Ashley Stewart’s retail strategy using the six Ps

Chapter Case Study ASHLEY STEWART43 An auditorium full of graduate and undergraduate students was eager to hear what James Rhee, the CEO of Ashley Stewart, the largest plus-size retailer in the United States, would have to say. How did a middle-aged Korean American man turn around a struggling brand that catered primarily to African American women? But Rhee was accustomed to such questions and ready to answer them. Founded in 1991, Ashley Stewart was named after two distinct style icons: Laura Ashley and Martha Stewart. The founder Joseph Stint sold his shares of the company in 2000. The following decades saw some challenges, such that the company filed for bankruptcy in 2010 and then reorganized again in 2014. But by that point, Rhee—inspired by the brand’s promise and its connections to its customers—had resigned from his position on the board as an investor in the retailer to become its CEO.44 Today, Ashley Stewart maintains just shy of 100 stores in the United States and a global e-commerce platform, helping curvy women around the world find beautiful fashions that fit.
Ashley Stewart is the largest plus-size retailer in the United States. ©Amy Sussman/Getty Images So how did a former high school teacher and hedge fund manager manage the success of a fashion brand? Industry Environment and Ashley Stewart’s Position Approximately 67 percent of U.S. women wear sizes 14 to 34; however, many companies still don’t offer efficient options in this category. Therefore, the plus-size apparel industry accounts for only approximately $20 billion of the $108 billion apparel industry. Still, it is one of the fastest-growing categories in fashion.45 Whereas once the fashion industry ignored this segment and focused almost exclusively on wearers of smaller sizes, today, retailers cannot ignore this segment. Sales of women’s plus-size apparel have increased almost 17 percent from 2013 to 2016.46
Just like every other retail setting, women’s fashions also have been influenced by the growth of the Internet. As the number of digital shoppers continues to increase, virtually every brand is seeking a space to establish itself in the digital world, to attract attention and expand its reach through traffic to either its website or its stores. At www.ashleystewart.com Page 535customers find bright colors, and stylish models sporting the latest trends. The visually attractive looks for every season also promote web-exclusive collections to customers. But in the early 2010s, Ashley Stewart did not even have Wi-Fi at its company headquarters. Corporate decisions mostly were based on “gut” perceptions, rather than data. Its e-commerce platform was antiquated. Turnover among employees was high, and the corporate culture was described as fearful,47 leaving the brand without any real credibility. Following more than a decade of losses, the company seemingly had lost its way: Employees were angry, customers were annoyed, and investors had lost all hope. But Rhee saw something in the brand. In his own words, he “loved the brand and everything it stood for. Ashley Stewart had been founded to provide plus-size fashion for women in boutiquelike settings in urban neighborhoods across the United States. After listening to our customers, I came to realize that the brand stood for more than that—values like respect, empowerment, and joy. Despite the company’s history of failure, I believed that the brand could capitalize on several macrocyclical trends with a reinvented business model.”48 A graduate of Harvard Law School, James Rhee had been a high school teacher and private equity investor, with no experience in the fashion industry. So he adopted a teaching-oriented philosophy and applied hedge fund policies to the effort to save the brand. Rhee’s Philosophy Rhee focused on a few core principles that led to the turnaround of the company. He relied on numbers and math, sought to reinvent the company culture, adopted a central focus on the core customer, encouraged continuous innovation, and— perhaps above all—prioritized kindness.49 Rhee understood that customers would behave differently on different days, so Ashley Stewart’s business model and
algorithms would have to adapt to customers’ varying behavior. Using sophisticated analytics and data, he improved the flow of goods through the supply chain, which also sped up the arrival of new fashions into stores. Furthermore, Rhee insisted on updated technology in all realms of the business, so that it could offer standardized IT and e-commerce operations. Preferring measures that could not be manipulated, Rhee focused on loyalty, returns on investment and capital, and time assessments. Moreover, “When we were re-writing all of the planning algorithms and business reports, the math and operational discipline was done at the level at which a blue-chip investment firm would operate.”50 These changes were also part of the reinvented culture, along with physical changes, such as knocking down all the walls in the corporate headquarters to encourage an open-door policy. The company stopped using virtually all of its formal job descriptions. Instead, the goal was a culture that relied on mentoring and teaching, as well as a services-oriented approach. In response to the radical changes, approximately 40 percent of the employees at corporate headquarters left, but those remaining were dedicated to the new culture.51 This new services-oriented culture also entailed a reinvigorated focus on the core customer, the “she” who is embodied in the very name Ashley Stewart. In every decision, Ashley Stewart considers what “she” might want and ensures it is respecting “her,” such as through enhanced customer service and customer engagement. This “she” is critical to everything associated with Ashley Stewart and part of the reason Rhee even attempted the turnaround: “If this was a business that sold widgets or old expensive neckties for rich guys, I wouldn’t have done this.”52 This brand somehow had persisted for decades, without making any consistent profits. It was able to do so simply because “she” loved Ashley Stewart, which provided “her” with beautifully merchandised stores, where each customer is greeted by “Ms. Ashley,” the store manager. Once customers found the stores, they stayed loyal to them; Rhee even recounts meeting three generations of women from one family coming together to shop in a place they felt comfortable and respected. With its segmentation and targeting focused primarily on African American plus-size women, Ashley Stewart also provided a safe space for a frequently marginalized population—another reason Rhee was drawn to the sinking brand. When he looked at
customers in stores, he observed that their body language signaled more confidence, reminding him of how his mother, who emigrated from Page 536Korea, would exhibit pride and satisfaction when she walked into a Korean store. It was these emotions that he wanted customers at Ashley Stewart, the allimportant “her,” to feel when they walked into any store.53 But a comfortable store is not enough to attract repeat visits by fashionable shoppers if it does not continually offer new looks. Ashley Stewart seeks to get new options in stores within six to eight weeks. Its assortment is extensive and includes clothing, swimwear, shoes, and accessories. Furthermore, noting that larger sizes were stocking out quickly, Ashley Stewart recently added more extended sizes to its collection.54 Most manufacturers charge retailers more for larger sizes, but Ashley Stewart refuses to pass on this additional cost to its customers, so the fast fashions also remain affordable for consumers. Outside the stores, innovation also is the hallmark of Ashley Stewart’s reinvented website. The brand refers to itself as a real person—that same “she” who is respected throughout the company. With this personalized phrasing, Ashley Stewart connects with other “Neighborhood Girls Gone Global,” reminding them of how someone or something local can engage communities all over the world and succeed globally, such as when it promises, “With roots based in New York, my mission has always been to inspire you. . . . I want every woman to cherish her curves. After all, they’re what make us sexy, confident, and fabulous. Ashley Stewart is a sisterhood, your best girlfriend next door. Join me—you fit in here.”55 For its 25th anniversary, the retailer hosted a Rock the Block party in Brooklyn, a fun event that garnered more than 15 million social media impressions. Its social media presence also is marked by its overriding philosophy of kindness, which Rhee calls the company’s “core strategic pillar.”56 For example, in a nationwide campaign, the #LoveYourCurvesTour, Ashley Stewart worked to connect with loyal customers by hosting fashion shows, model hunts, and shopping parties in Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Detroit, and New York. Encouraging women to celebrate their curves, the brand reaffirms its respect and appreciation for its customers. This appreciation also was evident in its #MOMspiration campaign, which encouraged customers to submit pictures of their mothers or daughters that depicted a
meaningful memory they shared—perhaps one made while shopping at Ashley Stewart. In its philanthropic efforts, such as #ASGives, it also partners with charities that support local communities, raises money for cancer research, donates clothes and shoes, and grants need-based scholarships. Even in the midst of the company’s bankruptcy and reorganization in 2014, Rhee insisted on introducing a generous charitable program during the holiday season, to remind the company of its need to stay true to its core values. What Does the Future Hold for Ashley Stewart? By most accounts, Rhee’s efforts at Ashley Stewart have been a huge success. The corporate culture is healthier. Sales growth has hit double digits over the past few years;57 e-commerce sales account for 35 percent of total sales.58 In addition to its robust sales, Ashley Stewart is widely recognized as one of the world’s most engaging sites on social media, ranked among the top 10 in terms of its website’s active engagement with customers through Facebook. But the outlook is not all rosy. In its continued efforts to market the brand, Ashley Stewart has run up against rules imposed by Google’s AdWords against targeting customers using terms that refer to their body type. Thus, any advertisement that promotes the brand as dedicated to curvy or plus-size women would be rejected from this popular and effective advertising channel. The policy has a respectful aim, yet for a retailer that relies specifically on body type to segment its market, it creates an impossible dilemma.59 But facing an auditorium of interested students, James Rhee still predicts the continued success of the brand, as long as “she” continues to embrace the core principles that have gotten her to where she is today. Questions 1. Describe Ashley Stewart’s retail strategy using the six Ps. 2. Who is Ashley Stewart’s target market? Could/should that target market be expanded? 3. What are Ashley Stewart’s bases for sustainable competitive advantage?

Role of Individual versus Collective Action to Mitigate the Effects of the Climate Crisis

Task:

The COVID-19 Pandemic has altered our world in many ways. As we confront the “new normal” imposed by the ongoing pandemic, we have also had to confront the ongoing fight for racial equity and the effects of the climate crisis. For this final project, I would like you to explore the intersection of these compounding crises and reflect on the central conflicts posed by the themes outlined below:

I. Role of Individual versus Collective Action to Mitigate the Effects of the Climate Crisis

a. Mary Annaise Heglar’s Article in Vox – https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/5/28/186298..

b. Justin Rowlatt for BBC News – https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49756…

II. Essential Workers and the COVID- 19 pandemic

a. Science News article – https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/2009…

b. Race and Gender and COVID-19 – https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/color-an…

Based on the links above, I would like you to prepare a 2-page reflection (at least 4 paragraphs) on what you learned. The
first paragraph should include general background information, and how you perceive it as being applicable to environmental and sustainability topics. Then, I would like you to identify the central conflict presented within each of these themes. Your final
paragraph should include your reflection on what you learned, and the complexity of the issues presented – basically tell me what you think after reading and processing all this information.

You will be graded on your description of the conflicts identified in each theme, and NOT your personal opinions or reflection. There are no right and wrong answers in the personal reflection portion of this project.

Format specifications: Your report must be a minimum of 2 pages, typed in 12 pt Times New Roman font, single-spaced, with 1-inch margins.

C++ PROGRAM

Can you help with this C++ assignment?

I need a full C++ program provided, with a video attached as well showing how were you able to run the project and showing the expected output.

you have to remove the extension (.txt) from makefile.txt.
I need a video showing the project worked and how were you able to run it correctly.

Thank you,

What are elements of role transition from RN to APN, and what are you currently experiencing in this process?

Topic Questions Assigned: Role Transition

1. What was the purpose for the original role of the nurse practitioner, and does it differ from the role of the nurse practitioner in today’s healthcare system? Identify the manner in which the NP role has grown over the years and what social forces have to be put in place for further expansion.

2. What are elements of role transition from RN to APN, and what are you currently experiencing in this process?

3. How would you begin to build a successful APN/MD practice where the MD had never worked with an APN previously?

4. Assuming that you are either beginning an independent practice or joining an established practice– how would you go about marketing yourself to the community? Be specific in detailing your approach to developing a patient base.

How are women perceived within the different schools of Buddhism?

You are required to choose one of the following prompts for your final essay.
• How has art influenced the development and understanding of Buddhism throughout
history?
• Buddhism has adapted with many cultural and societal changes as it spread around
the globe throughout history. How have modernity and globalization influenced the
message and expansion of Buddhism within recent history?
• How are women perceived within the different schools of Buddhism? Have those
perceptions changed over time? Why or why not?
• Buddhism has often found itself involved in violent actions, and have even been
known to develop skills in martial arts. How is violence perceived in Buddhism? Do
warrior monks or even Buddhist forms of terrorism fit within the spectrum of
Buddhist teachings? Why or why not?
• What role does karma play in Buddhism? Who does it affect, and how does it affect
them in this life, the afterlife, and the next life?
• According to the second noble truth, greed/craving give rise to suffering. What did
the Buddha mean by greed/craving and how do they cause suffering? How do these
apply to love and compassion for others?
• What is the Lotus Sutra and why is it so important to Japanese Buddhism?

Requirements: 2000 words (about 6-8 pages), 

brief analysis of the piece, focusing on the musical element

Listen to the following:

1) “Wedding March” from A Midsummer Night’s Dream by F. Mendelssohn

2) The 4th and 5th Movements from Symphonie fantastique by H. Berlioz

3) The 4th movement of Symphony No. 9 in E minor by A. Dvorak

4) The “Swan Theme” from Swan Lake by P. Tchaikovsky

5) “Blessed Are They Who Bear Suffering” from A German Requiem by J. Brahms

Then, choose one and write a brief analysis of the piece, focusing on the musical elements, style elements and how they conform (or not) to the Romantic period, and composer’s characteristics.

Design an interface circuit for detecting ventricular depolarization from the electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).

Design an interface circuit for detecting ventricular depolarization from the electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).

An ECG (or EKG) records the electrical signal from your heart to check for different heart conditions. Electrodes are placed on your chest to record your heart’s electrical signals, which cause your heart to beat.

The purpose of the interface circuit you will design is to 1) amplify ECG signals (at least to 5V), 2) detect and indicate the ventricular depolarization (highest peak) amplitude and frequency.
Note that many digital circuits do the same functions already. However, we will build the circuit only using transistors (no op-amp or digital components are allowed).
The output seen in an oscilloscope should show only amplified ventricular depolarization peaks. The frequency information can retrieve from the time constant (using a capacitor).
A sample ECG signal is given (attached).
The circuit you may need are amplifier, transistor-based filter, multivibrator, Schmitt trigger, and/or frequency meter (again no digital components).
As such, the final circuit shall integrate a few different circuit topologies in a sequencing manner (or possibly parallel manner).

Write one open-ended question for your predictor variable.

Survey Worksheet

1. State a hypothesis that you would like to test/answer using survey research. It can be derived from your Topic Worksheet if appropriate for a study with survey research. State your hypothesis in a way that makes it possible to study with survey research methods (Pro-tip: you may need to reconceptualize your Predictor and Outcome variable once you’re done with this worksheet so be sure to revisit this question to see whether your original conceptualizations survived the below process).
   1. Take this hypothesis and underline your Predictor and Outcome Variables?

Example: The more exposed moderate and high-risk gamblers are exposed to gambling ads; the less risky gambling is.

• Conceptualize your Predictor and Outcome Variables. That is, give me precise conceptual definitions of these variables.

Predictors: gambling advertisements

Outcomes: addictive gambling, perceptions regarding risks of gambling

• Operationalize your Predictor and Outcome Variables by doing the following (Points off if questions are written poorly, see slides)
  • Predictor Variable
    • Pick two types of closed-ended questions for your predictor variable and write a question for each
      • Have you been exposed to a gambling ad in the last six months?  (Nominal)
      • On a scale of 0 to 10, how would rate the impact of gambling ad on your predisposition to return to gambling? (Ratio)
    • Write one open-ended question for your predictor variable.
      • How can you describe the overall impacts of being exposed to gambling ads?
  • Outcome Variable
    • Pick two types of closed-ended questions for your outcome variable and write a question for each
      • Do you think that that gambling is risky? (Nominal)
      • Would you rate yourself as a moderate-risk or high-risk gambler? (Ordinal)
    • Write one open-ended question for your outcome variable.
      • In what ways have your perception about the risks of gambling been influenced by the exposure to commercial gambling promotions?
• Your employer will want quality data for the least amount of money. What type of sample do you plan on collecting and why?

I plan to collect convenience samples. Convenience samples are those that are readily available. Samples are drawn from the available or accessible participants. This method is both costly and less time-consuming because it is non-probabilistic and involves no pattern whatsoever.

• What type of survey do you plan on using to collect this sample (e.g., Mail, Telephone, Personal Interviews, Mall, or Internet Survey)? Explain why your study needs this specific type of survey. That is, answer why will this survey type tests your hypothesis better than other types.

I plan on using the Internet Survey through SurveyMonkey because it is cheaper and less time-consuming. Through this approach, I will be able to assess the level of internet access across the research participants while also collecting data on the major themes of the hypothesis. These two factors are critical in testing my hypothesis while ensuring that the employer gets quality data for the least amount of money.

• There are 15 threats to internal validity listed in the slides (some of which are only for experiments, so don’t choose those!). List at least two potential threats to internal validity that are specific to your study (i.e., as a result of your above   answers) and explain why.

• Experimental mortality–the loss of subjects. There are higher possibilities that in the Web-based, participants may drop -off, and those left may learn how best to achieve higher performance levels.
• Selection-maturation interaction—convenience sampling can easily lead to confounding outcomes and erroneous interpretation of the causal effect of the intervention.
• List at least one potential threat to external validity that that are specific to your study (i.e., as a result of your above answers) and explain why.
• Reactive effects of experimental arrangements because of the non-experimental setting of the proposed study.  This will make it difficult to generalize the outcomes to the whole population.

How should Kevin Semcken raise the $1.5 million in capital that Able Planet needs? Be sure to consider sources of both debt and equity financing.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Education Saudi Electronic University

المملكة العربية السعودية وزارة التعليم الجامعة السعودية الإلكترونية

College of Administrative and Financial Sciences

Assignment-3

MGT402 – Entrepreneurship and Small Business

Deadline: 04/12/2021 @ 23:59

For Instructor’s Use only

Instructions – PLEASE READ THEM CAREFULLY

• will NOT be accepted.

Assignment – 3

Entrepreneurship and Small Business

Submission Date by students:  Before the end ofWeek- 13^th

Place of Submission: Students Grade Centre

Weight: 05 Marks

Course Learning Outcome:

1. Demonstrate a solid understanding of the potential of entrepreneur in today’s competitive business world. (Lo 1.2).
2. Design a solid projected financial Plan and conduct a breakeven analysis for a small company. (Lo 2.5).
3. Demonstrate a thorough understanding regarding the importance of cash management for the success of a small business. (Lo 2.8).

Assignment Workload:

This assignment is an individual assignment.

Case Study

Students are supposed to read the attached Case 2- Able Planet. Based on your understanding of the case and basic concepts of Entrepreneurship.

Answer the following question:

1. Experts say that entrepreneurs who need between $100,000 and $3 million often face the greatest obstacles when raising capital for their businesses. Why? (1.5 marks)

2. How should Kevin Semcken raise the $1.5 million in capital that Able Planet needs? Be sure to consider sources of both debt and equity financing. (1.5 marks)

3. Write a short memo to Kevin Semcken explaining what he should do before he approaches potential lenders and investors to maximize his chances of getting the capital that Able Planet needs. (2 marks)

The Answer must follow the outline points below:

• Each answer should be within 200 to 500 range of word counts.
• Reference

Note: You can support your answer by the course book.

           You can use secondary source available on internet.

Answer:

1.

2.

3.

What will it take for United to overcome its culture that has been built up over such a long period of time?

المملكة العربية السعودية.                                                                                               

وزارة التعليم                                                                                                              

الجامعة السعودية الإلكترونية                                                                                          

College of Administrative and Financial Sciences

Assignment 3

Deadline: 04/12/2021 @ 23:59

For Instructor’s Use only

Instructions – PLEASE READ THEM CAREFULLY

• The Assignment must be submitted on Blackboard (WORD format only) via allocated folder.
• Assignments submitted through email will not be accepted.
• Students are advised to make their work clear and well presented; marks may be reduced for poor presentation. This includes filling your information on the cover page.
• Students must mention question number clearly in their answer.
• Late submission will NOT be accepted.
• Avoid plagiarism, the work should be in your own words, copying from students or other resources without proper referencing will result in ZERO marks. No exceptions.
• All answered must be typed using Times New Roman (size 12, double-spaced) font. No pictures containing text will be accepted and will be considered plagiarism).
• Submissions without this cover page will NOT be accepted.

Course Learning Outcomes-Covered

Assignment 3

Reference Source:

Textbook:-

Colquitt, J. A., LePine, J. A., & Wesson, M. J. (2019). Organizational behaviour: Improving performance and commitment in the workplace (6th ed). Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Case Study: –

Case: Delta / United

Please read the case “Delta / United” from Chapter 16 “ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE” Page: – 533 given in your textbook – Organizational behaviour: Improving performance and commitment in the workplace (6th ed).  by Colquitt, J. A., LePine, J. A., & Wesson, M. J. (2019) and Answer the following Questions:

Assignment Question(s):

1.   Why is an organization’s culture perhaps the most evident during crisis situations? (1.25 Marks ) (Min words 150-200)

2.   What causes companies like Delta and United to become so different in regard to organizational culture? (1.25 Marks ) (Min words 150-200)

3.   What will it take for United to overcome its culture that has been built up over such a long period of time? (1.25 Marks ) (Min words 200)

Part:-2

Discussion questions: – Please read Chapter 16 “ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE” Carefully and then give your answers based on your understanding.

4.   Have you or a family member worked for an organization that you would consider to have a strong culture? If so, what made the culture strong? Did you or they enjoy working there? What do you think led to that conclusion? (1.25 Marks ) (Min words 200-300)

Important Note: – Support your submission with course material concepts, principles, and theories from the textbook and at least two scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles.

Due date for the submission of Assignment:- 3

• Assignment-3 should posted in the Black Board by end of Week-11. 
• The due date for the submission of Assignment-3 is end of Week-13.

Answer:

1.

2.

3.

.

.