an import-depending country, a depreciation of the ringgit Malaysia will lead to a rise in the cost of imports and consequently reduces the firms profits (Asmy et al., 2009). This decline in firms profits will be reflected in the value of stocks, suggesting a positive relationship between exchange rate and stock prices. The finding is consistent with Menike (2006) as well as Mohammad, Hussain and Ali (2009), who established positive relationship between the exchange rate and stock prices in Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively. H0: Exchange rate is positively related to KLCI H1: Exchange rate is negatively related to KLCI Our null hypothesis states that exchange rate is positively related to KLCI, while the alternative hypothesis describes that the exchange rate is negatively related to KLCI. Parallel to the empirical studies, we expect t hat we do not reject H0, indicating that exchange rate is positively correlated to the stock prices. Money Supply Theoretically, the money supply has a negative impact on stock prices because, as money growth rate increases, the inflation rate is also expected to increase, and consequently the stock price should decrease. On the other hand, an increase in money supply growth would also indicate excess liquidity available for buying securities, resulting in higher security prices as well as stimulating the economy. So we have found ambiguous effects. Assuming that effects of a rise in inflation rate are minor, we hypothesize a direct relationship between money supply and stock prices, supported by Bilson, Brailsford and Hooper (2001), Menike (2006) and Gan et al. (2006). H0: Money supply is positively related to KLCI H1: Money supply is negatively related to KLCI Our null hypothesis is that money supply is positively correlated to KLCI, while alternative hypothesis demonstrates that money supply is negatively correlated to KLCI. We expect that we do not reject the null hypothesis. Industrial Production Index Industrial production is typically used as a proxy for the level of real economic activity, that is, a rise in industrial production index would signal economic growth. Maysami et al. (2004) hypothesized a similar positive relationship through the effects of industrial production index on expected future cash flows. We hypothesize likewise, saying that industrial production index is positively related to the stock prices in Malaysia. In other words, an increase in industrial production index would lead to a rise in stock exchange prices. Rahman et al. (2009), who found a positive relationship between industrial production index and stock prices in Malaysia, further support this hypothesis. H0: Industrial production is positively related to KLCI H1: Industrial production is negatively related to KLCI Null hypothesis demonstrates that industrial production index is positively associated to KLCI, while alternative hypothesis is that industrial production index is negatively a ssociated to KLCI. We expect that we do not reject the null hypothesis. 1.6 Significance of the Study It is important to know the relationship between macroeconomic variables and the stock prices in Malaysia. This study aims to observe how the determinants will affect the stock prices in Malaysia. It is believed that government fiscal and monetary policies have large influence on the economy including the stock market. Thus, this motivates financial economists, policy makers and investors to have long attempted to understand the dynamic interactions among macroeconomic variables such as exchange rate, interest rate, inflation rate, industrial production index and money supply towards the stock prices in Malaysia (Mansor and Sulaiman, 2001). This study aims to provide a better understanding or meaningful insight for the financial economists, policy makers or governments and investors. It is helpful for them to have a better intuition of the stock market behavior (Rahman et al., 2009). Thus, they will be able to make the adjustments accordingly and eventually move towards achievin g the desired goals. For instance, inflation is a sustained deterioration in the purchasing power of money (EconomyWatch, 2008). Inflation is resulted from various shocks to the economy and will cause changes in the stock prices. Thus, the governments can know when is the need to control high level of unpredictable inflation since it can severely disrupt the economy, and cause uncertainty in financial decisions. By using the monetary policy (increase or decrease the money supply) or fiscal policy (change the amount of taxes and government spending) to control the economic growth in the market, this can prevent fluctuation in the stock prices (GetObject, 2004). On the other hand, the financial economists are interested to know whether the changes in stock prices may influence variations in economic activities and act as a channel of monetary transmission mechanisms. The monetary transmission mechanism requires monetary authorities to take caution in implementing monetary policies especially if they are used to affect movements in the stock prices. This is because the monetary policies can move the stock prices as desired such as implementing expansionary monetary policy to support stock prices (Mansor and Sulaiman, 2001). If the financial economists find that the supply of money is lowered, implying that the government has tightened the monetary policy, which in turn causing interest rate to rise (The Financial Pipeline, n.d.). Thus, they will be cautious about the changes of money supply in order to make proper and adequate adjustments to their policy making process. In addition, by knowing which macroeconomic variables will affect stock prices the most, both the individual and corporate investors would be able to manage their investment decision making wisely according to the changes of the monetary policy (Rahman et al., 2009). Therefore, they will do some research or a study on the economic situation or financial anomalies before they enhance the inve stment decisions. Besides, if they know that the domestic stock prices is increasing which means that the domestic financial assets have become more attractive, the individual or corporate investors will adjust their domestic and foreign portfolios by demanding more domestic assets. As a result, this will lead to an appreciation of the domestic currency. Other macroeconomic variables may also be affected due to these adjustments (Mansor and Sulaiman, 2001). In the nutshells, investors will concern the investment decisions based on the economic condition such as inflation. When there is inflation in Malaysia, individual and corporate investors will attempt to preserve the value of their money by opting for investments that generate yields higher than the rate of inflation (EconomyWatch, 2008). From this scenario, they can have an idea when is the suitable time for them to make investment in order to acquire the opportunity of gaining higher profit. For example, if the investors ex pect there is a rise in inflation in the future, they are likely to invest in the stock market today. Therefore, investors will make the investment decisions wisely. For the academic perspectives, students will likely to know more about which macroeconomic variables might have the strongest effect on the stock prices in developing countries like Malaysia (Rahman et al., 2009). This study can provide them about the linkage of academic theories with the macroeconomic variables, where students will have a better understanding of the usages of the theories learnt. Generally, students are restricted in the paper theory rather than practices because they just study and learn from whatever from the books. Through this study, they can understand the real example on how the macroeconomic variables influence the movement of stock prices in Malaysia, giving a firm evidence to prove the validity of all those theories studied from the books. Besides that, they can know if the financial crisis occurs, what will be the effects to the stock prices, macroeconomic variables as well as economy. 1.7 Chapter Layout The remaining of the paper proceeds as follows. Chapter 2 reviews previous literature and elaborates on the theoretical frameworks. Chapter 3 discusses data used and empirical model to be estimated. Chapter 4 presents the findings and econometric results. Lastly, Chapter 5 provides a summary and concludes the study. 1.8 Conclusion This study aims at examining the role of macroeconomic variables in explaining Malaysian stock prices in order to derive an appropriate policy instrument. By covering time period spans from January 1999 to December 2008, this study employs some fundamental macroeconomic variables including exchange rate, industrial production index, inflation rate, interest rate and money supply. Based on the hypotheses developed, we assume that industrial production index, exchange rate and money supply are positively correlated to KLCI, while inflation rate and interest rate are inversely associated to KLCI. Empirical findings suggest that all of the independent variables appear to significantly influence the stock prices in Malaysia.

Definition and Examples of Taboo Language

The term taboo language refers to words and phrases that are generally considered inappropriate in certain contexts. Social anthropologist Edmund Leach identified three major categories of taboo words and phrases in English: 1. Dirty words that are concerned with sex and excretion, such as bugger, shit.2. Words that have to do with the Christian religion, such as Christ and Jesus.3. Words which are used in animal abuse (calling a person by the name of an animal), such as bitch, cow. (Brà ³na Murphy, Corpus and Sociolinguistics: Investigating Age and Gender in Female Talk, 2010) The use of taboo language is apparently as old as language itself.  You taught me language, Caliban says in the first act of Shakespeares The Tempest, and my profit ont /  Is, I know how to curse. Etymology The word taboo  was first introduced into European languages by Captain Cook in his description of his third voyage around the world, when he visited Polynesia. Here, he witnessed the ways in which  the word taboo  was used for certain avoidance customs ranging across widely different things...(The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Ritual and Religion, 2011) Examples and Observations People constantly censor the language they use (we differentiate this from the institutionalized imposition of censorship)... In contemporary western society, taboo and euphemism are closely entwined with the concepts of politeness and face (basically, a persons self-image). Generally, social interaction is oriented toward behaviour that is courteous and respectful, or at least inoffensive. Participants have to consider whether what they are saying will maintain, enhance, or damage their own face, as well as to be considerate of, and care for, the face needs of others. (Keith Allan and Kate Burridge, Forbidden Words: Taboo and the Censoring of Language. Cambridge University Press, 2006) Tips on Using Four-Letter Words in Writing [S]omeone in my position has had to devise some rough rules governing the use of [four-letter words]. My own set of rules I now put in writing for the first time. In what follows, they and them stand for what were once obscenities. (Kingsley Amis, The Kings English: A Guide to Modern Usage. HarperCollins, 1997) Use them sparingly and, as classicists used to say, for special effect only.Even in low farce, never use any of them in its original or basic meaning unless perhaps to indicate that a character is some kind of pompous buffoon or other undesirable. Even straightforward excretory ones are tricky.They may be used in dialogue, though remember rule 1. An attempt at humor will often justify their appearance...If in doubt, strike it out, taking it here as one of them. Linguists on Taboo Language in Cultural Contexts Discussion of verbal insults invariably raises the question of obscenity, profanity, cuss words, and other forms of taboo language. Taboo words are those that are to be avoided entirely, or at least avoided in mixed company or polite company. Typical examples involve common swear words such as Damn! or Shit! The latter is heard more and more in polite company, and both men and women use both words openly. Many, however, feel that the latter word is absolutely inappropriate in polite or formal contexts. In place of these words, certain euphemisms--that is polite substitutes for taboo words--can be used... What counts as taboo language is something defined by culture, and not by anything inherent in the language. (Adrian Akmajian, Richard Demers, Ann Farmer, and Robert Harnish, Linguistics: An Introduction to Language and Communication. MIT Press, 2001) Linguists have taken a neutral and descriptive stance on taboo words. The role of linguistic studies has been to document which words are avoided in what situations... Words themselves are not taboo, dirty, or profane. Many of the words currently considered inappropriate in public settings were the neutral, normal term for an object or action in earlier forms of English. The word shit was not always deemed inappropriate or impolite. In a similar way, many languages of the world still treat bodily functions in a less euphemistic manner. (Peter J. Silzer, Taboo.  Encyclopedia of Linguistics, ed. by  Philipp Strazny. Taylor Francis, 2005) ​The Lighter Side of Taboo Language Shifting Standards in South Park Ms. Choksondik: All right children,...Im supposed to clarify the schools position on the word shit.Stan: Wow! We can say shit in school now?Kyle: This is ridiculous. Just because they say it on TV, its all right?Ms. Choksondik: Yes, but only in the figurative noun form or the adjective form.Cartman: Huh?Ms. Choksondik: You can only use it in the nonliteral sense. For instance, Thats a shitty picture of me is now fine. However, the literal noun form of [writes on the board] This is a picture of shit is still naughty.Cartman: I dont get it.Stan: Me neither.Ms. Choksondik: The adjective form is now also acceptable. For example, The weather outside is shitty. However, the literal adjective is not appropriate. For example, My bad diarrhea made the inside of the toilet all shitty, and I had to clean it with a rag, which then also became shitty. Thats right out!Timmy: Sssh...shit!Ms. Choksondik: Very good, Timmy.Butters: Ms. Choksondik, can we say the expletive, like Oh shit! or Shit on a s hingle?Ms. Choksondik: Yes, thats now fine.Cartman: Wow! This is gonna be great! A whole new word! (It Hits the Fan. South Park, 2001 Taboo Language in Monty Pythons Flying Circus Voice Over: The BBC would like to apologize for the poor quality of the writing in that sketch. It is not BBC policy to get easy laughs with words like bum, knickers, botty or wee-wees. (Off-camera laughter) Sh!(Cut to a man standing by a screen with a clicker.) BBC Man: These are the words that are not to be used again on this program.(He clicks the clicker. The following slides appear on screen: B*MB*TTYP*XKN*CKERSW**-W**SEMPRINI (A woman comes into the shot.) Woman: Semprini? BBC Man: (pointing) Out! (Cut back to the chemists shop.) Chemist: Right, whos got a boil on his semprini, then? (A policeman appears and bundles him off.) (Eric Idle, Michael Palin, and John Cleese in The Chemist Sketch. Monty Pythons Flying Circus, Oct. 20, 1970)

Influence Of Influence On Society - 970 Words

People think that they have control of their lives. While this is true there are many factors that influence that control and sometimes that influence is so strong that it overcomes a person’s intentions. Society influences and effect people every day and comes in many different ways. From the constant peer pressure that teens face to how much someone’s potential income is, it is often times affected by society. In order to fix the negative effects of society, we must first understand what causes them. One important aspect of life is for an individual to get a good education and then to get a job. This is what is expected and needed from each individual in order to benefit him or herself as well as the society. The reason these two things need to be done is because each person is part of a larger picture: they are part of a society and according to the structural functionalism theory, societies work as a machine, each person needs to do their part in order for the machine to be working the most efficiently. The main reason that kids go to school can be explained by the structural function theory. In order to be a good â€Å"cog† in the machine, one needs to get a good education that is why the first 12 years of school is the law. Afterwards, almost every single person gets a job. The only reason to get a job is not only to be able to support oneself but, also because it benefits the machine: it benefits the society. This is another explanation of why people get a job; it isS how MoreRelatedInfluence Of Social Influence On Society1461 Words   |  6 PagesEverywhere you go there is someone or something that is trying to influence you. Some way or another we have influenced somebody of our words and behavior. In society, it is very hard to escape the power of influence because it doesn t take much to become engaged in what someone is trying to portray. Social influence is the action, reactions and thoughts by other people or groups in which causes you to change your behavior (Aronson, Wilson, Akert, 2013). This can be caused by peer pressure, theRead More Influences of Society Essay645 Words   |  3 Pages What Influences Society? nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Society seems to influence all ages by poisoning our minds with lies and aggression. People all over try to act like different souls because of what we see on television, hear on the radio, and view in the movie theaters. Everyone try’s to dress different, act different, and change their whole life style just to be known like a certain movie star, or singer. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In our society today, it is extremely important to payRead MorePolice Influence on Society822 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Police Influence on Society Police Influence on Society 1 The relationship between police and minority societies has always been a difficult one with many issues. Before the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s African Americans were treated brutally by the police in the United States. African Americans along with other minority groups were often abused by police. Minorities were viewed to have no rights and this treatment was commonplace. This brutal treatmentRead MorePolice Influence on Society744 Words   |  3 PagesPolice Influence on Society Stephanie Jennings CJA/344 February 11, 2013 Stephen Humphries Police Influence on Society There are different factors when it comes to the police influence on society. The factors can be both negative and positive on society. The police are in the community to protect and serve. The main purpose of law enforcement is to maintain order and to investigate criminal activity in the United States. The history of American policing was learned from Great BritainRead MoreInfluence Of Advertisements On Society1530 Words   |  7 PagesAdvertisements Advertisements are considered as an art to try to persuade people that certain products can make their lives better. Advertisements have been around in the United States since 1841. Advertisements influence society on what to buy. Advertisements lures society into buy their products. The basic role of advertisements is to provide people with basic information about a product. Companies hire celebrities to be in the advertisement in order to get more consumers to appeal to the advertisementRead MoreMedia And The Influence On Society958 Words   |  4 Pagesand the Influence it has on Society Media plays a significant role in the way it can influence our culture. The media can produce positive and negative impacts on our society. It has the power to produce messages that can manipulate the way people think as well as influencing attitudes and actions taken towards the opposite sex. In the video Tough Guise: Violence, Media, and the Crisis in Masculinity Jackson Katz discusses that the rampant of male violence that affects American society needs toRead MoreMusic And Its Influence On Society1752 Words   |  8 Pages Music has always been an influence in the evolution of world civilizations and is still an important form of art and entertainment that humans find great pleasure in listening to today. There are multitudinous types and genres of music from all over the world, varying from classical, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, country, rock, and even rap. Despite these numerous amounts of genres, music can be found from all over the world residing in different parts of the wor ld, and essentially, in different culturesRead MoreThe Classrooms Influence On Society1222 Words   |  5 Pages†¢ The classrooms influence on society Society is constantly changing. There is always something more hip and in the now from new styles of hair, to fashion trends, to popular music, and the like, society is always moving forward. The same goes for education. In George Counts’ Dare the School Build a New Social Order?, Counts explains how and why education can change society. George Counts believed that a new social order was possible through education. Many like Counts, have pushed for educationRead MoreThe influence of religion in Society949 Words   |  4 Pagesthis miracle man who healed people and rose from the dead. Sounds like an important person, right? Well, besides the miraculous stories taught in Sunday school and his impact on today’s religion, Jesus actually had and still has a major influence on today’s society too. Jesus was an influential person because of his impacts on religion, culture, and history by his religious preachings and followers. Jesus was very influential in religion. When asked about who Jesus was, most Americans start onRead MoreInfluence of Paparazzi on Society2831 Words   |  12 Pagesâ€Å"Influence of Paparazzi on Our Society† If a person was to enter into any convenience store, there is almost a sure chance that he or she would encounter a multitude of magazines and newspapers lining the shelves before the checkout counter. Each magazine obnoxiously highlights this week’s big story or scandal. Turn on any television and there are almost as many entertainment news channels as there are world news channel. Is this society becoming obsessed with the lives and mishaps of famous celebrities

Destinations and Attractions Development of Services

Question: Discuss about theDestinations and Attractionsfor Development of Services. Answer: Introduction: The idea of destination development can be identified as a process of coordination and development of services, facilities and amenities that assist the host community to provide an excellent experience to the visitors and improve well-being of the residents. However, attractions are the potentiality of a certain destination to be developed. It holds a major role in decision-making in destination development. Hence, this report will explore the attractions of Brisbane as a destination market. Moreover, it cannot be denied that the socio-political environment or the external environment is largely responsible for the status of future growth of this market. Hence, a candid discussion will explore the future potentiality of this destination. Destination: (5AS) Brisbane can be identified as an important tourist spot with almost 4.6 million domestic and 0.9 million international visitors (Ashworth Goodall, 2012). This particular destination that is widely popular and recognizable in the realm of tourism industry due its scenic beauty. In the context of 5 As of tourism, the following can be discussed for Brisbane. Accommodations: Here in Brisbane, a number of hotels and holiday villages are available, which is the primary necessity for the tourists. Accessibility: Brisbane is a populous tourism destination. It is accessible via local transportation services for the domestic visitors and the works as a point of accessibility to the international visitors. Amenities: Brisbane is mostly rich with manmade amenities. However, those facilities are mostly developed around the natural resources (Buhalis Wagner, 2013). Here, the name of South Bank Parklands, Portside Wharf, City Botanic Gardens and many more. Attractions: Brisbane is rich with tourist attractions. Both the natural and manmade attractions are there in Brisbane. Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, Museum of Brisbane, Brisbane Forest Park and River walks along Brisbane River, Nudgee Beach and many more can be identified as some of crucial tourist attractions. Activities: With the growth of this tourist spot, a large number of inhabitants maintain their business process surrounding this destination in order to keep their daily lifestyle (Candela Figini, 2012). Not only the regional businesspersons, but also a large number of external inhabitants enter into the spot for maintaining their daily livelihood. Brisbanes Market: While conducting effective demographic market segmentation, it has been observed that Brisbane is not possessed with the visitors of a particular age group. Modern Art, Museum of Brisbane, Brisbane Forest Park and River walks along Brisbane River, Nudgee Beach is the primary attractions of Brisbane. Therefore, most of the family members come to spend their leisure hour with their children and other fellows (Figini Vici, 2012). The modern art and museum has been considered as one of the most attractions for the adolescence that helps to enhance their knowledge and mental skill. Brisbane River is very much attractive for the new married couple. As a result, a large number of new married couple is observed to choose Brisbane as their holiday destination (Fotis, Buhalis Rossides, 2012). This particular tourist spot is affordable for medium cost visitors as well. Therefore, the range of target customers is high in level. In this kind of situation, the regional community as well as the g overnment should take a major initiative for providing effective services to the visitors. In addition, the government should look into the fact that any kind of political chaos can hamper the mind of visitors. Therefore, the local community should maintain a peaceful environment within the city. The businesspersons should render varieties of local products so that they can promote their business process in the hands of those visitors (Goodall Ashworth, 2013). While planning the city for making a tourist spot, the stakeholders had only concentrated to focus on family visitation. Family members are the primary source market of Brisbane. Apart from family members, new married couple, friend circles, individual visitors, professional photographers also tend to enter into this particular holiday destination (Jacobsen Munar, 2012). While making effective market segmentation, it has been evaluated that neither the government nor the local business persons have focused on geographic and psychographic market segmentation. With the help of psychographic market, segmentation helps an individual to understand the culture, belief and values of the target customers. Assess Stage of Destination Development: While going through the different stages of destination development this particular study has focused to discuss some of the most relevant theories that intimately help in destination development. As per the theory of Swarbrooke, it can be noted that the purpose of making a mere place to holiday destination would be successful only when the visitors would show their interest for visiting this particular place (Kozak Martin, 2012). Visitor attraction is one of the most important factors based on which the success of regional businesspersons are highly dependent. Side scenes, gaming zone, place for recreation, various innovative products provided by the local businesspersons are the primary source of attractions based on which a specific visitor tend to show their interest for visiting the holiday destination (Mason, 2015). That is the most important reason due to which the government of Brisbane should take a major initiative for developing the destination spot more effectively. In order to draw the attention international visitors, the theory of Doxey is highly important. As per the point of view of Doxey, regional customers are not sufficient in order to make a holiday destination and their businesspersons successful. The business experts would be able to earn more revenue only when people from different geographical boundaries would show their interest for visiting the destination spot (Mowforth Munt, 2015). In addition, the holiday destination like Brisbane would be popular only when the international customers would know the spot. However, in order to draw the attention of tourism operators, the country has to focus on some of the major factors. The community people have to be accustomed with the several languages in order to interact with the visitors effectively. Without making an effective communication with the international customers, the people would never be able to draw the attention of customers. The regional culture and belief should never be restricted and imposed within the mind of international visitors. Otherwise, the visitors would not be flexible in interacting the effectively with the local people. Projections: (PESTEL Analysis) As mentioned by Munar Jacobsen (2014), it is important to identify the external environmental variables for projecting th future status of the destination markting. In cours of that it is needed to make a PESTLE analysis to examine the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental situation of a certain market. Political: As mentioned by Murphy (2013), with the privatization policy of airlines and railways the government is supporting the tourism industry by increasing efficiency. Moreover, the government is also providing financial supports to a number of tourist attractions in Brisbane and Australia itself. Moreover, the political stability that the country is maintain can b identified as a positive mark in the growth of the destination marketing in Brisbane. Economic: As discussed by Mutinda Mayaka (2012), the international visitors consumed almost $ 30 billion in goods and services produced by the Australian economy. It is almost 12 % of Australian export. Hence, it can be said that the economic situation of the tourism in this country is strong enough. It can be identified as a positive sign for sustainability to the stakeholders. Social: As opined by Navickas Malakauskaite (2015), the country is now experiencing an increase in the aging population. It will be helpful for the prosperity of the heritage and health tourism. However, the increase in the work hour, will affect the in-house tourism business negatively. On the other hand, the cultural mixture in demography will brought visitors from overseas countries. Technological: With the hug expansion of the technology and its usage, the future of destination marketing in Brisbane can b identified as a positive on. As mentioned by Navickas Malakauskaite (2015), from management and the visitors point of view, the online ticket, hotel booking, information gathering and many more is extensively supporting the future potentiality of Brisbane as a destination market. Legal: As mentioned by Murphy (2013), the Government has clearly mentioned that in order to run the business process in the land of Brisbane, the businesspersons would have to maintain certain rules and regulations strictly. Without following the legal procedures, not a single businessperson would be able to run their organization successfully over there. Legal procedures include maintaining government taxation policies, participating in various plans and policies implemented by government and many more. Environmental: Today it is a worldwide-discussed issue in destination marketing. As mentioned by Murphy (2013), in Australia, the environmental laws are strict. The Nature and Ecotourism Accreditation Program (NEAP) is aiming to attend a sustainable tourism environment in Australia. Moreover, the country is heading to adopt the hydrogen and electric vehicles, which will be the future vehicles in tourist destinations like Brisbane. Conclusion: This particular study has provided an in-depth understanding and knowledge about the importance of attractions for the development of destination. A tourist spot or the holiday destination can be developed by investing sufficient expense for the betterment of the destination spot. Destination development is the primary concern for this particular study due to several reasons. Different levels of stakeholders can get high benefits and facilities after enhancing the level of attraction in the destination spot such as Brisbane. Different kinds of stakeholders tend to show their interest to expand their wings in destination spot when this particular place is endowed with immense opportunities and development. In order to draw the attention of visitors, Australian government has taken major initiatives in order to enhance the beauty of city more effectively. Australia is possessed with a large number of wonderful holiday destinations where visitors show their interest for spending money in order to spend leisure. Therefore, while dragging the attention of tourists towards the scenic beauty of Brisbane, the business experts, the community people, the government has to play a major role for developing the spot in terms of both beauty and facilities. This particular study has provided detailed insight about the important of destination for making a tourist spot more attractive and magnificent. Reference List: Ashworth, G., Goodall, B. (2012).Marketing tourism places(Vol. 2). Routledge. Buhalis, D., Wagner, R. (2013). E-destinations: Global best practice in tourism technologies and applications. InInformation and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2013(pp. 119-130). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Candela, G., Figini, P. (2012). The economics of tourism destinations. InThe Economics of Tourism Destinations(pp. 73-130). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Figini, P., Vici, L. (2012). Off-season tourists and the cultural offer of a mass-tourism destination: The case of Rimini.Tourism Management,33(4), 825-839. Fotis, J., Buhalis, D., Rossides, N. (2012).Social media use and impact during the holiday travel planning process(pp. 13-24). Springer-Verlag. Goodall, B., Ashworth, G. (Eds.). (2013).Marketing in the Tourism Industry (RLE Tourism): The Promotion of Destination Regions. Routledge. Jacobsen, J. K. S., Munar, A. M. (2012). Tourist information search and destination choice in a digital age.Tourism Management Perspectives,1, 39-47. Kozak, M., Martin, D. (2012). Tourism life cycle and sustainability analysis: Profit-focused strategies for mature destinations.Tourism Management,33(1), 188-194. Mason, P. (2015).Tourism impacts, planning and management. Routledge. Mowforth, M., Munt, I. (2015).Tourism and sustainability: Development, globalisation and new tourism in the third world. Routledge. Munar, A. M., Jacobsen, J. K. S. (2014). Motivations for sharing tourism experiences through social media.Tourism management,43, 46-54. Murphy, P. E. (2013).Tourism: A Community Approach (RLE Tourism). Routledge. Mutinda, R., Mayaka, M. (2012). Application of destination choice model: Factors influencing domestic tourists destination choice among residents of Nairobi, Kenya.Tourism Management,33(6), 1593-1597. Navickas, V., Malakauskaite, A. (2015). The possibilities for the identification and evaluation of tourism sector competitiveness factors.Engineering Economics,61(1).

Room And Board free essay sample

As a Minnesota-based privately owned company, Room amp; Board has been known for offering products that combined classic, simple design with high quality handcrafted furniture and giving exceptional service to their customers. Approximately $50 million of revenue a year was generated through Room amp; Board fully integrated, multichannel sales approach, consisting of its eight national retail stores, an annual catalog and a web site. The purpose of this case analysis is to determine how to institutionalize its way of doing business beyond the life of its founder and how to strengthen its culture and high employees and customer engagement while growing at a rate that sustained its economic health. The situation analysis will examine four factors: the general environment, the industry, competitors, and Room amp; Board internal environment. The general environmental analysis consist of Technological Trends Room amp; Board does not really have any technological advantage over it’s competitors but two advantages it has is giving people a choice of materials used in the product like custom designs in wood and metal materials along with ordering these material ahead of time to cut down on time when a customer does order a product made with certain material in mind. We will write a custom essay sample on Room And Board or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Demographic Trends Room amp; Board demographic trends group is nation-wide which include suppliers and customers. More than 85% percent of its furniture is manufactured in America. Room amp; Board is proud of its commitment for supporting American manufacturers and small, family owned business. Economic Trends At Room amp; Board, quality was also about providing value. That value was inherent in the company’s products, which lasted and whose style and design were timeless. Providing furniture that customers could count on enjoying for many years. Political/Legal Trends Room amp; Board decided early on that it did not want to compete by the traditional rules associated with the retail furniture industry. They wanted to create its own supply chain of approximately 40 vendors, nearly all privately owned family businesses. Sociocultural Trends Room amp; Board was based on the principles of trust, respect, relationships, transparency, entrepreneurial ownership of one’s job and career, and the importance of a balanced life. They believed that individuals thrive in an environment where they are empowered to make decisions and everyone’s view is heard and respected. Global Trends Room amp; Board was looking to expand in other region of the United State but has not yet looked to go global. Industry Analysis Competitor Analysis The competitor analysis is to better understand Room amp; Board top competitors and their outlook on the industry. Room amp; Board made it impossible to have any direct competitors because their exclusive design, corporate structure, and long-lasting quality products. Room amp; Board has two indirect competitors which are Designs Within Reach and Crate and Barrel. Designs Within Reach was a public company. In fiscal 2006, it had $110 million in sales through its 63 stores, which ranged in size from 1,100 sq. to 11,000 sq. ft. Although Room amp; Board stores were fewer in number, they were much bigger, at 30,000 sq. ft. Crate and Barrel had grown from a small family business, to a chain of over 160 mall-based stores. More than 50 percent of Crate and Barrel products were imported from Europe. SWOT Analysis Strengths Room amp; Board has a great corporate structure. They have achieved the eniviable market position of managing its growth and avoiding the capital market pressures. Room amp; Board has created a consistent, seamless, self-reinforcing system that cut across culture, execution philosophy, employee hiring, and benefits. Weaknesses The two alternative strategies would be one to extend catalog and retail furniture business by adding E-Commerce to their website. The other would be to create a dynamic method of hosting web assets. Strategic Alternative Implementation Both alternatives should be implemented but the one that should be addresses first would be to create a dynamic method of hosting web assets. This would allow customers to purchase custom merchandise online, which is critical that they see a visual of the furniture that they have uniquely designed. Room amp; Board should hire an interactive agency to help design and develop a dynamic consumer facing configuration tool that would allow customers to design and purchase customized furniture with ease and confidence.