Essay on How Standardized Testing Effects the Education

As child growing up some of the frightful memories include a visit to the dentist; an evil man with scary drill whose solve purpose is to hurt you or the first day in elementary school you finally leave all behind the cozy classrooms and nap times of kindergarten and enter the big leagues. All of these are considered a cakewalk compared to standardize testing. Since the start of elementary school students in the United States are taught to test. In many instances students are held back or placed in remedial classes because of lower grades. But many don’t realize that some students are not great at testing taking and because of the lower grades some educators believe that these students are lower achievers. This leads to lower self-esteem†¦show more content†¦Under the current policy of No Child Left Behind, standards and assessments rest tightly at the national education policy, and remain the strongest force on policy and practice. However, despite the important role of high-stakes testing in the effort to improve America’s public education system, there have been numerous effects on schools, teachers, and students. Facing the pressure of standardized tests, students try to cram too much information in a short period of time. Memory capacity decreases from the stress of one high-pressure test that can decide whether they get left back to do an entire year over. Poor test results may also make them feel insecure about their intelligence and encourage them to give up. Therefore it is evident that many students in the United States have weakened the ability to think creatively. Christopher Longo states that Inquiry-based science instruction has led the way in assisting students in the process of discovering knowledge for themselves instead of simply being asked to recall information. Inquiry learning promotes creativity by increasing motivation, wonderment, and curiosity. The author proposes that inquiry is the key to enhancing creativity, while still meeting the demands of standardized testing (Longo 2). Inquiry based learning is a form ofShow MoreRelated Problems With Standardized Testing Essay1454 Words   |  6 PagesIn Standardized Testing and Its Victims, an article written for Education Week, Alfie Kohn states: Standardized testing has swelled and mutated, like a creature in one of those old horror movies, to the point that it now threatens to swallow our schools whole.... Our children are tested to an extent that is unprecedented in our history and unparalleled anywhere else in the world. While previous generations of American students have had to sit through tests, never have the tests been given so frequentlyRead More The Negative Impact of High Stakes Standardized Testing1191 Words   |  5 PagesStandardized testing is not a new concept; it has been in use since the mid to late 1990’s. However the â€Å"high stakes† focus on standardized testing is. The practices that accompany standardized testing have long been in debate. Those in favor of standardized testing will argue that the testing creates a system that increases grades and accountability among teachers, students and school districts across the country. On the other hand those that oppose standardized testing wil l argue the ill effectsRead MoreTaking a Look at Standardized Testing1518 Words   |  6 PagesStandardized Testing Currently Standardized Testing is one of the many issues currently plaguing the education community. Testing is a very touchy and controversial topic in the politics of education, particularly in the United States. There are many varying opinions debating on the successes and failures in the process of testing today. The controversies over standardized testing in the United State, and specifically New Jersey, stem from the testing process and the creation of these tests. SomeRead MoreEssay On Standardized Testing1137 Words   |  5 PagesStandardized testing in public schools has become a norm across the United States. But, in Texas it has been found that students spend more time taking standardized tests than any other state (â€Å"Too Much Testing†). Standardized testing may be an asset to measure education, or more measure testing skills across the nation, but at what cost does it come? What are its effects on moral within the public education system, and how does the state govern ment of Texas interact within it. Why does the TexasRead MoreStandardized Testing Is Negatively Affecting The Quality Of Education Essay1467 Words   |  6 PagesStandardized Testing Takes Its Toll On Education According to Linn, â€Å"Americans have had a love-hate relationship with educational testing†, and the controversies on the use of standardized tests will probably continue long after the twenty-first century (29). How can people see the ‘love’ in this use of testing that has negative long-term effects on students? Why should the controversies live on beyond this modern century? Standardized testing is negatively affecting the quality of education givenRead MoreEssay on Standardized Testing a Failure in Education1335 Words   |  6 PagesStandardized testing scores proficiencies in most generally accepted curricular areas. The margin of error is too great to call this method effective. â€Å"High test scores are generally related to things other than the actual quality of education students are receiving† (Kohn 7). â€Å"Only recently have test scores been published in the news-paper and used as the primary criteria for judging children, teachers, and s chools.†(2) Standardized testing is a great travesty imposed upon the American Public SchoolRead MoreTesting Is A Form Of Testing Used By Our Educational System1002 Words   |  5 PagesStandardized testing is a form of testing used by our educational system to measure the success of a school’s students and faculty. A typical student takes 112 mandated standardized tests between PreKindergarten and twelfth grade. The use of these tests became mandatory in 2002 as part of the No Child Left Behind Act. Although there are some individuals who support these tests, many parents, students, and teachers experience the negative effects year after year. Standardized tests impact studentsRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Standardized Testing1302 Words   |  6 Pages Standardized Testing is a regulation of rigorous dialogue and debate. Both sides of this subject impose arguments based upon moral and financial justifications, and span from the local to national level of legislation . The policy of standardized testing as a means to identify schools who are lacking in successful educational processes neither harm school districts through unequal distribution of power, nor negatively affect students’ learning; rather, it benefits students, faculty, and districtsRead MoreEmphasis on Standardized Testing Essay1525 Words   |  7 Pagesthroughout ones educational career, students are required to take standardized tests to show their progress and if they meet certain requirements they could qualify them for higher educational opportunities. Some common standardized test include: Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), American College Testing (ACT), Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), Missouri Assessment Program (MAP), and Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL). Standardized tests are designed so that each person taking the test has theRead MoreStandardized Testing Should Be Discontinued887 Words   |  4 PagesYears ago, standardized testing was introduced to s chool systems to measure capability and knowledge of the students. The tests were supposed to help point out issues in the school’s instruction method and to encourage the administration to fix the problems. Even though these tests started as an excellent way to help the education system, their effects have changed over time. Standardized testing should be discontinued because it cannot represent the true knowledge of a student, it narrows what a

The Ugly Americ Influence And Effects - 2054 Words

The Ugly American: Influence and Effects Diplomacy is the art of dealing with foreign countries in a sensitive and effective way. The ability to influence the people contributes to effective American diplomacy. In, The Ugly American, William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick, comment on the nature of American diplomacy in 1950s Southeast Asia. They identify the characteristics and effects of both inept and skilled diplomacy. The book highlights knowledge of the language, history, and culture as critical components to the ability to influence indigenous populations. In many ways the situations and characters described in the book, mirror the situations and challenges faced by Special Operations Forces (SOF) today. The Special Operations Imperatives are a planning tool that SOF use to influence the people and situations they encounter. In order to understand the influence and effects of proper application of the Special Operations Imperatives the stories of Homer Atkins, Colonel Hillandale and Solomon Asch provide a setting to co mpare and contrast with my own experiences in Afghanistan, Iraq and Jordan. Homer Atkins understood the needs of the Sarkhanese people. He identified small scale, local options to address challenges affecting the day-to-day lives of the local population. He used local materials and humbly sought out and accepted input from the local population to ensure long-term sustainment of a bicycle operated water pump system. Homer Atkins treated the Sarkhanese with

The Summary of “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell Essay Sample free essay sample

Trifles by Susan Glaspell is a drama written in the early 19 100s. What happens is a husbandman by the name John Wright is murdered and the perpetrator is thought to be Minnie Wright. John’s married woman. This drama takes topographic point in the kitchen of John Wright’s abandoned farmhouse. This instance is investigated by three work forces: the sheriff of the town Henry Peters. the county lawyer George Henderson. and a adjacent husbandman Lewis Hale. The married womans of Mr. Hale and Mr. Peters go along with the work forces to the offense scene. The Men take a more traditional path to work outing the slaying by looking for grounds throughout the house. while the adult females stay in the kitchen and pull their decisions from â€Å"the mundane inside informations of a farm women’s kitchen† ( 915 prologue ) . Even though the work forces take the more logical path in work outing offenses. We will write a custom essay sample on The Summary of â€Å"Trifles† by Susan Glaspell Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page it is the adult females who uncover what happened by looking at the bad lucks in the kitchen. Some of the bad lucks are the destroyed fruit conserves. the unfinished comforter. and the empty bird coop. The bird coop is a important piece of grounds in the drama because of the status it was left in. The door flexible joint was broken. and the bird was nowhere to be found. Finally. the adult females find the bird in a box in Mrs. Wright’s run uping basket ( 1. 1. 110-115 ) . The status in which the bird was left was similar to how John Wright died. John was hung by his married woman. while the bird died from acquiring its cervix wrung by Mr. Wright ( 1. 1. 115 ) . This was the chief factor in finding that Mrs. Wright killed her hubby. Even though this piece of grounds was important in the instance. Mrs. Hale did non give it to the work forces. but hid it from them so that Minnie could populate her old life once more. Trifles is an illustration of a Modern Realistic Drama and a P roblem drama. A Modern Realistic Drama is a type of Drama that wants to paint the image of how life is experienced by the common adult male and adult female. These types of dramas do non hold mystical animals in them. nor do they hold to cover with abstract constructs such as the secret plan of Oedipus Rex. Modern Realistic Dramas have characters that the mean individual can associate to. Besides. this type of play has linguistic communication that modern English speech production people use often and understand easy. Trifles does non utilize Shakespearian English. but it uses normal English. For illustration in line 3 of Trifles. the Sheriff says â€Å"Now. Mr. Hale. before we move things about. you explain to Mr. Henderson merely what you saw when you came here yesterday forenoon. † ( 1. 1. 3-4 ) . Trifles shows the features of a Modern Realistic Drama by the usage of its common linguistic communication. relatable secret plan. and characters that would be seen in existent life. but it besides has a dramatic side to it. The manner the Trifles is considered a play is because of the secret plan in the drama. The secret plan of Trifles is that there is a group of people who are look intoing a slaying. This secret plan makes Trifles a job drama. A job drama is a drama that has a major personal. societal. or political job that causes the play’s dramatic constructs. In Trifles. the job that the people face is a slaying of a adult male by his married woman. This slaying can be seen as either unethical or ethical. The work forces in the drama see the slaying as unethical because they do non look at the background in which Mrs. Wright was populating in. instead they merely looked at the present and saw her as a liquidator. The adult females of the drama see the slaying as ethical to some grade because of the manner that Mr. Wright changed Minnie’s position of the universe. Before Minnie married John Wright. she was ebullient and lovely all the clip. The minute she married John. her temper changed from being a carefree gal to being a down homemaker. The adult females thought that because John put Minnie through all that wretchedness for most of her life. that the slaying was non every bit unethical as it may look. Bibliography Glaspell. Susan. Trifles. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Robert Zweig. 5th compact erectile dysfunction. New York: Pearson Longman. 2012. 915-926. Print.

Under Armour strategic report free essay sample

These statements relate to expectations, beliefs, anticipated events and future trends, and are not necessarily based on historical facts, but are conditions and issues that are current to the market environment, are reasonable, but constitute only current views about future events. Economic Conditions and Trends There are several conditions that will be useful to monitor over the next decade for Under Armour, including: 1. Underperforming economies- A declining retail consumer market and an overall struggling economy means potential difficulties for UA which offers closely related, non-essential products. Several factors include general economic conditions, available consumer credit, and consumer confidence . Since UA has very limited experience working in a economic downturn, they are unable to effectively predict the full impact of a downturn in the economy with regards to sales and profits. â€Å"Consumer purchases of discretionary items tend to decline during recessionary periods when disposable income is lower or during other periods of economic instability or uncertainty† The financial conditions of the retail customers, are a concern, as well. UA currently extends credit to all retail customers, based on their financial condition, usually without requiring collateral. Economic uncertainties increase the risk of this practice, as a â€Å"slowing economy in our key markets or a continued decline in consumer purchases of sporting goods generally could have an adverse affect on the financial health of UA retail customers, which in turn, would have an adverse affect on UA sales, and their ability to collect on receivables† (UA, Inc-10k annual 2012) 2. Supply chain issuesSome suppliers used by UA are commodities, such as petroleum based materials and therefore are subject to potential price fluctuations, particularly when petroleum supplies are under duress. Other supplier economic related issues include: Specialty fabrics – Used in UA products are technically advanced textile products developed by third party suppliers and may be available, at least for the short term from a very limited number of sources. In 2011, only seven suppliers provided 45% of all UA products . Any disruption of the supply chain, due to unseen market forces could create product shortages, particularly if UA is unable to locate alternative suppliers. If additional supply sources can be found, UA may experience interruptions in customer order fulfillment, until the new suppliers have reached quality control standards and are properly trained. Labor Disruptions- Labor disputes at various ports or at the supply source can create significant risks such as work slowdowns, lockouts, strikes or other disruptions during â€Å"peak† importing or manufacturing seasons and could adversely affect UA business, â€Å"potentially resulting in cancelled orders by customers† (UA, 10K, 2012) Capital requirements- Growing and operating the UA business plan, will require significant cash outlays and capital expenditures for both product , capital equipment and property. Changes in leverage ratios, and interest coverage as defined in the UA credit agreement with their financiers, due to unforeseen economic influencers, could have a â€Å"material adverse effect on the UA business, operations and cash flow. If additional capital is needed, UA may have difficulty raising needed cash on terms that would be acceptable to the organization, depending on cash availability or restrictions due to economic uncertainties. If financing for whatever reason, would become insufficient or unavailable, â€Å"UA would be required to modify its growth and operating plans based on the availability of these funds†. Distribution problems- UA has a limited number of facilities, all which utilize computer controlled and automated equipment, making operations complicated. Risks include: security and computer viruses, power interruptions or other system failures, floods, fires or other natural disasters. If UA were to encounter such problems with their distribution facilities, â€Å"the ability to meet customer expectations, manage inventory and complete sales goals, would be materially adversely affected† (UA, 10K report, 2012) 3. Tax Laws – Because UA is subject to income taxes in the U. S, as well as numerous foreign jurisdictions, the effective tax rate could be adversely affected in the future, particularly as hard hit national governments seek to recoup lost tax revenues due to economic downturn. Several factors are important to consider, including â€Å"changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, and changes in tax laws, each of which could adversely affect profitability. Exchange rates will have a major impact on Under Armour from both the Globalization sales efforts and finished goods supply chain based on foreign soil. Exchange rates affect â€Å" export opportunities, the profitability of international trade and investment deals, and the price competitiveness of foreign imports† (Hill, 2007, p. 345) All of these factors have a major impact on global business, therefore it is essential that UA understands this foreign exchange risk. The majority of economic theories of exchange rate movements for any country, point to three factors: 1) price inflation 2) local interest rates, and 3) market psychology. â€Å"The law of one price states that in competitive markets free of transportation costs and barriers to trade, identical products sold in different countries must sell for the same price when their price is expressed in terms of the same currency. † (Hill, 2007, p. 345) Cultural and Social Issues The UA target market up to this point has been the male sports â€Å"identity† population between the ages of 15-31, mostly consisting of the Gen Y demographic segment. Because the Gen Y segment is the second largest segment next to the boomers (85 million strong), future growth looks optimistic, particularly because UA is also doing well with the Gen Z group, who will be even more likely to carry brand loyalty into their 20’s and beyond. UA has recently been active in reaching out to women and girl athletes in the same demographic age sets. Even though the Gen Y spending only makes up 4% of a typical household spending, this buying group tends to be more tech savvy, and tend to spend on highly â€Å"image† related products. (Athletes buy athletic gear and clothing, etc) Currently UA has a positive image here in the U. S. , due to a strong brand identification of the target market to UA products countrywide. A high level of belief in the technology advantages of UA products is a majority factor in the current success of the brand image. UA believes that â€Å"continued growth in industry wide sales of performance apparel, footwear and accessories will be largely dependent on consumers continuing to transition from traditional alternatives to performance products† This shift in belief systems, could shift at some point in time, as history has shown that the American public can move from trend to trend in the blink of an eye , due to massive advertising monies dedicated to the industry by competitors and the media. The U. S. public is known worldwide for its fascination with sports and athletics, and the lifestyles associated with these pastimes. A perfect market such as sporting goods apparel, may attract another â€Å"disruptor† much like UA, in some not too distant future, with something newer, more attractive, technologically advanced, and with a similarly great startup story. In addition, because â€Å"performance products are often more expensive than traditional alternatives, consumers who are now convinced these products provide a better alternative may still not be convinced they are worth the extra cost. Social/Economic/Cultural differences will have a great bearing in these types of buying decisions as those who engage in sports activities in certain areas of the country may not identify so closely to the â€Å" sports hero† or â€Å"team† identity culture that is evident in UA marketing efforts. (UA, 10K report, 2012) Another issue to consider is that UA offers products that are closely related and non-essential is therefore subject to the fashion preferences of the public. If Under Armour were to enter new markets such as casual clothing, they might lose some of the appeal that differentiates them from the competition. Social responsibility is a key factor to continued U. S. success for UA, especially in light of the damage sustained by Nike when it was revealed that some of their overseas plants had been practicing forced labor, breaking child labor laws, and determined to be unsafe working environments. If Under Armour were to practice any type of unethical behavior , whether it be child labor, or not compensating employees adequately for overtime, their reputation would be tarnished, as well. This type of problem would be more difficult  for a company the size of UA to overcome, than it was for Giant Nike, who had the stamina and deep pocket books to take on the media firestorm with a positive media message of their own, and to correct the problems quickly. â€Å"Under Armour has several policies put in place that address issues such as forced labor , child labor, harassment, discrimination, health and safety, and worker’s environment, compensation , benefits, and rights† Ensuring ethical rights should be a concern of Under Armour’s throughout the nation, as well as internationally. It will be important, as well, that UA exhibits social responsibility through supporting and sponsoring several charity organizations. Currently UA has been involved with the â€Å"Conservation Fund† and â€Å"Power in Pink† both notably worthwhile U. S. charities. Lastly , one of the key social/cultural advantage that has most evident in the rapid rise of UA in the sports apparel market, has been the development of extensive sponsorships throughout the U. S. sports world, including supplying 30 of the 32 NFL teams, and is the official supplier for the MLB, the MLS, the NHL, USA baseball and the US ski team. â€Å"A key element has been to create a link in the consumer market between our products and professional and collegiate athletes† This strategy has run parallel to the rapid rise of popularity in these specific sports arena and their participating athletes, both here and internationally. â€Å"However, as competition in the performance apparel and footwear industry has increased , the costs associated with athlete sponsorships and official supplier licensing agreements have increase, including the costs associated with obtaining and retaining these sponsorships and agreements† Particularly in the U.S. , the added spotlight on â€Å"super athletes† has driven up the demand for heavy cash outlays to secure the â€Å"association† of such athletes and teams. This cultural phenomenon, could be a problem for UA in the future, particularly if they are unable to maintain the current association with professional and collegiate athletes, teams and leagues, or to do so at a reasonable cost. This could potentially lead to losing the â€Å"on-field authenticity associated with UA products, and could ultimately be adversely affected in brand image, net revenues, expenses and profitability† (UA, 10K report, 2012) Global expansion will continue to be an emphasis over the next few years, as this is the most fertile new business opportunity for UA. This expansion will require the need for UA to adjust its message and products for the Europeans, for example, as UA’s traditional football and baseball centric marketing will not have the same affect on a culture with different sports preferences. UA has already found some traction here already, creating sponsorships with the Welsh Rugby Union, German, England, and Greece soccer Teams, and the Toronto Maple Leafs in Canada. Trending sports like mixed martial arts, are also the subject of attention , as UA has recently endorsed a premier UK martial arts expert, Cloe Bruce. The rising popularity of women’s sports, will require additional product innovation and advertising, as well. (www. forbes. com/sites/freddreier/2012) Geo-Political and Legal issues By year end 2011, UA was manufacturing products in 16 countries, using 23 primary manufacturers. Of these manufacturers, only 7 produced over 45% of UA products in Cambodia, China, Honduras, Indonesia, Jordan, Mexico, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Vietnam and San Salvador. â€Å"During 2011, approximately 60% of UA products were made in Asia, 22% in Central and South America and 8% in Mexico. † A major concern for UA going forward with regards to the manufacturing side of the business, are the risks associated with doing business abroad where many political and geographical challenges, lie outside UA’s ability to control. A few of these concerns are : Political and labor unrest, terrorism and economic instability which could result in the disruption of trade from foreign countries in which UA products are produced. Currency exchange fluctuations The introduction and implementation of new laws and regulations, including those related to labor conditions, quality and safety standards, imports, duties, taxes and other charges on imports, trade restrictions and restrictions on the transfer of funds. Also to considered are rules and regulations regarding climate change. Reduced protection for intellectual property rights in some countries Changes in local economic conditions, due to political policies, that impact credit, cash flow and purchasing by our manufactures in these locales. (UA, 10K report, 2012) Global expansion of sales will be impacted, as well by these same issues, and will need to be considered during priority selection of target foreign markets. For example, UA currently sells indirectly to the consumer through distributors to much of Central and South America and Mexico. Many South American countries like Argentina, present too many risks associated with direct expansion, such as a recent recovery from a complete economic collapse, resulting in a high level of uncertainty and instability in this country. That coupled with a known , questionable legislative system, poses yet greater risk for a targeted entry into such a market. Mexico has some of the same inherent risks as with any foreign market, but the chance for success is greater because Mexico is an active participant in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and is governed to a degree by it statutes. In the U. S.  and across the globe, UA will also be subject to trade , and other regulations that could pose a risk to active investigations by government regulators if there is a failure to comply. â€Å"The labeling, distribution, importation, marketing and sale of UA products are subject to extensive regulation by various federal agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Product Safety Commission and state attorney generals here in the U. S. Elsewhere, UA faces similar trade oversight by other federal, state, provincial, local and international regulatory authorities in locations that their products are sold. The risk of noncompliance could result in significant penalties or claims which could harm UA operational functions, and /or the ability to conduct business. The adoption of new regulations or changes in the interpretation of existing regulations may also result in compliance costs, and may result in the discontinuation of product in a worst case scenario. Adding Global expansion to this matter, and the legal risk of doing business in some countries may become cost prohibitive. Two other important factors must be considered in this discussion on Legal issues that are significant to UA: The fabrics and the manufacturing technology of UA products are not easily patented, in fact, UA currently owns fabric or process patents on any of its products. â€Å"As a result , our current and future competitors are able to manufacture and sell products with performance characteristics and fabrications similar to our products. This is a big issue, and will be discussed in the later problems and strategies sections of this report. The success of UA depends largely on the brand image of its products. For UA , the registered and common law trademarks have â€Å"significant value† and are important identifiers and differentiators from it’s competition. As UA continues to expand product lines, they will be subject to claims from competitors who believe that UA is stepping on intellectual property rights of others, and fully expect that similar encroachments are to be expected against UA intellectual property from product expansions from competitors, as well. Environmental Issues The most important environmental issue affecting net sales revenues for UA products, is the weather. While quarterly results of operations may also fluctuate significantly as a result of a variety of other factors, including timing of introductions and advertising, and changes in the product mix, most of these issues are controllable by the company. Weather, of course is not a controllable factor, and has, shown to have an adverse effect on quarterly results of operations and sales for UA. For example, the warmer than normal weather conditions throughout the fall and winter had an effect on the COLDGEAR line , leaving UA with heavy inventories into the spring of 2012. As most of the product was shipped prior to the unseasonable weather hitting, Much of the real impact will be felt in the fall 2012 sell in when many distributors and wholesalers will be stuck with last years’s inventory. Europe, which suffered from more summer weather issues has been beset by weaker than inflation sales increases (+2. 7%) suggesting that unit sales for UA, (as well as other similar sporting apparel companies) in that region actually fell. Among the list of sustainable business practices almost universally accepted by most CEO’s is the environmental factors that socially responsible companies are addressing, and more importantly reporting, such as resource consumption, emissions, and land/water conservation. Under Armour’s website contains information which addresses many of the requirements for sustainable business practices including global labor standards, and a code of conduct for suppliers, and a code of Business Ethics. Attention to this significant modern responsibility for successful companies is not without reward: Investment in socially responsible companies has grown from an estimated 12 billion in 1995 to over $220 billion in 2011. (Business Week online 2011) SPORTING GOODS APPAREL AND FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY Overview The Global Athletic Apparel and Footwear Industry is a dynamic and growing industry driven by a trend toward healthier, more active lifestyles, with several participating apparel companies joining with fashion designers to produce new clothing styles and to widen their product lines. The world sports apparel industry reached 120. 1 billion dollars in sales for 2011, and is forecasted to grow to 126. 30 billion $ Sales by the year 2015. Sales will continue to be driven by a trend toward less formal dress in the workplace and demand from specific demographics such as teenagers and baby boomers. These blurred lines of differentiation between sports apparel and garments used for casual, business, and everyday street wear continue to define an ever-changing landscape in the sports and fitness clothing market. Minor differences between sports apparel fitness, clothing and casual, active wear are leading to an interesting change in the target audiences. Changes in lifestyles and attitude towards fitness outerwear, are determining fashion trends with consumers, particularly with women, who are exhibiting a demand for more fashionable workout wear. Trends include, a â€Å"growing emphasis on versatility, convenience, fashion, compfort, style and performance is creating a strong demand for sports and fitness clothing which offers boh functional performance and style appeal. † (www. strategyr. com/sportsandfitness. An aging but active population in the U. S, Japan, European and emerging markets such as Asia and Latin America are excellent growth markets for sports apparel manufacturers. As women take up newer sports, they are becoming a highly lucrative target audience, as well. On the retail front sporting goods stores compete with fashion stores, while mass merchandisers compete with department stores and sporting goods chains for a piece of the market pie. Consumers are demonstrating a wide variety of preferences, classy tastes, and an eye for performance, flexibility and function. Increasingly, this target market is willing pay more for these product characteristic that might help them to gain a competitive advantage in their sports pursuit. New fabric characteristics such as temperature regulation, friction reduction, moisture advantage, stretch, lightness, and wind/water resistance are in popular demand. A strong trend towards â€Å"brand strengthening† is evidenced by downward integration of the sports apparel manufacturers into the retail distribution arena like â€Å"shop within a shop† in the chain stores, and single brand stores.