Your Death Would Be Mine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Your Death Would Be Mine - Essay Example The book offers a glimpse into French life and times, and also reveals how the character of rural France was changed forever. One of the most important details the book looks at is the, altering of the bucolic rural lifestyle. The war claimed the lives of the men who tilled the land, and the women were alone to manage the family farm, and look after the children, as in the case of Marie, a sick infant. In France, the military is seen more as a â€Å"social and political institution† (Bell & Marta) and stories dealing with time of war, concern themselves more with the changes wrought by war in the social sphere, than its military operations. The Great War as WWI is at times known, as a catastrophe of unimaginable proportion, leaving behind in its wake a decimated population, an economy in shambles and all around misery for the general populace. Yet, the French soldiered on towards victory, which research has proved, was not so much the result of military accomplishments, but the tenacity and stoicism of the ordinary French civilians (Marta & Bell). Paul and Marie, were a young newlywed, peasant couple who lived in the southwest of France during World War I. Ever sincethen, Paul had to stay away from home since he had to serve in the army from 1914 to 1919. Martha Hanna paints a vivid picture revealing a very powerful and personal perspective of the devastating war. Hundreds of letters exchanged between the couple, helped both the combatants and civilians experience a sort of emotional commitment, which brought untold misery and pain suffered due to the absence of their loved ones. While Paul vividly narrated with great intensity and poetic clarity, about the atrocities and brutality of war and its impact on them by way of fatigue and their dietary needs, Marie enumerated about the difficulty of working on the family farm why looking after the sick infant at home. She

How Pizza Has Evolved Essay Example for Free

How Pizza Has Evolved Essay As of late, pizza throughout the United States is consumed on a daily basis. Each year, the pizza market is a $30 billion industry. However, during the early years of our country pizza could only be found in high Italian populated neighborhoods located in big cities like Chicago, New York City, and Philadelphia. Due to the increase in popularity and marketing strategies to compliment it, pizza went from peasant food in the 1700s to what it has become today. Marketing for pizza was born in 1993 by a pizzeria named Patsy’s. Patsy had the idea of having someone walk down the street eating a slice of their pizza to expose their product. It was genius because as a country our culture is very big on convenience and consistency. Since then marketing for pizza never looked back. Slices at the time were not considered normal but slowly changed peoples attitude about the whole idea. Since then marketing for pizza never looked back. Still the pizza market was small and not extremely profitable. It didn’t really take off until WWI when some troops returned home and expressed in the paper how handy and delicious it was over in Italy. This was great publicity because if the troops, who were stationed in Italy, say it is good it must have some truth in it. In our culture it is socially acceptable to be creative and an individual. So a couple troops created the deep dish pizza which was invented at a place called Pizza Uno in Chicago and they are still serving out pizzas today. As the country was growing and pizza was in more demand, the way about preparing and serving it had to evolve so it would be able to satisfy the consumer’s needs and wants. In 1958 two brothers created a Pizza place like none before. Pizza Hut today is an international franchise with over 6000 stores nationwide. In the beginning Pizza Hut only had one store, but as soon as they realized their business was doing well they expanded. Understanding what the consumers wanted out of their pizza parlor made it easy to branch out and provide their product to people all around the area as consistently as if it were at the original location. Dominos pizza took this idea further and then some. Since time is money and people are always on the go, Dominos was able to satisfy these demanding needs with several strategies. Instead of having to drop everything at that moment and go pick the pizza up, Dominos was able to bring the pizza right to the doorstep for free. To make their brand as consistent as possible and not have one person making a pizza differently from another store Dominos created a strong system for their company. Dominos was able to make a dumbed down process of constructing a pizza, and NASA’s hot air oven to give it that perfect cook every time. All of this was great but there was still a problem with the temperature upon arrival at someone’s house. So to fulfill the customer’s needs of warm pizza, thermal bags were created to sustain the heat for the ride in the car. Finally to push their product and service even further Dominos began to advertise to the customers about their new delivery in 30 minutes or less strategy. It showed that their product was consistent, reliable, and convenient. These two companies have perfected taste and how to serve it promptly to the customers but may be a little pricey at times. A fast and cost effective way to obtain a pizza other than ordering it from a pizzeria is picking one up at the local grocery store. This was just another way of eliminating the intermediaries and giving the people a more simplified choice. Kids have a strong influence in what their parents purchase for them. By placing the take home pizzas at eye level for kids in the freezer section, inclines parents to purchase them more unlike if they were placed up higher where kids would not notice them as much. In recent years customizing has really caught on in American society. Pizza is just another way people are able to express themselves and accomplish the status of individuality. California Pizza Kitchen was able to execute this on a nationwide scale and establish the title of a â€Å"nontraditional pizza co. † giving people the choice to make their pizza any way they like it. Pizza has been molded to form our culture and based off of that culture is how we were able to effectively satisfy the everyday needs and wants of consumers.

Globalisation And Fierce Competition Causing Shorter Product Life Cycle Business Essay

Globalisation And Fierce Competition Causing Shorter Product Life Cycle Business Essay In an era of globalisation and fierce competition, the introduction of products with shorter and shorter life cycle and the heightened expectations of customers have forced companies to invest in and focus attention on their supply chain. Companies must be able to configure and utilize worldwide resources to keep up with the competition. It involves sourcing products from most appropriate manufacturing facility, keep balance between inventory, transportation and manufacturing cost and match supply and demand under uncertainty (Simchi-Levi, Kaminsky Simchi-Levi 2003). With the significant increases in different products, coupled with demands for higher throughput and reduced inventory, postponement will be one of the strategies used by the companies. The aim of this essay is to examine into the link between postponement and warehousing. The purpose of this essay is to discuss how a warehouse may play a role in postponement. This essay will begin by understanding the concept of postpo nement, the need and usage of postponement and types of postponements with different postponement activities and its lead time and cycle time restrictions. It will then look into the topics of inventory and warehousing such as the roles of the warehouses and the distribution methodologies. It will conclude by linking the use of warehouses in the practice of the postponement strategies. Concept of postponement Postponement is first implemented in manufacturing processes to reduce cost of inventory and improve service level within the company while the product variety increases. The concept of postponement is to delay the change in form, identity and place to the latest possible point until customer commitments have been obtained (Battezzati Coletta 2008). It is by exploiting the commonality between items and by designing the production and distribution process so as to delay the point of differentiation (Tayur, Ganeshan Magazine 1999). Postponement is closely intertwined with modularization where products in a certain product family are designed where all of them consist of different standardized units. With modularization, combination of different standardized sub-components allows the producing of different end products (Dekkers 2009). The form, function and place of the product are altered and is in contra with the push systems in which goods are manufactured entirely in anticipation of future customer orders and stored downstream without customers formulated specifications (Hoek 1997). Anderson (2004) wrote that postponement is a mass customization technique that is applicable for certain products that can have their variety postponed until just before shipping. Hoek (1997) illustrated a list of methods for achieving mass customization: Create products and services that are customizable by customers (involving design function) Modularize components to customize finished products and services (involving the manufacturing, distribution, marketing function and the product design). Provide quick response throughout the value chain (involving the design, manufacturing, distribution and marketing function). Customize services around standard products or services (involving the distribution and marketing function). Provide point of delivery customization (involving the marketing function). The need and usage for postponement Hoek (1997) stated that the application of postponement strategies is increasing in the practice of international business. Final processing or manufacturing activities are moving either upstream from national operations or downstream from global production plants. The biological products life cycle of product is the concern in respect to inventory risks and this is in contrast with electronics industries where short product life cycles in the market are a key driver of postponement. Postponement reduces the uncertainty and risks coupled with product variety. In additional, it saves costs and adds values to the supply chain by eliminating obsolete inventory and making the product to customers specification more easily (Baluch 2006). The accelerating need for simultaneous product differentiation, rapid delivery, regional product variation and competitive cost levels are also the factors that led to the usage of postponement strategy (Hoek 1997). Types of postponements Bowersox and Closs (cited in Hoek 1997) stated that there are three generic types of postponement: form, time and place postponement. Form postponement refers to the postponement of final manufacturing or processing activities; time postponement refers to the delaying of the forward movement of goods until customer orders have been received; place postponement refers to the positioning of inventories upstream in centralized manufacturing or distribution operations to postpone the forward or downstream movement of goods. With the combination of time and place postponement, it is referred to as logistics postponement. An example is whereby in centralized European distribution structures where goods are stored at a limited number of central locations and shipped to customers on the basis of actual orders. Depending on the type of final manufacturing operation, the type of product and market, Cooper (cited in Hoek 1997) specified four possible final manufacturing structures in postponement: unicentric manufacturing, bundled manufacturing, deferred assembly, deferred packaging. In unicentric manufacturing, the final stage of manufacturing is delayed until the point of consumption (Tayur, Ganeshan Magazine 1999). This type of postponement is used through integrated manufacturing in a global manufacturing plant, distribution to order, for global brands with standard formulation and peripherals for example CPUs. In bundled manufacturing, it is forecast-driven where final manufacturing in a continental plant, for products with a global brand, standard peripherals and different formulation, for example TVs. In deferred assembly, it is order-driven where final manufacturing or processing in the international distribution channel, for products with a global brand and different formulation and peripherals. Lastly on deferred packaging, it refers to packaging and configuring shipments in a local warehouse, for products with a global brand, standard formulation and different peripherals (Hoek 1997). Postponement activities Zinn and Bowersox (cited in Hoek 1997) presented in another fashion that focus on the activities. Five types of postponements are listed: labelling postponement, packaging postponement, assembly postponement, manufacturing postponement and time postponement. According to Hoek (1997), labelling and packaging postponement is related to the level of postponement in deferred packaging, both impacting the place and form of the finished product. For assembly and manufacturing postponement, it is in related to bundled manufacturing and deferred assembly where both impacting the form and place of the finished product and also its function. The distinction between assembly and manufacturing postponement is the use of various sourcing locations and the resulting converging stream of goods. Manufacturing postponement operation is obligated to have a complete job-shop layout in manufacturing postponement which contrasts to assembly postponement systems where products are sourced mainly from one source, only some peripherals or additives may be sourced locally. And lastly on time postponement, it is related to the level of postponement in unicentric manufacturing, in which the place of the finished goods in the supply chain is impacted. Examples of postponements strategies Robeson, Copacino and Howe (1994) have shared some examples of different postponement strategies used by various companies. Benetton have used manufacturing postponement or bundled manufacturing where the fabrics are dyed after the completion of the stitching processes, in which they are more able to react quickly and ship products of greater variety. Dell Computers is one of the examples where its standardised sub-components are kept standing by and the product is assembled upon order as part of the assembly postponement or deferred assembly structures. Hewlett Packard is another company that uses the packaging postponement strategy or deferred packaging where it handles the multilingual requirements of its customers through packaging postponement by including an instruction manual relevant to the language of the customer at the point of sales. An example for labelling postponement is for companies in food industries. Labelling is postponed until food marketing companies buy and bra nd it at different times during the year according to product and market conditions. Labelling postponement minimizes the risk of inaccurate forecasts on inventory and economizes on canning production during a busy season. Lead time and cycle time restrictions in postponement The evolution of a products variety, volume and weight throughout the process influences the extent to which it is possible to save transportation and inventory carrying costs by postponing variety, volume and/or weight increase. Short lead times may not require anticipation if final manufacturing can be performed within short cycle times. Manufacturing postponement is possible only when required lead times allow for a number of days additional lead time on top of transportation times. Products or activities can be performed with short lead times or cycle time for assembly postponement. Similarly on packaging and labelling postponement, it is more focused on rapid lead times. However, because of cycle time restrictions on form postponement, very short lead times is impossible and may also require very localized distribution channels at the extreme positioning inventories very close to customers in local depots (Hoek 1997). Inventory and warehousing According to Baker (2007), inventory cost took up 13 percent of the total logistics costs while warehousing accounted for a further 24 percent in the survey of logistics costs in Europe. Being significant in cost terms, warehousing play an important role in modern supply chain for better customer service. Product availability is being a key service metric and warehousing is being critical to the success of failure of many supply chains. Waters (cited in Baker 2007) indicated that increasing globalisation has led to longer supply lead-times which conventional inventory control theory resulted in greater levels of inventory to provide the same service levels. With the addition of more distant supply lines, there is a possibility of increasing variation in supply lead-time and increased the amount of safety stocks. Another factor is the transport economies of long distance movements where cost economies are be achieved by despatching in larger quantities with full container loads that i ncreased cycle stocks. Main role of warehouses According to Frazelle (2002), there have been with all the initiatives in e-commerce, supply chain integration, efficient consumer response, quick response and just-in-time delivery, the supply chain connecting manufacturing with end consumers can never be so well coordinated that eliminate the need of warehousing. The role and mission of warehouse operations are changing and will continue to change dramatically in the modern supply chains. Warehouses play several vital roles such as: Raw material and component warehouse: For holding raw materials at or near to point of induction into a manufacturing or assembly process Work-in-process warehouse: For holding partially completed assemblies and products at various points along an assembly or production line Finished good warehouse: For holding inventory to balance and buffer the variation between production schedules and demand Distribution warehouse and distribution centres: For accumulating and consolidating products from various points of manufacture within a single firm, or from several firms, for combined shipment to common customers. Fulfilling warehouses and fulfilling centres: For receiving, picking and shipping small orders for individual consumers Local warehouses: For distributing in the field in order to shorten transportation distance to permit rapid response to customer demand Value-added services warehouses: For serving as a facility for product customization activities to be executed, such as packaging, labelling, marking, pricing and return processing Dekkers (2009) added that these raw materials, work in progress and finished goods are stored in the warehouse to feed into production or to satisfy customer needs. The need of carrying inventories is due to the uncertainty in supply, future demand and lead-times that companies are faced with. Carrying inventories is in order to be use as buffer between different demand and supply rates. Also in the situation where suppliers have problems with delivery or qualities of materials, raw materials held in inventory can avoid stock-outs situations. Work in progress inventories are maintained because of the poor maintenance, unreliable working or fast schedule changes. Carrying inventories is also to provide for anticipated changes in demand and supply where there may be a drastic change in price of availability of raw materials or planned market promotion or where business is seasonal. According to Bask (2001), all manufacturing is executed before the products are distributed to the decentralized distribution system close to customer in a full speculation postponement strategy. Companies can have a more cost-effective production and purchase in producing or purchasing materials in lots. Due to ordering costs, quantity discounts and transportation cost in large lots, economies of scale are achieved as large standardized product lot-sizes can be manufactured and distributed. On the other had, the logistic postponement strategy differs from full speculation strategy with decentralised distribution system by using centralized inventory in which finalized products are distributed to a larger geographic area. Inventories were reduced with the advantage of high in-stock availability. Thereafter, products are transported in large lot-sizes to centralized warehouse, through with increased onward distribution costs compared to the decentralised system. Other roles of warehouses According to Baker (2007), the role of warehouses is theorised in many text books that the key warehouse functions are inventory holding and the servicing of customer orders from that inventory. Drucker (cited in Baker 2007) have stated that other roles for warehouses are being seen to be increasing important as they changed from holding yards to switching yards. Higginson and Bookbinder (cited in Baker 2007) listed of the roles of distribution centres as: Make/break-bulk consolidation centres for consolidating customer orders together into one delivery to gain transport economies. Cross-dock centres for satisfying customer orders from another source (e.g. a manufacturing plant) by passing through the distribution centre within a few hours Transhipment facilities for changing transport mode (e.g. from large line-haul vehicles to smaller delivery vehicles). Assembly facilities on which the final configuration of the product to individual customer requirements can take place. Product-fulfilment centres for responding directly to product orders from the final consumer (e.g. as internet fulfilment operations). Returned goods depots for handling unwanted and damaged goods, as well as goods returning under environmental legislation such as for product recovery and packaging waste. Miscellaneous roles, such as customer support, installation and repair services. Baker (2007) commented that a number of the above roles may be associated with some of the concepts, such as agility, production postponement and time compression and are recognised as increasing trends in warehousing in current modern supply chains. Conclusion Some business models particularly applicable to fashion and high-technology industries, they are suited to identify consumer trends and rapidly pushing product directly to the market. The use of flexible manufacturing systems, production postponement and the centralisation of inventory are put in place for this cause. With postponement strategies in place, it would be possible to identify the trade-offs between inventory and other supply chain elements, such a purchasing (e.g. bulk discounts on goods at lower unit purchase prices), manufacturing (e.g. lower production costs through less frequent change-over and hence larger batch sizes) and transport (e.g. full container load transport at lower unit transport costs) by utilizing the roles of the warehouse that may include a mix of elements such as inventory holding, order consolidating, cross docking and postponement activities.

Introduction to Fiction Final Paper :: English Literature Essays

Introduction to Fiction Final Paper Introduction: I will try to show that Fenstad's mother is going through a change during this story. At first she is described as a strong independent woman very active social in control of things. She is not accepting things as they are she tries to change the things that seem wrong to her. However, gradually we are starting to see her as an old woman who hates her age. A woman, who has a hard time excepting her age and all the downsides of it, a woman whose physical condition is parallel to her mental and emotional state, who needs help doing things which young people do without any effort. It seems that during the story Fenstad and his mother change places. Once he was dependent on her and now gradually we see that she is more and more dependent of her son. Fenstad's mother is gradually going through the process of accepting her age and the changes she is going trough consequently. It is difficult for her at first however eventually she stops being preoccupied with the past and what she once was. She comes to terms with her life and learns to appreciate and enjoy the little (simple) pleasures of life, like music. The name of this fiction story is Fenstad's Mother, the word mother is written with a capital letter which sometimes can mean a woman in charge of some community. This description is suitable for her character as it is described at the beginning of the story. Clara Fenstad's going to her son's class, meeting the people that took this class, listening to them and being loved and appreciated by them helps her through this period. One of this people influenced her very much and was responsible for one of the various changes she went through. The fact that Fenstad's mother learned to accept him as he made them closer and happier. Fenstad's Mother: At the beginning of the story Fenstad's mother is shown like a strong and active woman. She is very much involved in the things that happen around her. She is progressive and social. "Fenstad's mother was a life long social progressive" (p.115). She is not taking seriously her sons churchgoing, "was amused by her son's churchgoing. She had spent her life in the company of rebels and deviationists, and she recognized all their styles." (p.115). She is very logical and attentive, "She glanced down at his trousers, damped with melted snow. "You've been skating" "(p.116) she is aware of her son's habits, but not necessary approves of them. She sneers her son's behavior and looking for slips in it.

Nike of Samothrace

| Jani Smith| Ancient Cultures 212| | March 18, 2013| | Winged Victory Contents Introduction2 Discovering2 Hellenistic architecture and style2 Composition and atmosphere2 Genres and audience3 Conclusion4 Introduction One of the best known works of Hellenistic sculpture is Nike of Samothrace, now located in the Louvre museum in Paris. It is a demonstrative, and powerful sculpture which encapsulates everything great about Ancient Greece. The sculpture is made of Rhodian marble, stands 2. 45 meters tall and 2. 35 meters wide including its wings (Burn, 2004, p. 9). Nike’s sculptor is not well known, however it is presumed to have been constructed by the sculptor Pythokritos (Pollitt, 1986, p. 114) during the early second century BC. Discovering Nike was discovered in 1863 by the French consul and amateur archaeologist Charles Champoiseau, in the sanctuary of the Great Gods at Samothrace where it was originally set up. Nike is traditionally associated with the victories that was ob tained by the Rhodian fleet over the Antiochos III off Side and Myonnesos in 190/89 BCE (Ridgway, 2000, p. 50).The base of the statue is in the form of a ship’s prow (Pollitt, 1986:113), and the goddess is represented as if she has just alighted on the ship, with her wings still beating and her drapery fluttering in the wind. Hellenistic architecture and style This breath taking sculpture was created in the period when baroque style developed. The characteristic features include acanthus column bases, modillion cornices, Corinthian capitals with S-shaped spirals, segmental pediments, half–pediments and curved entablatures (Bugh, 2006:171).Baroque sculptures are well known for their powerful and immense size, the twist and turn of their body theatrically in space, frequently clad in drapery that is in motion or semi-transparent (Pollitt, 1986:114) Composition and atmosphere A sense of drama is created through the sculptor’s combination of skill at naturalism and his ability to manipulate the elements of the work. The goddess’s wings are widely spread behind her, she leans forward with her right leg and her torso tilted for balance (Burn, 2004: 90).Her wings, legs and torso create a sequence of boldly opposing diagonals that enrich the idea or impression she gives of being in motion. She becomes a dramatic study of conflicting forces and counter-forces, as she leans forward against the wind (Ridgway, 2000:155). Her breasts, abdomen, right leg, and left thigh is revealed almost as if they were nude by the drapery that is clinging with thin, long, and uneven ripples. Not only heavy but also dynamically irregular shapes and bunches are formed by excess fabric.Between her legs is a long, uneven arc of cloth that accentuates its motion and implies the counter-force of the wind against her beautiful curved body (Burn, 2004:90). The sculpture draws attention to this downward arc with a swath of drapery that hovers frontward from the goddessà ¢â‚¬â„¢s left hip. The drapery then collides in a V-shape with a longer swath at her pelvis. The fabric at the back soars out behind her in rigid crests. This gives an uneven effect of the drapery, the wind whipping the cloth, similar to the sea below her, into irregular peaks and troughs (Ridgway, 2000;155). The goddess’s wings are very naturalistic.It contributes to the chaotic, uneven and energetically active tone of the statue. The goddess pushes her wings back as far as possible, and extends them to their full length (Ridgway, 2000:155). It seems as if she is mimicking the behaviour of a bird that is about to land. If one observe her wings closely, from where their crests bent to where they joint half-way, then to their outspread and the textured feathers, it looks like an enlarge copy of Zeus’s eagle’s wings (Pollitt, 1986:116). However there is a difference, which is the lacking of the regular, fan-like arrangement in a bird’s wings.The Nikeâ€℠¢s wings are put mysteriously arranged at odd and overlapping angles to one another, very similar to the folds of the drapery (Ridgway, 2000:155). Though it appears naturalistic, the wings deceive the sculptor’s awareness in the creation of irregular patterns to propose straining and immediate action. The wings thrown out against the real wind creates an effect of imminent landing. This naturalism and exaggerated irregularity develops a sense of actuality and urgency. With her fine detailed wings and corporeal body, this unearthly being is one of the most astonishing Hellenistic art works to be seen (Ridgway, 2000:150).Genres and audience Hellenistic art is a marked by craft, technical virtuosity. Certain theatrical sense was one of the fundamental characteristics of this time. There was a fondness for dramatical settings, surprizing, and mysterious inner space (Pollitt, 1986:7). Hellenistic baroque sculptures of the third century wanted to immortalize the heroes’s vic tories. These art pieces encaptured the fortune and trails of heroes in moments of crises, designed to dazzle its audiencethrrough their sheer technical virtuosity (Pollitt, 1986:7).The sculptures were created with a specific viewpoint in mind, most importantly to â€Å"sway the soul† (psychagogia) (Bugh, 2006:172). There is a transitory story in each sculpture and each sculpture emphasizes a specific moment. The dramatic contrasts, exaggerated and distorted forms, the heightened expressions of emotion ads on to the message conveyed by the sculptor (Fowler, 1989:32). To understand them, the viewer must recapture the primeval fascination that the artist drew on in order to endow each of his creations with their own strength and impact.Conclusion Due to the lack of references in extant texts, the Nike of Samothrace’s political and historical background remains obscure. Looking at this master piece of art work, it almost seems as if the strong wind and waves from below ar e threatening to overwhelm her (the state). Nike of Samothrace’s primary purpose might have been metaphorical, acting as a â€Å"Ship of State,† guiding the state through dangerous waters (Ridgway, 2000: 153). Whatever the purpose of the sculpture was originally meant to be, it will continue to be a mysterious piece of art work.Works Cited Bugh, G. R. 2006. The Cambridge Companion To THE HELLENISTIC WORLD. New-York, USA: Cambridge University Press. Burn, L. 2004. Hellenistic Art FROM ALEXANDER THE GREAT TO AUGUSTUS. Los Angeles, USA: The British Museum Company. Fowler, B. H. 1989. THE HELLENISTIC AESTHETIC. Wisconsin, USA: The University of Wisconsin Press. Pollitt, J. (1986). Art in the Hellenistic Age. New-York, USA: Cambridge University Press. Ridgway, B. S. 2000. Hellenistic Sculpture II, The styles of ca. 200-100B. C. Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin Press.

Epic, Really Epic

Epic, Really Epic Epic, Really Epic Epic, Really Epic By Maeve Maddox The word epic is used so sloppily these days that a modern day polar explorer referring to the harrowing and courageous exploits of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Trans-Antarctic expedition felt that modification was needed: â€Å"It [Shackleton’s crossing] was epic, really epic† Really in this quotation is not being used as an intensifier; it means â€Å"truly.† It’s not a throwaway epic, but a genuine epic meaning â€Å"like something only a hero could accomplish.† The word epic derives from a Greek word meaning â€Å"word, narrative, or song.† In a literary context, an epic is a grand narrative like the Iliad that recounts the courageous and danger-fraught adventures of a hero of the stature of Achilles, Gilgamesh, or Beowulf. Scholars distinguish between â€Å"folk epics† and â€Å"literary epics.† Many of the frequently cited literary epics originated as folk epics, that is, traditional stories passed down through an oral tradition. Of the frequently cited world literary epics listed below, only the Aeneid, written by Virgil to celebrate the founding of Rome and the family of the Emperor Augustus, does not descend from an oral tradition: Before Common Era The Epic of Gilgamesh (Akkadian c1200 BCE) Iliad (Greek c 800 BCE) Odyssey (Greek c 800 BCE) Mahabharata (Sanskrit c 800 BCE) The Bhagavad Gita (Sanskrit c 400 BCE) Common Era The Aeneid (Latin c 20 BCE) Beowulf (English c 900 CE) Chanson de Roland (French c 1000 CE) Tain Bo Cuailnge (Irish c 1100 CE) The Nibelungenlied (German c 1200 CE) The Poetic Edda (Norse c 1200 CE) Some definitions would restrict epic to mean only works written in verse, but in terms of epic heroes and adventure, such modern works as Tolkien’s Ring trilogy and its many spin-offs continue the tradition. Because epics are long, the adjective epic can refer to size or dimensions, as in â€Å"epic proportions.† More often, epic describes an achievement requiring great courage and the strength to overcome physical hardship, as in this reference to Lewis and Clark: After the expedition recuperated, they entrusted their horses to the Nez Perce and set off in cottonwood canoes for their epic journey to the Pacific Ocean. Like the formerly meaningful adjective awesome, epic has dwindled in common speech to mean hardly anything: This is No ordinary epic blog. It’s a really epically epic blog. How Long Should It Take To Write An Epic Post? James Murphy on new Arcade Fire album: ‘Its really epic’ Songs that start slow but then get really epic Related Post: †Jane Austen Did Not Write Epics† 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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Inquire vs EnquireLoan, Lend, Loaned, LentAffect vs. Effect

Teenage Alcoholism essays

Teenage Alcoholism essays I am a senior at Plainview High School and I was a part of the sit-in on Thursday the 11th and I was suspended for nine days for my involvement in the act. I am very disappointed in the way this matter was presented to the public and the major part of the information was missing from the article in the Post-Bulletin and on KTTC. First off the major concern of the sit in was not about the loss of a vacation day. The major concern was the destruction of our student council. The student council has gone through a lot this year. They lost an advisor to some unmentionable controversial issues involving the school board and high administration members. Then they lost their authority to be the decision makers of most of the school sanctioned student events. We were also infuriated about the fact that one of the Student council members attended a school board meeting in which when she presented her report they asked everyone in attendance to leave the room and they closed the doors which is against policy to close a school board meeting (when it doesnt have to do with personal business) In the room she was being almost being verbally harassed by the school board for 31 min. The next subject on hand is the so called meeting with select students today (Friday the 12th). They did have a meeting with very select students. In all truth they selected the students who agreed or did not have a feeling either way on the issue. In fact they were so good about selecting students only about 3 of the dozen or so students actually were involved with the sit in. This has lead many students to believe that the school is just trying to push this off till the summer break when we (the seniors) leave and the underclassmen have a whole summer to forget about it. It makes me wonder what else is going on in the school system when the administration is so worried about press being involved that when KTTC showed up Thursday morning, after being allowed ...

Free Essays on Early 20th Century

Early 20th Century Systematic espionage aided the Japanese in defeating the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5. In preparing for World War I the Germans again flooded France with a host of espionage agents, some of whom were disguised as trade representatives, teachers, agricultural laborers, or domestics. The most famous of these agents was Mata Hari, who posed as an Indian dancer in Paris. German agents also engaged in attempts to sabotage American national defense both before and after the U.S. entry into World War I. Most nations, however, entered World War I with inadequate espionage staffs, and the war was frequently fought on the basis of poor intelligence. The lessons of that war, along with rapid advances in technology, especially in communications and aviation, spurred a major growth in intelligence agencies. This was further stimulated by the advent of Fascist governments in Europe and a military dictatorship in Japan, all of which had expansionist foreign policies, and the creation of counterespionage agencies such as the Gestapo in Nazi Germany. These developments led other, democratic countries to establish counterespionage systems as well. World War II. World War II was the great stimulus to intelligence services worldwide. Modern military and communications technology put a premium on accurate and quick information, as well as on efforts to protect the security of sensitive information. Some of the great battles of World War II were actually intelligence and counterintelligence battles. Only in recent years have some of the exploits, and failures, in this secret war been disclosed. Notable is Operation Double Cross, in which the British captured practically all the German spies in Great Britain during the war and turned them into double agents who sent false information back to Germany. Also, the British and their allies were able to break the German secret code, providing access... Free Essays on Early 20th Century Free Essays on Early 20th Century Early 20th Century Systematic espionage aided the Japanese in defeating the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5. In preparing for World War I the Germans again flooded France with a host of espionage agents, some of whom were disguised as trade representatives, teachers, agricultural laborers, or domestics. The most famous of these agents was Mata Hari, who posed as an Indian dancer in Paris. German agents also engaged in attempts to sabotage American national defense both before and after the U.S. entry into World War I. Most nations, however, entered World War I with inadequate espionage staffs, and the war was frequently fought on the basis of poor intelligence. The lessons of that war, along with rapid advances in technology, especially in communications and aviation, spurred a major growth in intelligence agencies. This was further stimulated by the advent of Fascist governments in Europe and a military dictatorship in Japan, all of which had expansionist foreign policies, and the creation of counterespionage agencies such as the Gestapo in Nazi Germany. These developments led other, democratic countries to establish counterespionage systems as well. World War II. World War II was the great stimulus to intelligence services worldwide. Modern military and communications technology put a premium on accurate and quick information, as well as on efforts to protect the security of sensitive information. Some of the great battles of World War II were actually intelligence and counterintelligence battles. Only in recent years have some of the exploits, and failures, in this secret war been disclosed. Notable is Operation Double Cross, in which the British captured practically all the German spies in Great Britain during the war and turned them into double agents who sent false information back to Germany. Also, the British and their allies were able to break the German secret code, providing access...

Curriculum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Curriculum - Essay Example Raising economic equalities and decreasing discrimination due to gender, race or creed, and the receding of conventionality in most of the societies worldwide, have encouraged the recent generations of children to seek not only lower education, but also higher and University education. Education has become a multi-facetted unending journey today without any limits or boundaries. Recently, there had been a vigorous change in the society, and the recent trend of globalisation with the booming media has increased these opportunities. Changed political perspectives, changes in the society, technological changes, shrinking of the world into a global village, desire to know more about the world, its arts and sciences have led even older people into the portals of learning with great results. The content of education has always been a matter of interest to thinkers. "Over 2000 years ago Plato was interested in what the leaders of an ideal state should be taught, and many philosophers and st atesmen since have pondered the educational problems of society," (Taylor, 1985, p.2). Aims and objectives of the curriculum are the beliefs that they would serve the purpose of active education by planning for it much in advance, before the real education starts. It motivates students and gives a clear picture about what they are going to learn, so that they can plan their studies fully. It also provides a target to be completed for the teachers. It is the plan for the entire year and it is the list of skills the student is going to attain at the end of the studies. Curriculum is bound with the very concept of education. Curricula are anyway artificial as they are man made and could be changed any time, though some teachers feel a great awe towards it. They serve a variety of purposes, like making the children aware of the world in which they live, and about the social changes, sciences, political revolutions and economic transformations and space travels etc. The young are systematically introduced to various branches of knowledge through the curriculum, because the y embody the beliefs about education. There are multiplicities of conceptions that keep shaping the education over the years and still continue to do so. It is an ongoing process, as the discoveries and knowledge continues to grow, curriculum keeps changing. "Concepts of learning also change over time; not only the validity of content, the demise of a subject area, the development of a new one, not only in terms of the rapidity with which content may expand or alter in certain disciplines, but in terms of what we know of learning as a process," (Skilbeck, 1984, p.18). Curriculum provides accountability and a way of comparing one with other curriculum. It also creates coherence to the subjects that are going to be taught, along with a systematic nature for the jumbled teaching. At higher classes, students can get more knowledge by studying in advance the rest of the curriculum, having known its contents. Its presence brings the education into a definite bracket so that all concerned are comfortably aware of its contents, examinations etc.

Journalism - Media Literacies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Journalism - Media Literacies - Assignment Example In the recent, various forms of media including newspapers and magazines have covered various issues that arise from moral laxity. In the same way, televisions have been in the forefront in presenting documentaries that creates moral panic within the society. According to Baer and William (1997) the activities undertaken by the youth as well as the level of crimes have greatly contributed to the immorality and threats that are faced by members of the society. Contemporary moral panics are different from the earlier ones (Victor, 1993). For example, in the past the effects of the young people on the family values were seen as a major moral panic that undermined family values. In the contemporary world, Cohen (1980) noted that moral panics can be caused by an occurrence of any event. In the same way, he stipulates that there has been rapid succession of moral panics. This essay will argue that media has played a fundamental role in representing moral panic associated with climate chang e. Climate change has recently been represented by media with an aim of exposing the public on its role of contributing to the global warming and high temperatures that have been experienced in various parts of the world. One of the main duties of media is to mediate between the scientific approach on the climate change and the temperatures that have been recorded in various regions. Human activities that include production of electricity and combustion of fuel within the factories production facilities greatly contribute to the destruction of ozone layer thus leading to unsafe environment. In United States, English-speaking media has spearheaded the coverage of climate change as compared to media channels in other countries. Through the studies done on tabloid press in UK and US, 1995 and 2001 establishments of IPCC as far as the role of scientific consensus on climate is concerned, was not effectively covered by media. However, extensive media coverage was adopted in 2007 and in 2 009. In 2007, wide media coverage was evident from An Inconvenient Truth, a documentary that was initiated by Al-Gore as well as the fourth assessment reports that was prepared by IPCC. In 2009, wide media coverage of climate change was catapulted by the UN climate change conference and the email controversy that engulfed the Climatic Research Unit (Mike, 2009). Media and journalists have been poorly informed about climate change. As a result, members of the public have little know how about the global warming despite the fact that it is a major challenge facing the contemporary world. Due to poor reporting of scientific issues that relate to climate changes, media scholars and reporters argue that three key distortions may arise. First, instead of journalists allocating more of their time to cover scientific aspects that relate to global warming and changes in climate, they specialize in writing stories that have human-interest. Secondly, journalists fail to provide balance between reporting of climatic changes and other stories. Thirdly, lack of adequate understanding of climate changes results to making of scientific errors. It is worth to note that in order to make policies that are effective in curbing global warming and nuclear power, it is vital to make the public more informed about climate changes. This can only be achieved if media and journalis

The Communication Challenge In Change Management Essay

The Communication Challenge In Change Management - Essay Example The project starts off with the concepts and theories of change management to give us a handle on what the process is all about. We acknowledge that enough has been written about the subject, but a thorough discussion of its theoretical roots is necessary for us to pin down the object of our own research, which is expected to be uncovered from the results of the survey and research based on sub-questions 1 and 2. These sub-questions are as interesting and necessary as the primary question because they will allow us a look-see on how the change management theories are translated into actual practice, and how communication plays a role in that process. We then attempt to justify this information through a case study of companies that practice change management. Relations to Existing Literature The basic idea of change management is to bring order to a disorderly situation. It is also described as the process of locating and identifying problems for the purpose of solving them. Once the problem is identified, change is then carried out either by transformation, reduction or application. By transformation, the objective is to change the situation from a "problem state"... From the research, it can be comprehended that the basic idea of change management is to bring order to a disorderly situation. It is also described as the process of locating and identifying problems for the purpose of solving them. Once the problem is identified, change is then carried out either by transformation, reduction or application. By transformation, the objective is to change the situation from a â€Å"problem state† to a â€Å"solved state.† Through reduction, change management is aimed at lessening the magnitude of the problem to at least blunt its effects on the organization. As for application, management deals with the problem by calling in specialists to transform, reduce or eliminate said problem. For efficient management of the changes that could influence the smo oth operation and viability of the business, there are four basic change management strategies set forth in the literature, which are led by the â€Å"empirical-rational† strategy. In this particular strategy, Lewin, K. says the changes are communicated to the employees by setting up reward and incentive systems based on the notion that people, being rational beings, respond positively to a give-and-take proposition. The chief concern of the proposed dissertation is to sketch change management as it is applied and communicated in different industries, of which precious little is mentioned in the existing literature. For the most part, the literature is only concerned with the theories and concepts of change management.

Medications errros Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Medications errros - Essay Example Available literature about medical errors states that emergency department often faces the challenge of medical errors. The intensity of the work conducted in the emergency department is one of the factors that may lead to medical errors. Emergency department is prone to medical errors because of the involvement of the individual medical practitioners . The influx pattern in the emergency department is another factor that influences the number or errors committed in this department. Some arguments about medical errors committed in the emergency department attest to the fact that medical professionals attending to patients on the emergency department often feel bored because of the inconsistent number of patients that the department receives. According to renowned scholar Norman, human beings always err (Schenkel, 2000). Thus, by considering this fact in mind, the medical professionals should be extra vigilant when handling patients. Medical errors such as wrong prescriptions are avoidable if the medical professional pays more attention to the patients. Other errors include over dosage, application of wrong procedures when handling a casualty, excessive and x-ray penetrations among others. First, is to understand the source of the error and develop means of avoiding the causes of errors. Second, create a possibility to undo actions. Third, create an environment, which may lead to tracing of the errors. Fourth, change the trends about errors (Schenkel, 2000). Critics argue that training is essential in eliminating some of the errors committed by medical professionals. Written report, for instance is important when handling a patients. Doctors or nurses may use the written document to identify the requirement of the patient. Personal responsibility is essential in defining the number of errors committed. By exercising care when handling a patient, errors arising from negligence would be avoidable. The safety of the patients is very essential. When

Assignment #2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

#2 - Assignment Example Price adjustments- this is the lowering of the prices with the hopes to generate more sales by increasing the number of units purchased. This is one of the most used methods by businesses to enter new markets. Product improvements- this occurs when a business decides to add quality to its products as a way of attracting more customers. Thus, price improvements are better suited for creating new interests in stagnating products and to offer extra benefits when one uses the product. Creation of more distribution channels- in this method, a business enters a market through increasing its methods of making products reach the consumers and making the products more readily available in the market. For instance, a business that operates through retails may open wholesale centers for distribution of more products. It helps in determining the market penetration goal. As such, the business subtracts the effects of the limiting factors from market potential, and it enables the business to estimate its measurable goals. Makes it possible for the business to define its market. By making adjustments in the market potential and the share figures, business can define its markets in terms of industry, product, and geography or customer type. A business can identify and quantify the limiting factors. Such factors include competition, government regulation, and limited resources. Therefore, by adjusting the market potential and the share figures, the business will be in a better position to realize these factors, and quantify them. The ranking method- this is the process of comparing one’s job with others to determine whether it is higher, lower or in the same rank. This method is based on the overall judgment of the required skills, responsibility and also working conditions of the job. The prime benefit of this technique is that it is simple and is

Professional Project - Rehearsal Studio Dissertation

Professional Project - Rehearsal Studio - Dissertation Example This is inclusive of the sociocultural conditions and other economic situations that are now a part of the UK. This also includes the trends and conditions which are in the current environment and how this will affect the capability of having a rehearsal studio within a given area. The aims and objectives of the methodology will then be able to determine if it is financially feasible to begin a rehearsal studio as well as how the response would be from the social perspective in the UK. Design There will be two studies that will be used to determine whether a rehearsal studio can be incorporated into today’s climate in the UK. One consists of a qualitative analysis and the second a quantitative analysis. These will define the independent factors that would change the needs for a rehearsal studio and will show the impact which will be made when creating a rehearsal studio. The overall design will work to create the process of triangulation, or a mixed methodology. This particula r approach is able to combine several perspectives and to combine independent data to show how each is related to each other in the defining of a given situation (Tashakkori, 2006). Sample Populations The first concept which will be kept in mind with the design is based on geographic location. In the UK, there are several regions and areas that are designated as cultural quarters, specifically which is a part of the growing urban culture that is in the region (Montgomery, 2004). There are also other regions which are not as focused on implementing new cultures and ideologies, which build a different outlook on how many approaches the ideology of rehearsal studios and whether this should be implemented. Examining both aspects of the need for a rehearsal studio will then assist in creating a different outlook for the implementation of the studio. A second aspect to consider with the sample population is based on the target market of who would use a rehearsal studio. The main approach is toward musicians, engineers and producers that would be interested in having a main area for creating music. There can also be applications for other types of art, such as a rehearsal space for dance, as well. With these considerations, is also an understanding that the concept is based on creating communities through the use of space. This is combined with the alternative, which is available with online and remote communities and technology tools used for creating music or working with the fine arts (Trueman, 2007). From this perspective, there is the need to create a rehearsal studio that define what the studio can be used for and how it should be approached in terms of community building. Quantitative Method The first method which will be used will combine the sample populations with an overall examination of the viability of starting a studio. This will begin with creating an understanding of the finances that are involved with a rehearsal studio. The quantitative method will examine the budgets of rehearsal studios that are already in place in the UK, including ones based on urban culture and others that are in both city settings and remote areas. The examination will include: 1. Start up costs of the studio. 2. Maintenance costs of the studio. 3. Amount of income from the space. 4. Years in operation. 5. Profit and loss over each year and whether this has grown. 6. Main individuals using the rehearsal space. The comparison of these different factors will show examples of how much investment has to be made with the rehearsal studio as

Medications errros Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Medications errros - Essay Example Available literature about medical errors states that emergency department often faces the challenge of medical errors. The intensity of the work conducted in the emergency department is one of the factors that may lead to medical errors. Emergency department is prone to medical errors because of the involvement of the individual medical practitioners . The influx pattern in the emergency department is another factor that influences the number or errors committed in this department. Some arguments about medical errors committed in the emergency department attest to the fact that medical professionals attending to patients on the emergency department often feel bored because of the inconsistent number of patients that the department receives. According to renowned scholar Norman, human beings always err (Schenkel, 2000). Thus, by considering this fact in mind, the medical professionals should be extra vigilant when handling patients. Medical errors such as wrong prescriptions are avoidable if the medical professional pays more attention to the patients. Other errors include over dosage, application of wrong procedures when handling a casualty, excessive and x-ray penetrations among others. First, is to understand the source of the error and develop means of avoiding the causes of errors. Second, create a possibility to undo actions. Third, create an environment, which may lead to tracing of the errors. Fourth, change the trends about errors (Schenkel, 2000). Critics argue that training is essential in eliminating some of the errors committed by medical professionals. Written report, for instance is important when handling a patients. Doctors or nurses may use the written document to identify the requirement of the patient. Personal responsibility is essential in defining the number of errors committed. By exercising care when handling a patient, errors arising from negligence would be avoidable. The safety of the patients is very essential. When

Professional Project - Rehearsal Studio Dissertation

Professional Project - Rehearsal Studio - Dissertation Example This is inclusive of the sociocultural conditions and other economic situations that are now a part of the UK. This also includes the trends and conditions which are in the current environment and how this will affect the capability of having a rehearsal studio within a given area. The aims and objectives of the methodology will then be able to determine if it is financially feasible to begin a rehearsal studio as well as how the response would be from the social perspective in the UK. Design There will be two studies that will be used to determine whether a rehearsal studio can be incorporated into today’s climate in the UK. One consists of a qualitative analysis and the second a quantitative analysis. These will define the independent factors that would change the needs for a rehearsal studio and will show the impact which will be made when creating a rehearsal studio. The overall design will work to create the process of triangulation, or a mixed methodology. This particula r approach is able to combine several perspectives and to combine independent data to show how each is related to each other in the defining of a given situation (Tashakkori, 2006). Sample Populations The first concept which will be kept in mind with the design is based on geographic location. In the UK, there are several regions and areas that are designated as cultural quarters, specifically which is a part of the growing urban culture that is in the region (Montgomery, 2004). There are also other regions which are not as focused on implementing new cultures and ideologies, which build a different outlook on how many approaches the ideology of rehearsal studios and whether this should be implemented. Examining both aspects of the need for a rehearsal studio will then assist in creating a different outlook for the implementation of the studio. A second aspect to consider with the sample population is based on the target market of who would use a rehearsal studio. The main approach is toward musicians, engineers and producers that would be interested in having a main area for creating music. There can also be applications for other types of art, such as a rehearsal space for dance, as well. With these considerations, is also an understanding that the concept is based on creating communities through the use of space. This is combined with the alternative, which is available with online and remote communities and technology tools used for creating music or working with the fine arts (Trueman, 2007). From this perspective, there is the need to create a rehearsal studio that define what the studio can be used for and how it should be approached in terms of community building. Quantitative Method The first method which will be used will combine the sample populations with an overall examination of the viability of starting a studio. This will begin with creating an understanding of the finances that are involved with a rehearsal studio. The quantitative method will examine the budgets of rehearsal studios that are already in place in the UK, including ones based on urban culture and others that are in both city settings and remote areas. The examination will include: 1. Start up costs of the studio. 2. Maintenance costs of the studio. 3. Amount of income from the space. 4. Years in operation. 5. Profit and loss over each year and whether this has grown. 6. Main individuals using the rehearsal space. The comparison of these different factors will show examples of how much investment has to be made with the rehearsal studio as

Super Kikay and Her Flying Pagong Essay Example for Free

Super Kikay and Her Flying Pagong Essay The turtle is a magical and gave Kikay the power to save humankind and the sea creatures. It is her duty to protect the ocean deep from the giant small Octopus and its master disciple from getting the magical pearl that gives life to the ocean deep. As a training, Super Kikay fly around their town and try to solve the problems and difficulties of other people. Some of the problems she solve was to help a stuck jeepney get off the mud. She also rescued a girl that almost fall from the ferries wheel and stop the illegal fishers from destroying the ocean by using dynamites to catch fish. After her training, Dong pagong instructed her to get the magical pearl and bring it to their land to prevent the giant octopus from finding it in the ocean. Kikay transforms into Super K and dive into the ocean to get the magical pearl. She easily found the magical pearl but she was also seen by the giant octopus and followed her into the land. When Super K noticed that the giant octopus followed her, she immediately dug a hole to hide the magical pearl but she forgot to bury it. Super K and the giant octopus fight each other. Super K almost defeated the giant octopus but she was easily beaten because the giant octopus fired a black ink on her face and temporarily blinded her giving the octopus time to escape w/ the magical pearl. Super Ks brother was also kidnapped by the giant octopus while she was temporarily blinded. The next morning, Dong pagong told Kikay that she must get the magical pearl from the giant octopus to prevent the fishes from dying. Kikay transformed into Super K again to find the giant octopus and get the magical pearl and also to rescue her younger brother. Horje (the scientist who created the giant octopus) eliminated the giant octopus because he thinks that the giant octopus may be a barricade on his plans (he plans to sell the magical pearl to foreigners for 100,000 million pesos) Super K heard the gun shot that was fired from Horjes gun. She thought that shot her younger brother but later on found out that Horje killed the giant octopus and not her younger brother. After letting her younger brother escaped, she chased Horje until she cornered him. They fought fiercely until she have beaten Horje and get the magical pearl. Super K go back on their town and returned the magical pearl into the ocean. After the returning the magical pearl, the ocean became clean again and all the fishes were happy and thanking Super K for saving them. Dong pagong did not take back the power that she has given to Kikay because he knows that Kikay will use her powers to help humans.

Mission statement organizations vision translated into written form

Mission statement organizations vision translated into written form Mission  Statement A mission statement is an organizations vision translated into written form. It makes concrete the leaders view of the direction and purpose of the organization. For many corporate leaders it is a vital element in any attempt to motivate employees and to give them a sense of priorities. (1) A mission statement should be a short and concise statement of goals and priorities. In turn, goals are specific objectives that relate to specific time periods and are stated in terms of facts. The primary goal of any business is to increase stakeholder value. The most important stakeholders are shareholders who own the business, employees who work for the business, and clients or customers who purchase products and/or services from the business. A mission statement  is a brief description of a companys fundamental purpose. A mission statement answers the question, Why do we exist? (1) The mission statement articulates the companys purpose both for those in the organization and for the public. For instance, the mission statement of Canadian Tire reads (in part): Canadian Tire is a growing network of interrelated businesses Canadian Tire continuously strives to meet the needs of its customers for total value by offering a unique package of location, price, service and assortment. The mission statement of Rivercorp, business development consultants in Campbell River, B.C., is: To provide one stop progressive economic development services through partnerships on behalf of shareholders and the community. As you see from these two mission statement samples, mission statements are as varied as the companies they describe. However, all mission statements will broadly describe an organizations present capabilities, customer focus, activities, and business makeup (5). The difference between a mission statement and a  Strategic Intent  is that a mission statement focuses on a companys present state while a Strategic Intent focuses on a companys future. Every business should have a mission statement, both as a way of ensuring that everyone in the organization is on the same page and to serve as a baseline for effective business planning Mission statements often contain the following Purpose and aim of the organization The organizations primary stakeholders: clients, stockholders, congregation, etc. Responsibilities of the organization toward these stakeholders Products and services offered So, when you are preparing your Mission Statement remember to make it clear and succinct, incorporating socially meaningful and measurable criteria and consider approaching it from a grand scale. As you create your Mission Statement consider including some or all of the following concepts. The moral/ethical position of the enterprise The desired public image The key strategic influence for the business A description of the target market A description of the products/services The geographic domain Expectations of growth and profitability Strategic Intent A Strategic Intent  is sometimes called a picture of your company in the future but its so much more than that. Your Strategic Intent is your inspiration, the framework for all your strategic planning. A Strategic Intent may apply to an entire company or to a single division of that company. Whether for all or part of an organization, the Strategic Intent answers the question, Where do we want to go? What you are doing when creating a Strategic Intent is articulating your dreams and hopes for your business. It reminds you of what you are trying to build. While a Strategic Intent doesnt tell you how youre going to get there, it does set the direction for your business planning. (For more on the role of your Strategic Intent in business planning, Thats why its important when crafting a Strategic Intent to let your imagination go and dare to dream and why its important that a Strategic Intent captures your passion. Unlike the mission statement, a Strategic Intent is for you and the other members of your company, not for your customers or clients. Corporate vision is a short, succinct, and  inspiring  statement of what the organization intends to become and to achieve at some point in the future, often stated in competitive terms. Vision refers to the category of intentions that are broad, all-inclusive and forward-thinking.   It is the image that a business must have of its goals before it sets out to reach them.  It describes aspirations for the future, without specifying the means that will be used to achieve those desired ends. Warren Bennis, a noted writer on  leadership, says: To choose a direction, an executive must have developed a mental image of the possible and desirable future state of the organization. This image, which we call a  vision, may be as vague as a dream or as precise as a goal or a mission statement. A  strategic intent  is a companys vision of what it wants to achieve in the long term. It must convey a significant stretch for your company, a sense of direction, discovery, and opportunity that can communicated as worthwhile to all employees. It should not focus so much on todays problems, which are normally dealt with by company visions and missions, but rather on tomorrows opportunities. To achieve great things, you need ambitious visions. And it does not matter that vision cannot be laid out in details. It is the direction that counts. Mission Vision Goals Figure 1.0 Its significance on the Organization à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Visions incorporate goals for the future: but whose goals? Make sure the goals set out by your organization are shared by the community you serve. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Visions are often value-laden statements. Values should be broad and inclusive to incorporate as many people and perspectives as possible. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Visions should be optimistic and inspiring: to you, organization staff, and the community you serve. We believe in the equality of all people, regardless of race, class, nationality, gender, or sexual orientation. (2) In short, the mission guides the organization in its daily work, and the vision inspires the organization and the community to never give up on its future goals. Vision Mission Values Strategic Goals Tactics Figure 2.0 (5) Strategic Business Management and Planning The Strategic Position Strategy in Action Strategic Choices Capability Environment Culture Purpose Corporate Level Business Level Innovation Evaluation International Processes Organising Resourcing Changing Practice Figure 3.0 The Exploring Corporate Strategy model (4) Strategic Position: Understanding the strategic position is concerned with identifying the impact on strategy of the external environment, an organizations strategic capability and the expectations and influence of stakeholders. The sort of questions this raises are central to future strategies. The Environment Environment plays an important role in building up the strategies and how it affects the organisation strategies and goals looking out for the opportunities and threats from the outer world. Therefore it is very important to evaluate the environmental impacts on the organization. The capabilities Capabilities depends upon the resources and competences within the organization. One way of thinking about the strategic capability of an organization is to consider its strengths and weaknesses. Look for the core competences and USPs which the competitors will find difficult to imitate. Purpose The major influences of stakeholder expectations is organizations purposes. Purpose is summarized in an organisations vision, mission and values. This is important since it clarifies who should the organization serve and how should it work. this reflects the corporate social responsibilities and ethics. Culture These influences directly either on organizational, sectoral or national. Corporate Governance Corporate Governance is concerned with the structures and systems of control by which managers are held accountable to those who have legitimate stake in an organization. (4) There are many other reason which has made its presence an important issue for the organization. Out of which the three main reasons are as follows; The separation of ownership and management control which means that the organization works with hierarchy or within the chain of governance. This chain basically represents those groups that influence an organization through their involvement in either ownership or management of an organization. Scandals by the corporate have increased a lot of public debate about different parties in the governance chain should interact and influence each other. Most notable here is the relationship between shareholders and the boards of businesses as well as relationship between government or public funding bodies and public sector organizations. Increased accountability to wider Stakeholder interests has also come to be increasingly advocated; in particular the argument that corporations need to be more visibly accountable and responsive , not only to owners and managers in the governance chain but to wider social interest. Governance Structure Strategic Purpose Social responsibility and ethics Stakeholder expectations Figure 4.0 Influences on strategic purpose (4) The governance chain explains completely the roles and relationships of different groups which are present in the governance of an organization. The chain is very simple to understand it is similar like a family tree. It has shareholders, family members, managers and a board. It is a large and publicly quoted organization with more investors layers as well. Hence good corporate governance can be achieved only if it is an embedded part of corporate life: part of the DNA of the organisation, its internal processes and the way it makes information available externally. In many countries most companies are run mostly for the benefit of the shareholders, the rightful owners.  But there is another model, where companies are run for the benefit of other significant groupings as well such as customers, the general public or employees. This is the stakeholder model. Choosing a board for each of these models or something in between requires people with different backgrounds and outlooks. The following table  compares the shareholder and stakeholder models: Shareholders Stakeholders Maximize shareholder value and look after shareholder interests Look after all stakeholder interests, especially public Seek profitability and efficiency Look for survival, long term growth, and stability Hard-nosed and commercial Less concerned with profit than value for money A Stakeholders mapping can be used appropriately to understand the stakeholders influence. Stakeholder mapping can define his expectations and power and helps in understanding political priorities. It emphasizes the importance of two issues: Interest of the stakeholder group on organizations purposes and choice of strategies Power of stakeholders to actually do it They are described in a quadrant of four different types based on level of interest and their power, as follows Figure 5.0 Stakeholder Mapping Low High High A Minimal Effort C Keep satisfied B Keep Informed D Key Players Level of Interest Power (7) Non Profit Organizations A  non-profit organization  is an  organization  which does not distribute its surplus funds to owners or shareholders, but instead uses them to help pursue its goals.  Examples of NPOs include charities (i.e.  charitable organizations),  trade unions, and public  arts  organizations. Most governments and government agencies meet this definition, but in most countries they are considered a separate type of organization and not counted as NPOs. They are in most countries exempt from  income  and  property taxation. Profit Organizations An  organization  is a social arrangement which pursues collective goals, controls its own performance, and has a boundary separating it from its environment. It is a business which has a primary goal of making profit and a proposed goal such as helping the environment. Differences between Profit and Non-profit Organization Ownership is the quantitative difference between for- and not-for-profit organizations. For-profit organizations can be privately owned and may re-distribute taxable wealth to  employees  and  shareholders. By contrast, not-for-profit organizations do not have owners. They have controlling members or boards, but these people cannot sell their shares to others or personally benefit in any taxable way. While they are able to earn a profit, more accurately called a surplus, such earnings must be retained by the organization for its self-preservation, expansion and future plans. Earnings may not benefit individuals or stake-holders. While some non-profit organizations put substantial funds into hiring and rewarding their internal corporate leadership, middle-management personnel and workers, others employ unpaid volunteers and even executives may work for no compensation. However, since the late 1980s there has been a growing consensus that nonprofits can achieve their corporate targets more effectively by using some of the same methods developed in for-profit enterprises. These include effective internal management, ensuring accountability for results, and monitoring the performance of different divisions or projects in order to better benefit from their capital and workers. Those require satisfied management and that, in turn, begins with the organizations mission There are a variety of perspectives, models and approaches used in strategic planning. The way that a strategic plan is developed depends on the nature of the organizations leadership, culture of the organization, complexity of the organizations environment, size of the organization, expertise of planners, etc. For example, there are a variety of strategic planning models, including goals-based, issues-based, organic, scenario (some would assert that scenario planning is more of a technique than model), etc. Goals-based planning is probably the most common and starts with focus on the organizations mission (and vision and/or values), goals to work toward the mission, strategies to achieve the goals, and action planning (who will do what and by when). Issues-based strategic planning often starts by examining issues facing the organization, strategies to address those issues and action plans. Organic strategic planning might start by articulating the organizations vision and values, an d then action plans to achieve the vision while adhering to those values. Some planners prefer a particular approach to planning, eg, appreciative inquiry. Some plans are scoped to one year, many to three years, and some to five to ten years into the future. Some plans include only top-level information and no action plans. Some plans are five to eight pages long, while others can be considerably longer. For-profit and nonprofit business plans have many similarities. For that reason, nonprofit personnel would benefit from reading the links in the section above, For-Profit Business Planning. Some of the terms are different, but in most cases they can readily be translated into words more commonly used in the nonprofit sector. For example, balance sheet is what nonprofit call a statement of financial position, profit and loss statement (or income statement) is essentially the same as a statement of financial activities, and so on. One of the key difference between a for profit and a non profit plan is the marketing section. In a for profit business, the served customers are generally those who provide the revenues needed to cover expenses and continue operations. For a non profit, often the served constituents do not provide this sustaining funding, and it must be sought from a third party donors. This means the marketing plan must describe both how the organization will communicate its services to its service target market and how it will communicate its need for funding to its funding target market. This means detailing these two separate marketing messages and two strategies for marketing.   Another key difference is the non profit part of the business plan. Financial plans for a non profit do not have to show net profit, and, if they do, there must be some explanation of what those retained earnings will be used for. They cannot be distributed as dividends, as the organization is technically owned by the public and not by the directors or board. However, profits can be accumulated for the purposes of creating an endowment or capital fund for future expenditures. An accountant should be consulted for any decisions of this nature.   International dimensions of strategic business management and planning Going global is one of the key visions of most of the organizations. Choosing globalization increases the option for the organizations range of products or services and how to manage across the borders. Through international strategy framework it becomes achievable in a better way. International strategy as the core theme, depends upon two things, the external environment and organizational capabilities. If you see the figure 6.0 it focuses more on internationalisation drivers and on the capabilities side it emphasises on international and national sources of advantage. Figure 6.0 International strategy framework Internationalisation drivers Market selection Sources of competitive advantage Mode of entry International Strategy (4) Market Drivers Similar customer needs Global customers Transferable marketingInternationalisation Drivers Figure 7.0 Internalisation Drivers International Strategies Cost Drivers Scale economic Country-specific differences Favorable logistics Government Drivers Trade Policies Technical Standards Host Government Policies Competitive Drivers Interdependence between countries Competitors global strategies (4) Market globalization drivers There is a general belief that several markets are converging around the world. There are several reasons for this. First, the convergence of Gross National Product (GNP) per capita in the developed world is leading to a convergence in markets sensitive to wealth and level of income such as passenger cars, television sets, and computers. Second, there is evidence to suggest that in some industries, customers tastes, perceptions, and buying behaviours are converging, and that the world is moving towards a single global market that is basically Western and, more specifically, North American. In a landmark article titled The globalization of markets Levitt (1983) predicted that globalization drivers such as new technology would lead to homogenization of consumer desires and needs across the world. He argued that this would happen because generally consumers would prefer standard products of high quality and low price to more customized but higher-priced products. Third, in the quest to build a global brand and company image, multinational firms are increasingly favouring a global standardization of marketing and advertising efforts. This does not mean identical marketing and advertising campaigns, but the use of similar themes that send the same message across the world. Recent developments in broadcast media, particularly direct-broadcast satellite and international media, are making this more possible. CNN, for example, broadcasts standard adverts around the world. Cost globalization drivers Several key cost drivers may come into play in determining an industry globalization level. One key factor is global scale economies. That is, the costs of producing a particular product or service are often subject to economies or dis-economies of scale. Generally, economies of scale arise when a product or a process can be performed more cheaply at greater volume than at lesser volume. This is often the case when the product or service is standardized; hence it becomes hard for multinational firms to differentiate themselves, and cost becomes key in achieving and sustaining a competitive advantage. Producing different products for different countries leads to higher cost per unit. This is because multinational firms serving countries with separate products may not be able to reach the most economic scale of production for each countrys unique product. Multinational firms could reduce the cost by using common parts and components produced in different countries. Another factor is sourcing efficiencies. Global sourcing efficiencies may push multinational firms towards a global strategy. The prices of key resources used in the production process have a strong impact on the cost of the product or service, the cost of inputs depends on the bargaining power of the firm with their suppliers. For example, large firms purchasing large volumes have more clout with their suppliers than their small rivals. Hewlett-Packard (HP) is a good example. In the past, country-level subsidiaries used to solicit bids for insurance coverage independently. Each subsidiary chose the local provider who bid less than the competition. However, HP now belongs to a global insurer-insured pool which provides rebates based on business volume. In addition, as noted earlier, some countries provide a cost advantage because of low cost of raw material, low cost of labour, or low cost of transport because of location. Thus multinational firms locate their activities in different countries to benefit from these advantages. Further, in sectors where transportation cost is low, closeness to customers is not important, and urgency to distribute the product is low, multinational firms tend to concentrate their production in large plants producing large-scale products. Finally, high cost of product development drives multinational firms to focus on core products that have universal appeal to control cost. Government globalization drivers Governments have different policies for different industries. While (as discussed above) the general trend is lower trade barriers and less regulation, for a few sectors trade barriers are prohibitive and highly regulated by governments. In addition to trade barriers and regulations, technical standards are becoming similar around the world. For example, several countries have accepted new international accounting norms and standards. In Europe, the International Accounting Standards (IAS) are quickly becoming the norm. This will allow direct cross-border comparison of financial statements, and facilitate communication between subsidiaries and the centre. Companies like Nokia, the Allianz group, and Novartis are working to bring about a convergence of US accounting standards with IAS. Competitive drivers Because of tight interlinks between key world markets, intense competition across countries, and the continuous increase in the number of global competitors, multinational firms are adopting a globally centred rather than nationally centred strategy. According to George Yip, the increase in interactions between competitors from different countries requires a globally integrated strategy to monitor moves by competitors in different countries. He notes that by pursuing a global strategy, competitors create competitive interdependence among countries. This interdependence forces multinational firms to engage in competitive battles and to subsidize attacks in different countries. Cross-subsidization is only possible if the multinational firm has a global strategy that monitors competitors centrally rather than on a country-by-country basis. Globalized competitors drive industries to adopt a global strategy. Yip noted that when major competitors, especially first movers, use a global strategy to introduce customers to global products, late movers adopt the same strategy so as to achieve economies of scale or scope and other benefits associated with adopting a global strategy. Last, the ability to transfer competitive advantage globally drives multinationals to adopt a global strategy. For example, IKEA succeeded in transferring its locally developed advantage to a global market. Conversely, sectors where the competitive advantage is locally rooted and hard to transfer across countries, multinationals tend to adopt an international strategy rather than a global one. (8) Strategic Management Strategic Management is a term which underlines the importance of managers with regards to the company strategy. Strategy needs to be defined by the people especially the managers who also implement them. Strategic Management involves a greater scope than that of any one area of operational management. It is characterised in way it makes easy for the managers to make decision and judgement based on the conceptualisation of difficult issues. Corporate strategy is defined as the identification of the purpose of the organization and the plans and actions to achieve that purpose. Corporate strategy consist of two main elements: corporate level strategy and business level strategy .See figure 7.0 At Corporate Level: All the decisions need to be taken over what business the company is in or should be in. The culture and leadership of the organization are also important at this broad general level. Corporate strategy is the pattern of major objectives, purpose or goals and essential policies or plans for achieving those goals, stated in such a way as to define what business the company is in or be in and the kind of company it is or be. (9) At Business Level: corporate strategy is more alarmed with the competing for customers, generating value from the resources and the underlying principle of the sustainable competitive advantages of those resources over rival companies. Figure 8.0 The essence of corporate strategy At the individual business level: How do we complete successfully? What is our sustainable competitive advantage? How can we innovate? Who are our customers? What value do we add? At the general corporate level: What business are we in? What business we should be in? What business our basic directions for the future? What is our culture and leadership style? What is our attitude to strategic change? What should it be? What is the purpose of the organization? And what are our strategies to achieve this? (10) The three main areas of strategy At both the levels of corporate strategy every organization has to manage its strategies in three main areas: Organizations internal resources; External environment within the area of organization operates; Organizations ability to add value to its organizations process. Resources Strategy Resources of any organization includes human resource skills, investors and the capital. Organizations need to build a good strategies to optimise the use of the resources. In particular, it is essential to investigate the sustainable competitive advantage that will allow the organization to survive and prosper against competition. Environmental strategy Environment encompasses all the aspect external to the organization itself: not only the economic and political circumstances, which depends place to place but competitors, customers and suppliers, who may vary widely around the world, but also competitors, customers are particularly important here. Hence organizations therefore needs to develop corporate strategies that are best suited to their strengths and weakness in relation to the environment in which they operate. Adding Value Apart from environment and resources organizations still need to add value to the supplies brought into the organization. For long term survival, an organization take their supplies seriously and then deliver its output to its customers. The main purpose of corporate strategy is to make the organization create and add vital values to make sure the organization adapts the changes and continue to add value in future. Core areas of Corporate Strategy There are three core areas of corporate strategy are strategic analysis, strategy development and strategy implementation. Strategic analysis: The organization, its mission and objectives have to be examined and analysed. Corporate strategy provides value for the people involved in the organization, its stakeholders but its the managers who decide the objectives of the organization. They also analyse the resources and examine the objectives as well as the relationship with the environment. Strategy development: A strategy options has to be developed and then the right has to be selected. To be successful, the strategy is build upon a particular skills of the organization and the special relationship that it has or can develop with the other outside suppliers, customers, distributors and government. Strategy implementation: The selected options now has to be implemented and the organization will find many other difficulties in terms of motivation, power relationships, government negotiations, company acquisitions and many other matters. Hierarchical Characteristics of Strategy Strategy can be formulated on three different levels: Corporate level Business unit level Functional or Operational level, While strategy may be about competing and surviving as a rum, one can argue that products, not corporations compete, and products are developed by business units. The role or the corporation then is to manage its business units and products so that each is competitive and so that each continues to corporate purposes. While the corporation must manage its portfolio of businesses to grow and survive, the success of a diversified firm depends upon its ability to manage each of its product lines, While there is no single competition to Textron, we can talk about the competitors and strategy of each of its business units. In the finance business segment, for example, the chief rivals ate major banks providing commercial financing. Many matagers consider the business level to be the proper focus for strategic planning. Corporate Level Strategy Corporate level strategy fundamentally is concerned with the selection of businesses in which the company should compete and with the development and coordination of that portfolio of

An investigation of neutralization reactions Essay -- GCSE Chemistry C

An investigation of neutralization reactions Aim Question : What is the effect of changing the concentration of an alkali, on the volume of acid needed to neutralise it, when acid is added to it? The plan is to use two acids (Hydrochloric & Sulphuric) and one alkali (Sodium Hydroxide). The reason I need to use two acids is; because the question applies to all acids and alkalis and to just use one of each would not enable me to come to a general conclusion. If there had been more time available, ideally I would have preferred to use two alkalis as well as two acids. Predictions First of all, here are the definitions for an acid and an alkali: An acid is a substance that forms hydrogen (H+) ions when placed in water. It can also be described as a proton donor as it provides H+ ions. An alkali is a soluble base and forms hydroxyl ions (OH-) when placed in water. It can be called a proton acceptor because it will accept hydrogen (H+) ions and form H2O. A Hydrochloric acid molecule (HCl) will release one H+ ion and one Cl- ion when placed in water. A Sodium Hydroxide molecule (NaOH) will release one Na+ ion and one OH- ion when placed in water. This means that one molecule of NaOH and one molecule of HCl will neutralise each other and produce H2O and a neutral salt called Sodium Chloride (NaCl). This means that to neutralise HCl and NaOH when they are at the same concentration, you need equal amounts of each. GRAPH On the other hand, a Sulphuric Acid molecule (H2SO4) will release two H+ ions and one SO4-- ions. This means that you need two molecules of NaOH to neutralise one molecule of H2SO4 and produce the neutral salt Sodium Sulphate (Na2SO4). This means ... ... in the following ways : * Instead of using Universal Indicator, I would use an indicator which only changed colour when the solution was Neutral rather than gradually changing as the pH became lower (e.g. Methyl Orange or Phenolphthalein). * To get the pH more accurate next time, a pH meter could be used. * To get it very accurate, the acids and alkalis supplied should be an exact amount (I am not sure whether the ones I used were exact). * To use very recently distilled water, because the water will become acidic if left for a long time. References Books Dunstan, S. 1968. Principles of Chemistry. Van Nostrand Reinhold  · Pages 187-88  · Pages 215- 253 McDuell, B. 1997. GCSE Chemistry Classbook. Letts  · Pages 171-72  · Pages 28-32  · Page 262 Computer programs Microsoft Excel Version 97 Microsoft Word 97 Paint Shop Pro 4