Business Leadership Assignment - Free Essay Example

Business Leadership MODEL THE WAY INSPIRE A SHARED VISION CHALLENGE THE PROCESS ENABLE OTHERS TO ACT ENCOURAGE THE HEART LEADERSHIP IS EVERYONEà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢S BUSINESS BUSINESS LEADERSHIP MODEL THE WAY Sheikh Omar Al Aminis the CEO and a great role model and a very principled leader of the Al-Amin Group, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a company based near UAEs maritime, insurance and transport sectors. It is located in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Al-Amin Group works in many dimensions. Under the leadership of its founder and leader, H.E Sheikh Omar Al-amin, Because of hard work and lots of enthusiasm towards work of its leader it has become the biggest expanded group of companies in the Middle East. The area ignoring the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean, Al-Amin Group was started with focusing the maritime sector in Fujairah in 1953. From then there have been flourishing projects started in the transport and insurance sector in the UAE. Lots of hard work and with a great leadership quality of its CEO the company has become more successful in UAE. Al-Amin has inspired me a lot; he not only shows verbally that he is a good leader but also by implementing all leadership quality in his professional life. By applying five practices of exemplary leadership he motivated his staff through his speeches to achieve the objective of mission and vision of the company in a systematic way; he took best out of them by appreciating their work, he conducted workshops for his employees to polished them, arranged meetings with every team to find out what employees want to change in the company consider the convenient options and add them in the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s missions for the bettermen t of the company, last but not the least he gave incentives to the employees for giving best performance which also motivated staff. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Find Your Voiceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  in the term of leadership means that before becoming a convincing leader one should belief in oneself or one should connect his/her voice to what he/she is actually doing. For an influential leader we can take Sheikh Omar Al Aminexample who has find his voice by doing what he said in his life, he believed in his capabilities and did great and impressive work and followed principled which was totally made by him. INSPIRE A SHARED VISION Being forward-looking is a business slang terminology which means forecasting about future business situations. It is very important attribute for an active leader because only the active leader is interested to know about the business future conditions to take the important steps for tackling the problem that will happen in the future. We can take this example that if the prices of raw materials are going to rise up in the future, or in future relation with neighboring country is going to worse which can effect import and export sector a leader with the characteristics of forward- looking will take out some solutions to handle or tackle this kind of solutions to avoid problems in the future. Every leader has a vision whether he/she is a famous leader or not. And for every leader the first goal is to communicate their vision to others effectively and for that they need to make people to identify and articulate the vision. A leader can communicate their vision to others by planning and documenting the vision carefully with reports defining goals for the group or a team that creates ownership for every individual member. We can take the example of Martin Luther King, he said the he have a dream speech for the space program and President John F.Kennedy also have the vision about it. He said that they chose to go to the moon not because it is a n easy task but because it is hard to go. They painted the picture of the future and made it look easy and work hard to convey their thoughts to others to understand their vision and also helped them to accomplish their goal and hence were successful. CHALLENGE THE PROCESS In my organization staff is very hardworking and honest to their organization but there are some appraisal policies which makes them in peril and descent their efforts and not let them work in an appropriate manner along with efficient and brilliant exploring of skills. Introduction of new machines and conversion from manually to totally computer base operations in the organization they have introduce computers in the organization which are difficult to accept from some workers, sometimes employees give lame excuses for not doing any work like old people in our organization are not ready to work on computers they just want to do it manually which take lots of time, some workers are not ready to work on new m achines which cost less to the organization they said that it is very difficult to operate them. Some reasons are valid like difficult operating procedure of new machines. Opportunity to operate a new machine I should take workshops to learn to operate those machines which can be helpful in doing the task efficiently. Conclusion is that one should accept the change in the organization because change is always for the betterment of the organization as well as for the employees. Leaders should not let their constituentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ fails because ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a leader who is role model for his employees or others who admires him/her. If he/she fails to continue his/her principles that will make a bad image on others and people will not be able to trust him/her. ENABLE OTHERS TO ACT Some primary school teachers have assigned some task in which they have to work in a team, but some teacher donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t want to work in a team they think that they will work i n a team and the team leader will take all the credit for that. If I would be their leader I will arrange a meeting and will listen all their issues quietly first then will try to resolve all their issues and all their concerns and also give them assurance that I will be there to guide them and will assist them in their task. I will also assure them that I will monitor their task to know that each team member is doing works equally so that no one will be over burdened. Currently the staff at my office has been facing trouble regarding the change of administration that has recently happened. The previous manager of the organization had a cooperative manner and he considered it his personal responsibility to be aware of the performance or problems of the employees that created hurdles between them and achievement of their goals. He had an open mind and a friendly way of conversation with all the employees regardless of them being on s senior position or a newbie. He had a partic ular way of making people believe that he or she were unique in their own way and instead of comparing them with other employees gave them the freedom to do the given tasks or accomplish the projects in their own innovative style. His appreciation was given in plentiful doses to his employees and the workplace was at the highest level of a perfect work environment which was had become an abode for creative ideas and motivation. The employees had the independence to give opinions and suggestions which they thought would be for the good of the company and the manager received all of them with cordiality never letting anybody feel that the idea was not good enough or could not be applied due to its impracticality. Because of that the people who worked under him were never afraid of sharing or expressing their ideas, concerns, methods of work, opinions and perspectives and this lead to a healthy environment at the workplace as nobody kept their feelings bottled up which in long term, can lead to the severe circumstances of work stress. However things soon changed as the manager was transferred to another branch of the company and his position was taken up by a new female manager. She was much more experienced in the field of business than our last manager and had been doing the job for above ten years. The company had hired her precisely due to her superior qualifications and considerable work experience. But only in the period of a couple of days it became clear that the new manager was nothing like the previous one. She was not in the habit of listening to anybodyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s opinions and was adamant on the point that her directions had to be followed whether they were humanly possible or not. She made the employees work strictly in accordance to the methods she thought were right and provided no space for discussion or negotiation upon the tasks she gave the employees to handle. She thought that the previous manager had given the workforce a lot of free rein and due to that they had forgotten the rules and regulations and the limitations of their roles in the company. To bring back the concept of what she thought was discipline she stripped the employees of all the freedom of expression they had possessed previously. This basically led to the ruin of the perfect team of workers that the last manager had created and gradually the employees began to leave the organization one after another. The ones who were in dire need of keeping their job and could not afford to quit were caught in the web of impossible challenges that the new manager set them every day and struggled to produce a quality standard of work through the pressure of workload. They could not share their issues to the manager and this lead to repression amongst the employees which resulted in negative impacts on their performance. The characteristics mentioned above of the second manager were an accurate example of the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“commandingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  leadership style. In order to bring back the people and their confidence in the particular workplace the major effective factor would be for the manager to change her attitude. She would need to let go of the military style concept of discipline and focus instead upon creating an environment in which all the people are equally given the opportunity for raising their voice and giving their opinions. The increase in employee satisfaction would be the best way to get the expected level of performance from the workforce instead of treating them in a way that creates hostility and resentment. ENCOURAGE THE HEART Susan Lee was a high school dropout as her family could not afford to pay to pay their bills let alone her tuition fee. Although her parents pleaded her to continue her studies, Susan Lee declared that she would not be a burden to her parents after being fully aware of their financial situation and as far as gaining an education was concerned there were many ways to be ing educated than getting a piece of paper that said degree on it. Susan Lee set out become educated in her own unique style which was by exploring the world, discovering new fields of occupations to determine what she was good at and reading books on any subject whenever she could get her hands on them. After trying her fortune in various industries including arts, music, theatre and computers she wandered one day into my company that dealt with providing academic articles for clients who had trouble doing their assigned work in their given times or had personal problems that prevented them in doing so. The work was tough and painstaking and needed a lot of patience and dedication. It could take hours on end to finish the required articles and projects and yet there were still chances of the client not approving of the finished work. Susan Lee however was not to be daunted from this new challenge. At the start I was skeptical whether, based upon her academic criteria, she cou ld handle the projects as many of them exceeded quite beyond the standard and understanding of someone who had barely even completed a high school education. However I found a fearsome spirit in the apparently fragile shape of Susan Lee. She never hesitated from any challenge that I threw her way and without a frown set to working hard upon a topic that had not met the criteria of the client. Her determination and single mindedness made her work over time and way beyond my initial expectations from her. Susan Lee worked only for the sake of satisfaction that she had achieved a task. Thus it was both a very sad and delightful day for me when Susan Lee announced that she had managed to save enough money to continue her education. I was sorrowful that I had to let go of such a rare find and yet it was an honor for me to become the source which enabled this marvel of a girl to accomplish her dreams. There have been many circumstances in my life both as a leader and as a person in whi ch people have been associating various expectations from me. Although at times I convinced myself not to feel like a failure if I had let down anybodyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s expectations but it is not always possible and sooner or later the guilty feeling catches up with you. However if the matter is studied logically it is quite impossible to come up to the standards of every single personà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s expectations that you come across in your life, the people you have to face daily or your entire circle of friends and family. Some of these people might be expecting things from you which are unreasonable and beyond fulfillment. This can create resentment in their hearts for you if you cannot manage to rise up to what they think you should be doing or accomplishing or the way you should ne leading your life. This irrational resentment can create a negative effect upon your overall performance if these people are in your immediate contact every day. It is important to recogn ize these people and develop an attitude of avoiding their negative vibes and concentrating upon the more positive aspects of your life and at your workplace. Your accomplishments, the amount of successful deals that you have made, the work you have done to get to the position which you are upon now are motivational and positive thoughts that keeps oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s mind off of the negative aura of people like these. Sometimes I have also been the one expecting things from people and feeling that they are obliged to do as I expected of them. There can be various reasons for it including the sort of relationship I have with them or their position in my life. The most damaging things about keeping expectations is that in the long term if you donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t find them being fulfilled it leads to problems in a perfectly good relationship whether at work or your social life. For example having expectations from your employer for a pay raise or promotion and ultimately s eeing it being awarded to someone else creates a lifelong rift between you and your employer along with that co worker. So the most important part is to speak aloud your expectations if you know the opposite side would hear and consider it willingly. And even if you know there isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t a chance of that you can still gather up courage one in a while to convey what you expect. Although there might be ninety nine percent of getting a negative answer there is always one percent that the expectation would be fulfilled. If nothing else this will develop a satisfaction that you were brave enough to speak out your mind and will create tolerance to face a negative response. This can prevent the negative aspects that can develop in the wake of keeping expectations from the people around you. LEADERSHIP IS EVERYONEà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢S BUSINESS This particular statement describes a lot about the attitude of leadership and presents a unique approach towards the idea of development of leadership. The words basically imply that leading in any form is not something that is handed from generation to generation, given as a legacy or limited to a selected or chosen few. It is a role that everyone can play and should assume whenever the situation or the circumstances around them demands it. It is an essential thing for everybody to be knowledgeable and aware of how to lead and to learn the fundamentals of leadership as it a skill which can help them go through various challenges and tough decision making in their lives. Many people think that leadership is appropriate and can be handled by only those who are on an authoritative position. However leadership does not consist of having a position in the hierarchy but having a relationship with your subordinates. The leaders who can communicate with the people working under them b y coming at their level and understanding things from their point of view is much successful at all kinds of activities and levels that are acquired from a leader. Regardless of your status or position it is your behaviour which makes you a true leader. According to research an organization needs to have all kinds of leaders. There is no perfect combination of skills, traits, experiences or training discovered yet that can ensure that the makings of an ideal leader. There are varying backgrounds in any organization and the person who can handle the problems successfully in that particular environment can be considered the best leader. Despite a very well known that leaders are natural born this is not a necessarily true statement. Leadership can be developed through studying observing and practicing. Learning to become a leader is an intentional and constant activity. In fact a certain mark of a successful leader is that he would never stop gaining more knowledge. When find ing yourself in a tough situation it is important not to depend upon the leader and instead you should make yourself capable of taking responsibility of the circumstances. Leadership basically means doing something ordinary in an extraordinary way. You just need to think quickly and out of the box and can solve any looming issues for yourself or your team mates. The three things that I want to improve or develop in myself in order to become a better leader are learning to become more patient, refining the skill of on the spot decision making and to bring improvement in my communication skills. In order to continue towards the journey of becoming a wiser and more experienced leader I would be intent on recognising my faults and aiming to get rid of them so it could be beneficial for both my own career and for the people who work under me. I would prefer to keep in mind that learning is an eternal cycle and would never cease in finding methods to improve my leadership style and beh aviour.

Stock Market Report - Macys Inc - Free Essay Example

Stock Market Report Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc A Stock Market Report that reveals various areas of the publically traded company Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s. Student will share research and report on topics such as Company Background, Product Line, Competition, Diversity Management, etc. throughout this report. Stock Market Report Name of Company: Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc. Ticker Symbol: M Security Market: NYSE Company History R.H. Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Co., today known as Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc. was founded by Rowland Hussey Macy, business man who owned four retail stores previously. In 1858, in New York City on Sixth Avenue-between thirteenth and fourteenth Streets the first R.H. Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Co store opened. In 1875 Macy, took on two partners on his business venture Robert M. Valentine and Abiel La Forge. R.H. Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Co started as a small dry goods store , with its expansions now carrying a variety of products including clothing, footwear, accessories, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, and house wares it has become the nationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s largest retailer. Through marketing and advertising they ensured the expansion success of the business. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“In 2014 Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s totaled seven-hundred and ninety-three total locations across the nationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Macys Inc. 2012). The companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s headquarters is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, accompanied by a well-known flagship store in Herald Square located in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s pioneered such revolutionary business practices such as the one-price system, in which the same item was sold to every customer at one price, and quoting specific prices for goods in newspaper advertisingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ (Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc). After many acquisitions over the years that have both contracted and expanded the company. Macys Inc is divided into mid-tier Macys and Bloomingdales, an upper-tier store that sells more exclusive items. Currently in 2014, the CEO of Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s is Terry J. Lundgren . Macys has not only liberated business practices to suit their consumers, but they also provide the diversity of its merchandise to their customers. Product/Se rvice Line Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc. is a global department retailer with stores across the nation carrying a variety of private brands and third party goods , including mens, womens and childrens apparel and accessories, cosmetics, home furnishings and other consumer goods. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s offers powerful assortments and the best brands, tailored to each and every customer with obvious value, engaging service and unforgettable moments, creating a product mix that cannot be competed withà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ( Sluzewsk, 2012). In the household department, various private brands such as can be found Dyson, Kitchen Aid, and Cuinstart. Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s also carries private brands such as Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Charter Club, and Ralph Lauren in all apparel departments including Menà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, Womenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, and Childrenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s. Consumers can shop at Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s and purchase a Kitchen Aid Blender, Cliniqu e foundation, and Jessica Simpson heels in the same store. Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s has the largest selection of private brands and exclusive lines, Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s also relies on big-name designers to get shoppers in the door. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Such brands allow retailers to eliminate middlemen and capture more earnings. Exclusive partnerships, such as Macys with Madonna and J.C. Penney Co.s with Liz Claiborne, are also on the riseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Miller). Mission Statement Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc mission statement is Our goal is to be a retailer with the ability to see opportunity on the horizon and have a clear path for capitalizing on it. To do so, we are moving faster than ever before, employing more technology and concentrating our resources on those elements most important to our core customers. (Alchin 2012). Most recently Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s has been implementing the M.O.M and Omni-Channel strategies to focus on capitalization of customer interaction to p roduce customer awareness. M.O.M strategy includes My Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢sis our formula for localization à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" in merchandising, in marketing and in the shopping experience. The Omni-Channel Strategy also known as the Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s App à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“ uses technology and mobile devices allows customers to browse online, then come to Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s to lie on the mattress or try on the shoes before buying them in the storeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Sluzewsk). Competition Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s operates in the retail markets of United States which is a highly competitive in environment with an immense selection of market players offering a wide range of products. The company faces certain level of external threats in its competitive market of monopolistic competition exists. In monopolistic competition market or industry characterized by numerous buyers and relatively numerous sellers trying to differentiate their products from those of competitors. Ma cyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc. largest competitors are Dillardà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc, J.C. Penny Corporation Inc. , and Saks Incorporated (Yahoo Finance). All three of Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s top competitors create this monopolistic environment by selling differentiated products, in their stores such as private-brand labeled goods. My Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s localization, Omni channel Strategy, and MAGIC Selling are what make Macys Inc products different from their competitors. The company implements all three of these strategies to set itself apart from competitors by providing a world class customer service with MAGIC Selling. The Omni channel creates personalized experience by recognizing and fostering brand advocacy while driving repeat purchases. Lastly, with My Macys localization, Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc. is able to locate to fit each customerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s specific merchandise need. With diversity of its merchandise ensured at low prices, the three strategies stated above, it assists the company in defining its niche in retail markets. Industry Market Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s participates in the retail industry of department stores .The Retail Department Stores industry consists of companies engaged in the operation of department store chains including auxiliary Internet and mail order facilities; the industry is limited to department store retailers offering a diversified product line (Miller). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Department Store Industry collected about two hundred-billion in revenue dollars, with an annual profit growth of 0.3% in 2013à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (IBIS World). Of the two hundred million in revenue collected by this industry, 9.35 billion belong to Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Macys is the largest U.S.department storecompany by retail sales and is the sixteenth-largest retailer in theUnited Statesin 2013 in terms of revenueà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Hoovers). Products are sold throughout stores nationwide in the domestic marke t as well. Products are also sold in the global and international market through Macys Inc. Macys.com. Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s markets its products in over one-hundred countries including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados etc. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“International shipping will enable Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s to build upon its existing customer base beyond the United States by exposing our product offerings abroadà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ (Alchin). Ethical and Social Responsibility Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc has an ethic code that is both integrity and compliance based. The ethic code can be found on an internet website named eMag for Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s. The company does not have an ethics officer but if a problem occurs an HR Manager must be contacted. Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc participates in many philanthropic pursuits whether ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s done internally with the help of employee engagement or exte rnally through customer engagement. Internally, Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc partnered with United Way fund to allow employees to contribute a portion of their paycheck weekly. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“More than 700 United Way chapters across the United States received contributions totaling more than $10.9 million from Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, Inc. associates during 2013à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Sluzewsk).Another philanthropic pursuit carried out by Macys Inc. includes there Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Thanks For Sharing Programà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ a holiday gift rewards program allowing customers to give back to charities while spending money in the store. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s contributed $14.7 million to charities such as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Go Red for Women,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Make-A-Wish Foundation in 2013à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Sluzewsk). Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc is always involved in community relations with neighboring communities. In a recent campaign à ¢Ã ¢â€š ¬Ã…“Great Give Backà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  each Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s location nationwide was given a local park which they had to raise money for. At Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Tysonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Corner in Virginia customers were encouraged to donate funds to support the Wolf Trap National Park Performing Arts in Vienna, Virginia. Diversity Management Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc does meet its corporate responsibilities by hiring minority workers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Racial minorities represent more than 52 percent of our associate team and more than 39 percent of our management teamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s). Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc ensures that diverse perspectives are vital to their company promoting diversity greatly from the individual strengths of each associate. Public Safety Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s purchases its products through a third party company which legally requires them to offer safe products. Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s private brand me rchandise allow unannounced factory inspections for contractual compliance, as well as for compliance with laws and regulations dealing with child or forced labor, wages and hours, and unsafe working conditions (Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s). The company does provide safe working conditions for its employees as well. At Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, Inc., our commitment to safety and health is based on a vision to create an environment free of hazards for both employees and guests. Establishing, implementing and enforcing good safety standards and best practices at every location accomplish this (Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s). Environmental Policy The company takes measures to minimize overall waste and pollution by following à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Sustainability Guidelinesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . One of the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s policies on sustainability includes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s 5-Point Action Planà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , this plan is designed to ensure that Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, Inc.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s commitment to sustainability is multidimensional. Point one ensures that Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc will be aggressive in our drive to eliminate wasteful behavior, point two ensures Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc will reduce our use of scarce resources in a meaningful way. Point three ensures that whenever possible and sensible within the context of our business requirements, Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, Inc. will pursue the most environmentally-friendly solution. Today 100% Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s shopping bags are made of 100 percent recycled paper with 50 percent post-consumer content and are totally recyclable.(Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc) Point four Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc will take a comprehensive approach to sustainability, involving everyone around us we will measure what we do and strive toward quantifiable goals. According to business fact book Growth on all Fronts Terry Lundgren states à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“As a leading national retailer with a signiÂà ‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ cant workforce, we have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in improving the environment and we do so by using resources more efficiently and striving to reduce our overall impact on the environmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ (Sluzewsk). Form of Business Ownership Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc is a publically shared company owned by various banks and institutions. The company is considered a Conventional-Corporation because it has more than one hundred shareholders. Under the C-Corporation regulations, Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc also is a state-chartered legal entity with authority to separate from it ownerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s as well. Another factor that sets apart Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc into a C-Corporation is because it has liability separate from its owners. Cooperate Mergers Since its opening in 1858 Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc has had quite a few corporate mergers expanding the company into what we know as Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc today. Both horiz ontal mergers and horizontal acquisitions were made outside of the New York City region. In 1986 Edward Finkelstein, Chairman CEO of R. H. Macy Co., Inc., led a leveraged buy-out of the company and subsequently engaged in a takeover battle for department retailers(IBIS World). At the start of 1994, Federated began pursuing a merger with Macys. After a long and difficult courtship, R. H. Macy Co. finally merged withFederated Department Storeson December 19, 1994. Department stores in Federated Department Stores, Inc. were formed as a holding company by several different family-owned department stores, including Abraham Straus and FR Lazarus and Fileneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s of BostonFederated also merged itsAbraham Straus, Jordan Marshdivision with the new Macys East organization based in New York. In mid-1995 Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc. sought to acquire the bankruptWoodward Lothrop/John Wanamakerorganization in the mid-Atlantic region. Consequently Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc. l ost bid to rival group and future acquisition targetThe May Department Stores Company. Acquisition with The May Department Stores Company taken place on February 28, 2005, Federated agreed to terms of a deal to acquire.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The May Department Stores Companyfor $11billion in stock, creating the nations second largest department store chain with $30billion in annual sales and more than 1,000 storesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ (IBIS World). On July 28, 2005, Federated announced, based on the success of converting its own regional brands to the Macys name, its plans to similarly convert 330regional department stores (Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc). Product Distribution Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc distributes its products through three channels, including their own retail stores, e-commerce website, and fulfillment centers. The company uses e-tailing to sell their products as well. Macys.com has enabled customers globally; to order merchandise from Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s that cannot be found in stores in their home country. With technology and mobile devices taking over Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s has implemented a distribution network that the company uses called OmniChannel. With OmniChannel pertains to in-store, online, and mobile customer interaction so it can have a 360-degree view of customer shopping habits, and so it can collaborate merchandising strategies and integrate the shopping experience across all channels. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Macys goal has been to cater to the omnichannel consumer, not just in the sense to cater to each type of consumer, but Macys is also using digital technology for marketing purposesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ (Miller). Marketing and Promotional Mix Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc, fosters various departments, which in result leaves target markets their products to a wide range of consumers varying in age and gender. The typical consumer shopping at Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s is bargain savvy and looking for the best price possible for a quality item. For example an expansion for a new Impulse apparel and accessories department, would be targeted toward 13- to 30-year-old shoppers. The company uses a combination of advertising, MAGIC selling, sales promotion, and credit incentives to inform consumers about their products. For example, when a customer applies for a Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Credit Card the cardholder is eligible for 20% discount off their purchase for that day and the subsequent day. Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s also airs television ads before their sale events to inform customers for upcoming sales promotions. Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s does have a public relations office located in New York City. They their stakeholders with information on topics including range of news items, such as scheduled events, personal promotions, awards, new products and services, sales and other financial data, accomplishments. Recently Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc. has had favorable publicity from the media. The most recent press release are articles reporting topics such as expansion of private brands in a specific department. Tommy Hilfiger will expand his womenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s apparel brand, to bring in a collection with celebrity Zooey Deschanel that captures the classic à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Iconà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  looks with an array of merchandise varying from skirts, to pants, and dresses (Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc). Financial Information à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Year over year, Macys, Inc. has seen revenues remain relatively flat $27.7BUSDto $27.9BUSD, though the company was able to grow net income from $1.3BUSDto $1.5BUSD. A reduction in the percentage of sales devoted to selling, general and administrative costs from 30.64% to 30.22% was a key component in the bottom line growth in the face of flat revenues.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Miller). Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s also has assets totaling $21,634 dollars a $643 increase from last yearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s total. Total Liabilities and Shareholdersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Equity for Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc. was $21,623. For the 52 weeks of fiscal 2013, Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, Inc.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s operating income totaled $2.678 billion.. Earnings per diluted share were $4.00 for fiscal 2013, excluding pre-tax expenses and asset impairment charges of $88 million. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The company is reiterating its annual sales and earning guidance, initially provided on January 8, 2014. Comparable sales growth in fiscal 2014 is expected in the range of 2.5 percent to 3 percent. Earnings of $4.40 to $4.50 per share are expected in 2014.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ (Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc). Closing Comments During the research and investigation of this report I learned different aspects of the company not only from an internal viewpoint but as well as an external viewpoint. After my investigations I believe Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc. stock is a good investment. I would invest in this company because through my research I have found that Macyà ¢Ã¢â€ š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Inc is a sustainable company always using technology to its advantage, which is why the are one of the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s largest omni-channel retailers. In my investigations I also found that Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s has a made expansions in order to adapt to an ever-changing industry, which is key to staying profitable in this industry. In conclusion I would invest in Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s because the business practices are profitable and their social responsibilities are in line with my personal morals. Works Cited Alchin, Linda. Macys.Macys. Sisteen Ltd, 2012. Web. Apr. 2014. IBIS World. Department Stores in the US: Market Research Report.Department Stores in the US Market Research. NAICIS, Web. Apr. 2014. Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s: A History Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, Inc.Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s: A History Macyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, Inc.Macys Inc, 2014. Web. 05 Apr. 2014. Macys Inc (M) Ownership Summary.NASDAQ.com. 2014. Web. Apr. 2014. Macys, I nc. Names of Competitors.Macys, Inc. Names of Competitors. Hoover, 2011. Web. Apr. 2014. Miller.An Integrated Company Analysis of Macys. Business Library, Dec. 2013. Web. 2014. Nickels, William G., James M. McHugh, and Susan M. McHugh.Understanding Business. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2013. Print. Sluzewsk, Jim.Growth on All Fronts.FDS.com. Macys Inc., 2012. 2014. Print. Strider. Press Release Investor Relations Macys Inc.Press Release Investor Relations Macys Inc.Macys Inc., 2014. Web. Apr. 2014. Yahoo Finance. Macys, Inc. Company Profile.Yahoo Finance. Yahoo, 2013. Web. Apr. 2014.