tragoed The Tragic Figure of Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex)

The Tragic Figure of Oedipus Rex Sophocles is perhaps one of the greatest tragedians ever. Sophocles said that a man should never consider himself fortunate unless he can look back on his life and remember that life without pain. For Oedipus Rex, looking back is impossible to do without pain. This pain stems from his prideful life. Oedipus is aware that he alone is responsible for his actions. Oedipus freely chooses to pursue and accept his own lifes destruction. Even though fate victimizes Oedipus, he is a tragic figure since his own heroic qualities, his loyalty to Thebes, and his fidelity to the truth ruin him. Oedipus’ pride, strung from his own heroic qualities, is one factor that ruined him. A hero prizes above all†¦show more content†¦Aristotle explains that a tragic character is just and good, but his misfortune is brought about not by wickedness or depravity but by error, pride, or frailty. Oedipus fits this description perfectly. The story of Oedipus fascinates us because of the spectacle of a man freely choosing, from the highest motives, a series of actions which lead to his ruin. (Dodds 23). Oedipus could leave the city of Thebes and let the plague take its course but pity for the sufferings of his people compelled him to consult Delphi (Dodds 23). When Apollos word comes back, he could leave the murder of Laius uninvestigated, but pride and justice cause him to act. Oedipus cannot let a murder investigation go by without solving the riddle of who killed King Laius because his pride overpowers him. Oedipus pride reveals itself again in his loyalty to the truth. Oed ipus constant struggle to discover the truth for the sake of his people ruined him most in the end. Even though he is warned many times to stop seeking the truth, he keeps on searching. Oedipus has to choose between his doom and an alternative which if accepted would betray the heros own conception of himself, his rights, his duties, but in the end the hero refused to yield; he remains true to himself, to his physis (Knox 8). Therefore, one can see Oedipus need to uncover the truth about Laius and then about himself as proof of his commitment to uphold his own nature, pride. Oedipus quest for

The Changing Face of Childrens Literature - 2610 Words

Children’s literature is always changing. It has evolved greatly over the generations. Children did not have their own stories in ancient times. Instead, they listened to oral storytellers who would recite stories I tended for adults to hear. Over time it became apparent that children needed there own stories. Moral stories and educational writing started to be written with children in mind. As printed books for children became more accessible, stories started to focus on entertaining children as well as educating them. Today, children’s literature has stories that are focused on children and offer real life views and vivid fantasy alike. Children’s literature has progressed from simply oral folktales to the child focused stories we see today. All literature started with storytelling. Our ancestors told stories for comfort, instruction, entertainment and to teach their culture and religion. Storytelling has been a huge part of cultures all around the world. In ancient times, there was no difference between childrens literature and adult literature. Children listened to the same stories that their parents listened to. Defining what children’s literature is seems like an easy task at first. However, it is really not as simple as it sounds. What is literature for children? If a book is written with children in mind is it still considered a childrens book if adults read it? Likewise, is a book intended for adults still and adults book of it is read and enjoyed byShow MoreRelatedIn Children’S Literature, It Is Not Easy Finding Books1229 Words   |  5 PagesIn children’s literature, it is not easy finding books with diversity, especially books involving a character or characters with a disability. It is very hard to find picture books that teach young children about special needs and disabilities. Studies have shown the number of books featuring characters with a disability has increased in the last couple years, but the resources are still limited. While the number and varieties of disabled characters portrayed in children’s literature have increasedRead MoreGender Roles Of Women s Literature1661 Words   |  7 Pages The way in which gender roles are portrayed in children’s literature significantly contributes to the development of our youth’s understanding of their own gender’s role and how they are perceived by society. It is important for children to understand gender roles because gender roles are an essential cog in the perpetual machine that develops our society, but these cogs have been replaced with newer, more up-to-date cogs over recent years, so to speak. As society has changed, so has the typicalRead MoreThe Value of Literature in Education1106 Words   |  5 Pagesthe giant textbooks and moving into books students can connect with. Literature plays a dynamic role in the classroom from aiding learning in different subject areas, developing critical thinking skills and teaching moral lessons. Before I started taking my principles of elementary math class I never would have thought about the fact teachers use literature to aid learning in math. In my class, we examined the use of children’s picture books as a resource for students to see math in real life situationsRead MoreDifferences Between The Stories Bat And The Color Of Earth 874 Words   |  4 Pagescan be related to adventures a boy character would have. â€Å"The girl book can be found in as many varieties as the boy book†(RCL 400). For, example When Alice fell down the rabbit hole going into wonderland. Most girl characters in children’s literature would not have to face physical tasks, but this book does not put a limit to what Alice has to overcome just because she is a female. An example of Alice maturing into adulthood is when  realizes what wonderland  really is. Alice changed to her normal sizeRead MoreSocioeconomic Factors Of A Student s Life And Lower Academic Outcomes1711 Wo rds   |  7 PagesThe current social climate has no small amount of xenophobia, apathy towards the poor and inequality. Much literature has been written on how particular segments of the population are disadvantaged through their identity, limited access to resources and socialization (Ewing, 2013; Grattan, 2014 October). In addition, connections have been established between disadvantage in the context of a student’s life and lower academic outcomes (Gorski, September 2013, p. 49). The aim of this paper is to considerRead More The Mixology of Philosophies Essay887 Words   |  4 Pagesin achieving those goals. I believe that some knowledge is relevant to the time and place, but some knowledge is constant. Essentialism’s views of â€Å"back-to-basics† are appealing to me in regards to mathematics, history, reading and literature. These elements should be the basic focus of early education. A mastery of these constant basic skills transcends to all other subjects. On the other hand, some knowledge is not constant. John Dewy and his belief that change is the only constantRead MorePolitical Correctness in Richard Scarrys Book3069 Words   |  13 PagesCorrectness in Children’s Literature: With special regards to Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Ever Political correctness is one of the most controversial cultural and academic issues of today. Although because of its interdisciplinary nature it can be studied in relation to American English. In this paper the main focus is on the new interdisciplinary studies emerging in the scope of academics, such as multicultural literature; narrowing down to children’s multicultural literature. TheRead MoreThe Image Of Community Nursing : Implications For Future Student Nurse Recruitment1519 Words   |  7 Pagesindividual, face-to-face, in-depth interviews which distributed to 40 year 11 pupils ranging from the ages of 15-16. The advantage of using interviews in research is that they are particularly good at producing data which deal with topics such as the perception of nurses in this case in depth and in a lot of detail. Additionally, the researcher is likely to gain valuable insights based on the depth of the information gathered and the wisdom of ‘key informants’ (Denscombe, 1998). The use of the face to faceRead MoreAnalysis Of Invisible Man By Ralph Ellison And Finding Nemo1402 Words   |  6 Pagesworks of literature or film. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison and Finding Nemo, which is Disney Pixar children’s movie, both share this common literary element as well as the theme of invisibility. The main characters of these two works find thems elves fighting through their personal journey’s of life’s ups and downs in an endless daily cycle of finding out who they truly are while frequently feeling invisible to the general population they are surrounded by. Although growing up and changing as a personRead MoreLife Skills And Adolescence Of Rural Background1563 Words   |  7 Pagesapproach to cope with this present complex scenario of life. Thus the present paper focuses on the problems faced by the rural adolescence and how life skills education helps these students to face problems of everyday life with a positive attitude to go about with their everyday task effectively especially when they face prejudice and discrimination because of the rural background and when they transit to higher education. Key words: life skills, rural background and adolescence Introduction Today, 1

Business Strategy Of BHP Billiton Ltd - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss about the Business Strategy Of BHP Billiton Ltd. Answer: Introduction BHP Ltd was established in the year 1885 and has its headquarters situated in Melbourne in Australia who operates in more than 25 countries globally (BHP, 2017). The company made a quick recognition of available resources in mining business in mid-1800s as mining industries had less governmental regulations with huge investors pouring in those days. The company followed a trend of mergers and acquisitions in its long run one of which was made with Billiton group in the year 2001. The company after acquisition was named BHP Billiton. One of the biggest ventures of BHP Billiton is AUD 2 Billion mine that was started in Western Australia and brought huge progress to local community by giving employment opportunities to them. Currently, BHP Billiton has more than 100,000 employees, including contractors, worldwide and revenue realised is around AU $61.2 billion annually(Market Watch, 2017). Many incidents took place in the company like BP Oil spill, Takata Air Bags problem, Volkswagen em issions scandal and Global financial crisis but with strategic approach of the company, it sustained the market enormously. Internal Analysis Assets As shown in the figure below, BHP Billiton leads the global resources companies with outstanding portfolio of assets. The shareholders value plan is designed to provide the management with opportunity to concentrate on the issues by amalgamating BHP into a sole Australian tax resident listed company(ValueWalk, 2017). Figure: Mining and Petroleum Assets of BHP Billiton Source: (ValueWalk, 2017) Competitiveness BHP Billiton like many other big industries has to face constant threat from its competitors and has to face rivalry among them. One main competitor of BHP Billiton is Rio Tinto and relation between them always prevail unbendable fight(LinkedIn Corporation , 2017). Several equally balanced competitors present made the industrial growth rate slow down. Few other competitors of the company are Amcor and Alcoa Inc. Other issues like higher storage costs along with other fixed overhead costs make the company difficult to protract. Constant threat of new entrants also becomes challenging for BHP in sustaining competitiveness(BHP Billiton: Resourcing the Future, 2014). Sales, profits, share price BHP delivers high returns to its investors through share buyback policy which gives the company A credit rating in global market. As shown in the figure below, the company reported an annual sales growth of 19.6% to $18.8 billion and profit of $3.2 billion as compared to losses made in the last year that was $5.7 billion. The recent information from the company states that a target of $39.93 per share will be indicated in stock exchange thereby increasing 8.3% than present value(Yu, 2017). Figure: Sales and profits of BHP Billiton Source: (Yu, 2017) Strength and Weaknesses Although the weakness of the company requires BHP to improve the measures in gross periphery and long term fiscal return on equity to match with its peers. The company also faces human resources impacts such as lack of qualified staff and training. The company gains opportunity in working with wider market and has lots of upcoming projects to execute(Rodrigo, 2013). By utilising innovative and social media tools, company can strengthen its brand position and reach to its customers by promoting brand awareness. BHP Billiton is also working on reducing gas emissions as shown in the below figure that shows its positive environmental responsibility. Figure Greenhouse Gas Emissions by BHP Billiton Source: (BHP Billiton: Resourcing the Future, 2014) Threats which company faces are from rising costs of suppliers and corporate collaborations. Governmental threat also has been constant for the company along with political issues with instability in Euro Zone in the home country. The strength which the company gains is its strong portfolio, as shown in the figure below, and thus gives an advantage to rule the mining industry(Rodrigo, 2013). Figure: Product Portfolio of BHP Billiton Source: (Continnum, 2011) External Analysis Pestle Analysis The company as large as BHP enjoys favourable governmental support as they work to support economical activities of the country. The company also holds a strong economical reputation while accessing low operational costs, and has advantage over its competitors in raw materials. The cash flow of AUD was recorded 14.6 billion which made investors lose stress about their returns(Barakaat Consulting, 2017). The mining of raw materials have always proved to be a profitable business and since the company holds a strong reputation, it gains an advantage over it. Socially, BHP has always tried to respect the sentiments of local people and has successfully connected large number of people directly or indirectly to the company. Mining opportunity was first recognised by BHP and through it; the company had been able to invite more scrutiny from environmental and local communities while inviting investors from around the world to invest in. Thus with good rapport BHP follows while dealing with t he investors and local communities, the countrys economic condition are enhanced. Technologically BHP can invest more in order to improve it growth strategy. Presently the technology followed by the company to extract Nickel by combining acid pressure leach with atmospheric lead has helped to gain competitive advantage over its competitors and increased companys cost benefits. Although the company follows strict legal ethics, recent mishap in the factory premises had caused to raise conflicts between BHP and government(Barakaat Consulting, 2017). Thus possess a weakness of the company that could harm its reputation. Environmental analysis of the company has always been favourable to BHP as climatic condition of Australia has been even for the running of the company. Micro Analysis While making micro analysis of BHP, it can be seen that it has the most powerful competitive strength in the Australian market although rivalries can be recognised due to high strategic stakes. Also many competitors give tough competition to the company and makes company follow diversified strategies in order to gain competition. Major competitors of BHP include Rio Tinto, Nippon Steel, Exxon Mobil, Anglo American, Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron Corporation, etc.(Continnum, 2011) These along with new entrants have been a major concern for the company where the management needs treading cautiously. The low switching costs also makes customers divert to another company. BHP Billiton is a well established firm and thus threat regarding new entrant in minimal but shall be considered in making companys strategy. The bargaining power of customers seems quite powerful as they are the one who increases the monetary aspect in supply chain. On the other hand, loyalty within customers are hard to m aintain and any circumstance where switching is good, they does not hesitate in changing the company. The suppliers power seems weak for BHP as many raw material suppliers are present in Australian market due to availability of enough mining resources. The company has highly built infrastructure and strong market capture which results in making the power of new entrant weak. The increased profit earning of BHP higher than its competitors even during the time of recession shows its power in its field(BHP Billiton: Resourcing the Future, 2014). CURRENT BUSINESS STRATEGY To enhance proper functioning of the business, BHP Billiton adopts strategies that can prove beneficial for its business functions and ensure overall growth of the company. The BHPs headquarters that access all its global functions is situated at Melbourne, Australia and BHP Billitons at London, United Kingdom (Samarco, 2016).. Both the companies are run by combined team of management and holds similar board of directors. Shareholders also hold equivalent voting rights and have equal economic hold in the company as a whole. The companys strategy is to operate long term, huge, cost efficient, expandable and up streaming assets in diversified manner by utilising all available resources, geography and market. The company also follows a stable organisational structure, as shown in the below figure, and has facilitated itself to distribute superior precincts through fiscal and service succession for many years(BHP BILLITON FINANCIAL STATEMENT, 2017). Figure: Organisational structure of BHP Billiton Source: (BHP BILLITON FINANCIAL STATEMENT, 2017) The number of days taken by BHP to change the sale into ready money as compared to other firms is very fast which shows that the company has superior management. Major customers dealing in materials mined by BHP consists of brass mills and electricity generating utilities. The company has always delivered superior profits to its shareholders with having a disciplined execution quality of staunch strategy of operating and purchasing. The strategy of the company enables it to expand its flexible assets globally while utilising all available resources to its maximum. The companys diversification strategy depends on the availability of natural resources available at those locations where they purchase or sell the products(Gordon, 2007). CONCLUSION The above analysis suggests the company to manage its operations more tactically as any mineral based industry is risk endeavoured whether it is any small enterprise or a huge like BHP Billiton(Hobbs, 2013). With change in demands among customers and risks of oil spills, the companies clearing costs may augment and affect the commodity price that can make BHPs profits impulsive. Therefore acquiring assets in geographically diversified areas along with quality maintenance can provide secure returns and growth expansion. The company must also look more strategically in its threats and current issues and create more technical and modern approach to deal the situations. After making internal and external analysis of BHP, on concluding note it can be said that the company possess strong market presence in Australian market and with strategic management policy it follows, has the ability to become one of the largest company worldwide. REFERENCES Barakaat Consulting, 2017. BHP Billiton SWOT and PESTLE Analysis. [Online] Available at: https://www.swotandpestle.com/bhp-billiton/ [Accessed 16 September 2017]. BHP BILLITON FINANCIAL STATEMENT, 2017. UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION: BHP Billiton Ltd. [Online] Available at: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/811809/000119312510213954/d20f.htm [Accessed 16 September 2017]. BHP Billiton: Resourcing the Future, 2014. Value through Performance: Annual Report 2014. [Online] Available at: https://www.bhp.com/~/media/bhp/documents/investors/annual-reports/bhpbillitonannualreport2014.pdf [Accessed 16 September 2017]. BHP, 2017. Bhp.com. [Online] Available at: https://www.bhp.com/our-approach/our-history [Accessed 16 Septmber 2017]. Continnum, Q., 2011. Equities Spotlight: BHP. [Online] Available at: https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2011/05/equities-spotlight-bhp/ [Accessed 16 September 2017]. Gordon, J.L., 2007. BHP Billiton: Strategic Options. [Online] Available at: https://pierre.benain.free.fr/MBA698%20BHP%20Billiton%20Report.pdf [Accessed 16 September 2017]. Hobbs, M., 2013. Climate change is a strategic risk for BHP: Dunlop. [Online] Available at: https://www.afr.com/business/climate-change-is-a-strategic-risk-for-bhpdunlop-20131018-j08n6 [Accessed 16 September 2017]. LinkedIn Corporation , 2017. BHP Billiton vs. Rio Tinto. [Online] Available at: https://www.slideshare.net/eholmes80/bhp-billiton-vs-rio-tinto [Accessed 16 September 2017]. Market Watch, 2017. BHP Billiton Ltd. ADR. [Online] Available at: https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/bhp/financials/cash-flow [Accessed 16 September 2017]. Rodrigo, 2013. BHP Billiton SWOT Analysis and Porter Five Force Analysis. [Online] Available at: https://writepass.com/journal/2013/01/bhp-billiton-swot-analysis-and-porter-five-force-analysis/ [Accessed 16 September 2017]. Samarco, 2016. BHP Billiton outlines strategy to grow value. [Online] Available at: https://www.bhp.com/media-and-insights/news-releases/2016/05/bhp-billiton-outlines-strategy-to-grow-value [Accessed 16 September 2017]. ValueWalk, 2017. Elliot Management The BHP Shareholder Value Unlock Plan. [Online] Available at: https://www.valuewalk.com/2017/04/elliot-management-bhp-shareholder-value-unlock-plan/ [Accessed 16 September 2017]. Yu, M., 2017. Great Recovery by BHP Billiton: An analysis of the worlds largest miner. [Online] Available at: https://www.gurufocus.com/news/502226/great-recovery-by-bhp-billiton- [Accessed 16 September 2017].

Field Trip Report free essay sample

So, in 1982 the government received funds to open up the new hospital which was then named St. Croix Hospital and was changed to Juan F. Luis in 1994. They also asked us what we would like to be that has anything pertaining to working in the nursing, and ultrasound technician and so forth. After that we split into two groups. One group went with Ms. Toussaint and other classmates and I went with Ms. Montoute. The first place we went to learn about was the E. R (Emergency Room). And the head nurse (Donna JnBaptiste-Manning) is who told us about theirs jobs. There are 17 beds in the E. R. They help people with trauma to the head, gunshot wounds, sickness, and if the sickness isn’t so bad that they can walk and other stuff they send them through Fast Track. We was also told to ask why do they take so long to assist to their patients if they have trauma to the head and so forth and someone said because they have other patients and because of the average waiting time. We will write a custom essay sample on Field Trip Report or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Now the hospital has to wear a specific type of scrubs and the non-clinical people wears a black pants and or skirt with a white shirt with a logo. OBGYN (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) that’s were women go to get a check-up themselves and so forth. Throughout the hospital there are codes. Code blue –Cardiac Arrest, Code Black- Bomb Threat, Code Brown- Aggressive Patient, Code Pink- Child Abduction, and Code Orange-Patient left, Code Red- Fire, Code Yellow- External Disaster, Code Gray- Suspicious, and Code Green-Rapid. And if anything goes wrong depending on a certain code. Their money per year is from $40,000 to $60,000 that’s not a lot of money compared to the states. So, after we were done with that we went and visit the E. M. S (Emergency Medical Service) we learned that they have a new device to do compressions when they are doing CPR. And well they have a new ambulance which has an electric stretcher and the stretcher holds up to 700lbs. Their qualifications are Intermediate and Paramedic. You have to have a State license and or National Registry to work as an E. M. S. It takes 6 months to a year for National Registry. The people said that they have to renew their license every 2 years and take classes every year. So after we were finish with that we went to Radiology. Oh, I loved that part out of all the different places we tended to. Radiology (the science of X-rays and other high-energy radiation). The director of this section was Mr. William Daud. Why I love this part? Because I’ve done many x-rays, and I just wanted to know more about MRIs’ and so forth. This gentleman explained to us what an x-rays does. Well, and x-ray looks at your bones. Depending on what area you are looking at you can either stand up or you may lie down on the table where they have to set you up to the position that your doctor prescribed you too do. He also told us that they sometimes use barium to see if there is any blockage anywhere in your system that is preventing your blood to flow and clogging and so forth. Then we went to this ultrasound room, Mr. Williams told us that it gives off sound to the image of the body. In order to be an ultrasound technician you need to know how to physics, math, biology, and chemistry. After that we went to the Mammography which looks at your breast. It checks to see if you have any breast cancer and if it’s that bad. It picks up breast cancer. There is a new machine they introduced us too which was the Densitometry the brand name is Hologic it tests to see if you have dense bones or more like brittle bones. Older folks have brittle bones. Brittle meaning easily broken. We also learned about CT (Computerized Tomography) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). After we learnt about that we went to the lab. At the lab Ms. Angie took us to the Chemistry Department and they were telling us about testing blood to see what is affecting someone. If, their blood glucose/cholesterol is high, and so forth. And they also said the blood takes 3-5 minutes to gel up so that they can put it in the spinner. But when it gels up they put cerium. Next we went to learn about Hematology (the study of blood). Ms. Shirley was the one telling us about what she does and what Hematology is. My reflection on this field trip was good. I really enjoyed the different parts we toured to. It was very interesting and exciting. I probably would do one of the fields which I was most interested in.

AIDS Tax essays

AIDS Tax essays In the medical world, AIDS is fairly new, only beginning to be diagnosed in the 1980s and just barely has it begun to be understood by doctors. It is estimated that this fatal virus affects 37 million people worldwide. Countries that are still developing are the ones hit the hardest. In South Africa alone over 5 million people are living with AIDS or are HIV positive. This large number really plays a role in how businesses in South Africa are affected. A recent study was done to understand how AIDS impacts businesses. Six companies in Botswana and South Africa were surveyed. These were large, successful companies; 4 of which were subsidiaries of transnational corporations. The companies were in a range of industries from media to mining. Employing between 500 to 35,000 people each. A voluntary survey was given out to discover how many were affected by AIDS and how it impacted the companies financially. The study found that there was a large range of percentage of people infected with AIDS and that the number heavily depended on the type of job the person held. Overall 7.9% to 29% of the employees were infected with AIDS. Companies in mining and metal processing seemed to be affected the most, with more than 23 percent of their employees suffering from AIDS/HIV. On the other hand, only 14 percent of people holding supervisory or managerial jobs were infected. The study sought out what HIV-infected employees were costing them. Some of the costs included were medical care, benefits payment, training a replacement worker, insurance premiums and missed days of work due to illness from HIV/AIDS. The annual AIDS tax as it was dubbed in the study raged from 0.4% of the annual wage bill at a company to 5.9%. For one company that meant a cost of $11.9 million per year. There are also many indirect costs of losing an employee to AIDS. These costs were not included in the estimates for the AIDS ...

Poppets Current Marketing Mix Essays

Poppets Current Marketing Mix Essays Poppets Current Marketing Mix Essay Poppets Current Marketing Mix Essay Essay Topic: Marketing The marketing mix is very important for all products. The 4 Ps Product, Price, Place and Promotion are an integral part of a products marketing. If these 4 Ps are not right, the company could aim their product at the wrong market, price themselves out of the market, or not distribute enough of the product. In each case, the company would face serious problems. The 4 Ps are therefore vitally important. The confectionary market in general uses the 4 Ps. The product has to look appealing and obviously taste nice, as well as meeting the customers wants. Confectionary is a want, not a need, and therefore the product must offer something special, a Unique Selling Point to attract the customer. The packaging must be carefully designed to appeal to the target market, as impulse buying accounts for a large proportion of sales in this market. The pricing is also important in the confectionary market, as all products cost roughly the same. Confectionary is generally aimed at younger people with not as much money to spare, and so the price is very important. Confectionary has to be sold in the right place, which is where distribution becomes important. If the product is not readily available, then the impulse buying public would be unable to see the product to buy it. So it is important that confectionary is sold in local shops as well as supermarkets. Finally, promotion is important so potential customers know about the product and can see what it has to offer. The confectionary market is dominated by several large companies Cadburys, Mars and, to a lesser extent, Nestle. Each of these companies have multiple chocolate brands and one flagship brand, which are Dairy Milk, Mars, and Kit Kat respectively. They are all sold in local shops, garages and supermarkets, are priced at roughly the same (around 30p for an average size), and are promoted extensively. Indeed, catchphrases (for example: Have a break. Have a Kit Kat) are commonly recognized for major brands. Poppets The Product Poppets come in many different flavours, a range which is frequently being changed and added to. At the current time, flavours include: Toffee, Toffee with white chocolate, Raisin, Peanut, Fruit cream, Toffee popcorn, Mint cream and Peanut Raisin (combined). These flavours cover many different tastes and so appeal to a wider target audience. As the flavours are so differentiated, it means that someone who detests toffee, for example, could still like Poppets in general as they could like peanuts. By not having a common ingredient (apart from chocolate, of course) they arent ruling themselves out of the market. Their wide selection means they are sure to have a flavour that appeal to everyone. Packaging is very important for confectionary, in order to attract impulse buyers and to draw attention to the product. Colours are varied depending on the flavour, which I think is effective as customers can spot their favourite flavour from a distance. The packaging also shows a picture of the product so even impulse buyers who have never heard of it may be tempted. Poppets are mostly aimed at teenagers, as they spend most money on sweets. The advertising is also very much aimed at teenagers, but I will cover that later. Poppets can of course appeal to anyone but the majority of sales are to teenagers. There is no particular social class that Poppets are aimed at, simply impulse buyers who like chocolate! Poppets have been on the market for a long time, so are at an advanced stage in the product life cycle. It is impossible to know for sure, but I would guess that Poppets are starting to go into decline. They have reached and passed the maturity stage, and are probably between saturation and decline stages. Poppets The Prices Poppets are sold primarily in boxes, but also sometimes in larger bags. The average retail prices are about 35p for a small box (45g), 65p for a larger king size box (75g), and 99p for a bag (200g). Prices, however, do vary from shop to shop, with prices such as 63p and 32p being found in various places. This variation is due to shops adding on profit for themselves. Some shops may add on a lot and so charge a larger price for them, while others may not take so much and so sell at lower prices. The difference in price could also occur due to changes in Paynes prices. This could be due to distribution, for example foreign shops will buy the product from Paynes at a higher price due to the distribution costs involved.

Nike Case study Analyzing and Discussing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Nike Case study Analyzing and Discussing - Essay Example is a company that has come to symbolize both the benefits and the risks inherent in globalization. During the year 1998, the company was under attack for allegedly exploiting overseas factory workers. In the past few years, the Nike Corporation has offered a microcosm of the issues surrounding consumerism and the global free market economy. Nike, like many other corporations from the economized world, has been criticized for exploiting laborers in manufacturing plants relocated to less economized societies. This exploitation has appeared grosser in that they are producing luxury products for over consumptive economized societies and disproportionally reward their star endorsers with lucrative contracts. The mounting criticism and campaigns against Nike, however, have not had much impact on a key part of their market, urban African-America (Watts, 2000). Poor African Americans understandably have some difficulty extending concern for abuses of workers overseas when the injustices they face in their own country are similarly acute. Although multinationals are eager to pursue the opportunities of increased global integration, they are increasingly aware of the reactions which their strategies induce - both at home and abroad. As part of the analysis of the case study of Nike Inc., this paper examines the difficulties and complexities that the company had to face with respect to its overseas labor problems. Discussions Exploitation of overseas workers of the company The labor practices that the company followed with respect to its overseas laborers was the major crisis that the company is facing (Lee, 2000). Nike developed a strong working relationship with two Japanese shoe manufacturers, Nippon Rubber and Nihon-Koyo, but as costs/prices increased in Japan over the course of the 1970s Nike began to search for alternative, lower-cost producers. During these same years, Nike opened up its own shoe factories in Maine and New Hampshire, hoping to develop a reliable and high-quality source to supply its growing domestic market. At the same time, the company also began to cultivate potential suppliers in Korea, Thailand, China and Taiwan. Over time, as Korea and Taiwan also began to develop, costs began to rise in these countries as well. As a result, Nike began to urge its suppliers to re-locate their operations to other, lower-cost countries. The company worked with its lead suppliers to open up manufacturing plants in Indonesia, China and Vietnam. By guaranteeing a significant number of orders and by placing Nike employees at these new factories to help monitor product quality and production processes, Nike was able to help its lead vendors establish an extensive network of footwear factories throughout Southeast Asia (Locke). The same factors that permitted Nike to grow at an impressive rate over the last several decades - taking advantage of global sourcing opportunities to produce lower cost products and investing these savings into innovative designs and marketing campaigns - have also created serious problems for the company in recent years. Though analysts and many others feel that the management of the company is responsible for this crisis, it cannot be said so. The company and its management cannot be 100% responsible since it is the

Why pathologies of hope Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Why pathologies of hope - Assignment Example This is a thesis that she effectively presented when she claimed that: I hate hope. It was hammered into me constantly a few years ago when I was being treated for breast cancer: Think positively! Dont lose hope! Wear your pink ribbon with pride! A couple of years later, I was alarmed to discover that the facility where I received my follow-up care was called the Hope Center. Hope? What about a cure? At antiwar and labor rallies over the years, I have dutifully joined Jesse Jackson in chanting "Keep hope alive!" -- all the while crossing my fingers and thinking, "Fuck hope. Keep us alive."... (Ehrenreich, Barbara, â€Å"Pathologies of Hope†) As far as ms. Ehrenreich is concerned, postivism will not get you anywhere unless you actually push yourself to take action. Whether you are in a positive or negative state of mind does not have any effect on the outcome. After all, the only goal one has in life is to achieve and succeed. In her case, she found that negativity, anger and the desire to beat the odds worked better than any positive reinforcement she ever got from the medical community, other cancer survivors, or her

The Reason for the Shift from Transactional To Relationship Marketing Essay

The Reason for the Shift from Transactional To Relationship Marketing - Essay Example This paper illustrates that strategies harnessed by relationship marketers to achieve their goals include focussing on retaining customers and long-term view of business relations as shown by Jaguar Land Rover Plc, focus on providing value to the customers as depicted by Mercedes-Benz, emphasizes on the provision of great service to clients as depicted at Starbucks. There is also an emphasis on quality relationships and customer contact through social media, email and text messages with this strategy exemplified by Starbucks and Costa Coffee. Business to business (B2B) approach of relationship marketing between one firm to another and focuses on the features of the product and there is the lack or very little personal emotion between the representatives of the two organizations involved. The operational guidelines of the business are the main emphasis for understanding through searching more information on the organization, and there is the requirement for marketing to be in-depth in business to business marketing. The effectiveness of marketing is dependent on the ability of the product to save time, resources, and money. On the other hand, relationship marketing approaches on business to consumer is giving a focus on product benefits and decisions have the personal emotional attachment. The message has to be short and less informed, focus on product benefits, and getting right to the point. Purchasing decisions by consumers base more on emotion.

Analysis Of Huawei And Its Core Competencies Management Essay

Analysis Of Huawei And Its Core Competencies Management Essay Huawei Technologies was founded in 1998 by Ren Zhengfei who is a former Peoples Liberation Army officer and telecom engineer. It was incorporated as a private enterprise which manufactures telecommunications equipments for domestic Chinese companies at a much lower price than its international competitors. And since the beginning, Zhengfeis vision was to build innovation capability into the company. However, contrary to the Chinas policy of exchanging market for technology, Zhengfei is convinced that having a joint venture with foreign companies would only cause the Chinese to lose their domestic market and not enable them to acquire foreign technologies. In performing an internal analysis, it is important to have a global mind-set, which is the ability to analyse the internal environment in ways that are independent on the assumptions of a single country, culture, or context. In addition, the businesss portfolio of resources and the bundles of heterogeneous resources and capabilities have to be analysed so that they are be leveraged on if need to. Business Fundamentals Accounting Huawei Technologies had annual revenue of US$6.7 billion and a net profit of US$470 million in 2005. This is an increase from annual revenue of US$5.8 billion and a net profit of US$470 million in 2004. Huaweis net profits in 2002 and 2003 were US$110 million and US$380 million respectively, and it had a net profit margin of 4% in 2002, 10% in 2003 and 8% in 2004. No doubt, Huaweis net profit margin drop by 2% in 2004, Huawei is still generating profit. Finance There are short-term financing and long-term financing options available. Huaweis financial support from the state-owned Chinese Development Bank in the form of a US$10 billion facility and US$600 million from the Export-Import Bank of China are both forms of long-term financing. Risk Management There are three major types of business risks; price risk, credit risk and pure risk. As Huawei has markets overseas, there is bound to be some price risk involved when there is any fluctuation in foreign exchange rates as their receivables and payments are transacted in foreign currencies. Hence, Huawei can use hedging to manage its price risks. In addition, pure risk is assume to be present in virtually any industry and there are four types of pure risk that affect business; damage to assets, legal liability, workers injury and employee benefits. Organisation Design Huawei practice departmentalization as its workforce is spilt into departments such as Research Development (RD) and production. It is also a mechanistic structure as there is high specialization and centralization. Human Resource Management Since its beginning, Huawei had been emphasizing on building a strong RD team and it had been recruiting employees of high caliber with exceptionally high salary by Chinese standard. Operations and Supply Chain Management The success of most businesses is their ability to identify the customers needs and to come up with products that fulfills the necessary requirements. These products will then have to be produced at economically viable costs. As Huawei manufactures and ships its products both locally and overseas. Thus, it is vital that Huawei monitors its operations and supply chain management to ensure that its products remain profitable and that bullwhip effect be controlled. Product Development Huawei has the foresight to invest and develop in new technologies in the industry which gives it a quantum leap in the market from its competitors. Resources, Capabilities, and Core Competencies Resources, capabilities and core competencies form the basis of competitive advantage. Resources create organizational capabilities when group together and in turn, capabilities result in the core competencies of a firm, and these are the foundation of competitive advantage. Tangible Resources Financial Resources As previously mentioned, Huawei has the financial support from the state-owned Chinese Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China. With their financial support, Huawei received a US10 billion facility for its international expansion over five years and US$600 million respectively. Organisational Resources Huawei has departments such as RD, production and marketing which form up the basic organization structure of the company. Huawei also integrates its marketing employees into its main RD team so that the customers needs can be better communicated to the RD headquarters responsively. Physical Resources Huawei has research centres located in China and overseas. For example, it has a 21 storey research center at its headquarters in Shenzhen and six other research laboratories in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Huangzhou, Xian and Chengdu; a software development centre in Bangalore (India) and research facilities in Moscow (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden) and the Silicon Valley in California. Technological Resources Huawei had a large number of patents under its name. It had more than 8,000 patent applications by late 2004, with 800 of them applied in more than 20 countries, including the United States and Europe. In fact, in 2004 alone, Huawei had more than 2,000 patent applications which put it on par with its international rivals in the same industry. Intangible Resources Human Resources Since establishment, Huawei had focused its resources to build itself a strong RD team. Starting off with 500 RD staffs and 200 production staffs, Huawei had a workforce of 24,000 employees by late 2005 with 48% of them engaging in RD works. In addition, the education level of the companys employees was higher than the average worker in China. More than 85% of its workforce had a bachelors or higher degree, and about 60% had a masters or PhD. Innovation Resources Huawei undertook joint RD laboratories with foreign companies such as IBM, Microsoft, Texas Instruments, Intel, e.g., focusing on different telecom techniques. These joint development efforts were used to complement Huaweis innovation capabilities. Reputational Resources Huawei has a large customer base in China with the major telecom companies being its customer. In addition, Huawei is one of the major suppliers for equipments for the China Telecoms ChinaNet Next Carrying Network, known as CN2, which is the core network for the countrys next-generation business and consumers services. Capabilities Capabilities exist when there are resources on hand that have been deliberately integrated to achieve specific tasks. Huawei had a strong team of RD staff which comprises of 48% of its total employees. In addition, Huawei recruits employees of high caliber, with more than 85% of its employees having at least a bachelors degree and 60% having a masters or PhD. Thus, Huawei is able to come out with innovate products, hence holding an exceptionally high number of patents by Chinese standard. In addition, coming from a military background, Ren Zhengfeis connection with the Chinese military helps create a guanxi network which is extremely helpful to Huawei. Being based in China, Huawei is able to manufacture and offer products at a lower price (typically 30% lower than those of established suppliers). Core Competencies Core competencies are capabilities that are a source of competitive advantage for a company over its rivals. Huaweis first competence is its RD. Because of the inexpensive labour force in China, Huawei had an advantage over its international competitors. In addition, Huawei integrates its marketing people into its RD team, thus the needs of telephone companies and service providers could be communicated through the marketers to the RD department in the shortest time. Another core competence which Huawei had is its close relationship with the Chinese military. This close relationship enables Huawei to create a guanxi network which few other competitors could rival and which helps Huawei to secure big contract orders in its initial years and huge financial loans from the state banks. A third core competence is Huaweis products low price as compare to its competitors. In summary, Huawei would need to maintain these core competencies in the long run to have a sustainable competitive advantage. Valuable Rare Costly to Imitate Non-substitutable RD à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Close relationship with Chinese military à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Price à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ *Must meet at least 3 criteria to be a competitive advantage (CA). Value Chain Analysis Using the value chain analysis, we will analyse which are Huaweis operations segments that create value and those that do not. It is essential to understand these issues, as a business will only earns above-average returns when the value created is greater than the costs incurred to create that value. Primary activities Huaweis primary activities are marketing and sales, inbound logistics, outbound logistics and operations. Support activities Huaweis support activities are firm infrastructure, human resource management, service, technological development and procurement. Activities which are not of competitive advantages to Huawei can be outsourced to external vendors so that resources can be put to better use within the company. SWOT Analysis Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Huawei have a strong RD team and high caliber employees which gives it an edge over its competitors. Being based in China, Huawei is able to manufacture and offer products at a lower price (typically 30% lower than those of established suppliers). In addition, with a low-cost workforce, Huawei spends less in RD but achieve comparable results with foreign technology companies who spend more. Ren Zhengfeis connection with the Chinese military enables Huawei to have the support from the Chinese government which is essential to working in China. Weaknesses Being a Chinese company, Huawei will be view in a different light compared to other companies from other countries. In general, the perception was that Chinese vendors were mainly relying on western engineering methods and were turning the higher margins and complex products into standard commodities. Thus, Huawei would have to move beyond this to be view as a serious global competitor. Huaweis lawsuit with Cisco gives rise to the issue that Huawei has infringed Ciscos patents and copyrights by copying its user interface, user manuals and source codes which inevitably affects Huaweis reputation in the United States. Key Success Factors Huawei is able to be successful as in general the Chinese market is a closed industry and foreign companies would need to joint ventures with local Chinese companies in order to enter the market, which will involve large equity investments. In addition, being a home-grown company, the Chinese will prefer to buy their products from Huawei, thus giving it an advantage in such a big emerging market. Furthermore, with Ren Zhengfeis connection to the Chinese military, it would have an unfair advantage over other companies. Secondly, since the onset, Huawei had focus on employing high caliber employees to form a huge RD team. Together with joint RD with other leading foreign companies, this has enables Huawei to come up with innovative products. Question 2. Perform an external analysis of Huawei. Based on your analysis, identify the possible opportunities and threats encountered by Huawei. (30 marks) Business Fundamentals Economics China overtook the United States to become the largest telecom market in late 2002 and by 2004; Chinas telecom industry had US$112 billion in business transactions. This is equivalent to an annual growth rate of 34.9% which was 3.7 times Chinas gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 9.5%. In addition, Chinas telecom equipment market will continue to grow annually at a compound rate of 10.9%, from US$30 billion to US$45 billion between 2004 and 2008. Stakeholder Management There are two major groups of stakeholders; market stakeholders and non-market stakeholders. Market stakeholders are also known as primary stakeholders and they include the employees, customers, suppliers and distributors of Huawei. Non-market stakeholders, also known as secondary stakeholders are people whom are affected by Huaweis actions but without being directly involved with any economic transactions with it. Marketing Huawei had to be aggressive to win contracts and typically, their products are about 30% cheaper than established brands. In addition, Huawei offer incentives when pitching for sales for major contracts. The External Environment The external environment of a company is divided into three major areas; the general, industry and competitor environments, each focusing on different aspects. The General Environment PESTL Model The general environment comprises of dimensions in the broader society that influence an industry and the firms within it. Using the PESTL model, we will gather the information and analyse each segment and its implication. Political Huaweis founder; Ren Zhengfei was from the Chinese military and this connection had created a guanxi network which few competitors could match. This relationship had helped Huawei secure big contract orders with the military during its early years. In addition, financial supports from state-owned banks were given to Huawei for its expansion plans overseas. However, this connection to the Chinese military had also affect Huawei, as a number of distributors in the United States were skeptical about the influence Huawei was subject to, and they were cautious of any implications. In addition, due to ownerships restrictions in China, most foreign firms would need to have a joint venture with local Chinese companies before they can enter the market. Hence, Huawei had an advantage in this aspect. Economics Huawei was the largest telecom equipment manufacturer in China with annual revenue of US$6.7 billion in 2005, and a net profit of US$470 million. At the same time, its market capitalization was estimated to be up to US$10 billion. Sociocultural Despite Huaweis efforts to fit into the United States culture, Huawei still met with difficulties when it first started operating in Plano, Texas in 2001. For a start, the Americans had difficulty pronouncing the companys name to the extent that Huawei had to come up with a working name. However, this caused confusion as the new name was not adopted nor promoted consistently and the Americans were confused by two different names belonging to the same company. To make matter worse, Huaweis employees had difficulty adapting to the Texas accent and their local culture. Huawei itself has a unique corporate culture within the company. Due to Ren Zhengfeis military background, he had instilled military style training for new employees and his employees were urged to learn from the behavior of wolves. He wants Huaweis marketing department to be aggressive, just like a pack of wolves. Technological Technological advances in the internet boom continued till 2006, and the technology choices and service requirements of service providers were getting more diversify. As previously mentioned, China had overtaken the United States to become the largest telecom market and hence, telecom service providers were now focusing on network improvement and value-added services rather than on infrastructure development. Huawei had the foresight to venture early and invested heavily in the third-generation (3G) mobile communications technology and it started its own research and development (RD) in Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) in 1995. And over the next few years, Huawei invested more than US$370 million in wide-band CDMA (WCDMA) technologies with a dedicated team of 3,500 RD employees deployed throughout research centres in China and other countries. In 2003, Huawei formed a 3G research joint venture with Japans NEC and Matsushita and entered the mobile handset market in early 2004 to familiarise itself with the 3G industry in future. At the same time, a joint venture was also formed with Siemens to test TD-SCDMA (Chinas home grown standard) mobile handsets and networks equipments. As a matter of fact, Huawei had invested one-third of its RD spending on 3G technologies for the past two years. Legal Huawei was sued by Cisco in the United States six months after setting up a subsidiary there. It had allegedly infringed a number of Ciscos copyrights and patents and Cisco was seeking damages in the lawsuit, which includes the discontinuation of Huaweis Quidway routers, and the impoundment and destruction of all Huaweis routers and manuals in the United States. By the time Cisco dropped its lawsuit in July 2004; many sales contracts which Huawei was pitching for were lost. To make matter worse, a Huaweis employee was caught taking photographs of high-tech equipment from Fujitsu in a trade show in Chicago in June 2004. The Industry Environment The Five Forces of Competition Model The intensity of competition and the profit potential of an industry are the functions of the five forces of competition; the threats of new entrants, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitute products and rivalry among competing firms. Threat of New Entrants There is a low to medium risk for Huawei for the threat of new entrants in the industry. Chinas telecom industry had grown to become the largest telecom market in the world and most of the leading global telecom equipment firms had already started operations in China by setting up joint ventures with local Chinese companies. Among the multinationals in China now are leading global telecom equipment firms such as Motorola, Nokia, Lucent Technologies and Siemens. Thus, it is already a competitive market with little room for new players. In addition, as previously mentioned, foreign companies wanting to enter the Chinese market would have to set up joint ventures with Chinese companies due to ownership restrictions and this usually involve equity investments. Hence, it is capital intensive for a new player to enter the market. Bargaining Power of Suppliers No evidence found in the case study. Bargaining Power of Buyers The buyers have a high bargaining power. Phone subscriptions had increased to 390 million mobile phone users and 348 million fixed-line users by October 2005. As there was low switching costs for customers, telecom service providers are focusing on network improvement and value-added services to win customers and make existing customers stay. In addition, Chinas telecom equipment market has been forecasted to grow at a 10.9% annual compound rate between 2004 and 2008, from US$30 billion to US$45 billion. Threat of Substitute Products There is a low threat of substitute products as there is basically no substitute for the industry. There is currently no other products that can offer the same usage and convenience offered by the telecom equipment industry. Rivalry Among Competing Firms There is a high rivalry among competing firms. Beside the influx of multinationals telecom enterprises, there are also a number of domestic companies that are becoming competitive. There is little differentiation among competitors and hence, customers have low switching costs. Besides Huawei, there are three more companies; ZTE, DTT and GDT that have started to emerge. Both Huawei and ZTE were expected to enter further into international markets in the near future, going neck-to-neck with the established multinational enterprises for the same customers. The Competitor Environment Intense rivalry creates a need for Huawei to understand its competitors and their objectives, strategies, capabilities and assumptions. To help Huawei prepare for a response to its competitor, four dimensions (future objectives, current strategy, assumptions and capabilities) about the competitor should be found out and understand. SWOT Analysis Opportunities and Threats Opportunities Having already facing difficulties entering the United States market, Huawei can present itself better in the United States by collaborating with some of the United States companies. In this way, customers will not perceive Huawei as a low-cost vendor. In addition, as long as Huawei delivers reliable equipments, quality service and continues its product development, it will pose a formidable opponent to foreign companies. Threats Huawei have to be wary of competition from companies from low-cost countries where they pose a direct threat. Question 3. Identify the business level strategy adopted by Huawei and discuss the strategic actions implemented by Huawei in supporting this strategy. (20 marks) Huawei had adopted an integrated cost leadership/ differentiation strategy for its business level strategy. With its focus on RD and owning more than 8,000 patents, Huawei is able to differentiate their products in many ways. In addition, being located in a low-cost workforce country, Huawei is able to have their products manufactured at a much lower cost compared to others. Huawei engages in both value-creating primary and support activities that enables them to simultaneously pursue cost leadership/ differentiation strategy. By having an efficient production, low costs can be maintained while creating products of unique value give rises to differentiation. Primary activities As mentioned in question 1, Huaweis primary activities are marketing and sales, inbound logistics, outbound logistics and operations. Marketing and Sales Huawei priced their products about 30% cheaper than other established brands and to make it more attractive, Huawei offers attractive incentives as a sales package when pitching for major contracts. Support activities Huaweis support activities are firm infrastructure, human resource management, service, technological development and procurement. Firm Infrastructure Huawei had a good infrastructure that enables it to effectively and consistently identify its external threats and opportunities, resources and capabilities and support core competencies. It had a very good relationship with the Chinese military which is paramount to its success in China. Human Resource Management Huawei focus on having high caliber employees to build up its RD team. With more than 85% of its employees having a bachelors degree and above, Huawei ensures that they are highly paid by Chinese standard. In addition, due to Ren Zhengfeis military background, new employees are put through intensive military style training for the initial months. Service To offer unparallel service to its customers, Huawei hires local personnel in customers home country as part of its strategy to tailor technologies and services according to customers needs. Technological Development Huawei ventured early and invested in third-generation (3G) mobile communications technology and it started its own research and development (RD) in Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) in 1995. With a dedicated team of 3,500 RD employees deployed throughout research centres in China and other countries, Huawei invested more than US$370 million in wide-band CDMA (WCDMA) technologies over the next few years. In addition, to familiarise itself with 3G industry, Huawei formed a 3G research joint venture with Japans NEC and Matsushita in 2003, and entered the mobile handset market in early 2004. At the same time, Huawei started a joint venture with Siemens to test TD-SCDMA (Chinas home grown standard) mobile handsets and networks equipments. Procurement Huawei has research centres both in China and overseas. It had a 21-storey research centre in Shenzhen, and six other research laboratories in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Huangzhou, Xian and Chengdu; a software development centre in Bangalore (India) and research facilities in Moscow (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden) and the Silicon Valley in California. Flexibility Flexibility is needed by firms in order to complete both primary and support activities that allow the production of differentiation products at relatively low costs. Three sources of flexibility are: Flexible manufacturing systems, information networks and total quality management systems. Flexible Manufacturing Systems Flexible manufacturing systems enable a firm to produce a variety of products in moderate quantities with minimum human intervention. Through either patent-mining or reverse engineering, Huawei had turned high-profit and complex products into standard commodities. In addition, to offer better differentiation products, Huawei hires local personnel in customers home country to tailor technologies and services according to customers needs. Information Networks By linking companies with their suppliers, distributors and customers, information networks provide another source of flexibility. Ren Zhengfeis relationship with the Chinese military had helped Huawei to have a close guanxi network which other competitors do not have, and this had helped Huawei to secure big contract orders. Furthermore, Huaweis major customers in China were the big players in the industry such as; China Telecom, China Mobile, China Netcom and China Unicom. Huaweis networks in China has over 400 million people across the country, occupying 25% of the mobile network market shares and supplying 80% of all SMS from China Mobile. Total Quality Management (TQM) Systems TQM emphasizes the companys commitment to the customer and to continuously improve process through usage of data-driven, problem-solving approaches from empowerment of employee groups and teams. Huawei is able to simultaneously reduce cost while making use of its ability to develop innovative products. This increases their flexibility which is beneficial to implementing an integrated cost leadership/ differentiation strategy. Question 4. What other strategic actions would you recommend to Huawei to compete better in the future? Justify your answer. (20 marks) Besides the current strategic actions which Huawei is already implementing, I would suggest that Huawei consider acquisition where Huawei will buys a controlling, or 100% interest in another company to make it Huaweis subsidiary business within its portfolio. They are several reasons for acquisitions and we shall look at each of them: Increased Market Power Market power exists when a firm is able to sell its goods or services above competition levels or when the costs of its primary or support activities are lower than those of its competitors. Hence, to increase its market power, Huawei can use horizontal acquisition where it acquires company competing in the same industry. Overcoming Entry Barriers Presently, Huawei experiences problems entering the United States market. Hence, by making a cross-border acquisition, Huawei can overcome these entry barriers and gives it more control over its international operations. Cost of New Product Development and Increased Speed to Market Acquisitions allow Huawei to gain access to current and new products that are unique to the acquired firm. Returns are more predictable as the performance of the acquired firm products can be observed and assessed prior to acquisition. Lower Risk Compared to Developing New Products As the results of an acquisition can be easily and accurately estimated than that of developing a new product, Huawei will find that there are lower risks involved. Increased Diversification Huawei can find it easier to develop and introduce new products through the acquired firm as it may be difficult to develop products that deviate from their current product lines. Reshaping Firms Competitive Advantage Competitive rivalry can affects Huaweis profitability. Thus, to reduce the effect of an intense rivalry, acquisitions actually reduce Huaweis dependence on one or more products or markets. This will in turn alters Huaweis competitive scope. Learning and Developing New Capabilities Acquisition can allows Huawei to gain new capabilities which it does not currently possess. Through acquisition, Huawei can broaden their knowledge base and reduce inactivity. In addition to acquisition, Huawei can also have a nonequity strategic alliance with other companies. A nonequity strategic alliance is a form of alliance where two or more companies have a contractual relationship such that they share some of their unique resources and capabilities to create a competitive advantage. This is used in more uncertain situations, and companies do not establish any independent company and hence do not have any equity positions. Through nonequity strategic alliance, Huawei can have licensing agreements, distribution agreements, and supply contracts with other alliance companies. Usually, outsourcing commitments are specified in the form of nonequity strategic alliance. In conclusion, I would recommend that Huawei consider acquisition and nonequity strategic alliance as its business strategy in the future so that it can better compete with other competitors.

A Critique of the Juliette Beck Speech -- Argumentative Persuasive Pol

A Critique of the Juliette Beck Speech Juliette Beck's speech, "Reclaiming Just and Sustainable Communities in the Age of Corporate Globalization" neither adequately described the problems of globalization as it is currently structured, nor did it provide any answers to the problems with it, either the real problems that actually exist (labor and environmental exploitation) or the problems that Beck purported (large corporations). Primarily, Beck's speech was flawed in that it was incoherent and empirical incorrect. For instance 1) it purported the idea that globalization was "not inevitable", 2) it called upon the myth of "small is beautiful", confusing the real problem with globalization (Capitalist structure) with a false problem (the scale of the Corporate in a globalized world), and 3) it was often merely incorrect in some of the ideas and statistics that it stated. Also, the speech was not true to its title (well, maybe it was in that both were basically ridden with non-sense), in that it did not give real economic or political alternatives to Corporate Globalization. First, globalization already exists. The world's economic structure is already on a global scale. Although change is possible, the idea that we can regress back into history, destroying a globalized world and making Localism over all is not only a bad idea, but a useless, silly one. Capitalism, by its nature, is acquisitive, as is also imperialism. As long as either exist (usually joint hand and hand, at least in this point of pre-history), they will seek out, with the world's wonderful technology and knowledge, the few unmolested areas left in the world. These forces, by the sheer scale that they exist on, are impossible to overthrow at local levels, a... ...cally flawed, and did not even give many localist alternatives to corporate globalization, in addition to not giving any real alternative to it. However, in spite of this, some people on campus were so inadequately informed about the reality of how globalization is being carried out that it did do some level of good. Under a constant barrage of statistics and moralistic proclamations aimed at revealing the debased practices of institutions such as the IMF and World Bank, some students did leave with a better perspective on how corporate globalization (i.e. Capitalism, if they come to identify it as such on there own) is operating and with more interest with, at the least, becoming much better informed on the issue and, at the best, even becoming involved with political and civil organizations aimed at humanizing and democratizing the process known as globalization.

Reconstruction of African Americans Dbq Essay

New Societies, new people, and new communities usually originate as a result of migration. People decide to move from one place to another for better opportunities, better lives, and new challenges. This remains true for the African American race as well. It has been believed that the original migration took place in 1619 when African Americans arrived to Jamestown, Virginia. However, the first African Americans migrated to the United States almost a century earlier in the 1500’s coming from Mexico and the Caribbean to the Spanish territories of Florida, Texas, and other parts of the South. African-American Migration Experience Though many migrated to the U. S. voluntarily, most African Americans were victims of massive enslavement. War, slave raiding, kidnapping and political religious struggle accounted for the vast majority of Africans deported to the Americas. African Americans were forced into slavery. Many children were kidnapped and sold as slaves. There were those of which who rebelled by refusing to be enslaved that would be expelled from their homes and families then either murdered or forced to be slaves. Slavery developed because the Northern Africans had a monopoly over spices, gold, and other commodities that the Europeans wanted. Europe would send ships back and forth to Africa to trade goods and in the process they were able to grow comfortable with navigating the seas. As a result, Europe was able to develop very good shipbuilding skills that in turn led to the sending of large vessels. That moved the Portuguese to add an additional commodity to their cargo: African men, women, and children. The Portuguese then used African Americans as slaves to work their sugar plantations. Over time English and Dutch ships preyed on the Portugal vessels for slaves, while raiding and looting the African mainland. Slaves were brought to the United States of America during the triangular trade. Ships were built to handle a maximum of 350 people, but Europeans would transport over 800 men, women, and children under some of the harshest conditions. Slaves would be branded, stripped naked during the entire trip, lying down in the midst of filth, all while enduring unbearable heat. All slaves went through frightening, incredibly brutal and dehumanizing experiences. Women and children were raped for the pleasures of the crew. The sick were tossed overboard unto the sea. People who tried to starve themselves to death were forced to eat by the torturing of scolding hot coal pressed onto their bodies. African-American Migration Experience Those who survived the Middle Passage arrived to America only to encounter more grief. They were sent to plantations and farms for agricultural duties. They were used for mining, and placed in towns as servants. In South Carolina and Georgia they grew rice, cotton, and indigo. In Louisiana they slaved over sugarcane plantations. They labored over tobacco farms in Virginia and Maryland. This went on until 1808 when the United States abolished its slave trade from Africa. However, slave trade went on unabated until 1860. In 1898 the boll weevil ate its way through Texas and proceeded to eat its way East across the South. The cotton was destroyed and slaves were thrown off of the land. After WWI there was an economic boom that resulted in the need for agricultural work, but unfortunately most states in the South passed the Jim Crow laws that discriminated against African Americans and led to segregation. African Americans couldn’t attend the same schools as white Americans. They couldn’t use facilities such as restaurants, theaters, hotels, cinemas, and public baths. Public transportation was also segregated and in some states marriage between white and black people. African Americans were at the mercy of landlords, abusive employers, and almost anyone set on depriving them of their rights. This went on until president Franklin D. Roosevelt was forced to issue an executive order mandating the end to racial discrimination. The Fair Employment Practices Committee was created to enforce this mandate, which acted as the launching pad that would bare dividends in the future. Riots erupted in 1943, leading to beatings, deaths, and arrest. African American then resulted to boycotts and sit-ins during the Civil Rights movement. As a result, the Supreme Court reversed the separate but equal doctrine in 1954, ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. There was also the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act that signaled an attack on Jim Crow. The African-American Migration Experience This report reveals the enormous amount of pain, grief, and violence suffered by my ancestors during slavery. I am so appreciative to all those people who marched, boycotted, and endured the pain and suffering so that my children and I could have the freedom to eat in any restaurant, sleep at any hotel, drink water out of any fountain, and go to school to get a good education. I may not be able to relate culturally to the ethnic group that I have written about because I am way too young, but that doesn’t change the fact that I recognize what they fought and stood for and I plan to make sure that my children are taught the history of how African Americans migrated to the United States, and what they went through to get here. References In Motion. The African-American Migration Experience. Retrieved April 9, 2007, from http://www. inmotionaame. org/home. cfm.

Dead Metaphor Definition and Examples

Dead Metaphor Definition and Examples A dead metaphor is traditionally defined as a  figure of speech that has lost its force and imaginative effectiveness through frequent use. Also known as a  frozen metaphor or a historical metaphor. Contrast with creative metaphor. Over the past several decades, cognitive linguists have criticized the dead metaphor theory- the view that a conventional metaphor is dead and no longer influences thought: The mistake derives from a basic confusion: it assumes that those things in our cognition that are most alive and most active are those that are conscious. On the contrary, those that are most alive and most deeply entrenched, efficient, and powerful are those that are so automatic as to be unconscious and effortless. (G. Lakoff and M. Turner, Philosophy in the Flesh. Basic Books, 1989) As  I.A. Richards said back in 1936: This favorite old distinction between dead and living metaphors (itself a two-fold metaphor) needs a drastic re-examination (The Philosophy of Rhetoric) Examples and Observations Kansas City is oven hot, dead metaphor or no dead metaphor. (Zadie Smith, On the Road: American Writers and Their Hair, July 2001)An example of a dead metaphor would be the body of an essay. In this example, body was initially an expression that drew on the metaphorical image of human anatomy applied to the subject matter in question. As a dead metaphor, body of an essay literally means the main part of an essay, and no longer suggests anything new that might be suggested by an anatomical referent. In that sense, body of an essay is no longer a metaphor, but merely a literal statement of fact, or a dead metaphor. (Michael P. Marks, The Prison as Metaphor. Peter Lang, 2004)Many venerable metaphors have been literalized into everyday items of language: a clock has a face (unlike human or animal face), and on that face are hands (unlike biological hands); only in terms of clocks can hands be located on a face. . . . The deadness of a metaphor and its status as a clichà © are relative m atters. Hearing for the first time that life is no bed of roses, someone might be swept away by its aptness and vigor. (Tom McArthur, Oxford Companion to the English Language. Oxford University Press, 1992) [A] so-called dead metaphor is not a metaphor at all, but merely an expression that no longer has a pregnant metaphorical use. (Max Black, More About Metaphor. Metaphor and Thought, 2nd ed., ed. by Andrew Ortony. Cambridge University Press, 1993) It's Alive! The dead metaphor account misses an important point: namely, that what is deeply entrenched, hardly noticed, and thus effortlessly used is most active in our thought. The metaphors . . . may be highly conventional and effortlessly used, but this does not mean that they have lost their vigor in thought and that they are dead. On the contrary, they are alive in the most important sense- they govern our thought- they are metaphors we live by. (Zoltn Kà ¶vecses, Metaphor: A Practical Introduction. Oxford University Press, 2002) Two Kinds of Death The expression dead metaphor- itself metaphorical- can be understood in at least two ways. On the one hand, a dead metaphor may be like a dead issue or a dead parrot; dead issues are not issues, dead parrots, as we all know, are not parrots. On this construal, a dead metaphor is simply not a metaphor. On the other hand, a dead metaphor may be more like a dead key on a piano; dead keys are still keys, albeit weak or dull, and so perhaps a dead metaphor, even if it lacks vivacity, is metaphor nonetheless. (Samuel Guttenplan, Objects of Metaphor. Oxford University Press, 2005) The Etymological Fallacy To suggest that words always carry with them something of what may have been an original metaphoric sense is not only a form of etymological fallacy; it is a remnant of that proper meaning superstition which I.A. Richards so effectively critiques. Because a term is used which was originally metaphorical, that is, which came from one domain of experience to define another, one cannot conclude that it necessarily continues to bring with it the associations which it had in that other domain. If it is a truly dead metaphor, it will not. (Gregory W. Dawes, The Body in Question: Metaphor and Meaning in the Interpretation of Ephesians 5:21-33. Brill, 1998)

Free Essays on Group Cmmunication

â€Å"Group Theory and Group Practice† Group theory is defined as scholar’s studies/ interpretations of group communication. Group practice is defined as ones participation and activities in a particular group. Both of these involve one central component which is group communication. A good leader must ensure effective communication amongst members promoting proper message exchange and information flow while discouraging group discord that would result in group failure and collapse. One of the largest issue issues in today’s society is effective leadership. Everyone knows that they want to be in charge and lead the group, but who knows what being an actual effective leader involves? Without good communication the flow of information among members is deterred and messages do not get across. It is critical that a good leader displays the ability to communicate with their associates as well as their subordinates in an effective manner. They must also be able to train as well as encourage others to follow in their footsteps when it comes to effective communication. An effective leader must be able to cope with all types of challenges when it comes to effective communication. One of the more prominent challenges that are arising is diversity. Cultural differences such as customs and beliefs are some of the challenges that leaders have to deal with. A good leader will be able to embrace these differences rather than allow them to become a handicap. Promoting the cultural differences and allowing elaboration on some projects that deal specifically with the cultural differences might be one way to cope with the challenge. Another challenge that is present is dealing with preconceived notions of certain types of people. It is imperative that leaders treat their associates and co-workers with the same respect and regard. There must e an equal amount of effort being put into everyone, irregardless of the preconceived notions that e... Free Essays on Group Cmmunication Free Essays on Group Cmmunication â€Å"Group Theory and Group Practice† Group theory is defined as scholar’s studies/ interpretations of group communication. Group practice is defined as ones participation and activities in a particular group. Both of these involve one central component which is group communication. A good leader must ensure effective communication amongst members promoting proper message exchange and information flow while discouraging group discord that would result in group failure and collapse. One of the largest issue issues in today’s society is effective leadership. Everyone knows that they want to be in charge and lead the group, but who knows what being an actual effective leader involves? Without good communication the flow of information among members is deterred and messages do not get across. It is critical that a good leader displays the ability to communicate with their associates as well as their subordinates in an effective manner. They must also be able to train as well as encourage others to follow in their footsteps when it comes to effective communication. An effective leader must be able to cope with all types of challenges when it comes to effective communication. One of the more prominent challenges that are arising is diversity. Cultural differences such as customs and beliefs are some of the challenges that leaders have to deal with. A good leader will be able to embrace these differences rather than allow them to become a handicap. Promoting the cultural differences and allowing elaboration on some projects that deal specifically with the cultural differences might be one way to cope with the challenge. Another challenge that is present is dealing with preconceived notions of certain types of people. It is imperative that leaders treat their associates and co-workers with the same respect and regard. There must e an equal amount of effort being put into everyone, irregardless of the preconceived notions that e...

Antibiotic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Antibiotic - Essay Example Bacteria are microorganisms present in many water and soil habitats. These microorganisms are diverse in terms of shape, size and ability to cause infections. While many of bacteria species are non-infective, some strains cause infectious diseases including respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera, anthrax and many others. Antibiotics are increasingly being used in agriculture to prevent and treat bacterial infections in livestock. Antibiotic agents are also being used in livestock feeds and water to prevent and control bacterial infections. This therefore suggests that different types of antibiotics are being given to healthy livestock. These drugs accumulate in the body, creating antibiotic residue that is eventually eliminated from the system if the drugs are discontinued. However, the increased use of antibiotics in livestock has raised concerns about growing bacterial resistance against these drugs. Current efforts in agriculture focus on producing healthier livestock. This trend has led to increased use of antibiotics to promote growth, fight infections and compensate for unsanitary rearing conditions. However, the accumulation of antibiotics in food animals (antibiotic residual) poses significant risk to humans. For instance, antibiotic overuse in livestock as been associated with increased antibiotic drug resistance in humans. This leads to high levels of the drug in the system of these animals. High concentrations of the drugs kill most of the bacterial strains in these animals, especially the strains that are sensitive to the particular drugs or drug combinations. However, the sustained exposure of bacteria to antibiotics leads to the selection of bacterial strains that have the capacity to withstand high drug levels. These bacterial strains develop resistance to the drug and their relative population exceeds that of the sensitive bacterial species. This is especially

Discussion Board Chapter 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Board Chapter 2 - Essay Example Most people have never interacted with other cultures, therefore need to be educated on the principles that they should incorporate. The main principle is making prior research on the person you wish to interact with from the different culture. This way one is familiar with the basics of the foreign culture and one can prepare on how to communicate. For instance, answering greetings from the foreign culture. The other principles involved include having a purpose for interaction with the new culture. With this in mind conversation are easy to start and to keep going for a long time. Other principles include noting the tonal variation of the other party so as to help understand what they are putting across. A tone may help recognize emotions and feelings. In addition one should avoid using slang from your own culture that would definitely shut out the other party from conversing. Moreover, generally looking at the facial expression and body movement of the other party can improve communication. In conclusion, improving intercultural communication requires efforts from both parties including being a good listener and having the need for communicating. Most individuals only go down that road with a purpose but with the knowledge on how to improve such communications, different cultures will bond easily and achieve an understanding from their

Haitian Culture Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Haitian Culture - Article Example Gays state that they have to hide their feeling and be isolated from the society. Their life is in danger. â€Å"Human rights campaigners in the Caribbean nation say they know of 47 assaults in just one week, though attacks have slowed in recent days following government intervention. Some have had their lives threatened or had their houses have been burned down or looted†. Thus, Ronald’s parents would judge him severely if they get to know about his orientation and diagnosis. They would ask him to leave their house. Haitians consider homosexuality to be the main reason of HIV, however, it is not proved scientifically. Haitian society is far from being democratic and this is the main problem. In order to build the right strategy to fight with HIV, Haitians should, first of all, get rid of their prejudices, the main task is to stop discrimination. The main task of sociologists is to work with people, organize different conferences, especially lessons for children. Second ly, they should base their conclusions on the real facts and statistics instead of on religion, thus the second step is to make real statistics available for people, for example, at the conferences, at work, in the higher level institutions, in schools. Thirdly, all the efforts should be directed at revealing the main reasons of so many cases of HIV in the country and decide on how to struggle with this. Patients with HIV should be examined thoroughly to find similarities in their way of life, genetics, and the propensity of the organism.

Conflict Resolution (Team Dynamics for Managers) Essay Example for Free

Conflict Resolution (Team Dynamics for Managers) Essay A major conflict that appears in many, if not most, groups appears to be miscommunication or lack of communication. There are several solutions available to resolve miscommunication. Each member of a team has certain strengths and skills that help resolve occurring issues. When a team is confronted with miscommunication or lack of communication, having a plan is a necessity. Lack of communication can easily lead to miscommunication in a group and cause many reoccurring issues. Certain confliction techniques can be used to not only eliminate the issue, but also understand the underlying issue at hand. Conflict and Solution Personal Strengths to Resolve Issue Creating a detailed learning team charter that involves all members allows each individual to contribute their strengths in problem solving. Generally, charters are mainly used as a tool to contact other members outside of the team environment. The other members offer their information and would be responsible to check into the team in a reasonable amount of time. This is the beginning opportunity to highlight each members strengths and especially how willing they are to participate. Participation is one of the main behaviors that help a team strive or fail. How little or how much a person chooses to participate confides solely within them. This is especially true since individuals learn and retain information in different ways; the application of strengths can be applied in separate and unique formats in a team. The most appropriate conflict management would be Jerry Wisinski’s A-E-I-O-U Model, which focuses on collaboration and what he calls positive intentionality, the assumption that other people are not trying to cause conflict (Engleberg Wynn, 2010). After completing the charter and knowing what is expected of each member, the most appropriate method of communication would be speaking with and checking in with members outside of the group. Conflict Management Techniques Each conflict is special in its nature and requires customized care depending on the situation or context with which the problem resides. â€Å"†¦all managers—whether they be supervisors, middle managers or chief executive officers—must learn to manage conflict if they are to be effective in leading their particular organizational units† (DuBose Pringle, 1989, p. 1). The idea that a problem should be â€Å"managed† crops up because conflict is a known and necessary part of organizational development. Conflicts shape organizations; but why must an organization go through a difficulty or hardship in order to understand conflict management? â€Å"The term ‘managing’ implies that conflict is not inevitably destructive† (DuBose Pringle, 1989, p. 1). Conflicts are not unchangingly damaging because it is necessary for growth to come across a few growing pains. Organizations with good management almost always succeed and dreams of growth come into fruition when conflicts are appropriately managed and managers understand the integrality of their interpretation of conflict management and its many different techniques. The team was very natural in its ability to choose a proper technique and utilize it in order to overcome the conflict at hand. The collaboration technique was used successfully as the team was forced to put their heads together and come to a decision with regard to the conflict. The collaboration was effective due to the participants’ unwavering objectivity and understanding of the conflict and how to manage it. Each party had their responsibilities laid out neatly in order to quickly and professionally get the job done. The team was highly prepared for any conflicts and managed them upon manifestation due to the highly comprehensive group. Accommodation is another technique the team productively used. Accommodation is used when the conflict is more important to the other party involved in the conflict and is treated with thoughtfulness by the other members; this technique was also successful because the team was able to â€Å"pick their battles† and strive to meet all the expectations of the team leader, and their teammates (DuBose Pringle, 1989). Additional Conflict Management Techniques Team communication generally appears to be a conflict that exists within the members of the group. This can only be solved within the members and the willingness to strive, learn, and accomplish together as a group. It takes personal inactive and being open to others suggestions to make communication strong and effective. Strong communication would prove to eliminate miscommunication and therefore lack of communication. Setting goals can always be a productive approach to ensuring success and keeping members focused on what needs to be accomplished, and the most effective route to complete tasks. The important balance of goal setting in groups is making sure that personal and team goals do not outweigh one another. Goals are more productive when they are shared and known with other individuals. Making, keeping, and sharing goals in the team environment are essential to success and eliminating miscommunication. In some cases where conflict is stronger than problem solving, it is necessary to seek help outside of the group. Third-party intervention occurs when a group seeks the services of an impartial outsider who has no direct connections to the group, but has the skills needed to analyze the conflict and helps resolve it (Engleberg Wynn, 2010). In learning team environments, the instructor is the third-party intervention and has authority to make decisions as deemed necessary to help keep the team productive and functioning as a whole. Arrival of Decision The group’s natural understanding of conflict management, and the team leader’s fantastic ability to choose proper techniques, strengthened the team’s ability to get the job done. When conflicts arose, the team effortlessly went through a decision process and effectively outlined the techniques that worked the best. The team was able to utilize all participating members’ strengths to move on with the project after nipping all problems in the bud. While some issues call for more drastic measures, accommodation and collaboration was the team’s two most valuable assets when managing conflict internally. Some issues require an entire modification of the organizational structure which could set back the team, and even the organization, for a very long time. Good management within the organization knows the proper way to take care of problems that arise from conflicts. Good management understands that the symptoms and the disease are two completely different things and should be handled as such. When managers â€Å"settle† problems for lower-level managers, it implies that they do not fully understand the real problem and how to fix it. Symptoms are stopped once the root of the problem is remedied. Conclusion When lack of communication occurs in a group, miscommunication is often followed. Certain personal strengths, such as a willingness to strive and learn from others are important in a group setting. Creating a team charter helps eliminate the issue of miscommunication. Setting goals, being open to other’s thoughts and opinions, and seeking help from outside of the group are all techniques to resolve a conflict in a group setting. The arrival of decisions are done by working as a team, using proper problem solving techniques, communicating, and having a good leader. References DuBose, P. B. Pringle, C. D. (1989). Choosing A conflict management technique. SuperVision,50(6), 10-10. Retrieved fromhttp://search.proquest.com/docview/195581288?accountid=35812 Engleberg, I. N. Wynn, D. R. (2010). Working in groups (5th ed.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn Bacon.

Differentiating the Renaissance Period and Middle Ages Era in Europe Es

The Renaissance was a time of change and prosperity. The decision was made depending on the difference of two eras. Unlike the Renaissance, the Middle Ages were a thousand years of ignorance and superstition. The Renaissance men were leaders in an era of rebirth and learning looked to the Ancient Greeks and Romans for models of advance. Many historians felt that the Middle Ages and the Renaissance were one era. The debate centers around whether the Renaissance was a unique age or a continuation of the Middle Ages. â€Å"Was the Renaissance a period distinct from the Middle Ages, or was it a continuation?† Par my opinion I feel that the Renaissance was a distinct period of change and prosperity. â€Å"The world is waking out of a long deep sleep†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Doc. 5) A.J. Froude finds specific examples that lead him to the understanding that their was distinction between both periods. The Life and Letters of Erasmus say that the church was a corrupt place and there was no religious teaching. Erasmus is trying to say in his book, directed tot the Prince, that he should bring back the respect of the Church and religious aspect to give the Church power again. These statements written by Erasmus show the want by townspeople for change. In the Middle Ages many people disregarded the advancement in society and only thought about the world and they were not humane. Erasmus shows how humanist actions begin. â€Å"In the Middle Ages both sides of human consciousness lay dreaming or half awake†¦the Renaissance we find artists who in every branch created new and perfect works†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Doc. 2) From The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy by Jacob Burchardt he identifi es that medieval man was childish, half-awake controlled by faith and defined by his group of membe... ... life in the early modern period. â€Å"Thus, from the beginning, the double conception of medieval darkness and subsequent cultural rebirth was colored by the acceptance of classical standards†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Doc.1) Writers and thinkers were inspired by the classical culture of the Greeks and Romans. They found their society much more â€Å"fascinating† than feudal and religious literature. They re-identified architecture, astronomy, medicine, and math. They corrected the order of the Church and began to believe again in karma, reincarnation and moksha. Renaissance men advanced the knowledge of human body, scientific calculations, and changed building attributes. As the change of these amenities came a change in the social structure. More men and women became literate, resulting in the increase and need for universities. Education. The Renaissance has a long and complex historiography.