Monday, August 24, 2020

The success attributable to leadership in Compaq Computers and Konica Case Study

The achievement owing to administration in Compaq Computers and Konica Corp - Case Study Example From its start until 1991, the organization saw impressive development and benefit. In any case, because of the extraordinary rivalry in the market, the organization lost force and without precedent for its history, the organization pronounced misfortune in 1991, trailed by laying off 1700 workers and cutting the cost of the items. Be that as it may, as the new pioneer Eckhard Pfeiffer took up the errand, he presented an absolutely new methodology and procedure. On his start, as Salazar (1996, p. 638) reports, Pfeiffer proclaimed his seven point technique that included proceeding to be the major worldwide provider of PCs and frameworks, PC division presenting new financially savvy and passage level items which are high playing out, the framework division offering quality assistance and client assistance, keeping up high caliber and dependability, top notch client support and backing, a consistently diminishing cost of items guaranteeing serious costs in all business sectors, and an e xpanded deals and circulation. An investigate the historical backdrop of the organization demonstrates that the organization figured out how to do this, and the administration of Pfeifer in accomplishing all these in the most limited time can't be disregarded. Pfeiffer’s Success Mantra and What Konica needed Pfeiffer didn't focus on transient administration yet long haul achievement. His prosperity lies in the way that he obviously comprehended what turned out badly with the organization and he arranged a reasonable procedure for the organization. Furthermore, he executed what he arranged. As indicated by him, the disappointment of the organization happened in light of the fact that its prosperity made the organization settle for the status quo for some time and henceforth, the organization didn't see the signs of the development of its adversaries. So it concentrated uniquely on the top of the line advertise, keeping is items costly. Be that as it may, for Pfeifer, the image was clear. He comprehended what to do. His system was to cut costs on very good quality items to keep the current scope of clients, and to present new section level, low edge items which are intended to sell beneficially at a value that matches minimal effort contenders. Presently, the time has come to perceive how Pfeifer figured out how to present the low-estimated line in a brief timeframe. So also, even before it falling into misfortune, Konica understood the dangers ahead, perusing from the adjustments in the market. In the year 1986, Fuji Film had 67.5% of the film piece of the overall industry, and Kodak had an expansion in its piece of the overall industry by one percent. Be that as it may, Konica lost one purpose of piece of the pie, tumbling from 22% to 21%. What's more, rivalry on the cost of photofinishing was serious. The cost of building up the film and the cost of shading printing were going down extensively throughout the previous five years. In this way, the gauge was that the smaller than expected labs would deal with 25% of the novice photofinishing market by 1989. Furthermore, as Turpin and Shen (1999) express, the camera segment where Konica had a 5.5% offer also was confronting extraordinary rivalry as the business sectors had developed and as organizations were presenting cameras with a ton of new highlights and which are easy to use; and the principle players in the

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Reflection essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 9

Reflection - Essay Example Obviously, human progress has seen the trade in social practices and exercises. Best practices have consistently been traded since the time the acknowledgment of the social decent variety. Individuals from various societies will in general become familiar with the acts of different societies and use the exercises for individual and cultural advantages. Be that as it may, the social decent variety doesn't imply that societies are extraordinary. Without a doubt, the variety credits to the nearness of likenesses and contrasts in the human culture. This paper will utilize the human sciences focal point in exhibiting the social varieties utilizing two-course books. It will expand the social varieties between the American hip jump gathering and a Japanese hip bounce gathering The creator expounds on the assorted variety between the Japanese society and American culture with respect to their observation to hip jump music. All the while, it clarifies how a culture and music that begins most of the way around the globe is appropriated and changed inside the Tokyo clubs and the account studios. Simultaneously, the Japanese social decent variety and the remainder of the world are illustrated. The book portrays hip jump as an acknowledged type of music in the American culture while it is as yet discovering its ground in Japan. Obviously, the hip bounce scene in Japan is energetic. Subsequently, the a considerable lot of the Japanese are thinking about the music type to come important in the music business and clubs in Tokyo. As an emulated social practice, the Japanese can't reshape hip bounce into a Japanese item. Or maybe, they attempt to emulate the entire bundle of the American rappers. This incorporates the utilization of slanderous terms, musicality (Cond ry 137). This shows the Japanese language doesn't relate to the hip bounce nature of music. The hip bounce sort requires the rappers to stream with the beats and bode well out of a specific cadence. In this way, the two societies differ in language, and that impacts their music industry. From the account appears,

Sunday, July 19, 2020

Bureaucratic vs. Matrix Organizational Structures

Bureaucratic vs. Matrix Organizational Structures An organization is defined as a collective composed of individuals or groups of individuals, with different functions or roles, working together towards common goals. It involves different individuals, different tasks, different techniques, and different processes. This diversity, if left unchecked or unregulated, could lead to chaos and disorder. Order is required. Thus, it is inevitable that every organization should have a framework or a structure in order to keep all these differences on track towards that common goal.The organizational structure would then be used to establish a pattern within the organization on matters such as hierarchy, authority, division of work, and relationships and connections between and among the different functions. It is through this structure that the operations of the organizations are defined and subsequently carried out. © Shutterstock.com | Ditty_about_summerIn this article, we explore 1) the basic principles of an organizational structure; 2) bureaucratic structures; 3) matrix structures; as well as 4) the comparison of bureaucratic vs. matrix structures.BASIC PRINCIPLES OF AN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURESpecialization â€" this is the division of work within the organization, according to the tasks or functions that the members or personnel specialize in. This special knowledge is then applied by the members towards the attainment of organizational goals. Horizontal specialization refers to the division of work according to the type of work at various levels within the organization, from top to bottom and vice versa. Vertical specialization refers to the division of work into departments.Coordination all the units, with their respective specializations or special knowledge are combined into a cohesive whole in order to work towards the organizational goals. It is applied through the following: A sing le superior is in place in order to establish a unity of command. Orders are received from only one superior, and the members are answerable or required to report to that one superior. The scalar principle is applied, whereby the chain of command starts from the top to the bottom, in a straight line. The principle of responsibility and authority holds that employees are responsible for the accomplishment of their assigned tasks while recognizing that they are under someone’s authority. The organization is understood to have undergone departmentalization (functional, product, users/customers, territory/geographic location, process or equipment). There is a specific number of units or individuals under one management, in order to clearly define the scope of control.Decentralization and Centralization This refers to how decision-making is assigned within the organization. If the decisions are left in the hands of top management, it is referred to as centralization. Decentralization, on the other hand, entails involvement of lower levels of management in the decision-making process.Line and Staff Relationships There are two types of authority often seen in organizations.There are two parties involved the superior (line employees) and the subordinate (staff employees). Accomplishment of goals is in the hands of the line employees, and they are provided support by the staff employees.The concept seems simple enough: there is an organization, and it needs a structure. However, not all organizations are the same. Depending on the nature of the organization, there are appropriate types of organizational structure that could be put into place.Today, we can classify the two most commonly used organizational structures into two: bureaucratic structures and matrix structures.BUREAUCRATIC STRUCTURESThe most basic organizational structure is simple and centralized, which means it mostly found in small organizations, particularly companies that fall under the sole propri etorship category. More often than not, there are only two or three levels in the hierarchy (which also happens to be another term for bureaucracy), making centralization easy.But growth and change is inevitable, and organizations have to be flexible to accommodate such changes. They could not rely on the simple centralized structure to keep working for them, especially when the organization becomes larger and its operations more complex or diversified. This is when the bureaucratic organizational structure was developed.The bureaucratic structure is one of the several types of classical organizational structures. Unlike the simple and traditional structure, however, the bureaucratic structure is more applicable to larger organizations or organizations that have more complex operations.A prime example of a bureaucratic organizational structure would have the PRESIDENT or top management on top, and below him would be the DEPARTMENT HEADS (second level) for Administrative, Research an d Development, Manufacturing, and Sales and Marketing. On the third level would be the DIVISION HEADS. For example, in the Administrative Department, there are division heads for Personnel/Human Resources and for Billing and Collection. Under the Sales and Marketing, there would be a division head for the Distribution and another for the Sales.Elements of a Bureaucratic StructureThere are two elements of a bureaucratic organizational structure that are deemed to be the most important. They are:Standard methods and procedures. Every bureaucratic organization must have standard procedures for the performance of work or the assigned tasks and responsibilities of its members.A level of control over the performance of said methods and procedures. The procedures are expected to be performed at a certain standard; therefore, there must be a high degree of control to ensure that these standards are observed and adhered to.Features of a Bureaucratic StructureThe following features and charac teristics are required in order for any bureaucratic structure to work.In any bureaucratic structure, employees or members of an organization have specialized tasks or functions that only they can perform, primarily due to their respective training and expertise. Thus, more often than not, employment in an organization that uses this type of structure is based on technical qualifications.A bureaucracy utilizes a hierarchical model, with tiers clearly defining the authority, responsibilities and functions at each level.Division of labor is strong in this type of structure, with almost all the tasks broken down into component parts, with the corresponding individuals assigned to perform them.A bureaucracy cannot be performed without having a set of formal rules or standard operating procedures (SOP) firmly in place. These rules clearly state or set forth the tasks that each level of the organization should perform.Strong boundaries and sense of identity.Advantages of a Bureaucratic St ructureEveryone in the organization knows their place. They know their position, the scope of their authority, their responsibility, and what they should and should not do, because everything has already been defined from the beginning.Efficient performance of tasksThis is down to the fact that the tasks are performed by trained personnel or individuals that have special training or knowledge with respect to the task at hand. The inevitable sharing of resources will also contribute to the performance of tasks in a more efficient and productive manner.High standards of quality control of organizational outputsSince the structure allows management to be able to closely monitor outcomes, the organization will be able to have standard products or services and quality control.Organizational stability is maintainedThanks to the fact that the organization functions like a well-oiled machine, following a set of formal rules and clearly defined authority and responsibility, the organization will be able to maintain a stable footing.Disadvantages of a Bureaucratic StructureSometimes, the advantages could also breed the disadvantages, and that is also seen in a bureaucratic structure.Individuals are limited to performing the tasks that they specialize inThis means they cannot “flex their muscles” and learn or perform beyond the scope of their skills, knowledge, training and expertise.Individuals tend to have a limited viewSince individuals are solely focused on performing their own tasks, they will have a limited view without knowledge of how it affects the other parts of the organization. They would be unable to recognize or realize that there is a problem outside their scope of expertise or specialization.Division between the top and bottom tiers of the hierarchyLower level employees will hesitate to react to some decisions made by higher management for fear of shaking up the hierarchy. At the same time, the upper levels are likely to not realize if there are probl ems going on the lower levels.Low morale and dissatisfaction with their workEmployees are more than likely to have low morale and dissatisfaction with their work after having to perform tasks repetitively. They are expected to perform specialized tasks, so that is basically all they do and all that is expected of them. Rarely, if ever, do they get to do something outside their scope of specialization.MATRIX STRUCTURESThe matrix organizational structure is merely one of the several modern organization designs that came about in recent years in order to accommodate the constantly changing landscape of business and organizations. In this specific type of structure, two types of structures are combined into a single, cohesive structure, resulting in a dual-authority system.The most common form of this type of structure is in an organization where managers, employees and groups are departmentalized based on their functions and on the products of their respective departments. This combine d functional and product grouping would then allow the organization to reap the benefits or the advantages of both types.A simple example of a matrix organization structure would be an electronics company. There are several departments based on functions, namely Research Development (RD), Finance, Sales and Marketing, Manufacturing, and Distribution. However, there are also three product lines: Television, Cameras, and Mobile Phones. All the departments are involved with these product lines, so coordination between and among all of them.Basic Matrix Management ModelsAccording to Kenneth Knight, there are three basic matrix management models.Coordination. In the electronics company example mentioned above, application of this model would have the employees from the departments working together in a cross-departmental manner, without leaving their respective departments.Overlay. In the example, an employee from the Finance Department will also become a member of the Sales and Marketi ng Department. This effectively makes him answerable to two managers or department heads: the Finance manager and the Sales and Marketing manager.Secondment. This is the more “mobile” model. An employee from the Finance department could move to the Sales department for a specific project. Once it’s done, he moves back to Finance.Features of a Matrix Organizational StructureA matrix organizational structure is characterized by the following:Instead of a linear management structure, it utilizes dual-reporting relationships. Individuals, regardless of which part of the organization they belong to, will have to report to different departments in order to complete a task or a project.Collaboration is one key feature in matrix structures, especially in settings where work teams are formed, drawing individuals from different parts of the organization, for the accomplishment of a specific project.Advantages of a Matrix StructureMany are opting to adapt the matrix organizational struct ure because it is deemed to be the most beneficial to them. Here are the advantages of this type of structure.Faster and more efficient flow of informationExchange of information is done in a speedier and more free-flowing manner due to the closer cooperation between and among the employees and the departments. Data-sharing is encouraged in this type of structure, flowing vertically and horizontally, so everyone gets access to the information they need.Response to change is fasterOne result of the faster flow and exchange of information is the improved rate of response to changes and other unforeseen circumstances. It is even more remarkable since it involves two or more departments within an organization.More efficient use of resourcesResources are utilized in a more efficient and cost-effective manner. Each department does not have to spend on tools, equipment and manpower, since they can source them from other departments.Personal and professional growth and development of manage rsThis type of structure tends to produce more specialized workers and more proficient managers, brought about by the sharing of information and the experience they obtain from being part of various projects, even those that are outside of their original departments.Improved sense of commitment and dedication to their jobsMembers of the organization will have more than a glimpse of the role they play in the grand scheme of things. Knowledge of how important or indispensable they are in the organization will boost their morale and motivate them to continue contributing to the attainment of the organizational goals and objectives.Disadvantages of a Matrix StructureCombining two organizational structures into the matrix type solves a lot of problems. However, it could also give rise to different ones. It is not without its disadvantages, which are discussed below:Confusion on authority and responsibility is rampantThe dual-authority system introduced causes confusion regarding the juri sdiction and scopes of responsibility and accountability to be ambiguous. The lines on the chain of command are blurry, further confusing the employees since they do not have a clear idea on who is in charge or in control.Another offshoot of this is the actual loss or lack of control of the managers even within their own departments or jurisdictions, since their employees would not know where to attach their loyalties to, or who to report to.There is a high possibility of conflicts within the organizationThe vague lines of authority will naturally give rise to conflicts and power struggles, especially if they are left unchecked by higher authorities or top management. It is no longer a rare sight to see disagreements arising from one manager telling one employee to do one thing and then another manager giving a different set of instructions that contradict that of the first one.This problem is not limited to management levels, since it could also trickle down to the work force. Sinc e decision-making is confined within respective groups, cliques, factions and informal groupings are likely to be formed.Higher initial and setup costsIn this type of organization, more personnel would be required, especially in the early stages of the organization. Thus, it requires more outlay on labor and overhead. The reporting requirements in matrix organizations tend to have more complexities, and this translates to higher expenditures.High instances of worker dissatisfactionConflicts tend to awaken in employees or workers feelings of dissatisfaction and dismay. As a result, they would try to seek for employment elsewhere, and the organization would be left in a bind, looking for manpower to replace the ones who left. This high turnover rate could also lead to the organization having a bad reputation in terms of its human resource management.BUREAUCRATIC VS. MATRIX STRUCTURES â€" WHICH IS BETTER?It is hard to say that this or that structure is the better option without taking into account several factors.Nature of operations of the organization. Organizations that have unique operations or operate at a fast pace are better off using the matrix structure because of its flexibility and adaptability.Size and scale of the organization. Matrix is said to be the more suitable structure for large organizations.Task specializations involved. You will find that the bureaucratic structure is best applied in organizations with complex tasks. Simple businesses will mesh better with a matrix structure.Level of standardization sought. If the organization aims to maintain high degrees of standardization, a bureaucratic structure is the way to go, since matrix organizations rarely, if ever, follow standard operating procedures. Often, they do not even have a set of formal rules or standards to follow.Centralization vs. Decentralization. In a bureaucracy, centralization is high, leaving the decision-making to the top management levels. If the organization does not care f or this and actually encourages decision-making in all levels, the matrix structure is most applicable.If you are after simplicity in the structure, a bureaucracy is the preferred option, since it has a tall structure, with authority retained at the top. In a flat structure like that of a matrix organization, authority is more spread out.CONCLUSIONBoth the bureaucratic and the matrix structures of organizations have their strengths and weaknesses. It is only a matter of looking at the organization and its goals in order to arrive at a decision on which model is more appropriate. Of course, it does not stop at making that choice on which organizational structure to adapt. The implementation of the chosen structure would also play an important role. Making the choice is only half the battle; putting it in place and making it work is where the real work begins.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Essay about African American Male Feminist - 2019 Words

The theory of an African American male feminist is a relatively new concept that is rapidly growing. Alexander Crummell, who was an advocate of black feminism stated, â€Å"For, humble and benighted as she is, the black woman of the South is one of the queens of womanhood. If there is any other woman on this earth who in native aboriginal qualities is her superior, I know not where she is to be found.† Before I discuss the importance, relevance and substance of what it is to be not only a successful male feminist but a universally accepted male feminist, I will first lay the foundation of what a feminist is from the ground up. In this paper I will construct an analysis of African American male feminist thought using pieces of literature such†¦show more content†¦But women had not gained freedom even though they’d taken equally tremendous risk through those dangerous years.† Although they were not the first group of women to have those thoughts, they were the first however to plan and carry out a plan on a large-scale program. These women gathered within two days of their conversation and placed an announcement at the Seneca County Courier to call a convention to discuss â€Å"the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman.† These women were looking to change the world (Legacy ’98) In 1861 a man named John Stuart Mill wrote The Subjection of Women which was said to have fueled the ideology of the Women’s Rights Movement. Mill discussed the role of women in society during that time, pointing out how the patriarchy placed such an intense limit on what women could do. Patriarchy is a system in which the male race governs societal views or social organization marked by the supremacy of the father in the clan or family, the legal dependence of wives and children, and the reckoning of descent and inheritance in the male line; broadly: control by men of a disproportionately large share of power (Merriam -Webster). His work raised the consciousness of many women. With the Caucasian women leading the way into the Women’s Rights Movement, African-American women were not far behind them. On March 13, 1913 the women of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. participated in the Women’s SuffrageShow MoreRelatedWomen s Movement : Escape As A Post Feminism940 Words   |  4 PagesIn â€Å"Women’s Movement: Escape as Transgression in North American Feminist Fiction,† Heidi Macpherson explores the grounds behind female escape in feminist theory and argues that there is no clear escape from society. Although there are multiple means of escaping, one cannot fully escape from society and one is usually forced back into society. With this idea in mind, she critically explores the limitless and boundless abilities of female escape works in North America by providing her readers withRead MoreBlack Feminist1005 Words   |  5 PagesAccording to Oxford English Dictionary, Black Feminist can be defined as a movement consisting of African American women advocating social, political, legal, and economic rights for women equal to those of men (Oxford English Press). Black feminism argues that sexism, social class oppression, and racism are inseparably bound together (Collins). The feminist movement has been around since the 1880s when the word â€Å"Feminism† appeared in the French language (Collins). The word found traction in BritainRead MoreBlack Oppression By Huey P. Newton1202 Words   |  5 Pagespolitical institutions attempt to hold black people captive. Newton states, â€Å"the black male faces a hostile environment and is not sure that it is not his own sins that have attracted the hostilities of society† . It is clear that the black man in the United States, has been enslaved, and used as a political and economic tool. Nonetheless, Huey P. Newton does a disservice to the literature on African American injustice through the exclusion of women s struggles and their efforts for justice. TheRead M oreEssay about Radical Feminism and Hip Hop1550 Words   |  7 Pageslyrics and images have changed tremendously. Lyrics and images that once spoke upon the injustices and empowerment for the African American people is now filled with money, cars, jewelry, and of course women. Today’s hip hop generation is criticized for its negative portrayal of women. Every music video that is produced features scantily clad women with dancing sensually. Feminists speak against them because they are continuing to sexualize the female form, degrade women by using terms such as â€Å"bitch†Read MoreBlack Feminism s Speech At The Ohio Women s Rights Convention Essay1442 Words   |  6 Pagestogether ought to be able to turn it back and get it right side up again.† This is from abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth’s speech at the Ohio Women s Rights Convention in 1851. This is probably the most relevant messages that feminist everywhere can follow behind. Feminism is simply the advocacy of equality of sexes social, political, and economic, but until this can happen you have to address race and class oppression among other inequalities. This is the reason why the ideaRead MoreFeminist Theory : A Feminist Perspective1558 Words   |  7 PagesBased on the texts that we have covered so far, feminist theory is defined as the construction of feminist theoretical discourse which aims to understand and support the nature of gender equality. Unfortunately, â€Å"in its early analyses, the focus of much feminist theory was on the characterization of the feminine as less than fully human† (Price and Shildrick 1999, 2). During the Colonial Era, especially, the cult of domesticity was a way for men to control women. Women would stay home and participateRead MoreThe Memos On Women During The Civil Rights Movement Essay1554 Words   |  7 Pagesas marriage and childrearing. Women in the movement had â€Å"developed too much self-confidence and self-respect to accept subordinate roles passively.† Women such as Casey Hayden and Mary King felt that though they had good relationships with the males in leadership roles in SNNC and could lead their own freedom registration programs, they still were often left out of major policy decisions. This feeling of not being as integral in the organization as they hoped led to workshop that discussed women’sRead MoreZora Neale Hurston A Genius of the South Essay1664 Words   |  7 Pagesridiculed her, but she felt the pride and dignity within herself. She was seen as an African-American grandmother in many images of black women writers (Showalter 221). Her talent for African-American literature excited the new readers who were constantly reading her literary works (â€Å"Hurston,† Feminist). Occasionally, both black and white supporters reviewed her books (McKay). She demonstrates a larger pattern of white American culture to be substantially inspiring in her interest with politics (â€Å"HurstonRead MoreProstitution : A Feminist Perspective1655 Words   |  7 Pagesprostitution because it increases the power politics that is played by the male members of the society. Feminism aims at having the world where women and men have an equal share of the privileges, authority, and rights that the society provides. Active Organizations and Individuals Very many organizations and individuals play an active role in discouraging prostitution in the American society. Laurie Shrage is a radical feminist who explains that prostitution degrades females in various forms; for exampleRead MoreAnalysis Of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie s The Night As Hope Essay1690 Words   |  7 PagesAdichie is an author to many award-winning novels that focus on African and African-American social and political issues. In December of 2012, she presented at the TedXEuston, a conference focused on African issues, about how intersectionality impacts society. Adichie described the night as â€Å"hope† in the aspect of the audience being so attentive and receiving of her message on feminism and culture. She named her talk We Should All Be Feminists, which was later manuscript into a short novel. Through use

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Rhetorical Analysis of Platos the Allegory of the Cave

Eden Scharer Darrin Broadway English III-4 5th December, 2010 From Darkness to Sunlight: An Analysis of the Allegory of the Cave Imagine yourself sitting inside a dark, damp, cave where the only thing you can see are moving shadows on the cave wall in front of you. You can’t move anywhere or see anything besides the shadows, and these are the only things you’ve seen for your entire life, so these moving dark images are the most real things you’ve ever known. At some point in our childhood we were mentally in this state of darkness, we didn’t know anything about the world or have any complex thoughts. How then, were we brought out of our caves of darkness and misunderstanding? The Allegory of the Cave is a well known section of Plato’s†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"†¦human beings living in a underground cave, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the cave; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads. Above and behind them a fire is blazing at a distance, and between the fire and the prisoners there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette players have in front of them, over which they show the puppets.† (Plato) This entire passage is a dialogue between Socrates and Glaucon. Glaucon was the older brother of Plato, and Socrates was the teacher of Plato and Glaucon at his academy. This is a conversation that is fictional but the fact that it is a conversation between a teacher and his student shows that the teacher is trying to tell his student an analogous tale to teach him a lesson and that is the purpose behind the way the paragraph is written, but the exact lesson being taught by Socrates isn’t revealed until later in the passage. This is also the reason the diction in these paragraphs is so formal, because the teacher is giving a formal lesson and at the same time trying to spea k in terms his student will understand, and to engage thought in the mind of his student because he isShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Imperialism In George Orwells Shooting An Elephant1633 Words   |  7 Pagesclaim and experiences are very relatable today because as long as there are fathers and mothers and families, there are going to be those that re-live the past and create memories that last their families a lifetime, or perhaps even longer.    Process Analysis: Joan Didion, On Keeping a Notebook   Ã‚  Ã‚   In the selection On Keeping a Notebook, Joan Didion uses her experiences in day to day life as a writer in order to demonstrate the importance/methods of keeping a daily notebook. Didion appeals to her audience

Tesco’s Success Story Free Essays

Tesco’s success story Some of the key reasons for  Tesco’s  success include: Tesco  has been particularly successful because of its powerful brand. It has a reputation for value, low prices and for being customer focused. Its brand equity and associations have helped the company to expand into new sectors and markets. We will write a custom essay sample on Tesco’s Success Story or any similar topic only for you Order Now Tesco  has also been strong in public relations, advertising and building profile in catchment areas on a local level. This local approach to marketing appears to be a key driver for success. Tesco  has a good range of products, including own label products. It seeks to provide excellent customer service, and ensure high levels of customer satisfaction. The own label products have helped strengthen profits for the group, and it broad appeal through good, better, best (finest ranges) caters for the widest consumer audience. Aggressive overseas expansion has helped to keep profits high. The organisation has expanded into Eastern Europe, emerging nations such as China and South Korea and even the US, through mid market supermarkets known as, â€Å"fresh and easy†. Its strategy of being close to the customer has been assisted in the UK specifically, when  Tesco  developed different formats for shopping (convenience, metro, express, superstores). It has been the best retailer for format delivery and obtaining some of the best retail positions. It gained a first mover advantage when it launched  Tesco. com, which is one of the biggest and most successful online retailers. This part of the business continues to grow market share and has provided a channel to sell non-food items and other areas of the business including finance. Information technology has revolutionized the retailer, not only in stock-control and distribution worldwide, but also in terms supplier management. It has enabled better I) retailer-manufacturer innovation ii)  shorterning  of decision making and greater knowledge sharing. Tesco  is one of the most advanced companies in consumer understanding aided by IT (e. g. Dunhumby  and  Tesco  Clubcard  data). Consumer data has i) shaped product offerings ii) ranges iii) given  Tesco  a better understanding of consumer segments and shopping profiles and iv) helped marketing to build loyalty and develop promotion offerings that suit target groups. This level of sophistication has helpedTesco  to remain leader within the UK market. Suppliers are internationally sourced, and  Tesco  gains scale economies from its large buying volumes. This has enabled the company to keep prices down and supported its low price strategy aimed at the broad consumer market. However, the company has been criticized for its management of suppliers and clashes with the farmers union. There has been growing opposition to the supermarket because of its size, and the government (through the Monopolies and Mergers Commission) has been involved in ensuring competitive markets in the UK. Recent acquisitions such as T;amp;S stores, have led to a high concentration, with only few dominant players within the market. The organisation has a diversified product portfolio, which includes telecommunications, finance, insurance, which provides cross and up sell opportunities to customers. Profits have been invested to support research and development, and its aggressive international expansion plans. Read more:  http://www. businessteacher. org. uk/business-resources/case-study-database/tesco-case-study/#ixzz2B9gukB98 How to cite Tesco’s Success Story, Papers

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Film adaptation of who is afraid of virginia woolf Essay Example

Film adaptation of who is afraid of virginia woolf Paper Comparative Literature goes beyond linguistic and national boundaries and provides broad international perspective on literary influences and analogies, themes, literary movements and literary genres and forms. It also studies the intersections of literature with other forms of cultural expression such as drama, visual arts, music, and film. Literary adaptation of films is one of the controversial realms of comparative literature and cinema studies. Studying literary adaptations broadens understanding f narratives In different forms, written on page and played on the screen. One of the mall discourses on film adaptation studies Is based on the notion of fidelity; whether the film Is faithful to the original text and conveys the same message or violates the messages of the original work. However it should be considered that fidelity is problematic in the matter that it does not take into consideration the medial differences that are essential to the transition from literature to film. This paper is a comparison between Edward Labels drama, Whos Afraid Of Virginia Wolf, and its 966 adaptation by Mike Nichols and aims to study if fidelity of the film to the messages and the spirit of the original textual source is achieved and whether the film employs the same tone, theme and plot as the drama. Edward Labels Whos Afraid Of Virginia Wolf was first performed In New York city in 1 962 and it was a success since Labels drama provided an Insight Into American life. We will write a custom essay sample on Film adaptation of who is afraid of virginia woolf specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Film adaptation of who is afraid of virginia woolf specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Film adaptation of who is afraid of virginia woolf specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In the sass, the public culture and the politicians put great emphasis on a happy family and the American Ideal successful family was considered the one with a house, car and kids. However, Label removes this false cover from the Ideal family and reveals the truth and problems beneath the surface. He shows that the public image of marriage that most couples project can be completely different from the private image. The coarse language and the sexual content of the play shocked the audience and with the Production Code of the time it seemed unlikely to be adapted for screen. However, due to changing attitudes of modern time there were private and public complaints against the Motion Picture Association of America (MAMA) and the Catholic Church, which strictly regulated and influenced the language, tone, and themes of American cinema from the mid-sass to the mid-sass. In 1966 Mike Nichols directed his film adaptation of Whos Afraid Of Virginia Wolf In Warner Brothers studio starring famous real-life couple, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as Martha and George, Sandy Dennis and George Seal as Honey and Nick. At first the film was denied a with the approval of the film on the condition of minor censorship of certain blasphemous words and scenes and a special warning placed on all film advertisements indicating adult content. Is was the first film with such a label. In fact the film was granted the approval for its high quality,great cost and the studios adult classification. Valentine explained that, according to Warner Brothers, the films text was unalterable without some resorting, but in the future the Association was going to be stronger and tougher to get scripts, dialog, etc. , before a picture is completed and before a lot of money is invested (Leaf p. 12). But the code itself was reaching to its end. The Production Code posed some changes in the film for instance, the phrase screw you was replaced with God damn you in Marshs illegal to her husband Just as George opens the door to their guests. In Marshs dialogue to George in the yard of the roadhouse the word frigging was deleted although such a petty deletion seems to be too small to make the strong language of the film less offensive. Also Georges allusion to Jesus money Mary money in Get the Guests game is deleted for religious considerations. The scene of Marshs seduction of Nick was completely altered since according to The Production Code Administration (PICA) the sanctity of the institution of marriage and the home shall e upheld. Pictures shall not infer [sic] that low forms of sex relationship are the excepted or common things. (CTD. In Leaf, p. 9). The screenwriter, Ernest Lehman, dealt with the flirtation scene in variety of ways in several drafts and eventually the salacious dialogues and scenes were censored and the final draft depicted George standing in the yard looking up at Nick and Marshs shadows in the bedroom window. In transition from a textual art of drama to a visual art of film some changes are inevitable. Lehman extends a living room setting of the play to various locations n the film and presents the characters in different rooms of the house, in the yard, in the car, inside and outside the roadhouse. These changes were mostly due to visual variety. Although Lehman opens up the screenplay to some scenes outside the house, he is careful not to lose the sense of enclosure that George and Marshs small living room creates. For example, in the opening scene that Martha and George are walking home from the party the enclosure and isolation of the characters is supplied through visual effect pools of light- and sound effect- silence. Lehman also ads some action to support talk for example, when George and Martha get home, they do the usual things that everybody does like taking off the outer clothes, looking into the mirror, moving around the bathroom, the bedroom and the living room and the camera follows them with no restrict. In the scene in the yard when George talks to Nick, the fog and deep silence strengthen the anxiety which his stylized narrative conveys. Highpoint compares the stillness and restfulness of the yard with the tension inside and asserts that it offers a moment of relief for Nick before he is sent jack inside to play out his role in George and Marshs dangerous game. Linemans most important addition to the play is the roadhouse which divides into inside and outside of it. The inside of a roadhouse does not seem to be a suitable setting to reveal the secrets of the young couples marriage and Georges suppressed novel. Leaf suggests that the roadhouse adds little to either and an empty classroom building or Daddys greenhouse could have served better to deal with the idea of Although the scene inside the roadhouse does not seem to be appropriate as a setting, it works well to convince the audience why Nick and Honey remained with George and Martha to be played again. This question is raised in the drama but is not solved and the reader is kept puzzled. Lehman believed that after George accuses Nick of playing faculty beds to keep his status, Nick would get too offended to stay longer. So in the film Nick, angered, decides to leave, George simply gets his car to take their guests home. They arrive at the roadhouse and George continues his games. It is more convenience in Linemans draft than in Labels drama. Lehman includes two minor characters, the waiter and the waitress, in this scene which educes the dramatic tension that is present in the drama. Label depicts George and Marshs private verse fantasy lives but Linemans addition strengthens their private verse public lives in this scene. Although Lehman opens up the single-living room setting, the tension present in the drama is kept by using cinematographic techniques; the shakiness of a hand-held camera that follows the characters, tracking a face and different close-ups involves the viewer in the tension each character is experiencing; moreover, the camera catches George and Martha trapped in a space ar too small for their massive, twisted egos to maneuver in. (Highpoint). Black and white cinematography was used less often then but Nichols prefers it to reflect George and Marshs interior hell, anxiety of their souls and their tortured married life. The dark and gloomy atmosphere of the play is created through the lens of a black and white camera. Nichols took advantage of black and white cinematography to show the internal conflict of the characters and it was also the best choice to make Elizabeth Tailors make up more believable since she was almost twenty years younger than Martha. Furthermore, the use of shadows helps create a dreamlike state which strengthen the encounter between truth and illusion. The relationship between Martha and her father is ambiguous in the film because some dialogues related to her father have been omitted in the film. In the play Martha talks to the guests about her childhood when her mother died early and she grew up with her father. She says, l admired that guy! I absolutely worshiped him. I still do. And he was pretty fond of me, too you know? We had a real rapport going a real rapport. [ ]l was hostess for Daddy and I took care of him and It was very ice. (Label P. 52-53). Marshs soliloquy at the beginning of act three reveals more about her relationship with her father: Daddy? Daddy? Martha is abandon-deed. Left to her own vices at [Peers at a clock] something oclock in the old A. M. Daddy White- Mouse; do you really have red eyes? Do you? Let me see. Oho! You do! You do! Daddy, you have red eyes because you cry all the time, dont you, Daddy. Yes; you Lehman placed these dialogues in the screenplay and the film itself and to make the relationship more explicit he used a heart-shaped locket with Daddys picture in with which Martha played when she was talking about Daddy and their real rapport, she also peered at the picture in the locket in her soliloquy; hence, the locket was referred to symbolize Daddy. But then these scenes were eliminated because of time limitation and the effect of the locket remains unnoticed in the other scenes that the locket nervously ,which implies that she has to deny her father to accept George fully as her husband. At the end of the play, Label resolves the ambiguity through Georges dialogue: and on top of all that, poor weighed-down girl, PLUS a father who ally doesnt give a damn whether she lives or dies, who couldnt care less what happens to his only daughter. (P. 131). It is revealed that what Martha has told about her relationship with her father is only her illusion and what she wishes to be true. She has always been seeking her fathers attention and affection and she has done a great deal to satisfy her father since she was a kid. Marshs marrying with George is also partly because of satisfying her father whom she worships as a great successful man. Martha wishes her husband followed Daddy in profession but George fails to fulfill her wish, so she frequently compares disappointing George with Daddy and blames him for his failures. With deletion of above-mentioned dialogue the ambiguity in the relationship between Martha and Daddy remains unresolved in the film. Label provides different situations for George and Nick to have arguments about history and biology and through Georges attacks on Nicks profession and genetic engineering, criticizes the existing modern trend in science. However most of these dialogues have been deleted in the film, which upset Label since he believes the political message of the play has not been conveyed. The play was written during the Cold War, when communism was considered a great threat to the Western, democratic way of life which is symbolized by George, named after American president, George Washington. N the World War II the United States and The Soviet Union united against the Nazis and divided the capital of Germany, Berlin, into two halves, the East Berlin controlled by the soviet communists and the West Berlin under the power of American Democrats. Label admits that he has named Nick after Nikkei Khrushchev, the Soviet leader, to be a symbol of communism. The Americans life in democracy and individual l iberty was against the thought of Soviet communists who believed that the individuals should be readily ignored in favor of the whole nation. The communists optimistically believed that their system would take over the whole world, so Georges frequently calling Nick the wave of the future implies this communists hope to change the world. As an American Democrat, George is afraid of losing individual liberty as a result of genetics progress: There will be a certain loss of liberty, I imagine, as a result of this experiment but diversity will no longer be the goal. Cultures and races will eventually vanish the ants will take over the world. (P. 46). Georges reference to ants reflects the Americans view of a cooperative structure of communist society. As a historian, George is strongly opposed to the uniformity that such a structure would bring about and believes that the society will lose its glorious variety and unpredictability. L, and with me the the surprise, the multiplicity, the sea-changing rhythm of history, will be eliminated. There will be order and constancy and I am unalterably opposed to it. I will not give up Berlin! (P. 46). George mentions Berlin and directly references to Cold War tension but with the elimination of this dialogue and the other ones concerning the Cold War the audience would not feel the tension George feels and Label meant to be transferred. George argues with Nick: Youre the one! Youre the ones going to make all that trouble Making everyone the same, historian George is aware of the outcome of purification of human generation and his criticism of eugenics reminds the audience of the Holocaust which has not past more than two decades. He explains to Martha what the biologists like Nick do: Its very impel, Martha, this young man is working on a system whereby chromosomes can be altered Well, not all by himself ? he probably has one or two conspirators ? the genetic makeup of a sperm cell changed, reordered O order, actually For hair and eye color, stature, potency imagine Hairiness, features, health And mind. Most important Mind. All imbalances will be corrected, sifted out Propensity for various diseases will be gone, longevity assured. We will have a race of men Test- tube bred Incubator born Superb and sublime. (P. 45) George is listing the features of eugenic fitness and it is not surprising that he feels threatened since he knows that according to this list he is the imperfect the ugly, He unfit who does not belong to the ideal society. It is the emphasis of society on normalcy that creates the eugenic fitness features which brought about suppression of different forms of disability. Unlike Nick, George does not have an athletic body, is not blonde and good looking. He is a failure as a master of the history department and becoming the successor to the president of the college. Martha is also unfit since he fails to live up to the standards of an ideal woman in the society; she lacks the fertility which is an important item to be fit. Martha is discontent with her marriage since it was an attempt to find a suitable heir for her father: When youve made something, you want to pass it on, to somebody. So I was sort of on the lookout for Prospects with the new men. An heir apparent (P. 53) . She gets disappointed to have a successful life since George didnt have the stuff That he didnt have it in him! (P. 56). Nick and Honey who seemed to be an ideal couple at first turn out to be unfit as well. Honey who is afraid of being hurt due to child bearing takes medication to avoid pregnancy and probably aborted. Nick, a blonde athletic blue-eyed man, apparently seems to be fit but eventually is called impotent by Martha. He admits that his marriage to Honey was mostly due to her fathers wealth. Through Georges criticism of biology and his fears of its ability to create a race of identical test tube babies all like Nick, who can be so ruthless and ambitious that uses any means to progress even sleeping with faculty wives, Label reveals his worries of the absence of royalty in a frightening future created by science. This great anxiety is not fully transferred in the film for several deletions. Whos Afraid of Virginia Wolf? Is considered one of the most successful conversions of an American drama into picture. Despite minor eliminations from the play some of which are inevitable in transition from a textual source to a film the screenplay adaptation remains faithful to Labels drama and does not magnify the weaknesses and the strengths of the play. Nichols has kept the same tone and transferred most of the themes of the play with he help of cinematographic techniques.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Walls of Ideologies essays

Walls of Ideologies essays E.M. Forsters novel Howards End uses three families to explore the competing idealism and materialism of the upper classes and the belittling effects of poverty on the human soul. The conflict between the Schlegel family and the Wilcox family is a recurring theme that reflects the ideologies that are in E.M. Forsters novel. The Schlegels are idealistic and intellectual , while the Wilcoxes are more materialistic and motivated by the desire to maintain their wealth and property. The Wilcoxes are unapologetically bourgeois. Forster is implying that merely connecting, just getting along, is not enough in a world divided by ideological conflict. Althussers theory that ideology Forster has created the perfect embodiment of the ideology of conflict between reason and passion. In Howards End Forster talks about two classes and two ideologies that are separated by the thick wall of social prejudices and misunderstandings. The only thing connecting the two families is money. Both of the families are quite well off, but at the same time represent two different sectors of the English upper-middle class during the period in which the novel is set. The Schlegels are cultured and represent education. The Wilcoxes represent the work ethic, materialism and form. This novel depicts the classic class struggle. Throughout the entire novel Margaret tries to bridge the upper and lower levels of the middle class. Her inner strength and emotional perceptiveness enable her to appreciate the Wilcoxes, and at the same time, strive for a finer life, which she perceives can only be found from enjoying an emotionally whole life experience. Margaret is in a way dissimatting the idea that there should be a distinct difference between the classes, and particularly between the three families involved in this story. Althusser would say that this is how ideology is calling her or hailing Margaret into being. ...

Monday, March 2, 2020

About Glenn Murcutt, an Australian Way of Architecture

About Glenn Murcutt, an Australian Way of Architecture Glenn Murcutt (born July 25, 1936) is arguably Australias most famous architect, although he was born in England. He has influenced generations of working architects and has won every major architecture award of the profession, including the 2002 Pritzker. Yet he remains obscure to many of his Australian countrymen, even as he is revered by architects worldwide. Murcutt is said to work alone, yet he opens his farm to professionals and students of architecture every year, giving master classes and promoting his vision:  Architects thinking locally acting globally. Murcutt was born in London, England, but grew up in the Morobe district of Papua New Guinea and in Sydney, Australia, where he learned to value simple, primitive architecture. From his father, Murcutt learned the philosophies of Henry David Thoreau, who believed that we should live simply and in harmony with natures laws. Murcutts father, a self-sufficient man of many talents, also introduced him to the streamlined modernist architecture of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Murcutts early work strongly reflects Mies van der Rohes ideals. One of Murcutts favorite quotations is a phrase he often heard his father say. The words, he believes, are from Thoreau: â€Å"Since most of us spend our lives doing ordinary tasks, the most important thing is to carry them out extraordinarily well.† Murcutt is also fond of quoting the Aboriginal proverb  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Touch the earth lightly.† From 1956 to 1961, Murcutt studied architecture at the University of New South Wales. After graduation, Murcutt traveled widely in 1962 and was impressed by the works of Jà ¸rn Utzon. On a later trip in 1973, he remembers the modernist 1932 Maison de Verre in Paris, France, as being influential. He was inspired by the Californian architecture of Richard Neutra and Craig Ellwood, and the crisp, uncomplicated work of Scandinavian architect Alvar Aalto. However, Murcutts designs quickly took on a distinctively Australian flavor. The Pritzker Prize-winning architect Glenn Murcutt is not a builder of skyscrapers. He doesnt design grand, showy structures or use flashy, luxurious materials. Instead, the principled designer pours his creativity into smaller projects that let him work alone and design economical buildings that will conserve energy and blend with the environment. All of his buildings (mostly rural houses) are in Australia. Murcutt chooses materials that can be produced easily and economically: glass, stone, brick, concrete, and corrugated metal. He pays close attention to the movement of the sun, moon, and seasons, and designs his buildings to harmonize with the movement of light and wind. Many of Murcutts buildings are not air-conditioned. Resembling open verandas, Murchutts houses suggest the simplicity of Farnsworth House of Mies van der Rohe, yet have the pragmatism of a sheepherders hut. Murcutt takes on few new projects but is intensely devoted to what he does, often spending many years working with his clients. At times he collaborates with his partner, architect Wendy Lewin. Glenn Murcutt is a master teacher;  Oz.e.tecture is the offical website of the Architecture Foundation Australia and the Glenn Murcutt Master Classes. Murcutt is proud to be the father of the Australian architect Nick Murcutt (1964–2011), whose own firm with partner Rachel Neeson flourishes as Neeson Murcutt Architects.   Murcutts Important Buildings The Marie Short House (1975) is one of Murcutts first homes to combine modern Miesian aesthetics with Australian wool shed practicality. With skylights that track the overhead sun and a galvanized corrugated steel roof, this elongated farmhouse on stilts takes advantage of the environment without harming it. The National Park Visitors Centre at Kempsey (1982) and the Berowra Waters Inn (1983) are two of Murcutts early nonresidential projects, but he worked on these while honing his residential designs. The Ball-Eastaway House (1983) was built as a retreat for the artists Sydney Ball and Lynne Eastaway. Nestled in an arid forest, the main structure of the building is supported on steel columns and steel I-beams.  By raising the house above the earth, Murcutt protected the dry soil and surrounding trees. The curved roof prevents dry leaves from settling on top.  An exterior fire extinguishing system provides emergency protection from forest blazes. Architect Murcutt thoughtfully placed the windows and meditation decks to create a sense of seclusion while still providing scenic views of the Australian landscape.   The Magney House (1984) is often called Glenn Murcutts most famous house as it integrates Murcutts elements of function and design. Also known as Bingie Farm, the architectural masterpiece is now part of the Airbnb program. The Marika-Alderton House (1994) was built for the Aboriginal artist Marmburra Wananumba Banduk Marika and her English husband, Mark Alderton. The house was prefabricated near Sydney and shipped to its location in the unforgiving Northern Territory of Australia. While being built, Murcutt was also working on the Bowali Visitors Centre at Kakadu National Park (1994), also in the Northern Territory, and the Simpson-Lee House (1994) located near Sydney. Glenn Murcutts more recent homes from the 21st century are often bought and sold, somewhat like investments or collectors items. The Walsh House (2005) and the Donaldson House (2016) fall into this category, not that Murcutts care in design is ever diminished. The Australian Islamic Centre (2016) near Melbourne may be the last worldly statement of an 80-year-old architect. Knowing little about mosque architecture, Murcutt studied, sketched, and planned for years before the modern design was approved and built. The traditional minaret is gone, yet the orientation toward Mecca remains. Colorful rooftop lanterns bathe interiors with colored sunlight, yet men and women have different access to those interiors. Like all of Glenn Murcutts work, this Australian mosque is not the first, but it is architecture that- through a thoughtful, iterative process of design- may be the best. I have always believed in the act of discovery rather than creativity, Murcutt said in his 2002 Pritzker acceptance speech. Any work that exists, or which has the potential to exist, is related to discovery. We do not create the work. I believe we, in fact, are discoverers. Murcutts Pritzker Architecture Prize Upon learning of his Pritzker award, Murcutt told reporters, Life is not about maximizing everything, its about giving something back- like light, space, form, serenity, joy. You have to give something back. Why did he become a Pritzker Laureate in 2002? In the words of the Pritzker jury: In an age obsessed with celebrity, the glitz of our starchitects, backed by large staffs and copious public relations support, dominates the headlines. As a total contrast,  our laureate works in a one-person office on the other side of the world...yet has a waiting list of clients, so intent is he to give each project his personal best. He is an innovative architectural technician who is capable of turning his sensitivity to the environment and to locality into forthright, totally honest, non-showy works of art. Bravo! - J. Carter Brown, Pritzker Prize jury chairman Fast Facts: The Glenn Murcutt Library Touch This Earth Lightly: Glenn Murcutt in His Own Words.  In an interview with Philp Drew, Glenn Murcutt talks about his life and describes how he developed the philosophies that shape his architecture. This thin paperback is not a lavish coffee table-book, but provides excellent insight into the thinking behind the designs. Glenn Murcutt: A Singular Architectural Practice.  Murcutts design philosophy presented in his own words is combined with commentary from architecture editors Haig Beck and Jackie Cooper. Through concept sketches, working drawings, photographs, and finished drawings, Murcutts ideas are explored in depth. Glenn Murcutt: Thinking Drawing / Working Drawing by Glenn Murcutt.  The architects solitary process is described by the solitary architect himself. Glenn Murcutt: University of Washington Master Studios and Lectures.  Murcutt has consistently conducted master classes at his farm in Australia, but hes also been forging a relationship with Seattle. This slim book by the University of Washington Press provided edited transcripts of conversations, lectures, and studios. The Architecture of Glenn Murcutt.  In a format large enough to display 13 of Murcutts most successful projects, this is the go-to book of photos, sketches, and descriptions that will introduce any neophyte to what the unwavering Glenn Murcutt is all about. Sources Glenn Murcutt 2002 Pritzker Laureate Acceptance Speech, The Hyatt Foundation, PDF at pritzkerprize.com/sites/default/files/file_fields/field_files_inline/2002_Acceptance_Speech_0.pdfAustralian Architect Becomes the 2002 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, The Hyatt Foundation, https://www.pritzkerprize.com/laureates/2002

Saturday, February 15, 2020

Human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Human resource management - Essay Example The Rasch Model, in accord with item response theory, is specifically recommended as a means of identifying candidates. Compensation is examined with recommendations for the Belgium operation being the implementation of a bonus system in accord with Maslow’s theory of motivation; with the Netherlands operation a bonus system in accord with Herzberg’s theoretical perspectives is recommended. The report further considers management, communication, and motivation. It argues that a charismatic model be adopted to improve motivation and avoid the challenges posed by employees refusing to work overtime. In addition to these changes, the report explores the notion of organizational culture and thematically argues that Manners Europe must increasingly attenuate itself to European society. Introduction Manner’s Europe in many ways has experienced tremendous success in its expansion processes. In the last two years total sales from the four stores in the Netherlands and th e three stores in Belgium rose from $1.5 million to $10 million. Specifically, the building supplies and home improvement outlets have experienced the greatest expansion success. With the rapid expansion of Manner’s Europe, however, primary challenges have emerged that distinguish the American foundation and organizational culture from its European counterparts. ... Background Manners Europe is the wing of the United States operation. The company has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, expanding from $1.5 million to $10 million in sales. Specifically the building supply and home improvement stores have constituted the largest areas of growth. While the company has been successful, a number of challenges have emerged in recent years. Notably, the stores in Belgium and the Netherlands have faced a variety of human resource and cultural issues. Human Resource Planning Within the context of Manner’s Europe one of the primary considerations is the recognition that human resource planning needs to assume a more central position within the broader spectrum of the organization. While Manner’s Europe recognizes the importance of human resources, as evidenced by challenges posed by the recent employee practices, this report argues that human resource planning must constitute a larger focus within the organization’s strategy . Berry (2011, p. 66) argues that, â€Å"by linking HRD solutions to specific business results, such as revenue- related metrics, senior management will begin to see us as a source of competitive advantage.† This approach has been embraced by a variety of other theorists (Elwood 1996, p. 7; Spector 1985; Breaugh & Starke 2000, p. 305) The underlining argument in these regards is that while organizations have traditionally viewed human resource development as a necessary cost, instead it should be situated as an economic value add (EVA). Within the context of Manner’s Europe, this report recognizes that human resource planning has largely been situated as a cost concern. One considers that

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Exploiting Strategy & Information for Competitive Advantage Essay

Exploiting Strategy & Information for Competitive Advantage - Essay Example The Porter’s value chain model can also be aligned with information strategies whereby information could be used in the reorganization of activities to achieve lower costs and at the same time add value to products. Finally we discuss the strategy of thrust by Wiseman which describes defensive and offensive competitive moves which require information to achieve desired strategy. The five force strategy by Porter highlights the 5 major strategies a firm can adopt in order to gain competitive advantages, Porter (1999) highlighted five major factors that models firms in an industry and this include threat of substitutes, buyer power, supplier power, barrier to entry and the degree of rivalry. The first factor in the five force strategy is threat of substitution and according to Pearlson (2006) this threat can be minimized by using information whereby products will be differentiated and also prices should be improved. A firm will collect information in the market regarding new threats and improvise ways in which to meet the consumer needs through product differentiation. Buyer power is also a factor that shapes an industry, according to Pearlson (2006) information could be used in the selection of buyers and also in differentiation of products. Regarding supplier power firms will utilize information in the selection of low cost suppliers and finally the firm will use information to create barriers to entry into an industry. The strength of this strategy is that it aids a firm in the identification of areas to apply information strategies. This can easily be applied whereby it describes locations to use information to gain competitive advantage. Pearlson (2006) states that this strategy also helps in the identification of threats over time, this can e applied whereby the firms have access to competitors cost information. There are weak points of this

Friday, January 24, 2020

Mathematics of Telescopes :: Math

Missing Figures A Brief History of Telescopes Although telescopes has been around for several hundreds of years, there has been great discrepancy as to who invented it first. Here is one authors opinion. Lippershey was a Dutch spectacle marker during the early 17th century (approximately 1600). He was one of the first who created the "looker" (now called telescope) by placing two pieces of lenses together. The discovery that placing lenses together can magnify images were made by children who took Lippershey's spectacles and looked at a distant church tower. One of the most influential scientist associated with the telescope has to be Galileo. He took the design and reinvented the telescope into one of the first refractive telescopes we use to this day. Galileo used this great invention to report astronomical facts such as the moon is cover with craters instead of being smooth, the Milky Way is composed of millions of stars, and Jupiter have four moons. Perhaps the most famous discovery is the Earth revolves around the Sun and the Earth is not the center of the universe (even though he was discredited at the time). Newton was also involved with telescopes. After his growing interest with light bending, he applied his knowledge of the reflecting and refracting properties of light and invented the first reflective telescopes. Newton's reflective telescopes vastly improve the clarity of images as well as escaping from chromatic abberration. In order to fully understand the concepts and ideas of how a telescopes work, some knowledge of simple optics are required. Some Simple Optics Refraction Refraction occurs when light travels from one medium crosses a boundary and enters another medium of different properties. For example, light traveling from air to water. The amount of refraction (or bending) can be calculated using Snell's Law. Refractor How Refractor Telescopes Work The principle behind the refractive telescopes is the use of two glass lenses (objective lens and eyepiece lens) to gather and bend parallel light rays in a certain way so that the image fits the size of the eye's pupil. Light rays is gather through the opening of the telescope called the aperture and passes through the objective lens and refracts onto a single point called the focal point. From there the light rays continue the same direction until it hits the eyepiece lens which also refract the light back into parallel rays. During the process, the image that enters our eyes is actually reverse of the original image and magnified because the size in which we preceive the image. Mathematics of Telescopes :: Math Missing Figures A Brief History of Telescopes Although telescopes has been around for several hundreds of years, there has been great discrepancy as to who invented it first. Here is one authors opinion. Lippershey was a Dutch spectacle marker during the early 17th century (approximately 1600). He was one of the first who created the "looker" (now called telescope) by placing two pieces of lenses together. The discovery that placing lenses together can magnify images were made by children who took Lippershey's spectacles and looked at a distant church tower. One of the most influential scientist associated with the telescope has to be Galileo. He took the design and reinvented the telescope into one of the first refractive telescopes we use to this day. Galileo used this great invention to report astronomical facts such as the moon is cover with craters instead of being smooth, the Milky Way is composed of millions of stars, and Jupiter have four moons. Perhaps the most famous discovery is the Earth revolves around the Sun and the Earth is not the center of the universe (even though he was discredited at the time). Newton was also involved with telescopes. After his growing interest with light bending, he applied his knowledge of the reflecting and refracting properties of light and invented the first reflective telescopes. Newton's reflective telescopes vastly improve the clarity of images as well as escaping from chromatic abberration. In order to fully understand the concepts and ideas of how a telescopes work, some knowledge of simple optics are required. Some Simple Optics Refraction Refraction occurs when light travels from one medium crosses a boundary and enters another medium of different properties. For example, light traveling from air to water. The amount of refraction (or bending) can be calculated using Snell's Law. Refractor How Refractor Telescopes Work The principle behind the refractive telescopes is the use of two glass lenses (objective lens and eyepiece lens) to gather and bend parallel light rays in a certain way so that the image fits the size of the eye's pupil. Light rays is gather through the opening of the telescope called the aperture and passes through the objective lens and refracts onto a single point called the focal point. From there the light rays continue the same direction until it hits the eyepiece lens which also refract the light back into parallel rays. During the process, the image that enters our eyes is actually reverse of the original image and magnified because the size in which we preceive the image.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Literary Analysis “The Kiss”

In the story â€Å"The Kiss† by Julia Alvarez, we see a family with four daughters, a father and mother. The father, who is old-fashioned and strict, has his own ideas of what he wants from his daughters. The daughters except for Sofia, the youngest one, have always done what he has asked for. Sofia does not agree with her sisters and she does what she wants. She runs away with a man, a decision her father cannot forgive. Although Sofia tries to reconcile with her father with no luck, she lets her father know that she has her own way of thinking.No matter how much the father tries to change Sofia’s way of seeing life, in the end he could not. Trying to control a person does not guarantee that the other person will always do what we want. The father of this story is a strong man, trying to control his daughters as if they were small kids. Even when they were grown-ups and married, he always tried to control them. â€Å"They would gather together, without husbands, would -be husbands, or bring-home work, the apartment was too small for everyone, the father argued. † (Alvarez 416) His daughters will do anything to please their father. Even after they’d been married and had their own families and often couldn’t make it for other occasions, the four daughters always came home for their father’s birthday. † (Alvarez 416) They were raised in an old fashion way, and they respect their father. â€Å"But standing up to their father was a different matter altogether. Even as grown women, they lowered their voices in their father’s earshot when alluding to their bodies’ pleasure. † (Alvarez 416) Sofia was different she had her own way of living and did not agreed with her father. She ran away from her house and since then her relationship with her father was not good.Her father did not forgive her for what she did. â€Å"And yet, she of all the daughters, did not want to be the absent one because for the first time since she’d run off with her husband six years ago, she and her father were on speaking terms. † (Alvarez 417) Sofia had always lived her life as she wanted. She had many boyfriends; she also dropped out of school. Her father could not accept her way of living. He found out after searching into her letters that Sofia had an active sexual life. For him this was not acceptable. â€Å"After his initial shock, the father regained his own fury.Are you dragging my good name through the dirt? † (Alvarez 418) After six years Sofia’s father still could not forgive her. Sofia tries to reconcile with him by preparing her father’s birthday party at her house. Sofia prepared everything to please her dad. But after everything that she did, he would still not forgive her. Sofia let her dad know that she had her own way of doing things and her own way of thinking, and he could not change that after all. â€Å"After all her had work, she was not to be in cluded in his daughter count. Damn him! She’d take her turn and make him know it was her!Quickly, she swooped into the circle and gave the old man a wet, open-mouthed kiss in his ear. She ran her tongue in the whorls of his ear and nibbled the tip. † (Alvarez 422) Sofia was different from her sisters and her father never accepted it. I think this made her attitude worse, and when she found out that he would never forgive her, she did not care anymore, and let him know that she would never change. David T. Mitchell comments: Throughout the novel, numerous commentators remark on the poor fortune of a family that consists entirely of girls–â€Å"what, four girls and no boys? while each daughter struggles to free herself from the limitations of a communal designation that strips them of their uniqueness and individuality. Because the label â€Å"Garcia Girls† stands in for the plural identities submerged beneath the faceless anonymity of daughters (who, unlik e their male counterparts, do not need to be individuated as distinct human beings) â€Å"The novel's second chapter deals with Sofia, the youngest of the sisters, who leaves home when she gets pregnant on a vacation trip to South America, and then goes to Germany to convince the baby's father to marry her.Although the couple returns to the U. S. with the baby, the result of this stain on the family's honor is almost complete silence: their father does not mention Sofia's name for months, and even after a reconciliation of sorts the two rarely speak. † (Castells)

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Evitar Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, and Examples

The verb evitar in Spanish means to avoid. Evitar is a regular -ar verb, so it follows the same conjugation pattern as other -ar verbs. This article includes evitar conjugations in the most commonly used verb tenses: the present, past, conditional, and future indicative, the present and past subjunctive, the imperative mood, and other verb forms. You can also find examples of ways you can use the verb evitar. Evitar Present Indicative Yo evito I avoid Yo evito gastar mucho dinero. Tà º evitas You avoid Tà º evitas a tu hermano despuà ©s de la pelea. Usted/à ©l/ella evita You/he/she avoids Ella evita las calles con mucho trà ¡fico. Nosotros evitamos We avoid Nosotros evitamos usar el telà ©fono al conducir. Vosotros evità ¡is Youavoid Vosotros evità ¡is los malentendidos con buena comunicacià ³n. Ustedes/ellos/ellas evitan You/they avoid Ellos evitan comer comida grasosa. Evitar Preterite Indicative The preterite tense is one of two past tenses in Spanish. The preterite is used to talk about events that happened in the past and have been completed. Yo evità © I avoided Yo evità © gastar mucho dinero. Tà º evitaste You avoided Tà º evitaste a tu hermano despuà ©s de la pelea. Usted/à ©l/ella evità ³ You/he/she avoided Ella evità ³ las calles con mucho trà ¡fico. Nosotros evitamos We avoided Nosotros evitamos usar el telà ©fono al conducir. Vosotros evitasteis Youavoided Vosotros evitasteis los malentendidos con buena comunicacià ³n. Ustedes/ellos/ellas evitaron You/they avoided Ellos evitaron comer comida grasosa. Evitar Imperfect Indicative The imperfect tense is the other form of the past in Spanish. The imperfect is used to talk about actions in the past that are ongoing or repeated. It can be translated to English as was avoiding or used to avoid. Yo evitaba I used to avoid Yo evitaba gastar mucho dinero. Tà º evitabas Youused to avoid Tà º evitabas a tu hermano despuà ©s de la pelea. Usted/à ©l/ella evitaba You/he/she used to avoid Ella evitaba las calles con mucho trà ¡fico. Nosotros evità ¡bamos We used to avoid Nosotros evità ¡bamos usar el telà ©fono al conducir. Vosotros evitabais Youused to avoid Vosotros evitabais los malentendidos con buena comunicacià ³n. Ustedes/ellos/ellas evitaban You/they used to avoid Ellos evitaban comer comida grasosa. Evitar Future Indicative Yo evitarà © I will avoid Yo evitarà © gastar mucho dinero. Tà º evitarà ¡s Youwill avoid Tà º evitarà ¡s a tu hermano despuà ©s de la pelea. Usted/à ©l/ella evitarà ¡ You/he/she will avoid Ella evitarà ¡las calles con mucho trà ¡fico. Nosotros evitaremos We will avoid Nosotros evitaremos usar el telà ©fono al conducir. Vosotros evitarà ©is Youwill avoid Vosotros evitarà ©is los malentendidos con buena comunicacià ³n. Ustedes/ellos/ellas evitarà ¡n You/they will avoid Ellos evitarà ¡n comer comida grasosa. Evitar Periphrastic  Future Indicative   The periphrastic future is translated to English as going to verb. Yo voy a evitar I am going to avoid Yo voya evitar gastar mucho dinero. Tà º vasa evitar Youaregoing to avoid Tà º vasa evitar a tu hermano despuà ©s de la pelea. Usted/à ©l/ella vaa evitar You/he/she isgoing to avoid Ella vaa evitar las calles con mucho trà ¡fico. Nosotros vamosa evitar We aregoing to avoid Nosotros vamosa evitar usar el telà ©fono al conducir. Vosotros vaisa evitar Youaregoing to avoid Vosotros vaisa evitar los malentendidos con buena comunicacià ³n. Ustedes/ellos/ellas vana evitar You/they aregoing to avoid Ellos vana evitar comer comida grasosa. Evitar Present Progressive/Gerund Form The English verb form that ends in -ing is called the gerund or present participle in Spanish. It is used to form progressive tenses like the present progressive. Present Progressive of Evitar està ¡ evitando Is avoiding Ella està ¡ evitando las calles con mucho trà ¡fico. Evitar Past Participle The past participle of the verb is used to form perfect tenses like the present perfect. Present Perfect of Evitar ha evitado Has avoided Ella ha evitado las calles con mucho trà ¡fico. Evitar Conditional Indicative The conditional tense is usually translated to English as would verb. Yo evitarà ­a I would avoid Yo evitarà ­a gastar mucho dinero si tuviera un salario mà ¡s bajo. Tà º evitarà ­as Youwould avoid Tà º evitarà ­as a tu hermano despuà ©s de la pelea, pero no puedes porque viven juntos. Usted/à ©l/ella evitarà ­a You/he/she would avoid Ella evitarà ­alas calles con mucho trà ¡fico, pero no conoce otra ruta. Nosotros evitarà ­amos We would avoid Nosotros evitarà ­amos usar el telà ©fono al conducir si fuera ilegal. Vosotros evitarà ­ais Youwould avoid Vosotros evitarà ­ais los malentendidos con buena comunicacià ³n, pero es muy difà ­cil. Ustedes/ellos/ellas evitarà ­an You/they would avoid Ellos evitarà ­an comer comida grasosa si estuvieran a dieta. Evitar Present Subjunctive Que yo evite That I avoid Mi madre espera que yo evite gastar mucho dinero. Que tà º evites That you avoid Pedro recomienda que tà º evites a tu hermano despuà ©s de la pelea. Que usted/à ©l/ella evite That you/he/she avoid Marà ­a quiere que ella evite las calles con mucho trà ¡fico. Que nosotros evitemos That we avoid La ley manda que nosotros evitemos usar el telà ©fono al conducir. Que vosotros evità ©is That you avoid El jefe pide que vosotros evità ©is los malentendidos con buena comunicacià ³n. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas eviten That you/they avoid El mà ©dico recomienda que ellos eviten comer comida grasosa. Evitar Imperfect Subjunctive There are two different ways for conjugating the imperfect subjunctive. Option 1 Que yo evitara That I avoided Mi madre esperaba que yo evitara gastar mucho dinero. Que tà º evitaras That you avoided Pedro recomendaba que tà º evitaras a tu hermano despuà ©s de la pelea. Que usted/à ©l/ella evitara That you/he/she avoided Marà ­a querà ­a que ella evitara las calles con mucho trà ¡fico. Que nosotros evità ¡ramos That we avoided La ley mandaba que nosotros evità ¡ramos usar el telà ©fono al conducir. Que vosotros evitarais That you avoided El jefe pedà ­a que vosotros evitarais los malentendidos con buena comunicacià ³n. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas evitaran That you/they avoided El mà ©dico recomendaba que ellos evitaran comer comida grasosa. Option 2 Que yo evitase That I avoided Mi madre esperaba que yo evitase gastar mucho dinero. Que tà º evitases That you avoided Pedro recomendaba que tà º evitases a tu hermano despuà ©s de la pelea. Que usted/à ©l/ella evitase That you/he/she avoided Marà ­a querà ­a que ella evitase las calles con mucho trà ¡fico. Que nosotros evità ¡semos That we avoided La ley mandaba que nosotros evità ¡semos usar el telà ©fono al conducir. Que vosotros evitaseis That you avoided El jefe pedà ­a que vosotros evitaseis los malentendidos con buena comunicacià ³n. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas evitasen That you/they avoided El mà ©dico recomendaba que ellos evitasen comer comida grasosa. Evitar Imperative The imperative mood has both positive and negative forms, used to give affirmative and negative commands. Positive Commands Tà º evita Avoid!  ¡Evita a tu hermano despuà ©s de la pelea! Usted evite Avoid!  ¡Evite las calles con mucho trà ¡fico! Nosotros evitemos Let's avoid!  ¡Evitemos usar el telà ©fono al conducir! Vosotros evitad Avoid!  ¡Evitad los malentendidos con buena comunicacià ³n! Ustedes eviten Avoid!  ¡Eviten comer comida grasosa! Negative Commands Tà º no evites Don't avoid!  ¡No evites a tu hermano despuà ©s de la pelea! Usted no evite Don't avoid!  ¡No evite las calles con mucho trà ¡fico! Nosotros no evitemos Let's not avoid!  ¡No evitemos usar el telà ©fono al conducir! Vosotros no evità ©is Don't avoid!  ¡No evità ©is los malentendidos con buena comunicacià ³n! Ustedes no eviten Don't avoid!  ¡No eviten comer comida grasosa!