Iago -Betrayal and Loyalty

The Theme of Betrayal and Loyalty Through the Eyes of Desdemona, Othello, and Iago The play The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice, written by William Shakespeare in the 1600’s, has many underlying and reoccurring themes. The major themes are betrayal and loyalty. During the entire play, every character is either betrayed or proved loyal. The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice can be seen through the characters of Iago, Othello, and Desdemona. Othello and Desdemona have both been betrayed in their attempt to be loyal to another character.Throughout the play, Iago manipulates the other characters into betraying one another so that he can get his ultimate betrayal on Othello. Shakespeare uses Iago as the main portrayer of betrayal throughout the entire play. He betrays all the other characters, but his main focus is on Othello. Despite that, he ends up betraying all the people closest to him. Iago’s betrayal starts off from the first scene page of the play right unt il the end. The audience learns Iago’s motive through his monologue: â€Å"Thus do I ever make my fool my pursel hate the moor, and it is thought abroad that ‘twixt my sheets’ has done my office.I know not if’t be true, but I, for mere suspicion in that kind will do as if for surety. † Iago suspects that Othello has had an affair with his wife. However, Shakespeare makes Iago’s motif very unclear; therefore, it can be argued that this is Iago’s excuse and in actual fact he has no reason other than he simply hates Othello. Iago wants to destroy Othello because Othello promoted Casio as chief lieutenant instead of him, which is another reason why Iago wants to destroy him. Iago is one of Shakespeare’s most complex villains. Initially, we see Iago’s character as pure evil, yet later we see him as a completely amoral person.Iago does not push aside his conscience to commit his evil plans, he simply lacks a conscience to begin with. Through Iago, Shakespeare shows us a character that acts against his reputation and betrays all this friends and loved ones. Through some careful thought out words and actions, Iago is able to manipulate others to do things in a way that benefits him and moves him closer to his ultimate goal. He is the main driving force of the play, pushing Othello and everyone towards their tragic end. Iago is smart. He is an expert judge of people as well as their character and uses this to his advantage.Iago is also quick on his feet, making him able to improvise when something unexpected occurs. Being as smart as he is, Iago is quick to recognize the advantages of trust and uses it as a tool to forward his main purpose. Throughout the story he is commonly known as the â€Å"honest Iago†. He even says himself, â€Å" I am an honest man†. Trust is a very powerful emotion that is easily betrayed. Iago is a master of betrayal. He slowly poisons people’s thoughts, creatin g ideas in their heads without risking himself. Iago is capable of anything, not even the brave soldier Othello is safe from this villain.Othello holds Iago to be his closest friend and advisor. He believes Iago to be a person, â€Å"of exceeding honest, who knows all qualities with learned spirit of human dealings†. Yes, he does know about human dealings, but he is not the honest man he appears to be. He uses Othello’s trust in him to eventually turn Othello into a man no better than himself. Othello is introduced to us in the first scene of the play in a negative light, when Iago and Rodrigo refer to him using derogatory terms such as, â€Å"The Moor†, â€Å"the thick lips†, â€Å"an old black ram† and â€Å"a Barbary horse†.Othello may be an outcast in Venice due to the color of his skin; however, he is a highly respected soldier. He is extremely skilled in his field and a loyal man; therefore, valuable to the state. Due to this, we soon learn of Othello as the noble man he is. Othello, however, has the â€Å"tragic flaw†. It is the internal imperfection in a hero that brings him down. His downfall becomes his own doing; he is no longer the victim of fate. The prejudice of those around him destroyed him, and they believed that, â€Å"A black man is an unattractive creature, not quite human, and unworthy of love†.Thinking this made him unable to believe that Desdemona could truly love him. This is why he believes Iago so easily when he convinces him Desdemona has had an affair. Othello betrays his wife by believing Iago’s word over hers, this then leads him to his ultimate betrayal when he kills her at the end of the play. At this point he also shows his loyalty to her by killing himself, stating that he can’t live without her. The man we see at the end of the play is not the loyal man we meet in the beginning.Othello has let the â€Å"green eyes monster of jealousy† turn him from a loyal soldier to a betrayer just like Iago. Desdemona is a lady of spirit and intelligence; she is the most direct, honest and loyal character of the play. She only betrays people to those to who she is loyal. Desdemona is a lady of few words, yet she makes sure every word counts to get her point across. In Desdemona’s eyes, Othello is the hero of many exciting and dangerous adventures; he is the orphan who needs love. These are the reasons Desdemona had fallen in love with Othello, despite all the nasty remarks from fellow Venetian citizens.Her marriage has brought her position and happiness, so much that she finds it unbearable to think that her husband has turned against her. This numbness lasts until she sees that he actually intends to kill her. She then puts up a defense, insisting on her loyalty and innocence. In despair of losing his love, she still defends him from consequences of his actions, but he is past seeing the truth: that she has committed herself to his lo ve, and without it she cannot live. Othello ends up killing his wife, in spite of her loyalty toward him till the very end.By the end of the play, all characters have lost their loyalty to each other from what Iago as done to make them feel betrayed. Desdemona is left lifeless in her room, Iago kills his wife Emilia, as she reveals that Desdemona has been falsely accused of adultery, and Othello kills himself rather than living with what he has done. Iago is the only survivor by the end of the play, which further justifies his intelligence. All the characters have reached their downfall and Iago is finally pleased. He has completed the ultimate betrayal.

Human Resources Task 1

Task #1 – JDT2 Memo to CEO To CEO: As you may be aware, the company is currently facing a lawsuit brought about by a former employee, Mr. X. He is claiming that under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII he has been a victim of â€Å"constructive discharge† since we have changed the company’s working schedule policy to a four day rotational shift. Constructive discharge or forcing an employee to resign by making the work environment so intolerable a reasonable person would not be able to stay (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2012). is illegal according to U. S. law. Mr. X states that since we have gone to the four day rotational schedule, his religious beliefs are being infringed upon since he would have to work on his religious â€Å"holy day†. According to U. S. law, the company does have an obligation to accommodate Mr. X’s request. The law requires an employer to reasonably accommodate an employee's religious beliefs or practices, un less doing so would cause difficulty or expense for the employer. (EEOC, 2012).I would like to make the following recommendations regarding this situation. First, deny any wrong doing based upon the following: 1. Mr. X neglected to notify anyone within the company of his religious status, in other words he did not establish one of the key components of prima facie (Leagle, n. d. ). Had Mr. X made the company aware of his religious beliefs, it might have been possible to make allowable accommodations for him. 2. Mr. X was not subjected to intolerable conditions during his employment, which is also another component.A constructive discharge occurs when a person quits his or her job under circumstances in which a reasonable person would feel that the conditions of employment have become intolerable. (Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, 2002). 3. If the Mr. X was unable to agree to the reasonable accommodations put forth by the company, then the company would sustain â€Å"undue hardship† (Justia, 1982) by requiring the added expense and time to hire a temporary employee to cover Mr. X’s shift. Secondly, to avoid any legal issues around Title VII or the Civil Rights Act of 1964 I recommend implementing a â€Å"best practices† policy.According to the Society for Human Resource Management, â€Å"Employers should adopt â€Å"best practices† to reduce the likelihood of discrimination and to address impediments to equal employment opportunity. † (Society for Human Resource Management, 2011). Possible practices to be implemented could include written criteria for hiring, standardized questioning, proper record keeping, management training, publicized anti-harassment policy, allowing non-disruptive religious expression and proactively intervening in possible conflict. (EEOC, 2012). References EEOC. 2012). Prohibited Employment Policies/Practices. Retrieved from http://www. eeoc. gov/laws/practices/index. cfm EEOC. (2012). Prohibited Employment Po licies/Practices. Retrieved from http://www. eeoc. gov/laws/practices/index. cfm EEOC. (2012). Best Practices for Eradicating Religious Discrimination in the Workplace http://www. eeoc. gov/policy/docs/best_practices_religion. html Leagle. (n. d. ) Jerrold S. HELLER v. EBB AUTO CO. , Retrieved from http://www. leagle. com/xmlResult. aspx? xmldoc=19891863774P2d1089_11857. x ml=CSLWAR2-1986-2006Liebert Cassidy Whitmore. (2002, August 10). Court Concludes There Was No Constructive Discharge Due to Religious Beliefs. Retrieved from http://lcwlegal. com/64957 Justia. (1982, March 22). Marvin Brener v. Diagnostic Center Hospital. Retrieved from http://law. justia. com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/671/141/442160/## Society for Human Resource Management. (2012) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. EEOC Retrieved from http://www. shrm. org/LegalIssues/FederalResources/FederalStatutesRegulationsan dGuidanc/Pages/TitleVIIoftheCivilRightsActof1964. aspx

Air and Sea Travel Case Study

During April, the business provided travel services for clients. It is now April 30, and investors wonder how well Air Sea Travel performed during its first month. They also want to know the company’s financial position at the end of April and its cash flows during the month. The following data is listed in alphabetical order. Prepare the Air Sea Travel financial statements at end of April 20X6. Accounts payable |$100 |Land |$18,000 | |Accounts receivable |2,000 |Office supplies |500 | |Adjustments to reconcile net | |Payments of cash: | | | income to net cash provided | | Acquisition of land |40,000 | | by operating activities |(2,400) | Dividends |2,100 | |Cash balance at the beginning of April |0 |Rent expense |1,100 | |Cash balance at the end of April |33,300 |Retained earnings at the beginning of April | | | | | |0 | |Cash receipts: | |Retained earnings at the end of April |? | | Issuance stock |50,000 |Salary expense | 1200 | | Sale of land |22,000 |Service revenue |8,500 | |Common stock |50,000 |Utilities xpense |400 | |Dividends |2,100 | | | 1. Prepare the income statement, the statement of retained earnings, the statement of cash flows for the month ended April 30, 20X6, and the balance sheet at April 30, 20X6. 2. Answer the following questions: a. How well did Air Sea Travel perform during its first month of operations? b. Where does Air Sea Travel stand financially at the end of April? ASSETSLIABILITIES Cash33,300Account payable100 Account receivable2,000Land 18,000 Insurance stock50,000Office supplies500 Sale of land 22,000Payment of cash Common stock50,000 Acquisition of land40,000 Dividends2,100 Dividends2,100 Service revenue8,500Rent expense1,100 Salary expense1,200 Utilities expense400 Adjustment to reconcile 2,400 net income to net cash provided by operating activities 1. |Air Sea Travel Inc. | |Income Statement | |April 30, 20X6 | |Revenues |8,500 | |Expenses |2,700 | |Rent expense 1,100 | |Salary expense |1200 | |Utilities expense |400 | |Net income |5,800 | |Air Sea Travel Inc. | |Statement of Retained Earnings | |April 30, 20X6 | | | | |Beginning of Retained Earnings |0 | |Net income |5,800 | |Cash dividends |(2,100) | |Ending Retained Earnings |3,700 | |Air Sea Travel Inc. |Balance Sheet | |April 30, 20X6 | | | | |Assets | | |Cash |33,300 | |All other assets |20,500 | |Land |18,000 | |Office supplies |500 | |Account receivable |2,000 | |Total assets |53,800 | |Liabilities | | |Acount Payable |100 | |Total liabilities |100 | |Stockholder’s equity | | |Common stock |50,000 | |Retained earnings |3,700 | |All other equity |0 | |Total liabilities and stockholder’s equity |53,800 | |Air Sea Travel Inc. |Statement of Cash Flows | |April 30, 20X6 | |Net cash provided by operating activities | |3,400 | |Net income |5,800 | | |Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities |(2,400) | | |Net cash used for investing activities | |(18,000) | | Sale of land |22,000 | | |Acquisition of land |(40,000) | | |Net cash provided by financing activities | |47,900 | |Issuance stock |50,000 | | |Dividends |(2,100) | | |Net change in cash | | 33,300 | |Beginning cash balance | |0 | |Ending cash balance | | 33,300 | 2. a) They performed very well, since they got profit in the end of the month. They do not pay too much salary and they don’t have too many depts. To be a financially well-managed company, it must generate profit, meaning there is more money coming in than going out. This looks to be well managed company since there is a lot of profit in the end of the month. Income Statement, Statement of Retained Earnings, Balance Sheet and Statement of Cash Flows are all on the plus side. Nothing seems to be out of order. b) They have 33,300 retained earnings at the end of April, which means a good profit. Air and Sea Travel Case Study During April, the business provided travel services for clients. It is now April 30, and investors wonder how well Air Sea Travel performed during its first month. They also want to know the company’s financial position at the end of April and its cash flows during the month. The following data is listed in alphabetical order. Prepare the Air Sea Travel financial statements at end of April 20X6. Accounts payable |$100 |Land |$18,000 | |Accounts receivable |2,000 |Office supplies |500 | |Adjustments to reconcile net | |Payments of cash: | | | income to net cash provided | | Acquisition of land |40,000 | | by operating activities |(2,400) | Dividends |2,100 | |Cash balance at the beginning of April |0 |Rent expense |1,100 | |Cash balance at the end of April |33,300 |Retained earnings at the beginning of April | | | | | |0 | |Cash receipts: | |Retained earnings at the end of April |? | | Issuance stock |50,000 |Salary expense | 1200 | | Sale of land |22,000 |Service revenue |8,500 | |Common stock |50,000 |Utilities xpense |400 | |Dividends |2,100 | | | 1. Prepare the income statement, the statement of retained earnings, the statement of cash flows for the month ended April 30, 20X6, and the balance sheet at April 30, 20X6. 2. Answer the following questions: a. How well did Air Sea Travel perform during its first month of operations? b. Where does Air Sea Travel stand financially at the end of April? ASSETSLIABILITIES Cash33,300Account payable100 Account receivable2,000Land 18,000 Insurance stock50,000Office supplies500 Sale of land 22,000Payment of cash Common stock50,000 Acquisition of land40,000 Dividends2,100 Dividends2,100 Service revenue8,500Rent expense1,100 Salary expense1,200 Utilities expense400 Adjustment to reconcile 2,400 net income to net cash provided by operating activities 1. |Air Sea Travel Inc. | |Income Statement | |April 30, 20X6 | |Revenues |8,500 | |Expenses |2,700 | |Rent expense 1,100 | |Salary expense |1200 | |Utilities expense |400 | |Net income |5,800 | |Air Sea Travel Inc. | |Statement of Retained Earnings | |April 30, 20X6 | | | | |Beginning of Retained Earnings |0 | |Net income |5,800 | |Cash dividends |(2,100) | |Ending Retained Earnings |3,700 | |Air Sea Travel Inc. |Balance Sheet | |April 30, 20X6 | | | | |Assets | | |Cash |33,300 | |All other assets |20,500 | |Land |18,000 | |Office supplies |500 | |Account receivable |2,000 | |Total assets |53,800 | |Liabilities | | |Acount Payable |100 | |Total liabilities |100 | |Stockholder’s equity | | |Common stock |50,000 | |Retained earnings |3,700 | |All other equity |0 | |Total liabilities and stockholder’s equity |53,800 | |Air Sea Travel Inc. |Statement of Cash Flows | |April 30, 20X6 | |Net cash provided by operating activities | |3,400 | |Net income |5,800 | | |Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities |(2,400) | | |Net cash used for investing activities | |(18,000) | | Sale of land |22,000 | | |Acquisition of land |(40,000) | | |Net cash provided by financing activities | |47,900 | |Issuance stock |50,000 | | |Dividends |(2,100) | | |Net change in cash | | 33,300 | |Beginning cash balance | |0 | |Ending cash balance | | 33,300 | 2. a) They performed very well, since they got profit in the end of the month. They do not pay too much salary and they don’t have too many depts. To be a financially well-managed company, it must generate profit, meaning there is more money coming in than going out. This looks to be well managed company since there is a lot of profit in the end of the month. Income Statement, Statement of Retained Earnings, Balance Sheet and Statement of Cash Flows are all on the plus side. Nothing seems to be out of order. b) They have 33,300 retained earnings at the end of April, which means a good profit.

Week #7 Learning Activty #1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week #7 Learning Activty #1 - Essay Example nt, does it automatically mean that customers will like it if Kingfishers copies the competitor, or is the company better off leveraging its strengths? These are only some of the questions that can delve further into the inner emotions of customers that affect their decision-making process, so that Kingfishers can be more competitive. Psychographic segmentation will help examine underlying factors that motivate people to go to Kingfishers or to the competition. Aside from psychographic segmentation analysis, assessing benefit segmentation variables can also be helpful. The exact benefits of choosing Kingfishers over other competitors can improve SWOT analysis that will contribute to potential changes in the marketing mix. These changes can strengthen Kingfisher’s competitive advantages. When Padgett talked about communication and high-performance work system for employees, I thought about the intersection between marketing communications and how the employees are trained for it. The company has several marketing channels, where people buy and/or learn more about products, so it is important that employees are skilled in addressing communications needs that must be catered for every channel. For instance, since Fighter Warehouse caters to MMA fighters, public relations communications is essential in affecting the â€Å"publics† who affect fighters’ purchasing decisions, including their audiences, managers, and fight promoters (Dahlen et al. 390). It will be helpful to analyze these publics and how they are currently contributing to the company’s brand image and how they can further be integrated into the brand narrative, so that Fighter Warehouse can have a stronger brand narrative to its â€Å"publics,† especially its customers. At the s ame time, employees must be analyzed if they have the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) to serve these publics in different channels. Knowing their KSAs’ deficiencies and strengths will improve Fighter Warehouse’s

M&M Project Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

M&M Project Report - Research Paper Example The objective of this report is to write in a layman’s language, all the parts involved in the M&M project. The report will lead to an explanation of what was done in each part, as well as the result. Presentation of the data and the results will be on an excel worksheet. Part three will involves analysis through construction of confidence interval to find out the distribution of candies per bag as well as the proportion for each color, and then recording of the results in an excel worksheet. Different claims of color proportions will be tested in the fourth part. Finally, the claim there is no difference between the number of brown and red candies will be tested in part five. Introduction: M&M Project Report The purpose of this report is to explain what was done in each part of the M&M project, as well as analyzing the results. In addition, the report will lead to investigation of quality control. The five parts of the project included sampling method, the sample mean and pro portion, testing of different M&M candies’ claims, and using 95% confidence interval to do testing. In the end, the report will lead to a better understanding of the process and methods of packaging M&M candies. M&M candies were randomly obtained from different stores. A random sample was used to make sure that the sample was a true representative of the entire population. The population here means a collection of all the subjects that are to be studied – all the M&M candies for that matter. Different colors in each bag were counted and recorded in an excel work sheet. ... On the other hand, the number of candies per bag will use the data in the bag column. To obtain the proportion for any color, the number of candies for that particular color will be divided by the total number of candies. A separate excel sheet will be used to create a histogram for the number of candies per bag. The descriptive statistics for the total number of candies per bag will be computed in another sheet. The summary of all the important information will be made in another worksheet titled â€Å"Part 2 Summary." The descriptive statistics and the summary were as follows: Table 1: Descriptive statistics Num. of Candies in Bag    Mean 56.02222

Humans Create Powerful Symbols - Hornbill Figure Essay

Humans Create Powerful Symbols - Hornbill Figure - Essay Example They also believed this entity allowed energy flow from one being to the next in a cyclic process. This connection between mankind and the rest of all living things inspired men to associate the image of nature to the theory of the existence of a higher being with supreme powers. These connections could be either supernatural or spiritual. This symbolic connection has been passed down through numerous generations throughout history. Different cultures and religions use the symbolism in the ways that are adapted to suit their beliefs. The specially skilled Ibans of Sarawak, whom are known for their carvings include an exclusively designed hornbill figure. This is an example of the combination of religion, nature, and art. The ‘Hornbill Figure,' known as 'Kenyalang,' has essentially been the chief subject of interest among the Iban carvers of Sarawak, Malaysia (Davenport). It was between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that the Iban people began to show their culture by sc ulpting images of the hornbill. This also become a very important part of sacred ceremonies conducted by the Iban community. With a standard length of over 33 feet, the Hornbill Figure is traditionally created using wood, paint, cotton thread, plant, and wool materials and textiles. At the Fowler Museum, a person can take in the details of the art form of the hornbill sculpture. Its sharply pointed bill draws a huge curve and the painting on the body uses various strokes and pigments portraying how colorful the Iban festivals and culture are. Hornbill carvings are recognized as an art form but also is an indicator of the way of life of the Iban people. The unique portrayal of the carvings are associated with Iban’s greatest festive celebrations with religious rituals (Davenport). The Hornbill Figure typically is a special embodiment of a bird believed to possess knowledge and wisdom. Aside from bringing a prophecy to which Iban communities deeply relied on in the past, it is also considered a fundamental medium. This allowed for the blending of a spiritual dimension with the world of humans so they may possibly pass on their freedom to interact with spirits and supernatural beings for many reasons (Davenport). To achieve victory during war, the hornbill symbol and faith in its image was believed in to help aid in obtaining extraordinary power to intimidate and eventually subdue enemies. In particular, the custom of Iban’s Gawai Kenyalang had such strong meaning that it was used for the purpose of reaching success in raiding and headhunting (trophy-taking). During this, the heads taken from the enemies were claimed to have powers that could potentially add to the overall strength or invincibility of the victorious community (Davenport). Looking at the figure of the hornbill and evaluating the different features, one can feel the depth of the strong Malaysian history and culture. There is an aesthetic feeling that is brought out in its design that is highly representative of the culture of its people. Regardless of the complex processes of politics and the changes of culture for the Iban people through history that has impacted their lifestyles in several ways, the Ibans still believe in the hornbill image. The carved figure of the bird reflects the symbolism of courage and power of the Iban people. The artist takes the approach of providing exquisite carving as well as adding vibrant colors. The bird's eyes contain an intense yet subtle look. Unlike other icons of religion, the Hornbill Figure is more influential than many other types of symbols. This in turn makes the believers in its powers very strong. As the making of hornbill images increased

Power Point PHD Defense Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Power Point PHD Defense - Essay Example Whereas some companies have taken advantage of diversity within their organizations to experience growth, others have managed diversity poorly and so gone into administration. The core problem therefore has to do with lack of proper management of diversity in become competitive. Based on the problem identified above, the researcher conducted this study with the purpose of investigating the issue of diversity among companies in Brazil, and finding out how diversity is managed in Spanish and Brazilian companies situated in Brazil. Prompt: Whiles diversity can have several advantages such as promoting cross-functional roles, when it is not managed well it leads to a lot of negative effects. Next we shall review some of the outcomes when diversity is managed poorly. Crowder et al. (2012) defined culture disconnect as a situation where employees refuse to act and go about their roles in a manner that is in line with the organizational culture of the companies they work in. Prompt: The need to avoid such negative effect of diversity was the rationale for which this study was started. Our next slide will therefore give us more ideas on the need not to allow the effects of culture disconnect to happen. Prompt 1: According to Barinaga (2010), a the work output of employees is said to be efficient when employees are able to produce so much within a very short period of time and by the use of the most minimum resources available (Hughes et al. (2012). Where there is disconnect and every employee is pursuing their individual cultures and differences, the need to coordinate efforts to ensure such efficiency becomes hindered. Prompt 2: For employees to work and achieve the most optimal results, it is expected they will frequently consult with others within their rank and exchange ideas, knowledge, skill and competence (Taylor & Hansen, 2005). However, when diversity is not well

Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 6

Entrepreneurship - Essay Example In order to create a new business opportunity, entrepreneurs must be able to combine and align the small firm’s available resources, business opportunity that comes along the way, and the people who are working for the business organization towards a specific organizational goal (Wickham, 2004, Ch. 18 – Seeing the Window: Scanning for Opportunity). In other words, each entrepreneur must have their own way of developing a business strategy so as to increase the competitiveness of a small firm. As part of designing a business strategy, the future entrepreneurs are being challenged in terms of effectively distinguish whether or not a small firm’s network is more important than finance and vice versa. For the purpose of this study, the definition of network and finance will first be provided followed by discussing the significance of each factor over the success of a small firm. general, networking is actually referring to the process of developing and using a wide-range of business contacts and establishing a mutually beneficial business relationship with other businessmen as a way to enhance the operation and profitability of a small business organization (Ward, 2009). By improving the business network of a small firm, entrepreneurs can easily increase the profitability and competitiveness of the business organization. Kelley Robertson is the president of Robertson Training Group which aids businesses on how to increaset the company’s sales and profitsbility via busienss networking. According to Robertson (2009), â€Å"sales are frequently developed through the relationships we have created with other people†. For instance: A business networking related to marketing could open up new sales opportunities between two business people who has a common interest in doing business. By gathering a wide-range of business network, a small firm will be able to deliver its product and services using tie-ups with other related

Denim (Jeans) Market in the U.K Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Denim (Jeans) Market in the U.K - Essay Example Consumers can now find jeans at  £3 in many outlets including Tesco and Matalan. The supermarkets however, have shifted away from selling the discounted brands and concentrate on building their own labels. Prices in the mass market have fallen due to cheaper imports especially from China, and because other retail brands like Marks & Spencer, Next, and Burtons have reduced their prices. The premium brand jeans are struggling to justify their price tags against the own-label brands at  £20-40. Jeans in the UK market are trying to differentiate themselves with cult connotations, lifestyle images, and distinctive details (Mintel 2005). At the same time, below-cost pricing methods by the super markets and their increasing presence in the convenience store sector have prompted government intervention (BBC 2006). In the clothing industry and in the jeans industry in particular, several factors like innovation and new products have to be introduced frequently. Recently, when there was a shift from bootleg jeans to narrow skinny styles, sales went up remarkably high. This has caused the denim market to reach sales of $15.26 billion ( £8.79 billion) in 2005, an increase of 9.3 percent from the year before (FashionUnited 2006). .At the same time, research suggests that brands continue to play an important role for the purchase of jeans (Jeans1 2006). Standard clothing seems to the major market, with fashion wear taking only about 15% of all sales (Keynote n.d.). Standard women’s wear has the largest share and national players dominate these sectors while fashion clothing also have strong but regional chains. The growth in the recent years has been in the discount clothing market. Jeans are ageless and not outrageously youthful in design, which effectively means that men, women and children of all ages use it. Consumers expect low prices, and increasing incomes are the key to increased economic activity. According to Jones and Hayes

Candide Characters Essay Example for Free

Candide Characters Essay In Candide, the character called Pangloss is believed to be a parody of philosophers who spent their time idly wondering about the world or debating points that have no real significance to life situations.   For instance, Pangloss keeps on saying that the world is good despite all of the misfortunes that have befallen him. Many experts believe that Voltaire was also making fun at G.W. von Leibniz, a seventeenth-century philosopher who was part of a greater movement called theodicy.   This school of thought explains that evil exists in the world because they serve particular purposes.    That even if the world is perfect because it was created by a perfect God, it is necessary to allow evil to happen.   Its clear that Voltaire does not believe, like how philosophers did, that there is an inherent goodness in everything and that everything happens for a reason, even the bad ones. Setting: The nobility of France In this play, the setting could be defined as the society, which is present at that time.   In other words, some members of the nobility of France were part of Candides life, like Cunegonde and her brother.   One example wherein Voltaire poked fun at this class is when he related that the barons sister didnt marry Candides father because he only had seventy-one noble lineages. Action: Jacques Death Jacques, a good man who helped Candide and Pangloss, fell on a turbulent sea as he was rescuing a sailor.   The sailor, instead of helping Jacques to get back to the ship ignored the poor man, which resulted to his death.   In this example, it would seem that Voltaire is parodying the Christian preaching of good overcoming evil.   Here, Jacques did a good deed and was a good man but he died because of it.   To add to the mockery, Pangloss even said that the sea outside Lisbon was specifically created so that Jacques could drown in it. Works Cited Arouet, Francois-Marie.   Candide by Voltaire. Courier Dover Publications, 1991. Ward, Selena, and Jaffee, Valerie.   Candide.   Sparknotes Home Page.   21 July 2008 http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/candide/index.html

Primark Internal and External Analysis

Primark Internal and External Analysis There are lot of internal and external factors which may influence the performance of Primark. Over recent years, this topic has come up as the most asked question in Business and Economics lessons.   Specifically, is it ethical to buy low priced goods produced in poor countries?   My personal answer is an emphatic yes.   Its hard to see how our refusal to open some markets to free trade particularly in agriculture helps the worlds poor.   But the debate seems to hinge on the rights, conditions and dignity of the producers.   For this reason, retailers like Primark (who like Tesco find themselves on the front line of this debate because of their public profile) seek to anxiously protect their reputations as ethical employers.   Recently Primark has fired three Indian suppliers because they used child labour to finish goods. The suppliers sub-contracted smaller firms, which were using child labour to carry out embroidery and sequin work. A Panorama special on Primark will be broadcast on BBC1 at 9pm on 23 June: during their six-month investigation, the BBC uncovered the evidence which they passed to Primark. The information provided by the BBC enabled us to identify that illegal sub-contracting had been taking place and to take action accordingly à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the sub-contracting involved home working and in some instances children were also found to be working at home.   We take this lapse in standards very seriously indeed. Under no circumstances would Primark ever knowingly permit such activities, whether directly through its suppliers or through third party sub-contractors. According to Primark, the garments affected accounted for 0.04% of the retailers worldwide sourcing. It currently has more than 170 stores and made a  £200m profit in 2007 on total sales of more than  £1.6bn. Primark: An Overview Primark Stores Limited is an Irish clothing retailer. Its stores are located in various regions like United Kingdom, Ireland, and Spain. Within this area of responsibility, Primark stores outnumbered other clothing retailer business, with one hundred sixty one stores overall distributed in three major regions: one hundred twenty-five in the United Kingdom, thirty-four in Ireland and eight in Spain. The company positions itself as marketing fashionable at cutthroat prices.   The original clothing store was established by Arthur Ryan and his collaborator Micaela Mitchell in Dublin Ireland in 1969. After various success in clothing business, great profits and gross income led them to open stores in local and regional areas. It acquired various premises in different business centers within its local and regional areas which eventually generate more profits and income. Primark is known for selling clothes at the budget end of the market. Its success is based on sourcing supply, making clothes with simple designs and fabrics and targets young, fashion-conscious individuals ages 35 below, offering them simple yet high quality clothes and apparels. Hence, these successes brought significant changes on Primarks retail business. The relevance of global trends and consumers demands on lifestyle made Primark Store Limited reinvent its business scheme and management structure. Primarks management and business structure As a famous clothing retail store, recently, Primark embarks in different retail products not only restricted on manufacturing clothes but also other related products such as apparels and accessories available to all human sizes. Primark employs simple managerial operation on its stores structure. Each store has its own manager responsible in overseeing the status and business operations. With managers inherent authority, they are given the power and control to manage the store within his/her point of responsibility. Moreover, in smaller or larger branches, assistant and deputy managers are assigned to control and manage the store. Within the store, there are different subdivided departments in which a manager is assigned like senior department managers and junior department managers who are in charge for individual departments. Moreover, under management, there are supervisors in charge of staff on a sales floor, on different departments like stock room staff, customer service staff, customer service desk, cashiers who work on the tills, cash office staff and staff responsible to look after fitting rooms. This management and business structure posits a simple way of managing human labour force, however, simple it may seem, yet inevitably creates serious problems and issues if and when proper assessment of the structure will be undervalued. Analysis on the internal and external environment of Primark retail industry The Primark clothing retail industry is a member of Ethical Trading Initiative, a collaborative forum bringing together businesses to work on labour rights issues in their supply chains. In fact, Primark developed ethical strategy in order to promote labour rights issues within its organization. Certain guidelines and code of conduct must be defined in relation to the ethical implications of work to human labour rights. Primark, initiated and defined its ethical trade strategy in 2006, focusing on assessment of employees working conditions, factories operations concerns and addressed necessary improvement. Primarks annual report of activity should be passed to the Ethical Trading Initiative Board. Moreover, Primark stands to a principle that shared learning and collaboration is one of the most successful ways to achieve sustained positive progression with its suppliers factories. However, climate change within and outside Primarks environment changes as it faces the challenges posed by the global business market. Using PESTLE and SWOT analysis, let us examine the ins and outs environment of Primarks retail clothing industry. The PESTLE analysis allows us to examine the external factors affecting the environment of an organization while SWOT analysis aids us to assess organizations internal strengths and weaknesses and further identify threats and opportunities external to its environment. Hence, these methods are helpful for us to understand and underline positive and negative factors affecting the external and internal environment of an organization like Primark. In assessing the political, social, and economic factors external to the environment of Primark, we must consider different issues. Primarks business operations are subject to government policies and regulations. The business firm should conform to the set of policies and regulations stipulated and enforced by the government and policy making body while conforming to the set of regulations and policies, the firm should assume social responsibility as demanded by the global consciousness. Nowadays, business sectors no longer busied themselves to produce bonds of profits and income but deeply involved in social programs to promote social awareness and equality. Cultural and social behaviors of different consumers are important to consider when establishing or venturing business in the global landscape. Furthermore, economic, environment, laws, and technology are inseparable entities in which influence the business operations. The economic stability of certain region can contribute allot to the business condition of certain firm, like Primark. Technology on the other hand, brought a tremendous effect to the status and development of business operations and marketing programs. It generates new trends in a rapid movement, which if organizations are unaware will impede growth and development. Hence, Primarks must constantly assess its strategy with consideration to its PESTLE as external factors that in one way or the other affects its internal and business operations. Assessing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of Primark, we go back to its established management or business structure. The need for re-tracking the management or business structure is important in analyzing its SWOT. As to my knowledge upon my encounter with Primarks business operations, its strengths are gained in its simple, systematic and organized business structure, having assigned proper authorities to proper positions. Moreover, its recognition for valuing high quality of products and quality services with its customers garnered more strength to attract more people. On the other hand, Primarks weaknesses can be found in its way of managing people. Although, Primark is a member of Ethical Trade Initiative, study shows given different negative issues concerning its business operations and transactions like child labour, purports less value on ethical matters. Different issues were attacking Primark concerning exploitation and abuse on labour force, other env ironmental concerns, poor working conditions, and disvaluing workers rights. Primark in different surveys was labelled as a fashion industry with oppressive regime. The primacy of autocratic and rigidity on standard structures can be a weakness as well as threats to the life of the company. Since, it goes globally, opportunities are in wide array not only on the part of venturing into regions with much income and profit to gain but also an opportunity to share and provide quality products to fashion-conscious people with vogue to fashion lifestyle. Conclusion Given this analysis we come to realize that each organization has its own external and internal problems to handle. The process in which we enable to identify and analyze such problems is by using proper management method of analysis like SWOT and PESTLE. The importance of these methods is squared to the importance of the business itself. No.2: discuss the various business strategies that firms can implement to take Advantage of different markets or trading blocks? For this purpose Porter has proposed his generic strategies which are the best to implement, in my point of view, to take advantage of different markets. These strategies are given as below. Segmentation strategy Differentiation strategy Cost leadership strategy Michael Porter has described a category scheme consisting of three general types of strategies that are commonly used by businesses to achieve and maintain competitive advantage. These three generic strategies are defined along two dimensions: strategic scope and strategic strength. Strategic scope is a demand-side dimension (Porter was originally an engineer, then an economist before he specialized in strategy) and looks at the size and composition of the market you intend to target. Strategic strength is a supply-side dimension and looks at the strength or core competency of the firm. In particular he identified two competencies that he felt were most important: product differentiation and product cost (efficiency). He originally ranked each of the three dimensions (level of differentiation, relative product cost, and scope of target market) as either low, medium, or high, and juxtaposed them in a three dimensional matrix. That is, the category scheme was displayed as a 3 by 3 by 3 cube. But most of the 27 combinations were not viable. Porters Generic Strategies In his 1980 classic Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors, Porter simplifies the scheme by reducing it down to the three best strategies. They are cost leadership, differentiation, and market segmentation (or focus). Market segmentation is narrow in scope while both cost leadership and differentiation are relatively broad in market scope. Cost leadership strategy This strategy involves the firm winning market share by appealing to cost-conscious or price-sensitive customers. This is achieved by having the lowest prices in the target market segment, or at least the lowest price to value ratio (price compared to what customers receive). To succeed at offering the lowest price while still achieving profitability and a high return on investment, the firm must be able to operate at a lower cost than its rivals. There are three main ways to achieve this. The first approach is achieving a high asset turnover. In service industries, this may mean for example a restaurant that turns tables around very quickly, or an airline that turns around flights very fast. In manufacturing, it will involve production of high volumes of output. These approaches mean fixed costs are spread over a larger number of units of the product or service, resulting in a lower unit cost, i.e the firm hopes to take advantage of economies of scale and experience curve effects. For industrial firms, mass production becomes both a strategy and an end in itself. Higher levels of output both require and result in high market share, and create an entry barrier to potential competitors, who may be unable to achieve the scale necessary to match the firms low costs and prices. The second dimension is achieving low direct and indirect operating costs. This is achieved by offering high volumes of standardized products, offering basic no-frills products and limiting customization and personalization of service. Production costs are kept low by using fewer components, using standard components, and limiting the number of models produced to ensure larger production runs. Overheads are kept low by paying low wages, locating premises in low rent areas, establishing a cost-conscious culture, etc. Maintaining this strategy requires a continuous search for cost reductions in all aspects of the business. This will include outsourcing, controlling production costs, increasing asset capacity utilization, and minimizing other costs including distribution, RD and advertising. The associated distribution strategy is to obtain the most extensive distribution possible. Promotional strategy often involves trying to make a virtue out of low cost product features. A cost leadership strategy may have the disadvantage of lower customer loyalty, as price-sensitive customers will switch once a lower-priced substitute is available. A reputation as a cost leader may also result in a reputation for low quality, which may make it difficult for a firm to rebrand itself or its products if it chooses to shift to a differentiation strategy in future Differentiation strategy Differentiation is aimed at the broad market that involves the creation of a product or services that is perceived throughout its industry as unique. The company or business unit may then charge a premium for its product. This specialty can be associated with design, brand image, technology, features, dealers, network, or customers service. Differentiation is a viable strategy for earning above average returns in a specific business because the resulting brand loyalty lowers customers sensitivity to price. Increased costs can usually be passed on to the buyers. Buyers loyalty can also serve as an entry barrier-new firms must develop their own distinctive competence to differentiate their products in some way in order to compete successfully. Examples of the successful use of a differentiation strategy are Hero Honda, Asian Paints, HLL, Nike athletic shoes, Perstorp Byproducts, Apple Computer, and Mercedes-Benz automobiles. A differentiation strategy is appropriate where the target customer segment is not price-sensitive, the market is competitive or saturated, customers have very specific needs which are possibly under-served, and the firm has unique resources and capabilities which enable it to satisfy these needs in ways that are difficult to copy. These could include patents or other Intellectual Property (IP), unique technical expertise (e.g. Apples design skills or Pixars animation prowess), talented personnel (e.g. a sports teams star players or a brokerage firms star traders), or innovative processes. Successful brand management also results in perceived uniqueness even when the physical product is the same as competitors. This way, Chiquita was able to brand bananas, Starbucks could brand coffee, and Nike could brand sneakers. Fashion brands rely heavily on this form of image differentiation. Some research does suggest that a differentiation strategy is more likely to generate higher profits than is a low cost strategy because differentiation creates a better entry barrier. A low-cost strategy is more likely, however, to generate increases in market share. This however, may result from a limited understanding of profits. Differentiation strategies are indeed likely to result in higher gross and net profit margins due to the pricing power created by perceived uniqueness and high customer satisfaction. However, these higher prices will also likely result in lower sales volumes and lower asset turnovers. As such, the effects on Returns on Capital are likely to be neutral. As illustrated in the Dupont ratio therefore, a firm can achieve high profitability and Returns on Capital by being either a successful differentiator (with high margins and low volumes) or a successful cost leader (with low margins and high volumes). One strategy is not necessarily more profitable than the other. Variants on the Differentiation Strategy The shareholder value model holds that the timing of the use of specialized knowledge can create a differentiation advantage as long as the knowledge remains unique. This model suggests that customers buy products or services from an organization to have access to its unique knowledge. The advantage is static, rather than dynamic, because the purchase is a one-time event. The unlimited resources model utilizes a large base of resources that allows an organization to outlast competitors by practicing a differentiation strategy. An organization with greater resources can manage risk and sustain losses more easily than one with fewer resources. This deep-pocket strategy provides a short-term advantage only. If a firm lacks the capacity for continual innovation, it will not sustain its competitive position is over time. Criticisms of generic strategies Several commentators have questioned the use of generic strategies claiming they lack specificity, lack flexibility, and are limiting. In particular, Miller (1992) questions the notion of being caught in the middle. He claims that there is a viable middle ground between strategies. Many companies, for example, have entered a market as a niche player and gradually expanded. According to Baden-Fuller and Stopford (1992) the most successful companies are the ones that can resolve what they call the dilemma of opposites. A popular post-Porter model was presented by W. Chan Kim and Renà ©e Mauborgne in their 1999 Harvard Business Review article Creating New Market Space. In this article they described a value innovation model in which companies must look outside their present paradigms to find new value propositions. Their approach fundamentally goes against Porters concept that a firm must focus either on cost leadership or on differentiation. They later went on to publish their ideas in the book Blue Ocean Strategy. Q.No.3: analyse how the firms and industries are benefitted by globalization and the role technology has played? Globalization, since World War II, is largely the result of planning by politicians to break down borders hampering trade to increase prosperity and interdependence thereby decreasing the chance of future war. Their work led to the Bretton Woods conference, an agreement by the worlds leading politicians to lay down the framework for international commerce and finance, and the founding of several international institutions intended to oversee the processes of globalization. These institutions include the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank), and the International Monetary Fund. Globalization has been facilitated by advances in technology which have reduced the costs of trade, and trade negotiation rounds, originally under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which led to a series of agreements to remove restrictions on free trade. Since World War II, barriers to international trade have been considerably lowered through international agreements   GATT. Particular initiatives carried out as a result of GATT and the World Trade Organization (WTO), for which GATT is the foundation, have included: Promotion of free trade: elimination of tariffs; creation of free trade zones with small or no tariffs Reduced transportation costs, especially resulting from development of containerization for ocean shipping. Reduction or elimination of capital controls Reduction, elimination, or harmonization of subsidies for local businesses Creation of subsidies for global corporations Harmonization of intellectual property laws across the majority of states, with more restrictions Supranational recognition of intellectual property restrictions (e.g. patents granted by China would be recognized in the United States) Cultural globalization, driven by communication technology and the worldwide marketing of Western cultural industries, was understood at first as a process of homogenization, as the global domination of American culture at the expense of traditional diversity. However, a contrasting trend soon became evident in the emergence of movements protesting against globalization and giving new momentum to the defense of local uniqueness, individuality, and identity, but largely without success.[33] The Uruguay Round (1986 to 1994)[34] led to a treaty to create the WTO to mediate trade disputes and set up a uniform platform of trading. Other bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, including sections of Europes Maastricht Treaty and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have also been signed in pursuit of the goal of reducing tariffs and barriers to trade. World exports rose from 8.5% in 1970, to 16.2% of total gross world product in 2001 Advantages of Globalization Globalization means increasing the interdependence, connectivity and integration on a global level with respect to the social, cultural, political, technological, economic and ecological levels. People around the world are more connected to each other than ever before. Information and money flow quicker than ever. Products produced in one part of a country are available to the rest of the world. It is much easier for people to travel, communicate and do business internationally. This whole phenomenon has been called globalization. Spurred on in the past by merchants, explorers, colonialists and internationalists, globalization has in more recent times been increasing rapidly due to improvements in communications, information and transport technology. It has also been encouraged by trade liberalization and financial market deregulation.Globalization offers a higher standard of living for people in rich countries and is the only realistic route out of poverty for the worlds poor. Pro-g lobalization groups e.g. World Trade Organization and the World Economic Forum believe that globalization helps to reduce poverty and increase living standards as well as encourage a better cultural understanding. Also, due to globalization, there can be international co-operation to solve environmental and social problems. Technology has now created the possibility and even the likelihood of a global culture. The Internet, fax machines and satellites have swept away the old national cultural boundaries. Global entertainment companies now seem to shape the understandings and dreams of ordinary citizens, wherever they live. Globalization leads to better cultural understanding and tolerance. Because of improvements in travel, more and more people are traveling to different countries, thereby spreading their culture to other parts of the world. Advantages of Globalization We have moved from a world where the big eat the small to a world where the fast eat the slow, as observed by Klaus Schwab of the Davos World Economic Forum. All economic analysts must agree that the living standards of people have considerably improved through the market growth. With the development in technology and their introduction in the global markets, there is not only a steady increase in the demand for commodities but has also led to greater utilization. Investment sector is witnessing high infusions by more and more people connected to the worlds trade happenings with the help of computers. As per statistics, everyday more than $1.5 trillion is now swapped in the worlds currency markets and around one-fifth of products and services are generated per year are bought and sold. Buyers of products and services in all nations comprise one huge group who gain from world trade for reasons encompassing opportunity charge, comparative benefit, economical to purchase than to produce, trades guidelines, stable business and alterations in consumption and production. Compared to others, consumers are likely to profit less from globalization. Another factor which is often considered as a positive outcome of globalization is the lower inflation. This is because the market rivalry stops the businesses from increasing prices unless guaranteed by steady productivity. Technological advancement and productivity expansion are the other benefits of globalization because since 1970s growing international rivalry has triggered the industries to improvise increasingly. Goods and people are transported with more easiness and speed  the possibility of war between the developed countries decreases  free trade between countries increases  global mass media connects all the people in the world  as the cultural barriers reduce, the global village dream becomes more realistic  there is a propagation of democratic ideals  the interdependence of the nation-states increases  as the liquidity of capital increases, developed countries can invest in developing ones  the flexibility of corporations to operate across borders increases  the communication between the individuals and corporations in the world increases  environmental protection in developed countries increases   Effects of globalization Enhancement in the information flow between geographically remote locations The global common market has a freedom of exchange of goods and capital There is a broad access to a range of goods for consumers and companies  worldwide production markets emerge Free circulation of people of different nations leads to social benefits Global environmental problems like cross-boundary pollution, over fishing on oceans, climate changes are solved by discussions More transborder data flow using communication satellites, the Internet, wireless telephones etc. International criminal courts and international justice movements are launched The standards applied globally like patents, copyright laws and world trade agreements increase Corporate, national and sub national borrowers have a better access to external finance Worldwide financial markets emerge Multiculturalism spreads as there is individual access to cultural diversity. This diversity decreases due to hybridization or assimilation International travel and tourism increases Worldwide sporting events like the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup are held Enhancement in worldwide fads and pop culture Local consumer products are exported to other countries Immigration between countries increases Cross-cultural contacts grow and cultural diffusion takes place There is an increase in the desire to use foreign ideas and products, adopt new practices and technologies and be a part of world culture Free trade zones are formed having less or no tariffs Due to development of containerization for ocean shipping, the transportation costs are reduced Subsidies for local businesses decrease Capital controls reduce or vanquish There is supranational recognition of intellectual property restrictions i.e. patents authorized by one country are recognized in another Advantages of globalization in the developing world It is claimed that globalization increases the economic prosperity and opportunity in the developing world. The civil liberties are enhanced and there is a more efficient use of resources. All the countries involved in the free trade are at a profit. As a result, there are lower prices, more employment and a better standard of life in these developing nations. It is feared that some developing regions progress at the expense of other developed regions. However, such doubts are futile as globalization is a positive-sum chance in which the skills and technologies enable to increase the living standards throughout the world. Liberals look at globalization as an efficient tool to eliminate penury and allow the poor people a firm foothold in the global economy. In two decades from 1981 to 2001, the number of people surviving on $1 or less per day decreased from 1.5 billion to 1.1 billion. Simultaneously, the world population also increased. Thus, the percentage of such people decreased fr om 40% to 20% in such developing countries

Disneys Effect on Society and Culture Essay -- essays papers

Disneys Effect on Society and Culture For nearly seven decades Corporate Disney has dazzled its audiences; generation after generation have been entertained through avenues ranging from movies to elaborate theme parks. While many find this massive establishment to be a significant part of American culture and welcome the Disney spirit with open arms, one man in particular looks past the hype and into his own theory of the Disney Corporation. Carl Hiaasen, a journalist for the Miami Herald, paints a witty and sarcastic portrait in this nonfiction account of a company. Hiaasen critizises the company for manifesting evil, enveloping perfection to a sickening extent, and who’s sole purpose is to inhale as much money as feasibly possible. The book opens with Times Square-an area home to many things: MTV, Morgan Stanley, the worlds largest Mariot Hotel, the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, and Peep Land, as well as the glittering new Disney Store. Hiaasen provides an interesting perspective, claiming Disney is out to â€Å"vanquish sleaze in its unholiest fountainhead, Times Square.†(2) While to some this intrusion of the new Disney Store is obtrusive, to many it is the beginning of a turn around for this otherwise less than clean, corrupt area within our society called Times Square. Hiaasen continues his bleak opinion of the company by claiming, â€Å"Disney is so good at being good that it manifests an evil†¦...

A Life Worth Living in Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse-Five :: Slaughterhouse-Five Essays

A Life Worth Living in Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut (1922- ) is an author with a unique perspective on life. He sees in a vivid technicolor things in this world that the rest of humanity may only see in black and white. By the same token he sees life as a rather dark subject, it's the ultimate joke at our expense (Lundquist 1). His life experience has been one of hardship. His mother committed suicide in 1942. Two years later he was captured by Nazis in World War II's epic Battle of the Bulge. In 1943 he survived the massively destructive fire-bombing of Dresden, Germany. He returned with the distinguished Purple Heart. In 1958 his sister and brother-in-law died, leaving him to raise their children, along with his own (Campbell 2). Despite these hardships, however, to Vonnegut life is still worth living. It shows through in his novels. Vonnegut utilizes black humor and irony to show many recurring themes noted in his works which are we, as a race, must learn to keep happy illusions over evil ones and that a soothing lie is sometimes the best truth (Lundquist 1). To say that Vonnegut feels life is worth living despite the horrors of the world is to say that Vonnegut really longs for the life of his childhood. It was a life of family and good, Midwestern upbringing. Wholesome morals like self-respect and pacifism were fed to him along with other staples of the Midwest. America was an idealistic, pacifistic nation at the time. I was taught in the sixth grade to be proud that we had a standing army of just over a hundred thousand men and that generals had nothing to say about what was done in Washington. I was taught to be proud of that and to pity

R.E.M. - Automatic for the People :: Music

R.E.M. - Automatic for the People Professor's note:   This is the best freshman essay I have received this entire year! It is, without a doubt, a question that has been raised in the mind of every man since the days of Defoe and his heroic castaway, Robinson Crusoe. What would it be like to be marooned on a desert island? And so myself and each member of my English class has been asked to imagine ourselves as modern day Crusoes, stranded in a world of our own, engulfed in an ocean of solitude, with no other person for hundreds, perhaps thousands of miles. Yet, on each of our respective desert islands we are not completely void of emotional contact with others, for our professor has allowed us to bring a traveling companion: a CD of our choosing that is to be our only connection with the life we once led. The task of choosing a single compact disc as my only tangible connection to the outside world was one that I approached with reservation. This CD will not only be my sole companion in a world of solitude, but a soundtrack for the rest of my life. It’s songs must remind me of my former existence and have the ability to adapt to each new situation I am presented with, yet never compromise itself. It must be one that I can play over, and over and appreciate its beauty more each time. It is by these qualifications that I choose Automatic for the People by R.E.M. as my desert island disc. Admittedly, Automatic was not my first choice, or even my second. When the assignment was first presented to me, like a pià ±ata at your eighth birthday party, I was unsure of which album to even consider first. There were so many choices, and like the pià ±ata, it was going to take a few swings before I was rewarded. I had Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits packed the minute the task was presented, but there was much debate among my classmates over the appropriateness of a greatest hits album as a desert island disc. They argued that a compilation did not truly capture the emotion of the band, but rather offered all of the works someone else deemed worthy on one disc. I conceded, and after much thought, moved onto 10,000 Maniacs MTV Unplugged. I love this album, but struggled to find some reason, other than "I like it," to justify spending the rest of my life with it. R.E.M. - Automatic for the People :: Music R.E.M. - Automatic for the People Professor's note:   This is the best freshman essay I have received this entire year! It is, without a doubt, a question that has been raised in the mind of every man since the days of Defoe and his heroic castaway, Robinson Crusoe. What would it be like to be marooned on a desert island? And so myself and each member of my English class has been asked to imagine ourselves as modern day Crusoes, stranded in a world of our own, engulfed in an ocean of solitude, with no other person for hundreds, perhaps thousands of miles. Yet, on each of our respective desert islands we are not completely void of emotional contact with others, for our professor has allowed us to bring a traveling companion: a CD of our choosing that is to be our only connection with the life we once led. The task of choosing a single compact disc as my only tangible connection to the outside world was one that I approached with reservation. This CD will not only be my sole companion in a world of solitude, but a soundtrack for the rest of my life. It’s songs must remind me of my former existence and have the ability to adapt to each new situation I am presented with, yet never compromise itself. It must be one that I can play over, and over and appreciate its beauty more each time. It is by these qualifications that I choose Automatic for the People by R.E.M. as my desert island disc. Admittedly, Automatic was not my first choice, or even my second. When the assignment was first presented to me, like a pià ±ata at your eighth birthday party, I was unsure of which album to even consider first. There were so many choices, and like the pià ±ata, it was going to take a few swings before I was rewarded. I had Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits packed the minute the task was presented, but there was much debate among my classmates over the appropriateness of a greatest hits album as a desert island disc. They argued that a compilation did not truly capture the emotion of the band, but rather offered all of the works someone else deemed worthy on one disc. I conceded, and after much thought, moved onto 10,000 Maniacs MTV Unplugged. I love this album, but struggled to find some reason, other than "I like it," to justify spending the rest of my life with it.

Engaging the Enemy” by Peter C. Wagner

This book has a number of contributing authors many of them well known for their television evangelism. The main theme of the book is that Satan and demons are real, they can be identified and these demons have the power to control localities. The demons can be controlled by aggressive prayers to take back the localities for God by ‘strategic level spiritual intercession' and ‘power evangelism'. The book urges Christians to use the power of prayer to take over the control of localities from the evil forces.In their enthusiasm the authors, however feel justified to distort the actual message of the Bible. The Bible does not instruct us to create the spiritual warfare ministries. Some of the Television Evangelist who coauthor this book are well known for calling up ‘prayer warriors' in full page advertisement where the evangelist appear in full combat fatigue ready to â€Å"bind† Satan in spiritual warfare. The authors write enthusiastically, preach powerfully and in their desire to influence people to their cause, have little respect for the accuracy of the message they attribute to the Bible.Most of the chapters appear to be unbalanced by the enthusiasm of the writers with the soul purpose of convincing the uninformed. The only chapter with considered arguments and balanced approach appears to be Chapter 18 contributed by Prof. Michael Green. The evangelism preached in the book and by power evangelists is a mixture of mysticism and anti-intellectualism that is closer to the Eastern world view. List strengths of book The power evangelism does leave one with a feeling of enthusiasm for religionList weaknesses of book The main weakness of the book is that in the authors' enthusiasm to identify and overcome some of the evil spirit the authors appear to be willing to distort the Bible and attribute to the Book what it does not say. The schemes and propositions are presented as Biblical doctrines when they are not and â€Å"Bible verses are pulled out of context and forced into a preconceived framework†. Quote sentence or paragraph that best reflects the author’s thesisâ€Å"Pentecostal theologians have made the helpful suggestion of distinguishing the logos word of God from the rhema word of God†¦. The rhema is regarded as a more immediate word from God which we do not find in the 66 books of the Bible† (pp. 15-16) The Reason I chose the above quotation? The quote reflects the theme of the book where the authors feel entitled to twist the message of the Book or even invent their own theology. Bibliography Wagner, C. Peter, Engaging the Enemy, Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1991, 206 pages.

October Sky

Michelle Thompson October Sky September 30, 2012 Professor Bejtlich The movie October Sky is about Homer Hickam who was inspired to build a rocket and never gave up until his dreams became a reality . Entrepreneurship is a career path that doesn't always prove to be an instant success. Entrepreneurship is a field that involves determination, passion, vision, and the power to succeed. If there were anyone who can relate to these qualities, it would be Homer Hickam.Growing up in a small mining town called Coal wood, West Virginia. Homer is a teenage boy with only one future in sight; to work in the local coalmine like his father which he blatantly refused. However in October 1957, everything changes when the first artificial satellite, Sputnik goes into orbit. With that event, Homer becomes inspired to learn how to build rockets. Unfortunately, most of the town and especially Homer's father felt that they were indeed wasting their time on trying to build a rocket.Only one teacher in th e high school understood their Intention and their potential for growth and lets them know that they could become contenders in the national science fair with college scholarships being the prize. Using the qualities needed in an entrepreneur such as innovativeness, Homer displays them all and does it splendidly. Homer Hickam was a teenage boy from a mining town in West Virginia called Coal wood. He inspired to build rockets when he seen the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, streak across the stars.With his friends and the local nerd, Homer sets out to do just that but with many errors and trials his Creation was borne. Along with the town, Homer's father thought they were wasting their time with their rockets. He wanted Homer to be a coal miner just like everyone else but Homer knew he didn't belong there. As time went on, some people from town became interested in seeing the homemade missiles launch into the sky. The boys became popular and were known as the â€Å"Rocket boysà ¢â‚¬  around town. Homer Hickam had to overcome many obstacles to get to where he wanted to be.He had to work around his father’s expectations for him to work in the mines. He had to push past his brother’s shadow to create his own legacy. Finally he had to overcome the expectations of growing up and working in the mines of Coal wood West Virginia. John is the manger so to speak of the Coal wood mine. He is a hard man with expectations for Homer to work in the mines and to grow up the same way as he did. He doesn’t like the fact that Homer is an exception to the other people in Coal wood.Homer doesn’t really think that his father cares about him or what he does with his rockets. There is a scene in the movie when John throws out all of his son’s rocket books and tools because he thinks it is a worthless â€Å"hobby â€Å"as he calls it. He finds his father does care about him and what he does by two things that happened. First, when Homer and hi s friends are building the launch pad, he asks his dad for some cement to use for the base. At first his father says no and then tells him there is some cement left over from a new driveway the company just built.Second, his father comes to watch Homer and the Rocket Boy’s last rocket, Homer lets his dad push the button to launch the last rocket. An Entrepreneur, according to Merriam-Webster, is one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise. Though Homer Hickam doesn't start to build his own company or firm, he does organize and manage his dream to build a successful rocket. Going through numerous metal tubes, fuses, rocket models, and launching sites, Homer and his friends worked together, despite the criticism and doubt from Homer's father and the rest of the town.Homer and his friends began building a rocket for the science fair, and like entrepreneurs, went into the idea of taking a risk. None of the teens were guaranteed success, however; everyone still put forth so much effort. That in itself is admirable in any individual, especially entrepreneurs. Every person has a desire to be successful. However, many people do not possess the attributes that are required in order to be successful in their lives. Success is not something that is given to just anyone. Instead, success must be earned.Success does not come easy. Success requires a person to have determination in order to be successful. In the movie, October Sky, Homer was determined to reach his goals. Everyone and everything seemed to go against Homer, like any entrepreneur, Homer and his friends not only tackled the topic of risk, but also the idea of teamwork. When starting any new business, venture or idea that isn't solo by taking this course in entrepreneurship I am increasing my chances for success by learning all the different ways of building and running a business by

Dr Faustus Essay

Look back at the two answers that you produced for assignment one, and read carefully through your tutors comments. Remember to check that your tutor has written on your (PT3) form as well as the comments in the margins. You should choose one of your answers to rework. Your answer to this part of the assignment will need to be produced in two stages. First you will need to present the original versions the answer that you have chosen to rework. You should include your tutor made on this answer. Secondly, you should produce a new draft of your answer, drawing on your tutors comments. Original version with comments. When we begin to read the first three verses of this passage we realize that the daemon Mephistopheles is actually referring to the Old man. This verse explains to us that the old man’s faith in God is so strong that Mephistopheles cannot touch his soul. So he tries to afflict his body with pains, but the Old man’s body is of little worth. The Old man’s soul is so beautiful whereas Doctor Faustus’s soul is black due to making a pact with the devil. (Comment-Paul Dixon)Yes, well noted. You’ve put these first lines of the extract nicely into context here, and your interpretation of them is very good. Do you think the fact that Mephistopheles has ‘touched’ Faustus’s soul contributes to the portrayal of him as a tragic hero? Mephistopheles calls forth a daemon and brings forth Helen of Troy, apparently the most beautiful woman to ever be desired. Helen is famous for her abduction by Paris which led to the Greeks starting a war over her which was called the Trojan War. Faustus has just witnessed in front of him Helen of Troy. He says the verse: â€Å"Whose sweet embracing’s may extinguish clean/ These thoughts that do dissuade me from my vow. † (O’Connor, 2003, pp. 101-103) In my opinion he says this to divert his attention elsewhere as he doesn’t want to be reminded of his eternal damnation which soon awaits him. When Faustus begins to talk about Helen of Troy we are brought into reverie. We are struck by the poetry of Marlowe’s text. The most famous quote of Doctor Faustus is: â€Å"Was this the face that launched a thousand ships/ And burnt the topless towers of Ilium? (Doctor Faustus, the A text, J. O’Connor (2003) P. 101-103) This piece of text is quite interesting as it shows Faustus emotions of infatuation by Helen of Troy. â€Å"Her lips suck forth my soul†: this verse explains the intensity of the besotted first kiss. By doing this Faustus fears that Helen has stolen his soul which could make him immortal. From lines 91-95 in the passage there is clearly an iambic pentameter being played here but on the third and fourth line there is blank verses. Marlowe does this to achieve a dramatic effect on the audience. Faustus seems to give up all hope on eternal paradise. (comment-Paul Dixon) The whole extract is written in blank verse, which is unrhymed iambic pentameter (see Book 1, p. 35). The lines you refer to, lines 93 and 94, break the rhythm of the regular iambic pentameter for dramatic effect. Faustus says â€Å"I will be Paris† (Doctor Faustus, the A text, J. O’Connor (2003) P. 101-103) it’s very hard for the reader not to pity him as he desperately wants to feel like a hero in love. Faustus seems to waste his intelligence on delusions of great importance. The lines â€Å"O, thou art fairer than the evening air/ Clad in the beauty of a thousand stars† are a couplet; this is a pair of successive lines of verse especially a pair that are the same length. (comment -Paul Dixon) This is potentially a good point, but you need to be more specific about how these lines create this effect. See the note to line 94 at the bottom of p. 102 of the set text. Doctor Faustus seems to have constant battles with his own head therefore making the play somewhat a psychological tragedy. Doctor Faustus‘s own imperfections lead him to make the wrong decisions and judgments. Faustus’s suffering was all a result of self-inflicted pain therefore making him a tragic hero and the audience sympathizing with him. (Comment-Paul Dixon) Good summary, but it would be even more effective if you had been a little more explicit about how some of the lines you’ve highlighted above contribute to the portrayal of Faustus as a tragic hero. Assesment Summary Comments- At the same time, you could be a bit more specific about how some of the passages that you highlight contribute to the portrayal of Faustus as a tragic hero. I notice that you have drawn on an online source for several of your ideas in interpreting the extract. You can use and refer to such sources when writing your assignments, but I would advise you to keep this to a minimum. One of the main things you are being assessed on in AA100 is your knowledge and understanding of the AA100 study materials, so it will always be best to ely on them mostly (as you have in Part 1). In this case more reliance on the chapter by Anita Pacheco on Doctor Faustus in Book 1 might have helped you to clear up some misunderstanding about blank verse and iambic pentameter. Having said that, you have evidently also made use of the notes in the set text of the play in interpreting and contextualizing the extract. More reference to the module materials here would have raised your grade to a Pass 2, but I think the analysis you have done deserves a mark not too far off.

Patellar Tendon Integrity Health And Social Care Essay

The patellar sinew is normally used as a site for transplant crop for usage in Anterior Cruciate Ligament ( ACL ) Reconstruction. This paper will discourse the construction and maps of the patellar sinew that make this sinew a good tantrum for ACL Reconstruction and the effects that graft harvest has on the staying patellar sinew. The maps of sinews are to attach musculus to cram, convey tonss from musculus to cram, assist supply stableness and guide gesture. There are a couple grounds why the patellar sinew is used to replace an injured ACL. The patellar sinew is about the same length as the ACL. Using the patellar sinew along with bone transplants from the shinbone and kneecap allows for bone to cram healing. The process that uses the patellar sinew for ACL Reconstruction is called a Bone Patellar Tendon Bone Graft ( BPTB ) . An scratch about 8 centimeters long is made below the kneecap. The sawbones so removes the in-between tierce of the patellar sinew along with the bone fond regards from the kneecap and tibial tubercle. The articulatio genus is somewhat flexed. This provides some tenseness in the sinew leting the sawbones to do a more precise cut of the fibres. Holes are so drilled in the shinbone and thighbone for fond regard in topographic point of the injured ACL. The staying patellar sinew is sutured tight together and the paratenon is sutured tightly over the sinew. Bone stopper may or may non be placed in the kneecap or tibial tubercle defects. ( Busam et al, 2008 ) This process affects the patellar sinew ‘s length, strength, burden to failure and mending procedure of the residuary sinew. Normal sinew healing has three stages: Acute redness, Proliferation and Remodeling. Acute redness occurs in the first three yearss. An addition in the figure of glycosaminoglycans and collagen cells is seen. The collagen cells are indiscriminately placed and disorderly arranged. Proliferation occurs between the 2nd and 6th hebdomad. In this stage the hurt is filled with fibroblastic cells that line up perpendicular to the older original fibres. The synovial bed is restored and so the fibroblasts realign parallel to the original sinew. The reconstructing stage may last up to four months. In this stage the new tissue resembles the original sinew as more blood flow reaches the immature tissue. In a six twelvemonth MRI survey of patellar sinew mending it was found that the size of the giver site spread decreased significantly. In this survey the staying patellar sinew was non sutured together. The end of the survey was to find if the patellar sinew giver site would look normal six old ages after reaping the cardinal 3rd. The cardinal portion of the sinew was found to be dilutant and the outer parts were found to be thicker after six old ages. In every topic the breadth of the patellar sinew was wider than the original sinew. The survey concluded that the patellar sinew does n't wholly normalise after being used for an ACL transplant. It ‘s of import to maintain in head that in this survey the giver site was n't wholly sutured. ( Svensson et al, 2004 ) ( Sanchis et al, 1999 ) An in vitro survey executing a remotion of the in-between tierce of the patellar sinew with a sutured closing of the defect was done to analyse the stages of sinew healing. Normal healing was seen with inflammatory hempen tissue busying the giver defect at three hebdomads. At 12 hebdomads the hempen tissue that occupied the defect was replaced by cicatrix tissue that was irregular and disorganised. At twenty four hebdomads reconstructing had taken topographic point in most of the giver defect. The dense cicatrix tissue had been remodeled into good defined and vascularized collagen. This survey showed a normal patterned advance of mending with clip. ( Bertollo et al, 2010 ) The takeaway message from these last two surveies is that complete closing of the defect with suturas provides better healing. A survey was done to measure how the in-between tierce of the patellar sinew healed after transplant remotion. The survey included 12 patients who underwent ACL alteration surgery utilizing reharvested patellar sinew autographs ten old ages after original harvest home. Biopsies were taken from the reharvested sinews. Using an negatron microscope the survey revealed impairment of fiber construction with separation of fibres compared to a tight jammed parallel orientation of the control specimens. ( Liden et al, 2008 ) In a recent MRI survey it was found that after taking the in-between tierce of the patellar sinew the staying sinew shortened by an norm of 4.2 millimeter or approximately 10 % of its original length. ( Hantes et al, 2007 ) This shortening may or may non ensue in Patella Infera. ( Bertollo et al, 2010 ) ( Upadhyay et al, 2005 ) Patella Infera is an abnormally distal place of the kneecap. This new place may do anterior articulatio genus hurting or restricted ROM due to alterations in joint burden. A survey comparing the tensile strength of the patellar sinew before and after taking the in-between tierce was done on corpses. The burden to failure before transplant remotion was an norm of 1920 N of force while after transplant harvest the burden to failure was an norm of 1460 N of force. ( Adams et al, 2006 ) Another survey utilizing corpses compared the tensile strength of the in-between patellar sinew to the residuary sinew after transplant remotion. This survey concluded that the residuary sinew was non stronger than the in-between 3rd that was removed. ( Matava & A ; Hutton, 1995 ) This shows that the tensile strength and burden to failure of the patellar sinew decreased after remotion of the in-between 3rd. A survey examined the strength of patellar sinews before and after surgery based on breadth. The survey concluded that the smaller the size of the sinew the less strength could be regained after surgery. ( Shelbourne et Al. 2004 ) In decision, after usage for an ACL transplant the patellar sinew shortens which may do kneecap infera. Strength is decreased and normal fiber orientation does n't wholly return. This makes sense because the new immature collagen fibres have fewer cross links than mature fibres. The patellar sinew can and will retrieve if the process is done right. However, it will non return to original strength, length or histological visual aspect.

Impulsive buying in luxury consumption among Chinese consumers ( table Dissertation

Impulsive buying in luxury consumption among Chinese consumers ( table of contents ) - Dissertation Example The number of affluent households (whose annual income exceed RMB 250,000) in China is expected to reach 4.4 million by 2015. With the growing affluence in China and the demand for luxury brands on the rise, marketers need to evaluate the needs and wants of the luxury consumers. Thus, with the aim to evaluate impulsive consumer buying behaviour in the luxury segment in China, three objectives were stated and all the three objectives have been met. The study finds that consumer buying behaviour is influenced by the internal and external factors. The thought process and emotions behind consumer decisions, the environmental variables, the motivations, the individual differences and personal factors influence the purchasing decisions. The Chinese consumers associate luxury goods and consumption with culture and history, although some did associate luxury with price. Most Chinese consumers demonstrate Veblen, Snob and the Bandwagon effect, while some do lay emphasis on their own thoughts and feelings (hedonists). The Chinese consumers do attach importance to price but not too much significance to the CoO (Country-of-Origin) possibly because they follow what the others do. Culture influences the psychological factors in the luxury segment. The psychological factors include perception, attitudes, and motives towards luxury consumption. Chinese society is a collectivist society where conforming to the societal norms comes naturally to people. The growing affluence has enhanced the trend towards luxury consumption. The Chinese consumers find luxury brands deliver psychological values as it enhances their self-esteem and self-confidence. Since the Chinese consumers are affluent, status-seeking behaviour was found to influence luxury consumption. Such consumption satisfies their inner drives and gives them self-fulfillment. The Chinese consumers demonstrate impulsive buying behaviour in luxury consumption. Self-esteem and enhancing social status appear to be the strongest motivators in impulse purchase of luxury goods. Because of the impulsive tendencies they may become compulsive buyers as well. The study concludes that the consumerism has changed the way people consume. The definition of luxury too needs to be redefined as it is no more the prerogative of a few. As affluence has grown consumerism and materialism has grown which in turn has changed buying behaviour. The motives, attitudes and perceptions have undergone change and this change is ongoing. Consumers are becoming impulsive in their buying behaviour and this is predominant even in luxury consumption. The task for marketers is complex in trying to segment, target and position luxury brands. However, since impulsive buying does exist in luxury consumption, promotions can be designed to stimulate impulsive buying. The study concluded by suggesting area for further research on the subject. Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Rationale for research 2 1.3 Research Aims and Objectives 3 1.4 Structure of the Study 4 Chapter Two: Literature review 2.1 Chapter Overview 5 2.2 Consumer buying behaviour 5 2.3 Stages of consumer buying behaviour 9 2.4 Types of consumer buying behaviour 11 2.5 Factors affecting consumer buying behaviour 15 2.6 Luxury buying behaviour 18 Chapter Three: Methodology 3.1 Research Philosophy 22 3.2 Purpose of the research and phenomena 22 3.3 Epistemology 22 3.4 Research strategy 24 3.5 Data

Fund investment and management in venture capital market Research Proposal

Fund investment and management in venture capital market - Research Proposal Example The most critical aspect is the management of the venture capital because it determines the success of the market that are also influenced by the status of the markets. The research would incorporate the introduction, research findings, result analysis, discussion, conclusion and recommendations. The objectives of this research concerns the financial attributes that relate corporate to the market status and the competitors capabilities that influence the performances in the economies. This project intends to generate critical information on the financial investment and management of the capital. The research also seeks to produce insight on the financial information through the utilization of the previous works in finances. The provision of explicit relationships on the fund investments and management of capital is also key in the analysis of this topic. The research will incorporate several techniques to attain the most substantial information concerning the topic. There will be involvement of appropriate data collection techniques such as observations, interviews, focus groups, questionnaires and surveys. The research would embrace the most advantageous techniques to mitigate the errors that might deter accurate findings, critical analysis and resolute recommendations. There will be applications of primary and secondary data sources to avail adequate information throughout the research exercise. Surveys will involve the performance of a passive evaluation exercise on the marketing and developing trends of the business as manifested in different locations. Surveys can be applied when determining financial investments, capital provisions, customer requirements and specifications. There would be a decision on the persons to be surveyed and the most appropriate survey model. The survey would be tested before its availability for the actual research activity. Direct information involves a process of both

Principles of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Principles of Management - Essay Example The decision-making process entails recognizing the issue, choosing an alternative and assessing the usefulness of the decision taken (Robin & Coulter, 2004). Since the problems have already been identified, I would proceed with the latter aspects of the decision making process. As being new to the company, I would try to gain the trust and confidence of the employees. For this purpose, they would be lead by exemplary performance in the firm. I will listen to their problems and would strive to solve them. Informal sessions would be conducted to find out the employee way of performing job role prior to my appointment. This would give me an idea as to how changes should be implemented. Bringing changes in Company XYZ would not only involve alterations in the current organizational structure but also in the behavior of the employees. To bring about this change, there would be a requirement of a team of change agents which will assist me in implementing the change. It often happens that people show resistance to change. To overcome this problem, I, along with my team members, would communicate the changes to the employees and address their grievances or fears related to the change. These problems would be dealt in the following manner: Leadership is an important aspect of any organization. With sound leadership, companies can prosper. On the other hand, the weak leadership can lead to the downfall of any organization. Leadership is not only important for employees in the top management rather it is essential for employees at any level; be it top, middle or lower level. The reason why leadership is necessary at all levels is that through effective leadership skills, employees can influence other employees (especially their subordinate) and thus obtain good results and performances. The question here arises is what are the leadership skills? Or more importantly, what leadership skills are lacking in the employees of Company XYZ? According to the trait theories, based on the research conducted in the 1920s and 1930s, seven traits were identified.

Trouble-shooting for social media Research Paper

Trouble-shooting for social media - Research Paper Example This will enable the Social media director to deliberate on object course of action in case something goes wrong. The hashtag was used for about two hours after when they realized that it was leading to negative publicity. Unfortunately, McDonalds Social media director, Rick Won pulled off the hashtag and admitted that it had failed in achieving the intended purpose. Instead of pulling down the tweets, they could have used them from a public relations point of view to turn the negative publicity into positive publicity. Policies should be put in place to deal with the negativity instead of pulling down the negative feedback. This can involve responding to individual customers who left negative feedback and engage them on the services and products offered by the business. At the end, many of such customers end up becoming loyal customers, pin down their initial negative feedback and instead post positive feedback. McDonald failed to track what their customers were posting on other social media sites. Even after the hashtag was removed, the public continued to outburst with a lot of unintended stories in Facebook and Instagram. Failure to monitor such action led to continued negative publicity despite pulling down the hashtag on twitter. McDonald should put in place a social mention tracking tool which monitor what customers are saying about their brand on other social sites. They will enable them respond to emergency situations before significant damage is