Remote Electronic Voting: A Simple, Safe, and Accurate Voting System Es

Remote Electronic Voting: A Simple, Safe, and Accurate Voting System Does it not seem obvious that the United States should be voting over the Internet by now? Considering all the vitally important monetary and information-related transactions that occur over the Internet every day, one would think this could and would have happened already. However, Remote Electronic Voting, especially on a national scale, presents us with some possibly troubling implications and problems. These implications and problems, especially those concerning security, have prevented the U.S. from employing such Internet voting in a national election so far. Is such a system in our future? Many experts believe so. But as of yet, the risks seem to outweigh the rewards. Before going any farther, it is important to clarify the difference between Internet voting and Remote Electronic Voting. Internet voting already occurs in many places. It refers merely to voting from a computer that is under the control of election officials, usually in a specific precinct’s polling place. On the other hand, Remote Electronic Voting is the new prospect of voting over the Internet from a remote, unsupervised location (Alvarez 4, Rubin). This new prospect has sure advantages but many likely drawbacks as well. The greatest advantage that Remote Electronic Voting could provide would be ease of voting. The weather, waiting in line, and being confused about where one’s polling place is would no longer be issues. Also, Remote Electronic Voting would practically eliminate the need for absentee ballots, which often are not counted. In fact, in the 2000 and 1996 presidential elections, it is estimated that about 40% of oversea... ...r the fairness of the system. It is probably just as crucial that issues concerning the â€Å"Digital Divide† and coercion be resolved as issues concerning security. The last thing the U.S. should want is a simple, safe, accurate, and grossly unfair voting system. WORKS CITED Alvarez, R. Michael, and Thad E. Hall. Point, Click, and Vote: The Future of Internet Voting. Washington, D.C., Brookings Institution Press, 2004. Hardy, Michael. â€Å"Pentagon Nixes Internet Voting, Questions About Security Linger.† 23 February, 2004. Federal Computer Week.com Online Magazine. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2004/0223/pol-pentagon-02-23-04.asp Rubin, Aviel D. â€Å"Security Considerations for Remote Electronic Voting over the Internet.† Florham Park, NJ, A&T Labs – Research, with Internet Policy Institute e-voting workshop. Online. http://avirubin.com/e-voting.security.html

A Comparative Study of Retailing in India Essay

BACKGROUND: According to AT Kearney, India’s retail industry comprises US$ 435 billion. It entails only 6 per cent of itself as organised retail segment as of 2010, according to Booz and Co (India) Pvt Ltd. Hence, there is a great potential to be explored by domestic and international players, especially after Cabinet’s decision to allow up to 51% foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail sector and 100% FDI in single-brand retail. (Why India is a big market: refer page 23, Annexure) The Business Monitor International (BMI) India Retail Report for the fourth-quarter of 2011 forecasts that the total retail sales will grow from US$ 411.28 billion in 2011 to US$ 804.06 billion by 2015. The report has underlined factors like economic growth, population expansion, increasing wealth of individuals and rapid construction of organized retail infrastructure as major drivers for the optimistic forecast figures. (Refer Annexure, fig 2) According to a research report named ‘R etail Sector in India’ by Research and Markets, Indian retail sector accounts for 22 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and contributes to 8 per cent of the total employment. FDI in single-brand retail currently is 0.03% of cumulative FDI of around $149 billion from April 2000 to September 2011. The announcement is expected to generate 10 million jobs over three years, without impacting smaller and domestic retailers. FDI in retail will provide the farming community a new support by investing in good farming practices and providing them with better prices. The international players will bring a sophisticated front-end that will boost investment in infrastructure by retail players, third-party supply-chain companies and the government. This will improve efficiencies in the supply chain, cut wastage, increase efficiency and bring down consumer prices. India has been ranked as the fourth most attractive nation for retail investment among 30 emerging markets by the US-based global management consulting firm, A T Kearney, in its Global Retail  Development Index (GRDI) 2011. India’s MGR (Mass Grocery Retail) sector remains dominated by small-scale traditional retail outlets. All four key modern formats (supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience and discount stores) are already present within India’s MGR market but these stores are largely operated by a handful of local retailers. Structure of India’s MGR market till 2010 (Estimated number of Outlets: fig3, Sales by Format: fig4) is given in Annexure. Collaborative model for international products — Joint ventures (JVs) are emerging as the preferred model for new entrants, wherein foreign players leverage the knowledge of the local player and focus on key issues such as quality, pricing, promotions and brand management. Key examples include the Bharti Groupà ¢â‚¬Ëœs JV with Wal-Mart for retail in the Indian market. MGR sales growth for 2011 = +19.7%; compound annual average growth rate to 2015 = +17.6% (Refer Annexure Fig 5) Increased exposure to Western consumption habits has fuelled consumerism in developed and emerging Asia. Wealthy consumers in major towns and cities turn to modern formats in search of the convenience and quality that they now desire and can increasingly afford. A lot of international retailers are planning to enter and expand their operations in India after the reforms introduced in the FDI policy in retail sector, like Walmart, United Colors of Benetton (UCB), Da Milano. According to a report by research firm CB Richard Ellis India, over 6 million square feet of retail mall space was added across India in the first six months of 2011 (Refer Annexure Fig 6); primarily due to aggressive expansion by organized retailers. The potential cities which are good for entering are given in Annexure Fig 7. Cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in single-brand retail trading during April 2000 to June 2011 stood at US$ 69.26 million, according to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). There are a lot of entry modes to enter a country, here India. (Refer Annexure Fig 8) And also refer to the growth trend that was observed quarterly in India, last year. (Refer Annexure Fig 13) BHARTI-WALMART â€Å"India is a price sensitive market and therefore we will be devising our  strategy for her very carefully†¦Retailing is like a game of three dimensional chess where we operate as a local, regional and global player, so depending on the needs of the market we shall change our format and adapt.† – John B Menzer, President and CEO, Wal-Mart International. 50:50 joint venture: In India, Wal-Mart has a 50:50 joint venture with Bharti Enterprises in the wholesale cash-and-carry segment, since 2007, under the brand Best Price Modern Wholesale. Total retail units as of October 31, 2011: 9 Best Price Modern Wholesale 9 Associates: 3,372 These stores have been opened in Amritsar, Zirakpur (Near Chandigarh), Jalandhar, Kota, Bhopal, Ludhiana, Raipur and Indore. The JV in India expects to open 10 to 12 new Best Price Modern Wholesale stores and employ approximately 3,000 – 4,000 people by end of 2011. On 16 Sept’11, it opened its first Best Price Modern Wholesale cash-and-carry store at Nidamanuru, National Highway-5 in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. New outlet will also have a â€Å"Mera Kirana† program sharing best practices such as various aspects of using low-cost modern techniques and processes such as assortment planning, layout and fixtures, displays, backroom, licenses, safe food handling, customer retention and value added services with small and medium retailers. On 30 Sept’11, it opened a new store format, â€Å"Easyday Hyper†, at Magnet Malls, Bhandup, Mumbai. Currently, the company has 140 ‘easyday’ stores, 13 ‘easyday Market’ outlets and 1 ‘easyday Hyper’ store. Advantage of Wholesale Cash-and-Carry: These benefit retailers as it is a is a one-stop shop that meets the day-to-day needs of restaurant owners, hoteliers, caterers, fruit and vegetable resellers, kiranas, other retail store owners, offices and institutions. More than 90 percent of these goods and services are being sourced locally; thereby helping keep costs to a minimum, adding to the growth of the local economy and creating job opportunities, with the cash and carry store directly employing more than 200 local people. A typical wholesale cash-and carry facility will stand between 50,000 and 100,000 square feet. The joint venture works with the existing supply chain infrastructure to help make it more efficient, thereby maximizing value for  farmers and manufacturers and retailers. The supply chain operation supports farmers and small manufacturers who have limited infrastructure and distribution strength and help minimize wastage, particularly of fresh foods and vegetables. An efficient supply chain can play an important role in transforming farmers and small manufacturers into successful entrepreneurs. Technical Collaboration: Walmart provides certain technical support to Bharti Retail for its front-end retail venture where Bharti Retail requires critical retail technology and technical know-how. Walmart’s Direct Farm Program: Multinational retail giant, Wal-Mart’s Direct Farm Program in India is a partnership with 110 small and marginal farmers near Ludhiana in Punjab where it en courages cultivation of safe, high-quality, seasonal vegetables. Farmers are advised at every stage of cultivation by field agronomists. Farmers learn about nursery management, transplanting, nutrient management, as well as harvest and post-harvest practices. Sourcing from India: Walmart has been sourcing a variety of products from suppliers in India for more than 20 years. Walmart’s office in Bangalore serves as Walmart’s Global Procurement (GP) hub for the sourcing of merchandise from India and Sri Lanka to Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs globally. GP India also manages Global Procurement from Sri Lanka. Major categories sourced from India include home textiles (including towels, shower curtains, bath mats, etc.), apparel (including woven, knitwear and leather footwear), leather accessories, fine jewelry and house wares (like fine dining ware, home dà ©cor, etc). The main categories sourced from Sri Lanka are apparel, textiles and gifts. Launch of its 1st store in India, 2009: The reason for Wal-Mart’s entry in India was clear – The Indian middle class, on which it had been working for around two years. Mom-and-pop stores (or the Kiryana stores) and traditional distribution networks dominated the Indian retail market. Wal-Mart’s first outlet was set to launch in the city of Amritsar, Punjab in North India. The first store air-conditioned and built over 50,000 sq. ft. was on the outskirts of the city, Amritsar. The store employed 200 locals and was likely create 500 indirect jobs. In the first few weeks itself, the company had managed to sign on close to 35,000 members. Training Center: Bharti Wal-Mart has opened a training centre in Delhi to bridge the gap between demand and supply of skilled manpower in modern retail. It will provide free retail sector-focussed vocational training to candidates. A  memorandum of agreement (MoA) was signed in this regard on July 22’11 between Bharti Wal-Mart and the Delhi government’s Department of Training and Technical Education. Bharti-Walmart plans to invest over USD 15 mn in Andhra Pradesh this year and impact lives of 25,000 women through multiple initiatives by 2016, it has already created more than 2,000 job-ready women in 3 years through Bharti Walmart Training Centres. Walmart Labs in Bangalore: In addition to its R&D centre in the Silicon Valley, Wal-Mart plans to set up another facility in Bangalore, India (expected to be set up by Dec 2011) with about 100 developers to work on technologies and solutions for Wal-Mart’s global e-commerce business. UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON The Benetton Group, with brands such as UCB, Sisley and Playlife, has a presence in 120 countries. It has network of around 6,000 stores. India has a local production of their collection too. Almost 100 per cent of the products are sourced from India. The product line remains uniform geographically. At present Benetton has over 425 franchised stores in India (since 1991) and the number is likely to double in five years. Now it is also focusing on smaller cities and towns given the growth in brand awareness and disposable income levels. â€Å"Even if FDI in single brand retail is opened up, we will continue to operate like a wholesaler and follow the franchise route,† Mr Mohanty (Benetton India MD) said. It has launched its first Concept store in Connaught Place. Stores are an important communication platform for Benetton as it is here that we showcase the depth of our brand offering to the customers. The launch of the new store strengthens Benetton’s presence in the Indian market. Global brands work everywhere. Consumers currently are very global as they are accepting products that have global appeal. In fact, it has always positioned itself as a colorful brand which has worked wonders for the Indian market. Also it focuses more on consumer experience like store ambience and window merchandising rather than advertising. Almost 40% of our budget is spent on that. However, it is now looking at in-film placements as the next branding strategy. (It has already tied up with an upcoming John Abraham movie 1-800-Love.) It is looking forward to being clothing partners of programmes  or events, which are true to their product. Recently, this Italian casual wear brand opened an outlet at Magneto Mall, Raipur. Spread over an area of 1,000 sq ft, the store stocks a range of clothes and accessories for men and women. The retailer has a revenue-sharing model with the mall. DA MILANO Da Milano, the international luxury brand with its range of premium leather goods and accessories is synonymous to precision, craftsmanship and exclusivity. Da Milano imports 70% of its leather and accessories from Italy for its leather goods retailed in India. It has 2 state of the art company owned manufacturing units at Nalagarh in Himachal Pradesh equipped with the latest and most advanced machinery. They have a highly skilled workforce operating under the guidance of Italian technicians. They also have an exclusive tannery near Chennai in TN where leather produced is benchmarked to the latest process technology. By September’11, it has 32 signature Da Milano stores across the country. It recently opened 5 flagship stores in Maharashtra. The brand’s presence can be seen in 10 cities – Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata. Recently it opened its showroom at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The store is sprawled over 850sq.ft and is embellished with all-glass frontage. The appealing visual merchandising of the store also includes an off white backdrop, wooden shelves, soft green wall paper, illuminating marble flooring etc, and is done to entice passers-by and draw footfall. The luxury brand could soon be seen announcing the launch of two of its sub brands Rosso Brunello and Da Milano Home. While the former will offer premium hi fashion foot wears for men and women, the latter will be offering leather accessories for home and office. Rosso Brunello foot wears will be made available at select Da Milano exclusive stores, while Da Milano Home and Office accessories would be retailed at Da Milano stores. Well, a lot of scope is there in India as compared to other countries in the world as the organized retail penetration level is only around 5% as compared to 85% in USA, 80% in France and 20% in China. (Refer Annexure Fig 9) PROBLEMATIC SITUATION/DIFFICULTY FACED IN INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Price issue: In India the majority of retail outlets sell products at maximum retail price (MRP), which are administered by the government and printed on each item by manufacturers. Thus, there is minimal price competition among the various store formats. The arrival of International retailers, with vast sourcing networks, may eradicate the importance of government-imposed MRP, as these are likely to focus strongly on low prices as a competitive tool and as a means of encouraging new consumers to try the modern concept. Poor Infrastructure: The road infrastructure is poor and federal and state tax laws are complex, which make cross-state transportation difficult. India’s transport networks/highways, rural infrastructure certainly need investment. Bharti has announced to invest INR 125bn in agriculture and supply chain. It will also invest on specific distribution and transportation storage solutions (ie refrigerated trucks and logistical initiatives, such as electronic product tracking). The relatively slow pace of MGR growth in India can be largely attributed to two key factors: (1) massive income inequalities and (2) tough FDI regulations Labour displacement issue in India: The entry of International retailers with efficient systems will destroy the traditional retail sector, making people’s requirement at minimum in these new retail stores. JOB losing fear: If we assume 40 mn adults in the retail sector, it would translate into around 160 mn dependents using a 1:4 dependency ratio. These people are unlikely suitable for other areas of work either. Thus, there is a need to enact new laws to check the prolific expansion of the new foreign malls and hypermarkets, like China, Malaysia and Thailand. (Refer Annexure Fig 12 to see the Asia Pacific Retail Sales by % share) Change in Retail FDI policy: On November 24th the coalition government, led by the Congress party, said that in cities of over 1m folk, foreign firms could now own 51% of â€Å"multi-brand† retailers, such as supermarkets (up from zero), and 100% of single-brand chains (up from 51%). Multi-brand foreign chains, such as Walmart and Tesco, must operate as joint ventures, of which they may now own up to 51%, and may operate only in cities of 1m people or more. The new reform is timely. Growth has dipped below 7%. The rupee is weak, investors are nervous. But still, the  government needs to lift confidence, and organized retail could work. (Refer to Annexure Fig 10 to see the Indian economic activity showing the nominal GDP and GDP per capita.) Political issues: The FDI reform is too controversial to be enacted. The main opposition party, the BJP, which enjoys the support of millions of stallholders, is doing its best to whip up anger. Many Indians feel an emotional attachment to little kirana stores, and fret that foreign invaders will destroy them. Indian states are not obliged to follow the FDI reform. Many may refuse to liberalize foreign ownership on their territory. Standard Chartered Bank, reckons that of 53 cities with over 1m people, 28 are run by politicians who say they will block the reform. India’s leftist parties had called for a nationwide strike on Dec. 1 in solidarity with the Confederation of All India Traders, who are among the most vocal opponents of full FDI in retail. The BJP leader Uma Bharti publicly threatened to set fire to any Walmart that opens. Fragmented Market: The retail shops are very fragmented with only very few supermarkets and no dominant chain. Farming is also fragmented. A rickety legal system makes it hard to enforce contracts. Under the latest FDI reform, foreign-controlled shops will have to buy a chunk of their processed and manufactured goods from small firms, which may add to their costs. High Land prices in India: Foreign retailers will have to find affordable land in packed an d expensive cities. Western luxury-goods firms may be able to tolerate extortionate rents for central locations. Some may prosper with a few out-of-town stores that people visit infrequently, spending lots. But general retailers need both cheap land and proximity to their customers—not an easy mix. People’s habits: Indians are in the habit of shopping for their fruits and vegetables almost every day which get the customer into the shop every day, and chances are she’ll buy something extra. Building a Walmart-style supply chain of fruits and vegetables requires a lot of investment in improving the productivity and quality of farmers. E.g. showing a tomato farmer how to improve his yields by using wooden stakes for his plants. That farmer doesn’t have to sell his tomatoes to Walmart, but when he sees that he can get a better price, he often does. To woo farmers away from the system they are used to — selling produce at the local mandi, or market, at a price dictated by traders — Walmart has set itself a target of increasing farmers’ incomes by 20% over five years. Farmer’s Income: By  law, farmers are required to sell their produce only to approved mandis and have to pay the mandi taxes. (Walmart has to pay the mandi tax even when farmers sell to them.) They travel for hours to get here, and then take whatever price the wholesale buyer is willing to give. The buyers don’t inspect the produce and offer better prices for better quality; they just sell the 100-kg sacks of vegetables to another set of middlemen, who break it into smaller lots that eventually find their way to vegetable vendors and small retailers. By the time it reaches the consumer, that produce will have been marked up by three to four times or more, but nearly all of that goes to the middlemen, not the farmer. Meanwhile, about 30% of the produce also spoils along the way for lack of cold storage, contributing to India’s soaring food inflation. Distribution issue: remains a major challenge to retail expansion. India’s infrastructure is a lot inadequ ate. A 500km road journey can take as much as 24 hours, owing to poor road conditions, congestion and toll booths. Preference for Kirana/local retailers (cheap price offered): According to ASSOCHAM’s survey 2010, in which it interviewed 5000 shoppers in various cities in India, kirana stores (mom and pop stores) and local retailers were the preferred destination for shoppers as compared to shopping malls. The survey found that goods were less expensive (as much as 25%) in local kirana stores as compared to big shopping malls with more variety and affordable options with sustainable quality at a negotiable price (reduced margins) Walmart’s strict union policy: The company’s clearly defined anti-union policy aiming at preventing its work force from gaining collective bargaining power can result in increased wages. Low overhead costs: Small retailers in India already operate with such low overhead costs (by relying on informal labor and making minimal investment in any technology, even refrigeration) that it’s hard for Walmart to compete with them. (India’s traders have, however, invested in their relationships with state and local politicians, who count on their support around election time.) Elsewhere, Walmart may have pioneered the use of low-cost retail labor; in India, the cost of labor in retail is already about as low as it can get. STRATEGY ADOPTED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE Issuing Loyalty cards: Keeping customers loyal is a problem retailers often grapple with. Over the last decade, Indian companies that are focusing on acquiring and retaining customers have become aggressive about giving out loyalty cards. As a result, 42 percent of Indians in the SEC A, B and C categories are now part of at least one loyalty program in India’s $4 billion-a-year loyalty market. (This figure includes the market for gifts, which a lot of companies use as a surrogate for loyalty programs.) Loyalty is seen as the number one tool that allows retailers to access data on customer tastes and preferences. Pearson: conducted an extensive customer research through Colloquy, its research arm: only 20 percent of Indians in the SEC A, B and C categories are loyal to a particular brand. Offer a better deal and they are more than willing to shift. Improving Infrastructure: Tesco is planning to work with Tata’s Star Bazaar hypermarket business on a franchise basis, providing expertise and technical support in return for a fee to the fast-expanding network. Star Bazaar stores, potentially meaning that Tesco-branded private-label goods could appear in consumer retail outlets in India. It provides employment for some 3,000 local workers at its global service centre in Bangalore. More Partnership: Wal-Mart is also considering a partnership with Indian counterpart Future Group to strengthen its presence in India. Also, Walmart is on an expanding spree in India and wants to cover maximum areas in India, even the interior regions. Recently, it opened a new store format, easyday Hyper, at Magnet Malls, Bhandup, Mumbai. This is Bharti Retail’s first store in West India. Spread over 60,000 sq.ft., the outlet stocks over 20,000 products displaying 475 new items, including personal care products, stationery, household articles, hosiery items and daily-need groceries. Introduction of Innovative ideas: Walmart is also introducing innovating ideas to differentiate it from other retailers, like the recently opened store also has a section called ‘Baby World.’ Currently, the company has 140 ‘easyday’ stores, 13 ‘easyday Market’ outlets and 1 ‘easyday Hyper’ store. Cluster approach strategy: Walmart follows a cluster approach strategy and initially largely focused on Punjab, although it opened stores in other places also. It has covered the four big markets (in Punjab) already. Price  settling: Government of India should introduce the concept for the organized retail by setting a minimum price for a commodity, below which a retail store cannot sale the product. This should be done to avoid the occurrence of monopoly of a retailer in the country. Personalized Offer to Customer: The current retailers in India should take an advantage of the prior knowledge of the customer requirement and customer nature in India. They should provide customized deals and service to them, so that they may retain the old customers even on the opening up of new international retail stores whose service is not personalized. LESSONS LEARNT Clearly, once the equity caps on foreign investment are lifted, the India MGR sector will witness tremendous flows of investment from global retailers, which leads to our projection of 155.6% in MGR sales to 2015. Its retail market is forecast to nearly double to $850 billion by 2020. (Refer to Annexure Fig 11 to see the forecast for 2020 in terms of sales in organized and unorganized retail market.) Also, when a retailer (say Walmart) enters a new market, a lot depends on the kind of a partner it has. As Bharti itself has ambitions to be a major retail powerhouse in India, thus there is a strategic conflict between their interests. As, sooner or later India will permit foreign retailers to have direct equity ownership in India, then what will Walmart be left holding? Bharti has retail ambitions, thus it will want to buy Walmart’s shares, rather than sell. Bharti-Walmart stores are branded BestPrice, and not with Walmart’s name. Thus, Walmart could have thought of India as a portfolio of regional markets and work with smaller regional partners. It’s hard for the local kiryana stores, etc. to have much bargaining power or have national ambitions. They would have been happy to brand them as Walmart and when regulations change, Walmart would be able to buy them out. Walmart India probably will invest in a joint venture with Kishore Biyani-led Future Group soon. The report is not confirmed yet. On Tuesday (March 29’11), a leading business daily in India reported that senior executives of Future Group and Walmart had met at least five times in four months, raising possibilities of an alliance. More important, the debate over Walmart’s effect on retail employment misses a larger point. In India, the majority of the population is employed in agriculture, and Indian farmers stand to gain a lot from greater investment by anyone — foreign or  domestic — in the supply chain that bri ngs food from the field to the consumer. CRISIL, a research firm, reckons the reform could attract up to $3 billion of foreign investment over five years—welcome, but not nearly enough to fund India’s current-account deficit or transform the industry. India’s consumer-goods firms, among its most profitable, have thrived in the era of backward retailing and supply chains, but are betting on gradual change. The biggest, Hindustan Unilever, has seconded staff to stores in America and Britain to learn how they work. In an interview earlier this year its boss, Nitin Paranjpe, said he was â€Å"absolutely certain† that rganized retail would take off. But he reckoned it would take a decade to capture a quarter of the market. Entering a market as big and complex as India’s is a big bet, even for experienced international retailers. Success is by no means guaranteed: citing example of China, where Tesco’s Chinese operations are only breaking even though they have been in the country for seven years. Walmart is doing better, but this was helped by its takeover of Trustmart, a Taiwanese supermarket. Carrefour and Auchan, two French supermarket chains, are doing best, because they adapted more than their rivals to the taste of the Chinese and their shopping preferences, says Ben Cavender at China Market Research in Shanghai. Carrefour, for instance, introduced what is known as â€Å"wet markets† in most of its outlets: open food markets that sell live animals. To be successful in India, Walmart, Carrefour and Tesco will need to give their local managers a lot of autonomy to adapt their stores. India boasts more than 20 official languages, three major religions and many, very different culinary traditions. Big Bazaar, one of the few Indian hypermarket chains, shows how far such adaptation will have to go. Instead of copying the narrow aisles in Western stores, designed for individual shoppers with carts, the firm has packed its stores with clusters through which shoppers have to navigate. This recreates the organised chaos Indians know from shopping in real bazaars: bumping into people, chatting and eating. All these international retail shops offer a wider variety and larger quantity of some items, but lacked the personal touch. They do not have the quality of personalized touch that a normal Kiryana store offers to its customers, thus it will take a long way to establish the retail market in India, but the wait is for the final say by the government of India. REFERENCE www.walmartstores.com http://www.ey.com/IN/en/Newsroom/News-releases/Published-editorial—FDI-in-retail—MNC-retailers-to-select-partners-with-suitable-capabilities FDI in India’s Retail Sector More Bad than Good? – By Mohan Guruswamy, Kamal Sharma, Jeevan Prakash Mohanty, Thomas J. Korah http://business.in.com/article/magazine-extra/walmarts-strategy-through-the-world/6042/1#ixzz1fpdJwzyd www.indiaretailing.com http://business.in.com/article/web-special/loyalty-networks-poised-to-enter-indian-market/30972/1#ixzz1fpikaw00 http://www.ibef.org/download/Retail_270111.pdf http://retail.franchiseindia.com/interviews/Debutant/Bagging-profits-59/ Issue 37 September 2011: http://www.dnb.co.in/Ind_cursorpdf/Industry_Cursor_September_2011.pdf http://www.ramms.co.in/admin/application/source/files/news/39_RRN-Sept%202011.pdf FDI in retail: MNC retailers to select partners with suitable capabilities: Economic Times By Paresh Parekh, Tax Partner, Ernst & Young

Intro of Sefam Pvt. Ltd.

| | | | | | | | | | VISON TO BE A PREMIEM BRAND FOR PRET AS WELL AS DESIGNER WEAR LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY AND TO BE TREND SETTING MARKET LEADER BY PROVIDING TO OUR CUSTOMERS ELEGANT AND SOPHISTICATED ATTIRE WITHOUR COMPROMISING ON QUALITY.MISSION HISTORY Sefam was established in 1985 with the launch of its first brand ‘Bareeze'. Bareeze's singular mission, and at time Sefam's was to create beautiful, desirable fabrics equal to the best in the world, yet made in Pakistan. Prior to Bareeze's entry into the market, amazingly, the concept of a locally made quality fashion product did not exist. All the best markets only sold and foreign fabric and foreign goods. Opening the first store in shadman market, Lahore in 1985, Bareeze sought to change this perception.The first collection sold out in a matter of days and very soon the store had garnered the image of being a store which sells quality imported fabric claiming it to be local. Soon after, another Bareeze store was opened and then another and another. Currently, Bareeze sells from and operates 57 stores nationwide and another 10 globally. Bareeze has the distinction of being the first Pakistani chain store as well as the first Pakistani brand to go abroad (Dubai in 1995). Sefam has since broadened its vision from qua lity, desireable fabrics to quality desireable clothing for all categories of consumer.Currently sefam operates 5 brands and a total of 321 points of sale 107 location to this, sefam's brands also sell exclusively at another 10 locations worldwide. Sefams brands are: Bareeze Leisure Club Minnie Minors Chinyere Home Expressions Kayseria SERINA DYEING AND FINISHING By 1999, there was already an undeniable need for a reliable dyeing and finishing source to cater to internal processing requirements of the group. Previous experiences in the local outsourcing market had proven to be difficult with high rejection rates and unreliable delivery times.Hence Sarena was commissioned in March 2001, as a subs idiary of the Sefam Group of Industries. Since the time of inception, the factory has undergone expansion every year of its existence and now stands at 6 times its original capacity, with a heavy presence in the export market and state-of-the-art machinery. Sarena has had to work hard to make a mark in the export market. We owe our success to constant change and modernization and consistent quality. The group has invested heavily in machinery, technology and manpower to bring the process under control.Sarena boasts some of the most well-renowned brand names in textile machinery such as  Monforts, Bruckner, Babcock, Lafer, Goller, Benninger, Parex  and many more. Our dyes and chemicals are imported from only the most respected global companies such as  Dye Star, Ciba, ICI, BASF, Clariant  etc. Alongside we have spared no expense in conformance accreditations and staff training. Sarena is  ISO  and  OkoTexCertified. In addition our in-house laboratory is underway to beco ming the first private laboratory in Pakistan to achieve the  ISO 17025, which signifies conformance, reliability and standardization in all our testing procedures.We believe, that in today's world, it is important to be competitive not only on the basis of pricing, quality   and service but also in R. Accordingly we invest heavily on development in weaves, finishes and constructions, and have a fresh batch of new developments offered to our foreign clientele every month. This adds to our existing portfolio consisting of successfully tested finishes such as micro-sanding, fire-retardant,   mildew-resistance, anti-bacterial, wrinkle-resistance, pre/post cure, Teflon, soil repellency etc.We feel that it is out of all of the above, which spring from our thorough commitment to quality, that we still retain today our very first accounts. We invite you to come and share our quality experience. ALI EMBROIDERY MILLS (PVT. )LTD Hamedi Embroidery Mills (Pvt. ) Ltd. was established in 19 72 to do schiffli embroidery work for the local whole-sale market that was mainly catering for the low end of the textiles segment. From the beginning, Hamedi enjoyed a good reputation for its fair dealings and commitment.With the result that it had already doubled its capacity by 1978. However, in the next two to three years the Russian invasion of Afghanistan and the Iran revolution affected the embroidery industry of Pakistan so adversely that a majority of the businesses went bankrupt, and the government was forced to declare embroidery Sick Industry of Pakistan. It was at this juncture that Hamedi changed its focus from the low end of the market and concentrated on making the best possible quality of embroidery for the premium urban consumer of Pakistan.The machines as well as the business culture were ‘overhauled' with this new end in mind, and in 1985 Hamedi's sister concern, Sefam (Pvt. ) Limited, launched the new high quality product from the city of Lahore. The produ ct was well received and soon the embroidery production capacity needed enhancement. Hamedi grew rapidly by acquiring some existing embroidery facilities as well as adding machines to its original setup. It was also the first in Pakistan to import the state of the art computerized schiffli machines and designing systems from Saurer Stick Systems of Switzerland.It was then decided by the management that the the different embroidery companies be merged into one company by the name of Ali Embroidery Mills (Pvt. ) Limited. In the relentless pursuit of quality and innovation, a number of Ali Embroidery's staff were sent to Switzerland to receive training in new designing methods, machine operating procedures, and quality control techniques. At the same time, many qualified experts from Korea and Switzerland are routinely engaged to come and do hands-on training of Ali's technicians and designers at our premises.Consequently, Ali Embroidery Mills has the most well trained embroidery staff in Pakistan. This human resource combined with the many state of the art computerized machines, and designing and sampling systems has ensured that the quality of Ali's product is by far the best in the country. . Today Ali has 30 schiffli machines, and is the largest manufacturer of embroidered fabric in Pakistan. More important than the number of machines is the fact that Ali has more goodwill than all the local competitors combined. This has been a result of Ali's philosophy of fair dealings with everyone including suppliers, employees and clients.We believe that quality begins in-house when we decide to make a positive impact in the lives of all the different groups of people that will come in contact with our business. Along with this ideology, our focus on continuous innovation in products and procedures has made sure that we are always able to stay abreast of the competition OUR BRANDS BAREEZE With over three decades of commitment to quality, Bareeze is today, a recognized b rand for quality products in the domestic and international markets. It is owned by sefam (Pvt. ) Ltd. a sister concern of Sarena Industries and Ali Embroidery Mills (Pvt) Ltd. The Bareeze range includes crisp cottons, luxurious silks, sheer organza, chic chiffons and an ever-developing range of inovative products. Textile embroidery is an art-rooted tradition. Hand-done embroidery from the sub-continent was always considered a quintessence of quality, reflecting an exclusive fashion option. Bareeze is proud to be the modern day perfection of transforming traditional sub-continent hand embroidery into exclusive Bareeze fashion fabrics. Each Design – a MasterpieceTaking as much pride in our products as the traditional artisan, we ensure that Bareeze fabrics are superbly fashioned, exquisitely detailed and carefully finished, so that each design is a masterpiece. Excellence – a Bareeze Hallmark The use of only the best materials and unflinching resolve not to compromise on quality, coupled with the use of the best swiss textile machinery enables us to produce embroidered fabrics which compare favorably with the best in the world. We have more than 50 outlets nationwide, and already well established setups in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Delhi and London.Bareeze Brands There is something for everyone at all Bareeze Stores. Our resolve to excellence and decades of experience with success has enabled us to extend our product range and provide our clientele with a varied and extremely creative collection of Ready-to-Wear, Pret and Home Textile collections covering all age groups. Bareeze is a trendsetter in the mainstream fashion industry CHINYERE Chinyere is a brand synonymous with sophistication & style. The Chinyere success story began in 1999 that has now evolved into the country's most popular and accessible fashion brand.Chinyere garments are designed in-step with global fashions and in keeping with our tradition. Catering to women as well as men, today Chinyere has displays at all Bareeze outlets and is manufacturing †¢ Casual Wear †¢ Formal Wear †¢ Couture †¢ Mens Wear †¢ Sleep Wear †¢ Abayas †¢ Accessories †¢ Jewellery for the local and the international markets. MINNIE MINORS Minnie Minors is a specialty kids brand selling high-quality apparel and accessories for children under the Boys, Girls, Infants, Party Line, Toys n Tales and Accessories categories. Minnie Minor’s history begins in 1998, making it one of the oldest kids brand in its field.The appeal of the Minnie Minors is so high since its inception due to its versatile designing, high quality manufacturing, high-quality merchandise and modern retail for children ages newborn to five. Sub Brands Today Minnie Minor’s brands include Minitoes and MOM2B. Minitoes Minitoes kid's footwear is available in a range of sandals, booties, joggers, canvas casuals, long shoes. Each season Minitoes expands its extensive collec tion by adding new styles and collections. These change each season and some are only available in limited edition while others may be around for seasons to come.Check out what’s new this season. From easy on-easy off designs to the low profile, lightweight outsoles. Your kids will love the look, you’ll appreciate the supportive footbed and roomy construction and you’ll both flip for the super fun patterns. MOM2B Pregnant women want to feel pretty, attractive and comfortable in clothes that fit their style, their taste and their budget. Whether you are a pregnant woman or lady in plus size, MOM2B will allow you to discover the best clothes to wear during pregnancy whatever the size of your belly! Here’s an innovative range of apparel for expectant mothers. An irresistible ariety of styles that is trendy, traditional and sophisticated all at the same time fulfilling all of mom’s social and mood requirements. For her comfort Mom2B also offers customi zed accessories like stretch lowers and a variety of stretch-to-comfort materials giving a natural support and lift to the tummy. . Minnie Minors Outlets Minnie Minors Outlets offers what our customers know and love about us: unique quality and style—at all outlets. There are 59 Minnie Minors Outlet stores open at premier locations nationwide with the international corporate existence at London, Manchester, Dubai and Norway.HOME EXPRESSIONS Bareeze started Home Expessions in 1999. A commitment. Home Expression ranges offer you the luxury of designed bed/ bath/table accessories. Our linen Range Is produced using the best quality cottons and polyester -cottons,dyed with speacil skill,to ensure color fastness. The 100% percale fabric used is among the finest in world . Bed linen range is combine with the distinctive embroidery designsand colors. Cotton range offers applique range which is of   more luxury and parint range which is of daily use . The bed spreads are hand -made and the embellishmaent is â€Å"Zardozi†work.This involves Working on pure velvets ,silks organzas ,jamawars and net with the finest material avaiable . this range offers bed spreads. dulais. cushions ,rugs ,photo albums fancy trunks  and table accessories . Upcomming attraction for the coustomer is leather range which includes cushions ,rugs ,table accessories . Choosing the right kind of bedding means you are half way there to get good night sleep. you will find bed linen in a color and quality you love . KAYSERIA After bringing a revolution in embroidery, Sefam Pvt. Ltd. now launches another brand Kayseria – Magic in print.Welcome to the unique world of Kayseria, where every design is a masterpiece. Kayseria brings you a very special selection of pure silks and cottons in form of exclusive prints, complemented by beautiful and intricate embroideries and embellishments, to create a stunning array of fabrics, colour and designs. The designs crafted at Kayseria are t rendy yet traditional, encompassing the richness of our ethnicity and culture. If you want to pamper yourself, indulge in someone you love, or just feel special, take yourself to nearest Kayseria store. Kayseria gives you real designer clothes at affordable prices.LEISURE CLUB â€Å"Once upon a time, in a land of 180 million people, where locally made high quality, trendy clothing was not available, a compassionate and quality obsessed brand by the name of Leisure Club stepped forward to fill in the void. And so, on April 18th, 1997, hardcoded with the values of compassion, quality, integrity, and ingenuity, Leisure embarked on its mission. After 14 years of unparalleled excellence, Leisure Club has evolved into Pakistan’s no. 1 family fashion destination, featuring 3 premium sub-brands: Club X, LC Boutique, and LC Kids.Club X provides trendy urban street wear for young adults, LC boutique offers elegant eastern wear for the entire family, and LC Kids gives cool clothing opt ions for kids†. MOM2B Here’s an innovative range of apparel for expectant mothers. An irresistable variety of styles that are trendy, traditional and sophisticated all at the same time fulfilling all of mom’s social and mood requirements. For her comfort Mom2B also offers customised accessories like stretch lowers and a variety of stretch-to-comfort materials giving a natuaral support and lift to the tummy.Casual Wear Extra Support Accessories CAREER ARTICLE AND ADVICES Life at Sefam: We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and provide employment to everyone regardless of their colour, race & gender. We believe our employees as our greatest asset and do not compromise on the potential and standard of our workforce. Our Philosophy: Continuous Learning Maintain High Standards Creativity and Innovative We are growing continuously and ensure our employees to share our growth with us and generate new quality standards for our competitors to reach. What we look for:While hiring, we look for dedicated and enthusiastic individuals who are creative and are ready to take initiative. What make our company the best employer is the healthy environment which we provide by allowing the staff to experiment and touch the new horizons. Career Development: Continuous development is our philosophy and we believe that every employee needs some kind of training or guidance to perform better. For this purpose we arrange annual and bi annual training programs in order to groom our work force. We also sponsor small courses for employees learning. How to Apply:To apply follow the steps given below: Look for the opportunity of your interest in the current vacancy List by clicking Current Openings Tab. Click   Details to view the job description. Click Apply for the application Form. If you don’t see an opportunity of your interest, click on the Apply Online Tab. Fill the Online Form and after completing it click Submit Hardwork Has No Substitute But It Should B e Focused And Followed By Tolerance, Forbearance And Fortitude, Highlights Ms. Neegam Qayyum, Executive HR, Sefam (Pvt) Ltd. Q. 1. What makes your company an attractive employer for the job seekers? Ms.Neegam Qayyum:  Despite of the fact that the current market situation for employment is not very favorable, even in such conditions, Sefam (Pvt) Ltd continuous to grow and hire new staff. Sefam (Pvt) Ltd is a growing organization which has one of the largest retail chain networks nationwide. We have a diversified workforce working at all levels. We experience low turnover rate and the best thing is the location of our head office which is in the centre of Lahore and proves to be convenient for the employees. Q. 2. What is your strategy on work-life balance and how do you achieve this balance yourself? Ms.Neegam Qayyum:  Sefam provides a very comfortable environment which helps our employees to balance their personal and professional life. Facilities like leaves, short leaves and t ime policy helps us to manage our work-life balance. We have relaxed and helpful environment which keeps employees motivated and enables them to manage their regular activities. In my views, the best way of achieving balance between professional and personal life is to prioritize the tasks according to their importance in our lives. Just set up your priorities and I am sure that there are very less chances of being left behind. Q. 3.Do you believe that Pakistani universities are creating an effective talent pool and what is your company’s strategy to attract the best talent in Pakistan? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  We can not say that our universities are not producing talents but there is lot more which needs to be done. Most of the graduates, after passing out of the universities, are not aware of their own skills and abilities due to which the candidates get confused in choosing an appropriate career. The lack of exposure of practical life which creates a greater challenge to fin d a job in such a competitive environment is another area to be taken good care of.The institutions need to bring out the confidence and help the graduate’s identity their skills and talent. They should be given the appropriate exposure of the market which will set them out to find an appropriate career. Career Counseling should be provided to all students on individual basis. Q. 4. Due to rough economic situation and soaring price rise, how does your company deal with keeping itself cost effective and attractive for job seekers? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  The economic situation has been very rough from the last couple of years and has affected every enterprise.However, even in such conditions Sefam has never stopped hiring and hasn’t gone for any sort of layoffs as yet. Sefam’s continuous growth has kept the spirits high. Sefam does not compromise on quality of our staff and products. We are working on more effective recruitment ways to keep our hiring costs low and retain our valuable employees. Q. 5. What are, in your views, the basic principles of success in a professional life? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  I believe in: â€Å"Work , Work and Work† as said by our Quaid. Hard work has no substitute but it should be focused and followed by tolerance, forbearance and fortitude. Be open to learn new lessons, even if they contradict the lessons you learned yesterday†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   -Ellen De Generes Q. 6. How would you rate the success and importance of  online recruitment  firms such as ROZEE. PK? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  Online recruitment firms have made recruitment a lot easier, reliable and cost effective. However, it still needs to flourish and create maximum awareness in Pakistan. As the economic conditions get stable and new opportunities hit the market, online recruitment will be the most reliable one. ROZEE. PK has definitely made a mark in Pakistani job market and it has set up the trend of online recruitment in Pakistan.Q. 7. How has ROZEE. PK helped your firm regarding recruitment i. e. Have you tried any recruitment tools provided by ROZEE. PK e. g. Job Fairs/Job Postings/CV Search? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  We have been using various tools provided by ROZEE. PK and have also participated in their different Job Fairs. It has been very useful and effective in certain areas. It not only provides us with a good pool of candidates but also markets our company’s actual name in the market (We are known by the name of Bareez’e which is one of our famous brands). ROZEE.PK has always been helpful to make a pool of candidates which makes it easy to select best out of them Q. 8. What is the scope of Human Resource Management in Pakistan? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  As far as my limited experience is concerned, I believe that human resource is the ‘humane’ part of organization. It is the only department which is sensitive to life, emotions, and feelings. HRM still has a long way to go in Pakistan. I am sure that time will come when every firm and institution will invest in such a department. The future of HR is bright along with a tough competition among candidates. Q. 9. Tell us about your educational life?Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  I earned my bachelor’s degree from Kinnard College in sciences and started working with The City School. Later on I realized that I need to develop myself and the career which suited my skills and abilities was, as me and my Mentor came up with , was HRM. After completing my Masters Degree in HRM from Punjab University, I worked wih Strategic Systems International for some time and later joined Sefam (Pvt) Ltd. I focused on creating and bringing new ideas to life. I have been lucky enough that Sefam provided me the opportunity to start things from scratch enabling me to learn the practical ways of the field.I have been an average student and always worked on expressing things in my own definitions rather than learning by rote. I always used to re ad, understand, and express in my own words. Even in examinations I hardly used extra sheets. My focus has always been on practical part of the studies. Q. 10. What is your formula of success in life? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  I don’t believe there can be a formula for success but what has always worked for me is prioritizing things both, personal and professional, followed by hardwork, persistence and the utmost important blessings, of Almighty Allah.Q. 11. What are the biggest turn-offs in an interview of a job applicant? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  The biggest turn-offs of a job applicant as I have experience are: †¢ The candidates who are not sure of the area they want to work in †¢ Candidates who ask the salary package first rather than position and job description. †¢ Candidates who are not confident in their mother language and to overcome their deficiency they keep on speaking incorrect English language. Q. 12. What do you look for in a candidate during a hiring interview session? Name 4 key things? Ms.Neegam Qayyum:  The key factors I look for in a candidate are: †¢ Loyalty factor †¢ Optimistic approach towards career †¢ Relevant qualification and experience for passion to contribute Q. 13. Any good advice you want to give for the job seekers who want to enter and/ or prosper in the professional field? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  I would rather suggest that job seekers should be aware of their inborn talent and creative skills before entering the Field and find a job matching their interest and set of skills. So that when they enter the practical life they sharpen up their skills rather than getting confused about their own abilities. Intro of Sefam Pvt. Ltd. | | | | | | | | | | VISON TO BE A PREMIEM BRAND FOR PRET AS WELL AS DESIGNER WEAR LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY AND TO BE TREND SETTING MARKET LEADER BY PROVIDING TO OUR CUSTOMERS ELEGANT AND SOPHISTICATED ATTIRE WITHOUR COMPROMISING ON QUALITY.MISSION HISTORY Sefam was established in 1985 with the launch of its first brand ‘Bareeze'. Bareeze's singular mission, and at time Sefam's was to create beautiful, desirable fabrics equal to the best in the world, yet made in Pakistan. Prior to Bareeze's entry into the market, amazingly, the concept of a locally made quality fashion product did not exist. All the best markets only sold and foreign fabric and foreign goods. Opening the first store in shadman market, Lahore in 1985, Bareeze sought to change this perception.The first collection sold out in a matter of days and very soon the store had garnered the image of being a store which sells quality imported fabric claiming it to be local. Soon after, another Bareeze store was opened and then another and another. Currently, Bareeze sells from and operates 57 stores nationwide and another 10 globally. Bareeze has the distinction of being the first Pakistani chain store as well as the first Pakistani brand to go abroad (Dubai in 1995). Sefam has since broadened its vision from qua lity, desireable fabrics to quality desireable clothing for all categories of consumer.Currently sefam operates 5 brands and a total of 321 points of sale 107 location to this, sefam's brands also sell exclusively at another 10 locations worldwide. Sefams brands are: Bareeze Leisure Club Minnie Minors Chinyere Home Expressions Kayseria SERINA DYEING AND FINISHING By 1999, there was already an undeniable need for a reliable dyeing and finishing source to cater to internal processing requirements of the group. Previous experiences in the local outsourcing market had proven to be difficult with high rejection rates and unreliable delivery times.Hence Sarena was commissioned in March 2001, as a subs idiary of the Sefam Group of Industries. Since the time of inception, the factory has undergone expansion every year of its existence and now stands at 6 times its original capacity, with a heavy presence in the export market and state-of-the-art machinery. Sarena has had to work hard to make a mark in the export market. We owe our success to constant change and modernization and consistent quality. The group has invested heavily in machinery, technology and manpower to bring the process under control.Sarena boasts some of the most well-renowned brand names in textile machinery such as  Monforts, Bruckner, Babcock, Lafer, Goller, Benninger, Parex  and many more. Our dyes and chemicals are imported from only the most respected global companies such as  Dye Star, Ciba, ICI, BASF, Clariant  etc. Alongside we have spared no expense in conformance accreditations and staff training. Sarena is  ISO  and  OkoTexCertified. In addition our in-house laboratory is underway to beco ming the first private laboratory in Pakistan to achieve the  ISO 17025, which signifies conformance, reliability and standardization in all our testing procedures.We believe, that in today's world, it is important to be competitive not only on the basis of pricing, quality   and service but also in R. Accordingly we invest heavily on development in weaves, finishes and constructions, and have a fresh batch of new developments offered to our foreign clientele every month. This adds to our existing portfolio consisting of successfully tested finishes such as micro-sanding, fire-retardant,   mildew-resistance, anti-bacterial, wrinkle-resistance, pre/post cure, Teflon, soil repellency etc.We feel that it is out of all of the above, which spring from our thorough commitment to quality, that we still retain today our very first accounts. We invite you to come and share our quality experience. ALI EMBROIDERY MILLS (PVT. )LTD Hamedi Embroidery Mills (Pvt. ) Ltd. was established in 19 72 to do schiffli embroidery work for the local whole-sale market that was mainly catering for the low end of the textiles segment. From the beginning, Hamedi enjoyed a good reputation for its fair dealings and commitment.With the result that it had already doubled its capacity by 1978. However, in the next two to three years the Russian invasion of Afghanistan and the Iran revolution affected the embroidery industry of Pakistan so adversely that a majority of the businesses went bankrupt, and the government was forced to declare embroidery Sick Industry of Pakistan. It was at this juncture that Hamedi changed its focus from the low end of the market and concentrated on making the best possible quality of embroidery for the premium urban consumer of Pakistan.The machines as well as the business culture were ‘overhauled' with this new end in mind, and in 1985 Hamedi's sister concern, Sefam (Pvt. ) Limited, launched the new high quality product from the city of Lahore. The produ ct was well received and soon the embroidery production capacity needed enhancement. Hamedi grew rapidly by acquiring some existing embroidery facilities as well as adding machines to its original setup. It was also the first in Pakistan to import the state of the art computerized schiffli machines and designing systems from Saurer Stick Systems of Switzerland.It was then decided by the management that the the different embroidery companies be merged into one company by the name of Ali Embroidery Mills (Pvt. ) Limited. In the relentless pursuit of quality and innovation, a number of Ali Embroidery's staff were sent to Switzerland to receive training in new designing methods, machine operating procedures, and quality control techniques. At the same time, many qualified experts from Korea and Switzerland are routinely engaged to come and do hands-on training of Ali's technicians and designers at our premises.Consequently, Ali Embroidery Mills has the most well trained embroidery staff in Pakistan. This human resource combined with the many state of the art computerized machines, and designing and sampling systems has ensured that the quality of Ali's product is by far the best in the country. . Today Ali has 30 schiffli machines, and is the largest manufacturer of embroidered fabric in Pakistan. More important than the number of machines is the fact that Ali has more goodwill than all the local competitors combined. This has been a result of Ali's philosophy of fair dealings with everyone including suppliers, employees and clients.We believe that quality begins in-house when we decide to make a positive impact in the lives of all the different groups of people that will come in contact with our business. Along with this ideology, our focus on continuous innovation in products and procedures has made sure that we are always able to stay abreast of the competition OUR BRANDS BAREEZE With over three decades of commitment to quality, Bareeze is today, a recognized b rand for quality products in the domestic and international markets. It is owned by sefam (Pvt. ) Ltd. a sister concern of Sarena Industries and Ali Embroidery Mills (Pvt) Ltd. The Bareeze range includes crisp cottons, luxurious silks, sheer organza, chic chiffons and an ever-developing range of inovative products. Textile embroidery is an art-rooted tradition. Hand-done embroidery from the sub-continent was always considered a quintessence of quality, reflecting an exclusive fashion option. Bareeze is proud to be the modern day perfection of transforming traditional sub-continent hand embroidery into exclusive Bareeze fashion fabrics. Each Design – a MasterpieceTaking as much pride in our products as the traditional artisan, we ensure that Bareeze fabrics are superbly fashioned, exquisitely detailed and carefully finished, so that each design is a masterpiece. Excellence – a Bareeze Hallmark The use of only the best materials and unflinching resolve not to compromise on quality, coupled with the use of the best swiss textile machinery enables us to produce embroidered fabrics which compare favorably with the best in the world. We have more than 50 outlets nationwide, and already well established setups in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Delhi and London.Bareeze Brands There is something for everyone at all Bareeze Stores. Our resolve to excellence and decades of experience with success has enabled us to extend our product range and provide our clientele with a varied and extremely creative collection of Ready-to-Wear, Pret and Home Textile collections covering all age groups. Bareeze is a trendsetter in the mainstream fashion industry CHINYERE Chinyere is a brand synonymous with sophistication & style. The Chinyere success story began in 1999 that has now evolved into the country's most popular and accessible fashion brand.Chinyere garments are designed in-step with global fashions and in keeping with our tradition. Catering to women as well as men, today Chinyere has displays at all Bareeze outlets and is manufacturing †¢ Casual Wear †¢ Formal Wear †¢ Couture †¢ Mens Wear †¢ Sleep Wear †¢ Abayas †¢ Accessories †¢ Jewellery for the local and the international markets. MINNIE MINORS Minnie Minors is a specialty kids brand selling high-quality apparel and accessories for children under the Boys, Girls, Infants, Party Line, Toys n Tales and Accessories categories. Minnie Minor’s history begins in 1998, making it one of the oldest kids brand in its field.The appeal of the Minnie Minors is so high since its inception due to its versatile designing, high quality manufacturing, high-quality merchandise and modern retail for children ages newborn to five. Sub Brands Today Minnie Minor’s brands include Minitoes and MOM2B. Minitoes Minitoes kid's footwear is available in a range of sandals, booties, joggers, canvas casuals, long shoes. Each season Minitoes expands its extensive collec tion by adding new styles and collections. These change each season and some are only available in limited edition while others may be around for seasons to come.Check out what’s new this season. From easy on-easy off designs to the low profile, lightweight outsoles. Your kids will love the look, you’ll appreciate the supportive footbed and roomy construction and you’ll both flip for the super fun patterns. MOM2B Pregnant women want to feel pretty, attractive and comfortable in clothes that fit their style, their taste and their budget. Whether you are a pregnant woman or lady in plus size, MOM2B will allow you to discover the best clothes to wear during pregnancy whatever the size of your belly! Here’s an innovative range of apparel for expectant mothers. An irresistible ariety of styles that is trendy, traditional and sophisticated all at the same time fulfilling all of mom’s social and mood requirements. For her comfort Mom2B also offers customi zed accessories like stretch lowers and a variety of stretch-to-comfort materials giving a natural support and lift to the tummy. . Minnie Minors Outlets Minnie Minors Outlets offers what our customers know and love about us: unique quality and style—at all outlets. There are 59 Minnie Minors Outlet stores open at premier locations nationwide with the international corporate existence at London, Manchester, Dubai and Norway.HOME EXPRESSIONS Bareeze started Home Expessions in 1999. A commitment. Home Expression ranges offer you the luxury of designed bed/ bath/table accessories. Our linen Range Is produced using the best quality cottons and polyester -cottons,dyed with speacil skill,to ensure color fastness. The 100% percale fabric used is among the finest in world . Bed linen range is combine with the distinctive embroidery designsand colors. Cotton range offers applique range which is of   more luxury and parint range which is of daily use . The bed spreads are hand -made and the embellishmaent is â€Å"Zardozi†work.This involves Working on pure velvets ,silks organzas ,jamawars and net with the finest material avaiable . this range offers bed spreads. dulais. cushions ,rugs ,photo albums fancy trunks  and table accessories . Upcomming attraction for the coustomer is leather range which includes cushions ,rugs ,table accessories . Choosing the right kind of bedding means you are half way there to get good night sleep. you will find bed linen in a color and quality you love . KAYSERIA After bringing a revolution in embroidery, Sefam Pvt. Ltd. now launches another brand Kayseria – Magic in print.Welcome to the unique world of Kayseria, where every design is a masterpiece. Kayseria brings you a very special selection of pure silks and cottons in form of exclusive prints, complemented by beautiful and intricate embroideries and embellishments, to create a stunning array of fabrics, colour and designs. The designs crafted at Kayseria are t rendy yet traditional, encompassing the richness of our ethnicity and culture. If you want to pamper yourself, indulge in someone you love, or just feel special, take yourself to nearest Kayseria store. Kayseria gives you real designer clothes at affordable prices.LEISURE CLUB â€Å"Once upon a time, in a land of 180 million people, where locally made high quality, trendy clothing was not available, a compassionate and quality obsessed brand by the name of Leisure Club stepped forward to fill in the void. And so, on April 18th, 1997, hardcoded with the values of compassion, quality, integrity, and ingenuity, Leisure embarked on its mission. After 14 years of unparalleled excellence, Leisure Club has evolved into Pakistan’s no. 1 family fashion destination, featuring 3 premium sub-brands: Club X, LC Boutique, and LC Kids.Club X provides trendy urban street wear for young adults, LC boutique offers elegant eastern wear for the entire family, and LC Kids gives cool clothing opt ions for kids†. MOM2B Here’s an innovative range of apparel for expectant mothers. An irresistable variety of styles that are trendy, traditional and sophisticated all at the same time fulfilling all of mom’s social and mood requirements. For her comfort Mom2B also offers customised accessories like stretch lowers and a variety of stretch-to-comfort materials giving a natuaral support and lift to the tummy.Casual Wear Extra Support Accessories CAREER ARTICLE AND ADVICES Life at Sefam: We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and provide employment to everyone regardless of their colour, race & gender. We believe our employees as our greatest asset and do not compromise on the potential and standard of our workforce. Our Philosophy: Continuous Learning Maintain High Standards Creativity and Innovative We are growing continuously and ensure our employees to share our growth with us and generate new quality standards for our competitors to reach. What we look for:While hiring, we look for dedicated and enthusiastic individuals who are creative and are ready to take initiative. What make our company the best employer is the healthy environment which we provide by allowing the staff to experiment and touch the new horizons. Career Development: Continuous development is our philosophy and we believe that every employee needs some kind of training or guidance to perform better. For this purpose we arrange annual and bi annual training programs in order to groom our work force. We also sponsor small courses for employees learning. How to Apply:To apply follow the steps given below: Look for the opportunity of your interest in the current vacancy List by clicking Current Openings Tab. Click   Details to view the job description. Click Apply for the application Form. If you don’t see an opportunity of your interest, click on the Apply Online Tab. Fill the Online Form and after completing it click Submit Hardwork Has No Substitute But It Should B e Focused And Followed By Tolerance, Forbearance And Fortitude, Highlights Ms. Neegam Qayyum, Executive HR, Sefam (Pvt) Ltd. Q. 1. What makes your company an attractive employer for the job seekers? Ms.Neegam Qayyum:  Despite of the fact that the current market situation for employment is not very favorable, even in such conditions, Sefam (Pvt) Ltd continuous to grow and hire new staff. Sefam (Pvt) Ltd is a growing organization which has one of the largest retail chain networks nationwide. We have a diversified workforce working at all levels. We experience low turnover rate and the best thing is the location of our head office which is in the centre of Lahore and proves to be convenient for the employees. Q. 2. What is your strategy on work-life balance and how do you achieve this balance yourself? Ms.Neegam Qayyum:  Sefam provides a very comfortable environment which helps our employees to balance their personal and professional life. Facilities like leaves, short leaves and t ime policy helps us to manage our work-life balance. We have relaxed and helpful environment which keeps employees motivated and enables them to manage their regular activities. In my views, the best way of achieving balance between professional and personal life is to prioritize the tasks according to their importance in our lives. Just set up your priorities and I am sure that there are very less chances of being left behind. Q. 3.Do you believe that Pakistani universities are creating an effective talent pool and what is your company’s strategy to attract the best talent in Pakistan? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  We can not say that our universities are not producing talents but there is lot more which needs to be done. Most of the graduates, after passing out of the universities, are not aware of their own skills and abilities due to which the candidates get confused in choosing an appropriate career. The lack of exposure of practical life which creates a greater challenge to fin d a job in such a competitive environment is another area to be taken good care of.The institutions need to bring out the confidence and help the graduate’s identity their skills and talent. They should be given the appropriate exposure of the market which will set them out to find an appropriate career. Career Counseling should be provided to all students on individual basis. Q. 4. Due to rough economic situation and soaring price rise, how does your company deal with keeping itself cost effective and attractive for job seekers? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  The economic situation has been very rough from the last couple of years and has affected every enterprise.However, even in such conditions Sefam has never stopped hiring and hasn’t gone for any sort of layoffs as yet. Sefam’s continuous growth has kept the spirits high. Sefam does not compromise on quality of our staff and products. We are working on more effective recruitment ways to keep our hiring costs low and retain our valuable employees. Q. 5. What are, in your views, the basic principles of success in a professional life? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  I believe in: â€Å"Work , Work and Work† as said by our Quaid. Hard work has no substitute but it should be focused and followed by tolerance, forbearance and fortitude. Be open to learn new lessons, even if they contradict the lessons you learned yesterday†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   -Ellen De Generes Q. 6. How would you rate the success and importance of  online recruitment  firms such as ROZEE. PK? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  Online recruitment firms have made recruitment a lot easier, reliable and cost effective. However, it still needs to flourish and create maximum awareness in Pakistan. As the economic conditions get stable and new opportunities hit the market, online recruitment will be the most reliable one. ROZEE. PK has definitely made a mark in Pakistani job market and it has set up the trend of online recruitment in Pakistan.Q. 7. How has ROZEE. PK helped your firm regarding recruitment i. e. Have you tried any recruitment tools provided by ROZEE. PK e. g. Job Fairs/Job Postings/CV Search? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  We have been using various tools provided by ROZEE. PK and have also participated in their different Job Fairs. It has been very useful and effective in certain areas. It not only provides us with a good pool of candidates but also markets our company’s actual name in the market (We are known by the name of Bareez’e which is one of our famous brands). ROZEE.PK has always been helpful to make a pool of candidates which makes it easy to select best out of them Q. 8. What is the scope of Human Resource Management in Pakistan? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  As far as my limited experience is concerned, I believe that human resource is the ‘humane’ part of organization. It is the only department which is sensitive to life, emotions, and feelings. HRM still has a long way to go in Pakistan. I am sure that time will come when every firm and institution will invest in such a department. The future of HR is bright along with a tough competition among candidates. Q. 9. Tell us about your educational life?Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  I earned my bachelor’s degree from Kinnard College in sciences and started working with The City School. Later on I realized that I need to develop myself and the career which suited my skills and abilities was, as me and my Mentor came up with , was HRM. After completing my Masters Degree in HRM from Punjab University, I worked wih Strategic Systems International for some time and later joined Sefam (Pvt) Ltd. I focused on creating and bringing new ideas to life. I have been lucky enough that Sefam provided me the opportunity to start things from scratch enabling me to learn the practical ways of the field.I have been an average student and always worked on expressing things in my own definitions rather than learning by rote. I always used to re ad, understand, and express in my own words. Even in examinations I hardly used extra sheets. My focus has always been on practical part of the studies. Q. 10. What is your formula of success in life? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  I don’t believe there can be a formula for success but what has always worked for me is prioritizing things both, personal and professional, followed by hardwork, persistence and the utmost important blessings, of Almighty Allah.Q. 11. What are the biggest turn-offs in an interview of a job applicant? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  The biggest turn-offs of a job applicant as I have experience are: †¢ The candidates who are not sure of the area they want to work in †¢ Candidates who ask the salary package first rather than position and job description. †¢ Candidates who are not confident in their mother language and to overcome their deficiency they keep on speaking incorrect English language. Q. 12. What do you look for in a candidate during a hiring interview session? Name 4 key things? Ms.Neegam Qayyum:  The key factors I look for in a candidate are: †¢ Loyalty factor †¢ Optimistic approach towards career †¢ Relevant qualification and experience for passion to contribute Q. 13. Any good advice you want to give for the job seekers who want to enter and/ or prosper in the professional field? Ms. Neegam Qayyum:  I would rather suggest that job seekers should be aware of their inborn talent and creative skills before entering the Field and find a job matching their interest and set of skills. So that when they enter the practical life they sharpen up their skills rather than getting confused about their own abilities.

Nursing Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nursing Application - Essay Example The purpose of this paper is to present a proper application of theory to practice and the theory this is applied in this part would be taking history in case of a patient with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. This paper would demonstrate the history-taking techniques based on the developmental stage. This would include culture, religion; developmental and physical milestones gross & fine motor skills, language, and social development for the particular age group. (Kar, 2006) A 56 year old male patient was admitted in the hospital with the ailment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. He was suffering from Cough with phlegm. Alongside there was Wheezing and there was also Shortness of breath. It was needed to gather personal details for an intricate future diagnosis and treatment. For this it was important to communicate with the patient in a warm and personal manner by introducing oneself, ensuring patient's privacy, sitting at eye level when speaking with patient to comfort him as the patient was already in a situation of utter discomfort due to his ailment. For this it is important to use both verbal and nonverbal communications skills. Within this approach it is also important to explain the purpose of this interview in a heartily manner to sooth the patient telling him as in the case of legal advisor it is necessary to provide complete and accurate details as it would only help the doctors and nurses to diagnose perfectly and only then it would be possible to treat properly and thus this would help the patient to recover in a better and faster manner. It is also helpful and advantageous to use open-ended questions and summarize the interview for patient to be sure t he information is correct. (Fletcher, 2003) The details and summary of the patient's first hand vital particulars based on the interview performed are enumerated below. Culture: This patient was born and brought up in the United States however he seems to have as strong cultural overtone of his ancestral roots in South Asia but as a mainstream member of the American society he identifies himself as an American in the political and social context of the word. Religion: according to his birth certificate the patient could be enumerated as a Hindu by religion but like his cultural background he is attached to the American way of life and has no bias about any from of medical treatment or procedure. Physical milestones: The patient suffered from jaundice twice at the age of 16 and then again at the age of 27. He was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 44 and he is still suffering from it however a report taken only 2 months back suggests blood sugar content sums up to 103. Gross & fine motor skills: Gross & fine motor skills were found to be at a normal stage however there was reported pain on the left shoulder and upper arm. Otherwise gross & fine motor skills were found to be normal. Language: The patient comes from an all American background and therefore he is fluent in English however he has a slight accent on his language of English like most South Asian. His mother tongue is Bengali. Social development: the patient was accompanied by his wife who is a native of India though she is well acquainted with the English

Keats La Belle Dame Sans Merci Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Keats La Belle Dame Sans Merci - Essay Example It is a poem filled with puzzles and, therefore, is prone to innumerable elucidations. Keat’s sonnet depicts the situation of an anonymous knight who has come across a mystifying lady described as the ‘fairy’s child’. It begins with a depiction of the knight in a desolate land. He explicates to the reader how he encountered a strange woman with extraordinarily wild eyes. The lady is portrayed as a reasonable woman who told the knight that she truly cherished him. The knight takes her to her ‘elfin grot’, but on reaching there, she bawled and moaned full sore. The knight is left baffled, and before he comprehends, the inexplicable maiden sets him to sleep. While sleeping, the knight has dreams of pale emperors and princes who sob, ‘La Belle Dame sans Merci ’. He awakes to see himself on the chilly hill’s side. He persists to linger while palely lurking. The following discourse confers the repercussions of love as Keats expres ses them in his sonnet (Symons, p. 89). The premise of the sonnet is lucid since it explains how the knight suffers the spasms of humiliation while allowing himself to be overtaken by his fondness towards the enthralling woman. This depicts a situation of unrequited affection. As illustrated, the knight’s love was superior to that of the mysterious maiden. As explicated in the sonnet, he supposed that the fairy lady is smitten and; consequently, he falls intensely for the maiden too. The sonnet depicts the knight falling for an extremely attractive lady, who he met in the meads. At the beginning of the poem, the knight is portrayed to be in a desolate condition. He progresses to recount what transpired when he encountered the ‘fairy lady’ who disappeared in the night. His desolation and humiliation is described by the utilization of the sedge that has shrunken from the lake, and the absence of birds playing. As elucidated, the lady’s disappearance is a har sh upshot of unreciprocated love. The knight is left in torment since his affection for the ‘fairy child’ unreturned. The shrunken sedge and the milieu of no birds chirping depict how heart-broken he is and how empty he feels within. Love is believed to be a two way phenomenon. The portrayal of the strange maiden disappearing without a sign illustrate how love can turn out when one adores someone who is not smitten as much as they are (William, p.68). Moreover, the knight’s anguish for his deep affection for the ‘fairy child’ is seen where he is unaccompanied and palely lurking. It describes the situation he is in after the maiden heartlessly left him on the chilly hill side. His distress is illustrated by how he palely lurks alone on the hill side speculating what to do. His misery is also portrayed by ‘nature fading’ around him leaving him void. This somehow leaves the knight lifeless. The beauty of the fairy woman lures the knight to her, and this same loveliness destroys him. Another upshot of ‘fake love’ is the knight being robbed of his heart. He is attracted by her magnificence not knowing that she is a mystical being. The knight’s misery after his mystical encounter is elucidated by a contrast of his paleness to the vanishing rose. It elucidates that his despair could result in his demise. In addition, the ‘fairy maiden’ destroys the knight’s life as portrayed in the poem. This is explained by knight’s vision of influential rulers, combatants and princes whose lives were also devastated by the

HRM and leadership 2.2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

HRM and leadership 2.2 - Essay Example Small businesses are an integral part of the economic growth and creation of job opportunities and that it is important that governments tap on it in order to promote growth (United States Office of International Information Programs 2004). The contribution of small businesses to economies is important in terms of the output and the input as well as the creation of jobs as one of the major aims of governments. In the United States, small businesses currently represent 98 per cent of all business enterprises and generate about 64 per cent of all new employment opportunities, and are the first line of employment providing training to many workers (SBA Office of Advocacy n.d.). Almost all nations in the world have the small businesses as the primary creator of jobs for all nations and therefore play an important role in enhancing the economy of a country. In the United Kingdom, there are about 4.4 million small and medium enterprises with almost all of them being made up of small and me dium enterprises, and further about half of the work force in the United Kingdom is employed in the small and medium enterprises generating a turnover of 48.7 per cent. Small businesses often referred to as small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a critical role in the global economy creating jobs across international borders. In high-income countries, the formal small businesses with less than two hundred and fifty employees contribute about 50 per cent of the GDP globally and creates employment opportunities to about 70 per cent of the working population while in countries that are not members of the OECD the figures are higher. In countries that are classified as developing, the private sector comprises of micro, small and medium enterprises that employs millions of people. Recent research by International Finance Corporation (IFC) that covered 132 economies estimated that around 500 million people comprising about 97 per cent of the businesses in the world can be deemed as smal l business. Importance of Small Businesses to Economies Small businesses and entrepreneurs create job opportunities in any economy with statistics pointing that at least three out of every four persons that are employed work in a small business enterprise. Therefore, governments have found it important to develop these business enterprises in that they ensure that the growth of an economy is broad based, gender inclusive and sustainable in nature. In the United States, The Bureau of Labour Statistics shows that firms that have fewer than 500 employees employ about 55 percentage of employees in the private sector alone. The small businesses also fuel the growth of businesses with data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicating that from the year 1992 to 2007, small businesses with fewer than 500 employees created 64 per cent of the new employment opportunities. The small businesses also play an important role in driving the economies of nations, for example in the United States, the small businesses constitute more than half of the nonfarm private Gross Domestic Product and about 97.3 per cent of all U.S. exporters (McCracken and Danner 2011). According to

I, Too Poem Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

I, Too Poem Analysis - Essay Example What the author spoke the black man listened because that is what the black man was going through at that time. The poem is also written in the present tense. The form of the poem is that of a free verse. It is written in five stanzas. The sentences are short but that should not fool you. They convey are very strong message. There is a very strong conversational fluidity in the sentences. The shortness of the stanzas and the sentences shows brevity of the poem and how the author was hitting the nail right on the head. He spoke plainly but portrayed the frustration of the black man in a short, precise but to the point manner. This shows the seriousness of the matter at that time that did not require to be written in long sentences to be put across. The short sentences allows the author to use very optimistic language not show despair at his current state but show optimism for a better future The author uses the metaphor ‘the darker brother’. This is used to refer to the black Americans at the time of slavery. They were not considered equals with the white and they would be treated inhumanely just because of the color of their skin. The author further goes ahead and says he will grow beautiful. This does not mean beautiful in appearance. He meant that he would be intelligent, creative and wise with a better personality just like the white man if granted the same opportunity. The author says ‘The black man goes on, laughs, eats his dinner and grows strong’. This means that as much as they were oppressed they still hoped that they would be better and much stronger in the future. The black man was bidding on time as one of his saviors because it is only with time that he will achieve the equality he longed for. They were living their lives and growing tough to prepare them for the black uprising that will come. The author goes ahead and uses an assertive language at the time when they were not even allowed to speak. He say ‘they will