Marketing Analysis of BQ | SWOT

Showcasing Analysis of BQ | SWOT Presentation A system is created by a thought of the assets of the association corresponding to its condition, the prime object being to include esteem Dobson (2004). As indicated by Stredwick (2008), Strategic investigation is worried about the vital situation of the association. It comprises of the associations esteems, culture, assets and its condition. It handles the accompanying inquiries: what are the key attributes of the association, what changes are going on in nature, and by what means will these influence the association and its exercises. Furthermore, a nitty gritty inward and outer ecological examination including an evaluation of culture empowers the association to settle on a key decision and furthermore help in the key usage. In this way, the report will utilize various apparatuses, for example, SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) examination corresponding to Michael Porter five powers investigation to feature where BQ (UK) is, and the earth it works in, is deliberately and where it could be later on and the idea of rivalry. It takes a gander at inward factors, the qualities and shortcomings of BQ, and outer elements, the chances and dangers confronting the business. Additionally, PESTLE (Political, Economic, Socio-social, Technological, Legal and Environmental) examination is another instrument to be utilized to break down the full scale outside condition. Johnson (1992) Cultural web will likewise be utilized for the evaluation of BQ culture. BQ Profile BQ was the main national DIY retailer and has been in the DIY business for over 30 years. Richard Block and David Quayle (BQ) needed to bring esteem, longer opening times and a more extensive item range to everybody. During the 1980s it purchased the Scottish DIY chain Dodge City and in the end turned out to be a piece of the Kingfisher Group. Today, BQ is the UKs driving DIY and nursery focus retailer and its stores offer roughly 40,000 uplifting home improvement and nursery items for the homemaker, incidental to genuine DIY and exchange experts. Swot Analysis of BQ UK Qualities, Weaknesses, Opportunities Threats (SWOT) investigation is an instrument of natural examining planned for breaking down both the inward (qualities and shortcomings) and outer condition (for example openings and dangers) to see whether the association can take advantage of new lucky breaks given its qualities and face new dangers regardless of its shortcomings. In this manner, a SWOT examination is a balanced investigation which works out in a good way past the interior condition. Qualities Driving brand and great notoriety BQ is the main driving brand in the UK and is double the size of its rival. It has a market size of  £31bn as respect to the size of fix, support and improvement advertise. Being the main situation in the UK advertise, BQ has a significant quality as they are in front of their opponents. Moreover, BQs notoriety is solid and well known which means individuals see it with deference and have faith in it, for instance, BQ is supporting Prince Charles in his Preserve the Rainforest. Expanded piece of the pie BQ has a piece of the pie of 14% where it utilizes 22,602 workers and has 321 stores in the UK (http://www.kingfisher.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=33 got to [19/10/10]. Along these lines, BQ will keep on developing in the home improvement and nursery division. Their expanded piece of the pie is a key to their prosperity as it supports notoriety, benefit and the estimation of the association. Continually making new, separated, Innovative and wide scope of Products BQ offer around 40,000 items in stores. BQ likewise has its solid own-name, for example, BQ vehicle boot defender, BQ Foot siphon, etc. BQ has inventive, very much showed items and they are likewise proceeding with their restoration program which incorporates refreshing item ranges, for example, propelling their first reasonable exchange items and structuring more eco-items. Accordingly, BQs development keeps it a leader in the home improvement and nursery focus as it is routinely re-propelling and structuring new items. Subsequently, having an item separation methodology makes BQ at a superior upper hand. Locales BQ has some great positions and new opening chances. BQ has 321 stores in the UK. They additionally empower more eco stores, for example, their eco leader store is situated in New Malden and flaunts imaginative improvements, for example, 108 underground drill gaps, 100 meters which warmth and cool the store with vitality from the earth. Besides, for the main year 2010/11 half advancement, three huge and 1 medium stores redo (kingfisher system progress, March 2010). Along these lines, this is a quality which shows the general execution of the BQ. Increasing the value of the association Receiving Michael Porter (1985) esteem chain idea through the entirety of its essential and supporting exercises, BQ Delivering Value program of self improvement activities is functioning admirably, which means now it creates fundamentally higher benefits and income from its tasks and a vastly improved profit for capital for its investors [www.kingfisher.com]. Mechanical qualities BQ have grasped mechanical headway in their business. For instance, it has their own site where clients can shop on line in particular, www.diy.com, along these lines encouraging web based business. Moreover, BQ intranet office likewise helps in improving its inner correspondence framework where strategy and methods of the organization can be gotten to all representatives. Besides, on the fourth august 2010, BQ has propelled its first iDIY APPS which makes it simpler for clients to take care of business by having BQ specialists accessible for them at whatever point required. It is new at apple store and allowed to download for I telephone and I cushion clients. Also, a scope of green advances have fused into new stores at BQ. Great client relationship the board In excess of 3,000,000 clients come at BQ (UK) entryways consistently. Along these lines, BQ has a broad client base, which is a significant quality with respect to deals and benefit. Plus, BQ hold their clients by allowing them the chance to make, plan their own item as per their taste. BQ offer various sorts of markdown for customary customers which additionally help in client maintenance, for example, the precious stone card which offer 10 % rebate off to the over 60s each Wednesday off chosen buys or items, Trade Discount Card which likewise offers limits for exchange clients and Corporate Gift Cards which get limits for mass spending. Viable Human Resource Practices BQ has been granted again for the fourth year running the Gallup best working environment grant. Moreover, on the 22nd June 2010, BQ UK likewise scoops the top honor at organization of inside correspondences [www.kingfisher.com]. BQ UK is additionally perceived for its consistent accentuation on worker preparing so as to improve consumer loyalty. For instance, 15 500 workers of BQ UK have finished a Retail Skills Level 2 NVQ or Home Improvement Knowledge Qualification granted by City Guilds. BQ has an accomplished workforce which drives the association with information and aptitude. All in all, we can consequently remark that BQ UK focus on the delicate side of human asset the executives. They put resources into individuals through great correspondences, joining and preparing. A participative administration style BQ has a natural or compliment authoritative structure which mirrors its way of life. Workers are engaged and have opportunity of communicating new thoughts. In this manner, BQ opens the capability of its representatives. At BQ, they have been caught up with establishing the frameworks for future development. For instance, they as of late propelled a Dragons Den-style board to assist them with sifting new imaginative and inventive thoughts from staff which is known as the Innovation Den. This, along these lines, supports a culture of business enterprise and strengthening. Money related assets BQ has improved their money related execution; this can be demonstrated by the key execution pointers, for example, the working edge which has expanded from 2.8% in 08/09 to 4.9% in 09/10. Along these lines, the thorough spotlight on creating improved income from activities, lessening the interest in working capital, while fixing powers over capital use, has yielded a huge decrease in money related net obligation [www.kingfisher.com ] Compelling waste and reusing the board Decreasing waste assistance to improve effectiveness of association, therefore, so far BQ has 48 % less carbon discharged from squander. They have attempted to deal with their creation in a deliberate manner using innovation. They urge clients to return old items and bundling for reusing. Low danger of new passage (one component of Porters five powers investigation) Being the market head, having a market size of  £31bn, focusing on item separation; economies of scale; having cost favorable circumstances; having high capital prerequisites and being a piece of kingfisher, the third biggest home improvement retailer on the planet, BQ, has low danger of new contenders. Bartering intensity of providers: one component of Porters five powers investigation BQ keep up solid relationship with their providers, for example, guaranteeing that their providers give them eco-accommodating items. Hence, the bartering intensity of their providers is low, which makes BQ having an upper hand. Shortcomings According to kingfisher business survey, august 2010, BQ like to like deals has expanded on occasional items, for example, garden items; be that as it may, one shortcoming will be that deals of nursery item will be decreased because of winter climate which will demoralize clients to put resources into their nurseries. BQ site, diy.com, has a helpless internet business appraisals as they were positioned base by and large, with client outputs of half. Also, the site got just two star evaluations for cost and item out of five stars. Moreover, they likewise have conveyance issues; from over bundling and postponements to time allotments which shows how BQ is burning through the two its time and assets and furthermore uncovers their powerlessness to adjust rapidly to change. Oppo

Dietary Food Supplements Essay Research Paper There free essay sample

Dietary Food Supplements Essay, Research Paper There are such a significant number of dietetic supplement addendums out on the showcase today. The vast majority of them do symptoms that cause these stocks to consume on the racks. Others truly work, it only relies upon the person. A portion of these addendums guarantee to be a fat safeguard that you take before you eat which makes you ingest less fat in your natural structure. Others guarantee to do you non hungry which is non solid by any means. You can non last without supplement. You ought to accept of your natural structure as an auto, without fuel it can non travel. In the event that you get one of the numerous fittingness magazines counting: ? Wellness? , ? Shape? or on the other hand? Oxygen? a significant number of the pages contain weightloss addendums. One addendum is? Xenical. ? At the point when you consolidate this pill with a decent repast, it might help you free weight. A decent repast is comprised of seared poulet what's more, veggies, a healthfully adjusted repast. We will compose a custom article test on Dietary Food Supplements Essay Research Paper There or on the other hand any comparable point explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page This is an efficacious product in the event that you are at least 30 lbs overweight. All things considered, in the event that you are that plump and you start to eat a great repast, so of class you will free the weight without Xenical. You other than have the weightloss addendum that makes a difference you manufacture muscle as you work out. There are pills, shingles, bars, they come in every single distinctive sort. ? ProV60? is a pounding that you blend in with a fluid. It is a high protein, low saccharide supplement addendum. It in a general sense burglarizes your natural structure of the saccharides that you have to work. Another product is? Thyrolean. ? This stock is made to do you free lbs past a certain limit. The set point hypothesis areas that your natural structure is hereditarily made to trouble a specific weight and your natural structure will fight to keep that weight, you can non change this weight. In different words this product is meddling with your hereditary sciences. In the event that you are venturing out to look for one of these dietetic stocks, I would first consult with your doctor. There are such a large number of symptoms thus a significant number of these stocks are non useful for your natural structure. The best way to state I by trail and slip-up, yet you may wreck your framework. A portion of these dietetic stocks contain things that you ought to non be seting into your natural structure, or they contain non a lot of the nourishments that you need. Probably the best thing that you can make to free weight is to apply a few times a hebdomad and eat more advantageous.

Roman And Greek Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Roman And Greek Art - Essay Example Despite the fact that, the Roman workmanship acquired a great deal from the Greeks and Egyptians, I favor Roman craftsmanship for precisely this explanation. As it were, Roman craftsmanship joined the best of everything and mixed it with its own thoughts. The facts confirm that the Romans esteemed Greek workmanship; notwithstanding, I lean toward the not so much romanticized but rather more different Roman way to deal with craftsmanship. Furthermore, I appreciate the excellence of Roman design that is joined with its useful use. For instance, I accept the Roman water channels to be wonderful, yet in addition a significant element. Water channels are a prime case of the astonishing Roman designing and building abilities. The Pont du Gard is most likely the best confirmation for how striking the Roman aesthetic time frame was. Which picture or pictures had the most grounded effect on you and why? Despite the fact that I incline toward the Roman masterful period, there were several photos from all periods referenced that strongly affected me. From the Roman time frame, the image of the Pont du Gard, established the most grounded connection with me. As expressed above, I respect the mix of excellence what's more, convenience. In addition, I am attached to the sum, position and different sizes of curves in the Pont du Gare. With respect to the Greek imaginative period, there are two pictures that intrigued me. The principal picture is the picture of the grand Parthenon, because of the equalization and evenness of the structure itself.

Southwest Still Flies High free essay sample

A contextual investigation on Southwest Airlines the board procedure. Submitted To Group †K Roll Name Q: Name at any rate two things that Southwest is doing productively. Name in any event two things that Southwest is doing adequately. In what ways do productivity and adequacy bolster each other at Southwest? In what ways do they repudiate one another? Answer: Efficiency at Southwest Airlines: Efficiency or being productive in business terms implies utilizing an organization’s assets (Human, Finance, Physical and Informational) shrewdly and in a financially savvy way. Proficiency is utilizing administrative abilities to limit misfortunes and decrease consumption while expanding the organization’s benefits. From this point of view Southwest Airlines has demonstrated effectiveness in two or three elements. This are-Point-to-point plan Standard airplanes Carefully picked courses Carrier activity Point-to-point plan: Southwest didn't embrace the center and-talked framework inclining toward a short-pull, highlight point plan. Bearer activity: The transporter works out of littler, more affordable air terminals in many significant markets. We will compose a custom exposition test on Southwest Still Flies High or then again any comparative theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Viability in Southwest Airlines:Effectiveness in business terms implies settling on the correct choices and effectively executing them. Southwest Airlines have demonstrated viability in the accompanying parts-Successful minimal effort transporter Use of HR Successful ease bearer: Southwest Airlines is one of the greatest ease transporters on the planet. It utilizes less capital than some other bearers in United States and keeps up their minimal effort thought flawless. Analyst’s gauges that significant bearers would need to diminish costs by 18. 6 billion to coordinate its minimal effort performance.Most other of its rivals can not successfully deal with their transporters to counter against Southwest’s methodologies. In this way, it has effectively accomplished the vast majority of its objectives and is a stride ahead in the opposition. Utilization of HR: Although Southwest is exceptionally unionized; it has never encountered a work strike. That implies Southwest utilize human asset adequately. Fruitful associations are both productive and compelling. The Business of Ethics features the effect organizations can have when they offset proficiency and adequacy with social mindfulness about their job in securing the common environment.Efficient activities which are successful: 1. As referenced, Southwest is a minimal effort bearer. The organization utilizes its assets deliberately. The organization flies just one sort of stream (which is standard), lean towards a short-pull highlight guide timetable and attempts toward chop down their use however much as could reasonably be expected. In this way, the organization coordinates its assets productively and satisfied the associations objectives as a minimal effort bearer. 2. Southwest spotlights extraordinarily on their clients. Consumer loyalty is a top need at Southwest. It keeps up customized administrations and client loyalty.This causes them accomplish more client and increment notoriety and benefits. 3. Southwest’s human asset arranging in spite of being unionized end up being proficient. They haggle each association contract actually, never experienced work strike and only from time to time have clashes. This demonstrates they settled on the correct choices in worker the executives and has effectively actualize them along these lines making the arranging and deciding approaches some portion of the executives powerful. Activities which were incapable: 1. As indicated by the section, Southwest’s stock cost is down and there are just a couple of benefits to be shared only now.So, there may some issue in the association. Predicaments normally demonstrate that the overseeing isn’t extremely successful. 2. It’s been said that Southwest has a straightforward model. Despite the fact that this is an approach to keep the laborers persevering it may negatively affect representatives in some cases. This finishes up the notions of productivity and adequacy in Southwest’s business activities. Q: Based on the data for the situation, depict the administrative aptitudes that Colleeen Barrett and Jim Parker use in their positions at Southwest. Answer: Colleen Barrett:She first joined as a secretary in the association. Later she was selected to human asset administrator and in the long run became president and head working official. She and Jim Parker have made a model showing of conveying the on the transporters custom of achievement. Jim Parker: Jim Parker was the company’s corporate advocate. In 2001 when organizer and CEO Herb Kelleher resigned from his position he accepted the job of CEO and VP of the governing body. He and Colleen Barrett have made a praiseworthy showing of conveying the on the bearers custom of success.The fundamental administrative abilities are-Skill Name Definition Technical aptitudes Understanding the particular sort of work being done in an association. Relational aptitudes The capacity to speak with, comprehend and inspire the two people and gatherings. Theoretical aptitudes The manager’s capacity to think in the theoretical. Symptomatic aptitudes The capacity to picture the most suitable reaction to a circumstance. Relational Abilities both to adequately pass on thoughts and data to other and to successfully get thoughts and data from others. Dynamic skillsThe manager’s capacity to accurately characterize issues and openings and to then choose a fitting game-plan. Time-Management aptitudes The manager’s capacity to organize work, to work productively, and to assign properly. By considering these fundamental aptitudes we discover the abilities that Jim Parker and Colleen Barrett use in their occupations as top directors. Which are-Decision-Making abilities: Jim Parker and Colleen Barrett utilized their dynamic aptitudes by perceiving certain defects in the manner their forerunners took care of specific parts of the business.E. g. their choice to actualize a short-pull, highlight point plan rather than center and-talked framework plan just as working out of a littler more affordable air terminal. The choice that end up being most productive was their choice to restrict their activity to only one kind of Jet which went far to reducing expenses in three significant zones: buying, support, and preparing. Theoretical abilities: Both CEO and COO are appeared to have the psychological ability to comprehend the general work and handle the ideas of crafted by the organization.Colleen Barrett summarize the carrier’s culture by saying â€Å"We aren’t in the ‘airline business’; we are in the ‘Customer administration business’ and we simply happen to fly planes. † Diagnostic aptitudes: Jim, Colleen utilized their excellent demonstrative abilities by flying just one sort of (standard) Jet and decreasing its costs in each zone from buying to support to preparing. This has given them long haul efficient preferences over different transporters. Relational abilities: CEO Jim Parker, COO Colleen Barrett and rest of the Southwest group have demonst rated magnificent correspondence skills.Although Southwest is exceptionally unionized, it has never encountered a work strike. The firm’s the board plunks down by and by to haggle each association contract. Workers have a few advantages, for example, broad preparing, a no-cutbacks strategy and liberal benefit sharing and stock possession. These can portrayed as the administrative abilities which Jim Parker and Colleen Barrett has appeared in their jobs of being top level administrators. Q: Neither Colleen Barrett nor Jim Parker has conventional training in the executives. Clarify then how they can be powerful managers.Would formal instruction help them to be better troughs? Why or why not? Answer: It has been clarified that Southwest CEO Jim Parker and COO Colleen Barrett don’t have any conventional instruction in the executives. Jim Parker was the firm’s legal counselor and Colleen Barrett was the human asset trough. Be that as it may, regardless of not having any conventional instruction in the board the two of them are compelling directors. Initially, Jim Parker and Colleen Barrett have been in the organization for quite a while and know about the methods regulations.They have a clear thought of how to do run the organization from all the encounters they had working there. Experience is a significant factor in the fields of the board. The supervisors ought to have a blueprint of how the organization runs and ought to be overseen. For instance, Colleen Barrett’s information on human asset makes her equipped for dealing with workers capably. Also, the thoughts they have assumed control throughout the years has help the organization to accomplish a great deal of hierarchical objectives. They have demonstrated uncommon fitness in their administrative duties.They have appeared to think in digest and imagine the most proper reaction. It is consistently basic for supervisors to think about the most ideal approach to deal with obligations and Jim Parker and Colleen Barrett have effectively done that. In this way, it could be said they are compelling troughs. Obviously, they despite everything need formal administration instruction. Furthermore, they may really be increasingly capable supervisors on the off chance that they had formal administration training. Broad information on the board gives one the essential administrative abilities to deal with problems productively. It can help comprehend the administrative jobs better and the science and specialty of the executives. In any case, as Southwest’s top level supervisors they have performed phenomenally and have made a praiseworthy showing of carrying on the carrier’s custom of accomplishment. From this we can see that Jim Parker and Colleen Barrett are capable administrators of Southwest even without having formal training in the executives. Despite the fact that having broad information on the board may widen their arranging more, they are more than fit for carrying out their responsibilities as top level chiefs at Southwest without it. Southwest Still Flies High free paper test

Questions - Program Evaluation Method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Questions - Program Evaluation Method - Essay Example (Julian, 1997) 1. Destinations, exercises, result proportions of the rationale model perhaps muddled or missing. This is on the grounds that rationale models contain arrangements of every one of the components of a rationale model without indicating which thing on one rundown is identified with which thing on another rundown. This can without much of a stretch lead to disarray in regards to the relationship among components or result in unintentional exclusion of a thing on a rundown of components. 2. To an extreme (or excessively little) data possibly gave on the rationale model. The rationale model ought to incorporate just the essential components identified with program/venture plan and activity. When in doubt, it ought to give the 10,000 foot view of the program/extend and abstain from giving unmistakable subtleties identified with how, for instance, intercessions will happen, or a rundown of the considerable number of organizations that will serve to improve coordinated effort endeavors. 3. Targets perhaps mistook for exercises. The task evaluator must make surethat things recorded as destinations are in actuality goals instead of exercises. Anything identified with program usage or an errand that is being done so as to achieve something is an action as opposed to a target. For instance, recruit 10 staff individuals is a movement that is being done so as to achieve a target, for example, improve reaction time for approaching calls. Despite the fact that it forgets about data, a great model speaks to those parts of an activity that, in the perspective on the partners, are generally significant for seeing how the exertion functions. The engineers will experience a few drafts before creating at a rendition that the partners concur precisely mirrors their story. In the event that the data will turn out to be excessively intricate, it will be conceivable to make a group of related models, or settled models, each catching an alternate degree of detail. One model could portray out the expansive

Discussion Stories and the Communication Model Essay

Conversation Stories and the Communication Model - Essay Example In each of the four situations, various sorts of data are assembled, mutual and spared in various ways. Like data can be shared through email, electronic archives, voice recording and web introductions. It very well may be put away straightforwardly through site pages implies in an advanced structure or it tends to be printed through print out and documented them in records. This record which is gathered in the document will be an incredible resource for the association. For putting away a joint effort experience, you should have information that that has done and put away those sorts of encounters, consciousness of from where the data of the experience will be accessible and from where you can find that data. I have done research in cooperation in which our gathering individuals don't have an opportunity to do inquire about in same time and same spot so we like to do look into in same time, better place. In an equivalent time, better place our gathering individuals have done research and sharing data in an equivalent time and better places effectively through talking, video meeting, video chat, through email, applications/white load up sharing, bunch calendaring and through various assets. Our gathering individuals have received every one of these means for doing that examination effectively. Winkler, Ramona. (2002). Watchwords and Definitions Around Coordinated effort. SAP: The Best Run business Run Sap, Retrieved on fourth January 2012 from

Standardized Test Prep Advice from a Literature tutor for the SAT II

Hello faithful readers! The Writing Wizard is back with more guidance on how to crack the SAT-II Literature Subject Test. In my last post, I took you through a poem by John Crowe Ransom and then helped you deconstruct a literary analysis question based on that poem. Let’s return to the poem and attempt another question. Be warned, however, that we’re not going to get through the whole question in just one post. I’m going to break the question up into two separate installments. Why, you ask? Well, I just love suspense, don’t you? Beyond the thrill of a good cliff-hanger, however, I’m doing this because I want to spend as much time on the question language as I do on the answer language. As you’ll soon see, success on this test involves reading every single word with the heightened attention of close reading. So, let’s begin by refreshing our memories about the poem, â€Å"Blue Girls†: Twirling your blue skirts, travelling the sward Under the towers of your seminary, Go listen to your teachers old and contrary Without believing a word. Tie the white fillets then about your hair And think no more of what will come to pass Than bluebirds that go walking on the grass And chattering on the air. Practice your beauty, blue girls, before it fail; And I will cry with my loud lips and publish Beauty which all our power shall never establish, It is so frail. For I could tell you a story which is true; I know a woman with a terrible tongue, Blear eyes fallen from blue, All her perfections tarnished -- yet it is not long Since she was lovelier than any of you. (1927) Let’s turn to a question a little bit trickier than the question that we looked at in my last post. As before, any good literature tutor will tell you to have your pencils ready to mark up the poem as we do another reading of it, and let’s also be prepared to mark up the question. As an SAT tutor, one of the biggest mistakes that students can make is to start answering a question without fully understanding it. This might seem silly at first, since the questions traditionally use simple language and are never very long. But don’t be misled by their apparent simplicity. While giving the appearance of asking a straightforward question, the prompts are often extremely subtle, and even deliberately obtuse on occasion. The test-makers are interested in evaluating the critical reading skills of the test-takers, and that transfers especially to the questions. To be successful on this test, you must approach the questions with the same level of critical attention that you bring to the literary passages. To see what I mean, let’s turn to a new question, and for the mome nt, let’s avoid looking at the answers: The poem is primarily concerned with†¦ Two crucial remarks to make before we even begin. When you see a question phrased like this, your pencil should underline or circle the word â€Å"primarily† before you do anything else. You should also then mark the words â€Å"concerned with† in a different way. These three words make the question work, and their comprehension is crucial for arriving at the right answer. Let’s consider â€Å"concerned with† first. It is important to remember that â€Å"concerned with† does not mean â€Å"about.† Many students assume that they are synonymous, and that the question is simply asking what the poem means or what the poem is saying or what the poem is supposed to imply. Instead, â€Å"concerned with† implies an attention to theme. To be â€Å"concerned with† something is to bring particular attention to it, to give it time and space in our thoughts and lives—it is a preoccupation. And in literature, this preoccupation plays i tself out in the thematics of the text, that is, in the ideas or notions that the text emphasizes, reflects upon and returns to. It is not the same as what the text is about, although they are almost always related. So when you come across the words â€Å"concerned with,† you should consider making a small annotation next to the question to remind you that you are being asked about theme and not, strictly speaking, about meaning. To return to the word â€Å"primarily,† this is just as crucial as â€Å"concerned with.† We know that â€Å"primarily† is a ranking word, and that we use it to indicate the most important or the most frequent or prominent element in a series. If you go to a restaurant that serves primarily French cuisine, you might think again about ordering the fried rice. If you are applying to a college that is primarily known for its engineering and pre-med programs, you might want to think harder about whether their English classes will be good enough for a major. These examples remind us that â€Å"primarily† doesn’t mean only, just firstly. The word implies other choices, other elements in a series, but directs our attention to the biggest part of the whole. This is capital for the SAT-II Literature test and the SAT-I because you will see this word pop up quite a lot. In the context of the question, the word â€Å"primarily† is telling you, essentiall y, that there are a number of different themes and things going on in the poem, and that your job is to identify the theme that is the most prominent, the most frequently referenced, the one that takes up the most time and space—that is, the main thrust of the text. With the answers still covered, you can bet that more than one of the answer options will make sense. This is why questions of this nature are hard. The test-makers are almost invariably going to give you a few choices that all sound right. And they won’t exactly be wrong in doing this, because indeed, this poem has more than one thing happening in it, and more than one meaning and theme. Your job, however, is to zero in on the most prominent theme. In answering the question, you have to be sure that you are answering not just part of the question, but the whole question. A student in a hurry, or a student not properly trained, or who hasn't done any standardized test preparation for this exam, will read the question and will assume that it is asking â€Å"what is a theme that you see in this poem?† or even â€Å"what is this poem talking about?† This is incorrect. The question, in full, is rather asking you â€Å"what is the predominant theme addressed througho ut this poem?† At this point, you should try to answer the above question for yourself without looking at the answers, just relying on your own reading of the poem. Don’t spend too long on this—it involves jotting a few words down in the test booklet next to the question that can serve, in just a moment, as a helpful tool for further deliberation. OK—we know what the question is asking, and we’ve read the poem at least once, so let’s see which answer possibilities we are given: 2. The poem is primarily concerned with (A) the importance of beauty (B) the lesson to be learned from the past (C) the fleeting nature of youth (D) telling a story for the girls’ benefit (E) the permanence of death Think these over, dear readers, and in a few days, I’ll be back with the explanation and analysis for the right answer. Get crackin’! ;