Reaction Paper: Jose Rizal Movie

While watching the movie, I have observed similarities and differences of some scenes from today’s youth. Let’s start discussing about the similarities. First thing I have observed is the harsh treatment given by the colonials to our fellowmen especially to women and children. They, if not physically, were verbally abused by the Spaniards. I compared it to what’s happening in our society today and quite noticed a similarity. It is similar in a way that women and children, even the men too, are still abused by foreign people and sometimes even our own people. They also treat them as slaves.Child labor – forcing minors to work – has been a big issue. Women slavery – treating women as slaves, sex slaves to be exact – has been an issue too. Nowadays, our people are still abused and these are oftentimes done by those who have the power like politicians and other well-illustrated persons. They think that with their wealth and position they h ave the right to hurt our fellowmen. Even a small mistake or a suspicion causes the people who have the power to physically abuse our fellowmen because for them that’s how they should be treated after what they have done.Next thing I have observed is the racial discrimination. As we have discussed in class, it is one of the evils during Rizal’s time. Filipinos who were flat-nosed and brown-skinned were labeled as â€Å"Indios† and the Spaniards being pale-complexioned were termed as â€Å"Bangus† or milkfish in English. The Filipinos who were called â€Å"Indios† had little privileges unlike the â€Å"Milkfish† people who had most of the privileges to themselves. The Spaniards look at them like they were as tiny as an ant and they were of no importance to them. Foreign people thought that they were superiors against the Filipinos.They criticize them based on how they look and they treat them rudely based on how rude their criticism on their looks is. There were different beliefs in anointing officials in where Spaniards have believed that Indios should not be allowed and do not deserve to be given a position in any fields because for them they do not make any contributions that would benefit our country. Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora’s (GomBurZa) execution was an example of how Spaniards hated the fact that Indios are given a chance to serve the country.For Spaniards, they were the only one who should have all the rights and freedom to do whatever they like and no one should be against them for if there was they would be killed. Third thing I have observed in the film was the greediness of the Spaniards for power. They wanted to be anointed immediately to a position where they have more ability to control the Filipinos. And once they have the power to do things, they start to abuse it. The Spaniards had never been in favor of what the Filipinos like.Actually, they were in favor of what the Filipinos disliked. Once they hear our fellowmen reacting rudely at their deeds, they start to make their lives miserable to let them know that they are not to be messed with. Spaniards’ greed for power made them abuse their rights. They used their position to access more power which made the control more people. It is the same today. People still use their position to manipulate us. They are superior, they have the power, and they can do anything they like. So, what they do is they treat us rudely.For example, policemen nowadays use their position to hurt and get money from our fellowmen. They abuse their right to use materials which they should only use for defense. Another example is when a politician uses his position to manipulate people. They start to make people believe that their intentions are good but the truth is at the end of the day it is not. So what happens, people trust them because they appear so nice and tend to do what they’ve been told. Since they trust these politici ans, they will not question the things they’ve been told to do.Then later on, it will turn out that they were used by these politicians for their own gain and not for our fellowmen’s sake. A common example of this is when politicians promise a program to our people. They start trying to gain their trust. Once they have gained our fellowmen’s trust, they start to ask for favors like asking them to some deeds, some which are illegal, and ask them for money. Our fellowmen will willingly oblige to what they have been asked for believing that it would benefit them.But sometimes, they do what they have been told because they are forced by these men who have the power to do so. Fourth thing I have observed is the maladministration of justice e. In the movie, it was pretty obvious that the trial was just a scene so that our fellowmen would think that the Spaniards would still give Rizal a chance when in fact a decision has been made before the trial. The Spaniards were very firm about their decision which was to execute Rizal. There was no justice there because Rizal was not given a chance to explain and prove to everyone that he was innocent.The Spaniards looked like they were in the trial listening but actually they turned into deaf the moment Rizal started to explain himself. Comparing to today’s situation, people are not given the chance to explain their selves because the moment a case has been filed against you they automatically make a decision which usually is for you to lose the case. Nowadays, only those who can afford justice can have justice. People who have enough wealth pay the one assigned for their case to win it whether they deserve it or not.

Hamburger †Nutrition Essay

Do you like to eat fast food Nowdays people’s lives are becoming faster and faster. Because of a tight schedule, many people decide to eat fast food. Fast food is a western food. Fast food refers to any poor nutrition food that is easily prepared. Fast food may include chips, hot pies, sandwiches, burgers, kebabs, pizzas, soups, and salads. It also includes drinks, for instance, milkshakes, and soft drinks. Fast food has advantages and disadvantages. Some of the advantages of fast food are that fast food is cheap, time saving, and quick. Fast Food Saves Time. People can order fast food on their way to or from work, without ever leaving their car, which is drive thru. Fast food is also designed to come in small packaging, So that people can consume it while traveling. Light on the Wallet Its means Eating fast food can save a lot of money for large families, students and anyone else looking to eat out without breaking the bank. Many fast food chains offer discount menus with foods costing. Customers also avoid having to leave a tip when they choose a fast food establishment over a typical restaurant. Easy to find place Some of the most popular fast food chains include McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Dunkin’ Donuts, and many more. Despite of having many advantages, fast food has many disadvantages including obesity and different kinds of diseases. Obesity Extra calories can lead to being overweight or obese. As we know children nowadays like to eat fast food. So the percentages of obesity among children increase from year to year. With obesity come other problems like high blood pressure, the increasing of cholesterol and other related diseases of the heart that can lead to heart attack and many more serious diseases. Fast food has advantages and disadvantages. Some of the advantages are that it is easy, quick, and inexpensive. On the other hand, some of the disadvantages are that it causes obesity and different kinds of diseases. Eating fast food is like playing with our health and if we lose our health neither the money, nor the time can get it back.

Ambiguous adventure-by cheikh hamiduo kane Essay

Ambiguous adventure-by cheikh hamiduo kane - Essay Example The parents are not so sure that hey want to send their children to a new place where they will encounter a totally different way of life from what they have been used to at home(Kane, 8). Samba is one of those sent to France for a better education. However, the Most Royal lady fully appreciates the risks that will come with that decision. She says of the children who will be sent away to France: â€Å"Perhaps the very memory of us will die in them. When they return from the school, there may be those who will not recognize us† (9). The first part of the book prepares the reader for the main theme of change and its impact on the characters. The Most Royal Lady foreshadows what would happen years later when many young people went to get education from the west. Many of them could not cope with the pressure of living in two worlds and they ended up forgetting where they had come from. Having been used to the normal life of his countrymen while schooling at the local French School, it is quite hard for Samba to grasp or come to terms with the French culture. One of the major cultural clashes that Samba faces is the difference between his traditional Islamic ways and the open Western way of life in France (12). He finds his situation ambiguous when he finds himself separated from the Islamic way of life which he has known all his life. In France, he becomes entangled in the French life and this leads to a loss of spiritual identity. This is what makes him feel ambiguous, because he is in a situation that he feels he cannot fit in, and the place where he fits is thousands of miles away (17). Samba feels some kind of emptiness since he cannot reconcile the beliefs and values that he was brought up to hold dear to and those of the Western culture. He goes through self conflict, although he does not forsake or forget his African ways. The conflict emerges from the fact that he realizes that as much as he cannot really accept

A comparison of the communities in THE BELL by Iris Murdoch and THE Essay

A comparison of the communities in THE BELL by Iris Murdoch and THE SPIRE by William Golding - Essay Example Officially known as Sir William Gerard Golding, the author of The Spire was a prize winning British novelist who had written the famous novel titled Lord of the Flies. Little known facts about this author include his tenure in the war as well as his love for animals. Apart from the Booker Prize, Golding was famous for creating stories with people who were different in their very approach to life. He was also one of the few authors who supported the cause of Popular Science by openly subscribing to the belief system portrayed by Lock Ness Monster. (ww.wikipedia.com) Golding’s novels are a departure from the tried and tested in the sense that he portrays specific elements of what those states of being that most people may not ordinarily pay attention to. In his book, The Spire, Golding has told a deep and enchanting story of a spire waiting to be built. The Dean of the Cathedral, Jocelin, is a man of great conviction and even greater mysteries. This book is set in the times where religious fervour played a special role in people’s lives as far as their lifestyle and preferences were concerned. With the backdrop of such a setting, Golding tells the story of Jocelin and the spire he wants to built by tracing it in the form a journey that Jocelin embarks upon in order to indulge in unintentional soul searching as he follows a vision that he believes to have come to him from none other than the original source of existence – God. While his sometimes feverish pitch scares people, he also manages to spread a good amount of knowledge and enlightenment in an era when deviation from certain set theories regarding the Almighty and human beings, was shunned and avoided like the plague. With his bold ideas for following the vision, Jocelin becomes a visionary and paves the way for many changes and especially for the successful building and development of the spire which heralds his success as God’s own. In doing so,

Archaeology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Archaeology - Essay Example It investigates into the speleothems as cave morphologies in the archeological study as terrestrial archives of past environmental and climatic change. U dating method is used to establish the growth phases of the speleothems, and higher precipitation conditions in areas of Porte Rico during the investigated period. Areas of Maruca, Angostura and (PDI) Paso Del Indio with established archeological deposits and permanent settlement during the period are examined. The adaptation strategies for Angostura were micro-surface modification of the landscape and technological improvement to better the living conditions while Maruca and PDI resort to relocation and then reoccupation after the precipitation period (Rivera-Collazo 637). The events of drought and aridity experienced in the prehistoric and ancient times also attracted widespread responses for the people’s sustainability. It addresses the climatic change during the Holocene period notoriously marked with variable conditions of drought, aridity and reduced rainfall amongst, which influenced various human’s adaptations. Evidence from archeological sites and reconstruction of monsoon winds facilitate understanding of the effective adaptations and estimation of aridity. The article identifies the major rainwater harvesting strategies besides migration of the populations and distortion of their cultures as human coping mechanisms adopted in prehistoric times (Pandey, Gupta and Anderson 46). The study majorly focuses on Indian communities and demonstrates how the ancient water harvesting response remains in practice to the modern day. The speleothems that have developed in the calvens of Palco in Puerto Rico provide evidential materials that accumulated over time. Through a series of uranium dating methods, the speleothems growth rate can be determined. Stalagmite formation inside the calven enables the investigation of active dripping, erosion and hiatuses in speleothems in

Economic Crisis in the Iranian Revolution Essay

Economic Crisis in the Iranian Revolution - Essay Example This essay approves that the use of military government force was also another way the Shah Regime performed dismally in their reign. The public made retaliations from increased government attacks. They targeted government security forces and fought the army in all circumstances. In an effort to try and correct their mistakes, the Shah’s government released political prisoners. The left organization political prisoners such as Tudeh, Fedayeen and Mojahehedin guerrillas were released after oppression by reigning government. Their release at the moment when people wanted revolution gave them popularity and used this advantage to organize attacks on government buildings such as offices and financial institutions. These groups also took advantage to separate the armed forces within the Shah government by urging them to arm the protestors. The main aim of these oppressed political prisoners was to destabilize the country within the shortest period of time. Moreover, they frequently attacked the army. This report makes a conclusion that from the analysis of strategic measures put in place by Khomeini such as the use of Islamic laws in governance, Shah’s regime was overthrown. Additionally, massive strikes, protests and military government contributed greatly to the economic crisis that occurred during the Iranian revolution. Therefore, Shah’s political failure as a result of miscalculated political moves and governance method gave the opposition an opportunity to bring revolution in Iran.

Who Are Stakeholders Stakeholder Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Who Are Stakeholders Stakeholder Theory - Essay Example "the social community (state authorities;..and civil society)." From this definition we see that shareholders are both internal and external members of the organisation community. Milton Friedman's (1912) stipulated that the only social responsibility of corporations is to provide a profit for its owners stands in direct contrast to those who claim that a corporation's responsibilities extend to non-stockholder interests as well. Such a broad conception would include suppliers, customers, stockholders, employees, the media, political action groups, communities, and governments. A more narrow view of stakeholder would include employees, suppliers, customers, financial institutions, and local communities where the corporation does its business. But in either case, the claims on corporate conscience are considerably greater than the imperatives of maximizing financial return to stockholders. Today, a handful of researchers have gone as far as arguing that, the reasons for corporate restructuring or change are either competitive pressures, changing outside environments which in most cases is made up of mostly the stakeholders (Anderson et al. 2001). In the changing company environment, researchers have even gone as commending stakeholder approach as a key factor of organisational survival and success. Therefore, our caution to organisation management is that, they should skillfully consider how to treat particular groups of stakeholders and how to communicate with them responsively, being aware of the consequences of an omission or mistreatment. Having said this, this paper seeks to identify and analyse the issue of power and interests of stakeholder groups for the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN). In the section that follows, using the stakeholder theory and framework I will analyse the interest and power of the various stakeholders on the activities of the University of Central Lancashire. Stakeholder Theory Friedman (1963) as sited in Anderson et al. (2005) argues that a corporation is socially responsible only to its shareholders. In this regard, other corporate constituencies (stakeholders) can easily be overlooked. However, stakeholder theory strongly suggests that overlooking these other stakeholders is unwise and ethically unjustified. To this extent, stakeholder theory participates in a broader debate about business and ethics (Algas et al. 2006, Donaldson & Preston 1995) Descriptively, some research on stakeholder theory assumes that managers who wish to maximize their firm's potential will take broader stakeholder interests into account. This gives rise to a number of studies on how managers, firms, and stakeholders do in fact interact (Friedman 1970, Steiner & Steiner 1997).Stakeholder theory has been articulated in a number of ways, but in each of these ways stakeholders represent a broader constituency for corporate responsibility than stockholders (Friedman 1970, Steiner & Steiner 1997). In sharp contrast, according to stakeholder theory, managers should make decisions so as to take

Australian Security in the New Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Australian Security in the New Century - Essay Example Although the attacks were targeted America, they proved that no nation and no people, were safe from this new threat. The tactics used were often suicidal in nature and thus, the attacks are extremely hard to control, once they have been initiated. The funding mechanisms and training cells for organizations that launch and support such terrorist activities are spread throughout the world and can not be routed out in a day. To deal with this threat in a comprehensive manner, vast and sweeping changes were required in the security policies of most nations that considered themselves at threat. The following areas that pose a threat to the security of the Australian nation and it's people can be identified: 1. Environmental Security: Though the global war on terrorism still dominates as the main security issue, Australia is currently analyzing and addressing its environmental security issues namely climate change and global warming. In addition, environmental security threats can be classified under two broad categories, firstly, natural threats such as volcanoes, earth quakes, tsunamis and bush fires and secondly, threats posed due to human activities, such as ozone depletion and the greenhouse effect. Australia's rising awareness of and commitment to combating environmental threats can be gauged from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC 2007) summit, which was held in Sydney, Australia on 8-9 September, 2007, where the Sydney APEC Leaders' jointly declared that they would be committed to taking wide-ranging and ambitious actions to address the issue of environmental quality and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. 2. Military focused security issues: After the year 2000, the focus of Australia's strategic policy was enhanced to look beyond the erstwhile narrow emphasis on the defense of the continent based on a reliance on US support to preserve a stable power balance in Asia. This carried two main implication for the Australian defence infrastructure, namely, the increase in land force capabilities for regional cooperation and a sustained investment in high-tech air and naval capabilities. The three main factors which influenced the Australian defense policy after 200 are : i.) The operations in Iraq raised questions about the balance between the size and weight of the Australian land forces. ii) Instability in the pacific raised the need to develop the capacity to

Operation management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Operation management - Assignment Example This is one of the important aspects in the operations of any organization; this is basically implemented in the product lifecycle. This operation in an organization aims to development of new products, product opportunities with competitive advantage. Quality This is an important aspect in an organization which ensures that in an organization there is effectiveness in its organizational structure, procedures, guidelines as well as the resources needed in the production of goods and services to meet customer satisfaction. Process and capacity design This is the process of ensuring that an organization determines the required capacity in order to meet the dynamics and the required organizational change. The design capacity is the maximum work or output that organizations produce or accomplish within an established time framework. A suitable capacity design in an organization should ensure that an organization achieves its effective capacity. Location selection This is where an organiz ation is located basically the physical location. Appropriate selection of the organizational selection is important because it contributes to effectiveness and efficiency in the context of accessibility. Layout design This is the organizational structure and the arrangement on how and where operations are done. Layout design is important aspect in ensuring effectiveness and efficiency on how operations are done; the layout design should be executed in accordance with the ways and the manner in which operations are done in an organization. Human resource and job design This is an organizational process which involves the management of the employees. This involves job selection where relevant vacancies are identified and thereafter recruitment and selection of qualified employee follows. This aspect is important because it ensures that the design job in an organization is matched with the appropriate skills and qualification for effective execution. Supply chain management This is a process in an organization which ensures that there effective and smooth execution of the organizational processes and activities. The importance of this aspect in an organization is that it ensures that the production process is effective and that the goods and services are made available in time and convenience taken into account in reaching customers and clients. Inventory This is an important aspect of an organization which ensures that there is appropriate and suitable management of demand and supply in an organization. Appropriate levels of inventory should be kept in an organization to ensure that the organizational operations are not subjected to any shortages or delays. Scheduling This is the organization and programming of operations notably is the production processes and accomplishment of activities. This aspect is important in determining whether the targets and goals of the organization have achieved. Maintenance This is important process in an organization whereby ope rations are maintained to ensure that they are working properly and operational. The aim of this process is to ensure that there is effective and smooth execution of operations and also a way of taking precautions on the eventuality of breakdown and failures. The notable key important areas in an organizati

Best managed companies from 3 Companies Essay Example for Free

Best managed companies from 3 Companies Essay The industry that has been chosen for this report id the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry in which the household and personal products have been chosen. The three companies that have been chosen for the analysis are Unilever, Procter Gamble and Johnson Johnson. The purpose of the report is to identify the best company out of the three based on various factors which includes the financial factors and other management variables. Unilever was established in 1930 by a British soap maker Lever Brothers and a Dutch Margarine Producer who was Margarine Unie. The company today has around 160 brands around the world in 12 categories and is providing various home care products to people around the world. The company operates in around 100 countries and employs 163,000 people in these 100 locations. The multinational in 2009 had the revenues of around 39. 8 billion Euros. (History, n. d. ) Procter and Gamble was established in 1837 by two partners who started the company by selling candles and soap. Today it has managed to become the fifth most profitable organization of the world and sells around 38 brands all over the world. (Heritage, n. d. ) The third company that will be analyzed is Johnsons and Johnsons which was initially established in 1885 as a ready to use surgical dressings. Later the company transformed into a global pharmaceutical and consumer packaged and manufactured goods. The company includes around 250 subsidiary companies in 57 countries of the world. The company had a profit of around $ 12. 9 billion in 2009. (Our History, n. d. ) Comparison of the companies Financial variables Unilever is ranked 85 on the Forbes 2000 list for 2010. The company’s sales for the previous year were around $57. 05. The net worth of the assets was around $52. 05 while the market value was $91. 33. The profits f or 2009, 2008 and 2007 were $4. 83 billion, $5. 3 billion and $7billion respectively. Procter Gamble is ranked 29 on the Forbes 2000 list for 2010 with its sales touching $76. 78 billion while the assets are around $135. 29 billion. The market valuation for the company for the previous year was approximately $ 184. 47 billion. The profits for the last three years are as follows; 2009 $ 13. 05 billion, 2008 $ 14. 08 billion, 2007 $ 11. 13 billion. Johnson and Johnson is on 47th position on the Forbes 2000 list for 2010. The sales for the company for the previous year were $ 61. 9 billion and the assets of the company worth $94. 68 billion dollars while the market valuation is $174. 9 billion. The profits for the last three years are given in the decreasing order starting from 2009, $12. 27 billion, $12. 95 billion and $ 10. 48 billion. (The Global 2000, 2010) Management Unilever being the one of the top FMCG companies of the world employs the best people around the company. The CEO of the company is Patrick Cescau who is a very renowned and well learned person with extensive professional experience. The company has always been known for its employee leadership where the employees are given full authority to work in their own way. The major decisions are done by senior managers while the junior management is also given freedom in decision making. The overall decision making is centralized in the company where the major decisions are taken by the senior management. The company works very hard for developing good relations with the employees as the company pays special attention towards helping the employees grow the employees professionally. Procter and Gamble is listed among the Canada’s top 100 employers as the company works very hard towards making itself as one of the best employers by helping the employers grow in their professional lives. The company is considered as a leader in the employee- benefit program. The decision making in the company is decentralized where the employees have the autonomy to decide for themselves. The company has a complete strategic unit in place which is responsible for predicting various factors of the company. Johnson and Johnson offer variety of benefits for its employees which includes different long term and short term perks. The employees are given ample opportunities to grow in their careers which give them a job satisfaction. The company has a decentralized management approach and the autonomy for decision making is given to everyone in the company. The employees consider themselves as small entrepreneurs who have full autonomy over their work. The employees are considered as one of the most important assets of the company. Organization Unilever’s philosophy is to implement the highest level of corporate behavior towards all the strategic public of the company. The organization is committed to providing quality products to the consumers. The organization works with integrity and commitment in order to get better and improved products for the consumers. The company fulfills all its responsibilities towards all its stake holders which include the employees, customers, the government and the other strategic public of the company. The company enjoys the benefit of strong brand recognition. The current business strategy adopted by the organization is differentiation strategy where the company differentiates itself by the new product development of the company and the quality of advertisement and branding. The philosophy of Procter and Gamble is to provide quality products to its consumer where the bottom line of the philosophy is to improve the lives of the consumers by providing them with better products. The core strength of the company revolves around understanding the consumers and innovating in order to give them a better living standard. The company is very keen about innovation and thus spend pretty large sum of money. The company has been pretty successful in its mergers and acquisition strategies as it has been very successful in its acquisitions of various companies like Clairol in 2001, Wella in 2003 and Gillette in 2005. These successful acquisitions have lead to the increase in the stakeholder’s value. Johnson and Johnson care for its consumers a lot and are constantly working to get new and better products for the customers. The company emphasizes the most on employee empowerment and decentralization of the employees. The company is managed for long term and the people are considered very important in the organization. The company’s philosophy of taking care of the consumers is what is their differentiation strategies. The company has differentiated its products over the factors which show their caring attitude towards the consumers. (Global Strategy Advisor, 2006) External Unilever believes in creating sustainability throughout the entire value chain of the organization. The company works very closely with its customers and suppliers which benefits them as the company helps in reducing their costs. The company has set a standard which the suppliers are bound to follow. This makes suppliers more efficient in their activities. Unilever is a very responsible organization as it fulfills its social responsibility by working to save the environment and the society. It is also seen working in the field of health and well being of the individuals. The company has its set principles that it tries to follow to work ethically but has been trapped in various controversies lately in various countries. (Customers People, n. d. ) Procter and Gamble proves to be a very responsible organization as it tries to reduce the level of wastage at every step. It collaborates very closely with its suppliers and other partners and provides them with new and improved techniques which help the various partners in reducing wastages and costs. The organization is also very active in fulfilling its social responsibilities towards the society. The company has been very active in providing the unprivileged part of the world with various things like education, safe drinking water and other hygiene factors. Other than that the company also has a complete code of conduct which it strictly follows and makes sure that it works ethically. (Sustainibility, N. D. ) Similar to the other two companies, Johnson Johnson has also built good relations with their suppliers due to which both the company and the suppliers are benefitting. The company is very socially responsible as it is working to save the environment and the society. The organization has previously set various examples which ahs shown their concern about the health of the people. The organization has recalled the stock various times and incurred huge loses in order to save the humanity. (Our caring, n. d. ) Analysis: The data gathered about the three companies is sufficient to analyze all of them and come to a conclusion that which is the better organization. Looking from the financial perspective we can see that Procter and Gamble is a much larger organization than the other two. The company has been ranked 29 on the Forbes list while the rest two are much behind it. The company enjoys more profit and also is very large in terms of market capitalization and worth of the net assets. Moving on to the other perspectives what can be analyzed is that PG is also better in the organization, management and external factors. Though the three companies are all equally working hard to be the best but still PG has an edge as it is also considered as the most aspiring employer. The company is also better when it comes to the philosophy because it can be seen that it is very concerned about the customers and so is spending huge on innovation. Procter and Gamble has been very successful in keeping itself away from major controversies and is working hard to give more to the society. Conclusion From the research it can be concluded that PG is the best managed company out of the three which has been managed in the best manner in terms of the organizational structure and the overall management. This has been done along with fulfilling the financial goals as well as the company enjoys the best financial position out of all the companies. References Customers People. (n. d. ). Retrieved June 4, 2010, from Unilever: http://www. unilever. com/sustainability/? WT. GNAV=Sustainability Global Strategy Advisor. (2006, February 19). Retrieved June 4, 2010, from http://info. umuc. edu/mba/ep/Presentation/EP_Olp/data/GSA. pdf Heritage. (n. d. ). Retrieved June 4, 2010, from Procter Gamble: http://www. pg. com/en_US/company/heritage. shtml History. (n. d. ). Retrieved June 4, 2010, from Unilever: http://www. unilever. com/aboutus/ourhistory/? WT. GNAV=Our_history Our caring. (n. d. ). Retrieved June 4, 2010, from JJ: http://www. jnj. com/connect/caring/? flash=true Our History. (n. d. ). Retrieved June 4, 2010, from Johnsons Johnsons: http://www. jnj. com/connect/about-jnj/publications/? flash=true Sustainibility. (N. D. ). Retrieved June 4, 2010, from PG: http://www. pg. com/en_US/sustainability/index. shtml The Global 2000. (2010, April 4). Retrieved June 4, 2010, from Forbes : http://www. forbes. com/lists/2010/18/global-2000-10_The-Global-2000_Rank. html

Case Study Ikea Invades America Marketing Essay

Case Study Ikea Invades America Marketing Essay IKEA has successfully grown in the home furnishings retail market as a result of its primary philosophy of cost-leadership, wide variety of fashionable and practical products, and its ability to maintain low costs and pass the savings onto the customer. In addition to this, IKEA has also implemented some very important details into their overall corporate strategy that affects the shopping experience of the customer. They have reinforced their chic-style and sophisticated environment by offering gourmet meals in their stores (offering smoked salmon and other Swedish delicacies), implementing the availability of a child day-care area rendering adults free to shop, and by focusing on self-service shopping/self-guided tours through fully furnished staging areas. In addition to the experience that customers regard as convenient and even fun, IKEA can attribute the success of their organization to their very well balanced corporate strategy. They follow a specific process that allows them to design and contract the manufacturing of medium to high quality (relative to price) home furnishings and also permits the unique shipping, distribution, display and final point of sale of these products in a very methodical manner. The overall success of the company comes from its strategy to produce attractive yet simplistic designs that are made from inexpensive yet reasonably well-constructed components. These unfinished products are then shipped in a disassembled fashion (flat-packed), sold directly to the customer in a warehouse type store, and then taken by the customer to their home where the final assembly takes place all in return for a price that is 30-50% less expensive than competitors. What do you think of the companys product strategy and product range? For the limited niche market that IKEA operates within, the companys product line is substantially larger than any of its competitors. This could come as a result of the flexibility of its products designs. A single product such as a table or a bookshelf can be selected and purchased as a component of a larger set or as an individual product, however due to the interchangeable nature of the product lines, it could also be implemented in a way that complements another set of furnishings from a different design set. This advantage allows for the minimization of design costs. The advantages of the product strategy are clear increased cost savings that are translated into lower prices for the customer, while still marketing your brand as a fashionable option for home furnishings Low Price with Meaning. IKEA provides the customer with the freedom to select their own furnishings, designs, and combinations while providing them with as much assistance as they can to streamline the purchasi ng process. From the showroom examples that display fully furnished home scenarios to the availability of user-centered items such as tape-measures and vehicle cargo racks, IKEA is implementing its self-service (for customers) philosophy. Another advantage of the product strategy comes from the understanding that is inherent between the customer and the manufacturer the costs are lower because they are simplistic, medium quality, convenience designs where assembly is required without exception. This flat-packed strategy saves on construction and shipping space. The arrangement is dual-benefit since the consumer can see the savings of self-assembly. This balance between quality, product line and price comes about through a very closely monitored process. The disadvantages of the product strategy and the product range are fairly evident as well. The idea of the transient use of medium-quality, self-constructed, Scandinavian-styled furniture naturally eliminates a large portion of the population as a target market for the products. Either the total combination of these details or each of them individually potentially causes concern among certain consumer demographics. The niche market in which IKEA resides does not prov ide a sizeable product line for those that are not looking for the overall type of furniture that they provide. In addition to this, the western mentality regarding home furnishings is one that IKEA hesitated in reacting to. It conducted market research and found that its product line was not aligned with traditional demand, especially due to the reluctance of Americans to adopt a Scandinavian style of home furnishings. Despite its success, there are many downsides to shopping at IKEA. What are some of these downsides? IKEAs Vision Statement (in Figure C of the case) describes how the company seeks to build a partnership with its customers. What do you think of this vision statement? The disadvantages of shopping at IKEA are almost as intrinsic to the environment as the advantages. Due to the sheer size and layout of the stores, the ability for consumers to quickly locate and select a small number of products and vacate the premises is very difficult. It seems that to keep a timely and efficient traffic flow the second level of the store is designed along a path that leads the consumers through a display of all the different product lines throughout the separate segments (kitchen, bath, bedroom, etc.) In order for a consumer to locate the product they are seeking, they may experience some difficulty navigating through IKEAs 10,000 other products. In addition to this, the scarcity of store locations limits the ability of the consumer who is ordering from a catalog to physically experience the product prior to purchase and delivery. The vision statement is logical in its delivery, but potentially flawed in its practicality and how it pertains to IKEA. First and foremost, the company states the need for a substitute to expensive furniture. They seem to make the claim that never before has there been a company to provide this to the consumer, however, local furniture stores have been offering low-priced, fully assembled furniture prior to the introduction of IKEA. Furthermore, they claim that they are manufacturing beautiful, durable furniture; these claims cannot be quantified and are therefore merely a matter of opinion. One consumer could experience IKEA furniture and regard it as the best design and manufacturing initiative to have ever been implemented in the home furnishing market; another could experience the very same furniture pieces and be completely aghast and appalled by the very idea that these products were regarded as either beautiful or durable. Moreover, they claim to be responding to the home-fur nishing needs of those all over the world; those who have different styles, tastes, and budgets. This is partially false due to the very nature of their marketing. They are not responding to the individual needs of the world, rather they are addressing the various home furnishing needs with the Scandinavian-answer. They are marketing their limited furniture blueprints, styles and designs in an attempt to convince their target markets to change the way they think about furnishings (ephemeral vs permanent, minimalist vs elaborate). They are claiming to be the panacea for those who exist in a world without affordable, high-quality furnishings; they claim to side with the masses. They create a sense of class-warfare and claim that they cant accomplish their noble goal without the help of the consumer. So they propose this seemingly harmless bond between IKEA and customer, because evidently one of the most profitable corporations in the world whom holds some of the most powerful brand re cognition ever, couldnt continue to offer low prices if they had to build their own furniture. It seems slightly ridiculous when you dissect the advertising logically. There is no doubt that forcing the customer to build their own furniture translates into cost savings, but to what extent do the consumers actually get to enjoy those benefits? Nonetheless, they continue to lower prices and increase market share, so their strategy seems to be working very well. The fact that IKEA hopes to have fifty stores in operation in the Unites States by 2013 is an indication of how optimistic the company is about the viability of its value proposition in this country. Do you think IKEA is being overly optimistic in its growth plans? How would you improve IKEAs value proposition to make it even more attractive to American consumers? IKEA will most likely attain its goal of having fifty stores in operation in the U.S. by 2013. However, it will be a challenging task to accomplish without applying significant changes to the overall approach IKEA has taken regarding the U.S. First, they need to perform market research regarding the purchasing trends of not only their current customer demographics, but more importantly, the demographics of the customers that they are not attracting. Secondly, they need to familiarize themselves with the distinct and separate styles to which Americans are attracted. The ability to transpose the traditional (American) way of thinking regarding interior design with a more European (Scandinavian) based fashion may not be advantageous for IKEA. Additionally, the products that IKEA offers are too limited in their usability in different regions of the country. Just as different parts of the world appreciate different styles, different regions of the U.S. do as well. The U.S. is unique that it encompasses all the different ethnicities of the world in a free market, the ability of IKEA to convince every separate ethnic groups individual preferences may not be realistic either. The capacity for adaptive change will be the key to IKEAs continued existence and prosperity. It is a win-win for every party involved: If IKEA performs research to determine what they need to change to be successful in America they: a.) will continuously attract their loyal customers with newer design releases, b.) may capture new market segments of consumers that never considered IKEA an option (through advertising their upgraded and expanded product line) and c.) could recapture discouraged consumers that tested the products, but are no longer interested in the IKEA brand. To achieve the kind of growth that IKEA is hoping for, should the company change its product strategy? If so, in what way(s)? What about its product range-are there limitations to the matrix approach? Should the company expand its product lineup to include a greater number of styles and price points? In what other ways should the company consider changing its product lineup? It should expand its belief that the whole world can be convinced to accept the Scandinavian design is the universal taste in furniture. Most importantly, they need to implement three progressive features to their business model (especially in U.S. market). First they need to adopt a higher quality brand image of their limited product line than they currently possess. After a much needed expansion of their product line, they need to market the increased quality and expanded selection. If they are going to increase the number of stores, then an expanded product line is necessary to attain customers in these new geographic areas. They have the image of simple, functional, stylish furnishings, however price can determine quality and certain consumers have a high aversion to companies that claim that their products are high-quality, but not meant to last a long time; or that their products are beautiful and stylish, but cheap at the same time. These paradoxes are detrimental to the attainment of consumers that are actually affluent. Secondly, they need to adjust to the market in which they are advertising. If they are operating in Midwestern U.S., then after performing market research they need to advertise the products that appeal to that locations population the most. Third, they need to increase the availability of services in their stores, such as delivery for those who cannot transport the number of furnishings they need to outfit their home, financing for large purchases, and company assistance with the assembly of their products. All of these could be acquired at a premium if the consumer chooses to do so. The availability of these offers could further eliminate the consumers that dont consider IKEA an option. IKEA claims to market to the predominantly low-middle income, young, urban and suburban, educated, professionals but at the same time they claim that their typical consumer is sophisticated enough to appreciate fine wine and fine food, participates in international travel with their frequent flier miles, etc. This paradox is illogical in and of itself as well. The ability of a young, educated, low-income, urban dweller to spend their limited disposable income on fine wine, food, and international travel (all the while doing so by saving money on their affordable, yet chic home furnishings) is highly unlikely. The more likely scenario is that this image of the IKEA consumer is the representation that they wish to project in hopes of attracting consumers who wished to be viewed as this depiction as well. It is doubtful that a successful individual with fashionable tastes will spend their income on temporary, particle board furniture. That is the equivalent of considering a McDonalds s ophisticated, urban dining just because it happens to be located in the center of downtown in a metropolitan area. If you had to predict, what do you think IKEAs value proposition and product lineup will look like in ten years?   IKEA will most likely use the size and strength of its organization wisely to expand its product line drastically, increase the availability of corporate offers in order to make its products even more attainable for the consumers, and will implement a locality philosophy to provide certain geographic areas with the styles the local population demands. It will also have a high probability of implementing a massive marketing campaign so as to expose other potential markets to its innovative and efficient designs prior to expanding, thus increasing future demand in locations that may eventually receive an IKEA store. IKEA will most likely also continue its approach to manufacturing by using outsourced manufacturing locations in order to avoid unnecessary costs. IKEA has a high probability of surviving and prospering due to its differentiation/low-cost strategy. Some industry observers have suggested that IKEA should open a number of smaller, satellite stores across the United States (e.g., in shopping malls, strip malls, etc.). By offering a limited range of IKEA products, these IKEA Lite shops would presumably give consumers who do not otherwise have access to a full-size IKEA the opportunity to experience the brand. In addition, consumers who do live near a full-size IKEA would be able to use these mini-outlets to make minor purchases (e.g., purchase a set of mugs, as opposed to an entire living room set). Do you agree with this idea? Why or why not? No, I dont believe that this is in the best interest of IKEAs overall corporate strategy. They have carved a niche in the home furnishings market by doing exactly what they have determined to be the more effective manner of cost-reduction (based on market research). Smaller home furnishings can be attained and purchased through their business-to-customer internet portal through the company website. Usually, consumers are more comfortable purchasing small, inexpensive items over the internet over large, costly items. If IKEA was to implement smaller IKEA-lite stores, they would then be competing with stores such as Bed, Bath Beyond and Pier 1. Their differentiation strategy of self-shopping and self-assembly would be rendered either unavailable or no longer a competitive advantage. Furthermore, the cost incurred to operate and ship small items to these satellite stores would increase the overall costs of the items. The profitability of IKEA comes from the savings of selling large home furnishings to consumers that are willing to assemble the products themselves. The sale of smaller, tier 2 and tier 3 items such as towels, mugs and cups, and storage containers are profitable due to the fact that the consumer is in the main facility looking for large home items. The sale of secondary items is available to complement the larger items. The implementation of smaller, IKEA-lite stores would not be recommended as it conflicts with their current corporate strategy and there is no discernible benefit in changing the methodology at this point in time.

Fixing A Computer :: essays research papers

Fixing A Computer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fixing computers is easy. The paragraphs to follow contain information on labeling parts, problems, and repairing vs. fixing. In these paragraphs will also compare a computer to the human circulatory system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The internal parts of computers are very easy to recognize, once they are labeled. We will start by opening the case into the computer. Before opening the case don’t forget to have the computer turned off and unplugged, we don’t want to fry the computer parts. Once inside, we have a look around, and see a lot of parts that are unrecognizable to us. We will start from a top to bottom process of labeling parts. First look towards the bottom the big green board that everything else lies on is called the motherboard. A motherboard acts like the arteries of a human taking the blood all over allowing the blood places to travel, except the motherboard does this with electrical signals. The motherboard has three cards on it; they are the graphics card, sound card, and modem. They act like the voice, the eyes and the mouth of a human. You can tell the difference between them by how they connect in the back of the computer. The graphics card has a prong plug i n, the sound card has a place where speaker plugs can go and modems have a place where you can put your phone line. Next to the left of the cards we see there is a little chip with a fan on top, this is the processor. The processor acts like the heart of a human sending blood all over the body, but instead of blood the processor sends electrical signals. Straight above the processor in the little slot is the hard drive. The hard drive acts kind of like the brain of the whole computer, by storing information on it and sending and receiving electrical signals. Finally we have the cd-rom. This is located above the hard drive. The cd-rom is the mouth of the human. But the cd-rom takes in data instead of food. Next on the motherboard is three little chips, sitting next to the processor, these are called Random Access Memory, or RAM. The ram acts like the quick storage in the brain it remembers the stuff that you are working on right then. There now that we know the computers insides, I will give examples of problems and explain how to fix them.

An Emotional Slave in The Slave Dancer :: Slave Dancer Essays

An Emotional Slave in The Slave Dancer I found The Slave Dancer, by Paula Fox, to be a very commendable historical fiction. When I had finished reading the final sentence, I was left with a feeling of appreciation. I felt imperfect. For it easily could have been my ancestors who tortured the multitudes of helpless slaves. The Slave Dancer was a difficult book to get into, but it soon captured my interest and turned into an excellent, yet emotional, piece of literature. The Slave Dancer was a story that was so real and likewise so powerful. It was such an immaculate piece of work that it should be read by all. I truly enjoyed the main character, Jessie. He was slowly, throughout the story, transformed from an innocent young boy, captured and taken aboard a slave ship to play his fife to "dance the slaves", into a man who realizes the true meaning of friendship, life, survival, hardships, and love. Paula Fox's writing style is very admirable, and it genuinely shows with this Newberry Honor wining book. There were few things I disliked about this book. I disliked the beginning of The Slave Dancer because it was a very difficult book to get into. I did not like the lack of detail when it came to describing the crew members aboard The Moonlight, which is the name of the slave ship. The book kept referring to crew members, and I could not tell them apart. I could not picture something different about each one of them. I believe that The Slave Dancer would help everyone understand the misfortune that all of the African slaves went through. I anticipate that there will be some who would not enjoy this book, however, I think that everybody should read The Slave Dancer. I would certainly read this book again and still benefit from its text. I recommend this book to all who have lost the true meaning of appreciation and wish to grasp that significance once again. After reading The Slave Dancer I was transposed into a different person. I was more aware of the views of each person and each cherished life. I took back a lesson; a sad lesson. I was reminded of how precious every person's life is, and how just one experience can change one's perspective of life.

Terrorism In The Olympics Essay -- essays research papers

Terrorism and Security in the Olympics Security is a fundamental notion in sports. Nowadays athletes are viewed often through the media, therefore they are recognizable. In the Olympics security measures must be taken to protect the athletes. There are many different nationalities involved therefore security has to be taken in order to ensure that there aren’t conflicting views that could possibly be damaging towards another team. But quite often it cannot be prevented. On the morning of September 5, 1972, the members of the Israeli delegation awoke in their quarters in the Olympic village to the desperate cries of wrestling referee Joseph Gottfreund. Eight Arab commandos (from the Palestinian terrorist organization Black September) broke into the Olympic compound in Munich. In an attempt to create time for an escape, Joseph Gottfreund tried to block off the door to the quarters in order to stall the intruders. He told his colleagues to leave the premises. The terrorist shot and killed him immediately along with Yaakov Springer, the weightlifting referee. Those in the adjoining apartments who were not woken by the muffled cries were woken from the sounds of machine guns. The commandos then took nine others of the eighteen-member Israeli Olympic team hostage. They then settled into the compound for a siege. The terrorists imprisoned and tied up the athletes and their coaches inside the apartments. They were moved into one of the delegates’ roo m where they were guarded by eight of the terrorists. Their weapons included sub-machine guns, pistols and grenades. Moshe Weinberg, a wrestling referee, and Joseph Romano, a weightlifter, were killed during an effort to free themselves from the terrorists. Their reasons for holding the Israelis hostage were that they wanted to persuade the release of two hundred Arab guerrillas that were being held in Israel. The terrorists demanded that the prisoners be flown from Israel to an Arab country, allowing them free passage. West German officials negotiated with the Arab commandos with the help of the Tunisian Ambassador and the representative of the Arab League from Bonn. But unfortunately, this has no effect on what the commandos were trying to accomplish. Their demands were unreasonable, and the Israeli side would not budge from its views. In an attempt to save some of the Israeli hostages, two West German ministers of... ...t thousands of innocent persons gathered at the Olympic Park,† said the director of the FBI. Once again, another Olympics are squandered in the shadow of terrorism. The bombing at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta was not the first time an Olympic Games had been disrupted by terrorism. The Munich disaster had happened in 1972. The lasting images of those Olympic Games are that of a terrorist in a ski mask, and not an athlete in triumph. In contrast to the Atlanta blast, the bomb was placed in an unsecured public area while the Munich attack involved penetrated security and was aimed at the athletes themselves and the nation they represented. Munich’s attack though has prevented other similar situations from happening. Since 1972, the general public has submitted to security searches in airports, arenas and other public events. Living with the possibility of terrorism has made everyone just a little bit more aware of what could happen. With a society as violent as the one existing now, the Olympics are fortunate that they have only been threatened with terrorism twice. But if society keeps progressing the way it is right now, terrorism in more sporting events will be inevitable Terrorism In The Olympics Essay -- essays research papers Terrorism and Security in the Olympics Security is a fundamental notion in sports. Nowadays athletes are viewed often through the media, therefore they are recognizable. In the Olympics security measures must be taken to protect the athletes. There are many different nationalities involved therefore security has to be taken in order to ensure that there aren’t conflicting views that could possibly be damaging towards another team. But quite often it cannot be prevented. On the morning of September 5, 1972, the members of the Israeli delegation awoke in their quarters in the Olympic village to the desperate cries of wrestling referee Joseph Gottfreund. Eight Arab commandos (from the Palestinian terrorist organization Black September) broke into the Olympic compound in Munich. In an attempt to create time for an escape, Joseph Gottfreund tried to block off the door to the quarters in order to stall the intruders. He told his colleagues to leave the premises. The terrorist shot and killed him immediately along with Yaakov Springer, the weightlifting referee. Those in the adjoining apartments who were not woken by the muffled cries were woken from the sounds of machine guns. The commandos then took nine others of the eighteen-member Israeli Olympic team hostage. They then settled into the compound for a siege. The terrorists imprisoned and tied up the athletes and their coaches inside the apartments. They were moved into one of the delegates’ roo m where they were guarded by eight of the terrorists. Their weapons included sub-machine guns, pistols and grenades. Moshe Weinberg, a wrestling referee, and Joseph Romano, a weightlifter, were killed during an effort to free themselves from the terrorists. Their reasons for holding the Israelis hostage were that they wanted to persuade the release of two hundred Arab guerrillas that were being held in Israel. The terrorists demanded that the prisoners be flown from Israel to an Arab country, allowing them free passage. West German officials negotiated with the Arab commandos with the help of the Tunisian Ambassador and the representative of the Arab League from Bonn. But unfortunately, this has no effect on what the commandos were trying to accomplish. Their demands were unreasonable, and the Israeli side would not budge from its views. In an attempt to save some of the Israeli hostages, two West German ministers of... ...t thousands of innocent persons gathered at the Olympic Park,† said the director of the FBI. Once again, another Olympics are squandered in the shadow of terrorism. The bombing at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta was not the first time an Olympic Games had been disrupted by terrorism. The Munich disaster had happened in 1972. The lasting images of those Olympic Games are that of a terrorist in a ski mask, and not an athlete in triumph. In contrast to the Atlanta blast, the bomb was placed in an unsecured public area while the Munich attack involved penetrated security and was aimed at the athletes themselves and the nation they represented. Munich’s attack though has prevented other similar situations from happening. Since 1972, the general public has submitted to security searches in airports, arenas and other public events. Living with the possibility of terrorism has made everyone just a little bit more aware of what could happen. With a society as violent as the one existing now, the Olympics are fortunate that they have only been threatened with terrorism twice. But if society keeps progressing the way it is right now, terrorism in more sporting events will be inevitable

The Hobbit Novel Review

I believe that this novel presents important themes that are relevant in today's society, Just as much as they make up an entertaining plot. Themes such as Heroism, Race and Lineage, Good vs.. Evil, Loyalty and Home are discussed In novels written in recent times. They give the reader a strong sense of ‘right' and Wrong in the plot. This allows the audience to distinguish between good and evil. Tolkien uses an enormous vocabulary of words that are not commonly used in more recent novels.His use of vocabulary dates the evolve, introducing an other worldly tone to the novel. Although the novel is set in present tense, there Is a feeling of recounting. The omniscient narrator Is sophisticated but subtle. The unknown narrator is not immediately obvious to the reader but It becomes clear that the narrator is Bilbo In a future time. Instilling hope into the reader as Bilbo must have survived his quest in order to be narrating the story. The setting of The Hobbit is in Middle Earth; a setting created by Tolkien.Middle Earth is home to many different races of creatures: Hobbies, Dwarves, Men. Rocs, Rusk-Ha, Wizards, Goblins and many more. The novel begins with a tranquil feeling and transcends to a feeling of lurking danger. There is no ‘safe' place In Middle Earth, not even the Shire. The tone of the novel gives the sense of unknown danger and suspense which captures the reader and encourages them to continue reading for the next plot twist may be on the next page. The Hobbyist's plot leaves no stone unturned and leaves nothing to be desired.Tolkien explores all possible aspects of the story that he has created. He has created a whole background to every harasser and there are definite links between the character's background and the characters personality. Every piece of writing has a purpose and there is no confusion as to the topic of the chapter. Every chapter has a new problem to be solved and there is never a dull moment or a weakness in the plot. T oolkit's writing style Is extremely unique. Tolkien portrayed his Imaginations of the settings and situations in the novel with extreme detail, using a large vocabulary.A major part of his writing style includes poetry. Tolkien introduces poetry into the novel and it is a ajar part of the plot. Tolkien wrote songs and poems that many have marveled at and enjoyed within and outside of The Hobbit. These traits of Toolkit's writing techniques have separated him from other authors and their novels. J. R. R Tolkien has created an excellent novel whose themes have been repeated in many books and novels after the creation of The Hobbit. It Is a classic tale of Good vs.. Evil with a new twist.This book Is a successful prequel to Toolkit's Lord of The Rings and it will continue to prosper and inspire others for many years into the future. Theme: The Hobbit, by J. R. R Tolkien features a number of implicit and explicit themes throughout the novel. For example, the theme of Race, Heredity and Moral Fiber Is one of the main explicit themes in this novel. This is based on the Idea that Elves, Dwarves, Men, Trolls and Goblins all have defining physical characteristics as well as personality traits and moral grounding and that they all fight for what they want.Each race of character has a moral distinction and it is easy to ascertain which t Off character is on the protagonist's ‘side' or the antagonist's ‘s taint ideas run alongside the thought process of one character being evil and another being good, such as Goblins are disharmonious with nature and Elves are harmonious with nature. Heredity is also an important theme to be recognized as it is the basis for much of the story involving all the characters. Bilbo Bagging is half Took and half Bagging. The Took family were known for being more adventurous than other hobbies and for unusual behavior.And the other half of Bilbo was Bagging, who were ordinary and respectful; two opposites. Without the knowledge of t he Took family Ewing adventurous, Bilbo would never had been convinced to leave the Shire with the Dwarves, as he would have left his comfort zone completely. The Dwarves' Heredity and Ancestry are a major factor in The Hobbit. Because the Dwarves were attacked by Smug the Dragon and because the Elves did not help the Dwarves when they were in need, they lived their lives in contempt. This meant that when Gangland led the Dwarves to the Elves of Riverside, there was an outcry.The happenings and history between the Smug and the Dwarves also fired their motivation to continue down the rd path to reach the dragon and to stop at nothing until they were reimbursed for what they had lost. Race, Heredity and Moral Fiber is an explicit theme; this is obvious due to the lack of confusion between the ‘races' of each character and the unmistakable ‘side' that they are on and whether it is Hobbies, Wizards, Goblins or Elves. Character Analysis: Thorn son of Train is the leader of th e Dwarves that embark on the treasure quest; the main plotting of the novel. Thorn is brave, stubborn and proud.After Gangland leaves the fellowship in Thorn's responsibility it comes clear the Thorn is not the most effective leader. Thorn makes poor decisions under pressure and relies on Bilbo to ‘save the day. In addition, when the Dwarves finally receive Smug gold, Thorn is willing to go back on his oath to reward each Dwarf with their share of gold and keep it for himself. When Thorn had access to the gold he became extremely greedy and obsessed with it. Despite his dishonesty and greediness, Thorn is still brave and proud Dwarf with many good qualities among bad ones. Bilbo Bagging of Bag-End is the protagonist of The Hobbit.Bilbo is small in size, respectable and not-at-all adventurous. Bilbo has a strong sense of home and family, honesty, generosity and modesty. Bilbo is the hero of the novel, although he is small in stature, anxious and not very intimidating, Bilbo tur ns out to be the most heroic, clever and fast-thinking member of the company. Bilbo also possesses more leader-like qualities than that of Thorn – the appointed leader of the company. Bilbo saved the Dwarves a countless amount of times in the novel and his achievements did not change him – he still remained as humble of a character as he was in the start of the novel.

Case Study the Virgin Group Essay

PROBLEM: * The Virgin Group is so unrelated diversified that it has been criticized by some commentators because it has become an â€Å"endorsement brand that could not always offer real expertise to the businesses which it is associated†. So the real question is â€Å"Can The Virgin Group be good/successful in every business it gets into?† â€Å"Are they really adding a real value to each business/customer? * What will happen if a customer has a bad experience with any of the product lines of the Virgin Brand? Would that influence this customer to never try again another line of this brand? Some commentators have found a big risk with Virgin’s approach stating that: â€Å"The greatest threat is that Virgin Brand may become associated with failure†. Can that be possible? * Richard Branson’s is associated with the Virgin Brand, this sure has been the key to the success of this company, but can also his image fire back toward the Virgin brand if he g ains a bad reputation? What can be the consequences? FACTS: Organizational: * The Virgin Group is one of the UK’s largest private companies. (S) * The Virgin Group included in 2006, 63 businesses such as airlines, health clubs, music stores and trains. Also included Virgin Galactic which promises to take passengers into the sub-orbital space. (S) * The personal image and personality of Richard Branson, the founder of the Group is highly bound up with those of the company. (S ,W) * Branson announced in 2006 his plans to invest $3bn in renewable energy. (S) * Virgin’s partnership with cable company NTL, undertook an expansion into media challenging publicy the way NewsCorp operated in the UK and the effects on British democracy. (S ,W) * Virgin was founded in 1970 as a mail order record business and developed as a private company in music publishing and retailing. (S) * In 1986, Virgin was floated on the stock exchange with a turnover of 362.5 million (Euros). (S) * Branson decided to take the business back into private ownership and the shares were bought back at the original price offer, when the price of the shares began to fall and because of the pressure to create short-term profit. (S ,W) * Virgin’s expansion had often been through joint ventures whereby Virgin provided the brand and its partner provided the majority of the capital. I.e.: For cosmetics and clothing Virgin provided 1,000 (pounds), while its partner Victory Corporation 20m (pounds). (S) * Built business with Virgin Mobile, by forming partnerships with existing wireless operators to sell services under the Virgin brand name. The carrier competences lay in network management. Virgin set out to differentiate itself by offering innovative services. (S) * Virgin has been described as a â€Å"keiretsu† organisation. A structure of loosely linked, autonomous units by self-managed teams that use a common brand name. (S ,W) * Virgin Atlantic, which is owned in 49% by Singapore Airways is one of businesses Branson will never sell, despite of the cyclical nature of this business. He included airline businesses such as Virgin Express (European), Virgin Blue (Australia) and Virgin Nigeria in the group. (S) * Branson has reported about withdrawing from the business which more or less can run by itself now, hoping that his son Sam might become more a of Virgin figurehead. At the same time he launched his initiatives in media and fuel. (W) Environmental: * Branson’s public image and special appearances has contributed to the definition and recognisability of the brand. (O) * Virgin is putting up the Capital for Virgin Fuels and is using the brand to attract the attention to the issues and possibilities that the technology offers. (Different from the other business) (O) * In 2005 announced the establishment of a â€Å"quadruple play† media company providing television, broadband, fixed-lined and mobile communications through the merger of Branson’s UK mobile interests with UK’s two cable companies. (O) * Branson describes Virgin as â€Å"a branded venture capital house†. There was no â€Å"group† as such; Virgin was described as a family rather than a hierarchy. (O) * In 2006 Branson explained the basis upon which he considers opportunities: be global in scope, enhance the brand, be worth doing and have an expectation of a reasonable return on investment. (O) * Branson’s engagement with â€Å"greener† fuels has created a debate on measures to reduce carbon emissions from airplanes. (O) * The public flotation of individual businesses rather than the group as a whole has become an intrinsic part of the â€Å"juggling† of finances that underpins Virgin’s expansion. (T) * Virgin argues that its brand research indicated that people who have had a bad experience will blame that particular Virgin company or product but will be willing to use another Virgin product or service due to the very diversity of the brand. (O , T) * In 2000 Strategic Rail Authority Review voted Virgin Rail on 23rd and 24th place among 25 railway operators what had a great negative impact on Virgin Group overall reputation. (T) Values & Aspirations: * The Virgin name was associated with words such as â€Å"fun†, â€Å"innovative†, â€Å"daring† and â€Å"successful†. It was chosen representing the idea of the company being a virgin in every business it entered. (1) * Establish The Virgin Brand as a major global name. (2) * Virgin won an award for the best wireless operator in the UK. (4) * Branson saw Virgin adding value in the three main ways, aside from the brand: Public relations and marketing skills, its experience with Greenfield start-ups; and Virgin’s understanding of the opportunities presented by â€Å"institutionalized† markets. (3) * Each company is â€Å"ring-fenced†, so no company had no rights over the assets of another; providing not only financial protection, but also to a business ethic aspect. (5) * The increasing conformity between personal interest and business activities could be discerned in the establishment of Virgin Fuels. Branson has stated that by using non-oil-based fuels a Second Gulf War can be prevented. (7) * The line between personal conviction and business interests is everyday more thin. (6) KEY ASSUMPTIONS: * Branson’s taste for his brands of business remains undimmed so will surely continue this way. He has grown his business using the Unrelated Diversification Strategy, which is based in entering new businesses sectors outside the core activities; such as travel, telecommunications, trains, cosmetics. * He will continue investing in â€Å"Green companies† producing ethanol and cellulosic ethanol fuels in competition with the oil industry. He has already started to Go Green, so surely all his companies will follow this new eco-friendly trend. * Branson’s son may be taking the lead of the company in the future. His statements toward leaving the company in the future and let his son take the lead may be to prepare his entire workforce for this moment. * Even though the Virgin Brand is powerful, Branson’s image is strongly related to the company, so if he decides to go, will the next person in charge be able to maintain the same cultural organisation that has identified this company till now? * To be part of the World history, by becoming the most powerful Brand and Company, not only of the UK, but also Europe and make many other businesses in other Continents. * Become a leader of non-oil industry. His high investment in this area confirms his seriousness about this issue. * Continue investing on more R&D in new and innovative technologies in order to expand the company’s position in entertainment and telecommunications market. He is already the leader in the mobile service due to correct strategy and implementation. * Virgin Galactic may become the leading company to send humans to space, making this company be part of the Humankind History. SOLUTIONS: * So far Branson’s strategy has leaded him to success. He must continue making new alliances and also to strengthen the ones that have been made so far. The strategy used by the Virgin Group, based on Unrelated Diversification has been the key element of success of the company. This strategy has created a unique culture and corporate structure needed to build a strong competitive advantage. * The investment of new R&D technologies may make the difference for this company’s future. It has the potential to become a Giant in the IT area. * Continue gaining competitive advantage over the market by identifying themselves as the fun, playful and innovative company they have been so far. This marketing campaign has helped Virgin Brand to gain loyal customers. * Expand the Virgin Brand into new continents. Select another target markets in the Asian and African continents where surely can form alliances with local markets and gain competitive advantage by the strong growth potential.

“Devil in a Blue Dress” Film vs. Book Essay

When an individual reads a book and then sees the movie that is based on the book, there is bound to be many differences between the two. Sometimes there are elements that are present in the book that have a tendency to get lost in the production and directing of a movie. At other times, the movie adds elements that are not originally in the book. In Walter Mosley’s book, â€Å"Devil in a Blue Dress,† and the movie of the same name share some similar literary elements. However, there are several vital situations and parts of the book’s story that are not present in the film. Hence, the movie downplays a lot of the foul language as well as the racial slurs that were used in the era the book was set in. With a comparison of the two mediums, it will show the differences and similarities between the story elements of the book as well as the story elements of the movie. Both the book and the movie start with the same challenge for Easy Rawlins. Easy needs money to make mortgage payments for his most prized possession, his home. He had been laid off from his job at Champion Aircraft because he told his boss,†he would not stay and inspect the plane, he would like to be fully rested before inspecting the aircraft to ensure that it was assembled properly (Mosley pg73).† Unfortunately now his desire is to find a job so that he can make the mortgage payments. Two days later after being laid off, while at Joppy’s bar Easy ends up meeting a white man that comes in. The man’s name is Mr. Albright. Mr. Albright tells Easy that he needs someone to find a girl for him and he is offering to pay that person. Easy accepts the offer from Mr. Albright with the alternative challenge of surviving the white man’s system. Easy’s plan is to find the girl, Daphne Monet and collect the money from Mr. Albright. As the plot unfolds, his plan becomes more involved. In the book his plan includes having a romance with Daphne; however, in the movie his plan is more of a quest for truth and an attempt to clear his name with the police. The challenge is complicated and everyone is trying to get at Easy because of his knowledge or the lack of in regards to Daphne’s whereabouts. Easy’s self-realization in both the book and the movie is when Mouse saves Easy’s life, but then kills Joppy in an execution style. Easy is grateful to his friend, but does not know how to deal with such meaningless brutality. Easy’s new balance though comes when he his talking to Odell and asks him, â€Å"if a man knows that his friend  did something wrong but does not turn him into the police, is it wrong (263)?† Odell replies with, â€Å"All you got is your friends (263).† In the movie, the audience sees Easy go through the change; where as, in the book we know that he has two years salary buried in his back yard, which gives him the nest egg and security to try a new field of work. However, in both cases Easy changes and adjusts himself to become a private detective. The most obvious similarities between the book and the movie are the way that the story is told as well as the setting. The setting is in Los Angeles, California around the late 1940s. In the movie the director chooses costumes from that time period and uses antique cars to help create the illusion for the audience whereas in the book the reader only knows the setting by Easy’s description as he says, â€Å"I was used to white people by 1948 (45).† In the book the reader can only see things through Easy Rawlins’s eyes which are a subjective view through Easy’s narration. Also in both the book and the movie, the narrative point of view is in first person which is told by Easy Rawlins. As he narrates, Easy leads us along with him in search for answers to the mystery of Daphne Monet and we experience his confusion and inability to understand what is going on around him. However, there is a great deal of differences between the book and the movie. In the book we as the reader get a great sense of Easy’s motivations through his narration and we also get more of a story than we do in the movie. One of the most noticeable differences in the book and the movie is that everybody in the book is linked to each other whereas in the movie supposedly nobody knew anyone. For instance, in the book Joppy knew Albright; Albright knew Todd Carter; Todd Carter knew Richard McGee as well as Matthew Terrell whereas in the movie every character denied knowing each other except Albright and Joppy. Another noticeable difference is that in the book Frank Green, Daphne’s brother ends up murdered and in the movie he lives and they both end up moving. The third noticeable difference is a character name change from the book to the movie; Matthew Teran in the book is Matthew Terrell in the movie and he ends up being murdered in the book whereas at the end of the movie he’s running for mayor. A fourth noticeable  difference is the pier scene. In the book Albright and Easy meet at the Santa Monica pier and in the movie it is the Malibu pier. And the last most noticeable difference between the book and the movie is that Mouse knows Daphne Monet or shall we call her by her real name Ruby Hanks; however, in the movie the audience never finds that out. In the movie the only true thing you get to know about Daphne is that she is both black and white. Therefore, due to the many differences between the book and the movie it is confusing to the audience since it is almost like dealing with two different stories because of the plot inconsistencies. Even though, you have those noticeable differences that were mentioned in the above paragraph the biggest difference of them all between the movie and the book is the language. In the book there is a lot more foul language and racial slurs than there is in the movie. This kind of dramatic difference could be because in the book you have to use words and certain kind of language to set the mood as well as show and express how things were back then in the 1940 between the different races. Whereas in the movie actions and body language can expresses the mood a lot more than words. Also another reason possible for the lack of language could be that with a movie you have to focus on the audience appeal as well as movie ratings and peer acceptance. Therefore, if a director wants people to come see the movie, he or she must get a good rating and by doing that certain items such as language and sometimes violence must be taken into consideration. As for the category of detective stories, there are similar characteristics that are common from one movie to the next. The context of the detective story is one of a man on a quest for information and answers; therefore, usually following a trail of dead bodies, death threats, and beautiful women. This context is more evident in the book than in the movie. The typical tough guy talk, sex with the beautiful woman, lots of shooting and action, and danger are all present in both; however, the context is more dark and tough-guy like in the book. The movie’s context is more like a black man who has fallen into the job because of circumstances, but the book makes Easy’s private eye job as a kind of natural extension of who he is. In the book, Easy has seen killing, torture, and injustice in the war; we don’t get to see this in the movie. The context is still that he is a tough  guy, but with a different motivation. In conclusion, there are elements that are present in the book version that were lost in the production and directing of the movie; however, the movie did add some elements such as the goodbye scene between Daphne and Carter that was not in the book. In regards to Walter Mosley’s book, â€Å"Devil in a Blue Dress,† and the movie by the same name do share some similar literary elements, but there are several vital situations and parts of the book’s story that are not present in the film. Comparing and contrasting the story elements such as narrative point of view, setting, plot and the classical structure show that the screen writer for â€Å"Devil in a Blue Dress,† took many liberties with the movie version in respect to the plot, story, and ending. Although both mediums are enjoyable on their own, the audience and readers can see that the book and movie are very different.

Enuma Elish vs. Genesis Essay

As a whole, the creation myth of Enuma Elish is quite different from the other myths in the Primal Myths book. The story of Genesis is an exception however, where there are more similarities than differences. The creation stories of Genesis and Enuma Elish have a similar framework, but do vary in several ways. This essay aims to compare and contract these two creation myths while looking for common themes and possible cultural connections. Enuma Elish contains several gods who played a distinct role in the creation, most importantly Apsu and Tiamat. After Apsu and Tiamat, the other gods are created, and reside in the body of Tiamat. Enuma Elish is a story of how the gods interact and go through a dramatic power struggle. The world is created as a result of the gods’ actions and decisions. In a similar way, but with notable differences, Genesis consists of just one god who simplistically creates the world, with no drama or power struggles. In Genesis, â€Å"God† decides to make the world, and in seven â€Å"days† (sometimes known as long periods of time) creates all that we know of, with great emphasis on man. Enuma Elish also places great importance onto man, and for a similar reason. The Enuma Elish story ends with the creation of man to do the physical work instead of the gods, a prime example being the construction of Babylon. Genesis does not describe the purpose of man in an indentured sense but instead says that it is for man to â€Å"be fruitful and multiply†¦have dominion†¦over every living thing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Sproul, 124). â€Å"God† also rested on the seventh day, the day after he created man. Most similar are the physical creations in both myths. Both are kindled through the medium of â€Å"divine speech†, or the language of the gods. Each day and each generation are linked together if closely examined. In Enuma Elish, we have the six generations of Tiamat and Apsu, Lahamu, Kishar, Anu, Ea, and Marduk, respectively. In the story of Genesis, we have the six main days of creation, and both stories have the time of rest (or seventh day). In the initial st ate of the creation stories, we have a time when earth was void, or as some prefer to call it, chaos. Simply, a lack of order enclosed by darkness, as shown by â€Å"When there was no heaven,/no earth, no height, no depth, no name,/when Apsu was alone† (92) and â€Å"The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (123). The first two developments in both stories included light, followed by the creation of the  firmament, â€Å"the lines of sky and earth/stretched where horizons meet to separate/cloud from silt† (92). In the third development, dry land was fabricated, then the skies were developed â€Å"He projected positions†¦in the sky, he gave them a starry aspect as constellations†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (102), and in the sixth development, men and women were created. As a finishing touch, Genesis reads â€Å"†¦God rested from all his work which he had done in creation.† (125) and in Enuma Elish, â€Å"When all the gods sat down together there was wine and feasting and laughter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (106). If one studies the background behind The Bible, one would know that the Babylonians held the Jewish people in exile. One might conclude that the story of Genesis might be a derivative of the Babylonian story Enuma Elish via cultural influences. In addition, Enuma Elish is dated to be older than the story of Genesis, leaving this theory as a sound possibility. In a Christian dominated world, many would deny the fact that the story of Genesis is unoriginal, because of the possibility that accepting a story as unoriginal would make it inferior; thus leading many skeptics to further question the validity of Judaist teachings. In conclusion, Enuma Elish and Genesis have a distinctly akin nature, with the possibility of mutual cultural influences. Through deep auditing, the two creation myths are found to be comparable in many respects. Each goes through equivalent developments, but not without important differences. From here, we leave it to future archeological discoveries to uncover the truth of these stories and their origins.

Financial Analysis for Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial Analysis for Managers - Essay Example Thus, companies often pay dividends in order to attract potential investors, retain current ones who are more sensitive to cash inflows from investment and indicate their strong financial muscle. In various studies, it has been apparent that declaration and payment of dividends bid up the price of the company's stock making the payment. Payment of dividends which is coupled by capital gains truly maximize the wealth of stockholders. Even if Microsoft is recognized because of its financial strength, the company can opt not to issue dividends. It should be noted that most investors are very much interested in acquiring ownership of this company because of its financial viability and brand equity. The continuous appreciation of its share in the market can suffice and dividends are not really necessary to complement this. It should also be noted that the business organization will only be shedding out million dollar funds which it can use to finance its R&D and provide more value to its stockholders. However, one of the detrimental effects of not issuing dividends will be the reaction of stockholders who feel more secure with steady cash inflow from their investments. It should be noted that the company can also undergo lawsuits for not paying its owners amidst its strong financial position. The tax treatment for dividends and capital gains often becomes a consideration of a business organization in its choice of dividend policy. In the United States, there has been a heated debate on the taxation of dividends. As both business organizations and investors receiving the dividend are taxed, double taxation together with the high tax rates has discouraged issuance of dividends. For example business organizations which report a pre-tax profit of $100 will be required to pay corporate tax of $35. The remaining $65 will also be taxed if the company will declare all of this as cash dividends.  Ã‚  

Recruitment and Selection Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Recruitment and Selection Policy - Essay Example This study highlights that Ms Rosie Stansgate the Chief Investor of the magazine namely ‘In Clover’ is investing $4 million of her personal funds, to position her magazine in an influential way so that it impact ethical living. The readers of the magazine are expected to be of high profile creamy layer of the society with a strong belief in ethical living. Extensive market survey regarding the potential of the magazine if launched deciphers good business prospect for the same. At this background Prof. Oliver who is the proposed Editor of the magazine and Ms. Rosie gets indulged in a contradiction regarding the recruitment and selection policy of the company. Conflict resolution of this human resource acquirement issue between Ms. Rosie and Mr. Oliver is the main concern that has been addressed in the report.This paper declares that  on ethical ground Ms. Rosie insists her organization must treat its people with ethical values and the workforce of ‘In Cloverâ€⠄¢ must reflect a true blend of the demographic profile of Manchester. Existence of these types of human resource management (HRM) policies within the organization is quite admiring and will promote goodwill and public relation.  Different ethnic origin with cultural divergence makes the demography of Manchester quite diversified in nature. Hence it will be extremely tough to blend them under one single roof.  This will inhibit the pace of work and cause much conflict in ideas between the employees due to their diversified ethnic backgrounds. Hence, Prof. Oliver’s performance oriented and team work view with already experienced workforce would be more conducive for the organization that might translate into higher profit and sales. In contrast Ms. Rosie opines the recruitment policy should be strong and systematic, which will enable many fresh talents to be absorbed within the organization in a transparent and unbiased way. Now the most important issue that comes in foref ront of the organization is employee turnover. Minute analysis on life cycle of an organization reflects that growth phase requires experienced people to give direction to a company (till this point Prof. Oliver is justified). However, after the initial growth stage the organization starts aging and faces erosion of its talent pool for many different

Strategic Information Systems Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Information Systems - Case Study Example the investment and brand-building phase and have yet to show a profit. However, as e-businesses shift their focus (Hoffman, D.L. and Novak, T 2000) from building a customer base to increasing revenue growth and profitability, they should re-evaluate their current business strategies, if any, and develop strategies that provide a clear path to profitability. Networking and Internet technology have been successfully implemented at REI to create a very strong value chain. In the mind of the consumer, all three REI entities (seventy stores, two Web stores, and an adventure-theme travel service) can be viewed as one. E-commerce is fundamentally changing the economy and the way business is conducted. E-commerce forces companies to find new ways to expand the markets in which they compete, to attract and retain customers by tailoring products and services to their needs, and to restructure their business processes to deliver products and services more efficiently and effectively. However, despite rapid and sustained development of e-commerce, many companies doing e-business are still in the investment and brand-building phase and have yet to make a profit (Zwass 1998). ... tailoring products and services to their needs, and to restructure their business processes to deliver products and services more efficiently and effectively. However, despite rapid and sustained development of e-commerce, many companies doing e-business are still in the investment and brand-building phase and have yet to make a profit (Zwass 1998). Many e-businesses (or Internet companies) have focused on the visual attractiveness and ease of use of their Web sites as the primary method of increasing their customer base. However, as e-businesses shift their focus from building a customer base to increasing revenue growth and profitability, they should re-evaluate their current business strategies, if any, and develop strategies that provide a clear path to profitability. This study uses McCarthy's According to McCarthy (1960) and Perreault and McCarthy (1999), a firm develops its marketing strategies by first identifying the target market for its products or services. It then develops a marketing mix-a particular combination of product, price, promotion, and place (i.e., distribution and delivery functions in the supply chain) designed to enhance sales to the target market. A unique mix of these elements in a given industry allows firms to compete more effectively, thus ensuring profitability and sustainability. For example, by coordinating various product offerings and associated price discriminations with sales promotions and effective logistics, a firm can increase its sales and profit. Since the Internet has a significant impact on the makeup of this marketing mix, Internet companies should develop strategies that take the unique nature of online marketing into account.