The Rise of the Bureaucratic State Essay Example for Free

The Rise of the Bureaucratic State Essay The bureaucracy has been constantly growing since its beginning. At the end of the Federalist period, only 3,000 civilian officials were appointed; then in 1925 about half a million were employees in the bureaucracy. However, the size of the bureaucracy is completely insignificant. What matters is the amount of power that can be exercised by the members of the bureaucratic agencies. The author, James Q. Wilson, provides an example that in 1971, the federal government provided fifty four million dollars to various social security programs, however, the Social Security Administration only employed 73,000 people at the time. The increases in the size of the bureaucratic agencies affect the executive branch of the government. For example, from 1816 to 1861, the employment in the executive branch increased from 4,837 to 36,672. However, eighty six percent of this growth was the result of additions to the postal service. After 1861, many new departments were formed relating to agriculture, labor and commerce, which have led to a clientelisitc (client oriented) bureaucracy. In addition, the government began to formally give bureaucratic recognition to the many peculiar interests in the economy. The author concludes that the bureaucratic clentelism becomes self-perpetuating in the absence of some crisis or scandal. In addition, the separation of powers makes it difficult to permit the enactment of a new program or the creation of a new agency. After reading this article, I was surprised that some agencies associated with agriculture control the flow of billions of dollars in expenditures and loans. Furthermore, local committees of farmers, private farm organizations dominate policy making in some areas.

Action Potentials In Squid Axon

Action Potentials In Squid Axon In 1952, Hodgkin and Huxley published a series of four papers in the Journal of Physiology (London) reporting their experiments to investigate the underlying events of the action potential. In their final paper, they derived a series of equations that describe the relationship between sodium conductance (gNa+), potassium conductance (gK+) and the membrane potential in a squid axon following electrical stimulation. Hodgkin and Huxley were awarded the Nobel Prize for this work. In this practical, you will use a computer program based on the Hodgkin and Huxley equations to show what is happening to the membrane potential, gNa+ and gK+ during and after electrical stimulation. An example of the output from the program is illustrated in figure 1. It can be seen that the electrical stimulation depolarises the membrane. Once a depolarisation of 30mV has occurred, the conductance to sodium ions increases rapidly and the membrane potential rises to +20mV. The rise in gK+ is slower in onset and lasts for longer than the increase in gNa+. The fall in gNa+ and the associated rise in gK+ returns the membrane potential towards the resting value. Figure 1: Simulation of changes in membrane potential, Na+ and K+ conductances following the application of a single electrical stimulus of 50  Ã‚ ­A/cm2 for 1  ms. The peak height, amplitude, latency and threshold of the action potential are shown. Methods and Results Run the Squid Giant Axon simulation from the Start menu, HHX. Experiments using a single electrical stimulus In the first series of experiments, you will use a single electrical stimulus to initiate an action potential. Run a simulation with the following parameters: Stimulus 1 Amplitude ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus 1 Duration (ms) Delay (ms) Stimulus 2 Amplitude ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus 2 Duration (ms) 50 1 0 0 0 A trace similar to figure 1 will be obtained. From this trace, you can measure the peak height, amplitude, latency and threshold of the action potential: Peak Height (mV) Amplitude (mV) Latency (ms) Threshold Voltage (mV) +19 109 0.46 -66 Q1 and 2. Investigate the effects of varying stimulus amplitude and duration by running all the simulations shown in the matrix below in Table 1: Enter a X in the Table 1 matrix for experiments that produce an action potential, and record the peak height, amplitude, latency and threshold of any action potentials in Table 2 overleaf. For experiments that fail to elicit an action potential, enter a O in the matrix below, and record a value of  ¥ (infinity) for the latency and - for the other parameters in the table overleaf. Table 1. Success/failure matrix Stimulus Strength ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus Duration (ms) 0.1 0.5 1 2 5 50 O X X X X 20 O X X X X 10 O O X X X 7 O O X X X 5 O O O X X 2 O O O O O Table 2: Action potential characteristics Stimulus Response Strength ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Duration (ms) Peak Height (mV) Amplitude (mV) Latency (ms) Threshold Voltage (mV) 2 0.1  ¥ 0.5  ¥ 1  ¥ 2  ¥ 5  ¥ 5 0.1  ¥ 0.5  ¥ 1  ¥ 2 14 104 2.89 -61 5 15 105 2.74 -59 7 0.1  ¥ 0.5  ¥ 1 12 102 4.38 -57 2 15 105 2.16 -58 5 16 106 2.16 -57 10 0.1  ¥ 0.5  ¥ 1 15 105 2.01 -61 2 16 106 1.62 -64 5 16 106 1.62 -64 20 0.1  ¥ 0.5 15 105 1.58 -64 1 16 106 1.02 -63 2 17 107 0.97 -66 5 17 107 1.04 -61 50 0.1  ¥ 0.5 17 107 0.59 -61 1 19 109 0.54 -60 2 19 109 0.52 -62 5 19 109 0.57 -58 Q3. Plot two graphs to show the relationship between: (i) Stimulus strength and latency and (ii) Stimulus duration and latency. How these graphs should be plotted is not immediately obvious, and information on how to complete this task will not be explicitly given! The optimal solution to the problem is for you to find, but the following points are provided for guidance: It is not legitimate to plot infinity on graphs It is not appropriate to extrapolate beyond data points It is not legitimate to plot average latencies. The graphs must be plotted so that every value of latency (except  ¥) is represented. Use the blank sheet on the proforma, there is no need to use graph paper. Graph 1 : Stimulus strength and latency Remember you need to distinguish different stim durations in this gr Graph 2: Stimulus Duration and Latency Make sure you distinguish different strengths as well These can be plotted accurately using excel for your submitted report. Experiments with dual stimuli Q4. Run a simulation with the following parameters to demonstrate the absolute refractory period: Simulation Stimulus 1 Amplitude ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus 1 Duration (ms) Delay (ms) Stimulus 2 Amplitude ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus 2 Duration (ms) A 50 0.5 4 50 0.5 B 50 0.5 4 100 0.5 Briefly describe the responses obtained in simulations A and B in the space below: In A the first and second stimulus is equal. The first stimulus causes an action potential whilst the second stimulus does not. The delay is only 4ms. The membrane is at the absolute refractory period when the second stimulus is sent. Therefore an action potential cannot be produced. The first stimulus for A causes the gK value to change from -0.36 to 6.0. The gNa, 0.01, does not increase for the second stimulus and the peak reached is -92mV for the second stimulus and the threshold is -52mV. In B the second stimulus is larger than the first one but the delay remains the same at 4ms. The increase of the stimulus does not cause an action potential. This suggests it must be in the absolute refractory period because a larger stimulus should be able to generate an action potential if it is in the relative refractory period. The value of gK changes from -0.36 to -5.87. The peak was -83mV Q5. Repeat the simulations, but with a longer delay between stimuli: Simulation Stimulus 1 Amplitude ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus 1 Duration (ms) Delay (ms) Stimulus 2 Amplitude ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus 2 Duration (ms) C 50 0.5 7 50 0.5 D 50 0.5 7 100 0.5 Compare and contrast the responses obtained in simulations C and D with those of A and B. Stimulation C and D has a longer delay between the first and second stimulus than stimulation A and B. Stimulations C has a lower second stimulus than D but the same as A. Likewise for Simulation A which has a lower second stimulus than B. Stimulation B and D have got the same amplitude for the second stimulus. The second stimulus, like A, for simulation C did not generate an action potential. Whilst with simulation D, unlike B, an action potential was generated. This is because in the absolute refractory period it is not possible for an action potential to be generated hence why simulation B did not produce an action potential. The delay in stimulation C and D is longer therefore the membrane is in the relative refractory period. This is suggested by the action potential produced in D. The extra delay in D enables more inactivation gates to open generating an action potential. The larger amplitude in D caused the membrane to reach threshold. Discussion Answer the questions below in the spaces provided. This will provide the basis of your report discussion Q6. Briefly justify why a latency of  ¥ was recorded if an action potential was not produced. Latency is the time from the start of the stimulus to threshold. If no action potential is produced then it is not ever possible for it to reach threshold, -59mV, therefore it has to be labelled as infinity because no matter how long you wait you will never reach threshold. Q7. What evidence from your results suggests that action potentials are threshold phenomena? Only the experiments which reached threshold value produced an action potential, refer to table one. For example when the strength of the stimulus is 2mA/cm2 no action potential was produced but the membrane potential did change however it did not reach threshold. When the strength of the stimulus was increased the, for example to 5 mA/cm2, and the duration of the stimulus as increased to 2ms then an action potential was reached. This is because the membrane must depolarise to the threshold level therefore generating an action potential with the same amplitude. This is the all or nothing principle. Q8. Comment briefly on the amplitude of the action potentials generated in these experiments. In all the experiments, table 2, which an action potential was generated, the amplitude was always similar even though the stimulus strength and duration had changed. This is part of the all or nothing principle. The amplitude was always around 106mV showing that action potentials are not graded. The frequency of the action potential is determined by the intensity of the stimulus. The frequency of action potential is caused during the relative refractory period. Graded potentials can be larger and last longer than action potentials. Therefore during the relative refractory period if the graded potential is stronger than the threshold at resting then it will produce another action potential. If the graded potential last longer than the relative refractory period an action potential will also be generated. Both these factor effect the frequency of action potentials. Q9. From Graph 1, describe the effect of increasing stimulus strength on the latency of the action potential. The graph shows that the strength of the stimulus increases as the latency decreases. For example, when the stimulus strength is 5mA/cm2 and has duration of 2ms the latency is 2.89ms. When the stimulus strength is increased to 50mA/cm2 for the same duration of 2ms the latency decreased to 0.52ms. This shows that the latency has decreased by 2.37ms. Latency is the time from the start of the stimulus to the threshold. Therefore as the strength of the stimulus increases, the time for an action potential to be generated decreases. Q10. From Graph 2, describe the effect of increasing stimulus duration on the latency of the action potential. The graph shows a larger effect with the lower stimulus strength. For example if the stimulus strength is 50mA/cm2 and the duration is 0.5 the latency is 0.59ms and if the duration is 5ms the latency is 0.57. However, if the stimulus strength is 10mA/cm2 and the duration is 1ms the latency is 2.01ms and if the duration increases to 3ms the latency is 1.62ms. Latency is the time from the start of the stimulus to the threshold. Therefore as the duration of the stimulus increases, the time for an action potential to be generated decreases. Sodium permeability increase in membrane Number of sodium channel open increaseQ11. Draw a simple flow diagram to illustrate the positive feedback cycle that results in the rapid depolarizing phase of the action potential. Activation gates open Membrane depolarises Stimulus causing to reach threshold Positive feedback Charge of cell increases causing depolarisation Influx of sodium into cell increase Q12. What event at the ion channel level terminates the above cycle? 1ms after the activation gate open the inactivation gate closes. This is a delay response of the depolarisation. The channel is now incapable of opening until it reaches near resting potential; this is when the inactivation gate opens. Therefore the sodium channels closes and sodium ions cant enter the cell. Also the opening of the potassium channels helps terminates this cycle. Q13. What physiological mechanism is responsible for the absolute refractory period? Absolute refractory period is during the depolarisation and most of the repolarisation phase. At this point the sodium channels inactivation gates are closed and the activation gates are open. Therefore the channel is closed and incapable of opening so an action potential cannot be generated by another stimulus in this period. Q14. Explain your observations to simulations C and D in the Methods and Results section. Stimulations C have a lower second stimulus than D. The second stimulus, for C did not generate an action potential but simulation D did. The delay in stimulation C and D is long therefore the membrane is in the relative refractory period. This is suggested by the action potential produced in D because the larger stimulus amplitude. The extra delay in D, compared to B, enables more inactivation gates to open allowing. Also the larger stimulus allows another action potential to be generated. Q15. Briefly summarise two effects that refractory periods impose on the behaviour of neurones (N.B. restatement of the definitions of refractory periods is not what is asked here) There are two types of refractory period absolute and relative. During the absolute refractory period no action potential can be produced. In the relative an action potential can only be produced depending on the strength of the stimulus. Therefore there is a minimum delay required before a second action potential can be generated. Also it controls the frequency of the action potential generated. This period also helps ensure action potential can only move in one direction. Questions to answer after the practical. Q 16 . Most Local anaesthetics are Sodium channel blockers. Describe how these compounds work, the side-effects and what their main clinical uses are. ( max 300 words). Local anaesthetics are weak bases which are used for loss of pain and muscle power so that a particular area of the body becomes numb. When sodium channel blockers, like lidocaine, enter the body it will be equilibrium with the tissue fluid. The anaesthetic will be in its ionised and non-ionised form. The non-ionised form will be able to pass through. It will be become partially ionised and cant leave, ion trapping. The ionised form will bind to the sodium channel. This will prevent sodium ions from entering the cell and therefore it cannot be depolarised. As a result it does not reach threshold and an action potential is not generated. Consequently the nerve cells cant signal to the brain so pain cant be felt or muscle cant be moved. (Tuckley, 1994). There are many different local anaesthetic available with the side effects differing for each drug and. The general side-effects can be, for example, numbness, sickness, lower blood pressure, light headedness and drowsiness. Not all of these are felt by the patient. (Joint Formulary Committee (2010). The anaesthetic can be administered in by several methods, for example, a dentist will use an injection to the mouth. The effect of the anaesthetics will only be felt by the area in which it is injected in. Dentist will use local anaesthetic so that their patient will have loss of pain only in their mouth. Therefore the patient will not be able to feel any pain whilst the dentist carries out the procedure. It is also used for some eye surgery and minor skin surgery. (Tuckley, 1994). Referencing Tuckley, J, M. (1994).The pharmacology of local anaesthetic agents, Pharmacology, 4, 7. Joint Formulary Committee (2010). British National Formulary. (59th ed.). London: Pharmaceutical Press. Q17. Will these compounds work if they dont block all the Na channels ? Why ? (Use your experimental data to help answer this question) During the relative refractory period some channels are open allowing a second action potential to be generated. For example for stimulation D an action potential was produced for the second stimulus because the cell was in its relative refractory period. However for stimulation C an action potential was not produced for the second stimulus, even though the delay was the same. However the second stimulus was larger for D than C. Therefore if the compound does not block all the sodium channels then an action potential may be generated depending on the number of sodium channels blocked and the strength of the stimulus because the concept is very similar to the relative refractory period as some of the channels are not be open but in this case some channels are blocked. In both cases, relative refractory period and local anaesthetic, some channels allow sodium ions to enter the cell. As a result the compound will not work.

Equality in Education Essay -- School Learning Teaching Essays

Equality in Education Many believe that the greatest source for a nations strength is to provide equal education for all of its students. However, are we as educators short-changing our female students? I believe the answer to this question is an undeniable, Yes! There are different ways and methods to change this problem in our society; hence we must first examine the source of the corruption. The greatest resources for any country are the educated people that it produces. According to the census taken in the year 2001 in the United States, half of our countrys population is made of women. These strong souled beings have the power and cognitive ability to compete equally and fairly with their male counterparts in any area of education. When I say education, it does not mean the field of education only, I mean all the years of attending basic schooling from kindergarten till twelfth grade and including all subject areas. However, girls do not have an identical educational experience as boys in school. For instance, I remember in fourth grade my teacher only chose boys to be team leaders in sport activities. At that time, we girls didnt think much it, because the atmosphere was such that the boys were the ones who always got to move materials or carry the art or sporting equipment, and that is what we were used to. But one day, I remember it as if it was yesterday. Sara my c lassmate said to the teacher, Im just as strong as Michael. I can even kick the ball farther than him, but you only choose the boys to be special helpers. How come? My teacher did not understand the significance of this question and casually answered, boys are meant to do some tasks and girls others. Sara did not like the response that she was given... ...s can make the large difference in their life and the life of others. The other alternative to provide a safe and empowering environment for girls is to provide same-sex classes in institutions where the curriculum has been updated for better reflection of society. But do we really have to separate our girls in order for them to be treated fairly and equally as boys? No! When our government stated, All men are created equally, they meant, humans, Homo-sapiens, not only the males. Therefore our girls, our ladies should be give the same tools and opportunities to pursue happiness as our boys, our gentlemen. Works Cited Mckee, Alice. How Schools Shortchange Girls. Women and Education. 1992. 92-115. Rich, Adrienne. What Does a Woman Need to Know? Presence of Others. 3rd Edition. Andrea A. Lunsford and John Ruszkiewicz. Boston: Bedford, 2000. 65-71. (*305-A)

Language of Extremes in Romeo and Juliet :: Free Essay Writer

Language of Extremes in Romeo and Juliet "I have no joy of this contract tonight. It is too rash, too sudden, Too like the lightning which doth cease to be Ere one can say it lightens." (2.1.159-162) Juliet prophesies her own doom from her balcony, an acknowledgment that does nothing to curb the rashness she identifies in their twenty-four hour meeting, engagement, and marriage. It is of course impossible to gauge Shakespeare’s personal interpretations of his characters’ actions, and since the action of the story comes directly from a long narrative poem by Arthur Broke, and Broke got his material from a French story, which was adapted from an Italian work by Bandello, who was working from earlier texts, Shakespeare cannot exactly be looked to as the final authority for the moral worth of Romeo and Juliet’s actions anyway. Since Shakespeare’s feeling cannot be evaluated, theories about Romeo and Juliet’s actions can be weighed without worrying about original intent. One argument is that Romeo and Juliet were actually quite misled in their actions, that instead of a celebration of uncontrollable passion, the play should be seen as a condemnation of rashness. Toward this, Juliet’s admission on the balcony is very important. The line betrays not only a rational apprehension of the impetuousness of their acts, but a supernatural misgiving, a portent of impending doom, which Romeo also betrays before the Capulet party: "...My mind misgives Some consequence yet hanging in the stars Shall bitterly begin his fearful date With this night’s revels, and expire the term Of a despised life, closed in my breast, By some vile forfeit of untimely death." (1.4.106-111) The idea of fate is hard to pin down in this play. Fate as a fact of life or a deity is not found in the Italian context like it would be in Greek tragedy or Greek and ancient Roman settings, but these lines from the two young heroes show that fate is there, undefined, but present and deadly still. Friar Laurence, at once both a religious icon and a humanistic one, seems to dispute the supernatural power of fate: "These violent delights have violent ends, And in their triumph die like fire and powder, Which as they kiss consume. The sweetest honey Is loathsome in his own deliciousness, And in the taste confounds the appetite. Therefore, love moderately. Long love doth so." (2.5.9-14) His speech throws the responsibility of moderation on the lovers, not to fate or heaven (as the Prince will in the final scene of the play).

A Social Gathering Essay -- Communication, Broadcasting, Press

Innovations and inventions are driving today’s market. Almost overnight, the concept of social media modifying business, large and small, has become prevalent. With this aspect in mind, companies must replicatet the ever-changing atmosphere of the global business media. The types of media available include blogs, photo sharing, video sharing, personal social networks, events, email, label social networks, wikis (internet user edited encyclopedias), pod casting, and texting. This social content may be demarcated as what people make and share. Both big and small businesses must adapt to an ever-changing economy due to the vast, expensive operation cost they need to cover. In order for small businesses to achieve leverage in an economy, they must carry out social media to see success. Communal broadcasting is a way for consumers to effectively advertise a product free of charge and it is this aspect that is benefiting a company. Consumers will share with their network if the product gives them joy (Evans 26). This is why blogs are so influential. They create a temperament with readers that trust them. Bloggers talk about a product in context of their lifestyle allowing it to be relatable to the reader. Many laws currently are in existence that affects bloggers. Some of these laws concern freedom and speech and copyright that potentially may differ from country to country and often times, the laws have not yet been updated to include more than traditional journalists (â€Å"Legal†). Bloggers specifically will have to find the fine line to walk on when most people in the blogosphere are normal people not familiar with publishing laws. These laws exist for a reason though. Blogs and other social media not being censored by any ... ...omics leading away from more laissez-faire policies to instead, ones involving checks and balances with in the economy. With this prerogative, small businesses will be able to thrive and succeed while still maintaining a relationship with bigger business. To achieve such success, social media advertising and innovative ways to catch the attention of the people must be employed. The internet and its growing abilities allows for even an individual to have a way to connect with the word. With different types of social media available from micro blogging to making interactive games, companies have the option to be flexible about how they want to get their product out to the mass public. This is why businesses may even have to be implementing the next new thing while also being aware of what social media is. The key is to stay innovative to be successful.

Who is responsible for Willy s demise

He cannot accept the fact that he is no longer a successful salesman, that his sons are not successful as Charley son (Bernard), also that he has been unfaithful to the only person who ever loved him no matter what, his wife Linda. His reason to committee suicide may have been influence by the factors in his life that I just mentioned. Wily is the only one who takes actions of desperation and hopeless. It is his hubris, his inflated pride and ambition o consummate the American dream that leads him to his destructive action, his inability to remember the value of his own life.He thinks that he can't longer maintain his families future, and that he is worth more dead than alive. Pressure society also can be blamed for Wily Loan's demise, claiming to be the best of all in the salesman or business world and earning great amounts of money†¦ Wily Leman was just another man stuck with this dream but in some way the salesman or business world took a big part of his life from him. When h e became a salesman at an age around eighteen or nineteen and he dated in this business up to the point of his death, which is the same day he was finally fired by Howard from the company where he was working as a salesman.When he was fired he was at the age of sixty-three this unfortunately happened. This means that he put a greater amount of his life into the salesman world, in the pursuit for richness and respect. Approximately 45 years of his life were spent on pursuit of these things, but unfortunately his pursuit of richness and respect, never have been effective, he wasn't successful at all. Do you think that this is tragic? Of course yes!. But he needed to face the truth of his peripatetic. Perhaps these things are which led him to try committing suicide numerous times in the car by trying to crash and hoping that he dies.Wily was a very unsatisfied and mainly unhappy man, who had lost most part of his hope. How ever Biff is notice to embody everything that Wily admires: he has great personal charisma, is very popular with other boys, is a leader, demonstrates physical strength but not just as a sportsman also in his body image and demonstrates confidence. The allegations between father and son is loving, warm and full of mutual admiration. He'd invested a lot of this hope into his son Biff too, who unfortunately let him down as well.Wily had such high hopes for Biff becoming the success he himself could never achieve, however Wily failed to take into account what his son desired, which was the outdoor American dream. Another reason why Will kills himself is because would be that Biff discovered his affair with the woman, disinterment which ruined Biffs future this made Wily feel in some way painful and miserable because he made Biff to going back to summer school to graduate, also because he was unfair with the only person that actually loves him and care for him, her wife Linda.Wily Leman was a never success The American Dream guaranteed things to Wi ly that he would never have had before. However to achieve to have these things he had to spent his whole life work hard to afford them and not being rewarded for that hard work, it was a factor that led to his end. So who really is to blame for Will's hamster, and can the fault be relied on Charley, Biff, Linda and Howard the nest that through society carried the job to tear apart Will's dream, hopes and his character or personality and eventually his life.As we know that Wily makes his son embody all his negative values that here passed on by Ben to Wily, his sons will also be a failure as Wily. Not so much in the case of Biff but more in the case of Happy. This is because we can notice how Willis temperament and characteristics resembles on to Happy. Happy has the same younger example of what Wily was as when he was growing up. Maybe the reason why Wily treated Happy as he treated him was because his way was the way that Will's father treated him and paid more attention to his el der brother Ben.

Neiman Marcus Sales Plan

Neiman Marcus is a premier luxury retailer with distinctive merchandise and superior service. They opened in Dallas, Texas in 1908. Since 1908, Neiman Marcus has opened 40 additional stores. In 2010, the current count is 41 retail stores and 28 clearance centers called Last Call Neiman Marcus. As you can see from the chart, Neiman Marcus sells very diverse items. The largest category is women’s apparel, followed by women’s shoes, handbags and accessories, men’s apparel and shoes, cosmetics and fragrances, designer and precious jewelry, home furnishings and decor and the smallest category is other items. Neiman Marcus’s Mission Statement: â€Å"Neiman Marcus Stores will be the premier luxury retailer recognized for merchandise leadership and superior customer service. We will offer the finest fashion and quality products in an exceptional environment. † For the fiscal year 2010, Neiman Marcus had strong sales numbers. The total sales in the first quarter included the months of August, September, and October. The total sales were $ 869 million. The second quarter included the months of November, December, and January. The total sales were $ 1,102 million. The third quarter included the months February, March, and April. The total sales in the third quarter were $ 895 million. These figures include all 41 retail stores and the Neiman Marcus on-line website. According to the latest annual report from the U. S. Census Bureau the total amount of sales for the U. S. retail industry was $ 4. 13 trillion. This report comes from the calendar year ending in December 2009. Neiman Marcus has three top competitors. They are Barneys New York, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Even though there are many other luxury retailers, only the three listed above can compete with Neiman Marcus’s customer service and diversity of products. Code of Ethics The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. placed a Code of Ethics and Conduct to all its sales associates. The following are only a few examples of the policies that were placed. Protecting Customer Information When it comes to customer information, Neiman Marcus is dedicated to protect their customer’s confidential information. The company places the responsibility of protecting customer information to each sales associate that comes in contact with that information. Not only is certain information protected by state and federal laws, it is also protected by the company’s own data security policies. Sales associates are prohibited from using a client’s personal information on personal PDA’s or any personal computer for future reference. Conflicts Of Interest Neiman Marcus’s Code of Ethics and Conduct describes situations in which sales associates should avoid. According to the Code of Conduct, associates should avoid any situations that their personal interests could conflict to those of the company. The sales associate should avoid lending money to its customers for them to buy from the company nor should he or she use the company’s information or a customer’s confidential information for personal gain. It is also stated that the â€Å"associates should not accept any gifts†. These rules are made to avoid any unethical transactions between its associates and its customers or other parties. Discipline For Violations Neiman Marcus has disciplinary guidelines for sales associates who authorize, condone, or participate in actions that violate not only the company’s policies but the law. This also applies to sales associates who encourage others to retaliate against whistleblowers. Sales associates who withhold information relating to a violation are also at risk of disciplinary action. Sales associates who also submit false reports of violations or suspected violations which are made in bad faith will also receive disciplinary action. Neiman Marcus also prohibits sales associates to share employee discounts. Because the company regards the employee discount as a courtesy and privilege extended to the employee, if discovered, sales associates can have their benefit revoked or be terminated. Recruiting and Selecting Part of how Neiman Marcus selects its sales force is through its interview process. Part of that process is the use of a personality assessment to screen for desirable candidates to fit with Neiman Marcus’s ideology. The screening tests are supposed to help an interviewer have objective information that is not subject to biases. According to the Dalrymple’s Sales Management text â€Å"Testing was found to be one of the most reliable predictors of entry level job success. † Three main tests mentioned are intelligence, personality, and aptitude. The application process is as follows: after a candidate completes a job application on a HRIS (Human Resource Information System) they are then transferred to the SHL system and complete an assessment test. They are then transferred back to the HRIS system. (â€Å"SHL is a company that provides workplace talent assessment solutions including ability and personality tests, and psychometric assessments in more than 50 countries and in 30 languages†. ) A report is then immediately available which enables the interviewer to hire right then and there. As a result of Neiman Marcus adopting this process they make claims of having a reduction in staff turnover by 18%. In locations where the new system is being used, the pay for sales associates have been increased by 15. % and the interview – to- hire cycle was reduced from several days to 24 hours. The criteria selected by Neiman Marcus for a sales associate position is a direct result from the planning process where the company would define the company culture by analyzing the job, analyzing the job description and determining the qualifications they want to invest in a sales force. After receiving that information, the company SHL designed a personality assessment based on key competencies, attitude, and behaviors that applied to top performing sales associates with good employment tenure records. The assessment is simple and easy to use by store managers for the purpose of minimizing the risk of poor interviewing techniques. 30% of businesses that were surveyed showed that they used personality tests in hiring. Many companies consider testing more important than experience or education, while other companies like Universal Studios Theme Park will still interview candidates regardless of test scores just in case there were errors in the assessment. In most cases the results are close to what is surmised in the interview. Long held debates question whether or not personality tests can reduce personality to a set of numbers. Examples of popular tests are the â€Å"The Myers-Briggs type indicators used to match job seekers with jobs based on four qualities of introversion/ extroversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, judgment/perceiving and for careers in positions of authority and trust. Another popular test is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory test, which looks for drug abuse or other pathologies. Questions remain unanswered. Could this sort of testing stigmatize applicants who have not committed any wrong doings and could it result in an injustice to innocent people? A survey showed that 49 percent of companies that used computerized hiring systems saw no changes in turnover rates. The American Psychological Association found little evidence that tests purporting to measure honesty are accurate. The danger that lies in these tests is they are not regulated or certified, and anyone can make up a test and make claims as they wish. Companies like â€Å"People Answers† make claims of â€Å"streamlining the recruiting process† and hiring process for hiring managers offer â€Å"full behavioral analysis on every candidate†. They claim they can uncover hidden attributes that reveal a candidates drive for success and can separate out the underachievers. While this procedure may save time and the associated costs of hiring staff, questions arise about these programs of whether they make allowances for people who come from different cultures and minorities. These programs may be set to be too narrow as to not give equal opportunity to deserving candidates. Creativity and innovation cannot be predicted by a computer survey. Also, candidates could gain knowledge on how to beat these tests rendering them useless. While these tests might prove to be a good indicator of the attributes of what a company finds desirable in a candidate, it is being suggested here that there is no substitute for good training and interview skills. Caution is indicated where there could be an over reliance on these procedures and could prove to be a drawback in the long run. Training Since Neiman Marcus’s training programs are decentralized, sales associates are trained at the store location where they will work. This instruction is done in a classroom setting that includes web conferences and online essions. This strategy reduces travel expenses and managers can observe the new employees first hand. The decentralized training for sales associates has worked well for them. One of the things Neiman Marcus has been doing right is their training philosophy and techniques. Much of what they have done has been imitated by others. The contemporary theory of customer service was popularized by Neiman Marcus. Neiman Marcus offers a five day training course to new employees, while Nordstrom has a less formal approach with more emphasis on incentives and providing information. New Sales force employees receive training that covers Neiman Marcus history, policies and procedures. They also receive a course called ‘The Art of Selling† which teaches new sales associates how to give outstanding service to clients. This training offers custom-designed materials and programs to fit the Neiman Marcus philosophy. The material covers product knowledge and how sales process behavior leads to a successful conclusion. Another thing Neiman Marcus does right is their follow up training. They use a variety of methods that include classroom session, video, web conferences, systems training, online resources, lending library, in the job coaching, and in-store/in-facility experiences. Associates receive 200 hours of training their first year and 150 hours of training in subsequent years. This constant training reinforces the Neiman Marcus culture and leads to continual improvement, better selling skills, increased product knowledge, and ultimately better customer relations. Retailers have found that better service often equals higher sales and almost always results in loyal customers. A new topic for sales training is technology based selling skills. This is an area that is changing all the time. Cutting edge technology can give a company a real advantage over the competition when they are early entrants. One new technology is customer relationship management hand held devices. In the past, product information that might only be known by a few specialists with years of experience is now at the finger tips of the entire floor of sales associates. This is the power of being trained in using customer relationship management hand held devices. These devices are called Mobile CRMs. The devices have the power to take customer service to a whole new level. Imagine a sales person being able to access customer data at any time. Sales people can up sell, make suggestions, check inventory availability, and even answer customer’s questions about a specific product without having to run off somewhere to get answers and information. Instead, they can get it on the spot. If a product is not available, they can put the customer on a call list to be notified when a product has become available. This cutting edge technology will free sales associates to make the buying experience as effortless as possible. Sales people can make the transactions for the customer without having to go back to the register counter or point of sale station. Customers can be on their way in just minutes. This type of device helps a sales person improve his/her efficiency by being more competent in carrying out one’s duties which will in turn improve customer relations that result in an increase of productivity that leads to more personal satisfaction resulting in reduced turnover. According to the New York Times article, â€Å"Creating a Better Sales Force†, Mr. Lyon of The Container Store states: â€Å"If you give great service, you make people happier. Not only do employees who are better prepared to sell have a greater sense of accomplishment, they contribute ideas that help the company grow, and they become the next generation of management. † Account Relationships Neiman Marcus prides itself as the premier luxury retailer dedicated to providing our customers with distinctive merchandise and superior service. Former President Stanley Marcus believed in the â€Å"best of the best†, both in products and customer relationships. It was his belief that providing superior customer support through consultative transactions would result in customer loyalty. The sales associates should provide a â€Å"personal shopping† experience with each customer. They assist by knowing where merchandise is located, what? s in stock, what? s coming in, what will meet a customer’s needs, and what will not. Associates build trust with customers by answering the customer’s needs rather than providing the nearest product with a simple solution. For example, if a customer arrived looking for a lightly colored lip gloss, a sales associate would try to determine if the customer was looking for nourishment, a concealer, or an enhancer, because each situation may have a different product as a result. To assist the sales associates, Neiman Marcus partnered with Business Objects in 2002 to redesign a strategic customer relationship application. The new computer system provided sales associates with product information. They are able to know what is in stock and on the floor at all times. The system was also created to include a computer based clientele tracking system. This system can track all sales for each client. Based on the information from the sale, such as designers, colors, sizes, time of purchase, and frequency, a profile can be built for each customer. It will also allow the sales associates to track life events and special occasions for each client to add value and build a meaningful personal relationship. This system will also allow department sales managers to access real time reporting on the sales of each associate in their department based on dollar amount, number of sales, and brands sold. Sales associates are also instructed to build a relationship and create loyalty by maintaining familiarity with InCircle, Neiman Marcus’s loyalty program. Each associate is expected to introduce new customers to the program and provide updates to existing members. To become a member, a customer only needs to open a new Neiman Marcus account. Once opened, they are enrolled and can register their American Express and Diners Club credit cards, the only other cards accepted in stores. Each dollar spent in the store or online will equal one point in the InCircle loyalty program. After the first purchase, members will receive advanced notices of promotions, shows, and invitations to exclusive events. It is these â€Å"soft rewards† that generate Neiman Marcus’s most loyal customers. Sales associates promote the exclusivity of the events to make members feel as though they are included in the most fashionable circles. At the exclusive InCircle events, shoppers mingle with other likeminded members who positively influence their spending. Members are also encouraged to bring a non-member to the events which generate promising new customers. Businesses can also benefit for the quality customer service at Neiman Marcus. Many businesses use the knowledge and reliability of associates to place bulk orders. Often a business relationship can develop over the phone, with products being delivered in person. This service allows minimal interruptions for busy business professionals. This service if often utilized during the holiday season by corporations looking to distribute luxurious gifts to their employees.