Black Men and Public Space Essay Example

Black Men and Public Space Essay Black Men and Public Space Tyrone a young black man, born and raised in the South Bronx, wanted nothing but the best to succeed for his future. A straight A student in college. Never once in trouble with the law, was wrongfully accused of murder. Tyrone was minding his business walking to his local bodega, when this innocent lady was robbed and stabbed to death right in front of him. The black man who committed the crime fled the scene. Tyrone was there when this all happened. The police arrived to the scene right away to question all the witnesses; they all accused Tyrone because he was the only black man in the area. Tyrone an innocent black man had experienced what â€Å"Black Men and Public Space† deal with almost every day. Brent Staple’s essay, â€Å"Black Men and Public Space† discloses the racial profiling and ignorance he experiences out in public spaces from others as a young black man into his older age. Staples’ shares with his readers some of his personal encounters when he was stereotyped by his physical appearance. Staples’ also illustrates his inner struggle of acceptance of not being feared no more. In today’s society many black men have given a bad reputation for other black men that do not deserve the treatment they receive as if they were criminals. As many good black men there are, who prove that not all black men are criminals, it will not stop people from being stereotypical. As Brent Staples stated, â€Å"Black men trade tales like this all the time†. As common stereotyping may be, it can make someone feel alienated. To know your physical appearance can cause such fear, when you know you can’t even hurt a mouse. We will write a custom essay sample on Black Men and Public Space specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Black Men and Public Space specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Black Men and Public Space specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Living in today’s society, is one wrong to stereotype a person if that person looks suspicious and makes you feel unsafe? Should one feel inferior because they’re being stereotyped? Brent Staples chose to use his own personal experiences as a black man to explain how he is stereotyped by society. He recalls the very first time he was stereotyped, was by a young white woman which he refers to her as his first victim. They were walking in a deserted street when he noticed that she continued to glance back at him all worried, and after a few more glances she began to run in earnest. Staples assumed that the woman was frighten because of his skin color, but I’m sure it wasn’t all do to his complexion. He goes on to tell his readers how people would cross the street just so they would not have to walk next to him. I must admit, I myself can be stereotypical. But am I wrong for it? Living in New York City you hear quite often on the news woman being raped, mugged, and murdered. I’m not racist but I have to take my precautions to stay safe. If I see a black man that falls in the criteria of a criminal or thug walking to close to me or in my direction, I do panic and walk as fast as I can to get away. My grandmother was once robbed and assaulted by a black man in Washington Heights, so it’s hard for me not to stereotype a black man when someone so dear to me was hurt by one. Staples demonstrates his struggle for acceptances from people whom are scared of him. He goes on to say that he now takes precautions to avoid situations he has experienced. He now whistles melodies from Beethoven and Vivaldi when he takes walks at night because no one will assume a mugger knows classical music. Instead of people crossing to the other side of the street, he’ll keep his distance from those that may seem skittish of him. It seems that he does all this just to fit in to society. None of this will change the way black men are stereotyped. In high school, I had a friend who was a black male; it seemed to me he was always seeking attention. He made it his priority to make sure he was liked and accepted by everyone. I was always curious to why. Until one day I knew exactly why. In his previous school in North Carolina, he was accused of assaulting a girl because he was black. The school he attended was mostly whites and very racist so he did not have too many friends. This girl was always giving him a hard time, always making ignorant comments towards him. She felt if she were to make an allegation about him she would get rid of him and he would not be able to attend the school. To make a long story short, it was proven that her allegation was not true. He was so traumatized that his family sent him to live in NYC. He never wanted to experience anything like that ever again, that he made sure he received acceptance from everyone. Black men and public space will continue to experience these situations. We cannot change the way people think and judge. Unfortunately the majority of black men, who are criminals, will continue to give a bad reputation for those that are not. We live in a world where we have to be in high alert to maintain unharmed. There’s no reason for anyone to feel the obligation or need to act a certain way so those that are judging them can feel a sense of security, the way Brent Staples did. As long as you know you’re not that type of person, you cannot let someone’s judgment stop you from succeeding and proving that you are not a statistic.

Goals of business

Goals of business Introduction In the 1970s, Milton Friedman argued that the only purpose of business was to maximise profits. This was based on the assumption that such action would benefit the society through increased employment. Friedman maintained that taking part in other activities would render a company less competitive and consequently less beneficial to the society, employees and the owners.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Goals of business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since this time, the debate surrounding the degrees to which today’s organisations should be socially responsible has been the source of much research. Therefore, it is important to note that businesses have other aims other than providing profits to their members. For example, they provide innovation which in return brings growth, employment and lifestyle to people’s lives. Many products in the market have been solving several consumer probl ems than before. Additionally, businesses aim at offering social amenities to the society. As presented in this paper, these goals have their merits and demerits. The aim of this paper is to critic and analyse the claim that the main goal of businesses is profit maximisation. To achieve this different business goals are listed in separate paragraphs. Each paragraph discusses and explains particular business goals. According to Ahlstrom, the major goal of businesses is to create new and innovative products, which bring economic growth and improved living standards of the world’s population. Therefore, businesses should aim at providing these benefits to society. This is because failure to do so can lead to long term drop in the society’s welfare. For example, small drop in growth for a long time can reduce the benefits that firms can offer to the society (Henry 1983). One of the ways that firms can use to achieve growth while at the same time offering innovation is by, effective disruptive innovation. An example of this disruptive innovation is technological innovation. Some of the benefits of constant economic growth are increase in per capita income, job creation, improved revenue and living standards. Failure for businesses to grow or slow growth has led the equity markets to punish the companies that made caused the drop.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, improved growth has made companies to take on better skilled and experienced people. Additionally, the societies’ wellbeing improves and reliance on foreign aid and welfare associations has reduced. Improved living standards have also been realised in countries, such as Europe, North America and parts of Middle East. Therefore, the average annual income of an average individual has raised by around 450% between 1820 and the end of the 20th century. Th is steady growth is an indication of a healthy industry. Another benefit of economic growth is improved life expectancy. For example, a person in 1000 could live for approximately 24 years while today, one can live up to 66 years and even more. From the above analysis, it is clear that businesses should aim at bringing growth and innovative products to the consumers rather than to make profits for the shareholders and owners. This is because, through improved growth, consumer revenues increase leading to improved consumption and living standards (Ahlstrom 2010). According to Bejou, the sole or the major purpose of businesses should be to express compassion which can bring a difference in society. This compassion should be a part of the company’s goals, mission, vision, strategy and decisions that are aimed at reducing the society’s suffering. Some of the values of compassionate companies are integrity, responsibility towards the stakeholders, freedom, Community Social Responsibility (CSR), animal rights protection, among others (Bejou 2011). CSR is the obligation of businesses to offer social, legal and economic support and development to the environment and society. It can also be referred to as ethical contribution towards economic development (Van Beurden Gossling 2008). According to annual reports of research done in 2009, the following are examples of the compassionate companies: Ford Motor Company. This is an award winning company which has created a Food Pantry project that funds food banks across the nation. Additionally, the company’s community service enables its employees to participate in charity works across the globe. For example, in 2009, the company’s employees voluntarily contributed to community service in 44 countries globally (Bejou 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Goals of business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Pepsi Company. The compa ny practices compassion by ensuring good governance towards its investors. Additionally, the company is committed towards providing quality and healthy products to consumers as well as educating consumers about its products and nutrition. It is also at the forefront in protecting human rights and natural resources. The company’s employees enjoy ethical working relationships, empowerment and diversity. Pepsi is also a major contributor to the society. For example, it has contributed funds to help earthquake victims in Chile, Pakistan, China and Haiti. Additionally, it has helped the tsunami victims in Southeast Asia (Bejou 2011). Acropostale Incorporation. The company’s value of integrity enables it to uplift the society’s living standards. For example, during holidays, it offers gifts to hospitalised children, collects and distributes clothes to earthquake victims and the homeless (Bejou 2011). The company also offers support to flood and famine victims. Green M ountain Coffee Roasters Incorporation (GMCR). The company is known for its contribution to environmental conservation, support to the community, its sustainable products and healthy working conditions (Bejou 2011). Target. From 1946, the company has been giving 5% of its income to the community members. Additionally, the company contributes towards environmental conservation. For example, it uses LED (light-emitting diode) displays for lighting. The company is also involved in security enhancement, disaster alleviation and renovation of school programs (Bejou 2011). From the above analysis, it is clear that corporations should be responsible for the environment and the community. Therefore, companies should learn that even though profits are part of the organization’s goals, ethics, vision and compassion are the most important goals; profit maximization should not be their main aim. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has the following characteristics. It is an existing and old idea (it is not new) which portrays the business’s willingness to do good; and its nature and scope are uncertain. Therefore, the CSR that a company conducts depends on upcoming societal needs.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Some of the advocates of CSR are the International Business Forum (IBLF), the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), governmental and nons of unethical business practices include failure to pay the suppliers and provision of poor quality consumer goods and services. Critics of capitalism and the Marxists dismiss these responsibilities and argue that the capitalistic businesses are greedy and unethical (Shaw 2008). In order to achieve ethical behaviour, firms can use a free-market model (Wilcke 2004). Conclusion In this essay, I have argued that businesses have more than one goal. For example, they aim at maximizing profits, offering social responsibility to the society, providing growth and development and ethical responsibility. These goals have merits and demerits to the business. Therefore, businesses should strike a balance and decide the goals that they want to achieve. Businesses that are socially irresponsible, unethical, unlawful and disrespectful to the society’s needs face various challenges. Some of them are economic sanctions and law suits. Additionally, these companies face reduced sales as the society shy away from their products. Eventually, these businesses lose public trust and, which affects their profitability. However, these businesses take pride in reduced costs that relate to social responsibility. This is because they engage in little social responsibility activities and projects. On the contrary, ethical, lawful and socially responsible businesses receive improved reputation which leads to improved sales and growth. This is because the society trusts these firms’ products and services. However, socially responsible businesses face challenges such as increased operating and financial costs. These costs can affect the profitability of the socially responsible firms. Businesses should learn that even though achieving both profit maximization and social responsibility is costly, it results in a wide range of benefits to both the business and society. Given the many benefits associated with social responsibility, the main goal of businesses should not be to increase the wealth of the shareholders and owners. References Ahlstrom, D 2010, ‘Innovation and Growth: How Business Contributes to Society’, Academy of Management Perspectives, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 10-23. Bejou, D 2011, ‘Compassion as the New Philosophy of Business’, Journal of Relationship Marketing, vol. 10, pp. 1-6. Cosans, C 2009, ‘Does Milton Friedman Support a Vigorous Business Ethics?’, Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 87, no. 3, pp. 391-399. Craig Smith, N 2003, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility: Whether or How?’, California Management Review, vol. 45 no. 4, pp. 52-76. Dalai, L 1998, The art of happiness, Riverhead Books, New York. Henry, M 1983, ‘The Case for Corporate Social Responsibility’, The Journal of Business Strategy, vol. 4 no. 2, pp. 3-15. Husted, B W Salazar, J 2006, ‘Taking Friedman Seriously: Maximising Profits and Social Performance’, Journal of Management Studies, vol. 43 no. 1, pp. 75-91. Pfeffer, J 1998, The human equation: Building profits by putting people first, Harvard Business School Press, Boston. Shaw, W 2009, ‘Marxism, Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility’, Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 84, no. 4, pp. 565-576. Van Beurden, P Gossling, T 2008, ‘The Worth of Values – A Literature Review on the Relation Between Corporate Social and Financial Performance’, Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 82, no. 2, pp. 407-424. Viscusi, WK 1995, Fatal tradeoffs: Public and private responsibilities for risk, Oxford University Press, New York. Wilcke, RW 2004, ‘An Appropriate Ethical Model for Business and a Critique of Milton Friedman’s Thesis’, The Independent Review, vol. 9 no. 2, pp. 187-209. Customer Inserts His/Her Name Customer Inserts ID

Marketing in the digital era Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing in the digital era - Essay Example Employing effective marketing mix, competitive positioning and a wider media strategy are vital. Marketers can think and utilise these strategies in achieving successful business performance. The researcher analysed the way marketers can employ a marketing strategy that meets the expectations of customers. The marketing strategy can also provide marketers various advantages including increased financial savings and continuous engagement with customers. Marketers should focus on a strategy that can enable them to increase their financial savings and maintain their position in the competitive market. The researcher examined the way marketers can differentiate products and add value to their products. They should understand the effective distribution channels and media services effective for communicating about the available products in the market. Lastly, the essay revealed the way employing CRS model, segmentation strategy and understanding the need for cultural change are crucial. Th is is because they will enable marketers to maintain their position in the market. This is because resources are scarce; thus, the marketers may end up losing opportunities in case they mismanage the resources. Barney (1995, p. 42) asserts that an industry can defeat their rivals in case it can only create a difference that it can sustain. This is through employing an effective marketing strategy that can enable them to achieve a competitive advantage.... Electronic marketing is increasing because marketers want to achieve a competitive advantage in the competitive marketing cross the globe (Ataman, Berk, Harald and Carlf 2010, p. 871). Online marketing has become commonly used in marketing of brands; thus, marketers should change their ways of thinking and acting in order to maintain their position in the competitive market. Marketers should employ effective marketing mix and expand their brands beyond the media mix in order to widen their commitment with consumers. The wider media strategy and competitive positioning strategy are effective because they provide marketers various advantages, which include increased financial savings and continuous engagement with customers. In the marketing digital era, marketers should focus on a strategy that can enable them to increase their financial savings. Resource based view of the organisation is one of the ways that can enable the firm to utilise the scarce resources effectively in achieving their demanding goals (Fahy 2000, p.98). Organisation attributes include resources and capabilities vital for achieving a competitive advantage. Therefore, marketers should utilise them effectively in order to maintain their position in the market. This is because resources are scarce; thus, the marketers may end up losing opportunities in case they mismanage the resources. Barney (1995, p. 42)Â  asserts that an industry can defeat their rivals in case it can only create a difference that it can sustain. This is through employing an effective marketing strategy that can enable them to achieve a competitive advantage. Marketers should understand that an effective strategy is built on process; thus, they should design marketing strategies basing on the available

International Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

International Business Law - Essay Example But par (3) of the above section does not exclude inventions that were done outside employment; hence it is still possible that the invention is still free. â€Å"Shabana had reached an advanced stage of invention before her return to Australia. She completed work on the creation of the special widget a week later.† Hence, there is no issue that it was done in 10X during employment. The next question therefore is: â€Å"How would the employer acquire the tied invention? Is it automatic? Must it not do something to acquire the same in addition to employing Shabana? The answer to question is found in the German law which states, (1) Any employee making a service invention shall be under a duty to report the invention to his employer immediately in a special written notice indicating that said writing constitutes the report of an invention. Where two or more employees have contributed to making the invention, a joint notice may be filed. The employer shall inform his employee without delay and in writing of the date the report was received.† It appears on the basis of Section 5 (1), that it is the duty of an employee to report the invention which was not done by Shabana in this case. The facts of the case are clear on this. There was no mention of notice to 10X because the latter had known the invention only upon sale by Shabana. So the next question is: â€Å"What is the consequence of Shabana’s failure to report given the disposition made to Keg. Again the German law provide the answer as follows: (2) On the receipt of a written declaration of a limited claim, a non-exclusive right to use the service invention shall pass to the employer. Should an employer’s right of use unreasonably impede an employee’s further exploitation of his invention, the employee may request that, within a period of two month, his employer either make an unlimited claim to the service invention or release it to the employee. (3) Dispositions of a service invention made by an

Future Marketing Implications (Response 1) Assignment

Future Marketing Implications (Response 1) - Assignment Example With the advancement of internet marketing, the future implications of marketing will mean that a person will be able to market any product or service from anywhere in the world and in real time (Perrault, Cannon, & McCarthy, 2009). Secondly, I think the student has missed the point by bringing in the issue of global warming as being a consequence of various marketing strategies. In my opinion, they should have discussed the future implications in terms of how marketing would have influenced both the microeconomics and the macroeconomics of a country amid globalization. The idea of marketing bringing in illnesses is a bit farfetched as most companies struggle to give their customers the best in the market, closely following internationally accepted standards of production and quality assurance. Besides, it is the duty of every consumer to be aware of the products and services and their side effects irrespective of what the law says about such products and services. Marketing is a multifaceted tool in business and can have various implications like rapidly growing economy, and improved communication channels and strategies (Perrault, Cannon, & McCarthy,

Discussing The American Ideals In The Post War Period English Literature Essay

Discussing The American Ideals In The Post War Period English Literature Essay Throughout this essay I shall be discussing the American ideals in the post-war period. I will question whether American Culture is all about conforming to one single incontrovertible ideal. Therefore, I will be concentrating on Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman (1949) and David Mamets Glengarry Glen Ross (1982). These texts are of particular interest from a theoretical point of view because the time of their writing spans a period from the end of modernism through to post-modernism. As such they offer a valuable opportunity to examine the American dream. All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. (Jefferson, 2004, p48) This pursuit of happiness is now what is seen as the American dream. A result within the evolution of economical trade, the uppermost definition of Americas pursuit of happiness is success, often rejecting the original values within the declaration, all men maybe created equal but the pursuit of happiness soon denies equality. Miller and Mamet, present plays where equality has been denied making way for the competitive world that is conforming to one single incontrovertible ideal(Clark). It was Calvin Coolidge  who said, The Business of America is Business(Coolidge, 1968, p3) highlighting America not as a land of opportunity but a land of capitalism. Coolidge goes on Of course the accumulation of wealth cannot be justified as the chief end of existence (Coolidge, 2007, p358). When looking at the two plays, it is easy to see how Coolidge came to this decision. An immediate evolution can be seen even within the titles. Millers play Death of a Salesman (1940s) shows that the play is clearly about the death of a man who was a salesman. Whereas, Mamets play Glengarry Glen Ross (1980s) is named after a plot of land, a product that is being sold. The man no longer exists but has been consumed by a world where selling is life. By using this as a starting point, it is easy to see how both Miller and Mamet create worlds were men are struggling to keep an existence as a result of the American culture. As a Master craftsman (Richards, 1976, p4) Miller uses incredible detail in his stage directions, by using an exploded set Miller was able to create dramatic effect. This setting can be seen as the destruction taken place in Willys mind. This set could also be used as a theatrical tool to represent the destruction of any male mind, forced upon by the world in which it is set. Furthermore, this setting also manages to retain the Aristotelian unity of time and place throughout the play, showing Loman not only as the typical 1940s family man, but also as a typical product of American culture. The majority of the action takes in Willys family home. The Brooklyn neighbourhood, a fashionable place to be well liked(Miller, 1949, p2329). The first of the set of stage directions say the house is in fact a dream rising out of reality(p2327) reflecting the need to accomplish ones self in a world where money is the only acceptable goal, all of Willys achievements can be see within the house. Wha t is more, this unity of time and place is also a tool that can be carried along the years to Glengarry with one difference, the family home has disappeared, the need to accomplish success is no longer to be well liked(2329), money is no longer an acceptable goal, but the only goal, this is the point where America is business. Benedict Nightingale described the Mamets characters within Glengarry as Willy Loman at work in the 1980s just as vulnerable but even more driven, even more compromised and distorted by the pressures of commerce and the harshness of society (Nightingale, p89) The willy loman at work in the 80s could also represent the exploded mind of Willy existence; an un-natural existence where everything Willy once knew has now changed, the world that was changing is now reality in Glengarry Glen Ross. Mamet disregards everything that was once natural the garden, the family, the neighbours. Instead the new nature is that of human nature that has been developed to close and always be closing(Mamet, 1982). The men are only in two places, either the office or the restaurant by taking away the family scenes. Mamet has created a play beyond Loman, an existence where there isnt a real life or a proper existence, but an exploded mind, a mind full of expletives words, empty words that dont quite connect. This disintegration of language from the 1940s Death of a Salesman to the 1980s Glengarry Glen Ross is so well presented that it was referred to by the actors of the 1992 film adaptation as Death of a Fuckin Salesman(Harris, 2008), not even the language has been completed, it has only deteriorated to the point that the Salesman has to highlight his power by being that Fuckin Salesman. The characters themselves rarely complete a sentence, never mind completing it without profanity. They never complete a deal and the play does not complete itself. Figure one (to the left), shows a poster for a Death of Salesman; it can be assumed that the image is Willy. The image could connote the idea that Willy is no longer in the spot light; he is not the successful salesman. The character has his back turned, and is a shadow of a man. Willy is a man standing still in the shadows of a world constantly moving and so he continues using his own method, powers of persuasion, talk. Willys personal representations of the American Dream are his brother Ben and the salesman Dave Singleman, and he views the success of these two men as something to aim for, he does not accept that these symbols of success are also past. As Willy looks to Dave Singleman for success, what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four . . . and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people?(Miller, 1949, p2361) His admiration of Singlemans prolonged success illustrates his obsession with being well liked. He fathoms having people remember and love him as the ultimate satisfaction, because such warmth from business contacts would validate him in a way that his familys love does not. However, Willy Ignores, the fact that he was a single man still working at age eighty-four. Levene looks to Willy Loman as a Single-man figure, using similar tactics. Levene uses invention and improvise, he is the performative salesman, and like Willy he believes he can be successful in the future because he was successful in the past. When he performs the story of his successful sale with the Nyborgs, we actually hear Levine being referred to, as the Machine (Mamet, 1982) up to now he has been a failure; Levine believes he can sell like he could when he was still hot.(Mamet,1982) This is Levene fatal flaw, just like Willy, he has a tendency to believe what he wants to believe. There is no growth or resolution by any of the characters. Its contacts Charley, I got important contacts!(Miller, 1949, p2344) says Willy. Give me the leads!(Mamet, 1982) Says Levene. Willy dies the death of a salesman; Shelly says, I was born for a salesman Mamet, 1982, yet suffers the same fate as Willy. Levene is no longer conforming to the incontrovertible ideal but being murdered by it, the symbolic death of Levine the machine forces him to look back into the past like Loman, he depends of the glory of the past, but in this fast moving world the past doesnt exist. Levine has to try to cling on to identity talks to the end like Loman I I à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Mamet, 1982). The only resolution that appears is death, in Death of a Salesman it is the physical death of Willy, and in Glengarry, it is the ending of words, the ending of selling. Due to constant striving towards the American dream everyone seems unhappy in someway, they have not reached the incontrovertible ideal that acts a s some sort of substantial completion. As well as the American Dream, both the plays show the characters performing to another incontrovertible ideal, and that is masculinity. A man  IS  his job  and you are  fucked at yours (Mamet, 1982) Willy was his job, when his job was taken away from him, he ceased to exist. In Millers essay Tragedy of the Common Man, Miller identifies the tragic flaw of all common men as inherent unwillingness to remain passive in the face of what he conceives to be a challenge to his dignity, his image of his rightful status.(Miller, 1949, p1) Willy defines himself as a salesman, and feels that he must succeed in the business world to define himself as an accomplished man. Mamet believes that the idea that Willy perceives as being successful is the ideal that makes up the masculine identity. Mamet describes Glengarry as a gang comedy about men, work, and unbridled competition (Kane, 1992, p. 256) merging the idea that masculinity is capitalism, work is money, money is success, success is m asculine. Mamets view shows a primitive connection to masculinity, it is a gang of unbridled competition a pack like resemblance and Willys inherent unwillingness to remain passive(Miller) means he steps out of place within the gang and therefore cast aside, the same can be said for Levene. Both plays represent the idea that all men are cogs in a working machine controlled by a higher power suggesting there are not only a gang at work but also a whole pack of wolves. As Shakespeare once claimed All the worlds a stage, and all the  men and women merely players (Shakespeare, 2001,p417). In Glengarry the players are the salesmen playing in the world of Mitch Murray, the world of capitalism has become so powerful that there is no access or communication with the boss. This is where we can see the main difference between the two plays. In Death of a Salesman Willy is still able to communicate with his boss, Howard, not only communicate but also converse with. A raisonneur character is one that appears to express the authors opinions towards the subject matter. In the Death of a Salesman and Glengarry, the raisonneur puts forward an argument against the idea that American culture is all about conforming to one single incontrovertible ideal and in someway bring some morals to the narratives. I looked at the pen and I thought, what the hell am I grabbing this for? Why am I trying to become what I dont want to be . . . when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am. (Miller, 1949) For the first time in this capitalistic culture we see a character fighting out against the American Dream. Biff claims he is, who he is and conforming to an incontrovertible ideal would only change him. Biff is confident explaining this to his father and goes on to explain that he comfortable with the fact that he is a dime a dozen,(Miller, 1949) accepting this allows Biff to escape the conformist culture, and escape from his fathers delusional lifestyle. Biff is now able to break away from the conventional. Biff goes on to tell his father You were never anything but a hard-working drummer who landed in the ash can like all the rest of them!(Miller, 1949) Biff wants his father to know that he was successful; he was a hard working man but a victim of the American Culture. Willy cannot understand any identity that goes beyond material success and a well liked status, all promised by the American Dream. By taking control of his own life with his own dreams, Biff is the real success. It is hard to find a raisonneur character in Glengarry however; it can be argued that the act of stealing the leads is a revulsion against the capitalist hierarchy. Originally the reader is lead to believe that the thief is Aaronow, one of the quieter characters. In conversation, faster talkers like Moss and Roma easily overpower Aaronow. His dependence on the others is apparent as he tends repeat what other people are saying to him. Like Levene, Aaronow is not on the board and is in danger of getting fired. When the reader finds out Aaronow has not stolen the leads, he is then represented as a raisonneur rejecting the act, and therefore the dream. On the hand, Moss, who set up the robbery, fights against Levene, the true thief Fuck the machine (Mamet, 1982) this outburst acts as a fight against the traditional salesman. When looking at these two plays one can see how the American culture adapts to performing to the single ideal through modernism aspect of Death of a Salesman though to the condition of postmodernism in Glengarry, the disappearance of history, the death of the human and possibly humanity, a circumstance of Capitalism. As the motion moves the eternal present only exists by the next sale, there is no time to stop. Theodor W. Adorno says, In America there is no difference between a man and his economic fate. A man is made by his assets, income, position and prospects. The economic mask coincides completely with a mans inner character (Adorno, 1999, p195) the Marx critic then goes on to explain, Everyone is worth what he earns and earns what he is worth(p195) product has become everything to prove yourself, produce and materials good have become an extension of ones self. The sales office in Glengarry represents a pure capitalist culture. Separating men by success, literally by a board, the top selling gets a Cadillac and to the other extreme the bottom man gets fired. In some way this environment is backward, cutting all relationships, every character must work for his own success as well as hope for or purposely intervene, into his co-workers failure; the system is brutal and compassionless. At the plays climax, Levene questions Williamson about his motives to report him to the police, Williamson response, Because I dont like you.(Mamet,1982) Williamson, a businessman himself, has been trained to fear and hate failure. Similarly, J. Ronald Oakley claims that American are consumed by desires for status, material goods, and acceptance, Americans apparently had lost the sense of individuality, thrift, hard work, and craftsmanship that had characterized the nation (Oakley, 1960) Oakley goes on to express that this materialistic America is due to the aftermath of World War II and that it exacerbated the ethical shift as a consumer culture blossomed and Americans became preoccupied with material goods (Oakley). This has been Willys fate; his failure was already set as a man at that bottom of the capitalistic hierarchy. Willys whose world is represented in his house; it is an extension of him. Props in the play such as the refrigerator, trophy and table with three chairs(Miller, 1949), have intended to show the different modern lifestyles that Willy, as a salesman has been able to keep to. The trophy represents success and how it was in reach for the Lomans and how they were close to getting the American Dream that has resulted in Willys down fall, the main object to his fatal flaw. Miller goes as far to represent the sense of individuality, thrift, hard work, (Oakley) which Oakley speaks of. The author describes his setting as a Solid vault of an apartment houses around the small. Fragile-seeming home(Miller, 1949), a dramatic devise used by Miller to show Willys failure to be a success and also creates a very enclosed feeling, the pressure Willy is experiencing, in trying to meet the demands of work, his family and in trying to achieve ultimate success. Moreover, this failure and belief is what has carried on through to the nineteen-eighties, merging both plays together into one circular narrative, as long as Americans keep conforming to one single incontrovertible ideal the American dream will stay alive, and the stories of the salesmans death will be continued. Bibliography Adorno in Kane David Mamets Glengarry Glen Ross: text and performance. (Vol 8) Routledge, 1999 Coolidge in Fuess Calvin Coolidge The Man from Vermont,. Read Boook, 2007 Coolidge in Berg The Business of America, Harcourt, Brace World, 1968 Harris, Pacino Worldwide Movie Gallery 2008 http://www.pacinoworldwide.com/pacinoworldwidemoviegallery/id37.html Visited: 7/03/2010 Jefferson, in Bernstien Thomas Jefferson: The Revolution of Ideas. Oxford University Press US, 2004 Kane, Brass Balls: Masculine Communication and the Discourse of Capitalism in David Mamets  Glengarry Glen Ross in The Journal of Mens Studies(Vol 8) http://mensstudies.metapress.com/content/n72577l755jk307j/ Viewed 07/03/2009 Mamet, Glengarry Glen Ross (1982) in The Norton Anthology: American Literature (vol E 7th ed) Baym W.W Norton company, 2007 (3042-3074) Miller, Tragedy and the common man. Department of English, [University of California at Berkeley], 1949 Miller, Death of a Salesman (1949) in The Norton Anthology: American Literature (vol E 7th ed) Baym W.W Norton company, 2007 (2327-2389) Nightingale in Christopher Bigsby (ed) Cambridge Companion to David Mamet P89 Oakley,  Gods Country: America in the Fifties, Yale University Press, 1960 Richards, America on stage: ten great plays of American history. University of Michigan, 1976 Shakespeare, As you like it in A New Varioum Edition of Shakespeare Series Works,  Classic Books Company, 2001

One of Canadas Greatest Authors, Margaret Laurence :: Biography Biographies Essays

The Early Years: The Beginnings of a Writer Sunday, July 18th 1926, at 7:30pm at the Neepawa General Hospital, one of Canada's greatest authors, Margaret Laurence, was born to proud parents Robert and Verna Wemyss. Verna's father, John Simpson, was a self-made man. Born in 1853 in Middletown Ontario, John attended school, training to be a cabinetmaker. In the 1870's John, with only his change in his pocket, made his way towards Portage la Prairie Manitoba, in an attempt to unite with a cousin who sold clothing there. While working in the clothing store, John met his future wife, Jane Bailey. Four years after marrying Jane the Simpson family decided to move north, towards to the newly founded town of Neepawa. Margaret's Laurence's grandmother, Margaret Weymss, whom she was named after, came from a proud family. Margaret Weymss' great-grandfather was the Minister of Agriculture, and at one point the Premier of Manitoba. Margaret Laurence's grandfather, John Weymss, came from England to Neepawa in 1883. John Weymss, Neepawa's first lawyer, was a bright aristocratic man dying tragically, two weeks after the birth of his granddaughter Margaret. This was only the beginning of the many tragic deaths that Margaret's family endured in her first twenty years of life. At the young age of four, Margaret's mother Verna Simpson died. The death of Margaret's mother had a profound effect on the once bright and bubbly girl. It was Verna who first nicknamed her daughter Margaret, "Peggy", a name by which Margaret was addressed as for almost 40 years. After Verna's death, her older sister, Margaret Simpson, quickly moved in with Peggy and her father. A year after moving in, Margaret Simpson married Robert Weymss, becoming "mother" to Peggy. In 1935, another tragedy shook the Weymss household. Peggy's father Robert died after catching pneumonia. Margaret's last family death in her early years was in 1936 when Peggy's grandmother Jane, contracted Polio. It was around this time that Peggy began to write, in an attempt to escape the horrible nightmare she was living, by creating imaginary worlds. Margaret found that writing was the only way she could control external events, such as life and death. At the age of thirteen Margaret Laurence's first story "Pillars of a Nation" was published in the newspaper TheWinnipeg Free Press. The fictional town name Manawaka first appeared in this story. Her second work published in the Winnipeg Free Press was "The Case of the Blond Butcher" only a few months after the first. One of Canada's Greatest Authors, Margaret Laurence :: Biography Biographies Essays The Early Years: The Beginnings of a Writer Sunday, July 18th 1926, at 7:30pm at the Neepawa General Hospital, one of Canada's greatest authors, Margaret Laurence, was born to proud parents Robert and Verna Wemyss. Verna's father, John Simpson, was a self-made man. Born in 1853 in Middletown Ontario, John attended school, training to be a cabinetmaker. In the 1870's John, with only his change in his pocket, made his way towards Portage la Prairie Manitoba, in an attempt to unite with a cousin who sold clothing there. While working in the clothing store, John met his future wife, Jane Bailey. Four years after marrying Jane the Simpson family decided to move north, towards to the newly founded town of Neepawa. Margaret's Laurence's grandmother, Margaret Weymss, whom she was named after, came from a proud family. Margaret Weymss' great-grandfather was the Minister of Agriculture, and at one point the Premier of Manitoba. Margaret Laurence's grandfather, John Weymss, came from England to Neepawa in 1883. John Weymss, Neepawa's first lawyer, was a bright aristocratic man dying tragically, two weeks after the birth of his granddaughter Margaret. This was only the beginning of the many tragic deaths that Margaret's family endured in her first twenty years of life. At the young age of four, Margaret's mother Verna Simpson died. The death of Margaret's mother had a profound effect on the once bright and bubbly girl. It was Verna who first nicknamed her daughter Margaret, "Peggy", a name by which Margaret was addressed as for almost 40 years. After Verna's death, her older sister, Margaret Simpson, quickly moved in with Peggy and her father. A year after moving in, Margaret Simpson married Robert Weymss, becoming "mother" to Peggy. In 1935, another tragedy shook the Weymss household. Peggy's father Robert died after catching pneumonia. Margaret's last family death in her early years was in 1936 when Peggy's grandmother Jane, contracted Polio. It was around this time that Peggy began to write, in an attempt to escape the horrible nightmare she was living, by creating imaginary worlds. Margaret found that writing was the only way she could control external events, such as life and death. At the age of thirteen Margaret Laurence's first story "Pillars of a Nation" was published in the newspaper TheWinnipeg Free Press. The fictional town name Manawaka first appeared in this story. Her second work published in the Winnipeg Free Press was "The Case of the Blond Butcher" only a few months after the first.

Case Studyâ€Baldwin Bicycles Essay

From the article it seemed that Baldwin Bicycle Company competed somewhere between a cost leader and a differentiator. Baldwin had been a bicycle manufacturer for almost 40 years. The article illustrated that Baldwin Bicycle had the image of being above average in quality in price, meaning to say that it was not low cost competitor. Besides, Baldwin had never before distributed its products through department store chains of K-Mart, which is well-known for its low price. However, no obvious evidence showed that Baldwin had targeted a particular market segment as a differentiator. To begin with, the company seemed trying to attract all range of customers—its product line involved 10 models which targeted from small beginners’ model with training wheels to a deluxe 12 speed adult’s model. Moreover, over a long term operation, Baldwin Bicycle seemed not created any superior competitive advantage that could be identified by customers to be apart from its competitors, such as brand loyalty, customer service, product feathers or technology. Above all, Baldwin Bicycle had not clarified its strategic orientation currently. b If Baldwin took up Hi-Valu’s offer, how might this change the way Baldwin competes? In particular, think about the effect on Baldwin’s costs and distribution channels(i.e. the retailers).(45%) If accepting the offer, Baldwin’s strategy may be restructured more like a cost-leader. Before drawing a draft cost analysis, several assumptions should be considered. a) Selling price should remain consistent. b) Variable and fixed costs should remain constant. Direct material and labor costs remained the same in the current range, and no idle time allowed. c) Estimation of that Hi-Value would purchase 25.000 units and Baldwin would lose 3000 units should be accurate. Incremental cost and revenue if accept Hi-Value’s offer Baldwin got capacity to accept the offer since 75% capacity had been used. Total capacity would be 131,721 units so Baldwin was able to produce extra 25,000 units. While sales volume was estimated to be 100,000 units less 3,000 units deduction plus 25,000 units=122,000 units, which quite near to its total capacity, fixed and variable costs level would change. Contribution margin was calculated as $12.47 after tax. Deducting one time added costs per unit of $0.2 , increased working capital $4.33 per unit and margin on lost margin(3,000units loss), total incremental effect would be $2.72. Effect on profit was total $68,000. Although Challenger’s offer could guarantee additional revenue, incremental costs would put burden on Baldwin’s current financial position provided accounts receivables from Hi-Value increased, making Baldwin had no extra money to develop its own product, such as new technology and feathers. As a result, to take the offer made Baldwin’s own products harder going up to the top. Distribution channel Currently Baldwin only distributed its products in speciality bicycle shops. After the offer being accepted, more distribution channels in Hi-Value stores at lower price than well-known bicycle brand such as Trek. Lower price with no significant new feathers or brand image, Challenger seemed more like low cost product. Customer and competitor reactions Accepting the offer would to some extent damage Baldwin’s brand image. Lower price and more discount distribution channel would pull Baldwin down from â€Å"above average in quality and price† speciality bicycle manufacturer to lower price manufacturer, causing a potential loss of customers and sales. Some competitors would follow Baldwin’s step, seeking for new investment or cooperation with department stores like Hi-Values . In the long run, this may share Baldwin’s current estimated sales or even, Hi-Value would cease the contract after 3 years and turn to someone else who offered lower price than Baldwin. By contrast, similar manufacturers may go to the opposite side- develop new technology, add up fresh feathers and advertise as top products to a be differentiators. In this term Baldwin may suffer from such  an embarrassing brand image from long run perspective. Other factors In addition, in terms of break-even point and safety margin, Baldwin was on the edge of losing sales due to the poor economic, resulting in a closer distance of the break-even point. To avoid the risk of making a loss rather than a profit, Baldwin should take the offer. However, before that Baldwin should also think about its cash flow. From the income statement it seemed that Baldwin could not bring out enough cash to the project. Besides, since production would increase, more warehouse space would be required which would incur further costs. Besides, above assumption didn’t include risk of losing more sales .Moreover, based on the current debt equity ratio, high leverage level would happen if Baldwin financed by loan since majority of its loan were short- term rather than long- term. To sum up, before taking the offer, it was essential for Baldwin to clearly define its strategy and consider the effect on it about accepting the offer. c Using Miles and Snow typology, speculate on Baldwin Bicycle Company’s strategic positioning.(45%) From Miles and Snow typology, Baldwin was projected to be a reactor. Since prospector should be highly innovative and analyzer’s domain is a mixture of stable and changing product or market, apparently Baldwin would not be one of those by maintaining in the current market and product line. Problems arose whether Baldwin was a defender or reactor. From strategy’ point of view, Baldwin behaved more like a reactor. Mile and Snow typology defines three reasons for an organization to be a reactor. 1. Top management of Baldwin had not clearly articulated the organization’s strategy. As talked in Question a, over 40 years Baldwin chose to act somewhere in between.  No clear strategy made Baldwin respond only when it was forced to by macro environmental pressures , in this case the poor economy. 2. Management does not fully shape the organization’s structure and processes to fit a chosen strategy. Compared to defender strategy which intends to secure and stable current market by offering a limited range of products, or offer better quality products or customer service, though selling and admiration expense was relevant high, Baldwin just sit there offering all range of  products without improve product quality . No internal reshape had been carried out , but response to external Hi-Value’s offer as it occurred. 3. Tendency for Management to maintain the organization’s current strategy-structure relationship despite overwhelming changes in environmental conditions. Al though risk of losing sales in the current economic situation and consideration of Hi-Value’s offer arose, top management seemed did not intend to restructure their strategy—to a definite cost leader or absolute top product. Above all, Baldwin was speculated to be reactor.

Napoleons Noble Failure essays

Napoleon's Noble Failure essays The Noble Failure of Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon's reign ended in defeat and exile, and the largest empire since the height of the Roman Empire quickly disintegrated without its creator. In essence, Napoleon's career can be seen as its overall conclusive state: a failure. By no means, however, can one consider his rule to be one of meekness or lackluster. The self-made emperor worked relentlessly to change France in ways that he believed would better the country and the every day lives of its people. Many reforms he made, regardless of their flaws, were of noble and just cause. These reforms became his most lasting impression on Europe and the world today. Adjustments to the economy, education systems, and work force were all part of his Civil Code, which to this day remains the root for many of the constitutions of the world today (Burnham, 1). Napoleon, though not with any degree of perfection, did devote his life whole-heartedly to what he thought was right for France in his day and age. Many see this kind of d evotion and enthusiasm as noble, therefore leading to the description of his career as a noble failure. Napoleon first made a name for himself as an ambitious and talented general in the Italian army. In 1799, the French legislature chose him as one of three de-facto rulers and dubbed him a consul of France. He soon became First Consul with the re-writing of the constitution. This re-drawing of the constitution also gave him the right to choose the men that served as the Counsel of State, which was responsible for the law making of the country. By inviting men to service who were already loyal to him through military experience, Napoleon became a powerful leader of a personalized government. Within a year of his commencement of power, Napoleon had ended the decade of the French Revolution and revealed his vision for the country. The destruction of the French Republic into a military based aristo...

Movies Historical Representation Essays

Movies Historical Representation Essays Movies Historical Representation Essay Movies Historical Representation Essay Essay Topic: Historical Name: Course: Lecturer: Date: Movies Historical Representation No country in the world has recorded its history through films as America has. America has created films about the major events in its history. It has served the memories of its past, and has acted as an educational tool. Apart from the documentaries concerning the specific events, many of the movies portray the events as they happened, with an additional touch of fiction and added or exaggerated heroism. These features appeal to the audiences as they add the entertainment value. Audiences across different sectors have different interpretations concerning the movie. This is largely influenced by the directors’ intention and objective when creating the movie. When the directors are more concerned about the entertainment, rather than the awareness or educational objective, they will not take keen interest about the accuracy of the events. They will instead seek to add visual effects and add other elements that appeal to the viewers. Movies can sometimes serve as a preserve for history, and they aim to represent the events as accurately as possible, but they often lack to show all the details concerning the event, thus making them less credible as sources of historical information. . The movie â€Å"Saving Private Ryan† by director Steven Spielberg is one of the most important and realistic movies about World War II. It is the story about a group of US soldiers who have to save Private Ryan. Many of the families suffered when their children went to the war. The government had set a policy that was aimed at making sure that family lines survived. Private Ryan had already lost three brothers in the war, and the government sent soldiers to save him since he was the only son left. The movie details the events of the operation. It shows the courage of the soldiers as they fight to save one of their own. It shows the loss and the heartbreak that the families suffered when their children went to war with no guarantee that they would ever see them again. The movie shows the bond that the soldiers developed as they fought the war, and the lengths they took to ensure that they survived. The battle scenes in the movie are violent, as they seek to show the real extent of the war. Spielberg has directed several movies about different wars. In a culture and country where war movies are released often, the characters and crew involved in the production of the movie might have watched several war movies. Many of the war movies glorify the individual bravery of the American soldiers. There is therefore a lot of influence of such ideologies in the movie. Sometimes, the directors do not research materials concerning the movie that is actually contrary to the obvious notion of heroism and bravery. They do not include material where soldiers from one country betray each other or make foolish decisions. In many movies, it seems like all the soldiers, and especially those in the leadership position, have a supernatural instinct to know the weaknesses of the enemy, and to know the right tactics to use to control the enemy. This is rarely the case however. Perhaps because of the limitation of time, the directors do not take time to know much about the war. However, it is possible that the main intent of the directors is to please the viewers and show them that the war was justified. Many Americans have lost loved ones in the war. Some of those who have fought in various wars feel that they have given something important to their country. They feel devoted to their country and they feel honored when their bravery is recognized. They are therefore pleased and excited when they get the chance to see such movies. Several printed records such as news articles and books that were written and published, as the war was ongoing give vivid descriptions of the war. In some cases, the soldiers did not always make the right decisions. They were often frightened and they ended up making costly mistakes. Many of the soldiers died in the hands of their fellow compatriots. Some of the soldiers made decisions that ended up putting the troops in danger. The soldiers fighting in the war were not always courageous despite the fact that they had been trained and well equipped for the war. They often made decisions out of fear, desperation, panic or pain (Lewis 134). If such accounts are considered, then it follows that many of the war movies, including â€Å"Saving Private Ryan†, may not be credible, and they do not reflect the war as it really happened. The movies usually show the ingenuity of the soldiers, the wisdom of the captains and other leaders, the obedience of the soldiers to their leaders and the courage of the men. In the movie, the captain chose one of the people who had not been trained for war to accompany them in the search for Ryan. The man did not know the intricacies of the war, and it is through him that the audience learns and sees the fear of the men. There are many factors that led to the end of the war, and that determined the winner of the war. In the case of the Second World War, the American soldiers were fighting with the Germans. The Germans had fought for several years during the Nazi invasion. They were short of supplies and resources, including soldiers, and this weakened them. Americans took considerable time before joining other countries to fight the Germans. They had enough resources when they joined other countries. They were therefore in a better position than the Germans and this enabled them to win the war (Lewis 134). Such accounts are not usually recorded in war movie. The fact that the movie directors and producers show scanty details concerning few aspects of the event, contributes to the lack of credibility seen in war movies. In many Hollywood war movies, someone is always willing to sacrifice his life for the others, and â€Å"Saving Private Ryan† is not an exception. In the movie, Captain Miller chooses to stay behind and fight alongside Ryan. He and his troops go through a lot in their quest for finding Ryan. Some of the men, including Captain Miller, end up dead. What the movie directors fail to realize is that in some of the cases, many of the soldiers are more concerned about saving their lives, than they are in sacrificing themselves for their compatriots. Many critics and audiences believe that the movie is one of the most realistic movies about the Second World War. This is largely because of the graphic violence shown in the movie. The movie starts with extremely violent scenes where the American soldiers are attacked and killed by the Germans on land, and in water. The rest of the movie also has other violent scenes although they are not as graphic as they are in the beginning. Despite its shortcomings, the movie was a good production, and it served to depict the horrors of the war. The movie’s graphic scenes helped in showing just how much the soldiers went through when fighting the war. America has continued to fight in other wars in modern time. It has fought in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and many American soldiers have lost their lives. In the movie, Ryan was lucky enough to survive the war. Other families are not as lucky today, as they have continued to lose their children in the war. The movie makes one wonder whether there is any sense in getting involved in the war. In some cases, American troops are involved in wars, without perceived threat to the county. For instance, NATO’s decision to invade Libya led to the deaths of many people. The country was engaged in a civil war yet the international community, including America, felt the need to fight in the war. There are many ways of resolving conflicts between people, and they d o not have to kill each other as a means of finding peace. Wars are necessary in some cases, as the soldiers fight to protect the people and defend their country. Just like other war movies, â€Å"Saving Private Ryan† is meant to preserve the honor of the soldiers who fought in the war. The directors who direct these movies want to show that the soldiers who sacrificed their lives should be honored and remembered for their bravery. Spielberg aims to show the duty and sacrifice that was made by the soldiers. The movie seems to encourage other people to join in the war (Thompson et al., 56). They do not question the legality of the wars. Many films do not capture the fear of the men and the hatred they have for the war. In the movie, Captain Miller confesses that he feels further away from home every time he kills a person. He does not however do anything about it, but he instead chooses to follow orders. Many families detest wars since they end up losing their loved ones. They not only feel a sense of loss when their loved ones die in the war, but they also feel that their country has let them down. War movies do not capture these sentim ents. They do not capture the fact that many of the soldiers would want to be safe with their families. They seem to promote the stereotypical view that men are supposed to be courageous and they should fight for defense. Anyone who does not hold this view is seen as a coward. American war movies do not fail to show the bond that the soldiers develop with each other. They show how the soldiers sacrifice their lives for each other, and the friendship and the closeness that they develop when in the danger zone. They show the wisdom, ingenuity, courage, obedience and heroism of the soldiers. They sometimes show the fear of the soldiers. These are not usually the true representation of the reality on the battleground. The movies fail to show the cowardice that some of the soldiers feel. They fail to show how the soldiers feel whenever they kill a person. Many of the movies with violent scenes show the soldiers killing each other mercilessly and without remorse. This is not usually the case, as the soldiers will usually prefer to use other methods of dealing with the enemy. The movies fail to show the poor decisions that often put the soldiers at risk. They fail to show how the soldiers panic and they end up betraying and killing each other in battle. The movie is less credible because it contains inadequate details of the event, and it concentrates on the positive attributes of the American soldiers.

Business Communication Issues in an Organization Assignment

Business Communication Issues in an Organization - Assignment Example Johansson (93-110) gave example of Swedish organizations where business communication is being used as the strategic medium to convey the message to different departments, internal stakeholders’ & external stakeholders and shareholders. Gregory (215-23) defined communication as the material flow of imagination, views and understanding between two or more parties and in such context, business communication can be defined as the material flow of imagination, information, views and understanding between internal stakeholders or different business entities. Research Subject: Previous researchers stressed on the role of business communication in the organization rather arguing for establishing a common definition of business communication. But, focus of this paper is not to shed light on aspects of business communication in a business organization rather key objective of the study is to shed light business communication issues in educational university. ... Due to such arguments of previous researchers, this study has decided to check efficiency of intra-department communication in the university and finding out, whether there is any scope exist for increasing efficiency of communication between various university department or not? Being a student of renowned Alghurair University (AGU) has decreased the choice bias for the researcher and the researcher has selected Alghurair University (AGU) as the sample organization in this paper.    The university faces difficulty regarding communicating the message to all the departments with equal integrity and such disruption of communication might caused due to various communications barrier. Research Background & Problem Statement: Alghurair University (AGU) has many colleges such as College of Law, College of interior design, College of business studies and College of engineering & computing etc. Now, the problem is that numerous departments have been created by the University authority in o rder to maintain process flow in these departments but for some times now, the departments are facing challenges regarding communicating with each other and also delivering information in accurate and timely manner to students. According to limited knowledge of researcher, although many of the students faced difficulties regarding ambiguous intra-department communication in the university but till date, no researcher ever tried to shed light on the topic. Hence, statement of problem for the research paper is to â€Å"identify existing problems in intra-department communication in Alghurair University (AGU) and find suitable recommendation to increase the level of

Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Case Study - Essay Example Starting with the establishment of the first store in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas, Sam Walton together with his brother had managed to grow the firm to 32 stores spread across four states by 1969, when Wal-Mart Stores, Inc was incorporated, and subsequently to 330 stores spread across 11 states by 1980, culminating in 1,402 Wal-Mart Stores and 123 Sam’s Wholesale Club outlets covering 29 states by Jan 1990 with Sales of over $25.8 billion. In fact, back in 1977, Forbes magazine had ranked Wal-Mart first in the discount retailing industry based on parameters such as return on equity, return on capital, sales growth, and earnings growth. To understand the reasons behind such phenomenal performance it will be prudent to look at some financial performance parameters of Wal-Mart and its competitors, and then to look at how competitive forces act in this industry using Porter’s Five forces model. b) During the same period, the performance figures of other major competitors as given in Exhibit 5 of the case show that Sears and Kmart had recorded an average annual sales growth rate of just 7.8% and 7.9% respectively, while Target had recorded 12.9%. This indicates that Wal-Mart was way ahead of competition in sales growth. c) Wal-Mart also ensured that this sales growth was accompanied by excellent returns to stockholders by maintaining the profitability despite such growth in sales. Thus net earnings increased from $0.55 billion in 1981 to $1.90 billion in 1990, with EPS growing from $0.11 million to $1.90 million d) On this count again Wal-Mart was way above competitors clocking an average growth rate of 30.3% on Return on Equity (ROE), and 32.9% on EPS as against Sears (11.1%; 8.0%), Kmart (13.5%; 12.6%), and Target (15.2%; 14%). e) Wal-Mart had also managed its working capital very well with a current ratio ranging from a low of 1.66 to a high of 2.07 during this decade, primarily through excellent management of inventories, achieving an