...corner of my laundry room lies a beaten up pair of blue Adidas cleats. After every practice and game as I place my new purple cleats next to them, I am reminded of their unimportance, because they are simply a pair of shoes. I could throw away the pair of these old cleats and rather admire my newer pair, but I can’t. I’m comforted by the dirt along their sides and the torn Adidas logo. I’m comforted by knowing that cleats don’t make a player. Soccer has always been a strong influence in my life, from staying up late to watch the Barca game with my abuelo to joining my very first team in kindergarten. When I would watch games, I recall admiring the colorfulness and coordination of teams uniforms and the brand new models of cleats they paired with it. I also recall asking my abuelo for one of the pairs I saw because every time I asked my mom I was reminded that my cleats were “perfectly fine;” but, to my surprise I received the same...
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...Trying to find new baseball cleats? But How do you find one that can give you value for your money? This is what we are going to tackle on this article. For starters, cleated shoes are used to provide traction. However, different sports are also based on different types of maneuver, which means that it is not wise to use only one type of cleats for different sports. So if you're going to play baseball, you will also need to use baseball cleats. In baseball, a player's body weight must be shifted down to their feet so as to provide proper balance. This means that baseball cleats need to be able to absorb a lot pressure. This is because unlike soccer shoes, baseball repeats certain footworks several times per game. Also, baseball cleats should provide a large amount of traction to serve the baseball's need for consistent lateral movement. To put it another way, baseball cleats are...
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...Howard Billings Research Paper Dig 3286 Dromology and Convergence In today’s world of instant digital information and communication technology is constantly advancing. Inventors are constantly working to produce new awe-inspiring products. The goal of all these new products is to work faster than the ones that came before it. Of course, technical advancement is nothing new. Whether it was the car, the microwave, or a vacuum cleaner all were produced to increase the speed at which we do things. The difference is that digital technology is increasing not only the speed of the new products, but the speed at which these new products are being produced. Either way it is safe to say that technology and the world revolve around speed. The main goal of every industry is to do things fast and efficiently. Accessing information and communication is already faster than one could have ever imagined. The quest now is to become even faster. Push technology to its limits. In fact, the quest now is to set new limits. Is it plausible to think that we could one day communicate faster than the speed of light? Olympic track athlete Usain Bolt is a good comparison to where we are today as a technological society. His record breaking 100 meters times have reached mythical proportions. It used to be that taller heavier athletes were at a disadvantage in the 100 meters. Their height and weight would work against them, allowing the smaller runner to jump out to a lead that could not be overcome...
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...abysmal seasons and far out of playoff contention, the game meant little to either side. Nevertheless, the players laced up their cleats, put on their pads, and stepped onto the field to play ball. Every die-hard sports fan knows that games of such irrelevance are endured with hopes for next season, and fingers crossed that no key players get injured. Unfortunately for Vikings supporters, though, minutes into the second half, star running back Adrian Peterson suffered a brutal hit to the outside of his left knee, rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). While...
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...Male Adolescent Development Through Sports Adolescence is the period between childhood and adulthood, and there are a number of changes that take place. My goal for this paper is to address the influence that participating in sports has on the social development of males through adolescence. This is a time where individuals look to find their identity, and with new parental and peer influence, this can be a tough time. I found the interesting twist for this paper to be addressing how sports help or facilitate this development, because going through my adolescence, sports were very important. I feel that participating in sports gave entry to interactions with a number of new people, to keep you socially up to date. With involvement in a league, team, etc., people can establish who they want to be by establishing their relationships with others, and progressing towards a desired identity. In addition, being part of a team allows an individual to gauge themselves against their fellow peers, and see if they are on the same level, or feel inferior. Throughout this paper I am going to explore different steps and events that take place in the social development of adolescence of males in relation to sports. A starting point for social development of adolescence is finding an individual’s identity. At this adolescent stage, you are able to think more critically and abstractly than you do when you are younger (McGrath, 2009). Therefore you can find a deeper perception of yourself...
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...Andre Cathcart Mrs. Kenney C Block History 4 May 2017 Research Paper Sports is one of the world's main entertainments. The fact that baseball has changed very much to become what it is today,just for the players and the fans. During tough times at war or any tough time at all baseball has been there for its country. There for Baseball is Considered to be America's favorite pastime because it is a homegrown sport that has continued to provide entertainment during difficult times. Baseball has been changed many times over the years, mostly for safety, but some for core rules and structure of the game. For instance “helmets were added into the game of baseball around all leagues for safety in 1956.” (McCloud, 22) Baseball today is a sport...
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...Categorizing theories 9 3.1.1 Strategic theories 9 3.1.2 Descriptive theories 11 3.1.3 Normative theories 11 3.2 Conceptual theories 13 4. Methodological issue 15 4.1 Measurement of HRM 16 4.2 Measurement of performance 17 5. Conclusion 18 1. Introduction Human resource managers have been worrying about the inability to prove their contribution to the organisations for a long time (Drucker, 1954, and Stewart, 1996, cited in Wright, Gardner, Moynihan and Allen, 2005). As responses to the uncertainty of whether human resource management (HRM) has an impact on organisational performance, there have been a lot of studies emerging and attempting to prove HRM does add values to firms. Until now, a developing body of research has...
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...Marketing Plan: Final Paper Marketing_MKT421 February 28, 2011 Mr. Guisinger Phase One of Team D Sporting Goods marketing strategy was an overview of Team D Sporting Goods store as well as a description of our products and services. Along with the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and trends (SWOTT) the importance of marketing to the success of Team D Sporting Goods store will be stated. Furthermore the marketing research approach we have chosen to develop our marketing strategy and tactics for Team D Sporting Goods will be addressed in detail. Phase Two discussed the strategy in target marketing the segmentation criteria, the description of organizational buyers and consumers of the product or service and it’s factors, and analyzing the competitors and definition of competitive landscape for the company’s product and services. In the third phase of Team D Sporting Goods marketing strategy will expand our marketing strategy by describing the attributes of our service and products, as well as the pace at which our product will move through the product life cycle. Team D Sporting Goods identified the positioning and differentiation strategies for our services and products along with the appropriate price strategy that should be used for our products. Finally, Team D Sporting Goods has completed the marketing plan. This paper is to compile all elements of the marketing strategy with finalizing key concepts. The appropriate place and promotional strategy...
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...INTRODUCTION Every year more and more ships are lost through fire and collision. Shipboard fire alone, however, results in more total losses of ships than any other form of casualty. The most common causes of shipboard fire are: maintenance, burning and welding are responsible for nearly 40 percent of all outbreaks. Smoking leads to countless fires that break out when no one expects. Lack of attention, spontaneous combustion and electrical faults are the major causes. The engine room is at special risk from flashbacks in oilfired boilers, leaky pipings carrying oil, overheated bearings and even the accumulation of rubbish (oil rags, dirty oil, tins of oil, etc.). According to Mikhail Grigorevich Stavitskii 1983, if most shipboard fires can be prevented, then who is responsible for preventing them? The answer is that fire prevention is the shared duty of each and every member of the crew. No fire prevention effort or program can be successful unless it involves everyone aboard ship. We have noted that every crewmember is responsible for the fire aboard ship. Similarly, every crewmember has a role in the ship's fire prevention program. Because attitude is so much a part of the fire prevention, it is also the most important part of the fire prevention program. So as with the Fire Figthing, if there is a fire aboard ship, everyone aboard ship must form the emergency response team. According to Lobo Gruppe, Oslo 1987, the emergency response team are consist of the following...
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...1 Introduction Whenever we see the ‘swoosh’ logo in television, websites or at our home embedded on various footwear, apparel or sportswear products we remember of the brand that has been leading the market of sportswear for a long time- Nike. Nike, inc. is a public traded footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories supplier which is based in the United States. Nike is one of only two Fortune 500 companies having headquartered in Oregon in the Portland Metropolitan area. In 1964 the company was founded as Blue Ribbon Sports by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight. Later in 1971 it officially became Nike. Now Nike is the world leader in manufacturing sportswear and gear. Nike has more than 700 shops in 46 countries. They capture almost 50% of the market share and it is still growing. (Daily Finance, 2013) When Knight and Bowerman started the business as Blue Ribbon Sports they were mainly distributors of shoes made by a Japanese company. They sold the shoes carrying them in cars. In 1966, they opened their first retail store. Gradually they came up with the swoosh logo, named their company Nike and began to sell shoes manufactured by themselves. Nike Timeline 1964 Founded as Blue Ribbon Sports 1966 Opened its first retail store 1971 Coined the Swoosh logo and began using the name ‘Nike’ 1976 Hired its first advertising agency 1980s Throughout the 1980s, Nike expanded its product line by bringing in the market products of so many...
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...Will Lululemon Athletica Become the Next Top Brand? Christopher Boyken MGT 4013 April 24, 2012 Executive Summary Lululemon was founded by Chip Wilson in 1998. The company started out in Canada with several stores where the company eventually grew to 165 stores in Canada, United States, Australia and China. The industry in which Lululemon competes in is fitness apparel, with competitors such as Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, and Champion. The fitness apparel industry is very attractive with an ever growing increase in the amount of individuals choosing to lead a healthier life. Lululemon holds a good position in this industry and have room to grow in the future to gain an advantage over its competitors. The way Lululemon has been executing its strategy is a key factor to how well the company has been performing the past years. Although the company’s performance has been outstanding recently, there is a strategic issue in which Lululemon should try to deal with, and this is advertising. There is a couple of action plans that can be implemented and help fix the strategic issue Lululemon faces. Lululemon is a growing company that has a promising future and will continue to attract numerous investors. Table of Contents Introduction (Needs and Purposes) 4 Strategic Posture 5 Brief History 5 Core Values 5 Mission Statement 9 Vision Statement 9 Business Definition 10 Broad Goals 12 Smart Objectives 14 Key Functional...
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...EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NIKE INC. In an effort to become one of the world’s leading designers, marketers, and distributors of athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories, Nike Inc. started with two visionary men who transformed themselves into one of the top selling brands in the athletic shoe industry. Through taking chances and understanding customers needs, Nike Inc. has established a large market position and strong brand equity. Nike Inc. understood early in its history that aligning its products with top athletes like Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong and Michael Jordan, would propel the Nike brand to the very top. Nike also fostered endorsements with both individuals and associations like the NFL. Nike also takes into consideration the impact of giving back, having a positive Corporate Social Responsibility and being environmentally conscious. At the same time Nike experienced setbacks due to their dependence on third party manufacturers and having limited control. Nike Better World CSR Campaign targets smaller waste output (carbon footprint) and paying closer attention to the way their products are being manufactured (labor force) helping Nike to get back in good standing with consumers. Because, the market for sporting goods is intensely competitive, it is important for Nike to realize that it is not just the young “hip” generation that is going to keep them on top. The older “Baby Boomers” can help them to succeed too; this generation is known for...
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...Nike Corporate Team Case Executive Summary Nike has dominated the athletic apparel industry since its inception in 1964. Nike has been the industry leader for many decades and they still are finding new ways to grow. Through innovation and exceptional marketing Nike has become one of the best companies in the world. The history of Nike will help us understand how it became the successful company we know today. All companies are not without problems and competitive edges above the competition. The Analysis of Nike’s SWOT(strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) will help identify the the possibilities and weaknesses of Nike. The efficiency and effectiveness that is required of companies in this hyper competitive environment dictates whether a company succeeds or fails. Value chain analysis will exhibit the way Nike is always performing above the competition in its industry. Lastly, the discussion will talk about Nike's brand advertising and how the use of sports icons has increased their sales every year for over 30 years. History Nike has become one of the most well-known brands as of today. The way they have done business over the last fifty one years is why they have been so successful in their line of sports related products. Nike’s mission statement states “Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world”. Nike has been at the head of the pack all the way since the beginning. Nike was founded on January 25th, 1964. It was originally called Blue...
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...Branding in Soccer Light and Shadow Branding in Soccer Light and Shadow Introduction “Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” (Gloves, S. 2012) This much quoted comment of the former, British football manager Bill Shankly describes exactly my view of football. I am a big fan of the most popular sport in the world. Sure I know that this comment is exaggerated, but football becomes more and more important. Not only for the fans and the sportsmen, also for the global economy. (Hamil, S. and Chadwick, S. 2010) In professional football the success goes hand in hand with money. Today it is almost impossible to win a big trophy like the UEFA Championsleague without investing lots of money. The FC Barcelona is ranked as the best team in the world and invested in the last five years an average of 40 Million Euros per annum in new players. (Transfermarkt 2011) But where does all that money come from? According to Uli Hoeneß, the president of German football club FC Bayern Munich, only 15% of the twelve million DMs (6.1 Million Euros) revenue were out of broadcasting, marketing and sponsoring when he began in 1979 his career as a manager. (RP online 2011) His aim was to make his club independent from earnings from the spectators. As you can see in the following diagram he achieved his aim. In the year 2010 Bayern’s matchday earnings were only 21% of the total revenue. The biggest part is now coming from the commercial...
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...Jackie Robinson, Why Him? The story of Jackie Robinson has become one of America's most iconic and inspiring stories. Since 1947, American history has portrayed Jackie Robinson as a hero, and he has been idolized as a role model to the African American baseball community. It is an unarguable fact that he was the first to tear down the color barriers within professional baseball. The topic of Robinson’s role in integration has long been a point of discussion amongst baseball historians. Researchers have accumulated thousands of accredited documents and interviews with friends and team mates such as short stop, Pee Wee Reese, and team owner, Branch Rickey. However, few journalists have asked why Robinson was selected and what was Branch Rickey’s motivation? While Robinson was the first Negro player to break into the ranks of professional baseball, it can be argued that he was not the first to attempt the undertaking. In actuality, Jackie possibly was not even the first player the Brooklyn Dodgers’ organization considered for the job. The Warner Brothers film, 42, The Jackie Robinson Story (2013), highlights the accomplishments of Jackie and rightfully so, as he was an amazing man. The story actually starts prior to 1947 and ends years later in 1959, three years after his retirement in 1956. Early in his career at Ohio Wesleyan University, where Branch Rickey played and coached baseball, an incident occurred with one of his young black players, Charlie Thomas, which...
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