Has the budget outlived its usefulness in the 21st century Essay

Has the budget outlived its usefulness in the 21st century - Essay Example Budgeting also allows for proper accounting, it make it easier for accounting practices to be applied and used in making financial reports of the different environment (Bogsnes 2003, p.97). Therefore, whether budgeting is or not a prerequisite, it is a subject of serious debate that should be considered in more than one-way. Following this proposal to do away with budgets, researches have been done to evaluate and report on the efficacy of budgets in organization. One of the researchers done by Dugdale and Stephen reported that budgeting is still conseidered a very important tool in business and most firms still look upto its contribution in running the affairs of the organization. In this research, both financial and non financial organization were considered and 40 of such organizations were used in determining whether budgets are still an important factor in management (Dugdale and Stephen 2006, p.19). The managers of the organizations were followed in this regard and eigth of the m eventually interviewed. The response in all the companies in which interviews were done confirmed that they rely on bugdeting as a tool in planning, communication, co-ordination and as away of measuting perfomance. Although in the research, a significant trend was obserrved throughout-budget consideration for motivation was not approved by all the organizatins. It is also importanat to note that all the organization is which the research was done actualy approved the need for budgeting in their organization with non financial institutions considered in this research even coming out more firm on the budget issus (Dugdale and Stephen 2006, p.21). In order to find out the problematic nature associated with the budgets, the research team organized about twenty propositions on what a budget may be seen as problematic and fronted them to the respondent to either agree or disagree with them. the outcome was that all the propositions were denied as reflecting the position of a budget in a n organization except in two situation where slightly above the number of the respondent accepted that budgets are problematic, these were; that preparing bidgets is a tedious taks that consumes much time and that managers may at times be constrained by the requirement of the budgets and delay making important descision for no clear reason (Dugdale and Stephen 2006, p.30). It is then clear that there might be problems associated with budgetting but they don’t reach a propotion in which doing without a budget would be considered worthwhile. Budgets plays important roles in management and on other related areas and for predictability on perfomance it is important to have abudget in setting benchmarks. Budget Criticism by Beyond Budgeting Round Table (BBRT) vis a vis Academics Budgeting processes have received a number of criticisms in the recent past, which has subsequently attracted the public concern as to whether it is necessary, or not. The criticism has is dubbed going bey ond budgeting, the critics says that the process of budgeting has been the greatest barrier in the management the economy (Hope and Fraser 2003, p.23). Budgeting system has been implicated in making the managers and the employees to device behavioural tendencies that are counterproductive considering what strategic

Enders Game Essay Example for Free

Enders Game Essay I selected this book because I was thinking that it would keep me entertained and make it so that I will not fall asleep. This was one of those books that it did not matter about what happened before it you can just start reading it from the start, so before the book began I have now idea what happened I just started to read the book and I liked it. When the book begins it starts out with ender and his brother and sister and his brother is mean and is always threatening his younger brother ender and his younger sister. In this story it is the narrator that is telling it. The setting was important because it was at Enders house at first and his older brother, bulling hem, which made ender stronger and made it so that he would look out for himself. In the beginning the author held my interest because the government shipped ender off to military school at age three. Journal Entry #2 Ender go’s to military school and he gets bullied from the start and makes a name for himself right at the beginning by braking some kids arm, so after that every one starts to put together gangs and start having gang wars in the battle rooms and in the cafeteria. There where lots of twist in this story like ender would always when the war games and he was the commander of army’s and he was just smarter than the older boys. It was pretty easy to fallow the plot if I didn’t zone out but if I did zone out than it was pretty easy to know what was happening because the story would repeat its self. The language in the book was really easy to understand there was a lot of a made up words but it was all right. The mane thing emerges in the book when it comes to the battle games and ender is better then everyone else. Journal entry #3 The climax of the story was when ender meet bean, ender was hard on bean just like how the government was hard on ender and that made bean a lot stronger. But ender and bean come together and they start to when all of these battles together. There are lots of lessons I learned about this book, I learned that life isn’t always easy and the hard things in life make you stronger. If someone talked to me about this book I would tell him or her it was a good book and I would recommend it to them because there was a lot of action in it. But the book did not meet my expectations because I do not like it when three year olds are talking like they are 25 years old I think that was a little over bored and when the three year olds are going to military school that was dome I think that he should have made them 18 because that is more realistic.

Reflections on Nagarjuna’s The Refutation of Criticism (Vigrahavyavartani) :: Nagarjuna Essays

Reflections on Nagarjuna’s The Refutation of Criticism (Vigrahavyavartani) ABSTRACT: In verse nine of the Vigrahavyavartani, Nagarjuna gives a defense of his skepticism by insisting that he makes no proposition (pratijna) concerning the nature of reality. B. K. Matilal has argued that this position is not an untenable one for a skeptic to hold, using as an explanatory model Searle’s distinction between a propositional and an illocutionary negation. The argument runs that Nagarjuna does not refute rival philosophical positions by simply refuting whatever positive claims those positions might make, but rather he refuses the very act of making an assertion. From this kind of illocutionary negation, however, a certain paradoxicality arises: for in the negating the act of assertion, the skeptic is barred from asserting his or her own position, for under this condition, if he or she asserts that position, it is falsified! I want to argue that there are certain senses in which it seems that Nagarjuna’s resorting to the illocution we find in the Vigra havyavartani may not have been necessary for the maintenance of his skeptical position, for he has recourse to prasanga counter-arguments which can always offset the metaphysical and epistemological claims of the Hindu and Buddhist philosophers whom he confronts. There are also places in the Karika itself, where certain pramanas seem to be employed, that give one the impression that this kind of skepticism and the pramanas are only inimical to one another insofar as the latter may lead to the metaphysical, essentialist extremes criticized by the Buddhists. Nagarjuna’s illocution in this light seems an attempt to radicalize his difference from a developing Nyaya extensionalist theory of the pramanas, a theory in which the Buddhists and the Naiyayikas are closer than anywhere else. In verse nine of his Vigrahavyavartani, Nagarjuna thematizes an objection to his skeptical "middle" position in the following way. If all things were devoid of an intrinsic nature, there would, nevertheless, be an absence of intrinsic nature (yadi sarvadharmanam svabhava na bhavet tatrani nihsvabhava bhavet). But then, even this name "absence of intrinsic nature" would not be possible (tatra nihsvabhava ity evam namani na bhavet). Why? Because there is no name whatever without an object (nama hinirvastukam kimcid api nasti). Thus since the name exists (namasadbhavat), there is an intrinsic nature of the things; and since they have an intrinsic nature, all things are non-void (asunya). (1) In the famous twenty-ninth verse, Nagarjuna, addressing the objection, writes:

Sexism in Film Essay example -- Film

In society, women are often perceived as the weaker sex, both physically and mentally. In modern times women have leveled the playing field between men and women, and feminism is a highly discussed topic, but for years, women faced discrimination and prejudice both in life and in the workplace, due to their sex. This way of thinking flooded into the world of film. In their works, the authors of each of the various sources address the limitations and liberations of women both on and off the screen in nineteenth century Film and Cinema. Not every source is completely filled with information related to the research topic, but they do cover and analyze many of the same points from different perspectives. Prominent points addressed in each source include the domination of the male voice in cinema, the presentation of women on screen, and society’s influence on the status of women roles in film. A common concept in a lot of the sources is that men dominate the film industry both onscreen and off. According to the article, Why There are no Women in the Movies, â€Å"men make the movies and the relationships and roles are molded according to the male viewpoint† (Yates 226). This, in relation to the other sources, is a very valid fact. Coinciding with his point, Hollywood Film Critic, Richard Corliss states in his TIME Magazine article, Calling Their Own Shots: Women Directors Make it in Hollywood, that â€Å"the guys ran things—as producers, directors, bosses†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Men were behind the scenes, they decided what scripts got chosen to be made into films. They were the heads of production companies and producers of the films. Whatever they said†¦went. Men were not only in charge of what was going on onscreen, but they monopolized off-screen positions as we... ...e. â€Å"The Allure of the Predatory Woman in Fatal Attraction and Other Current American Movies.† Journal of Popular Culture 26.3 (Winter 1992): 47-57. Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 March 2015. Mahar, Karen Ward. Women Filmmakers in Early Hollywood. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 2006. Print Pomerance, Murray, ed. Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls: Gender in Film at the End of the Twentieth Century. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2001. Print. Quart, Barbara Koenig. Women Directors: The Emergence of a New Cinema. New York: Praeger, 1988. Print.. Segar, Linda. When Women Call The Shots: The Developing Power and Influence of Women in Television and Film. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1996. Print. Yates, John. â€Å"Why There are no Women in the Movies.† Journal of Popular Film 4.3 (1975): 223-234. America: History & Life. Web. 13 March 2015.

Events Management Report on Fan Expo †Canada Essay

This report has been commissioned by James Armstrong of Hobby Star Marketing to critically analyse and evaluate the Fan Expo Canada event. A general overview of the event will be provided as well as the event category it falls under and the implications of this. The event will then be analysed in terms of its social impact, the stakeholders involved and economic implications. This report is limited to the event information available on the internet and in the prescribed text for theory based arguments. This report aims to advise Hobby Star Marketing on the current and future states of their event and as related to tourism theory, what impact this may have on social and economic factors, as well as impact on event stakeholders as a whole. In conclusion recommendations will be put forward as to the best approach for event organisers to take in the future to ensure all stakeholders are kept satisfied as well as the wider community. 2.0 Description of EventFan Expo Canada is held annually at the end of each summer in Toronto Canada and features three days of non-stop festivities in the areas of video games, anime, science fiction, horror and comic books. The expo has been running for 12 years with its name recently being changed from the Canadian National Expo. Fan Expo is held primarily in the Toronto Metro Convention Centre and last year boasted over 37 000 admissions. Fan Expo is a unique event targeted to a specific range of markets. Having been dubbed in the past the ‘Nerd Prom’, the Fan Expo draws visitors from all around the globe to Toronto Canada, enhancing awareness of the region and its status in gaming, anime, science fiction, horror and comic book realms. Due to these factors it is suitable to classify this expo as a Hallmark event. This type of event is typically defined as a major one time or recurring event of limited duration developed primarily to enhance awareness or appeal and profitability of a tourism destination in the short or long term. In order to obtain success such events rely primarily on their uniqueness, status or timely significance to create both interest and to attract attention (Ritchie, 1984, p.2; Getz 1997 pp.5-6 in Allen et al. 2005). Fan Expo is highly significant to its target markets and provides the host venue, community and destination as a whole with a competitive  advantage over other conven tions of a simular nature in North America (third largest event of its kind in this region) (Hobbystar 2006). 3.0 Social Impact 3.1 Social BenefitsAll events have a direct social and cultural impact on their participants and sometimes on the broader host communities (Hall, 1989; Getz, 1997 in Allen et al. 2005). In terms of the Fan Expo, the social impacts are expansive and many benefits come to fruition as a result of the event taking place. One in particular is the validation of community groups associated with the event. A positive impact can be seen here through the acknowledgment of local comic book artists, with the talents of the normally ostracised minority being recognised and applauded at an international level. As the community is one of the major event stakeholders, not only are these groups validated but further encouragement of community participation also results due to the overwhelming achievements of specific community members. Social constancy and community pride are again other factors that result in benefits to the community of Toronto. Fan Expo brings tourists from all over the world to one epicentre of likeminded people. Through this experience the local community may volunteer and band together to present their city in the greatest state possible to expo visitors. The impact this effect has on the tourists is also significant as it encourages migration attractiveness as well as an increased positive image tourists have about the city of Toronto. This has a two fold effect as the community also notes the economic gain of for example encouraging a major video game expert to relocate to Toronto (stronger and more competitive local economy). In retrospect the community is more socially aware of itself and its visitors and is more likely to retain and develop higher visitor rates due to its strengthened welcoming culture. The convergence of these likeminded industry experts also facilitates an arena for the development of new ideas and partnerships both within the industry and between expo visitors. Tourists that bring already existing ideas to the expo then can have that idea realised through the resources of local and visiting industry experts (i.e. a gaming designer that wants to  sell his or her idea to a major video game corporation). The potential for economic growth due to this convergence is quite extraordinary. 3.2 Social Costs Of the research conducted about what social cost Fan Expo has had to the local community, one common theme that was realised was the apparent facilitation of strongarm tactics. In an overview of what was discovered, local comic book retailers were being forced by expo organisers either feature solely in their expo (not other competing expos) or not feature at all. The local community backlash from this decision was quite significant with many key industry leaders in the community moving to boycott the Fan Expo event. The ramifications of this monopolistic type approach on the community can cause not only resentment towards event participants and tourists, but also commodification of the event because of the lack of attendance of original industry leaders and pioneers (eg. instead of the creator of the comic book ‘The Phantom’ attending in person, Fan Expo constructs a video montage of the comic book creator and his work instead). This can cause dissonance between fans and organisers as what was once expected and a major highlight of the event is now replaced with a display that for most fans, the information presented is not uncommonly found on say the internet. On a whole, community resentment for the event taking place in their city can occur but also tourist resentment for the visiting the destination in the future is also a possibility. Social consequence such as criminal activity may occur as a result, specifically if some visitors have travelled a significant distance to attend the event. 4.0 Stakeholders In regards to the stakeholders for Fan Expo Canada, a number of categories can be used to separate the role and objectives of each. In terms of the host organisation, the Toronto City Council is a major figurehead as the support from local government for funding and other regulatory and staffing concerns is vital to the success of this event. Hobby Star Marketing as a corporation is also another obvious stakeholder as they are the primary event organisers and have substantial amounts of  resources injected into fate of this event. The Toronto Metro Convention Centre is also another key stakeholder as the event is being held at their premise. Their objectives for the event will be to ensure their function areas function as they should throughout the expo as well as working closely with Hobby Star to ensure all logistical requirements are executed without delay or error. Toronto as a community is also a primary stakeholder as its involvement and expectations for the event are additionally significant. For Hobby Star, their understanding of the local community is a key factor for the event to be a success. Specifically in this case, the understanding of local community comic book or gaming groups and societies will enable event organisers to develop the event to cater for the needs of these groups. Furthermore representatives from these groups could provide recommendations and assistance for future event ideas. In doing so the community expectations can be more accurately met and overall dissonance of the event significantly reduced (Allen et al. 2005). In terms of the media, local television, radio and print associations are also termed stakeholders as they have been invested in and have also dedicated resources to either cover the event progress or advertise the event in the weeks leading up. Due to the events widespread appeal, web media would also be considered an important stakeholder as accurate information needs to be communicated to tourists planning on attending. Web media is also important to monitor because as noted earlier, backlash or community opinions are not contained within the community when the web is involved, and negative impacts can occur quickly through use of the internet. Other stakeholders include event staff, volunteers and centre management and staff. Their role is to ensure the event plan is executed effectively and their presence as a required resource must also be nurtured through not only being catered for and looked after during the event, but also recognition for their contributions once the event has ended. One way this is performed is by volunteers being given free access to any event over the three days before and after their allotted shift time (Happy Star 2006). For any event  to be truly effective, the vision and philosophy of the event must be shared by all of the team (Allen et al. 2005). The participants of the event which include guest speakers, retailers, performers, industry professionals and the general public are also significant stakeholders. To make the event memorable and meaningful, the event manager must ensure all of these figureheads are satisfied in terms of what they want to get out of the event, which includes their physical needs of comfort, safety and security. At Fan Expo in 2006, it is the 40th anniversary of the birth of Star Trek and the key guest speakers are two famous stars from the original television series. Their involvement and satisfaction of how the event is run and managed will be reflected on how well they address the audience and subsequently the level of enjoyment the spectators receive. 5.0 Economic Analysis The economic standpoint in regards to events is the make or break factor – events must generate revenue to be successful. Therefore one of the most important impacts is the tourism revenue generated by an event (Allen et al. 2005). External visitors not only spend money on the event itself such as tickets and merchandise but also on items such as travel, accommodation and other goods and services available in the host city. This economic influx is sometimes depended on in many smaller communities however in the case of Toronto, effective tourism can result in visitors that are in town for the event to extend their stay and consequently increase spending (Allen et al. 2005). As described in Section 3.1, many business opportunities are possible through the interaction of local and visiting industry members. Furthermore their interaction with the local community and its economy may also give way for tourists to increase stay or indeed make a bid to stay permanently. For the expo, this could mean opportunities for more qualified industry leaders to be a part of the planning process for the following year’s expo. The overall benefits for Fan Expo could include for example the cast voices for the latest Star Trek game to be sourced and recorded in Toronto due to Microsoft Games setting up headquarters after negotiations. In hindsight whilst the  majority of the Fan Expo is based around a market and display type setup, there are also many exclusive forums and networking conferences that occur over the weekend to further facilitate the creation of business opportunities (Hobby Star 2006). Higher rates of employment can also result from this event – employment requirements for Fan Expo itself but also local industry members showcasing their talents then being offered work at a major firm. This can also have a negative effect as the local talent is snapped up and shipped out to other cities or countries, possibly damaging the part of the local economy they were once involved in. On the other hand if nurtured the community member could leave to gain more knowledge then return to the city, bringing with them a wealth of knowledge and experience that could significantly increase the economy of the city and region. On the agenda of negative economic impacts, opportunity cost can clearly be linked to the issues described in Section 3.2 in regards to strongarm tactics allegedly being used by Hobby Star Marketing. With retailers being forced to choose between festivals, the chance for economic gain is lost. Spectators that cannot attend the Fan Expo are left with no alternatives to view and purchase expo items and retailers in general loose out because of reduced exposure. This consequently forces retailers to ascertain which festival would be more financially beneficial to them, hence reducing exposure and possible loss of business opportunities. As stated in Section 3.2 this can generate a negative reputation for Happy Star and the Fan Expo in general and have many negative social and economic impacts. 6.0 Conclusions This report has provided an overview of the Fan Expo Canada event and classified into the Hallmark event category. The event was then analysed in terms of its social impact, the stakeholders involved and economic implications. This report has found that Fan Expo appeals to a unique market and draws visitors to the town of Toronto. It has outlined relevant stakeholders and their goals and found that increased integration of local community groups with the planning process of the expo could be beneficial to future success and reduced dissonance. This report described the importance of economic planning and how decisions that are made in the best interests of the event may not be in the best interests of the wider community. This report aims to advise Hobby Star Marketing on the current and future states of their event and as related to tourism theory, what impact this may have on social and economic factors, as well as impact on event stakeholders as a whole. In conclusion recommendations will be put forward as to the best approach for event organisers to take in the future to ensure all stakeholders are kept satisfied as well as the wider community. 7.0 Recommendations In hindsight to this report, the following recommendations are made:Increase communication with community industry leaders to ascertain the best approach in organising the event so maximum exposure can be generated. Further develop networking events at the expo and facilitate the creation of business opportunities and discovery of new talent in the local community. Promote to industry leaders the benefits of setting up operations in the community and tie this in with a major showcasing of their products at the following years expo. Work closer with Toronto City Council to further promote local and regional tourism to increase longer stays and increased economic activity. Reduce dissonance by operating competitively and ethically with other expos. List of References Allen, J O’Toole, W Harris, R McDonnell, I 2005, Festival and Special Event Management, John Wiley & Sons, Milton. Hobby Star 2006, Fan Expo Canada, viewed 20 August 2006, Getz, D 1997, Event Management and Event Tourism, Cognizant Communication Corporation, New York. Wikimedia Foundation 2006, Fan Expo Canada, viewed 6 August 2006,

Angel in the House Virgina Woolf Essays

Angel in the House Virgina Woolf Essays Angel in the House Virgina Woolf Paper Angel in the House Virgina Woolf Paper Virginia Woolf was an English writer. She was a womens rightist. publishing house. litterateur and critic. Woolf normally acquired female writers Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte. Woolf analyses adult females and their battles as creative persons. their place in literary history and demand for independency in her plants of literature. Woolf’s short narrative Angel in the House has a deeper significance so merely a female writer sharing arrows and narratives on how she succeeded in her calling to another adult female seeking to go a successful professional. These personal brushs and struggles the writer in the narrative discusses with the other adult females truly expose how different women’s occupations were compared to men’s and acknowledge that different attacks needed to be made by a adult female in order to make good in her business. Womans were non to be perceived more superior so work forces. The talker of the narrative is clearly Virginia in Angel in the House. The fact that the adult female in the narrative is a female writer and continuously compares how being a professional adult female is much harder than people consider it to be makes it obvious to the reader that Virginia is the talker. She begins by sardonically discusses how easy being a author is and that she is diffident why person recommended her to give advice on being successful because her occupation is so easy. The writer says to demo how small I deserve to be a professional adult females how small I know of the battles and troubles of such lives. I have to acknowledge alternatively of disbursement that sum upon staff of life. butter. places. stockings or meatman measures I went out and bought a cat ( Woolf 109 ) . She starts off talking about her profession in this mode because that was how work forces felt about being a professional writer or critic or litterateur. They believed that occupation was stress free. If this was an writer who was a adult male though he would of neer spoke down about his occupation like that. but it was purely because it was a adult females making it that they felt this manner about the work. After speaking down approximately being a professional author. the writer starts to state the other adult females about interior battles she has had to cover with in her profession. Inner struggles that work forces were non cognizant of. She speaks about a apparition that she named the Angel in the house. This apparition angel is referred to by the writer as a she ; she was pure. capturing. sympathetic and selfless. This angel in the house made the writer experience guilty for holding her ain sentiment and personality. This apparition wanted every adult female to hold the same ethical motives and features as her. She was what a adult female was supposed to move and believe like particularly in a society that work forces ruled. The storyteller states she had to kill the angel in the house in order to go successful in her profession. This angel wanted to tweak the bosom out of the writers composing. fundamentally desiring it to be mean and appropriate incase a adult male were to read it. Womans who obeyed the angel and acted as she did were non populating up to their fullest potency. leting the work forces to outshine them. A adult female does non detect herself until she kills that apparition. forgets what work forces expect and follow her ain intuition no affair what.

Howard Hendricks Essay Example

Howard Hendricks Essay Example Howard Hendricks Paper Howard Hendricks Paper Howard G. Hendricks, the author of Teaching to Change Lives, earned his B. A., Wheaton College, 1946; Th. M. , Dallas Theological Seminary, 1950; D. D. , Wheaton College, 1967; graduate study, Dallas Theological Seminary, Wheaton College Graduate School, Biblical Seminary in New York and has been a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary for over fifty years. He has a passion for teaching and it show in this book. Dr. Hendricks presents us with seven laws or principles rules for teaching. Summary Dr. Hendricks has presented to all who take the time to read this book a tool that will enable even the most seasoned teacher an avenue for change that will improve, not only their teaching skills, but enhance the learning skills of the their students. This book is base on seven easy to understand proven principles that enable direct application from the book to the classroom. These principles are as follows; The Law of the Teacher, of Education, of Activity, the Law of Communication, of the Heart, of Encouragement, and the Law of Readiness. The first of these principles the Law of the Teacher states, â€Å"If you stop growing today you stop teaching tomorrow. † He also shares a philosophy that should be adopted buy all. Hendricks says, â€Å"that I, as a teacher, am primarily a learner, a student among students. I am perpetuating the learning process; I am still en route. And by becoming a student again, I as a teacher will look at the education process through a radically new- and uniquely personal- set of eyes. Chapter Three The Law of Activity caught my attention. Its states, â€Å"Maximum learning is always the result of maximum involvement. It was if God was saying this is you and I believe this holds true for everyone as long as the student values the activity. One example that I believe he talked about and is near and dear to my heart is evangelism. You can teach an evangelism class and you can teach how to evangelize people, but it doesn’t mean you will be successful. You have to be active and get out and witness. One area that troubles me that he may have not elaborated enough is under the Law of Teaching page 29. He talks about not labeling kids, which I agree, but, in this same section, it also talks about how they come into our church excited and energetic and we get on to them. I have worked with these kids and they need structure and discipline and a firm hand sometimes however, it should always be done with the love of Christ. Conclusion This book is not only for the experienced teacher but for the novice as well. All can and will benefit from this book. One can tell that Hendricks is very enthusiastic about teaching and helping the learner to learn especially when it comes to the spiritual aspect of teaching. I believe that the seven laws, implemented properly, will allow every teachers, pastors, and laypersons the opportunity to impact the lives of people for Kingdom of Heaven. This is a must read for anyone, especially for those in ministry.

Analysis of North and South by Elisabeth Gaskell Essays

Analysis of North and South by Elisabeth Gaskell Essays Analysis of North and South by Elisabeth Gaskell Essay Analysis of North and South by Elisabeth Gaskell Essay Galleys novel comes to term with the loss of an idealized rural past, and the ascendancy of the urban. The book has It all: class conflict, policy, religion, womans right, society. Through the story of Margaret Hale, the middle-class Ethernet who moves to the northern industrial town of Milton, Seashell skillfully explores issues of class and gender in the conflict between Margaritas ready sympathy with the workers and her growing attraction to the charismatic mill owner, John Thornton. Although we have quite a few themes to examine In the Victorian age. The working class people, north and south division, class and gender issues will be elaborated especially. It was In Queen Victorians reign that merchants, manufacturers and bankers started to gain political power, and began to exert pressure on the legislative body, he Parliament. We can understand the gravity of the situation through some professional information. Furthermore, Many of the established landed elite not only prospered through the effects of general economic expansion on their estates, which generated buoyant incomes and capital appreciation that were welcome financial sustenance in keeping up their position, but also themselves formed part of the leading edge of economic development by undertaking or encouraging the building of docks, harbors, railways, mines, or housing estates. They did not, therefore, present a blankly hostile OFF or Allen race to ten capitals entrepreneurs, even IT no memoir AT ten relocate would have cared to be classed as a businessman (153). The condition of working and middle class people can be learned from both novels like Galleys and other books examining that time. As Rutgers states in his book; Working class people could make upward or downward movement within their class only. Movement from working class to middle class was almost impossible. Again, the social mobility depended on education. For many working class families, however, education was a luxury. The system of that time is also stated by Mr.. Thornton and Mr.. Hale when they all sit including Margaret; Mr.. Hale states Is there a necessity for calling it a battle between the two classed? And Mr.. Thornton answers It is true ; and I believe it to be as much a necessity as that prudent wisdom and good conduct are always opposed to, and doing battle with, ignorance and improvidence. It is one of the greatest beauties of our system, that a working-man may raise himself into the power and position of a master by his exertions and behavior ; that, in fact, every one who rules himself to decency and variety of conduct and attention to his duties, comes over to our ranks ; it may not be always as a master, but as an overlooked, a cashier, a book keeper, a clerk, one on the side of authority and order'(96). Another theme to argue is gender in North and South In recent years, psychologists and historians have been exploring gender and its effect both men and masculinity should be approached as femininity is. We can see clear examples of this issue in the novel. Mr.. Thornton states that I take it that gentleman is a term that only describes a person in his legislation to others ; but when we speak of him as a man, we consider him not merely with regard to his fellow-men, but in relation to himself-to life-to time-to eternity. A castaway, lonely as Robinson Crusoe- a prisoner immured in a dungeon for life-nay, even a saint in Pathos, has his endurance, his strength, his faith, best described by being spoken of as a man I am rather weary of this word gentlemanly, which seems to me to be often inappropriately used, and often, too, with such exaggerated distortion of meaning, while the full simplicity of the noun man, and the adjective manly, is unacknowledged?that I am induced to class it with the cant of the day (194). And as Ginger S. Frost states in her book Courtship, Class and Gender in Victorian England men were expected to be brave, facing the consequences of their actions. For one thing, men were cowardly to refuse go through with bargain (42). And in the same book she says probably the most interesting insight into masculinity from breach-of-promise cases was the courts reaction to male sexuality. Once a man had sex with a woman, he was responsible for her. In this way the action undermined the harsh Victorian strictures on female chastity (44). We can say that the possible marriage between John and Margaret could be affected by all the gender and social Issues. The last theme we will examine is the north and south divide, while analyzing the social, intellectual and artistic developments in Victorian Britain, we must mainly think of the Industrial Revolution, the economic factors and the rise of the middle classes which radically altered the means of production, the politics, the customs, and culture. In a conversation between Mr.. Higgins and Margaret, she states; You must not go to South said Margaret, for all that. You could not stand You would not bear the dullness of the life; you dont know what it is; it would eat you away like rust. Those that have live there all their lives are used to soaking in the stagnant water. They labor on from day to day, in the great solitude of steaming fields-never speaking of lifting up their poor, bent, downcast heads. The hard spade- work robs their brain of life; the sameness of their toil deadens their imagination; hey dont care to meet to talk over thoughts and speculations, even the weakest, wildest kind, after their work is done; they go home brutishly tired, poor creatures! Caring for nothing but food and rest. You could not stir them up any companionship, which you get in a town as plentiful as the air you breathe, whether it be good or bad (364). In the novel, John works hard to earn the respect of his workers and tries to comprehend the life conditions. This is probably a good idea because Karl Adamant states in his book As the inner city grew more congested, the homes of the manufacturers and merchants, no longer used as places of business, migrated up the hillsides in order to escape the filth disease and noise of the city(103). Consequently, we can say that Elizabeth Seashell combines the themes of that time brilliantly and renders the issues visible for all trying to figure out Victorian Era. Primary Source: Seashell, Clincher Elizabeth. North and South. Oxford University: Chapman and Hall, 1855. Secondary Sources: Frost, Ginger Suzanne.

Should The Surveillance Be Done in Public Areas Essay

Should The Surveillance Be Done in Public Areas - Essay Example Introduction of surveillance camera has significantly changed the security issues around the globe. Surveillance chiefly involves paying close and frequent attention to someone or something (Tavani, 2001). This is usually for a particular reason, whether private or public and for a certain period of time. In addition surveillance usually takes many forms, such as listening and smelling devices and wiretapping, but in this case, it is important to focus on surveillance involving cameras, placed in either public or private areas. From when you walk out of your house, in most cities, you are being watched (Parenti, 2003). This is because the cameras are now installed in major city streets, gas stations, retail shops and transport systems such as trains. The use of surveillance cameras doubled in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City. These prompted frantic efforts, to curb terrorism, a major threat to security in this century. There is a need to identify the ethic s of surveillance cameras. Historically, the idea of watching the public by a select few, especially those who control us politically and economically can be traced to the Panoptical (Foucault, 1977). This was a kind of prison design, built in such a way that a single guard could watch the prisoners in a single gaze. This is a big way induces prisoners in a state of conscious and permanent knowledge that they are being watched. Foucault saw surveillance as productive machinery of continuous mind control, which is somehow what current surveillance cameras represent. Therefore, what the papers seek to argue the need for new ethics in the surveillance camera industry, because of the reasons below. This is because surveillance when done correctly and for the right reasons and people, individuals involved end up surrendering apart of their civil liberty to privacy, for the sake of public security. Closed -circuit televisions when placed in public areas, give people a sense of security, r educe crime by up to five percent. Up to ninety percent of respondents saw no problem in having such surveillance in public areas. Surveillance done in the above manner, by the correct agencies, can be said to be ethical and legal. On the other hand, there is need to look at the ethics of surveillance cameras, by looking at who does it and for what they will be used to do, therefore the ethics of surveillance cameras. Ethics is defined by the BBC online, as a system of moral principles. This is what is good for the individual and society, therefore is responsible for holding the society together. The ethics of surveillance cameras therefore seeks to look at the circumstances surrounding the use of such cameras, and just how much harm can be done if it finds itself in the wrong hands. Foucault, 1994, referred to surveillance carried out by the government as being watched by â€Å"big brother†, which would encourage good behavior amongst the general population, due to the fact that people would think that they are being watched, even when they are not. As earlier stated, this discussion is not that surveillance cameras should go, rather that it should be done in public areas, by the right people. The main areas in a person’s life most affected by surveillance cameras are trust, privacy, and autonomy (Parenti, 2003). First, surveillance cameras usually infringe on a person’s privacy, mostly when it is done in their private time and within their private property. Concerns on privacy have been here since way back, and have increased with continuous improvement in technology.

Theories explaining homelessness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theories explaining homelessness - Essay Example In this paper the issue of homelessness will be discussed thoroughly by having a look at national homelessness factsheets with an emphasis on sociological theories to help understand the reasons of this social problem. Homelessness is a condition caused by numerous factors that affect people of various demographics in the United States. Among the most affected groups are African-American and White people, especially single men and children aged between 5 to18 years are seriously affected by this condition. Also, there are groups of people who are victims of domestic violence such as women who leave their homes to get rid of violence. Among the homeless people, there are mentally ill individuals and drug addicts as well, who do not have accommodation facilities. The main reason of homelessness is poverty and unemployment, offering people little opportunities to earn and pay for their housing facilities. However, there are other reasons as well such as domestic violence, mental illness, drug addiction, lack of affordable residence and little public assistance. According to a study, 10% of homeless people are suffering from mental disorders (Drake, Osher & Wallach, 1991). There is need to take certai n steps, for instance, controlling mental illnesses and addiction, poverty and unemployment and violence by providing healthcare, psychological and financial assistance to people in need in order to deal with this issue. Classical sociological theorists Emile Durkheim and Max Weber had given their views on society and its issues decades ago in the form of grand sociological theories. Durkheim gave a concept of anomie, a state of being normal in a society that could be applied to the social problem of homelessness that America is facing today. According to him social problems enter in a society when it lacks moral unity and norms and values are unable to create

Low Income Housing Authority Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Low Income Housing Authority - Essay Example From this study it is clear that  like any other management style, planning is an essential tool. To achieve the best results, managers should make concrete plans to sustain their businesses. Low income housing authority makes planning strategies to accommodate the demands of the low income people. The stakeholders submit their plans to the public housing director providing detailed information of how they intend to serve the locals. â€Å"Planning helps the management to improve their services†.According to the paper  proper planning will ensure proper housing, equal allocation and provision of quality facilities. It helps the housing department to analyze the trends of housing and predict any challenge in future. Essentially, planning helps in creating affordable housing while safeguarding the already existing premises. Nevertheless, planning requires competent planners put in place. For instance, planning to safeguard the suppliers of cheap housing may aim at incrementa l processes of change that may result in reducing the availability of houses of a particular type. â€Å"Mechanisms aimed at protecting low cost stocks are to ensure that the planning tools contain the general objective so as to protect or retain the existing affordable housing sources†.  When the policy makers are involved in creating more affordable housing, more emphasis is given to the duration the affordable house will be retained and by whom. Essentially, â€Å"there is no sole technique of securing affordable housing.

George Whitefield Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

George Whitefield - Essay Example He died in 1770 (Orentas). Whitefield was specifically popular among the poor and the illiterate lot for his wonderful power of oratory, so they gathered in large numbers to listen to him. Brief history of George Whitefield: In his childhood days, Whitefield would often skip school in order to prepare himself for the on-stage performances that made part of his school’s co-curricular activities. He was a big fan of plays, and had read hundreds of them. In the later years of his life, Whitefield retreated from acting and spared theatrical performances altogether, yet the practice he did in the early years of his life was sufficient to inculcate the qualities of a potential preacher in him. How Whitefield got into preaching: Whitefield joined Pembroke College, Oxford after his school was over. It was the very college where Whitefield joined a community of pious â€Å"Methodists†. Those Methodists introduced themselves to others as â€Å"the Holy Club†. Wesley brothe rs, namely Charles and John were the leaders of this group. Having joined the Holy Club, Whitefield felt a change inside himself and his concerns for the religion and its teachings grew manifolds. As a result of his increased association with the religion, Whitefield took the decision of serving as a missionary in the colony of new Georgia aside the Atlantic Ocean. â€Å"Fight the good fight of faith, and God will give you spiritual mercies† (Whitefield cited in â€Å"BrainyQuote†). The qualities of George Whitefield: 1. The oratory power: The most distinguishing quality of George Whitefield was that he was blessed with a magical oratory power by the nature. He did not know it from the start, but soon as he began to make speeches in front of the public, Whitefield realized that people in the crowd hung on every single word that he uttered. He had an unusual way of portraying the characteristic features of various characters in the Bible. There used to be a great realis m in his speech. While making the speech, Whitefield used to cry and dance. He spoke at the top of his voice. David Garrick, who used to be one of the most popular actors in UK in those days said, â€Å"I would give a hundred guineas if I could say 'Oh' like Mr. Whitefield† (â€Å"Christian History†). Once, it so happened that he was speaking about eternity. While making the speech, he suddenly paused, looked sideways and screamed, â€Å"Hark! Methinks I hear [the saints] chanting their everlasting hallelujahs, and spending an eternal day in echoing forth triumphant songs of joy. And do you not long, my brethren, to join this heavenly choir?† (â€Å"Christian History†). 2. Gathering of the mass: Whitefield knew the magic of gathering people in no time. Crowds that he used to address often exceeded the entire population of the cities in which he would make the speech. Whitefield made a tour to America in 1739 with an intention to preach. His first stop in America was Philadelphia which was the world’s most cosmopolitan city. To hear his speech, so many people gathered that even the most spacious churches in Philadelphia could not accommodate them. The crowd in Philadelphia had some 8000 people in it. In order to address them all at one time, Whitefield had taken them outdoors. Often, Whitefield himself became surprised to see the volume of listeners and would think how scattered crowds managed to gather so quickly

Green Technology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Green Technology - Research Paper Example With the rapidly decreasing natural resources replete, people are concerned if one Earth would be sufficient to meet the needs of humans in the near future. There is obviously no choice as this Earth is all we have to manage our resources in. Therefore, people all over the world are being encouraged to live green. Living green means adopting all ways and means in everyday life that would make minimum use of the natural resources and would be environment friendly. In order to facilitate people, the contemporary research and development is largely directed at developing green technology. â€Å"The field of "green technology" encompasses a continuously evolving group of methods and materials, from techniques for generating energy to non-toxic cleaning products† (Green Technology, 2010). This paper aims at discussing some of the most significant elements of green technology. Renewable energy sources Renewable energy is a kind of energy which is retrieved from such natural sources as geothermal heat, sunlight, wind, rain, and tides. Most of the times, projects of renewable energy are executed on a grand scale but renewable energy is equally usable in rural and backward areas. Kenya, a small country that has the largest rate of solar ownership for residential communities in the whole world sells as many as 30,000 units of solar power that have a capacity between 20 and 100 watts per annum (Renewable Solar Energy, 2011). Although some technologies that produce renewable energy are deemed unreliable, yet the growth in the market of renewable energy is steady. There are several forms of renewable energy that include but are not limited to wind power. Wind has been employed as a source of energy for a long period of time. Chinese have been making use of wind for watering their crops almost for over 4000 years. Sailors have also used wind to make journeys. Wind energy can be captured w ith the help of a tower that has a big propeller top that stands at considerable height from the sea level. The propeller’s circular motion because of wind generates electricity. Magnitude of electricity produced can be increased manifolds by building several towers and using them simultaneously. Open fields, coastal regions, hill tops and any areas with frequent and large air currents are the most appropriate areas for the construction of wind turbines. Electric vehicles Electric vehicles or electric cars do not use gasoline engines unlike the regular cars. A controller provides the electric motor with the energy for regulating the power according to the way driver manipulates the accelerator pedal. The batteries of electric vehicles are rechargeable. Common domestic electricity available in the houses can be used to charge these batteries. Electric motors are employed to drive electric vehicles. Rechargeable battery packs are used to run the electric motors. Electric motors offer considerable benefits in comparison to the internal combustion engines (ICEs). To power the wheels, as much as 75 per cent of the chemical energy stored in the batteries is converted by the electric motors. This percentage of conversion of chemical energy into gasoline is reduced to 20 when internal combustion engines (ICEs) are employed as converters instead of electric motors. Electric vehicles are friendly to the environment in that they do not emit any pollutants from the tailpipe, though some pollutants may be emitted from the power plant that generates the electricity. No air pollution whatsoever is produced by the electricity generated from the wind powered plants, hydro powered plants, solar powered plants and nuclear powered plants. The operation of

George Whitefield Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

George Whitefield - Essay Example He died in 1770 (Orentas). Whitefield was specifically popular among the poor and the illiterate lot for his wonderful power of oratory, so they gathered in large numbers to listen to him. Brief history of George Whitefield: In his childhood days, Whitefield would often skip school in order to prepare himself for the on-stage performances that made part of his school’s co-curricular activities. He was a big fan of plays, and had read hundreds of them. In the later years of his life, Whitefield retreated from acting and spared theatrical performances altogether, yet the practice he did in the early years of his life was sufficient to inculcate the qualities of a potential preacher in him. How Whitefield got into preaching: Whitefield joined Pembroke College, Oxford after his school was over. It was the very college where Whitefield joined a community of pious â€Å"Methodists†. Those Methodists introduced themselves to others as â€Å"the Holy Club†. Wesley brothe rs, namely Charles and John were the leaders of this group. Having joined the Holy Club, Whitefield felt a change inside himself and his concerns for the religion and its teachings grew manifolds. As a result of his increased association with the religion, Whitefield took the decision of serving as a missionary in the colony of new Georgia aside the Atlantic Ocean. â€Å"Fight the good fight of faith, and God will give you spiritual mercies† (Whitefield cited in â€Å"BrainyQuote†). The qualities of George Whitefield: 1. The oratory power: The most distinguishing quality of George Whitefield was that he was blessed with a magical oratory power by the nature. He did not know it from the start, but soon as he began to make speeches in front of the public, Whitefield realized that people in the crowd hung on every single word that he uttered. He had an unusual way of portraying the characteristic features of various characters in the Bible. There used to be a great realis m in his speech. While making the speech, Whitefield used to cry and dance. He spoke at the top of his voice. David Garrick, who used to be one of the most popular actors in UK in those days said, â€Å"I would give a hundred guineas if I could say 'Oh' like Mr. Whitefield† (â€Å"Christian History†). Once, it so happened that he was speaking about eternity. While making the speech, he suddenly paused, looked sideways and screamed, â€Å"Hark! Methinks I hear [the saints] chanting their everlasting hallelujahs, and spending an eternal day in echoing forth triumphant songs of joy. And do you not long, my brethren, to join this heavenly choir?† (â€Å"Christian History†). 2. Gathering of the mass: Whitefield knew the magic of gathering people in no time. Crowds that he used to address often exceeded the entire population of the cities in which he would make the speech. Whitefield made a tour to America in 1739 with an intention to preach. His first stop in America was Philadelphia which was the world’s most cosmopolitan city. To hear his speech, so many people gathered that even the most spacious churches in Philadelphia could not accommodate them. The crowd in Philadelphia had some 8000 people in it. In order to address them all at one time, Whitefield had taken them outdoors. Often, Whitefield himself became surprised to see the volume of listeners and would think how scattered crowds managed to gather so quickly

[Japan nuclear and chernobyl syndrome] Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

[Japan nuclear and chernobyl syndrome] - Essay Example The nuclear disaster at Fukushima once again revived the memories of the debilitating things that happened at Chernobyl just a few years ago. A large section of media and scientific community went ahead to compare the possible radiation impact of Fukushima disaster with that of Chernobyl. The print and digital media was replete with the reports placing Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear reactor side by side, portending the two disasters to be very similar and akin in their fallout and intensity. It was only a very few critical minds and concerns who took the time to point out the differences between the two seemingly similar situations. At large, the world seemed to have been taken over by the ghost of Chernobyl, without waiting to critically analyze the facts. Fukushima-the Facts On 11 March 2011, Japan was hit by an earthquake of magnitude 9.0, accompanied by a devastating tsunami. One of the major fallouts of this calamity was the tragic accidents that took place at the Fukushima nuc lear plant. ... When the earthquake occurred, the functional reactors number 1, 2 and 3 automatically came to a halt (Jones: Online). Also, the emergency generators efficiently started to run the water pumps and the emergency control electronics put in place to tackle such exigencies (Jones: Online). The bad thing was that though the Fukushima nuclear plant was well protected by a sea wall, it failed to withstand the massive 14 m tsunami that flooded the reactor in a matter of minutes (Jones: Online). This flooding of the reactor simply jeopardized the low lying water pumps and electronic cooling equipment and spoiled the electrical grid (Jones: Online). With the shutting down of the cooling mechanisms and a zero possibility of extending assistance and support from outside, the reactors 1, 2 and 3 suffered a core meltdown (Jones: Online). The resultant hydrogen explosions blasted the lids capping the buildings in which reactors 1, 3 and 4 were placed (Jones: Online). This was soon followed by rampan t fires caused by the overheating of the reactors (Jones: Online). It is a fact that many of the workers employed at Fukushima nuclear plant suffered radiation exposure and were evacuated. Also, owing to the fears of radiation leakage, people residing in a 20 km radius around the plant were also evacuated (Jones: Online). On 17 March 2011, one of the generators deployed in the reactor number 6 was restarted, thus allowing for the cooling of partially damaged reactor number 5 and 6 (The Straits Times: Online). The restoration of Grid power on 20 March 2011 did not achieve the desired results, because of the largely damaged machinery and infrastructure. Besides, any attempts to repair the reactors were also hampered owing to the

Vegetarianism Essay Example for Free

Vegetarianism Essay Our daily life routines mainly revolve around food and what are we going to eat. We wake up thinking about breakfast, lunch is a must, either at work or with friends, and of course dinner; the one thing we do not forget. Food and diets consume a lot of our thoughts. People nowadays are more aware of their health and habits. One of the types of diets that some follow is the vegetarian diet. Vegetarianism is mainly eating all types of food, but any animal related products. Vegetarians follow this kind of diet because they believe that killing animals to eat them cause many negative effects. The question here is, should people be vegetarian or not? Some are for and some are against this. However, in my opinion, I think people should not apply the vegetarian diet in their lives for more than one reason. Firstly, vegetarians’ main reason for their belief is that eating animals is killing them, and killing them is against animals’ right as animals feel fear before their death, which is unethical. However, eating meat is not unethical, it is the natural part of the cycle of life. Research shows that plants respond electrochemically to threats and may feel fear exactly as animals (D.Jensen, The Plants Respond: An Interview with Cleve Backster, The Sun, July 1997†¨). So, eating plants also lead to the threat of it, if they see it from this perspective. Every organism on earth exists for the sake of another organism. Secondly, some might think that vegetables and plants will save more food for hungry people rather than feeding them to the animals. Nevertheless, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) stated that the world currently produces enough food for everybody, but many people do not have access to it. Therefore, it is not about the quantity of the food, it’s the way of distribution that causes the problem. Vegetarian diets can cause the death of animals too. To support this idea further, it was proven that about 52-77% of the animals, like rabbits and birds, get killed during the harvest process, they live in agriculture crop fields (S. Davis, 2003). Thus, cutting meats from your diet is not the solution. To wrap up, vegetarianism should not be a healthy habit for people. Animals are here for us to take advantage of, as well as plants and they are both living organisms. If you could live without both, then do it. At the end, they both feel and have emotions, so killing animals does not differ from killing plants. Moreover, it was proven that the hunger problem worldwide is the reason behind the availability of the food and not the quantity produced. Lastly, many other ways do kill animals, and cutting them from your diet will not protect them. I think people should not take vegetarianism as a life of style. Refrences: Derrick Jensen, The Plants Respond: An Interview with Cleve Backster, The Sun, July 1997 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Hunger: Frequently Asked Questions, www.fao.org (accessed Apr. 13, 2011) Steven L. Davis, The Least Harm Principle May Require That Humans Consume a Diet Containing Large Herbivores, Not a Vegan Diet, Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 2003 http://vegetarian.procon.org/#

Promoting fashion brands through social media

Promoting fashion brands through social media The purpose of this study has been to research possibilities of promoting a fashion brand through social media, specifically Facebook. It would analyse its advantages as well as disadvantages towards fashion business. The social media is an Internet platform where people are free to discuss and communicate through different blogs and websites. The critical question is how consumer decisions are affected by other consumers recommendations. It is very important that businesses intending to join the online environment should thoroughly understand the online consumer market. For the marketing purposes, social networks represent unique opportunities of a constant contact with the consumers. Sales over the Internet have increased drastically over the last decade in both USA and Europe (Forrester Research, 2000). In December 2002, Europeans reportedly spent $ 15.8 billion in 2002, Whereas North Americans spent $15.7 billion. The rise in Internet sales was mostly effected by the sales of gar ments and toys (Blauw Research bv, 2003). Outlaw Freelancers is a small Amsterdam based fashion brand, and is a good example of the micro business. Their sales are done only through Internet, at their main web page (www.outlawfreelancers.com). Outlaws have decided to use new marketing ways, and advertise their brand through social network such as Facebook. In order to find out how the big brands on the market manage social media exposure, interview with NIKE and HM representatives was accomplished. From the interviews it can be seen that companies operate almost with the same structure, except geographically targeting consumers. In comparison with Outlaws, both NIKE and HM, have already established an image, and therefore in no need of a new one. The study has shown that social media power is not enough to push the brand on the market. After a 4 months observation of Outlaw Freelancers it was clear that social media was not enough to push the sales. However, it is crucial for established companies like NIKE and HM to use social media to communicate with its consumers. Due to the time limit, it was unfeasible to continue the Outlaws research of 4 months which could possibly lead to better results. The observation is relatively small and could have led to different outcome if the period was longer. The study has shown that for a new brand on the fashion market it is crucial to mix the use of traditional marketing as well as new Internet ways. Acknowledgements I would like to express my appreciation and thank to all those involved in accomplishing this thesis, including individuals and various organizations that will be mentions throughout the process. Thanks to my parents, Mr. And Mrs. Kaminskiy, for their unfailing support during the period of my entire course. Special thanks to my dear friend Louisa Chiejina, who stayed encouraging and positive through the whole process, and believed in me. 1.1Introduction Outlaw Freelancers is Amsterdam based fashion brand, which is represented by a collaboration of fashion and graphic designers who worked with the worlds largest fashion brands in previous. The brand was established in spring 2010, and represented by a simple but highly effective designs. The collection is entitled, Run, the old world is behind you! Inspired by the 1968 Paris student protests features a 12 piece line on mens t-shirts with the Outlaws signature bold, iconic imagery. At the moment the brand is concentrating only on online sales, which will follow by retail in the near future. The Vision of the brand can be refereed to as a glocal lifestyle and take inspiration from popular culture: art, music, design and modern European living. Outlaw Freelancers consumer are masculine, work and socialize in stylish fashionable cities. Their personal style is intuitive and daring, reflecting an independence of spirit. Creative provocative and rebellious, always modern. Being a new brand the company is trying to find a suitable marketing strategy. In the industry there are many marketing strategies that a company could use to promote its brand awareness such as: advertising, public relations, personal selling, direct marketing, sales promotion and word on mouth marketing, which all belong to the marketing communication mix, also known as a promotional mix. The six elements help companies to achieve customer loyalty and rise in sales. The marketing communication mix model was created Philip Kotler, whos knowledge is being used all around the world. Every element of the mix represents a different approach, which will be explained in the literature review. Outlaw Freelancers have adopted some of the strategies from the marketing mix, such as word of mouth, for its future success. Despite the use of marketing mix, the brand has decided to use the Internet also known as Web 2.0. Companies have widely recognised the power of the internet and broad scope it offers . The interactivity provide retailers with the potential to transform their customers shopping experience (Evanschitzky et al., 2004; Wol ¬Ã‚ nbarger and Gilly, 2003), and in so doing, strengthen their own competitive positions (Doherty and Ellis-Chadwick, 2009; Levenburg, 2005). The company uses the internet through social media sites like Facebook, to communicate with its consumers and prospective customers. Primarily, social networks were aimed to build communities on the Internet, of people with similar interests and/or activities. Social networking existed since 1995 and started up with www.Classmates.com. The project came out quite successful, and in the next few year there was a number of duplicates with the same content. But the official social networking success started in 2003-2004 with the networks such as: LinkedIn, Myspace and Facebook. The advantages of networking can also involve finding people with the same interest, finding the desired web page or any other information that can interest you related to your hobby or work. Usually, the web site allows you to post information about yourself (e.g. Date of birth, school or university you attended, hobbies etc.) from which other users can find you, and relate if needed. There are different types of profiles, you can either have your own private profile, or make a group which will be visible for everybody. As competition in the fashion markets intensifies globally, companys seek other and new strategies to capture both the interest and loyalty of consumers. Because the business environment is changing and is very dynamic in the fashion sector . Apparel companys would have to build their image and brand with supporting marketing strategies which will lead to growth in the long run and survival of the brand and what it represents (Marguerite Moore, 2003) For the marketing purposes, social networks represent unique opportunities of a constant contact with the consumers. It became a usual activity to talk about different companies and preferences, which either can break the companys reputation, or make it stronger. Social media marketing platform is growing extremely fast, therefore it attract spending more budget by the companies on advertisings that can be placed on these web pages. The major goal of Marketing is undoubtedly to satisfy the customers needs and make a profit along the way. Unfortunately, the needs of customers can differ tremendously from industry to industry. Therefore different approaches are required to meet all the different needs. Positioning the brand is about finding the right spot in customers minds in order to create the desired association. (Kotler, 2001, p.172) The thesis mostly concentrates Facebook as a form of social media network. It would analysis its advantages as well as disadvantages towards businesses and their marketing strategy. Nowadays news about Facebook appears very regularly, this is one of the fastest growing social networks and the most popular one. Launched 6 years ago, Facebook was a closed network for students only, allowed to sign in only with a student email address belonging to certain universities. Nowadays anybody around the world can join the network. The main advantage for marketing purposes, that ensured success of Facebook, is the transformation from the usual social network into a platform with web applications. Developers have created a program that allows anyone to create an addition to Facebook. Currently, there are more than 5000 web-based applications, among them games and promotions which are quite useful for enhancing the performance of services and advertising. After a convenient research Outlaw Freelancers have decided to use the social media website such as Facebook as a marketing strategy to take on helping promote the brand. (Salzer-Morling and Strannegard 2004) define the brand as the organisations principal asset and the core business activity. It is more than just a name or symbol and can be used to differentiate a retailer from its competitors . having a strong brand is a powerful marketing strategy to reduce uncertainty about evaluation of product and to increase the purchase intentions of online shoppers (Collins-Dodd and Lindley, 2003). Today more and more retailers use their websites and social media to establish their brand presence on the web and communicate with key audiences. The main purpose of this thesis is to find out whether social media, such as Facebook, can influence the Outlaw Freelancers brand awareness, and sales in a long run. There are a lot of surveys mentioning that traditional advertising methods are losing power, compare to the online word of mouth, therefore it is interesting to use a real life example such as Outlaw Freelancers, to observe whether Facebook can be effective. The remainder of this study/research is organised as follows. Chapter 2 looks at the literatures relative to the subject , while chapter 3 looks at the methods used to convey the research . Chapter 4 looks at the analysis gotten from the survey and finally chapter 5 will conclude the research. Aims and Objectives I. To find out if the social media such as Facebook can affect online sales of the small brand such as Outlaw Freelancers. Compare the use of Facebook of a big company like NIKE to a small brand such as Outlaw Freelancers. Find out what are the lessons that small business can apply. Analyze if it is effective to use only social media during the growth of the new brand. 1.2 Significance of study The purpose of this study is to explore how a small fashion brand tries to engage in the market using social media techniques. Upon completion of the study , the Researcher would have an additional knowledge in analysing how social media works and most especially in what kind of businesses. The study will identify problems that might occur using this form of marketing strategy. With research , interviews, sent out questionnaires and the presence of a focus group. The study will show in detail the impact of social media network such as Facebook on the business and its brand. The recommendation on findings made in the study will help Outlaw Freelancer, its owners and potential small businesses, more aware and knowledgeable on external factors out there that could endanger or improve their business future. Limitation of study Time constraints due to time it was unfeasible to have more personal interviews with managers of mostly fashion companies. Also questionnaire could be as extensive as the researcher would have preferred. Limited Research present research/survey available still represent a diminutive fraction of the individuals on social media site; Facebook and fashion companies that promote their brands through this medium. The sample is relatively small and might have a different outcome if the sample was larger. Limited response Some of the interviewees have busy lives hence are limited to a short time and would only be able to answer a restricted amount of questions. Data availability Some of the respondents were reluctant to provide some of the information. Chapter 2 Literature Review As the internet continues to grow more and more consumers organise their regular lives around the web. From education(online learning to shopping for groceries or in this context fashion goods. Over the years consumers have seem to increase their online purchase of fashion merchandises. That status has generated a body of research allied with fashion e-tailing. (Marchiniak, R. and Bruce, M. 2004) summarise in a chapter about e-tailing, they highlight that an ample amount of study done in the area shows cross channel shopping behaviour and issues with consumer behaviour. However further research show essentials like web site design , quality and fashion are most retailers approach to online strategy (Neil F. Doherty Fiona Ellis 2010). The aspect of web design is important to any fashion branding especially the Outlaws; a brand coming straight into the e-tailing market. In the terms of web site design, issues like the page design , interactivity level , and inconsistency across the si tes get consumers concerned and react ( Siddiqui, N., OMalley, A., McColl, J.C. and Birtwistle, G. 2003). In different literature , there are aspects that are needed for any company looking to promote its brand through the web or social media websites. Aspects like branding, promotions, and web design mentioned above. Branding is crucial to the final vision of any fashion company, whether big or small. Park and Stoel (2005) investigated the familiarity with brands on the internet alongside with previous experience of shopping. They suggest that this familiarity and knowledge about brands is likely to influence the way consumers react and most especially their purchasing power. It also influences their perceptions on the risk associated with shopping online. In other words there is some evidence that brand familiarity may stimulate engagement with online shopping (Jennifer Rowley 2009). In a research model by Park, he made up a hypotheses that, People who are exposed to a well-known brand name will perceive (a) higher value and (b) more positive store image, as compared to people who are exposed to a website with an unfamiliar brand name ( Minjung Park 2009) . The diagram in Appendix ( diagram from journal). goes on to show how Park describes the links between the brand, promotion, perceived value, purchase intention and store image. Although in the case of the Outlaw Freelancers there is not a store image. Moving on to promotions, which are very useful in cognitive evaluations when deciding on the product to purchase (Raghubir, P. 2004). They are important ways of keeping consumers informed about products and trends. They create a sort of awareness value to the retailer, let consumers know about their activities which might eventually lead to their loyalty and encourage them to revisit (Minjung Park 2009). Several research have shown and proven that promotions such as price promotions like discounts have a positive impact on the customers behaviour towards products.(fit it somewhere) However despite the increase in online sales of fashion apparel, research from scholars suggest that many individuals especially those in Europe are more reluctant to shop for garment over the internet. No doubt that issues like trying the apparel on and feeling the fabric hinges this process enormously . (Rene P. Spijkerman 2008) shows in details investigation from several resources (E buyersGuide.com, Kwon et al., 1991; Jasper and Quelette, 1994). He goes on to highlight the percentage and issues involving shopping on-line. In the same research conducted by Rene P. Spijkerman which intended to answer his main research question: How do Dutch fashion retailers use Internet sites (2004 2007) and if Dutch consumers appreciate web sites selling apparel? The research investigation includes the web presents of Dutch apparel retailers having at least up to 55 shops in the town/city. It was to no surprise that majority of the shops could be identified using the google search engine, althou gh others had to be searched through other websites or links. This highlighted a notable part to the researcher that the web presence of any retail business (fashion brands) and easy access was a crucial element, more over as companies like Outlaws intend to grow and be known, the ability to make its presence on the web would be a tough but promising challenge if successful. Finally at the end Rene comes to a conclusion that some Dutch retailers do sell on the Internet on their own site but the majority do not, despite the fact that they obviously put money and effort into their web sites. Others like Doherty et al. (1999) support Rene and suggest similar, proposing that the Internet adoption might not be a viable strategy for all retailers, as the likelihood of an organisation succeeding in their investment decision would be dependent upon the retailers specific internal and environmental inhibitors and facilitators. When all seems to fail, Word of mouth (WOM) is always another marketing strategy for firms to use. It has a greater impact on judgements and decision making than formal methods of marketing communications. Research has showed that this method helps attract new customers . even though others emphasis on branding and promotions Chapter 3 Methodology Research methodology A research process that includes a systematic set of steps and actions to answer certain questions, which usually include information from academic journals, books, different publications and web sites. A right set of methods will lead to the development of the answers. In this thesis few methods will be used to answer the main question. The most important field research is the actual observation and working with the firm Outlaw Freelancers a brand on the social media strategy, for the period of 4 month. It is crucial to observe the process as it goes, paying attention from the very start. The brand is a good example of micro business and it will be interesting to compare its use of the social media, to the big company like NIKE and HM, and the way they operate through Web 2.0. However, it needs to be taken into consideration that big companies already have an existing image, and in no need to build a new one. Their task is to represent the image in its best, and communicate with the consumers, making them a part of a social media building process. Small new brands, on the other hand, have an opportunity of building their image through social media and the word of mouth, which does not involve as much costs like marketing campaigns. An interview will be conducted with NIKE HM representatives, from the social media section, their answers are summarised in the analysis. The NIKE interview will be done in person, to increase the response of the interviewee. The questions will be very open and would be more like a conversation. The HM interview will consists of 7 questions, the questions will be set as an open questionnaire they will open questions with no fixed answers and seek to solicit opinions on particular issues. This questionnaire can be seen in Appendix. It will be interesting to find out how long the companies used social media, if they analyse the outcome and the reaction of users, if there are any costs involved in the process and how many people in the company are involved in the process of managing the Web pages. In order to find out if the users of Facebook pay attention to the fan pages of the fashion brands, another questionnaire will be conducted and sent to 50 users. The questionnaire is closed, with a set of questions in a fixed order, which generally requires the correspondence to respond by selection of one or more multiple choice options. The method ensures a rapid response, easy quantification, coding of data, and consequent comparability of response and guarantees coverage of the area of the interest to the research ( Brewerton et al, 2001. p.70) It will be interesting to see from the user prospective, if there is any attention paid to the updates and information that companies post. (See Appendix) After gathering responses from the following questionnaires, one might be able to compare the use of Facebook of a big company like NIKE to a small brand such as Outlaw Freelancers and find out if the social media such as Facebook can affect online sales of the small brand such as Outlaw Freelancers, which are the aims and objectives (I and II) of this project. All interviews, observations and questionnaires will help to examine and explore the links between the company, its branding and its promotions within social media context. All research, observation and scholars have shown that this elements are very essential ingredients to any company that wishes to participate in e-retailing and make its web presents. However, certain limitations may obstruct the collection data. The interviewees and recipients of the questionnaire are extraordinarily busy. They may not respond or complete the surveys independently. Chapter 4 Analysis 4.1 Analysis Outlaw Freelancers To answer the aims and objectives of this study, the observation was conducted with the Outlaw Freelancers brand. During the period of 4 months the researcher was given an opportunity to work on the social media strategy and advertise the Outlaws mainly through Facebook. Social media gives companies an opportunity of free marketing, the main difference between traditional media and social media are the costs of it. Traditional media have existed long before Internet took over. In a lot of cases it is still relevant, depending on the product and the company. It includes radio, television, newspapers, magazines, books and most print publications. Outlaw Freelancers is a good example of micro business, therefore it was interesting to observe the growth of it. Most of the main objectives that were created in the beginning of the observation were met. Creating a Facebook fan page was a first step. To attract the users to become fans came out as a difficult task, due to the lack of the name recognition. After some time mostly the friends of the brand started to notice, and adding the brand to their profiles. Another important trick that was used in order to grow fan base, was Facebook advertising on the right side of the page. Facebook advertising is meant to be paid for, and the price is depending on the location, occupation and ages that you are targeting, etc. The advertising helped the brand to grow up to 1300 online fans, targeting countries such as Netherlands, France, Belgium, USA and United Kingdom, people who are working in the fashion industry or are related to it by any means. To target different countries gives a brand an opportunity of the immediate international presents, which is important in the long run. Outlaw Freelancers Fan page: New posts of the brand are sent to the fans through the Facebook updates (the posts on the main wall) and message updates. The main web shop (www.outlawfreelancers.com) is linked with Facebook profile which is shown in the information box on the wall of the profile. The fans were constantly indulged in the conversations, which is an important part of the social media strategy. Facebook users like to feel important and noticed. The communication that is done by a brand needs to represents its tone. Preferably the selling part is better to leave to a costumer, which can decide for himself. The post were representing the Outlaws identity, they included different fashion and music events, art exhibitions, inspiring images as well as any kind of updates on the main web shop page. The right balance was accomplished from the beginning, therefore users felt comfortable to comment and take part in discussions. The calendar for updates was made in order to be more strategic, in this way users do not forget about the existence of the brand. To analyse the fan pages, Facebook created an overview graphs, which show the traffic that was drawn by users The main aim of the Facebook fan page is to draw more traffic to the main web-shop (www.outlawfreelancers.com) and increasing sales. The website analysis did not show much change in the first 2 month, where after that period traffic increased and t-shirts were selling, but in very small quantities. This 4 month observation has showed the first signs that the fan pages on Facebook might not be enough to advertise the brand, therefore traditional needs to also be used. Outlaw Freelancers SWOT analysis Strengths Individual networking Word of mouth communication Immediate Internet presence through social media Quality product Weaknesses Lack of name recognition Advertising only through social media Competition with established brands No guarantee of sale through social media Opportunities Rise in sales Brand expansion to wider range of products (e.g. pans, jumpers, ladies wear) Developing international presents Retail sales Threats Getting the right message across to the right target group Becoming price competitive Shifting trends 4.2 NIKE Field research: Interview with Lauren Jane McBridge who is working on Brand Communication within Northern Europe at NIKE, dealing with brand marketing through social media. Aim of the interview: In this interview researcher would like to find out the way big company like NIKE operates within the social media in comparison to a small company like Outlaw Freelancers. Lauren McBridge was contacted, who is being responsible for brand communication within Nothern Europe to find out the information the researcher was looking for. Social media at NIKE: At the NIKE headquarters in Hilversum, Brand communication department is responsible for social media in Europe, all the other parts of the world are covered in different headquarters such as United States of America and Russia. Lauren McBridge is mostly responsible for covering Northern part of Europe and countries such as: Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands and Finland. NIKE uses few social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Hyves in Netherlands. The main network that is being frequently used is Facebook. Laurens main tasks include monitoring Facebook fan pages, analysing responses of the users, and overall looking at the success of different social media campaigns. The analysing process is made through graphs and responses on the fan pages, which calculate the number of visitors in the certain period, feedbacks and the highest ratings. After analysing the feedback the information is calculated and can be used in the next campaign, considering the information that have gotten the highest response. The success of the social media campaigns is also calculated through sales in stores as well as online. For example when a product is posted on a Facebook page, with a link to a web shop, NIKE is watching the response of the consumer online, as well as comparing it to the number of sales of that particular item. Taking into consideration that NIKE is a major publicly trade sportswear and the worlds leading supplier of athletic shoes and apparel, every country that NIKE is represented in needs a different approach in social media networks. Everything depends on the culture and sport events that are taking place. At NIKE there are usually one or two people who are involved in social media for each country, who update public profiles and give responses to the public when it is needed. This is relatively different approach that that of HM, where there is only one existing Facebook fan page. It contrast to NIKE here which admits on having various different fan pages, one for each country. NIKE Facebook pages can be updated quite frequently, sometimes even more then once a day, depending on the current situation with events. The content calendar is used in order to balance the posts. It is important not to be pushy or concentrating on sales as well as to keep the posts high quality, as every socia l media page carries the reputation of the global brand. Facebook users like to feel special, so the main task is to inform and generate interactions. Sometimes the response might come out negative, in which case it is important to reply in the right way, which will give the brand more credibility. A very similar method, is used by HM. It was demonstrated in the questionnaire, sent to the employee, when she was asked in question 5 about the companys reaction or response to negative comments. Her answer was as follow, If theres a need, we always do our best to respond. Facebook vs. Twitter and Hyves: The main social media website that NIKE is involved with is Facebook. It seems to be the most convenient network for the brand, with the biggest amount of users. Twitter, on the other hand, was used in the case of a big event (e.g. World Cup) which added the account a lot of followers, but did not come out as successful as Facebook. For the company the outcome is important, the attention of users, and Twitter did not show as much enthusiasm. Hyves, is the most popular social network site in the Netherlands, with mainly Dutch visitors, therefore it was essential to make a Hyves account for NIKE. Hyves is being used quite frequently and the content is different from Facebook, to keep the user interested. But then again, Facebook pages seems to draw more interest. A lot of countries all over the world have their own social networks, where they use mother tongue as the main language. The examples of those networks are Vkontakte in Russia and Mixi in Japan. Representatives of NIKE that work for social media for those countries monitoring the pages that are specially made for users of more localized networks. NIKE has few Facebook fan pages, depending on the audience they want to attract, for example male or female. The voice behind every post needs to be relating to the consumer. Therefore it is important to consider user differences in social network. Costs As much as social media can be considered a free of charge marketing, in the big companies like NIKE costs can be involved from time to time. There are special agencies that can be used to maintain Facebook fan pages, which includes clearing spam walls and any old tabs that are not used any more. It is important to include those agencies when the big events are coming up (e.g. Sponsoring Football games). Professional marketeers are able to figure out when is the best time to post certain information to get the best outcome. Most of the images that are used in the social media campaigns are sent from the global office in the United States, with the correct description. Here is the example of the new product post from NIKE Woman Facebook fan page : To summaries the post, it is clear that NIKE is trying to advertise the product, but after reading the information below the image, you become more informed where you can use the product, and relate to a sprinter like Allyson. Another marketing trick that NIKE used in this post is communication with the Facebook users. They are asking a question, and asking consumers to be creative with the ways to wear a product. By answering users feel important, and waiting curiously for the results, if their answer was the most creative one. This trick is used by a lot of companies who want to get on a more personal level with their consumers. Analysis 4.3 HM Following the interview of

Free Essays - The Hounds of Tindalos :: Hounds

Textual Analysis The Hounds of Tindalos             The Hounds of Tindalos is a short science fiction story containing many and varied elements that have been long associated with the genre of science fiction. This essay will identify these elements, examining their placement within this short text and also the interchange of these elements with the characteristics of other genres, more specifically, horror. Belknap Long, the author, was clearly intent of incorporating the elements of horror within the genre of science fiction and this amalgamation of these two genres was a popular combination employed by future horror and SF writers. Perhaps the inclusion of horror within the SF genre is a comment in itself about perceptions of SF held by writers, the elements of horror being a cautionary warning to those in the science world. Long’s main character is Halpin Chalmers, a self proclaimed â€Å"rebel and champion of originality and lost causes†. From the start it is clear there are present within this text some elements of the SF genre that seem to be in just about every SF story, beginning with the main character. Many writers have as their main characters people who are non-conformists, who wish to boldly go where no one has gone before and who are willing to take seemingly illogical and irrational risks in the hope of furthering makinds’ scientific discoveries. Chalmers is no exception in this as he willingly partakes in an ancient Chinese drug that is a known powerful hallucinogen in a bid to go back in time. There is of course the proverbial â€Å"wet blanket† in the shape of the narrator, known only as Frank, who believes his friend Chalmers to be quite mad, but who never-the-less agrees to aid his friend in his bizarre experiment despite the risks he is taking. Frank represe nts all those characters in SF stories who are the skeptics, the non believers, who have a solid faith in the science of the present, and who consider characters like Chalmers to be eccentric and bizarre.       The setting of The Hounds of Tindalos is in the late 1920’s and the location is Central Square. Chalmer’s apartment room is where most of the story takes place. The room is in keeping with Chalmer’s character as a rejector of modern science and one who is still entranced with the historical side of science and history preferring â€Å"illuminated manuscripts to automobiles and leering stone gargoyles to radios and adding machines†.

What works in America :: Culture Cultural Essays

What works in America Jennifer Mancini's parents were born in Italy and immigrated to America just before they had two daughters, Jennifer and her sister. They left a country whose culture stressed close family ties, traditional food, traditional ways of preparing food, and strict social customs. It is Italian tradition that family stick together through the hard times; parents are always there for their children and children are always there for their parents. When the Mancinis came to America, they were forced to abandon many of their customs; in fact, all they held on to was a bit of the old language and their Italian food. Through the experiences she and her family have endured, Mancini believes that "people eventually will assimilate to a more mainstream culture over time, even if they didn't plan to or want to.Just like the old saying goes: 'When in Rome do as the Romans do.'" Although most immigrants are reluctant to stray from how they have learned to live, it will help them to give up much of the ir old ways and accept the dominant culture America has to offer. Rejecting or simply not being able to stray from one's previous culture results in negative responses from the mainstream American culture. Ronald Takaki, a professor and historian at the University of California at Berkeley, shared his view of immigration along with personal experiences in his essay entitled "A Different Mirror" Takaki, a second generation Japanese-American, describes how his appearance erected a barrier between himself and an "American." His experience begins inside a cab on the way to a conference on multiculturalism. The driver and Takaki chat for a few minutes until the middle-aged white man in the front seat notices something odd, his passenger looks foreign yet speaks perfect English. Takaki explained to the driver that he had lived his entire life in The United States and is a true-blooded American. Takaki tell us that, "Somehow I did not look 'American' to him; my eyes and complexion looked foreign" (589). The cab driver immediately assumed that a foreigner had entered his car because Takaki did not look like all the other "Americans" that ask for a ride. His eyes were slanted and his complexion a little darker than the norm, too dark and slanted to be from this country. That is the difficulty with immigration in America today. The American people often are not open enough to get past the differences found amongst ethnic backgrounds.