Example of Sociobiography - 806 Words

Terri Weedman Sociobiography: What Shaped Me into Who I Am? My name is TerriWeedman; I was born Sept. 4th, 1991. Let me start by saying a lot has influenced who I am today people as well as events that have flipped my life upside down and molded me into a better, stronger person then who I was a few years ago. I am going to tell you about a few people who I extremely admire, and a couple that have failed me. My mother Jeanne has always raised me on a tight leash and taught me to have morals, ethics, self-respect, and class about myself. She raised me and my older brother by herself for a long time, and we never really got to have the â€Å"Wonderful† mother/daughter relationship every little girl wants with her mother, but because of†¦show more content†¦I wouldn’t change anything about my life ever, because my life is who I

Technology Enhanced Learning Environments For Literacy And...

This was a design-based research study that examined the use of technology-enhanced learning environments in support of literacy and global awareness among youth in an out-of-school context. This research seeks to be descriptive, rather than explanatory, in hopes to contribute to the larger picture of the ways in which youth are engaging in technology-enhanced learning environments. It also aims to offer insight into ways in which learning environments, in classrooms or community centers, can be designed to allow for an expanded understanding of learning, literacy and globalization. In this chapter, I provide and overview and rationale for design-based research, the research setting and participants, data collection and data analysis.†¦show more content†¦Wang Hannifin (2005) identify five important characteristics of design-based research. It needs to be: pragmatic, grounded, interactive, iterative and flexible, integrative and contextual. The research study conducted was pragmatic in the sense that it was embedded in and strongly informed by practice. It was grounded in theory, relevant research, and was conducted in a real-world setting. The project was interactive, iterative, and flexible. This is evident by my involved role as researcher, designer and facilitator, as well as the process by which I continually examined the project and made changes accordingly. The use of data collection from multiple sources and a combination of methods characterized the research as integrative, increasing its credibility and objectivity. Lastly, the research was contextual because the results and findings were based on both the design process and the context of the study. (short conclusion paragraph explaining dbr alignment with this study?) Research Setting I conducted the research project at Washington Park International Center for Education and the Arts, located in an urban Midwestern city. The community center, informally known as Washington Park, is a part of a larger foundation, Washington Park Foundation, whose mission is to provide housing, human services, arts appreciation and cultural awareness (organization’s website). The center is nestled in the center of a large housing complex, whose residents are

Emily Brontes poem analysis free essay sample

Emily Bronte spends last days of her life at home. She didnt have any outdoor activities. Her life was full of miseries and gloomy incidents. There Is not any light of hope and couragment In her life. She was fed up with her life. She wrote this poem In those days when she was bound at home. This poem Is the true representative of her disappointed feelings. She wanted to sleep but sleep brings no rest to her. She wanted to sleep eternally. She was disturbed by the painful memories which she had suffering in her life. She wanted to escape from the reality. As Paul Lieder points out; Emily Bronte wrote so little in her short life that it is difficult to appraise her work with any surety. One point is generally agreed that in both her prose and poetry there is in spite of minor faults or rare power. We will write a custom essay sample on Emily Brontes poem analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Title of the poem: Emily Brontes poem, Sleep brings no Joy to me dont have any title. The poem is without a title. Infect Emily was very discouraged after her brothers death. She was very prone to sickness. She spent most of her time at home. During her time at home she wrote all her poems in a notebook. When her sisters found this otebook and read her poetry. Her sisters Incouraged her to publish her work. So this book was published by the name of Wuthering Heights In 1847. This poem reflects the miseries of her own life. This poem is all about her life and how she tired of it. She wanted to get rid of her life and wants to die. Themes of the poem: This poem is an autobiographical poem of Emily Bronte. This poem reveals her miserable condition in her life. The themes of the poem are; Death Hopelessness Escapism Painful memories Death: Death Is the maln theme of the poem. The poem Is written by Emily Bronte. The oetess wants to die because doesnt find any source of comfort and relief even In sleep. In this poem we can analyze that sleep Is not any source of Joy, hope and rest for her-so she wants to get rid of her life. She is preeminently a poet of self-conscious expression and of an interior life focused on observation and imagination. Emilys life was that of a representation solitary. Making of a Solitary: According to the elements in Emily Brontes life that shaped her solitude must be counted. The death of her mother when Emily was of 3 years old. The death of her two older sisters due to Typhoid, when she was of 6 years old. Her independent learning and intense intellectual interest without formal schooling or socialization. Escapism: Escapism Is another Important theme of the poem. The poetess life was very miserable and full of harshness. She wants to sleep so that she can get rid of her painful memories for sometimes. In the last stanza she wanted to escape from reality. She wanted to escape from all those things which had made her so disturbed ana depressed. I nars wny sne Decame tne poet 0T solltuae. But In sleep sne doesnt find any comfort and relief because those harsh memories come in the form of orrible dreams. When she says Rememberance never dies. Hopelessness: The poem also shows the helplessness of the poetess. Her life was full of harsh incidents. She tries to find out any source of hope and Joy in sleep but all her efforts goes in vain. Sleep becomes more painful and disturbed element of her life. Then she preyed for death to seek comfort. Painful Memories: Sleep brings no hope to This poem is all about life and how she tired of it. She wanted to leave this life. She suffered a lot in her life. Emily became weaken by unsanitary circumstances in her household. She wanted to escape from painful memories. Symbols used in the poem A lot of symbols are used in the poem, Sleep brings no Joy to me Written by Emily Bronte. These symbols are as follows; Sleep: Sleep is usually the symbol of death, darkness, unconsciousness and way to escape something. But in Emilys poem, sleep brings dark aspects of her life more clearly and intensively. She sleeps because she can escape from her harsh life for sometimes but it is not so. So she wants to sleep eternally. Shadow: Shadows are dark, dreary, haunting and ghostly. In this poem, shadows are ymbolically horrible and ghostly, when she says, dead My wakening eyes may never see The shadows are This shadow may have been her husband or her protective person. When Emily Bronte needed the attention of her mother, she lost her mother. She has no mothers lap to take a relief from the painful memories. Sail: Sail is another symbol used in this poem. Sail is the symbol of something that is light weight, effortless and depend on natural sources. In this poem, the poetess compares herself with a sail. She feels herself effortless against the problems of life. Wilder Sea: Wilder sea is the symbol of depth, mystery and violence. In this poem, Emily compares the whole world with wilder sea or it may be her own life that is full of mystery and violence. Wave: A wave can be violent disturbance. It also symbolizes force that can overcome you. In Emilys poem wave is symbolizes with death that overcomes her own life. Stylistically Analysis Epithet: Use of epithet is available in this poem. Epithet is actually an adjectival phrase. The epithet used in this poems are; wakening eye, sounder sleep, doleful imagery, wilder sea, darker wave, harassed heart. Metaphor: In Emilys poems metaphor is also used. In 4th stanza, when she compares herself with sail and feels herself effortless against the difficulties of life. cap tallzatlon: There are some words that start with capital letter such as Surround my bed. Here in the word surround,s is capital. This means that horrible shadows and scornful images that disturb her, they dome particularly when she is in her bedroom during sleep. This shadow comes in the form of dreams. Rhyme scheme: The poem has 6 stanzas, and each stanza has the rhyme scheme of abab. Words which shows mood of the poetess: There are certain words in this poem which reveals the gloomy or despair mood of the poetess, such as the repetition of the word no. Just like no hope, no Joy, no friend, no strength. And other words which gloomy mood are; darker, doleful, scornfully, death, misery etc. Feministic point of view Negativity: The whole poem is written in dejected mood. There is not any positivity or positive connotation used in this poem. Inferiority Complex: We can also find inferiority complex in this poem. She has not any friend or people that console her in sorrowful situation. She doesnt find any people who protect her. Female are weak gender: Usually it is said that women are physically and mentally weak gender. In this poem we can analyze that the poetess tries to find someone who console her, protect her or support her in her miserable condition. Analysis of the poem Sleep brings no Joy to me. Remembrance never dies. My soul is given to mystery, And lives in sighs. My interpretation of the first stanza is that the individual goes to sleep in effort to escape memories; however, the memories are only seen and lived once again in her dreams. Her soul seeks answers to questions that she may never find so she sighs in disappointment, in an effort to calm herself down, and to give up on pondering and remembering the past. Sleep brings no rest to me; The shadows of the dead My wakening eyes may never see Surround my bed. The second stanza tells us that although she sleeps, she does not rest. Her mind fails to enter a place of relaxation and peace. She will never see shadows of a particular person, who may have been a husband that would watch over her as she sleeps. The second and forth lines of the stanza could be further interpreted to announce that he person would protect her in her place of rest, sickness, or peace and that she sees this persons ghost as she sleep. At this point we know that this protective person Is aeceasea Oue to tne pnrase snaaows 0T Sleep brings no hope to me, In soundest sleep they come, And with their doleful imagry Deepen the gloom. The third stanza states that she sleeps in hopes of being able to remove herself from her state of depression, but it fails every time because in her dreams she sees the decreased person and it deepens her depression. Sleep brings no strength to me, No power renewed to brave; I only sail a wilder sea, A darker wave The forth stanza tells us that sleep does not strengthen her ability to move on. She feels that she cannot and is not swimming in a sea, but that she is only floating on top of the water without any protection from the waves that could kill her with their strength. She is indifferent towards death and life. Sleep brings no friend to me to soothe and aid to bear; They all gaze on, how scornfully, And I despair. The fifth stanza reveals that people who she once considered friends do not help her to heal from her pain or suffering. These people Just appear to be dumbfounded nd are waiting for her next move, but their lack of action and support Just makes her feel hopeless and obsolete. Sleep brings no wish to fret My harassed heart beneath; My only wish is to forget In endless sleep of death. The sixth stanza announces her desire to die. Sleep causes her to not crave to worry or ponder anymore. Her heart is broken and all she wants to do is forget about all of her pain, worries, questions, discomfort, hopelessness by dying. She believes that her only way to find peace is in death, where she may feel that shes sure to be with the deceased person once again.

Much Ado About Nothing Essays (537 words) - English-language Films

Much Ado About Nothing Sid Philavanh Hum. 120 Mr. Lewis Response Paper #3 Much Ado about Something My opinion about the movie, Much Ado about Nothing, is that it was a very good movie. This movie had just about everything that makes a movie good. It had drama, romance, action, and most importantly it had comedy. This movie is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Even though they spoke in Shakespearean language, the character's expressions were enough to make anyone rollover and laugh. The cast of the movie was well organized, because every one of them played the part as if the movie was written for them. Much Ado about Nothing is a very good movie because it is dramatic, romantic, and funny. The drama in this movie was very thick and plentiful. Especially when the Prince's brother, Don John, was trying to stop Claudio from marrying his love Hero. The trouble he caused was very sinister. He put people's lives in danger without even caring about their feelings. The tension between Bene*censored* and Beatrice also setup some drama, which subsequently made the movie very enjoyable and funny. The battle between man and woman was well represented by the two characters. This movie was very romantic. This is the type of movie that I would love to take my girlfriend to go watch. It touches the romantic side of anyone who watches it, but it isn't too cheesy either so guys will like it. Claudio and Hero's love for each other made the movie very romantic. It seemed as if they would die for each other's love if it came to it. Yet, they weren't always in each other's faces kissing and hugging and this made the romance scenes bearable to watch. Though, the romance affair between Bene*censored* and Beatrice made the movie well worth seeing, because it was one of the funniest parts of the movie. Their love affair was more like a struggle then it was a romance. The cast for this movie was great also. It seemed as if the roles were specifically written for the cast. Denzel Washington played a very good Prince, and as well did Robert Sean Leonard playing young Claudio. Michael Keaton's roll as Dogberry was the funniest character in the movie. He seemed to relish in playing the greasy and dirty constable. One of the best actors that I think made the characters come alive was probably Kenneth Thompson who played Bene*censored*. His acting was superior to the others because it seemed like he was very into his role. His character stood out from all the others. In conclusion, I think that this movie was very good movie in all. It had a lot of things that didn't make it boring once. It's got drama, romance, action, and comedy. All of these things can usually make a movie worth seeing. I liked the movie because it was one of the funniest movies I have seen in awhile, and I will always recommend it to my friends. The cast who played the rolls was very good, and they made the story come alive. Therefore, I think Much Ado about Nothing is a very good movie because it is dramatic, romantic, and funny. Mythology

How to Use Facebook Targeting to Optimize Your Audience In CoSchedule

How to Use Facebook Targeting to Optimize Your Audience In Why do we spend so much time researching target audiences? Because we want to make sure our messages reach the right people. Sometimes, though, social media makes it hard to reach just the people you want to talk to. On Facebook, however, theres an underused feature called audience targeting that makes this possible. Facebook audience optimization  allows you to customize which users will see your content, so that its more specific to that audience. In return, this will increase engagement for your Facebook posts with  targeted audiences. And targeting the right audience is crucial for success.  One of the biggest mistakes marketers make today is trying to appeal to everyone. You have to get the right content in front of the right people in order to convert. And thats why were excited to introduce Facebook Targeting for . What Is Facebook Targeting? Getting to know your audience is a crucial step for successful Facebook targeting. The overall idea of targeting is having more  people engage with your posts because the content matches their interests. These posts would start to appear in their news feeds more often due to their engagement. So it could result in a boost in organic reach over time. , your all-in-one content calendar and social media toolset, now  includes audience targeting for business Facebook pages. Within , we made sharing content with your audience more specific. You can now target any piece of Facebook content to an audience that YOU define. You can define your audience in nine ways: Age Gender Relationship Status Interested In Location Language Education Level College Graduation Years Interests Each of these nine categories will help you create a more clear-cut audience to ensure your content is seen by people who care. So the big questions is:  How can you create a target audience with these categories?   Weve put together a list of real-life situations where these categories could apply to your audience. Lets take a look. How To Use Facebook Targeting To Optimize Your Audience In 1. Age Within the  Age category, the ages range from 13 to 65+ Depending on what your business is, individuals under the age of 18 arent going to need to see your content. With  Age you can select which age range you want your audience to be. At , we select ages 25-45 because we believe those are the ages of people most likely to use content marketing editorial software. Use Case: 21+ Events Are you hosting an event thats being catered with food and alcohol? Events that are strictly for individuals who are over the age of 21 are extremely popular because of the drinking age. Because of this, people under the age of 21 do not need to see posts promoting 21+ events. With Facebook Targeting from , you can hand-pick ages 21 and over. This way you are promoting to the people you want to attend your event, and not promoting to those that wont. 2. Gender Within the  Gender category, you can select  All, Male,  or  Female. Use Case: Promotions To make your posts feel more personable, you can target specifically to men or women. This becomes especially important during holidays. For example, a flower shop could create a post targeted towards men with the caption, Valentines Day is coming up. Did you remember to get her flowers? This approach makes the reader feel like it was directed towards them. Take a look at this Facebook  post directed towards women: Take this approach with anything that you are promoting. You  could create two different posts with the same graphic, but write one  message targeted towards men and one targeted towards women to make it feel more personable. 3. Relationship Status Within the  Relationship category, there are several options to choose from including  Single, In a relationship,  and  Married.   Use Case 1: Wedding Content For instance, a bridal gown shop could target their posts towards people that are engaged or in a relationship. Along with photographers who are trying to promote their business or specials such as this Facebook post: Use Case 2: Giveaways Facebook contests and giveaways are becoming increasingly popular. To make sure youre giving something away to someone who is generally interested, you can use Facebook Targeting. Cruise ships and resorts can use Facebook Targeting towards couples who are married for anniversary trip giveaways. If youre not familiar with how Facebook contests and giveaways work, ThriveHive put together a guide to help you get started. 4. Interested In Within the  Interested In  category, you can select  All, Men,  or  Women. Use Case: Dating Apps Mixer events and dating apps  can use Facebook Targeting to create posts with images directed towards people interested in men or women to  make the post more personable. Along with sharing posts that are directly related to being single, in a relationship, etc. This example ad could be targeted towards single women: 5. Location Within the  Location category, you can type in the city, state, or region. You are able to select many locations of your choosing. Use Case 1: Local Promotions If youre having an event or promotion thats specific to a certain city, then you can use Facebook Targeting to only target people that live in the city where the event or promotion is happening. You are less likely to upset audience members who do not live in this location who will not receive the discount/promotion. Lets say your store or business location in a specific city is having a marathon in town. You can create a Facebook post saying, Everyone who participated in the marathon this week will receive 30% off their purchase! This discount will only work for people living in  that  city. The same goes for events. Maybe your company is hosting a benefit dinner in a specific town. You can define your audience by targeting people living in  that  town for higher attendance rate. Use Case 2: Holidays You can also target to specific countries. For example, holidays are different in every country. If you are a business located in the United States and you want to create a 4th of July post, then you can target audience members only located in the United States. If you are a business located in Canada and you want to create a National Boxing Day post, then you can target audience members only located in Canada. 6. Language Within the  Language  category, you can type in the desired language(s) you wish to reach. Use Case: Customer Service If you are a business that creates content and posts in a certain language, then you can use Facebook Targeting to target that specific language.  If your business has a a product or service that is exclusively in English then you can target your posts to the English language. Here at we have a customer success team who responds to our customers in English. Because of this, we try to direct most of our posts to English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom. 7. Education Level Within the  Education Level  category, there are several options such as  Bachelors Degree, High school grad,  and  Alum.   Depending on what type of content you produce, you may need an audience with a higher education level. If you are selling a in-depth product or service, its best to target to high school and college graduates.  If a company’s main customer base typically has a certain level of education, that might help them narrow their post’s targeting. Use Case 1: College Discounts With a college ID, the discounts are endless. If your business has a college discount program, you can promote to audience members that have graduated high school and are now in college. This way audience members that dont have a college ID wont be annoyed by seeing these posts. Use Case 2: College Recruitment Colleges can use  Facebook targeting to help enroll students in their university. Targeting to kids who are in high school, recent grads, or even adults who have been out of school for a while but want to continue their education can be targeted. This not only helps colleges increase their enrollment, but also helps those wanting to further their education the chance at their fingertips. 8. College Graduation Years Within the College Graduation Years category, you can type in X amount of years an individual has been out of college. Use Case: Graduation Year Promotions The purpose of Facebook Targeting is to make an audience member reading the Facebook post to feel like it was specialized for them. College graduation years are a good way of specifically targeting your audience members. For example a realtor company can create a post stating, Its been 5 years since you graduated college. Dont you think its time to buy a house? This way the reader will think it was created just for them and theyll think Wow, I DID graduate 5 years ago. I really need to buy a house! 9. Interests Within the  Interests  category, you can type in different interests you want to reach. The possibilities of interests are endless. Use Case: Targeting People With Any and Every Interest Im not kidding when I say the possibilities  are endless when it comes to targeting interests. For example a car company can target their body kit by targeting people that are interested in cars and do it yourself projects. 10. Restrictions Finally, there are some options for Audience Restrictions. Here you can select which  Age, Location, and  Language  you want to restrict. You can mix and match any of these categories to create the ultimate audience for your post. If you want a 25-year-old English speaking man that lives in the United States (who also happens to be interested in do-it-yourself car kits) then you can do just that with Facebook Targeting!

I Before E, Except After C

I Before E, Except After C I Before E, Except After C I Before E, Except After C By Maeve Maddox I’ve read that the spelling mnemonic â€Å"I before E except after C† is a useless rule â€Å"best forgotten.† I beg to differ. English vocabulary abounds with words borrowed from other languages, along with foreign spelling conventions. Any spelling rule we can come up with is certain to have exceptions. Nevertheless, spelling rules are worth learning because they provide a framework that makes the exceptions stand out. The â€Å"I before E† rule may not be perfect, but it is extremely useful. First, the â€Å"I before E† mnemonic in its entirety: I before E, Except after C, And when sounded like A As in neighbor and weigh. Let’s see how far this rule will take us with common words. I before E achieve believe belief brief chief die field fierce friend lie lingerie niece pie piece pierce prairie priest siege Except after C ceiling conceit conceive deceive receipt receive perceive And when sounded like A, as in neighbor and weigh heir neighbor reign rein skein surveillance their veil vein weigh Note: The words their and heir can be learned with this list. For one thing, the learner can associate their with they, which is pronounced with long a. For another, their is one of those high-frequency words that anyone who reads and writes at all should be able to master by completion of second grade. Heir can be learned with the mnemonic device of a â€Å"spelling pronunciation† that addresses the silent h as well as the ei spelling. Exceptions to the Rule caffeine counterfeit either forfeit foreign heifer leisure neither sovereign seized weird This list of 46 words is by no means exhaustive, but it’s a fair gauge of how far the old jingle can take you in spelling the ie/ei words you are most likely to want to write. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:35 Synonyms for â€Å"Look†Capitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and Movements7 Other Types of Pronouns

Measurements of Unemployment and Inflation Essay

Measurements of Unemployment and Inflation - Essay Example The output and the productivity of a business organization are significantly dependent on the employment as well as unemployment rates. This is because of Productivity = Output/Employment and therefore, Employment = Output/Productivity. Hence, it can be stated that the productivity of a business organization is directly proportional to employment. Therefore, it is quite important for the organizations to measure the unemployment rates in order to determine their productivity. These measurements further facilitate the organizations to prepare for the fluctuations that generally take place in the economy (Blanchard, Solow, & Wilson, 2012). Apart from unemployment, the business organizations need to measure the inflation as well. This is because of the reason that consumers’ spending and investment activities are chiefly dependent upon the rate of inflation. A high inflation rate discourages the investors and consequently reduces the amount of investment in the economy. Moreover, high inflation rates are likely to reduce the return on investment and further can result in a downfall in terms of demand in the economy. These reasons make it quite imperative for the management of an organization to carry out timely measurements of the inflation rates (National Grid for Learning, 2009). Furthermore, it is quite essential for business organizations to manipulate the price of their goods which is likely to be valuable when there is a high inflation rate in the economy. Re-pricing is a quite expensive process and in order to avoid frequent re-pricing of the products, the management of the organizations needs to measure the inflation rates. In addition, inflation causes the prices of the raw materials to grow high as well as the prices of other components to rise. These factors compel the business organizations to explore for contemptible raw materials and subsequently increase the cost for the organization. Owing to this, the management of the business needs to mea sure the inflation rate to minimize these costs. Moreover, with an increase in inflation rates, the business organizations face the demands for increasing the wage rates. This further leads to negotiation activities with the employees as well as the labor unions causing chaos in the management system. Therefore, in order to mitigate these threats, the management of the organizations are required to measure the inflation rates (National Grid for Learning, 2009). 2. What Analyses Might A Manager Do To Learn More About A Specific Company Or Industry? In order to learn more about a specific company or industry, a manager can carry out various analysis strategies such as the value chain analysis, Porter’s five forces’ model analysis, and SWOT analysis among others.

Abstract for Conference paper about Energy Management 'Towards Essay

Abstract for Conference paper about Energy Management 'Towards Sustainable Energy for Developing Countries' - Essay Example By doing this, the water transmission and its various utilities will be at their best as excesses and irregularities are kept away. SSM is a strategic management tool whose goals is to improve on process eficiency and hence saves on money and other resources. This means that the SSM will creat an economical atmosphere that allows huge saving in water consumption. The water saved during transmission is used to bridge the shortage gap and hence people do not result to using ground water. In the wake of deregularization of the water transmission industry, the SSM policy becomes very important in sneaking back responsiveness of the industry. In this case, the SSM has become very crucial as it is the only remaining tool that can check on excesses and irregularities in the sector. Through implementation of the Policy Framework for SSM , the industry stands to increase its competitiveness in the market. The efficiency and check and balance in the water distribution will enhance proper management of water sources by reducing wastage as much as possible (Nwakanma& Mgbataogu, 2014). This paper deliberates on the enactment and implementation of the Policy Framework for SSM in water transmission that will ensure energy security in a country. By doing so, the paper will discuss how the policy framework will operate in the water energy sector regardless of the fact that the government has deregularized it, (Montanaro & Tonveronachi, 2012). Additionally, the projects seeks to recommend for a reduction of ground water abstraction to rates as low as 5MIG per day during the summer season. To do this, the article will establish effective methods of increasing the capacity for water storage to ensure long term water and power security especially during seasons of water shortage, (Niefer, 2014). In conclusion, this research will aim at setting the foundation of water supply to the entire country, devoid of inconveniences and

Expectations manipulate the reader Essay Example for Free

Expectations manipulate the reader Essay How does Dickens Presentation of Pips threatened childhood in chapters 1-8 of great Expectations manipulate the reader? Great expectations is a book written by Charles Dickens, and was first published in 1861. Charles Dickens was a Victorian writer and also a social commentator during the time. The novel Great Expectations commentates on lower class life in the Victorian era. The book is mainly based on social criticism. The novel is about a boy called Pip who has a cruel start to life, living with his mean sister and her husband. With many people indifferent to Pips life, Pip starts with low expectations wanting to go to prison. Afterwards his life changes when he is described as a common labouring boy, eager to change this he also changes his expectations in life and from wanting to go to prison, or becoming a blacksmith he wants to become a gentleman and have a high status. Throughout the novel we are manipulated into feeling sorry for Pip. The events in his life, the people he meets and the way he is treated from childhood till he is grown up. Pip is an orphan at the beginning of the story, this and the factors such as that his parents are dead make us feel sorry for him. He also lives with his sister who is a harsh and beastly woman and treats him horridly. We are first introduced to Pip whilst he is a child. While in the graveyard he meets an escaped convict who treats him harshly. One of the ways that Dickens manipulates us during this is showing how unprotected and weak Pip is. After each question he tilted me over a little more, so as to give me a greater sense of helplessness and danger (chapter 1) this quote shows how feeble Pip is. We are later manipulated even more by the way his sister treats him. Contempt and hatred are just some of the ways that could be used to describe her attitude towards him. Hence he is a lonely, weak boy who has no parents. Mrs Joe applied Tickler to its further investigation. She concluded by throwing me I often served as a connubial missile. She beats Pip and acts as if he is nothing but a mere slave to her and must do as he is told or she willHow does Dickens successfully link Magwitchs appearance in Chapter one with his return in Chapter Thirty-nine in Great Expectations? Great Expectations is set in the 1800s, for gentlemen of that time, life was rich and full of beautiful houses and places. Because they didnt have to work they spent their days chatting, going to dinners and just having fun. But for the working class, they had to always be thinking of ways to make money and always working to secure their next meal. This novel was serialised, which meant that the story was published part by part and so, many groups of people would gather together to read the story. They could then tell each other what they thought was going to happen in the next couple of chapters. To make the audience want to read the next couple of chapters, Dickens had to end each chapter with a cliff hanger. The central protagonist in this novel is Pip. In the first chapter we learn that Pips parents are dead and so he lives with his sister and her husband. We also learn that he had 5 other brothers and sisters who have also died as their five mini gravestones or rocks are beside Pips parents grave. He frequently visits his parents grave even though he has no memory of ever seeing them. He paints a picture in his mind of his mum and dad. In this chapter we get to meet Abel Magwitch who will become a central figure in Pips life. Dickens successfully uses pathetic fallacy in both Chapter One and Chapter Thirty-nine to create a negative tension. In Chapter One, he describes the weather with negative adjectives such as sting, torn, and growled. These all give negative connotations to the reader to create the bad tension in the weather. He also uses the onomatopoeia like shivers and shuddering to show how the weather is affecting people. He also uses the word shuddering again in Chapter Thirty-nine providing an obvious link in the weather. Dickens uses the adjective angry more then once to show that whatever is going to happen wont be good. In Chapter Thirty-nine, Dickens hints at negative events by using the simile, like discharges of a cannon which also ties into Chapter One because it is signalling that an escaped convict could be entering the story again because a cannon would sound whenever a convict had escaped. Dickens describes the weather as stormy and wet, stormy and wet which uses repetition to push across how bad the weather is. He also says, mud, mud, mud which is a list of three, which is a very convincing technique to help set the scene for Magwitchs return.

Free Essays - Religious Motifs in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein :: Frankenstein essays

Religious Motifs in Frankenstein Upon completion of this novel, a clearly prevalent and outstanding motif is that of religion and biblical reference. The frequent references to religion come in varied forms from that of biblical role-playing, to that of the fate of our current society. Another related argument that occurs can be the relationship of biblical role-playing and character domination. When all are combined appropriately, a very strong and prominent key motif in this novel is produced. Mary Shelley might have used religion reference as a method of showing us how something that happened during the creation of the earth can be related and brought to us via modern day fantasy creations. It is important for us to realize this connection because it will help us to understand an important deeper meaning of this work. The most important religious comparison in Frankenstein, are the outstanding similarities between Victor as God and the monster as Lucifer. This idea is proven by the monster in the quote where he states, " I am thy creature; I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed." Broken down, this quote shows us that the monster feels that he is the neglected creation and that he has been created to be unhappy, although he has committed no wrongdoing, and he doesn't deserve to be mistreated by society. As it goes in the bible, God created Lucifer as the most brilliant and beautiful angel in the sky with good intentions, but Lucifer turned his back on his creator and began a notorious streak of evil as the "malignant devil." Now if the role of God is switched with that of Victor, and the role of Lucifer is switched with that of the monster, the story is retold in almost the same context. Now to prove that this is not just farf etched speculation, the monster even says in his quote that he ought to be Adam, God's successful creation, rather than the fallen angel (Lucifer). Among other quotes in which the monster deigns Victor as [his] creator, this is a powerful novel reference and this quote beautifully shows the direct motif of religious role-playing in Frankenstein. Free Essays - Religious Motifs in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein :: Frankenstein essays Religious Motifs in Frankenstein Upon completion of this novel, a clearly prevalent and outstanding motif is that of religion and biblical reference. The frequent references to religion come in varied forms from that of biblical role-playing, to that of the fate of our current society. Another related argument that occurs can be the relationship of biblical role-playing and character domination. When all are combined appropriately, a very strong and prominent key motif in this novel is produced. Mary Shelley might have used religion reference as a method of showing us how something that happened during the creation of the earth can be related and brought to us via modern day fantasy creations. It is important for us to realize this connection because it will help us to understand an important deeper meaning of this work. The most important religious comparison in Frankenstein, are the outstanding similarities between Victor as God and the monster as Lucifer. This idea is proven by the monster in the quote where he states, " I am thy creature; I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed." Broken down, this quote shows us that the monster feels that he is the neglected creation and that he has been created to be unhappy, although he has committed no wrongdoing, and he doesn't deserve to be mistreated by society. As it goes in the bible, God created Lucifer as the most brilliant and beautiful angel in the sky with good intentions, but Lucifer turned his back on his creator and began a notorious streak of evil as the "malignant devil." Now if the role of God is switched with that of Victor, and the role of Lucifer is switched with that of the monster, the story is retold in almost the same context. Now to prove that this is not just farf etched speculation, the monster even says in his quote that he ought to be Adam, God's successful creation, rather than the fallen angel (Lucifer). Among other quotes in which the monster deigns Victor as [his] creator, this is a powerful novel reference and this quote beautifully shows the direct motif of religious role-playing in Frankenstein.

“American History X “Movie Review

American History X Movie Review American History X is a powerful movie about racism in today’s society. It follows the life of a troubled teenager Danny Vinyard played by Edward Furlong, who looks up to his neo-Nazi brother Derek. Derek, played by Edward Norton is the leader of the local skinhead gang in Venice Beach, California. Derek was sent to prison for committing a hate crime against a black man, who tried to break into his house. Danny decided to continue down Derek’s path of becoming a white supremacist while he did time for the hate crime. Derek’s mother played by Beverly D’Angelo visits Derek while in prison and tells Derek about his little brother following in his footsteps. Derek realized the errors to his ways and began to transform his life while in prison. In prison Derek met a black man that helped him transform his life. He helped teach Derek that hatred is why he ended up in prison. Derek turns his life around in prison after a traumatic experience with the help of one of his old history teachers, a black man, played by Avery Brooks. When he is finally released from prison he comes home to find that his little brother Danny was on his way right to where Derek just came home from. After leaving one of the neo-Nazi parties, Danny and Derek finally get on the same page as Derek shares his brutal prison rape story with him. The character development showed Derek transforming from a dedicated white supremacist to a deeper, more compassionate human being. While the depiction of his brother Danny who was following in the earlier footsteps of Derek gave this film depth, and draws the viewer into the plot. This film is rated R for the violence and language, which is essential to accurately portray the life and attitudes of this culture. Scenes showing the hate crimes committed by the gang members emphasize the ugliness of this group. The one scene that kept replaying in my head was the one that ended up sending Derek away for murder, a black and white scene of a black man with his mouth on the street curb and Derek brutally stomping on his head. The movie goes back in forth from black and white, then to color. When it’s shown in black and white, it’s metaphorically showing Derek’s narrow perception of his life. The color scenes depict Derek’s life as he starts to drift away from the white supremacist group. Director Tony Kaye made the movie more interesting by adding this little twist to it and this quickened the pace of the film. With a run time of 158 minutes there are some moments where the film could bog down, but my attention was fixed to the story line the entire time. I definitely did not stop thinking about this film when it was over. It really makes the viewer feel the need for tolerance. Edward Norton did a phenomenal job in the role of Derek Vinyard. He made the character come alive with hate and then was able to morph his character into a changed man. The rawness of this movie kept my undivided attention unlike any other movie of its kind. I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes drama filled movies. The viewer will leave the movie touched and have a new grasp on how racism affects our world. At the end of the movie Danny realizes his beliefs of a white nation were misguided. His voice is heard making this statement from a paper he wrote for his American History X class. â€Å"'We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature. † But is it too late from Danny to change his ways?

Greggs plc Essay

1.0 Executive Summary Greggs plc intend to expand their operations into international markets in order to satisfy their overriding objective: ‘to be Europe’s No. 1 Bakery’. Germany has been selected as the host country and justification for this decision has been discussed. Moreover, Greggs will enter the German Bakery market through the employment of a ‘Foreign Direct Investment’ method, more specifically a ‘Sales and Production Subsidiary’. This report outlines the blend of marketing mix components used to position the offering; the implementation method adopted to ensure effective product and service delivery; and the control mechanisms utilised to make sure that objectives are achieved. 2.0 Introduction Greggs is the currently the leading UK retailer in the bakery market having experienced high levels of growth in 2002. The company achieved revenues of  £422.6 million, an increase of 11.9% on the previous fiscal. Its operating profit also witnessed an increase of 11.8% to  £35.3 million in 2002. Their popularity has rapidly increased as consumers are seeking quick, convenient and indulgent foods to complement their fast-paced lifestyles . Greggs is actively expanding their operations and have over 1,200 retail outlets under the Greggs and Bakers Oven brands . They entered into the international arena in 2003 with the opening of two outlets in Belgium. This strategy was pursued in order to fulfil the company’s long-term objective of becoming a leader in the European market place. Further international expansion will therefore satisfy their current objectives and enhance their presence in the European bakery market. 2.1 Report Objectives To justify market choice To undertake internal and environmental analysis for the home and host country To identify the most appropriate foreign entry strategy To tailor a services marketing mix to requirements of the host market To suggest methods of implementation to allow successful market penetration To monitor the progress of this venture through the employment of control mechanisms 3.0 Mission statement â€Å"We intend to be Europe’s finest bakery-related retailer, achieving our ambitious growth targets by attaining world-class standards in everything we do. Our purpose is the growth and development of a thriving business for the benefit and enjoyment of employees, customers and shareholders alike. 3.1 Values Greggs is a customer-focused business, seeking to provide excellent products and services that deliver enjoyment and value-for-money. We are committed to people development, within a considerate culture that combines autonomy and accountability and maintains a strong focus on profitability. In all our activities, we aim to achieve excellence through continuous improvement†. 4.0 – Market Choice Cannon and Willis propose a method of â€Å"simple elimination † to identify a potential host market. This method of market choice ensures that the remaining country satisfies all main criteria highlighted by the  organisation. The diagram below shows a systematic approach to finding a suitable market for Gregg’s expansion. Industrial, economic and cultural factors will be integrated into the selection process as these are central to Greggs’ operations in addition to their main aim: ‘To be the no.1 bakery retailer in Europe.’ Parallel to their objectives, all non-EU countries will be excluded from the selection process. Greggs’ second priority is to enter markets which display fast growth in bakery markets. The countries with the highest levels of category growth are shown below: Figure A Country Cakes and Pastries Market – % Category Growth 1995 – 1999 Portugal 4.60% Germany 3.70% France 3.60% Spain 1.80% Denmark 1.80% Using this table, Greggs may eliminate Denmark and Spain from their market choice selection process. Psychological distance between the home and host country can also determine the success of international activities and thus have been incorporated into the process. The French have a wide selection of elaborate, exquisite and gourmet dishes. This contradicts the typical product proposition offered by Greggs. Although Greggs could consider a focused differentiation strategy targeting niche  markets, the abundance of specialist bakery retailers would suggestively make the French bakery market difficult to penetrate effectively and therefore exclude it from further scrutiny. Portuguese market trends highlight an increasing demand for â€Å"wholesome, family products â€Å". In contrast to the latter, Greggs offer an ‘on the move’ food proposition which is typically consumed individually rather than in a family environment. Suggestively the Portuguese are reluctant to embrace new food offerings as research illustrates a strong preference for traditional cuisine served in traditional restaurant settings . Moreover the market is dominated by both high street retailers such as Podaria Popular and industrial manufacturers thus implying high barriers to entry are high. Having adopted this process of elimination, Germany appears to be the prevailing market choice. Despite the high labour costs, long vacation time and slow economic growth , Germany’s overall economic performance is the 3rd largest in Europe and consequently presents itself as an attractive market choice for Greggs. â€Å"Products with a convenience character are continuing to prove popular in the German bakery market, ranging from ready to eat and impulse products to in store bakery products â€Å". Furthermore, â€Å"across the bakery market, international bakery specialties such as croissants, ciabattas and baguettes are rising in popularity, a reflection of higher consumer demand for more non-traditional or novel products â€Å". This market therefore presents itself as an ideal location for Greggs to expand their international operations. Greggs will pursue a ‘concentration’ technique with regard to country and customer target group. â€Å"A company may concentrate its efforts by entering countries that are highly similar in terms of market characteristics and infrastructure to the domestic market â€Å". This will enable Greggs to minimise risk and benefit from cultural fit. Moreover, as in the UK they will concentrate efforts on a focused target audience. 5.0 – Internal and Environmental Analysis 5.1 – Internal Analysis 5.1.1 Strengths Internal strengths need to be assessed to identify assets, capabilities and core competencies that are transferable to the host country. Greggs is a well recognised bakery retailing brand in the UK which aims to â€Å"create a single and cohesive Greggs brand nationwide â€Å". This is being executed using a coherent and consistent promotion of the company’s proposition and brand across the country. Greggs have sustained a strong cash flow which allows them to invest money in maintaining in their retail outlets, bakeries and brand. Key investments include significant funds spent on production facilities to support the growth of retail operations. Greggs actively seek to position their stores in prominent locations relative to distribution channels and customer access. Greggs stores are typically located in busy and heavily populated towns where their fast and convenient proposition is ideal. In response to the 6.4% increase in demand for takeaway foods , Greggs is adapting their servicescape to cater for these growing needs. 5.1.2 Corporate Culture Greggs operates in a risk taking corporate culture which allows them to be innovative and responsive to market changes. They believe in providing high customer service aiming to retain customers by inducing loyalty and trust. They place great emphasis on motivating and empowering employees as they believe that continued growth of the business is a reflection of the workforce . These competencies are transferable and of equal value to the  German marketplace. Greggs are actively expanding their operations internationally in order to spread risk, increase international brand awareness of their product portfolio and exploit fast growing new markets. 5.1.3 Value Chain Greggs UK have produced a ‘Value Chain Analysis’ which is â€Å"an analytical tool that describes all activities that make up the economic performance and capabilities of the firm .† This can be used by Greggs to exhibit core competences that can be exploited in the host market . 5.2 – Environmental Analysis The environmental analysis aims to identify the current situation of the German bakery market using relevant tools of analysis and international research methods. A PEST analysis has been used to identify influential factors for Greggs in Germany as discussed. 5.2.1 International Marketing Research â€Å"Marketing research refers to gathering, analysing and presenting information â€Å". It is the lack of knowledge on foreign markets that is one of the major barriers an international marketing manager must overcome . It is therefore imperative that Greggs formulate an effective market research strategy as the first step in overcoming this barrier. In this case, international marketing research was carried out for the purpose of reducing potential risk and providing us with a final systematic and objective approach for our proposition. Primary research has not been undertaken due to the limitations of this report. However, if Greggs were to implement this internationalisation  proposal, primary research would be an imperative tool when considering market choice. These could include qualitative methods such as interviews and observation. Secondary forms of research carried out have included Government reports, Internet sources and textbook literature, and further strengthened by journal articles. This variety of data collection methods helps to provide a rich analysis from numerous sources as a foundation for decision-making. From this research the following factors have been taken into consideration when considering Germany. 5.2.2 Social & Economic Environment Social factors, as outlined in the PEST analysis outline the increasing trend towards ‘on the go’ consumption. This reflects the busy lifestyle of the working population in Berlin hence the choice of location. The economic factor of high disposable income also provides an attractive reason for Germany as consumer spending is high. 5.2.3 Prospective Country Culture Greggs may use the Hofstede model to â€Å"identify persuasive fundamental differences of national cultures † and thereby assess their cultural fit. â€Å"According to Hofstede, the way people in different countries perceive and interpret their world varies along four dimensions: power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism and masculinity .† The German culture is a low context and explicit, perhaps ever more so than the British. Moreover, â€Å"the German national mentality is of a relatively high level of uncertainty avoidance. The Germans do not like a sense of insecurity which makes them feel uneasy in business. (Germans work with) hard facts, and sound arguments â€Å". There are therefore slight cultural differences that the UK management team will have to consider upon entering the German market. 5.2.4 Market Competition Competition in the German market is a key variable of Greggs’ success. Figure B- Competitor Analysis Germany cakes and pastries market share (% value) by company Manufacturer 2000 2001 Bahlsen 11.2 9.1 Lady Cake-Feine Kuchen 8.0 6.9 Dahli Kuchen 7.4 7.2 Grossbà ¤ckerei Wendeln 7.0 7.0 Dan Cake 3.2 3.4 Kuchenmeister 7.8 11.3 ABK 9.0 8.6 Private Label 15.1 16.5 Other 31.3 30.0 Total 100 100 It is therefore important to identify, analyse and monitor competitive movement. Figure B illustrates the potential competition in the German bakery market in accordance to market share 5.2.5 Geographical Climate Greggs’ sales are affected only by climatic extremes – very hot weather can depress demand for bakery products, and prolonged rain or snow can make people reluctant to go out and make their usual daily purchases . This pattern is mirrored in Germany and therefore fluctuations in sales must be accounted for. 5.2.6 The German Market The use of the Porters 5 Forces model has recognized the attractiveness of the German bakery market through the identification of barriers to entry and potential substitutes . 6.0 – International Marketing Objectives In light of the organisations resources and competencies, the following objectives have been established: 6.1 Short Term Objectives Utilise promotional mechanisms to encourage trial and to inspire customer loyalty to the brand By fulfilling this objective, Greggs will be working toward securing a loyal customer base thereby defending themselves, to a large extent, from competitors. Conduct quarterly pricing reviews to ensure that prices remain competitive with rivals By ensuring competitive prices, Greggs’ reinforce their commitment to offering ‘value for money’ as highlighted in their mission statement. To ensure all employees receive high standards of training that is reflected in high quality service to the consumer Greggs corporate strategy highlights the importance of a fun and supportive working environment. They promote themselves as being a â€Å"great place to work † and encourage personal development. This in turn reflects on their high quality service offered to the end consumer. 6.2 Long Term Objectives To continually monitor, anticipate and challenge competitor movements in the bakery market. This will allow Greggs to remain innovative and develop new and adapted recipes in response to market changes and consumer needs. To strengthen and build upon our place market to achieve 4% position by 2010. This will be achieved through â€Å"core growth and introduction of new outlets â€Å". It will enable Greggs to be a proficient player in the German Bakery market (see Figure B) To broaden the Greggs product portfolio by 5% year on year. This will permit Greggs to expand their operations, in line with their growth ideals, and additionally offer a larger product range to ever-evolving consumer needs. To launch a further 6 stores in Germany by 2010 thus expanding scope and influence. This will facilitate Greggs strive towards achieving their main aim: ‘To be Europe’s finest bakery-related retailer.’ Increase awareness of the Greggs brand in the German bakery market By attaining brand awareness, Greggs will able to insulate themselves, to an  extent, from the wrath of competition. The German bakery market is largely fragmented thus making it an attractive market for potential new entrants. 7.0 Foreign Market Entry Strategy â€Å"Firms deciding to enter a foreign market face a critical decision in choosing the best market entry mode to service the market. This decision is crucial because it can have an ongoing impact on a firm’s international business performance .† Root (1994) suggests three different rules ‘Naà ¯ve rules’, ‘Pragmatic rules’ and ‘Strategy rules’. However as a result of the increasingly heterogeneous nature of the international market, it is important that Greggs do not generalise their approach, but adapt each entry mode according to the host market. The mode selected in Belgium therefore, may not be entirely applicable to Germany. Based on this rationale, Greggs will be employing ‘Strategy rules’ which is when all entry modes are compared and evaluated before a choice is made . Moreover, according to Hollensen (2001) â€Å"some firms have discovered that an ill judged market entry selection in the initial stages in the firms internationalisation can threaten the firms future market entry and expansion activities â€Å", hence illustrating its importance to Greggs plc. Greggs will need to consider the main groups of entry mode influencers prior to choice in order to identify the most appropriate and profitable mode. 1) Internal Factors According to the Company’s Act (1985), firms with over  £5.75 million in turnover and over 250 employee are classified as large. Greggs more than qualifies this with a turnover of  £422.6 million and employment of 17600 people in 2003. This provides them with an adequate resource capability to open up a sales and production subsidiary in Germany. Moreover, in developing their theory of internationalization, Johanson and Vahlne 1977 assert that â€Å"uncertainty in international markets is reduced through actual operations in foreign markets (experiential knowledge) rather than through the acquisition of objective knowledge .† Greggs have already ventured into Antwerp and Leuven in Belgium hence increasing their experiential knowledge and expertise. Greggs produce is fresh and baked goods. In order to maintain this stance, the only feasible option would be to produce, as well as sell in the host country. Additionally, because Greggs will promote themselves as a British company, they will be communicating a clear differential and competitive advantage. 2) External Factors Both the UK and Germany are members of the European community thereby reducing their Socio-Cultural distance. This proximity between countries will therefore favour hierarchical modes of entry. Due to the proximity between countries perceived risk is reduced. Companies are therefore less reluctant to pursue more involving modes of entry. It has been stated that â€Å"the size of the host country is an important attraction to foreign direct investment † as large and growing markets will make management more likely to commit resources to the development of a wholly owned subsidiary . With a population in excess of 825 Million people in 2002 Germany is evidently a large and growing market making it an ideally suited to a FDI mode of entry. Moreover, the German bakery market is highly fragmented which reduces barriers to entry in the form of dominant competitors. All other variables being equal, the higher the intensity of competition, the more likely a firm is to select an export mode of entry. The German cakes and pastries market is made up of several small players each of which occupy small proportions of the marketplace . This presents itself as an ideal  proposition to Greggs who will be able to establish themselves without dominant opposition. 3) Desired Mode Characteristics The choice of mode of entry will also depend on the attitudes of the decision maker. Although it is difficult to determine how pro-risk or risk averse Greggs Managing Director Sir Mike Darrington is, one may assume from their hierarchical entrance into Belgium that a high risk, expansionist strategy has been adopted and will be pursued. The degree of control that management desire over operations will help establish which mode of entry to employ. Hierarchical modes allow high levels of control over operations ensuring that the latter are carried out to Greggs specification. All else being equal, the greater the resource investment, the lower the flexibility of the business. Consequently, if Greggs pursue a hierarchical mode of entry, they will have to consider their potential limited flexibility. The above suggests that Greggs’ would benefit from a hierarchical mode of entry as it satisfies all criteria for the latter. This is where the firm completely owns and controls the foreign entry mode. However, regardless of the apparent control over operations specified by this mode, the degree of control that head office can exert over the subsidiary depends on how many and which value chain functions can be transferred to the market. Having reviewed all alternatives, its was decided that a Sales and Production subsidiary will be introduced in Germany leaving the Research and Development and Marketing activities to be conducted at home in the UK. According to Hollensen (2001) , having selected this mode of entry, Greggs  will benefit from having full control over the whole operation. Moreover, Greggs has long term market potential in Germany and therefore the ownership of a sales and production subsidiary will enable Greggs to build a strong international presence over a long period of time. This method also eliminates the possibility that a national partner gets a ‘free ride’ and allows Greggs to gain market knowledge directly. A sales and production subsidiary will facilitate rapid entry to the German market allowing quick access to its distribution channels. Plus, no transportation costs will be incurred as raw materials will be purchased in the host country. In addition to those proposed by Hollensen, Greggs may benefit from being able to adapt the ingredients used to German tastes. They can additionally tailor the servicescape to German preferences. Greggs produce is non-durable and therefore it would be inappropriate to needs to be produced and sold quickly as it is predominantly sell fresh food. Retaining R&D and Marketing operations at home will reduce costs and risk. Having established themselves in the German market, Greggs may consider transferring these operations over in the future. Moreover, employing a hierarchical mode will enable Greggs to exploit new market opportunities as soon as they arrive with minimal delay. In line with the latter, Abell (1978) concept of a strategic window states that there are only limited periods during which the fit between the requirements of the market and capabilities of the firm are at an optimum . Investment should therefore be timed accordingly. Although, this method will require a great deal of investment in terms of time, money and commitment, research has shown that â€Å"the profit returns generated by foreign direct investment modes are usually greater than those generated by exporting â€Å". According to the Uppsala Internationalisation Model, companies begin their internationalisation process a) by moving into relatively close markets  first then more distant ones and b) companies entered new markets through exporting. Although at face value it appears that Greggs’ strategy contradicts the assumptions of model, it does however highlight the following exception: Firms that have larger resources can take larger steps with fewer consequences. Arguably Greggs fall under this category. This model also suggests that firms start by entering markets which are nearer in terms of psychic distance hence reducing uncertainty. Germany is considered relatively near and despite language barriers, the German culture is similar to that of the UK as highlighted in the ‘Environmental Analysis’ section of this report.

History of the Israeli

History of the Israeli Introduction The Israeli-Palestinian conflict refers to the continuing dispute involving Israelis and Palestinians. The struggle is extensive, and the reference is also used in mentioning of the prior stages of the same dispute, involving Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab populace in Palestine under Ottoman or British law.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It constitutes a division of the larger struggle involving Arabs and Israelis. The pending major concerns are; joint respect, boundaries, security, water privileges, command of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, Palestinian free will of association and legal issues involving expatriates (A synopsis of the Israel/Palestine Conflict). The aggression arising from the struggle has encouraged global measures, and also other safety civil liberties concerns, both within and involving the two sides, and globally. Several efforts have been made to bring about a two-nation resolution, entailing the coming up with a self-regulating Palestinian state at the side of a self-regulating Jewish nation or adjacent to the State of Israel following Israel’s founding in 1948. Only just in 2007, a greater part of both Israelis and Palestinians, following some polls, have a preference for the two-state way out over any other solution as a way of putting an end to the struggle. What is more, a significant portion of the Jewish populace perceives the Palestinians’ insistence for an autonomous state as good, and thinks Israel can be of the same opinion to the forming of such a state. A greater part of Palestinians and Israelis think of the West Bank and Gaza Strip as a good enough position of the supposed Palestinian state in a two-state resolution. Nevertheless, there exist considerable areas of discrepancy over the form of any concluding accord and also relating to th e level of reliability each side sees in the other in sustaining fundamental binders. Inside the Israeli and Palestinian society, the struggle spawns a broad range of analyses and judgments. This draws attention to the unfathomable divisions which are present not only between Israelis and Palestinians, but also inside each society. An earmark of the struggle has been the extent of aggression observed for practically its whole period. Warfare has been carried out by regular armed forces, terror groups and individuals. Injured parties have not been constrained to the armed forces, with a huge number of human deaths in civilian populace on both divides.Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There are high-flying global players concerned with resolution of the struggle. The two groups engrossed in direct give and take are the Israeli administration and the Pales tine Liberal Organization, PLO. The formal concessions are arbitrated by an international body known as the Quartet on the Middle East embodied by an exceptional representative that comprises of the United States, Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations. The Arab League is another essential aspect, which has put forward a substitute peace plan. Late 19th century-1920: Origins Theorigins of the struggle can be mapped out to the late 19th century, with an increase in national pressure groups. Although the Jewish desire to go back to Zion had been part of Jewish spiritual contemplation for a number of millennia, the Jewish populace in Europe began to more aggressively talk about immigration back to Israel, and the re-instituting of the Jewish Nation in its national mother country (Quigley, 6). This was during the 1870s and 1880s and was seen as a way out to the extensive maltreatment of Jews in Russia and Europe. The Zionist pressure group called for the instituting of a nat ion-state for the Jewish community in Palestine which would serve as a safe place for the world’s Jews, a place where they would have the freedom of self-rule. Zionist aspirations were progressively more recognized as a threat by the Arab leaders in the Palestine area. The land was not unoccupied at the end of the 19th century, or at any other period. During that period, there were about half a million inhabitants in Palestine. Of these, a whopping 90% were Arabs. These people were opposed, of course, to the invasion of unfamiliar settlers into their land. Ottoman land buying guidelines were instituted following local objections in resistance to rising immigration. The Arab National Movement came out almost at the same time with the Zionist Movement. Primarily, it came to fight the Ottoman Empire and soon after the colonial systems founded on its remains at the end of the Firs World War. A freestanding Arab-Palestinian national pressure group came up in the country following the Britain’s formation of a disconnect State called Palestine, and in the way of the fight back in opposition to Zionist penetration. 1920-48: British Command of Palestine Following the First World War and the fall down of the Ottoman Empire, in April 1920 the Allied Supreme Council assembly awarded the consents for Palestine and Transjordan to Britain (Judge Langdon, 456). Part of the agreement required the formation of an autonomous Jewish body that would oversee Jewish affairs in Palestine. Both Zionist and Arab envoys were present at the talks and signed an accord to work together. The accord was never put into operation. Jewish immigration to Palestine went on to increase considerably during Britain’s mandate in Palestine. This was as a result of anti-Semitism in Europe. A number of these immigrants were got into Jewish societies on lands bought legally by Zionist bodies from absconder landlords. In some other cases peasant tenant farmers were replaced and these made Arabs feel that they were being dispossessed.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More 1948-67 The endpoint of the British governance over Palestine and the Declaration of the Establishment of Israel ignited an all-out war in 1948. The war went off on May 14 and the four sets of armed forces of Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Iraq assaulted the not long self declared state. This war ended with a conquest for Israel which took possession of land beyond the separation boundaries for a planned Jewish state and into the boundaries for a planned Palestinian Arab nation. While a majority of the Palestinian Arab citizenry that stayed in Israel after the war was offered an Israeli nationality, Arab Israelis were subjugated to a military regulation up to 1966 (Judge Langdon, 478). Several of lawful measures made possible the relocation of land left behind by Arabs to state ownership. In 1966, safety limitations placed on Arab citizens of Israel were cancelled from top to bottom, and the government got down taking apart many of the biased regulations and Arab Citizens of Israel were endowed similar civil liberties as the Jewish. 1967-93 The trouncing of the Arab nations in the Six-Day War led to splintered Palestinian opinionated and radical organizations to give up any lasting optimism they had placed in pan-Arabism. Later on other lobby groups joined forces and began attacking Israel. This again led to revenge from Israel. Towards the late 60s, tensions between Palestinians and the Jordanian administration went up to a great extent. At the commencement of the 70s the Palestinian extremist associations waged an intercontinental operation in opposition to Israelis, principally in Europe. In an effort to make known the Palestinian cause, aggravated Palestinian insurgent groups in Lebanon assaulted Israeli national targets like l earning institutions, buses and residence blocks, with intermittent assaults out of the country. Such attacks were, for instance, aimed at embassies or airports. 1993-2000: Oslo peace process At the beginning of 1993,Israeli and Palestine Liberation Organization negotiators commenced on underground negotiations in Oslo, Norway. Later in the year, Palestine leader Yasser Arafat sent a letter to Israel reiterating Israel’s right to subsist and rejected extremism (Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Web Quest). This was followed by the signing of an accord on the grounds of the deliberations between Israel and Palestine delegations. However, the peace process did have any major impact on the ground as violence continued as time went by. With increased aggression, the Camp David 2000 Summit was held in July of the same year in a bid to reach an ultimate status accord. The summit could not come up with anything good as Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, would not agree to a deal craf t by American and Israeli mediators.Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More 2000 until today Going kaput of the summit, the taking away of any hope for a truce between the two antagonists and the categorical pro-Israeli standpoint of the United States certainly led to another round of fierce rows, which came to be referred to as the al-Aqsa Intifada. Since that time what has continually taken place is the pressurizing of the Israeli government by international bodies to stop the expansion of Israeli inhabitation of the West Bank and make efforts to kick start the peace process with Palestine. A synopsis of the Israel/Palestine Conflict. April 2008 – March 25, 2011. ifamericansknew.org/history/ Google Web quest. â€Å"Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Web Quest† May 26, 2009 – March 25, 2011. www.cr-cath.pvt.k12.ia.us//Israel_Palestine_Webquest.html Judge, Edward Langdon, John. â€Å"Connections: A world history.† Prentice Hall, August 2008. p 456 – 478. Quigley, John. â€Å"The case for Palestine: an international law perspe ctive.† Duke University Press, p 6. (2006).

20 Business English Dissertation Ideas to Rock in Entrepreneurship

20 Business English Dissertation Ideas to Rock in Entrepreneurship 20 Business English Dissertation Ideas to Rock in Entrepreneurship CÐ ¾mÃ'€lÐ µtÃ'â€"Ð ¾n Ð ¾f an MBA Ã'€rÐ ¾grÐ °m provides students with futurÐ µ bÐ µnÐ µfÃ'â€"tÃ'•. The graduates Ð ¾f MBA and PhD Ã'€rÐ ¾grÐ °mÃ'• whÐ ¾ had Ã' Ã ¾mÃ'€lÐ µtÐ µd MBA and PhD dÃ'â€"Ã'•Ã'•Ð µrtÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÃ'• Ð °rÐ µ the Ã' rÐ µÃ °m Ð ¾f thÐ µ crop Ð °nd are lÃ'â€"kÐ µlÃ'Æ' tÐ ¾ Ð ¾Ã' Ã' uÃ'€Ã'Æ' tÐ ¾Ã'€ Ã'€Ð ¾Ã'•Ã'â€"tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÃ'•. WÐ µ are lÃ'â€"vÃ'â€"ng Ã'â€"n a highly competitive buÃ'•Ã'â€"nÐ µÃ'•Ã'• wÐ ¾rld. EmÃ'€lÐ ¾Ã'Æ'Ð µrÃ'• knÐ ¾w thÐ °t applying for a job is easier for those who have completed a hÃ'â€"ghÐ µr Ð µduÃ' Ã °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n and have Ð ¾btÐ °Ã'â€"ned impressive resumes as well as Ð µxÃ'€Ð µrÃ'â€"Ð µnÃ' Ã µ in research Ð °nd data analysis. UÃ'•uÐ °llÃ'Æ', thÐ µ MÐ °Ã'•tÐ µrÃ'• dissertation Ã'â€"Ã'• a lÐ ¾ngÐ µr piece of wrÃ'â€"tÃ'â€"ng thÐ °n one that Ã'â€"Ã'• requÃ'â€"rÐ µd for an undÐ µrgrÐ °duÐ °tÐ µ dissertation. It requires mÐ ¾rÐ µ extensive rÐ µÃ °dÃ'â€"ng and rÐ µÃ'•Ð µÃ °rÃ' h to gÃ'â€"vÐ µ a critical Ã'â€"ntÐ µrÃ'€rÐ µtÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n Ð ¾f the Ã'•Ð ¾urÃ' Ã µÃ'•. ThÐ µ English dissertation ideas below Ð °rÐ µ Ã'•uÃ'â€"tÐ °blÐ µ bÐ ¾th fÐ ¾r Master and BÐ °Ã' hÐ µlÐ ¾r DÐ µgrÐ µÃ µ BuÃ'•Ã'â€"nÐ µÃ'•Ã'• dÃ'â€"Ã'•Ã'•Ð µrtÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n tÐ ¾Ã'€Ã'â€"Ã' Ã'•. Technology and Innovation WhÐ °t are the Main IÃ'•Ã'•uÐ µÃ'• of the RÐ µlÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÃ'•hÃ'â€"Ã'€ BÐ µtwÐ µÃ µn OrgÐ °nÃ'â€"Ã'•Ð °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÐ °l Growth Ð °nd PÐ µrfÐ ¾rmÐ °nÃ' Ã µ? Exploring the ImÃ'€lÐ µmÐ µntÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n Ð ¾f CRM SÃ'Æ'Ã'•tÐ µmÃ'• wÃ'â€"thÃ'â€"n Call CÐ µntrÐ µÃ'• in thÐ µ UK and Relating thÐ µ FÐ °Ã' tÐ ¾rÃ'• ThÐ °t AffÐ µÃ' t the WÐ µll-BÐ µÃ'â€"ng Ð ¾f thÐ µ EmÃ'€lÐ ¾Ã'Æ'Ð µÃ µ WhÐ °t are the MÐ °Ã'â€"n Factors Inhibiting Successful Ð µCÐ ¾mmÐ µrÃ' Ã µ DÐ µÃ'€lÐ ¾Ã'Æ'mÐ µnt Ã'â€"n Government OrgÐ °nÃ'â€"Ã'•Ð °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÃ'•? An ExÐ °mÃ'â€"nÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n Ð ¾f the EmÃ'€Ð ¾wÐ µrmÐ µnt, CÐ ¾nflÃ'â€"Ã' tÃ'• Ð °nd Corporate Vision As Factors Ã'â€"n DÐ µvÐ µlÐ ¾Ã'€Ã'â€"ng Global Business Strategies WhÐ °t iÃ'• BrÐ °ndÃ'â€"ng and HÐ ¾w Does It PrÐ ¾vÃ'â€"dÐ µ CÐ ¾mÃ'€Ð µtÃ'â€"tÃ'â€"vÐ µ Advantage? Leadership and Innovation WhÐ °t Are thÐ µ EffÐ µÃ' tÃ'• Ð ¾f LÐ µÃ °dÐ µrÃ'•hÃ'â€"Ã'€ StÃ'Æ'lÐ µ Ð °nd Team PrÐ ¾Ã' Ã µÃ'•Ã'• on PÐ µrfÐ ¾rmÐ °nÃ' Ã µ Ð °nd Innovation in FunÃ' tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÐ °llÃ'Æ' Heterogeneous TÐ µÃ °mÃ'•? An Exploratory StudÃ'Æ' Ð ¾f LÐ µÃ °dÐ µrÃ'•hÃ'â€"Ã'€, OrgÐ °nÃ'â€"Ã'•Ð °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÐ °l Culture Ð °nd InnÐ ¾vÐ °tÃ'â€"vÐ µnÐ µÃ'•Ã'• Ã'â€"n a Sample Ð ¾f NÐ ¾n-PrÐ ¾fÃ'â€"t Human Service OrgÐ °nÃ'â€"Ã'•Ð °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÃ'• HÐ ¾w BuÃ'•Ã'â€"nÐ µÃ'•Ã'• Leaders SÐ µÃ µ Their Role Ã'â€"n EnÐ °blÃ'â€"ng InnÐ ¾vÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾ns Ã'â€"n LÐ °rgÐ µ OrgÐ °nÃ'â€"Ã'•Ð °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÃ'•? HÐ ¾w ExÐ °Ã' tlÃ'Æ' Do WÐ µ Put ThÐ ¾Ã'•Ð µ TwÐ ¾ TÐ ¾gÐ µthÐ µr? HÐ ¾w DÐ ¾Ã µÃ'• a Company LÐ µÃ °d Ã'â€"n a Way ThÐ °t Generates InnÐ ¾vÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n? What IÃ'• thÐ µ RÐ µlÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÃ'•hÃ'â€"Ã'€ between LÐ µÃ °dÐ µrÃ'•hÃ'â€"Ã'€ StÃ'Æ'lÐ µ Ð °nd thÐ µ DÐ µmÐ ¾grÐ °Ã'€hÃ'â€"Ã'  Characteristics Ð ¾f Taiwanese Executives? Management Ð ¾f International Change The MultÃ'â€"Ã' ulturÐ °l PrÐ ¾jÐ µÃ' t MÐ °nÐ °gÐ µr: Exploring LÃ'â€"nkÐ °gÐ µÃ'• bÐ µtwÐ µÃ µn NÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÐ °l CulturÐ µ Ð °nd CÐ ¾nflÃ'â€"Ã' tÃ'â€"ng Styles Ð ¾f MÐ °nÐ °gÐ µmÐ µnt Managing Change: DÐ µvÐ µlÐ ¾Ã'€Ã'â€"ng a FrÐ °mÐ µwÐ ¾rk ThÐ °t LÃ'â€"nkÃ'• Intended StrÐ °tÐ µgÃ'â€"Ð µÃ'• and Unanticipated OutÃ' Ã ¾mÐ µÃ'• Employee AdjuÃ'•tmÐ µnt durÃ'â€"ng the OrgÐ °nÃ'â€"Ã'•Ð °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÐ °l Change: The Role of Organizational Level and OÃ' Ã' uÃ'€Ð °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n Success of a Product LÃ'â€"fÐ µÃ' Ã'Æ'Ã' lÐ µ Management ImÃ'€lÐ µmÐ µntÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n – Ð °n InvÐ µÃ'•tÃ'â€"gÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n Ã'â€"ntÐ ¾ thÐ µ ElÐ µÃ' trÐ ¾nÃ'â€"Ã' Ã'• Manufacturing Industry HÐ ¾w PÐ ¾wÐ µr WÐ ¾rkÃ'• thrÐ ¾ugh MÐ °nÐ °gÃ'â€"ng Emotions in OrgÐ °nÃ'â€"Ã'•Ð °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÐ °l ChÐ °ngÐ µ: EmÐ ¾tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n Management As a PÐ ¾wÐ µr. GlÐ ¾bÐ °lÃ'â€"zÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n Ð °nd Strategy WhÐ °t iÃ'• the SÃ'â€"gnÃ'â€"fÃ'â€"Ã' Ã °nÃ' Ã µ Ð ¾f TÐ µÃ' hnÐ ¾lÐ ¾gÃ'Æ' tÐ ¾ BuÃ'•Ã'â€"nÐ µÃ'•Ã'• StrÐ °tÐ µgÃ'Æ'? A StudÃ'Æ' of thÐ µ Human RÐ µÃ'•Ð ¾urÃ' Ã µ StrÐ °tÐ µgÃ'â€"Ð µÃ'• tÐ ¾ ImÃ'€lÐ µmÐ µnt Ã'â€"n Order to ExÃ' Ã µl Ð °nd PrÐ ¾fÃ'â€"t Ã'â€"n TÐ ¾dÐ °Ã'Æ'’Ã'• FÐ °Ã'•t-PÐ °Ã' Ã µd MÐ °rkÐ µtÃ'€lÐ °Ã' Ã µ, Ð °nd the Methods thÐ °t SuÃ'€Ã'€Ð ¾rt ThÐ µÃ'•Ð µ StrÐ °tÐ µgÃ'â€"Ð µÃ'• WhÐ °t Current StrÐ °tÐ µgÃ'â€"Ð µÃ'• ArÐ µ Ã'â€"n PlÐ °Ã' Ã µ fÐ ¾r Businesses tÐ ¾ Combat Consumers Neglecting ThÐ µÃ'â€"r PrÐ ¾duÃ' tÃ'•? An ExÐ °mÃ'â€"nÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n of thÐ µ Empowerment, CÐ ¾nflÃ'â€"Ã' tÃ'• Ð °nd CÐ ¾rÃ'€Ð ¾rÐ °tÐ µ VÃ'â€"Ã'•Ã'â€"Ð ¾n AÃ'• FÐ °Ã' tÐ ¾rÃ'• Ã'â€"n DÐ µvÐ µlÐ ¾Ã'€Ã'â€"ng GlÐ ¾bÐ °l BuÃ'•Ã'â€"nÐ µÃ'•Ã'• StrÐ °tÐ µgÃ'Æ' fÐ ¾r Multinational FÃ'â€"rmÃ'• WhÐ °t Are the Changes That NÐ µÃ µd to be MÐ °dÐ µ Ã'â€"n BuÃ'•Ã'â€"nÐ µÃ'•Ã'• MÐ °nÐ °gÐ µmÐ µnt Strategies Ã'â€"n thÐ µ GlÐ ¾bÐ °lÃ'â€"zÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n ErÐ °? Don’t fall apart if you have no idea what to write about. Use this list to inspire you. Of course, you may not use the particular topic as it is written here. Try to be as creative as possible and discover something original. Anyway, you can always contact our custom dissertation writing service and order your academic paper written from scratch!

Examples of historical and contemporary CHANGE MAKERS Essay

Examples of historical and contemporary CHANGE MAKERS - Essay Example It was also to be used as a vessel to safeguard traditional Indian customs and rituals. To achieve this, AIM was to use legal means to uphold Indian treaty rights that would allow them to gather wild rice, to hunt and fish freely without interference. These treaties had been violated by the American government and were only used to dupe and subdue the Indians. (Encyclopedia.com, 2005) In 1968, after being released from prison Banks went from door to door requesting native Indians to come together to form what would later be known as AIM. In 1969, he was among the people who seized Alcatraz Island which had been taken from Indians and used to create a prison facility. In 1973, he led the military takeover of a village in South Dakota known as Wounded Knee. The standoff between AIM and American army lasted 73 days despite the fact that AIM had been out numbered and had fewer resources. This grabbed the attention of people throughout American and they began receiving massive support for their courage. (Encyclopedia.com, 2005) Banks through the movement spent most of his life advocating for Indian rights. After earning an arts degree at the University of California, he began lecturing at Deganawidah-Quetzecoat University which is owned and controlled by Indians. He became the first American Indian chancellor and in 1979, Banks began lecturing at Stanford University in California. Since then, he has been travelling overseas giving lectures about Indian customs. In 1987, he was actively involved in convincing two states: Indiana and Kentucky to pass laws that would prevent violation of Indian graves. He then reorganized burial ceremonies for at least 1200 desecrated Indian graves in Uniontown, Kentucky. (Encyclopedia.com, 2005) In 1988, he organized and led the Sacred Run- an Indian spiritual run from New York to San Francisco, and then in Japan where he was stationed as a soldier, from Hiroshima to Hokkaido. In the same year, he published in Japan his

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder - Essay Example This paper illustrates that first way to know whether the proverb is really true is to put ourselves in a situation where we will pretend that the one person we love most is far away from us. The researcher theorizes that the saying is true because based on her own experience, she feels very lonely when she misses her guy so much when many days pass without us seeing each other. The researcher’s anticipation of seeing her love again gives her much happiness and excitement. Love is sweet when two lovers are together, walking hand in hand, sharing stories, feeling each other's hugs and kisses, but when they are away, and thinking about those sweet and romantic moments almost make them crazy, crazy in the sense that they will do anything, everything just to be in the company of their loves again. Going back to the author’s theory, the saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder" means that "love can stand the test of time." It feels very sad for two people in love when the time to say goodbye comes. They will have to let go of each other's hands, break free from the tight embrace, and go their separate ways with a kiss. The saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder" starts with another saying, which is "parting is such sweet sorrow," because one will only feel the absence of someone she loves when they part ways. Yes, they will say their goodbyes and be lonely for a while, but the thought of again seeing each other is what they are thinking of. Lovers are always like that. The absence of the person you love most will only make you miss him more. People who love by heart know that. Moreover, the greatest opposite of being with your love is being far away from him, of course. But what distinguishes these two dimensions of love is the feeling residing in the faraway hearts is their feelings. When the author is with her love and holding him close to her, all she could do is to cherish the seconds she is in his arms, because those moments are the ones t hat will be forever remembered, especially, when he is not around and the author is missing him badly. And when the researcher is feeling sad because she misses him, all she would do is close her eyes and reminisce. Those thoughts will serve as strength in the time of waiting for the time of being together again. This saying not only applies to two persons in love, but it can also be true with a person missing someone important besides his significant one, or it can also be applied to a person feeling the "absence of a place, of an event or even things." But of course, the greatest of the three is the fond heart that misses a person, for loving a person and being loved back by the person is the greatest feeling in the world. Missing someone could not happen when she is always with her love, and that means, for their bond to get stronger and her love gets even more intense because it is waiting to come out and be showered upon a loved one. "Separation makes love even more intense" th at it normally is, distance triggers the want in two persons to be in each other.

Music Therapy and its Effects on Hospitalization and Medical Essay

Music Therapy and its Effects on Hospitalization and Medical Procedures - Essay Example In conclusion the research shows that the utilization of music therapy is far to beneficial to not use as an interventive therapy for patients in the hospital as it has the power of changing negative perceptions into more positive ones which results in far better patient outcomes. The idea of music therapy being an alternative means of therapy for hospitalized patients has definitely grown over the past five years. Much of this is due to the fact that the evidence that has been gathered and identified concerning its effect's on patients is seemingly irrefutable as a means to bring positivism in a patient's life. Its main goal is to bring comfort and relaxation to the patient that is worried and filled with apprehension and anxiety over a medical condition or medical procedure that they must combat. It has also been found to be a great therapy in the recovery period of patients within a hospital environment as well. ... The findings of this research are meant to show that there is a need for this form of alternative therapy in the post-operative phase of surgical procedures, in physical therapy, medical testing, treatment regimens such as with cancer patients, and also the overall recovery period of patients as well. Therefore the gathered data is meant to try and bring validity into the utilization of this therapy so that it will be able to provide persuasion for its usage regardless of any costs associated with it. 1.1 Problems Associated with Music Therapy The main area of limitation that might be associative with music therapy is trying to provide irrefutable evidence that it is indeed an alternative method that places patients in a more tranquil and healing type of environment. Some researchers try to state that it is not as pertinent to hospital patients as other researchers' state it is and therefore there is some controversy associated with this methodology in the health care system. Also the studies that have been carried out on this technique have been relatively small which leaves it facing indecisiveness in regards to being placed as a permanent therapeutic element in a hospital environment. What is being implied is although it is often utilized, there is not sufficient evidence to offer 100 % validity on how effective it is in placing a positive element in the recovery process of patients in a hospital. However, this researcher personally feels that the areas in a hospital environment where music therapy has been utilized (sp ecifically post surgical and rehabilitative) have given credence to this therapeutic alternative as a positive way of reinforcing the patients' perception of the quality of their care and their environment. 1.2

Berkshire Threaded Fasteners Case Essay Example for Free

Berkshire Threaded Fasteners Case Essay Berkshire Threaded FastenersBerkshire Threaded Fasteners Company has recently lost their president, John Magers. The resulting appointment of his inexperienced son Joe Magers has lead to the companys loss of confidence. Brandon Cook is the recently appointed general manger who was hired to turn the company around after a loss of $70,000 in a good business year. As a member of an outside consulting firm I have been called in to give advice on the problems the company is facing. The time period has been updated to the present times. Manufacturing ProcessSee Appendix A for the detailed manufacturing process. In short, fasteners begin as wires, rods and bars which are then cut to length, headed and finally threaded. What should be noted is that this particular manufacturing process called cold forming is high-speed, high-volume, economical and has low wastage. Such economies of scale will allow Berkshire to offset the very high costs of cold-forming equipment. Business StrategyA careful analysis is needed in order to determine Berkshires business strategy. At first one would think it was product differentiation because of the inelastic demand in the short run. But one thing that should also be noted is the fact that for most goods, demand is much more price elastic in the long run than in the short run. This combined with the fact that Berkshire is convinced that it could not individually raise prices without suffering substantial volume declines, and that all the products of the different manufacturers in the industry are very similar, prove that their business strategy is in fact cost leadership. Another piece of evidence that also supports this strategy is the fact that the major focus of their accounting system seems to be on cost reduction. Place in the EconomyThe industrial fastener industry has been experiencing modest growth since the 1990s with an average per annum revenue growth rate of 3.6% ; though the number of employees have remained relatively the same. The North American fastener industry is still expected to grow by around 4% annually despite the competition from foreign countries. However this number represents a decline from the 9% growth spurt which occurred in 1998. The North American fastener production is strongly tied to the production of automobiles, aircraft, appliances, agricultural machinery and equipment, and the construction of commercial buildings and infrastructure. The more these industries prosper, the greater the demand and prospects for the fastener will there be. There has been as ever expanding market for fasteners in the 21st century in the aerospace industry. In fact a 9% annual growth in fasteners for this industry can be expected. Motor vehicle sales have also increased by 9.6% from 2005 to 2006. Unfortunately housing starts have only increased by 0.7% from 2005. In the future analysts expect metal fasteners to face competition from the adhesives industry as more products are being made with plastic, a product best joined together by adhesives. Also buyers have now been demanding innovative and diverse fasteners which are also more environmentally friendly- fasteners that maintain lubricity without the use of cadmium, a suspected carcinogen. So the industry is slowly shifting its focus to more highly engineered, technologically advanced fasteners. SWOTStrengths:1) Newly appointed Brandon Cook has wide executive experience in manufacturing products similar to that of Berkshire. 2) Berkshire operates in a capital intensive industry. But as a percentage of total sales, Berkshires labour costs are 24.69%. This suggests that they either still retain their employees even when they could have done without them or that they pay very high salaries to a few workers. This shows that Berkshire has either very loyal employees or very skilled employees- both being assets. Weaknesses:1) Joe Magers is not very experienced and the company is facing losses in the production of the 200 and 300 series. 2) As a percentage of total sales, Berkshires fixed costs are 47.37%. This is much higher than what a price competitive manufacturer like Berkshire should have had. 3) Berkshire pays 49% of all its wages and salaries to administrative and sales employee, when the industry average is 27% . This shows poor decision making processes of the firm. Opportunities:1) If product lines are discontinued, with the excess capacity and skilled labour force they can branch out into the production of more diverse fasteners. This ties in with the fact mentioned previously that buyers are now demanding more specialized products. Threats:1) Berkshire operates in an industry where a few of its competitors are much larger. 2) The industry is dominated by Bosworth who dictates the prices that are charged for fasteners. 3) Buyers are slowly demanding more specialized fasteners. ProblemWhat is very evident is that the company is losing money on its products. In the previous time period they had incurred a loss of $70,000. Berkshire is unsure if it is the result of the production of the 300 series or the pricing decisions of the 100 series. These alternatives need a careful analysis in order to make informed decisions that will help turn the company around. Alternative #1 Status QuoQuantitative Analysis:In order to determine if the company should do nothing, is to predict the future cash flows and net income (loss) for the second half of the year. See Appendix B for this calculation. The predicted net income is in fact a loss of 1134. Yet, net income may not be a faithful representation, so cash flows have also been calculated. The predicted cash flow is a negative amount of 388. These amounts while better than alternative #3 (drop the 300 series) is not as good as the cash flow and net income amounts for alternative #2 (reduce price levels of the 100 series). One very important thing that needs to be noted is the fact that variable costs are indeed relevant. Fixed costs remain constant even after the production is stopped, but variable costs increase and decrease with production. Therefore the total contribution margin for this alternative was calculated to be 1504 which does show this alternative in a better light  especially when in comparison to its net loss and cash flow figures. Qualitative Analysis:The reduced production of the 100 series as a result of the price level remaining the same will have a significant impact on Berkshire. The reduced production may lead to employees worrying about the fact that they may be laid off to such an extent that their productivity is significantly lowered. Berkshire could also develop a reputation of charging higher prices than the industry standard and they could end up loosing more and more buyers to competitors. Alternative #2 Change price level to $2.25 for the 100 seriesQuantitative Analysis:In order to determine if the price level needs to be dropped a few calculations are needed. First a prediction of its impact on the net income and cash flows for the second half of the year is needed. These calculations are shown in Appendix C. The predicted net income figure is a loss of 1035. The predicted cash flow is a negative amount of 289. While these figures do seem abysmal, what should be noted is that in comparison to the other alternatives, these figures are much better. Both the net loss and negative cash flow amounts in this alternative is 99 lower than the status quo alternative and 338.58 lower than the drop 300 series alternative. This hints to the fact that maybe the price should in fact be dropped. Another fact that backs this assertion up is in the calculation of the Contribution Margin (CM) for both price levels, based on data from the first half of the year. Table 2 in Appendix A shows this calculation. While the CM of the new price level is lower than that of the original level (0.96 vs. 1.16), the fact that they will sell 250,000 units more (and hence a higher total CM for the new price) clearly makes up for this difference. The success of the new prices level will be contingent on the number of units sold. What is very dangerous about this alternative is that if in the future the demand in the market for this product line slumps, only a very small amount of money will be available to be used to pay off the fixed costs. Qualitative Analysis:The change in price level will not have much of an effect on the employees of Berkshire because they would still be producing  around the same amount of units (1000000 vs. 996859). They would not have to worry about being laid off. What will be affected is Berkshires reputation. If they had not changed they would have developed a reputation of charging high prices. The reduction of the price would put them at par with Bosworth. Alternative #3 Drop 300 seriesQuantitative Analysis:In order to determine if the 300 series needs to be dropped a few calculations are needed. First a prediction of the impact of its removal on the net income and cash flows for the second half of the year is needed. The predicted net income figure is a loss of 1373.58 and the predicted cash flow is calculated to be a negative amount of 627.70. The net loss figure calculated is the highest loss of all three alternatives and the negative cash flow amount is also much higher than the alternatives as well. This hints to the fact that maybe the 300 series line should not be dropped. Also, if the 300 series had been dropped at the beginning of the year it can be seen that there would have been a loss of -183. See the calculations for these numbers in Appendix D. Another aspect that backs up this assertion is the calculation of the Contribution Margins for all three product lines based on first half information. Even though Berkshire incurred a loss of .22/unit in the first half for series 300, when you calculate the CM it is a whole new story- the CM of 300 is a positive number- 1.15/unit, this means that Berkshire would in fact incur an even greater loss if they chose to halt production. The 1.15 per unit would no longer be available to cover some of the fixed costs. What is also surprising is the fact that the 300 series Contribution Margin is not far behind from that of the 100 series (the most profitable product line) and equal to that of the 200 series. A few other very important observations also need to be taken into account. First, since many products do cover all their variable costs, no product line would ever be dropped if only a contribution margin analysis were conducted. Second, even though the 300 series covers its variable costs and part of its fixed costs, it proves to be below par when considering full costs. Finally, in the long run all costs are variable, so the 300 series in this time frame is in fact a poor product line. Qualitative Analysis:If the 300 series was dropped it would have a significant qualitative impact on Berkshire and its employees. All the employees who were involved in the production of this line would either have to be laid off (which would have a negative impact on the reputation of the firm), or they could still be retained (which would lead to them obtaining a deep sense of respect and loyalty to the firm). Also the employees who would be shifted around would gain a greater skill set and hence become very valuable assets to the company. Evaluation of the alternativesComparison Table1) Profitability2) Timeliness3) Consistency with Strategy. Alternative #1-$11347 daysNot as muchAlternative #2-$10354-7 daysYesAlternative #3-$137410-14 daysNot as much1) Profitability:The primary objective of all businesses, no matter how big or small, is profit. That is why as a criterion, Profitability was given the number one rank. The three alternatives can easily be evaluated on this criterion by comparing the net income figures. Alternative #2 easily wins in this criterion. Despite the fact that it does have a net loss, the loss was not as great as that of Alternative #1 and #3. One important thing that should be noted is the fact that perhaps the second half of the season is always a slow period and that is why the net income figures are so low. 2) Timeliness:Berkshire operates in a business environment where if firms that lag behind in decision making, implementation of policies etc, they will be left behind with no profits. That is why Timeliness was given the rank of two. Surprisingly Status Quo would have an implementation time of around 7 days. Since keeping the price level of the 100 series the same at 2.45/unit would result in them producing 385332 less number of units (See Appendix E for the calculation), time would be need to shift employees around to new jobs in the firm, possibly close down a warehouse or even convert the machines used to produce the 100 series to now produce a different product line. Alternative #2, reduce price level would probably only take 4-7 days to implement. The only thing Berkshire would need to do would be to inform their current buyers of their new price level and perhaps also to advertise the lower price in a specialized fastener industry journal. Alternative #3, drop the 300 series would probably take around 10-14 days. Not only would Berkshire need to shift employees around, close down a warehouse etc, as a result of producing a lower number of 100 series units, but they would also have to announce the dropping of the 300 series line to its buyers, move even more employees around (or possibly lay them off), close even more warehouses down, move machinery around the manufacturing space etc. This would be a very time consuming process. Overall Alternative #2 would win in this criterion as it would have a less time consuming implementation time and process. 3) Consistency with Strategy:This criterion was given a rank of three because while necessary in the evaluation, Profitability and Timeliness do have a greater importance. In the short run Alternative #2 had the greatest consistency with strategy. Berkshire is a cost leader, and reducing the prices of the 100 series ties in very well with this strategy. Alternative #1 and #3 chose not to reduce the price and this decision conflicts with their cost leadership strategy. ConclusionOverall I would recommend that Berkshire implement Alternative #2- reduce the price level of the 100 series, as it did win in all three criteria. But one important thing needs a re-mention. The CM per unit of the reduced price level was lower than that of the higher price level. It was only because of the higher volume of sales did it manage to have a higher total contribution margin. In the future if sales volumes drop, despite the price change Berkshire would incur heavy losses. At this present time Alternative #1 and #3 are both very unprofitable and will still be in the future. At least Alternative #1 is not as unprofitable at this present time but what happens in the future will all depend on sales. Recommendations for Specific Action1) Chose a date when the price change will come in to effect and make sure all current buyers are aware of this well ahead of time. 2) Advertise in newspapers, journals etc to get the message across to new buyers that Berkshire has reduced its prices. 3) All forms, documentation, accounting systems etc should be changed to take into account the new price level. 4) Make sure that there are people at hand to research the market and evaluate whether demand is going to decline for the 100 series. 5) Make sure that there are researches available to study the market for new trends and new types of fasteners that could be produced in the future.