Construction Developments in High Rise Buildings

Construction Developments in High Rise Buildings This paper has provided a broad overview of different historic developments for concrete high-rise buildings. The evolution of concrete skyscrapers from the first reinforced concrete high-rise, the Ingalls Building, which was 15 stories high to modern skyscrapers PETRONAS Towers is discussed. How new innovations in construction technology such as the advances, techniques that are used to improve quality have all contributed to the ease of working with concrete in high-rise construction is also briefly discussed in the paper. Supertall buildings are a relatively recent addition to the history of the cities around the world. Technology of the nineteenth century made their development possible. Steel, concrete and masonry materials have existed for a long time in the history of civilization but not in such a configuration. Masonry is the oldest material. Concrete in its present form is the youngest of these three basic structural materials of construction. Concrete, unlike any other structural building material, allows the architects and engineers to choose not only its mode of production, but its material properties as well. Much of the technological change in concrete construction was in the first half of the 20th century. Advances in formwork, mixing of concrete, techniques for pumping, and types of admixtures to improve quality have all contributed to the ease of working with concrete in high-rise construction. There were main four periods in the development of skyscraper which began around 1808 and ended in 1960s where structures were usually vertical and dominant. During 1970s the international modernism in construction started to rise and this introduced a renewed interest in silhouettes and symbolic potential. The most efficient construction coordination plan for a tall building is one that allows formwork to be reused multiple times. Traditionally, formwork was made of wood but as technology has advanced, the forms have become a combination of wood, steel, aluminum, fiberglass and plastic, to name only a few materials. Each set may be self-supporting with trusses attached to the exterior or may need additional shoring to support it in appropriate locations. New additions to the family of forms include flying-forms, slip forms, and jump forms. The PETRONAS towers are a good example of this latest period. The techniques improved continually till now when pumping of concrete is considered even for small jobs. In recent years, concrete pumping has reached new heights. The builders for the Jin Mao Building in Shanghai, China, boast of pumping high strength concrete as high as 1200 ft (366 m). For such great heights, a high-pressure unit is needed. Great thought must be given to the properties of concrete and how it will react when pressure is applied in a pipe. All these factors demanded innovations in concrete technology. Already a well-argued case between Architects and Engineers is to build a environment with minimal impact on natural environment and to integrate the built environment with ecological systems of the locality. This proposition of the skyscraper as an ecologically- responsive building might well appear to be a conundrum for some.Afterall; Skyscraper is the citys most intensive building-type of enormous size. The council on tall Buildings and Urban habitat in USA defines the skyscraper as a tall building whose built form that by virtue of its height requires its own special engineering systems. Designed by Argentine architects Cà ©sar Pelli and Djay Cerico under the consultancy of Julius Gold, the PETRONAS Towers were completed in 1998 after a seven year build and became the tallest buildings in the world on the date of completion. They were built on the site of Kuala Lumpurs race Because of the depth of the bedrock; the buildings were built on the worlds deepest foundations. The 120-meter foundations were built within 12 months by Bachy Soletanche and required massive amounts of concrete. Its engineering designs on structural framework were contributed by Haitian engineer Domo Obiasse and collegues Aris Battista and Princess D Battista. From this floor rose a 21-metre high retaining wall, with a perimeter length of over 1 kilometer. This concrete shell and the basement area it enclosed required two years of up to 40 workers on site all day and night. The final product is the basement car park offering a total of 5,400 parking bays on five levels beneath the podium wrapping the towers. As an added consideration, two different contractors were chosen for each tower to allow cross-monitoring of construction values and techniques with one coming to the aid of the other should problems arise. The construction of the superstructure commenced in April 1994, after rigorous tests and simulations of wind and structural loads on the design. Due to the nature of the project, being the first super tall structure of its kind in Malaysia and very limited experience with the use of high strength concrete, the contractors were required to demonstrate that the requirements of the project could be successfully achieved prior to actual construction of structural elements. The contractor Samsung-Kukdong-Jasatera joint ventures were to do it. The major engineering and structural design teams were a collection of eminent international companies and consultants including such notables as Cà ©sar Pelli Associates, Hazama Corporation, Adamson Associates Architects, Solà ©tanche Bachy, RSP Architects Planners Engineers, Samsung Engineering Construction, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Syarikat Jasatera Sdn Bhd., and several dozen other major international firms. Legions of support engineers and designers in an array of specific disciplines contributed over the course of the years. The site for PETRONAS Towers is the Golden Triangle. Around it radiates the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysias capital. The jewel of this 100-acre site are the towers. Working within mixed-used development plan by U.S firm of Klages, Carter, Vail and Partners. The design drawings show a complex of buildings growing from an intimate relationship with the site, generating from its core. The concert halls provide an important gathering space. The number of designers, engineers, and building contractor management personnel that took part in the design process is about the same as the number of workers that actually built the towers. About 7,000 construction workers took place in the actual building of the towers, as there was a great concern for the congestion that would occur in the busy Kuala Lumpur city center. 7,000 design workers talking constantly among themselves for five or six years designed the building. It was certainly an impressive conversation. Although much of this talk took place directly between individuals, this project probably would not have been possible before the development of the Internet or sophisticated project and communication management software. Every phase of the process, from the drawings and engineering research down to the daily work orders was accomplished with cutting edge software that was in many cases as technologically innovative as other parts of the project. The high quality of the PETRONAS Towers is the result of the quality of the design team. Although Cà ©sar Pelli was the titular designer and he served as the lead visionary, the design contributors included Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir, businessman T. Ananda Krishnan, senior managers of the PETRONAS company, the Kuala Lumpur City Center planning manager Arlida Ariff, and many high ranking national and local politicians.. The design process itself was as much a marvel as are the physical towers visible today. When construction began the design did not call for the tallest buildings in the world and the entire foundation was moved after excavations had already begun. The parking garage was located up inside the towers in Cà ©sar Pellis first drawings and the powerful Skybridge was absent from the original 1990 Klages Carter Vail Partners plans for the Kuala Lumpur City Center development that first called for two towers. These and many more features of the project changed as the design for the project evolved continuously over the life of the project and the final result is a testament to the efficiency of the whole multi-year design process. The towers feature askybridgebetween the two towers on 41st and 42nd floors, which is the highest 2-story bridge in the world.It is not directly bolted to the main structure, but is instead designed to slide in and out of the towers to prevent it from breaking during high winds.The bridge is 170m (558ft) above the ground and 58m (190ft) long, weighing 750 tons.The same floor is also known as the podium, since visitors desiring to go to higher levels have to change elevators here. The lifts contain a number of safety features. It is possible to evacuatepeople from a lift stuck between floors by manually driving one of the adjacent lifts next to it and opening a panel in the wall..During an evacuation of the buildings, only the shuttle lift is allowed to be used, as there are only doors at levels G/1 and levels 41/42; therefore should there be a fire in the lower half of the building, this enclosed shaft would remain unaffected. Firefighter lifts are also provided in case of emergency The PETRONAS Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in the world until Taipei 101 was completed in 2004, as measured to the top of their structural components .Spires are considered integral parts of the architectural design of buildings, to which changes would substantially change the appearance and design of the building, whereas antennas may be added or removed without such consequences. The research and knowledge in concrete gained in the first half of the twentieth century benefit technologies today. This paper has provided a broad overview of different historic developments for concrete high-rise buildings. To summarize, the first users of concrete date before 1200 BC and include societies like the Phoenicians, Minoans, and Egyptians, to name only a few. The late 1700s and early 1800s found a renewed discovery of and interest in reinforced concrete as a building structure. Americans and Europeans used it in large warehouses, factory buildings, apartment buildings and homes. New delivery systems, changes in formwork, high-strength concrete and other admixtures were invented which improved concretes strength and workability. Structural systems which go beyond the traditional post-and-beam construction of the Ingalls Building and the introduction of high-strength concrete mixes have together allowed reinforced concrete skyscrapers to grow to heights of the PETRONAS. Little more than a century ago, reinforced concrete was invented. In that short period of time, reinforced concrete has gone from being a very limited material to one of the most versatile building materials available today. The first reinforced concrete buildings were heavy and massive. Valuable floor space was taken up by the massive concrete structural systems. Today, due to our increased knowledge and improved technology, reinforced concrete buildings can be tall, graceful and elegant. Due, in part, to the use of shear walls, innovative structural systems and ultimate strength design, very little usable floor space is occupied by the structure. HSC and lightweight structural concrete allow us to use smaller member sizes and less steel reinforcement. Because of the rapid developments of concrete construction and technology, with every passing year the use of concrete for tall buildings is becoming a constant reality. The mold ability of concrete is a major factor in creating exciting building forms with elegant aesthetic expression. Compared to steel, concrete tall buildings have larger masses and damping ratios that help in minimizing motion perception. A heavier concrete structure also provides better stability against overturning caused by lateral loads. New structural systems including the composite ones that are popular now have allowed concrete high-rises to reach new heights during the last four decades. Although steel will continue to be the structural material of choice for many tall buildings for its strength and ductility, we may expect to see more and more concrete and composite high-rise structures shaping the skylines of major cities of the world in the forthcoming years.

The Current Economic Climate

3. 0The Current Economic Climate * Our research clearly shows that retailers believe consumer spending will continue to be constricted throughout 2012. The fear of unemployment, particularly for those working in the public sector, will continue to depress consumer sentiment. Combined with inflation rates that will outstrip wage increases, and consumers continuing to pay down debt, it makes top-line growth difficult. RW 2012) * While the figure continues to tick up, and unemployment among the young particularly impacts on the retailers who serve them, the threat of unemploy- ment depresses the spending of many more. (RW 2012) * Several forces at play are making life difficult for those who want to promote high streets; not least the continued growth of online sales, plus the total costs of high street property compared with footfall and sales densities. (RW 2012) (RW 2012) * Inflation has squeezed disposable incomes, particularly among the C2DE socioeconomic groups. RW 2012) * 32% The percentage of British shoppers who feel they have no cash to spare, according to the BRC and Nielsen in August 2011 (RW 2012) * Coming at a time of squeezed income by heightened inflation in essentials such as food and petrol, one might have expected consumers to cut their cloth. Yet, a number of sources including the Office for National Statistics confirm consumer spending on clothing increased by more than the rate of inflation in 2011: Mintel estimates total clothing spend grew by 4. 7%, well outpacing CPI for the clothing category.Despite the economic context, consumers therefore grew their clothing spend significantly in real terms in 2011, suggesting an underlying resilience in the market: clothes shoppers may be deterred by rain, but they are very unwilling to cut their purchases in response to a deterioration in their spending power. (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Economy slowly recovering – falling headline inflation and recent falls in the number of people un employed suggests the economy is showing signs of recovery since the start of 2012. Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Double-dip recession * export * The UK economy is officially back in recession. The erratic economic growth seen in 2011 – up 0. 5% in the first quarter, down 0. 1% in the second quarter, up 0. 6% in the third quarter – ended down 0. 4% in the final quarter of 2011. This year the downward trend has been more sustained. Firstly, contracting 0. 3% in the first quarter and then by 0. 5% between April and June. It is the same story for year-on-year GDP growth, which has fallen from 1. % in the first quarter of 2011 to -0. 5% in the second quarter of 2012. Attempts to stimulate economic growth have been largely thwarted, despite a sustained period of historically low interest rates and quantitative easing measures. The unresolved euro-zone debt crisis continues to impact on the UK economy, hitting both jobs and growth. * (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * 3. 1 The UK retail environment. * after many years of erosion, neglect and mismanagement, something I felt was destined to disappear forever. (MP, 2011). out-of-town retail has drained the traffic and retail offer from our town centres, (MP, 2011) * With town centre vacancy rates doubling over the last two years and total consumer spend away from our high streets now over 50%,(MP, 2011). * †¢ The number of town centre stores fell by almost 15,000 between 2000 and 2009 with an estimated further 10,000 losses over the past couple of years;2 (MP, 2011). * †¢ Nearly one in six shops stands vacant;3 (MP, 2011). * †¢ Excluding Central London, high street footfall has fallen by around 10% in the last three years;4(MP, 2011). the overarching strategy for most retailers in 2012 is going to be presenting a great customer experience and its successful execution will depend on delivering a pitch perfect performance in all areas of the business. (RW 2012) * One operations direct or suggests that the Portas report is too late to reverse the decline: â€Å"I think the secondary high streets are finished, because you can’t sustain a store in a market where nobody wants to shop. What could happen in a low-rent high street is that new forms of retail entertainment will spring up. † (RW 2012) The operations director of a major retailer explains: â€Å"I think the secondary high streets are finished, because you can’t sustain a store in a market where nobody wants to shop. What could happen in a low rent high street is that new forms of retail entertainment will spring up. † (RW 2012) * â€Å"Research I have seen shows that even by 2020, 87% of all customers’ journeys will involve a store at some stage†¦ So I think talk of the high street’s demise is nonsense,† says the chief executive of a department store. (RW 2012) * â€Å"Change isn’t coming; it’s come and moved on† (Sibun, 2012).RMR * In the UK, several forces at play are making life difficult for those who want to promote high streets, not least the continued growth of online sales, plus the total costs of high street property compared with footfall and sales densities. (RW 2012, P. 58) * One operations director suggests the Portas report is too late to reverse the decline: â€Å"I think the secondary high streets are finished, because you can't sustain a store in a market where nobody wants to shop. What could happen in a low-rent high street is that new forms of retail entertainment will spring up. † (RW 2012, P. 58) â€Å"High-profile retail failures cannot be taken as indicative of the sector’s health. Consumers may be under pressure financially, but there is little sign of them cutting their spending on clothing. Retailing is a remarkably robust sector – and any retailer’s failure to secure growth is by consequence down to their own failings. † * – John Mercer, Seni or Retail Analyst (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Figure 1: Clothing specialists’ sales (? m, incl. VAT), 2007-17 * * * In-store technology designed to enhance the multichannel shopping experience is a key theme among major retailers’ innovations: (Mintel 2012, lothing retailing). * Marks & Spencer is reportedly investing ? 100 million on improving its digital offering to encourage customers to browse and learn more about products. The retailer’s new 151,000 sq ft outlet at Cheshire Oaks in Ellesmere Port includes a host of in-store innovation including HD display screen showcasing product, browse-and-order screens, and staff equipped with iPads. (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Oasis has introduced an in-store iPad shopping facility enabling customers to order clothes from the store’s fitting room and have them delivered to their home.Shop staff equipped with iPads can check garment availability from anywhere on the shop floor. (Mintel 2012, clo thing retailing). * Debenhams is launching free wifi in its 167 shops. Customers will be able to use their smartphones and mobile devices to access Debenhams information and special deals as they walk around the shop. Customers can check for sizes and availability and if it isn’t in store, scan the barcode to order it for home delivery. (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * 3. 2Threat of the internet. * But new technological developments now mean that the internet is one of the key threats to retail on our high streets.Although internet sales currently account for less than 10% of all retail sales some estimates suggest that e-commerce accounted for nearly half of all retail sales growth in the UK between 2003 and 2010, as internet access has become more widespread And we have seen dramatic growth in ‘m-commerce’ – sales over mobile devices – of more than 500% in the last two years. (MP, 2011). * De Kare Silver argues that this is, â€Å"gradually c easing to be a bricks and mortar world†9 and shows that a 15% drop in store sales of most high street retailers pushes them below break even and into loss.It’s not just the small retailers; many businesses on the high street are feeling the pinch. De Kare Silver M (2011) e-shock 2020: How the Digital Technology Revolution is Changing Business and All Our Lives(MP, 2011). mp 2011 * One retailer comments that if you want customers to come into store then you have to treat them really well, otherwise why wouldn’t they just go and buy from Amazon. (RW 2012) * * RW 2012 – Shows that the focus is moving away from purely focusing on new channel, looking to utilise existing channels too aka stores. It’s perhaps easy to blame the high street’s problems on the continued growth in online sales. But actually as retailers have begun to deliver more integrated multichannel services they have found that online and mobile channels benefit stores. Industry bo dy IMRG estimates that 10. 4% of all UK online retail sales in August to October 2011 were fulfilled through click-and-collect services. At the top end of the scale, retailers such as Halfords say click and collect is driving 85% of web customers to store. (RW 2012) * Mintel 2012, forecast that the total UK expenditure on clothing and footwear via the internet will rise 86% to ? . 4bn by 2016. (Past Disso, SJG) * VM will become even more important as retailers will have to excite and entertain customers who are being distracted through a forest of other media (Glen Folley, Head of VM T. M. Lewin. VM 2020). * Growth of online sales will prove a challenge to VM in capturing the customer in store. (Sarah Bailey LCF, VM 2020). * Stores currency will be rooted in providing spectacle, wonder and kinship as well as authority and expertise beyond what can be found online (Lorna Hall, Retail Editior WGSN) 2D will never be as fulfilling as 3D (Andi Grant, Creative Director SFD Inspired Retail Design. ) * The latest challenge is the internet, shopping from home is easier, price competitive, price of parking (Tony Morgan VM) * With the rise of online shopping and consumer’s spending less time in store (Bell and Ternus, 2006), (RMR) * â€Å"The latest challenge to in store retailers is the internet with online shopping. Shopping from home is easier and price competitive. Retailers are under more pressure than ever to insure customers return and spend. † (Morgan, 2008, p. 15). RMR) * Despite what we are being told about significant growth online, conversion rates online still tend to be substantially lower than in traditional bricks and mortar stores. Retailers believe this is due to the customer’s inability to physically interact with an item online. (Retail Week, 2012a). RMR â€Å"20 percent of people never buy fashion online, while 40 percent do so once a month or more. † (Retail Week, 2012a)RMR * Primark is a good example of a brand that is i ncorporating technology within their stores rather than â€Å"jumping onto the multichannel band wagon† (Pert, 2012).Primark is yet to have a transactional website because it wouldn’t fit within their brand ethos. Primark has a highly successful model and its choosing technology that helps support, enhance and replicate this model (Pert, 2012), rather than going fully online. RMR * * Peter Cross, business partner of Mary Portas – and manager of one half of her retail consultancy – Yellow Door, said: â€Å"Retail theatre is not a new thing, but the sheer power of the internet and its efficiency means that so much transactional retailing can happen online, so shops have to up their game. ttp://www. independent. co. uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/retailtainment-the-future-of-shopping-2303942. html * * â€Å"Offline shops have realised they have to do something else other than simply sell you stuff. † http://www. independent. co. uk/news/busin ess/analysis-and-features/retailtainment-the-future-of-shopping-2303942. html * Karl Lagerfeld Prefers Bricks over Clicks * Published: Feb 13, 09 References: nymag * Karl Lagerfeld prefers the physical part of shopping in person vs. the visual part of shopping online.Lagerfeld was meeting with the EU competition commissioner to discuss the loosening of restrictions of selling luxury goods—read: anything designed by Karl Lagerfeld—online. * Lagerfeld extolls the pleasure of buying where one can feel the fabric and see colors in natural light. Lagerfeld is not a Luddite; with the help of his assistant, bodyguard and sometimes model Sebastien Jondeau he will sometimes buy CDs and books from Amazon. com. But â€Å"And I still like bookshops, and not because I have one,† he said. (Lagerfeld’s store 7L sells photobooks. * http://www. trendhunter. com/trends/karl-lagerfeld-embraces-bricks-over-clicks * Figure 3: Main shops used for clothing in the last 12 months , instore or online, July 2012 * Base: 1,968 internet users aged 16+ who have bought clothing in last 12 months * * (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * How are online and in-store working together? We have argued that consumers make less and less distinction between the two. Even so, the message of the next figure is that they treat shopping trips separately.Overall, however, the results tie in with the fact that only around 10% of clothing is sold online and that buying in-store is much the most popular route. * Figure 4: How consumers made their most recent clothing purchase, July 2012 * Base: 2,000 internet users aged 16+ * * (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Our consumer research found nearly half of Next and M;S shoppers had bought online – yet, clearly, their online sales make up a far lower proportion of their total revenues, suggesting their customers are selectively mixing in-store and online shopping.Meanwhile, overall, 18% of womenswear shoppers and 19% of mens wear shoppers had used the internet as part of the browsing or purchase process, but a large proportion of this was in conjunction with store-based browsing and shopping. * Indeed, it tends only to be struggling retailers that are using the justification of a migration to online shopping for planned or mooted store closures: French Connection, New Look, and some of Arcadia’s fashion fascia, for example. * (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * * * (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). Key analysis: It is already obvious that consumers use in-store and online interchangeably as buying media. But there is still a bias to the young when it comes to researching online first. (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Retailers who ignore a channel of distribution do so at their peril. A store based retailer must have a complementary online offer. But purchasers of branded goods from an online only retailer have probably seen the product first in a store. The online retailer only makes a sal e because the customer has decided not to buy it in-store immediately. Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * * Mintel estimates online clothing sales increased 18% to ? 4. 6 billion in 2011, and we expect growth of 14% for 2012 taking the online market size to ? 5. 2 billion, equivalent to 13% of consumer spending on clothing. * Mintel’s consumer research for our Fashion Online report found that consumers are buying online more frequently and the popularity of internet shopping is gaining ground on in-store shopping. Over a fifth (22%) of consumers now buy more clothes online than they do in-store, compared to just over one in ten (12%) in 2010.For full consumer research findings, and market size data for online fashion including footwear, see Mintel’s report, Fashion Online – UK, March 2012. * think with the nature of the high street and the amount of companies going into administration Online is the way forward. Independents are being hit with high rents for bri cks and mortar and are having to close after just a short period. (Surfdome Interview) * 3. Are surfdome purposely an online brand or is it because it is cheaper to trade online. would they branch out to having a highstreet presence). We wouldn’t branch out to open on the high street. We are already seeing amazing growth online, 2012 finished +76% vs 2011 (Surfdome Interview) * * 3. 3 Store Closures * Where retailers used to need 400 or 500 shops to touch the length and breadth of Britain, with the sheer power of the internet they now need far less. For example, as I write Sir Philip Green, CEO of Arcadia Group, has announced the reduction of his own retail estate as leases expire(MP, 2011). At the time of writing, Barratts Priceless had just fallen into administration, and HMV had issued results alongside a warning that the future of the business was open to question. (RW 2012) mp 2011 * Retailers at the value end of fashion have particularly found themselves exposed to the problem of too many stores in places where footfall can’t achieve the sales they need to cover their costs. Several we spoke to warned that their store portfolios will likely shrink during the year, and other retailers said they would reposition stores and look for better rent deals even if they don’t intend to shrink store numbers overall. RW 2012) * The businesses named as those in trouble are the ones likely to have too many stores. But property costs aren’t the only reasons mainstream fashion retailers are struggling to adapt to the realities of the market. Some are still running their buying operations as though it is the boom years. (RW 2012) * But retailers outside of these four struggling sectors are not immune from problems And indeed any business with too many stores, poor cash flow and large debts to service will face challenges to survive the year. RW 2012) * UK stores have become more important, and as later chapters of this report show, despite the fact retailers are reviewing the number of stores they need in a multichannel world, they are prepared to invest in those they keep open. (RW 2012) * The rate of highstreet shop closures is increasing due to rises in VAT, income tax and rent, high levels of inflation, and lower wage growth, meaning that consumers particulary in the middle class sector have less disposable income and are changing their spending habits. Past Disso, SJG) * The ‘Economist Intelligence Unit’, predict e-sales will make up a third of all retail sales in Britain in ten years time (Sibun, 2012). With online retailing proving such a success, many individuals have voiced concerns that the â€Å"Highstreet is dying† when faced with the â€Å"virtual onslaught† (Pert, 2012). It has been reported that a slew of shops have been closing stores to focus on their online offering (Blackden, 2012). RMR * RW 2012 * However, it’s clear that there is a space shift on the cards.The chairm an of a fashion retailer says his business may close 100 stores in 2012, as it wants fewer, larger stores; which he says are difficult to find. â€Å"We will only open stores in exceptional locations such as Westfield†¦ We have far too many expensive leases and we are having negotiations with landlords at the moment. † (RW 2012) * Another fashion chief executive, who is happy with most of his stores which are in prime locations, adds: â€Å"There are a few sites in difficulty. But when a shop is in trouble we run it on a cash-for-cash basis. If the property is taking more cash than it is costing, then the store stays open.If not, it closes. We may look at the lease renewal and then take a view as to whether to close, to renegotiate or to resite. † (RW 2012) * Retailers are falling into administration with the total number of retailers in England and wales increasing by 11% from 165 to 183 in 2011. (Past Disso, SJG) * Web retailing will have taken it’s toll by the year 2020, leaving highstreets and malls vacant of many of todays recognised brands. (Tanya Reynolds, Creative Director. Proportion London. VM 2020). * recorded 32 stores closing per day in the UK. (Sibun, 2012). RMR) * On Monday, clothes chain Jane Norman became the latest high street casualty of the recession, as it moved into administration. And as the internet threatens to guzzle up the profits of remaining high street retailers, perhaps it may take an outstanding shopping experience to stir droves of people from their chairs and into the shops. Various phrases have been used over the years to describe the enhancing of shopping stores: â€Å"retailtainment† and â€Å"entertailment† are obvious word plays. http://www. independent. co. uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/retailtainment-the-future-of-shopping-2303942. tml * Failures expected to decline, but will rise in retail sector * The number of business failures will fall over the coming three years but remain above pre-recession levels, according to a forecast by the accounting firm BDO. * It estimates that the number of failures will fall to 20,536 a year by 2015, from a peak of 26,196 in 2009. BDO identifies a squeeze on the disposable income of UK households as one of the primary reasons for the slow recovery and concludes that retail and personal services companies are likely to be the most severely affected. BDO predicts that the number of retail sector failures will rise by 12. 5 per cent to 3,104 in 2011 from 2,759 in 2010. It expects the personal services sector, such as hair, beauty and consumer goods repairs, to see an increase in failures of 2. 8 per cent to 1,288 in 2011, up from 1,252 in 2010. * http://www. independent. co. uk/news/business/news/failures-expected-to-decline-but-will-rise-in-retail-sector-2364863. html * The store will remain your key asset, use it to showcase your brand and generate maximum profitability by addressing issues at   individual store l evel (RW 2012, P. 58) * 3. 3UK brands vs US brands financials (The need for UK stores) MP 2011 * adapt to reap the major benefits from localising their product offers. (RW 2012) * Again, this is a trend where UK retailers can be proud of what they’ve achieved, as their private-label developments are among the finest in the world, and in some cases give manufacturers a run for their money (RW 2012) (RW 2012) * Retailers with international appeal are asking themselves how much of a return they’ll get from opening one more store in the UK compared with one abroad, especially one in the fast-growing emerging markets. RW 2012) * I would say not, we are a global brand on a global stage, we see ourselves as retail leaders, but would be influenced by any great retail idea not just from the USA. (Selfridges interview) * 1. Yes, Ted Baker is portrayed as a very British brand. Ted Baker is still considered â€Å"out of the ordinary† with strong UK roots. (Ted Baker Intervi ew) * 3. 4upper middle market retailers. (lack of british brands in this sector) * The fact is that the major supermarkets and malls have delivered highly convenient, needs-based retailing, which serves today’s consumers well. MP, 2011). * Woolworths is a prime example. They simply hadn’t realised how to talk to the new value-conscious consumer and allowed the pound shops, many of which are seeing astronomic levels of growth, to pile in and steal their market share. A fact made all the more painful when one knows that Woolworths was in fact the original pound shop offering all its merchandise at a fixed single price. (MP, 2011). * Primarily this is 16-25 year olds. They are faced with much greater higher education costs than previous generations and rising unemployment.And also C2DE socioeconomic groups; those on benefits, the elderly and low-paid have been at the sharp end of rising inflation during 2011. Even if, as many predict, inflation slows during 2012 the damag e to their spending power has already been done. (RW 2012) * And the director of a premium fashion retailer is mindful that her competition is likely to grow, so it’s not a time for the business to scrimp on what makes it attractive to customers, as the new competition sure won’t be. â€Å"The international brands that are coming in from the US, France and Australia have got quite a bit of money to invest,† she says. RW 2012) * Unemployment stands at 8. 3%. Both the rate and level of youth unemployment stands at the highest it has ever been, with 22% – or around one million – economically active 16 to 25 year olds not in employment. (RW 2012) * Clothes buying still a priority for under-25s – 61% of under-25s – a key market for clothing retailers – still include clothing and footwear within their top five biggest areas of expenditure, with fashion the ultimate spending priority for 15-19-year-olds, according to Mintel’s Y outh Fashion – UK – December 2011 report. Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Under-25s demographic group shrinking – The number of under-25s – a key market for clothing retailers – is contracting as a percentage of the population. The UK’s ageing population means the number of 15-19-year-olds is predicted to shrink by 7. 1% between 2012 and 2017, while the number of 20-24-year-olds is expected to fall to 5. 3% during the same period. (Mintel 2012, clothing

Globalization Decrease Poverty in the World Essay

Globalization is a set of processes leading to economic integration. All countries open their doors to each other. The wind of globalization has carried a lot of changes . The life nowadays depends on trade and economic relationships. Before globalization, countries were separated from each other. As a result , every one was looking for its interset in a selfesh way which is contrary to what is happening now. However, people nowadays are thinking of ways that help them to communicat with one other. There are a lot of postive things which have resulted from globalization and have improved people’s lives such as decreasing poverty in the world. In fact, an average of 65% to 70% of citizens all over the world feel thous their lives and that of their families have improved as a result of globalization[1]. Global economy has improved in the last 20 years ,which caused poverty reduction in world. Free trade and outsourcing are the most prominent phenomena which resulted from globalization and played an important role in reducing poverty. Free trade played an important part in creating a strong economy in the world. There is a vast difference between the country that open itself to world and the country that bonded it self. China is a good example of those powerful industrial countries which have benefited from globalization. â€Å"China’s increasing openness since 1978 has handsomely benefited its economy which is now nine times larger† [2]. Free trade creates a competition between countries for better goods. The poor people were able to benefit from this competition. The increasing variety and quality of products gives the poor people a lot of choices to live a better life â€Å"Diversity also becomes important for consumers, with wider choice and access to better and cheaper products and services in globalizing markets†[3]. It is a well-known fact that before globalization all countries were enclosed within themselves but with free trade life became more chipper and more people were able to live a better life. Miss Zeana who lives in Tanzania said that, her parents were living a taught life because the government owned everything even cars. People did not have the right to own anything and trade was trapped so there were a lot of people who suffered a hard life. However after a couple of years of globalization, there is a lot of enhancement in the quality of life in the country. Free trade allow people to live a better life. Jobs opportunities have been provided by new factories and cheap products are now available to help poor people to live in better life. Free trade helps the counties economies to grow faster in a way that helps moreâ€Å"A new WTO † World Trade Organization- Secretariat study published today (19 June) finds that trade liberalization helps poor countries to catch up with rich ones and that this faster economic growth helps to alleviate poverty†[4]. Now, developing counties are playing a big role in world’s trade which is a sign of economic progress that has been achieved in their counties â€Å"Today the real dynamism in trade is to be found in the developing world, where Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, Mexico and Thailand all posted double digit growth in exports†. 5] The outsourcing is one of the most widespread phenomena in the world which results from globalization â€Å"Many economists argue that outsourcing is just another form of free trade, which increases wealth in the economy†[6]. The big companies which are head quartered in developed countries set up their factories in dev eloping countries so that has helped to increase jobs opportunities. For instance, from 1982 to 1999 an average of 34 million new jobs were created per year by outsourcing, compared with 18 million in 1965-1982[7]. Another positive thing about outsourcing is that companies are able now to produce more products of the same quality but at low cost â€Å"Economists say that employing workers at lower cost allows U. S. companies to be more efficient and productive†[8]. That is how outsourcing has affected positively for both the developed as well as the developing countries. On other hand, some may think that rich are countries becoming richer at the expense of the poor and that because of globalization[9]. Developed countries have invested in poor countries for their interest. â€Å"Globalization creates great winners but also great losers at the same time†[10]. The winner in this case is the developed country. Globalization has supported rich people in a way that helped them to become richer . As a result, the gap between the rich and the poor became wider, which caused the rise of poverty â€Å"The process of integration might contribute to increased inequality and weaken impact for poverty reduction†[11]. Globalization supports inequality in each nation â€Å"Globalization has dramatically increased inequality between and within nations†[12] . Underdeveloped markets and ineffective government programs increases economic inequality in developing countries which slows progress n reducing poverty [13]. The government direct its attention to cities which is in the forefront of their economies. Their main goal is to find a way that help them to be more successful economically. There are less young people in China’s poor villages because they migrate to urban areas for a better life[14]. Low income leads to poor children mi ssing out on the education and skills that would maximize their own economic[15]. For instance, Mr. Dwanzhi She is a Chinese man, who moved from his village â€Å"Beijing† to a city â€Å"Wuhan† to complete his higher studies. Later he worked in a big successful company as a ‘Foreign consultant†. Since that time his village has not changed and that is because boors are responsible of the infrastructure there[16]. As William Easterly mentions in his article â€Å" The poor performance on economic growth is accompanied by rising income inequality and high open unemployment rates†[17]. Globalization has merged economyies of several countries to create a global market. â€Å"Developing countries worry that opening up to trade with the rest of the world may make the poor poorer†[18]. All companies try to penetrate foreign market and to establish their goods. Most big companies concentrate on the quality of the goods and ignore the rights of workers who are mostly from poor familiesâ€Å"Many people believe globalization is a disaster for the workers[19]†. Instead of having a better life, their life became worse. â€Å"Good products as a Olympic sportswear as forcing workers to work fast in a short period so that they can generate more production and more profit in bad conditions and under difficult situations for poverty-level payment† [20]. There are three million illegal workers who work in China and they suffer from low income[21]. Governments usually do not protect workers’ rights. It is true that not all countries benefit from globalization to the same extent but we can not deny that it has played an important part in enhancing the standard of life â€Å"Between 1970 and 1980 the average of income of poor people which was US$1 per day was increased 17% to 13% but in 1998 this percentage decreased to 6. 7%†[22]. There are more people who lived above the poverty line from 157 to 892 million people 1870-2000[23]. The ratio of inequality in the world has decrease. Globalization has decrease inequality by opening the gates between the developed and developing countries. There is a connection between openness and inequality â€Å"The more open a rural area is, the faster the reduction in poverty†[24]. Open rural areas have a better chance of enhancing the standard of life and of decreasing poverty. Having a better education and good health standard in these areas are signs of poverty reduction which leads to less inequality. â€Å"Promoting education, particularly for the poor people, improving health standard and enhances the productively growth that is the main engine of poverty reduction†[25]. For example, in 1990 the adult literacy rate ( of people aged 15 and over) in India was 49. % while 37. 3% was the percentage of population below the poverty in rural areas. In 2002 there was a tremendous increasing in adult literacy rate ( of people aged 15 and over) to 58. 8% and the percentage of population below the poverty line in rural area dropped to 30. 2[26]. Some people think free trade is a cause of increasing poverty in the world. H owever, fewer trade barriers and cheap transportation create economic integration and global markets. All that help economy to grow in each country specially the developing counties. Free trade is an important element that enhances the economic situation in a way that helps poor people to come out poverty. Foreign direct investment creates a lot of job opportunities in developing countries. Many people move to urban areas to work in a better condition with better salaries. For example, Mr. Dwanzhi She who lives in â€Å"Wuhan†, an urban city, said that he gets 60 thousand dollars in a year and that is a very fancy life in China. His life is completely different from his parents life who used to live as farmer in a rural area â€Å"Beijing† and suffered from tough life[27] . Many people hate foreign investment in a developing country because they think foreign investment abuses poor people and they does not give them their rights. The answer is that, free trade or the global market has created a lot of enhancement and profit for both developed and developing counties. The fact is that, some people using it in a bad way and misjudge poor people so they get the positives. As Mr. Hang Dong Fand who is a member in a labor activity says that, â€Å"Market economy is not bad but some dictator people use it in a evil way†[28]. There are many organizations such as World Trade Organization (WTO) which worked for protecting poor people from those people who abuse them â€Å"The World Trade Organization, (WTO), is the primary international body to help promote free trade, by drawing up the rules of international trade[29]† For example, Miss Wu Qin is a Chinese woman who works as a volunteer in a foreign fund, Advise Clinics- says that many companies are abusing poor people’s rights so her role is to provide legal help by giving them the clear idea about their individual rights[30]. The access of foreign product to developing courtiers leads some people to think that globalization for increases poverty. On the contrary, this system has helped a lot of poor people. It is to be noted that socialist system there were barriers to trade in every county to set up in order to protect their industries. Import substitution industrialization was a way that each country tried to create its own industry. That socialist system divided the country into many classes, where the lowest class was the majority of the country. Inequality was a common thing at that time. The rich people who lived in urban areas were able to live a fancy life. The 1980 was the end of the socialist system and the beginning of globalization. Globalization has changed life of poor people for the better. There grew competition between companies for better products. In the same way they were trying to prepare them selves for more production at low pries. As a result, many people bought good products at low cost â€Å"Consumers get cheaper products (nearer world prices), at least in the medium-to long-term. †. [31] In conclusion, poverty has decreased rapidly with the birth of globalization.

Change Management and Organizational Development - 1827 Words

Change Management and Organizational Development C. Samuel, Lecturer in Business Administration, C.S.I. Jayaraj Annapackiam College, Nallur, Tirunelveli District. 627 853. Introduction For effective survival in the industry, adaptability is an essential component for every organization. Every organization should change according to the external environment and influences. In adaptable organizations, employees are given more freedom in decision-making process. The management also sets broad goals and objectives. Learning is a continual process in adaptable organizations. Change in general refers that an act of making something innovative. Organizations have learnt that change is ultimately a necessary component to survive in business.†¦show more content†¦2 Thus, by his imagination and a quest for innovation Henry Ford made many changes in his company apart from certain resistances. Therefore for every organization’s development there is a main concept behind it, that is change. There are many approaches to manage organizational change. One of the most popular models of change management is Action Research which is discussed below. Action Research According to Stephen P. Robbins, Action Research is â€Å"a change process based on the systematic collection of data and then selection of a change action based on the data indicates in the analysis.† Action Research is a five step process which includes, 1. Diagnosis – Here, the change agents tries to determine the causes for the organization’s problems. Information is collected by taking interview among the employees or searching the organizational records or by listening to employee concerns to diagnose the nature of the problem. 2. Analysis – In this stage, the change agents analyzes the data collected in the previous stage. Through this, the change agent is able to identify different kinds of problems. The change agent observes the similarities and differences between the problems. Then the information is classified into three categories – the primary concerns, the problem areas and the possible resolving actions. 3. Feedback – As the feedback results form an important part inShow MoreRelatedOrganizational Change And Development Of Management1593 Words   |  7 Pages Organizational Change and Development in Management Teresa Sjostrom When Leadership Predestines Failure: The Story of Blue Cloud Development Introduction The CEO of Blue Cloud Development, Shel Skinner, is troubled by the performance of his organization and seeks alternatives to the current methods of operation that may help to improve the cycle time for the release of new software products. Locating a new methodology that he believes will reduce the cycle timeRead MoreOrganizational Development and Change Management979 Words   |  4 PagesOrganizational Development and Change Management Change is inevitable and has become a way of life. 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