Hedda Gabler Essay Essay

In Ibsen’s drama Hedda Gabler, Hedda was a wealthy woman with a great background, until she marries Mr. Tesman. When she is chained down to this man she starts to become unstable and reveals how truly devilish she can be. From manipulating her loved ones to down-right killing them. These incidents occur because of jealousy and boredom. Hedda’s first act of despicableness is first presented when she talks to her husband’s aunt. She mentions that the maid will be unsuitable because â€Å"She’s left her old hat behind her on the chair.†, when really, it was Miss Tesman’s hat. We later find out when she is speaking to Brack that she had known all along it was her hat and just wanted to insult her. This shows how bored Hedda is where she feels the need to come up with something like that. She is also unhappy with her marriage so she doesn’t want to get close to any of her husbands family. In act 4 of the play Hedda gives Lovborg a pistol so he can â€Å"die beautifully†. She does this because she is still somewhat attached to Lovborg and is jealous of him and Thea’s relationship that was forming. She even starts to go somewhat mad after Lovborg and Thea leave. The manuscript begins to get ripped apart by Hedda, as she throws it into the fire saying, â€Å"I’m burning your child Thea!† This shows that she has basically reached a breaking point and has officially gone off the end. Hedda is a very hard character to play. This is because she is very contradicting, as Ibsen states, â€Å"sympathetically unsympathetic†. You feel sympathy for Hedda because she seems to be broken. She has been socially trapped into marriage and baring a child. Although this does not justify her actions which still keeps you scornful towards her. All in all Hedda is a very indifferent woman with a independence that she will not be taken away from her. She manipulates and deceives people in order to get her way. Yet she was slowly killing herself by doing so. This may be why her character is so hard to play, she is in a way, a very non-relatable character.

Operations Management in Tesco Essay

Introduction In this assignment we will look at three aspects of operations management, which are Finance, human resource and information technology at an organisation. To understand the concepts better we have selected the case of Tesco Plc., UK. PART A: Managing Finance Financial management is a very important component of the operation management at a company. The role of the financial management at the company is to purposefully management the financial resources; present the performance of the organisation in financial terms. (Brigham E.F. and Ehrhardt M.C., 2010) The financial management has to acquire the required capital required for achievement of strategic and tactical objectives at a low cost. The financial management has to anticipate the financial result and maintain the financial balance as per the company’s needs. Information received by the Financial Management at Tesco The information that is of importance to the financial management of Tesco is * The investment cost of the funds on the capital market. * The  current rates of exchange that are prevalent in the market and short term interest’s rates that s prevalent in the monetary markets. * The financial management synthesises information that provides new investment opportunities available to the company. The financial management tries to make innovation in the financial field with the help of new financial instruments that are available in the market. Decisions taken by Financial Management of Tesco Plc. Based on the information, the financial management has to make critical decisions regarding finance of the company: * The financial management has to take decagons on the interest rates at which the company is willing to take loans. * It has to predict the future cash flow needs of the company. * The company has to make decision on the long term debt and short term loans while also making decision on the issue of shares and the option of self-financing. * The management has to make decision on the risk management technique to be adopted along with the financial impacts of the project that the company has undertaken on the financial health of the company. Role of Financial Institutions in Financial Decision Making Financial institutions are responsible for distributing financial resources to the users in planned manner. (Mondy R.W., 2009) There are different financial institutions in the market that specialise in collecting funds as well as lending it to different organisation to carry out their projects. The examples of financial institutions include banks, credit unions, asset management firms, building societies and stock brokerages. The financial institution can be categorised as * Deposit Taking Institutions * Finance and Insurance Institutions * Investment Institutions * Pensions providing institutions * Risk management institutions While there are government financial agencies who assigned to carry out the regulatory and supervisory function of different other institutions. The financial institutions have been integral in satisfying the financial and  management needs of different industries and this has also shaped the national economic scene. Deposit taking institution are mainly concerned with accepting deposits, providing commercial loans, real estate loans, mortgage loans and issuing share certificates. The finance companies provide loans, inventory financing and indirect consumer base, the companies gets funds form these institutions thorough the issue of bonds and other obligations. The insurance companies have become an integral part of a company’s financial obligations. The insurance companies also provide a different investment options and also provide loans for a number of purposes. The financial institutions such as stock, exchanges, commodity markets, futures, currency and options exchange are involved in creating and providing ownerships for financial claims. (Mondy R.W., 2009) These financial institution mange price change risks and maintain liquidity in the market. Through the various instruments the institutions provide investment opportunities and help businesses to generate funds for various purposes. The various investment banks are responsible for a number of financial activities such as underwriting securities, selling securities to investors, providing brokerage services and providing fund raising advice. Analysis of the Financial Statement of Tesco Plc. The financial statement is periodic documents that are published by companies to show the company’s financial performance. The information from financial statement is important for internal and external purposes. The financial statements are used by the employees and management for their own information about the company while the manager use tit to plan future activities and compare performances of departments in financial terms. The statements can also be sued to compare with other company’s statement to compare the performance on a macroeconomic level. A financial abatement mainly consists of four main components which are balance sheets, profit and loss account, cash flow statements and income statement. Each component has different function which can be lined out as: Balance Sheets: It provides the financial situation of the company as a whole. It records the tangible and intangible goods that the company owes or owns. The three categories in a balance sheet are assets, liabilities and shareholders’ equity. The assets are basically categorised in to current assets, fixed assets and other  assets. The liabilities section of the balance sheet consists of current liabilities and long term liabilities. The shareholders equity represents the net worth of the company. In balance sheet, the shareholder’s equity is calculated as the sum of liabilities and net worth. Profit and Loss Account: it summarizes the incomes and expenses of a company in a given period of time. This includes accruals which are incomes that will be realised only after the particular profit and account was prepared. Cash Flow Statements: These statements are very important to predict the future flow of finance in the company. The cash flow statement is concerned with understanding if there is enough money for all the activities and expenses of the company and stands as a good measure for a company’s liquidity. Income Statement: The income statements are used to measure the company’s sales and expenses over a specific period of time. They are prepared at the end of each financial year and shows the results of the operation of the company I the given time. The financial health of the company will also be analysed using Ratio Analysis, The Analysis of Financial Performance of Tesco Financial statement analysis is concerned with identify the strengths and weaknesses of the company’s finances and establish the relationship between the different financial statements. Tools and Techniques: There are various tools and techniques that have been identified to conduct financial analysis. The tools and techniques are categorised in to (Brigham E.F. and Ehrhardt M.C., 2010) * Horizontal and Vertical Analysis: The horizontal analysis is the comparison of two or more financial data. It represents the changes between years in both monetary and percentage form. While Vertical analysis is concerned with the preparing ad presenting common sized statements. * Ratios Analysis: The ratio analysis is considered to be the most powerful toll for analysing the financial health of the company, ratio simply means one number expressed in terms of the other. There are many forms of ratio analysis satisfying different functions which are profitability ratios, liquidity ratios, activity ratios, long term solvency ratios and leverage ratios. Table 1) Financial Ratio of Tesco Plc. Ratio/ Year| 2009| 2010| 2011| Gross Profit Margin| 7.6%| 7.8%| 8%| Operating Profit Margin| 5.91%| 5.88%| 6.07%| Return on Assets| 7.06| 4.69| 5.08| | | | | Return on Capital Employed| 7.06| 4.68| 5.07| Current Ratio|

Answers to Questions on Multicultural Organizations

Answers to Questions on Multicultural Organizations Explain briefly the meaning of organizational culture and ethnic culture and also explain the main difference between those cultures. Provide suitable examples to support your explanation. Culture refers to the following Ways of Life, including but not limited to: Language: The firstborn human establishment and the easier medium of expression. Arts & Sciences: most advanced and refined forms of human expression. Thought: ways in which people perceive, interpret, and understand the world around them. Spirituality: importance of organization transmitted through generations for the inner well-being of human beings, expressed through language and actions. Social activity: shared recreations within a cultural community, demonstrated in a variety of festivities and life-celebrating events. Interaction: social features of human contact, including the give-and-take of socialization, negotiation, protocol, and conventions. Reference (http://www.roshan-institute.org/templates/System/details.a sp?id=39783&PID=474552) Organization culture is build on the value, beliefs and behavioral norms of organizations it is includes values, beliefs dress code, language, way of personality, rules and regulation, policy and the way they work together. For Example: Imagine and spend one full week inside any one organization – from Monday to Friday – and on Friday at 5:00 PM , conclude the most part such as, the eye catching decision-making style, team-based decision-making, process of sharing information, communication, using symbols, individual responsibility, equal opportunities, etc. these all the process and activity based on so many issues. Generally, this function is the part of organisation and role definition. Situation that the thoughts, meanings, beliefs and values people learn as members of society determines human nature. Persons what they are learned. The Optimistic cultural determinism places no limits on the abilities of human beings to perform their task tow ards the organisational goal and/or objective. Ethnic culture: A characteristic of a people, esp. a group (ethnic group) sharing a common and distinctive culture, religion, language, or the origin, classification, racial, characteristics, etc., Being a portion of an ethnic group, esp. of a group that is a minority within a larger society: for example: ethnic Chinese in New Zealand. Designate or of an inhabitants subgroup having a common cultural heritage or nationality, as distinguished by customs, characteristics, language, common history, etc. Ethnic culture has own group in the organisation for achieving the organisational goal trough the sharing ideas and performing as a team player but for that they should understand the different culture , respect other values, beliefs, tradition, dress code and skills and experiences. For Example: Culture exists everywhere, at various levels of society, and everyone belongs to at least one, at the supranational level (Western and Eastern civi lizations), at the national level (American, French, Japanese), at the ethnic level (Chinese and Maori in New Zealand, WASPS, Blacks and Hispanics in the USA), and so on. Culture can also be applied to other social units such as occupational group (lawyers, accountants, and physicians), corporations (IBM, CALTAX, McDonald) and even tourism sectors (restaurants, hotels, airlines). Question 2:- Select a leadership example from a culture other than your own and: (a):-Explain how cultural perceptions may influence the leadership style and behavior of the individual or organization selected. Give suitable and relevant examples to support your arguments.

A Lifestyle by Fernando Sorrentino Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Lifestyle by Fernando Sorrentino - Essay Example This change in his outlook and lifestyle did not happen voluntarily but was forced upon him by circumstances. While the story may sound far-fetched, the character underlines human capacity to adjust to circumstances and more importantly, to remain â€Å"relatively happy† in the end without the usual trappings. Conflict Both internal and external conflicts exist in this story (Garp, online). The inner conflict is the narrator’s physical, social and psychological struggle with the circumstances that he faced. This internal conflict makes him wonder how to cope with a difficult situation and survive. His external conflict is with the society, of which he was a part not so long ago and leading a normal life, unaware of the ridiculous extent to which urban life and social relations have descended to. (your last name) 2 Theme and central idea Thematically it is a humorous story. Humor is noted throughout the story’s incidents like the pompous declaration of a locksmith about his association’s Magna Carta and the ethics of and restrictions on its members, the vicarious pleasure of the janitor/girl-friend/colleagues at the bank at his discomfiture, and his gradual adjustment from dependence to independence.

High profile CEOs as the topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

High profile CEOs as the topic - Essay Example Professional and Personal Background Whitman has had a very diverse career history, serving as an executive at Walt Disney, Procter & Gamble, Hasbro, and DreamWorks. As the President and CEO of eBay, one of her more recent job roles, Whitman was directly involved with growing eBay into the powerhouse auction site it is today, taking the company from its roots of only 30 employees to a major corporation with revenues exceeding $8 billion annually. This experience eventually catapulted the CEO to take on the senior leadership role at Hewlett-Packard, a struggling computer and technology company maintaining its fair share of financial troubles. This is her current role as a corporate executive at HP. Whitman’s personal life has been through its fair share of ups and downs, having received considerable negative publicity in 2010 when she failed to become the governor of California after spending $144 million of her own resources on the campaign. Whitman had caught national attenti on in this campaign having broken records for the most personal expenditures in history in any American election (York, 2010). This was obviously a humiliating moment for Meg Whitman. However, the governance team at Hewlett-Packard was likely not fazed by this failure, as they maintained faith in her competencies by appointing her CEO of the company in January 2011. Whitman’s Management Style and Competency Meg Whitman would be defined as a charismatic and transformational leader. Transformational leaders are those that role model desired behaviors, establish a shared vision and mission, open effective lines of communications in a decentralized structure, and also serving as a coach and mentor to employees and managers (Fairholm, 2009). As the new CEO of Hewlett-Packard, Whitman illustrates these transformational qualities with a recent set of policies involving executives and their role in the company. Whitman demanded that executives abandon their posh offices at HP and, in stead, take their job roles into regular cubicles in order to facilitate better communications with lower-level employees (Thomas White, 2012). Whitman seemed to realize the importance of maintaining more visibility in order to build a culture of cohesion and dedication that is important to turnaround a company that needs more innovation and talent management. Hard Management Practices leading to Whitman’s Effectiveness Furthermore, Whitman’s understanding of the real-world economic environment gives her advantages as a quality leader. At Hewlett-Packard, it was desired by some executives to begin acquiring other companies as a means of turning around the struggling company. However, Whitman used her long-term thinking which is important for managers in terms of planning prowess to recognize that such an activity would only further threaten the cash-strapped company and impose more debt. Instead, Whitman established the systems necessary to invest more heavily in resea rch and development as a means of improving HP’s market position. Offered Whitman, â€Å"Let’s optimize what we have before we go off and do something else† (Worthen, 2012, p.2). This is what makes Whitman such a strong manager and leader: she is able to effectively scan the external market and compare it to the current

INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS - Research Paper Example AVG is a world leader in software development, threat detection, threat detection and risk analysis. The company also invests in research and development and collaborates with leading universities in order to maintain its technology edge (Company Profile, 2012). The company is currently contemplating to issue an IPO (initial public offering) so that it can expand its global market. The company has two options as to which type of IPO the company should use. The company may decide to either use the traditional IPO or use the online auction. In this research essay, I will discuss the two types of IPO issues and look into lessons learned from the module one case. The traditional approach to getting capital has usually been the way to go for most companies seeking equity. However, with the advent of the internet and technology some start-ups are choosing to do online auction in an effort to seek capital. Both types of IPO have have their pro and cons. I will start by analyzing the traditi onal IPO method before embarking on online auction analysis. As I had earlier mentioned that, the traditional IPO method is the most common way of getting capital. The traditional method has some advantages and disadvantages. Regardless of the type of IPO used, the company issuing an IPO usually has several benefits. First, the company increases it capitalization, net worth, liquidity and prestige. However, the company has to abide by the rules and regulations of the SEC (Security and Exchange Commission) which is the body that oversees the registration of public companies in the U.S. Companies going public are required to disclose their financial statements to the public. This may negatively affect the company’s perception especially during the bear market and this may decrease a company’s stock price, lower its liquidity and capitalization. In order to have a successful IPO, a company needs to attract investors. Enough investors who will create large levels of capita lization that exceeds the amount that had been privately invested. In the traditional approach, companies conducting the IPO pitch to investors on investing in to their companies on road shows. These road shows usually target institutional investors. Institutional investors play a huge role in influencing small investor participation. Therefore, underwriting firms usually offer institutional investors discounted stock prices as what is termed as pre-IPO rates. The courtship of large institutions is crucial to the success of IPO offerings because it facilitates the participation of other investors in the market. In addition, it guarantees that the underwriting company gets a good stock price, which will determine the future value of the company as well as determine the capital collected. As far as the cost of going public are concerned, the traditional approach may at times prove to be costly. First, the company has to disclose financial and business information to potential investor s. The disclosure might be costly to the company considering that there is always competition in business. Therefore, the disclosure of such information may provide valuable information to the competitors. Second, the traditional method of issuing IPO may take anywhere from six months to two years. A lot of time and effort is put towards gathering the relevant information and putting things together. This distraction slows down the day-to-day operations of the company and engages the senior management in focusing

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Research Paper Example The main objective of the research was to find ways in which disability could be prevented among the older people suffering from a disease with long-term effects such as asthma and arthritis. This research enabled for the development of a program in which people suffering from chronic diseases could manage their disease with the help of the community. The research found that patients could be educated on how to cope with the disease symptoms while adhering to their medication, but most importantly keeping up with their physical mobility. It was found that exercise was fundamental in delaying the effects of disability caused by chronic diseases. The research also discovered that patients who enrolled for the â€Å"Chronic Disease Self-Management Program† (CDSMP) showed a positive progress in fighting their diseases and, in turn, reduced the level upon which they relied on health care services. As a result, each individual has a reduced financial burden and an increase in their self-reliance. This was a relief for most chronic disease patients because they cited the cost of managing these diseases as too high which led majority to fail in checking the effects. With the program developed under this research, the patients could save on cost in a healthy and effective self-assessment program. The research found that patients even changed their living habits; for example, some quit smoking because it was in line with the program. With the education given to the patients while in the program, they even reduced their alcohol consumption levels because it was interfering with their capacity to  cope with the chronic diseases. The research also found that patients adhered to a strict nutritional and health diet program, which was designed to improve their disease fighting immunity; hence, making them delays the effects of disability. The research also found that administering an exercise and fitness program to the patients led to controlled weight loss and manag ement. This exercise was also vital in regulating heart function, which was especially important in those suffering from heart failure. The research findings included a six month evaluation program among patients and several observations were made: the patients who enrolled for CDSMP showed increased levels of exercise and maintained fitness, as well as an improved capacity to handle the symptoms of chronic diseases. Another observation with the patients after six months was that the patients could communicate to their health care personnel better than before, which in turn helped the physicians to give them the right medication and in accordance with the needs of each patient. The research found that, after six months, the patients showed progress in their social activities and were able to participate more. The patients were able to control the effects of disability citing the self-assessment  as a major help in the process. The patients did not show physical or emotional stress because they seemed fit and relaxed. The program also gave the patients more energy as nutrition was administered at appropriate levels while the exercise ensured their bodies were strong. This increased energy enabled the patients to participate more in social activities and still not show signs of fatigue and stress. The research

Children's Rights Child safety Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Children's Rights Child safety - Term Paper Example Their processes of identity development are influenced by totally different stimulus which affects their outlook in life. The challenging area regarding addressing child abuse, gender, ethnicity and disability is confronting the basic belief or attitude that the problems on foster care placement for children can be changed. If even one is reluctant to accept the idea that there are measures to be undertaken to address these issues, then, however plausible the courses of action are, these would prove to be futile. The objective of the essay is to synthesize crucial aspects of foster care, the adoption of children from the Public Child Welfare System, and the perspectives of risk and protecting children from diverse factors of harm. Initially, the discourse would identify factors which lead children to require the services of foster care, including a short discussion of risk and the consequences of adoption under the welfare system. Recommendations and concluding remarks would integrate and summarize the points discussed. Kris Johnson, a Foster Care Manager of the Minnesota Department of Human Services clearly defined foster care as â€Å"24-hour substitute care for children placed away from their parents or guardians and for whom the State agency has placement and care responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, placements in foster family homes, foster homes of relatives, group homes, emergency shelters, residential facilities, child care institutions, and preadoptive homes† (Johnson, 2004, 1). There are diverse reasons why children are placed under foster care. As averred by Christina A (2010), the reasons why children are placed in foster care could be categorized into three, to wit: â€Å"societal and systemic factors, parent challenges, and factors directly relating to the child† (par. 1). As the term implies, social and systemic factors are external factors in a child’s environment

Summarizing Very Short and Sweet Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summarizing Very Short and Sweet - Assignment Example Grant underlines the importance of buy-in for all stakeholders through a good communication program. The strengths of the summary are that it mentions the main components of the article and its purpose. The summary describes the components of core concepts for integrated system. It also points out Grant’s purpose in writing the article, which guides readers on what they can expect from the article. However, the summary could have at least mentioned the particular core concepts of integrated system in the summary to improve its content. The summary should also clearly highlight the benefits and challenges of integrated care. For instance, Grant argues that integrated care is complex, but it can be done through the designing of the organization’s communication plan and encouraging stakeholder participation. The summary should also include the benefits of integrated care that Grant discussed in more specific terms, instead of just saying that it cuts costs and improves outcomes, so that those who read the summary can clearly picture what integrated care’s benefits are to

Computerized Data Acquisition of a Second Order Reaction Essay Example for Free

Computerized Data Acquisition of a Second Order Reaction Essay The rates at which reactions occur depend on the composition and the temperature of the reaction mixture. Usually the rate of reaction is found to be proportional to the concentrations of the reactants raised to a power.1 There are many reactions that have a rate law in the form of: (1) v = k[A]a[B]b According to reference1 the power to which the concentration of a species (product or reactant) is raised in a rate law of this nature is the order of the reaction with respect to that species. In equation (1) first order with respect to [A] and first order with respect to [B]; however, the overall reaction is the sum of the individual orders. Thus we have a second order reaction. In this experiment a hexacyanoferrate(III) ion ([Fe(CN)6]3-) oxidizes ascorbic acid (C6H8O6) by the following reaction: (2) 2[Fe(CN)6]3- + C6H8O6 = 2[Fe(CN)6]4- + C6H6O6 + 2H+ The reaction above is of a first order reaction at room temperature with respect to individual reactants; therefore the reaction stoichiometry and rate law at time t are: (3) aA + bBproducts and (4) -d[A] = k[A] [B] where [A] represents the concentration of ascorbic acid and [B] represents the concentrations of [Fe(CN)6]3- at time t. For this experiment we will use an integrated rate law in the form of: (5) ln [A] = b [A]0 a [B]0 kt + ln [A]0 where [A]0 and [B]0 are the initial concentrations of C6H8O6 and [Fe(CN)6]3- and a=1 and b=2. From equation (5), it is possible to calculate the second-order rate constant k by plotting ln [A]/[B] against time (find slope of line where b=2 and a=1). EDTA in this experiment is used as a masking agent to hide metal ions that would normally interfere with the analysis in this reaction. Thus the absorbance of [Fe(CN)6]3- at time t is given by: (6) Absorbance = 1012 [Fe(CN)6]3- The oxidation of C6H8O6 by [Fe(CN)6]3- involves a mechanism that consists of 3 steps.2 In the first step, the ascorbate ion (AH-) is rapidly formed by ionization of the ascorbic acid. (7) AH2 AH + H+ Following the ionization is the slow rate-determining step, the oxidation of the ascorbate ion to an ascorbate free radical (AH∙): (8) [Fe(CN)6]3- + AH-[Fe(CN)6]4- + AH∙ During the final step, an electron is rapidly transferred from the ascorbate free radical to the hexacyanoferrate(III) anion, producing dehydroascorbic acid (A): (9) [Fe(CN)6]3- + AH- [Fe(CN)6]4- + A + H+ The slow rate-determining step is an ionic reaction between [Fe(CN)6]3- and AH-. According to reference3, the specific rate constant of an ionic reaction in aqueous solution depends on two factors: the ionic strength I of the solution and on the charges ZA and ZB of the ionic species reacting to for the activated complex. (10) log k = log k0 + 1.02ZAZB I1/2 Experimental All reagents in this experiment were of reagent grade. Mass measurements were taken on a Shimadzu Libror AEG-120 analytical scale with an uncertainty of  ±0.0001. Manual data acquisition was taken with a Barnstead/Turner SP-830 spectrophotometer and a stopwatch. The computerized data acquisition was completed by a Cary 50 Bio. The experiment began by preparing four solutions of 1 x 10-3 M of K3Fe(CN)6 with varied concentrations of NaNO3: 0.025 M, 0.05 M, 0.1 M and 0.2 M. This was completed by dissolving 0.0329245 ( ±0.001) g of K3Fe(CN)6 with the specified concentrations of NaNO3 and deionized water in a 100 mL volumetric flask. A 25 mL aliquot of each solution was transferred into a 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask and the temperature of the aliquot was recorded. Next, a 500 mL 2.5 x 10-4 M solution of ascorbic acid was prepared by using a standardized 0.01 M HNO3 solution dissolved in 0.005 g of EDTA and deionized water. A 25 mL aliquot was transferred into each of the four 100 mL beakers by using a 25 mL pipet. The spectrophotometer was set to 418 nm and the absorbance reading was zeroed by using deionized water as a standard. The ascorbic acid in the beaker was poured into the K3Fe(CN)6 solution and the timer was immediately started. The Erlenmeyer flask was swirled for 2-3 seconds before pouring the reacting mixture into a 1-cm cuvette. The cuvette was conditioned with the reacting solution 4 times before being placed into the sample holder of the spectrophotometer. An absorbance reading was taken at 30 seconds and every 30 seconds thereafter for a total of 6 minutes. The same process was implemented with the Cary 50 Bio except that each sample was analyzed by the computer for 7 minutes and 53 seconds. Data/Results

Analysis of Jean-Luc Godard

Analysis of Jean-Luc Godard ‘The auteur theory can be summarised most simply as an acknowledgement of the director as the primary and shaping force behind a film’ (Craig Keller). How is Godard’s ‘primary and shaping influence’ detectable, if indeed, it is? Introduction The auteur theory was a principle developed in the 1950s by a group of French film critics namely: Eric Rohmer, Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. It was their belief that an auteur was â€Å"the single individual most responsible for whatever personal expression (if any) a movie yielded up under critical analysis†. This definition has become the most universally understood of the auteur theory and therefore the one which will be referred to during this dissertation. These critics wanted to see an end to la tradition de la qualità © of conventional cinema of the 1930s and 1940s a period coined le cinà ©ma de papa. They viewed films produced at that time to be â€Å"literary†, â€Å"lifeless† and not â€Å"truly cinematic†. Inspired by fellow film critic Alexandre Astruc’s camera-stylo theory arguing that â€Å"filmmakers should use their equipment as spontaneously, flexibly and personally as a writer uses a pen† these young critics began to break the constraints of conventional cinema. Prior to the development of the auteur theory, a large majority of films were produced, shot and edited in similar styles. Large studios, with fixed cameras and scriptwriters having overall control were common, thus creating a rigid style of film production. However, in the 1950s and 60s, a period labelled the Nouvelle Vague, French cinema was completely revolutionised. During this time films moved away from the confines of the big studios and artificial lighting; to outside, using light weight Arriflex cameras which sped up the film process. During this period directors began to experiment with several new cinematic techniques whilst implementing their own personal artistic values in films. These directors came to be known as auteurs becoming the ‘primary and shaping force’ behind their films, manipulating scenes to fit their style rather than employing the traditional method of following scriptwriter’s prompts. In terms of the auteur theory Jean-Luc Godard was seen as the truly radical auteur. By most he is today seen as one of the most innovative and artistic directors having created his own ‘Godard style’. As Godard himself suggests, â€Å"les vrais auteurs des films sont les producteurs†¦le cinema n’a d’avenir que si la camera finit par remplacer le stylo†. Godard epitomises a director out to challenge traditional cinema. Through such films as Vivre sa Vie: Film en douze tableaux (1962) and Une femme est une femme he began to interrogate and illuminate conventional cinema via new cinematic and artistic techniques. This dissertation will assess the extent to which Jean-Luc Godard’s ‘primary and shaping influence’ is detectable in his films. In the main body of this dissertation I will consider Godard’s ability to implement his own cinematic style through several inventive techniques. I will consider his ability to challenge the barriers between off screen and on screen reality. Furthermore, I will analyse his use of camera shots, editing techniques, colour and sound so as to demonstrate his pivotal influence on the shaping of his films. I will however, also argue that any kind of definition of the auteur theory oversimplifies the realities of a film making process and can therefore not be seen as a definitive theory. Andrew Sarris explains, one of the premises for an auteur is that the director must ‘exhibit certain recurring characteristics of style which serve as his signature†¦over a group of his films’. I will, therefore, make reference to four of Godard’s films: A bout de Souffle (1960), Une femme est une femme (1961), Vivre sa vie: Film en douze tableaux (1962) and Le Mepris (1963) to demonstrate how Godard yields personal influence in his films. One of Godard’s premises as a film director was his belief that realism was a pivotal part of film making. Godard believed that realism attempted by conventional cinema was â€Å"never exactly the same as reality, and in cinema it is of necessity faked†. It was therefore Godard’s intention to continually experiment with new ideas and make his actors improvise in certain scenes in order to encapsulate what he believed would be the closest thing to real life. Following the release of A Bout de Souffle actor Jean-Pierre Melville who played Parvulesco in the film said Godard’s movie was â€Å"anything shot anyhow†. Godard himself confirmed that â€Å"on A Bout de Souffle I used to write the evening before shooting†. According to Godard, the reason for him doing this was because â€Å"I liked to be surprised. If you know in advance everything you are going to do, it isn’t worth doing. If a show is all written down, what is the point of filming it? What use is cinema if it trails after literature?† Godards obsessive need to shape the smallest minutiae made him standout amongst his peers by firmly embedding him as the autonomous force behind all aspects of the film making process. In addition, if one reads the script of Le Mà ©pris it clearly shows his belief in improvisation to encapsulate real life. In the thirty minute apartment scene in which Camille and Paul argue, the only direction is â€Å"man in hat. Man in towel. Blond woman. Woman in black wig. Sheets on coach. Sheets off couch. Dishes on table. Love. Anger. Contempt. Tenderness.† This therefore forced the actors to improvise in the hope that the scene would be more realistic than just learning their lines by heart. This idea of filmmaking was revolutionary at the time and was a way in which Godard was implementing his own directional style to his movies. As Kreidel suggested in 1980 â€Å"[N]o one has yet made a more modern cinema than Godard†. For those familiar with Godard’s work the quote used above ‘anything shot anyhow’ should strike a chord. His use of the camera to manipulate scenes to exert his own artistic influence over his movies was just one of the ways in which his primary influence was detectable. Godard employed a range of new cinematic techniques in an attempt to escape the classical idea of a passive audience. His work was heavily influenced by Bertolt Brecht’s theory of Brechtian distanciation which encouraged the audience to make their own interpretations of what they were experiencing rather than them being simply led through a piece of theatre. Godard was influenced by Brecht’s theory in encouraging the active engagement of his audience, â€Å"he breaks the illusion of the fourth wall in order to communicate directly with the audience, usually in such an enigmatic way that he seems to be satirising the whole of communication†. In a key scene in A Bout de Souffle Michel, one of the lead protagonists, is filmed having a conversation with himself whilst driving. Traditionally this type of scene would be shot using a fly on the wall technique, Godard instead, by making Michel talk directly at the camera, creates the impression that Michel is directing his words at the audience. Manipulating the camera lens to involve the audience was just one of the techniques that Godard employed. In the opening scene in Vivre sa Vie he utilises a very different technique alienation. Rather than filming this scene in the traditional head-on format Godard places the camera lens behind the lead characters heads. In doing so the audience feels alienated from the conversation between the characters Nana and Raoul especially as their reflection in the mirror distances themselves even more from the audience. In addition, Godard never films the two characters in the same shot which not only highlights the divide between the characters but also the audience from the characters conversation. As Godard himself suggests â€Å"I also converge with the theatre through language: in my film one must listen to people speaking, particularly as their backs are often turned so that one is not distracted by their faces†. By shooting this scene from behind Godard does just that. He forces the audience to interpret the scene through what they hear and not what they see. By exploiting these techniques Godard is undoubtedly heavily exerting his influence on these films as an auteur. Godard’s use of the camera to exert a primary influence on his work often manifests itself in less obvious ways. He frequently extends the length of a single shot or slows down his camera movements to provide the viewer with adequate time to concentrate on a specific image. In Le Mà ©pris Godard is forced to do a slow panning shot in one of the final scenes of the film when Odysseus returns home to Ithica. Godard’s use of colour is so bold in this scene that if he quickly panned across the scene it would not give his viewers adequate time to concentrate on the composition of the colours. The scene is filmed in such a way that it adds to its artistic content. In much the same way as a writer’s style of writing changes or a painters brush strokes alter throughout their career, Godard’s style evolves throughout his films. He employs different techniques in each film but the one constant is his shaping influence on each of his works. In conventional cinema, colour was generally used in order to increase the commerciality of films. When it was occasionally used, it enhanced the mood in separate scenes. Godard employed a far more ambitious use of colour in his work. In his first two colour films Une femme est une femme and Le Mà ©pris he predominantly used primary colours due to his interest in â€Å"modern art: straight color, ‘pop’ art†. Godard used bold primary colours to indicate the characterisation and narrative development in his films but in such a way that it did not act upon the viewer in a directly sensual way. In Godard’s first colour film Une femme est une femme, Angela is intent on having a child with her husband Emile. Emile however, is not so keen on the idea and appears rather blasà © about the subject; he predominantly wears blue in the film which symbolises his rather laid back nature. After being repeatedly refused by Emile on the topic of having a baby, Angela goes to Emile’s friend Albert to have an affair in the hope to conceive. Albert despite being happy to oblige feels no real affection for Angela and this is shown as he mainly wears grey symbolising his disinterest in her. In Godard’s second colour film Le Mà ©pris, he continues the pattern of using colour to represent characters personalities but tends to also use colour to depict how characters emotions towards each other evolve throughout the movie. In the opening scene, Camille is lying in bed with Paul asking him if he loves different parts of her body. In this scene, Godard uses colour filters which are seen as a representative of what is going to happen in the film. If one considers that red symbolises love, white incertitude and blue coldness then it maps out what happens in the film, love to ambivalence to contempt. Furthermore, Godard manipulates colour to mirror personalities. Paul the scriptwriter in the film is seen in a grey suit with blue specks highlighting his passive personality. Jerry the ambitious American film producer is mostly seen in a blue suit, red tie and driving a red sports car which in turn suggests his dominant personality and his lust for Camille. In addition, Camille is shown in several coloured dresses throughout the film so as to emphasize her continual change of emotions. Finally Francesca, Jerry’s secretary wears a red jumper in the scene when she seduces Paul which again emphasizes Godard’s attempt to symbolise emotional currents in the film. It is important to note that several critics have suggested that Godard’s use of primary colours can also be seen as a referent to American musicals, a genre which fascinated Godard. This referent is most evidently seen in the opening credits of Une femme est une femme when bold colourful words flash up on the screen like neon lights, reflecting the lavishness of the American musical. Furthermore, other critics suggest that the primary colours are a referent to either the French flag or American flag. The extensive analysis of these critics suggests that they themselves acknowledge Godard as playing a decisive role in the production of his films. One of Godards most revolutionary impacts on French cinema was his use of editing. Prior to the Nouvelle Vague, directors were focused on attempting to reduce the awareness of the film making process for the audience; enhancing what directors felt was reality.   They would therefore use techniques such as continuity editing which prevented the audience from being aware of any cuts in between scenes, enabling them to be swept up in the film. Godard however, had a strong belief about the basics of cinema in which mise en scà ©ne (the content of individual shots) is continually inflected, articulated and transformed by montage (the editing that drives a film from one shot to another. With this strong belief Godard began to edit using techniques such as the jump-cut. The jump-cut was employed by Godard in his first motion picture A bout de Souffle. Due to a need to reduce the length of the film, Godard systematically cut out whatever could be cut, while trying to maintain some rhythm†. An example of his use of jump-cuts was in the scene when Michel, the criminal, is recognised by a police officer and therefore Michel decides to shoot him. In this scene Godard zooms in on the barrel of the gun which is about to be fired by Michel. Suddenly, when Michel fires the gun there is a jump-cut and the next image is the police officer falling to the ground having been hit. Another notable example of his use of jump cut came later in the film when Patricia is riding in a stolen convertible with Michel. In this scene there are up to seven jump-cuts of Patricias head, creating discontinuity in the scene in a very clear ‘Godard style’. Whilst many critics at the time found his use of jump-cut confusing and disruptive to the flow of the film; many others recognized his â€Å"jagged unruly montage heightened the jagged, unruly mood of a story propelled more by the whims of his characters than the dictates of a predetermined story, which is something evident in his film A bout de Souffle. As has been demonstrated it is clear that Godard exerted considerable influence over the editing process. It is clear that Godard’s films are characterised by a set of stylistic methods. Principally amongst these methods is his use of sound. Prior to the Nouvelle Vague, sound was employed in film to replicate audibly the visual emotion of a scene in order to captivate the audience and make a scene appear more ‘realistic’. Martin Heidegger highlights this tradition by suggesting that viewers have become accustomed to sound’s â€Å"elegant effects† and thus treats them as real. Godard however, firmly believed that in ‘faking’ sound to captivate the audience, one is taking away the realism that he wanted to convey in his films. A point agreed by Richard Roud who suggested that â€Å"even in the most so-called realist film, sound has always been an exception†. It was therefore Godard’s intention to restore sound so that it would captivate ‘real life’ by refusing to edit or remix any previously recorded track, which he defined as sonic realism. One of Godard’s most notable examples of this was seen in A Bout de Souffle. Due to the sound being naturally recorded there are several scenes in the film when some of the character’s conversations are muffled by natural noises. The use of natural sound reaches a peak during the scene in Patricia’s apartment when the noise of the sirens bellowing in through the open window actually drowns out the character’s dialogue. Rather than being a distraction that takes the viewer out of the moment, the use of natural sound here, and throughout the film, only heighten the realism. After all, in life, it would be unrealistic to sit in a room with an open window in the centre of Paris and not hear any intrusive sounds. Jean Collet praises Godard’s creation of realism through sound stating â€Å"[Godard applies] to sound the same demands as for the pictures. [He captures] life in what it offers to be seen-and to be heard-directly.† Godard’s artistic use of sound did change in his career with the development of post-synchronised sound. Prior to the Nouvelle Vague, direct sound was used in films such as A Bout de Souffle. However, with the development of post-synchronised sound Godard was able to talk to the actors whilst filming so as to direct them and after synchronise the sound with the film footage. This also enabled him to implement his artistic Brechtian style of filmmaking in which he alienated his audience. In the opening scene in Vivre sa Vie, Godard uses the soundtrack in ten to twenty second bursts. The scene shows shots of Anna Karina’s face at different angles. In conventional cinema, music would generally play consistently throughout this scene to highlight the emotional state. Godard however, plays it in bursts creating discontinuity in the scene as the soundtrack stops at random intervals. As has been demonstrated, Goddard employs a wealth of techniques in his films to manipulate sound. In playing such a pivotal role, he firmly entrenches himself as the key player in his work. Rarely before had cinema seen someone wield such a crucial influence over all aspects of the film making process. Second Section It is undeniable that Godard has produced some of the most inspiring and innovative films through his use of story line and cinematic techniques. His exploitation of light, colour, and sound, editing and alienating the audience showed Godard had revolutionised traditional French cinema and in doing so has inspired modern day film directors such as Quentin Tarrantino. However, in using Keller’s summary that an auteur is simply the primary and shaping force of his films it is unquestionably oversimplifying the realities of the film making process. As Godard changed so much in his films compared to traditional cinema it is not possible for him to be praised for every aspect of his films creation. Godard said in an interview in 1983: â€Å"I find it useless to keep offering the public the ‘auteur’. In Venice, when I got the prize of the Golden Lion I said that I deserve only probably the mane of this lion, and maybe the tail. Everything in the middle should go to all the others who work on the picture: the paws to the director of photography, theface to the editor, the body to the actors. I don’t believe in the solitude of†¦the auteur with a capital A†. Furthermore, Godard admitted that him and the likes of Truffaut, Rohmer and Rivette whilst taking the plaudits for the auteur theory, exaggerated the significance of the theory so as to establish personal expression as one of the primary values in Nouvelle Vague films. Several theorists have also raised doubts as to the significance of the auteur. Foulcault and Roland Barthes suggest that all creative ideas are moulded by the social and political forces that surround us. They go on to state that ideas are contrived from the knowledge that one has gained from past experiences. If one puts this in the context of Godard’s films it would suggest that Godard’s cinematic ideas and techniques were influenced by what he has learnt from past experiences. An example of this can be seen in his indirect use of Brechtian distanciation. Whilst it is evident that he was inspired by Brecht’s idea of alienating the audience to prevent them from being passive observers can one really claim that Godards cinematic techniques were not the result of Brecht’s indirect influence? Furthermore, when analysing many of Godard’s films, Godard refers to several quotes from the likes of William Faulkner and Edgar Poe. These are quotes which could have been easily edited but instead Godard â€Å"taste for quotation† suggests that he is not the primary and shaping force in his films. Language One of Godard’s obsessions as a director was his use of language and his belief that words could represent anything. Whether his characters are just mouthing words or when they say one thing and then immediately contradict it, it exhibits his desire to become a writer through his films. In doing this he is challenging the use of words and at the same time expressing his desire to be an author, similar to that of being a novelist or playwright. He wants to aspire to the status of being a writer as though cinema is some sort of parvenu that can find legitimacy by talking about poetry of cinema and therefore elevating it to that status. Godard therefore investigated how meaningful words can express the way you feel, through his use of subtitles, language through signs and translation. Vivre sa Vie is a good example of this as the characters speak different languages and therefore need an intermediary, Francesca to put their views across. Furthermore, in one of the final scenes of Le Mepris Camille and Jerry, despite not speaking the same language use signs to express their thoughts. Camille states that she likes to type by gesturing her fingers typing on an imaginary typewriter and Jerry who gestures his reaction to this with his hands stating that she is crazy. One could also suggest that Godard is expressing his own views through the use of language. In certain scenes of Vivre sa Vie it almost appears as if Godard is either articulating his opinions through voiceovers or, uses the characters as mouth pieces of his thoughts. When Nana speaks to the philosopher she says â€Å"that we are all responsible for our actions, we are free, I am responsible (which she repeats five times)†¦you only have to take an interest in things, things are what they are, life is life.† Furthermore, in the scene when Raoul reads an extract of Edward Poe’s book†¦which is in fact Godard doing a voiceover. This Godard style is also a very good alienating technique, as whether he is speaking implicitly or explicitly he is constantly reminding the viewer that he is making a film of which he is the director. So you are therefore never able to simply surrender to the naturalistic credibility of the language in films which was the case in conventional cinema. Rather he is deliberately making the viewer aware of the film making process.

Francesco Petrarch Essay -- essays research papers

	Francesco Petrarch, was a man held in high regards of his peers. The life in which Petrarch lived, was certainly not one of which many people could have had dealt with. A life of solitude, misplaced love and, family misfortune that was endured. But, through hard workand perseverance, loyalty to the churches which lead to good connections, he was regarded as one of the most influential persons and authors of his time. 	Petrarch was not a man with greatest of family lives. Born in Arezzo in 1304, to a family that had just been exiled from Florence, his family had to move to Incisa, Tuscany. Petrarch spent most of his childhood in Incisa. From then on, his father pushed him into the path of law. His brother, Gheredo, the most stable family figure in his life, later became a monk and throughout his life stayed in contact with Francesco. Petrarch had another brother, who died at a very young age. His mother died when he was 15 years old, which was consequently when some of his earliest works have been recorded. At the age of 22, Francesco's father passed away, which caused Francesco to attain a career. Giovanni, his son, was born illegitimately in 1337. The relationship between the two was disappointment to Francesco. He describes him as: "Intelligent, perhaps even exceptionally intelligent, but he hates books" He let Giovanni live with him till he could no longer stand the sight of him and sent him to live in Avignon, at the age of 20. It wasn't until just before Giovanni's death, of the Black Plague, did they start to write each other. Just before his sons death, Petrarch's friends though of Giovanni as a good person and wrote Petrarch about this. He never saw his son before his death but in his mind knew that he had started to get his life back together. He also had a daughter, Francesca, she gave birth to Petrarch's grandchildren one of which died during the Plague. This was of great disheartenment of Petrarch. 	Much to Petrarch's dismay he studied law at the University of Bologna and he earned his degree. Beyond the levels of his peers at an early age it was obvious the intellectual presents he had. Moving from school to school he realized that his true interests were in the ancient authors, not the law. He sought out and recovered manuscripts' Cicero, Virgil, amongst others. When his Petrarch's father found these manu... ... earth', it is this quote that shows how much he loved Laura, even though she did not return this love. 	Francesco Petrarch, was regarded amongst his peers and superiors as a powerful man. After having been sent on many missions of peace by the Archbishop. The King of France and, the Emperor of Italy trying to persuade Petrarch to join them. In his writings, Emperor, Kings wanted copies of his books, friends and other great authors desired to own and read these books as well. A man that could write about feeling he had even though they were not respected. Having gone through death and disappointment within his family. It is only fitting that a man who over came all of these obstacles, be considered one of the greatest Italian of his time. 	Bibliograghy 1. Bishop, Morris Letters of Petrarch (Indiana 1966). 2. Dobson, Susana Life of Petrarch (London 1805). 3. Einsenbichler K., Iannucci A. Petrarch's Triumphs (Toronto 1990). 4.Wilkins, E. H. Life of Petrarch (Chicago 1961). 5.Wilkins, E.H. Petrarch's Eight Years in Milan: 1353-1361 (Cambridge 1958). 6. Wilkins, E. H. Petrarch's Later Years (Cambridge 1959). 7. Wilkins, E. H. Triumphs of Petrarch (Chicago 1962)

The Whiskey Rebellion :: essays research papers

The Whiskey Rebellion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On August 1, 1794, President George Washington was once again leading troops. Only this time Washington was not striking out against the British but rather against fellow Americans. The occasion for this was the Whiskey Rebellion. Various efforts had been made to diminish the heated opposition towards the tax on distilled liquors. However, there was only one man who has derived the best course of action. That man, President George Washington, deserves all the credit and recognition for his actions concerning the Whiskey Rebellion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In September 1791 the western counties of Pennsylvania broke out in rebellion against a federal â€Å"excise† tax on the distillation of liquor. After local and federal officials were attacked, President Washington and his advisors decided to send troops to assuage the region. On August 14, 1792, under the militia law, Henry Knox (secretary of war) had called for 12,950 troops. After this, many problems arose, both political and logistical. These dilemmas had to be overcome, and by October, 1794 the men were on the march towards Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. There, they contained the mob hysteria and anger. This event represented the first use of the Militia Law of 1792 enabling the militia to â€Å" execute the laws of the union, and suppress insurrection† (The Whiskey Rebellion of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is clear that George Washington was the source of success in the Whiskey Rebellion. When the militia, with Washington and Hamilton at its lead, reached western Pennsylvania, it became clear that there would be no armed resistance. Evidence of Washington's leadership in this rebellion took place when the â€Å"Representatives of the insurgents asked for clemency, and Washington granted it with stipulation that they comply with federal laws thereafter† (The Precipice of Power). This agreement forced the public to abide by the rules of the government and their taxes without any destructive rebellions. It was evident that Alexander Hamilton was not the backbone of this success. â€Å"His actions provided undeniable proof to Republicans that Hamilton was a monster who would stop at nothing to defend his corrupt policies, a budding Caesar bent on establishing monarchy† (A Biography of Alexander Hamilton). Hamilton did not care as much about the success of his government but of himself and his beliefs on the nation. Furthermore, Hamilton was planning on resigning, hence making it crucial to him to entrench the policies he had put into place. â€Å"For the remainder of his life Hamilton worried that his work would be destroyed, his

The British Music Invasion: The Effects on Society and Culture Essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"So the British invasion was more important as an event, as a mood: than as music† (Bangs, 171). This was the British invasion. I wasn’t just about the music, it was more then that; this is what makes it so unique. It didn’t just happen to effect America by chance, it lifted the spirits and moods of its youth. It isn’t just coincidence that Kennedy was assassinated right before the Beatles famous Ed Sullivan Show performance. The whole country was in a deep depressive doldrum after the assassination, and for good reason. The British invasion was needed by Americans to snap out of this funk, and this was just the thing to do it. (One thing that Americans used to avoid the depressing times was to use illegal drugs, but that will be elaborated on later.) This is what it was all about; sure it was about the music, but it brought more, it brought a way of life across the ocean.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A lot of the invasion stayed in that generation, many bands and songs that were big then are all but totally forgotten about now. Bands such as the Searchers, the Swinging Blue Jeans, and Gerry and the Pacemakers all had one or two great hits which stayed in that time. This however, was part of the beauty of it all. Some of the music stayed with us thirty years later, and that’s great, it gives us a good sampling of the time. On the other hand, you have the music that was meant for the era, and not for future generations. That is part of the uniqueness of it all, and Lester Bangs says it best when he tells how it doesn’t matter that the music isn’t listened to anymore, that’s not what it was for. It was for the time, it was a â€Å"timepiece†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the other hand, we have the bands that were not simply â€Å"timepieces† and were able to stick around three decades later. These bands are the Who, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. This is another aspect of why the invasion was so influential. Where would we be in rock and roll with out the Beatles, and on a slightly lesser extent the Stones. These bands transformed rock into what we know it today. Without them, the way might not have been paved for Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and countless others. Both sides of the spectrum were extremely important for the invasion to have the long lasting effects it continues to have.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cu... ...s, it was a time of great turbulence from start to finish. Protests, assassinations, war, pacifists; they all played a major role in the United States during this time. Something substantial had to happen to help relieve some of the on going woes. It was the British music. Not once, but twice, within a span of ten years were the British the influence that helped get us over those times. It may have been in a more positive way in the first wave, and maybe in a more negative way in the second, introducing an entire drug culture, but either way it made an impact. I have always viewed the 60’s as one of the most intriguing decades to live in, because of its culture shock that occurred during this time. It was the decade of peace, love and drugs; it would have been great to be there to experience these things. Nevertheless, in the research I have done, I have realized the importance of not only the British music on this decade, but all of the feelings behind the music, all of t he meanings and emotions and social change which it encouraged. It was the decade with the highest highs and the lowest lows in the last half-century. It was the time when British music saved America from itself.

Reading Response to the Road

Title: The Road Author: Cormac McCarthy Text Type: Fictional Novel Date of response: 6th of February 2012 SUMMARY: The Road by Cormac McCarthy is a novel about two people, a father and son, living in a post-apocalyptic North America. Their belongings are a cart, with scavenged food and tools inside, their clothes, and each other. Together they struggle to survive in this world, where many of the trees are gone, where the air, ground and all things are saturated with ash. Production of goods and foods has long since ceased. Survivors of the apocalypse must get by on canned goods and must ? d ways to survive the harsh, frozen nights. But those canned goods become scarce and the humanity of many of those who survive is no longer existent when faced with the alternative of death. This book is about the struggle that the child and the father face together; the struggle between satisfying human needs and doing so whilst maintaining a semblance of humanity. STRUCTURE: This novel does not fo llow a conventional structure. In the ? rst scenes of the book, (this book is not separated into chapters), the reader is introduced to the boy and the man.It is clear early on that the man is the boy? s father, as the boy calls him â€Å"papa†. The reader also understands that they have a cart full of goods and that they travel and sleep wherever necessary. This is the exposition. After that, the book follows them as they travel toward the coast, ? eeing from the cold habitat of the northern land. While traveling, they must also replenish their food multiple times. As they walk towards the coast and search for food, they are met with many ethical and moral problems. They meet a child whom they suspect, but do not know, has no one to look after him.They meet fellow vagabonds, starving and dying, with some of whom they cannot afford to share resources. The child asks child-like questions that spark deep philosophical questions of morality in the father. â€Å" I? m afraid for that little boy. I know, he? ll be all right. We should go get him, Papa. We could get him and take him with us. We could take him and we could take the dog. The dog could catch us something to eat. We cant. And I? d give that little boy half of my food. Stop it. We cant. He was crying again. What about the little boy? he sobbed. What about the little boy? This is one of the complications of this novel that superimposes itself on the underlying complication of the lack of food: Can one simply watch someone such as a little boy walk off to their death? This complication is not resolved in this book. Another complication and moral dilemma of this book is the question of whether the man will be able to kill his son if need be. The remnants of North America, and if the rest of the world survived, there too, a majority of the people left were cannibalistic savages who raped and tortured those that they captured before eating them.His wife had asked him questions of whether he would be a ble to end their lives to spare them the suffering that they would be put through if they were captured. â€Å"Now is the time. Curse God and die. What if it doesn? t ? re? It has to ? re. What if it doesn? t ? re? Could you crush that beloved skull with a rock? Is there such a being within you of which you know nothing? Can there be? Hold him in your arms. Just so. The soul is quick to pull him towards you. Kiss him. Quickly. † There are several ? ashbacks in this book, the man dreams of his lost wife and the moral dilemma that they faced, which was not resolved.The wife took on a fatalist view of the world, and wanted it over with. The man simply wanted his son to live, and to try and help him live as happy a life as possible. The wife then left, and it is inferred that she went to her death. CHARACTERIZATION: One character that has made an impression on me is the child. The child is always sweet and generous. It is heartbreaking to read the effects of the happenings of the world that he lives in, but perhaps even worse reading the times when it doesn? t anymore. What really effected me about this child is the simpleness with which he viewed the world.A lens that only a character like him could look through. â€Å" Tell me. The boy looked down the road. I want you to tell me. It? s okay. He shook his head. Look at me, the man said. He turned and looked. He looked like he? d been crying. Just tell me. We wouldnt ever eat anybody, would we? No. Of course not. Even if we were starving? We? re starving now. You said we werent. I said we werent dying. I didnt say we werent starving. But we wouldnt. No. We wouldnt. No matter what. No. No matter what. Because we? re the good guys. Yes. And we? re carrying the ? re. And we? re carrying the ? re. Yes Okay. † Although I? sure many of us would like to think that cannibalism is beyond us and that we would never eat another human being to save ourselves, but I do not think that it is a reality that will sur vive in midst of crisis when there is no society to impose the morality that binds us today. It is for us to decide whether we have a moral compass separate and independent from the ideas of society.THEME: The author? s purpose in writing this book is to question what we think is the foundation of humanity; the foundation of who we are. Can humanity survive in a world of chaos and suffering such as this? Is there room for it? And if here is not, then can it be called â€Å"survival† if we have forsaken the values that we used to say is what we were. In reading this book the reader develops an appreciation for life and for the things that we have that we call fundamental and thus take for granted. â€Å"He had no shoes at all and his feet were wrapped in rash and cardboard tied with green twine and any number of layers of vile clothing showed through the tears and hoes in it. † I also think that Cormac McCarthy meant for the reader to ponder problems in the book, so as to compare ourselves to the characters and their actions, and to imagine what we may have done in their shoes. The boy lay with his head on the man? s lap. After a while he said: They? re going to kill those people, arent they? Yes. Why do they have to do that? I dont know. Are they going to eat them? I dont know. They? re going to eat them, arent they? Yes. And we couldnt help them because then they? d eat us too. Yes. And that? s why we couldnt help them. Yes. Okay. † Is it okay? Does not doing all you can do to help make you a guilty bystander? Does it make it any better that you were not the one that would commit these heinous acts, but were simply the ones that saw the victims-to-be and walked away? LANGUAGE:In this novel, McCarthy does not follow many grammatical rules. When there is a dialogue, McCarthy, instead of using conventional speech marks, indents what is said from one character and does the same for the next. He does not always follow this either, but it is the norm throughout the book. â€Å" You promised not to do that, the boy said. What? You know what, Papa. He poured the hot water back into the pan and took the boy? s cup and poured some of the cocoa into his own and handed it back. I have to watch you all the time, the boy said. I know. If you break little promises you? ll break big ones. That? what you said. I know. But I wont. † This system leaves it up to the reader to infer who is speaking. Some parts of the book are up for interpretation in meaning but also who speaks at certain points. This changes much meaning, the reader is left to ponder who is speaking what and the implications thereof. The vocabulary in this book is very complex, McCarthy even uses some words that are no longer in many dictionaries. He uses many words in ? exible ways that challenge the mind, and are also up for much interpretation. â€Å"On their backs were vermiculate patterns that were maps of the world in its becoming. †McCarthy misses s ome apostrophes where the word can still be deciphered. He also breaks small rules of grammar to do with multiple â€Å"and†s in one sentence and makes many fragments. â€Å"He did not take care of her and she died alone somewhere in the dark and there is no other dream nor waking world and there is no other tale to tell. † At times he simply disregards the logical sentence structure altogether. â€Å"Query: How does the never to be differ from what never was? † I think that all of this relates back to the book. The crumbled society and people of this book that I mentioned before is portrayed through the events and characters of this book.The writing style of this book in its errors and sentences I think is symbolic of the disintegrating society. Writing no longer follows the rules that it has because there is no reason for it to. It makes for many incredibly complex and beautiful sentences, no longer bound by the limitations of a normal sentence. These sentence s challenge your mind, and can be subject to so much more interpretation than a normal sentence. â€Å"Like the great pendulum in its rotunda scribing through the long day movements of the universe of which you may say it knows nothing and yet know it must. †

Kim Fuller Essay

In the early fall of 2002, Kim Fuller was employed as a district sales engineer for a large chemical firm. During a routine discussion with plant chemists, Fuller learned that the company had developed a use for the recycled material, in pulverized form, made from plastic soda pop bottles. Because the state had mandatory deposits all beverage bottles. Fuller realized that a ready supply of this material was available. All that was needed was an organization to tap that bottle supply, grind the bottles, and deliver the pulverized plastic to the chemical company. It was an opportunity Fuller had long awaited—a chance to start a business. In November 2002 Fuller began checking into the costs involved in setting up a plastic bottle grinding business. A used truck and three trailers were acquired to pick up the empty bottles. Fuller purchased one used grinding machine but had to buy a second one newï ¼â€ºSupplies and pans necessary to run and maintain the machines were also purcha sed. Fuller also purchased a personal computer with the intention of using it to keep company records. These items used $65,000 of the $75,000 Fuller had saved and invested in the company. A warehouse costing $162,000 was found in an excellent location for the business. Fuller was able to interest family members enough in this project that three of them, two sisters and a brother, invested $30, 000 each. These funds gave Fuller the$50,000 down payment on the warehouse. The bank approved a mortgage for the balance on the building. In granting the mortgage, however, the bank 0fficial suggested that Fuller start from the beginning with proper accounting records. He said these records would help not only with future bank dealings but also with tax returns and general management of the company. He suggested Fuller find a good accountant to provide assistance from the start, to get things going on the right foot. Fuller’s neighbor, Marion Zimmer, was an accountant with a local firm. When they sat down to talk about the new business, Fuller explained, â€Å"I know little about keeping proper records.† Zimmer suggested Fuller should buy an â€Å"off-the-shelf† accounting system software package from a local office supply retailer. Zimmer promised to help Fuller select and install the package as well as learn how to use it. In order to select the fight package for Fuller’s needs, Zimmer asked Fuller to list all of the items purchased for the business, a11 of the debts incurred, and the information Fuller  would need to manage the business. Zimmer explained that not al l of this information would be captured by the accounting records and displayed in financial statements. Based on what Fuller told Zimmer, Zimmer promised to create files to accommodate accounting and non-accounting information that Fuller could access through the company’s personal computer. As Fuller’s first lesson in accounting, Zimmer gave Fuller a brief lecture on the nature of the balance sheet and income statement and suggested Fuller draw up an opening balance sheet for the company. Confident now that the venture was starting on solid ground, Kim Fuller opened the warehouse, signed contracts with two local bottling companies, and hired two grinding machine workers and a truck driver. By February 2003 the new firm was making regular deliveries to Fuller’s former employer. Questions 1. What information will Fuller need to manage the business? Classify this information in two categories: accounting information and non-accounting information. 2. See what you can do to draw up a beginning of business list of the assets and 1iabilities of Fuller’s company making any assumptions you consider useful. How should Fuller go about putting a value on the company’s assets? Using your values, what is the company’s opening owners’ equity? 3. Now that Fuller has started to make sales, what information is needed to determine â€Å"profit and loss†? What should be the general construction of a profit and loss analysis for Fuller’s business? How frequently should Fuller do such all analysis? 4. What other kinds of changes in assets, 1iabilities, and owners’ claims will need careful recording and reporting if Fuller is to keep in control of the business?

Tutankhamen was not a very influential Pharaoh

Tutankhamen was not a very influential Pharaoh. However his tomb has revealed significant information about the New Kingdom Egypt. When Tutankhamen moved the court back to Thebes, he turned his back to the Reforms of Amarna period. He was at a very young age therefore his decisions must have been under the advice of someone. ROLE OF THE PHARAOH The Pharaoh had many objectives throughout his life on the throne. These activities included keeping order of his people, religion and had many roles as a warrior and a ruler. Akhenaton’s religious beliefs did not last. His was where seen as heretic. When Tutankhamen came into power, within 10 years he restored all beliefs in the gods that Akhenaten ignored. This put all his followers behind him and gained him respect. This can be illustrated through the decorations in Tutankhamun’s tomb. He was seen with various gods, which depicted he believed in number of gods that Akhenaten did not. Further more there were drawings and pictures of the god Hapi and statues of the gods Isis, Nephthys, Serqet and Neith protecting the body of the king. It was important that the Pharaoh had strong relation with the gods and his religion. This showed a power within the pharaoh and provided loyalty by the people of the kingdom. He also had to be a ruler and keep his people in order. He did this through entertainments such as hunting. Evidence of this is found on his chest when he is hunting for animals. Hunting was a way of entertainment and to keep people please in the New kingdom Egypt. Hunting wild animals showed that there was none greater than the pharaoh. This secured his people’s belief and trust in him. There are also statues of the god of Water and Fertility (Hapi). This is an indication that Tutankhamen believed in this god. Therefore the fertility and wealth of the kingdom must have been good. The people of the kingdom had the pharaoh to thank to as a living god. MILITARY Tutankhamen was seen as a warrior in various drawings of him in his tomb. He was seen as a ruler and Ma’ar of the kingdom. Infact he is seen wearing the blue war crown of a pharaoh to indicate his relation with war and hunting. His rule over war and military is also demonstrated in the painting on the sides of his treasure chest, showing him either hunting wild animals or in battle. In the scene he is seen has fighting in a battle on his chariot, with his bow and arrows, he is shown has huge however his enemies much smaller. Tutankhamen was a great influence to his people in war. His ruling power was shown through his mask, which states him as a pharaoh. The mask is made of pure gold and has the two protective animals in it, the cobra and the vulture. However, Tutankhamen has never been involved in a war himself as there is no evidence of any battles. EGYPTIAN SOCIETY Fashion, food, economies, entertainment and fundamental living ways were very advanced and crucial in the Egyptian Society. The Egyptians usually wore white clothing, because white sustained coolness while black sustained heat. Their clothing was made from the stem of the flax plant. The clothing was a symbol of wealth as poor people and workers usually walked around naked and lived naked. Clothing also showed a man’s rank in the society, this depended on how elaborate his kilt was. Kings, gods and higher-class rulers usually wore colourful clothing this showed that they were noble and rich. Therefore clothing performed the role of symbolism for wealth, rank and importance in the society. However as well as clothing, fashion was very crucial. In Tutankhamen’s tomb, there are bottles of perfumes made from pure coconut oil. This shows the class and quality of the society and it had already advanced to perfumes and make up. The pharaoh had all sorts of skin care in his tomb for after life. There was also food and water provided in Tutankhamen’s tomb for his travel, which indicated the type of food consumed. There was also money provided in the tomb, which indicated the type of currency used. The Egyptian life stile was unique and advanced to all other. Tomb of Tutankhamen help is illustrate the needs of Egyptian society and its unique fundamentals. BURIAL CUSTOMS The burial customs of the ancient Egypt is very complex and symbolic. There are 3 aspects of a soul that the Egyptians believed in, the Kha, the Ba and the Akh. The mummification and burial of the pharaoh was crucial for the soul to keep safe and alive. The Egyptians would mummify someone in the belief that the body would be needed in the after life. The first process was the remove all moisture from the body so the body would not decay. After that his stomach, intestines and liver would be removed and put into special alabaster containers. The heart was left in the body as it would be needed to be weighted in the afterlife. The body then would be wrapped up with over 143 items such as amulets and jewellery to protect the pharaoh in the afterlife. There is proof of the process painted on the walls of Tutankhamen’s tomb. The process of the mummification would take 70 days in total. The body then would be sealed in the pharaoh’s body shaped coffin. In fact the body was put into 3 coffins. 2 made out of wood and the final one pure gold. After 70 days of process, the pharaoh is taken to his tomb and receives the opening of the mouth ceremony. Finally the body is sealed and the gods are left alone with the pharaoh to protect the body. RELIGION AND THE AFTERLIFE The pharaoh’s religion was the most crucial part of his ruling time. He was considered a living god, therefore his way of living was a role model to those below him. The previous pharaoh before Tutankhamen disobeyed all gods but himself. This caused unhappiness in the public and when Tutankhamen came into power, he revived the religious beliefs of the kingdom. The Egyptians believed that in the afterlife, pharaohs would become gods and their hearts would be weighted in line with a feather, if the heart is heavier than the feather than the pharaohs would not gain access.

Management in early years Essay

For the purpose of this work I will focus my attention on management and leadership skills, that any good early years practitioner should possess in order to organise/hold the event of parents evening. Working in partnership with parents Constructive working relationships between teachers and parents can enhance adults knowledge and understanding of children and children’s learning opportunities, and so contribute to children’s learning and wellbeing at home and in the setting. Children who see their parents working closely together with their teachers â€Å"gain a sense of continuity and of being cared for† and experience a â€Å"trusting and secure environment in which they can learn and grow† (Whalley & the Pen Green Centre Team, 2001). Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model of human development offers a theoretical rationale for teachers and parents working in close collaboration. Inclusion†¦.. Purpose and outcome Early childhood practitioners are often reluctant to see themselves as leaders and managers. However, all those who work with young children and their families, whatever their level of experience and competence, have to undertake both of these roles on a daily basis. Parents evening is the perfect example of these two roles â€Å"played† by the same person. This is one of the best opportunities I have as practitioner in building relations with the parents. Why? Because if the parents are in agreement with my methods of practice/teaching, I’ve brought learning home. Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years (Siraj-Blatchford, Sylva, Muttock, Gilden, & Bell, 2002), found that children’s cognitive attainment benefited when parents were involved in children’s learning activities at home. Again the reformed EYFS(2012) has set out to raise the bar of just how influential parents’ role is in their child’s learning and development. Effective leaders will respond to this by reviewing their setting’s work with families to ensure strong engagement. The above ideas has been the foundation of organizing my first parents evening at my new setting. Although the event took place in September( next one due in June), the time coincide with the new EYFS coming into place and myself starting my new job at University of Warwick Nursery about the same time. Although I am a confident person, the likes of starting a new job, new EYFS coming into place, key children/families( of whom 4 out of 5had English as a second language, with very little or no knowledge of what EYFS is or how the nurseries are operating in UK), made me a bit anxious. I had to find a strategy which allowed me to be efficient, sounded knowledgeable and be professional. Having the liberty from the setting manger to conduct my parents evening, into whatever manner suits me and the families involved, the key for me at that particular time was called ORGANIZED. Before holding meeting with parents, any practitioner would consider what purpose it will serve and what will be the most effective method of achieving your goals. Good communication must have a clear purpose. †¢give information †¢consult †¢generate ideas †¢gather information †¢educate/help Parent and key worker meetings Early years settings tend to organise parent and key worker meetings on a regular basis and in a more structured way. Again, the timing of these meetings will depend on the parents’ daily routines and commitments, and the staff team will have to be flexible when arranging them. I have tried to be responsive to the needs of all individuals when arranging the timing for meetings. Because of the issue of confidentiality and because for most of the families English is a second language, I decided to have meetings with each family, rather than a group meeting. A little office was made available for the times booked and had a presentation running in the background ( appeals to all learning styles) for extra visual information; the main purpose was it introduce the EYFS, areas of learning, activities(see if any disagreement towards celebrations, messy play,etc) and how can be extended at home. See appendix Again, careful thought needs was given to †¢objectives (why) †¢audience (who) †¢content (what) †¢timing (when) environment (where). From my experience, these meetings offer an opportunity for the practitioner and parents to gather information, share their observations and to consider the implications of these in terms of planning for the child’s learning. They are conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect and practitioners should act as genuine listeners, responding to what they hear from the parent and not allowing discussions to be driven by a pre-set agenda based on what has been observed in the nursery. I am trying to use a business technique called the praise – praise sandwich. Start with something positive about the child, ask parents of any weak points/areas for improvement , we discuss around this and get an agreement of how together we can help the child move forward and generally improve. Finally I summarise our agreement, and finish with a reminder of their positive. Although we are gathering lots of written and recorded evidence for the child`s learning, is right to say that in Early Years , 50% of the information is mentally recorded by the key worker; and this extra information I found to be really appreciated by parents/families as a prove of knowing/understanding that particular child. During individual meetings with parents, time is set aside for looking at the implications of observations from home and nursery. Planning together for children’s learning will result in a more holistic approach, an enhanced curriculum and continuity for the children. There are opportunities to look at the child’s learning journeys and to talk about appropriate provision and support for the child’s developmental stage. Where a pattern of behaviour or personal learning interest has been identified, the key worker and parent are discussing experiences that could be offered at home and in the nursery in the hope that they would engage the child and further extend learning. We also share with the parents information about the Foundation Stage curriculum and about young children as learners. explain how the setting plans and assesses a child’s learning within the six areas of learning discuss the importance of the learning process emphasise the importance of child-initiated learning talk about schemas discus appropriate expectations and contexts for learning. It is common sense that practitioners should have confidence in their presentation skills and their knowledge of child development and early learning. When English is a second language Parents evening is also an excellent time for the child’s key person to discuss the child’s level and understanding of English, the use of their home language at nursery and the use of English at home. During this time the key person may have some questions on how the child is progressing at home. These can be important as if the child is using little or no English at the setting it is harder to know their level of development. I believe that good relationships with parents helps to aid our knowledge of the child and so provide them with the best possible care and education. To support inclusion and make each child feel valued, I initiated a little project. In the classroom we have got a board on which we have a data base of common words used in all the languages our children are speaking at home. We asked the parents for any words that they feel the child and key person may need while at nursery. This gives the key person some simple understanding and being more aware if the child is asking for something or trying to explain something. This also helps the key person to build a relationship with the child. It has proven to be a success and now it has been extended to all the classrooms. In the United Kingdom, the Pen Green Centre for Under Fives and their Families is well known for its work in involving families in children’s learning, as well as for parents being supported themselves. Pen Green tries to follow a process: whereby all the important adults in a child’s life give each other feedback on what seems to be centrally important to the child, and how and what they are learning in the home and in the nursery (Whalley and the Pen Green Centre Team, 2001). In this way, children are offered a challenging and stimulating environment in both settings that draws on each party’s understanding and scrutiny. Conclusion I believe that I have used my management skills to the best of my abilities and knowledge and it would only be honest to say that, ideas shared with my community of learners (our students group from college) have been put into practice; parents feedback is encouraging . All of them admitted to recognize their own child`s personality, routines, likes/dislikes from everything I have said about each individua. Maybe next time I should try to manage my time a

Describe the company's organizational architecture - Bayer company Essay

Describe the company's organizational architecture - Bayer company - Essay Example Bayer Company is a worldwide enterprise, which has foundational competences and core influence in the fields of high tech materials, agriculture, and health care (Ali, 2009:62). Being an inventor firm, Bayer sets trends in areas that require intensive research (Tupper, 2011:55). It designs its products to benefit people as well as improve their quality of life. This paper will seek to Bayer Company organizational architecture. It will assess the current architecture and ratify it if appropriate or recommend for another if not suitable. Organizational architecture talks about the spatial surroundings on the mind, behavior, and health of the people in and around an organization. This is an area dominated by the perspective of inter-discipline as it draws it conclusions from architecture, organization, management in addition to knowledge obtained from spatial science, social medicine, and environmental psychology (Williams, 2011:63). Success of an organizational architecture depends on or is attributable to the quality of management practices while operating or the skills employed when designing the organization’s system. Characteristics of a successful system include its simplicity, acceptability, reliability, flexibility, and economy. The Bayer Group of companies aims at creating value through high earning power, growth, and innovation (Workshop on Trends in Enterprise Architecture Research, & Proper, 2010: 33). The architectural design of Bayer Company indicates that it is flexible as every three subgroups operate independently. The other three service companies also function independently led by the holding company in management. This shows that Bayer Company values the aspect of common goals, values, and strategies making it flexible (Ali, 2009:83). An effective organization design does not need to be complicated. On contrary, organization design finds simplicity a highly desirable quality. Pertinently, think

How to Prepare for Final Examinations Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

How to Prepare for Final Examinations - Article Example Before, the beginning of examinations, the student should set certain goals which he likes to achieve or reflect in the examination results. Subsequently, all the efforts should be made to attain those predetermined goals. The goals should be realistic ones. In other words, the student should never set goals which are beyond his capabilities. There are many students who struggle to get even the desired grades in the final examinations because of the unrealistic goals just before the examinations. It is difficult for an average student to achieve first grade even if he tries extremely hard during the final examinations. If he wants to achieve first grade he should begin his preparations at the beginning of the course itself. When it comes to preparations of final examinations, different students opt for different ways. However, there are some general principles which are followed by the majority of the students while they prepare for their final examinations. First, it is better to start examination preparations as early as possible in order to avoid problems later. Early preparations help the student to avoid stress and anxiety with respect to final examinations. Majority of the students fail to perform well in final examinations because of their anxiety and stress related to the outcomes of the examination. Self-assessment of the level of knowledge in each subject is the second step in the preparations of final examinations. Before the beginning of the preparations, the student should decide which subjects need more attention and which subjects need less attention since he is the only one who knows his mastery in different subjects very well.  Ã‚  

Develop a Mission Statement Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Develop a Mission Statement - Assignment Example This 11-words mission statement provides a succinct description about its mission that it proposes for 2015. As Blythe, Zimmerman and Zimmerman (2005, p. 34) pointed, a mission statement gives clear expression to what is to be achieved by the company, in what manner it will be achieved and why this is worth achieving. Hilton is currently the fourth largest hotel chain just behind intercontinental Wyndham and Marriot international. Hilton plans to beat its competitors by 2015 with its new mission to reach wider population by helping its customers entertain to rejoice evermore. For this target to be accomplished, the company would thrive on innovation and invest extensively on technology to bring latest technology advantages to hospitality arrangements. Though ‘technology’ brings everything customers want, still people are always very likely to entertain with ‘nature’. In order to satisfy customers who are concerned about nature as well, Hilton proposes to align technology to nature, and facilitate traditional natural amusements and leisure parks with any latest and highly sophisticated technology advances that Hilton can reach at. As its mission illustrates, Hilton ultimately looks at customers to fulfill meeting of varying requirements of customers in regard to entertainment with technology and natural advantages and thus to seize this opportunity for long-term profitability of the firm. ‘Technology’ mentioned in the mission statement certainly reflects the strengths of the company in relation to its extensive investment in research and development and innovative projects. It will keep on trying to change its business strategy and techniques by adding latest technology to its marketing opportunities. The statement is motivating to it stakeholders because it clearly defines its potential strengths and ways that it can grab marketing opportunities for leisure, entertainment and hospitality