Lynn Tilton's Leadership Helps Turn Around Failing Companies Case Study

Lynn Tilton's Leadership Helps Turn Around Failing Companies - Case Study Example When it comes to her biophysical traits, Tilton maintains high energy level. To illustrate, Tilton usually walks down the manufacturing line and interacts with factory workers to ensure that everything is going fine. Finally, Tilton possesses a set of better personality traits such as self-confidence and self-efficacy when she lacks traits like self-regulating and sociability. 2. While analyzing the given case study, it is obvious that different positive and negative leadership traits and styles are displayed by Tilton. One of the major positive leadership traits of Tilton is that she is fair in her dealings, and has no favoritism. In addition, Tilton has deep understanding of the manufacturing processes and job activities. To illustrate, the case study makes it clear that Tilton has gained a detailed knowledge of metal alloys and machine-tools when she worked with MD Helicopter plant (470). Open and effective communication is another positive leadership trait expressed by Tilton. The case writer tells that Tilton quickly mingled with factory workers with her earthy jokes. The case study reflects that honesty is also a positive leadership behavior of Tilton (470). However, it is identified that Tilton is selfish and close minded. Throughout the case scenario, the author reflects that Tilton’s operations and decisions are self-centered, and she is not open to suggestion. Tilton’s vindictive behavior can be highlighted as a negative leadership trait. For instance, Tilton harshly replied to Ford Motor Company’s purchasing chief Tony Brown when he criticized Tilton’s operational approach (469). Tough personality is another negative leadership trait of Tilton, and this issue leads to high employee churn at Patriarch, according to the case study. 3. Managers often follow situational approaches toward leadership to obtain better outcomes, because situational leadership theories state that use of

Film Analysis on Last Tango in Paris Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Film Analysis on Last Tango in Paris - Essay Example Bernardo Berolucci directs it. The story revolves around a man who has just divorced his wife and is searching for peace in his life. The movie begins with a lady who is looking for a house on rent, and she finds this man in the same house. The lady has also gone through a lot of pain in her real life and that truly reflected in the movie. Paul, Marlon Brando plays the main lead, while Jeanne the female lead is played by Maria. While Paul is gong through an emotional turmoil since his wife committed suicide, Jeanne is also suffering emotionally since her fiance has not been giving attention to her and is busy trying to make a movie, and the fact that he is a very narcissistic personality. Paul and Jeanne meet in the house and Jeanne arrives there since she is looking for a house on rent, and Paul happens to be there for a similar reason. Right after they met each other, Paul tries to have sex with her and they make love instantly. This was the beginning of the story and then they con tinue to live with each other. One day Paul left her, only to find her at the street and they both resumed their sexual relationship. Paul is a disturbed personality and has been extremely well portrayed by Brando. He doesn’t like knowing names and refuses to tell his to Jeanne, and asks Jeanne not to tell hers to him. He doesn’t believe in this concept and tends to get very irritated. Later onwards, while they continue their relationship, one fine day Paul leaves. He meets her somewhere again, and they both come back to the rented house. There he tells her that her is in love with her, and asks her the name. She tells him the name, and then immediately shoots him to death. The movie ends there. Cinematography Vittorio Storaro did the cinematography of the movie. He used light in connection with the conscious side of the mise-en-scene and dark for the unconscious. He picturised the movie in an epic manner. He used low light techniques frequently to cast a dark shadow i n the room, especially in the sexually explicit scenes. He drew a conflict between light and shadow, which came naturally to him. The cinematography of the movie took different routes during the filming and the picturization of the movie. The cinematographer used low light and high frequency techniques to display grey shadows and dark colours often in the movie. Francis Bacon, the painter of many scenes, which were later, portrayed in the movie, played an influential role in the minds of the Vittorio Storaro, in the way that he used the paintings to carve out beautiful scenes. There were certain confusions with regard to the lighting effect in the movie, especially the warm artificial light fragmentation, since the wintertime in Paris used to have natural winter light. Therefore, it was a challenge for the cinematographer to put into perspective a different shade of grey into the picturization. Putting into place a different light effect did require some greater conviction, and that was justified once he saw Francis Bacon’s paintings. The look of the film is pure romance—lots of dusky, autumnal golds and blue-grays, long, graceful camera movements, scenes shot through frosted glass or against fractured mirrors. Camera Movement Bertolucci camera's movements throughout the film characterize the rights steps of the tango, which the two main characters execute at the climax of the film. The camera movements focus on the tango

Explore the presentation of revenge in Hamlet Essay Example for Free

Explore the presentation of revenge in Hamlet Essay Revenge is a key theme in Hamlet. It is not only essential to understanding Hamlets character, it forms the structure for the whole play, supporting and overlapping other important themes that arise. Though it is Hamlets revenge that forms the basis for the story, tied into this is the vengeance of Laertes and Fortinbras, whose situations in many ways mirror Hamlets own. By juxtaposing these avengers, Shakespeare draws attention to their different approaches to the problem of revenge and how they resolve these. see more:theme of revenge in hamlet The idea of revenge is first introduced by the appearance of the ghost in act 1 Scene 5, and linked to this is the theme of hell and the afterlife. At the end of this scene, Hamlet is irreversibly bound to revenge for the duration of the play, speak, I am bound to hear So art thou to revenge. The ghost appears with the sole aim of using his son to obtain revenge on his brother, and so every word he speaks is designed to enrage Hamlet and stir in him a desire for vengeance. He uses very emotive language to exaggerate the enormity of the crime, and he concentrates Hamlets attention on the treachery of Claudius. His description of the murder itself demonises Claudius and contains many references to original sin, the serpent that did sting thy fathers life now wears his crown. Hamlet, who has been brought up with absolute notions of good and evil, is susceptible to these religious references, o all you host of heaven! O earth! And shall I couple hell? It is ironic that the ghost refers to his own torment, trapped in purgatory, in order to demonstrate to Hamlet the injustice of the situation, yet this serves only to warn Hamlet of the possible consequences of revenge. Instead of enraging him, Hamlet is now wary of acting rashly or without proof as it could place him in a similar situation to his father. The other revengers in the play do not have this wariness, they act immediately without considering the spiritual consequences and it is unclear whether Hamlet would have had a similar attitude had he not been inadvertently alerted to this danger by old Hamlets ghost. Though Hamlets immediate reaction to news of his fathers murder is one of anger and a desire for action, by the end of the scene his desire for revenge is already blunted, for a number of reasons. Unlike Laertes and Fortinbras, Hamlet receives the information of his fathers murder from a secret and unreliable source, which means that not only is he unsure of the truth, he is forced to act out his revenge in secret. Throughout the play, Hamlet frustrates the audience with his lack of action, especially as all around him his contemporaries are visibly taking their own revenge. Fortinbras is in a similar situation to Hamlet, as his father had been murdered by old Hamlet and his land taken. The land itself is worthless and Fortinbras stands to lose more than he can gain; yet like Hamlet it is a matter of honour. Both are exacting revenge for something that nobody else cares for or remembers; a dead king for whom nobody grieves and a patch of worthless land. Part of Hamlets dilemma is the moral question of whether his desire for revenge is worth disrupting and endangering the lives of all those around him, whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them However, unlike Hamlet Fortinbras does not pause to contemplate the idea of revenge; he acts on it, sharked up a list of lawless resolutes and marched on Denmark. The difference in their characters is obvious; Fortinbras character matches his name, strong in arm. He is a man of action, not of words, he has a strong presence and a commanding attitude which demands obedience, Go captain, from me greet the Danish king I will dot my lord. Fortinbras situation is infinitely less complex than Hamlets own; the boundaries between good and evil, personal and public, right and wrong, are for him, clearly defined. He is able to act openly, uninfluenced by friends and family. Hamlet on the other hand is surrounded by people who have obligations to both himself and the king, and is therefore unsure of whom to trust. Hamlets dilemma is founded on this; that any action he takes carries with it risks and possible consequences which could destroy the foundation of his very existence, so he hesitates and does nothing, all the while hating himself for his inaction, makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others that we know not of. The problem for Hamlet is that the murder is too close to home, so he is unable to define the boundaries between personal and public. He cannot publicly confront Claudius without proof because he risks losing his claim to the thrown, alienating his friends and family and being exiled from Denmark, as it would be seen as an attempt by the prince to regain the throne, rather than a son avenging his fathers murder. On top of this Hamlet hopes to avoid jeopardising his relationship with his mother, but at the same time he wants revenge on her for her betrayal. In order to fully understand Hamlets psyche and therefore the reasoning behind his actions, it is important to understand how religion affected all aspects of life in Elizabethan times. It was believed that a person who was able to confess his sins before death would be absolved and therefore go to heaven, but if a person were unable to do this their soul would be condemned to purgatory until they were able to confess and repent. Old Hamlets soul is in purgatory and Hamlet wants Claudius to suffer the same fate, a villain kills my father and for that, I his sole son do this same villain send to heaven. Why, this is hire and salary not revenge. For this reason Hamlet has to wait for the opportune moment to kill Claudius, when he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, at game, a-swearing or about some act that has no relish of salvation in it. However, the other problem which religion creates is that of Hamlets own afterlife. If murder for revenge is wrong then by killing Claudius, Hamlet condemns his own soul along with that of Claudius. On the other hand, Hamlet is honour bound to exact revenge for his fathers murder, and the consequences of not doing so could be even more drastic. Even suicide offers no solution, as the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller returns, puzzles the will, and makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others we know not of. Hamlets indecisiveness is not just a result of his uncertainty about the consequences his actions will have. He is in emotional turmoil at this point in the play, and is feeling betrayed and rejected by those whom he had relied on so far in his life. His anger and frustration at his mothers behaviour is amplified by her lack of grief, and his desire for revenge at the start of the play is mainly fuelled by his own grief and a sense of injustice. His anger towards Claudius diminishes, as he is distracted form revenge by more immediate concerns, such as his relationships with Ophelia and with his mother. Part of Hamlets feelings of isolation stem from what he sees as betrayal by his friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and his lover Ophelia. Hamlets critical relationship with Claudius forces all three to take sides, and decide to whom they owe the strongest allegiance. Ophelias father Polonious, Claudius right hand man, instructs her to shun Hamlet and, as his dependant she is forced to obey him. Women were viewed as property during Shakespearian times, and without a male protector her future prospects were slim. Also, the emphasis placed on family duty and loyalty was far greater, so to disobey her father would be tantamount to treason. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were given a direct order from their king, so to disobey would actually have been treason. Added to this was their ignorance of Hamlets situation due to both Hamlet and Claudius deceit, which meant that they were unsympathetic with Hamlets mental instability and obsession with old Hamlets death. Hamlet refuses to recognise the impossible situation his friends were placed in, and resents them for abandoning him when he needs them most, even though it is his feud with Claudius that has forced them to into it. Feeling betrayed, he has no compunctions in using them to further his own gains. All three are, ultimately, fatalities of Hamlets vendetta against Claudius, as Hamlet brings about the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and drives Ophelia to madness and suicide. Ophelia especially is very much a victim, as in obeying her father she loses Hamlet, and when Hamlet kills Polonious she loses him as well. With Laertes away, she has no-one left to protect her and is very much alone. In many ways, Hamlet himself is a victim of revenge, as he used as a tool by his father, to instigate revenge against old Hamlets killer. By placing this obligation on Hamlet, on top of all his emotional instability, Old Hamlet effectively pushes his son over the edge and renders him incapable of decisiveness. It is unsurprising that Hamlet is unable to take revenge or in fact make any significant decisions, as he is under considerable emotional and mental strain. Laertes is in a similar situation, as Hamlet his friend has murdered his father and driven his sister to madness. His vulnerable state of mind makes it easy for Claudius to use him as a tool against Hamlet, so the two friends become instruments in the power struggle between the two brothers, a struggle which crosses the divide between life and death. Laertes situation resembles Hamlet in other ways. They are joined by their love for Ophelia, Hamlet as a lover and Laertes as a brother. When Laertes returns to find his father murdered, he faces the same dilemma that Hamlet originally had in that, as far as he knew, the king of Denmark had murdered his father. Unlike Hamlet who promptly chose to employ deceit in order to combat Claudiuss deceit, when Laertes discovers this he immediately confronts Claudius. By doing this he achieves his revenge far sooner than Hamlet, but consequently becomes a tool for Claudius against Hamlet. These two revengers differ in their approach to revenge, but ultimately they come to the same end. They both fall victim to the corruption that surrounds the court of Denmark, with Claudius at the centre. Claudius use of deceit throughout the play hides the truth under a veil of dishonesty. Claudius uses other people as tools to achieve his aims, so if they fail he escapes the brunt. He uses Polonious, he uses the king of Norway against Fortinbras, and finally he uses Laertes against Hamlet himself. His corrupting influence means that nobody in Denmarck knows the truth, and Hamlets only attempt to break this veil of deceit causes the death of Polonious instead of Claudius. In act 3 scene 3, Shakespeare uses the curtain concealing Polonious as a metaphor for the corruption surrounding Denmark, making it impossible for Hamlet to take revenge as he is unaware of the truth. Though Hamlet tries to cut through the curtain, he fails and ends up killing the wrong man. This shows him that it is no good trying to confront the problem, he must remove the cloak of deceit and reveal Claudius for what he truly is before he can take his revenge. Though Hamlet tries to get around this problem by being deceitful himself, and Laertes tries to confront the problem face on, both end up being used as weapons in a fight that kills them both. The ending of the play is very satisfying despite, or perhaps because of, the deaths of nearly all the characters. For a neat ending, it was necessary that all the characters achieve their revenge, and as there were so many intertwining strands of revenge, it was inevitable that a large proportion of characters would be killed. The play ends with a new beginning, as the corruption at the heart of Denmark dies with Claudius and Hamlet. Hamlet succeeded in taking revenge on Claudius and revealing the truth about his character, and Laertes succeeded in killing Hamlet but died in the process. All this clears the way for Fortinbras, who we see is far more suited to leadership than the indecisive Hamlet. Fortinbras was more successful in his revenge than Hamlet and Laertes for a number of reasons. He is not held back by the dilemma that freezes Hamlet; of having to choose between betraying his fathers trust or losing the throne and alienating everyone he loves. Hamlet is held back by his proximity to Claudius and the situation, whereas Fortinbras is free to act uninfluenced by the people around him. Another factor in Fortinbras favour is that, unlike both Hamlet and Laertes, Fortinbras made the decision to take revenge alone, so it was entirely his responsibility. Revenge has to be nurtured in Hamlet and Laertes, and both are used as tools in the ongoing feud between the two brothers. Fortinbras is a man of action, and doesnt waste time pondering the philosophy behind the revenge mentality, as Hamlet does. And unlike Laertes, he plans and organises his revenge, he doesnt rush straight into confrontation unprepared. In fact, he represents the best qualities of both of them, so it is fitting that it is he who emerges with not only his life, but the throne of Denmark to go with it.

Peckham Library: A Case Study Analysis

Peckham Library: A Case Study Analysis Introduction. Peckham Library is a library and community building situated in Peckham, southeast London. Peckham Library opened to the public on 8 March 2000, with an official opening by Mr. Chris Smith, secretary of State for culture, media and sport. The library was designed by Mr. Will Alsop from Alsop Stormer Company and it received the 2000 Stirling Award for architectural innovation. It also won the Civic Trust Award (April 2002) for excellence in public architecture, along with the London Eye and Tate Modern and the Copper Cladding Award for it’s vivid copper exterior. The building looks like an inverted capital letter ‘L’, with the upper part supported by thin steel pillars set at random angles. The building includes meeting rooms, children’s areas and the library. There is also an Afro-Caribbean section which attracts many visitors. Peckham Library is one of the busiest and most visited libraries, with nearly half a million visitors a year and over 245,000 issued items. The library was designed to be striking, to make people curious about what lies inside and to challenge the traditional view of libraries as staid and serious environments. The construction of the library cost 5 million pounds, including 1,25 million form Single Regeneration Budget program. This program also covered the creation of new low-rise housing //9 a mixture of owner-occupied and social housing) , Peckham Pulse Healthy Living Center, Peckham Square and Peckham Arch. Peckham Library is considered to be one of the best 5 libraries, along with libraries in Zurich, Chicago, Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Southwark council, ( Peckham area council), tries to shake off the violent image of the area with guide to pull in tourists, that is why building like Peckham Library were built.In the nineties, Southwark was the ssecond most deprived council area in England, and Peckham was one of its worst areas. Housing was poor, unemployment high and the GCSE pass rate was a third of the national average. The area used to hit the headlines for it’s less wholesome reputations as a hotspot for crime, or shoddy public housing. Roger Young, head of the renewal team stated: â€Å"We don’t pretend that the place is perfect, but what we are saying is that there is a lot going on here that people should come and see. What people hear about the area comes from shocking headlines, but we have some world-class stuff here. Peckham has a thrilling mixture of cultures, history and architecture†. The project was finished by 1998 and it formed a new inner-city plaza in London southeast district of Peckham. Other well-known projects of Alsop and Stormer are the North Greenwich station in London and a ferry terminal in Hamburg. The goal of this, (Peckham Library) building was to excite, attract  and draw people’s attention so they would start interweaving with the Library. The library opens at 9am and closes 8pm and includes seventy adult reading spaces, free internet access, word processing facilities and disabled access toilets. There are many events during the week which attract local people to the library, such as   singing sessions for children every Monday baby and toddler sessions every Tuesday book club sessions every Wednesday homework help drop in for children every Wednesday over 50s club every first Friday of every month Peckham Library has become a very popular spot and has reduced the vandalism around the area. Mr Alsop said in a question: â€Å"If you build a semi-decent building, it will not attract vandalism†. Air. Air is the invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth, a mixture mainly of oxygen and nitrogen. (Picture of composition of air) Air travels from areas of high pressure to low pressure. (picture of how the air moves in a room) Peckham Library has 22 windows which are most of the times shut. The building has no air-conditioning, therefore it is naturally ventilated. There is shading in many different areas around the building; therefore the sun light can not easily pass through.This kind of ventilation is named passive cooling The concrete frame of the building, which is exposed to the soffit, also helps with the ventilation, because cross ventilation occurs and helps the concrete in terms of the air temperature, which prevents heat from entering the interior (heat gain prevention). The window panels, which are laminated with four different film layers with different colour film, are very useful themselves, because during winter they help to keep the cold air away and the warm air to remain inside the building. However the windows can be easily opened, because a library is a place with many people and it needs a certain amount of air so it won’t get stifling. The building has a radiation system on the walls and the floor, so the room gets a certain amount of warm air during winter time. (Diagram of the weather in the UK) Drawing number 1. (In the floor). Drawing number 2. (in the wall). Light. The windows in the ceiling and the windows on the sides of the building allow a big amount of light to come inside, but artificial light is also used because there is not enough light during winter time or in the early mornings and late evenings. During my first visit I’ve noticed that the lights in the library were switched on and some of the bulbs which are set in the high ceiling were straight lighting the area. The light made the space more pleasant for the visitors and easier to read. Some lights were more inside the ceiling and surrounded by a mirroring effect, which helps the light to spread across the room. This shows that Mr. Aslop was not relying on natural lighting, as the building has 300 light bulbs. If the lights in the library ever needed to be changed, it would take four days for the work to be done. The closure angered Southwark council leader Stephanie Elsy stated: â€Å"This is just not acceptable and we cant allow it to happen again† she said. â€Å"Its quite incredible that it has to be closed to do routine maintenance work. I cant believe this is the only approach†. (Light around my building) Drawing number 3. (quick drawing of the lights in the fourth floor of the building) (Drawing of the windows on the left side of the Peckham Library building) (Free hand drawing of how the light comes in the level four of the building) Ground. Ground is the solid surface of the earth. Earth is made out of many things. Deep inside Earth, near its center, lays Earths core, which is mostly made up of nickel and iron. Above the core is Earths mantle, which is made out of rock that contains silicon, iron, magnesium, aluminium, oxygen and other minerals. The rocky surface layer of Earth, called the crust, is made out of oxygen, silicon, aluminium, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium. Earths surface is mainly covered with liquid water and the atmosphere is mainly nitrogen and oxygen, with smaller amounts of carbon dioxide, water vapor and other gases. Ground is very important to the process of building a building. Before the planning of a building, architects and planners are being asked to measure out the site and to locate the piping and electricity. It is also known that if someone wants to know about what type of ground has an area, he has to look at the old houses at the particular area. In previous years builders used materials that were easily found around the area they were build the house. Peckham Library on the other hand, is modern and futuristic and at first glance, it doesn’t seem to be the same as the buildings around it. It is made out of concrete, metal, copper and glass, while the buildings around are made out of bricks. The architect used these specific materials both to make it outstand and fit into the area at the same time. (Picture of earth’s materials) All the materials that are used to build a building come from earth. Peckham library is made out of: 1) Copper cladding steel [used on the majority of the exterior ( South,East, West and roof)] . (Picture of copper on its first form) (Copper at Peckham Library) 2) Glass (both plain and fluorescent, used for windows and doors) . (Picture of glass at Peckham Library) (Drawing of the Indian Sandstone Paving outside Peckham Library,at the front side) 3) Metal (used for the casings and the supporting columns on the Plaza). (Picture of the supporting columns) A significant portion of the structures exterior is covered in copper steel. Traditionally copper steel is being used mainly for pipes; however the copper supplied by TECU, a German manufacturing company, is used in an unconventional manner in Peckham Library. Alsop’s design required a material that would be cheerful but intriguing therefore TECU ®-Patina supplied the green horizontal sheet cladding which has a very distinctive appearance. By using sheet material, Alsop was able to have the material cut in to linear forms which produce ‘seams’. These ‘seams’ run down the facade which draws attention to the slanted steel supports. The steel mesh which protects the glass is somewhat unexpected because there is no need for protection of the glass although criminality in Peckham area is very high. The steel mesh is a Sambesi450 product which is made from stainless wire cables and rods which are an average of 7mm thick and weigh approx. 11.2 kg/ m ². Steel is also used in the slanted rods which support the overhang. Even though I believe that these materials where chosen to make the structure lively, playful and fascinating, mainly because Mr Aslop wanted to attract and draw peoples’ attention so they would start interweaving with the Library, I also believe that the materials used were intended to stand the test of time and survive acts of vandalism and adverse weather conditions in Peckham area. Water. Water is a colourless, transparent, odorless, tasteless liquid that forms the seas, lakes, rivers, and rain and is the basis of the fluids of living organisms. Information about the water and the pipes in Peckham library building could not be found, as the people in the library stated that such information is confidential. Instead, I found the plan of level four of the building and searched for the toilets. This is where the pipes are more likely to be. The water in Peckham Library is black water, which means that it is used only in the sanitation system of the building, as the library does not provide other areas that water is needed. (Plan of level five that illustrates where the toilets situated in the building) Energy. Energy is the power derived from the utilization of physical or chemical resources, especially to provide light and heat or to work machines. â€Å"Energy cannot be created nor destroyed within a system†. Energy can be used for transportation, or the industry ,or for residential and commercial reasons. There are plenty of energy types: Oil Nuclear Solar Wind power Geothermal Hydropower Fuelwood Coal Natural gas (Picture of fuel consumption) Peckham Library has heat demand of 369. (This data was received from DeMAP ) Firstly the window faà §ade of the building is made out of Vanceva Interlayer Colours windows. They are made out of different coloured layers assembled between layers of clear glass. Therefore when the heat approaches the glass it is redirected back into its environment, which means it provides a good thermal insulation. Secondly the copper, which the building is made from, is generally considered to be a good transmitter of heat, this suggests that the building is well isolated, however not all heat is kept in; some of it is released back to the atmosphere. The window facade is made out of four layers, therefore as the heat approaches the glass it is redirected back into its environment, that means it provides a good thermal insulation. Energy within the building is used in the form of electricity. It is used mainly for lighting, but for the machines as well (computers, elevators, heaters, photocopying machine and automatic doors). The energy comes from a generator, which is situated at the back side of the building. (Energy sources in a modern building) Recycle. Recycling is a process to change materials (waste), into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by reducing the need for conventional waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to plastic production. In architecture, recycling mainly means the reuse of energy, but it can also mean the reuse materials, such as glass bottles can be used to make a wall, or coins can be used for making floorings. Peckham Library has one recycle bin and one general waste bin on the fourth floor. It doesn’t seem to motivate people to recycle, even though the room has some posters about recycling. There are also general waste bins and recycle bins at the plaza area. When I visited the library, the floodlights were on, even during the day. Ironically Southwark Council has published suggestions for low cost ways to be green yet the large cantilever makes the space below devoid of sunlight, even on sunny days. According to a blog reviewing sustainable buildings, the flood lights cost an estimated  £4,800 a year in energy costs. (Picture of bins on the left side of the library) Synthesis. Synthesis is the combination of components or elements to form a connected whole. The structure of the building is a synthesis of two rectangles. Mr Alsop wanted to make something that is eye-catching and very difficult to miss. The most obvious structural feature of the building is the large overhang which is supported by thin, slanted metal columns. From the outside it appears that the library floor is balanced 12m in the air by the poles and the rest of the building is firmly grounded. (Picture of the combination of the shapes of the building) The structure on the inside of the Library is rather interesting. It seems that there are three smaller building inside the building, in which you can get inside and read. (Picture of plans and elevation of the building) The staircase at the back of the building is very unusual; it is made out of concrete, metal and glass. The glass is placed in the middle of the steps so it allows the light through the whole back part of the building. (Picture of the synthesis of the stairs) What I would change/add. If I had a choice to change something in the building I would add a small cafe at one of the three pods or at the roof. I believe that it would be a good idea and that it would attract even more people than it does now. People would have the chance to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea while they read or relax. Conclusion. Peckham Library is a public building that attracts many people and gives a chance to learn about different cultures and civilisations. This project managed to bring a positive publicity to the area and attract people to come and visit it. That has a positive affect not only at the economic situation of the area, but at the cultural as well. People exchange opinions, learn from each other meet new people and they broaden their horizons. Sources: Voyager Magazine, Archello, KME, The Guardian, Building.co.uk, Website: Southwark Council, Website Physics ,User Peckham2 on tumblr, Wikipedia, Website: Recyclart, Website: Generation of Energy-Efficient Patio Houses With GENE_ARCH, Peckham’s Library file about the library, DeMAP, pictures from google,

How Has Religion Affected History And Literature? :: essays research papers

â€Å"And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.† With these words, penned by the eminent political scientist Thomas Jefferson, the struggling colonies known as the United States proclaimed their independence from Great Britain and began an adventure that would develop this small nation into a world superpower. With this â€Å"firm reliance†, her people embraced the unknown future and set out to advance their country politically, economically, and socially. Now, over two centuries later, many would argue that this â€Å"Divine Providence† has been almost completely eradicated from society. Yet, despite these many claims, the fact remains that religion has played a vital role in American public life and, despite the â€Å"demoralization† of the United States that so many individuals cry out against, religion continues to be a basic cornerstone of American societal life. Over and over again, both the history and the literature of the United States of America have taught her people and the world that religion has and always will have an incalculable effect upon the society of the United States. Historically, many see the United States as a â€Å"Christian nation† founded on Christian principles by Christian men with Christian motives. Therefore, they will argue that this heritage should be continued in the U.S. today by allowing prayer in public schools, outlawing abortion, or giving religious organizations special privileges. However, a closer examination of American history reveals that although the United States was founded with many religious guidelines, America is not a specifically Christian nation. This having been said, it is important to recognize how religion has historically affected American society. A chief example of religion’s impact is found in the landmark Supreme Court ruling of 1962 in the case of Engel vs. Vitale in which organized prayer in the public school system was declared unconstitutional. Steven Engel, a Jewish man in New York, had visited his son’s classroom in the fall of 1958 and was offended when he observed the entire cl ass, including his son, with their hands clasped together and their heads bowed. Along with four other parents, Engel challenged the school board and its president, William Vitale, and, on June 25, 1962, the Supreme Court ruled 6-1 that organized prayer in public schools, regardless of whether they are a requirement or not, were unconstitutional and therefore must cease immediately.

Marketing Peter Pan Peanut Butter to Canadian Markets Essay

Many U.S. consumers are not aware that there are many products that are sold in our country but are not available to countries like China or Japan. A lot of products are only for sale in the U.S. and consumers in other countries have to find other ways of obtaining those products. Some products that use to be sold in Canada have now vanished while others have never been available for purchase so many consumers have to order those products online, if possible, or possibly get some family member or friend from the U.S. to buy and ship the product to them. Some Canadians are now surprised to learn that Coca-Cola Vanilla, or Vanilla Coke, is no longer available to purchase in the supermarkets and convenience stores located in Canada. Consumers on both sides of the border and other countries responded well to these products that were launched in 2002 by the Coca Cola Company. Canadians that now want this product will have to stock up the next time they visit the U.S. Meanwhile they may be able to look forward to other products that may reach Canadian markets. As Marketing Manager of ConAgra Food’s, Peter Pan Peanut Butter, I would like to market this brand available to Canadian markets by using a marketing plan that is the core of the business. The main reason for the marketing plan is that it provides a structured approach that forces the marketing manager to consider all the relevant elements of the planning process which might be missed if a more rushed approach is adopted especially when trying to market a product to foreign markets. Peter Pan Peanut Butter is brand of ConAgra Foods and was named after the J.M. Barrie character debuted in 1928. The brand was originally produced by the Swift & Company that at the time first called the peanut butter, â€Å"E.K. Pond.† Peter Pan PB comes in 10 different varieties which include Creamy, Whipped, Crunchy, Extra Crunchy, Honey Roasted Creamy, Honey Roasted Crunchy, Smart Choice Creamy, Smart Choice Crunchy, Plus 8 (vitamin enriched). Peter Pan has been on the market for many decades and when first packaged, was marketed in a tin can. But because of metal shortages during the second World War, changed its packaging to glass and plastic jars. The product’s tagline of not sticking to the roof of your mouth is one of the reasons, other than it being just plain good, that the Canadians desire Peter Pan so much. The first step in marketing this product to one of the largest Canadian food markets such as The Superstore, Sobeys, Metro, and Safeway, is to analyze the customer value equation. â€Å"Traditionally we think that consumers choose based on the quality of the product, while really the driver of all choice is the non-cognitive relationship that the consumer has with the brand, which is entirely channeled through the brand identity.† (Wegrzyn, 2011). The matter of finding a role of the brand within a consumer’s life comes after the brand identity has accurately addressed how the brand wants to be perceived. The question for prospective buyers in most situations is not whether to make a purchase in the product category, but which product or service to buy. When a product’s price exceeds its value-in-use, the offering’s net contribution, and inducement to purchase, is negative. The customer is better off not buying the product. Whatever the customer would gain from the product itself is more than offset by what she would have to give up in paying its price. In most situations, however, a very different situation exists. In most situations, the prices charged for products and services fall far below the values-in-use that customers expect to obtain from them. In many cases, because of competition, products’ use values are in multiples of 5 to 10 times the prices at which they sell. Customers buy products to fill unmet needs and because they expect to derive some value or utility from them. Products provide customers with four types of utility or benefit. These utilities and benefits are time utility, place utility, ownership utility and form utility. What is the time utility or value to the consumer of having Peter Pan Peanut Butter available at any convenient time within supermarkets? The time utility may be of critical importance because many families may depend upon this product to satisfy the needs of small children which may take this product to school for lunch, possibly. So it may be detrimental that it is always available on the shelves by making sure that the production of the product is timely. Secondly, place utility is important. This is the value to a consumer of having the product available in convenient market locations. It may be important that the peanut butter is available at many different supermarkets especially those that are located near schools where there is a high population of children that the product would be in demand to. Ownership utility may not be an important factor for this product as is the value of transferring the product’s ownership. Last is the form utility of the product. Form utility is the value to consumers from changing the composition of the product. The form utility of the peanut butter is also fairly high. Peanut butter isn’t just for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but is also used in Peanut butter chili, peanut butter broccoli, peanut butter ice cream and peanut butter cocktails. It can be eaten with chocolate, it can be eaten with jam, it can be smeared on chicken, and it can even be used in drinks and it seems that the uses for peanut butter are endless. Peanut butter has been known to be used as an excellent lubricator on rusty old blades, for animal medicine, a butter replacement, mousetrap bait, and price tag removal. When entering foreign markets it is essential to have a clear understanding of the economic conditions of the country in order to properly promote the product in the marketing process so that the development, execution and measure of the campaign for the peanut butter run smoothly. It is important that I visit the target market because on-site, I can talk to potential buyers in order to learn everything that I need to know about competition, local rules and distribution channels. By attending trade shows and events that are specific to the industry within Canada I can learn a lot of helpful information by taking notes on products, competitors, packaging and labeling of similar products. The marketing process can be tedious and stressful in starting the export operations. I will have to make sure that I have an export plan that is similar to a business plan but instead focuses on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that my company can face within foreign markets. My export plan will help me to define my objectives clearly in order to use the right tactics to reach my goals and gain more credibility. My plan states how I can make my product adaptable to Canadian markets and will aid in determining sales price and how much time will be required to mee t my objectives. The best way to enter the Canadian markets is through efficient entry strategies which involve selling directly to end users and foreign retail markets will buy directly from ConAgra Foods. In ConAgra’s consumer goods business, there is no one factor more important than brand awareness. We are aware that if a customer recognizes my brand, they are more likely to buy it which will increase the sales of the product. The product will be shelved on stores according to the popularity among customers or the most sales. The advertising campaign should increase brand awareness amongst some of our other products in order to get better placement in other Canadian markets as well. â€Å"An effective marketing mix also includes market segmentation, targeting and positioning the product for competitive advantage.† (Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and Food Export USA, 2011). â€Å"In international marketing, it may sometimes be useful to see countries as segments. Country level segmentation may be done on levels such as geography—based on the belief that neighboring countries and countries with a particular type of climate or terrain tend to share similarities, demographics or income.† (Pernerm, 2012). Income segmentation can be a bit tricky. This is because relative prices between the U.S. and Canada may differ significantly. This is based upon purchasing power parity that measures which greatly affects the relative cost of imported and domestically produced products. â€Å"Proper execution of these procedures requires quality research and consultation from export assistance providers, export service providers and customers in the foreign market.† (Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and Food Export USA, 2011). â€Å"The Marketing mix and the 4 P’s are the controllable elements of business.† (Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and Food Export USA, 2011). For instance a company has control over what product it makes, what price it sells the product for, how it wishes to place (distribute) the product and how it wishes to promote it. Introducing new products is a very good way of achieving differentiation and enhancing a retail identity in an over -subscribed retail market, but without corporate support new products may fail or go unnoticed. Because I want to expand Peter Pan, Peanut Butter to Canadian markets I need to perform an environmental analysis at the beginning of the marketing process as well as throughout it. Political and Legal forces, Economic forces, Socio-cultural forces and Technological forces are known as PEST factors of the micro-environment. â€Å"An examination of Canada’s political orientation and environment is part of the preliminary screening stage of market select.† (Zekiri & Angelova, 2011). I have to carefully study Canada’s government structure of the Canadian markets and their political system. In addition, I must perform efficient risk assessments because of high levels of uncertainty in terms of continuity of government policies, changing political philosophies that are evident in Canadian markets. Political risk factors are divided into 4 levels, general instability, expropriation, operations, and finance. If any of the levels uncovers risk, which may be deemed unacceptable, the firm should immediately reconsider conducting business within Canada. Barriers of entry will also have to be assessed because it can also be a factor that could possibly make it difficult to break into Canadian markets. Tariff and non-tariff barriers make â€Å"companies already in the market more valuable as they reduce the risk of new competition.† (Zekiri & Angelova, 2011). These â€Å"entry barriers are imposed by governments in order to protect domestic industry or to ensure that companies entering from foreign markets conform to trade relation’s arrangements with other countries.† (Zekiri & Angelova, 2011). â€Å"Barriers to exit are obstacles to market players who realize that they will not turn a profit and would like to quit the market.† (Zekiri & Angelova, 2011). â€Å"From an economic perspective, it makes sense to produce and sell an additional unit of product or service if the revenue generated covers at least for the variable costs.† (Zekiri & Angelova, 2011). Another important variable to consider because of impacts that court of law decisions may have upon a company’s globalization attempts is its legal environment. ConAgra could face a vast amount of problems in my efforts to develop a successful strategy. â€Å"Understanding the legal environment of target countries is considered of great importance in terms of market selection, due to the detrimental impacts court of law decisions related to issues such as foreign exchange rates, expropriation and intellectual property rights, jurisdiction, patents, trademarks, licensing, antitrust and bribery, etc.† (Zekiri & Angelova, 2011). I will also have to pay close attention to the economic development and performance of Canada. Canada’s stage of economic growth will have a great impact in my foreign strategies. â€Å"Economic growth affects a countries attitude towards foreign business activity, the demand for goods and the distribution system found within the country.† (Zekiri & Angelova, 2011). â€Å"So, a study of the economic climate is important especially to gain understanding with regard to developing countries and secondly in respect to market potential and market growth.† (Zekiri & Angelova, 2011). â€Å"The existing level of economic development allows the firm to estimate the degree of market potential as well as allowing them to prepare for economic shifts and emerging markets.† (Zekiri & Angelova, 2011). ConAgra’s direct competitors of packaged foods in the U.S.are the H.J. Heinz Company, Mondelez International, Nestl, Tyson Foods, and Smithfield foods. International competitors are Gordon signature, GFS, Markon, and Trade East. Many Canadian brands believe very strongly in marketing that it’s more than simply a service offering. They believe that it starts with a clear understanding of demographics and competitive landscape. Canadian brand managers are experienced, senior level professionals with combined sales and marketing backgrounds across an impressive range of tier-one companies within their industry. But as with most marketers ConAgra’s team has built collectively and individually, vast extended networks of highly specialized and talented marketers. As ComAgra’s landscape continues to change, they are committed to learning, understanding and working in new environments in order to ensure they reach the highest potential for all of their principals. Peanut butter is in 90 percent of households and most families with kids consider it a staple and kid-friendly food.† (Ashman & Beckley, 2006). If you were to ask many people to name their favorite brand of peanut butter you may get a few different answers such as Skippy, Jif and Peter Pan. The product largest consumer base comes from families with children, preschools and K-12 schools. â€Å"While today’s harried parents can choose from an array of prepackaged lunch options, the classic PB&J remains as convenient as it is healthy and tasty.† (Gidman, 2009). â€Å"This means that the three major peanut butter brands—plus several smaller ones—will have to employ successful branding to secure a place in the American lunch box.† (Gidmanm, 2009). â€Å"Manufactures are responding to consumers’ hectic lifestyles by creating packaging that assists convenience. Peanut butter comes in squeezable packages, with jelly and as a premade sandwich.† (Ashman & Beckley, 2006). In Peter Pan’s advertising campaigns from the 1950’s they showcased â€Å"Youngsters Prefer Peter Pan Peanut Butter† within their ad. The advertisement influenced mothers shopping for their children by using a charming little blonde haired boy enjoying a piece of bread covered with peanut butter because the advertising agency knew that showcasing a motherly figure or a mother, would get the mother to associate that child with a child of her own. They also printed the advertisement using calm colors that allowed the viewer of the ad to think relaxing thoughts. Good marketing ethics affect organizational success. Ethics are the principals a person or department uses when making a decision. The truth is, the advertising ad can be a little misleading because just because that little boy in the ad likes that peanut butter, this doesn’t mean that every little child will like it. â€Å"Misleading advertising is a common ethical dilemma. Although regulation provides formal boundaries of what an advertisement can and cannot say, marketers must consider the ethical boundaries.† (Okely, 2009). â€Å"Ethical behavior by the marketing department will make the department and even the company a more attractive place to work as the company’s good reputation will transfer to its employees. Motivated, proud employees will improve performance.† (Okely, 2009). â€Å"Bad marketing ethics will destroy a good reputations which is arguably much harder to build than sales numbers.† (Okely, 2009). Marketing plans are crucial to marketing managers in providing a more structured approach in marketing products to foreign markets. Market managers specialize in targeting different parts of a customer base to increase demand for a company’s product or matches customers and different market segments to the products the firm produces. Foreign marketing is a very broad subject is importance to a country and to individual companies. I have examined the broader aspects of international trade in terms of difficulties encountered when trading I foreign markets including how countries are structured in terms of their economic development and some of the world’s trading blocks. Many problems have also been considered from a company’s standpoint and in each of the elements of the marketing mix are considered in turn in the context of how it should be manipulated when dealing in foreign markets. References Angelova, J., & Zekiri, B. (2011). Factors that influence entry mode choice in foreign markets. European Journal of Social Sciences, 22(4), 572-584. Retrieved from http://www.eurojournals.com/EJSS_22_4_12.pdf Ashmanm, H., & Beckly, J. (2006, January 7). Educating consumers about peanut butter. Retrieved from: http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2006/258.html Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and Food Export USA, (2012). Compete and succeed in the international marketplace: The export marketing mix. Retrieved from: http://www.foodexport.org/GettingStarted/Content.cfm?ItemNumber=1288 Gidman, J. (2009, January 19). Peanut Butter brands go nuts. Retrieved from: http://www.brandchannel.com/features_effect.asp?pf_id=460 Okely, L. (2009, June 26). Common ethical dilemmas faced by marketing departments. http://www.helium.com/items/1496496-ethical-issues-faced-by-marketers Perner, L. Ph.D. (2012). USC Marshall: International marketing. Retrieved from: http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/international_marketing.html Wegrzyn, N. (2011, December 20). The consumer value equation. Retrieved from: http://popsop.com/52197

An Introduction to Native American Literature Essay

Native American literatures embrace the memories of creation stories, the tragic wisdom of native ceremonies, trickster narratives, and the outcome of chance and other occurrences in the most diverse cultures in the world. These distinctive literatures, eminent in both oral performances and in the imagination of written narratives, cannot be discovered in reductive social science translations or altogether understood in the historical constructions of culture in one common name. (Vizenor 1) Since the end of the 15th century, the migration of Europeans to America, and their importation of Africans as slaves, has led to centuries of conflict and adjustment between Old and New World societies. Europeans created most of the early written historical record about Native Americans after the colonists’ immigration to the Americas. 3 Many Native cultures were matrilineal; the people occupied lands for use of the entire community, for hunting or agriculture. Europeans at that time had patriarchal cultures and had developed concepts of individual property rights with respect to land that were extremely different. The differences in cultures between the established Native Americans and immigrant Europeans, as well as shifting alliances among different nations of each culture through the centuries, caused extensive political tension, ethnic violence and social disruption. The Native Americans suffered high fatalities from the contact with infectious Eurasian diseases, to which they had no acquired immunity. See more: how to start an essay Epidemics after European contact caused the greatest loss of life for indigenous populations. In 1830, the U. S. Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, authorizing the government to relocate Native Americans from their homelands within established states to lands west of the Mississippi River, accommodating European-American expansion. Perhaps the most important moment of governmental detribalization came with the passing of the Dawes Act in 1887 which set aside 160 acres for each Indian on the reservation, and opened the â€Å"leftovers† up for settlement. According to the U. S. Bureau of the Census (1894), the Indian wars under the government of the United States have been more than 40 in number. They have cost the lives of about 19,000 white men, women and children, including those killed in individual combats, and the lives of about 30,000 Indians. Native Americans were thus pushed out from their own lands and were forced to live in small reservations assigned by the federal government who claimed that setting the Indians on the course to civilisation best ensured their survival. Tribal customs were then forcibly altered and nomadic tribes became sedentary. All Native Americans felt the impact of the new reservation policies, which sought to isolate and contain Indians to make room for an expanding American nation. At the same time that Native Americans were being excluded from the nation, white Americans began to look to them as the source of a unique national identity and literature, distinct from European traditions. Literature from the period depicting Indian characters was incredibly popular, and many works are still celebrated as classics, including James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans (1826), Catharine Maria Sedgwick’s Hope Leslie (1827), and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha (1855), to name only a few. These texts employ the trope of the â€Å"disappearing Indian,† which represents the deaths of Indians as natural, similar to the changing of the seasons or the setting of the sun, rather than the result of political exclusion or social discrimination. Thus the disappearance of Indians from the American social landscape was not only depicted within this body of writing but also implicitly approved of. At the same time the government sponsored authors and art programs; the proletarian themes of discovery, regionalism, and tourism were new forms of dominance over Native Americans. Therefore, early Native American authors wrote within a hostile political climate and in response to a dominant literary tradition that sentimentalized and condoned the death of Indians. But they found the means to engage with their detractors by authoring their own accounts of Indians that challenged stereotypical beliefs, demanded equal political rights, and proved that Indians were neither disappearing nor silent. Native American authors have faithfully presented some of these issues of inherent native rights, the duplicities of federal policies, and the burdens of racial identities in their short stories and novels. Wynema by Sophia Alice Callahan published in 1891, was the first novel attributed to a Native American author. Callahan, who was a mixedblood Creek, was aware of tribal issues at the time and therefore devoted most of her novel to native issues. Since then many novels by distinguished Native American authors have been published. One of the most important writers among Native Americans in the 1930’s was D’Arcy McNickle, a member of the Flathead tribe of Montana. His first novel The Surrounded was published in 1936, two years after the Indian Reorganization Act was passed near the end of the Depression in the United States. His novel is the poignant story of a mix-breed family and the tragedy of their exclusion from both the red and the white worlds. Because of cultural misunderstandings, which begin between the Indian mother and Spanish father, suspicion, fear, and finally death take their children. The novel is a history of alienation. Kenneth Lincoln who coined the term Native American Rennaissance pointed out that in the late-1960s and early-1970s, a generation of Native Americans were coming of age who were the first of their tribe to receive a substantial English-language education, particularly outside of standard Indian boarding schools and in universities. Conditions for Native people, while still very harsh, had moved beyond the survival conditions of the early half of the century. The beginnings of a project of historical revisionism, which attempted to document—from a Native perspective—the history of the invasion and colonization of the North American continent had inspired a great deal of public interest in Native cultures. During this time of change, a group of Native writers emerged, both poets and novelists, who in only a few years expanded the Native American literary canon.