The American Dream For A Black Man And A White Man

The racism against African Americans began in the 17th century, when the African slaves were forcibly brought over by the British colonist to America. Even after slavery was outlawed, racism and segregation was still present between the African American and White race. Many African American activist fought and died for our equality such as Fredrick Douglas, Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcom X, Rosa Parks, and Emmitt Teel. It is sad to say that even with all of the lives lost during boycotts, and hate raids, racism still does exist. Elevated white power does exist. I do not say that to be in any way racial or prejudice. Although, it is a known fact that the power of being white does exist even in modern day society. The economic competition between a black man and a white man is unequal. The economic wages given to a black man and a white man are unequal. The American dream for a black man and a white man are in most ways different. That still does not change the fact that I would have to break my back to get through school in order to receive a piece of paper saying I’m capable, when a white man education is paved for him. It is despicable to say that I have been taught to accept that I have to work harder for what I want, when some people are just given what they desire to have. It is a shame that the African American race is stereotyped into this category of violence and ignorance. Yes, there is a large quantity of African American people who are indeed violent andShow MoreRelatedThe Age Is The Idea Of White America1701 Words   |  7 Pagesage is the idea of â€Å"White America†. Ta-Nehisi Coates brings forth the ideas of white America often throughout his book, Between the World and Me, as well as the struggles he has as a black American. For many years, people have been pushed or pulled to America in hopes of finding the American dream everyone talks about. The dream of coming to America and exploring the new frontier. Eventually, to become wealthy and become an upper class citizen are all factors of achieving the dream. Although, littleRead MoreAnalysis Of Curley s Of Mice And Men 949 Words   |  4 Pageslives by himself because he is the only black man on the ranch, feeling left out Crooks throws himself into reading books. Crooks longing to be a part of civilization, but because of the black and whites rules Crooks can’t be part the boy’s interaction. His American Dream is to be free and be able to join the man, that why he wanted to have his only farm. Crooks appears in the novel as a sacred and mean, also lonely man. To think Crooks was born in CaliforniaRead MoreAnalysis Of Bruce Norris s The Play 1306 Words   |  6 Pagescontrast in the achievement of the American dream as seen in A Raisin in the Sun. Despite Norris play being inspired by Hansberry’s 1959 classic, his play gave the perception of white people and how they view the other races in America. Norris, who is white, illustrates that race is a subject that should be freely discussed. The play that is set in two acts that are 50 years apart portrays the American dream of the middle class Americans (Norris 26). The American dream for this people is to have theRead MoreHarper Lee’s â€Å"to Kill a Mockingbird Seeks to Focus Upon the Hypocrisy of the ‘American Dream’. Discuss.729 Words   |  3 Pagesthe ‘American Dream’. Discuss. The American dream can be defined as a national ethos which encourages freedom for all individuals regardless of their race, religion, colour or socioeconomic status. Through the theory of American Exceptionalism and the Declaration of Independence, â€Å"all men are created equal†, the American Dream presents itself as a system of equal opportunity and prosperity for all citizens. Author, Harper Lee, effectively draws attention to the hypocrisy of the American Dream in herRead MoreA Brief Look at Langston Hughes1413 Words   |  6 Pagestopics. Although his writing can be said to bring hope to the African Americans, his style can be frightening and daunting when taken the time to read his pieces. They may not seem real, but they are his way of interpreting and informing the future of what African Americans, like himself, had to go through and what they had to experience. Although some of his writing pieces tell about horrible and sad times of the African American people, thr oughout his poems he brings hope and peace for the cultureRead MoreAfrican Americans Must Work to Achieve the American Dream Essay1438 Words   |  6 Pagesappears to be a place where one can be proud of. America the land where dreams come true and there is always a chance for any person to succeed. People who are not from the United States have been painted a beautiful picture of what life in our country is like. Not only do they think that there is a special place in America for them and the perfect career for each individual, but unfortunately this is not always true. The American dream is not necessarily to get rich quick, it is more along the lines ofRead MoreWhat Do We Learn About Crooks in Chapter 4 of â€Å"of Mice and Men1422 Words   |  6 Pagesas the unattainable American dream, themes of racial discrimination , as well as themes such as loneliness and isolation. An understanding of the character of Crooks requires an understanding of the status of black people in the West during the time of when the book is set, during the 1920s Depression, as it can be seen during the novel, and especially throughout Chapter 4, that Crook’s experiences on the ranch were those almost indistinguishable from the rest of Black Americans during the era whenRead MoreInvisible Man By Ralph Ellison1694 Words   |  7 Pagesstories of African Americans who were affected by the Great Depression and chose to migrate North. In Ralph Ellison’s bildungsroman, Invisible Man, Ellison explores what black identity is in a post-Civil War, post-Great Depression society. Similar to Ellison and his life, the protagonist, Invisible Man, finds himself in New York in search of a job and his purpose in society. Invisible Man’s confusion about his place in society is due to America’s want for a monolithic African American narrative.LibertyRead MoreWhite America / Black America1165 Words   |  5 Pages White America/Black America By Ada Delpino A Research Paper Submitted to the College of Cowley County Community College In partial fulfillment of requirements for the Composition II Course April 21, 2015 White America/Black America Black and White, two words that are immediately recognized as opposites. Black is wicked, white is virtuous. Black is evil, white is holy. Black is dark, white is light. Black represents the devil, white represents God. White is wornRead More Martin Luther Kings Shattered Dream Essay1459 Words   |  6 PagesKings Shattered Dream I have a dream is a phrase heard by more than 200,000 Americans on August 28, 1963, and since then, Martin Luther King, Jr.s I have a dream has resonated through millions of heads and thoughts in the world. Eyes search for the reality of his dream, ears search for the freedom bells ringing, hands search for a brothers hand, and mouths search for the songs of freedom. Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed of a utopia where the colors of black and white would become so intertwined

International Business Environment - 6667 Words

Module specification INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT Code: PGBM04 Credits: 15 Level: Masters FBL, Business School Board: Postgraduate Business Studies Learning Hours: 150 of which 30 CONTACT hours Rationale 1. The international business environment is multi-dimensional, including economic, political, socio-cultural and technological influences. While each can be viewed in specific national settings, increasingly they have become interrelated through processes of globalisation. In particular, the role of transnational corporations has been a key to the deepening interrelationships across national borders. Yet, globalisation has not led to convergence. Considerable diversity between nations and regions continues to shape the†¦show more content†¦Re-location of employment in globalised world. E.g. Call Centre customer convenience across time zones, or pressurised workforce? World Trade and the International Competitive Environment: Key trade theories, e.g. Comparative Advantage, Limitations of Vernon’s Model. First Mover Advantage, Porter’s Competitive Advantage. Role of WTO and its principles; related controversial issues. E.g. Prospects for closure of Doha round. Evolving regional groupings, EU, ASEAN, APEC The Technology Environment Introduction to importance of R D; use/role of Patents; technology transfer; impact of e-technologies Internet/e-commerce International Financial Environment Foreign exchange principles; impact of globalisation of financial markets. Comparison of ‘financial’ shocks Asian financial crisis 1997-8; the Credit Crunch 2008–2010; ‘sub-prime’ market to Lehman Bros. AIG. Partial re-nationalisation of Commercial Banks, trading internationally from US GB. TEACHING LEARNING METHODS Teaching learning will take place through a series of core lectures and programmed learning activities undertaken in seminar workshops. Students will have a learning opportunity to participate as team members by presenting findings from case studies through short presentations with interactive questions and answers and class discussion to broaden the teaching and learning experience. This will provide formativeShow MoreRelatedInternational Business Environment And Marketing Management1853 Words   |  8 PagesI chose international business environment as my topic of interest The reason why I chose this topic because I would like to become an international business manager in the future, so as a result of that I have to know a lot about the international business environment and that will help to develop my career in international of business management and yes international business environment is related to my area of study or professional field of study, as a student of business administration andRead MoreInternal And External Factors Affecting International Business Environment And The Trade Barriers Essay971 Words   |  4 Pagesof interaction between them and international business is considered as one of the mechanisms used in trade globalization. A lot of challenges and opportunities for international business arises and need to be studied in addition to strategies used to seize these opportunities and to overcome the potential barriers. 1.2 Research objective The objective of this research is to study all the internal and external factors affecting the international business environment and the trade barriers that constrainRead MoreThe International Business Environment4269 Words   |  17 PagesTable of Contents Introduction International business Environment Theories Guiding Decisions of Firms Transaction Cost Theory International Product Life Cycle Theory Foreign Direct Investment Theory Of Internalization Competitive Advantage Theory SWOT Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Conclusion THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT Introduction International business International business involves business activities that crosses borders ADDIN ENRead MoreInternational Business Environment3863 Words   |  16 Pages[Date] [Date] INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT Globalization refers to the widely flow of production factors within the entire globe in order to understand the optimum resource allocation. Different authors provide different definitions of globalisation with their profound research. According to international monetary fund, globalization increases the rapid and extensive transmission of technology along with international commodity, transactionsRead MoreInternational Business Environment4226 Words   |  17 PagesINTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT Question 4: Compare and contrast the activities of two companies of your choice in the same industrial sector in developing new technology to try to maintain competitive advantage. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 3 TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT 4 (i)PRINCIPAL STAGES OF TECH DEVELOPMENT 4 (ii)BASIC INDEXES OF TECHNOLOGY 4 ROLE OF Ramp;D 5 TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION 7 ANALYSIS 10 Read MoreThe Impact Of International Business On Business Environment Essay1633 Words   |  7 PagesIf the firms, which enter the international market, are ineffective at risk management, this is a risk in itself for Governments, as it can lead to economic inconsistencies. International business differs from domestic business for a variety of reasons, including as culture, labour and environmental standards, foreign exchange and political, economic and legal systems. The main reason for why there is such a significant difference between the two types of business is due to the increased risk associatedRead MoreCultural Environment Of International Business Essay1327 Words   |  6 Pages Cultural Environment of International Business Vanda Mallo Keiser University â€Æ' Abstract Understanding the management role relative to cultural influences is critical for today’s managers who want to interact proficiently across borders. One important concept which provides insight into the idea of intercultural aptitude is the notion of â€Å"mindfulness† or the ability to interact with others from different cultures. 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Markets for goods and services are now global especially so for financial instruments of all kinds ADDIN EN.CITE Daniels2007150(Daniels et al., 2007)1501506 Daniels, J., Radebaugh, L., Sullivan, D.International Business: environment and operations, 11th edition2007Upper Saddle River( HYPERLINK l _ENREF_2 o Daniels, 2007 #150 Daniels et al., 2007). This paperRead MoreThe International / Global Business Environment Essay3139 Words   |  13 Pages THE INTERNATIONAL/GLOBAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT Jessica Beer â€Å"Whatever your level of involvement, it is important to understand the global business environment and its influence on the manager s role. This complex role demands a contingency approach to dynamic environments, each of which has its own unique requirements.† (Deresky, 2010). Within the overall global environment, there are three subsections that global managers must understand comprehensively before they can expect to have success

Hamlet Act 2 Scene 2 Compare Hamlets Reaction Essay Example For Students

Hamlet: Act 2 Scene 2 Compare Hamlets Reaction Essay to Arrival of Rosencrantz andGuildenstern and To the PlayersHamlet: Act 2 Scene 2 Compare Hamlets Reaction to Arrival of Rosencrantz andGuildenstern and To the PlayersYin ChoiCompare Hamlets reaction to the arrival of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern withhis reaction to the arrival of the Playyers. Account for his reactions. By comparing Hamlets reaction to the arrival of Rosencrantz andGuildensternwith his reaction to the arrival of the Players, we can observethe different perspectives of Hamlets character. His reaction to the arrival ofhis old friends is similar to his reaction to the arrival of the Players in ashe is happy to see them all and he reveals his sanity to them all. WhenRosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive, Hamlet is overjoyed to see his excellentgood friends (2.2.227) with whom he grew up. Hamlet is also delighted to meetwith the Players. But this is where all the similarities end. In hisconversations with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet becomes suspicious ofthe purpose of his old friends visit and he is perceptive enough to see throughthe outer disguise into the interior motives. He forces them to reveal that theyhave been sent by the King to find out what is causing Hamlets transformation( 2.2.5). Hamlet admits his sanity by telling his good friends that his uncle-father and aunt mot her are deceived. (2.2.348) Why does Hamlet admit hissanity to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? Is it an another attempt to at deception,or is it to implant a sense of trust between Hamlet and his old friends? Hamletcould possibly be furthering his plans for revenge by admitting his sanity. Hamlets friends would relay the message to the King and Claudius may think thatHamlet really is mad for admitting that he was supposedly feigning madness. Onthe other hand, at the conversation with the Players, his behavior isspontaneous. He welcomes his good friends (2.2.431) and it seems that he isglad (2.2.430) to see them again. He is friendly, funny and very open in hiscommunication with the Players. Hamlet notices that one of the young players whoplays female roles has grown a beard and he makes a joke about it. It alsoindicates that Hamlet has known them for a long time. The young Prince Hamletalso demonstrates his sanity when meeting with the Players. Hamlet shows that heis still capable of reasonable thought when he recites the lines to a play thathe has heard only once. Hamlet reestablishes his friendship with the Players andshows his sanity to the Players so that he can further his plan for revenge. Hamlet outlines his plan for verification of foul play in his final soliloquy ofthe scene:Ill have these playersPlay something like the murder of my fatherBefore mine uncle. Ill observe his looks,Ill tent him to the quick. If a do blench,I know my course. (2.2.606-610)Hamlet knows that the players can be trusted and therefore he is willing to usetheir service to find out the truth of his father murder. Shakespeare has shownus a variety of emotions and different aspects of Hamlet by comparing with hisreactions to the arrival of his old friends to his reaction to the arrival ofthe Players. In doing so, we are able to see the world through the eyes ofHamlet and able to appreciate the strengths in the character and understand hisweaknesses. After all, Hamlet is not an one-sided character. Shakespeare hascreated a complex character who is capable of different shades of emotions andfeelings like us. .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6 , .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6 .postImageUrl , .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6 , .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6:hover , .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6:visited , .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6:active { border:0!important; } .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6:active , .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6 .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4d3c4b1b949554e823c52a0d757491f6:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: ---- Closest To The Sun EssayaEnglish

Magical Realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude Essay Example

Magical Realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude Paper Examples of Magical Realism Latin American roller where the enchantment of magical concepts Is Incorporated with realistic Ideals. It Is a genre In which magic and reality are not two separate and autonomous types of literature. Instead, the two seemingly conflicting writing styles are merged to make a unique and unwonted, yet familiar style of literary work. Various magical ideas ranging from flying carpets to floating up into the heavens are inputted into the daily lives of the Bundies as well as those who they interact with in Gabriel Garcia Marquezs book One Hundred Years of Solitude. It is not unusual to encounter the supernatural in this novel. Neither is it uncommon to find people, and even animals losing their sanity over what to us may seem like something not worthy of even bothering about. However, Macon, along with the Bundies, does not lose its sense of reality In such a way that the town and Its people retain their earthiness despite all of the unrealistic happenings In the story. Garcia Marquee starts off his novel with a flashback of the time when the town of Macon was still young. Gypsies, who are generally considered to be a magical people, annually return to this town to show its few citizens their inventions. They bring in items such as metal ingots that attract metallic items unseen for a period of time. Unheard of to the very first citizens of the town of Macon, it was definitely and invention that did not cease, but instead increased their curiosity. Nowadays, however, it is known that these two metal ingots were magnets. Still in the very first chapter of One Hundred Years of Solitude, a boy by the name of Aurelian Is born to Ã'Å¡Ursula Agrarian and Joss © Arcadia Buena. We will write a custom essay sample on Magical Realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Magical Realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Magical Realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer He Is the first person to be born In Macon. Aurelian Is said to have wept while he was still In his mothers womb, and he Is also said to have been born with his eyes open. Babies cannot really cry whilst soul In their mothers womb. Babies also cannot be born with their eyes open. However, Gabriel Garcia Marquee is able to make it seem like it is actually possible to have these things happen in the real world. Perhaps one of the most commonly used examples of magical realism that can be found in this book is one of the existence of ghosts in the lives of the townspeople of Macon. Numerous times, the ghost of Pronounced Jugular Is seen by both Ã'Å¡Ursula Agrarian, and her husband, Joss © Arcadia Buena. At first, Joss © Arcadia Buena says that these encounters are Just because they cant stand the weight of their conscience, since Pronounced Jugular was killed by Joss © Arcadia Buena out of anger. This soon proves to be too much for Joss © Arcaded Buena. This final night that Joss © Arcaded Buena ever sees the ghost of Pronounced Jugular, he says, Its all right, Pronounced, were going to leave this town, just as far away as we can go, and well never come Dock. Go In peace now. (25) I Nils Is want set Tontine excursion AT several f Joss © Arcadia Bandits friends and their families. Ghosts are not unheard of to many, yet they are not a part of peoples live either. Many people do not even believe in ghosts or anything that has to do with the supernatural. Unusual to many of us these days, the idea of ghosts may be one that scares us or is even downright absurd. In the town of Macon, however, it may Just well be that ghosts are the townspeople. When the ghosts of Maladies and Joss © Arcadia Buena, along with the other ghosts are seen in the town, nobody seems to mind them, Just like no one else really minds the other citizens of Macon that are alive. The only ghost that is really paid any attention to in the story is the ghost of the gypsy, Maladies. Prior to the encounters with these ghosts, however, there was no death in Macon. People lived for quite a long time during those days considering the state they were in. It is this idea of the extremes that really allows for the reader to grasp the concept of magical realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude. Aside from living for quite a long time, the people of Macon also encounter the extremes brought upon them by nature. They go through a seemingly endless downpour of rain as well as a terrible heat wave that drives many mad. A plague of insomnia also causes the townspeople not to be able to sleep and in its more advanced stages, causes a loss of memory. Furthermore, outsiders, who the townspeople call gringos, shoot down more than three thousand of the people who work for their banana company. Yet, not one person in the village of Macon remembers this massacre. This is the magical part of the term magical realism. It is not really the enchanted fairy tale idea that many have conceived magic as, however. The magic, in this case, is how seemingly everyday occurrences (aside from the massacre) are made to be more than they really are. Maybe during the early years of the world, when the story of the Bundies happened, these occurrences were really plausible. But, being read many, many years after the story of the Bundies supposedly occurred, a great number of things has changed about the world we now live in. Rains do not last for five years. Heat waves do not necessarily drive people and animals insane. People do not Just forget about a massacre. It is this feeling of unusual, yet valid occurrences being larger-than-life that gives the reader a sense of something fantastic in their own world, as well as in the world of the Buena family. Where, and how, then, does Gabriel Garcia Marquee incorporate reality into the story? Reality can be found in the town of Macon itself. Although its citizens may react differently to situations that one might expect, the town itself is as close to reality as it can possibly get. The sense of community in the town is generally now different to practically every real community in the world. It is what holds its people together even when the people are tearing themselves apart. Reality in One Hundred Years of Solitude is also found in the lives of the townspeople. People in Macon are just like most people in the real world. They have a family, friends, work which allows teem to soups TN art messes. I nee nave run, out teen also nave times AT solemnity and sadness. Being this realistic, One Hundred Years of Solitude furthermore engages its readers, because they can relate, even Just partially to what is happening to the characters in the story. The success, then, of the use of magical realism in the story can be found through the various extremes of occurrences and their being relatable to its readers. It is because the happenings in the story are somewhat grandiose compared to what any may experience in their everyday lives that makes the fantastic so appealing. It is also how these fantastic experiences are made relatable by the sense of community and togetherness. Magic and reality are two seemingly opposing and contradictory words. Yet, when put together by a very capable author, stories familiar and unfamiliar at the same time can be presented to use. It is this intermingling of two genres that makes for an even more interesting plot in One Hundred Years of Solitude. What more can be said about the success of a book that has won the Nobel Prize?

Mise-En-Scene The Matrix Essay Example

Mise-En-Scene The Matrix Paper The mise-en-scene of a film can be described as the physical environment of a film which relates to the setting, lightning, costume, cosmetics and the performance of the figures while cinematography simply emphasizes the movements of the camera, such as camera angles, distances, heights, and levels. Would The Matrix movie, especially the escape sequence, be as popular if there was paid no attention to the expression/ behavior of figures or the positions of the camera? The function of patterns of movement and expression by figures signifies character traits and metaphors which relate to the elements of overall theme of the film such as the reality versus an alternative world as well as the battle within oneself and the conflict with other people –camera movements use certain focus such as shallow or deep shots to enhance the narration of entrapment of the characters in situations that could potentially influence their future or result in death, these movements enables the audie nce to get a better visualization of the impact of each action. In this sequence, Mr. Anderson also referred to as Neo (K. Reeves) is located in his cubicle at work. The scene starts with a dolly shot that takes us into Neo’s cubicle, beginning behind a separator screen and moving the camera backward to fully reveal the cubicle, this demonstrates just how Neo is enclosed in his environment. The first disruption of the linear motif happens when the phone that Neo received from a messenger rings and a low angle, medium close-up shot focuses on Neo’s face and then on the phone, the focus being drawn away from Neo onto the phone states that the phone is initiating a to Neo’ disruption in Neo’s day-to-day routine. The low angle camera movements were significant in portraying the new depth and new world added to Neo’s live and the rapid movements of the camera depicted immediacy and urgency of the call. We will write a custom essay sample on Mise-En-Scene The Matrix specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Mise-En-Scene The Matrix specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Mise-En-Scene The Matrix specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer By using a point-of-view shot, tracking the camera up

The War Crimes of Iraqs Saddam Hussein

The War Crimes of Iraqs Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was born on April 28th, 1937 in al-Awja, a suburb of the Sunni city of Tikrit. After a difficult childhood, during which he was abused by his stepfather and shuffled from home to home, he joined Iraqs Baath Party at the age of 20. In 1968, he assisted his cousin, General Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, in the Baathist takeover of Iraq. By the mid-1970s, he had become Iraqs unofficial leader, a role that he officially took on following al-Bakrs (highly suspicious) death in 1979. Political Oppression Hussein openly idolized the former Soviet premier Joseph Stalin, a man notable as much for his paranoia-induced execution sprees as anything else. In July 1978, Hussein had his government issue a memorandum decreeing that anyone whose ideas came into conflict with those of the Baath Party leadership would be subject to summary execution. Most, but certainly not all, of Husseins targets were ethnic Kurds and Shiite Muslims. Ethnic Cleansing: The two dominant ethnicities of Iraq have traditionally been Arabs in south and central Iraq, and Kurds in the north and northeast, particularly along the Iranian border. Hussein long viewed ethnic Kurds as a long-term threat to Iraqs survival, and the oppression and extermination of the Kurds was one of his administrations highest priorities. Religious Persecution: The Baath Party was dominated by Sunni Muslims, who made up only about one-third of Iraqs general population; the other two-thirds was made up of Shiite Muslims, Shiism also happening to be the official religion of Iran. Throughout Husseins tenure, and especially during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), he saw the marginalization and eventual elimination of Shiism as a necessary goal in the Arabization process, by which Iraq would purge itself of all perceived Iranian influence. The Dujail Massacre of 1982: In July of 1982, several Shiite militants attempted to assassinate Saddam Hussein while he was riding through the city. Hussein responded by ordering the slaughter of some 148 residents, including dozens of children. This is the war crime with which Saddam Hussein was formally charged, and for which he was executed. The Barzani Clan Abductions of 1983: Masoud Barzani led the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), an ethnic Kurdish revolutionary group fighting Baathist oppression. After Barzani cast his lot with the Iranians in the Iran-Iraq War, Hussein had some 8,000 members of Barzanis clan, including hundreds of women and children, abducted. It is assumed that most were slaughtered; thousands have been discovered in mass graves in southern Iraq. The al-Anfal Campaign: The worst human rights abuses of Husseins tenure took place during the genocidal al-Anfal Campaign (1986-1989), in which Husseins administration called for the extermination of every living thinghuman or animalin certain regions of the Kurdish north. All told, some 182,000 peoplemen, women, and childrenwere slaughtered, many through use of chemical weapons. The Halabja poison gas massacre of 1988 alone killed over 5,000 people. Hussein later blamed the attacks on the Iranians, and the Reagan administration, which supported Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War, helped promote this cover story. The Campaign Against the Marsh Arabs: Hussein did not limit his genocide to identifiably Kurdish groups; he also targeted the predominantly Shiite Marsh Arabs of southeastern Iraq, the direct descendants of the ancient Mesopotamians. By destroying more than 95% of the regions marshes, he effectively depleted its food supply and destroyed the entire millennia-old culture, reducing the number of Marsh Arabs from 250,000 to approximately 30,000. It is unknown how much of this population drop can be attributed to direct starvation and how much to migration, but the human cost was unquestionably high. The Post-Uprising Massacres of 1991: In the aftermath of Operation Desert Storm, the United States encouraged Kurds and Shiites to rebel against Husseins regimethen withdrew and refused to support them, leaving an unknown number to be slaughtered. At one point, Husseins regime killed as many as 2,000 suspected Kurdish rebels every day. Some two million Kurds hazarded the dangerous trek through the mountains to Iran and Turkey, hundreds of thousands dying in the process. The Riddle of Saddam Hussein: Although most of Husseins large-scale atrocities took place during the 1980s and early 1990s, his tenure was also characterized by day-to-day atrocities that attracted less notice. Wartime rhetoric regarding Husseins rape rooms, death by torture, decisions to slaughter the children of political enemies, and the casual machine-gunning of peaceful protesters accurately reflected the day-to-day policies of Saddam Husseins regime. Hussein was no misunderstood despotic madman. He was a monster, a butcher, a brutal tyrant, a genocidal racist - he was all of this and more.But what this rhetoric does not reflect is that, until 1991, Saddam Hussein was allowed to commit his atrocities with the full support of the U.S. government. The specifics of the al-Anfal Campaign were no mystery to the Reagan administration, but the decision was made to support the genocidal Iraqi government over the pro-Soviet theocracy of Iran, even to the point of making ourselves complicit in crimes against humanity . A friend once told me this story: An Orthodox Jewish man was being hassled by his rabbi for violating kosher law, but had never been caught in the act. One day, he was sitting inside a deli. His rabbi had pulled up outside, and through the window he observed the man eating a ham sandwich. The next time they saw each other, the rabbi pointed this out. The man asked: You watched me the whole time? The rabbi answered: Yes. The man responded: Well, then, I was observing kosher, because I acted under rabbinical supervision.Saddam Hussein was unquestionably one of the most brutal dictators of the 20th century. History cannot even begin to record the full scale of his atrocities and the effect they had on those affected and the families of those affected. But his most horrific acts, including the al-Anfal genocide, were committed in full view of our government - the government that we present to the world as a shining beacon of human rights.Make no mistake: The ouster of Saddam Hussein was a victory for human rights, and if there is any silver lining to come from the brutal Iraq War, it is that Hussein is no longer slaughtering and torturing his own people. But we should fully recognize that every indictment, every epithet, every moral condemnation we issue against Saddam Hussein also indicts us. We should all be ashamed of the atrocities that were committed under our leaders noses, and with our leaders blessing.

Skeletal System in the Human Body Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Skeletal System in the Human Body - Assignment Example Diarthroses joint is a small space that exists between the articulating surfaces of the two joined bones. Since no other tissues grow in this cavity, the surfaces move freely against one another. Hence, they are functionally defined as freely movable joints. Some examples include ball and socket joints and hinge joints.Synarthroses joint does not have a joint cavity. Fibrous cartilage 'or bone tissues grow between the articulating surfaces of the two joined bones and make them unable to move freely against one another. Therefore, they are functionally defined as immovable (or slightly movable) joints that do not allow free movement. Examples include the skull joints. Motor nerves supply signals from the nervous system to the muscle system. A single motor nerve fiber that supplies to a group of muscle fibers within a muscle is called a motor unit.Skeletal muscles are more rapid in contracting than cardiac and smooth muscles. Skeletal muscles are important in locomotion and movement an d consequently are of greatest interest to the ergonomist. Glucose stored in the cell or diffused into the cell from the circulatory system can be broken down anaerobically to generate ATP for muscle contractions. The all-or-none law, states that once the threshold has been reached, an action potential will continue to completion where the membrane will depolarize and then re-polarize. The all-or-none law also applies to muscle fibers. For muscles, the law states that once adequately stimulated, a muscle fiber will contract completely. Not all the muscle fibers are necessarily stimulated at the same time stated earlier, smaller motor units are recruited first and then aggressively larger motor units until the desired strength is attained. Thus, not all the muscle fibers are necessarily contracted at the same time. Fatigue results in failure of a muscle to contract in response a stimulus. The segment of the lever between the point of force exertion and the fulcrum is called the force arm and, likewise, the segment between the resistance and the fulcrum is called the resistance arm.

Signal transduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Signal transduction - Essay Example romolecules such as glycogen, protein and triglycerides, and the uptake of nutrients like fatty acids, amino acids and glucose by liver, muscle and adipose tissue. Insulin starts its action by binding to a receptor on the outer surface membrane of the cell membrane of its many target cells. This triggers the activation of insulin receptor, which signals the target cells on the regulation of chemical mediators. There are two types of subunits in the insulin receptor - ÃŽ ±-subunit and the ÃŽ ²-subunit. The ÃŽ ±-subunit is where insulin binds, while the ÃŽ ²-subunit cross the membrane and jut into the cytosol. The ÃŽ ±-subunit activates the protein tyrosine kinase, which is associated with the ÃŽ ²-subunit. The ÃŽ ²-subunit subsequently phosphorylates tyrosine into a number of residues like Tyr-960 and to a number of enzymes found inside the cytosol. The phosphorylation of the tyrosine residues stimulates an interaction between the isoforms and receptor of the insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1). This substrate then recognizes and attaches to various signal transduction proteins in sections known as SH2 domains. Many of the physiological responses to insulin engage the IRS-1 through complex mechanisms involving intensive investigation. The action of adrenaline on liver cells and muscles was the first process to be used to describe the signal-transduction mechanism. Adrenaline is attached on receptor molecules in the cell membrane. It speeds the breakdown of glycogen in liver cells. Its molecules connect to the receptor molecules in the cell membrane. The guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G-protein) found in the membrane is activated by the formation of a hormone-receptor complex. The protein acts as a relay between an enzyme called adenyl cyclase and the hormone-receptor complex. The enzyme helps in catalyzing the conversation between ATP and cyclic adenine monophosphate(cAMP) in the liver cell. cAMP is a small molecule that acts as an intracellular mediator or a second

Research in Urban education Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

In Urban education - Research Paper Example In most cases, gender differences have been noticed when it comes to selection of particular subjects of study and overall college performance as well. In this paper, I would like to achieve an understanding of both sociological and psychological effects that single sex schools have on a student’s preference of certain major over others and also the impact that it may have on one’s personal development and ability to perform well in college and subsequently perform well in life. In the past few decades the interest in single sex education in both private and government schools has risen drastically. In fact the trend is the same in most countries including U.S, Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain. This has been attributed to underachievement of students and the practice of taking up gender-stereotypes subjects for study (Smyth, 2010). An individuals’ life choices is often based on his schooling and school attainment. This is simply because the quality of education at the school level plays a pivotal role in shaping a persons’ cognitive and behavioural aspects. Schooling and schooling atmosphere has broader implications on a student’s future choices and ability to perform in a much demanding college environment. Our education system regards single sex schools or sex segregated classes as an antidote to the inequality present among the genders. Single sex schools have been looked upon as an attempt to influence school attainment (Lee and Marks, 1992). From a more personal perspective I believe that the existence of the debate about the affect that single schools may have on education and career choice is very much vindicated. There exists both pros and cons when it comes to single sex schooling and co-educational schooling. In fact, the effect of such schooling is known to have more impacts on female students than on their male counterparts. Therefore, we one may say that the schooling system potentially impacts a female student’s life and

Main Reason Behind Trade Union Decline Commerce Essay

Main Reason Behind Trade Union Decline Commerce Essay Trade Union decline is today common across the world. However, in the first half of the last century unions were at the zenith of their power, and were almost synonymous with employment relations in most of the industrialised nations. They were perhaps the only vehicle for employee voice through collective bargaining and industrial action in those times (Freeman and Medoff, 1984). Since the early 1950s, the union movement started seeing a downfall in the United States (Blanchflower and Bryson,2008). While the effect was more pronounced and early in the USA, the trend soon caught up in the UK and European nations. By the 1980s, the effects started to show dramatically on union membership and density figures in UK. Countries like Australia (Waddoups, 2001), Japan, India, and China (Kuruvilla et al.,2002) have also seen a southward trend in membership since the 1990s. Even in a country like Germany where the union membership has not declined sizeably, a variety of factors suggest that u nion power has been declining (Katz, 2005). In the UK, as per the WERS2004 data, aggregate membership density fell from over 50% in the late 1970s to around 30% by 2000. The number of workplaces with union members present fell from 73% in 1984 to 54% by 1998. The proportion of workplaces where unions are recognised by employers fell from 53% in 1990 to 45% in 1998. The number of employees whose pay is determined by collective bargaining fell from around 70% in the late 1970s to 27% in 2004 (Bryson and Forth, 2010). But why is membership so important? Unions derive power by controlling the supply of labour through union organisation and thus union membership is an indicator (or rather a prerequisite) of trade union power (Blyton Turnbull, 2004 p138). The other headspring of union influence is their voice within the political arena and the ability to clog businesses through industrial action. All of these have taken a hit since the 1980s owing to multiple influences arguably leading to membership decline. The scope of this essay is to examine the critical reasons for this decline through the workers lens largely in the UK, with support from similar trends in other parts of the world. It is now beyond dispute that union membership and density have fallen beyond imagination causing much agony to unionists, but, what needs to be explored is whether the perception of unions in the eyes of the worker has indeed diminished. Hence Diminishing Worth, Increasing Woes might have been an apt title for this essay. The CBIs Director of Employment Affairs had once quoted: collective bargaining no longer presents itself as the only or even the most obvious method of handling relations at work; fewer employees and employers feel the need for union mediation in their dealings (Gilbert 1993: 252 as cited by Claydon in Beardwell,1996 p144); Millward et al, (2000) have also concluded that union membership decline was the result of a withering of enthusiasm on the part of workers ( cited in Charlwood, 2003); So, one might be tempted to agree that workers no longer see value in membership; but there is not one single reason which can be attributed to this precipitous fall in union membership. A myriad of factors like the political landscape of the times along with the legal reforms, some macro and micro-economic issues, and the socio-demographic changes have to be considered. In fact, some researchers have looked internal to hint that unions are the architects of their own fall (Dunn, 2009). In order to understand the reasons for decrease in union membership, it might be prudent to ask , Why do workers join a union? Why or Why Not Unions?: The main motive for employees to join a union comes from a pluralist view where they feel they have different interests from managers (Bacon in Redman Wilkinson, 2006). Waddington and Whitstone(1997), provide the top two reasons as to why employees continue to join unions; first, to get support if there was any trouble and second, to improve their pay and conditions. Guest Dewe, advocate a relationship between job dissatisfaction and willingness to unionise (1988); Ratified to some degree by Charlwood,(2002). The rational choice theory explains that workers are inclined to join a union if the benefits they receive exceed the cost of joining (Guest and Dewe,1988). The sociological point of view provided is that, an individuals social context, parental occupation and pattern of social interaction are likely to influence the desire to be a union member (Guest and Dewe,1988; Visser, 2000). Therefore, people do come with a pre-conceived belief whether to join or not join a union which might get subsequently modified based on their experience and political inclination(Charlwood, 2002). Hyman was quoted on BBC News, (2004), being a union member has ceased to be the social norm, and a new generation has grown up who not only are not trade unionists, but whose parents have never been in unions either. John Monks (2001), former General Secretary of the TUC, also confessed, there is a general assumption among non-union workers that unions are for blue collar workers with problems, not white collar workers with opportunities (Blyton and Turnbull,2004 p141). These socio-psychological contexts are to be borne in mind before we look at the other reasons which might have influenced workers attitudes and thereby union membership. Thatcherism: 10 Downing Street is considered to be the place where it all began; where the future of employment relations in the UK was rewritten by the conservative government under Mrs Thatcher in 1979. The impact of the iron ladys legislative reforms on trade unions and membership is an all time favourite with most writers. The exclusion of unions from any role in national policy making, encouraging management to assume greater control within the workplace (Waddington, as cited in Edwards 2003 p216) were direct hits on the source of the Unions power. At the peak of union membership and density in 1979, almost 40 per cent of all trade unionists (23% of all workers) were covered by a closed shop (Dunn and Gennard, 1984). So in 1980, when closed shop agreements were almost made illegal, coverage fell to 8% and in 1990 to 2 %.(Millward et al., 2000 as in Blyton and Turnbull 2004). The 1982 Employment Act, also delivered a severe blow to the Unions which had its desired repercussions ( Taylor, 2000). In fact, the WERS98 data indicates that only a minority of members (46%) believe that unions can make a difference to what it is like to work here'( Cully et all,1999, p213) Blyton and Turnbull suggest the reason behind this cynical view might be the impact of the legislation that weakened both individual and collective employment rights (2004). Hence government legislation combining with employer policies can be seen as a synergistic project to create a potent gradualist route to union exclusion (Smith and Morton 1993: 100 as cited in Beardwell 1996 p156). But this might not hold true in hindsight today, since the Conservatives have lost power for over 15 years and yet the trend has not reversed or even rectified even after some of the future governments have taken a liberal view of the unions with the statutory support for unions reinstated in 1999. In his book charting the growth and leadership of the TUC, Robert Taylor (2000) indicates that the union leadership wa s well aware of the changing times much before the Thatcher government came into power and that the termites of ineffective leadership had already hollowed the unions from within; so when the winds blew hard after the winter of discontent the structure just fell apart as a natural process. Union De-recognition: Managements attitudes towards unions and their growing indifference to union recognition has also been considered to be an additive to union decline (Disney et al., 1995). Ackers and Payne are of the view that, businesses are increasingly turning hostile to unions (1998). Edwards, mentions a unitary view where unions are looked upon as external pathological elements causing disturbance [to management] (2003). Encouraged by the changing legislations, management in the private sector did not miss the opportunity to sideline unions. While they did not really work towards de-recognition, they carefully eliminated collective bargaining rights affecting pay conditions from unions in newer and private sectors (Beaumont and Harris, 1995). This has been a key determinant in membership decline as mentioned by Bryson and Forth, (2010). Thus, Charlwood, (2003) agrees any withering of enthusiasm for unions on the part of the workforce was a response to the assertion of manag erial prerogatives. Undoubtedly, the presence of a union is the least required for an employee to join a union. Green (1990), for example, found that ( using data from the general household survey) 30% of female part-time workers were Union members, but where a union was available to join, the membership rose to almost 60%. The 1998 British Social Attitudes survey shows 40% of non union employees expressed a willingness to join a union if they had one. If all these people join a union then membership will increase by 3.2 million, this is consistent with similar studies in North America (cited in Charlwood, 2003). Rise of HRM: When the news of alternative practices in non unionised companies like IBM and HP travelled the Atlantic in the early 80s, it affected management practices here in the UK and Europe as well. It has been suggested by Lucio and Weston(1992, as cited in Blyton Turnbull,1992) that unions were unable to focus on the emerging issues concerning employment such as health and safety, equal opportunities, worker participation and others and continued to reflect on the narrow areas of pay and conditions; and as they neglected to tie the new issues back into collective bargaining , the legislative framework surrounding these issues left management the task of unifying these rights within Employment relations as HRM. In a study of an IBM plant in the UK by Dickson et al(1988), employees identified with the individualistic ethos of the company and deemed no requirement for a Union, since the company provided them with good pay and conditions, fair performance management systems and i ncentives, opportunities for growth and development, job security and grievance mechanisms, and a positive ER climate which might have been the functions of a union (cited in Redman and Wilkinson,2006). The rise of newer practices of voice representation and direct employee participation have added to the agony of traditional IR practitioners. These HRM strategies are perceived by trade unionists as an encroachment into their territory (Blyton and Turnbull, 1992) However, empirical evidence does not support this view in totality. The first general finding from WERS98 is that HRM practices are strongly associated with a recognised union presence (Cully et all 1999). Guest (2001), mentions in the 1998 IPD survey among union members 26% employees felt they were more fairly treated because they were union members; only about 3 percent felt that they were treated less fairly. This means about 69% were indifferent about unions; a similar trend showed in non union members where almost 70% thought union membership made no difference. It also showed that workers are more likely to put credence to a union at work where they felt management did not have great HRM practices (Storey, 2001). Workforce Composition: In the 1950s union membership was largely concentrated among the 3M workers male, manual and manufacturing (Visser, 2000). Between 1999 and 2009, the pedigree of union members became more feminized, older, educated, dominated by workers in non-manual jobs and those working in the public sector (Bryson and Forth, 2010). Many researchers (Brown et al., 1997; Millward et al., 1992, Bryson and Gomez, 2005, Towers, 1989) have argued that the changing composition of the workforce, like the shift in employment from manufacturing to services and the growing labor market participation of women and part- time workers have been important contributory factors to lesser propensity to unionisation . However, this is just a symptom, not a diagnosis of the problem. As Kelly(1990) pointed out there is no reason why a decline in manufacturing or growth of female employment should automatically signal a decline in union membership'( as cited in Blyton and Turnbull, 2004 p142). A point worth considering is that with the rise in real wages, workers had no stipulation to join unions, while the rampant unemployment of the times provided employers with wider choices and hence an opportunity to resist unionisation. The increase in free-riding and never- membership have also posed a setback to unions as mentioned by Bryson and Forth(2010). There are currently almost three million free-riders among the eight million covered employees in Britain. This increasing trend is causing more problems for trade unions since they are representing such workers in collective bargaining without receiving anything in return in terms of membership dues. By 2006-8, half of all employees were never- members (Bryson and Forth,2010). This might be attributed to a rise in individualism among workers as opposed to a collective approach in the past or it might be an indication of failure to organise on part of the Unions. Failure to Organise: Undoubtedly, the perception of union power has diminished over the years leading to the waning of appetite to join unions. One of the primary causes might be that Unions could not organise themselves well in the changing years to retain their agenda or increase their agenda. Whether pressurised by legislation or de-recognition by management, unions have accepted concessions in collective bargaining in recent years, which has led to further erosion of their perceived powers. Trade unions were initially slow to meet the neo-liberal challenge posed by the Conservative government, with the consequence that its impact was amplified. Until 1987, the majority of unions openly opposed the legislation and hoped for the election of a Labour Government that would repeal the legislations (Taylor, 2000; Edward 2003). Millward et al, (2000) and Machin (2000) believe the key reason for union decline is their failure to organise workers and gain recognition for collective bargai ning in new firms and workplaces. The poor organisation of the union leaders and stewards has also led to a loss of faith in members and left no choice for workers but to renounce their collective rights and give in to the devils bargain in lieu for a more individualistic employment contract. Geary, (2006) found that only 24 percent of non union employees in unionised companies were ever asked to join the union and the remaining 76% were never even approached. In difficult times as these, this lackadaisical approach has cost unions a lot more than what they could anticipate. Union Response and Future Trends: Unions of late have embarked on a series of reforms to policy, structure and activity to pull up their act (Williams, 1997; Wright ACAS, 2011). In spite of the decline in membership, Unions still have many areas of opportunity. As Hyman (1997) has indicated, workers have a broad range of potential and competing interests, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (as cited by Heery, 2003) and Unions as representatives have the choice both in terms of picking the interests and the methods. Some studies suggest that HRM initiatives introduced over the past 20 years have had little impact on workers perceptions of them and us ( Kelly and Kelly 1991;Dart and Turner 1999) So unions will benefit if they were to take a more proactive approach rather than reactive to HRM practices. Guest (in Storey, 2001) mentions that WERS98 offered a list of nine conventional items like pay, payment systems, grievances handling, health and safety and training. There was no negotiation with union re presentatives over any of these nine issues in half the workplaces where unions were recognised. On a average unions negotiated on only 1.1 of the nine issues while non-union reps negotiated over 0.9 issues. Hence, the picture that emerges is one of limited industrial action. There are almost half of all organisations and a majority in the private sectors where there is neither a union presence nor great HR practices this could be an opportunity for unions. the other ray of hope for unions is that, the percentage of employees in British Social Attitudes Survey (BSA) who say the workplace union is doing its job well has been rising since 1997 both among union and non-members (as seen in Fig 1. Bryson and Forth, 2010). There is thus some support for the notion that unions have re-oriented themselves in recent years. Fig. 1 Percent age agreeing union doing its job well, 1983-2008 (Note: Employees working 10+ hours in unionised workplaces.) Source: British Social Attitudes Survey. In conclusion, it cannot be denied that the perceived power of unions has been severely affected and this could have led to workers not seeing value in their membership. The reason why workers might have been indifferent to unions are manifold but the key reason that emerges is the inability of the unions to organise and sell their benefits to their customers. The legislation, alternative management practices, undoubtedly aided the workers feelings and so the statement given cannot be the main reason for trade union decline. But if we take the BSA in fig 1. above, this notion is slowly giving way to some expectations from unions. While the image and brand of trade unions has been severely affected and the damage is considered beyond repair by many, as Purcell (1993) said, this is the end of institution IR, but there are areas where unions can make a difference only if they organise themselves well and there are pockets of opportunity if they are willing to look beyond traditional IR practices. But can they reverse the trend? Do they have the will or skill to do it ? Only time can tell.

Telecommunication Industry Analysis

The domestic telecommunication industry offers a broad range of services through four primary product segments: radio, television, voice communications, and broadband services, the two largest being voice communications and broadband services (Industry). These services are offered to businesses and personal consumers, and are the industry’s primary user segments. Companies in the telecommunication industry are the primary means by which communication is provided, whether it is by telephone, Internet, or television. Using transmissions of signals over networks of radio towers, data is transferred to customers using devices, such as a phone (Telecommunications). Determining which segment to market to and who drives the market is integral for companies in the telecommunication industry to understand. User Segments The telecommunication industry markets to two segments: business and personal consumers. The business segment utilizes the services of the telecom industry for better communication, higher efficiency, and better distribution of data (Telecommunications and Business). As businesses require communication devices for email, phone, teleconferencing, and data transferring, companies are marketing to businesses offering the most advanced and efficient products. Businesses also allow for a larger budget for spending, and consequently telecommunication companies are refining their product to fit their needs on a larger scale. AT&T and Verizon Communications are the leading providers in the business segment, offering services such as videoconferencing, networking, Internet, and voice communications. Personal consumers are the other segment the telecommunication industry markets to. With over 290 million subscribers in the United States (U.S.), companies in the telecommunication industry are on a very competitive playing field. AT&T and Verizion, again the leading providers in the personal consumer segment, spend a large amount each year on advertising trying to reach their markets (The Account). Consumers want products with the most speed and reliability, which forces companies to update constantly. With new products and features coming out regularly, it is imperative these companies stay current with the latest technology. Product Segments The two product segments that define the telecommunication industry are voice communications and broadband services. Voice communications entail phone services such as phone calls and voice messaging. Businesses and personal users rely heavily on this service, as people are requiring reliable and efficient phone service in their everyday lives. Features play an integral role in defining the product, so companies must have feedback from consumers to know how to improve their product (Cell Phone). Broadband services offer Internet access to its users. This technology is improving constantly, becoming faster and more efficient. Integrating into phones, television, and DSL, broadband services are becoming increasingly important to having a reliable product and reaching customers (Industry). Over the past decade, Internet subscribers have doubled, reaching over 266 million customers (World), which shows the prevalence of broadband services in the United States. As many of the telecommunication companies have merged in recent years, they are able to offer a larger product as well as â€Å"bundled media packages†, which brings in new revenue sources and opportunities for growth (Industry). In the telecommunication industry, the consumer is driving the market. As technology is advancing and more features are becoming available, companies must customize their products to fit the consumers’ needs. Many consumers require different features and options, which require the companies to stay current with recent trends. Customer service has also played a large role in the satisfaction of customers, and the companies take a lot of feedback to improve their products (Industry). Trends in the Telecommunication Industry As the telecommunication industry evolves, so do the trends that drive it. Demographics have become less important, although age and occupation does play a major role (Market). Teens are becoming a target for companies, as well as business professionals (Teens). Consumer trends are driving adoption of phones in the market, as social networking, jobs, and personal use are becoming parts of everyday life (Consumer). Technological advancements are playing a major role in the development of the telecommunication industry. Products are becoming faster, cheaper, and of higher quality, as well as including features and applications for consumers so they can communicate and work more efficiently (Top). Competitors One of the top competitors in the telecommunications industry is AT&T. With over $124 billion in total revenue (T), AT&T is one of the largest providers of telecommunication services in the United States. Their main products are for businesses as well as the consumer, including wireless, broadband, phone, and data solution services. AT&T’s strategy involves working with its suppliers and customers to improve their efficiencies and form a positive, long-lasting relationship with them. They improve their company by becoming more sustainable, in hopes of promoting a positive impact on the communities it serves (AT&T Corporate). Verizon Communications is also a leading competitor in the telecommunications industry. With $106.5 billion in total revenue last year (VZ), Verizon is another leading provider of telecommunication services in the United States. Verizon offers products similar to AT&T, which enables them to compete closely with AT&T. Their basic strategy involves being proactive in improving their services to satisfy customers. Verizon continually adapts to new technology and brings innovation to all its products. Their goal is to improve the quality of life for its customers by offering innovative products (Verizon). Sprint Nextel Communications, totaling $32 billion in total revenue in 2010 (S), is a smaller competitor but is still among the top companies in the domestic telecommunication industry. Sprint offers phones for business and personal use, as well as business solutions to help the company operate its communications with more ease. Part of their strategy is to foster and develop relationships with organizations to form alliances and deliver integrated products and services. Sprint is also involved in becoming more responsible, in regards to its products, the environment, and its customers (About).

The Definition of a Princess

Every little girl has once wished (upon a star) to one day be a princess in a fairy tale. However, do they truly understand what the definition of a fairy tale princess is? Fairy tales have created a definition and a set of requirements of a true princess, a definition and a set of requirements that could easily be applied to a pretty teacup or any other inanimate object. These fairy tales have defined a princess as someone who is unrealistically beautiful, passive, with no voice, and helpless and dependent. Beauty is one of the key requirements to be a princess. Every woman in a fairy tale is either a beautiful princess or an ugly witch or stepmother. There are no average looking women to be found in these tales. Since physical qualities are often an allegory to the goodness or evil of a character, beauty has been a requirement for a princess. In the picture books and movies of these fairy tales, audiences will see tall skinny girls whose waists are almost the size of their necks with eyes that are abnormally large. Though unrealistic, this appearance has been made necessary in these tales. Would Cinderella be let in to the ball or ever have a dance with a prince if she were ugly? Would Prince Charming even consider kissing â€Å"Sleeping Beauty† if she were â€Å"Sleeping Ugly†? Beauty is such an important part of a princess but how does it affect those young girls who wish to be like them? These fairy tales give the message that the only way to find love or Mr. Perfect is to be beautiful. Young girls watch and read storybooks and movies that have princesses with body types that are considered anorexic. This image will sink in to their minds subconsciously and affect them for the rest of their lives, since most children will never be able to reach the standard of beauty required to be a princess. Along with beauty, a princess has been defined to have no voice or say. In almost every fairy tale a princess never gets to express her opinion or personality. The ultimate example of this is in the Little Mermaid (Disney Version) when Ariel trades her voice so she can alter her appearance. She is told that she won’t need a voice to get the prince and all she needs to do is look pretty. This leads young girls to think their voice and opinion don’t matter and to have their â€Å"happily ever after,† all they have to do is stay quiet passive and be visually attractive. Lastly a princess is defined as someone who is helpless and dependent. Almost every single fairy tale has a damsel in distress waiting for the prince to save them. Sleeping Beauty has to wait for Prince Charming, Rapunzel has to wait in her tower, and Prince Eric saves Ariel. In all fairy tales this is a common factor; the princess is always helpless and needs saving. Never in a traditional fairy tale does a princess save the prince. In addition to the sexism in these tales, they present and promote a negative message for girls. It communicates to girls that if something bad is happening or if there is a problem, wait for a male to come and solve the situation. Putting these ideas in little girls’ heads at such an early age will discourage them from to ever becoming strong and confident women. Understanding the true definition of a fairy tale princess is, princesses should not be role models for so many girls. However so many little girls still want to be princesses, even if they are defined to be unrealistically beautiful, passive, voiceless, and helplessly dependent on others. This needs to change in order to have more confident and smart women. Society should think about these fairy tales and really consider if the princess in the tale is someone young girls should have as their role models.

One Minute Manager essays

One Minute Manager essays The One Minute Manager provides a concise and simple method for planning, coaching and evaluating people for organizational and personal success. For many, the book sets forth the principles for productive relationships between a manager and his or her associates. There are three different methods portrayed that will help employers and employees find such a relationship. The first is One Minute Goal Setting. The second is One Minute Praisings. Lastly, the book suggests One Minute Reprimands. With these work ethics in practice, a friendly, more productive work place results for everyone. One Minute Goal Setting is the foundation and first secret to being a One Minute Manager. The One Minute Manager spends time at the beginning of a new task or when an associate first starts at the organization to detail areas of responsibility and what he or she is being held accountable for. The first part of One Minute Goal Setting is being absolutely clear of ones goals. Once one determines his/her responsibilities, those goals should be written in 250 words or less. These goals are written to the individual can review these goals at any point in time considering that it would only take a few minutes to review those goals. Then one can reflect as to whether or not his/her behavior is adding up to the goals. To know if one is behaving in an efficiently productive manner, one must have an understanding of performance standards. Feedback is the number one motivator of people. One Minute Praisings develops people by "catching people doing things right" and praising them for their performance. When someone does something that is worthy of praise, that person must be praised immediately. The person must be told in a very clear and specific manner what he/she is doing right. Let the person know how you feel towards them and how well it contributes to the company. Even pausing for an uncomfortab ...

Negotiating Your Childs Resistance to Homeschool

Negotiating Your Child's Resistance to Homeschool Shouldering the full responsibility of your child’s education can be  an overwhelming feeling.  Discovering that your child doesn’t want to be homeschooled compounds those doubts and fears. Whether its a child who has  previously attended public school  and wants to return or a child who has always been homeschooled who wants to try traditional school, it can be disheartening to discover that your child isnt on board with homeschooling What should you do when your homeschooled student doesn’t want to be homeschooled? 1. Look for Reasons the Child Doesnt Want to Homeschool The first step in working through this homeschooling dilemma is figuring out what’s behind your child’s reluctance. A child who has never gone to public school may be fascinated with its portrayal in books or  on TV. Your 5-year-old may see starting kindergarten  as an expected rite of passage, especially if its something most of  their friends are doing. An older child who has been in school may be missing their friends. They may miss the familiarity and predictable routine of a traditional school day. Kids may be missing particular classes or activities, such as art, music, or sports. Your child may feel singled out in social groups as the lone homeschooler. For homeschooled teens, especially, it can be awkward to answer the question, Where do you go to school? Find out exactly why your child doesnt want to be homeschooled. 2. Discuss the Pros and Cons of Homeschooling Creating a pros and cons list for homeschooling and one for public (or private) school can be a practical way to help you and your child objectively weigh the benefits of both options. Let your child list whatever pros and cons come to their mind, even if they seem silly to you. Cons for homeschool might include not seeing friends every day or not getting to play on the school playground.  Cons for public school might include an early start time and not  having control over  the daily school schedule. After compiling the lists, compare them. Then, brainstorm ideas for fixing the cons for each list. For example, you may be able to arrange more frequent play dates with friends or visit the big playground at the city park, but you cant  change the public schools start time. Making pros and cons lists  validates your childs concerns. After some discussion, you and your child will be able to weigh the  benefits of homeschooling  versus those of public school.   3. Look for Ways to Compromise There may be specific social or educational aspects of a traditional school setting that your child is missing. Consider if any of these voids could be filled while still homeschooling. Some ideas to consider are: Co-op classes can provide the opportunity to forge friendships, cover topics about which you’re unfamiliar, or provide a group learning setting for activities such as science labs or drama classes.Sports teams are available for your homeschooled athletes.  There are recreational leagues for casual athletes and travel teams for more competitive players. Many areas offer homeschool teams. Other sports, such as swimming and gymnastics, are often not associated with schools to begin with, providing opportunities for homeschooled students to compete outside of a school league setting.Private lessons may fill a void for activities such as music instruction.Homeschool support groups can provide social interaction, group activities, field trips, and clubs. 4. Consider Your Child’s Input It makes sense  to seriously consider your child’s input and address their concerns, even if the reasons seem childish. Homeschooling is, after all, something that deeply impacts your child’s life. It is particularly important to consider their argument  if theyre an older student with sound, mature reasons for preferring a more traditional educational option.   However, it is equally  important to remember that you are the parent. While you want to think about all the possible consequences  of  homeschooling a child who is vehemently opposed to it, you must ultimately make the decision that you feel is in your child’s best interests. It can be frustrating and disappointing when your child doesn’t want to be homeschooled. However, by keeping an open line of communication; acknowledging and addressing their concerns; and seeking out workable solutions, most children will be able to see the benefits of homeschooling and embrace it.

Brand Management for Rolex Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Brand Management for Rolex - Essay Example The essay "Brand Management for Rolex" analyzes the strategies that have made Rolex a famous brand. It is a descriptive case study. In this case study, the qualitative method has been followed. The data that is used in this case study is secondary data and it has been collected through websites and books. Brand management is about developing an image of a brand and also maintaining it. Brand management helps a company to define any product, position the product, and deliver it to the customer. It is an ability to generate and sustain the brand. A strong brand is an asset for a company which discriminates any product from other alternative products. It can set an additional image to the product of the company. With regard to establishing brand image, Rolex always prefers to use certain traveler or singer or other stylish people for advertisement purposes. Rolex seeks selective media for advertising their products which can help to form the image of the brand as well as control the advertisement cost. Rolex is extremely elegant to accomplish multiple factors while spending least amount of money which can help to maintain the balance between optimal cost and profit. Through their good marketing skills, Rolex successfully increases their fans and earn the honor and faith of Rolex user. From the early 1930s, Rolex focuses on product quality. The advertisement of Rolex was limited to just product level and made by using verbal statements and graphics. Rolex depicted that its products are targeted to only high-class customers.

Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Story - Essay Example But the plagiarism was just too much to be ignored. There were entire passages and paragraphs that had been copy-pasted from the web. Jason Blair was a rising journalist in 2003 (Bailey). He was rendering his services to the New York Times as a reporter. Everything was going fine until one day, an editor at the San Antonio Express-News found out certain common things between a column written by Blair and a previous report authored by Macarena Hernandez. This led to the starting of an investigation by the Times into Blair. As a result of the investigation, 36 out of the total of 73 articles written by Blair were found to contain fabrication, plagiarism, or some other kind of unethical behavior (Bailey). Blair was left with no option but to resign from his job as a reporter and a journalist from the New York Times. Bailey, Jonathan. â€Å"5 Famous Plagiarists: Where Are They Now?† Plagiarism Today. 21 Aug. 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. . Grimes, A. C. â€Å"5 Insanely Blatant Acts of Plagiarism by Famous People.† 18 Feb. 2014. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.

Unit 4 db mgmt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit 4 db mgmt - Essay Example The DSS has four main components which include: a) User Interface, b) Database, c) Models and Analytical Tools, d) Architecture and network of DSS. The DSS contain a effective user interface, which is generally used by the decision makers to gain complete information from the database to make informed decisions. The database is used to save all the high quality information and to keep track of all the available data. Also, DSS uses mathematical models and tools that mainly relate to the supply chain activities. One of the best examples of the use of the decision support systems include that of Frito Lays, which used the DSS to develop hand held computers which was given to the route sales individuals to collect data from all the sales transactions. Also this helped the company keep a centralized control system although making the decision making decentralized (Power, 2002). This change to the company was a turning point and helped the company improve in the overall

Eating Misconceptions in America Essay Example for Free

Eating Misconceptions in America Essay The eating habits of Americans have been changing throughout the years of history. It could be noted that as the state of life increases in terms of wealth and a more stable economy, there are those people who are much encouraged to take in ready-to-eat mixture of preserved foods, some are even more interested in eating junk foods particularly because of the fact that there are numerous kinds of junk foods as well as processed food available in the market for such type of people. Why do they do this? Because of primarily the time that they might consume in preparing â€Å"much-healthier† foods in comparison with the time that they would spend in grabbing a bite of the junks. Since their stomach requires them to fill it with something when they hungry, they preempt that the food they take in counts no matter what kind the food they eat are. Most likely, the aim of eating for them is to simply give in to the craving of their stomach. How is this particular claim proven through statistical studies? The following paragraph shall show the necessary informations collected by the researcher of this particular paper. Methodology The researcher of this paper decided to deal with the situation in a much more actual way of collecting the needed data for the intended study. To be able to do so, the said researcher aimed to pass a random survey-interview among several students in a college campus. With the questions â€Å"What types of foods cause weight gain? † and â€Å"What types of foods help you lose weight? †, the researcher tried to get the opinion of the students and base the study on their answers as to how they view the food that they take in everyday.

The Power of Preparation Essay -- English Literature Essays

The Power of Preparation There is an old adage that claims it is better to be safe than sorry. Most people living on planet Earth would agree. The art of preparation is a skill every old person wants the youth of America to possess. Business leaders want their employees to be better prepared. Simple everyday people want to be ready for all kinds of disasters that life may have in store for them. Someone who was trying to be wise once said,  ¡Ã‚ °Dig the well before you are thirsty ¡Ã‚ ±. This person was obviously relatively smart. Preparation is an essential tool for making life a more positive experience. First, success could come more easily if enough work was done beforehand. For example, many students dislike final examinations for one reason: the  ¡Ã‚ °cramming ¡Ã‚ ± study method. This method is ineffective, and makes students cranky and tired. Relationships at all levels become strained, and everyone is unhappy with everyone else. This situation can easily be avoided with one simple solution. It is preparation. If they had reviewed their notes and read their books periodically, then they would most likely retain all the necessary information to pass any final. Second, preparation can make lives of thousands more pleasant. Picture a red-brick building that is large enough for approximately 1,400 young adults. Now, picture about 400 extra people. Are there any problems that could rise from this high population density? Perhaps, there would be difficulties shifting from room to room...

IELTS Syllabus Design Essay

1. Introduction The attached English for academic purpose (EAP) syllabus is designed for an IELTS preparation course, which particularly focuses on the listening test. The reasons behind this choice are that IELTS preparation course is very popular in China, and to be a specialist on teaching IELTS listening aligns with the author’s career plan. All learners are male and female Chinese student aged between 18 and 25, who seek tertiary education in English-speaking countries. Additionally, all of them are in the intermediate level, and they wish to get a good grade in the listening test. This will be a five-week teaching, and three hours per week with a different unit. Additionally, it will be used in a hypothetical class in a private language school, and the approximate number of students for each class is 25. In the following parts, the author will first give the definition of syllabus, and the importance and necessity of undertaking needs analysis. Then there will be a demonstration of the attached syllabus design, which include the justification of the selected types of syllabuses and the choice of the selection and grading of content. At last, a conclusion will be given to summarise the key points in this essay. 2. The definition of syllabus Basically, a syllabus is a specification of what is to be included in a language course; and it concerns the selection of items to be learnt and the grading of those items into an appropriate sequence (Jordan, 2003; Hamer, 2002). Additionally, Nunan (1988) defines syllabus to a broad and a narrow approach. In a broad view, the syllabus and methodology should be together, because the difficulty of distinguishing content and tasks with the development of communicative language teaching (CLT). Whereas, a narrow view considers distinguishing syllabus design and methodology: syllabus design essentially focuses on the selection and grading of content, while methodology is more about the selection of learning tasks and activities (Nunan, 1988). Linking to the attached syllabus, because listening is regarded as a receptive skill, and it requires few activities than productive skills, such as writing and speaking (Hyland, 2006). Hence, the attached syllabus is designed under the narrow view, and it is orientated with the selection and grading of content. 3. Needs analysis The term ‘analysis of needs’ first appears in a published survey report of language teaching by Michael West in 1926 (West, 1994). However, there was little attention given to the needs analysis in the following decades. The reason could be the traditional belief of basing curricula on language structures rather than on individual learner needs at that time (Richards and Rodgers, 1986). With the development of language teaching, the term ‘need analysis’ was re-raised by the Council of Europe Modern Language Projects group in the 1970s, and needs analysis is recognised as the starting point for devising syllabuses, courses, martials and the kind of teaching and learning that takes place (Strevens, 1977; Coffey, 1984; Fatihi, 2003). Similarly, Jordan (2003) also suggests that designing a syllabus should involve examining needs analyses and establishing goals. In the meanwhile, the concept of learners’ needs becomes more broader, which refers not only to the language knowledge and skills that for certain target situation purposes, but also refers to necessities, lacks, wants, desires, motivations, constraints and requirements, which could be linguistic, affective, material or institutional (Hutchinson and Waters, 1987; Allwright, 1982). According to Brown (1995:36), needs analysis is defined as â€Å"the systematic collection and analysis of all subjective and objective information necessary to define and validate defensible curriculum purposes that satisfy the language learning requirements of students within the context of particular institutions that influence the learning and teaching situation†. And there are several fundamental questions need to consider when conducting a needs analysis. As Jordan (2003) suggests and further summarises in the Figure 1, they are: * Why is the analysis being undertaken? (E.g. to determine the type of syllabus and content) * Whose needs are to be analysed? (E.g. the learners’; the teachers’; the sponsors’) * Who performs the analysis? (E.g. sponsor; teacher; student) * What is to be analysed? (E.g. target situation; present situation; deficiencies) * How is the analysis to be conducted? (E.g. questionnaires; tests) * When is the analysis to be undertaken? (E.g. before the EAP course) * Where is the EAP course to be held? (E.g. the learners’ own country) Figure 1. Needs analysis: summary Source: Jordan (2003), Chapter 2, pp. 29. The significance of conducting a needs analysis is that it is a device to know the learners’ necessities, needs and lacks, which directly determines the type of syllabus and content, as well as the appropriateness and effectiveness of the course (Fatihi, 2003). Also it is a process for identifying the instructional objectives in a valid curriculum, in order to facilitate the learning for language learners (Jordan, 2003). However, there are also some limitations of needs analysis, which include 1) the complicity of converting needs into goals since â€Å"an assessment of individual needs could result in multiple course objectives† (Dubin and Olshtain, 1986: 102); 2) the lack of an effective needs analysis procedure, as most needs analysis procedures fail to solve the leap between needs analysis and materials development (West, 1994); 3) the validity and reliability of the instruments used in a needs analysis and the results obtained (Van Hest and Oud-de Glas, 1990). Despite those limitations, it is still worth doing needs analysis because some studies have showed that it can be beneficial for the development of curriculum (Bosher & Smalkowski, 2002; Chaudron et al., 2005). 4. Demonstrating syllabus design 4.1 Selecting syllabus types There are various types of syllabus design that have been used over the last few decades (Yalden, 1987). Generally, a number of different types of syllabus can be subsumed under two broad headings; namely, the product-oriented syllabus which focuses on the end result, and the process-oriented syllabus which focuses on the means to an end (Nunan, 1988). The various types syllabus under these two broad headings have been listed in the Figure 2. Additionally, a skills-based syllabus that is based on one or more of the four traditional language skills is highlighted in Jordan (2003). It seems that this type of syllabus is on the half way between product syllabuses and process syllabuses as suggested by Robinson (1991). Furthermore, another independent syllabus is lexical syllabus which was initially done by the work of COBUILD since 1980; and it is on the basis of vocabulary and lexis (Lewis, 1993; Harmer, 2002).

Guess, Inc.

Guess? , Inc. What started as a small family owned jeans boutique has flourished into a global lifestyle brand. Guess? , Inc. currently designs, markets, distributes, and licenses a leading lifestyle collection of contemporary apparel and accessories for men, women, and children that mirror the American lifestyle, while grasping European fashion sensibilities. While the foundation of Guess, Inc. ’s history and massive success can be attributed to their roots in the sale of jeans, Guess, Inc. has now expanded globally, granting licenses for the manufacture and distribution of a full line of product categories. Guess, Inc. perates in 87 countries, with the majority of the stores in the U. S. and Canada. As of 2010, Guess has 1292 stores, 504 in North America, 441 in Europe, and 347 in South East Asia (Breif History of the Company and the Marciano Brothers). The company has agreements with 17 licensees. Throughout the past 30 years, Guess, Inc. has made every effort to maintain t heir status as a global phenomenon. History CEO and Chairman, Maurice Marciano, and Co-Chairman,  Paul Marciano The epitome of a successful family business, Guess, Inc was founded in 1981 by the four Marciano brothers, Georges, Armand, Paul, and Maurice (Guess? Inc. ). They came equipped with experience in the fashion industry, having previously owned and operated a chain of twelve retail stores in France (Guess, Inc. ). The brothers moved to California from Marseilles, France in 1977, where Guess was born, starting as a small jeans company. Georges Marciano was the designer of the jeans, and the brothers gave them the name â€Å"Guess† as they believed that word to be easy to pronounce due to their limited English (Guess, Inc. ). The company’s original jeans were innovative for its time, stone-washed, made to fit tightly, and featured zippers at the ankles. They called this the â€Å"Marilyn Jean† (Guess, Inc. ), and the style lived up to its name, with a sexy, unique style and attitude. They had a softer feel and lighter colors than typical denim jeans. They also featured the classic Guess triangle on the back pocket, which would soon become the distinctive Guess trademark. Believing strongly in his family’s jean business, Georges flew to New York, and convinced Bloomingdale’s to display 30 pairs of his European-style jeans on consignment in the Bloomingdale’s flagship New York store (Guess, Inc. ). Within three hours, Bloomingdale’s sold out every pair. Demand for the jeans soon skyrocketed, and the brothers would find themselves overwhelmed. Though he possessed no previous advertising experience, the brothers appointed Paul Marciano as their advertising director, in hope of expanding their capital. This proved to be wildly successful, as Paul would design an ad campaign that would revolutionize the way jeans and other clothing were sold. Seeking to take a different direction from the typical studio design, Paul brought the models and the jeans outdoors, using grainy black-and-white photography. He had the models show off the jeans using provocative poses, which would later be described by Forbes Magazine as â€Å"catering to teenage cravings for sex, power, attention, and self-love†¦electric not only with sexuality, but with an implicit brutality and exhibitionism as well. † (GUESS INC (NYSE: GES) | Balance Sheet). These controversial ads would quickly create a household name for Guess. By the end of 1982, their jeans produced about $12 million in revenue (Guess, Inc. ). Over the next 15 years, Guess would grow from a company of 30 pairs of jeans, to a globally diversified billion-dollar empire. Legal Battles Overwhelmed by their increasing costs to produce, the Marciano brothers sought a solution to expand their capital and access cheaper foreign labor. In July 1983, they signed an agreement with the Nakash brothers of the company Jordache which would entitle the Nakash brothers to 50% ownership of Guess, Inc. in exchange for $4. 8 million, as well as the use of Jordache’s Hong Kong manufacturing plants (Guess, Inc. ). This deal also licensed Jordache to produce a new line of jeans, entitled Gasoline, using parts of Guess designs in a lower-priced line. However, Guess made a mistake in putting their trust in the Nakash brothers, and neglecting to provide written assurances in the agreement to protect each company against creating knock-off’s of each other’s designs. This mistake would soon come back to haunt them, in their biggest legal battle to date. The Marcianos sued the Nakash brothers on charges of unfair competition, accusing them of using their position on the Guess board of directors and their access to Guess designs in the Hong King plant to produce clothing in their Jordache line that were clear knockoffs of Guess designs. In the suit, the Marcianos sought to null the 1983 agreement that had given Nakashes ownership of half of Guess (Guess, Inc. ). This battle would continue for the next five years, eventually ending with the two sets of brothers settling out of court, and the Marcianos regaining full control of the business. Estimated attorney fees were as high as $10 million per year for each side (Guess, Inc. ). This was an ugly legal battle that cost Guess Inc. an unnecessary amount of funds. 1982 also bought a smaller legal battle with Jeff Hamilton, Inc. Guess sought to enter the menswear market by obtaining a licensing agreement with this company. Under this agreement, Jeff Hamilton, Inc would market a line of clothing under the Guess name in exchange for a 7% royalty fee (Guess, Inc. ). However, Guess soon decided that Hamilton was targeting the young men’s market too strongly, and did not approve of Hamilton’s â€Å"dumping† of Guess merchandise in large discount stores, which was hurting the label’s high-end image. Guess sought to terminate the license agreement, which they eventually succeeded in doing in 1986. This extensive legal battle resulted in a slow growth for Guess menswear. Marketing & Promotional Strategies Guess is backed by their corporate mission statement; â€Å"At Guess, we are committed to being a worldwide leader in the fashion industry. We will deliver products and services of uncompromising quality and integrity consistent with our brand and our image. We are committed to listening and responding to the needs of our customers, associates and business partners, and honor their individual value. We are dedicated to personal and professional enrichment through an environment of open communication, creativity, teamwork, trust, and respect. We continue to give back to the community, support humanity, and protect the environment as part of our responsibility. We remain committed to an entrepreneurial spirit that fuels the growth of our Company and increased shareholder value. Through principled leadership we will embrace diversity, cultivate strength, pride and passion to align our personal life and our professional life. (The Guess Mission Statement). The target customer for Guess is a young, affluent adult, between the ages of 18 and 32. Guess makes every effort to live by this mission statement every day, and uses a variety of creative marketing and promotional strategies to further entice the target customer to purchase Guess products. The mission statement is executed everyday in Guess, Inc’s corporate strategy, which focuses on the long term. Guess is a global compa ny known for their quality, trend-setting styles, and marketing creativity. In realizing the importance of diversity, and consumers’ needs to constantly have something new, Guess never fails to bring forward new products and images to keep their name alive. While originally gaining momentum with their jeans, Guess now manufacturers and distributes a wide range of product lines. Once realizing their success, in the 80’s, the Marciano brothers decided to increase their potential, and expand beyond men’s and women’s jeans. Baby GUESS? , GUESS? watches, GUESS? footwear, GUESS? eyewear, and GUESS? fragrances were introduced. Wishing to continue their expansion, Guess introduced even more products in the late 90’s, including an entire collection of GUESS handbags, active wear, jewelry, swimwear, innerwear, leather, belts, neckwear, and men’s classics (CITE- annual report). Around the millennium, Guess introduced their website, opening the company to a whole other world of potential. Guess operates in 6 different store concepts in an attempt to appeal to a variety of different markets. The original GUESS? retail stores carry a full assortment of full-priced Guess products, including men’s and women’s merchandise, and licensed products. GUESS? factory outlet stores are primarily located in outlet malls, and sell a select assortment of men’s and women’s apparel and licensed products at lower price points. GUESS by MARCIANO stores were introduced in the summer of 2004 (GUESS INC (NYSE: GES) | Balance Sheet), in an attempt to recapture the company’s glamorous image. The Marciano chain offers apparel and accessories that are sexy, yet sophisticated. The target market for these stores is slightly older customers interested in higher-end clothing and accessories such as ritzy evening dresses and fancy jeans. G by GUESS stores offers Guess products at a lower price point than Guess retail stores, in order to target a wider demographic. These stores carry apparel for men and women, as well as a full line of accessories and footwear. Products in this line provide a more fun, youthful image; fashion-forward, yet not cutting edge fashion. GUESS? accessories stores sell GUESS? and GUESS by Marciano labeled accessory products. Finally, GUESS also operates in an e-commerce segment, with websites in 6 different languages (Maurice Marciano and Marciano). Guess is known for their iconic black-and-white print advertisements and logos that have maintained a level of consistency throughout the company’s history. The aim of Guess advertisements is to place more of an emphasis on the brand image than on the actual products (Maurice Marciano and Marciano). All Guess advertisements use similar themes and images, primarily using outdoor images. Guess images have been showcased in international print campaigns in virtually all major magazines, on television, billboards, bus shelters, and advertisements throughout the world. The image of the Guess model has become a pop culture icon in the history of fashion advertising. Guess model, Anna Nicole Smith, in the early 1990’s Drew Barrymore Adriana Lima Paris HIlton Guess brought forth the faces of many future supermodels in their sexy promotional campaigns, including names such as Anna Nicole Smith, Claudia, Schiffer, , Drew Barrymore, Jessica Miller, Cindy Taylor, Minki Van Der Westhuizen, and Shana Zadrick (Guess? Inc. News- Company Information). Iconic models, actresses and all-round sex-bombs have all pouted and posed for these successful Guess ad campaigns. It goes without saying that Guess has been such an influential brand in the fashion world. Sales Trends & Financial Data For the first quarter of 2012, Guess, Inc reported net earnings of $42. 7 million. This was a 15. 2% decrease from the first quarter of the fiscal year 2011, in which Guess, Inc. reported net earnings of $50. 3 million (Guess? , Inc. Reports First Quarter Results). Balance Sheet from www. FORBES. com For the entire year, ending January 29 ,2011, net earnings for Guess, Inc were reported at $289. 5 million, an increase of 19. %, with gross profit increasing to $1090. 2 million, an increase of 15. 8%. Total net revenue increased to $2,487. 3 million, and gross margin decreased from the previous year to 43. 8% of total revenues (Maurice Marciano and Marciano). The decrease in gross margin was attributed to the negative impact of the stronger U. S. dollar on product purchases, increased occupancy costs due to retail expansion in Europe, lower initial mark-ups in Europe , and higher markdowns in the North American retail segment (Maurice Marciano and Marciano). Earnings from operations were reported at $404. million, a 12. 8% increase from the prior year, and other income, including interest income and expense, totaled $16. 7 million (Maurice Marciano and Marciano). As of January 29, 2011, Guess, Inc. had $442. 1 million in cash and cash equivalents, down $60. 0 million from 2010. In breaking down all of their marketing segments, Guess, Inc found that once again, the largest increase in gross profit came from their European segment. In Europe, revenues increased 23. 2% to $920. 3 million. Revenues produced by other segments were reported as follows: North American Retail- Net Revenue: $1069. 9 million * Earnings from Operations: $122. 6 million * Operation Margin: 11. 5% Asia- * Net Revenue: $53. 6 million * Earnings from Operation: $28. 6million * Operating Margin: 14. 3% North American Wholesale- * Net Revenue: $181. 0 million * Earnings from Ope rations: $46. 2 million * Operating Margin: 25. 5% (Maurice Marciano and Marciano) Despite setbacks from their legal battles (The Marciano brothers believed they would have exceeded $1 billion in sales by their 10th anniversary, had it not been for the court cases) (Guess? Inc. ), Guess sales flourished from the very beginning. 1984 brought sales of $150 million, and in 1987, the company reached profits of $100 million, with sales reaching $350 million (Guess, Inc. ). At that time, Guess retail stores grew to 19 locations, and sales reached $575 million in 1990 (Guess, Inc. ). In 1991, Guess strategically increased their advertising budget to $22 million. This worked in their favor, as the company earned enough profits to add 33 more stores by the end of the year, including the European flagship store in Florence, Italy. Sales slowed during the recession in the early 1990’s (Guess, Inc. ). However, the men’s collection took an opposite approach, and sales skyrocketed, with a 41% sales growth in 1991 alone (Guess, Inc. ). By the end of the year, menswear sales would account for 40 of total company sales. During this time, Guess also began to see the extensive opportunities available with international sales, as licensing arrangements introduced Guess to over a dozen countries, causing a significant increase in revenues. By 1993, Guess had reached an estimated $700 million in sales (Guess, Inc. . During this time, Georges Marciano decided to step down from his position as CEO, and sell his 40% of the company to his brothers for around $200 million. Maurice was then named CEO, and took over direction of design. Guess then stepped up their promotional campaign, looking to fuel its future growth. Licensing became a vital part of total revenues, with products now including home furnishings, i nfant wear, and junior knit wear (Guess, Inc. ). Meanwhile, sales continued to grow, now focusing on more accessories as well. In 1994, sales of Guess watches exceeded $100 million and footwear more than $60 million. Guess became a publicly traded company in 1996 (Guess, Inc. ). Hoping to continue their uninterrupted success, Guess was disappointed when 1997 sales began to drop. To compensate, Guess created a new line of high-end jeans called Premium Denim for men and women. However, this proved to be another disappointment, and the market share was lost due to competitive pressures and a terrible retail environment. In 1999, Guess decided to start their first e-commerce store (www. guess. om), which gave their sales a much-needed boost. Even in critical times, Guess was able to open 56 new stores in 2000. Annual sales would increase by 32% with the introduction of G Brand, a new complete line of high quality unisexual jeans wear that used Italian denim and European designs. At the end of 2000, Guess had 212 stores in the U. S. and Canada. In 2001, Guess implemented a new marketing strategy in order to keep their profits rising. With these new strong marketing methods, Guess was able to increase their sales, and open 24 new stores in the U. S. and Canada, a total of 249 stores. Guess continues their success over the next several years. As of 2010, Guess has 1292 stores, 504 in North America, 441 in Europe, and 347 in South East Asia (Breif History of the Company and the Marciano Brothers). Looking towards the year ending January 28, 2012, Guess, Inc. expects new revenues to range from $2. 74 billion to $2. 80 billion (Guess? , Inc. Reports First Quarter Results). Operating margins are expected to be between $16. 5%, while diluted earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $3. 30 to $3. 50 (Guess? , Inc. Reports First Quarter Results). SWOT Analysis Like any business, Guess must analyze each of their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and implement a strategy of using each of these aspects to their advantage. Strengths A quick overview of the strengths of Guess, Inc. include maintaining a strong and diversified brand portfolio, a global full lifestyle brand, an effective management team, and solid capital structure. Guess produces a brand that portrays a fun, fashionable, and sexy image, which is developed and maintained worldwide. Guess maintain a massive level of global success, with stores in 85 countries besides the U. S. and Canada. Because of this global diversification, the company is still able to grow, even in tough economic times. International growth remains one of Guess, Inc’s top strengths. Another major advantage Guess has is their use of multiple distribution channels. Not a company to focus solely on one channel, Guess Inc uses retail, wholesale, e-commerce, as well as licensing distribution to sell their products. This proves as a preventative benefit, as their operating results are not relying solely on the performance on one single channel. This also allows Guess, Inc to quickly adapt to ay changes in the distribution or retail environment of any one particular region. Adding to their diversity, Guess also relies on multiple store concepts, including flagship GUESS? full-priced retail stores, GUESS? factory outlet stores, GUESS by MARCIANO stores, G by GUESS stores, GUESS? Accessories stores, and GUESS? kids stores (Maurice Marciano and Marciano). This allows Guess to target multiple demographics in different regions. Weaknesses Like any company, Guess, Inc must also identify their weaknesses. A quick overview of the weaknesses of Guess, Inc. include maintaining a business in a highly promotional environment, the highly competitive nature of the apparel industry, discretionary spending being dictated by the situation in the global economy, and the narrow focus on women’s apparel. While Guess has very diversified products, and targets women, men, as well as children, their heavy focus on women’s apparel could be seen as a big weakness. Only 10% of Guess consumers are men, boys, or babies (Maurice Marciano and Marciano), which may indicate a lack of balance of promotional activities. Guess should assign more of their promotional budget to focusing on these areas, rather than attempting to portray an image of solely a women’s retailer. This also creates an opportunity for competitors to gain control over these sectors. While Guess stores may be growing rapidly in other countries, they must continue to be careful not to saturate the market. Opportunities A quick overview of the opportunities for Guess, Inc. include growing demand in foreign countries, such as China, under-penetrated markets in Europe, growth in the U. S. , and alliances by leasing. The Guess e-commerce environment improves customer relations, and creates an alternative shopping environment. In realizing this, Guess has the opportunity to increase their profits significantly by continuing to offer a wide range of products and keep up with an ever-changing economy. Technology proves to be a great opportunity for Guess, as they can benefit from consumer’s need for convenience. Guess men’s clothing category also has the biggest potential and room for growth. If Guess takes advantage of that, they will allow themselves the potential for a tremendous increase in profits. Guess should also take advantage of the new business casual trend, whereas smart casual clothing is becoming more and more acceptable in professional offices, and more people are looking for an acceptable replacement for their suits, ties, and other â€Å"formal† business attire. Threats A quick overview of the threats against Guess, Inc. include continued weakness in global consumer spending, low entry cost for competitors in the apparel market, changes to import tariffs, quotas, and taxes, and increases in energy and raw materials prices. Competitors are always considered one of a business’s greatest threats. The apparel industry is highly competitive, which may cause difficulties for Guess in the future. During a recession or uncertain economic conditions, consumers may be faced with reduced confidence and spending habits, resulting in a slow-down in sales and profits. While relationships with international markets and suppliers prove to be a steady strength for Guess, there are also threats involved. Since Guess does not own or operate any production facilities of their own (CITE- annual report), they depend heavily on foreign suppliers and manufacturers to produce products of top quality, and exactly to their specifications. Since Guess is a global business, there revenues could inadvertently be affected by factors beyond their control, such as recessions in foreign countries, political instability which may interrupt trade with foreign vendors, reduced global demand, significant fluxations in the value of the dollar against foreign currencies, or local business practices that do not conform to legal or ethical guidelines. Furthermore, Maurice and Paul Marciano currently hold 33% ownership of Guess shares, which is a very significant percentage. Their interests may differ from those of other stockholders, which could present a potential threat to the nature of the business. Competition One of Guess, Inc’s top competitors is Abercrombie and Fitch. Similar to Guess, Abercrombie's positioning strategy involves the use of sexually overt advertising positioned to appeal to young adult markets. Unlike Guess, Abercrombie and Fitch advertisements often depict nudity, alcohol consumption and assorted sexual behaviors. Guess chooses to take a less scandalous approach, and maintain a softer, more classical image. Abercrombie ; Fitch does not have a mass market approach to its advertising. It places print ads in 4 magazines: Vanity Fair, Interview, Out, and Rolling Stone. Abercrombie ; Fitch is well positioned for the future, however it is necessary for them to continue to move forward in their efforts to maintain a new, trendy image. In the face of a falling economy, Abercrombie's advertising stands out to an audience that has been exposed to a lot of noisy ads. In comparison to Guess, Abercrombie has the advantage of selling products under four different concepts, Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie, Hollister, and RUEHL. This provides the added benefit of appealing to different markets and demographics under completely different names, whereas Guess will only sell products with the Guess name , allowing Guess limited access to the market. GUESS? In the Future Immediate strategies to make Guess bigger and better would be to focus more of their advertising and promotional capabilities to their menswear collection. In the near future, I would recommend opening individual Guess for Men stores, which would open the door to an entire new demographic, increasing the potential for an immeasurable amount of profits. Focusing on new markets in Europe should also prove to be beneficial for the company. Currently, this market is under-penetrated, but has great potential for expansion in the future. As for a long term growth strategy, Guess needs to continue increasing their retail presence and expanding internationally. Guess has an excellent retail strategy which needs to be executed in each region of the world. Looking towards the long term, Guess should consider forming an alliance with a major competitor in the market, such as BEBE or Levi’s. Both of these companies have showed evidence of trying to come up with new styles in an attempt to keep up with Guess (Guess? , Inc. ), and are equally dominating the market for jeans and/or casual wear. Merging with either of these companies would prove to be tremendously profitable for Guess, as it would eliminate much of the competition, as well as allow them to dominate more of the market. Celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, Guess, Inc. is now bigger and better than ever, and growth shows no signs of slowing down. As long as they continue to leverage their presence globally and execute their mission statement and creative promotional strategies, Guess will continue to stay on top of the fashion world. Works Cited â€Å"Breif History of the Company and the Marciano Brothers. 25 June 2009. Guess, Inc. 1 May 2011 . â€Å"Guess, Inc. † Funding Universe. 27 May 2011 . â€Å"Guess? Inc. News- Company Information. † New York Times 2011. â€Å"Guess? , Inc. † 2011. Hoover's Company Information. May 2011 ;http://proquest. umi. com. ezproxy. library. berkeley. org/pqdweb? index=4;did=168188551;SrchMode=1;sid=1;Fmt=3;VInst=PROD;VType=PQD;RQT=309;VName=PQD;TS= 1307571605;clientId=11195;. Guess? , Inc. Reports First Quarter Results. Fiscal Results for the First Quarter Ended April 30, 2011. Los Angeles, CA: PR Newswire, 2011. â€Å"Marcianos Go Full Time Now at Guess. † Women's Wear Daily 16 6 1990: 1. Maurice Marciano, Chairman of the Board, Guess, Inc. and Paul, CEO & Vice Chairman of the Board, Guess, Inc Marciano. â€Å"Guess? , Inc Annual Report 2010. † Annual Report. 2010. â€Å"The Guess Mission Statement. † Guess, Inc. 2011 . ——————————————–