Monday, September 30, 2019

Mountain Man Brewing Company Essay

Problem Definition Mountain Man Brewing Company (MMBC) has enjoyed being in top position in premium beer segment for the past fifty years and are now facing a 2% decline in revenue whilst a change in leadership infuses new energy to bring a change in their product line. Chris Prangel, son of the retired president and owner of MMBC faces the challenge of successfully implementing a marketing strategy to introduce a ‘light’ beer; in a growing beer segment, as maintaining status-quo would no more be an option to sustain their existing position in marketplace in the next five years. Analysis Strengths Mountain Man Brewing Company was known as the â€Å"Best Beer in West Virginia† because of its flavor and distinctive bitter taste; additionally, it was selected as â€Å"America’s Championship Lager† at the American Beer Championship in 2005. Also, it had held the top market position in the lager market in West Virginia for almost 50 years. As a result, Mountain Man succeeded at the beer market by earning over $50 million and selling over 520,000 barrels of Mountain Man Lager beer within the West Central region. Mountain Man had high brand awareness, and it was especially recognizable among working-class males in the East Central region because of its product quality, positioning, and brand equity. In order to keep favorable relationship with its customers, Mountain Man had many branding activities. Hence, Mountain Man Brewing Company remained strongly in the beer market due to its strong brand loyalty as they capitalised on the ‘local’ factor. Weaknesses Mountain Man Brewing Company produced only one product, Mountain Man Lager, and distributed to only the West Central region with limited distributions. Moreover, Mountain Man targeted on only one segment, the blue-collar men who are mid-age and above. Although its core consumers love Mountain Man Lager, the market product preference had changed to light beer instead of traditional beer; therefore, Mountain Man Lager was rated very low as a purchasing preference. Unlike many other major beer producers, Mountain Man did not have any advertisement; in fact, it relied only on word of mouth. Mountain Man might not have enough money to launch Mountain Man Light that follows the modern trend. Opportunity Mountain Man can consider three possible opportunities, which increases potential consumers and gain revenues. Firstly, number of younger beer drinkers has been consistently increased and expected to positively influence the growth of the profits. Secondly, If Mountain Man launches light beer category, it may reach younger drinkers who both show positive attitudes towards light beer and brand awareness of Mountain Man itself. The likability of younger drinkers toward the light beer will optimistically affect the MMBC’s revenue ( Exhibit 1). Lastly, by expending product lines, product and distributors may build stronger beneficial relationship with brewers. Threats One of the threats Mountain Man Brewing Company faced was the declining overall beer consumption per capita by 2.3% since 2001 in United States of America. According to the case, the declining consumption is attributed to the competition from wine and spirit-based drinks, an increase in federal excise tax, initiatives encouraging moderation and personal responsibility, and increasing health concerns. Furthermore, categorising Distributors might also be a threat to this company because they became more cautious as they could refuse to work with small brands that have low margins and turnover. The increasing number of large breweries is also a challenge the company in the market to remain profitable; smaller companies are put on pressure to stay in the beer market. Alternatives 1. Introducing Mountain Man ‘Light’: If Chris goes ahead and launches a beer less strong than the premium lager beer using Mountain Man’s brand name as ‘Mountain Man Light’, it would result in increase in revenues as they would be entering into a growing light beer market segment and the existing brand image might help them reduce advertising costs. However, this move will make them lose their existing customer’s loyalty, along with product cannibalization, brand erosion and might not be perceived well by the existing customers as well their target customers. 2. Introducing Light Beer by some other name: Choosing a new brand name for the light beer has a slight edge over choosing Mountain Man Light. As discussed in the case, there is a chance of the company losing its identity when they are in midst of other light beers such as Coors Light. Creating a brand identity would be difficult as customers might not find it easy to recognize yet another beer which ends with ‘Light’. In addition to the benefits in the first alternative, creating a new brand name for the light beer would make sure there is no brand dilution or cannibalization. However there could be additional advertising costs and they cannot leverage the existing strong brand name. Recommendations I would recommend to go ahead with the second alternative of not naming the light beer as Mountain Man Light and to give a different name as it targets a younger population who look for healthier beer drinking by consuming fewer calories while maintaining the same level of alcohol intake. Brand Identity: Creating a brand identity for a new product would be challenging. However, a growing market segment would always be on the lookout of new products and this might work in favor to MMBC. To distinguish the light beer from other competitors they will have to come up with a creative tag line for their beer. Target Market: Based on the given statistics it appears that customers of the age group between 21 and 27 are the highest percentage of people who would favor light beer. They should amend their marketing campaigns to suit this new target market. Promotion: MMBC should concentrate on making their promotion campaigns more effective. They must promote light beer in pubs, discos and night clubs. The light beer segment is in growth stage of the product life cycle which indicates soaring sales, increasing revenues, and growing consumers. To make full use of it an effective marketing campaign spanning across different media must be undertaken.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Beer and Food Essay

Abstract As a consultant for many restaurants in California, I find myself re-visiting the establishments with a vast food menu and a wide variety of different beers that I can enjoy simultaneously. I prefer to engage myself in restaurants that are optimistic in their location, core values, menu selections, and bar environment. Not only is it important to sell good food and drinks, it is also fundamental to have team members that have integrity in their jobs. I was hired for a restaurant in Claremont, Heroes and Legends (131 Yale Ave.), in order to evaluate their many beer selections in comparison to their menu offerings. My purpose in evaluating this restaurant is to enlighten other potential guests of suitable beer choices that will cut, complement or contrast their food preference in the establishment. I feel it is my duty to also inform the restaurant of the several food and beer items they offer that may open conversation for server suggestions ultimately lead to a great guest experience. Right in the heart of downtown Claremont there is a trendy restaurant by the name of Heroes and Legends bar and grill. This establishment seems to appeal to a demographic of all ages. With a brick-laid exterior and a name like Heroes and Legends, one would expect advertisements of stouts, porters and fine meats- drinks and foods of a rustic, colonial motif. Walking into the establishment I was immediately told that there was a self-seating method. The feel of the restaurant was warm and upbeat, welcoming a friendly and social attitude. One main focal point upon entering is the bar. Easy to find, it has stool seating and a well-varied selection of beers on tap. Eager to know all the beer selections, I opened the small ringed book sitting on my table. I counted a total of forty-seven beers that were being offered on the list. Some of these beers were of special availability, therefore the waiters and waitresses encouraged us to enjoy them while they last. Each one of these beers had a special quality to them. Of course the taste, alcohol percentage, and size are all special qualities, but each type of beer was served in different glassware. Some of the beers are served in a pint, medium, or large glass. Other beers are served strictly in pint glasses or 11oz glasses only. For example, Premium Belgian imports are served in 11oz flare glasses only, while other beer choices are served in medium schooner glasses or large 34oz mugs. As I scanned the beer menu, I was greeted by a server named Mike whose tasks also involved working behind the bar. To my surprise, this establishment does not designate one server to one section of tables; rather, each server helps one another with every task. Whether it is taking a drink or food order, or running the food out to the table, the restaurant had a total team effort feel. The menu had many food items varying from fish n’ chips to hearty entrees like sirloin steak and carried enough beers for customers to enjoy. As this was my first visit to Heroes and Legends, I asked my server to enlighten me with the establishment’s top 6 items on the menu. The waiter began with the top-selling Chicken Quesadilla, which was chosen to start off my meal. For one order of this appetizer, it is priced at $11. 95. Served hot with grilled chicken, sliced mushrooms, tomatoes, and onions topped with Cheddar and Jack cheeses with a side of guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. I paired this appetizer with a Hoegaarden Witbier for its smooth, refreshing, and crisp finish that won’t overpower the food. The Hoegaarden has a coriander and orange peel flavor, and a dry/sour aftertaste. It isn’t overly sweet, but was flavorful paired with the appetizer. Priced at $7. 25, it was served in a pint glass and has an ABV of 5%. Pairing with a different beer I would recommend the Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier made by Paulaner Brewing Company in Germany (ABV 5. 50%). Paulaner’s Hefeweizen has a banana and clove aroma, but has a better kick regards to taste because of the balanced and prominent taste of banana, clove, wheat, and caramel sweetness. It is a light beer that is high on carbonation, drinks smooth and is creamy- perfect for a poultry appetizer. Next, Mike recommended the New York Steak (14 oz. medium-rare) with a side of steamed vegetables and a baked potato topped with sour cream and chives. I paired the steak with a Belgian-style ale known as St. Bernardus Abt 12 Quadrupel. It had a total ABV of 10% priced at $7 and was served in a flare glass. This beer has a sweet, light-roasted malt, clove, banana, and candy sugar flavor with a subtle bitterness towards the end. It is remarkably flavorful which complements any robust, gamey meal such as the New York Steak. This Quadrupel isn’t quite as bold as other dark beers, but its smooth, full-body and rich taste made this pairing a satisfying meal. Another beer to go with Heroes’ New York steak would be the Dunkel Lager by The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. It is dark yet light-bodied and smooth with an ABV of 4. 90%. Its initial taste of dark toast is mildly sweet and continues with bitter coffee and dark chocolate. It then finishes with a slight spicy presence which is perfect for any dish involving red meat. Among other recommendations, the waiter suggested the L. A. #19 Pastrami. Pricing at $12. 45, Mike described that it is served hot with Russian dressing, zesty coleslaw, Swiss cheese, mounted over rye bread and is served with a choice of sides, one being curly fries. The seasoning on the curly fries and the coleslaw on the sandwich calls for a beer that will cut from the saltiness. It paired wonderfully with an IPA such as Dogfish head 90 minute IPA (ABV of 9%) which was served in a pint glass priced at $7. A perfect suggestion for this pairing would be Russian River’s triple IPA, Pliny the Younger (ABV 11%). This IPA is extremely hoppy. With a strong scent of pine cone and a balanced blend of citrus and herbs it would do well to cut through the salt and fattiness. Other top-selling items were a couple of Heroes’ best-selling burgers. First was the California burger (priced at $18. 95). This burger is definitely a mouthful consisting of caramelized sauteed mushrooms, Applewood smoked bacon, pickle chips, whole leaf lettuce, tomato, avocado, cheese, onion, and pesto mayo topped on top of flame-broiled Angus chuck patty on a wheat bun. Containing bold greasy, flavors from the bacon and mushrooms I paired this selection with Stone Smoked Porter. It is an American Porter by Stone Brewing Co. with an ABV of 5. 9 % served in a choice of a pint, medium schooner glass, or large 34oz mug. The smoked malt in the beer complemented the large pieces of bacon. Like the Stone Porter, I suggest Hill Farmstead Brewery’s Everett Porter. It has an ABV of 7. 50% with a taste of roasted malt, dark chocolate and brown sugar on the finish which complements the mushroom taste. No hint of booze or hops on the flavor profile leaving the beer very drinkable and smooth. Either porters will do fine in cutting through the greasy flavors. The next Burger Mike suggested was the famous Heroes Kobe Burger. This 10 ounce Kobe beef burger is topped with lettuce, pickle chips, and Thousand Island dressing on an onion bun and priced at $13. 95. This burger seems simple; therefore, I would pair it with a beer extravagant with flavor such as Rouge Double Chocolate Stout. This is an imperial stout priced at $7. 00 with an ABV of 8. 7%. The choice side, specifically curly fries dipped in ketchup, complimented the stout due to the sweetness of the ketchup. The burger, having an onion bun, gave the beer a great contrast, therefore causing the sweet taste of the beer to counteract the wholesome onion flavor. A similar beer not offered at Heroes would be Alesmith Speedway Stout Vanilla and Coconut (ABV 12%). It has the same flavor profile but the amazing blend of vanilla, coconut, dark chocolate, coffee and toasted malts in the background gives this beer a very creamy, rich taste. It is also incredibly well balanced with no alcohol presence making it a great smoked meat or dessert beer. The last best-selling food item served as a lunch entree is the Beef Brisket Sandwich. It consists of tender, thin-sliced and slow-cooked brisket. Due to the large amount of beef, I would recommend a beer that provides cut or contrast. To contrast and cut the flavor of the protein which is salty and greasy, I recommend a dark, bitter and full-bodied beer. From their in-house selection, a mixture of the Stone Smoked Porter with the Stone IPA would pair well. The IPA will provide a refreshing citrusy and hoppy taste with higher alcohol content while the Smoked Porter will provide the dark, smooth, chocolate-coffee, smoky flavor. Combining both these beers into one drink will provide the contrast and cut needed to pair perfectly with the beef brisket sandwich. A beer not offered in this establishment that could also be considered is the Lost Coast Alley Cat Amber (ABV 5. 50%). This beer is well-balanced, full-flavored amber ale, providing an assertive and balanced blend of malts and hops, and will contrast the high protein flavor of the beef. Table 1 Food Heroes and Legends Beer Outside Beer Chicken Quesadilla Hoegaarden Witbier Paulaner Hefe-weissbier New York Steak St. Bernardus Abt 12 Quad Olde Mecklenburg Dunkel Lager LA Pastrami Dogfish head 90 minute IPA Russian River Pliny the Younger (Triple IPA) CA Burger Stone Smoked Porter Everett Porter Kobe Burger Rogue Double Chocolate Stout Alesmith Speedway Stout – Vanilla & Coconut Beef Brisket Sandwich Mix: Stone Smoked Porter with the Stone IPA Lost Coast Alley Cat Amber Everyone was satisfied with the in-house selection of beers but some recommendations were made. Many of the brand recommendations were Paulaner Brewing Co. , Russian River, The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Hill Farmstead Brewery, Alesmith Brewery, and Lost Coast which had produced beers that paired great with our meals. Generally, the 6 new brands were chosen either for similarity in taste and/or better taste, or business-related. For example, The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery is a newcomer in the brewing business. They were chosen due to their highly regarded beers and as a method of marketing strategy. OMB’s beers are only sold and distributed in North Carolina, but if Heroes and Legends carried one of their beers such as the Dunkel Lager in the West Coast customers will rush to try this new â€Å"rare† beer. It’s a great way to bring publicity about the OMB name to the West Coast as well as increase Heroes’ daily volume of customers. Some decisions were easier than others such is with Alesmith Brewery: their beer had a similar taste and profile as Rogue’s Double Chocolate Stout. All in all, Heroes and Legends’ beer selections were vast enough for me to have many options. As far as marketing techniques for beers at Heroes and Legends, a new strategy could be applied. Currently, tin and neon signs decorate the cluttered walls from corner to corner. It is overwhelming and lacks any description of each beer’s content. One good technique for introducing new beers is to have a specific beer on special every week or month- a â€Å"beer of the month† approach. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to have the servers make recommendations as a customer’s order is placed. Many of the recommended in house beers were great. Because the selections are already satisfying, our out of house beers resembled them. Therefore, it would not prove difficult to supplement our recommended beers into the current beer list. That is to say, advertising would not have to change much at all. In conclusion, blah blah something concluding this paper. Works Cited BeerAdvocate. (2013). Dunkel Lager – The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. BeerAdvocate. Retrieved from http://beeradvocate. com/beer/profile/19247/54854 Benitez, T. (2013). Beer and Food Pairings [Editorial]. Men’s Fitness. Retrieved from http://www. mensfitness. com/nutrition/what-to-eat/beer-and-food-pairings Brewers Association. (2013). Celebrating the Best of American Beer. CraftBeer. com. Retrieved from http://www. craftbeer. com/beer-and-food/pairing-tips/pairing-chart Zagat. (n. d. ). Heroes and Legends. Menu. Retrieved from http://www. zagat. com/r/heroes-and- legends-claremont/menu Appendix Key Learnings Briana While doing this project I learned about the different tastes of certain beers in comparison of being on tap or in bottle. In my visit to Hero’s and Legends Bar and Grill, I learned that they do not carry any beers in bottle, only on tap. That night I ordered Rouge chocolate stout. I am a fan of most Rogue beers, specifically Dead Guy Ale. I enjoy Dead Guy Ale equally in bottle or on tap, but for some reason the Chocolate Stout didn’t excite me as much as it does in a bottle. While drinking it on tap, the beer did not have a finishing taste as it does in bottle. The strong chocolate taste was not as evident. Also, the bottom of the glass from the tap stout did not have residue of chocolate as it will when I buy a bottle and pour it into a glass myself. Therefore, I learned that I would most certainly, from now on, favor certain style beers out of the bottle, rather than on tap. Kayla I’ve learned that it’s not just the taste of the beer that sets it apart, but how it smells, looks and the dynamics of pairing it with food. I used to choose a beer based on its alcohol content and name. If it sounded unique, I would order it. Then I’d discern whether I liked the beer or not by how smooth it is and whether I liked the flavor. I never understood what each name meant, for example Pilsner or Dunkel. For the longest time my struggle trying to figure out which beer to order was like trying to find a new computer – I was inadequately informed and there are so many options. Thanks to this class, I don’t have to blindly choose my beers anymore. I can read their labels and, based on what type of beer it is, have a good image of what it looks like and how it will smell/taste. Omar Through this project I learned to start looking at which beer will go well with my food and not just order a random beer. By selecting a pairing of my choice I learned what to look at when pairing beer with food. Michelle The task of pairing food and beers may come off as overwhelming. It is important to remember that if it taste good to you, then that is what truly matters. In the vast market of craft brews (over 2,100 breweries as of 2012) pairing can be simplified to three key roles of beer- cut, contrast, and compliment. When finishing this assignment, it became evident that one beer can pair well with several different food options. For example, a nice whit beer can cut a fatty burger and then compliment a banana split. I feel, that after experimenting, my options have only been expanded for food and beer pairing and now there is an eagerness and excitement to put my knowledge to the test. More beer tasting!

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Absenteeism In The Workplace

Absenteeism In The Workplace â€Å"The term absenteeism means the deliberate or habitual absence of an employee from work place.† It create a big problem in an organisation when employees misses too many days off from work and in these situations other employees have to cover their work who are off from work and the work simply does not get gone in a well manner. The company must find out that the absence is involuntarily or voluntarily because involuntarily means any kind of illness or any unavoidable reason by which the employee is unable to come on work. Voluntarily means when an employee is absent from work without any reason manager need to worry about this kind of absence of employee need to get any documentation. Some time the absence may be excessive in this case manager should compare the employee’s attendance record with the other employees if the record of one employee is bad then the other means he was too many days off from work then it may be excessive absenteeism. So the manager sho uld discuss all the matter to the employees very friendly to improve the performance of the company the employees must aware of this thing that their absence is affecting others. Manager should give a written notice to the employee who is absent too many days from the work to warn him/her Basically absenteeism occurs when an employee of any organisation does not come to work due to several intentional or unintentional reasons like illness, injury, or any other habitual reason. Absenteeism affects the business in the terms of lost productivity. According to U.S. bureau of the census and U.S. bureau of labour statistic up the direct losses about $40 billion a year and social security administration determined that, annually workers missed more then half a billion days. http://www.enotes.com/biz-encyclopedia/absenteeism Types of absence There are many reasons why people off from work. Some those can be categorised as: Short-range sickness absence (uncertificated, self-certificated, or covered by a doctor’s ‘fit note’ which replaced the ‘sick note’ from April 2010) Long-standing sickness absence Unofficial absence or persistent lateness Other absences: for example, annual leave; maternity, paternity, adoption, or parental leave; time off for public or trade union duties, or to care for dependents; compassionate leave; educational leave. How much does absenteeism cost your business? The workers which are absent from the work cost the business a lot and decrease the revenue of the business Especially unplanned absence from work cost a lots to business like casual sickness of employee casual absence can affect per day productivity of business. This is a common problem of organisations in every organisation employees have 5.4 unplanned absence in 1 day. According to Mercer, Absences,† the total cost of absence can equal as much as 36% of payroll (compared to 15.4% for health care coverage). Of that figure, 9% accounts for unplann ed absences. Planned absences, like vacations and holidays, average 26.6%. For a midsize business, this unplanned absence can account for as much as $4.5 million dollars per year. (http://www.super-solutions.com/CostofAbsenteeism.asp)

Friday, September 27, 2019

A company or hazardous situation Research Paper

A company or hazardous situation - Research Paper Example These are present at the work place at any one time or the other and they may lead to injury illness or even death (Alesch 50). They are the easiest to spot but often too overlooked because of the familiarity, the lack of knowledge, difficulty in a company spending time or money to make necessary improvements or just delays. This paper is going to discuss the general procedures that are used to prevent injury or harm from moving parts or machinery. It will begin by a description of how moving parts are hazards, the procedures for mitigation, personal protective equipment for specific types of machinery and lastly the engineering controls that are necessary to eliminate the hazard. As a result of industrialization and subsequently urbanization, machines became a norm in the contemporary world. They brought joy because of the different things that machines could accomplish which were either strenuous for individuals or would take a very long time for individuals to accomplish. Therefore machines increased efficiency and saved on time and costs that would be incurred as a result of human efforts. However the machines brought with them other problems. Moving machines especially have the potential of injuring a person whether the person was aware of the danger or not as long as they are working with the machine or are next to it. It became necessary for people to find ways in which the machines could be monitored or controlled so that harm does not come to individuals (Mannan and Lees 104). Moving machines can therefore cause severe workplace injuries that range from crushed fingers, hands or arms, amputations to burns and blindness. When an individual working with a given machine comes in contact with the machine by accident, the machine could injure him or others in the vicinity. This means that there is a need to control

Thursday, September 26, 2019

AP American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

AP American History - Essay Example The emphasis on the candidate’s winnability loses the significance of the party because choice of candidate is no longer based on the party either by nomination or by vote of the electorate. In a candidate-centered politics, political parties lost their power because it is being transferred to the candidate. b. Primary elections   Primary election is the process by which political parties chose their candidates. In this process, politicking and horse trade occurs and the end result does not necessarily give the best candidate possible but rather who does the politicking and horse trading best. The result would be a disappointing candidate that voters no longer rely on party nominations to provide them the best possible candidate. Thus, political parties lost their credibility in the eyes of their voters thereby eroding their power because voters are the source of any political party’s power without which, political parties becomes insignificant. c. Interest group and media influence over politics Lobby groups pose a strong influence not only in terms of the policy created in the Executive and laws passed in Congress but also among party members that could influence the selection of a candidate of a party. Interest groups that has significant base in terms of voters and/or resources hold sway on the candidates that will be running as well as the programs that they will carry making sure that it will reflect their interest. Media at this day and age has a huge influence over its audience and these audiences are also voters. This can be either good or bad for a politician. It can be good if the media portrayal is positive and it can also be bad if the reputation of the politician is smeared in the media and both can affect the result of election. Having this influence over the voters, parties are considering candidates who are more â€Å"media friendly† or have more media mileage over program of government or integrity and thus, deteriorates the kind of politician who are running to the dismay of thinking voters. Thus, political parties their power as their party criteria, programs and platform is no longer important in the choice of candidate but rather base it on the popularity of a candidate. Fareed Zakaria, CNN host and political analyst elaborated â€Å"recent technological and organizational changes have accelerated the shift, making it easier for outsiders to raise funds, get access to free media and establish direct connections with voters† This in effect weakens the power base of political parties that instead of candidates adapting and to party platforms and programs, it is now political parties who has to align themselves to the candidate effectively abdicating its power. d. Campaign financing   One of the realities in election is the high cost of running a campaign. No matter how qualified or experienced or honest a candidate is, but if he or his party does not have the necessary resources to mount a campaign, he or she will not have a chance of winning. Most candidates however do not have enough money to finance an election campaign because it is very expensive. Their parties in turn solicits and accepts campaign financing and this is when financiers comes in to influence the candidate that will be running and the program of government that they will be adopting. It is important to note that most significant campaign contributors do put money in a

Experimental film analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Experimental film analysis - Essay Example In Free Radicals, he synthesizes all his artistic abilities and sensitivities in order to create a truly majestic work. This paper intends to read Lye’s doodling on film through an examination of the multimedia character of the Free radicals. Although, the paper attempts to read the Free Radicals from within, i.e. by examining its medium and content on its own, it would try to incorporate necessary theoretical insights as well. 2. The Artistic Background of the Free Radicals Len Lye was always particular in drawing the source of his inspiration from music from various (often distant and little known) cultural backgrounds. In one of his first and best animated sound films, which is A Colour Box, Lye uses Caribbean jazz in a time when it was not much known to the outside the world. Peculiarly, in Lye’s animation films, shadows, streaks and colors are easily blended to an extraordinary music with quite perfection. Color could be seen bouncing back from the screen. It is th is very synchronization of colors and images with the music makes Lye’s animations more than appealing. Lye’s animated films were not only quite different from the movies produced in their respective times but also technologically advanced than other. This technological edge is one of the distinct features of Lye’s films. It was in 1926, Len Lye moved to England from New Zealand. He was attracted to the modernist movement in England and active in such circles having many friends among the stalwarts of arts and literature. Lye was also attracted into various art forms such as surrealist stories and poems and moving sculpture. He was both eclectic and eccentric. The indigenous art of Maori people in the New Zealand had strong influence on Ley’s idea of art, especially his conception of visual art. Moreover, he was extremely fascinated by the oceanic cultures from around the world. It is necessary to remember that he was expelled from the racist New Zealand for living among the Maori people. In his way to England, he had also visited many pacific islands and closely interacted with the aboriginal people. It might be because of this influence of the indigenous culture, Lye’s painted-on-celluloid art resembled a lot to the finger paintings which are common among the aboriginals. In 1944, Len Lye moved to the United States wherein he got more acquainted with the African music traditions. As his interests in kinetic sculpture grew, it was well reflected in the films he made later. 3. The Free Radicals as Doodling on the Film The Free Radical was made in 1958 and it was peculiar with its intense black and white nature. It appeared as drawings on a chalkboard. According to Kasmere, â€Å"an assured, signature work that Stan Brakhage called â€Å"an almost unbelievably immense masterpiece†,  Free Radicals  synchronizes etched hieroglyphs, squiggly horizontal lines and verticals of varying thickness to energetic drum music f rom The Bagirmi Tribe of Africa. Nothing in the film is static. â€Å"White ziggle-zag-splutter scratches†, inscribed using a variety of tools including arrowheads and saw-teeth, appear abruptly, leap, quiver, and dance alongside the beat, then vanish suddenly. Occasionally the flat picture plane is transformed into a three-dimensional space as fluid, rough-edged wiry shapes appear to rotate, as though circled by a camera/eye. At times one denotes the outline of quickly passing hill covered or jagged mountainous landscape as the line-play slips

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Financial Report Analysis of Goodrington Plc Essay

Financial Report Analysis of Goodrington Plc - Essay Example INTRODUCTION Company Background Goodrington group plc belong to fashion retailing industry in the United Kingdom. It comprises three popular brands of retailing in the country that are Goodrington, Newton, and Churston. These three bands provide several retail products to different target groups of the consumers in United Kingdom. Activities Goodrington caters to customers ranging from the young-to-middle aged consumers by providing different items such fashion clothing, footwear and home ware. Newton has its own target market catering to the female consumers aged 45 and over by selling clothing items to them. Churston caters to the consumers with an instinct for fine fragrances and perfumes. It attracts its target consumers with the help of brightly lit and decorated store interior that is highly appealing to the people with artistic sense. Significant Changes The most significant change concerning the company's operations as reflected in the company's annual report is the acquisition of subsidiary costing the company 4,350,000 in the year 2005. ANALYSIS Profitability 2005 2004 Gross Profit Ratio 20.25% 20.56% Net Profit Ratio 5.99% 6.61% Gross Profit Ratio The Gross Profit ratio analyses the company's profit margin before accounting for various operating costs (Mcmenamin Jim, 1999). The gross profit ratio for Goodrington plc shows that the company is earning about 20% out of the total sales revenue after having accounted for the cost of sales. This also shows that the company loses almost 80% of the total sales revenue on production and distribution expenses. The company's gross profit ratio has been stable over the last two years. Net Profit Ratio The net profit ratio analyses a...This paper utilises only books for the purpose of formulas and interpretation of the given ratios. Goodrington group plc belong to fashion retailing industry in the United Kingdom. It comprises three popular brands of retailing in the country that are Goodrington, Newton, and Churston. These three bands provide several retail products to different target groups of the consumers in United Kingdom. Churston caters to the consumers with an instinct for fine fragrances and perfumes. It attracts its target consumers with the help of brightly lit and decorated store interior that is highly appealing to the people with artistic sense. The Gross Profit ratio analyses the company's profit margin before accounting for various operating costs (Mcmenamin Jim, 1999). The gross profit ratio for Goodrington plc shows that the company is earning about 20% out of the total sales revenue after having accounted for the cost of sales. This also shows that the company loses almost 80% of the total sales revenue on production and distribution expenses. The company's gross profit ratio has been stable over the last two years. The net profit ratio analyses a company's profitability after taking into account all the operating costs and interest expense etc (Mcmenamin Jim, 1999)

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Carnival Cruise Line, The Fun Ship Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Carnival Cruise Line, The Fun Ship - Assignment Example Whereas such an approach may work well in many other product or service offerings that exist within the current economy, oftentimes when people go on vacation luxury and immunity are some of the first things that they seek to ensure our present. Although there is nothing wrong with seeking to make Carnival Cruise Lines the Walmart of cruise lines, publicly stating such an approach is likely have a negative impact on sales and further foster negative images within the consumer. Anytime one seeks to engage with the given firm as a means of determining its overall strength within the market, it is necessary to perform what is known as a SWOT analysis. Such a SWOT analysis is merely shorthand for analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats the present themselves to given firm with any given market. Accordingly, in analyzing Carnival Cruise Lines strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, it is the understanding of the student that the most salient strengths ar e with regards to its recognizable name, large budget and extent vessels and staff, and overall profitability of the brand. Each of these strengths helps the firm, even if economic difficulties present themselves, to continue to exist and draw upon these strengths as a means of furthering business. Likewise, with regards to weaknesses, it can be understood that Carnival Cruise Lines exhibits the following: poor public relations, bad image, and a brand that is struggling to differentiate itself within a market that is increasingly saturated. Similarly, with regards to opportunities, these can be understood as a means to counter the weaknesses that it been previously mentioned (DATAMONITOR, 2013). Accordingly, the opportunities are as follows: working to increase public relations, building a better image, and finding a more appropriate way to can P with and stand apart from the many forms of competition the currently exist within the market. Lastly, the threats that it been chosen to be analyzed within this brief response are concentric upon the following: noticeable downturn in economy, reduction in overall number of people each year choosing cruises as their preferred means of vacation travel, and the demographic shift that threatens to further reduce cruise participation once the baby boomer generation discontinues their currently high level of vacation spending. As a function of these specific strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, the reader can come to be understanding that the primary issue facing Carnival Cruise Lines is with regards to the extent which it continue to be relevant within the current market, as well as speak to specific concerns that individuals within society have doubtless come to realize with respect to the overall cleanliness, hygiene, and safety of cruises as a form of relaxation and vacation. As with any firm, one of the most effective means of determining the overall financial success that it is enjoyed over the past several years is to review the stock price and draw inference upon the means by which investors have valued the company over time. As a function of performing this particular analysis with current cruise lines, it can be determined that the most financially turbulent times were of course realize right after the financial crash 2007/2008 (Conant, 2013). At such a time, Carnival Cruise L

Monday, September 23, 2019

Self Assessment Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Self Assessment Paper - Essay Example 1). Therefore, the implication of this score on one’s future employer where managers believe in theory Y is that they could design motivational strategies that would empower employees like me to work with proper recognition and acknowledgement. Personal Values The top three personal values were identified in these areas with the following scores: family (200), social (200) and intellectual (200). The lowest personal value is spiritual (70). These indicates how I regard these values are paramount in one’s life. The implication of this is crucial in the organization where I would be part of to balance time spent for work and family life, as well as in social and intellectual endeavors. Intolerance for Ambiguity My score for this assessment is 52. The mean that was noted in the interpretation was actually 49; therefore, the score that I generated was actually a little bit higher than the mean. This could indicate a higher tolerance for ambiguity or a slightly high preponde rance for risky endeavors or delving into the unknown. The implication of this is that future organizations could tap my willingness and ability to adapt and adjust to turbulent situations; as such, I am not easily swayed or detracted from facing challenges and adversities. Two-Factor Profile My MF score is 40; while my HF score is 30. This means that I regard greater importance on motivating or satisfying factors than in hygiene or dissatisfying factors according to Herzberg’s two-factor theory (Schermerhorn, Osborn, Uhl-Bien, & Hunt, 2012). This also means job content is more important to me than job context. The implication of this result is that managers should focus on motivators through job content if they want to influence or motivate employees like me. Your Personality Type The score that was generated for this assessment is 35. This is indicative of a Type A personality which was described to be hurried and competitive. The implication of this as one is a member of a n organization is that my personality type should complement that of others; otherwise, if all members of the organization are all competitive, there could be increased pressure to exhibit a stipulated level of performance that could be stressful and extremely challenging. Time Management Profile My score for this assessment is 4. As indicated, the higher the score, the closer one’s behavior matches the recommended time management guidelines. In this regard, one strongly believes that my score is an indication of the need to improve on time management to coincide with those prescribed by the organization or institution that one would eventually serve. Week 2: Are You Cosmopolitan? My score in this assessment is 23. This means that that I am within the mixed orientation (between being manifesting a cosmopolitan orientation and a local orientation) or one exhibiting and identifying a career profession and that of an employing organization. Thus, the implication is that being at mid-point, I could assume both preferences and orientation that the two extremes apparently exhibit.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Eva Smiths Diary Essay Example for Free

Eva Smiths Diary Essay Only a few days left to go, and my holidays will be over. Its wonderful having all this time to myself, to do as I please. But I have so little money left. No work, and no pay. God, how I hate those machines. The noise keeps ringing in my head, and when they break down, I cant earn any money, because Im not working! I wish with all my heart I could afford to stay home forever. But things are so expensive, prices go up all the time. Its all right if you own the grubby factory, but if youre like me, you can end up working yourself to death just to make ends meet. Its not fair. Those greedy fat men in their luxurious offices with their ugly wives and spoilt brats! The girls on the machines are the ones who are making all the money for them, while they just sit on their big backsides. We should have a pay rise, by rights. Now that would make history! Back to work today. My stomach kept rumbling because I couldnt afford much breakfast. Moneys tight. The other girls were saying how its the same for most of them. Most of us hadnt eaten since the day before so we were all slow to begin with. We were glad to be back for the money.  I asked Mr Birling if I could have my money early. He let me, and wasnt that surprised, probably because most of the girls asked for the same thing.  When I got home, I bought some food, paid my bills, and all the usual things. I only had eight bob left out of twenty-two and six. This has been one of the worst days of my life. Things have been getting worse. Everyone at work thinks so. We work long hours, and get so little for it. None of us can manage on such low wages. Birlings make a good profit, they can afford to pay us more. We all got together and agreed to ask for a pay rise nothing less than twenty five shillings a week. So we did. I ended up doing most of the talking. Mr. Birling wasnt having it, and told us to go and work somewhere else if we didnt like it. That man must have never opened his eyes when he walks on the streets, how can he not understand why we need the money, he cant honestly say he cant afford it and we dont deserve it. So we carried on for a while, but people were angry. We decided that the only thing for it was to go on strike. What else could we do? By the end of the day, everyone agreed. All for one and one for all! We were all in the same boat but as the days went by with no wages coming in at all it just got harder, especially for the girls with kiddies at home. After two weeks Birling locked us out and said hed replace us with new workers, or we could go back straightaway on the old wages. Well, you could understand why some of the girls wanted to go back. Their children needed food. It was humiliating. I went up to the door but Birling stood there and said Not you, Miss Smith, you must have heard me say that I would not permit the ringleaders back on the premises. I saw red, and told him exactly what I thought of him and his premises. Men like him treat people like slaves, what choice does a woman with a sick baby have but to meekly obey a tyrant like him? He threatened to have me arrested, if I didnt leave his property forthwith I left. When I got home I gathered my things, settled up, and moved out. For the time being I am living in digs until I can find another job, which wont be easy now Ive been sacked. Ive lost a lot of friends through this business, too. I havent got much money left from my job at Birlings, but hopefully it will just about see me through till I can find work again. Im so tired now. What was it all for? Good news at last! Ive managed to get a position at Milwards, the most exclusive shop in town. Now Im a Milwards Assistant. This has come just in time. I am nearly out of money, but today could be the start of a new life for me. I been working now for two days, and I am getting on well. The people seem very nice. The pay is better than the workshop; at least operators and filthy machinery do not surround me. Its so much nicer to be working in an elegant shop with all those beautiful clothes I can only dream of wearing. The customers are so grand, some of them, the aristocracy. Others are just mutton dressed up as lamb (like the Birlings!) Ive lost my job at Milwards.  A spoilt, ugly girl, related to the Birlings! She was trying on some clothes that only made her look even less attractive than she already was, my friend, who was helping her choose something suitable knew this, even her own mother knew it. But the young miss was just being stubborn and really sulky about it. When she tried on this dress that made her look absolutely ridiculous, my friend turned around and silently snorted her nose as if she was being a pig. The Birling girl must have seen me smile behind her from the mirror or something. She was so furious. Then I got fired.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Product Profile of a Plastic Shopping Bag (HDPE)

Product Profile of a Plastic Shopping Bag (HDPE) Samantha Pearson Plastic shopping bags/carry bags are used extensively in todays’ world. They are produced in many different sizes and colours, determined by its purpose and marketing campaign of the purchasing firm/industry. Carry bags are made of plastic that is flexible and relatively tough1. The plastic is identified as High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), indicated by the Voluntary Plastic Container Coding System2 (used to identify different plastics for recycling) on the carry bag itself. High Density Polyethylene is listed as 2 on the coding system2. How HDPE is made Polyethylene is made of monomers of ethylene. Monomers of ethylene are obtained from petroleum through a cracking process or by modifying natural gas such as methane or ethane3. Polyethylene can be made into three different types of polymers under different conditions, namely High Density Polyethylene, Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE). High Density Polyethylene is produced from petroleum and under low pressure conditions (pressure of about 10-80atm) 3 whereas Low Density Polyethylene is produced under high pressure conditions. At the higher end of the low pressure and higher temperatures (about 80atm and 60-200 °C) a Phillips catalyst is used to create an active site for polymerisation6. The process that uses the Phillips catalyst is known as the Phillip Process. The Phillips process was made industrial by Phillips Petroleum Company in 19614. A Phillips catalyst is a highly active catalyst made of chromium oxide on silica with a high surface area. The active site is the chromium carbon bond where the transitional metal (chromium) oxidation state is reduced by a reaction with olefin (a synthetic fibre made from polyethylene) 5 which makes the active site more reactive4. A Phillips catalyst is prepared before it enters the reactor due to the complexity of the silica support that needs to be the correct structure for optimum polymerisation5. In a Phillips process plant an ethylene feed stream is fed into a reactor with a stream of diluted pre-made catalyst. Polymerisation takes place in the reactor and exit s as a slurry. The slurry is then dried and pellets are collected at the end4. The advantage of the Phillips process is that the catalyst does not have to be deactivated or removed from the slurry as the silica base increases the activity of the catalyst and all of the catalyst reacts with the monomer ethylene4. Polyethylene with less branching is produced in this process when compared to the Zeigler Natta catalyst process4. At the lower end of the low pressure and lower temperature (about 1-10atm and 60-70 °C) a Ziegler Natta catalyst is used6. A Ziegler Natta catalyst is a combination of a transition metal compound from Groups IV to VII and a co-catalyst made of an organometallic compound from Groups I to III. In general titanium tetrachloride or titanium (III) chloride and a trialkylaluminum is used7. The catalyst, like the Phillips catalyst, also needs a support with high surface area; magnesium chloride, magnesium chloride or silica as they maximise the surface area and therefore the active sites on the catalyst7. The Zeigler Natta catalyst is prepared in the same reactor as the polymerisation occurs4. In this process; an ethylene feed stream is fed into a reactor with feed streams of metal alkyls and Group IV to VI metals (Titanium) forming the catalyst on its support in the reactor. Slurry exits the reactor where the catalyst is deactivated (to stop chains’ reacting together which keeps t he molecular weight distribution fairly constant). The slurry is then dried and power is collected at the end4. In industry today High Density Polyethylene is produced by slurry polymerisation with a silica base catalyst and the Phillips process is used more often than the Ziegler Natta catalyst process4. Polymerisation Mechanism Polymerisation occurs as a free radical chain-growth reactions. Chain growth reactions occur as successive linking of monomer molecules to the end of the growing chain8 and occur in three stages. Stage one is the initiation stage where a radical reacts with ethylene to produce a monomer radical to continue the reaction8: R†¢ + H2C=CH2 → R-H2C-H2C†¢ [1.1] The rate of initiation is defined by the rate equation: [1.2] Where f is the initiator efficiency, [I] is the molar concentration of the initiator and [M†¢] is the total concentration of all the chain radicals and kd is the rate constant9. Stage two is the propagation stage where monomer radical adds to another monomer radical. The active centre moves to the end of the chain continuously and there is only one active centre at a given time8: R-H2C-H2C†¢ + H2C=CH2 → R-H2C-H2C-H2C-H2C†¢[1.3] The rate of propagation is defined by the rate equation: [1.4] Stage three is the termination stage where chain growth is ended either by two radicals adding together or disproportionation where an atom transfers to another chain9. The rate of termination is defined by the rate equation: [1.5] The overall structure of High Density Polyethylene is: Figure 1: Structure of Polyethylene10 Figure 2: Structural Formula of Polyethylene10 Morphology of HDPE and how it suits a carry bag application High Density Polyethylene is very few short branches, if any. This results in the polymer being more crystalline than amorphous and in some areas of the polymer, it may be crystalline. The glass transition temperature (when the material becomes amorphous) of HDPE is -100 °C and the melting transition temperature (when the material turns to a liquid phase) is 130 °C11. These temperatures make HDPE an ideal polymer to make carry bags out of as the temperature that it is used in is never/rarely over and below these ranges. HDPE has significantly different properties to other polymers made in similar ways (LDPE and LLDPE). HDPE is flexible, translucent, and weatherproof; a good resistance to chemicals, relatively tough (has a tensile strength of 0.20-0.40 N/mm2)1. HDPE has a thermal coefficient of expansion of 100-20010-6 and a density of between 0.944 and 0.965g/cm3.1 The properties above are all suited for the application of High Density Polyethylene carry bags. A good tensile strength allows for relatively heavy objects to be placed into the bag without it breaking, small amounts of heat does not change its properties, it is weatherproof, allowing it to get wet with no changes to its properties, the flexibility allows for easy use, storage and functionality whereby it can be cut to create handles. A translucent appearance allows for it the plastic to be coloured as the produces seem fit which they can use for advertising purposes and make the final product aesthetically appealing if its purpose needs to be. How the finished product is made High Density Polyethylene pellets are sold by the firm that owns the plant to a manufacturer that produces plastic shopping bags/carry bags. The pellets are melted and mixed until they are completely homogenous mixture. The mixture is then heated to above 350 °C in a furnace12. The melted mixture vaporises into a tube made of the same mixture (but solid) situated above the furnace and gradually cools down the higher up the tube the vapour gets, where it condenses. Rollers flatten out the tube resulting in a film thin HDPE. While in the rolling area of the process, the film is cut to the desired/required thickness and collected on a roll. The thickness of the roll of thin plastic film is dependent on the manufacturing specifications (each roll roughly produces 35000 bags12) and is cut and a new roll starts forming automatically. The completed roll moves onto printing, where the thin film gets a specific colour/pattern dependent on the consumer. Alcohol based ink (which has to keep flowing to retain its viscosity rate – to ensure the same concentration is used and all the bags are identical) is used to print on these thin films12. Ink is transferred onto the film by ink rollers. Once printing is done, it is once again rolled up. The printed film then moves to another department where it is cut into the specified sizes and a machine with a punch, punches holes on the one side to make handles. And a sealing machine binds the edges of the bag together through heat12. Additives added to the final product In some cases to increase the tensile strength of the plastic (for heavy duty carry bags), Low Density Polyethylene may be added to the pellets of HDPE during the melting stage12. Alcohol based ink is added to give the product aesthetic appeal. Biodegradable additives such as prodegradant concentrates (PDC’s) 13 which are metal compounds which help the oxidation process of degrading plastic, added to make plastic bags more environmentally friendly. Due to the application of the product, additives such as UV stabilisers are not needed and plasticisers are not needed due to the flexibility property HDPE already has. Alternative materials to make the product Due to polymers being an environmental hazard, shopping bags/carry bags have been made with brown paper (paper bags). However this does not have the desired properties as they break easily and are not weatherproof and they do not have any chemical resistance to them. Advantages of using HDPE High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is a polyethylene thermoplastic. Thermoplastics soften, when heated, to a liquid and flow and harden, when cooled, to a solid. They can undergo this heating and cooling cycle (curing process) which little to no change in the final product – the process is reversible as no chemical bonds are formed or broken14. This results in the plastic being easily recycled. The product can be aesthetically modified. Remoulding and reshaping can be done to them14. Weatherproof and chemically resistant High-impact resistance Light weight Disadvantages of using HDPE HDPE is not biodegradable. Due to their light weight they can blow away in the wind and travel relatively far, causing pollution and many environmental hazards to living organisms. If heated they will melt Thermoplastics tend to me more expensive than thermosets14 Recycling HDPE needs an economic incentive as it can be more expensive to recycle plastic than to make new ones2. References British Plastics Federation. (2015). Polyethylene (High Density) HDPE. Available: http://www.bpf.co.uk/plastipedia/polymers/HDPE.aspx. Last accessed 2015/05/20. P Gaylard. (2009). Lecture 1. Polymer Science. University of Witwatersrand. p. 5, 27. P Lepoutre. The Manufacture of Polyethylene. Available: http://nzic.org.nz/ChemProcesses/polymers/10J.pdf. Last accessed 2015/05/20. Buffalo School. High Density Polyethylene. Available: http://wwwcourses.sens.buffalo.edu/ce435/Polyethylene/CE435Kevin.htm. Last accessed 2015/05/20. KBR. (2015). Olefins. Available: http://www.kbr.com/Technologies/Olefins/. Last accessed 2015/05/20. P Gaylard. (2009). Lecture 10. Polymer Science. University of Witwatersrand. p. 3. P Gaylard. (2009). Lecture 8. Polymer Science. University of Witwatersrand. p. 9-12. P Gaylard. (2009). Lecture 2. Polymer Science. University of Witwatersrand. p. 3. P Gaylard. (2009). Lecture 6. Polymer Science. University of Witwatersrand. p. 23-33. Macrog. Polyethylene. Available: http://pslc.ws/macrog/pe.htm Last accessed 2015/05/20. Michigan State University. (2013). Polymers. Available: http://www2.chemistry.msu.edu/faculty/reusch/VirtTxtJml/polymers.htm. Last accessed 2015/05/20. Discovery Channel (2010). How it’s made Plastic Bag Episode. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CfL5xl2N1Q Last Accessed: 2015/05/20 Maria Trimarchi Vicki M. Giuggio. (2009). Top 10 Eco-friendly Substitutes for Plastic. Available: http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/5-plastic-substitutes.htm#page=3. Last accessed 2015/05/20 Mordor Plastics. (2015). Thermosets vs Thermoplastics. Available: http://www.modorplastics.com/thermoset-vs-thermoplastics. Last accessed 2015/05/20. 2015

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Essay on Escape Mechanisms in The Glass Menagerie -- Glass Menagerie e

Escape Mechanisms in The Glass Menagerie      Ã‚   In Tennessee Williams' play, The Glass Menagerie, each character attempts to escape the real world by creating their own â€Å"reality†. Laura hides from the world by magnifying her illness. Tom convinces himself that his needs supersede the needs of his family. Amanda focuses almost exclusively on the past - when she saw herself as a desirable southern belle. Even Jim focus his hopes on recapturing his good old high school days. Each character transposes their difficult situations into shadows of the truth.   Laura, our fragile daughter-figure, finds herself escaping life at every turn. She induces sickness in her typing class and even as the Gentleman Caller awaits her in the livingroom. Unable to deal with those difficulties, Laura goes to the zoo and walks aimlessly around the city to waste time. Frightened of interacting with people, she looks to her collection of glass animals as a place of secure acceptance. Laura clings to the fear that she is strange and crippled though she herself exacerbates the reality of that. Magnifying ...

Gender and Evil in Crime and Punishment and The Master and Margarita Es

Gender and Evil The conflict between good and evil is one of the most common conventional themes in literature. Coping with evil is a fundamental struggle with which all human beings must contend. Sometimes evil comes from within a character, and sometimes other characters are the source of evil; but evil is always something that the characters struggle to overcome. In two Russian novels, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment and Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita, men and women cope with their problems differently. Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment and the Master in The Master and Margarita can not cope and fall apart, whereas Sonya in Crime and Punishment and Margarita in The Master and Margarita, not only cope but pull the men out of their suffering. The main character in Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov, has nihilistic ideas, which ultimately lead to his own suffering. Raskolnikov, an impoverished student, conceives of himself as being an extraordinary man who has the right to commit any crime. He believes that as an extraordinary man that he is beyond good and evil. Since he does not believe in God, he cannot accept any moral laws. To prove his theory, he murders an old pawnbroker and her step sister. Besides, he rationalizes that he has done society a favor by getting rid of the evil pawnbroker who would cheat people. Immediately after the murders, he begins to suffer emotionally. Raskolnikiv â€Å"[feels] a terrible disorder within himself. He [is] afraid of losing his control†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dostoevsky 95). He becomes ill and lies in his room in a semi-conscious state. As soon as he is well and can walk again, he goes out and reads about the crime in all the newspapers of the last few days. The sheer mention of the murder.. . ... cope and so they suffer, yet the women find ways to cope with the evil. The men completely fall apart and suffer both physically and mentally. The women even save the men by helping them end their suffering. However, the women do it in very different ways. Sonya in Crime and Punishment turns to God, while Margarita in The Master and Margarita turns to the Devil. Both women realize that in order to end the suffering, they must find a way to escape from it Works Cited Bulgakov, Mikhail. The Master and Margarita. Trans. Diana Burgin & Katherine Tiernan O’Connor. New York: Vintage Books, 1996. Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. Trans. Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. New York: Vintage Books, 1993. Volkova, Elena. â€Å"The Salvation Story in Russian Literature.† Oxford Journal 20.1 (March 2006). 31-46. 1 Dec. 2007 .

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

A Doll’s House and The Cherry Orchard Essays -- Comparative, Ibsen, Ch

Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard were famous for the way in which they depicted the changing of cultures. Both plays act as a sort of social commentary during times of widespread liberation, and use the contortive nature of these seemingly stereotypical characters’ actions to speak about groups of people as a whole. Throughout the course of both plays, this subversion of how different groups of people were typically perceived created a distinct contrast which often shocked and appalled audiences of the time. However, the effects of these plays were felt long after they were presented. Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, written in 1879, is set in late-19th century Norway. Upon publication, Ibsen’s biting commentary on 19th century marriage stereotypes created widespread uproar. In the play’s first act, the viewer is introduced to a young married couple by the names of Nora and Torvald. In tune with stereotypes of the time, the relationship is controlled almost dictatorially by the husband. Nora is often treated by Torvald the way one might expect a father to treat his daughter. For instance, Torvald incessantly refers to Nora by child-like nicknames such as â€Å"my little squirrel† and â€Å"skylark† and often speaks to her in a condescending manner. Nora, who acts as a symbol of all women of that time, initially fits in very well with the common perception of women in late-19th century Scandinavia. Torvald himself even extends this sentiment of male infallibility and female submissiveness to the whole female race, saying, â€Å"Almost everyone who has gone to the bad early in life has had a deceitful mother (Ibsen 27).† However, throughout the play Nora begins to break the mold of inferiority that was associ... ...Russian society and social norms. The greatest reminder of this is found in the fact that Lopahkin, the man who Ranevsky once spoke to condescendingly, is now the family’s last hope for survival. Ironically enough, Lopahkin is often glancing at his watch, a reminder that time is changing, and a message that he, himself, is a testament to. In both Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard and Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House the subversion of perception and the insubordination of supposedly inferior characters has massive implications on the overall message of the play. These mechanisms bring to light a multitude of questions about the correctness of social norms and the future of both Russian and Norwegian society. They are powerful reminders of ever-changing society and the nature of human relationships, and they leave the reader at once confused and motivated for change.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Hamptonshire Express: Problems 1-3 Essay

Problem #1 A. How many newspapers should Sheen stock? Use the simulation in the spreadsheet â€Å"Hamptonshire Express: Problem #1† to identify the optimal stocking quantity. What is the profit at this stocking quantity? Optimal Stocking Quantity: 584 Expected profit at Optimal Stocking Quantity: $331.43 B. Verify that the value derived in part (a) is consistent with the optimal stocking quantity in the Newsvendor model = mean = 500 = Standard Deviation = 100 = Overage Cost = $0.20†$0 = $0.20 = Shortage Cost = $0.20†$1.00 = †$0.80 = 1†.8 = .2 ïÆ'   corresponding z†value = .84 . âˆâ€" Problem #2 A. How many hours should Sheen invest daily in the creation of the profile section? The optimal amount of hours Sheen should invest results in optimal profit/day at: 4 hours With optimal stocking quantity: 685 And expected profit/day: $371.33 B. What explains Sheen’s choice of effort level h? Since the marginal cost of her effort is $10/hour and the marginal benefit of her effort is equal to: 8 * 50 = 10 ïÆ'   h = 4 2√ The hours invested will be optimized when marginal cost = marginal benefit, in this case h = 4. C. Compare the optimal profit under this scenario with the optimal profit derived in Problem #1. Optimal Profit in #1 = $331.43 @ 584 units = $0.5675/unit Optimal Profit in #2 = $371.33 @ 685 units = $0.5421/unit Although the optimal profit is increased from scenario 1 to scenario 2 by $39.90 the per unit profit is down by 0.0254/unit produced, however since overall profit is up, the added hours invested is still optimal. Problem #3 A. Assuming h=4 what would Armentrout’s stocking quantity be? Armentrout’s optimal stocking quantity is 516 B. Why does the optimal stocking quantity differ from the optimal stocking quantity identify in Problem #2? Is the result here consistent with the newsvendor formula? The optimal stocking quantities differ because there is a new player involved and new costs associated with overages and shortages. These results are still consistent with the newsvendor formula since the new model looks like: = mean = 600 = Standard Deviation = 100 = Overage Cost = $0.80 = Shortage Cost = $1.00†$0.80 = $0.20 = 1†.8 = .2 ïÆ'   corresponding z†value = †.85 . âˆâ€" C. Now try varying h†¦ How does her optimal effort in this question differ from the answer in question 2? Why? In Question 2, Sheen’s profit is maximized at optimal effort = 4. In Question 3, Sheen’s profit is optimal when h = 2 because her profits are being shared with Armentrout and the amount of hours Sheen invests determines the amount of copies that Armentrout will purchase depending on his demand. D. How would changing the transfer price from the current value of $0.80 per newspaper impact Sheen’s effort level and Armentrout’s stocking decision? Transfer Price Increase from $0.80 to $0.90 = Sheen’s Effort = 2.25 to 3.063 Armentrout’s Stocking Decision = 491 to 459 Sheen’s incentivized to put in more effort and therefore reap more profit but Armentrout’s stock will decline and make less profit if transfer price is increased. Transfer Price Decrease from $0.80 to $0.70 = Sheen’s Effort = 2.25 to 1.563 Armentrout’s Stocking Decision = 491 to 510 If the transfer price is decreased, Sheen’s incentivized to put in less effort because she is making less profit and Armentrout’s stock will increase since his costs are lower allowing him to make a higher profit. E. What conclusion can you draw about stocking and effort levels in a differentiated channel vis†Ãƒ  Ã¢â‚¬  vis an integrated firm that manufactures and retails its product? Stocking and effort levels are optimized throughout the chain in an integrated firm that manufactures and retails it’s products because there is a direct benefit and because incentives are aligned between manufacturing and retailing. They want to put forth the optimal effort to produce the maximum amount of units that will optimize profits. Optimal Profit in Problem #2 @ h=4: $371.33 @ 685 Units with fill rate 98% In a differentiated firm when there is an added level, in this case a level to retail, the manufacturing and retailing parties do not share the same goals, therefore stocking and effort levels are not optimized. Supplier only wants to produce as much as retail will buy at the minimum effort level and retail only wants to buy as much as will make them an optimal profit, I because stocking excess will incur losses. Optimal Profit in Problem #3 @ h=4 @ 516 Units with fill rate of only 86%

Monday, September 16, 2019

European Government and Politics Essay

The three forms of government that will be examined in this paper include broadly, the Parliamentary system and the Presidential systems existing in Britain, France and Germany. Any comparative study of governing institutions involves an understanding of the governing institutions prevailing in different countries. All governmental institutions comprise a Legislature, an Executive and a Judiciary. Differences between governmental institutions primarily lie in how these three organs of government are related to each other and the extent of their functions. Traditionally, Britain consists of a parliamentary form of government. A parliamentary government is one where the most important and powerful office belongs to the prime minister. In this form of government, the legislature and the executive arms of the government are closely related, with the executive being involved in the working of the legislature and the executive being formed out of the legislature. In Britain, the legislature comprises the two houses of government, that is, the House of Lords (the upper house) and the House of Commons (the lower house). The House of Lords is a non-elective body and consists of both hereditary and life members who are called ‘Peers’. The strength of the House of Lords is over 900 members and a quorum of 30 members is the minimum for conducting proceedings in the House. The House of Commons comprises the elected representatives of the country. Since Britain has a bi-party system, members of the legislature mainly come from the two major parties, namely, the Labour and the Conservative. Elections for forming the government are held every five years and the party that secures a majority of votes polled forms the government with the leader of the party assuming the post of prime minister. It falls upon the prime minister to form the executive and he appoints his ministers and Cabinet members with the approval of the British Monarch. While the monarch and the prime minister together form the executive in Britain, the monarch is the constitutional head of the government and his powers are mostly ceremonial. It is the prime minister who is the real head of the government. However, there is a close collaboration between the prime minister and the monarch with the prime minister having to meet with the monarch and discuss matters relating to the running of the government. The House of Commons is more powerful than the House of Lords and money bills can be initiated only in the House of Commons, thus the lower chamber of parliament controls the purse of the government. The judiciary is the third organ of government. In the United Kingdom, there is no single judicial system and the judiciary of Britain consists of the judiciary of England and Wales. The House of Lords is the highest court of appeals both in civil and criminal cases. Since Britain does not have a written constitution, there is an absence of the system of ‘judicial review’ which enables the judiciary to act as the interpreter and guardian of the constitution. The courts in England therefore cannot decide on the merit of any law passed by the parliament. An important feature of the judicial system in Britain is ‘rule of law’ which implies that every person is governed by the same law, punishment is meted out only if a breach of law has been committed and the law protects the freedom and rights of the person. The British courts use three types of laws – the Cannon law, the Statutory law and the law of Equity. The judiciary functions on the basis of a jury system and open trial. Germany : In Germany, which is a Federal Parliamentary Democratic Republic, the parliamentary system of government prevails. In contrast to the two forms of governmental systems discussed above, Germany has a multi-party system unlike Britain and similar to that existing in France. In other words, while the political system in Britain is dominated by two major parties, in Germany there are several parties that contest elections. Among these the two main parties are the Socialist Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Union. The other parties such as the Alliance 90 or the Greens, the Free Democratic Party and Delinke support the SPD or the CDU. Another important characteristic is that in Germany, coalition politics has dominated and the SDP and CDU, despite being dominant, have failed to secure a complete majority in the elections. Therefore the other parties have systematically supported either the SDP or the CDU in forming the government. The constitutional framework adopted in 1949 known as the Grundgesetz, or the basic law, has been in effect even after 1990. The executive in Germany is comprised of the Chancellor who is equivalent to a prime minister and holds office for a period of four years and the President who holds office for a period of five years. The Chancellor is the head of the government while the President is the head of the state. Like a parliamentary system, the executive functions in close collaboration with the legislature. The legislature in germany consists of the Federal Diet or the Bundestag and the Federal Council or the Bundesrat. The Bundestag is a directly elected body through the system of proportional representation. The Bundesrat consists of the representatives of the 16 federal states who are also members of the state Cabinet. The Bundestag has the power to remove the Chancellor by passing a motion of no-confidence. The judiciary in Germany is independent of both the executive and the legislature and follows the concept of Judicial Review. Almost all state actions are therefore subject to interpretation by the courts. In Germany, a complex and hierarchical system of appeals exists with separate branches dealing with administrative, taxation, labour and security aspects. In addition, there exists a Constitutional Court which handles violation of constitutional rights after the regular appeals system has been exhausted. France : Arguably, France is the seat of modern democracy following the French Revolutions of 1789. Like Germany, politics in France in its present form is of recent origin from 1958 to the Fifth Republic. While the government in Britain and Germany is Prime Ministerial, the French government is semi-Presidential. In effect the executive arm of the government consists of two heads of government where the President is the head of state and the Prime Minister is head of government. On the other hand, unlike in Britain and very much similar to Germany, France has a pluralist and multi-party system of politics. The French Presidency is the oldest in Europe. France has had five Republics and the powers and functions of the President has varied in these five Republics. Parliamentary system of government was in order in the Third and Fourth Republics which made the presidential office a nominal one, where as in the Fifth Republic, the President has been vested with more powers. Thus, although there exist two heads of government, the President is more powerful in comparison to the prime minister unlike in a parliamentary system. In addition, where as previously the Presidential tenure was seven years,, it has been cut down to five years. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party or coalition and can be appointed by the president indefinitely. He has no fixed tenure. The prime minister forms and heads the Council of Ministers whose sessions, in turn are chaired by the president. The legislature consists of the National Assembly which is the lower house and represents single-member constituencies and the Senate which is the upper house and represents mainland France and its 13 overseas territories. The lower house is in charge of conducting the daily proceedings of the government while the Senate looks after constitutional and foreign matters. The judiciary in France is composed of a two-tier system, one relating to the judicial branch dealing with civil and criminal law and the other relating to the administrative branch. France has a written constitution and therefore laws can only be interpreted by the judiciary in accordance with the process of judicial review. The Cour de Cassation is the highest court of appeals which is headed by six chief judges appointed by the president. All judicial appointments to the Supreme Court are appointments for life and all former French presidents are de jure members of the Constitutional Court. In conclusion, it can be said that the merits of the presidential system involving a fixed tenure and separation of powers and more important than a parliamentary system. Similarly, a multi-party system offers more representation and accountability than a bi-party system. Refernces Curtis, Michael & Ammendola, Guiseppe. (2002) Western European Government and Politics. Longman.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Assessment for planning and sustainability Essay

?Tourism is an integrated system where all the elements are linked taking into account the relationships between tourism and economic, social, cultural and physical environment. In order to develop Strathnagar village as a sustainable tourist and habitable destination, a harmony is required between the needs of a visitor, the destination and the community. Tourism creates an incentive for environmental conservation, preservation of sensitive areas. There are many examples from Scotland where tourism has promoted restoration and preservation of historic sites also tourism encouraged conservation of natural resources. Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park created in 2002 and Cairngorm National Park created in 2003 were designed under the national Parks (Scotland) Act 2000. The main aim was to conserve, enhance and promote the natural beauty and cultural heritage for current and future generations. Transport has been heavily blamed in the last few years because of fuel emissions. For this reason cycling has been promoted across the UK as environmentally friendly transport type by a charity called Sustarns. Since then over 10. 000 miles of cycle paths have been created to decrease the harm of environment. In Strathnagar village along the bird sanctuary is a site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) managed by Scottish Natural Heritage. It is likely that this organization will continue and extend conservation and preservation works in the future if there are sustainable developments involved in the village. However, there are a number of negative impacts on environment as a consequence of tourism growth and activities taken by tourists. This includes erosions, pollution and wild life disturbance. To minimize the harmful impacts in the area certain procedures should be taken in Srathnagar village. Business owners should become members of Visit Scotland’s Green Tourism Assurance Scheme. It aims to help businesses working in the hospitality sector achieve efficiency and marketing benefits by managing their environmental responsibilities. Tourists are coming to Scotland and natives are travelling around the country, because of a desire to see the natural scenery and wildlife Scotland has to offer. However, irresponsible tourism and properly unmanaged sites lead to the destruction of biodiversity. Tourist activities impact directly and indirectly on ecosystems. Indirect pressure on plants and animals may result from increased levels of emissions of various trace-gases through leisure-related transport. Direct impact on the ecosystems would have if natural environments are put under strain when the â€Å"Carrying Capacity† of the area or resource is exceeded. Also Through destruction of ecosystems and habitats, draining of wetlands, unsustainable use of land, trampling, tent camps, etc. tourist contribute directly to the disturbance of ecosystems. 85% of European coasts are at high or moderate risk from development related pressures as 2/3 of Europe’s tourism is based on coastlines. Coral reefs are the most vulnerable in the ecosystem, easily can be damaged from snorkelers and scuba divers. In Trinidad and Tobago island massive developments have damaged beaches and destroyed the habitat of turtles where they lay their eggs. While in Jamaica unsustainable constructions has caused severe beach erosion due to the obliteration of sand dunes and also cause wetland destruction. The tourism sector as a whole, along with tourists should be encouraged to minimize any negative impacts and maximize positive impacts on biodiversity and local cultures associated with their consumption choices and behavior, for example through voluntary initiatives, information events, controlling the number of visitor and implementing codes of conduct. Generally, every country wants to attract tourists and generate as much income from tourism as possible. Tourism has been seen as a positive factor, it provides jobs and people have personal empowerment. In Strathnagar village tourism would allow to preserve and revive the cultures, traditions and crafts. Good example is â€Å"Rumsiskes† the open- air museum in Lithuania. It displays the heritage of Lithuanian rural life in authentic resurrected buildings where people lived and worked. The traditions, crafts and dances where revived that was almost forgotten. The money from Tourism and tourist demand helped to restore and keep it for the future generations. However, according to Doxey’s irritation index (1975) a four stage model of the slow decline in host visitor relations exists: Euphoria (delight in contact) Apathy (increasing indifference with larger numbers) Irritation (concern and annoyance) Antagonism (convert and overt aggression to visitors) The most recognized negative cultural impacts are cultural degradation and trivialization, also when cultural events are turned into staged events that have direct adverse effects on traditional ways of life on the distinctiveness of local cultures. The places like Spanish Resorts and Caribbean Islands have become identikit resorts that have nothing in common with traditional culture. Locals are basically annoyed by tourists as they lost the privacy and tranquility. People understand the benefits that tourism gives, but on the same time feel as they are losing the traditions and authentic culture. Benidorm reached critical stage- full physical â€Å"carrying capacity† is exceeded during the high season; there is no accommodation and certain services available. Aboriginal or indigenous communities such as Australia, Masi Mara are transformed (in order to earn some money) and requested to display significant cultural events for tour companies no matter the time and adequacy. Strathnagar is going to start at Euphoria stage; community is excited about the new life. However, to avoid quick decline in host visitor relations community should control the number of visitors, modify their behavior by extending the season, spreading the busy seasons and adapting the resources. Separate, reasonable size car parking should be provided in order to avoid visitors parking at local’s windows. Most common negative impacts on socio- culture are tradition degradation, trivialization and when cultural events are turned into staged events. According to VisitScotland Statistics, Tourism in Scotland is worth approx ? 4bn, employs 9% of the workforce and pays more wages than oil, gas and whisky industries combined. Moreover it gives a chance for communities in rural areas such as Strathnagar village to have jobs and not to consider moving from the place they have been living happily for since birth. However, Tourism not only creates jobs in the sector, it also encourages growth in the primary and secondary sectors of industry. This is known as the multiplier effect which is how many times money spent by a tourist circulates through a country’s economy. The money spent by a tourist in Strathnagar village for example in a hotel would help to create jobs directly in the hotel, also would create jobs indirectly elsewhere in the economy. If hotel buys food from local farmer, that farmer can spend some of this money on clothes. The demand for local products increases as tourists often buy souvenirs, which increases secondary employment. The multiplier effect continues until the money eventually ‘leaks’ from the economy through imports – the purchase of goods from other countries, tourists not spending money at the destination, tour operators sending tourists on all- inclusive package and leaving the great deal of profit at tourists generating country not receiving. In Thailand estimated that 70% of all money spent by tourists ended up leaving Thailand (via foreign-owned tour operators, airlines, hotels, imported drinks and food, etc. ). The positive fact is that the employment level will rise in Strathnagar village and the tourists will use the services and spend money. Direct jobs will be available for tour guides, housekeeping, catering staff, and gardeners. Indirect jobs for joiners, builders and induced- improvements in health and transport services. However there will arise and negative aspects such as low wages, no highly skilled jobs, no chance to keep younger generation. Also village could be highly affected by seasonality; it is hard to attract tourists during the winter. Community might not get any support from council as it is a small and badly impacted by seasonality. There is a chance to extend the season or to attract visitors by launching traditional food, arts and crafts festivals and corporate events in Crafts and Arts Centre which might be a good way to minimize the seasonality. Dumfries and Galloway is a very popular tourist destination during the summer, but not so much in low seasons. The Art festival called Spring Fling was launched to attract visitors and it is on every April. However, in order to protect the natural and built environments that tourism is dependent on, certain measures should be in place. Visitor Management is an approach that which aims to protect environment (social, environmental) while providing for visitor enjoyment. Visitor Management can be at the Micro level (national, regional, or area) or at the Macro level (settlement, site or attraction). There are many organizations across the globe that is considered as the main tools for sustainability and managing tourism. Historical Scotland helps towards conservation and preservation of cultural and historic buildings, landscapes and sites. Visit Scotland provides signage, code of conducts to minimize negative impacts, national designed National Tourist routes, theme trails for tourists to navigate easily, increase the geographical spread and avoid unnecessary wandering. Also provides marketing, promotion to the area and encourage visitor behaviour through education and interpretation methods. Tourism Management Programmes (TMPs) are designed to benefit visitor, place and host by adopting a multifaceted planning approach. National Parks aims to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage and promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of National Parks by public. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that aims to create the conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values. It contributes to sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, communication, culture and information. There are three main visitor management techniques used to overcome or minimize negative impacts from tourism developments: Control Volume of visitors: limit numbers, encourage alternative visiting times, extend tourist season Modify Behaviour of visitors: codes of conduct, interpretation, education Adapt resources: harden footpaths, construct purpose built facilities (walk- ways hides etc) The visitor management techniques can be divided in to two following forms: Hard measures occur when restricting physical and financial on access. (Parking fees, road closures, zoning, fencing, limited visitor numbers) Zoning and paid roads are common thing in big cities such as Moscow and London. Certain fees need to be paid in order to pass the bridge or enter other zone. Also hard measures are applied when during the festival or any other celebration the city centre is closed and any type of motor transport in not permitted. In Edinburgh that happens during the Hoghmoney when all action takes in the city centre. Soft measures – associated with encouraging desired behaviours rather than restricting undesirable ones. (Education, interpretation, marketing and promotion) In Scottish Boarders Forest District the soft measures has been implemented to manage the tourists and minimise the impacts from tourism activities. Signposting for mountain- trail has been provided. The Osprey Visitor Centre offers a variety of information and education for people of different ages. A lot of illustrative material is offered. Local volunteers are integrated in the educational activities. Available rangers on site to help and give needed advice. In Strathnagar village it is recommended to apply soft measure management techniques through education and interpretation. The signage should be provided to direct and guide visitors in the area. Moreover the community should consider establishing the Visitor Information Centre where leaflets, guides and verbal advice could be given to visitors. Also it is recommended to provide car parking facilities in order to avoid conflicts with locals as visitors may park on locals’ driveway. There are plenty examples for educating tourism suppliers, tour operators and visitors on sustainable tourism practice: Codes of Conduct for Visitors SNH outdoor access code The Code is based on three key principles and these apply equally to the public and to the land owners: Respect the interests of other people Care for the environment Take responsibility for your own actions Responsible access can be enjoyed over most of Scotland including urban parks, hills and woods, beaches, lochs, rivers and canals. VisitScotland Responsible Visitors Guide It is a guide for visitors to follow the simple steps to play the part in caring for our outstanding natural environment, fantastic wildlife and rich cultural heritage whilst supporting the local communities along the way. Codes of Conduct for tourism Suppliers Wild Scotland Wild Scotland produced Responsible Professional Wildlife Watching guide in order to provide a safe, professional and responsible wildlife watching experience for the tourists. VisitScotland Sustainability Team There is a clear mandate for VisitScotland to help drive sustainability within the tourism sector in Scotland. This is provided by the Scottish Government Economic Strategy and the Tourism Framework for Change, and is reflected in the VisitScotland Corporate Plan 2010/13. VisitScotland’s Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2010 – 2015 provides a clear rationale and plan for delivering our aspirations for sustainable tourism over the next five years. We will contribute to a more sustainable future for Scotland through taking direct action on issues under our control and playing an influencing role where this is not possible. This will include support for the implementation of sustainable tourism strategies at the national and local level. Business events programme The National Funding Programme complements the International Funding Programme and plays an integral role in developing domestic tourism across Scotland. By supporting events which take place outside the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, EventScotland is also growing Scotland’s wider events portfolio which forms the backbone of our events industry. Guidance Booklets The Business Waste Guidance Booklet is provided by VisitScotland for tourism businesses gives for tourism suppliers more detailed information on waste management and how to reduce your business waste. Tourist Signposting in Scotland- the purpose of this document is to explain which visitor facilities may be eligible for Tourist Signposting in Scotland and how to apply. Tourist Signposting is a fundamental part of providing a welcome for our visitors. In determining who is eligible for Tourist Signposting accreditation, VisitScotland uses Quality Assurance schemes to ensure that our visitors are directed to facilities that offer a consistent quality experience. Conclusion There are many positive and negative impacts on environment, socio- culture, economy from tourist activities and generally the travel and tourism industry. Tourism providers need to bear in mind that they are responsible for the damage the irresponsible tourism does and ensure that the experience for the visitors will be provided in sustainable and less harmful way Strathnagar is beautiful village with loads of potential to develop a sustainable tourism destination with a help of organizations involved.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Through the Eyes of Modern Society

The intriguing documentary of Killing Us Softly 4 by Jean Kilbourne, provides for a controversial topic of the basis of advertising in the media and how it affects women directly and indirectly. Consequently, harsh results are perceived from these advertisements. Of all the â€Å"factual† statements made by Jean Kilbourne during this documentary, many fallacies arose. The media leaves us extremely vulnerable to assimilating ourselves to all aspects of mass media.I can closely identify myself with the situation at hand because I am a part of a society that is raised up on a pop culture that is ubiquitous. We are constantly consumed in the media every single day with advertisements flooding our brains. In fact, I feel that women are not as materialized, dehumanized, or objectified as they are overpoweringly depicted in Killing Us Softly 4. Essentially, Killing Us Softly 4 is an examination of the media and, especially, advertising’s influence on the society and negatively targets and affects women.It characterizes how women are portrayed as objects, not humans. This is represented by a series of advertisements focused on certain body parts, for instance, a woman’s legs or breasts, which apparently dehumanizes women. The issues related to the advertisements presented in this film include a major decline in self-esteem experienced by adolescent females, eating disorders, and violence against women, among other examples. As a result, Kilbourne immediately stresses her opinions that females are bombarded with a multiplicity of insecurities compared to males growing up.She blames this imbalance of self-esteem to the models that indirectly push women to look up to the unreachable ideal image portrayed in advertising. The result is damaging to our collective psychological makeup as far as the way we view women in the real world and how women view themselves. Is it the woman’s body that has been objectified for the sole purpose of this adverti sing? For instance, as stated in the video, it states that the perfect ideal women figure is always shown with a light-skinned, straight-hair, skinny figure.â€Å"Women of color are only considered beautiful if they resemble the white ideal† (5:48-5:56). In fact, I tend to disagree with this very statement. Women can be attractive and be a successful model no matter what skin color they are born with, where they came from, or what their heritage or race may be. Also, it was stated that certain races that are not light-skinned are usually represented as animals instead of human beings, which is an absurd statement. The quote given was, â€Å"Black women are featured as exotic animals, like leopards. Never shown modeling† (8:13-8:30).A statement like this is completely racial and stereotypical as well as close-minded against welcoming of other minorities into the modeling world. As a matter of fact, The United States consists of a melting pot of races, religions, and gen etic make up. So, by making an outlandish statement that is very hypocritical in many senses. When a young girl sees a model in an advertisement and asks herself, â€Å"What do I have to do to look like her? † In addition, women are not as materialized, dehumanized, or objectified as they are overpoweringly depicted in Killing Us Softly 4.Jean Kilbourne tries to formulate a ridiculous piece of research that she complied about the direct relationship between the ideal image of women. This is exemplifies, and coincides with the way that men view women with higher standards, which directly sparks violence against women. The evidence lies in the following quote: â€Å"It creates a widespread violence against women by turning a human being into a thing, which is the first step toward justifying violence against a person. † (9:19-9:42). There is not valid information to backup this â€Å"research† that Kilbourne is referring to and tends to have no apparent correlatio n.She went on to say, â€Å"This is the case with homophobia and terrorism. Dehumanization means violence is inevitable† (9:35-9:42). Respectively, these are all valid examples of groups of people that are alienated from society, certain people desire to inflict violence on them. However, once again the majority of women are not a part of those groups so this information essentially, remains irrelevant. In conclusion, many fallacies were present as a result of the statements made throughout the documentary.Jean Kilbourne tries to provide valid facts,  research, and propaganda against the objectification, dehumanization, and role of women in advertisement. An example of a fallacy is the thought that only women closely related to the white ideal are considered beautiful and modeling material. Another example of a fallacy would be the creation of an ideal imagine of women through advertising, directly pushes violence against women. Although Kilbourne brought forth some apparen tly true information and concern up front, the majority of the information is drawn directly from her own emotions, views, and opinions.