Zara SWOT Analysis

Literature Review Zara is one of the companies that operate under the Inditex Group. The company began its operations in the year 1974. As of today, Zara has managed to open approximately 1900 stores in more than 70 countries across the world. The company is headquartered in La Coruna, Galicia in Spain.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Zara SWOT Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For the ease of operation of its international subsidiaries, the company has established operational headquarters in each region in which it has set up its stores. The largest operational area of the company is retailing of fashion goods for women, men and even children. However, the company specializes in the retailing of women fashion products (Kurtz Boone, 2011). The company has ventured in the fast fashion segment in the larger fashion industry and is considered to be one of the pioneer companies in the fast fashion industry . The regions where the company has successfully established retail stores include the larger Europe, Oceania, South and North America, and Asia. These regions represent areas that represent the largest fashion markets in the world (The Soundings Group, 2011). Industry Analysis Zara operates in the fashion industry, specifically the fast fashion segment of the global fashion retailing industry. The fashion industry lies within the larger lifestyle and retail industry. The number of firms in the industry is quite large and they are differentiated by virtue of subcategories. The subcategories include ‘men/women/children’s’ clothing and footwear and fashion, among other sub-categories. The growth in the scale of the industry comes as a result of the efforts by firms in the industry to develop newer categories of products, which eventually extend to newer market segments.Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get yo ur first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is important to note that the fashion industry has a lot of players, who are motivated by the opportunities that prevail in the industry. The opportunities in the industry are promoted by the fact that there is globalization of culture, where fashion is a critical part of the culture. Fashion keeps changing within short cycles of time and so are the firms that are operating in the industry required to match up with the pace of change in the industry in order not to lose in the competition. Factors that promote the fashion industry and especially the fast fashion sector in which Zara operates in include the emphasis on the importance of fashion in the contemporary globe, the globalization of cultures, the growth of the population across the globe and the attachment of a lot of value on brands and fashion by the modern consumers (Tiplady, 2006). The fashion industry is a volatile industry. Its volatility is steered by the fact that mo st of materials that are used for the production of goods in the industry are drawn from the developing economies. Therefore, instabilities that often occur in the developing world easily result in the shooting up of the price of raw materials. Such a case in the textile industry was witnessed in the year 2004. This case denotes that the company is often vulnerable to the socio-political and economic dynamics that occur in different parts of the world. Zara has shown positive progress in terms of limiting the competitive pressures that come from its direct competitors by matching any event going out of hand to outwit the strategies that are used by its competitors in the market.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Zara SWOT Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The internationalization strategy has proved to be worth in the expansion of the operations and the scale of business by the company, thereby increasin g the level of competitiveness of the company in the market. Price regulation and cycles of efficient delivery of products form part of the competitive strengths of Zara (The New York Times, 2012). SWOT Analysis This is an evaluation of the environment in which a firm operates. The â€Å"internal† environment is assessed by evaluating the weaknesses and the strengths of the business, while the â€Å"external† environment is assessed by evaluating the threats and opportunities available to the business. This assessment helps the firm identify its current position and shape its future. SWOT represents â€Å"strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats† (Simoneaux Stroud, 2011, p. 76) that face a business. In this regard, a SWOT analysis is a tool that helps in reviewing a business plan to ensure that it remains alive. Through the results of a SWOT analysis, a firm is placed in a position to create goals in line with the business plan. Necessary strategies an d objectives are also formulated to guide the business in its current and future positions. Since change is ever happening in all industries, the SWOT analysis comes in handy in managing change, as well as forming the basis upon which realistic goals are set (Simoneaux Stroud, 2011). SWOT Analysis for ZARA Strengths The vertically integrated structure of the company as is embraced by the Inditex Group enables the company to be proactive in terms of the expansion of operations. Zara utilizes a low cost supply chain in managing its retail operations across the regions in which it operates (Choi, 2012).Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Operating under the Inditex Group remains to be a competitive factor for Zara since the utilization of the Inditex brand helps Zara to gain a competitive base in the new market in which the company stages it operations. This is argued to be one of the reasons why the company has managed to expand its operations in the four main regions of the world in which it operates today. By using the name of Inditex as its core brand in the international market, Zara has managed to build a resounding image in the markets in which it operates. The brand of Zara is, therefore, stronger and widely known in the market, which makes the company more competitive in the fast fashion industry (Bjerreskov et al., 2010). The other factor of strength in the company is that it remains proactive in terms of the development of strategy in the industry and the market in which it operates. With the retail fashion industry being a large industry, Zara chose to venture into one of the main sub-sectors in the indu stry; the fast fashion segment. It is, therefore, considered to be a pioneer in the fast fashion segment, a factor that makes most customers prefer the company over other companies that have ventured into the segment later. Coupled with sound human resource policies, the company is often in the forefront in terms of innovation in fashion. Innovation in Zara is boosted by the fact that the company has managed to fully adopt and use information technology in its management and design activities (Tiplady, 2006). The internationalization of the operations of Zara, which came as part of the expansion strategy of the company, gives the company an advantage over other companies in the industry. Unlike its competitors, Zara has managed to establish a global supply chain network that ensures that its stores are fed with the products on a timely manner, thereby appeasing customers always (Bjerreskov et al., 2010). It can be seen in terms of spreading the risk of the company, especially with t imes of economic uncertainties that have become common in the contemporary economic environment. The company has operations in four continents of the world, with retail stores established in more than 70 countries across the world with approximately 2000 active stores. The scale of business has, therefore, broadened by the virtue of the ability of the company to traverse the world and establish its operations across the world. The level of creativity in the company is quite advanced and is used as basis on which the company differentiates and segments its operations in the market to maintain market dominance. Although the company focuses on one product line, women fashion, it also designs and produces a ray of men and children fashion. The two other segments act as backup to the market segment in which Zara has fully ventured in. Each segment is highly differentiated in terms of operation, making the products and services in every segment to be distinct and unique in the market (Pah l Mohring, 2008). Weakness The marketing strategy of the company has often been on the limelight. Zara makes use of a marketing strategy that has no advertisements. This is risky in times when aggressive marketing is embraced across the fashion industry. Failure to embrace aggressive marketing can slowly result in the loss of competitiveness by Zara in the market (Pahl Mohring, 2008). It is quite difficult to attain and sustain customer loyalty in the segment of operation in which Zara has fully ventured into. This comes from the fact that the needs and demands of customers who feature in the market keep changing. Consumers in the industry can, therefore, easily turn their attention to seemingly newer and cheaper fashions in the market (Pahl Mohring, 2008). Opportunities Globalization is a key factor in as long as the operations of the fashion industry are concerned. Globalization of culture is one of the attributes that highly promotes the demand for fashion in the world. Global ization of culture is enhanced by growth in the culture of consumerism across the globe. Zara is, therefore, presented with a lot of marketing opportunities in as far as the zeal for people to test other cultures through fashion remains to be experienced in the world. Opening of trade in the world promotes the landscape on which firms can easily advance and expand their operations in newer and developing markets across the globe. Zara can, thus, easily expand its operations in the markets that are emerging (Pahl Mohring, 2008). The fashion industry is broad and the diversity in the needs of fashion makes the broader industry. Zara can, therefore, venture into other segments in which other companies have not fully ventured into. The level of creativity in the company is also desirable and can help the company in the development of new fashion and new market segments (Bjerreskov et al., 2010). The modern economic environment has been invigorated by the presence of information and com munication technology. The availability and adoption of information and communication technology in the company is bound to help in the promotion of marketing activities through adoption of e-marketing initiatives. E-marketing is one of the pillars of marketing in an industry that is as dynamic as the fast fashion industry (Choi, 2012). Threats Trends in the global fashion industry denote the quick pace at which the consumers of fashion keep changing their demands. This implies that fashions or goods and services in the fashion industry can fade at a quicker pace, thereby rendering the stocks of a company unsellable to the customers. This forces the company to keep changing its tactics in the market and keep investing in the design and development of newer fashions, which is an expensive affair for the company. It raises the cost of operation for the company (Pahl Mohring, 2008). Fashion is considered as an industry that deals mostly in secondary goods. On the other hand, economic uncertainties have been on the rise in the contemporary economy, which negatively affects the global markets. Examples are the recent global financial crisis and the global recession that hit hard on the global markets. Such uncertainties and the general rise in the rate of inflation in the global economy impact negatively on the sales trend in the fashion industry (Pahl Mohring, 2008). The other threat to the company is the increase in the number of firms that are venturing in the fast fashion industry across the world. This makes the competitive environment to be quite complex, bearing in mind that there are other key competitors in the industry that the company is battling with. Conclusion From the analysis in the paper, several deductions can be made concerning the scale of competitiveness in the global fashion industry and the competitive position of Zara. The global fashion is quite dynamic. The dynamism of the industry provides both opportunities and challenges to the compan ies that are operating in the industry. Zara has been quite active in terms of developing and implementing strategies that help it take advantage of the opportunities that prevail in the market. The company operates by basing more on strengthening its operations instead of matching the factors of competition that are posed by the competitor firms in the industry. References Bjerreskov, D. H., Bohlbro, D., Lars, K. J., Nielsen, B., Jack, M. (2010). Value-added logistics in supply chain management. Copenhagen: Academica. Choi, T.-M. (2012). Fashion supply chain management: Industry and business analysis. Hershey, PA: Business Science Reference. Kurtz, D. L., Boone, L. E. (2011). Contemporary business. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Pahl, N., Mohring, W. (2008). Successful business models in the fashion retail industry: Strategic audit of HM compared to ZARA. Norderstedt, Germany: GRIN Verlag. Simoneaux, S. L., Stroud, C. L. (2011). SWOT analysis: the annual check-up for a business. Journal o f Pension Benefits: Issues in Administration, 18(3), 75-78. The New York Times. (2012). How Zara grew into the world’s largest fashion retailer. The New York Times. Web. The Soundings Group. (2011). Zara: A global success story ( 2011). Web. Tiplady, R. (2006). Zara: Taking the lead in fast-fashion. Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Web. This article on Zara SWOT Analysis was written and submitted by user Kyra T. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Understanding Earth and its History

Understanding Earth and its History We live in an interesting time that allows us to explore the solar system with robotic probes. From Mercury to Pluto (and beyond), we have eyes on the sky to tell us about those distant places. Our spacecraft also explore Earth from space and show us the incredible diversity of landforms our planet contains. Earth-observing platforms measure our atmosphere, climate, weather, and study the existence and effects of life on all the planets systems. The more scientists learn about Earth, the more they can understand its past and its future.   The name of our planet comes from an Old English and Germanic term eorà °e. In Roman mythology, the Earth goddess was Tellus, which means the fertile soil, while the Greek goddess was Gaia, terra mater, or Mother Earth. Today, we call it Earth and are working to study all its systems and features.   Earths Formation Earth was born  some 4.6 billion years ago as an interstellar cloud of gas and dust coalesced to form the Sun and rest of the solar system. This is the birth process for all stars in the universe. The Sun formed at the center, and the planets were accreted from the rest of the material. Over time, each planet migrated to its present position orbiting the Sun. The moons, rings, comets, and asteroids were also part of solar system formation and evolution. Early Earth, like most of the other worlds, was a molten sphere at first. It cooled and eventually its oceans formed from water contained in the planetesimals that made the infant planet. Its also possible that comets played a role in seeding Earths water supplies.   The first life on Earth arose some 3.8 billion years  ago, most likely in tidal pools or on the seabeds. It consisted of single-celled organisms. Over time, they evolved to become more complex plants and animals. Today the planet hosts millions of species of different life forms and more are being discovered as scientists probe the deep oceans and polar ices. Earth itself has evolved, too. It began as a molten ball of rock and eventually cooled. Over time, its crust formed plates. The continents and oceans ride those plates, and the motion of the plates is what rearranges the larger surface features on the planet. The known contents of Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North and South America, Central America, and Australia, are not the only ones Earth has had. Earlier continents are hidden underwater, such as Zealandia in the south Pacific.   How Our Perceptions of Earth Changed Early philosophers once put Earth at the center of the universe. Aristarchus of Samos, in the 3rd century B.C.E., figured out how to measure the distances to the Sun and Moon, and determined their sizes. He also concluded that Earth orbited the Sun, an unpopular view until Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus published his work called  On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres  in 1543. In that treatise, he suggested a heliocentric theory that Earth was NOT the center of the solar system but instead orbited the Sun. That scientific fact came to dominate astronomy and has since been proven by any number of missions to space. Once the Earth-centered theory had been put to rest, scientists got down to studying our planet and what makes it tick. Earth is composed primarily of iron, oxygen, silicon, magnesium, nickel, sulfur, and titanium. Just over 71% of its surface is covered with water. The atmosphere is 77% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, with traces of argon, carbon dioxide, and water. People once thought Earth was flat, but that idea was put to rest early in our history, as scientists measured the planet, and later on as high-flying aircraft and spacecraft returned images of a round world. We know today that Earth is a slightly flattened sphere measuring 40,075  kilometers around at the equator. It takes 365.26 days to make one trip around the Sun (commonly called a year) and is 150 million kilometers away from the Sun. It orbits in the Suns Goldilocks zone, a region where liquid water can exist on the surface of a rocky world.   Earth has only one natural satellite, the Moon at a distance of 384,400 km, with a radius of 1,738 kilometers and a mass of 7.32 Ãâ€" 1022  kg. Asteroids 3753 Cruithne and 2002 AA29 have complicated orbital relationships with the Earth; theyre not really moons, so astronomers use the word companion to describe their relationship with our planet.   Earths Future Our planet will not last forever. In about five to six billion years,  the Sun will begin to swell up to become a red giant star. As its atmosphere expands, our aging star will engulf the inner planets, leaving behind scorched cinders. The outer planets may become more temperate, and some of their moons could sport liquid water on their surfaces, for a time. This is a popular meme in science fiction, giving rise to stories of how humans will ultimately migrate away from Earth, settling perhaps around Jupiter or even seeking out new planetary homes in other star systems. No matter what humans do to survive, the Sun will become a white dwarf, slowly shrinking and cooling over 10-15 billion years. Earth will be long gone.   Edited and expanded by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Terbium Facts - Tb Facts

Terbium Facts - Tb Facts Get Tb facts or terbium facts and figures. Learn about the properties of this important element: TerbiumBasic Facts Atomic Number: 65 Symbol: Tb Atomic Weight: 158.92534 Discovery: Carl Mosander 1843 (Sweden) Electron Configuration: [Xe] 4f9 6s2 Element Classification: Rare Earth (Lanthanide) Word Origin: Named after Ytterby, a village in Sweden. Terbium Physical Data Density (g/cc): 8.229 Melting Point (K): 1629 Boiling Point (K): 3296 Appearance: soft, ductile, silvery-gray, rare-earth metal Atomic Radius (pm): 180 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 19.2 Covalent Radius (pm): 159 Ionic Radius: 84 (4e) 92.3 (3e) Specific Heat (20Â °C J/g mol): 0.183 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 389 Pauling Negativity Number: 1.2 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 569 Oxidation States: 4, 3 Lattice Structure: Hexagonal Lattice Constant (Ã…): 3.600 Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.581 References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001), Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952), CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.) Return to the Periodic Table

The Business Environment Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Business Environment Assignment - Essay Example There is tremendous increase in the sales of fast food bars as compared to restaurants revealed by recent surveys. People are still very much interested in fast food. (Mintel Report-March 2004) Barry's Burger Bar (BBB) is a business in a busy university town in England. BBB operates in a very competitive environment. The market structure within which BBB operates dictates the pricing policies, advertising strategy and profitability potential. Barry has been considering changing his prices in order to increase his sales (total revenue). In this assignment we would determine the Business Strategy for BBB as consultants. Although Barry is quite free to make his own policies regarding marketing and pricing but he should have to consider the main factors that are influencing market. For this purpose he need to conduct a brief survey on his own or with the help of his associates to collect the data about his competitors and market forces. By collecting reliable data correct business strategy can be formulated. For this purpose analysis and scenarios Model can be employed (Lynch Richard Corporate Strategy 2003) Brief Analysis: BBB is situated in a busy area and its frequent customers are students and University staff. As it is understandable that purchasing power of students is comparatively low. As they have to finance their studies and their day to day expenses either with the support of parents or by doing low paid part time jobs. These conditions reduce the purchasing power of the students. So if Barry is planning increase the price then he may loose

Part of a Marketing Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Part of a Marketing Plan - Assignment Example Cotton On is one of the few organically Australian ready-to-wear (RTW) fashion label. Fairly young in the industry at less than 30 years old, they now have shops all over Australia, New Zealand, and America. It has uniquely mirrored the same image that Australia has project all over the world, relax, simple and comfortable. Its primary target is the youth, 15-30, who feels wants a simple no-nonsense style that is flexible yet fashionable. Through the years, there have been constant effort from the brand to reinforce their image through TV commercials, print ads, and out-of-home advertisements. However, the fashion industry has witnessed an incredible shift of media consumption from traditional to digital. Many of this digital adaptors belong to the same target market that Cotton On caters to, young from the broad C. Many businesses have taken advantage of this by, early on, exerting the same effort digitally as they do above the line. Unfortunately, Cotton On came in late. They, in fact, established their online store less than three years ago. Outside of the online store, very little effort has been exerted to utilize the digital media to reach the Cotton On target market. This lack of digital presence resulted to one of the biggest digital scandal in the business world when facebook members started spreading complaints and protests against Cotton On Children’s line. The protest claimed that Cotton On’s pieces contained â€Å"disrespectful† messages. One word. That’s all it takes for a person to know someone inside and out, its history, its sensibilities, its personality, and its relationships. That word is the brand name. Coca-Cola. iPod. Nike. Google. Their identities are so strong and so embedded to the minds of the consumers that no single study, perhaps not even a compound of a thousand, can comprehensively explain how each company built it. Cotton On, despite being a young label, has experienced a certain

Eulogy for Grandmother :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Grandmother The phone call came at 6:45 on the evening of the 16th. At 8:58 I sent out an e-mail message to friends about my Grandmother's death. Many of those friends are former and current church members of congregations I have served as pastor. By the next morning I was receiving e-mail messages back. The ones from former and current church members had a common theme. In addition to expressing their sympathy they all said that they felt they had known my grandmother: "We remember your grandmother from the stories you would tell us of her." That is the nature of memories. They can be collective, shared, or private. They may be special moments - remembrances of her as a sister, a wife, a mother, or a friend. But, when we share those memories they become a part of someone else. The memories become the possession of others. When the Bible tells us to be kind to foreigners in our midst because we were once slaves in Egypt it assumes we have made that memory our own. We were once slaves in Egypt. The sacred memory has been passed down to us. Today, I want to share just a few memories of my Grandmother. She was a determined woman. Yes, she was a woman who could be patient, but that was restricted by the limits of her determination. When I was small she decided it was time to clean the attic. She had asked my Grandfather to place the wagon underneath the attic window so she could drop the stuff she wanted to be rid of. Well, my Grandfather was busy with other things. One day she decided she had waited long enough. She went to the attic and opened up the window and began to hurl items from the window. Imagine my surprise to items raining from the sky. Imagine my Grandfather's surprise upon his return. Then there was the time she was after my Grandfather to clean out the chimney. My Grandfather was up working in the fields when a chimney fire broke out. I was still a baby and my mother picked me up and went running next door to Aunt Mid's house. My Grandmother called the fire department (instead of calling for my Grandfather). My grandfather saw the fire trucks coming up the road from town - followed by cars of just about everybody who lived along the way! My Grandfather saw to it that the chimney stayed clean after that. Eulogy for Grandmother :: Eulogies Eulogy Eulogy for Grandmother The phone call came at 6:45 on the evening of the 16th. At 8:58 I sent out an e-mail message to friends about my Grandmother's death. Many of those friends are former and current church members of congregations I have served as pastor. By the next morning I was receiving e-mail messages back. The ones from former and current church members had a common theme. In addition to expressing their sympathy they all said that they felt they had known my grandmother: "We remember your grandmother from the stories you would tell us of her." That is the nature of memories. They can be collective, shared, or private. They may be special moments - remembrances of her as a sister, a wife, a mother, or a friend. But, when we share those memories they become a part of someone else. The memories become the possession of others. When the Bible tells us to be kind to foreigners in our midst because we were once slaves in Egypt it assumes we have made that memory our own. We were once slaves in Egypt. The sacred memory has been passed down to us. Today, I want to share just a few memories of my Grandmother. She was a determined woman. Yes, she was a woman who could be patient, but that was restricted by the limits of her determination. When I was small she decided it was time to clean the attic. She had asked my Grandfather to place the wagon underneath the attic window so she could drop the stuff she wanted to be rid of. Well, my Grandfather was busy with other things. One day she decided she had waited long enough. She went to the attic and opened up the window and began to hurl items from the window. Imagine my surprise to items raining from the sky. Imagine my Grandfather's surprise upon his return. Then there was the time she was after my Grandfather to clean out the chimney. My Grandfather was up working in the fields when a chimney fire broke out. I was still a baby and my mother picked me up and went running next door to Aunt Mid's house. My Grandmother called the fire department (instead of calling for my Grandfather). My grandfather saw the fire trucks coming up the road from town - followed by cars of just about everybody who lived along the way! My Grandfather saw to it that the chimney stayed clean after that.

Monastic Art Essay

Monastic Art is subdivided in two genres the monastic ascetic art form and the aesthetic art form (Sekules 77). The portrayal of saints in the monasteries is a common theme and narrows it down to the whole religious visionaries and deities which produced those visions. The entire monastic sphere was dedicated to placing oneself in a position to receive sacred communication from God; hence it is not surprising that monasteries and convents heavily sought for visual representation of their favorite saints or God. In medieval times, monastic art was commonly etched on ceilings, walls, and frescoes to draw the viewer into a realm of holiness to enrich the artistic and religious experience. As aforementioned monastic life could either be ascetic which falls in line with the austere lives of the monks or it could be highly beautified which displayed all the wealth and glamor of the Medieval Catholic Church. Most monastic art are derived from the Byzantine model were paintings were very embellished, attractive, symbolic, and magnificent in size. At the Abbey of Santa Maria la Real de Las Huelgas, Spain, there are the Berenguela knitted cushion covers and skillfully decorated gloves, overlaid with gold and scarlet (1275). This highly decorated covers are in memoriam of Prince Fernando de la Cerda (Shadis 168). Benedictine Monasteries The Rule of St. Benedict required them to withdraw from the world into a communal life organized around prayer so that their spiritual inclinations were not directed to other areas of conformity† (Sekules 61). Because of this policy art work conforms to the standards of the monastery. Jesus Christ, Catholic saints, monasteries, the virgin Mary, holy mother and child paintings are all regular images of the medieval monastery. Benedictine monasteries boasted a wide array of art such as An Illumination of Stephen Harding (1225) at the Abbey at Citeaux. In this classic, monastic painting there are two models of monasteries, handed by two Benedictine monks, one of which is the Englishman Stephen Harding himself, which are delivered up to the virgin Mary to sanction or reject. Benedictine cloisters featured â€Å"inscriptions in windows, stonework, paintings, and manuscripts† (Luxford 11). This type of veneration is called Cisternian illumination where there is a mystic connection and communication with the divine. Golden auras and golden thrones with elaborate architectured monasteries characterize this work. Another famous Benedictine art form is Benedict of Nursia (1435) displayed at the Abbey at Florence, Italy. This painting done by Frey Angelico exhibits the simple face of St. Benedict with a holy halo encircling his head, in a grave, solemn, pensive mood, similar to what one would expect in a monastic setting. Women in Power-Medieval Feminism: The Empowered Woman Before Mary Wollenstonecraft even crafted the Declaration of Women (1791), the embryonic signs of an emerging feminist movement were already visible. Due to religious, social, and cultural dogmas and restraints, women were confined to the private sphere, unable to take part in the activities and pursuits of men. Nevertheless, a few women have propelled themselves and unwittingly their female counterparts to a whole new dimension in the Middle Ages. The woman is a recurrent depiction in Medieval Art and Architecture, not to mention in an age where in the Marian cult (and even in the Greco-Latin mythology) was venerated as goddess, saint, and intercessor. Personification of places, whether cities or countries especially as regal or armed women, are one of the oldest forms of power symbolism†(Sekules 13). Several countries have depicted women at war as their national icons for example Roma, Germania, Brittanica, Sclavenia, Columbia, Athena, Italia Turrita, Hispania, Polonia, Europa etc. The women are either portrayed as martial, royal, or both. Medieval art demonstrated the empowerment of women, where women sometimes moved out of the home space and actively engaged in business, art, warfare, and politics. Joan of Arc One of the women who stands out is Joan of Arc. Historically, Joan of Arc is lauded as a liberator of France who bravely warred against England to set free her countrymen who labored under the British yoke. â€Å"Quite apart from her saintly character, Joan’s credibility as a military leader may have gained greater currency thanks to the classical tradition that personified the authority of war in female form† (Sekules 165). Art enables social criticism. Martin Le Franc sides with Joan of Arc unique personality both as a feminist and as a woman. Through his medieval portrayal of Joan of Arc both as a heroine, military hero, and spiritual icon, he embraces her as a daring woman. â€Å"Martin Le Franc in Le Champion des Dames, a work directly inspired by the quarrel about Le Roman de la Rose, takes Joan’s part against her detractors. Their arguments focus on her belligerence, her transvestism, and her condemnation by the Church† (Warner 220). In the late-Medieval painting â€Å"Le Champion des Dames† (1450), one observes Joan of Arc holding two white flags and flanked by them in a biblical setting. Although critics say that this portrayal is anachronistic, it voices volumes in asserting the sanctity of a patriot and prophetess who received visions and supernatural messages. â€Å"Christine was an admirer of Joan (of Arc’s) achievements and a defender when she needed it† (Sekules 165). Joan of Arc, a powerful woman, inspired another medieval woman in power, Christine de Pisan, who highly esteemed Joan as a valiant, holy, and still feminine woman. Christine De Pisan Another medieval woman which broke from the social norms and launched out into the space of art, literature, and religion is Christine de Pisan (1365-1434). One could argue that because of her aristocratic status she enjoyed many more liberties than the average woman of the Middle Ages; however open prejudice and misogynist ideologies against the woman existed and was encouraged against both the lower and upper classed woman. Christine de Pisan was literate, cultivated her artistic talent, and was mistress of her household (Christine de Pisan). Although today these characteristics seem ordinary, back in the medieval times, it was a rarity for a woman, even an aristocratic one to be qualified with all these talents. Christine de Pizan was born in Italy but married to a Frenchman. De Pisan was a prolific author as she produced several essays, poems, books, ballads, and epistles. The art piece of â€Å"Christine de Pisan Writing† is not as common as it seems for women were often relegated non-scholastic tasks for the general public deemed them inferior. In the depiction of De Pisan writing, the setting is clearly at an abbey or monastery. De Pizan was also the breadwinner of her family following her husband’s passing; therefore she emerged as one of the few women who made a livelihood from writing. Numerous medieval portraits of Christine de Pisan exist where she is either consulting with people in power such as Joan of Arc (Christine de Pisan Livres des Faits des Armes et de Chevalerie, 1409), diligently writing at an abbey (Christine de Pisan Writing), or educating her others (Christine de Pisan Instructing Her Son and Christine de Pisan Lecturing a Group of Men). Convents or nunneries in the medieval period. It can be argued that nunneries and convents â€Å"offered women an element of freedom† (Medieval Convent or Nunnery). At the convents, the nuns had most commodities at their disposal and were not bound to family responsibilities, for here they concentrated on God and pursued holiness in the secluded religious life. Nuns were also enfranchised to vote in an abbess or mother superior, who in turn would govern the affairs of the female community. Since medieval times, the nunnery also was fitted with hospitals, gardens, chapels, dormitories, libraries, and a school. As a result, nuns had the unique opportunity to be holistically educated and independent. This peculiar branch of female liberation fosters artistic exploration. Art work often has appeared at convents where nuns have drawn or invented masterpieces such as †¦ Second to Nun Paintings Medieval paintings also tended to focus on holy women: whether they be goddesses or cloistered nuns and mothers. One major medieval masterpiece shows Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), a nun of St. Benedict of wrote books, plays, sermons, and poetry; practiced medicine, and functioned as advisor to monarchs and popes. Hildegard is indeed a medieval and modern-day feminist who was not afraid to hold and wield power even among men folk. A celebrated illustration of her is represented in Illumination from the Liber Scivias, 1151 where she receives a vision and transcribes it as a deity reveals it to her. This dynamic woman dictates the divine messages in a book called The Scivias. This portrait conveys the reality of the enlightened woman in all spheres. She too can be an instrument not only for familial purposes but in multifaceted way, contributing to society, religion, and culture. References: Christine de Pizan . Retrieved 06 May 2010 Les Enluminures Presents Women in Medieval Art . Retrieved 06 May 2010 Luxford, Julian M. The Art and Architecture of English Benedictine Monasteries 1300-1540 A Patronage History. Boyell Press, United Kingdom, 2008. Medieval Convent or Nunnery . Retrieved 06 May