Depression - Family and Community Experience Assignment

Depression - Family and Community Experience - Assignment Example The results are severe for patients below six years as opposed to the other category. Studies on the expressed emotions shows that families of patients suffering from chronic depression are easily predicted by higher levels of Expressed Emotions. Patients suffering from disorders associated with mood record a poor outcome from medical experts. Other studies indicated that spouses found it hard to share with the public about their spouses and this leads to reduced marital activities with the patient. In the long run, it happens that the patient feels unattended to and this further complicates his situation. This however results when the spouse to the patient feels embarrassed about the patient’s condition. Impacts of chronic illness and depression sharply differ from one society to another and from one country to another. Despite the variations, what is common is that the situation bears with it serious cost implications. A patient suffering from depression is considered a wast e to an economy in terms of productivity, this by it self is a form of a negative cost. Attempts in curative or reduction are yet other cost. In most set ups, human life is taken to be paramount and the responsibility is not left to the family alone but to the entire society. In some cases there is inability to persevere in a marriage where the patient is either a wife or husband. It makes the spouse to have mentality of trying to get their way out. This is attributed to effect in the sexual behavior and performance which is not at par or anyway near the satisfaction level achieved before. In chronic situations, it leads to dysfunctioning of the whole act as earlier stipulated as lack of interest or mood. In the recent past, it has been noted with keen interest that patients suffering from chronic depression pose a great burden o the family members and those destined to take care of them. What this implies is that the care givers have to reduce the time the have to undertake in doin g their personal activities such as leisure and other social activities after their relative has been diagnosed with depression. The family will tend to be more worried about the future with increased symptoms, effects and consequences. The effects are more staunch in families with poor base are compared to their rich counterparts. The community as whole participates in the sense that support can easily be mobilized from the social networks. The support can either be financial or just moral. Handling of depressed patients has effects as well. Parents of children with depression are reported to have a higher likelihood of contacting or suffering from psychological disorders such as the same mental depression. Thus children require more attention compared to adults. Therefore the risks in handling children is much greater compared to adults Educational support has been advanced on that note that is found capable of assisting relatives in provision of care to patients suffering from ch ronic depression. Although sources indicate that the much that has been advanced is too little and a further research is recommended. Such education is technically referred to as psycho education and it was purposely developed to assist in mitigation of the enormous difficulties and challenges encountered by

Lost and Found Essay Example for Free

Lost and Found Essay It’s a story that many people have lived through, from one side or the other. You’re a child in a busy department store, tethered to your mother’s side by her firm grip on your hand, your eyes constantly drawn left and right by the colorful displays. She lets go to grab something or talk to a salesperson, and you see an exciting toy or stuffed animal and run to it. After playing with it for a few minutes you try to walk back, but your mother is gone. First a wave of confusion hits you, but it is quickly overcome by dread. You are alone and lost in a sea of noise and people. When great philosophers or authors talk or write of being â€Å"lost† they can mean all sorts of things, but few are as visceral as the feeling of being lost that a child in a situation like that can experience. Even if there’s a good chance the child is in no danger at all, the feeling of dread that accompanies feeling alone and lost in a crowded department store can be terrifying. Most people will have their first feeling of being lost as being literally, physically lost as children, whether it is in a department store, or in a large park, or simply down the next street. It makes sense, then, to start defining what it means to be â€Å"lost† with the experience of a child. What about that deep, philosophical â€Å"lost,† though? When people say they feel lost (as opposed to being physically lost) they often are referring to alienation of some sort. One way that people address alienation that serves as a good comparison is religion. People who believe strongly in their religion will often feel like they are spiritually â€Å"in place.† On the other hand, if some tragedy or crisis of identity strikes, they might suddenly feel spiritually lost. The same dread that a child who can’t find his mother feels in the department store can be felt by an adult who experiences a tragic accident and loses their belief in their religion. These definitions of lost could apply five hundred years ago just as easily as they apply today. I believe, though, that every era has challenges that are unique to it, and the information age is no exception. The â€Å"information age† really is aptly named, because in today’s fast-paced world we are hit with more information than any humans have ever faced. As modern people, we are constantly inundated with a flood of information everywhere we turn. Magazines and newspapers and books and nutrition labels and billboards and television programs – they’re all feeding us new information every waking moment. All these mediums pale in comparison to the true information mother lode though: the internet. With computers, people gain access to the vast majority of the world’s information at their fingertips. With the increasing popularity of internet-connected smart phones and tablet computers, though, this information is not only at our fingertips but alwa ys at our fingertips. What does the internet have to do with alienation and being lost? The sensory overload that Wikipedia and Youtube provide can be great for keeping people entertained, but it can also be all too easy to get lost in. Many people know the feeling of logging onto a computer or smart phone with a single goal in mind – sending an email, perhaps, or checking the weather next week – and spending not five minutes but an hour and a half, as the myriad attractions of the digital age distract them. Just like the child in the department store, people can be drawn to the colorful displays of the internet, and realize only when it is too late that they are lost. So, then, we can define (at least) three different ways that people can be lost. There is the physical â€Å"lost† – not knowing where you are physically. There is also the spiritual â€Å"lost† – not feeling at peace with your own existence. Finally, there is the information age â€Å"lost† – being trapped, pinned beneath ever-growing piles of information that your mind will never have time to process all of. All three of these forms of being lost have something in common: they feel bad, but are actually ultimately helpful. Since it’s been established previously that being lost is connected to being alienated, it might seem contradictory that it is actually a good thing. After all, those feelings associated with being lost – hopelessness, dread, despondence – are all quite uncomfortable and even painful to feel. Nobody likes to feel like they don’t know where they are in life, like they are out of place. No child likes the feeling of separation from their loved ones. And certainly nobody likes to look up and realize they’ve just wasted three hours of their lives they’ll never get back watching funny videos about cats on the internet. Overall, all the emotions that being lost makes people feel are negative – but all the negativity serves a purpose. Without darkness, there’s no light, and without being lost, there’s no being found. There’s an old stereotype that people who are on a bad path in life will never be able to clean up their act until they hit the lowest possible point, and in a way getting lost can be like that. Realizing that they are lost can be the ultimate wake up call. It’s easy to demonstrate how getting lost once or twice in a physical way can help someone. Going back to the example of the child in the department store, what is most likely to happen is that the child will have a harmless scare for a while and then be re-united with its mother. While in the short-term both the child and its parents will be scared, in the long-term the child will hopefully learn not to stray far from its parents in an unfamiliar place. If the person getting physically lost is an adult instead of a child, they may learn the value of being more prepared (by bringing a map on a road trip, perhaps) or even the value of asking other people for directions. Spiritual periods of being lost can be similarly helpful to a person’s growth and development. Someone who’s faith has never been tested may continue to go on acting as they do while life is easy, but if things get harder they won’t know what to do. On the other hand, if someone experiences a tragedy or unexpected twist in their life their faith might be challenged and tested. Even though they may feel horribly lost during this period, they may emerge from it with a new, stronger faith in their beliefs. On the other hand, if they find their beliefs to be lacking, they may instead have new personal revelations and growth that will lead them to a belief system that they more truly support. Getting lost in the information age is less easy to define than the more traditional ways people get lost. In many cases, people embrace the information overload and dive right in. Every day, people’s jobs and education can require them to submerse themselves in the sea of information that is the internet. It is hard to say what the consequences of people being inundated with so much information will be. The easy access (and unavoidable flood) of information is a relatively new thing, that has only been around to this degree for at most a bit over a decade, so the implications have yet to be seen. What is it to be lost? There are at least a handful of answers to this question, but in the broadest terms possible, being lost is being alienated from one’s surroundings. Everybody gets lost from time to time in one way or another, and that will likely never change. Getting lost can be uncomfortable and scary, but getting lost is an important part of life. Through getting lost and then finding themselves again, people can grow and learn more about themselves and their surroundings. So what is it to be lost? To be lost is to be in a state of change: to be lost is to be down, but coming back up, to be in trouble but in hope of being found again.

Flash! :: essays research papers

FLASH!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On august 6, 1945 an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Thousands of people died instantly from the initial blast. Others died later because of flash burns and radiation sickness. Those who lived had to move away from their homes and toward the parade grounds and parks. Any doctors that were uninjured had to work nonstop all day and night mending wounds. Some people mysteriously die and others are unrecognizable because of the flash burns covering their bodies. The few people that had survived the blast had to try to put their lives back to normal. Homes had been destroyed and family members killed. Now new people had started moving into Hiroshima once news spread that is was safe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book Hiroshima was an enlightening view of what went on during the atomic blast and the days after. The part that sticks most in my mind was when Mr. Tanimoto was trying to help burn victims on the shore of the river. When he grabbed the one woman’s arm to pull her out to the boat he was using to transport injured people chunks of her skin slid right off. I could visualize the skin coming off because of a similar but not nearly as extreme of an experience. I had burned my arm on an oven rack and when I was wiping off my arm the skin peeled right off. As I read the section I could imagine a large piece of skin peeling off of a human hand and I thought that I would lose my dinner.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another thing that remained in my memory throughout the novel was that people put their beliefs before their injuries. Mr. Tanimoto mention that he was ashamed that he could walk when he saw all of the injured people lying about unable to move. Dr. Sasaki didn’t sleep for the first three days because he knew it would be wrong to. Amazingly though, the injured had no shame they walked naked with burns from head to toe and thought nothing of it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The bomb fell silently and as in struck the ground a bright flash lit the whole city. The residents who lived through couldn’t seem to realize what kind of bomb it was. Some thought it was a cluster of many bombs. Rumors spread that a plane that had flown over had sprayed gasoline all across the city. Another said that magnesium powder had been dropped and reacted to the power lines.

Swarovski Branding Strategies & Products

SWAROVSKI. Branding for luxury goods Group G. Members: Truong Anh Bao Nguyen Yunkyung Choo Lilit Nagapetyan CONTENT: 1 History 2 Concept 3 Brand Strategy 4 Marketing Mix 5 Positioning 6 Services 7 Target Consumer 8 CBBE Pyramid 9 SWOT analysis 10 Competitors 11 Recommendation 12 References 1. HISTORY: 1882 Daniel Swarovski (1862-1956) invents a revolutionary machine that allows crystals to be cut more precisely than with existing manual methods. 1895 Daniel Swarovski founds the company in Wattens, Tyrol, with the vision of bringing joy to people through crystal.His guiding principle is still followed by the company today: â€Å"To constantly improve what is good. † 1949 SWAROVSKI OPTIK is founded, and goes on to become a leading manufacturer of precision optical instruments for hunting and nature observation (binoculars, telescopes, rifle scopes, range finders, and night vision and optronic devices). 1956 The first Swarovski crystals for chandeliers and lighting are launched, and in 1977 are registered under the STRASS Swarovski Crystal name.Today they adorn classical chandeliers, suche as those in the Palace of Versailles and the Metropolitan Opera, New York, as well as more modern lights. Swarovski starts to manufacture precision-cut gemstones. 2002 Swarovski develops Crystal Fabric: countless tiny crystals create a delicate shimmer over a variety of materials. 2003 In conjuction with leading fashion and jewelry designers, â€Å"Runway Rocks† is founded – a collection of unique jewelry pieces featuring crystal for the catwalk, showcasing design and innovation 2009 At the â€Å"Baselword† watch and jewerly exhibition, Swarovski launches its first watch collection. . CONCEPT More than a century ago, Daniel Swarovski, its founder, once said â€Å"A diamond of everyone† that sparkles everyone's lives, Swarovski today has been thriving for the best to serve its customers, being one of the finest crystal producers in today’ s global industry. Mission Through the mastery of the poetry of precision we continue to be market leader, driving force and reliable partner within our industry to meet people’s desire for adornment and delight since 1895 as * manufacturer, marketer, and retailer of premium jewelry and customer products ranging from decorative objects to lighting and accessories. manufacturer and marketer of premium jewelry stones for customers. * Swarovski provides high quality products and services and anticipate, fulfill and exceed consumers’ desires and customers’ needs. * Swarovski offers our colleagues and teams fulfilling challenges that inspire them to be innovative and creative. 3. BRAND STRATEGY: Not so long ago Swarovski was not very famous and didn't have any branding strategies. ‘For a long time Swarovski didn't â€Å"brand† its product. And back then it wasn't really about branding as it is nowadays.We had to develop a hard-core communications strateg y – a PR strategy – which we pitched to the editors and designers. ‘ said Nadja Swarovski, Swarovksi Vice president of International Communications. Today, Swarovski is almost omnipresent everywhere from fashion awards, catwalk shows, film premieres; its crystals are used by fashion designers from the edgiest Central Saint Martins graduate to the hallowed ateliers of Armani, Dior and Chanel. This is where the real success of Swarovski lies: by aligning the company with the most avant-garde young fashion talent.When the hottest British designers of the time, Alexander McQueen, Philip Treacy and Julien Macdonald used Swarovski crystal mesh – a fine fishnet gauze studded with tiny crystals – in his catwalk show, it immediately changed people's perception of the brand. ‘The McQueen show provided a visual that was very different to the standard idea people had of us,' Nadja says. The company then began to re-establish the company's links with the f ashion world, sponsoring younger designers who are in need of capital to make their label take off.Nearly ten years later this winning formula is still producing results. Designers, no matter how edgy or cool, all seem to want to use Swarovski crystals and accept sponsorship. ‘If you're a young designer starting a collection, it's great to have crystal in there because it makes it more haute couture,' Nadja says. ‘It adds elegance, a seriousness, credibility. In fashion, if you have something to prove, then couture, or at least craftsmanship, is the right track. â€Å" Not only enraptured the fashion world, Swarovski also moved on to the film industry.Some of Swarovski's most high-profile projects have been Moulin Rouge, where the sets and costumes groaned under the weight of Swarovski crystals, Titanic and the recent Bond films. During Oscar season Nadja sets up camp in Los Angeles, and stylists can browse the Swarovski jewellery, shoes and handbags with a view to dres sing their clients on the red carpet. These days Swarovski crystals adorn everything from iPods and mobile phones to Maria Sharapova's new Nike tennis dress. They even covered, whisper it, Jordan's wedding dress. 4.Marketing Mix Products: The Swarovski Crystal range includes crystal glass sculptures and miniatures, jewelry and couture, home decor, and chandeliers. They're best known for imitating â€Å"colored germs† All sculptures are marked with a logo. The original Swarovski logo was an edelweiss flower, which was finally replaced with the current swan logo in 1988 Subsidiary companies: Swarovski Fashion accessories and crystal-based ornaments. Daniel Swarovski Jewelry, handbags, accessories and interior design objects. Swarovski Optik Optics.Atelier Swarovski Fashion and jewellery designers. Swarovski Crystal Palace Avant-garde lighting and design (chandeliers etc. ). Swarovski Elements Crystal designs. Swarovski Gemstone Business Gemstone designs. Swarovski Lighting Swar ovski finished lighting products and solutions with crystal for architecture. Tyrolit A bonded grinding and dressing tools company. Swareflex A road safety products specialist. Schonbek A crystal chandelier manufacturer. Touchstone Crystal Swarovski's direct sales company for ready-made jewelry PlaceAll boutiques are beautifully set up and conveniently located in the fashion mall/heart of big 19 metropolitan cities from Dubai, Madrid, Hongkong to New York City over 20 countries in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Also online website is available with convenient shipping services Price 100$ to $42,800/item Promotion Promotion is via press, social network (Twitter, Facebook, Youtube) as well as via traditional and on-going sponsorship for young talented artists/ designers to use Swarovski crystals in any kinds of their designs in fashion show, film awards, etc.Therefore, the best season to promote Swarovski crystals is during the fashion week (twice a year- January to March and from September to October) and movie/film award ceremonies seasons (October to February) 5. Positioning Swarovski is positioning itself as a luxury fashion by creating a customer experience to let people know Swarovski’s brand values of innovation and modernity. They would like to position themselves as creating premium, high-quality products for the consumers. They are trying to be a market leader in the luxury jewelry industry by innovating continuously.Recently, Swarovski hired Yellowdoor as retained agency, which will focus on positioning as an affordable luxury brand. * Luxury fashion brand * Market leader in the luxurious crystal industry * Multi-faceted business * Affordable luxury brand 6. Service * Collection of rings, pins, earrings, pendants, necklaces, hair jewels, cuff links, charms, brooches, bracelets, bangles and gifts. * Large variety of color options * Vast selection of gifts available for fewer than $100 * Magazine and group for Swarovski enthusiasts. * Free shipping standard on orders more than $95 * Customized gift messages Free gift wrapping and bag * Scheduled delivery * Right to return (2 week return policy) * Product warranty * After sales services 7. Target Customer Swarovski's target customer is â€Å"every female† from 17 to 71 in terms either of buying or gift receiving because they offer diverse products to such a broad range of people. Even though each group (tweens, generations X,Y and Baby Boomers) has its own needs and values, Swarovski meets most of them. Swarovski Jewellery bases most of its market on women of age 25 and above by creating bridal, business, classical and sophisticated collections.It also include men accessories such as bracelets and watches, and of course kids over 6 years old. Also, one of the biggest Swarovski's market target today is fashion industry. Swarovski crystals are affixed to everything from Victoria's Secret bra sets and Kawasaki motorcycles, to the clothing collections of such as Dolce ; Gabbanna and avant-garde vintage revisionists Imitation of Christ. 1) Women collection of * Sophisticated * Business * Classical * Bridal collections 2) Men MEN’s collection * Rings * Bracelets * Necklaces 3) Kids * Disney collection Hello Kitty collection 4) Other Industries: Swarovski crystals are affixed to everything. * Victoria's Secret bra sets * Kawasaki motorcycles * Clothing collections * DJ Headphones 8. CBBE Pyramid Resonance: HIGH LOYALTY Brand resonance is high due to active loyalty of customers Consumer Judgments: GLOBAL BRAND WITH RICH HERITAGE Perfect and innovative crystal products High quality production Consumer Feeling: PRESTIGIOUS ELEGANCE Prestigious, elegant, fragile, dedicated, timeless Humble and sophisticated Feels like a fairy Brand Performance: EXCELLENT SERVICESExtremely durable, serviceable Offers timeless, high quality crystal products Innovative product lines: Optik gears, etc. Brand Imagery: GLAMOROUS Glamorous luxurious crystal pro ducts Women/young ladies with high income, high taste of elegant sophisticated jewelries Brand Salience: HIGH DEPTH & BREADTH Extremely high recognition on the crystal market Most known for its crystal jewelries product line If it's crystal, it’s nothing else but Swarovski! 9. SWOT Analysis: Strengths Strong brand identity and high company reputation World widely recognized market leaderCheap materials, high added value products Craftsmanship (durable quality) Online store New techniques Perfection High quality After sales services Weaknesses Expensive production in Austria Repetitive design Opportunities Diversity of customers of all ages New markets in Latin America ; emerging markets in Asia Various product lines through collaboration Unlimited design according to crystal cutting Threats Cheaper competitors Imitators/substitutes Relies on disposable income of consumers Slowdown in market growth Cheaper artificial crystal 0. Competitors Price: Cartier – Swarovski â⠂¬â€œ Pandora – Preciosa Reputation in jewelry market: Cartier – Swarovski – Pandora – Preciosa Variety of jewelry products: Pandora – Swarovski – Cartier – Preciosa Quality of crystal: Swarovski – Cartier – Preciosa – Pandora 11. Recommendation †¢Product Strategy Swarovski should expand its business in the jewelry market, having more product lines as well as jewelry designs since it's already has a reputation in the crystal industry: Extend their product lines (perfumes, watches, Home electronics , etc. Extend their jewelries products (leather bracelet, wedding ring, etc. ) Focus on jewelry customization †¢Place: Establish stores in Latin America and expand business in emerging markets †¢Pricing No changes †¢Promotion No changes 12. REFERENCE: http://www. swarovski. com/ http://www. brand. swarovski. com/Content. Node/home. fr. html#/en/aboutus/ourevolution http://www. brand. swarovski. com/Co ntent. Node/home. fr. html#/en/aboutus/spirit http://swarovskijewrley. blogspot. fr/2010/09/week-4-marketing-environment. html http://online-jewelry-review. optenreviews. com/swarovski-review. html http://www. brandchannel. com/ http://www. prweek. com/uk/news/890882/Swarovski-hires-Yellowdoor/? DCMP=ILC-SEARCH http://fashion. telegraph. co. uk/news-features/TMG3361538/Swarovski-the-glitz-spirit. html http://www. crystalfanaticsclub. com/about_swarovski. php http://globalfashionanalytics. com/ritejl/brending/157-marketingovaja-strategija-v-ljuksovom-segmente. htm http://news. naver. com/main/read. nhn? mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=101&oid=001&aid=0005922714

Miss Essay

Marketing Management Individual Assignment 1. The definition of EPRG orientation and its practice in international companies/local companies * ethnocentric (home-country oriented) An ethnocentric firm views the business from the perspective and values of the home country. Policies and practices are likely to be designed by home-country nationals with little or no variation for international operations. Ethnocentric oriented international companies believe that anything worked at home must also work abroad. For example: Nissan using ethnocentric orientation during its first few years of exporting cars and trucks to the U. S. market. Nissan’s cars were designed for mild Japanese winter, the vehicle were difficult to start in many parts of the U. S. during winter there. In northern Japan many car owners would put blankets over the hoods of their cars. Nissan’s assume that Americans would do the same. * Polycentric (host country-oriented) In contrast with ethnocentric, a polycentric firm operates according to the principle that each country of operation is different. Polycentric is a highly market-oriented. Each market is considered unique, that’s why the marketing mix, product strategies, pricing strategies etc is different for each country. Example: Citicorp’s financial services around the world operated on a polycentric basis. James Bailey, one Citicorp executive, offered this description of the company: â€Å"we were like in a medieval state. There was a king and his court, are they in charge? No. The land barons are who were in charge. King and his court may declare this or that, but the lord barons who went and did their thing to their appointed land. With that statement we can interpret that even the owner of company in headquarter stating this and that, but each country has some differences, and we should makes some changes in order to make our company succeed in other country. * Regiocentric (regionally-oriented) Firm treats a region as a uniform market segment and adapts a similar marketing strategy within region but not across region. For examole: Mc Donald not serving pork and slaughter animals through Halal process only in Middle East and some muslim-dominated countries. * Geocentric (world-oriented) The geocentric approach considers the whole world as a single market and attempts to formulate integrated marketing strategies. The firm recognizes both similarities and differences in cultures and markets. Best practices are adopted on a global basis and adapted for local conditions where necessary. Nestle and other multinational company is using geocentric orientation. Colgate Palmolive is an example for a company which using geocentric approach. It has been operating internationally for 50 years and its products are households in more than 170 countries. 2. The practice of each of the entry modes (exporting, licensing, franchising, contract manufacturing, strategic alliances, joint ventures and foreign directt investment) please provide example for each entry strategy done by each local company and international company * Exporting The home company exports their product to host country company/distributor. It is the safest entry strategy to start expanding company overseas. By exporting we would learn the market situation in overseas market. And it is less risky and less cost than to manufactures the goods in host country. The example of exporting is kecap Bango and bumbu Bamboe in European market, especially French. Kecap Bango and bumbu Bamboe export their goods to Indian and Asian store in France. The target market is of course Indonesian consumer who lives there. Another example is Teh Botol in carton pack, it sells its product by helping of Indonesian embassy in Paris, France. * Licensing In licensing the home firm agrees to permit a company in host country to use the manufacturing, processing, trademark, know-how or some other skill provided by the licensor. For example, Coca Cola give license to United Bottlers to make Coke in Zimbabwe. Franchising A home company which using franchising (franchisor), grants another ( a company or individual) the rights to distribute goods or services using franchisor’s brand and system in exchange for fees. Mc Donalds is known to use franchise as its market strategies through the world. In Indonesia, alfamart and indomaret are using franchising as their strategy. But they still using it within Indonesia not overseas. * contract manufacturing In contract manufacturing the firm decide to enter by contracting a manufacture of its product in target market. In example GAP contract manufacture in developing countries to manufacture and sells them. The products can be made to the conditions and specific requirements of the local market * strategic alliances Strategic alliances firm unite with competitor to pursue a set of assented goals remain independent after the formation of the alliance. The partner firms share the benefits of the alliance and the control of the performance of assigned tasks and the partner firms contribute on a continuing basis to one or more key strategic areas. For example, in 2005 Adidas (a German company) announced its acquisition of Reebok. Mr. Herbert Hainer, the CEO of Adidas, expected to cut costs by 125 million Euros in the next three years by sharing information technology, synergies in sales and distribution, and cheaper sourcing. However, the new combined company will continue to run separate headquarters and sales forces, and keep most distribution centers apart * joint ventures In joint ventures the firms in which two or more investors share ownership and control over property rights and operation. In Zimbabwe, Olivine industries have a joint venture agreement with HJ Heinz in food processing. * foreign direct investment The firm makes a direct investment in a production unit in a foreign market. It is the greatest commitment since there is a 100% ownership. The international firm can obtain wholly foreign production facilities in two primary ways; It can make a direct acquisition or merger in the host market and It can also develop its own facilities from the ground up. Multinational company are already using foreign direct investment, like Nestle in many countries in the world including Indonesia, Unilever, etc

Methods of evaluating location alternatives Essay Example

Methods of evaluating location alternatives Essay Example Methods of evaluating location alternatives Essay Methods of evaluating location alternatives Essay Know your customers: Every business should know who your customers are, do you know them, most of the organizations think that they know, but often they are wrong. It is very important to understand who your customers are. It is very important to know your regular and frequent customers and if the organization knows who their frequent customers are, it will help to identify other areas that may have demographics with similar characteristic. Before selecting a new location for the business, Rotis management should consider on this factor. Trade area: Trade areas come in many shapes and sizes, so the organization should know what area they intend to serve. Trade areas are not actually round, square, or rectangular, instead they usually reflect irregular shaped pattern. It correspond to road or street pattern, it is altered by competition, physical and psychological barriers, and the demographic of the local residents and employees of the certain area. So Rotis management needs to consider which is the realistic area and can attract more customers. Structure of the market: Every city, town, neighborhood, building, house has a structure and it is determined by physical and psychological barriers. Socio-economic characteristic, street and motorway patterns, industrial and commercial concentrations, type of employment, income, age, topography, and other factors, and by identifying these most important benefits of the structure, Roti can substantially improve the opportunity for success. Demographic area: When organizations select or look locations, they have to consider on the local areas population, because if you are taking help of the leasing agent or a real estate broker, they usually throw away the population numbers, or you may also be given a computer generated data listing the population, households, age, and income of the given area. The organization should develop their own feel for the market, they can also consider how much population growth is expected in certain period of time. The most important element is not how many people reside in the population area, but it is rather who are the people, what are their ages and what is the income. So every organization should clearly analyze these facts. Accessibility: Access mainly occurs at three levels, so the organizations have to analyze these three levels. 1 whether there is easy access to the business location, 2 the access to the particular site and (3) lastly whether this access is via adequate curb cuts, traffic signals or others, and if the access is poor it can be overcome by reputation or promotion, especially when competition is at its peak. Rotis management have to consider whether there is an easy access for their customers and suppliers where they are going to re-locate their restaurant. Competition: Most of the organizations in todays era thinks that they are unique, and some are, and some not. Therefore, competition is a significant factor that an organization should consider before choosing a location. Organization must determine competition and measure its importance. You should know the sales, service level, production level of your competitors, and if the one do not know answer to above all, how can they determine their own success. Roti should know all the main Indian restaurants in the area they are going to choose. They should also observe and research how customers are attending these restaurants and at which hours. Visibility Exposure: Here visibility means ability to see or recognize the location, as its exposure is being seen and recognized over a long period of time. Visibility can create huge success and opportunities for the business. Visibility is the most important factor that a restaurant or any business should consider before selecting a particular location for you business. Restaurants location is as important as the food it serves. Management of Roti should consider all the above factors before selecting a new location to relocate their restaurant. I will suggest them that they should try to find the location near the commercial area or office towers. The new location should be easily accessible for the people and the suppliers and it can be easily reached by walk or drive. The new site should avoid facing another restaurant because it may mislead the customers to enter the wrong place when they want to come to your restaurant. The new location they are going to select should be in the convenient zone, the transportation tool and pedestrian can pass it conveniently. The also need to consider the nearby parking lot has enough space for your customers vehicles. They should also consider the location in well known dining area, location near the street corner and the street name should be well known, because everybody will know when they pass by it no matter car driver or pedestrian. And when people feel hungry or they think the location is convenient they will come to the restaurant enjoying your place without hesitation. So in the nutshell we can say that the management should say that they the location they are going to select should be convenient, in well known area, easily accessible, in the busy area, and enough parking space. Methods of evaluating location alternatives The decision where to locate is based on many different types of information and inputs. There are different models and techniques available which will help organization to organize site information and that can be used as starting point for comparing different locations. For Roti I have selected the most popular method the factor-rating method. Decisions from this method will not be made based solely on these ratings, but they will provide a good way to organize and rank factors. We con also consider it as a quantitative approach.

Tata Steel Case Study Analysis Essays

Tata Steel Case Study Analysis Essays Tata Steel Case Study Analysis Paper Tata Steel Case Study Analysis Paper Introduction The Tata Group is a very large group of businesses that dominate markets in India. The organization has established itself as a leader in markets such as the airline industry, hotel, software, investment, and steel industry. There is a long history of corporate responsibility within the group, and it is no surprise that all Tata companies have adopted a Tata Code of Conduct as well as many international standards. Tata Steel is one of twenty-eight major corporations within the Tata Group. Founded in 1907, it is the largest private sector steel company in India. Operations are spread across the country, with the steel manufacturing unit at Jamshedpur, and other manufacturing and mining activities situated in the states of Jarkhand and Orissa at eight locations. The Tata Group headquarters is based in Mumbai, Maharastra. This paper provides an overview and analysis of the accounting problems that Tata Steel is faced with after acquiring a foreign company. Company Profile Tata Steel, incorporated in 1907 by Shri Dorabji Tata, is Indias largest private sector steel company belonging to the Tata Group. The company manufactures finished steel, both long and flat products like hot and cold rolled coils and sheets, galvanized sheets, tubes, wire rods, construction re-bars, rings and bearings. The company markets its products in brands like Tata Steelium, Tata Tiscon, Tata Pipes, etc. The company is among the lowest cost producers of steel in the world. Its main plant is located in Jamshedpur, having a manufacturing capacity of 5 MTPA (million tonne per annum) while its processing units, captive iron ore and coal mines are located in the states of Orissa, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Gujarat and West Bengal. With its head office located in Mumbai, the company functions through a network consisting of trading arms and operation and projects sites spread across countries in the continents of Asia, Europe and America. Apart from Steel there are six Strategic Business Units or divisions for Bearings, Ferro Alloys and Minerals, Rings and Agrico, Tata Growth Shop, Tubes, and Wires. It operates in more than 20 countries and has a commercial presence in over 50. In the past few years, Tata Steel has invested in Corus (UK), Millennium Steel (renamed Tata Steel Thailand) and NatSteel Asia (Singapore). With these, the company has created a manufacturing and marketing network in Europe, South East Asia and the Pacific-rim countries Problem Tata Steel Faces Tata Steel is faced with a very serious, and somewhat complex, problem. The company has global ambitions. By that I mean the company wants to establish itself as a power and contender in the global marketplace. Tata Group acquired UK based Corus Group, a well established steel company in its own right, by way of a $12. 1 billion deal. The deal was partly funded with a $6. billion dollar loan that was primarily denominated in Euros. The currency in which the Corus Group earned most of its revenues was Euros. It made sense for the Tata Group to fund the deal in Euros in order to avoid exposing the debt to currency risk. The problems that the Tata Group would face due to this deal brought about an issue that the organization really did not have much experience in dealing with. Because of the currency denomination issues with this dea l, the Tata Steel would have a liability of over $600 million on its financial books. Although, the reality of the situation is that Tata Steel has a sound and balanced financial structure and accounting practices. Because of international accounting laws that India and the Tata Group have adopted, on the books it looks as if Tata Steel is carry more liabilities or debts than it really is. This is significant because an investor or shareholder would look at the company’s financials and think that the organization is not as financially stable as it really is. Tata Steel used Indian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (IGAAP) to prepare their financial statements. IGAAP merged with the global accounting system known as the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The problem with this is that by IFRS standards the merger, or natural hedge, was not recognized. IGAAP and IFRS both mandated that foreign currency loans be denominated in the borrowing company’s home currency for accounting purposes. This created a reporting problem for Tata Steel when in reality there was no financial problem with the deal. SWOT Analysis of Tata Steel Strengths Global position in steel industry Tata Steel is one of the most prosperous and profitable steel companies in the world. The acquisition of Corus and other global steel companies have bolstered Tata’s position in the marketplace and made it one of the top steel companies in the world. Corporate governance Tata Steel has had a very good record for corporate governance. It has set the benchmark in global corporate governance principles of accountability, transparency, and equity for others to follow. Tata Steel has been consistently receiving prestigious awards at both the national and the international arena. The company was awarded the Best Governed Company Award in 2006 for corporate practices presented by Asian Centre for Corporate Governance. Brand value The Tata Steel brand, owing to its highly ethical and a socialistic approach to business, has made its name synonymous to trust. The acquisition of Corus made Tata Steel an even more reputable and powerful company. Tats Steel was a well known brand even before the acquisition of Corus. The addition of Corus makes Tata Steel one of the most well known and productive companies in the world. Innovation of Tata Steel Tata Steel has the lowest operating cost for steel manufacture in the world. Further it has displayed effective means in adopting an eco-friendly and sustainable approach towards the manufacture of steel thus proactive measures are undertaken to ensure the employees health and productivity through ergonomically designed work stations and by protecting them from occupational hazards. Adaptability to the fast changing global business environment Tata Steel has displayed immense agility in the recent past during the global financial crisis. Its virtuosos of various fields have adopted various methods like lowering production and even shutting down steel plants due to the lack of demand, managing the balance sheet efficiently etc. The company has 70% of its procurement of raw materials for its operations in Asia through long term contracts and so its margins can be shielded from the nuances of the volatility of the financial markets. Management Team Tata Steel has a highly credible management team who has displayed their skills in expanding the company through various innovative methods. The company has successfully acquired Nat Steel of Indonesia, Millennium Steel of Thailand and more importantly UK based Corus. The company’s virtuosos of finance have been able to find innovative ways to tackle the company’s debt and keep the bottom line in the green zone despite lower demand and a lot of accumulated debt. Weaknesses Debt burden Tata Steel has a total debt of $9. 8 billion USD on its books, much of it from the Corus acquisition. The company plans to refinance $6. 5 billion of its long term debt. It has an unfavorable debt to equity ratio which means the assets of the company are largely financed through debt. With the steady increase in inflation most countries are beginning to tighten credit and liquidity in the money markets. As a result of inflation increases, interest rates are on the rise as well. An increase in interest rates means an increase in the company’s liabilities. This will further add to the degradation of Tata Steel’s balance sheet. Conservative accounting practices India has very conservative accounting standards. The system works within the country but lacks flexibility and adaptability when it comes to reporting differences in currency. Because the Tata Group has global aspirations, the company must deal in various currencies when doing business with global companies. The problem lies in the rules governing the accounting practices within India. All foreign currencies must be converted to the home countries currency when reporting on financial statements. Technology Many steel companies have implemented different technologies into their plants to make production and productivity more efficient. There is a new fluorescent x-ray technology that some companies have adopted. Tata Steel is lacking in this area. Tata Steel has failed to adopt new technology to lower cost, improve production, and improve employee safety standards. Procurement philosophy of its subsidiaries The largest subsidiary of Tata Steel, Corus, has high exposure to spot prices and a higher operational gearing among the larger European steel companies. Hence it has the risk of volatility associated with pricing, one of the key elements in determining profitability of a commodity company. Opportunities Competitive position Tata Steel is the second largest producer of steel in India and the sixth largest producer in the world. Over the years Tata Steel has been acquiring various steel companies around the world, the latest being Corus. There is a lot of room for Tata to grow and further establish itself as a perennial power in the global marketplace. Technological advances Tata Steel has shown immense integration abilities in the past. With the acquisition of Corus it has been able to integrate the high end technological knowledge into its production facilities. The company has also been able to produce high quality steel at lower prices and significantly improve its operating margins. Infrastructure opportunities India has geared up for rapid expansion in the field of infrastructure. The Government of India (GOI) has earmarked Rs. 1, 70,000 crore for infrastructural spending for the fiscal year 2010- 2011 and the trend is set to escalate up to the fiscal year 2025 when India is slated to become the third largest economy in the world. Further many private players either independently or by undergoing public private partnerships (PPP) has also come into the fray. The consumption of steel has been steadily increasing with the rapid investment in the infrastructure and real estate projects. The annual steel production of India has touched 200MT and according to governments steel policy is expected to touch around 250 MT by 2013-2014. The demand for Indian made steel is escalating overseas out of the 200 MT of steel currently produced in India around 50% of it is exported. In the first six months of the fiscal year 2009-2010 the Indian steel export almost doubled to 9. 3MT from 4. MT in the same period the previous fiscal year. The country’s iron ore exports during April-October 2009 period grew 20 per cent over the year ago period to 53 million tons. Accounting practices India’s accounting regulations does a disservice to many of the companies who operate globally. Because of the reporting regulations, Tata Steel has a liability on its balance sheet that realy doesn’t exist. The currency conversion rules hinders Tata Steel from putting together a balance sheet that reflects its actual holdings and activities. Tata Steel has an opportunity to help change the accounting standards in India to allow companies to report their financial activities accurately so that shareholders will have an accurate view of the financial position the company is in. Demand for steel The demand for steel is on arise both domestically and internationally as a result of the enhanced focus upon infrastructural development. Secondly with other steel projects of international giants POSCO, ARCELOR MITTAL stalled due to land acquisition problems the prices of steel are slated to soar. In the month of April 2010 the steel prices were increased by Rs. 2500/ton and this is just the brink of the U-Shaped economic recovery and the prices are slated to rise further in the near future. Acquisitions In the aftermath of the financial crisis various mineral assets are available globally at a price which is just a fraction of their prime value. The government of various countries has been putting up coal blocks under the hammer. Tata Steel has been very active in the asset acquisition space and has bagged various coal blocks in Asia, Africa etc. which is essential for its security of raw materials. Threats International competition Companies like the Indian Steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal’s Arcelor Mittal and Posco have landed on the shores of India. These are amongst the largest steel producers in the world and have a high chance of eating into the market share of Tata Steel. Indian market is also plagued with cheaper Chinese made steel which is ubiquitously available and is significantly digging into the market-share of all Indian steel makers including Tata Steel. Down Economy Tata Steel has a very large debt of 9. 8 billion USD on its books and has a huge interest burden. With the volatility of the financial markets and the tightening of credit and liquidity by the banks, interest rates are slated to go up and would further increase the interest burden of the company. Regulatory issues in India The government of India has chalked a strict norm for the clearance of a plant through environmental impact assessment (EIA). To get clearance from the concerned authority demands more than eight months thus leads to delay and project cost escalation. Albeit the governments’ steel policy has been pro industry in order to increase the steel capacity at a brisk pace.

Giant Water Bugs, Family Belostomatidae

Giant Water Bugs, Family Belostomatidae Theres a reason members of the family Belostomatidae are called giants. The giant water bugs include the biggest insects in their entire order. North American species can reach 2.5 inches long, but the size record for this family belongs to a South American species that measures a full 4 inches in length at maturity. These hulking Hemipterans lurk below the surface of ponds and lakes, where theyre known to nip at the toes of unsuspecting waders. What Do Giant Water Bugs Look Like? Giant water bugs go by a number of different nicknames. Theyre called toe biters for their habit of sampling peoples feet (which, as you might imagine, is a startling and painful experience). Some call them electric light bugs, because as adults these winged behemoths can and do fly, and will show up around porch lights during mating season. Others call them fish killers. In Florida, people sometimes call them alligator ticks. No matter the nickname, theyre big and they bite. Members of the family of giant water bugs shares certain morphological traits. Their bodies are oval and elongate in shape, and appear flattened. They have raptorial front legs, made for grasping prey, with thick femora. Giant water bugs have short heads, and even shorter antennae, which are tucked beneath the eyes. A beak, or rostrum, folds under the head, just as in terrestrial true bugs, like assassin bugs. They breathe by means of two small appendages at the end of the abdomen, which function like siphons. How Are Giant Water Bugs Classified? Kingdom – AnimaliaPhylum – ArthropodaClass – InsectaOrder – HemipteraFamily - Belostomatidae What Do Giant Water Bugs Eat? A giant water bug eats just what you would expect a large, predaceous, aquatic insect to eat: other insects, tadpoles, small fish, and snails. Theyll eat whatever they can catch, and they dont concern themselves with finding small prey.  Giant water bugs can overpower critters several times their size with their strong, grasping forelegs. According to some sources, giant water bugs have even been known to capture and consume small birds. Like all true bugs, giant water bugs have piercing, sucking mouthparts. They pierce their prey, inject them with strong digestive enzymes, and then suck up the pre-digested bits. The Life Cycle of Giant Water Bugs Giant water bugs undergo incomplete metamorphosis, just as all true bugs do. The young eclose (emerge from their eggs) looking much like miniature versions of their parents. The nymphs are entirely aquatic. They  molt and grow several times until they reach adulthood and sexual maturity. Interesting Behaviors of Giant Water Bugs Perhaps the most fascinating thing about giant water bugs is the way they care for their offspring. In some genera (Belostoma and Abedus), the female deposits her eggs on her mates back. The male giant water bug is tasked with caring for the eggs until they hatch in 1-2 weeks. During this time, he protects them from predators, and regularly brings them to the surface for oxygen. He will also move to stir up the water around his body, keeping it oxygenated. In other species (genus Lethocerus), the mated female deposits her eggs on aquatic vegetation, above the water line. But males still play a role in their care. The male will usually stay submerged near the plants stem, and will periodically climb out of the water and wet the eggs with water from his body. Giant water bugs are also known to play dead when threatened, a behavior is known as thanatosis. If you happen to scoop up a giant water bug in a dip net while exploring your local pond, dont be fooled! That dead water bug might just wake up and bite you. Where Do Giant Water Bugs Live? Giant water bugs number about 160 species worldwide, but only 19 species inhabit the U.S. and Canada. Throughout their range, giant water bugs live in ponds, lakes, and even drainage ditches. Sources: Borror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. Johnson.Guide to Aquatic Insects and Crustaceans, Izaak Walton League of America.Belostomatidae, University of California-Riverside. Accessed February 21, 2013.Giant Water Bugs, Electric Light Bugs, Lethocerus, Abedus, Belostoma (Insecta: Hemiptera: Belostomatidae), by Paul M. Choate, University of Florida Extension. Accessed online February 21, 2013.Giant Water Bugs, Electric Light Bugs, University of Florida. Accessed February 21, 2013.Family Belostomatidae - Giant Water Bugs, BugGuide.Net. Accessed February 21, 2013.Giant Water Bug Parents, The Dragonfly Woman. Accessed February 21, 2013.

CAMPAIGNS AND ELECTIONS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CAMPAIGNS AND ELECTIONS - Essay Example Their contribution leveled off the deficit in hard money collection. The difference in soft money collection between the two parties, however, was insignificant. The Republicans hard money figures doubled the Democrats figures since 1987 to 2002. The gap narrowed in the year 2003. During the period between 2009 and 2010, democrats raised more hard money compared to Republicans. For the period between 2011 and 2012, the figures were relatively equal (Center for Responsive Politics 1). Soft money figures for Republicans were slightly higher Democrats’ figures over the years. The PACs gave to both the parties ,it is noted that at no instant the percentage contributions to the Democrats is a hundred percent, this shows that even the republicans had a share however little it was. The Democrats did better than Republicans did because the party preference expanded. Growth in party emanated from the public perception of poor job performance by the incumbent republican president. The Iraq war in addition to the federal response by the incumbent to Hurrican Katrinan also explains the reason for the low contribution

The Chinese Maze Murders, Feudalism, Chinese Universities in the Assignment

The Chinese Maze Murders, Feudalism, Chinese Universities in the Middle Ages - Assignment Example The implication of the statement is that a person might receive different treatment according to the family background that they come from. The death penalty is very common in this society, and it seems to be performed as a public spectacle. As it turns out, Yoo Kee is ultimately killed with a knife and then sliced to pieces in front of a watching crowd (Van Gulik 305). Another surprising aspect of life in the time of Judge Dee is that it is quite acceptable for men to have three or four wives, and these seem to be organized in a strict hierarchy, with a â€Å"First Lady† who is in charge, and the others following after with lower rank. There is clearly a lot of competition and resentment within families because of this, and it may be that many of the crimes committed out of love are caused by this situation. There must have been many younger men who could not find a legal partner because the women are all taken by older, richer and more powerful men. The marriages are also ar ranged for political or financial reasons, and this makes it very difficult, especially for the women, who have no choice in the matches made for them. I would not like to live in this society because of the high level of violence that existed, both from criminals, and from government officials, and because of the very strict separation between different gender roles. The contrast between Dark Orchid and her sister White Orchid illustrates this point perfectly: Dark Orchid is criticized because she is â€Å"headstrong† and â€Å"should have been born a boy† while her sister is praised for being â€Å"quiet and obedient† and having â€Å" a soft, pliable character† (Van Gulik 135). The ideal woman just does what she is told, while any girl with a mind of her own is seen as less attractive.  

NARRATIVE PLOT OF JONAH THIS IS A (RESPONSE PAPER) ALSO SUMMARIES OF Article

NARRATIVE PLOT OF JONAH THIS IS A (RESPONSE PAPER) ALSO SUMMARIES OF CHAPTER 5, 13, AND 8 OF CRACKING OLD TESTAMENT CODES. ONE PAGE PER CHAPTER - Article Example The storm was so strong that it was threatening to destroy the ship. The other mariners on the ship were afraid with each one praying and calling out to their gods to save them. In desperation they through much of the cargo onto the sea hoping to lighten the ship, but nothing worked. The captain found Jonah asleep and woke him up asking him to join in the prayers in hopes that one of the cries or prayers would save everyone. The captain yelled at him, â€Å"Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.† (Jon. 1:6 ESV). Everyone was panicked wondering what they could do to settle the sea. Rather than settle, it only become more violent. Finally, Jonah decided this was a result of God’s anger and knew he was putting the lives of all these other men in danger. So he told the men, â€Å"Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.† (Jon. 1:12 ESV). Initially, the men ignored this request, perhaps thinking it was made out of fear, and they desperately tried rowing and rowing back to dry land. But, it seemed the harder that they rowed, the rougher the sea became. They continued to cry out and pray begging that they not suffer for whatever wrongs Jonah had done. Finally, they felt they had no other option and lifted Jonah up in the air and hurled him into the angry water. Immediately the violence sea ceased and the men began making sacrifices and vows to the Lord in thanks for saving them . At this point, Jonah was sure he was destined to die. He could not imagine surviving the raging waters. However, instead of drowning he was swallowed by a great fish. As Jonah sat in the belly of this great fish, he considered his situation and began praying to God. He acknowledged that god spared his life on the boat and now understood that he was wrong to ignore the will of the Lord and to try to run

Can a self-serving leader become a servant leader Essay

Can a self-serving leader become a servant leader - Essay Example This perception can change, provided we have the willingness, ability and passion to change ourselves for the good. The book ‘Lead like Jesus’ written by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges serves as an ideal guide for someone who wants to adopt more of a servant leader attitude. In the book, the leadership in not mentioned in just organizational context but personal context as well as the authors have defined leadership as having an ability to influence on other people’s behavior, thinking or development in all or any one dimension of life (personal or professional). They have divided leadership into four parts of which the first two are heart and hand. These are the internal factors of leadership while the other two which are hand and habits refer to the external dimensions of leadership. The component of heart defines where ones focus is and whether an individual pays more attention to Religion, work or relationships. On the other hand, head refers to the fact what ones views, beliefs and ideas are about leadership. Hands refer to how clear a persons goals are and how consistently a person goes for them. In totality, it means how focused a person is towards his principles and values while habits accumulate to the reflection of ones beliefs and how a person puts it into his beliefs and actions (Blanchard and Hodges 2005). In order to be an effective leader all four of these domains have to be aligned towards one common goal. It is clear that a self serving and a servant leader exhibit different characters and hence they have different personality traits. It is all about what kind of personality a person develops and this development can be impacted by counseling, mentoring and reading self motivational books. The most important thing is to have the willingness to change and be flexible about the principals that an individual holds. Furthermore, another very important point mentioned in the book is that leadership transformation is only possible when a

Total reward approach to compensation and timeline Research Paper

Total reward approach to compensation and timeline - Research Paper Example Further, compensating the employees’ efforts remains a basic and foundational concept in employees’ retention and motivation. To ensure a comprehensive and fool proof operation of these types of compensations that are besides the salaries, most companies have established systems that recognize what is to be rewarded and how the process is supposed to take place (Kowalewski, College, & Phillips, 2012). These programs are called total rewards programs and are meant to direct the organization on how the employees are to be rewarded to ensure efficient motivation and maximum retention of the employees. The rewards program encompasses all things and activities that the employer regards as motivating from the employees point of view and which are valuable to the general and specific welfare of the employees. Although they include both monetary and non-monetary commodities, the financial and related rewards are the most notable and the foundation of rewards system in an organization settings. Most companies recognize four categories of rewards (Burris, 2012). There are the membership and seniority-based rewards, work status-based, competency-based and performance based rewards. The established system dictates what type of reward is to apply in each employee’s case and how these rewards are to be executed. This paper is aimed at designing a total rewards system based on Coca-Cola Company’s system. By exploring in details the total rewards system of the company, this paper will provide an insight on the basic contained in a specific system. To arrive at this design, the paper will first look into the company and its main objectives, missions and vision and an analysis of the reward system. It is from this analysis that the design will be developed. The Coca-Cola Company is undoubtedly the world largest manufacturer of beverages and soft drinks. It has been ranked the world’s number one brand on several occasions. Since 1889,

Reflective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Reflective - Essay Example 19). Therefore, this research offers an ideal framework of determining how social media positively or negatively affects the students’ behavior. As such, the methodology used in this research, quantitative analysis, makes it possible to answer the research questions. To increase the relevance and efficiency of the data, the current research team decided to use questionnaires as their main mode of data collection. According to Katsirikou and Skiadas, questionnaires are an advantageous data collection method since they not give the researchers an ability to gather huge amounts of data at a relatively short period, but also significantly reduces the research cost (2010, p. 293). Hence, in carrying out this study, the researchers identified an appropriate data collection method that would give them viable results. It is also worth noting that the researchers made use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to come up with an efficient analysis of the data collected. Notably important, the researchers acknowledge the fact that the use of social media among students could have various disadvantages. Although most people have a notion that the use of social media could negatively impact or hinder the learning process, social media should not be confined only to platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. The researchers point out that there are other social media platforms which have been found effective in improving the learning process as well as students’ behaviors. For instance, the use of intranet has been mentioned to be of great importance in promoting the overall behavior and supporting the learning process of the students. Equally important, the researcher states that since the core idea of conducting this study was to determine the impact of social media on the behavior of USW students, the main focus was on data collection. As such, the researchers opted to adopt a quantitative data collection method rather than a qualitative

Total reward approach to compensation and timeline Research Paper

Total reward approach to compensation and timeline - Research Paper Example Further, compensating the employees’ efforts remains a basic and foundational concept in employees’ retention and motivation. To ensure a comprehensive and fool proof operation of these types of compensations that are besides the salaries, most companies have established systems that recognize what is to be rewarded and how the process is supposed to take place (Kowalewski, College, & Phillips, 2012). These programs are called total rewards programs and are meant to direct the organization on how the employees are to be rewarded to ensure efficient motivation and maximum retention of the employees. The rewards program encompasses all things and activities that the employer regards as motivating from the employees point of view and which are valuable to the general and specific welfare of the employees. Although they include both monetary and non-monetary commodities, the financial and related rewards are the most notable and the foundation of rewards system in an organization settings. Most companies recognize four categories of rewards (Burris, 2012). There are the membership and seniority-based rewards, work status-based, competency-based and performance based rewards. The established system dictates what type of reward is to apply in each employee’s case and how these rewards are to be executed. This paper is aimed at designing a total rewards system based on Coca-Cola Company’s system. By exploring in details the total rewards system of the company, this paper will provide an insight on the basic contained in a specific system. To arrive at this design, the paper will first look into the company and its main objectives, missions and vision and an analysis of the reward system. It is from this analysis that the design will be developed. The Coca-Cola Company is undoubtedly the world largest manufacturer of beverages and soft drinks. It has been ranked the world’s number one brand on several occasions. Since 1889,

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

Face Recognition Technology - Research Paper Example Availability of ‘biometrics’ technology provides controls for verifying true identity of an individual. These controls are automated processes that recognize physiological characteristics such as fingerprints, face, eyes, DNA etc. of a living person which are not easy to forge as they are attributes of an individual gifted by nature. There are also automated processes that recognize individual behaviors such as handwriting style, key stroke patterns etc. (Lin, 2000) Physiological controls are more stable when compared with behavioral controls. The main reason is that the features of physiological controls are non-alterable unless some serious injury is inflicted on a living being. On the other hand the patterns of behavior controls fluctuate with the mood and activities of an individual. In real-life, it is found that verification of physiological attributes is although very accurate, yet it is far more intrusive than the behavior attributes (Lin, 2000) One of the few biometrics controls that have the merits of both low intrusiveness and high accuracy is the Face Recognition technology. Researches in the field of image processing, security and psychology were attracted towards the concepts of computer vision which led to the designing of face recognition technology. (Lin, 2000) The real-world image has only size in inches or centimeters. The capturing device such as camera or scanners uses digitization process through which it stores the number of pixels that contains in an image. It is called Resolution which is of two types; Spatial Resolution and Colour Resolution (JISC Digital Media, 2006) The capturing device in Spatial Resolution is concerned with the frequency at which samples are taken from the real-world object or art-work. Frequency is mostly expressed as samples per inch (spi) when scanning and pixels per inch (ppi) when processing the digital image. The resolution to use for capturing an image is dependent mostly on its ‘end-use’.

Sports Performance Essay Example for Free

Sports Performance Essay Describe theories related to personality and how they affect sports performance. Evaluate critically personality profiling in sport. What is a personality? Hollander tells us that a personality Is the sum of an individuals characteristics which make a human unique. But it is not known for sure what a personality actually is or how we actually begin to form them. There exist three main personality theories and each of them relate to sports performance in their own way. The first theory is called the trait perspective theory. Trait theory states that we are born with personality characteristics that influence the way in which we behave in sport and in everyday life. Personality traits are stable and therefore vary little over time. Some sports performers may have an aggressive trait and this may surface in a variety of different situations. The key people behind this theory are Eysenck, Cattell and Girdano. Eysenck identified four primary personality traits and arranged them in a 2 dimensional diagram. The model was laid out in a cross, and at one end you have introversion and extroversion, and the other stable and neurosis. According to Eysenck you could either be stable or neurotic, but not both for example. It is said that extroverts, with their outgoing and sociable nature, would be more suited for team games such as football. Where as a quiet, reserved Introvert would be mores suited for individual sports such as archery. This data was collected by POMS, or profile of mood states a type of personality profiling. Cattell argued that more than just two or three dimensions were needed in order to create a full picture of a persons personality. He proposed that personality could be reduced to and measured in terms of 16 personality factors. He argued that measuring these factors via his test would give an appropriate personality profile. He recognised that personality was more dynamic than Eysenck suggested and could fluctuate according to the situation. So according to Cattell, a football player who never normally shows signs of aggression, may show signs when involved in a certain situation. Girdano was also a trait theorist and he suggested there are two distinct personality types, Type A and Type B. Type A according to Girano would be; highly competitive, have a strong desire to win, fast working, controlling and prone to stress. Type B would be the polar opposite of this, and would be; non-competitive, unambitious, slow working, no urge to control and less prone to stress. From this we see that the first distinct personality type would be more suited and more successful for a team game, and Type B would be more suitable for an individual game. We also see that Type A would be likely to get stressed in high pressure situations where as Type B would keep calm, however it would be likely for Type B to be unable to trigger any sort of aggressive or competitive characteristic when it mattered. The second theory is called the social learning perspective theory. The social learning theory, developed by Bandura, differs from trait and interactional approaches in that it sees individual differences in behaviour as resulting from different learning experiences. This means that what determines an individual’s response to a situation is not so much their genetic make-up or the constraints of the particular situation, but instead how past experience has taught that person to act. Behaviour therefore changes depending on the situation and is therefore a product of our interaction with the environment. Banduras model shows us how this personality theory affects sports performance. An inexperienced performer may be inspired by the positive attitude and commitment of an experienced player, and then chooses to copy desirable approach, receiving positive reinforcement in doing so. The third and final personality theory is the interactionist approach, which was based on the work done by Hollander. It is a combination of the trait and social learning perspectives. It suggests to us that personality is modified and behaviour is formed when genetically inherited traits are triggered by an environmental circumstance, thus meaning that behaviour is unpredictable. It also explains to us why behaviour can change in different situations, so for example a competitive rugby player may not be so competitive when off the field of play. Personality profiling is done to see which personalities are fit for what sport, and if a certain individual personality is one that all athletes may share. This is difficult due to the fact there is no clear, universal definition of a personality. Personality profiling involves measuring an athlete on a number of personality scales and building up a picture of their strengths and weaknesses. Tests can be measured in a various number of ways, through; questionnaires, interviews, observations or profile of mood states. There are a number of problems with personal profiling though. There is no conclusive evidence that a sports personality actually exists, so far there only exists theories surrounding the matter and no hard evidence. Profiling results are usually subjective, and conclusions may be influenced by personal opinions with no support of scientific evidence. Profiling results are invalid more often than not. It is feared that an athlete may unconsciously modify their own behaviour to match up to the profile ascribed to them. There also exists a reliability issue, due to the fact questionnaires are often carried out using self report, so therefore not always answered correctly or honestly.

Study Proposal: Causative Mutations in Optic Neuropathy

Study Proposal: Causative Mutations in Optic Neuropathy Optic neuropathy refers to degeneration of optic nerve. It is often described as optic atrophy that means loss of few or most of optic nerve fibers [1]. It can be symmetric or bilateral based on toxic or nutritional ( vitamin B12 or folate deficiency) insults and genetic defects [4]. In genetically inherited optic atrophies, retinal ganglion cells and optic nerve fiber layer are damaged. This damage can be focal (affects macular beam of optic nerve) or generalized [6]. The axons of retinal ganglion cells arise from retina and from optic nerve. The optic nerve enter cortex via optic disc where input signal is processed into vision. The retinal ganglion cells or nerve cells of inner retina form 1.2 million nerve fibers [1]. The key features of optic neuropathy results from death of these nerve cells or neurons. Autosomal recessive optic atrophies (ROAs) indicate loss of nerve fibers that form optic disc, optic nerve, optic chiasm and optic tracts [net bookmark]. The only key feature of isolated ROAs is optic nerve degeneration. To date defects in genes coding for mitochondrial proteins leads to isolated ROAs [4]. The genetically inherited atrophies can be familial that follows Mendelian pattern of inheritance (X-linked recessive, autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant) or non Mendelian (mitochondrial) [2]. In autosomal recessive Mendelian pattern of inheritance, two copies of mutant allele in affected person and one copy of mutant allele in carrier are present. When two carriers mate, there is an equal chance (25%) of being affected and unaffected. There is a 50% chance of being heterozygous (unaffected carrier). But in autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance, affected individuals have one mutant copy of allele so every individual has 50% chance of being affected or being normal. In the pure congenital autosomal recessive optic atrophy, symptoms like visual impairment appear very early and are present at birth or appear in first year of life. Affected individuals are severely impaired visually leading to visual disability or complete blindness. It is never associated with neurological disorders. It can be diagnosed very early, usually before the age of 4 years. Fundus examination reveals optic disc pallor temporally or bilaterally. A cupping may develop with age [3]. Affected individuals suffer from central scotoma, photophobia and also have red green color confusion [6]. Family history is critical for diagnosis [Hereditaryà ¿opticà ¿neuropathies: from clinical signs to diagnosis]. Clinical diagnosis involves fundoscopy, visual field testing, fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography scan of the retinal nerve fiber layers, color vision analysis and standard electroretinogram. Damage from optic nerve atrophy cannot be reversed [4].To clinically distinguishes it from LHON flourscene angiography was done which fails to show any peripapillary microvascular changes, beside this retinal activity is also normal confirmed by electroretinogram. Pathology of arOA is confirmed by testing visual evoked potential which was totally absent in affected individuals. Central or cecocentral faults are diagnosed through visual field testing. Lesion in the fovea or papillomacular bundle leads to cental scotoma which ultimately affects the central fixation. Thinning of retinal nerve fiber layer is diagnosed through optical coherence tomography scan [3, 4, clinical diagnosis]. Papillomacular bundle leads to the extension of cecocentral sctoma towards blind spot. There is no effective treatment for optic atrophy because degeneration of nerve fibers is irreversible process. Although further damage can be prevented by early diagnosis and by treating underlying causes of the disorder [ net bookmark]. As environmental factor play their role in every aspect of life likewise in this disorder alcohol consumption and smoking should be strictly prohibited [Hereditaryopticneuropathies: from clinical signs to diagnosis]. Genetic counseling and proper awareness of people is very important to prevent such genetic disorders without any effective treatment. New therapies are being formulated by designing animal models or by clinical trial on affected humans these therapies mainly focuses in preventing oxidative stress. Animal models have been designed for testing the various treatments in case of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy [Treatment of hereditaryopticneuropathies]. arOA is divided into syndromic and non-syndromic form, syndromic arOA involve multiple organs other than eye which are effected just like wolfram syndrome [6, net bookmarks]. While in non-syndromic optic nerve is affected only and it also shows familial transmission more than one members of same family can also be affected [Hereditaryopticneuropathies: from clinical signs to diagnosis]. OPA 6 and 7 are the two loci which are characterized till now, mutation in any one of two leads to arOA. Disease causing gene has been localized at chromosome 8q21–q22 (Zmax of 3.41 at h ¼0 for D8S270). D8S1794 and D8S1702 markers present on OPA6 in a 12Mb interval [6]. OPA7 containing 40 known genes, only one gene TMEM126A screened as a causative agent of non-syndromic arOA [4, 7]. TMEM126A is homozygous nonsense mutation characterized as first known mutation in case of isolated arOA, this gene transcribed into mitochondrial transmembrane protein. TMEM126A helps in early nucleation of mitochondrial complexes that is why it is also termed as mitochondria-localized mRNA (MLR) protein. It play important role in function of retinal ganglion cells by arranging protein complexes essential for the proper functioning of RGCs. It is hypothesized that TMEM126A may accelerate the rate at which protein complex assemble, which otherwise occurs slowly that ultimately affect high energy demanding RGCs. While in other tissues the effect of this mutation may be substituted by some other protein of TMEM family [4, 7]. TMEM126A transcribe single ubiquitous transcript of 770bp that contain total five exons four coding and one non-coding exon. TMEM126A present on chromosome 11 and its span is 8.5 kb. Testis, fetal retinal pigmentary epithelium (RPE), fetal retina, brain (whole), cerebellum, fetal brain and skeletal muscle are the sites where strong expression of TMEM126A has been observed. Substantial amount of specific mRNA in the ganglion cell layer, optic nerve head, the outer ellipsoide length of photoreceptor inner segments, and the outer plexiform layer is detected by the process of insitu hybridization in mouse i.e. 8 month old. In the photoreceptor outer segments and outer nuclear layer (ONL) no labeling is noticed. Mitochondria specific Alpha subunit of the ATP synthase is Immunolocalized on retinal sections of the same mouse which resulted into the same pattern of expression. So it is confirmed that TMEM126A transcribe mitochondrial localized m RNA. Linkage analysis is the process helps in finding mutation or gene resulted into arOA. Potential functionality of genes with their chromosomal location is associated through this statistical method. During chromosomal recombination markers present closely or on the same area on chromosome will remain attached together are transmitted as such in offspring’s this idea is exploited in linkage analysis. If in an individual disease gene is transmitted along with some specific markers it means disease causing gene is present close to these markers. Those disorders that follow Mendelian inheritance pattern can easily be analyzed through this process [5]. This study will be the first step which further helps in identifying the causative gene responsible for arOA in Pakistani population and also help in designing therapeutic tools for the benefit of affected persons. By conducting these type of studies we can also aware our population about such type of rare disorders.

Released From The Grip Of What He Carried: Freedom Birds :: essays research papers

Released From the Grip of What He Carried: Freedom Birds "They dreamed of freedom birds. At night, on guard, staring into the dark, they were carried away by jumbo jets. They felt the rush of takeoff. Gone! They yelled. (286). "Freedom bird" an appropriate term for the jumbo jets that take the soldiers from their tour because it gives them the freedom from what has been holding them back. Throughout the story, First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross has his mind everywhere but on his infantry he is supposed to be leading on the tour. The story shows how even the smallest memory, letter, or picture can draw anyone from reality. It shows several men's struggle to overcome their predisposed conscience and deal with reality. It has become one of the most common occurrences in any war. Grandfathers, uncles, and even brothers have told how they would recall as they were fighting, they themselves carried the unnecessary on a tour. The seemingly innocent picture, the numerous letters sent, and even thoughts of what it was like to be home, all of a loved one is now shown to have an impact. As seen with Jimmy Cross, some men even went to a profound obsession. As mentioned early in the work, Jimmy Cross carries letters and two pictures from a friend named Martha. The story tells how "he would dig his foxhole, wash his hands under a canteen, unwrap the letters and photos, hold them with the tips of his fingers, and spend the last hour of light pretending, he would imagine romantic camping trips†¦" (275). One picture is a black and white picture of Martha standing against a brick wall. It is told how Martha has an apparent neutral look to her, and Cross can't help but notice the shadow of the person taking the picture. Cross knows she has boyfriends, knows she is closer to men other than himself. The other picture that Cross has is one of Martha clipped from a yearbook. It is a shot of Martha playing volleyball for her school. In the picture, Martha is "bent horizontal to the floor, reaching, the palms of her hands in sharp focus†¦the expression on her face taut and competitive" (276). The usual glance at a picture isn't enough for this man. It becomes an obsession for him to do this every night, sometimes he "licks the envelopes knowing that her tongue touched the paper" (275). O'Brien gives the impression that Cross has the deepest thoughts for Martha throughout the story. He mentions on numerous occasions that Cross is thinking about her, and imagining being with her.

Cell Phones: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Essay

The prevalence of cell phones in American culture shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone. Cell phone use has risen in the United States from approximately 91,000 users in 1985 to 250,000,000 in 2007 and in 2009 was somewhere in the neighborhood of 280,000,000, which means that approximately 90% of Americans own cell phones. And Americans aren’t the only ones. According to a February 2010 article on www.cbsnews.com, there are approximately 4.6 billion cell phone subscriptions worldwide and that number is expected to surpass five billion by the end of the year. I had to wonder, what are the advantages and disadvantages of 90% of Americans (New York Times, May 13, 2010) and nearly 85% of the world’s population using cell phones? I figure there had to be quite a few advantages for so many people to have cell phones, so I asked around. The number one answer I found was the convenience. Peoples’ ability to be reached at all times, able to reach others at all times, and how fast communication with others has become. Can’t reach someone by phone? Send a text. Text messages are delivered almost instantaneously and there’s no need to leave a message and wait for a call back anymore. Many others cited having a cell phone in case of emergency. According to Pew Internet, in 2006, 74% of cell phone users reported using their cell phones in emergency situations. While cell phone bills are usually not lower than landline bills alone, the long distance cost is significantly less for cell phone users. Long distance costs are included in the overall minute usage for most cell phone subscriptions, whereas many landline providers charge by the minute for long distance calls. As cell phone technology advances, so do the tools available to cell phone users. A growing number of users report using their phones for such things as listening to music, checking email, keeping their daily calendars, making grocery lists, and even keeping track of daily calorie intake. (New York Times, May 13, 2010). There are many organizational tools available on the new generation of â€Å"smart phones† as well as many different navigational tools. GPS locators in phones are subscribed to by many parents of underage cell phone users. Cell phones can also be used as cameras and video recorders and those photos and videos are easily emailed to others or  uploaded to sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Entertainment is even making the list of advantages to having a cell phone these days. As I mentioned previously, users can listen to music on their cell phones, but it doesn’t stop there. Technology has advanced so much that users can now watch television shows and movies on their phones. So it seems I was correct about how many advantages must be out there, but what about the downside? The very first thought I had was about the ban on cell phones in schools and what a huge disruption cell phones must be in the classroom. That issue is just part of the larger issue of the widespread distraction cell phones cause. Everywhere you go you see cell phones in use – in the coffee shop, the movie theater, the grocery store, even church, and while driving. Going back to the cost of cell phones, while heavy long distance users may notice a relief in their long distance costs, cell phones are still on average much more expensive to operate than a landline. There are costs for air time usage, text message usage, broadband usage, music purchases, games purchases, and app purchases, not to mention the dreaded overage costs. Some cell phone companies charge as much as sixty cents per minute for every minute of air time over your allotted plan. Add that to long contracts and hefty fees for cancelling contracts and cell phones become quite an expensive venture. The ever-increasing technology is adding to these costs as well. Newer, smarter phones released every few months are of course attractive to users, but on top of the cost of upgrading phones on a regular basis is the added cost of the service provider’s data package. In order to utilize these newer smart phones, the data package is a requirement and on average costs something like an additional $30 per month. Aside from financial impact, what about health impact? There seems to be quite a bit of worry over the radio frequency radiation given off by cell phones and cell phone towers. There is much argument about whether or not this sort of radiation is of any real concern, but according to www.controlyourimpact.com, there are many very serious health concerns to think about. There are reports that cell phone use can cause disturbances in sleep and concentration, fatigue, and headache. According to a BBC News report (www.news.bbc.co.uk), â€Å"Cell phones damage key brain cells and could trigger the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease . . . Researchers have found  that radiation from cell phone handsets damages areas of the brain associated with learning, memory and movement.† Reports linking cell phones to sterility in men, eye tissue damage, and increased chances of depression and cancer have also been published. In researching the negative effects of cell phones, I happened across some even more sinister effects. Take â€Å"sexting† – â€Å"the act of sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photos, or images via cell phone, computer, or other digital device. These messages, photos, and images are then often being further disseminated through email and internet-based social networking websites well beyond their original intended recipients.† (www.mass.gov) There have been hundreds of reported cases of sexting – a handful of those cases involving suicide and/or sex offense criminal charges such as child pornography in the cases involving high school students. According to www.msnbc.com, 39% of high schools students admit to sending these types of messages and 48% say they’ve received them. Another very dangerous habit Americans have developed is talking on their cell phone while driving. â€Å"You have four times the risk of being in a crash if you’re on the phone while driving.† (www.myoptumhealth.com) What’s even scarier are the results of a Car and Driver Magazine study that found texting while driving is much worse than driving while intoxicated. The results of this study showed that unimpaired, it took the test driver .54 seconds to brake when indicated to do so. Add four feet to that time for legally drunk drivers, thirty six feet for drivers reading email and seventy feet for drivers reading a text. (http://www.cnbc.com/id/31545004/site/14081545). According to a report by the National Safety Council, 28% of accidents involve talking or texting on cell phones. I couldn’t help but notice that the risks seem to outweigh the benefits considerably, but I also admit that I’m still addicted to my cell phone. There has been some state regulation of cell phone use while driving, but there is little restriction of their use elsewhere and I think there needs to be much more, although, I’m not certain how feasible that would be to accomplish. At any rate, we all make our own choices and we all need to  make smarter choices about our cell phone use.

Explore and compare the characters, achievements and deaths of Lennie Small Essay

In this essay I will explore and compare the characters, achievements and deaths of Lennie Small, from John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ and Bill Sikes from, Charles Dickens ‘Oliver Twist’. I have read both novels and enjoyed them immensely because of the wonderful characters, language and techniques used by the authors especially when describing the worlds they conjured within their novels. These two books also express perfectly the pioneering views of Dickens and Stienbeck; they both used their writings in an attempt to make their socialist views subtly heard by the masses. In the eras of Dickens and also Steinbeck, problems such as, racism, sexism, poverty and the class divide were simply accepted by society. These two authors saw the problems of their social structures, the discriminative attitudes of the people and wanted to make the public aware, being greatly frowned upon by some. Dickens and Steinbeck were soldiers of the same struggle and that is where the similarities between ‘Of Mice and Men’ and ‘Oliver Twist’ begin. Most of the characters in both novels represent the poverty that plagued both countries at the time the books were set, especially George and Lennie in ‘Of Mice and Men’; the epitome of poverty in the USA. Their lives are an endless trek around California constantly looking for work, scratching a buck or two a day from the back breaking work they do on the ranches. The poverty Oliver lives in (and that Dickens also experienced as a youth) is just the same, with a different back drop, which is why these novels relate so well to each other. Where these two stories really raise a lot of similarities, but at the same time a lot of paradoxes, are definitely the murder scenes and the deaths of the killers themselves. The characters and situations appear to be very alike, but once you read deeper you can see the differences that sneak through. Lennie Small is a very big, powerful, strong man; Steinbeck describes him as a bull. Sikes is also a large burley fellow, but where Sikes is pure evil, Lennie is childish, innocent and inhibited, a man who entirely relies on someone else to guide him, like a dog and master; their personalities are almost an antithesis. They are like this to bring out certain emotions in the reader to make us feel, hatred towards Sikes (and ultimately satisfaction when he dies), but sympathy, love and empathetic humour for Lennie. Their victims, on the other hand, are almost identical; Nancy is a prostitute and, in a way, so is Curley’s wife; she gives her body to Curley in exchange for marriage and money. We have to feel sorry for Curley’s wife when she when she confesses her sins to Lennie in the barn and the unfortunate way she has been mistreated and abused in the past. The sad thing is she is so naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve that she doesn’t realise. She confesses that she doesn’t love or even like Curley: â€Å"I don’ like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is exactly what she says to Lennie, something she has never told anyone. Nancy also repents before she dies and pleas with Bill to do so too: â€Å"†¦ let us both leave this dreadful place, and far apart lead better lives†¦ It is never too late to repent.† She even breathes a short prayer of mercy before she dies. In actual fact the whole reason Sikes kills Nancy is because she has been trying to do the lawful, honest thing and try to work her way out of this life of crime and sin she has lived in for so many years. We feel a lot more sympathy for Nancy when she dies because of this and for other reasons. To start with she is killed by a man contained with pure malice, hatred and evil, who is supposed to be her lover. Contrastingly Curley’s wife’s death is a complete accident or if anything, her fault. Also Dickens writes Nancy’s murder scene so graphically and violently it is almost impossible not to feel sorry for this woman: â€Å"†¦ Beat it twice upon her upturned face.† She must have died in agony and terror when Sikes killed her in cold, merciless blood. Nancy had to wait for her death in absolute terror for a minute or so, knowing she would be violently murdered, which must have seemed like an age, she even gets down on her knees and begs for mercy before she is savagely and callously slain. On the other hand Curley’s wife dies quickly and painlessly. There is a simple reason why this is. Dickens wants us to feel nothing, but pure, unadulterated hatred for Sikes when he kills Nancy, so when Sikes finally dies we feel justice is done. This is slightly because of Dickens’ audience, the Victorian public, being so religious and believing themselves to be so good hearted, would have demanded the death of Sikes and enjoyed the novel more without Sikes shadow hanging over the proceedings. Dickens being the man he was gives the people what they want. I prefer the way Steinbeck handles his murder scene purely because I think it is extremely clever. Steinbeck’s’ characterisation of these two characters has been leading up to this moment and it comes together perfectly. He intends us to feel sorry for Curley’s wife, but no hatred of any kind towards Lennie. Even though we have just heard of all the false promises she has been made in her life along with her failed ambitions, her belief they could still come true, all the times she has been sexually abused and the fact that she is still oblivious to all of this, we still can strongly empathise with Lennie. He is as innocent as the day he was born, a child trapped in a mans body. Lennie doesn’t have a scratch of malice in him and we could never feel anger toward a character we have come to love. After reading this scene I actually found myself almost as sorry and sympathetic towards Lennie as Curley’s wife, but not only Lennie, Candy and George too because I knew that any hopes of their long awaited dream had now been shattered. Finally in the two murder scenes to makes us feel complete hatred for Sikes and sympathy for Lennie the two authors both use similar metaphors to give the final impression that the two confessed and repented women are forgiven. With Nancy she is released from this world in the form of one of her hairs being cremated above the glowing embers and symbolically having her soul rise to Heaven. The scene after Curley’s wife is killed is heavenly enough, with the soft light of the mid-afternoon sun penetrating between the planks of the barn and the golden straw almost ceremoniously spread across the fallen maidens body, utter peace. A single dove, the messenger of God, flies in through the open barn door circles, almost giving the site its blessing, and exits with Curley’s wife’s soul on a journey to the heavens. Now I will move on to Lennie and Sikes’ deaths. In contrast to Nancy, when Sikes dies he falls straight to hell. His death is showered in chaos and fear twice that of what Nancy felt. It is a chase through the lowest and darkest place of London. A mad crowd of angry people screaming for Sikes’ blood, holding torches aloft like a crazed lynch mob. This ‘hue and cry’ of gentlemen, policemen, thieves and citizens of all kind all share a hatred and loathing of Sikes and what he has done. The way Dickens describes this scene is superb. When reading I could hear the shouts and screams of the crowd, feel the heat of the torches and feel Sikes’ fright: â€Å"†¦ a waving crowd in the outer darkness like a field of corn moved by an angry storm!† is probably one of the best pieces of description he uses and it really does make you feel the sense of chaos and vengeance that spurs on this ‘hue and cry. The satisfaction that it gives the reader when Sikes accidentally kills himself is enormous. In his efforts to escape he ties a rope around his waist and falls 40 feet as it moves to his neck and hangs him. Sikes dies in more agony than anyone else in either novel; not from pain, but fear. In the time he falls, his body experiences sensory overload; a panic and fear so great it is enough to kill a man on its own. He falls towards the crowd of flames and symbolically hell, the complete antithesis of the deaths of Nancy and Curley’s wife. Hanging would also have greatly contented the puritan population of Victorian England as hanging was the accepted capital punishment of the period, perfect for Sikes. To eradicate completely any emotion for Sikes his loyal dog also jumps for his master, smashing its head on the ground below. Any empathy we may have is transferred to Bullseye. This is probably the most dramatic of the entire novel. If one scene in ‘Of Mice and Men’ could match the pure drama and tension of Sikes’ death it would have to be the final chapter – Lennies death. The build up of tension in the scene is literal genius. When George produced Carlson’s’ Lugar I was on the edge of my seat right up until the end of the novel. Sikes’ death had to be quick to give a real sense for the excitement of the chase. Lennies death had to be draw out and milked for all it is worth, not solely for tension, but to give a character we have become so familiar with and very fond of, a memorable and proper send off. Thanks to George’s skill with words and his love for him, Lennie could not be more content when he dies. The last thing I wanted was for Lennie to die, but it is inevitable. I found myself sating ‘don’t do it George,’ but it is much better that he dies like this than face the men from the ranch. He must die; he cannot go on being tortured by what he has done. Lennie’s death shares some similarities to Curley’s wife’s; they both die quickly and painlessly and like Curley’s wife his soul is take to heaven. The gunshot rolling up the heavenly hills of Salinas makes you feel that Lennie has been released. To summarise, these to classic novels have many things in common, but also sharply contrast each other. It’s this that makes comparing the two so fascinating, as you new things they share and interesting differences every time you read them. It seems strange, but pleasing that two such comparable novels could come from different centuries, different, different countries, but share the same messages and morals.