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

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.

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. ...

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

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

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