Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Learning Development Essay

Critical thinking and problem solving are skills required to increase the growth in children’s learning and development, especially if our goal is to prepare a community of effective life-long learners. Researchers find that the definitions of each of these skills vary among the education community, but the necessity of student acquisition of these skills is demanded in the learning process. Critical thinking and problem solving offer an extensive, fundamental skill to the educating of children. This skill set is necessary for student understanding, development, and learning. It has been found that the internalization and automatic use of these skills would greatly increase student opportunity as future learners provide insight of understanding of concepts and provide an alternative way of thinking to a demanding world of self-monitoring, reflecting, and knowing. If these skills are necessary, we ask, why is it that all students don’t have them? In my paper, I will define critical thinking and problem solving. Then I will elaborate on the necessity of teachers teaching students critical thinking and problem solving. I will conclude with the importance of these skills as it pertains to the development of student learning and effectiveness of student performance. Provided are the three working definitions of critical thinking and problem solving. In 2008, Sezer’s research defined critical thinking as, â€Å"the evaluation and reflecting of what you know to be true† (p. 349). Later McCollister and Sayler (2010) defined it as, â€Å"carefully analyzing the way we think, with the purpose of improving it† (p. 41). The definition for problem solving will stand alone and is simply stated by Martinez (2006) as â€Å"problem solving is what y... ... K., & Sayler, M.. (2010, January). Lift the Ceiling: Increase Rigor With Critical Thinking Skills. Gifted Child Today, 33(1), 41-47. Retrieved 23 Nov. 2015, from Education Periodicals. (Document ID: 1950190601). Sezer, R. (2008). Integration Of Critical Thinking Skills Into Elementary School Teacher Education Courses In Mathematics. Education, 128(3), 349-362. Retrieved 21 Nov. 2015, from Education Periodicals. (Document ID: 1460776461). Shure. M. (2006, April). Helping Children Solve Problems. Scholastic Early Childhood Today, 20(6), 10-11. Retrieved 23 Nov. 2015, from Education Periodicals. (Document ID: 1013090421). Zemelman, S., Daniels, H. & Hyde, A. (2005). Best Practice Todays's Standards for Teaching & Learning in America's Schools Third Edition. In H. D. Steven Zemelman, The Principles of Best Practice Learning (p.7-22). Portsmouth: Heinemann.

Research on Modern Grocery Market in Pakistan

â€Å"The Evolution of Modern Grocery Market in Pakistan. † A research project to study changing consumer buying patterns and opportunities for new entrants in the modern grocery sector. By Adavanced Research Methods MBA-Evening Program Section ‘E’ Submitted on November 19, 2012 Table of Contents Titles Page No. Prefatory Information Abstract Acknowledgements Executive Summary Introduction Methodology Research Findings Conclusion Recommendations Appendices References 02 03 04 05 06 08 09 13 14 15 22 Page | 1Prefatory Information Research Topic â€Å"The Evolution of Modern Grocery Market in Pakistan. † Research Background The traditional food retail sector (small neighborhood stores, street vendors, â€Å"general trade† stores, etc. ) comprise about 95% of all food retail stores in Pakistan while the modern retail sector (hypermarkets, supermarkets, discount stores, etc. ) make up the remaining 5%. Over the past few years international retailers have taken advantage of the growing opportunities in this market.Well-known European retail giants Makro, Metro, and Carrefour (Hyperstar) have opened stores in all major Pakistani metropolitan cities. The port city of Karachi alone has at least five large retail stores that serve more than 19 million people. With a growing middle-income class (estimated at about 25% of the total population), increasing urbanization, increasing popularity of international food products, and a growing number of international restaurants and fast food chains, Pakistan is emerging as an expanding market for U. S. high-value agricultural products.The overall food retail and wholesale business accounts for 17% of Pakistan? s GDP. These large retail stores have been able to tap into the changes in consumer lifestyles and higher disposable income. Emerging technologies have also contributed to the emergence of the large food retail superstores, which offer a wide range of value added products and services to p rice conscious middle income consumers. Convenience stores in Petrol/Gas stations are also providing an additional option for consumers and their popularity among Pakistani consumers is rising.To know precisely the driving forces that lead changes in the consumer buying behavior and furthermore to anticipate the future demand of modernized grocery stores and hypermarkets which would ultimately guide investors towards an opportunity and would let them know the critical market factors and consumer needs on the basis of which they should design their businesses to gain maximum market share in minimum amount of time and resources. Page | 2 Abstract â€Å"The Evolution of Modern Grocery Market in Pakistan. The core objectives of our research are comprehensively explained and backed by the results and interpretations, with graphical illustrations that clarify the main consumer tastes and preferences that are the agents of changing buying patterns being the reason behind the increased num ber of modern grocery stores in major cities of Pakistan which is linked to our second objective that is more towards the investment opportunity for local and foreign venture capitalists in the mentioned sector. Page | 3Acknowledgements First and foremost, we would like to thank Almighty Allah for enabling us to achieve the completion of our project report effectively, next we would like to thank to our course mentor of Advanced Research Methods-E, Mr. Salman Rabbani for the valuable guidance and advice. He inspired us greatly to work in this project. His willingness to motivate us contributed tremendously to our project. We also would like to thank him for showing us some examples that related to the topic of our project.Besides, we would like to thank all those participants, colleagues and class mates for providing us with their valuable insights and responses that enabled us to complete this project. Group Members Sandhya Talreja Talha Abid 1235220 1235182 Page | 4 Executive Summ ary The increasing number of modern grocery stores are rapidly increasing in Karachi and other cities of Pakistan which accounts for attracting majority of the customers and getting market share more than it was in the past few years.These larger stores make up 5% of all Pakistan? s retail food stores. There are two segments of modern food markets. One segment is dominated by the international groups and there are also domestic food retailers that are also utilizing new modern retail formats. For example, large food retail stores (Metro, Makro, and Hyperstar) comprise about 2% of all Pakistani food retail outlets with an estimated annual turnover of $176 million. The overall share of imported food products in the large retail stores is about 5. 6%.To analyze and figure out factors that have changed the buying patterns across the urban areas of Pakistan across all major population segments based on the demographical characteristics. The later part of the research well describes inves tment opportunity and growth indicators with rising purchasing power of people and increasing consumption patterns leading to impulse buying behavior. Appendices and annexes contain some useful facts that determine the future trends of retailing in Pakistan that how changes are anticipated in the years to come with respect to structure, marketing, supply chain management and customer servicesPage | 5 Introduction Consumer Food Purchasing Behavior The average Pakistani consumer spends 42% of his income on food. Consumption of imported processed and ready-to-eat food is greater in urban areas because of higher disposable incomes and access to modern style of food. A typical Pakistani household makes regular purchases of staple foods (i. e. , wheat flour, pulses, edible oils, fruits, vegetables, milk, meat, etc. ) several times per month from neighborhood stores due to convenience, perceived freshness, and limited storage space at home.A growing number of young Pakistani professionals (male/female) generally prefer making monthly food purchases from modern retail stores due to greater variety of products, satellite stores, and to enjoy food services all under one roof, thus providing the opportunity of combining „one stop shopping? with a family outing. Affluent Pakistani families are attracted towards modern retail stores due to their affordability, strategic locations, access to the imported processed food, and available choices for multiple product range.In comparison the rural consumer prefers homemade products, organic fruits & vegetables, and has limited access to processed food. The demand for imported food such as dates, cereals, beverages, chocolates, almonds, cakes, fruits and fruit juices reaches its peak during the festive season, especially at Eid and Ramadan. Moreover Pakistan has a large and growing middle-income class (estimated at about 25% of the total population).It also has a large and growing young population and over 55 percent Pakista ni? s are in the 10-40 years age bracket. The upper middle-income class is currently estimated at 17 million, with relatively high per capita income which favors consumer spending. Since 2000 demand for specialized products targeted at the middle-income consumers have increased significantly. The upcoming changes in the Pakistani consumer demographic will create opportunities and challenges for companies doing business in Pakistan.Keeping in view the above stated scenario and these facts the well described the consumer demographics in Pakistan, we decided to conduct a quantitative research to know the factors of changing buying patterns and also to gauge the magnitude of opportunity for the new entrants in the huge retail grocery market that estimates about US$ 42 billion per annum. Page | 6 Research Objectives ? ? To study the changes in buying patterns of consumers in metropolitan cities of Pakistan, after the advent of modern grocery stores.To what extent these retail chains have been successful and to analyze if there is an opportunity for new entrants in the current scenario. Research Question ? ? What factors are responsible for changing buying behavior of people belonging to urban areas of Pakistan? What is the size of opportunity that exists for new entrants in the current market? Page | 7 Methodology The research methodology comprised of an online survey and questionnaire that was conducted throughout the city of Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore and Islamabad. There were 10 option-based question that were designed to get the responses covering the two basic research objectives.Respondents were randomly selected and were asked to fill out a questionnaire which contained predetermined options and with other open-ended options as well, most of the participants were belonged to Karachi along with a significant number of online respondents from Hyderabad, Lahore and Islamabad adding a variety of responses from urban areas of Pakistan. Respondents were divided in to four main categories on the basis of their Gender, Age, Marital Status and Income to have a fair understanding of different types of needs and preferences of different consumer segments.Quantitative Research There was a need to quantify the number of consumer that opt or prefer a certain attribute, products or services at these different stores so in terms of percentages it was easy to present and interpret data that was collected as a result of survey- questionnaire. First of all there was a pre-test conducted to know the validity and effectiveness of the questionnaire and methodology and after that actual survey was launched online and respondents were asked to fill the survey.Online survey reduced the time and other costs associated to our research and proved to be a cost-effective tool to conduct our survey. Page | 8 Research Findings On the basis of two distinct objectives the research findings are included in this report, the initial objective to determine factors that infl uence consumer buying behavior are the overall services offered, quality and branded products, convenience of getting all items at a single point, no grocery items including fashion apparel, cosmetics, medicine, home decor and so on remained the key choices of the respondents.Regarding the second objective that was to know the size of opportunity for new entrants that was asked in a question to know precise demand of the modern grocery outlets in Karachi and other urban cities, the findings exhibit that a clear majority of the respondents want to have more modern grocery stores in their locality, exact figures are mentioned in the graphical representation section later in this report. Other quantitative results include the frequency of purchases, expenditure and preferred store type that are also useful to calculate the size of the opportunity in this sector.Moreover participants also provided very insightful responses in open-ended options that highlighted many other things that th ey prefer at these modern stores. Including improvement suggestions regarding, customer support and billing, loyalty and discount programs were dominant responses of the survey discussed in the detail in graphical representation section. Page | 9 Graphical Representation and Analysis 1. Grocery Store Type It? quite clear from the market share that supermarkets and hypermarkets have acquired during past couple of years is significantly improved up to 30% for each category. Grocery Store Type General stores 30% 30% 18% 22% Dept. Stores Super Markets Hypermarkets 2. Grocery Frequency Frequency as compared to past trend of weekly or daily grocery purchases has been shifted to monthly purchases leading towards impulse buying behavior after the advent of the modern hypermarkets and superstores 60% 40% 20% 0% Grocery Frequency Weekly Fortnightly Monthly others 3.Grocery Market Share Modernized supermarkets lead the market with 48% share of the grocery sector these markets are convenience t o people living in developed areas of Karachi catering their grocery needs effectively. Grocery Market Share Hyperstar 14% 18% 20% 48% Metro/Makro Naheed/Chaseup /Aghaz/Imtiaz others 4. Grocery Spending Most of the people that opted for modern grocery stores belong to higher income segment and majority spends more than Rs. 7000 on their grocery needs. This indicates a higher tendency of the people to consume in the society. 0% 30% 20% 10% 0% Grocery Spending (PKR) 26% 6% 32% 36% Page | 10 5. Appealing Factors The factors that were dominant among the responses were convenience of getting all items at a single stop and economical purchases thus lowering grocery budgets, this is the core reason that has changed buying patterns of consumers in the recent years. other factors Appealing Factors Economical Safe and†¦ Convenience Adequate†¦ Economical 0% 20% 40% Adequate Parking Convenience Safe and Secure other factors Non grocery items 6.Non-grocery items Out of the non-grocery items most people preferred cosmetics reason being the majority of female respondents in our sample. Rest of the people preferred medicines and ready to wear apparels. 0% 50% 46% 20% 16% 8% 10% 7. Additional Food Items Other than usual grocery items as food staples there was a significant rise in the demand and preference to ready-to-eat/ frozen-food, reason being the most of the married females are opting for careers and employments therefore frozen foods provides them convenience and quick food solutions. 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Additional Food Items 2% Fresh fruits and vegetables meat/chicken/p oultry Frozen food others 16% 16% 6% 8. Improvement Suggestions Discount cards were the most opted option by the respondents as people tend to buy in larger quantities they expect a significant amount off as a discount as well as the loyalty or privilege cards were also and added suggestion along with the speedy billing process due to the shortage of time in the busy schedule of peo ple living in the large cities. 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Improvement Suggestions 48% 28% 12% 12% Loyalty cards Discount cards Speedy billing process others Page | 11 9.More Grocery Stores So about 90% of the people responded in positive when they were asked about more grocery stores in their city mainly because the convenience these stores offer, while the remaining 10% who opted for No, further explained there are enough no of stores in their vicinity only need is to improve their service quality. 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% More Grocery Stores 90% 10% Yes No Yes No 10. Most preferred attribute Quality is the most opted attribute and mostly the quality products and services available at modern grocery store provide an added benefit to the customers and delight them in many ways. 0% 60% 40% 20% 0% Most preferred attribute Quality Pricing Brand Other Page | 12 Conclusions After studying the brief results and graphical illustrations we hereby conclude that major causes of change in cons umer purchase patterns are superior quality of products and services offered to customers at economical prices, thus elevating the overall value for customers when it comes to convenience shopping, hassle-free parking, pleasant environment, serene ambiance, safety and security which previously was not offered by any of the conventional grocery stores of their localities.Now majority of the consumers prefer going to modern supermarkets and hypermarkets rather than the wholesale markets, to avoid the long tiring grocery shopping which included stressful parking, lack of security and safety. Moreover people on weekends go for grocery shopping with their families which allows them to spend quality time with their family as an outing or entertainment and enjoy shopping with all the modern state-of-the-art facilities offered by malls and shopping centers.Furthermore, along with the basic grocery items people tend to shop additional items including garments, cosmetics, fashion products, fr ozen foods, medicines and so on that is again an appealing factor that directed majority of the customers towards these modernized grocery store thus offering more and more benefits and ease to customers.As it has been witnessed that in the past few years the retail market dynamics have changed dramatically with modern grocery stores capturing the 40% share in the sector it is therefore a lucrative sector for foreign investors in the sectors and source of high FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) that would increase employment opportunities for our population and also would add up to fiscal revenues for the government. Page | 13 RecommendationsAfter the completion of this research that was in response to previous researches on Emergence of Modern Retail in Pakistan and Market Transformation Due To Current Economic Turmoil (USA and European Retail Sectors) we suggest a comprehensive and more sophisticated research should be carried out on a commercial level to have an in-depth knowledge a nd insights about the market. Many of the indicators suggest the modern society in Pakistan are moving towards mass consumption and retail sector particular has been the key performer accounts for an annual turnover of about US$ 42 billion(estimated).So in response to it another research should carried out on Factors of Impulse Buying Behavior of consumer segments in Pakistan with respect to the modern grocery markets rapidly increasing and expanding the retail sector in Pakistan. The scope of our research was limited to few major cities of Pakistan i. e. Karachi Lahore Islamabad and Hyderabad, so its scope should be increased for future research also incorporating the useful insights of the key industry players of the modern grocery markets. Page | 14 Appendices Appendix-1 (Survey Questionnaire) ARM-Questionnaire Demographics: Age: ? 7-28 ? 29-40 ? 41 & above Gender: ? M ? F Marital Status: ? Single ? Married Average Household Income (PKR): ? 10,000-20,000 ? 20,001-50,000 ? 50,001 & above Area of Residence: ________________________________________________________ 1. What type of grocery store do you prefer for your grocery shopping? ? General stores ? Departmental stores ? Super market ? Hyper-markets 2. 3. 4. 5. How often you go for grocery shopping? ?Weekly ? fortnightly (every 15 days) ? Monthly ? others please specify_____ Which store do you often prefer for your grocery needs? ?Hyperstar ? Metro/Makro ?Naheed/Chase-up/Imtiaz/Agha's ? Others___ On average how much amount you spend on your grocery? (PKR) ? 1000-3000 ? 4000-7000 ? 7000-10000 ? Above 10000 Based on the prior selected store which factor makes you buy from that store? ?Economical ? Adequate Parking ? Convenience (all items under one-roof) ? Safe and secure environment ? Others please specify___________________ What type of items do you prefer to shop along-with grocery? ?Cosmetics ? Garments ? Medicines ? Electronic Appliances ? Others_____ What additional foods items do you like to buy form t he grocery stores? Fresh Fruits and Vegetable ? Meat/Chicken/Fish ? Frozen Foods ? Others__________ What improvements you like see as far as services are concerned? ?Loyalty cards ? Discount coupons ? Speedy billing process ? Others _______ Would like to have more stores and hyper markets? ?Yes ? No What do you prefer the most for your grocery items? ?Quality ? Pricing ? Brand ? Others please specify___________ 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Thank you for your time and attention. Page | 15 Appendix-2 FMCG Companies Profit From Rural Consumption Boom in Pakistan By Riaz Haq Higher crop prices have increased farmers? ncomes in Pakistan by Rs. 342 billion in the 12 months through June, according to a government economic survey. That was higher than the gain of Rs. 329 billion in the preceding eight years, according to a report by Bloomberg News. Companies like Millat tractors, Honda Atlas Motorcycles, Pak Suzuki Motors, Engro Foods, Telnor, Nestle, Colgate-Palmolive, Proctor and Gamble and Unilever h ave been big beneficiaries of the current rural consumption boom. Nestle Pakistan's chief Ian Donald has summed up the rising demand for his company's products as follows: â€Å"It? a common perception that China and India are much bigger in terms of growth than Pakistan. But for Nestle, the per capita consumption of our products in Pakistan is twice as much as we have in China and India. † It should be noted that Nestle is the world's largest packaged food company, and Pakistanis' per capita consumption of milk and dairy products is about 2. 5 times higher than in India. According to the FAO, the average dairy consumption of the developing countries is still very low (45 kg of all dairy products in liquid milk equivalent), compared with the average of 220 kg in the industrial countries.Few developing countries have per capita consumption exceeding 150 kg (Argentina, Uruguay and some pastoral countries in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Africa). Among the most populous countries, only Pakistan, at 153 kg per capita, has such a level. In South Asia, where milk and dairy products are preferred foods, India has only 64 kg and Bangladesh 14 kg. East Asia has only 10 kg. Here are a few key points excerpted from a recent Businessweek story on rise of the rural consumer in Pakistan: 1. Unilever and Colgate-Palmolive Co. re sending salespeople into rural areas of the world? s sixth most-populous nation, where demand for consumer goods such as Sunsilk shampoo, Pond? s moisturizers and Colgate toothpaste has boosted local units? revenue at least 15 percent. Page | 16 2. â€Å"The rural push is aimed at the boisterous youth in these areas, who have bountiful cash and resources to increase purchases,† Shazia Syed, vice president for customer development at Unilever Pakistan Ltd. , said in an interview. â€Å"Rural growth is more than double that of national sales. † 3.Consumer-goods companies forecast growth in Pakistan even as an increase in ethnic viole nce in Karachi has made 2011 the deadliest in 16 years for the country? s biggest city and financial center. 4. Nestle Pakistan Ltd. is spending 300 million Swiss francs ($326 million) to double dairy output in four years, boosted sales 29 percent to 33 billion rupees ($378 million) in the six months through June. â€Å"We have been focusing on rural areas very strongly,† Ian Donald, managing director of Nestle? s Pakistan unit, said in an interview in Lahore. â€Å"Our observation is that Pakistan? rural economy is doing better than urban areas. † 5. Haji Mirbar, who grows cotton on a 5-acre farm with his four brothers, said his family? s income grew fivefold in the year through June, allowing him to buy branded products. He uses Unilever? s Lifebuoy for his open-air baths under a hand pump, instead of the handmade soap he used before. â€Å"We had a great year because of cotton prices,† said Mirbar, 28, who lives in a village outside south Pakistan? s Matiari town. â€Å"As our income has risen, we want to buy nice things and live like kings. † 6.Sales for the Pakistan unit of Unilever rose 15 percent to 24. 8 billion rupees in the first half. Colgate-Palmolive Pakistan Ltd.? s sales increased 29 percent in the six months through June to 7. 6 billion rupees, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. â€Å"In a generally faltering economy, the double-digit growth in revenue for companies servicing the consumer sector has come almost entirely from the rural areas,† said Sakib Sherani, chief executive officer at Macroeconomic Insights Pvt. in Islamabad and a former economic adviser to Pakistan? s finance ministry. 7.Unilever is pushing beauty products in the countryside through a program called â€Å"Guddi Baji,† an Urdu phrase that literally means â€Å"doll sister. † It employs â€Å"beauty specialists who understand rural women,† providing them with vans filled with samples and equipment, Syed said. Wome n in villages are also employed as sales representatives, because â€Å"rural is the Page | 17 growth engine† for Unilever in Pakistan, she said in an interview in Karachi. While the bulk of spending for rural families goes to food, about 20 percent â€Å"is spent on looking beautiful and buying expensive clothes,† Syed said. . Colgate-Palmolive, the world? s largest toothpaste maker, aims to address a â€Å"huge gap† in sales outside Pakistan? s cities by more than tripling the number of villages where its products, such as Palmolive soap, are sold, from the current 5,000, said Syed Wasif Ali, rural operations manager at the local unit. 9. Its detergents Bonus Tristar and Brite are packed in sachets of 20 grams or less and priced as low as five rupees (6 cents), to boost sales among low-income consumers hurt by the fastest pace of inflation in Asia after Vietnam.Unilever plans to increase the number of villages where its products are sold to almost half of the total 34,000 within three years. Its merchandise, including Dove shampoo, Surf detergent and Brooke Bond Supreme tea, is available in about 11,000 villages now. 10. Pakistan, Asia? s third-largest wheat grower, in 2008 increased wheat prices by more than 50 percent as Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sought to boost production of the staple. â€Å"The injection of purchasing power in the rural sector has been unprecedented,† said Sherani, who added that local prices for rice and sugarcane have also risen. 1. Telenor Pakistan Pvt. is also expanding in Pakistan? s rural areas, which already contribute 60 percent of sales, said Anjum Nida Rahman, corporate communications director for the local unit of the Nordic region? s largest phone company. While the presence of multinational consumer product giants like Nestle and Unilever receive more coverage in the western media, the Euromonitor report finds that Pakistani FMGC companies like Engro Foods, Haleeb Foods, Shezan, Tapal, Sh an and others dominate the packaged food business in Pakistan. Here's an excerpt from a recent Euromonitor report on Pakistan.Page | 18 Appendix- 3 Study of the International Retail Markets Drivers of Retail Change Internationally There are significant changes underway in the international retail sector. Some are already evident in the Irish retail market while others are now beginning to show an impact. The key drivers of change in the retail sector are: †¢ Consumer shopping habits and meal preparation habits are changing. This is driving the food retail structure to one of large stores for once-weekly shopping trips and smaller convenience stores for top-up purchases. Relatively low growth in retail spending across Europe, particularly in the food sector, which is generating substantial competition between retailers. †¢ A shift in the determinant of consumer demand from price consciousness to value for money. †¢ A stronger preference for service and convenience, bot h in retail service and also in product choice. †¢ The development of a more international outlook and a greater awareness of international brands. †¢ More focused marketing methods, referred to as „mass customization? and competition for consumer loyalty. †¢ The retail sector is still relatively highly regulated in many countries, specifically in the areas of planning regulations in respect of new store development and working hours. †¢ Developments in information and communications technologies (ICTs) are enabling improvements in market research and analysis, and supply chain management. This is driving significant change in international retail supply chains as retailers seek out increasing efficiencies and seek to reduce inventories. Page | 19 Appendix-4Future of Retail Sector in Pakistan The expected future trends in the retail sector in Pakistan are that: †¢ The retail sector can be expected to continue to grow in line with the overall growth of the economy, thereby providing further employment and an increasing contribution to economic activity. †¢ The level of concentration, i. e. , the market share held by major retailers, in both the food and clothing sectors, is expected to continue to increase. †¢ Further consolidation in the market can be expected through mergers and acquisitions of national retailers and foreign retailers in the current market.Acquisition is likely to be the mode of market entry for large scale foreign retailers into the future. Size & Structure The strucuture of the retail sector is changing as: †¢ Retailers are growing larger through mergers and acquisitions both in domestic and international markets; †¢ The number of large sized stores is increasing significantly; †¢ Levels of concentration in retail markets are increasing; †¢ Order sizes and deliveries from suppliers are growing; and †¢ Suppliers are increasing in scale. Customer Service Customer service is dev eloping rapidly through: †¢ Home hopping and delivery; †¢ Internet shopping; †¢ Longer opening hours; †¢ Loyalty card schemes; †¢ Better in-store service; †¢ Micro-marketing to individual customers; and †¢ Improved mail order. Page | 20 Diversification Retailers are pursuing growth through diversification into: †¢ New product areas, by food retailers into non-food goods, and into new markets such as apparel and music; †¢ New business sectors such as banking and insurance; and †¢ New geographic markets, nationally and internationally, mail order, teleshopping and ecommerce.Supply-Chain Management Retailers are increasing their control over the whole supply chain by implementing: †¢ Centralized distribution; †¢ Efficient consumer response (ECR) †¢ Increased traceability of goods †¢ Increased investment in Information Technology; †¢ Supplier rationalization programs †¢ Greater involvement in supplier operat ions. Page | 21 References Retail Sector Dynamics in Ireland-www. forfas. ie. European Journal of Scientific Research Euro Journals Publishing, Inc. 2009 http://www. eurojournals. com/ejsr. htm http://www. iazhaq. com/2011/10/fmcg-companies-profit-from-rural. html Retail markets planning guide-FAO Bulletin http://www. fao. org/docrep/v8390e/V8390E00. HTM New generation of retail markets By Ashfak Bokhari | From InpaperMagzine | 23rd July, 2012 http://dawn. com/2012/07/23/new-generation-of-retail-markets/ Retail’s Hottest Emerging Markets, 2012 http://www. cnbc. com/id/47782726/Retail_s_Hottest_Emerging_Markets_2012 Economic Impact of Retailing in Pakistan Proceedings of 2nd International Conference on Business Management Page | 22

The Thin Blue Line - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1691 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/10/10 Did you like this example? Introduction The thin blue line is a book and a movie that is focused on the life of a police officer whereby a man is wrongly convicted of murder by the Dallas County justice system. The film is created by Ben Elton and directed by Errol Morris. Adam accepts a ride from a teenager who has stolen the car one night in 1976. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Thin Blue Line" essay for you Create order The teenager kills the police officer when they stop them to check the headlights, and he accuses Adam of the murder. The jury believes Harris, the teenager, and sentenced Adam to death. The police are faced with moral dilemmas of mistrust and feelings. The police are not aware of the right action since Harris is a minor and he cannot be sentenced to death. All the evidence point to Adam committing the murder, as a result, the police are in a dilemma since they have to convict someone of the killing. The film makes me realize that the life of an innocent person can be ruined due to a simple action. The film makes the viewer question the legal system because it depicts how a person can be sentenced being innocent. The justice system wanted to justify the death of a police officer and the only way they considered a fair was putting the killer to death. Since the teenager could not be sentenced to death, they chose to believe his accusation and convict the innocent man. The movie evokes emotions of anger because the real killer was set free while the innocent man spent years in prison because of a crime that he had not committed. The paper is going to review the movie, the thin blue line focusing on the moral dilemmas faced by the officers and the thoughts that occur after watching the film. Movie Overview Randall is offered a job in Dallas, and he goes to work on his first day on a Saturday but realizes that there is no one since it is a weekend. He runs out of fuel on his way back home and is offered a lift by a sixteen-year-old boy who has stolen his neighbor’s car. Harris also possesses a gun that is also stolen. The two men spend the day together consuming alcohol and marijuana, and in the evening, they enjoy a drive-in movie (Bates, 1989). Police officers stop the stolen car but the occupant fires to the police officer who dies instantly. As a result, Harris, the sixteen-year-old boy accuses Adam of killing the police officer and shows the police the murder weapon. The justice system suggests that Adam is responsible for the killing since Harris was underage and could not be sentenced to death. The documentary shows how Adam is made the scapegoat to the crime since Harris was not eligible for the death penalty. It is apparent that Harris was the likely suspect since he was involved in other crimes like stealing the car and the murder weapon. However, the legal system goes ahead and convicts Adam only because he could be put in the death row (Bates, 1989). The innocent man spent twelve years in jail for a crime that he had not committed. The film shows how the justice system ruined the life of an innocent man by putting him in prison for many years. The police are said to be in a thin blue line that separates the society from anarchy whereby the blue line is represented by the color of their uniform. The Ethical Dilemmas faced by the Police Officers The author of the book shows how Adam was innocent by demonstrating the interviews of the people that believed in his innocence. The movie suggests all the reasons that made the authorities pin the death on Adam (Bates, 1989). The main reason was the fact that Harris was too young and could not receive the death penalty and because Harris had been involved in numerous crimes before. The fact that Harris had committed other crimes showed that Adam was innocent. The crime did not have reliable witnesses since the other police officer did not see the person who shot the officer and both Harris and Adam could not be considered reliable. The officers are faced with an ethical dilemma because the death of the police officer has to be justified by convicting the killer and sentencing him to death. Harris accuses Adam of the murder, and he even shows the officers the gun that killed the police. The two men are present at the scene of the crime, and the two of them are suspects in the murder. The police are in a dilemma since the evidence is not enough to convict Harris (Bates, 1989). Harris is depicted as a person who is not hostile or rude which makes the police believe that he is not capable of committing a murder crime. He made a good impression on the police officers, which, made them believe his story. The fact that the police had no one to rely on put them in a dilemma. They had to convict one of the men and Harris being a minor made it difficult since he could not be put on a death row. On the other hand, they had to think of the justice that Robert Wood, the officer that was killed, deserved. They needed to blam e and charge someone for the murder. The stories of the two men diverge as they are giving their statements whereby Adam stated that he went to his motel to sleep and he stayed with his brother. On the other hand, Harris says that the police stopped them late at night and that Adam shot the police officer (Bates, 1989). The police officers had a lot of pressure to solve the case, which made them make the conclusions that Adam was guilty. The circumstantial evidence was weak, but the jury desired a death penalty hence the police had to present a suspect who was eligible. Reflection on the Movie The film is focused on two men who are accused of the same murder, and only one of them is innocent. The film show how blame can be passed from one person to another and how the witnesses are capable of giving false evidence. The two suspects make the detectives sympathize with them by giving their background stories. The evidence that is given is not explained, and the detective has to draw his own conclusions from the evidence provided by the witnesses and the suspects. The inspector is responsible for determining the guilty man (Bates, 1989). He is also responsible for determining whether he deserves the death row. The pictures of the court case and the articles in the news help to show the evidence of the case and the things that happened. The interviewers made the audience to see two people rather than murder suspects. The film gives the two men the opportunity of presenting themselves to the public and giving their side of the story. As a result, it makes it easier for the audi ence to make their own judgment rather than give the audience the full information. The voiceover that is used in the movie tells the minor details that are left in the interviews. The stages clips help to show what was happening in the trials and as a result, makes it easier to make a conclusion. Randall’s only mistake was being in the wrong place with the wrong person, and it cost him twelve years of his life. The film raises some moral questions regarding the justice system because they convicted Adam without having enough prove. The film shows the biases that are in the justice system starting with the judge in the case. For instance, he states, â€Å"I can understand robbing someone to put food on the table, I understand a kid stealing a car, I understand accidentally killing someone while drunk driving, but there is no reason to kill a police officer,† (Bates, 1989). This shows how the judge is biased simply because the person who they are seeking justice is a police officer. The fact that Harris had been arrested seven times indicates that he was a criminal. Harris stole the car and the weapon that was used in the crime, but the police did not consider the crimes to determine the guilty man in the killings of the police officer. Harris was a criminal, and he could have been lying to the police when he accused Adam, but the police chose to go with the choice that was more convenient for them since Adam could be put on the death row. The justice system that is involved in the case makes me angry because of the injustice that it committed to an innocent man simply because he was old enough to be put on a death row. I felt sorry for Adam because of how his life turned up. The film makes me think of the people that are wrongly convicted of crimes that they did not commit and probably even ended up dead as a result. The film makes me doubt the legal system because it is capable of convicting an innocent man just to get what they need. In this case, they wanted to make sure that someone was charged with the murder and put on a death row (Bates, 1989). The evidence of convicting Harris for the killing is enough since he was involved in other crimes and the weapon used for the murder was his. However, the legal system chose to convict Adam because he was eligible for the death row. Conclusion The thin blue line is a film documentary that raises some questions on ethics whereby Morris; the detective tells the story of Adam who was convicted of a murder that he had not committed. The police did not have enough evidence to convict Adam, but since he was old enough to be given a death sentence, the justice system accused him of the murder. On the other hand, the guilty person walked out free despite the fact that he was more likely to be the murderer since he had a criminal record.