Where next for Grant Garden Centres Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Where next for Grant Garden Centres - Essay Example primarily located in the Farmoor village in South East London. The company is headed by John Grant. Jane and Malcolm daughter and son of John are also a part of the family business. The study looks to analyze and find out the key pain points of the business with respect to core business areas such as marketing, HR, finance and operations and provide a probable solution to overcome the hindrance caused by the pain points. During the course of the study various strategic and analytical frame works such as PEST analysis, SWOT analysis, etc has been used to get the desired outcome (Henry, 2008, p.89). External environment Analysis External or Macro environmental factors include factors that cannot be controlled by the organization and yet those factors tend to have a major impact on the business operations. Hence, an organization should keep a close eye on the developments of those factors and develop or modify business operations accordingly. The external environmental factors include P olitical, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental factors of (PESTEL). In the context of the present study two key factors in the form of Environmental and Technological has been chosen. Environmental With the rising threat of global warming people, government as well as corporate entities have become a lot more environment conscious. Keeping in mind the product is being produced by the company it provides a great opportunity to the company. This can help the company to grow business by targeting both B2B and B2C customer segment. Technological Technological changes have affected the business operations of companies round globe. Now days most of divisions in a company are IT enabled. Also rise of digital media has made sure that a website of a company becomes the face of the business. If a company does not have a website then it is equivalent to business suicide. Therefore, it is very important for Grant Garden Centres to become familiar with the technological facto r and use them to the fullest advantage. SWOT Analysis Strengths John’s passion for gardening Expansion of business to two different locations Revenue growth in 2005 to 2009 was 20% which indicates sustainable growth. Weaknesses Autocratic Attitude of the business head Lack of formal recruitment and selections process High Employee turn over Marketing and communications activity are not up to the mark. Lack of appropriate job delegation Lack of customer service and product training Lack of IT enablement Absence of company website Profitability and liquidity position are poor. Opportunity Customers as well as the governments have become a lot more conscious about environment There lies scope to use IT facilities to make the business operations a lot more robust in nature The company can achieve economies of scale if it reduces the operating cost and liquidate stock faster. Customers will prefer cash purchase if the company increase the promotion in effective way. Threats Recen t opening of a DIY store is a major threat considering the unstructured business operations. Losses of customers as there are very little customers that are repeating to the centres. 40% of the customers are over 55; i.e. the company is positioned as a youth oriented brand due to the traditional business outfit. Product diversification by other chains Under utilization of the land available. Recommended Action Plan From the above analysis it is quite clear that Grant Garden Centres needs to work upon each of the key business areas including Marketing, HR, Operations and finance. Therefore while delivering the recommended action plans each of the areas have

Solving proportions Essay Example for Free

Solving proportions Essay Proportions exist in many real-world applications, and in this problem  estimating the size of the bear population on the Keweenaw Peninsula. By comparing  data from two experiments, conservationists are able to predict patterns of animal  increase or decrease. In this situation, 50 bears were captured and tagged and released to  estimate the size of the bear population. A year later, after capturing a random sample of  100 bears only 2 of the bears captured were tagged bears. These proportions will be used  to determine the bear population on the peninsula. This new bear scenario can be solved  by applying the concept of proportions which allows the assumption of the  ratio of  originally tagged bears to the whole population is equal to the ratio of recaptured tagged  bears to the size of the sample. To determine the estimated solution, the bears will be the  extraneous variables that will be defined for solving the proportions used. The ratio of originally tagged bears to the whole population X_2_The ratio of recaptured tagged bears to the sample size 10050 = _2_ This is the proportion set up and ready to solve. X 100  (50)(100), (X)(2)The next step is to cross multiply.  5000 = 2X Divide both sides by 2 2 2  2500 = XThe bear population on the Keweenaw Peninsula is estimated to be  around 2500. The extreme means for this sample were 50 and 100, X and 2.  For the second problem in this assignment, the equation must be solved for Y.  Continuing the discussion of proportions, a single fraction (ratio) exists on both sides  of the equal sign so basically it is a proportion, which can be solved by  cross  multiplying the extremes and means. Y-1 = 3 Original equation solving for Y  X+3 4  4(Y-1) = -3(X+3) Cross multiply both sides  4Y-4 = -3X-9 Add 4 to both sides  4Y = -3X-5 Divide both sides by 4  Y = -3X-5 Final answer for Y  4 4  This is a linear equation in the form of y = mx + b. After comparing the solution  to the original problem, it is noticed that the slope, -3/4 ,is the same number on the right  side of the equation. This indicates that another method exists for solving the sameequation.  Y-1 = 3 Original equation solving for Y  X+3 4  Y-1 = -3(X+3) Multiply both sides by (X+3)  4  Y-1 = -3X-9 Add 1 to both sides  4 4  Y = -3X-5 Final answer  4 4 After solving both of these problems I found it interesting how 2 totally different  equations could be solved with the same basic functions. I also found that everyday life  can incorporate these math functions to solve or estimate daily life events for a number of  different reasons.. REFERENCES References: Elementary and Intermediate Algebra, 4th Ed., Dugopolski

Full Tilt Essay -- essays research papers

Full Tilt   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is about a guy named Blake and his brother, Quinn.. Blake is an over-cautious teen. His younger brother, Quinn is the opposite. Blake was in a bus accident when he was very young and was the only survivor. Although he has no memory of how he managed to survive the event, it has drastically shaped his personality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One day Blake, Quinn, and their two friends Maggie and her boyfriend, Russ go to an amusement park together, called Darian Lake. They are clueless when they arrive as to how this event will change them forever. At the park, they ride on various rides. One of the rides was different from all of the others. It was the Kamikaze. It was a roller coaster, brand new to the park. As Blake got in line for the ride, his friends were right beside him. They were all excited to go on the new ride, but Blake was terrified. It reminded him of the time he was seven and his school bus got into a accident and went screaming over guardrails, almost to his death. He did not want to ride this new ride, however his friends pushed him to do it. Once on the ride, he was safely harnessed in and the ride took off, screaming down steep hills and loops. Everything was fine, until the structure started to shake and beams started to give way! There was now a twenty foot gap in the track! Blak e thought it’d be the end of him and his friends, when he saw it. The coaster dove straight down into the gap, about to hit asphalt. Then the next thing Blake knew, the ride had ended. He waited in his seat, wondering what had happened. The ride had been built to give way like that. The coaster had still been on the track, when it fell through the big gap. He turned to the track and saw the beams that had fallen rising back again. It was all a stunt and everyone else had known about it except him! Blake went through the rest of the day shaken by it, until he met a girl at a game booth. He thought she was so beautiful and flirted with her for a little while. Her name was Cassandra. Then he won a prize from her booth, a stuffed bear. Inside the bear’s pocket, was an invite to another amusement park. He showed his friends, then looked back for the girl who’d given him the bear. She was gone and a new person was standing in her place, in control of the game. The new person didn’t know what Blake was talking about... ... Then it all came rushing back to him! He had opened the back door and jumped out, just before the bus had gone over the guardrails. That’s why he’d been he only survivor. With that recollection, Blake threw the back door open and jumped out of the ride. He’d made it through! Everyone was free from the park now! Suddenly Blake was asleep, waking up in his car. He had been unconscious for some time. Fireman were working to get him free from the car. Maggie and Russ were both scraped up outside of the car. Apparently all he’d been through was a dream and they’d crashed on the way to the park in the middle of the night. Blake and his friends knew that wasn’t true though. They all remembered what they’d been through. Blake called Quinn. He was already awake from his coma in the hospital.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Full Tilt is one of the most impressive books I've read in years. The writing was terrific and intelligent, and the characters were refreshingly real and alive. The author made frequent use of strong, powerful metaphors that resonated throughout the entire book, and he did this while creating remarkable tension that would drive any reader from the first page to the last.

EA Games

Change is part of organizational growth and survival in our modern global economy. If an organization is going to grow and survive, it needs more than traditional strategic business plans. One of the principal drivers of competition is technological advancements. Company’s can develop a strong competitive advantage through the strategic use of information technology. This white paper will discuss information technology (IT) concepts that have successfully been utilized by other organizations. The purpose is to benchmark how other companies have successfully implemented information technology and how SaveWithUS can conceptualize these strategies. The focus of IT is not just on the internal applications or computer systems that reside on the network; rather the focus is the strategic approach that information systems can have to support the business plans, goals, and objectives of the organization. Ultimately, a strategic approach to information technology should improve a company’s competitive advantage, business intelligence, reduce costs, increase margin, streamline business processes speed, accuracy, and reliability, communication, data based decision making, and increase overall customer value (Mickler, 2008). Many start-up companies develop a business plan but rely heavily on their own experience when it comes to business decision making rather than facts that an existing company would use. As the company grows, mistakes become more costly, they will rely more and more in information to base sound decisions. SaveWithUS is at the juncture where business decisions need to be based on facts not guesses. To remain competitive and profitable, SaveWithUS needs to reduce costs of merchandise manufactured and products purchased for resale. Technology has changed the way information is captured, stored, processed, analyzed, distributed, communicated; and the organizational infrastructure which is used to reduce costs, increase profits, and gain a competitive advantage. The effective use of information technology requires an organization and cultural change. The most important component in the change equation is making the decision to change. If resistance to change permeates, this will lead to the breakdown and irrelevancy of what was once a strong organization (CTU Online, 2008). Change is forever part of business sustainability. Understanding the external business environment can improve the strategic approach that an organization should adopt in a competitive market. A highly competitive environment includes multiple firms targeting he same market to win the same business. The external environment has forces which business must contend with for survival. Michal Porter has devised a five forces model that focus on these external pressures. The five pressures are 1) rivalry among existing competition, 2) threats of substitute products, 3) bargaining power of suppliers, 4) bargaining power of channels and end users, 5) barriers to entry. This model can be very helpful to think of competition in its broadest sense which suggests areas for competitive posture. Porter’s five-force’s model provides the framework to judge an organizations position and analyze a business level strategy which will describe how an organization competes in the marketplace (Frenzel & Frenzel, 2004). These are just a few reasons why information technology is the critical infrastructure of any organization. The case study referenced herein is Electronic Arts (EA), the leading independent video game publishing company, producing popular titles such as The Sims, Madden NFL, and Medal of Honor. They also publish games based on Hollywood franchises such as the Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and The Godfather. Nestled in Silicon Valley, Electronic Arts is a very successful organization with more than 50 best-sellers that sold more than a million copies each. Many people would believe that Electronic Art’s is a video game development company which base its success from the rich talent pool of creative people, artists, animators, programmers, and technicians. This is a highly competitive industry and getting more competitive every year with a fickle customer base. EA has competitors such as Activision, Take-Two, and Vivendi Games which all sell strong in the marketplace. It would be reasonable to assume they also have a highly talented staff of developers and creative artists. EA is successful because they are the model of a stellar management company. According to EA president and COO John Riccitiello, â€Å"EA pulls it off by honing the way that it develops and markets games: by thinking of its products as emotional, cinematic experiences, not toys. † Electronic Arts is in the business of delivering a total entertainment experience. The company built its creativity on a foundation of management discipline (Salter, 2007). EA understands the completive landscape and performs extensive due diligence. Riccitiello has stated, â€Å"We often know more about the feature set of our competition's products than our competition does. † Electronic Arts recognizes that gaining a competitive advantage will not materialize because of slicker graphics, audio, or better storylines than the competition; consumers expect these features to improve over time and that is part of the gaming industry. EA knows that the high-tech imagery features they develop today will only be copied tomorrow which will not provide long-term advantage. EA has strong competitive intelligence, forecasting, budgeting, timing, and methodical project management disciplines. EA uses information technology to store financial data, sales data, important customer data, competitive data, and offer access to share this information across business units. EA has the discipline of sharing best practices and technologies using intranet libraries. This enables data to become more accurate and to be shared or broadcast faster through a more reliable means (Mickler, 2008). An e-business strategy can be defined as the electronic means of internal and external communications for an organization. Internally, employees can use a private intranet to share information, facilitate knowledge dissemination, management reporting, collaborate with business partners, sales promotions, and competitive intelligence, all of these features and more can be used with the development of an intranet. EA is diligent to understand their customers. They know that what is real to their consumers is what is on TV. Electronic Arts believes in gaining better understanding of their audience through the use of focus groups. These are non-EA groups of gamers and EA takes their recommendations seriously to the point they will do a complete rewrite. Traditionally, the gaming industry is male dominated. Industry demographics suggest the target audience is male between the ages of 16 and 24. EA wants to expand their market beyond the typical gaming demographics. However, EA proceeds with caution not to lose current customers that do not want to see dumbed down products. When making complex decisions on marketing strategies and tactics, it is important look at hard data to in decision making. Information technology can provide the means of using marketing intelligence, trends, economic data, competitive market data, technological, demographics, government sources, and cultural and social information to provide a solid foundation upon from which to draw (Salter, 2007). Using e-business strategies such as customer relationship management (CRM) tools can identify important customer data to develop products and service specific to their needs, wants, and desires. The result of their data was a game titled the SIMS which attracts customers of all ages, thus developing new markets with different set of wants, needs, and desires. In addition, e-business is a means to reduce customer and supplier expenses, meet customer and supplier needs in a defect-free manner, and improve the speed in which these functions can take place. Knowledge management tools are processes the organization will employ to collect, store, analyze, and distribute information. Information technology offers data mining technique which are the convergence of technologies that provide computations to make sense of all the information stored (Frenzel & Frenzel, 2004). The maturity of an information system in an organization can have a direct effect on the speed, accuracy, and reliability of its data processing. Information technology can eliminate the manual logging of paperwork, eradicate human error and increase speed, accuracy and reliability of the information stored (Mickler, 2008). Some of the mundane tasks can become completely automated through bar code scanners and other technology which will reduce labor costs, increase accuracy of data, and induce inventory cost controls (Mickler, 2008). I addition, information technology can improve the manufacturing process while meeting customer demands and reduce costs. In an effort to accurately control inventory costs, SaveWithUS should consider Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing and including technology to help reduce costs. JIT does not use the conventional ways of producing products with large batch sizes at high volumes. The JIT philosophy is where machine operators produce only the items needed, when it is requested, and on time. Information technology also plays a vital role in measuring the return on investment for these new processes (Frenzel & Frenzel, 2004). Computer inventory management systems can control and coordinate delivery of raw materials or components from suppliers with production schedule, thereby minimizing inventory carrying costs. It is absurd to realize management can not track the percentage of repeat business, the accuracy of the expense of manufacturing costs, and sales goods of sold (CTU Online, 2008). The objective of SaveWithUS needs to be the development of a realistic business strategy that has full support of top management, established clear goals, development of long-term customer relationships, and provides maximum value. Bringing quality value to the customer is vital in the competitive and global business world. A competitive advantage is achieved when an organization has integrated information technology in the business activities with the value chain more cost-effectively than the competition. The goal of a business is to sell their products and services and keep customers buying in the future by means of adding value. Customers exchange something of value, such as money, for the products and services an organization produces. Strategic planning allows an organization to recognize how the customer sees the value of a company’s product or service and helps better position their goods in the market to make a profit (Frenzel & Frenzel, 2004). Strategic plans will use resources of people, money, facilities, and technical capabilities that are required in order to achieve the goals and objectives. The goal of information technology is to support these efforts and add value of speed, accuracy, and reliability (Mickler, 2008). In the games industry, success, novelty, and great innovative designs do not automatically mean that a company will enjoy long-term success. In fact, the annals of the gaming publishing industry is eroded with once triumphant companies that currently are no longer existence. It takes a distinct mixture of success and business savvy to stay afloat and competitive. This review is hypothetical, created solely to fulfill course task requirements. The review of and title of an article depicts Electronic Arts (from now EA) as â€Å"Playing to Win†, the fact is that they are indeed playing the business game to win. EA is one of the world's foremost reliant interactive software developing and publishing company. Since its inception, EA has garnered more than 700 awards for outstanding software in the U. S. and Europe. According to their own on-line career opportunity web site EA(2010) they say that EA markets its products worldwide under four brand logos and has over 33 product franchises that have reached more than a million unit sales worldwide. We will discuss more about their target market audiences in the next two sections. EA see themselves as a company that provides a product to it's target market that appeals in the sense of interactive cinematic gaming experience. According to Salter (2002) Computer and video games are a bigger business than the movies, and the biggest force in games is Electronic Arts a company whose blockbuster titles dazzle millions of customers and generate billions of dollars in sales. As the world leaders in interactive entertainment we can say that EA's most important competitive advantage is the fact they have lasted 20 years in the business and has gathered enough experience to leverage heritage into the entertainment gaming industry. Their other advantage is that they allow their 12 developing studios innovation freedom while impressing the discipline to meet deadlines. This means that it's not all about gaming but also about planning, and management having a good business plan in place and a good vision is certainly a good competitive advantage. This is corroborated by Rabin (2010) when he says that the business plan developed was visionary and had three key elements: first, that the creative talent at the company would be treated like artists, involved in the marketing, and generally revered more than at other companies in the industry; second, that they would develop proprietary tools and technology that would enable them to quickly develop their titles cross-platform; and third, that they would handle the distribution to stores. Their primary target market (audience) is the users of advanced entertainment systems. The customary gamers are males in between the ages 16-through 24 year of ages. EA has continue to expand and move their traditional demographics As the market expands, their enthusiasts is to figure out how to publish products for people who are not the within the traditional demographic model. The fact is that EA's present their content to a wide general audience appealing to all key demographic market segments by logically brainstorming their products as an emotional experience, How do they create an emotional experience? The emotional experience is created through offering their target markets a highly targeted campaign contributing the opportunity for the user to interact with the game. It's a simple but very radical idea in which the users is part of the cinematic experience, therefore the user does not see the game as a toy but as an appealing realistic experience. Currently, their specific target market audience comprises a wide general range of users utilizing advance game consoles, personal computer system, video game consoles such as Nintendo, Play Station, Play Stations, and numerous others. Let's clarify one thing about game publishing companies. They are exactly just that â€Å"Publishers† , they don't consider themselves to be developers. The game entertainment publishing arena is quite busy and extremely competitive. Beside having fun and playing games it takes discipline to be creativity and code award winning games. This is a fact that is corroborated by Salter (2010) when he writes that it takes a tough company to make entertaining games. Salter quotes the president and COO of â€Å"The forgotten aspect of creativity is discipline,† beside discipline it takes a good development team and a good project manager with a sense of scheduling, creating buzz about the product through a hard core marketing campaign. Everything centers around information technology especially the discipline of methodically managing their projects, their information technology systems play a large aspect of their success through regimented collaborative best practices across their an intranet library. In closing in my opinion what makes Electronic Arts a potential winner is their ability to take ingenious people who are highly motivated and talented and create excessive amounts of value. Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSâ„ ¢, EAâ„ ¢, EA SPORTS Freestyle â„ ¢ and POGOâ„ ¢. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3. 67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. We were tasked to improve the functionality of the site, both technically and visually. The technical aspects of keeping up with ncreased user demands and features and facilities offered by the site were all dealt with to everyone’s satisfaction. It was felt that the site architecture and the user experience still left room for improvement, and we have lots to offer to fill this need. It was also important to ensure that the CRM and frontend complimented one another visually. Above all, we wanted the access site to offer an equivalent experience to the Flash site, rather than an alternative one. Our reputation as designers with flair for translating a company’s brand onto their website and for creating great user experiences got us this project. We were given the responsibility of revamping the entire site to reflect the brand of the company. Creating a site that was easily scalable and low on maintenance was also one of the primary requirements. We made the site made very light and the download speeds were reduced substantially. Only a few colors were used through most of the site, and two other colours were used where some differentiation was needed. Style sheets were created to keep the vast amount of content consistent visually. A clean, slightly serious and professional look was given to the entire site.

Even A Clown Can Do It: Cirque du Soleil Recreates Live Entertainment Essay

Cirque du Soleil is a Canadian entertainment company which was created in 1984 by a group of young street performers. Daniel Gauthier and Guy LaLiberte are the founding Co-Presidents of Cirque du Soleil who self-described the company as a mix of circus arts and street entertainment and reinvent the circus industry from then on. 1. What are the key factors kept by Le Cirque? Which ones are downplayed and which ones were played up? Since Le Cirque is a circus company, it kept existing traditions of the circus such as the circus arts, featuring jugglers, trampolinists, trapeze artists, teeterboard virtuosos and, of course, clowns. Soleil combined elements of dance, circus and opera to keep its artistry, but the proportion of fun and humor in the whole show was decreased. Further, due to the increase of thematic line and the lack of a ringmaster announcing the acts, the individual performers are downplayed. Each of them now acts one of the roles to develop the overall thematic element an d their names are not showed in the cast list. In other words, big name acts have no place in Cirque du Soleil. Soleil keeps tents and concessions. As a traditionally large source of circus revenues which around 20% at the Ringling Brothers& Co. shows, Soleil only gains less than 10% of revenues from it. Compare with earning some of money from selling food and toys during the performance or inside the tent, Soleil preferred the performance-centered ethic of the troupe since the performances and themes are utterly unique. Sponsorships are an important source of revenue for Soleil. Soleil can mention the sponsors in the playbill, advertising and banners around the tent. The last key factor kept by Le Cirque is retaining the show on tour. Soleil plays it up by permanently perform three shows in Las Vegas and Disney World. 2. Which factors were totally eliminated by Le Cirque and what are the operational and financial implications? Soleil changed the multiple show arenas which is known as the three-ring venues for the following reasons. In order to overcome the visual distance from the audience, the clowns paint face garishly and we ar oversized shoes which probably frightening to the small children in a closer distance. Also, this format required more performers for each venue which definitely increase the cost. The aisle concession  sales were totally eliminated for the reason I mentioned above. The most striking differences of the Cirque du Soleil from the traditional circuses are the complete absence of star performers and animal shows. The animal acts are known as the most expensive cost for a show since the animals for circuses are frequently owned by their trainers and only leased to the show. Further, there are the fee for the services of the animals and its trainer, transportation as well as training. 3. Which factors were newly created by Le Cirque, and where do you think the inspiration came from? First of all, combination of traditional circus and street entertainment are the core created by the company. Second, a thematic line and storyline are manifested throughout the show in all kinds of ways. The creative teams at Cirque du Soleil would choose a theme first and then build a show to suit. It is more like an opera in this way and provides a high quality, seamless and fulfilling entertainment experience for audience. Third, by choosing distinctive themes, the com pany can create multiple productions which can enhance the reflux rate of the audience. For example, Cirque du Soleil has the shows named Mystere, La Nouba, Dralion, ‘O’ and Quidam. Four, an artistic original music and dance with ‘magic’ lighting and timing effects bring the audience visually feelings. The inspiration comes from mixing elements from circus, opera, music, dance and theatre as well as quit some aspects from traditional circuses, Laliberte actually reconstructed elements and the form of circus to a sophisticated entertainment. By doing so, Soleil is able to sell the tickets at a higher price to all aged audience instead of discounted tickets to children. It has raising the circus to a new scale and expanded target audience. As the circus historian Fred Pfening asks, â€Å"But is it circus?†(Williamson, 2000) Laliberte, probably, want to do something utterly unique and irrelevant or rather he just hope to help young people to express the ir dreams. 4. How does Cirque du Soleil create superior profits? How does it improve industry growth and generate revenues? How does it raise profitability and reduce its cost structure? Cirque du Soleil create superior profits by reinventing the circus industry and creating an uncontested market space. More professionally, it move from red ocean strategy to blue ocean strategy. Same as the traditional circus, the great majority of revenues for Soleil are form ticket sales. However, it redefied circus industry and target audience as I mentioned above to sell  tickets higher with full face value. It actually make the competition irrelevant. By creating diversified themes and high quality performances, Soleil remains the highest seat occupancy with approximately 85%-95% in the industry. Further, from Exhibit 2 we can see the amount of attendance jumped rapidly to almost 6 million from 1990 to 2000. The themes were also increased from one to six. Soleil creates and captures the new demand of the audience. Sponsorships play a low-key but important role in Soleil’s profits. A main sponsor guarantees a gate to the circus and is able to sell the tickets independently. Besides, three permanent shows hold frequently in the places with large potential customers, such as Las Vegas. Or lando and Disney World. The way of choosing the locations are changed. Obviously, the combination of these tourist cities and the fantastic shows is a creative idea to attract plenty of audience. Therefore, we can see the form Exhibit 1 that the major circus revenues increased rapidly to catch up with Feld Entertainment from 1993 to 2000. The most importantly, Soleil follows the different strategic logic called value innovation. It is the cornerstone of the blue ocean strategy since it break the value-cost trade-off. The definition for it is the simultaneous pursuit of differentiation and low cost, creating a leap in value for both buyers and the company (Blue Ocean Strategy, 2013). In this case, Soleil pursue the differentiation and lift buyer value by reinvent the industry and create many new factors as I mentioned in question 3. In addition, it eliminated animal acts and star performers to reduce the cost. Unlike the Irving Feld who expends a lot to add trill and danger, Soleil r educed these to save money for company. In conclusion, Cirque de Soleil realized if it wants to be succeed, it must stop compete with each other and to create a new market. According to the four action framework, the company find out the specific changes it should take. By breaking the market boundaries of circus and theater and reconstruct all the elements, Soleil achieved both differentiation and low cost or rather value innovation. It breaks the value-cost trade-off and create new best-practice rules under the blue ocean strategy. In general, it is not circus. It is Soleil. Reference Blue Ocean Strategy (2013). Value innovation. http://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/concepts/bos-tools/value-innovation/ Williamson,M. (2000) Even a Clown Can Do It: Cirque du Soleil Recreates Live Entertainment.

Measuring and Understanding Wood Volumes

Measuring and Understanding Wood Volumes Measuring wood is part science, part art; you use many different units, you face many potential problems. The below  quote from  Converting Factors for Southern Pine Products, Williams and Hopkins, USDA, 1968 illustrates how confusing measuring and converting wood volumes can be. Measuring and estimating wood volume is not for the faint of heart. Theoretically, one cubic foot (of wood volume) contains 12 board feet. For average values 6 should be used, though 10 is a conventional figure for approximations. When the conversion applies to trees, ratios of 3 to 8 should be applied. When marketing your timber you must either know how to measure forest products or get someone to do it for you. At best you can be very confused when talking to a wood buyer; at worst you can lose a significant portion of the value of your wood. To make the situation even more problematic, some buyers use this ignorance of volumes to trick  the seller. They have every opportunity to do so and a few use this to their financial advantage. Knowing tree measuring units is very complicated and even foresters have a hard time when talking volumes. Three hundred dollar per thousand logs using Doyle log rule is not the same as three hundred dollars per thousand logs using Scribner log rule. Most mensurationists and foresters would agree that there is an advantage to weighing wood and weight is the measurement of choice. In the real world, however, it is impractical to totally convert to weight. A history of wrestling with the problem  of measuring logs  to determine how much usable product might be manufactured from them created numerous measuring units. These units are self-perpetuating because of many factors including foreign trade, standing timber volume, accepted taxing units, regional custom, buying and selling advantages. The Pulpwood Measurement The standard measurement unit for wood used for paper and fuel is the  cord. This is a stack of wood 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. containing approximately 128 cubic feet of bark,  wood  and air space. Air space can actually be as high as 40 percent but usually averages 25 percent. You can see where weight can be advantageous here. Pulpwood purchases by weight are very common and weight per cord varies widely with species and geography. A hardwood pulpwood cord generally weighs between 5,400 pounds and 6,075 pounds. A pine pulpwood cord weighs between 4,700 pounds and 5,550 pounds. You really need to determine your local average weight by species when measuring cordwood. Purchasing mills or men who harvest pulpwood can give you wood weights for your area. The U.S. Forest Service or your  State Forester  also has a wealth of information on regional average weights. Pulpwood bought in the form of chips are  separate  issue and for another discussion. The Sawtimber Measurement A round log, generally, must be made into square or rectangular pieces to be able to determine wood volume and value. Three systems, or  log rules  and scales, have been developed to do just this. They are called the  Doyle rule, Scribner rule, and International rule. They were developed to estimate board foot mill tally, usually quoted as thousand board feet or MBF. Our problem when using these log rules or scales is that they will give you three different volumes for the same pile of logs. Measuring average sized logs - Doyle, Scribner, and International rules - will give volumes that may vary as much as 50%. This overrun is greatest using Doyle and the least using International. Buyers like to purchase using Doyle log rule while sellers like to sell using Scribner or International. There will always be a difference in volumes estimated from scaler to scaler. They get into trouble when decreasing  actual number  of measurements and start estimating; they measure at inappropriate points on the log, miss estimate roundness, and dont deduct for  defect. Accurate scaling of trees and logs requires skill and experience. The Conversion Factor Mensurationists cringe at the word conversion factor. They correctly feel that conversion from one unit of measure to another unit of measure of wood is too imprecise to depend on. Their job is to be precise. But you have to have some way to estimate volumes and be able to cross over to differing units. You now have an idea of how complicated this volume issue can become. To add a conversion factor to volumes may distort actual volumes even more. Related Links Approximate Conversions of the Most Common Units of Wood Measure

Battle of Seven Pines in the Civil War

Battle of Seven Pines in the Civil War The Battle of Seven Pines took place May 31, 1862, during the American Civil War (1861-1865) and represented the farthest advance of Major General George B. McClellans 1862 Peninsula Campaign. In the wake of the Confederate victory at the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, a series of changes commenced in the Union high command. The following month, McClellan, who had won a series of minor victories in western Virginia was summoned to Washington, DC and tasked with building an army and capturing the Confederate capital at Richmond. Constructing the Army of the Potomac that the summer and fall, he commenced planning his offensive against Richmond for the spring of 1862. To the Peninsula To reach Richmond, McClellan sought to transport his army down the Chesapeake Bay to Union-held Fortress Monroe. From there, it would push up the Peninsula between the James and York Rivers to Richmond. This approach would permit him to flank and avoid General Joseph E. Johnstons forces in northern Virginia. Moving forward in mid-March, McClellan began shifting around 120,000 men to the Peninsula. To oppose the Union advance, Major General John B. Magruder possessed approximately 11,000-13,000 men.   Establishing himself near the old American Revolution battlefield at Yorktown, Magruder built a defensive line running south along the Warwick River and ending at Mulberry Point. This was supported by a second line to the west that passed in front of Williamsburg. Lacking sufficient numbers to fully man the Warwick Line, Magruder used a variety of theatrics to delay McClellan during the Siege of Yorktown.   This allowed Johnston time to move south with the bulk of his army. Reaching the area, Confederate forces swelled to around 57,000. The Union Advance Realizing this amounted to less than half of McClellans command and that the Union commander was planning a large-scale bombardment, Johnston ordered Confederate forces to retreat from the Warwick Line on the night of May 3. Covering his withdrawal with an artillery bombardment, his men slipped away unnoticed.  The Confederate departure was discovered the following morning and an unprepared McClellan directed Brigadier General George Stonemans cavalry and infantry under Brigadier General Edwin V. Sumner to mount a pursuit.   Slowed due to muddy roads, Johnston ordered Major General James Longstreet, whose division was serving as the armys rearguard, to man a section of the Williamsburg defensive line to buy the retreating Confederates time (Map). In the resulting Battle of Williamsburg on May 5, Confederate troops succeeded in delaying the Union pursuit. Moving west, McClellan sent several divisions up the York River by water to Elthams Landing. As Johnston withdrew into the Richmond defenses, Union troops moved up the Pamunkey River and established as series of supply bases. Plans Concentrating his army, McClellan routinely reacted to inaccurate intelligence that led him to believe that he was significantly outnumbered and displayed the cautiousness that would become a hallmark of his career. Bridging the Chickahominy River, his army faced Richmond with about two-thirds of its strength north of the river and one-third to the south. On May 27, Brigadier General Fitz John Porters V Corps engaged the enemy at Hanover Court House. Though a Union victory, the fighting led McClellan to worry about the safety of his right flank and made him hesitant to transfer more troops south of the  Chickahominy.   Across the lines, Johnston, who recognized that his army could not withstand a siege, made plans to attack McClellans forces. Seeing that Brigadier General Samuel P. Heintzelmans III Corps and Brigadier General Erasmus D. Keyes IV Corps were isolated south of the  Chickahominy, he intended to throw two-thirds of his army against them. The remaining third would be used to hold McClellans other corps in place north of the river. Tactical control of the attack was delegated to Major General James Longstreet. Johnstons plan called for Longstreets men to fall upon IV Corps from three directions, destroy it, then move north to crush III Corps against the river.      Armies Commanders: Union Major General George B. McClellanaround 40,000 engaged Confederate General Joseph E. JohnstonGeneral Gustavus W. Smitharound 40,000 engaged A Bad Start Moving forward on May 31, the execution of Johnstons plan went badly from the start, with the assault beginning five hours late and with only a fraction of the intended troops participating. This was due to Longstreet using the wrong road and Major General Benjamin Huger receiving orders that did not give a start time for the attack. In position on time as ordered,  Major General D.H. Hills division waited for their comrades to arrive. A 1:00 PM, Hill took matters in his own hands and advanced his men against Brigadier General Silas Caseys IV Corps division. Hill Attacks Pushing back the Union skirmish lines, Hills men launched assaults against Caseys earthworks to the west of Seven Pines. As Casey called for reinforcements, his inexperienced men fought hard to maintain their position. Ultimately overwhelmed, they fell back to a second line of earthworks at Seven Pines. Requesting aid from Longstreet, Hill received one brigade to support his efforts. With the arrival of these men around 4:40 PM, Hill moved against the second Union line (Map). Attacking, his men encountered the remnants of Caseys division as well as those of Brigadier Generals Darius N. Couch and Philip Kearny (III Corps). In an effort to dislodge the defenders, Hill directed four regiments to attempt to turn IV Corps right flank.   This attack had some success and forced Union troops back to the Williamsburg Road. Union resolve soon stiffened and subsequent assaults were defeated. Johnston Arrives Learning of the fighting, Johnston advanced with four brigades from Brigadier General William H.C. Whitings division. These soon encountered Brigadier General William W. Burns brigade from Brigadier General John Sedgwicks II Corps division and began pushing it back. Learning of the fighting to the south of the Chickahominy, Sumner, commanding II Corps, had commenced moving his men over the rain-swollen river. Engaging the enemy to the north of Fair Oaks Station and Seven Pines, the remainder of Sedgwicks men were able to halt Whiting and inflict heavy losses.       As darkness approached fighting died out along the lines. During this time, Johnston was struck in the right shoulder by a bullet and in the chest by shrapnel. Falling from his horse, he broke two ribs and his right shoulder blade. He was replaced by Major General Gustavus W. Smith as army commander. During the night, Brigadier General Israel B. Richardsons II Corps division arrived and took a place in the center of the Union lines. June 1 The next morning, Smith resumed attacks on the Union line. Beginning around 6:30 AM, two of Hugers brigades, led by Brigadier Generals William Mahone and Lewis Armistead, hit Richardsons lines. Though they had some initial success, the arrival of Brigadier General David B. Birneys brigade ended the threat after fierce fighting. The Confederates fell back and fighting ended around 11:30 AM. Later that day, Confederate President Jefferson Davis arrived at Smiths headquarters. As Smith had been indecisive, bordering on a nervous breakdown, since Johnstons wounding, Davis elected to replace him with his military advisor,  General Robert E. Lee (Map). Aftermath The Battle of Seven Pines cost McClellan 790 killed, 3,594 wounded, and 647 captured/missing. Confederate losses numbered 980 killed, 4,749 wounded, and 405 captured/missing. The battle marked the high point of McClellans Peninsula Campaign and the high casualties shook the Union commanders confidence. In the long term, it had a profound influence upon the war as Johnstons wounding led to the elevation of Lee. An aggressive commander, Lee would lead the Army of Northern Virginia for the remainder of the war and won several key victories over Union forces. For over three weeks after Seven Pines, the Union army sat idle until the fighting was renewed at the Battle of Oak Grove on June 25. The battle marked the beginning of the Seven Days Battles which saw Lee force McClellan away from Richmond and back down the Peninsula.

4 Top Secrets to Professional Success for Millennials

4 Top Secrets to Professional Success for Millennials Like the Baby Boomers before us, the Millennials are fast becoming a major force in the workplace. As we move onto career paths from school and internships, there are new challenges to the status quo. But how do we negotiate those- and more importantly, how do we help define what we want the workforce to be as we move forward? 1. Build Your Brand Like It’s Your Job.More than ever, social media is a factor in hiring. Keeping a close eye on what you put out there on Instagram, Vine, Twitter, etc. is an essential way to manage your professional image. Share content relevant to your field, and monitor who’s reposting and engaging you on that content. And for the goofy/personal stuff? Set up a private account that’s just for you and your social crew, and make sure it’s entirely separate from your â€Å"Janie Smith, Marketer Extraordinaire† profile.2. Think Outside the 9-to-5 Box.One of the defining moments for the Millennial generation of workers was the economy crash of 2008. Younger workers were often lost in the shuffle as jobs were cut all over the place. But that wasn’t necessarily doom- it was a wake-up call that maybe the standard 9-to-5 job isn’t the only way to go. Many people can make their career work as freelancers, part-time workers while pursuing other opportunities, teleworkers, and other nontraditional employees. Being flexible may be the best option for you.Also, don’t hesitate to use non-paid experience as a selling point on your resume. If you picked up stellar office communications during your internship, say so. If you developed rockstar time management skills during your volunteer gig, list it.3. Play the Long Game.Plan ahead. Retirement may be a long time away, but there’s an awful lot that can happen in the meantime. Be smart about financial planning, but also about whether you’ll want to have a family at some point, or start your own business. The earlier you get started f actoring long-term goals in to your plans, the easier it will be to actually set them in motion when the time comes.4. Think About More Than Money.A high-paying job in your chosen field is The Dream†¦ who doesn’t want that? But there may come a time when you need to consider whether other factors are just as important as the salary figure. Flexible work arrangements, vacation time, and the ability to travel may end up being just as golden to you as a slightly higher paycheck.   Definitely take your priorities into consideration during any hiring and negotiation process.As Millennials face a unique moment in their career paths, you should see it as a chance to take hold of the process and find ways to develop it (and yourself) into the professional world you’d like to see.

Marketing Plan for beauty salon The Tulip Term Paper

Marketing Plan for beauty salon The Tulip - Term Paper Example Threats 4.0 Objectives and Issues†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 i. Objectives ii. Issues 5.0 Marketing Strategy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..8 i. Positioning ii. Product/Service Strategy iii. Pricing Strategy iv. Distribution Strategy v. Marketing Communications Strategy vi. Marketing Research vii. Marketing Organization 6.0 Action Programs..................................................................................................................11 7.0 Budgets†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..12 8.0 Controls†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 9.0 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10.0 Appendices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Marketing Plan for beauty salon â€Å"The Tulip† I. Executive summary â€Å"The Tulip† beauty salon is devoted to providing customer satisfactio n by offering them an extremely pleasant experience with top notch service and products in a soothing and serene atmosphere at an exceptionally reasonable cost. Mission: To supply products and services aimed at enhancing beauty while providing an atmosphere for the customers to unwind in. â€Å"The Tulip† beauty salon aims at a market that is ripe for its kind of service and product provision. In this fast paced capitalist world, people more than ever need time to unwind and tend to their bodies and â€Å"The Tulip’ provides them with just the opportunity. An idyllic location has been short listed for â€Å"The Tulip† that is located in XYZ shopping mall very close to Qatar’s main business district. This will allow for women with busy corporate lives to still be able to make time for their beauty regimen due to sheer convenience of location. Customer demand will also be generated from the neighboring residential districts where employed as well as unempl oyed women will make â€Å"The Tulip† their regular choice for beauty salon. â€Å"The Tulip’s† owner, Lucy Jane Marie is a beauty and cosmetology expert who is renowned in her field and has widespread understanding of this business. Due to the owners past success and fame, she will be able to attract additional loyal customers for â€Å"The Tulip†. â€Å"The Tulip’s† competitive edge lies in several factors. First and foremost is its central location, which is within easy access of the target market and gets a lot of foot traffic due to being located in a large and successful shopping mall. Secondly, the beauty salon provides and atmosphere and ambience that is contributes to relaxation, pleasure and beautification of the customer while radiating professionalism. Moreover, there is the convenience factor which is enhanced by setting salon hours around the general schedules of working women. For added convenience â€Å"The Tulip† beau ty salon provides a wide range of products and services so that the customers can avail all beauty related services at the same place and not have to go to different salons for different products and services. Finally, â€Å"The Tulip† beauty salon has the added advantage of gaining from the reputation of its owner Lucy Jane Marie who has been renowned in this industry for many years. II. Current Marketing Situation A. Market

Homer, The Iliad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Homer, The Iliad - Essay Example This lack of temperance that is also referred to as Achilles’ rage is his most tragic of flaws that resulted in thousands of death for the Greeks when he left the battle with the Trojans (Homer & De Jong 16). Because of his thirst for prizes and glory, he is not able to control himself when faced with defeat and humiliation, and he was not justified to leave the battle. One can view his rage as a spectator as Achilles waits by his ships inexorably as the Argives die in their numbers. One could say that he acts as a spoilt brat who loves to create havoc that will satisfy his self-righteousness. Achilles is completely conscious of the impact his absence has, and he expresses his wish clearly to wait until the Trojans had reached Hellespont at which point he would engage the Trojans and Hector. It is only, when Patroclus dies that he is pushed to act, and from this angle, it is hard to see how the destruction of Trojan and Greek armies bolsters any of the factions or, indeed, Ach illes (Homer & De Jong 18). The Iliad has no serenity, and even Achilles’ reconciliation with Priam is more resignation than acceptance. It is, therefore, simple to accuse Achilles of a lack of justification because, despite any will of biting one’s nose to spite the face, any behavior in any way cannot be as wrong and unjustified as the action of Achilles (Homer & De Jong 18). However, even in judging Achilles’ actions as unjustified, it is possible that one is projecting his/her rage on Achilles (Homer & De Jong 21). One is able to deflect their destructive tendencies in the same manner as a small time, thief discounts his/her culpability through a comparison of their actions to charlatans who trick the elderly to give up their pension savings. Therefore, any study of the justification of Achilles’ rage needs introspection, instead of projection. It is vital to ask why anger that is destructive and fulfilling to the point of fulfillment is overwhelming on a desire for, say, food that nurtures. Achilles, as a character, is an extremely complicated persona than a warrior who would allow their fellow soldiers to be slaughtered because he lost a girl to a person who was so self-serving that eh was forced to sacrifice his children so as to be a warrior (Homer & De Jong 22). He tells those who want him to take up his sword and shield and return to battle that a similar honor lays in wait for the brave and the coward. He also repeats these words in the underworld as he says to Odysseus that he prefers to become a slave on the earth than become a king of dead people. Fully knowledgeable of his fate of a glorious death, we could say that his anger has some degree of justification. However, can his actions, or those of anyone else for that matter, also be justifiable? In numerous ways, life can be perceived as a series of losses with the manner in which we deal with these losses defining us. While rage does seem to fulfill individuals and, maybe, we are not too different to Achilles since we are willing to push the potential of our rage to block out life’s pains, especially the pains that make them face their mortality (Homer & De Jong 22). Achilles is not able to separate himself from his lust for victory and glory, which is a caprice that fades as time moves on and comes to have no meaning in

Reported earnings or actual earnings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Reported earnings or actual earnings - Essay Example Companies employ accountants to make financial reports. Thus, from the perspective of accounting, what can we say on the situation? Are accountants being used by banks to misstate company profits? On a related point, how do we assess the â€Å"earning management techniques† with regard to their potential to be used by companies to understate company profits? In relation to the said issues, what do the professional ethics for accountants require for accounting professionals on the matter? What are some of the relevant literature on the issue? II. Literature review Some of the relevant materials on the subject matter being addressed by this work were the works of Mitre and Rodrigue (2002), Turner and Wheatley (2003), Laux (2003), and Lev (2003). Mitra and Rodrigue (2002, p. 185) defined earnings management as management’s â€Å"intentional and opportunistic manipulation of financial reports for personal gain†. According to Mitra and Rodriguqe (2002, p. ... 185) clarified that earnings management does not always a negative connotation because management may have implemented an earnings management to provide a conservative or more realistic earning figures based on the GAAP or Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Mitra and Rodrigue explained (2002, p. 185) that opportunistic behaviour arise from earnings management because it is empirically difficult to differentiate earnings management that is opportunistic from what is done in the interest of a conservative portrayal of the company situation. The Mitra and Rodrigue (2002, p. 185) assessment is that management or researchers â€Å"generally take an opportunistic perspective† in view of the difficulty of separating legitimate from what is illegitimate in earnings management. Turner and Wheatley (2003, p. 61) acknowledged that current accounting principles, auditing standards, and SEC reporting regulations allow managers to implement an â€Å"inappropriate earnings management †. To support their claim, the authors identified 34 companies that published financial misstatements but which also corrected the misstatements a year later (Turner and Wheatley 2003, p. 61). According to the authors, management subsequent â€Å"correction† of â€Å"astute control over the creation of a misstatement† benefits a company just as a misstatement may have been deliberately made in the interest of the company. The authors narrated that the Financial Executives Research Foundation reported that the number of companies restating published financial statements due to an error were higher than earlier figures: the figure of 464 for the 3-year period 1998-2000 for the United States was higher than the earlier 10-year period (Turner and Wheatley 2003, p. 61). Turner and

Introduction to business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Introduction to business law - Essay Example Managers need to remain increasingly concerned about the occurrences of any harmful incidents during the event. For instance, a court might consider several aspects if there occurs a harmful incident due to lack of air-conditioning facilities at the concert as can be witnessed with reference to the incident of Madonna’s concert in the UK recently. The aspects may include complying with the legal rules as well as regulations and making essential approvals relating to the concert. The various responsibilities of a safety manager at Madonna’s concert in Australia would be to construct a safe venue for the viewers or the audiences, offering ample space to the viewers for free movement which in turn shall also render them a comfortable space to enjoy the show without disruptions and appropriately managing the people including the working staffs. Moreover, the other significant role of a safety manager is to monitor various safety aspects for the conduct of an event which inc ludes electrical systems, fire prevention tools and accumulation of surface water among others. Hence, the scope in relation to the duties of an event manager is considered to be quite broader as the manager is entitled with various responsibilities to be performed since the initiation till the completion of the event. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 1.Introduction 4 2.Event Context 5 3.Legal Issues 7 3.1.Overview of the Australian Health and Safety Laws 7 3.2.Legal Considerations 9 5. Recommendations 9 6. Conclusion 11 References 12 1. Introduction As to a recent instance regarding Madonna, it has been viewed that Madonna’s concert has significantly raised tremendous issue relating to health and safety. The demands of Madonna had ultimately resulted in generating huge troubles with health and safety officials concerning the event. The issue was regarding the impediment of air-conditioning as one of the prime demands of Madonna. With reference to the challenges witnesse d during this concert, it can be effectively noted that it is quite necessary to manage a particular event or a concert which would emphasise upon looking after the interests of both the artists and the viewers. In order to organize and manage the similar event with Madonna in Australia, laws pertinent with health and safety would be the topmost concern. In this discussion, a detailed report advising Madonna and her management on various legal matters will be taken into concern. The different matters would include determining the appropriate authorities in Australia who are responsible for maintaining the efficiency of event management in relation to health and safety. Moreover, identification of certain matters that a court might consider when analyzing the likelihood of an occurrence of a harmful incident due to lack of air-conditioning facilities at the concert will be discussed. Various aspects such as the work of a safety manager relating to a musical concert, carrying out vari ous safety checks and the duties of a safety manager prior to, during and immediately after the concert will also be portrayed in the discussion. 2. Event Context The nature of the proposed event is about organising a musical concert in Australia for entertainment. The chief artist of the concert would be the famous singer, actress, dancer as well as songwriter, Madonna. The event would likely be held in Australia’s one of the premium indoor venue i.e. ‘

Aircraft electrical power generation and distribution Coursework - 1

Aircraft electrical power generation and distribution - Coursework Example An over temperature switch is installed in the generator. The switch contacts close when the stator windings reach a temperature of 210 degrees C and automatically reset when the temperature returns to a safe level. The output frequency of the generator is 400 Hz and is controlled by the GCU. The PMG supplies electrical power to generator control unit (GCU). This power is used to control the generator circuit. The PMG has 3 phase windings in the drive part of the IDG. A voltage regulator supplies DC power to the stator windings of the exciter. In the rotating rotor a 3 phase voltage is generated and then rectified to DC by diodes. The rotating DC field, thus obtained, is used to control the 3 phase main generator; the output is supplied to the generator line contactor (GLC) and from there to the generator control unit. This output from the generator is used to control the voltage regulator, which now makes sure that the main output is 115 Â ± 2.5 V. the frequency controller uses the PMG voltage and makes sure that the generator operates at 12000 Â ± 120 rpm to obtain a frequency of 400 Â ± 4Hz. The GCR is controlled by a logic circuit and is energized when the frequency is above 365 Â ± 2.5 Hz. When energized, voltage regulation starts. When voltage and frequency are correct the PRR is energized and the generator line contactor is energized through the action of the AC bus transfer system. When in operation, the GCU examines and continuously the generator system. To achieve this several protective functions are built into the GCU including; The drive ensures that the generator only operates at a given rpm, irrespective of the engine rpm and generator load. The brushless AC generator produces the desired power. When the input shaft rpm increases or decreases the output frequency varies respectively. This variation is detected by the GCU. The GCU relays an electrical signal to a

Introduction to business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Introduction to business law - Essay Example Managers need to remain increasingly concerned about the occurrences of any harmful incidents during the event. For instance, a court might consider several aspects if there occurs a harmful incident due to lack of air-conditioning facilities at the concert as can be witnessed with reference to the incident of Madonna’s concert in the UK recently. The aspects may include complying with the legal rules as well as regulations and making essential approvals relating to the concert. The various responsibilities of a safety manager at Madonna’s concert in Australia would be to construct a safe venue for the viewers or the audiences, offering ample space to the viewers for free movement which in turn shall also render them a comfortable space to enjoy the show without disruptions and appropriately managing the people including the working staffs. Moreover, the other significant role of a safety manager is to monitor various safety aspects for the conduct of an event which inc ludes electrical systems, fire prevention tools and accumulation of surface water among others. Hence, the scope in relation to the duties of an event manager is considered to be quite broader as the manager is entitled with various responsibilities to be performed since the initiation till the completion of the event. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 1.Introduction 4 2.Event Context 5 3.Legal Issues 7 3.1.Overview of the Australian Health and Safety Laws 7 3.2.Legal Considerations 9 5. Recommendations 9 6. Conclusion 11 References 12 1. Introduction As to a recent instance regarding Madonna, it has been viewed that Madonna’s concert has significantly raised tremendous issue relating to health and safety. The demands of Madonna had ultimately resulted in generating huge troubles with health and safety officials concerning the event. The issue was regarding the impediment of air-conditioning as one of the prime demands of Madonna. With reference to the challenges witnesse d during this concert, it can be effectively noted that it is quite necessary to manage a particular event or a concert which would emphasise upon looking after the interests of both the artists and the viewers. In order to organize and manage the similar event with Madonna in Australia, laws pertinent with health and safety would be the topmost concern. In this discussion, a detailed report advising Madonna and her management on various legal matters will be taken into concern. The different matters would include determining the appropriate authorities in Australia who are responsible for maintaining the efficiency of event management in relation to health and safety. Moreover, identification of certain matters that a court might consider when analyzing the likelihood of an occurrence of a harmful incident due to lack of air-conditioning facilities at the concert will be discussed. Various aspects such as the work of a safety manager relating to a musical concert, carrying out vari ous safety checks and the duties of a safety manager prior to, during and immediately after the concert will also be portrayed in the discussion. 2. Event Context The nature of the proposed event is about organising a musical concert in Australia for entertainment. The chief artist of the concert would be the famous singer, actress, dancer as well as songwriter, Madonna. The event would likely be held in Australia’s one of the premium indoor venue i.e. ‘

Organized Crime Essay Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Organized Crime Worldwide Organization - Research Paper Example Organized crime tends to flourish in countries where legitimate government and civil society is disorganized, weak, absent or untrustworthy. Therefore, it is believed that the strong government and trustworthy law enforcement in the United States makes organized crime more difficult. The American economy is much less dependant on the money produced by organized crime when compared to the organized crime found in other countries. "In Japan, the most serious organized crime problems are almost always related to the notorious Japanese organized crime groups - the yakuza" (Finckenauer 90). The main crimes committed by these groups involve gambling, prostitution, and amphetamine trafficking. The human trafficking of sex workers is an overwhelmingly common crime in Asian countries and while law enforcement officials find it difficult to generalize Japanese organized crime, they do agree that prostitution stands at the head of organized crime in their country. Most of the illegal sex workers found in Japan come from the neighboring countries: Thailand, the Philippines, Colombia, China, and Korea. "Even though Japanese authorities are convinced that yakuza members are heavily involved in the transportation and control of foreign sex workers, but that it is not their number one priority because they believe foreign sex workers are not being forced into their activities, nor is there pressure from the Japanese public to do something about it because many businesses rely on the support of the wealthy crime groups" (Finckenauer 90). Like Japan, organized crime in China is responsible for orchestrating the human trafficking of sex workers, but they also play a role in the country's drug problem.  

Unilever Brazil Essay Example for Free

Unilever Brazil Essay Executive Summary Unilever is assessing whether to enter the low-income NE market. Our analysis shows that there is a profitable opportunity to offer detergent powder to low-income customers living in Northeast Brazil and capture market share in a high-margin, high-growth market. We recommend that the firm keeps the existing brands but deploy a horizontal extension of the Campeiro brand adding better scent / softness and utilizing specialty distribution network, thereby marginalizing Invicto, an inferior but better-known competitor. Situation Overview NE Brazil has long lagged behind the rest of the country in terms of technology and income. However, economic reforms instituted by Finance Minister Cardoso has seen the purchasing power of the poorest Brazilians increase dramatically. These reforms, combined with tax incentives for investment in the NE has led to a 17% annual growth in detergent powder. In NE Brazil, detergent is still primarily used to supplement soap in order to make the clothes whiter and smell better. Campeiro, Unilever’s current budget offering detergent powder, competes primarily with Invicto. These products are offered at the same price ($1.7/kg) and have roughly the same market penetration (6% for Campeiro vs. 5% for Invicto) – even as consumers view Campeiro as a superior brand. The problem for Unilever is Campeiro’s brand penetration, which lags approximately 15% behind Invicto. This is because of the decentralized purchasing habits of women in NE Brazil. This situation is an opportunity because if Unilever improves market penetration, it will drive sales in this high-margin, high-growth segment of the laundry industry. By contrast, the soap industry has slower growth (6%) and lower barrier to entry, which makes it tough to sustain high margin. In addition, the market is very fragmented, with â€Å"other† producers supplying 64% of the market, making it tough to systematically beat competitors and capture market share. Therefore, at this time we do not think it makes sense to enter this market. Action Overview Strategy We will target the following market: †¢Customer: Low-income consumers in NE Brazil †¢Company: Unilever †¢Collaborators: Special store owners as low-income consumers do not shop in wholesale and get financing and advice from specialty owners †¢Competitor: Invicto †¢Context: Increasing purchasing power in NE and role of powder as fragrance / softening agents Our value proposition to this segment will be: An affordable detergent powder with a â€Å"special touch.† We will deploy the strategy as follows: Tactics †¢Products: â€Å"New and improved† Campeiro with enhanced smell and softness oSmell / softness is ranked second only to whiteness in perceived importance by consumers, but going after whiteness has potential to cannibalize OMO (see Action Rationale section for more details) oThe added fragrance should be at a level just enough to set Campeiro apart from Invicto, but far enough from Minerva to prevent cannibalization †¢Brand: Campeiro †¢Price: Same price – whole sale of 1.7 / kg †¢Distribution: Specialized distributors that can increase awareness of target audience at a lower variable cost than generalist wholesaler; specialized stores are significant influencers of target customer’s behaviors †¢Incentives: Launch new Campeiro via specialized distribution as larger campaign to influence small shop owners; give away free samples to specialized store to promote awareness to small shops; use more point-of-purchase marketing as small shop owners are more susceptible to such tactics †¢Communication: â€Å"New and Improved Campeiro† or â€Å"add something special to your clothes at affordable price† Action Rationale The proposed strategy is best suited for Unilever’s goal of finding a profitable entry into low-income NE market because: †¢Profit growth from increasing market share in Campeiro is significantly higher than Minerva soap oMargins for laundry detergent is superior to soap ($2520 per ton vs. $1250 per ton) oPowder market is experiencing a higher growth (17%) compared to that of soap (6%) o Increase New Campeiro market share by 6% would have and additional benefit of 1.38MM in year 1 and 2.21 MM in year 3, compared to 1.19 and 1.42 if we increase Minerva soap market share by 5% (See exhibit 2) ï‚ §Increasing market share in soap is already a big challenge given the fragmented market †¢Campeiro has a strong brand name – by giving it a new feature such as smell, it can separate itself from the generic Invicto and other smaller producers of â€Å"no frills† powders †¢RD cost of formulating should be low as Unilever already has a fragrance-based brand Minerva †¢Cost of matching fragrance / softness is too prohibitive for ASA and other small, regional competitors †¢Cannibalization is optimized cannibalization % is better if Campeiro targets smell / softness instead of whiteness (see Exhibit 1) †¢Campeiro is a better extension candidate than Minerva as Campeiro has a better break-even cannibalization rate (See Exhibit 1) †¢Significant barriers to entry also make it difficult for additional firms to compete at this price point †¢Using specialty store distribution makes sense as low-income NE residents tend to shop at smaller supermarkets †¢Improvement to Unilever brand image as being at the forefront of helping rural Brazil Potential Drawbacks †¢There is still risk that a fragrance / softness based brand extension will cannibalize Minerva beyond the threshold calculated, thereby decreasing profit †¢Cost of re-formulating Campeiro may be higher than expected †¢Unilever already owns a 75% market share; therefore, there is a finite additional share for Campeiro to absorb †¢Unilever premium brand equity may suffer as Unilever makes investment in lower-end products †¢Most low-income household do not own washing machines, so it would be hard to absorb additional market share currently owned by competitors’ soap brands with a powder product †¢There is always the risk that ever-changing socioeconomic and political factors will defer target segment from purchasing powder Conclusion Based on the analysis above, our team believes that the appropriate strategy to grow in the low-income NE market would be to extend the existing Campeiro brand while keeping the same price point. Distribution through specialty stores instead of wholesale will best position Unilever to grow in this high-margin, high-growth market.

Identity in Rural Communities: Sociological Concepts

Identity in Rural Communities: Sociological Concepts Introduction Rural communities have been a source of much interest for those engaged within the sociological and geographical realms of study for many years now. The industrial revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries triggered the phenomenon of rural depopulation as millions throughout the Western nations, lured by the promise of a more prosperous existence in the urban core, abandoned their agrarian settlements. However, the late 20th century has witnessed a dramatic increase in the standard of living for the inhabitants of the developed world. Cataclysmic advancements in the spheres of transportation, infrastructure and technology have permitted the denizens of our cities with greater access to regions which were once isolated and peripheral. For the first time in over two centuries populations are now increasing throughout the urban hinterland and countryside. As a consequence, rural communities are now faced with a growing influx of ‘outsider’ or alien elements which may be per ceived to threaten their unique cultural and social traditions. Such elements range from governmental legislation (imposed from a regional, national or supranational level) to tourism and second home ownership. However, in an increasingly globalised and homoginised world, academics have developed great interest in the methodologies deployed by erstwhile isolated settlements as they strive to conserve their very identities and notions of ‘community’. Mewitt has argued that the ‘esoteric cultures’ of rural communities have been much undervalued. He states that, ‘a local population can possess a largely unique culture that remains distinctive in that its symbolic manifestations convey meanings that are commonly understood only among those people.’[1] Defining the Communal Boundary Muir eloquently highlights that, ‘every landscape is enmeshed in networks of boundaries. Some of these are living or current and others are relics of former patterns of overlordship and partition.’[2] He further adds that, ‘some boundaries are political in character’ whilst ‘others relate to ownership and tenancy.’[3] Indeed, the configuration of the present day counties of England dates from Medieval times when the Normans attempted to organise and rationalise the physical landscape. Muir explains that as the number of people residing in a specific locale increases, the greater the necessity precipitates to impose physical boundaries to ‘serve both instructive and symbolic roles.’[4] The remnants of Medieval ‘landscapes of power’ can still be observed in the guise of churches or castles positioned on elevated terrain. Indeed Muir emphasises that, ‘Medieval crosses were frequently associated with marking route way s and the places where roads entered ecclesiastical property.’[5] However, sociologists argue that the concept of ‘boundary’ often surpasses the purely mundane realm. Cohen insists that the boundary of a community is ‘more complex than its physical, legal or administrative basis’ and even ‘ethnic, racial, religious or linguistic differences.’[6] Indeed, he believes that communal, social and physical frontiers may ‘exist in the minds of their beholders’ and are often not objective entities.[7] Indeed, according to Cohen and other commentators the boundaries of a community may be defined in a variety of ways including local genealogy, traditions, idioms, land distribution, folk histories and idiosyncrasies. Defining the Rural Community Shuttles argues that whilst urban communities were traditionally defined on the basis of ‘race, ethnicity and socioeconomic differences,’ rural communities were typically ‘more homogenous.’[8] However, he notes that power was normally concentrated ‘in the hands of a small group of local elites.’[9] Shuttles’ comments are interesting when one considers what many regard as being symbolic of the typical or idyllic rural community. The English manor house and rustic thatched cottage conjure up images of a romantic and traditional arcadian scenario. Indeed, sociologists are now quick to highlight how the paintings of artists such as Constable, and the lucid literary descriptions of writers like Thomas Hardy, have done much to perpetuate the myth of idyllic rural communities within the collective mindset. These were communities where everyone seemingly had his or her ‘place’ within a clearly defined and functional social hierarchy. However, Seymour et al. state that ‘recent debates in rural studies have highlighted the need to reconsider power relations in the countryside by allowing other voices to be heard.’[10] They insist that previously marginalised groups, such as manual workers and housewives, play just as important a role in defining the local community as those in positions of economic and political power. They also note that traditional stereotypes of the rural community are changing both within and out with the locale. For example, farmers were typically viewed as ‘patriotic food producers and the guardians of the countryside.’[11] Since the 1980s the pollution issues concerning unsustainable farming practices and use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides have severely altered the once romantic myth of the farmer as custodian of the landscape and lynch pin of the rural community. Jones’ study of social attitudes in and around the town of Cwmrheidol in rural west Wales is most illuminating. In the late 1980s she began to interview a wide range of locals and incomers; participants included: ‘traditional women and feminists, Welsh speakers and English speakers, residents and summer visitors, New Age travellers, hill farmers and urban commuters.’[12] Indeed, Jones’ findings reveal a plurality of attitudes regarding what constitutes ‘community’ in the local area. Ieuan, a Welsh-speaking hill farmer, seemed to resent official bodies and felt that EU legislation was gradually eroding traditional farming practices and his way-of-life. He was also angry with the planting of Forestry Commission coniferous forests on the hillsides and the imposition of alien boundaries upon once communal pasturelands. Ieuan complained about the ‘thoughtlessness of tourists’ and was sceptical regarding plans to diversify the tourist in dustry.[13] His conservative attitude was shared by Alison and Phil, ‘incomers’ from England, who also opposed development of the area and believed that new housing projects could destroy the rustic character of the local milieu. Another ‘incomer’ named Ros also exhibited similar sentiments and did not want change, so much so that she stated how she would protest vehemently against the renovation of a nearby ‘ruin’. Indeed, one could say that Ieuan, Alison and Phil, and Ros viewed the traditional community as something which should be cherished and remain static throughout time. However, the ‘incomers’ did state that they felt very much like ‘outsiders’ despite having lived in the region for some time. As Ros stated, ’the old locals they’re a community on their own.’[14] The local vicar Patrick Thomas was more than aware of the existence of ‘communities within communities’ throughout this part of Wales. A principal boundary was of a linguistic nature and those who could not speak the Welsh language became effectively excluded from many social and communal activities. Many older inhabitants simply did not view ‘incomers’ as part of the community and seemed to view them as a threat. The vicar strove to promote individual responsibility and attempted to encourage community values regardless of whether an inhabitant was of an ‘insider’ or ‘outsider’ status. Indeed, Patrick Thomas clearly viewed the entire community as a cohesive whole whilst others chose to be more selective in their analysis, often on the grounds of language, ethnicity and place of origin, regarding who was a part of their local ‘community’. Mewett notes how the inhabitants of the Isle of Lewis choose to define the boundaries of the community. He emphasises the importance of nicknames throughout the island by ‘expressing to people the attachment of themselves and others to the local community’[15] and by effectively defining their very social identities. Cohen’s study of the Shetland Island community of Whalsay revealed the existence of a ‘public treasury of personal knowledge.’[16] This social treasury included; ‘the public identities of Whalsay people: the characters attributed to them in public discourse and formulated on the basis of the stereotypical qualities of their kinsfolk or their township of origin; the anecdotal knowledge of incidents in which they were participants; supposed personal idiosyncrasies and so forth.’[17] Such a methodology of social definition is representative of a local folk history and assists in binding the local community together and affirming the notion of ‘being Whalsa’. Cohen concludes that public identities provide social boundaries for the community and serve as veritable ‘compass bearings’.[18] Cohen also highlights the linkage of a person to a place in Whalsay and the propensity of locals to depersonalise individual talents and skills. If someone exhibits an aptitude for woodwork they are said to have ‘Skaw-blood’ in them. The origin of this saying derives from the belief that many skilled carpenters once came from the town of Skaw in the north. This was due to the fact that drift wood commonly accumulated on the coast near this town and the local artisans had a ready supply of the raw material. To compliment one’s ability in such a way effectively grounds the individual within the historical, genealogical, physical and symbolic boundaries of the imagined island community. McFarlane’s study of four villages in Northern Ireland highlights how rural communities choose to define their communal identities and demarcate boundaries within a nation fraught with religious tension. In the predominantly Protestant village of Ballycuan the local history is recounted from a Protestant perspective. The July band marches also symbolised Protestant hegemony within the community and, as the local band master stated, ‘remind everyone that Ballycuan is a Protestant village.’[19] Conversely, in the village of Glenleven, Protestants seemed to ‘present histories which appear to be much less certain about Protestant strengths.’[20] This was due to their minority status in the town and the general consensus amongst all inhabitants that a good sense of community outweighed religious differences. This is an example of how rural inhabitants may choose to redefine the symbolic boundaries of their communities in order to accommodate a plurality of interests. Conclusion As Tuan emphasises, human territoriality and the creation of community is very different to that of the animals which is ‘unburdened by symbolic thought.’[21] There is often ‘an emotional bond between man and nature, man and place.’[22] Cohen’s and Mewett’s studies of rural island communities have highlighted this fact. Community boundaries may be imposed by a variety of individuals or groups in accordance with how they perceive, or wish to perceive, their local society. Such symbolic representations are often crafted on the basis of class, gender or ethnicity but, as Cohen has shown, they can also be very subjective. Cohen also notes that the coming of improved transport linkages to rural communities and the mass market will offer new challenges to how people in the countryside identify themselves collectively. He is however confident that they will continue to define the symbols and boundaries which establishes one as ‘an integral piece of the fabric which constitutes the community.’[23] Bibliography COHEN, A. P. Belonging: Identity and social Organisation in British rural Cultures, Manchester University Press, 1982 COHEN, A. P. Symbolising Boundaries: Identity and Diversity in British Cultures, Manchester University Press, 1986 COHEN, A. P. Whalsay: Symbol, Segment and Boundary In a Shetland Island Community, Manchester University Press, 1987 CRANG, M. Cultural Geography, Routledge, 1998 GIDDENS, A. Sociology, 5th Edition, Polity Press, 2006 LEWIS, G. J. Rural Communities, David and Charles, 1979 LOWERTHAL, D. BOWDEN, M. J. Geographies of the Mind: Essays in Historical Geosophy, Oxford, 1976 MILBOURNE, P. Revealing Rural Others: Representation, Power and Identity in the British Countryside, Pinter, 1997 MITCHELL, D. Cultural Geography: A Critical Introduction, Blackwell, 2000 MUIR, R. The New Reading the Landscape: Fieldwork in Landscape History, University of Exeter Press, 2000 PENNING-ROWSELLE, E. C. LOWENTHAL, D. Landscape Meanings and Values, Allen and Unwin, 1986 SALTER, C. L. The Cultural Landscape, Dixbury Press, 1971 1 Footnotes [1] Cohen, A. P. Belonging: Identity and Social Organisation in British Rural Cultures, Manchester University Press, 1982, pg. 222 [2] Muir, R. The New Reading the Landscape: Fieldwork in Landscape History, University of Exeter Press, 2000, pg. 68 [3] Muir, R. The New Reading the Landscape: Fieldwork in Landscape History, University of Exeter Press, 2000, pg. 68 [4] Muir, R. The New Reading the Landscape: Fieldwork in Landscape History, University of Exeter Press, 2000, pg. 69 [5] Muir, R. The New Reading the Landscape: Fieldwork in Landscape History, University of Exeter Press, 2000, pg. 82 [6] Cohen, A. P. Whalsay: Symbol, Segment and Boundary in a Shetland Island Community, Manchester University Press, 1987, pg. 14 [7] Cohen, A. P. Whalsay: Symbol, Segment and Boundary in a Shetland Island Community, Manchester University Press, 1987, pg. 14 [8] Shuttles, G. D. The Social Construction of Communities, University of Chicago Press, 1972, pg. 260 [9] Shuttles, G. D. The Social Construction of Communities, University of Chicago Press, 1972, pg. 260 [10] Milbourne, P. Revealing Rural Others: Representation, Power and Identity in the British Countryside, Pinter, 1997, pg. 57 [11] Milbourne, P. Revealing Rural Others: Representation, Power and Identity in the British Countryside, Pinter, 1997, pg. 58 [12] Milbourne, P. Revealing Rural Others: Representation, Power and Identity in the British Countryside, Pinter, 1997, pg. 135 [13] Milbourne, P. Revealing Rural Others: Representation, Power and Identity in the British Countryside, Pinter, 1997, pg. 137 [14] Milbourne, P. Revealing Rural Others: Representation, Power and Identity in the British Countryside, Pinter, 1997, pg.139 [15]Cohen, A. P. Belonging: Identity and Social Organisation in British Rural Cultures, Manchester University Press, 1982, pg. 243 [16]Cohen, A. P. Whalsay: Symbol, Segment and Boundary In a Shetland Island Community, Manchester University Press, 1987, pg. 61 [17]Cohen, A. P. Whalsay: Symbol, Segment and Boundary In a Shetland Island Community, Manchester University Press, 1987, pg. 61 [18]Cohen, A. P. Whalsay: Symbol, Segment and Boundary In a Shetland Island Community, Manchester University Press, 1987, pg. 61 [19] Cohen, A. P. Symbolising Boundaries: Identity and Diversity in British Cultures, Manchester University Press, 1986, pg. 94 [20] Cohen, A. P. Symbolising Boundaries: Identity and Diversity in British Cultures, Manchester University Press, 1986, pg. 94 [21] Lowerthal, D. Bowden, M. J. Geographies of the Mind: Essays in Historical Geosophy, Oxford, 1986, pg. 13 [22] Lowerthal, D. Bowden, M. J. Geographies of the Mind: Essays in Historical Geosophy, Oxford, 1986, pg. 13 [23] Cohen, A. P. Belonging: Identity and Social Organisation in British Rural Cultures, Manchester University Press, 1982, pg. 21

The O.J. Simpson Trial Essays -- Trial O.J. Simpson Essays

The O.J. Simpson Trial The O.J. Simpson trial was one of the most recognizable cases in American history. It went on for nine months. There were 11 lawyers representing the O.J. and 25 working around the clock for the largest prosecutor's office in the country. The opinion of the Jury was for the defense, not guilty. I agree with them. It would have been crazy if O.J. was convicted because the evidence was not properly handled or accounted for, the main police officer handling the case was a racist man and the defendant was black. And people who were testifying on the prosecutor’s defense were proven to be lying under oath. First, the evidence such as blood drawn from O.J. was not handled the way it should have been, there was time when the blood was in polices possession that woul...

Guyana’s Culture

Culture name: Guyanese Identification. Guyana is an Amerindian word meaning â€Å"the land of many waters. † Attempts to forge a common identity have foundered, and it is more accurate to speak of African, Indian, and Amerindian Guyanese cultures. There were small European, Portuguese â€Å"colored,† and Chinese communities before large-scale migration to Canada and the United States in the late 1960s. British Guiana was referred to as â€Å"the land of six peoples. † Location and Geography.Guyana is on the northeastern shoulder of South America, bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by Suriname, on the northwest by Venezuela, and on the south and southwest by Brazil. The capital city is Georgetown. In an area of 83,000 square miles (212,000 square kilometers), there are three regions: the narrow coastal belt of rich alluvium; the densely forested, hilly sand and clay belt; and the Rupununi grasslands between the rain forests and the frontier wi th Brazil. Over 90 percent of the population lives on the coastal belt, which is below sea level.The Dutch, using African slaves in the eighteenth century, made this area habitable. Every square mile of cultivated land has forty-nine miles of drainage canals and ditches and sixteen miles of high-level waterways. Demography. The population was 758,619 in 1980. It had declined to 723,800 in 1991, and an estimated 720,700 in 1996. In 1991, the population consisted of 49 percent Indians; 35 percent Africans; 7 percent mixed race peoples; and 6. 8 percent Amerindians. Indians are of the following religions: Hindu, 65 percent; Muslim, 20 percent; and Christian, 15 percent.Massive migration has led to the virtual disappearance of Chinese, mixed, Europeans, and Portuguese. Linguistic Affiliation. The official language is English. No African languages survived slavery, nor have those of the indentured laborers (Indians, Madeiran Portuguese, and Chinese). Guyanese speak creole dialects of Eng lish with varying ethnic lexical imprints. However, all dialects are mutually intelligible. Symbolism. There are few national symbols or metaphors. The national hero, Cuffy, the leader of the Berbice Slave Rebellion in 1763, is primarily an African Guyanese hero whose statue in Georgetown evokes Indian antipathy.Indians tend to identify with an India of the imagination and the Hindu and Muslim religions. Africans often look to an imagined Africa. The utopian vision of Guyana—El Dorado—created by Sir Walter Raleigh in the 1590s, claims the imagination of most Guyanese today. History and Ethnic Relations National Identity. The colonial rulers promoted images of Britishness to inculcate loyalty to the empire, but although various ethnic groups absorbed aspects of that culture, they retained their identities. The Portuguese attempted to selectively Anglicize their Madeiran Catholic culture to stress their European-ness.Most Africans adapted British culture to an essentiall y African core. Indians, coming after the Africans (between 1838 and 1917), sustained a stronger sense of their national identity. This process of â€Å"creolization† affected all groups but did not forge a national culture. Ethnic Relations. After adopting British cultural idioms, the African and mixed middle class deprecated the â€Å"backward coolie† culture of Indians. The Indians, steeped in ancient notions of caste, brought rigid ideals of color and physical features to their judgment of African people, although most Indian immigrants were themselves dark.Africans and Indians thus constructed distinct Guyana identities. A brief political compromise in the early 1950s could not moderate their mutual incomprehension. In the early 1960s, both groups violently contested the space being vacated by the British; this has left a legacy of racial hatred. Ethnic relations since independence in 1966 have been undermined by the notion that politics consists of the allocation of the spoils of power to the ruling ethnic section. Alternating ruling African and Indian elites publicly criticize the role of culture and ethnicity in political mobilization while exploiting it.Urbanism, Architecture, and the Use of Space The two main commercial centers are Georgetown and New Amsterdam. The colonial architecture found in parts of Georgetown is still impressive wooden buildings with jalousies and high ceilings to facilitate ventilation, some featuring large, wooden verandas. In rural areas, there are many wooden buildings made up of many eclectic styles, but all are built on stilts to protect them from floods. Wooden buildings are fading into the past, however, as concrete buildings are becoming more common. Food and EconomyFood in Daily Life. Basic foods reflect ethnic preferences, but there has been considerable cross-fertilization. The creole foods created by Africans have been adopted by all the other groups. Dishes made from â€Å"ground provisions† n ow constitute a national menu: crab or fish soups with plantains, eddoes, cassava, dasheen, and coconut milk; â€Å"cook-up rice† with black-eyed peas, pigs tail, green plantain, and cassareep; and Indian curries and roti. Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions. At African festivals and life cycle rites, creole foods are served.Vegetarian curries are provided at Hindu weddings; the day after a wedding, curried meat is served. Basic Economy. Most food is produced locally, including rice, fruits and vegetables, sugar, cooking oils, fish and seafood, meat, and rum. Colonial tastes survive in the form of sardines, corned beef and mutton, chocolate, and whiskey. Imports largely consist of fuels and lubricants, cars, agricultural machinery, clothing and footwear, and consumer durables. Commercial Activities. In a primarily agricultural country, the main exports are sugar and rum.Rice is grown primarily on small farms, and coconuts also are an important crop. The major industrial prod ucts are bauxite, gold, and lumber. Fishing is established, as is livestock rearing. Tourism, mainly to the wild interior, is in its infancy. Major Industries. Industry is still in its infancy in Guyana. The one exception to this are the companies that process bauxite and the facilities in rural areas set up to dredge for gold. Trade. Guyana trades primarily with the European Union (mainly the United Kingdom), Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean community.Most of the country's main export, sugar, is sold to the European Union. The bulk of rice production goes to the Caribbean, and bauxite is exported to Canada and the United States. Division of Labor. Eighty percent of workers in the sugar industry and 90 percent of rice farmers are Indian, as are many growers of fruits and vegetables and forestry and fishing workers. Africans tend to go into the professions, work in public service, and seek employment as skilled workers in urban centers and the interior. Social Stratificat ion Classes and Castes.There are class differences within each ethnic group. One can identify an Indian middle class based primarily in commerce and an African middle class in the professions and the upper echelons of public service. Middle class consciousness across ethnic lines is weak, and includes very few Amerindians. Between 1988 and 1996, gross domestic product increased by forty percent, with remarkable growth in sectors where Indians are disproportionately represented. The public sector, where Africans dominate, experienced no growth in that period.Symbols of Social Stratification. Markers that locate people as middle class regardless of ethnicity include place of residence, the employment of security guards, the type of car driven, the type of English spoken, the frequency of travel overseas, where and what the men drink, where the women shop, clubs, and access to private tutors for children. Political Life Government. The 1992 and 1997 general elections were won by the pr edominantly Indian People's Progressive Party (PPP).The elections of 1968, 1973, 1980, and 1985 and the referendum of 1978 were widely seen to be rigged in favor of the predominantly African People's National Congress (PNC), which ruled from 1964 to 1992. The electoral system has been one of proportional representation since 1964. Fifty-three seats in the national Parliament are allocated proportionally. Another tier of government serves the ten regions; the President, who is the leader of the victorious party, heads the government but does not sit in Parliament. Leadership and Political Officials.Elections are a demonstration of ethnic strength rather than a reflection of popular will. Cheddi Jagan and L. F. S. Burnham were the cofounders of the PPP, a loose coalition of the two main ethnic groups. The first PPP government, elected in April 1953, was thrown out by the British for fear of communism. Party rivalries since that time have involved different versions of Marxism, and the various parties have failed to deal with racial antagonism. Military Activity. Before the 1990s, the army was crucial to the projection of political power, and was a source of employment for African youths.In 1992, the Guyana Defence Force was 97 percent African and 3 percent Amerindian, with Indians accounting for less than one percent. Gender Roles and Statuses Division of Labor by Gender. The economic and political spheres are dominated by men, but a few women are senior officials in the government. Although there has been one female president, there is a paucity of women in the cabinet, the legislature, and the leadership of political parties. Women play a significant role as farmers, market vendors, teachers, nurses, civil servants, and clerks, as well as doing housework.In recent years girls have outperformed boys in regional examinations, and more women than men attend university. The Relative Status of Women and Men. The abandonment of children by fathers and a culture of m ale-centered drinking frequently leave women with the sole responsibility for their children. In urban areas, where the extended family is often nonexistent, many African women are the family breadwinners. The state provides virtually no social welfare assistance. Marriage, Family, and Kinship Marriage. Among Hindus and Muslims, arranged, comparatively early marriages are common.Middle-class Indians have greater freedom in choosing a spouse, especially if the woman is a professional. Marriage usually occurs later, and the family is smaller. Indian families are patriarchal and often function as corporate economic units. Formal marriage is less common among the African working class, and the middle classes marry later. Domestic Unit. There is a high incidence of multi-generational women-centered households in working-class families. Younger men may belong to and contribute to the household, and older men may join later.Men usually marry late and often engage A woman prepares cachiri, an alcoholic drink, in a workshop. in serial monogamy before forming a stable relationship. Socialization Infant Care. Among all the ethnic groups, the extended family plays a role in the socialization of children. In an outdoor society, children are allowed to roam. In rural communities, discipline is a communal responsibility. Children and younger adults address elders not by their names but as â€Å"auntie† or â€Å"uncle. † Children usually are carried by parents, siblings, and relatives. Child Rearing and Education.Teaching children â€Å"correct† behavior is a priority. Corporal punishment is considered indispensable, and attendance at church, temple, or mosque is used to inculcate moral values. Life cycle rites and rituals are central to the shaping of a child. Higher Education. Mixed people and Africans were pioneers in education. Until the 1930s, Indians tended to resist educating girls, but the example of other groups and the emergence of an Indian mid dle class have led to a changed attitude. Until decolonization in the late 1960s, secondary schools were excellent.The University of Guyana, founded in 1963, has produced many distinguished scholars and professionals, but it has also suffered from the mass exodus of Guyanese academics. Religion Religious beliefs. African, Amerindian, and Indian traditional cultures have sustained folk practices that have penetrated Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam. Obeah has its roots in African folk religion but influences Indians as well, and Indian spirit possession has affected rural African religious sensibility. Religious Practitioners. Christian ministers, Hindu priests (Brahmins), and Muslim imams command considerable deference.However, folk religious leaders such as obeah men and women, charismatic leaders in Afro-Christian sects, and similar leaders in folk Hinduism compete with the established religious leaders. Death and the Afterlife. Death requires the public articulation of grief; th e â€Å"wake† or vigil, facilitates communal support for the bereaved, who reciprocate by providing a feast for the community. Hindus believe in reincarnation, and Africans believe that the spirit of the dead must be placated and assisted. Produce displayed for sale at a market in Parika Quayside. Agriculture is Guyana's principal commercial activity.Secular Celebrations Most festivals are based on Christian, Hindu, and Islamic beliefs, so there are few truly secular holidays or events. However, â€Å"Mashramani† is celebrated to mark the country's Republic Day on 23 February, and the anniversary of the Berbice Slave Rebellion of 1763 is also noted. The Arts and Humanities Support for the Arts. It is extremely difficult for artists to survive as public funding is very limited. Many artists have migrated. Literature. Africans celebrate their history of resistance and achievement through Anancy tales, proverbs, songs, and stories. This tradition has haped Guyanese litera ry sensibility. The first major Guyanese novelist was Edgar Mittelholzer (1909–1965), who lived and worked in England most of his life. His first novel,Corentyne Thunder,  was published in 1941 and was followed by 22 additional novels. Another noted Guyanese author, Wilson Harris (1923–), also did most of his writing in England. His works were greatly influenced by Amerindian myths and the haunting solitude of the rain forests and its majestic rivers. The country's best-known poet is Martin Carter (1927–1996), whose work was influenced by the political turmoil of the 1940s and early 1950s. Graphic Arts.The country's most accomplished painter, Aubrey Williams, was steeped in Amerindian motifs and images of the hinterland. The work of the sculptor Philip Moore is informed by West African artistic forms and motifs. In pottery, woodcraft, and basketry, Amerindians produce for the domestic and foreign markets. There is a national collection of paintings but no nati onal gallery. Performance Arts. There is a rich heritage of folk music, dance, and drama in each of the main ethnic groups but no art form to project a national identity. The impact of the national School of Dance has been limited; music and dance are still essentially ethnic.The Theatre Guild in Georgetown has sustained a dramatic tradition, as has the professional Theatre Company, but drama appeals mainly to the elite. Bibliography Adamson, Alan H. Sugar without Slaves: The Political Economy of British Guiana, 1838–1904  , 1972. Benjamin, Joel, Lakshmi Kallicharan, Ian McDonald, and Lloyd Searwar, eds. They Came in Ships: An Anthology of Indo-Guyanese Prose and Poetry  , 1998. Brown, Stewart ed. The Art of Martin Carter  , 2000. Carter, Martin. Selected Poems  , 1997. Jagan, Cheddi. The West on Trial: My Fight for Guyana's Freedom  , 1966. McGowan, Winston F. James G. Rose, and David A. Granger, eds. Themes in African Guyanese History  , 1998. Menezes, Mary Noel . The Portuguese of Guyana: A Study in Culture and Conflict  , 1994. Moore, Brian. Cultural Power, Resistance and Pluralism: Colonial Guyana, 1838–1900  , 1995. Rodney, Walter. A History of the Guyanese Working People, 1881–1905  , 1981. Seecharan, Clem. â€Å"Tiger in the Stars†: The Anatomy of Indian Achievement in British Guiana, 1919–1929  , 1997. ——. â€Å"The Shaping of the Indo-Caribbean People: Guyana and Trinidad to the 1940s. †Ã‚  Journal of Caribbean Studies  14 (1–2): 61–92, 1999–2000.Smith, Raymond T. The Negro Family in British Guiana: Family Structure and Social Status in the Villages  , 1956. ——. British Guiana  , 1962. Spinner, Thomas J. ,  A Political and Social History of Guyana, 1945–1983  , 1983. St. Pierre, Maurice. Anatomy of Resistance: Anti-Colonialism in Guyana, 1823–1966  , 1999. Sue-a-Quan, Trev. Cane Reapers: Chinese Indentured Immigrants in Guyana  , 1999. —C  LEM  S  EECHARAN Read more:  Culture of Guyana – history, people, clothing, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social  http://www. everyculture. com/Ge-It/Guyana. html#b#ixzz28QSplBsF