Haunted House Essay

It was a dark frightening night. I was running at full speed as I was being followed by some unknown men. I could not run anymore and entered into a house. I found myself in a very dark house. There were cobwebs everywhere. I was shivering like a leaf. It was a big house like those of the royal palaces, but that house seemed to belong to a witch. I just opened the door to see if those men were there and unfortunately they were outside, I immediately closed the door. I could not find sleep so I decided to visit the house. The house looked very beautiful from outside, but inside it looked very shabby. There were rats coming from a hole in a corner of the living room. It was disgusting. I then arrived near the rooms of the house. I found some books on a table and there was a diary on it. I just blew up all the dust from it and started to read it. That story made my heart pound heavily. In the diary, the last sentence written was â€Å" Angrily I kept them in one of the rooms†. That sentence made me look very tense. Curiously I went to open the rooms found in the house. I was anxious to know what were kept in one of the rooms. I continued to open the doors till I arrived near a door different from the others. I opened it and†¦ I quickly went downstairs, opened the door and left that haunted house. I promised to never enter that house. In

Analysis of the opening sequence of ‘To kill a mocking bird’

The film portrays the innocence and world of play of a tomboyish six year-old girl and her ten year-old brother, and their perception of their widowed attorney father. They also fantasise about an outsider who inhabits a mysterious house in their neighbourhood. Abruptly brought out of their carefree world by their father's unpopular but courageous defence of a black man falsely accused of raping a Southern white woman. Although racism dooms the accused man, a prejudiced adult vengefully attacks the children on a dark night – they are unexpectedly delivered from real harm in the film's climax by the reclusive neighbour, â€Å"Boo† Radley. The opening shot of the film contains the universal international globe spinning, along with a simplistic piano solo. The piano solo loses us in a child's world, as the music has an element of innocence and simplicity. The camera then pans to an overhead shot of a worn box. The simplistic, childlike music is then accompanied by the child's effort to make music of which is very basic. The audience is unaware of the gender of the child. However the child's tone gives the audience the impression that it is a little girl, therefore it may be scout. A young pair of hands appears to open the box revealing a collection of valued treasures, including crayons (new and used), a mechanical pencil, two carved soap doll figurines – one male and one female, an old broken pocket watch, a skeleton key, a broken pocket knife, a medal, a few marbles, jacks, chalk and other minor objects. Each of these items are emphasised, some of these items are related to the storyline, for that reason the producer could have done this to allow the audience a swift summary of the film, however their significance is not appreciated until the end. As she opens the box she sings, hums and giggles to herself, these gestures flow with the music. It's almost as if the child is expressing her emotions though the music allowing the audience to relate more to her character. She then colours over lined paper with a round crayon, revealing the title of the film in white letters, her tone sounding almost satisfied with the outcome. The camera circles slowly from left to right along various collections of carefully-arranged objects in magnified close-up. After viewing the opening sequence numerous times. A black and a white striped marble are emphasised by the camera, leaving the viewer questioning their relevance. The white ball is then set in motion by the child. The white marbles then collides with the black marble. By this action the producer could be implying the racial tension between blacks and whites. After drawing a simple, stick-figured ‘mockingbird', the girl shades in the winged creature and then rips the paper through the bird. With this gesture, the girl giggles and sighs pleasingly. This action could also relate to the division in her society. Symbolism plays a large role in the opening sequence; the objects that appear behind the opening credits include a pocket watch, pearl necklace, whistle, marbles and a child's drawing of a bird – they are all items that gain meaning as the story unfolds. The music is very important in the opening sequence; it begins with a simplistic, childlike piano solo, and then develops by almost expressing the girl's emotions and actions. The music varies with her every action, when she colours in the music becomes the base tune as the scribbling and the girl's self satisfaction or dissatisfaction is expressed in her tone of humming and singing. The music almost acts as a teleport taking the audience in to the film; this could assist them, in their understanding of the child and her actions. The way the producer has: angled the cameras, so that the symbols appear all different dimensions it makes the items either fragile and delicate or sturdy and imposing, and the way they have used significant symbols to set the scene make the viewer feel intent on finding out the significance of them in the storyline. Overall the use of music, symbolism, and camera angles set the scene perfectly as there are hidden meanings and hints of what may unravel. The music acts as the child's emotional state, and allows the audience to relate and experience her little world. While the use of symbolism helps the audience visualise the world of a child and relate to her ability. Finally the way the producer has angled the camera, emphasising the objects that have significance in the storyline helps the audience understand the vulnerability a child has. The use of all of these techniques helps the audience relate to the child and the objects relevance in relation to the film.

Excellent Human Resources Management

Global Strategy Group Need to change pic Welcome to Samsung Global Strategy Group I. Samsung Overview II. Global Strategy Group (GSG) III. GSG & You IV. Korea & Seoul I. Samsung Overview I. Samsung Overview (Revenue & Global Presence) Fast growth and vast global footprint Samsung Group Revenue Billion US Dollars 247 Global Operations ? ? 141 149 87 Samsung Electronics 80 22 1997 4 2005 2011 Number of Employees: 344,000 worldwide Offices: 510 offices and facilities in 74 countries I. Samsung Overview (Brand Value) Samsung ranked 17th among global companies in 2011 5 I. Samsung Overview (Total 28 Affiliates Companies) Samsung Group consists of various business units Electronics Industry Engineering & Heavy Industry Chemical Financial Services Engineering Total Life Insurance Cheil Worldwide Economics Research Institute C&T Corporation Petrochemical Fire & Marine Insurance Everland Inc. S1 Corporation Heavy Industries Fine Chemicals Samsung Card The Shilla Hotels & Resorts Medical Center BP Chemicals Securities Cheil Industries Inc. Asset Management Electronics SDI Other Companies Electro-Mechanics Corning Precision Glass SDS BioLogics Venture Investment Techwin Display 7 Affiliates 5 Affiliates 6 Affiliates 7 Affiliates 5% of Group Revenue 6 3 Affiliates 14% of Group Revenue 3% of Group Revenue 15% of Group Revenue 3% of Group Revenue I. Samsung Overview (SEC Device Business) Electronics (Device) 7 World Leading Consumer Electronics Manufacturer I. Samsung Overview (SEC Device Business) Market leadership in various products Flat Panel TV 28. 3% 1 29. 1% 1 30. 1% LCD TV 28. 5% 1 28. 9% 1 29. 8% Han dset 19. 4% 2 20. 6% 2 21. 2% Monitor 17. 0% 1 16. 3% 1 17. 1% A4 Printer 19. 0% 2 19. 8% 2 19. 3% 11. 6% 3 13. 3% 2 13. 4% Refrigerator 8 I. Samsung Overview (SEC Component Business) Electronics (Component) 9 Powering Today’s Devices I. Samsung Overview (SEC Component Business) Market leadership in various products DRAM 33. 6% 1 37. 4% 1 42. 2% Flash Memory 40. 6% 1 38. 6% 1 37. 0% Mobile Camera Sensor 28. 0% 1 28. 0% 1 27. 8% Smart Phone Processor 47. 6% 1 70. 3% 1 70. 4% 8. 7% 4 9. 8% 2 8. 9% LED Component 10 I. Samsung Overview (Other Electronics Companies) Complementary Technologies to the Core Device and Component Businesses Electronics (Others) Samsung SDI Samsung SDS System Integration Company Business Process Data Center & Cloud Smart Cities & Convergence Pioneering Green Solutions Energy Storage System Lithium Ion Battery PDP Samsung Display 1 Display Company OLED 11 LED Other Mobile Device Screen Samsung Electro Mechanics World Leading Electronic Part Company TV Parts (IP Board) Mobile Parts PC Part (Network Module) (Camera Module) I. Samsung Overview (Engineering & Heavy Industry) Leading companies in construction & shipbuilding Engineering & Heavy Industry Samsung C&T Samsung Engineering Burj Khalifa Pet ronas Tower (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) Indian Oil Co. , Ltd. Refinery Project (Barauni, India) Saudi Arabia Olefin Plant (Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia) Samsung Heavy Industries Built world’s first drillship for Arctic Regions 12 Leading builder of large container ships (16,000 TEU) I. Samsung Overview (Financial Services) Financial Services Domestic leader in financial services with global aspirations Samsung Insurance Samsung Asset Management #1 Insurance in Korea #1 Asset Management in Korea Samsung Credit Card Samsung Securities #2 Credit Card in Korea 13 #1 Investment Banking In Korea I. Samsung Overview (Globalization Is the Key for Future Growth) New Business Model & Product Idea 14 Global Expansion and Talent New Business Initiatives I. Samsung Overview (Critical to Develop Global Talent Pool) Diversifying Global HQ Expanding Global Reach Samsung Electronics Target ? Samsung Electronics Target Overseas 45% Number of Global Employees in Korea 60% 2,000 65% 1,500 Head Office 55% 1999 850 40% 35% 2015 2020 1999 2015 2020 Other Affiliates Require Top Global Talent for Further Growth Construction & Engineering †¢ Samsung C&T †¢ Samsung Engineering Financial Services 15 †¢ Insurance †¢ V C, IB & Asset Mgmt System Integration †¢ Samsung SDS Lithium Ion Car Battery & Energy Storage system †¢ Samsung SDI Electro Mechanics †¢ Samsung Electro-Mechanics Resort & Environment Business †¢ Everland II. Global Strategy Group II. Global Strategy Group (History) Since its inception by Chairman Lee in 1997, GSG has been recognized as a credible and highly visible strategic partner to Samsung’s top executives â€Å"We need high caliber global talent who can reveal to us a fresh perspective on trends and the latest information. Let us develop talent to become global managers abroad by familiarizing them with Samsung. † â€Å"I greatly appreciate the performance of GSG. Their project work never fails to give me new perspective. I sincerely hope to work close together down the road. † Kun-hee Lee, Chairman Gee-sung Choi, Vice Chairman Samsung Group Corporate Strategy Office 2011 17 The effect of non-Korean MBAs recruited to Samsung has been like that of a steady trickle of water on stone. The environment has slowly became more friendly to ideas from abroad. II. Global Strategy Group (Role of GSG within Samsung) Pool of foreign talent acting as strategic advisors to Samsung Group Enhance Samsung’s performance with fresh perspectives and innovative ideas Accelerate Samsung’s globalization through various interactions with senior management Develop a pool of global managers who understand Samsung Group and Korea 18 II. Global Strategy Group As Samsung continues to grow, GSG’s role becomes even more important $247B 07 $141B 63 Samsung Group Revenue 45 $87B 20 GS Recruits 25 20 2011 GS Recruits No. of Projects 2005 GS Recruits No. of Projects 1997 ? GSG established 19 No. of Projects ? Built internal reputation ? Greater demand for global talent ? GSG expansion ? Higher number of project requests from Samsung Affiliates II. Global Strategy Group (School Mix) Global Strategists (GS): 78 GS: 5 AM: 5 GS: 5 AM: 4 GS: 4 AM: 8 GS: 5 AM: 1 GSG alumni in Affiliate management (AM): 79 Region of origin Americas 86 Europe 50 Asia Pacific Africa 14 Others 7 GS: 1 AM: 3 GS: 4 AM: 4 GS: 17 AM: 15 20 GS: 4 AM: 4 GS: 4 AM: 4 GS: 2 AM: 4 GS: 5 AM: 3 GS: 1 AM: 0 GS: 5 AM: 5 GS: 4 AM: 2 GS: 6 AM: 9 GS: 5 AM: 6 II. Global Strategy Group (Project Team and Mix) Global Strategists work in small teams on a variety of topics across the many businesses of Samsung Group The Project Team ? Team Members GSG Project Mix ? Conducted total 107 projects in ‘11 – Principal (1) – Engagement Manager(1) – Global Strategist (2) – Project Coordinator (1) Korean – Project Strategist (1) Korean ? 21 Project Travel – Average of 2-3 weeks per project – 100% on select projects ? Project Length – 10~12 weeks Affiliate Mix Functional Mix II. Global Strategy Group (Global Reach) GSG’s project footprint covers the entire world, providing global strategists a truly globalized experience Canada Wind Energy Europe Digital Appliance Marketing Germany Brand Strategy Russia Premium Market Strategy US Contents & Service Strategy Europe Long Term Strategy China Mobile Phone Project India Channel Strategy Taiwan Channel Strategy US Mobile Phone Strategy Africa CTV Strategy Dubai Construction Project Singapore Cloud Platform Strategy Indonesia HR project Australia Renewable Energy Latin America Long-Term Strategy Africa Long Term Strategy 22 II. Global Strategy Group (Project Sample) Title ? Mobile Digital Marketing Client ? Senior Vice President, Marketing Background ? Samsung Mobile GBM asked GSG to develop a consistent global digital marketing strategy Deliverables ? Formulated a unified marketing guidelines for digital, social media & mobile gaming marketing in order to enhance capabilities to execute holistic campaigns Results ? Resulted in the creation of a new global digital marketing team with 17+ members 23 II. Global Strategy Group (Cases of Career Progression) Based on expressed interest and professional experience, Global Strategists enter GSG on two different career paths Year 0 Professional 70% Experience Year 2 Industry Track ? Assigned projects are aligned with industry of focus ? Career Interests Year 1 Transition as early as one year ? Experience roles in strategy, marketing and new business development ? Pursue other international assignments after time in Korea Affiliate Management GSG Career ? Explore varied industries and topics as a consulting generalist ? Develop leadership skills through roles of increasing responsibility ? 24 Year 4 Affiliate Management Consulting Track 30% Year 3 Potential to transition to Affiliate management II. Global Strategy Group (Career Progression Support) Provide support for transition to the line management Operational Support Project Delivery Principal Project Coordinator Project Strategist Work Career Develop Transition Feedback Planning Opportunities Provide advice on transition and support career planning Global Strategist Communicate GSG with Affiliate HR Affiliate Companies 25 II. Global Strategy Group (Cases of Career Progression) Regardless of the amount of time spent in GSG, your experiences will prepare you for a rewarding career at Samsung Year 0 Year 2 Year 4 Year 6 Andrew Umans (GSG ’10, Columbia) Engagement Manager Responsible for working on strategic initiatives across Samsung Group GSG Lindsey Hamilton (GSG ‘09, INSEAD) Senior Manager, Global Marketing Operations Responsible for Brand Strategy for Samsung Electronics GSG GSG Global Marketing Operations Visual Display Division US Subsidiary GSG Global Marketing Operations Mobile Division GSG Digital Media Biz Marketing Latin America Headquarter = GSG 26 = Affiliate Dave Das (GSG ’03, Kellogg) Vice President, Samsung US Home Entertainment Responsible for all Samsung television product marketing in United States = Subsidiary Han Feung (GSG ‘03, Haas) Director & Senior Global Strategist, GSG Responsible for developing consulting capabilities for ll electronics-related areas GSG Visual Display Division Roman Cepeda (GSG ‘03, Wharton) Director, Regional Marketing – Latin America Responsible for overall Samsung Electronics marketing in the Latin America region II. Global Strategy Group (Current Positions of GSG Alumni ) GSG offers the opportunity to develop and shape your career at Samsung’s headquarters and to prepare you for challenges at our global subsidiaries VP. HR, Europe Dir. TV Marketing Sr. Manager, Regional HQ Sr. Manager, Digital Marketing U. K. Dir. Strategy, France Dir. Marketing Vietnam Dir, Corporate Marketing Dir, CTV Marketing Dubai VP. M&A Strategy Dir. Corporate Strategy Dir. Business Innovation Dir. HR and many more†¦. Korea Dir. Strategic Planning Sr. Manager Branding(2) Singapore Sr. Manager Regional Marketing Australia 27 SVP Regional Marketing VP. LCD Marketing VP. Home Appliance Marketing VP. Partnership Dir. Mobile Marketing Sr. Manager Product Innovation U. S. Sr. Manager Corporate Strategy Brazil II. Global Strategy Group (What You Can Achieve in GSG) Enhance consulting skills and expand global awareness Leadership Diverse Industry Knowledge Functional Expertise Problem Solving GSG Cross-Cultural Communication 28 Broad Market Knowledge III. GSG & You Samsung Global HQ in Central Seoul III. GSG & You (Customize Your Careers at Samsung) Strong demand for GSG as strategic leaders and Affiliate managers Industry ? Mobile ? Semiconductor ? Television and Visual Display ? IT Solutions / Network ? Renewable Energy ? Construction / Engineering ? Financial Services ? Pharmaceutical / Biosimilars ? System Integration ? Content & Digital Advertising 30 Function Global Strategists are empowered to pull two key levers to customize their careers at Samsung ? Consulting ? Marketing (B2B and B2C) ? Corporate Strategy ? Branding / Advertising ? Business ? HR Development ? Operations III. GSG & You (Competitive Benefit Package) We provide excellent benefits in addition to competitive compensation Housing Allowance Modern and convenient location Home Leave Ticket Family home leave flight Education Allowance for Dependents Renowned international schools Medical Insurance Best-in-class care Cigna (GSG) 31 Korean National Health Insurance (Affiliate Management) III. GSG & You (Training Program) GSG provides structured training programs Training & Development Korean Language Class †¢ Consulting frameworks Provided for all GS and their partners †¢ Communication skills †¢ Presentation skills †¢ Project & Team management Hypothesis driven work-planning Off-Line On-line Practice Group On-going Coaching †¢ Improve understanding of new trends Experienced consultants provide coaching and performance feedback †¢ Every Friday between 4~6pm †¢ Structured along industry practices Consumer Electronics Device Solutions Mobile 32 Financial Services New Business III. GSG & You (Who Are We Looking For? ) We look for MBAs with diverse backgrounds and global perspectives who can thrive in a team-based, dynamic business environment Teamwork Global Perspective Thrive in groups – flexibility, open-mindedness, patience Capable of understanding global usiness issues Adventurous Spirit Embrace risk and seek new experience 33 Global Strategy Group Diverse Background Have diverse industry, functional & market perspectives III. GSG & You The Gateway to Your Global Career GSG Affiliate Management . Consulting Skills . Functional Expertise . Global Strategic Projects . Execution of Strategy . Diverse Industry Exposure . Transfer to Subsidiaries Developing Samsung’s Global Leaders of Tomorrow 34 IV. Korea & Seoul 01. Modern & Young City 02. Fast and Efficient City 03. Range of Entertainment Options (Clubs, Music, Films, Sports†¦ ) 04. A foreign-friendly city with good support BEAUTIFUL KOREA PRESENTS| 01 Modern & Young City BEAUTIFUL KOREA PRESENTS | 02 Fast and Efficient City BEAUTIFUL KOREA PRESENTS | 03 Range of Entertainment Options (Clubs, Music, Films, Sports†¦) BEAUTIFUL KOREA PRESENTS | 04 A foreign-friendly city with good support Appendix Samsung Group 29 Affiliates web page list Electronics I ndustry Engineering & H eavy Industry Chemical I ndustry Finance & I nsurance Other Companies 42 Affiliate Companies Samsung Electronics Samsung SDI Samsung Electro-Mechanics Samsung Corning Samsung SDS Samsung Techwin Samsung Display Samsung LED Samsung Engineering Samsung C & T Corporation Samsung Heavy Industries Samsung Total Samsung Petrochemical Samsung Fine Chemicals Samsung BP Chemicals Cheil Industries Inc. Samsung Life Insurance Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Samsung Card Samsung Securities Samsung Asset Management Samsung Venture Investment Samsung Everland Inc. The Shilla Hotels & Resorts Samsung Economics Research Institute S1 Corporation Samsung Medical Center Samsung BioLogics Web Page http://www. samsung. com/us/ www. samsungsdi. com www. samsungsem. com www. scp. samsung. com www. sds. samsung. com www. samsungtechwin. com http://www. samsungdisplay. com http://samsungled. com http://www. amsungengineering. co. kr http://www. samsungcnt. com www. shi. samsung. co. kr http://www. samsungtotal. com www. samsungtotal. com www. sfc. samsung. co. kr www. samsungbp. co. kr www. samsungchemical. com www. samsunglife. com www. samsungfire. com www. samsungcard. com www. samsungfn. com www. eng. samsungfund. com www. samsungventure. co. kr www. samsungeverland. com www. shilla. net/en/ www. seriworld. org/ www. s1. co. kr www. samsunghospital. com www. samsungbiologics. com/ GSG School Champion E-mail List Please contact your school champion for further questions School E-mail Berkeley Parkin Kent parkin. [email  protected] com Chicago Yvan Nasr yvan. [email  protected] com Columbia Andrew U. andrew. [email  protected] com Darden Jay / Reginald reg. [email  protected] com / jay. [email  protected] com Dartmouth Andrew P. andrew. [email  protected] com Duke Robert Allen Robert. [email  protected] com HBS Germain Clausse [email  protected] hbs. edu IMD David Sebastio d. [email  protected] com INSEAD Nienke Budde nienke. [email  protected] com Kellogg Johannes & Adrian johan. [email  protected] com / a. [email  protected] com LBS Jean Philppe jp. [email  protected] com Michigan Gil Adato gil. [email  protected] com MIT David Segrera d. [email  protected] com NYU Jawahar Singh j. [email  protected] com Stanford Kimberly Schultz k. [email  protected] com W harton 43 Champion Eyal Yanai eyal. [email  protected] com Haas School Champion Bio – Parkin Kent Name Name Parkin Kent (parkin. [email  protected] com) Class Class Haas, 2011 Previous Exp. Previous experience Cisco Consumer Products (Flip Video & Linksys) Kaiser Associates GSG Start Date GSG start date September, 2011 Current Position Current project Next generation digital advertising strategy for Samsung Electronics Project Highlight Project highlight Meeting with digital advertising thought leaders in NYC, SF and Chicago Words of wisdom 4 Figure out your passion and dedicate yourself 100% Chicago Booth School Champion Bio – Yvan Nasr Name Name Class Class Chicago Booth, 2011 Previous Exp. Previous experience Kingfisher plc (London, Istanbul) Barclays plc (London) GSG Start Date GSG start date September, 2011 Current Position Current project Smart-TV Content Evolutio n Strategy through 2015 Project Highlight Project highlight Worked hand-in-hand with over 15 startups and industry experts to enhance Samsung Smart TV’s UI/Content Words of wisdom 45 Yvan Nasr (yvan. [email  protected] com) Wisdom begins in wonder ! Columbia School Champion Bio – Andrew Umans Name Name Andrew Umans (andrew. [email  protected] com) Class Class Columbia Business School, 2009 Columbia School of International and Public Affairs, 2010 Previous Exp. Previous experience NERA Economic Consulting (Oliver Wyman Group) Value Line Investment Survey GSG Start Date GSG start date September, 2010 Current Position Current project Leveraging Samsung’s businesses in insurance, health IT, and hospitals to create prevention and wellness services Project Highlight Project highlight Discussed potential partnerships with leading data analytics and wellness design companies in the US and Europe Words of wisdom 6 If at first you don’t like kimchi†¦ keep trying. IMD School Champion Bio – David Sebastio Name Name David Sebastio (d. [email  protected] com) Class Class IMD, 2010 Previous Exp. Previous experience Texas Instruments Rakon GSG Start Date GSG start date May, 2011 Current Position Current project System Air Conditioner Channel Mapping for the Digital Appliance Business Project Highlight Project highlight Definition of a Corporate Development fund and process for the microprocessor division Words of wisdom 47 Bring your leadership training to the workplace. Darden School Champion Bio – Jay Subhash Name Name Class Class Darden 2011 Previous Previous Exp. experience Accenture GSG Start Date GSG start date September 2011 Current Position Current project Mobile gaming strategy and partnership development Project Highlight Project highlight Getting a sneak peek at the latest and greatest mobile games Words of wisdom 48 Jay Subhash (jay. [email  protected] com) Turn the fan off at night†¦ Darden School Champion Bio – Reg Jones Name Name Reg Jones (reg. [email  protected] com) Class Class Darden, 2011 Previous Exp. Previous experience NBC Universal MDLinx and M3 USA GSG Start Date GSG start date September, 2011 Current Position Current project Project Highlight Project highlight Understanding how a company as large as Samsung can discover co-marketing and co-selling opportunities. Words of wisdom 49 Multi-Affiliate B2B sales effectiveness study across Engineering, C&T, Techwin, Telecommunications Network Systems, and Digital Appliance System Air-Conditioning. Take several breaks each day to refresh your point of view. Go exercise, enjoy a meal, talk to some friends, and read the news. Dartmouth School Champion Bio – Andrew Persson Name Name Class Class Dartmouth Tuck, 2010 Previous Exp. Previous experience U. S. Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board Company GSG Start Date GSG start date January 2011 Current Position Current project Business model analysis and strategic cooperation with leading developers in Singapore Project Highlight Project highlight Presenting an organizational design overhaul to an insurance Affiliate, and then seeing the implementation of our recommendations Words of wisdom 50 Andrew Persson (andrew. [email  protected] com) Be patient and keep an open mind Fuqua School Champion Bio – Robert Allen Name Name Class Class Fuqua School of Business & Nicholas School of the Environment , 2011 Previous Exp. Previous experience Deutsche Bank, Bear Stearns (pre-MBA) Coastal Conservation League; Glencore (MBA internships) GSG Start Date GSG start date September, 2011 Current Position Current project Renewable energy asset off-taker research and development Project Highlight Project highlight Having presidents and CEO’s of major renewable energy companies reply to your email with â€Å"we’re very eager to speak to you and your team. † Words of wisdom 51 Robert Allen (Robert. [email  protected] com) Be patient ,and when you’re done, be flexible Harvard Business School Champion Bio – Germain Clausse

The Sixties Cultural and Counter Cultural Movement Essay

The Sixties Cultural and Counter Cultural Movement - Essay Example The term was popularized by Theodore Roszak in his book The Making of a Counter Culture (published, in 1969), and remains with us today. Roszak was himself much influenced by Alan Watts, the Anglican priest with a deep interest in Asian thought and culture. Watts was hugely influential in the religious face of the 60s counter-culture. He Watts taught at the School of Asian Studies in San Francisco and was fascinated with Hinduism and especially Buddhism; and his many books, such as The Way of Zen (1957) and Psychotherapy East and West (1961), were widely available and read. Hehad been drawn to the Beat movement, which defiantly rejected organized religion as practiced in America at that time, and their appropriation of Asian thought is clearly seen in Jack Kerouac's autobiography, The Dharma Bums, dharma being a Hindu and Buddhist term for 'the teaching of right living.' Gary Snyder and Alan Ginsberg were other beat poets who came to California in the late fifties and became involved in Zen Buddhism as a result of Watt's teaching. The San Francisco's Zen Center was established in 1959 largely as a result of the influ ence of Watts' and a Japanese Buddhist scholar, Daisetz Suzuki, whose son later became the spiritual inspiration behind the growth of the center and the Zen community in the States. Watts used the term "cosmic consciousness" in his 1962 book, The Joyous Cosmology, to describe the high states of consciousness which a person can achieve with meditation and other spiritual practices. The term was eagerly taken up, but there is nothing new under the sun, and in this case, as Camille Paglia (2003) points out, Watts was simply recycling a term used by Richard Bucke in 1901, when he compared Asian and Western religious teachings by various leaders, including Buddha, Jesus, William Blake, and Walt Whitman, all of whom Bucke thought had attained spiritual enlightenment. The overlay of Eastern religions, Hinduism, and Buddhism, was accompanied by a deep and new interest in the beliefs and practices of the Native American religions. It was as if at least some of youth of western civilization had suddenly awakened from the dream of White supremacy. The University of California became the first in the nation to offer serious studies into the traditions of those that had been so brutally repressed over the previous century. The huge antiwar protests of 1967-1974 were always accompanied by huge masks, music and painted demonstrators reflecting the curious mixture revolutionary politics, ecstatic spiritual practices and free sex made possible by the newly developed contraceptive pill. The 60s counterculture was committed to political change, and to a truth about life outside religious and social institutions. The political movements of that era, of which the Vietnam War protests were only a part, had their roots in THE great liberation movement of the 60s, the civil rights movement, which was sparked by the Supreme Court's 1954 decision to declare segregation in public schools unconstitutional. The fact that ordained ministers like Martin Luther King,

Which aspects of the Hungarian 1956 revolution did the Soviet Essay

Which aspects of the Hungarian 1956 revolution did the Soviet leadership find most objectionable - Essay Example The revolution appeared as a consequence of hardened relationship between Hungary and the Soviet Union during 1950s, which led the masses of Hungary to demonstrate and protest against the imperial ambitions of the USSR. Soviet Union had occupied the territory of Hungary along with other East European countries after the World War II. Borhi says that â€Å"†¦the Soviet Union regarded Hungary as a prize of the Soviet victory in the World War II†1 Ever since then, Hungary constituted an important part of Soviet Union’s strategic aims in the region as well as its national interest. The revolution which started in October 1956 left the Soviet Union into the dilemma concerning the future of Hungary and the USSR political and economic relationship. Stykalin points out that â€Å"the Hungarian crisis of 1956 had confronted Moscow with a hard choice between the use of military or political instruments in its resolution†¦Ã¢â‚¬  2 Because of the benefits that the Sovie t Union was reaping out of its relationship with Hungary, it became imperative for it to resolve the issue using political and military means. The Hungarian revolution appeared to be objectionable for the Soviet Union in several respects viz. political, economic, geopolitical and imperial. The fact that Hungary was a sign of Soviet Union’s victory in the World War II and its hegemony in world politics, loosing Hungary could have signified the declining power of the USSR. Boyle says that â€Å"†¦if the Soviets showed weakness in Hungary†¦, it would make the Soviet Union seem very weak and would encourage the west to take further bold and aggressive steps†3 The geopolitical goals and fear of oppression from the Western countries, in particular, the United States and Britain, turned out to be the major causes of Soviet Union’s decision to invade Hungary and suppress the revolution through military action. Furthermore, Soviet Union

Popular Culture Artifact Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Popular Culture Artifact - Essay Example The featured artifact is drawing of the iconic Former South African President and Statesman Nelson Mandela. The icon chosen for the portrait is the diamond. Diamonds have been salient features in contemporary popular culture. In 1938 the New York advertising agency of N.W. Ayers was commissioned to change public attitudes toward diamonds. The campaign was conceptualized to shift popular regard of diamonds as a scarce, expensive and very hard stones to a symbol of commitment and everlasting love. Thus in 1947 and Ayers advertising copywriter came up with the slogan "a diamond is forever". "As an N.W. Ayers memorandum put it in 1959: "Since 1939 an entirely new generation of young people has grown to marriageable age. To the new generation, a diamond ring is considered a necessity for engagement to virtually everyone."(Sut Jhally: Image-Based Culture: Advertising and Popular Culture -1990). In the featured artifact the diamond icon represents the immortality of what the featured person has come to stand for. The Portrait pictures Nelson Mandela who committed his life to fighting for the emancipation of South Africans out of the shackles of apartheid. What makes the diamond icon more appropriate in the assembling of this artifact is the eternality of the values of peace and equality. This is what Mandela fought for. These values like a diamond are forever. The banner text also contributes to manufacturing of meaning impact in the artifact. It denotes the that fact that coal and diamonds are formed in exactly the same variables, pressure and heat the only differentiating factor being that diamonds were subjected to more pressure and heat than coal. Again these associative meanings coalesce sound meaning in interpreting the artifact. The meaning in this aspect is drawn from the excruciating and extenuating circumstances in his struggle for human rights. The ordeal would either make him or beak him and as such the very circumstances that made some of his fellow citizens fall made a jewel out of him. The jewel as a crystal three dimensional gazing stock contributes to the whole meaning worth as it has become a popular symbol of excellence and invaluable worth. The artifact employs the meaning dissemination channels provided thorough the conventions and inventions formula. Through the conventions the artifact taps into the significance of mundane appreciation of art, mere drawings of people, great and non-entities as well as objects. Drawings have an intricate appeal to human art appreciation. The Mona Lisa drawing by Learnado Da Vince is arguably the most popular and famous portrait. What has made the artifact famous is the fact that the immaculate masterpiece was hand drawn. The artist used his finger to originate the painting. Drawings as medium are valuable for their appeal to human senses as they express human prowess in creativity and reproduction of reality. The featured artifact, by virtue of being a hand drawn artifact, will effectively prompt recipient appreciation by its nature demonstrative of the human artistic dexterity. This aspect will also be enhanced by the fact that the drawing pictures a prominent international icon. Nelson Mandela is more than just an international celebrity;

In Hospitality Industry, Which International Skills, Knowledge, Essay

In Hospitality Industry, Which International Skills, Knowledge, Behavior And Experience Could be an Advantage In the Development of Future Career - Essay Example This paper stresses that relative to the nature of cross-cultural management, the best skills, knowledge, behavior and experience that could be advantageous in the development of future careers in hospitality revolve around understanding Cultural Intelligence (CQ). Based on Arora and Rohmetra’s (2010) explication CQ entails the ability to exploit the knowledge and skills across state, ethnic and culturally diverse workforces. The overall understanding of Cultural Intelligence principles gives management and leadership teams a selection of perceptions that could apply efficiently, in diverse environments through understanding and management of consumers, individual employees or groups. This report makes a conclusion that as a hospitality practitioner should be on understanding, particularly the cross-cultures and performance on the international platform. Misunderstanding does not occur among managers alone; it can be prevalent amongst employees or employee and customers. Generally, a greater part of hospitality is about service provision thus without communication and strong relationships, there are limited chances of success. Nonetheless, Cultural Intelligence proves to be effectual when managing cross-cultures. The divisions provide an easy breakdown and gives detailed approaches for the common situation. Using the four divisions as the core guideline will facilitate additional knowledge, skills, behavior and experience enhancing my overall performance and progression in the hospitality industry.

Profession of arms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Profession of arms - Essay Example Professional application of arms during wars is a legend in all the communities while most of them were remarkable for the prudential epitome carried by certain arms in particular. The war-booting tactics designed by the kings were based on the professional assumptions of different kinds of fighting styles involved in wars mainly by focusing on the geographical features of the war-field. It is not exaggerating that arms governed political defragmentation even in the ancient times. Later, as part of the provincial developments, several combat concepts like soldiers, knights, weapons, arsenal and everything evolved and the idea of profession of arms was introduced universally. It was centuries and centuries did man take to evolve from the self defensive stone pelting to the technology that has been used presently. Though the history of human civilization takes the road to the time when man used stones and sticks as his primary arms, it is incredibly true that the world presently is an armory of sophisticated arms to deal the wishful deeds of human combating strategies. After the journey that lasted several hundreds of years, the research in arm designing has reached at a stage where even information technology can be a fatal weapon in the frontline. Information in war refers to the observable facts about target regions which were conventionally transferred manually. Modern designation of information has been powered by scientific and cybernetic tools to locate and analyze the targets of political interest. However, it has become a curse of civilians in many countries whose daily life in a densely populated city is vulnerable to the targets of terrorists and enemy countries. Thus it can be seen that development in technology has brought the modern arsenal views together into a compacted design of digitally governed information database with which countries are capable of managing their defense tactics

Marketing Research and Segmentation - Macquarie University Hospital, Paper

Marketing and Segmentation - Macquarie University Hospital, New South Wales - Research Paper Example The marketing techniques chosen in each case depend on many factors, such as the level of the industry competition and the resources available. Current paper focuses on the potential use of marketing research and segmentation for the improvement of performance of a specific organization: the Macquarie University Hospital, one of the most important hospitals in New South Wales, Australia. An appropriately customized lifestyle analysis has been used for helping the organization to proceed to market segmentation. In this way, the relationship between the organization and its customers would be improved leading the organization to a long – term growth. 2. Macquarie University Hospital – Marketing research and segmentation 2.1 Brief description of the hospital The Macquarie University Hospital is located in ‘the North Ryde campus of Macquarie University, New South Wales’ (Macquarie University Hospital, 2012). ... The use of advanced technology in medical treatment is considered as another advantage of the Hospital towards its rivals. 2.2 Market research – psychographic & lifestyle analysis 2.2.1 Activities: work habits The percentage of people who are active in terms of employment in New South Wales has been increased in 2009/2010 reaching the 3.5 million. This is an important increase if having in mind the fact that for the period 2001/2002 the employed people in NSW were just 3.1 million (Australian Bureau of Statistics, NSW State and Regional Indicators, Dec 2010, 2011). This means that the buying power of people in the specific region is increased, compared to the past. Thus, the potentials of the local population to seek for medical assistance of high quality are high. On the other hand, a differentiation seems to exist in NSW between men and women in regard to their status of employment. Indeed, it has been proved that women in NSW are more likely to work part-time compared to me n (Australian Bureau of Statistics, NSW State and Regional Indicators, Dec 2010, 2011). As indicated in the Graph 1 (Appendix), a percentage of about 50% of employed women in NSW are part-time workers. In general, in NSW employed men are more than employed women. More specifically, the percentage of employed male in NSW for 2010 was estimated at 70.6% while for women the above percentage was just 56.4% (Australian Bureau of Statistics, NSW State and Regional Indicators, Dec 2010, 2011). 2.2.2 Psychological attributes According to a report published by the Australian Government in 2012, high cultural diversity is one of the key characteristics of Australia. It seems

Improving Your Writing Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Improving Your Writing Skills - Essay Example This study outlines that there are several issues that should be put into consideration. The writer should organize the information using a functional format. A functional format is an arrangement that goes through a sequence as per the material that is being presented for clarity and easy understanding. This should be followed by writing down of a draft that comprises of all the important parts of the information that is to be passed to the reader. The writing of a draft is an important process as it gives the writer the opportunity to exhaust all the information that ought to be included, make changes through by removing or adding part of the document. Thus, only the relevant information gets the chance of being in the draft. It is after this process, that the final document for the reader is prepared. In order to be a good business writer, good business writing skills are essential. Through this, professionalism is observed from either side. In this regard, a business document nee ds to be short and precise. This is because most people who require this information do not have much time to go through long documents in search of the ideas that have been put down by the writers.

The Mexican Revolution Essay Example for Free

The Mexican Revolution Essay In the Mexican Revolution multiple ideologies were involved at once, all competing with each other. None of them was clearly associated with an image of triumph or defeat, which downplays the image of ideology associated with this process, or rather, has made a nebulous identification of them. Catholics and those clericals who were related to the church, clashed against the property of land and against the traditional oligarchy (francisized and bourgeois), often addicted to Porfirio Diaz. This process commonly describes the oligarchy as the big loser and victim of the process of modernization caused by the revolution. For instance, the current level of popularity of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the number of times that the Pope (John Paul II) visited one of the largest Catholic nation on earth. Mexico remains perhaps, today in the XXI century, as Catholic as on early twentieth century. Another ideology that starred in the revolutionary process, and possibly suffered the biggest defeat was the positivist thinking. Dominant in Mexico since the second half of the nineteenth century, it served to provide of theoretical grounds to the extensive dictatorship (more than three decades) of Porfirio Diaz, and helped to justify (with its racist determinism) the inferiority of the natives and the mestizoes, or the Mexican. In fact, Porfirio considered the people of Mexico as immature for democracy, which was another argument for his more convenient and permanent re-election. Positivism was also tied to the landowner oligarchy, but more to the urban and conservative bourgeoisie, which was a permanent aspirant to social advancement. It was common to find their exponents in the huge state apparatus loyal to Diaz, in the universities and in the army. This thought often decanted in other ideology that is liberalism, also dragged from the nineteenth century, but which takes a great strength in the new urban middle classes and in part of the bourgeoisie that was jaded of the eternal dictators regime, it is liberalism which articulates the initial criticism to the Porfiriato, being hostile to the excessive exploitation by which the Mexican countryside was being submitted. It is this ideology that accelerates, according to general opinion, the revolutionary process. It is from this speech that, after the dialogue had failed, the mass was led to rise against the tyranny of the dictator, an invocation which proved to be for the sole purpose of the use of force and rage of the people, because it didn’t empathize with the demands of the peasants (most of the Mexican population of the time) or those of the emerging urban industrial working class or of the mining class in the province (usually linked to oil). With a marked influence of American liberalism (as opposed to European positivist ideas), liberalism enables to articulate and launch the first serious calls for uprising (for example, the San Luis Plan was launched by Madero from his exile in San Antonio, Texas). In addition there was a presence of anarchist ideology and to a lesser extent of socialism, which in some way guided the illiterate peasant forces, without actually entering them (there were only sketches of these ideologies in the proposed policies and actions of the major peasant leaders, namely Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata). Anarchism and socialism, sometimes separately, and many other times combined, strongly caught on the working class of Mexico City and other industrial centers of the country, they helped enormously in the turmoil of the pre-revolutionary process of 1910, usually operating from exile (for instance, associations of anarchists in California and socialists in Mississippi) and then vaguely reflected in the agreements of the Convention of Aguascalientes, which approved the Ayala Plan, a cornerstone of the subsequent Mexican agrarian reform. And finally we can define a last ideological factor, often ignored or downplayed, always misunderstood from the classical analysis, this is the native-peasant thought that is present throughout the whole history of Mexico and is the main foundation of the current Mexican nation. Many believe that without the discontent of these masses, accumulated over centuries of exploitation and absolute subjugation, the outbreak would not have occurred with the magnitude that it had. Most of the military conflict was made up of disgruntled peasants (in the case of the rebels) or peasants enlisted by the drafts (federal army). The main slogan of the armies led by Zapata and Villa is the division of land, not by ambition, but for their attachment to it. It is the awareness that all is owed to it, the place to which they have always belonged to, that has always been in the atavistic memory of the community, and is also the land which gives the fruit, which represents the yoke of slavery, that ties to the employer, to work for others. The land represents the entire universe of native peasants; everything good and bad that can happen to them is linked to it. But if we must define the ideology of revolution, or the one that has mobilized and convinced the masses to revolt, to slaughter, to fight, and often to death (1,000,000 approximately), this is not definable, even non-existent for many. Because the Mexican peasantry faithfully and blindly followed to warlords, who were not clear how to design a speech or an organization to legitimize their demands. This is reflected in the attitude of Zapata and Villa to take and occupy Mexico City, when they have taken hold of the city they don’t know what to do, they do not locate in that place that represents the power and therefore appoint a lawyer as president, which was Gutierrez, to enact laws to carry out their demands. But the peasants followed their leaders with almost messianic devotion, without a clear ideological conscience. It can be said that there was not a revolution in Mexican politics. There was a rearrangement, a modernization, but the resulting political system merely replicated and deepened, in a more sophisticated way, the old monopoly of power that was criticized to Porfirio Diaz. The PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) ruled the country for nearly seventy years, and as its name suggests, it proclaims by itself the institutionalization of the revolutionary process. During the lengthy period of years that this party dominated, there were countless electoral manipulations for the sole purpose of retaining power. It is true that land reform was carried out, but access to the command remained restricted to many and split between a few. Peasants did not access to this apparatus of power, and they were who, basically, carried out the revolution (after their leaders Francisco Villa and Emiliano Zapata). The Mexican politics did not follow the expansive course usually followed after a revolutionary victory, to put it briefly; there was not even an attempt to export the revolution. In fact, Mexico remained in the relative seclusion in which it was. Society, in contrast, showed a little better this revolution. Peasants agreed, but not throughout the country, to own the land for which they fought and yearned for so long. The modernization is evident in several aspects, the country gradually loses the image of rural indigenous nation that traditionally held, and becomes one of the most modern in Latin America, not yet being clear whether this is because of the magnitude of its population, or due to a real modern vocation of Mexican society. Mexico is a society of contradictions and polarizations, where indigenous communities coexist with rich ancient traditions (perhaps prosperous) with developed urban communities, which in turn contrast with very poor and extensive slums, which often receive indigenous and mestizo peasants from uprooted and impoverished communities. But it is doubtful to believe that the Mexican society and its political expression did assimilate the revolution, or inherited a tradition of this. Mexico is a fairly conservative country in many respects, being perhaps its ultimate expression the passivity with which it accepted and took over half a century of institutional revolutionaries in power, but very early it became clear that these â€Å"revolutionaries† only reproduced the political corruption that was previous to the revolutionary period. Mexicans seemed to assume with usual indifference the electoral manipulations and political gatopardisms. The revolution seems to be more an expression of a highly curbed energy, which springs from the bowels of the earth after centuries, a release that does not mostly renew the landscape, which covers with its centenary magma, but it gives to it more vigor in the germination of an order within the apparent chaos that is the Mexican society. Mexico did not change radically its political and social order, as in other post-revolutionary societies. What actually happened is that Mexican society shocked its dust off (during the revolution) in order to fully receive the coming century, leaving behind those most unpleasant elements inherited from the colony. The Mexican Revolution was a conservative revolution, which really did not intend to renew the Mexican society, as they didn’t know clearly what they were fighting for, or more simply, there was no clarity about general goals.

Technology and Its Influences on Humanity Essay Example for Free

Technology and Its Influences on Humanity Essay As technology becomes a bigger part of our every day life, more people are questioning its influences on our humanity. There are many factors to consider when looking at this question, beginning with, â€Å"who is affecting whom?† Are we changing our technology to fit our ideas on humanity, or is our humanity changing the way we influence technology? We also need to look at the meaning of the words technology and humanity to understand the question fully. Yes, technology has a huge influence on our humanity as it is such a major part of our every day lives and has become part of the evolution of human nature, it modifies human qualities, while at the same time, humanity is influencing technology as the development and expansion of technology is created by humans. To start to understand this question we should look at the words and their meanings. Definition of humanity the quality or condition of being human, human nature. Human nature is the concept that there is a set of inherent distinguishing characteristics, including ways of thinking, feeling and acting. Human nature is what gives us a moral sense, provides us with the social skills to live in society. The qualities of humanity include the abilities to feel, create and love however, it also includes qualities which are not necessarily appreciated such as suffering, aging, and being imperfect. All of these natural human qualities form unique individuals which make up the fascinating diversity of human nature. Next lets look at the word technology: how people modify the natural world to suit their own purposes generally it refers to the diverse collection of processes and knowledge that people use to extend human abilities and to satisfy human needs and wants. Genetics, robotics, information technology and Nano processes – which modify and transform humans and human nature are some examples of recent advancements in the technology field. These technological innovations are adding up to a world profoundly different from the one humans are accustomed to living in. Humans greatly benefit from these technological innovations as almost all technology is created in order to make life easier and more enjoyable. Although technology is making life easier and helping human desires to become reality, in the long run, it will change the course of humanity. Technology which accomplishes work much faster, easier and simpler than humans is increasing, hence, may result in the future where humans are not needed. Although technology has many benefits for humans, the rapid developments of technology could be said to be influencing the concept of humanity. However, this exponential innovation can be considered as a part of humanity. It is true that humans are the ones who have created these innovations, hence is it correct in considering technological innovations to be part of humanity or diverged from humanity? Here is a logical explanation of the fact that humanity is influencing technology. Technology comes about only because of the human, thinking, rational mind. The human mind is the essence and core of our humanity. Without the human mind, there are no life-saving comforts that we can take for granted. Without these life-saving comforts, all of civilization as we know it would collapse†¦. without humanity, there is no technology. The development of technology is humans extending their own horizons and hence, technology can be said to be influenced by humanity or to be part of the nature of the human species. Technology is rapidly increasing as it benefits and fulfills what people want in life. However, technology is likely to influence and affect humanity in negative ways such as altering the nature of humanity which can lead to issues concerning morals. Yet at the same time, technology can be considered as a part of the nature of human evolution or an influence of human nature. However, the importance of keeping humane qualities should not be influenced, forgotten or taken over by technology. When we consider how older generations had very little if any technology (in the same form that we now consider technology) compared to present day advancements, it would seem important to compare those from older generations with those from present generations. These advancements in technology really began to boom after the first world war, due to every changing requirements to make warfare more advanced than other countries. These very quick advancements are still the basis for a lot of todays technology. Through exploring this question, it can be understood that although technology can have negative effects on humanity, it is almost impossible to eradicate the developments of technology as it is part of the evolution of human nature. Hence, humans must aim to live with technology to create meaningful value for all humanity. On the flip side, there are a lot of technology advances that have made our health and well being more advanced, we are now living longer and are more aware of any possible health complications. As well as having more capable and complicated machines to do many different things, such as diagnosing and treating the sick. However, even though technology can be considered as part of humanity, it should not be taken for granted as it is more important to preserve the qualities which make people human. It is somehow necessary to our self-understanding of what we are as human beings†¦ you can’t have courage without risk†¦ real compassion or sympathy without the personal experience of pain. Therefore, it is necessary that technology allows us to more fully express our humanity, instead of overwhelming it. Thus, what is important is what humans do with the technology which has great influence on humanity. Hence, technology should be used and created while preserving humanity.

The Business and Financial Performance of Tesco Plc

The Business and Financial Performance of Tesco Plc Introduction and Justification of Research Subject 1.1. Topic Selection Oxford Brookes University allows me to choose a topic for my research project from 20 research subjects relating to different academic disciplines i.e. accounting, marketing, management and I have chosen topic number 8 The business and financial performance of an organization over the three years of period; and select the TESCO Plc as a case study . The business and financial analysis will be based on the data from year ending 2006 to 2008. I will benchmark the financial performance indicators of Sainsbury Plc to make comparative analysis. Comparison of both organizations will be a like-for-like analysis as they both operate in same industry i.e. retail market. The focus of my research will be critically evaluation of financial performance of TESCO Plc and its contextualization into business strategy of TESCO. The subject matter intends to conduct research that will provide external points of view on the financial performance of TESCO from all its stakeholders, i.e. shareholder, Investors, Financial Institutions, Government Agencies, Customers and employees etc.. 1.2. Motivation to Choose This Topic The motivation for me to select the topic of business and financial performance of organization is my prior understanding and academic knowledge on accounting and finance that build during my study of ACCA. I have studied the subject on preparing financial statements, financial reporting, financial information management and performance management control. These all subjects primarily relate to analyse the financial performance of the organization and build my skills in accounting ratio. I find this research project is an opportunity to apply these knowledge and skills in accounting in applied manners on real business scenario. The topic also relates to my professional career objectives as my aim is to pursue my career in field of financial analysts. This research project will be an initial exercise toward my career targets. This research project also builds my managerial skills i.e. research skills to find out appropriate financial information for analyses, interpretation skills to write financial analytical report, integration skills to contextualize the financial data within overall business strategy to conclude the results. 1.3. Reason to Choose This Organization I select the TESCO Plc for my analysis because it is one the biggest retail giant of United Kingdom since 1995 and have become third biggest retailer over the world in 2008. It is operated in diverse territories of the world includes republic of Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Poland, Slovakia, South Korea, Thailand, and United State. The TESCO Plc also operates in diverse range of business and products that includes food and drink, clothing, consumer electronics, financial services, telecoms, health insurance, dental plans, retailing and renting DVDs, CDs, music downloads, Internet services, software and petrol filling stations. The profits have been exceeded over  £2 billion over the year 2009. In July 2008, TESCO Plc held 31.6% market share of UK grocery marketing that was 3% higher than the previous year while the major competitor Sainsbury held only 15.9% with increment of 1% over last year. The basic earning per share of TESCO is continuously increasing since 2006 from 19.70%, 22.3 6% 26.95% consecutively. The unique competitive characterizes of TESCO Plc motivate me to pursue research project on this organization. It will provide me the opportunity to analyze its business strategy and financial performance in international context. 1.4. Research Aims and Objectives The objective of research is to critically evaluate the financial performance in relationship with overall business performance of TESCO Plc for the year starting from 2006 to 2008. The study objective is to synthesize business and financial performance to pinpoint the implications of business strategy of TESCO, its effects on financial performance to sustain long term competitive position. The researcher aims to provide transparent opinion around business and financial position of TESCO to its all stakeholders. In order to meet this research objective, I set following research questions to be answered in my analysis. 1.4.1. Research Questions On what critical underpinning TESCO business strategy stands? What is the existing financial position of Tesco Plc? Does the business strategy and financial position support each others? What are the critical factors that impact on business and financial performance? What are the implications for TESCO future growth? 1.5. Overall Research Framework to Meet Research Objectives and to Answer Research Questions 1.5.1. Evaluation of Business Strategy The research project will evaluate the prospects and growth strategy of TESCO where I will analyse retail marketing strategy, its business operations, online retailing, and impact of technology. In order to conduct these analysis:- I will apply the Generic Competitive Strategy model developed by Porter (1980) in my report to analyse the competitive strategy of TESCO Plc. I will apply Ansoff Growth Matrix to analyse the growth strategy of TESCO Plc. 1.5.2. Evaluation of Financial Performance Strategic Analysis I will calculate the financial ratio of TESCO Plc over the three year to analyse the financial position. The ratio analysis will be based in profitability, liquidity, efficiently and investment ratios.. I will also conduct the strategic analysis of TESCO. I will apply SWOT analysis framework that will identify Strength and Weakness of TESCO and Opportunities and Threat within market. I will apply PESTEL analysis I will apply Porter (1985) five forces competitive framework includes rivalry of buyer, supplier, customer and substitute products. Chapter # 2 Information Gathering The chapter describes the research methodology applied for the research report and has been structured into section:- 2.1. Nature of Research Data The nature of data required for research is highly depended upon the nature of research problem and research objective. There are two types of data that can be used in research analysis one is called primary data and second is called secondary data. 2.2.1. Primary Data The primary data is first hand information collected by the research to investigate the research subject. The primary data is collected through personal interview, questionnaires, focus group interviews, observation, case-studies, diaries, critical incidents and portfolios. The primary data once collected become secondary data for others. 2.2.2. Secondary Data The secondary data is information or data that has already been collected or recorded by someone else, usually for other purpose. A lot of information gathered by the government, information pertaining to financial marketing such as stock prices and trading volumes is widely available in financial newspaper or online at various financial portals, annual reports of public companies etc. I used secondary data for my research. This study required the financial information covering the period of three years, marketing plans, future strategy, the information about the influencing factors on financial performance and marketing strategy such as economical, political, social and industry competitiveness etc. The information are only possible to collect by relying on secondary source of data. The collection of primary data on these research variables is needed long time, heavy cost and perhaps impossible to collect. 2.3. Collection of Secondary Data 2.3.1. Annual Public Report of TESCO Plc and Sainsbury I used the annual reports over the past three years of TESCO Plc published. The annual report of TESCO provided me the information related to financial data, organization infrastructure, organization mission and objective, organization achievement and future plan. The annual report contains the message of chairman, chief executive officers and management that will provide me information to understand the business strategy and future plan of the TESCO Plc. I used the annual report of Sainsbury to conduct comparative analysis to evaluate the performance of TESCO. This resource provided information to apply in calculation of financial ratios analysis, describing competitive strategy, growth strategy, and conducting SWOT analysis. I accesses TESCO online from the internet website www.tesco.com and Sainsbury from www.sainsburys.co.uk . 2.3.2. New Papers I used the secondary information source published in newspapers. The both organization are prominent entity of retail grocery industry and reports relates to these organization regular published in news paper. These reports provided me external views to know about the performance of TESCO and helped me to conduct the external analysis (PEST, Porter 5 forces) to identify the key threats and opportunities and internal analysis to pin point the strengths and weakness of TESCO. The Types of newspaper that I have read include:- Financial Time Guardian The Independent The Time Journal of retailing and distribution 2.3.3. Books The books are the traditional source secondary data. The limitation of this resource is that books are normally not provide up to date data and are emphasis on general descriptions. But the books are very useful to understand the concepts and theories that help to follow research methodology and conclude research findings. I used the book particularly to understand research model and analysis applied to my study. This equipped me to critically understand the application of financial ratios, Ansoff matrix model, SWOT Analysis, PEST and Porter Five Forces Analysis. I studied the following book:- Pearce, J. and Robinson, R (2005) Strategic Management Johnson, G. and Scholes, K. (2008) Exploring Corporate Strategy Hill, C. W. L., Jones, G. R., (2007) Strategic Management Thompson, A. A. Strickland, J. A. (2003), Strategic Management Mishkin, F. S., Eakins, S. G., (2005), Financial Markets and Institutions Brealey, R. A. (2002), Principles of Corporate Finance 2.3.4. E-Resources I used the resources available at internet that provided me the counter information to evaluate the financial and business performance. One of the limitations of e-resource is that it lacks credibility than books and annual reports but provides independent external opinion in large extent. I accessed the following data in conducting my analysis. Biz/ed: A gateway for primary and secondary business and management information UK focus available at www.bized.ac.uk Directgov. UK government published official statistic available at www.direct.gov.uk RBA Information Service: Business information gateway with links to business, statistical and government country sites. UK Data Archive: Collection of UK focus digital data in social science available at www.data-archive.ac.uk Netmba:- e-resource of management, strategy and finance available at www.netmba.com FT info: company information more than 11000 including financial performance. London Stock Exchange available at www.londonstockexchange.com 2.3.5. Library Research I joined the library of London school of economics that provided me the access to comprehensive list of book and published material around my research subject. 2.3.6. Credibility of Secondary Data As it is said that the secondary data is normally deviates to the research problem as result the credibility of secondary data to use in research is always questioned. To make sure the applicability of secondary data applied the following check list. Where and when the data is collected? Who publish the data? Do the data cover the information I need? Is the information is detailed enough? Do the data follow the definition I apply in my research problem? Are the data accurate enough? 2.4. Research Approach The research approach may be qualitative and quantitative. My research includes both type, it relates to quantitative when analysis and interprets the financial performance of the TESCO with the help of financial ratios and qualitative in nature when investigates business performance of the TESCO with the help of business model of SWOT, PEST, Five Forces, Ansoff Matrix. So the data should be collected in both forms quantitative and qualitative. 2.5. Research Ethics I also considered the research ethics in my report. The research findings are interpreted in a way that provides the foundation to TESCO to know their lacks and impediments in business strategy not in the way to tarnish the image of the TESCO. Moreover only reliable information is includes in analysing the business strategy and financial performance, most of which is published by the Tesco itself. On the other the researcher did not hide or manipulate any information and provide transport fair view of Tesco performance for all stakeholders. 2.6. Business/or Accounting Techniques Applied I have applied the following techniques in my research and analysis Project. 2.6.1. Financial Ratio Analysis to evaluate the performance of Tesco and Benchmarked company Sainsbury I have used ratio analysis. The limitation of accounting ratio is that it is based on accounting reality and ignores the economic realities. It can be easily manipulate by using various techniques such as valuation of stocks FIFO and LIFO method etc. I have used Profitability Ratios Gross Profit Margin Net Profit Margin Return on Capital Employed Return on Equity Liquidity Ratios Current / Woking Ratio Acid Test/ Quick Ratio Efficiency Ratios Debtors Turnover Debtors Days Creditors Days Net Asset Turnover Stock Turnover Stock Days Investment Ratio Earnings Per Share Interest Cover Dividend Per Share 2.6.2 Generic Competitive Model of Porter (1980) I have also applied The generic competitive strategy model develop by porter (1980) . 2.6.2. Ansoffs Product/Market Matrix I applied The Ansoff Growth Matrix to illustrate the growth strategy of TESCO. 2.6.3. SWOT Analysis The SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat) analysis has been applied with the help of external analysis of PESTEL (political, economical, social, technological, environment and legal), 5 Forces (customer, supplier, entrance, substitute, rivalry) and internal analysis of financial ratio, organization infrastructure, porter (1985) value chain analysis is applied. The combination of these analysis eliminates the limitation of each other i.e. PESTEL analysis not captured industry competence for this 5 forces Model is applied. Chapter # 3 Interpretation of Results and Analysis 3. Financial Ratio Analysis The financial ratios are illustrated in figures both statistically and graphical of both organizations TESCO and Sainsbury for the period of three year from 2006 to 2008. The short description of each financial ratio is provides with individual ratio and more focus is given to the analyse result in context strategic analysis to conclude rational research findings. 3.1. Profitability Ratio The profitability ratio analysis includes gross profit margin, net profit margin, return of capital employed and return of equity employed. 3.1.1. Gross Profit Margin Comparing the gross profit margins will show the efficiency of the both companies. The gross profit margin was 7.67% in 05/06 which increased to 8.12% in 06/07 the increase in profit is partly due to increased sales revenue and partly due to the fact that company made huge gain of 258m on its pension fund invested in past(I.e. Exceptional Item) which is makes up 7.5% of gross profit. However gain was one off item as the GPM decrease in 07/08 to same level as in 05/06 that is 7.67% another reason for this decrease is high rate of inflation. These results show that the Tesco is struggling in managing cost of production even though sales have increased over three years time interval but the cost of production increased in line with sales. The results are very critical because the Tesco have launched cost effective retail settings Tesco.com, Tesco online and cost control measure i.e. electronic checkout till and efficient supply chain mechanism that it claims directly linked to store shop floor shelves but the financial result are adverse to its claims to reduce cost. Whereas Gross profit margin of Sainsbury is saturated over time period it was 6.64% in 05/06 which increased to 6.83% in 06/07 and gone down to 5.62% in 07/08. The sales revenue was in it is peak in 07/08 the sale increased 3.80% over the year as compare to the production cost which increased to 5.10% which indicates that Sainsbury is struggling to maintain its low cost of production thereby suffering. Overall, on the grounds of reason mentioned above it is clear that Tesco is attaining high gross margin than Sainsbury overall and in all periods 3.1.2. Net Profit Margin The net profit margin was 4.01% in 05/06, which increased to 4.41% in 06/07 the main reason for this is increase in gross profit as these two ratios are directly related to each other. Other reasons are as follow; in the same year, company discontinued one of the J.V operations and dispose its share from one of the associates, which gave rise to profit of $106m, 25m, which makes 5.6% and 1.33% of net profit. These transactions were made partly in order to pay some of the shorterm loan, which decrease finance cost by $25m, and partly to invest in other companies in order to gain the control. As shortterm loans are expensive source of finance reduction in the fiancà © cost supported by increase of 1.3% in net profit. The net profit was increased in 07/08 by 0.09% to 4.50% the main reason for this is increased sales revenue 9.80% over a year. Other reasons being are as follow: corporation tax has reduced 99m over the year due to prior years adjustment i.e. change in tax rate, more deferred tax assets, foreign exchange movements, pension and etc. Another reason being as property related profit increased 96m that makes up 4.5% of net profit. Despite of these all factors the net profit margin is low. It may be due the reduction of profit share with join ventures and payment of insurance claims to customers. Sainsbury net profit over the three-year period has significantly improved. The net profit margin was .36% in 05/06 that improved to 1.89% in 06/07 the reasons in increase are as follow; increased sales revenue, reduction in admin cost, increase in other as well as finance income. However, Sainsbury did not maintain or improved over the year in 07/08, as it was slightly down to 1.84% the main reason for this even though the sales and operating profit was improved but loss in J.V of 2m and increased finance cost of 25m caused it to be lower than previous year. 3.1.3. Return on Capital Employed This ratio is key measure of return. it measures the amount of earnings from capital provided by shareholders and lender. The ROCE was 15.15% in 05/06 that increased to 15.90% in 06/07 as operating profit increased by 13.9% and the capital employed has also increased by 9.7% the increase in the capital employed is due to issue of new share capital, increase in non- current liabilities, and massive Increase in the deferred tax liabilities. Eventhoug capital employed has increased but it did not increase inline with the operating profit that is also another reason for increase in capital employed. The ROCE in 07/08 has declined to 14.02% despite increase in operating profit of 5.1% and increase in capital employed 19.5%. The main reason for increase in the capital employed are as follow; issue of new share capital worth  £3m, which also give rise to share premium of  £135m, share based payment worth  £199 massive foreign exchange and pension gains etc. Increase in the capital emp loyed is not in line with the increase in operating profit however this increase in the capital employed will be beneficial in order to generate more operating profit as it has already started to show its effect i.e. increase in property related profit is classic example. Comparatively Sainsbury ROCE has fluctuated over the three years period. ROCE in 05/06 was 2.89% well below than Tesco but well above than it previous year where it was negative it has improved to 7.59% in 06/07. The main reason as sales have improved over the year and company also saved  £170m admin cost that shows they are managing cost well and capital employed over the year has decreased to  £1082m that is 15.8% mainly due to payments due to Sainsbury bank and other banks. The ROCE in 07/08 has again decreased to 7.06% as the capital employed has increased due to the massive gain from the pension benefits and increase in provision of deferred tax that has to settle in future. Overall, Tesco results are far more better than Sainsbury. 3.1.4. Return on Equity The return on equity is continuously increasing and has increased by 6.2% over three years and is higher than Salisbury but results are still not remarkable. This is mainly because of repurchase of share equity in the market not because of profitability. The Tesco is pursing the policy to buy back the share from the income coming from the release value of properties. 3.2. Market Ratio The market ratio I have used for my analysis are as follow: Earnings Per share, Dividend Per Share and Interest Cover. 3.2.1. Earning Per Share This ratio determines portion of company profit allocated to the each share. EPS is one of most important variable factor in determining the share price. The EPS of Tesco has been increasing since 2006. The EPS is in year 05/06 was 20.07p it has gone up to 23.84p in 06/07 followed by 26.95p in 07/08. Better profits over the years have increased the EPS another reason for increased EPS in 07/08 as Tesco bought its own share which increase EPS by 11.5%. Sainsbury have performed very well over the three years and increase EPS 82% over 3 year as Sainsbury profit has increased significantly over the three-year period due the reason such as increase in gross profit, net profit etc. Sainsbury net profit margin has increased 80.4% over three years period. Overall, The result indicates that the EPS of Tesco share high than industry benchmark. 3.2.2. Dividend per Share The dividend per share of Tesco increases every year since 2006. In the year 2006, the dividend was 8p in the year 2007 9p and in year 2008 10p. It indicates that the increase in Tesco profitability positively impact on dividend per share. Another reason for increase in 07/08 as Tesco buy back its on share which directly impact on ratio. Dividend per share On the other hand paid by Sainsbury are for same 05/06 and 06/07 of 8p but has increased in 07/08 to 10p which clearly indicates that it wants to pay same amount of dividend as per its competitor in order to attracts more shareholder. 3.2.3. Interest Cover Tesco has sustainable proportion of profit to cover interest. This is mainly because of stable external borrowing and realization of growth investment in diverse products and markets. This was 10.27% in 05/06, which increased to 13.28% in 06/07 and decrease to 12.21% in 07/08. the reason for decrease in 07/08 as PBIT increase by 6% as compare to interest paid which was 13.6% The performance is quite better and stable than Sainsbury. 3.3 Liquidity Ratio Liquidity ratio informs the ability of Tesco to meet its short term liabilities and includes current and acid test ratio. 3.3.1. Current Ratio The current ratio of Tesco is increasing over the time and indicates improving ability of Tesco to have liquid funds to repay short term obligation but it is lower than Sainsbury. The performance is better in a way that since 2006 the Tesco have grown 0.09 form 0.52 to 0.61 but still lower than ideal ratio of which is 1:1. Whereas Sainsbury who have declined from 0.88 to 0.66 which indicates that Sainsbury ability to meet its short term obligation is decreasing. Tesco is strengthening its liquidity power. 3.3.2. Quick/Acid Ratio The quick ratio has increase to 0.38 in 2008 from 0.32% of 2007, which was 0.01 low to 2006. The maintenance of cash and banks is almost according to benchmark competitor but need to be strengthened. 3.4 Leverage Ratios The leverage ratio is being applied to measure risk factor of Tesco and these includes total debt equity ratio, long term debt equity ratio and interest cover. 3.4.1. Total Debt Equity The ratios of debt to equity have increased in 2008 to 68% that was 60% in 2006 followed by 59% in 2007. The change is not critical because it is the effects of equity buy back that have decreased the equity value. It is also justifiable because Tesco is enjoying lower cost of debt than cost of equity. It will readjust when the Tesco will launch free share option for its employee. 3.4.1. Long-term Debt Equity The results illustrate similar progress to total debt to equity but more precisely describes the impact equity buy back. The Tesco still have the opportunity to raise fund through external borrowing without critical leverage. 3.5. Efficiently Ratios Efficiency ratio ratios are used to map to performance to mange stocks, debtors and assets of the Tesco. It includes the debtor turnover ratio, stock turnover ratio, debtor days, stock days, creditor days, net assets turnover and fixed asset turn over. 3.5.1. Debtor Turnover Days Debtor turnover and days are directly related to each other i.e. if one goes up second will go up as well vice versa. The debtor turnover was 44.23T in 05/06, which indicate that debtor days were less, 39.52T in 06/07 and in 07/08 36.08T that is reason in 07/08 on average each customer, took 10.12 days to pay debt. The ratio has moving trends over the time. On the other hand debtor turnover of Sainsbury have increase from 05/06 of 58.19T to 86.59T in 2008, which indicates Sainsbury is able to convert its debtors into cash frequently and enjoying having cash benefit as its debtors day have reduced from 6.27D to 4.22D. It is found that Tesco Debtor management need improvement and the debtor days are critical and need to be minimised. Debtors Days Debtors Turnover 3.5.2. Stock Turnover Days These two ratios also directly related to each other as Debtor turnover and days. This ratio informs how many times the Tesco convert stock in to sales revenue. The stock turnover ratio has decreased since 2006 that is reason why stock days for Tesco have increased over the period. As turnover was 24.88T in 05/06, therefore the days were less. It was 20.40T in 06/07 and 17.97T in 07/08, which increases the days to 20.44. Whereas the stock turnover days ratio of Sainsbury is significantly better than Tesco in all years. Inefficient stock control not only increases the storage and handling costs but also waste which impact on overall profitability. Stock Turnover Stock Days 3.5.3. Creditor Days The creditor ratio informs the ability of Tesco to settle its creditors. It is found that the Tesco creditor days are increasing over the year but always less than Sainsbury. In 2006 the creditor days was 28.47 days, in 2007 30.97 days and in 2008 32.90. This will improve the credibility Tesco to purchase competitively than its competitors. Keeping in view of early payment to creditor it can get competitive purchasing price that help it to over good cheaper in the marketing or attain higher margin. 3.2.4.6. Net Asset Turnover The net asset turnover ratio informs Tesco assets ability to generate sales. It is found that net asset turnover ratio is in 2006 is 2.62, in 2007 is 2.56 and in 2008 is 2.38. The ratio has been decreased in 2008. This reflects the impact of heavy investment made by the Tesco on store refurbishment, electronic tills and infrastructure. The performance is almost equal to Sainsbury. 3.6. Evaluation of Future Prospects and Strategy Analysis 3.6.1. Competitive Strategy The Tesco aims to deliver maximum value and choice to customer to attain their life time loyalty. According to my analysis the Tesco is pursing hybrid strategy simultaneously is struggling to achieve low price and differentiation relative to competitors i.e. Wall Mart-ASDA and Sainsbury but influence of low cost is very high than differentiation. It has launched its low cost brand Tesco value, price discount but on the other hand have premium brand i.e. Tesco Finest. The Tesco declares itself as discounter. The underpinning of Tesco competitive is a relentless attitude lowest cost provider of goods and services to be successful in worlds most competitive markets. Porter Generic Competitive Strategy Presentation of TESCO Competitive Advantage Efficiency Quality Competitve Scope Brand Market Low Cost TESCO Differentiation Narrow Market Focus Cost Focus Differentiation 3.6.2. Growth Strategy The Tesco is pursing consistent strategy since 1997, which strengthen its core UK business and help to drive expansion into new product line and international markets. According to the Ansoff Matrix presentation, the Tesco is operating in all three extremes. It has introduced Non food, Tesco online retailing, launched personal finance, Insurance and enter in telecommunication sectors. The have entered into 12 international markets. Ansoff Matrix Presentation of Tesco Growth Strategy Existing Products New Product Existing Market Market Penetration UK Core (Grocery) Product development Non-Food Tesco Online Personal Finance Insurance Telecom New Market Market Development 12 International Markets Diversification The grocery business of Tesco is the largest contributor of its revue to  £51.8bn which is 40% of total sales, Asia 29% and Europe 25%. Intern

Elements of Fiction in Danielle Steel’s Mixed Blessings :: Danielle Steel Mixed Blessings Essays

Elements of Fiction in Danielle Steel’s Mixed Blessings Danielle Steel, in her work of fiction, Mixed Blessings, has effectively used plot, setting, and theme as she weaves a powerful tale of three couples who face decisions about having children that will test, in unexpected ways, the ties that bind them as lovers, partners, and friends. Steel has used these elements to emphasize that there are people who have such a great need and love for children. In Mixed Blessings, she represents women radically and optimistically as shown by Diana Goode, Barbie Mason, and Pilar Graham, unlike the negative representation of womanhood in the movie version of her other novel, The Ring, where Kassandra feels that taking her own life would save her children and her husband from the shame of her unfaithfulness. First, there is a major plot structure in Mixed Blessings, the plot of complications. Right from the beginning, Steel portrays the female characters in terms of their dreams, careers, and their curiosity about having a family. For instance, Diana is the middle child amongst three sisters; her goal is to classically strive to be better, smarter, and more successful. She feels that she has to achieve something more than her sisters have done. Gayle, Diana’s older sister has a dream of attending medical school, but she happily succumbs to marriage temptation. In fact, in Steel’s own words Gayle’s situation is described as: Her oldest sister, Gayle, had been set on going to medical school until she met her husband in her first year of premed, married him that June, and instantly got pregnant. . . . Gayle never looked back at a career in medicine once. She was happily married, and satisfied to stay home with her girls and keep busy with them and her husband. She was the perfect doctor’s wife, intelligent, informed, and completely understanding about his hours as an obstetrician. (6) As the plot progresses, Diana has her own complications from the Intrauterine Device (IUD) she has been using for the past eighteen years. The IUD delayed her from having a child immediately after her marriage. Another aspect of plot that Steel has used in this novel is the reversal of fortune, where Diana, the young elegant looking woman, who knows where she is going and what she wants out of life, ends up being frustrated about inability to have a child.

Clear Channel and the Cultural and Socio-Political Ramifications of Med

Clear Channel and the Cultural and Socio-Political Ramifications of Media Consolidation I.INTRODUCTION In 1996, Congress passed the Telecommunications Act thereby lifting restrictions on media ownership that had been in place for over sixty years (Moyers 2003; Bagdikian 2000: xviii). It was now possible for a single media company to own not just two radio stations in any given local market, but eight. On the national level, there was no longer any limit on the number of stations a company could own – the Act abandoned the previous nation-wide ownership cap of forty stations (20 FM and 20 AM). This â€Å"anti-regulatory sentiment in government† has continued and in 2004 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a new rule that would allow corporations to own â€Å"45 percent of the media in a single market, up from [the] 35 percent† established by the 1996 Act (Croteau & Hoynes 2001: 30; AFL-CIO 2004). Companies can now also own both a newspaper and a television station in the same city (AFL-CIO 2004). This deregulation has led to a frenzied wave of mergers – most notably the Viacom/CBS merger in 1999, the largest in history (Croteau & Hoynes 2001: 21). Ownership of the media has rapidly consolidated into fewer and fewer hands as companies have moved to gobble up newspapers, television stations, and radio stations across the country. Perhaps no other company has benefited more from this deregulation than the company which is the focus of this essay – Clear Channel Communications, Inc (CC). The Telecommunications Act and the actions of the FCC paved the way for the rise of this radio industry behemoth. In 1995, the company owned 43 radio stations nationwide. By 2002, it owned 1,239, making it the largest radio company in th... ...in Dubious Times. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. McChesney, Robert W. and John Nichols. 2002. Our Media, Not Theirs: The Democratic Struggle Against Corporate Media. New York: Seven Stories Press. Moyers, Bill. 2003. â€Å"Transcript: Bill Moyers Interviews Larry Klayman.† NOW: With Bill Moyers, July 11. Retrieved November 4, 2004 (http://www.pbs.org/now/printable/transcript_clearc_print.html). Open Secrets. 2004. â€Å"TV/Radio Stations: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates and Parties.† Retrieved October 7, 2004 (http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/contrib.asp?Ind=C2100). Spivak, Laurie. 2004. â€Å"Culture War May find WMD.† Retrieved October 2, 2004 (http://www.alternet.org/story/18090). Turner, Ted. 2003. â€Å"Monopoly of Democracy?† The Washington Post, May 30. Retrieved October 28, 2004 (http://washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A56132-2003May29?language=printer). Clear Channel and the Cultural and Socio-Political Ramifications of Med Clear Channel and the Cultural and Socio-Political Ramifications of Media Consolidation I.INTRODUCTION In 1996, Congress passed the Telecommunications Act thereby lifting restrictions on media ownership that had been in place for over sixty years (Moyers 2003; Bagdikian 2000: xviii). It was now possible for a single media company to own not just two radio stations in any given local market, but eight. On the national level, there was no longer any limit on the number of stations a company could own – the Act abandoned the previous nation-wide ownership cap of forty stations (20 FM and 20 AM). This â€Å"anti-regulatory sentiment in government† has continued and in 2004 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a new rule that would allow corporations to own â€Å"45 percent of the media in a single market, up from [the] 35 percent† established by the 1996 Act (Croteau & Hoynes 2001: 30; AFL-CIO 2004). Companies can now also own both a newspaper and a television station in the same city (AFL-CIO 2004). This deregulation has led to a frenzied wave of mergers – most notably the Viacom/CBS merger in 1999, the largest in history (Croteau & Hoynes 2001: 21). Ownership of the media has rapidly consolidated into fewer and fewer hands as companies have moved to gobble up newspapers, television stations, and radio stations across the country. Perhaps no other company has benefited more from this deregulation than the company which is the focus of this essay – Clear Channel Communications, Inc (CC). The Telecommunications Act and the actions of the FCC paved the way for the rise of this radio industry behemoth. In 1995, the company owned 43 radio stations nationwide. By 2002, it owned 1,239, making it the largest radio company in th... ...in Dubious Times. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. McChesney, Robert W. and John Nichols. 2002. Our Media, Not Theirs: The Democratic Struggle Against Corporate Media. New York: Seven Stories Press. Moyers, Bill. 2003. â€Å"Transcript: Bill Moyers Interviews Larry Klayman.† NOW: With Bill Moyers, July 11. Retrieved November 4, 2004 (http://www.pbs.org/now/printable/transcript_clearc_print.html). Open Secrets. 2004. â€Å"TV/Radio Stations: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates and Parties.† Retrieved October 7, 2004 (http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/contrib.asp?Ind=C2100). Spivak, Laurie. 2004. â€Å"Culture War May find WMD.† Retrieved October 2, 2004 (http://www.alternet.org/story/18090). Turner, Ted. 2003. â€Å"Monopoly of Democracy?† The Washington Post, May 30. Retrieved October 28, 2004 (http://washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A56132-2003May29?language=printer).

Lansdowne Hermes :: Art Analysis

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sculpture is a medium that artists in ancient Greek commonly used to express spoken truths in an unspoken form. Every piece of ancient Greek sculpture has more than what the eye sees to explain the story behind the [in this case] marble.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Viewing the Lansdowne Hermes with a naked eye and what you will see is a larger than life-size statue depicting a man with an ideal body leaning with the majority of his weight on his right foot. His right arm is resting on his right buttock in an almost effortless pose. The left side of his body tells a different story. His left foot has barely any weight on it, and his left arm is supporting a pretty large portion of cloth wrapped so it perfectly wraps around the shoulder and rests just above the wrist. It appears that he was at one time holding some sort of sword or stick. To the naked eye that is what this sculpture seems to be, accepting a sculpture as a piece of art. Glancing at the Lansdowne Hermes you can appreciate beauty of art for beauty of art. However the sculptor had much more in mind when he created this figure from a large unscathed piece of marble. Looking deeper into the statue a trained (or imaginative) eye can see more than what is just given at a glance. The pose given by Hermes is the classical pose of contraposto. Contraposto is a pose developed where the majority of the weight is placed on one leg and the other leg in a relaxed with relatively no weight on it in a position that can both be relaxed and ready to jump to action in the same resting position. The virtually unnoticed half palm tree that Hermes is resting against gives a divine character an almost mortal because of the necessity of support on an earthly object. In the pose where the presence of strength and anticipation of a move, there is also the presence of a mortal presence. The balance of the counter limb activity is present in the contraposto stance expressing a certain diagonal symmetry. In the Lansdowne Hermes both the right arm and the left leg are in the resting position awaiting the next motion. The right arm is resting on the right buttock anticipat ing some sort of motion or action to be carried out by the seemingly dormant arm.

History of the New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are hands down the most successful franchise in professional baseball. They became the modern day goliath in every facet of the game. However, it hasn’t always been like that. The team originated in the late 1800’s in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1899, the Minneapolis team moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where they became the Baltimore Orioles. Minneapolis and Baltimore both failed to realize the behemoth that was to become the Yankees. In 1903, the team moved to New York City, and became the New York Highlanders. The New York Highlanders built a stadium at 168th and Broadway, and called it Hilltop Park.After losing their first game against Washington, they won their first home game, against the same Washington team. This is when their uniforms developed the famous pin stripes. In 1913, the team moved to the Polo Grounds and officially became the New York Yankees. The Yankees acquired many players from the Boston Red Sox because the owner of the Red Sox refused to pay high salaries. George Herman Ruth Jr. , known to sports fans as Babe Ruth was the most notable acquisition in 1919. In the 1920’s the Yankees won 3 world championships, and started their rise to worldwide fame.In 1923 the Yankees Stadium was built in the heart of the Bronx, in New York City. This stadium became the home of the Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008 essay writer cheap. The stadium’s nickname, â€Å"The House That Ruth Built†, has the most history, from the dozens of Hall of Famers that played in the pinstripes type my essay online, to all the World Series titles. The Yankees stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. Many baseball historians consider the 1927 Yankees team to be the best assembled of all time. In the World Series, they swept the Pittsburgh Pirates.This Yankee team is known for their feared lineup, which was nicknamed â€Å"Murderers' Row†. In the 1930’s the winning continued with Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig, and they won four straight titles. From the 1940’s to the 1950’s the winning ways continued, as the Yankees won five more World Series titles. This was the era of Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, and Whitey Ford. In 1956, starting pitcher Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in World Series history. Larsen’s gem during the 1956 World Series was the first and only perfect game to occur during the postseason and World Series.The Yankees would close the decade of the 1950’s winning a total of seven World Series titles. In 1964, CBS bought the Yankees for 11. 2 million dollars. In 1973, CBS sold the Yankees to George Steinbrenner for 10 million dollars. This would go down as one of the worst deals in sports history for CBS. While the Yankees stadium was refurbished in 1974 and 1975, they played their home games in Shea stadium, home of the New York Mets. Yankees off and on again coach Billy Martin held th e position five different times, and led the team over the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games in the 1977 World Series.This is the World Series Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in a single game, and how he earned his nickname â€Å"Mr. October. † The 1980’s were lean times in which they did not win one World Series title. Don Mattingly was the best known Yankee during the 80’s. In 1983, Dave Righetti pitched the 6th no-hitter in Yankee’s history. 1983 also marked the famous â€Å"pine tar game† with the Kansas City Royals. The 1990’s started as the 1980’s ended. A breakthrough happened in 1996 when the Yankees hired Joe Torre, and then went on to win the World Series that same year. Torre brought the winning edge of previous decades to the new age Yankees.Derek Jeter would go on to become the next Yankees legend. The Yankees went on to win the 1998, 1999, and 2000 World Series, to complete the historic three-peat. The 2008 season was the last season played at historic Yankee Stadium. To celebrate the final year and history of Yankee Stadium, the 2008 MLB All-Star Game was played there on July 15, 2008. It wouldn’t take long for their next World Series title, as they won it all in 2009 with manager Joe Girardi at the helm. In all, the Yankees have 27 championships, more than any other team in any American sport.In pursuit of winning World Series titles, the franchise has utilized a large payroll to recruit star talent, particularly under former owner George Steinbrenner. Individual names are never put on the back of a Yankee’s uniform, because you are not an individual, you are a Yankee. The New York Yankees have inducted 36 players into the Hall of Fame, with more to come in the future. Playing for the Yankees is a huge desire for many kids and professional baseball players. Putting on those pinstripes represents history and pride. Hall of famer Joe DiMaggio put it best when he said, â€Å"Iâ€⠄¢d like to thank the good lord for making me a Yankee. †