Financial Analysis of Marks and Spencer Research Paper

Financial Analysis of Marks and Spencer - Research Paper Example New innovative product and services. Charge cards, currency exchange and wedding insurance Large investment on R&D with long and existing history on brand development (e.g. Charge cards, wedding and travel insurance). Effective and easy distribution chain. Stores located in almost all of UK major cities, online sales and catalogue. Co-branding with HSBC a great opportunity for new products and services launch Continuous improvement and development of new products i.e. charge card, wedding insurance with musicians and artists. Many of the brands are well known, cost leadership with high quality. A major player in the clothing industry with continuous increase in record revenue and own brand of children's apparel Low cost operators, product differentiation, broad market focus Opportunities. Developing market opportunities and emerging markets. The potentials associated with the internet are numerous. Creating a customer supplier interface will proof quite profitable. Developing countries markets still remain virgin. This market makesup80% of the world's population. Entering and strengthening holds into potential markets such as India and China. Opportunities for merger, acquisition, and joint ventures are bound. The world becoming a global village is an indication of weakening trade barriers. The creation of a common market for Europe and Africa. Mortgage lending makes up about 75% of UK retail lending market. Opportunities abound in this market. Existing relationship with HSBC bank could be exploited as a breakthrough into other European markets. E-marketing for M&S money could create a strategic interface with other product of the M&S group . Threats More than ten competitors and other niche players operating almost in the same markets and products....This section also uses the balance score card to provide a methodology for approaching the valuation and an appraisal of the method used as opposed to other methods. Section 5 provides a conclusion and a recommendation. Marks and Spencer Group plc is the holding company of the Marks & Spencer group of companies. The Company is a retailer of clothing, food and home products. The Company trades in wholly owned stores in the Republic of Ireland and Hong Kong, as well as in worldwide franchise stores. It had 144 Simply Food stores across the United Kingdom. International business comprises wholly owned stores, in the Republic of Ireland and Hong Kong, and 198 M&S branded franchise stores worldwide, including 22 stores opened during the fiscal year ended April 1, 2006. The company proves to be the most profitable earning a return on equity of 45% in 2006. One can also observe improvements in the figures from 2005 except the figure for return on investment which witnessed a decrease from 12% in 2005 to 10% in 2006. However, the company is more profitable than most of the industry peer group. The liquidity ratios show that the operating leverage is very high. This is because it current liabilities outweigh current assets. Its cash flows from operations might therefore be unable to cover current liabilities.

Michael Foucault Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Michael Foucault - Essay Example His research is often described as postmodernist and post-structuralism (Wikipedia Encyclopedia). Foucault focused on the dangers posed by psychoanalysis in the development of a disciplinary society (Milchman, Rosenberg 2003). One of the main reasons that Foucault emphasized on the subject of psychoanalysis is because it is a topic on which modern thought processes are based. The way we see our selves, our surroundings and the reality around us are all based on psychoanalysis. During the 1950's and 1960's many renowned scientists of the time designated homosexuality as pathological and ill. On the other hand, the adoption of heterosexual behavior (even for the homosexuals) was deemed as correct and righteous. Foucault was highly concerned about the cruelty imposed by various institutions on patients who were not deemed as proper in the face of the society in general. Hence, this justifies his reasons for providing sufficient warnings about the dangers of psychoanalysis. The Foucault methodology does not imply how a person should be but rather focuses on the reasons behind certain behavioral patterns of the patient. Until recently gays did not have any rights in the western society; and neither did children, the old, the mentally ill and the criminals. Foucault has laid the groundwork in his studies to provide these subjugated and oppressed members of the society with proper and due rights. It has been mentioned in a paper by Pryce (1999) that psychoanalysis may be used to obtain information of a "confessional nature" from a patient. This information may be about a topic that the patient is unable to discuss (such as sexual abuse). Three basic steps are used for the process of receiving such information. The direct citation from the paper is given as follows; "First, the medical consultation and examination includes asking the client questions concerning the particulars of sexual activities, orientation and risk behaviors and then physically examining the client. These are often illustrated using preprinted, small diagram of disembodied genitalia or rectum where the physician indicates the site of a lesion by inscribing an X'. Second, during specimen collections and treatments conducted by nurses there is a professional incitement to confess feelings and disclosure of psychosocial dimensions of sexuality. Third, the role of the health advisor and/or psychologist may include that of counselor utilizing some techniques and methods derived from formal counseling and psychology, whereby the client speaks the sin by naming it." Sexuality and Foucault's Work In accordance to Foucault's work sexuality can be viewed in two different ways. The eastern society (e.g. India) sees sexuality as an art form (e.g. Kamasutra), whereas the other type society thinks of sexuality as something to be shameful of and to hide from the public eye. However, in the case of Western society has resulted in the ideology of "confession." This includes the confessions about one's sexuality and sexual origins. Confession is an everyday part of the