HRs Role in Mergers and Acquisition Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HRs Role in Mergers and Acquisition - Article Example The corporate culture aspect involves litigation risks such as employee contracts, the collective bargaining agreements, failure to consider the target company’s employee management issues, and the organizational leadership structure. The change capacity risks include the employees’ rigidity and perspective regarding the behavioural change. Other risks include failure to analyze the insurance policies of the target company, the current claim threats against the enterprise, matters in arbitration, pending litigation, and terms of previous settlements (Lee & Carpenter, 2012). The roles of the HR in the major phases of a merger or acquisition vary depending on the nature of the process involved. However, there are essential functions that all HR departments need to consider limiting the possibilities of litigation. During the due diligence phase, the HR has to establish a rigorous target decision criteria and create value in the process. The HR has to interact with the tar get company’s employees and find out as much information regarding their operations and organizational cultures. The HR analyzes the company’s policies and terms of engagement with the various stakeholders to ensure that all aspects are outlined and solutions implemented accordingly. The data collected should be carefully protected with the standards detailed in the company’s privacy policy, and the department must also ensure that the process is confidential with no retaliation possibilities (Protiviti, 2014).

Indian Essay Topics For Your Final Examination

Indian Essay Topics For Your Final ExaminationThere are many benefits in choosing Indian essay topics for the final examination. These essays are specifically written to study various ideas and facts that students learn throughout their academic career. Here are some of the benefits of choosing Indian topic.Studying Indian topics help you understand the culture, art, traditions, rituals, and cuisine. The interest with all these topics help the students in comprehending the various cultural aspects of India. You will be able to learn about Indian culture and traditions through the content of this subject.Studies on these topics can prepare the students for future careers by enhancing their overall knowledge on the topic. If you want to study a field other than your mother language then learning the same is also important. If you want to pursue a career in business or studies in medical or law, you need to understand the basic knowledge on a certain field.It can be considered as an add ed advantage if you have studied your native language, if you had a good grade in your native language then the same can help you pass the national exam in your country. There are different tests and papers for which the subject matter varies from one country to another. So it would be beneficial to take up the subject matter that helps you in gaining knowledge of the subjects that will help you study effectively in the world.It is always good to learn new things. This means taking the learning process into your own hands. You will be able to learn the subject material from your own learning process.It is a good idea to combine several subjects that can help you learn more about the subject. It is always better to learn the topics in a holistic manner. You should also concentrate on the learning process and concentrate on a subject that could help you in advancing the studies.One of the advantages with Indian essay topics is that you have the option to select the best subject for yo ur final. It is very common that students take the subject which is related to their area of interest and a final subject that would not be too difficult for them. But if you want to become an advanced student then you have to choose a subject that would help you to advance in the career and understanding of the subject. Take your time in studying and focus on the topic that you have chosen wisely.

The Number One Article on College Essay Example Admission

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Marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing plan - Essay Example The Apple 1 was a design of a microcomputer system with video terminal and 8k bytes on a single PC card. Steve Jobs approached technology with a â€Å"visionary† perspective, so he insisted that his self and Steve Wozniak try to sell the machine. The birth of the first Apple was April 1, 1976; however, Steve Jobs didn’t approach Apple with serious intentions, until 1977. When Apple 2 debuted at a local computer shows trade it feature was in a plastic case and include color graphs, Apple 2 became an attractive machine. The demand for these new devices increased exponentially shortly after its introduction. With substantial sales revenue growth, Apple was in position to expand the company. In 1980, Apple 3 was released and everyone from employees to managers were purchasing Apple computers. However, shortly after Apple took a hit in 1981 and operations began to slow down, resulting a layoff off 40 employees. In addition, and unfortunate during this slowdown for the compan y, Steve Wozniak suffered a car accident, which resulted in Steve Jobs stepping up and becoming the chairman of Apple. As time progressed with the market growing rapidly IBM released their first PC and they quickly dominated the market. Steve Jobs team worked as quickly as possible to compete with the IBM. In the end, Steve Jobs realized that Apple would need to become a â€Å"grown up† company and then realized that he might not be the man for the job. In 1983, Jobs believed that John Sculley would be the man for the job and he became the president and CEO of Apple. Although Sculley was an overachieving businessman, in which he did not have much knowledge about the computer industry. Jobs, who of course was knowledgeable concluded that Mac would ultimately be made or broken by software industry. In January, Apple had a 60 In second commercial introducing the Macintosh, analysts predicted that the IBM world would be shattered by Macintosh. The Mac had a strong reputation amon g

An Unbiased Perspective on Ncdap Essay Topics

An Unbiased Perspective on Ncdap Essay Topics The Upside to Ncdap Essay Topics Selecting a great topic for your essay is among the most crucial and frequently tricky parts for many students. Essays might be challenging assignment for many students. Writing a persuasive essay is an incredibly important skill that is sure to assist you in your life. Writing argumentative essay is a complicated endeavor, as it requires the presence of many skills at the exact same moment. There are a few thumb rules for argumentative essay subjects to prevent clashes, yet earning a point at exactly the same time. You may also decide on any latest research work that's a little controversial to allure the readers to compose argumentative essay. Persuasive essays are a really good method to encourage the reader to check at a particular topic in a different light. So, the best method to compose a wonderful persuasive essay is to discover a theme you're familiarized with and wish to share your exp erience with the reader. Characteristics of Ncdap Essay Topics For example, let's say if you're writing about language history essay than you are going to have to incorporate all of the information concerning the history language on the planet irrespective of any specific region while in specific language history essay, you would chat about history of the language of a certain region. Another good idea is to receive some totally free essay examples of different sorts and on various subjects to find a general idea of the way in which a prosperous debatable paper looks. The college essays need to be organized in the particular format and design based on the instructions given. On the opposing side, acquiring a list of good persuasive essay topics is insufficient. Take notes concerning all prospective topics it is possible to consider. The intention of the essay is to select an argument and attempt to persuade the reader to adopt it. Anyone who read a lot can hone his vocabulary skills, which are extremely vital for any great writer so that they could easily compose the stories and use the most suitable word for virtually any notion that is being conveyed. First off, select a topic that's interesting for you before you think how others are going to react to it. You should make sure you're very interested in the topic before you are able to persuade others about it. It's important to understand that essay topics are just basic ideas that leave you pondering a notion that might be a huge deal to somebody else. The description of the event mig ht include the feeling of attending a particular birthday party. Different significance of a specific word is dependent upon the group of individuals who uses it. In most instances, you want to think of a topic that will permit other people to realize your standpoint, and telling them to think that what you write is true. You're guaranteed the communication essay is going to be that which you've asked for. For that, research for sources to put in your essay to back up your viewpoint. Before you commence working on the paper, you must go through several topics to compose a persuasive essay on. The themes related to the older syllabus have a tendency to be more negative. There are many intriguing topics that could be become a persuasive essay if you take the opportunity to think about doing it. Weave in your perspective to turn your essay unique. Persuasive essays share a whole lot of resemblance with argumentative essays. All persuasive essays are like argumentative essays. Perhaps, writing argumentative essays isn't that an effortless endeavor. The more information you'll be able to gather about the subject, the better prepared you'll be for writing your essay. Possessing no concept of the persuasive essay topics, you just do not understand what to write about. Still, figuring out the ideal topic for your essay isn't your only concern for a student. There are several interesting and challenging Shakespeare essay topics to select from. Controversial issues are happening all of the time, all you have to do is turn on the news and you're able to locate a vast collection of topics to select from. No matter the length of time you've had public speaking jobs, take some time and invest to construct your hot list. Since you can see, a lot of the topics listed are new and tackle the recent issues happening in the World today.

Expansion of Spanish clothing retailer Zaras

Expansion of Spanish clothing retailer Zaras This article examines the case of the Spanish clothing retailer Zaras experience of and plans for further expansion into Southern and Northern American markets. It argues that given the unique distribution and production functions of the retailer that possible problems exist for continued expansion in the US market. The problems associated with this given the characteristics of local markets and pressures from rival operators means that a recommendation is made for an adjusted international strategy for the company despite its broad successes elsewhere globally. Introduction Globalisation has become an essential element of international marketing principles and it has been argued that one of the keys to success in global markets is the effective development and marketing of standardised products and brands (Douglas Wind, 1987). Jay (2000) suggests that the development of international enterprises is as a consequence of reduced barriers for trading due to developments in information technology. Jones (2002) argues that successful international operations are those which integrate and cooperate in business activities across national boundaries. It is clear that the clothing industry is a significant part of the internationalisation process in terms of the critical growth of the clothing retailing sector in global markets and attendant activities such as global sourcing. The international expansion of Zara is led by its parent company Grupo Inditex which is based in Spain and Zara has achieved an impressive annual growth of 26% over the last five years (DAndrea Arnold, 2002). Based in Spain Zara has grown from 180 stores to 1.080 stores in 33 countries and in 2002 150 stores were added in 9 countries and further expansion has been planned and expected. As the biggest economy in the world the American market is an attractive one for Zara and stores located in New York were announced as being successful indicators towards future market penetration. The huge American market and especially the North American marketplace was highlighted as the next move for the companys expansion plan yet the diversity in this market and high level of competition creates challenges for continued Zaras success. Environmental Analysis A clear understanding of the business environment is essential for companies in competing in the global economy. This is particularly important in relation to international strategy. Environmental analysis can be made from both a macro and micro perspective and both the PESTEL and Porters industrial analysis are useful instruments of analyses (Johnson Scholes, 2002). PESTEL analyses the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal events that have impacts on a business. Of interest in this case is the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which helped regional economic growth among member countries through eliminating tariffs and government encouragement of foreign direct investment. This creates threats to Zara in terms of an entry model as well as marketing strategy. The American market is highly attractive for multinational companies such as Zara. The US is the number one economy in the world although since the terrorist attacks in 2001 the American economy slowed down accompanied with a reduction in consumer confidence. According to Jobber (2001) where national economic performance and customer confidence is poor consumers will reduce consumption of non essential products. This poses problems for Zara in competing in a highly competitive marketplace where demanding for clothing has decreased. Zara however provides luxury clothing products at a reasonable price which provides the company with competitive advantages in terms of price, quality and brand name. The success of Zara depends on an effective logistics system and it is one of the few companies with in-house design and production enabling them to provide new clothing lines within 15 days instead of the 9 months average lead-in time of the textile and clothing industry. It is fair to say that this logistics system based on information technology and computerized design and production programs enables Zara to maintain competitive advantages over other international competitors. However previous experiences in operating in South America where a complex and large distribution centre was established in order to supply the southern region saw challenges in the integrated supply chain being created. Language as one of the most important elements of culture plays a vital role in shaping international marketing strategy simply because people under different social and cultural environments share different value systems and display varied consumer behaviour (Bradley, 2005). Additionally it is useful to be aware of the new form of political economy which suggests that economic phenomena are highly linked with political issues in that governments seek to use political power to achieve economic benefits (Rugman Hodgetts, 2003). Examples of this can be seen in the increasing role of developing countries in the world economy. In the case of the textile and clothing industry more and more retailers and manufacturers source from lower labour cost developing countries res ulting in significant competitive pressures on Zara which insists on sourcing mainly from Europe and relying on its in-house design and production. Porter (1980) provides a useful framework in understanding the industrial environment in which companies are involved in. The competitive level in an industry shapes a firms strategy in competing in its marketplace and in turn this is shaped by the performance of operators within the industry. It is obvious that competition levels are high in both the North and South American marketplace. Zara entered the South American market where American brands such as GAP and the Swedish brand HM were major competitors within the middle clothing market. Similarly buyer power has increased in the modern business environment and Zara needs to effectively satisfy customers globally from different nations and cultural backgrounds. Improvement in US consumer confidence demonstrated in the research creates opportunities for Zara in expanding its market from south to the north (BBC News, 2005). Nevertheless the issue of different supply systems needs to be resolved utilising Zaras integrated global sup ply and logistics chain. The strategic plan to establish a specific supply and distribution centre for the North America market aims to control cost and maintain competitive capabilities in competing with companies from member countries of NAFTA such as Canada and Mexico as well as local players who source from cheaper overseas suppliers. Due to the nature of the clothing retailing industry the diversity of retailing forms in the US is complex including both large numbers as well as different formats for retailers including large retailers, department stores, merchandise shops, small specialty operators and discount stores. There are potential new entrants into this marketplace and hence it is critical for Zara to be aware of the high competition level in the US clothing retailing industry at all levels of the market. Market Segmentation Market segmentation aims to provide relevant information for a basis for the selection of target markets (Bradley, 2005). Zaras targeted customers are people who seek for higher quality clothing products at reasonable prices. In this case targeted American customers were those who expressed interest in European branded clothes. First of all Zaras women collection is divided into three categories: Zara Women, Zara Basic and the sporty Trafaluc representing market segments for women who look for a more formal style, younger women for a more informal style and younger women and teenagers while menswear included Mens Line at Zara, Zara Basics, its club-wear brand 100Zara and Zara Sport (DAndrea Arnold, 2002). In this sense the general public from all age groups can be seen as potential customers targeted by specific sub-brands of Zara. A second important variable in defining segmentation is based on psychographic characteristics such as lifestyle which will be discussed in detail in the next section (Jobber, 2001). As one of the most famous and successful European brands Zara in its existing south American market targeted people who were especially interested in European styles at affordable price levels. This targeting strategy remained the same for Zara in expanding in the North American marketplace. One definition of consumers suggests that it can be seen as individuals as well as groups of people purchase products or services for personal use, household or gifts. In other words they can be classified as end users of particular products (Solomon et al, 2002). Retailers are situated in the final steps of the distribution chain and are closely linked with end users or customers. Therefore it is useful to look at the concept of consumer behaviour in relation to clothing buying in light of target segmentation strategies pursued by Zara. Blackwell, Miniard and Engel (2000) define the initial step of consumption processes as the recognition of needs which can be influenced by various factors such as reference group values, self esteem and external cultural and social value systems. Particularly modern customers have become more sophisticated and learn more from their purchasing experiences with price often deployed as a key indicator as to the quality of goods (Jobber, 2001). This is arguably the case for buying activity in the clothing sector with brand name, price, style as well as quality tending to have important effects on the decision making processes leading to purchasing. According to Entwistle (2000) clothing is not simply about physical garments but takes on a multi-faceted significance where people use fashion to define and negotiate their identity in wider social contexts. Increasing power for consumers enables them to bargain for lower priced clothing yet it remains the case that pure discount on price is not necessarily important for them in make purchasing decisions. This aspect of consumer behaviour offers a useful insight for Zara in establishing its competitive advantages based on an effective logistics and supply chain through ensuring quality with reduced costs matched to a strong brand name. Foxall, Goldsmith and Brown (1998) argue that there are several stages after need recognition leading to final buying activity and as such the co mmunication strategy used to build up effective customer relationships and brand image by clothing retailers is most useful at the early stage in order to have a lasting impact on purchasing decisions. In this retail context women are suggested to constitute a major proportion of consumers (Domosh, 1996). Particularly women are more involved in both social and economic life functions which results in increasing demands on fashion in terms of style and self identity. Additionally a determinant of the degree to which customers evaluate a brand is the level of involvement with high involvement meaning extensive evaluation of the product and/or alternatives (Hawkins, Best and Coney, 1989). For clothing products the degree of involvement is suggested as being typically medium to high (Breward, 2000). Bearing in mind the concept of involvement and the role of women in purchasing Zara used a suite of effective marketing tools in maintaining customer loyalty through providing value added clothing relevant to identified market preferences. This is because in terms of fashion a stylish and sophisticated brand image in terms of trends, styles and tastes is a key success factor in building a b rand name for a retailer such as Zara. Similarly effectively maintaining customer loyalty in terms of repeat buying is a major contributor to successfully expanding its market share in the US market. Marketing Strategy Analysis and Evaluation Based on its successful experience in operating in New York Zara pursued a strategic market expansion strategy in order to maintain organisational growth in terms of market share and the accruement of financial benefits. The establishment of a distribution centre in the outskirts of Buenos Aires enabled Zara supply the southern region as well as played a strategic role in supplying the new northern market (DAndrea Arnold, 2002). With Zara being one of the few companies utilising in-house design and production meant sourcing locally was its main strategy rather than switching to overseas suppliers. This strategic choice did enhance the competitive capabilities of Zara in terms of short lead time and effective logistics control but added to pressure from competitors who sourced abroad resulting in competitive pricing in the middle market by rivals such as HM and GAP. In addition in considering an integrated supply chain the distribution centre to some extent caused inefficiencies in the overall system in that decisions on the choice of local manufacturers had been made difficult due to the closure of American textile and clothing manufacturers who moved production lines to Asia. As such the market expansions strategy remains unclear in terms of it achieving growth based on effective franchises rather than through adding new stores and entering new markets. This can be said to be especially the case for the North American market. Although the market size is large and entry barriers are low due to the cultural differences between south and north US regions means significant attention must be paid to the marketing mix in order to achieve synergy from integration. Life styles are different in North and South America hence the branding strategy used by Zara is essential in differentiating itself with both from existing rivals and attracting new custom ers within each of the respective markets. Evaluation of marketing mix In the context of international market and keeping in mind different macro and micro environmental conditions an international marketing mix needs to be varied from one context to another (Keegan Green, 2003). Based on the branding marketing mix strategies it is of importance to look at international marketing models in the North American market considering different operational environments and different consumer behaviour in southern and northern markets. Product and brand The term product not only refers to tangible goods but also entails intangible attributes such as customer service and brand name (Keegan Green, 2003). As a retailer Zara provides a similar range of products in both the southern and northern markets in the US as those provided in its domestic market. However the intangible resource which Zara as a strong brand in New York occupying the middle fashion market appears to be less visible more broadly in the North American markets in comparison with the national brand image of GAP. Traditionally the brand image of Zara as a retailer is one targeted on middle income consumers seeking high fashion styles at reasonable prices. As a result of successful operation in the EU market as well as Asian and South American markets Zara was able to create a strong brand image in the middle fashion market in order to compete with GAP and HM who are also two major operators in the wider global market. Price Price is argued as being an important indicator for customers in evaluating the quality of products and within the clothing sector this also holds true (Easey, 2002). The price mix deployed in the US market is double that found in its domestic region in Spain due to higher operational cost and higher labour costs. It has been suggested that the clothing industry is labour intensive and that effective human resource management strategy contributes in a key manner to effective cost control and in turn allow for competitive pricing in the market (Jones, 2002). As a result the operational strategy employed by Zara has been consistently challenged by competitive pricing from competitors who source from cheaper developing countries. As a result the efficacy of an integrated logistics and supply chain can be questioned along with the ability of maintaining this over the long term given the diversity and complexity of the clothing manufacturing industry in the US. In sum Zaras operation in i nternational markets appears to be experiencing rapid growth in terms of new branches and improving sales and profit but longer term challenges need to be addressed as a priority. Easey (2002) argues that pricing regimes for clothing products may need to change depending on different characteristics in each national market but that communication and management of these changes need to be directed from a strategic level. Communication An integrated communication strategy is an important part of the marketing mix within a branding strategy framework. This seems to be even more essential in the clothing retailing industrial context involving the use of celebrities as a critical communication tool in communicating with customers. For Blythe (2000) marketing communications objectives are created in order to develop a customer base and improve sales through increasing both new and existing customers expenditure on a brands products. However Zara has rarely exploited advertising campaigns except in the case of its launch of two main product ranges occurring seasonally each year. This can help explain its low brand awareness in the North American market which is a threat to successful entry into this marketplace. Additionally visual merchandising such as store design and layout has become widely regarded as important communication tools with consumers (Lea-Greenwood, 2002). In the case of Zara store design such as clear lighting, white walls and ceiling and style-related decorations such as photographs were deployed in order to create an elegant atmosphere emphasising a brand image reflecting European trends. Likewise employee uniforms helped Zara maintain a visual and physical presence of the brand image and helped in communicating with customers and needed only minor adjustments between southern and northern stores. It is believed that the format and experience of a trading environment particularly in clothing retailing interacts closely with merchandise, customer service and the success of communications strategies (Walters Hanrahan, 2000). It can be argued that the communication strategy used by Zara is effective in terms of communicative effects and of a lower cost than its competitors. On the other hand establishing a significant nationwide presence in North America may require either a large expenditure on a celebrity endorsed campaign or the ef fective use of novel techniques such as viral marketing. Distribution The distribution channel is the network which links producers with users yet international distribution strategies are difficult to manage since distribution structures differ from one country to the next (Keegan Green, 2003). For Zara the US market presents unique challenges. As mentioned earlier the closure of US local manufacturers and moves to Asian manufacturing operations poses major threats to Zara which traditionally exploits local sources in supporting its in house design and production. Due to the highly fragmented nature of fashion retailing it is vital for Zara to differentiate itself from other competitors during its entry stage into the North American market. In considering these difficulties in enter this market and the different cultural backgrounds involved Zara pursued an organic growth in terms of opening stores in its expansion. This is because a strong financial background based on its successful operation both in New York and support from its parent company Grupo Inditex allowed for a longer term fiscal view to be taken. However the use of English in the US market is likely to present challenges for the Spanish company but successful international human resource management should counter this and lead to successful implementation of its strategic expansion plans. Conclusion In order to maintain organizational growth Zara employed an aggressive expansion strategy in responding to internationalisation and globalisation. Research demonstrates that a strong global brand name is one of the most vital elements contributing to the success of international operations (Wigley et al, 2005). However a key consideration is cultural influences which have shaped international marketing strategies for Zara in the US market. An international marketing strategy to some degree remains the same as strategies used in other markets satisfy targeted customer groups effectively. However because of local differences and consumer complexity in the American market adjustments were used such as the establishment of a dedicated distribution centre for the American market. Recommendations The marketing mix used by Zara in the US market has been more effective in New York than in other locations. Brand name is a significant part of product concept hence it is useful for Zara to cooperate with local fashion magazines in conducting magazine campaigns in order to improve brand awareness at the market entry stage. Lea-Greenwoods (2002) suggestion that the communication process involves three key participants namely sender, message and receiver must be added to in the sense that practical contexts of business operations in the clothing retailing sector makes this model more complex due to changing forces in the external environment such as developments in media technology and changing characteristics/preferences of consumers. This is also of particular importance in international markets as different cultural and social backgrounds have substantial impacts on consumer behaviour as well as effective communication models. Secondly higher costs resulted in higher prices for Zara in these locations. This phenomenon is able to generate potential risks to its brand image of quality clothing products at reasonable prices. It is undoubted that in house design and local sourcing provides Zara with competitive advantages such as short lead times and high response rates to clothing trends but an awareness of local characteristics in the marketplace is essential. In the case of international expansion currency rates have a major impact on operational and labour costs. In turn competitiveness on price might be eliminated because of pressures from competitors who are able to provide even cheaper but goods which are of high quality. As Jones (2002) highlights global sourcing is a key trend and will continue to be so due to globalisation. Although sourcing abroad raises concerns on supply chain related risks which are often called the Iceberg theory it is imperative that Zara be aware of the significant advantages of sourcing from countries with lower labour costs especially given that quality levels have improved (Jackson Shaw, 2001). With the North American market there were difficulties for Zara in maintaining its famous on an in house production model simply because of a lack of local suppliers and manufacturers. Additionally labour costs in America are considerably higher compared to its operation in Europe. It is hard for Zara then to enjoy cost advantages offered by Eastern European countries as well as cheap domestic cost in Spain (Jones, 2002). The suggestion here is to consider expanding operations to Mexico which is comparably cheaper than the US yet offers a distribution channel to the North American market. The establishment of a distribution centre in Mexico is more likely to be cost effective rather th an building specific manufacturing factories in order to supply the North American market.

The Maltese Falcon :: essays research papers fc

Dashiell Hammett’s San Francisco: A Unique Setting in the Changing World of Early 20th Century Detective Fiction The Pacific coast port city of San Francisco, California provides a distinctively mysterious backdrop in Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon. Unlike many other detective stories that are anchored in well-known metropolises such as Los Angeles or New York City, Hammett opted to place the events of his text in the lesser-known, yet similarly exotic cultural confines of San Francisco. Hammett used his own intricate knowledge of the San Francisco Bay Area - coupled with details collected during a stint as a detective for the now defunct Pinkerton Agency - to craft a distinctive brand of detective fiction that thrived on such an original setting (Paul 93). By examining the setting of 1920’s San Francisco in The Maltese Falcon, it becomes apparent that one of Hammett’s literary strengths was his exceptional ability to intertwine non-fictional places with a fictional plot and characters in order to produce a logical and exceedingly believable detective mystery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dashiell Hammett called the San Francisco area home from 1920 until 1936. For a portion of those fourteen years, he shared an apartment on Eddy Street with his first wife Josephine Dolan. This apartment was located very near the San Francisco Public Library on Larkin Street where in 1921 Hammett first conceived the idea of his writing detective fiction. San Francisco historian and author Don Freeman explains: In the library he would read the magazines and the books and one day after reading several detective yarns he said, ‘I can do that.’ The truth is, he could. And he did. He wrote for Black Mask, a pulp detective magazine, and then as his skills increased he began to write novels. It was in this library that Dashiell Hammett saw his future. (79) Hammett contributed stories to Black Mask for ten years until The Maltese Falcon gained public and literary acclaim. Many of the stories that Hammett penned for Black Mask were set in San Francisco, as the city provided him with a unique atmosphere in which to observe and record different cultures, norms, and fads. In the 1920’s, San Francisco was thought of as an exotic melting pot of culture that was rivaled only by its eastern cultural counterpart of New York City. Therefore, it is no surprise that Hammett used San Francisco as the setting of The Maltese Falcon to further illustrate the exotic and striking nature of the plot and characters within the text (Dumenil 211).