Kraft Food’s Case Study

KRAFT FOOD COMPANY Chapter I INTRODUCTION A. COMPANY’S HISTORY According to Frank (2010), in 1903, there was a man named James Lewis Kraft who had begun cheese delivery service at Chicago area after he had been eased out from a cheese company at Buffalo. Every morning, he will buy cheese wholesale and resold it to the local vendors in order to avoid the cheese melt or spoil. The business was successful and several of his brothers who are known as Charles H. , John H. , Fred Walker and Norman had joined the company named J. L Kraft & Bros. Co. in 1909 as permanent employees (MAC 2011).James L. Kraft is a president of the company who had invented a revolutionary process in 1915. This process helps to pasteurize the cheese, thus it would not spoiled easily and can be transported long distances (NNDB 2009). Fundamentally, according to Phillip (2010), in 1920, Kraft purchased a Canadian cheese company and changed it to Kraft Cheese Company in 1924. Kraft Cheese Company had obtained a lot of sales which enable J. L Kraft to expand the company into Germany, Australia and Britain. During World War II, Kraft had supplied 4 million pounds of cheese to Britain.It had showed that Kraft was a main food supplier at that time. In 1945, the Kraft Cheese Company became Kraft Food Company (NNDB 2009). B. COMPANY’S DESCRIPTION Kraft Food Company’s headquarter had been located at Cheltenham, United Kingdom since Kraft has a close connection with the rest of Europe. The manufacturing site had been established at the Ban bury as a global manufacturing base that will supply a variety type of products worldwide in 155 countries including Malaysia, China and United State (Kraft Food Inc. 2010). Kraft Food Company was having more than 100,000 diverse employees all over the world.Currently, Kraft Food Company is a second largest food and beverage company in the world after Nestle. C. TYPE OF PRODUCTS Furthermore, according to Joel (2010), Kraft Food Company is popula r with cheese and dairy, snack foods and confectionary, beverage and convenient foods. However, Kraft Food Company is basically focusing more on cheese and dairy products such as cottage cheese and sour cream. Kraft produces a wide variety of natural cheese and American cheese slices. Besides that, Kraft also been known as snack food brands especially cookies and crackers.Some of popular snacks food offers by Kraft are Kraft cheese Nips, Wheat Thins crackers, Corn Nuts and Garden Harvest toasted chips (Kraft Food 2011). Instead of that, sweet and confectionary food brands produced by Kraft are Oreo cookies, Kraft Mayo with olive oil, Jet-Puffed Marshmallows and Kraft salad dressings whereas for beverage and convenient foods are Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, California Pizza Kitchen and DiGiorno frozen pizzas, Yuban Coffee and Maxwell House (David 2009). Chapter II STRATEGY FORMULATION A. VISION AND MISSION STATEMENTS 1.Kraft Foods Mission Statement: â€Å"Make Today Delicious† I n order to fulfill this mission Kraft Foods Inc. focuses on consumers in everything that they do. The company also understands that actions speak louder than words, so at Kraft Foods, they: – inspire trust. – act like owners. – keep it simple. – are open and inclusive. – tell it like it is. – lead from the head and the heart. – discuss – decide -deliver. 2. Kraft Foods Vision Statement: â€Å"Helping People Around the World to Eat & Live Better† Their vision captures the essence of who they are.Everything they do flows from their vision. They just don't happen to be a business that sells food – it's what they're all about. Their vision is about meeting consumers' needs and making food an easier, healthier, more memorable, and enjoyable part of the life. Revised Mission Statement Here at Kraft Foods we strive to produce superior products and services (2) to our customers (1) ranging from wholesalers to households. The 21st century is sure to bring more innovation, new products, and new food technology (4), thus enabling us to create and deliver better and healthier products.Kraft Foods continues to lead the food industry as the largest food supplier in North America (7) with plans to continue expansion into new and existing global markets (3). We support the goals of the company by applying the highest ethical conduct within our corporate philosophy in all our business transactions (6), treatment of employees (9), and social and environmental policies (8). We at Kraft Foods focus highly on our consumers’ lifestyles and aim to grow profitable in the worlds’ food market and provide a higher than expected return to shareholders (5).Our company takes pride in making today and the future-delicious. 1. ) Customers 2. ) Products and services 3. ) Markets 4. ) Technology 5. ) Concern for survival, growth, and profitability 6. ) Philosophy 7. ) Self-concept 8. ) Concern for public image 9. ) Concern for employees Revised Vision Statement Global leadership in offering the best food products enabling people to eat and live better. Explanation-This revised vision statement incorporates a vision for the Kraft Foods Inc. to become a global leader among its competitors-that is to be the number one.This statement shall encourage the whole organization of the corporation to think not only for the good but for the best. The corporation shall offer not only quality products but the best quality products helping their global market to live better through the consumption of their products. B. EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT 1. Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM) Table 1. Competitive Profile Matrix(CPM) for Kraft Foods Inc. Critical Success Factor | | | | | Rating | Rating | Rating | 1. Advertising| 3| 4| 2| 2. Financial Position| 3| 4| 2| 3. Global Expansion| 3| 4| 2| 4. Market Share| 3| 3| 2| . Product Diversity | 4| 4| 3| 6. Consumer Demands | 4| 3| 3| Average Rating | 20/6= 3. 33| 22/6= 3 . 67| 14/6= 2. 33| Note: 1=major weakness, 2=minor weakness, 3=minor strength, 4=major  strength The Competitive Profile Matrix shows  the relative strength of  Kraft Foods Inc. compared  to its competitors by using the critical success factors in  its industry. By identifying its strengths, we can also identify its relative weaknesses and address them to formulate effective strategies. Kraft Foods Inc. is relatively competitive in its industry, showing 3. 33 as its total score.The company has to improve on global strength, market share and attractiveness as an employer to improve on brand loyalty and customer retention. Its profit margin has a rating of 3 just like the other industry because it is considered as a minor strength for they all want to focus on their brand and customer satisfaction. 2. PESTLE Analysis The PESTLE analysis contains the analysis of Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental environments of a country with reference to a  particular object. The PESTLE analysis of Kraft Foods Inc. is as follows: POLITICALThey support candidates who understand and appreciate the public policies that impact their  business, brands and employees. The company has started a political action committee called Kraftpac or Kraft Political Action Committee which makes  funding to state political parties, committees and candidates. ECONOMIC Kraft is making good earnings from its market involvements via  its products and brands. The company is delivering high quality earnings to  its shareholders despite the difficult economic environment. They are continuously investing in their brands and businesses to further  provide excellent product offerings to their customers.As a result of their investment strategies, the Kraft Foods is very well positioned to deliver sustainable top-tier  performance, with or without Cadbury (Kraft foods financial news, 2011). In 2008, Kraft Foods was once again named to the Dow Jones Sust ainability World Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index in recognition of the  company’s economic, environmental and social performance. SOCIAL The company took  initiative to improve the  living standards of more than 1 million farmers with effective partnerships with them.They  increased their cocoa and coffee purchase to further benefit their partner farmers. Kraft Foods reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 18% and water consumption by 30% since2005, as measured against total production. Furthermore, the  company improved the nutritional profile of more than 5,500  products during the last five years. They removed nearly 6. 5 million pounds (3  million kg) of salt from products in 2010 and helped to provide more than 1 billion servings of food since 1999 in the United States alone. TECHNOLOGICAL The company keeps consumer needs in  their minds  before designing their strategies.They adapt  and anticipate their needs in order to  mee t them efficiently. The company has employed SAP Net weaver technology platform to ensure effective information and business transformation strategy within all the business units (FBR, 2008). Kraft foods have established a hub and spoke model where a centrally led team focuses on the overall strategies, systems, enabling tools, networks and metrics. And, they have complemented that central team with R&D people the open innovation â€Å"technical scouts†? embedded in each  of Kraft's business units. LEGALThe company abides by the laws, rules, and regulations of the national as well as  international countries in order to sustain its  profitability and its business operations. Almost all of the activities of the company’s food operations outside of the United States are subject to local and national regulations similar to those applicable to Kraft Philippines  businesses and, in some cases,  international regulatory provisions, such as those of the European Uni on relating to labeling, packaging, food  content, pricing, marketing and advertising and related areas.ENVIRONMENTAL Kraft Foods has set an example  in the global industry by determining a push  to reduce the impact of its operations on the environment in the U. S. and  around the world. The company released  its CSR report in 2010 which stated its environmental goals agenda to reduce the effects of energy and the carbon dioxide emissions in food plants to the conservation of water and minimizing excess packaging. They are creating packaging that uses less material, weighs less and reduces impact  on landfills without compromising food safety or freshness.As part of their plan to  reduce our â€Å"carbon footprint,† Kraft foods are improving their energy efficiencies, using  less energy and finding new and cleaner sources of energy. Kraft Foods look for opportunities to reduce the use of water to  minimize the  impact of water discharge and even reuse wat er  in ways that help the environment and save money. Lastly they are not only focusing on creating less waste in the manufacturing process, they are also finding new and better  ways to reuse, treat and even put waste to work. 3. Porter’s Five Forces AnalysisBARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS The food and beverage industry is quite high and competitive in nature. The  prices offered are usually competitive to  remain in the market. THE BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS The buyers preferences changes with the passage of time and they are likely to switch to the seller who offers good  quality at  less price. Wal-Mart has played a  major  role in this case. It offers less priced goods to  attract the buyers ¶ attention. There is a significant opportunity for the buyers to  extract industry and firm profits. THE THREAT OF THE ENTRY OF NEW COMPETITORSThere are already so  many competitors present in the market that there are very less chances for the new comers to se t foot in and enjoy their share in the market. The existing companies have already spent  so much on their brands, quality and positioning that it will be difficult for the new comers to entice switching among consumers. RIVALRY AMONG ESTABLISHED COMPETITIONS Intense competition lies in the food and beverage industry. The main vehicle by which firms in the industry preserve market share  is through brand loyalty and diversification.In general, the products of these  firms are highly elastic with consumers weighing the tradeoff between price and quality between companies and products. Consumers in the industry have minimal switching costs and there is never the guarantee of brand loyalty. Therefore, the way these firms maintain market share is by providing  brand quality at an affordable price. Thus, there is some cooperation among  firms against the erosion of market share to  private label products. With all firms promoting brand quality, there are signals passed onto t he consumer that brand name products are superior  to private label products in quality and elegance.There have been restructurings and realignments at Kraft and at other companies in the industry in order to increase volume and profitability despite increasing input costs, sluggish top  line growth, margin contraction, and rising pension costs. THE THREAT OF SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES The consumers evaluate the quality of products and their prices with that of others to decide which product to  buy. The treat of substitutes is medium in this case. The  private label products, also referred to as  ? generic? products, pose a serious threat to industry and  firm profits. 4. Input Tools Table 2.External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix for Kraft Foods Inc. Key External Factors| Opportunities| 1. Operates in many fast growing categories| 2. Growing demand for health and wellness products| 3. Decreased input costs [raw materials]| 4. Changing lifestyles. | 5. Increased tr ends of flavor enhancer for bottled water. | 6. Growth in the market overall. | 7. Cadbury acquisition provides new products. | Threats| 1. Increasing trend of dining out| 2. Health concerns| 3. Inflation [transportation]| 4. Unfavorable impact of foreign currency| 5. Customers switching to generic brands. | 6. Intense competition from Mars Inc. Nestle SA| C. INTERNAL ASSESSMENT 1. Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix Table 3. Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix for Kraft Foods Inc. Key Internal Threats | Strengths| 1. Strong R;D| 2 Increased organic revenues| 3. Availability| 4. Innovative advertising methods| 5. Diverse range of leading brands| 6. Focus on consumers| 7. Strong distribution network| 8. Strong brand image| 9. World’s second-largest food company| 10. 25% of global revenue from emerging markets| Weaknesses| 1. Difficulty in launching new brands| 2. Most of growth is dependent on acquisitions or expanding into new market. 3. Strong competition from Nestle , Hershey, etc. | 4. Poor performance of North-American segment| 2. Matching  Tools a. Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) Matrix   The  opportunities  and  threats  that  Kraft  Foods  Inc. possesses  are  now matched against its  strengths and  weaknesses by  using the SWOT matrix in order to generate appropriate strategies. Table 4. SWOT MATRIX for Kraft Foods Inc. 1| Strengths| SWOT MATRIX SWOT MATRIX | 1. Strong R;D| | 2. Increased organic revenues| | 3. Availability| | 4. Innovative advertising methods| | 5. Diverse range of leading brands| | 6.Focus on consumers| | 7. Strong Distribution network| | 8. Strong brand image| | 9. World’s second largest food company| | 10. 25% of global revenue from emerging markets| Opportunities| SO Strategies| 1. Operates in many fast growing categories| Focus on retailers and restaurants (O1,S1)Position itself as a healthy food producer (O4, S3, S8)Focus on ready to eat products (O4 S6)Promote r eady to drink beverages (O4, S5, S8)| 2. Growing demand for health and wellness products| | 3. Decreased input costs [raw materials]| | 4. Changing lifestyles. | | 5. Increased trends of flavor enhancer for bottled water. | 6. Growth in the market overall. | | 7. Cadbury acquisition provides new products. | | Threats| ST Strategies| 1. Increasing trend of dining out| Introduce low fat products (T3, S6)Outsource operations to cheaper logistics partners (T4, S7)| 2. Health concerns| | 3. Inflation [transportation]| | 4. Unfavorable impact of foreign currency| | 5. Customers switching to generic brands. | | 6. Intense competition from Mars Inc. , Nestle SA| | SWOT MATRIX SWOT MATRIX | Weaknesses| | 1. Difficulty in launching new brands| | 2. Most of growth is dependent on acquisitions or expanding into new market. | | 3.Strong competition from Nestle, Hershey, etc. | | 4. Poor performance of North-American segment| Opportunities | WO Strategies| 1. Operates in many fast growing categor ies| Look for divestiture in poor performing segmentsSell packaged coffees to cafes (W4, O1)  Ã‚  | 2. Growing demand for health and wellness products| | 3. Decreased input costs [raw materials]| | 4. Changing lifestyles. | | 5. Increased trends of flavor enhancer for bottled water. | | 6. Growth in the market overall. | | 7. Cadbury acquisition provides new products. | | Threats| WT Strategies| 1. Increasing trend of dining out| Launch a sub-brand (brand extension) for ealthier range of products(W3, T2)Market dependent; look into closing lower value markets and look to switch to higher value economies  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  | 2. Health concerns| | 3. Inflation [transportation]| | 4. Unfavorable impact of foreign currency| | 5. Customers switching to generic brands. | | 6. Intense competition from Mars Inc. , Nestle SA| | | | | | IP IP c. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix Division| Revenue (millions)| Percent Revneues| Profit (millions)| Percent Profit| Relative Market Share| Indus try Growth Rate (%)| Company| $ 42,201| 100%| $2,901| 100%| 0. 38| 6. 41%| In the BCG matrix, Kraft Foods Inc. ervices are presented and compared with industry’s growth rate. The percentage market share of Kraft Foods Inc. was computed as follows: (2010 Kraft Foods net sales/ 2010 industry total net sales) X 100%= $42,201/$111,507= 38% The percentage industry growth rate was obtained from the annual increase in revenues. Table 5. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix for Kraft Foods Inc. (Global Market Share) Relative market share in the industry (percentage) Relative market share in the industry (percentage) 1. 0 . 50 0. 0 2. . 50 0. 0 +20 0 20 +20 0 20 Industry Sales Growth Rate (Percentage) Industry Sales Growth Rate (Percentage) Question Marks I Question Marks I Stars II Stars II Dogs IV Dogs IV Cash Cows III Cash Cows III Kraft Foods belongs to Question Marks Group seen in Quadrant I, it remains to be competitive enough although its market share is not that high but its g rowth rate in industry is high enough to cover the market. In order to be on Stars the company must pursue an intensive strategy to strengthen the company and meet its goals in the industry. Table 6.Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix for Kraft Foods Inc. (Domestic Market Share) Relative Market Share Position in the Industry Relative Market Share Position in the Industry 1. 0 . 500. 0 2. 0 . 500. 0 Industry Sales Growth Rate (Percentage) Industry Sales Growth Rate (Percentage) +20 0 -20 +20 0 -20 Question Marks I Question Marks I Stars II Stars II Dogs IV Dogs IV Cash Cows III Cash Cows III Kraft Foods belongs to Stars Group seen in Quadrant II, its market share is high and highly competitive in the industry, but because of fast growing market, Kraft is required to have a huge investments to maintain their lead.Division| Revenue (millions)| Percent Revneues| Profit (millions)| Percent Profit| Relative Market Share| Industry Growth Rate (%)| Company| $ 42,201| 100%| $ 2,901| 100%| 0 . 70| 6. 41%| The percentage market share of Kraft Foods Inc. was computed as follows: (2010 Kraft Foods net sales/ 2010 industry total net sales) X 100%= $42,201/$60,287= 70% The percentage industry growth rate was obtained from the annual increase in revenues. d. Internal-External (I/E) Matrix IFE Total Weighted Scores IFE Total Weighted Scores Table 7. Internal-External (I/E) Matrix for Kraft Foods Inc.Strong Average Weak Strong Average Weak 4. 0 High 3. 0 to 4. 0 3. 0 Medium 2. 0 to 2. 99 2. 0 Low 1. 0 to 1. 99 1. 0 4. 0 High 3. 0 to 4. 0 3. 0 Medium 2. 0 to 2. 99 2. 0 Low 2. 0 to 1. 99 1. 0 3. 0 to 4. 0 3. 0 2. 0 to 2. 99 2. 0 1. 0 to 1. 99 1. 0 3. 0 to 4. 0 3. 0 2. 0 to 2. 99 2. 0 1. 0 to 1. 99 1. 0 Grow and buildGrow and build I| 2. 57, 3. 14 2. 57, 3. 14 II | III| IV | Hold and Maintain Hold and Maintain V| VI| VII| VIII| Harvest or Divest Harvest or Divest IX| EFE Total Weighted Scores EFE Total Weighted Scores Division| Revenues (millions)| Percent Revenues| Profit (millio ns)| Percent Profit| IFE Scores| EFE Scores| Company| $ 42,201 | 100%| $ 2,901 | 100%| 2. 57| 3. 14| Kraft Foods Co. is in the Grow and Build position which means that its internal strengths are on the average and response to the external factors are on the above average.This means that Kraft can proceed in doing intensive and integrative strategies as suggested by the IE Matrix. e. Grand Strategy (GS) Matrix Rapid Market Growth Rapid Market Growth Table 8. GS Matrix for Kraft Foods Inc. Quadrant II| Quadrant I 1. Market Development 2. Market Penetration 3. Product Development 4. Forward Integration 5. Backward Integration 6. Horizontal Integration 7. Related Diversification| Quadrant III| Quadrant IV| Strong Competitive Position Strong Competitive Position Weak Competitive Position Weak Competitive Position Slow Market GrowthSlow Market Growth Kraft Foods Inc. falls under Quadrant I which is characterized by rapid market growth and strong competitive position. For Kraft Foods Inc. it would be best for them to continue their concentration on their current markets and strategies that would be best to use are market penetration and market development as suggested earlier in the other matrixes. If Kraft Foods is too heavily committed to a single product, then related diversification may reduce the risks associated with a narrow product line. g. Functional areas of the firm MarketingKraft's management performed an international consumer survey to determine if consumers were aware of the product quality and whether they were receptive to Kraft's product quality. After receiving a favorable survey response, KFI decided to produce an adaptive, revitalization, and business acquisition marketing campaign; tailored for specific foreign markets. An organization can make a creditable business case for product adaptation when the product modification develops into higher revenues and profits. Kraft's product brand managers developed ways and methods to revitalize existing food products to sell in foreign markets.The brand managers revisited products that were more than 35 years old and revitalized them by positioning the products as mild, hot, or spicy and microwavable. Consequently, product revitalization influenced consumer behaviors. Shortly after product revitalization, the initial response occurred when new customers became enticed by the repositioned products and younger consumers became interested in Kraft products. Finance At Kraft, cash is king When Kraft Foods needed to cut costs and free up cash, its supply chain organization rose to the challenge.Better inventory turnover played a leading role in boosting cash flow by 20 percent. If the company could make just the right amount of goods for a market and get them quickly into the hands of the consumer, it would speed up the cycle for converting products to cash. The relationship between inventory and cash flow put Kraft's supply chain organization front and center in the multiyear project. Research, Development ; Quality When it comes to bold thinking, Research, Development ; Quality is the place to be exciting new tastes. Packaging that extends the shelf life of our products – and is biodegradable.State-of-the-art machinery. That’s the kind of thing we’re aiming for. And what we come up with. Kraft Foods R;D Center At Kraft Foods, we have been focusing on inventing delicious foods and improving life quality. Thus we sincerely invite the best R;D staff and establish 6 R;D centers in world. All of our professional knowledge in nutrition and food safety allow us to accelerate product research and development, bringing the best technologies and products to benefit people all over the world. Kraft Foods Global R;D center located in Glenview, Illinois, has established professional labs for hemical and flavor analysis. We attract excellent R;D staffs and provide strong technique supports of product development for North America and other areas in global . We believe innovation is a journey. In 2010, Kraft Foods China launched a strong pipeline of innovative products including OREO Ice Cream Flavor and Mini-snack biscuits. Pacific Whole Grain is the first real whole grain biscuit on the market that has enjoyed great success among Chinese consumers. Production/operation Kraft Foods Inc. is a holding company, our principal source of funds is from our subsidiaries.Our wholly owned subsidiaries currently are not limited by long-term debt or other agreements in their ability to pay cash dividends or make other distributions with respect to their common stock. Reportable Segments We manage and report operating results through three geographic units: Kraft Foods North America, Kraft Foods Europe and Kraft Foods Developing Markets. We manage the operations of Kraft Foods North America and Kraft Foods Europe by product category, and we manage the operations of Kraft Foods Developing Markets by location. Our reportable segments are U. S. Beve rages, U. S. Cheese, U. S. Convenient Meals, U.S. Grocery, U. S. Snacks, Canada ; North America Foodservice, Kraft Foods Europe (formerly known as European Union) and Kraft Foods Developing Markets. †¢ We transitioned our European Biscuit, Chocolate, Coffee and Cheese categories to fully integrated business units, further strengthening our focus on these core categories. To ensure decisions are made faster and closer to our customers and consumers, each category is fully accountable for its financial results, including marketing, manufacturing and R;D. Category leadership, based in Zurich, Switzerland, reports to the Kraft Foods Europe President.These business units now comprise the Kraft Foods Europe segment. Information Systems Innovation can only happen if we’ve got the infrastructure to support it. And everything we do, every minute of the day, relies on having the right technology and information immediately available. Information Systems are the key. But they do mu ch more than just answer helpdesk calls and fix our computers. Information Systems also invent neat solutions to our technological problems, and work out what systems and equipment we need to support our ideas. Chapter III STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION A. EXECUTIVE DECISION RESPONSIBILITIESKey decisions at Kraft are made by the following three organizations: †¢ Global Marketing and Category Development †¢ Commercial Units †¢ Functional Areas Global Marketing and Category Development is responsible for decisions on global category strategies, new product growth platforms and marketing excellence. Commercial Units are responsible for determining the marketing and sales programs that best meet the needs of local consumers and customers, with profit and loss responsibility for the results. Functional Areas are strongly aligned and linked to the Global Marketing ; Category Development group and the two commercial units.The functions are centers for excellence, with responsibilit y for identifying and sharing best practices and using Kraft’s global scale to best advantage. The leaders within these organizations all report directly to the CEO. The leaders are: †¢ Global Marketing and Category Development: – EVP, Global Marketing Resources ; Initiatives – EVP, Global Category Development †¢ Commercial Units: – President, North America Commercial – President, International Commercial †¢ Functional Areas: – EVP, Global Corporate Affairs – EVP ; Chief Financial Officer – EVP, Global Human Resources – EVP, General Counsel ; Corporate Secretary EVP, Global Strategy ; Business Development – EVP ; Chief Information Officer – EVP, Global Technology ; Quality – EVP, Global Supply Chai B. EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT ; SUCCESSION †¢ Executive development at Kraft takes place on the job. Unlike other companies where executive development takes place in an academic setting, Kr aft creates management opportunities on the job for its employees. †¢ Beginning even with their earliest assignments, young managers are expected to demonstrate an ability to carry responsibility and sophisticated thinking that’s usually reserved for top tier executives at other companies. As managers ascend the ranks, Kraft encourages them to develop leadership skills such as creativity, the power to persuade and influence, and the willingness to take risks. †¢ Kraft gives its young managers broad authority that helps to challenge themselves and spur their leadership skills. †¢ Each function within Kraft has an Advancement Planning Policy in place. This policy provides the guidelines for identifying replacements for executives. Generally, there are two to three potential replacements already identified for any executive in case he or she leaves the company.C. INSIDER’S VIEW ON KRAFT CULTURE †¢ Insiders have commented that Kraft is very diverse and that they have many qualified minorities in management positions. †¢ Even though working at Kraft is stressful, insiders have commented that many people enjoy working there. †¢ However, insiders have also commented that morale is low due to layoffs and the resultant heavy workloads on the remaining employees. There have also been comments made that employees from acquired companies suffer from low morale because of difficulty in adjusting to Kraft culture.Chapter IV STRATEGY EVALUATION Table 8. Balance Scorecard for Kraft Foods Inc. GOALS| STRATEGIES| MEASURES| TIME COMPLETION| Customer Perspective| | | | Provide quality products for all customers| Product Development| Developing quality products such as low fat and less cholesterol| Immediately after 2013| Internal Business Process| | | | More efficient internal control| Semi-centralization of the organization| A main branch per areas which controls other branches| 4th quarter 2007-2008| Financial perspective| | | |Attain ment of 2011, 2012, and 2013 revenue target| Having a large share in the global economy| Using effective marketing and extensive product developmentCutting cost if possible| 3rd quarter 2013| Learning and growth| | | | Increase industry awareness regarding service in other country. Development of intensive training program for human resources| Intensify marketing promotionsOffering seminars that will enhance skills in communicating and decision-making| Use the partner company’s expertise regarding the marketability of the countryIncrease of effectiveness and efficiency of skill performance| 2nd -3rd quarter 2014Immediately after 2013|As an evaluation tool, the balanced scorecard shows the various selected key strategies on aspects of consumer perspective, interval business processes, financial perspective and learning growth. A set of quantitative measures has been enumerated for each strategy to enable the company to monitor progress or strategy attainment on a regular basis and review whether these need to be changed or revised SUMMARY Kraft Foods remains to be competitive enough although its global market share is not that high but its growth rate in industry is high enough to cover the market.The company must pursue an intensive strategy to strengthen the company and meet its goals in the industry. Its domestic market share is high and highly competitive in the industry, but because of fast growing market, Kraft is required to have a huge investment to maintain their lead. Kraft Foods Co. internal strengths are on the average and response to the external factors are on the above average. This means that Kraft can proceed in doing intensive and integrative strategies as suggested by the I/E Matrix. For Kraft Foods Inc. t would be best for them to continue their concentration on their current markets and strategies that would be best to use are market penetration and market development as suggested earlier in the other matrixes. If Kraft Foods is too heavily committed to a single product, then related diversification may reduce the risks associated with a narrow product line. CONCLUSION Food industry is one of the fast growing industries ever since it started to appear  in the global market. United States is the home where leading food companies are  principally  located.Indeed  the  advance  technological  adaptation  in  this country led the food industry to become innovative and more eager to develop new products as time goes by. The challenge in this industry is the tough competition of the various companies belonging in the same industry. On how they could penetrate the market and what would be their advantage over their  competitor. Kraft Foods is one of the companies belonging in this category. It can achieve its leadership and growth by doing intensive promotion and management of its existing clients and venturing other countries to promote business. RECOMMENDATONSRECOMMENDED REVISE ORGANIZATIONAL STR UCTURE. The organizational structure of the company is fully a centralized one. It is only compose of the top executives of the company. We suggest the that company develop a line and staff structure wherein the middle and lower level of the organization is seen and have a direct communication in terms of decision making and finding solutions to the problems both on top to lower level management. RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Upon the using the matrixes presented, the following are the recommended strategies that Kraft Foods Inc. should use. Market Penetration Increase advertising expenditures and specifically target the household population. †¢Offer extensive sales promotion during peak season and creating bonus packages. †¢Decrease the cost of the product if it would be possible so that buyers will be attracted to patronize it. Product Development †¢Develop  products  containing  low  fat  and  calories  for  those  healthconscious individuals. †¢Dev elop  confectionary  products  that  are  sugar  free  to  attract  retiringindividuals. †¢Package products that are inter-related †¢Improve technological systems, especially the  online  shopping  center for  mothers at home.BIBLIOGRAPHY http://www. kraftfoodscompany. com/SiteCollectionDocuments/pdf/KFT_RDQ_Innovatio n_Investments_FactSheet. pdf http://www. kraftfoodscompany. com http://www. Kraft. com http://www. Kraft's Cadbury Deal May Force Cocoa Consolidation, Moneynews. com http://www. scribd. com/doc/77538204/Kraft-Matrixes http://www. management480. wikispaces. com/file/view/Kraft. ppt http://www. mondelezinternational. com/ph/en/home/index. aspx CURRICULUM VITAE JENEVA V. VICENTE Rizal East, San Isidro, Isabela Mobile No. 09358723111 ————————————————- EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: TERTIARYBS in Business Administration Major in Manage ment Accounting Isabela State University – Echague San Fabian, Echague, Isabela * SECONDARYSan Isidro National High School San Isidro, Isabela S. Y. 2008-2009 * PRIMARYSan Isidro West Central School San Isidro, Isabela S. Y. 2004-2005 PERSONAL DATA: Date of Birth:March 9, 1993 Age:19 Civil Status:Single Gender:Female Height:5’ Weight:45 kgs. Religion:Pentecostal Christian Nationality:Filipino Language Spoken:Tagalog, English I hereby certify that the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Jeneva V.Vicente JOANA MARIE S. MARQUEZ Mabini,Alicia, Isabela Mobile No. 09267907457 ————————————————- EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: * TERTIARYBS in Business Administration Major in Management Accounting Isabela State University – Echague San Fabian, Echague, Isabela * SECONDARYAlicia National High School Paddad, Alicia, Isabela S. Y. 2008-2009 * PRIMARYMabini Elementary School Mabini, Alicia, Isabela S. Y. 2004-2005 PERSONAL DATA: Date of Birth:March 30, 1993 Age:19 Civil Status:Single Gender:Female Height:5’1 Weight:48 kgs. Religion:Roman Catholic Nationality:FilipinoLanguage Spoken:Tagalog, English I hereby certify that the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Joana Marie S. Marquez Reila A. Abenojar Rizal East, San Isidro, Isabela Mobile No. 09358194873 ————————————————- EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: * TERTIARYBS in Business Administration Major in Management Accounting Isabela State University – Echague San Fabian, Echague, Isabela * SECONDARYSan Isidro National High School San Isidro, Isabela S. Y. 2006-2007 * PRIMARYSan Isidro West Central School San Isidro, Isabela S. Y. 2002-2003 PERSONAL DATA:Date of Birth:July 20, 1990 Age:22 Civil Status:Sing le Gender:Female Height:5’ Weight:40 kgs. Religion:Methodist Nationality:Filipino Language Spoken:Tagalog, English I hereby certify that the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Reila A. Abenojar Angela V. Almolanida San Fabian, Echague, Isabela Mobile No. 09068334307 ————————————————- EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: * TERTIARYBS in Business Administration Major in Management Accounting Isabela State University – Echague San Fabian, Echague, Isabela * SECONDARYEchague National High SchoolSan Fabian, Echague, Isabela S. Y. 2008-2009 * PRIMARYBanaba Elementary School Banaba, Dapdap, Bamban, Tarlac S. Y. 2004-2005 PERSONAL DATA: Date of Birth:October 21, 1992 Age:19 Civil Status:Single Gender:Female Height:5’2 Weight:40 kgs. Religion:Roman Catholic Nationality:Filipino Language Spoken:Tagalog, English I hereby certify that the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Angela Almolanida Joylyn M. Adop Catabban, Burgos, Isabela Mobile No. 09359504631 ————————————————- EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: * TERTIARYBS in Business AdministrationMajor in Management Accounting Isabela State University – Echague San Fabian, Echague, Isabela * SECONDARYDona Aurora National High School Sta. Rita, Aurora, Isabela S. Y. 2008-2009 * PRIMARYCatabban Elementary School Catabban, Burgos, Isabela S. Y. 2004-2005 PERSONAL DATA: Date of Birth:February 22, 1993 Age:19 Civil Status:Single Gender:Female Height:5’3† Weight:48 kgs. Religion:Born Again Christian Nationality:Filipino Language Spoken:Tagalog, English I hereby certify that the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Joylyn M. Adop Gaymarie A. FelipeBagong Tanza, Aurora, I sabela Mobile No. 09359029090 ————————————————- EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: * TERTIARYBS in Business Administration Major in Management Accounting Isabela State University – Echague San Fabian, Echague, Isabela * SECONDARYDona Aurora National High School Sta. Rita, Aurora, Isabela S. Y. 2008-2009 * PRIMARYBagong Tanza Elementary School Bagong Tanza, Aurora, Isabela S. Y. 2004-2005 PERSONAL DATA: Date of Birth:September 26, 1992 Age:20 Civil Status:Single Gender:Female Height:5’4† Weight:58 kgs. Religion:Latter-Day Saints Nationality:FilipinoLanguage Spoken:Tagalog, English I hereby certify that the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Gaymarie A. Felipe Ryan A. Darang Silauan Sur, Echague, Isabela Mobile No. 09352083261 ————————————â €”———- EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: * TERTIARYBS in Business Administration Major in Management Accounting Isabela State University – Echague San Fabian, Echague, Isabela * SECONDARYEchague National High School San Fabian, Echague, Isabela S. Y. 2008-2009 * PRIMARYEchague West Central School San Fabian, Echague, Isabela S. Y. 2004-2005PERSONAL DATA: Date of Birth:November 23, 1992 Age:19 Civil Status:Single Gender:Female Height:5’6† Weight:55 kgs. Religion:Born Again Christian Nationality:Filipino Language Spoken:Tagalog, English I hereby certify that the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Ryan A. Darang Vic Rodriguez Catabban, Burgos, Isabela Mobile No. 09359504631 ————————————————- EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: * TERTIARYBS in Business Administration Major in Management Accounting Isabela State University – Echague San Fabian, Echague, Isabela SECONDARYDona Aurora National High School Sta. Rita, Aurora, Isabela S. Y. 2008-2009 * PRIMARYCatabban Elementary School Catabban, Burgos, Isabela S. Y. 2004-2005 PERSONAL DATA: Date of Birth:February 22, 1993 Age:19 Civil Status:Single Gender:Female Height:5’3† Weight:48 kgs. Religion:Pentecostal Christian Nationality:Filipino Language Spoken:Tagalog, English I hereby certify that the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Vic Rodriguez Fernando Ramos Catabban, Burgos, Isabela Mobile No. 09359504631 ————————————————- EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: TERTIARYBS in Business Administration Major in Management Accounting Isabela State University – Echague San Fabian, Echague, Isabela * SECONDARYDona Aurora National High School Sta. Rita, Aurora, Isabela S. Y. 2008-2009 * PRIMARYCatabban Elementary School Catabban, Burgos, Isabela S. Y. 2004-2005 PERSONAL DATA: Date of Birth:February 22, 1993 Age:19 Civil Status:Single Gender:Female Height:5’3† Weight:48 kgs. Religion:Pentecostal Christian Nationality:Filipino Language Spoken:Tagalog, English I hereby certify that the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Fernando Ramos

British Petroleum (BP): SWOT and BP Porter Five Forces Analysis †Essay

SWOT and Porter Five Forces Analysis of British Petroleum (BP)our site Sample Essay – Need Help Writing an Essay Contact us Today. Student Submitted Essays!our site Sample Essay – AbstractBP Porter Five Forces – BP Plc is one of the leading oil and gas companies in the world operating in more than 80 countries and serving close to 13 million customers. The company was ranked third in the FTSE 100 all share index ranking as at the close of 31st August, 2014 with a market capitalization of 82,093.2, million US Dollars. BP’s major strengths include strong brand recognition, massive financial capability, excellent corporate strategy, and the ability to innovate. Global reduction in the production of crude oil and natural gas, poor disaster management and inability to implement long-term regulatory mechanisms are the company’s key weaknesses. The company has the opportunity to invest in alternative energy even though it faces significant competition from key rivals such as Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil and Chevron. BP Porters Five Forces Analysis of BP reveal low threat of new entrants and substitutes, medium bargaining power of both buyers and suppliers, and high rivalry among existing competitors. To remain competitive, the company should increase strategic investment in R&D, negotiate with governments and other firms to exploit emerging markets, rebuild its brand value and streamline its production and business operation.our site Sample Essay – IntroductionFounded in 1908, British Petroleum (BP) is one of the leading oil and gas companies in the world. The company operations in more than 80 countries, has over 83,900 employees and serves over 13 million customers globally (BP Plc, 2014). The company provides customers with oil and gas products, fuel for transportation, petrochemical products and energy for light and heat. With a market capitalization of 82,093.2, million US Dollars, BP was ranked third in the FTSE 100 al l share index ranking as at the close of 31st August, 2014 (Stock Challenge, 2012). BP’s interests and activities can be categorised into two core business segments: Refining and Marketing and Exploration and Production. The Exploration and Production segments cover upstream and midstream activities which include exploration, production, pipelining, and processing. Refining and Marketing segments cover downstream activities such as crude oil transportation, manufacturing, marketing and supply of both petrochemical and petroleum products and services (BP Plc. 2014).our site Sample Essay – BP SWOT AnalysisBP’s key strengths are its strong brand recognition and massive financial capability. Being the third largest energy company in the world, it is globally acknowledged for high quality petroleum products. Additionally, with an expected total operating cash flow of 2014 at $30 billion, the company’s strong financial position gives it the opportunity to introduce new products, develop alternative energy, and expand to new markets (Reuters, 20 14). Regarded as one of the best in the world, the company’s corporate strategy is also a notable strength. This, coupled with its strong brand loyalty, enabled it to emerge from the devastating deepwater horizon oil spill of 2010 (Reuters, 2014). The company’s ability to innovate and enter into strategic ventures with other governments and corporations in new markets is another key strength. In 2013, BP entered into a strategic alliance with both China and the US to provide alternative solar energy to a number of government agencies. A global reduction in the production of crude oil and natural gas is a key weakness of the company. Poor public image as a result of the North Alaska and deep-water oil spills also led to serious challenges for the company. Not only did it face criminal charges, it spent an estimated $42.2 billion in cleanup and compensation (Reuters, 2014). Another key weakness is its non-competitiveness in the alternative energy sector. Despite being a major player in the oil industry, majority of consumers are still unaware of the company’s involvement in alternative energy (Bamberg, 2000). The inability to implement long-term regulatory mechanism to cushion it from the highly volatile petroleum prices is also a key weakness of the company. BP’s profits and its current strong financial position present an opportunity for the company to initiate new projects. The company’s biggest opportunity is investing in alternative energy. The BP Solar Home Solutions initially introduced in New York can be expanded into other regions especially within the American and European markets. This will guarantee the company more customers who prefer the less costly solar energy. The company also has an opportunity to expand its export markets to Asia and South America. Discoveries of more oil wells and increasing prices of oil and gas are additional opportunities that the company can take advantage of (Smith, 2011). Major players in the oil and gas industry especially the Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil, and Chevron pose the greatest threat to BP. The implementation of environmentally unsound policy and poor management of natural disasters such as the toxic spills often disrupt the company’s operation (Bruland, 2003). Other threats include, corrosion in BP’s pipeline network, occasional refinery explosions, multiple lawsuits emanating from ecological disasters and the continued sale of BP’s corporate owned stations. Declining operations in several potential locations and the tensions associated with operating in the oil business are also potential threats (Black, 2011).our site Sample Essay – BP Porter Five Forces – AnalysisPorter (1980, p. 80) outlines the five forces model to analyze an organization’s competitiveness. These include threats of entrants, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threats of substitutes and rivalry among e xisting competitors. The oil and gas industry in which BP operates traditionally require massive financial investments in very expensive infrastructure. Huge capital investment is necessary to cover expenses such as building pipelines, drilling wells, building access roads and acquiring land. BP has an asset value of $236.0 billion (Honnungar, 2011). Considering the cost of market entry and economies of scale in the industry, the threat of new entrance is low. There are a number of substitute products such as hydroelectricity, nuclear energy, coal, wind power and solar energy. However, most are still in the developmental phase, besides, the cost of production of substitute products is often extremely high. The importance of oil in fuelling cars, running industries and generating electricity makes it essential and useful to sectors of the economy (Ferrier, 2009). Threats of substitutes are therefore, low since alternative products are less competitive. The oil and gas industry have considerable number of suppliers ranging from private corporations to governments. There are also a number of potential buyers similar to BP. Besides, BP’s vertical integration in its operations is similar to that of its key competitors (Stiel, 2003). The bargaining power of suppliers is consequently rated as medium. The products offered by players in the oil and gas industry are often not much different from those offered by their competitors. As a result, buyers tend to choose products with either lower prices or that have better terms. On the flipside, buyers are many; hence even if a cross section chooses to use the products of their competitors, BP’s operations would not be greatly impacted. The bargaining power of buyers can therefore be regarded as medium. Finally, the oil and gas industry is dominated by huge corporations that produce a number of low differentiated products (Stiel, 2003). Key competitors such as Chevron, Total and Royal Dutch Shell have established well recognized brands with significant client base. This implies that BP and its competitors have all adapted a vertical integration of similar range of products. These factors coupled with low threats of both substitutes and new entrants make competitive rivalry high (Uph, 2010).our site Sample Essay – Conclusi on and RecommendationsBP is as a major corporation with significant financial backing that can be used to venture into alternative energy research to boost its manufacturing capacity and increase its global presence. The SWOT and Porter’s five forces analyses indicates that, the oil and gas industry’s major players are well established conglomerates with massive financial resources hence high level of competitive rivalry. The attractiveness of the industry makes both the powers of buyers and that of suppliers’ medium while the threat of substitute and new entrance low. BP should increase its strategic investment in R&D in order to maximize production and exploit new markets. It should also negotiate with governments and other firms in order to exploit emerging markets such as China. The company should also consider rebuilding its brand value thereby regaining its image adversely affected by the recent oil spill crisis (Honnungar, 2011). Finally, the company should streamline its business operations and production to gain competitive advantage over major rivals.ReferencesBamberg, J. H. (2000). British Petroleum and Global Oil: 1950-1975: The Challenge Of Nationalism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Bruland, K. (2003). British technology and European industrialization: the Norwegian textile Industry in the mid-nineteenth century. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. BP Plc. (2014). BP Statistical Review of World Energy June 2014. BP Plc. (2014). BP at a Glance. [Online] 3 September, 2017. Available From Black, E. (2011). British petroleum and the redline agreement. Washington, DC: Dialog Press. Ferrier, R. W. (2009). The history of the British Petroleum Company. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Honnungar, V. (2011). British Petroleum Oil Spill Crisis and Aftermath Corporate Governance and Communication at BP during the disaster. Munich: GRIN Verlag Porter, M.E. (1980) Competitive Strategy, New York: Free Press. Stiel, P. (2003). British Petroleum: A Global Company in a Global World. [Online] 3 September, 2017. Available From: http://www.pstiel.de/fileadmin/pstiel.de/Download/english_globalisation.pdf Smith, N. J. (2011).The Sea of Lost Opportunity: North Sea Oil and Gas, British Industry and The Offshore Supplies Office. New York: Elsevier. Stock Challenge, (2012). FTSE All-Share Index Ranking as at Close on Fri, 31 October 2014. [Online] 3 September, 2017. Available From http://www.stockchallenge.co.uk/ftse.php Uph, C. (2010). PR Analysis of British Petroleum. New York: GRIN Verlag. Also, checkout related Essays: BHP Billiton SWOT Analysis and Porter Five Force Analysis SWOT analysis of Sainsbury’s Plc Strategic Analysis (SWOT, PESTEL, Porter) of Premier Inn (Whitbread Plc) Summary Reviewer John Review Date 2017-09-06 Reviewed Item Essay – BP SWOT and Porter Five Forces Author Rating 5

Hamlet Literary Analysis Essay

Carl Jung is an expert in freudian theory but with a strong sense of the unconscious and its habit of revealing itself in symbolic form. His personality theory â€Å"The persona† is an archetype, or an organized principle based on things we see or do. Hamlet is an example of a person who is doing whatever it takes to accomplish what he thinks is right. Claudius gives a â€Å"false impression† that he uses to manipulate people’s opinions towards Hamlet. Through the physiological lens of Carl Jung, Hamlet comes off as insane trying to avenge his fathers death, while Claudius is the one trying to convince everyone he’s mad, to take his rightful place as king. Hamlet displays false impressions by pretending to be mad. He does this in order to get attention from his mother, who does not believe him when he tries to explain to her what the ghost told him about Claudius. Hamlet in despair thought that his plans were pointless and did not know what to do without the support he needed from his mother. This shows the ego nature of Hamlet. Hamlet is young and focuses a great deal on his ego and worries about the trivialities of the persona displaying his false impressions. Hamet only false impression. Hamlet was deceitful, he would create spectacles in which people would misinterpret his actions for someone who might be insane. â€Å"To be or not to be, that is the question† (III, i, 56) This is the question Hamlet is contemplating throughout the book, to live, or to die. He struggles with the thought of suicide many times as a result of no one believing him. Pretending to be mad is the only way he can come up with to try to avenge his fathers death. This quote emphasizes Hamlets inner struggle to cope with two opposing thoughts in his mind, preserving his moral integrity or avenging his father’s death. It’s hard to say if Hamlet is ever really insane in the play. He struggles with life changing decisions that can potentially change many lives, which would be good reasoning for causing madness. There are many points where you might believe Hamlet himself doesn’t even know the difference between who he is and who is is pretending to be. In order to keep his crown on the throne of Denmark, Claudius manipulates events, people’s lives and relationships. He makes use of his power along with other’s loyalty and trust. We know Hamlets hatred towards Claudius, for marrying his mother and trying to steal his place as king. But Hamlet is the only one who believes this, everyone else isn’t aware of his intentions. It is clear that we are intended to see Claudius not as a murderous villain, but a multi-faceted villain: someone who cannot refrain from doing what he feels is right. He is morally weak, and content to trade his humanity for very little. Claudius shows a strong false impression, proved by Carl Jung’s theory to be a â€Å"mask† used to present himself to the world. He’s trying to replace the King by taking everything that was his. â€Å"Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother’s death The memory be green, and that it us befitted To bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom To be contracted in one brow of woe,Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature That we with wisest sorrow think on him,Together with remembrance of ourselves†(1.2. 1) Here Claudius is talking to his people about how they should be mourning Old King Hamlet’s death, but it would be wise for the whole kingdom to move on quickly. This is part of the â€Å"mask† he is wearing for the people, considering hes the one who killed the King in the first place. Carl Jung’s theory proves itself to be true for both Hamlet and Claudius in the Play. His theory on the persona representing your public image is different, but apparent for both of them. For Hamlet, a false impression is apparent but for his gain only, He is pretending to be insane towards his mother because that the only way he feels he can get her attention. Claudius portrays a false impression towards all the people, because he is the only one that truly knows Hamlet is sane. His â€Å"mask† is to cover himself up for the Kings Murder. The truth comes out when its apparent He wants Hamlet killed. Jung states that at its worst, false impressions, can be mistaken, even by ourselves, for our true nature. This happens to Hamlet as he mistakes himself for many things he is not. â€Å"If one does not understand a person, one tends to regard him as a fool. † (Mysterium Coniunctionis). This relates to how everyone believes Hamlet is mad because they don’t understand what he saw and heard from his fathers ghost. Through the physiological lens of Carl Jung, Hamlet comes off as insane trying to avenge his fathers death and prove to his mother all he knows, while Claudius is the one trying to convince everyone he’s mad, to take his rightful place as king.

According to the requirement Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

According to the requirement - Assignment Example The hand signal language penetrated the country since the deaf community was capable of conveying information without difficulties as was previously evidenced. The role of adults in this process was allowing the deaf children to attend the newly established schools where they could learn the art of the innovative sign language (Fasold 226). The Homo sapiens might have developed a language due to their environmental conditions and natural requirements. The Homo sapiens used gestures to communicate with each other in the olden times. This shows that the development of language depends with the acceptance of the linguistic meanings by the other people. For instance, the environment helps a person to create a sign language system, which helps in its acquisition and penetration to others (Fasold 280). This implies that the signs used in separate environments may vary to suit the needs of the individuals embracing the language. The concept of the deaf children in Nicaragua shows that signs differ in meanings due to the ability of the others to understand and react to

What impact did the Counter Reformation have on religious art and Essay

What impact did the Counter Reformation have on religious art and architecture in Venice - Essay Example de that separated the â€Å"elite† and â€Å"universal† religion on one side and the â€Å"popular† and â€Å"local† religious practices on the other side that involved both Protestants and Catholics in many parts of Europe.1 (William A. Christian, Jr., 1981) Jean Delumeau,2 a reputed French historian, believed that Counter Reformation was more of â€Å"cultural domination† that was used to convert the masses to Christianity. According to him it was a fundamental breaking away from medieval Christianity that was practiced by a greater majority of people. In this context, art and architecture during this period was greatly influenced and changed according to the changes made in society. For example, during the period of 1450 – 1660, art and architecture moved away from the mystical elements of medieval Catholicism and ushered in an era of progressive minds whose sculptures and paintings was based on a naturalistic approach based on scientific study. The Medieval period saw theorists approach and gauge artistic values in a more theoretical manner that mostly emphasized the spiritual, religious, and moral teachings of the Church. However, during the period of the 1420’s, art and architecture was viewed from a very different perspective that was based on naturalism. Anthony Blunt3 (1985) in his book titled ‘Artistic Theory in Italy, 1450 – 1660’ sheds light on Leon Battista Alberti’s writings explaining about the changes that took place in Italy in the field of art and architecture due to the influence brought about by the social, cultural and political changes that were ushered in by the Reformation. He explains that Alberti adopted a Humanistic approach in all of his writings on architecture, paintings and sculpture. Three of his best treatises were – a painting - Della Pittura di Leon Battista Alberti Libri tre, written in 1436, the ten books of architecture, De Re Aedificatoria written in 1450 and a pamphlet on sculpture, De Statua which he probably

The Ethics of Democracy by John Dewey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Ethics of Democracy by John Dewey - Essay Example Understanding also the types of government that emerge throughout history would help in appreciating the importance of the government. A government is made up of people who help the citizens every day. The people are part of teams who work hard in the community for the welfare of many. A government may run a town, a school and a country as it decides for the people it leads (Bedesky 4). Basically a government is not just the group spearheading the direction of a country because it may exist in smaller groups that lead the people like cities or even school organizations and companies. There are several forms of government: republic, democracy, monarchy, aristocracy, dictatorship, and democratic republic. Republic is like democracy but it exists in many people and the political system allows the citizens to elect the representatives for their government. On the other hand, democracy is similar to republic but the focus is on the rule by the people. It means that the power of the govern ment officials is granted by the citizens. Monarchy differs from both republic and democracy since the political power is vested upon the king or queen. In other places as shown by the history, monarchy may have an emperor instead of a queen or king. Normally the royal family has the wealth and total control over the land and people have less say regarding the politics of their place. Today monarchy does not exist as part of politics. Aristocracy is somewhat related to monarchy because the members of the royal family are wealthy and educated. Aristocracy is a more general type since it does not need to have a royal family as long as the land is dominated politically by the wealthy families. Dictatorship is somewhat like aristocracy wherein few people are dominating the government but in dictatorship, harshness is involved and the dominant figure can just be a single person. Some of the prominent dictators in history are Castro of Cuba and Hitler of Germany. Last in the list of the c ommon forms of government is the democratic republic. Typically people may say that it is democracy and republic combined, but in reality it is a form of dictatorship as North Vietnam called itself as The Democratic Republic of Vietnam and China as The People’s Republic of China (The Global Citizen). In the study, the essay of John Dewey regarding ethics and democracy would be tackled thoroughly. Since the concept of government had been laid down, it would be great to also give some introduction and basic information regarding the concept of ethics. Later on democracy would be discussed in detail and a brief biography of John Dewey would also be included to connect his experiences and works to his specific view regarding democracy. The concept of ethics is almost synonymous to morality as some people use them interchangeably. The origin of the word ethics can be traced back from the Greek word ethickos which means habit or ethos which describes a pattern of behavior. On the o ther hand, morality comes from the Latin word morales which mean social norms. The concepts of morality and ethics can be misleading as they are more than just patterns of behaviors and norms. Ethics can be separated into several divisions: meta-ethics, normative ethics and practical ethics. Meta-ethics is about the things associated with the terms right, good and virtue. The major purpose of meta-ethics is to analyze an ethical system. Normative ethics as its name shows it is about

Intellectual Property Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Intellectual Property Rights - Essay Example If not then licensing of patents will have to be negotiated between the company and the laboratory. In such a scenario it is the internal agreement between the laboratory and the staff, students or post doc fellows which comes in effect. There might be a general agreement in place and specific agreement for the particular project might have to be executed including or excluding the right so people of the laboratory (Queen’s University IPR Guide, 2011) 2) Work for Pay – if the staff is specifically hired to follow directions of the laboratory coordinator or anyone else then they shall not be entitled to any IPR as it was not their genesis. They were just executors who acted on behalf of the director and did not contribute any cognitive inputs (NIT, Rourkela 2009) 3) Contractual work – if the project is work-for-hire, the employee or agency will retain the right to be identified as the creator of the IP but the right of commercialization and IP rests with the labor atory. In such cases the staff depending on the general agreement has the share of the IP benefit as the work was not indigenously developed by the laboratory. 4) Full time work – if any student or staff works in the laboratory full time or part time the rights to IP depends on the contract of employment.

World History Since 1945 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

World History Since 1945 - Essay Example The writers advocate for total relook into the various governmental systems which are both embedded in totalitarianism and aloof to the social realities of ordinary masses. Thus, both books are radical and transformative in scope. The books cry out for change which is aimed at the social and economic lives of the people. Smith (2010) reckons that Belli’s ‘The Country under My Skin’ is a powerful memoir entailing both love and war. The Nicaraguan, Giaconda Belli, presents quite powerfully, her eye-openness to social realities facing the people of Nicaragua as well as her association with the Sandinistas using the rider of love and war to expose totalitarianism. In the book, she categorically illuminates on her present life with her American husband as well as children and seemingly compares this to Nicaragua with a passionate appeal. It is at the time when the poet meets Panamanian dictator Omar Torrijos in the year 1978 that she sets out the book; The Country under My Skin. Gicoonda Belli describes political battles of emancipation that the country of Nicaragua went through since the years 1970s. She brings it out quite powerfully using her personal experiences especially with the authorities at that time and irrationalities around the country that were transformational (Smith 2010). She thus brings out a powerful juxtaposition in her quality writing exploring in details her adventure while working in the field of advertisement and later getting involved in politics. Saten (2010) observes that her poem creates a vantage entry point into the Sandinista Guerilla Movement from quite a young age. This involvement makes her transition into the unknown away from the comfort zone and the social as well as political security that she was always involved in and it is at this point that she brings out the spirit of activism in her (Staten 97). Using these experiences she exposes government indifferences to the plight of the

Interview Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Interview Reflection - Essay Example As a teacher, I am no longer a mere instructor. I am also a counselor to the students who will help them become well-rounded individuals of society. Another important point which struck me in the interview is the realization that a teacher’s job is never easy. A teacher is challenged by the differences of his students. He will have to adjust his teaching style especially if he has students with special needs. He must be able to attend to the average kids and yet not neglect the needs of the special children. It is not easy because the teacher has to modify his teaching style to address the special concerns and be fair to all his students in class. The knowledge of content is very essential in my role as a teacher. Before I teach the subject, I must have ample time to prepare. I must be really knowledgeable on the subject matter so as not to misinform my students. Regular meetings with other teachers who teach the same subject in the same grade level is necessary to have a standardized lesson plan. It also doubles up as a support group for us teachers. Any problems which we encounter can be better resolved if we have discussion forums. The knowledge of the role of a school is something which every teacher must put in mind. As teachers, we should realize that a school is an important institution of society. It is in the school where a child is prepared for their future roles in society. It is the institution which lays the foundation which the child needs to be a responsible citizen of the country. As such, the government should allot a huge budget in the improvement of the educational system of the nation. The school must be able to provide the students with updated textbooks and educational materials through the appropriate funding from the government. If the government fails to give ample funds to schools, they cannot expect the schools to produce students who are at par with the

Human Resource Management Assignment 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Human Resource Management Assignment 1 - Essay Example The emphasis is on doing right things at the right time instead of the earlier concept of sweating it out at the workplace without considering whether an effort is channelized in the right direction so that overall corporate goal is achieved at minimum effort. This approach is also known as Hard HRM where human resource is considered as another resource that has to be acquired at lowest expense, used sparingly and trained in such a manner that they become maximum productive (Daily News (Colombo, Sri Lanka), 2011). Answer 3 The first problem with soft approach to human resource management is that it is rather difficult to quantify the tenets of such an approach as all the aspects are more descriptive rather than quantitative. The second problem is it does not specify the exact actions that need to be taken to achieve the stated objectives thus managers tend to get confused about the desired course of action. The third problem is that this model by excessively adopting a ‘collect ivist approach’ dilutes the basic decision making activity of management which might result in loss of direction and chaos in an organization. The first problem with hard approach to human resource management is that it is not concerned with the societal and psychological issues of human resource. This results in a strictly regimented workplace where employees do as they are told which thwarts innovativeness and imagination among employees. The second problem is that if such an approach is adopted in a knowledge based organization it would surely face increased labor turnover. The third problem is organizations adopting hard approach are seldom able to adapt to a rapidly changing marketplace which has become the trend in modern days (Bratton & Gold, 2001). Answer 4 In modern day cutthroat competition in marketplace it is imperative for every organization to have an effective human resource management policy in place to continually stave off competitors while retaining cost se nsitive and efficient operations. HRM plays a significant role in this effort of an organization by extracting the best out of employees. It must be admitted that human resource happens to be costliest asset of every organization as human resource is capable of not only self improvement and development but is also gifted with innovative capabilities, and, who can deny that in present day market scenario where every other competitor has nearly similar access to resources, innovation is the only way to stay ahead. This also raises another very important issue. An effectively administered human resource management policy reduces conflicts in workplace and builds up an ambience of harmony that is again conducive to fostering commitment by workers to their workplace. Such a committed team of workers can be motivated without much effort on the part of the human resource managers. And, a motivated workforce goes out of their way to ensure that the organization they love, adore and are prou d to be a part of becomes a market leader (Chung, Jung, Baek, & Lee, 2008). Answer 5 The biggest impact of

Mexican War and the Spanish American War Essay Example for Free

Mexican War and the Spanish American War Essay Both the Mexican War and the Spanish War were a result of unfair treatment against weaker nations. The origins of the Mexican War lay with the United States and its expansionistic policies. Most Americans believed they had a divine right to bring their culture among others, because they were superior. This belief was put forth by Manifest Destiny, which had been circulating around the United States for a long time. The ignorance possessed by the Americans show no courtesy toward the Mexicans. Under the administration of President Polk, America adopted an aggressive expansion policy that often ignored many inferior countries. In 1492, it was Spain whom sailed across the Ocean and colonized the Amerindian nations of the Western Hemisphere. At its greatest extent, the empire that resulted from this exploration extended from Virginia on the eastern coast of the United States south to Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America excluding Brazil and westward to California and Alaska. The ambitious United States paid no attention to Spain and aggressively sought more territory and influence in Cuba, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico. The war started when the United States declared war on Spain after the sinking of an American vessel (Battleship Main) in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898. They war ended on December 10, 1898 after the unfair Treaty of Paris, in which Spain lost all of its overseas possessions including Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippine Islands, Guam, and many others. Both the Mexican War and the Spanish American War were a direct result in the abusive ways of superior power and influence. Manifest Destiny was more encouraged when Polk became President. He was elected president because of his strong support in bringing Oregon and Texas into the Union. President Polk was clearly the antagonist when he sent troops under General Zachary Taylor into land that Mexico held sovereignty, sparking a war. Polk now drafted a message to Congress: Mexico had passed the boundary of the United States, had invaded our territory and shed American blood on American soil. Whether the Mexicans had fired the first shot or the Americans, whether the armies were on Mexican territory or American territory, Polk got his war. Despite the plea of innocence, Mexico cannot escape blame for the war. Mexico never had a strong centralized government to negotiate with a foreign state. Mexico was never even  successful in governing themselves for the time being. Mexico was on the verge of bankruptcy and their army was inadequately trained and equipped. The country was awash with political turmoil throughout the war, indeed, throughout the century, making it near impossible for them to ever conduct a sound defense of the country. Nevertheless, the United States, as a superior nation under Polks Presidency assumed an aggressive war like attitude toward Mexico without consideration of the Mexican stance. The conflict between the Spanish and Americans grew dramatically when General Valeriano Weyler began implementing a policy of Reconcentration that moved the population into central locations guarded by Spanish troops and placed the entire country of Cuba under martial law in February 1896. The American government was once again looking to exploit their defenseless neighbors and gain more influence in the countries. The main targets were Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. Cuba was the first to initiate its own struggle for independence from Spain. America, being the closest superior power intervened in Cubas affairs. The Philippines were also growing intolerable to Spanish rule, and the United States took interest in the Philippines. Following its declaration of war against Spain issued on April 25, 1898, the United States added the Teller Amendment asserting that it would not attempt to exercise hegemony over Cuba. Under Commodore George Dewy at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1st, the Spanish fleet under Rear Admiral Patricio Montojo was destroyed. The most disrespect followed the signing of the Treaty of Paris when Spain lost all of its overseas possessions. The superior powers, such as the United States, are always looking to profit themselves. During the Mexican war and the Spanish-American War, the dominance and ethnocentric ideals that America held flourished in many un-called-for, disrespectful disputes. The aggressive stance the troops held under Zachary Taylor under the orders of President Polk did not give room for negotiation. If the United States did not get what they wanted, they would insist by force, not by allowing the inferior nation in their eyes to make suggestions that regard their country and dignity. Both the Mexican War and the Spanish-American War resulted because of the unfair and unjust treatment that the United States held in their so-called foreign policy. Hispanic Division Library of Congress http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/intro.html A People A Nation 6th Edition The Mexican American War Memorial Homepage -from UMAN The Mexican American War Memorial Homepage -from UMAN Hispanic Division Library of Congress http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/intro.html Hispanic Division Library of Congress http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/intro.html

An Examination Of The Determinants Of Succes Essay Example for Free

An Examination Of The Determinants Of Succes Essay INTRODUCTION __ POS nowadays is a basic need for business transactions. It helps in such a way that it makes work more progressive and productive.It is important that every company to have a POS because it helps a lot in many ways such as organizing, storing, computing, and manipulating data. Having a computer programs may help a lot because almost all the companies nowadays uses computer literate and very competitive in many aspects. ___ Point of Sale is a program where a retail transaction is completed. It is a point at which a customer makes a payment to the merchant in exchange for foods beverages. ___ uses Point of Sale System of facilitating every transactions made and to keep all records. THE MANAGEMENT OF KNOWLEDGE IN A CORPORATE ENVIRONMENT: AN EXAMINATION OF THE DETERMINANTS OF SUCCESS Scott A. Burger May 2003 Economics Abstract As the focus on human capital and information technology intensifies within firms, an understanding of how to harness these two trends is increasingly important. This study examines how competitive advantage and higher firm performance depend on the presence of five moderating factors, not dollars spent on information technology. These moderating factors, identified in previous research, are: 1) Information Procurement and Dissemination, 2) Absorptive Capacity, 3) Cross-Functional Communication, 4) Culture and 5) Organization Assessment and Information Technology Strategy Review. Using a two-firm case study methodology, I analyze the presence or absence of these moderating factors in knowledge initiatives at Sun Microsystems and Lockheed Martin Corporation. The empirical evidence gathered from these cases supports the argument that the presence of moderating factors is critical for successful knowledge management implementation. KEYWORDS: (Knowledge Management, Information Technology, Moderating Factors Sun Microsystems, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Case Study, Qualitative Research)

Journeys Of Dante And St Augustine In Confessions Religion Essay

Journeys Of Dante And St Augustine In Confessions Religion Essay St. Augustine and Dante made a great contribution to the development of world cultures. The impact of these great leaders had a powerful force the next centuries. Comparing the spiritual journeys of Dante and St. Augustine in the Confessions, it is possible to mention that the poem The Divine Comedy is a real masterpiece of a famous Italian poet. Dante saw the other world and talked about his journey through hell. This poem embodies an allegorical vision of the afterlife, moral and religious thoughts with instructive purposes. Numerous tales of ghostly wanderings, visions of heaven and hell found its highest artistic expression in the Divine Comedy. Dante has made a system in a discordant mix of images. This system is inspired by the teachings of the church and the teachings of Aristotle and Cicero. Dantes guide through hell was a Roman poet Virgil, who being the voice of reason, instructed Dantes spiritual life and helped him to form a moral conscience, necessary for life in harmony with Gods will. In comparison, the Confession is a central literary work of St. Augustine. The name of this work entirely corresponds to its real content: a sinne r, opening his own soul to the readers, in the face of God and people repents of his sins and gives thanks to God for His mercy. During his life, Augustine traveled a lot, learning and perceiving the Orthodox faith. The contrast between the spiritual journeys of Dante and St. Augustine is that Augustines journey is more confessionary, but Dantes one is more psychological. St. Augustine and Dante as the lovers of beauty, both literary and physical, share the same need for its ransom. However, no one would state that beauty is harm or evil. The Divine Comedy and The Confessions disclosed that beauty is good and it is from God. One of the main concepts is that both poets stated that in order to feel the completeness of salvation, it is necessary to remember that beauty have to be loved as a means of Gods grace and recognized as coming from Him. Comparing Dante and St. Augustine, it is possible to add that, according to their points of views, the main key to feel this salvation is grace. Dante perceived the ideas of St. Augustine through multiple layers and thus the link between Dante and St. Augustine is mediate. The main point of contact: an absolute supremacy of spiritual values over secular ones, a fierce denunciation of peoples insatiable desire to possess a sin of lust. The similarities between their autobiographical accounts are that Augustine and Dante cannot imagine any other way of existence, except within the framework of the Christian ideal. Augustine taught Dante how to succeed in the art of medieval confession a son of the Century. This confession of youthful sonnets and The New Life is the most powerful words in the lyrics of Dante, which makes it ageless. In addition, Dante borrowed Augustines psychological analysis oriented not only on the readers minds, but also on the readers souls. Dante was attracted by the ideas and artistic methods of Augustine. He often addressed to The Confessions, which indirectly indicated the ratio of influences on his art and theology. This is a widespread fact that Virgil played a big role in Dantes account. Virgil, as a representative of the most profound human wisdom, became Dantes leader and guide through the circles of hell. For Dante, Virgil is the highest poet, honor and torch of the singers all over the world, my teacher, my favorite example, and a forerunner of a new era in the history of mankind. For Dante, the Aeneid was a constant source of inspiration, from which he derived the idea and style of Comedy, as well as his poetry: a combination of mysticism, fantasy, reality and prophecy. Although there are some differences between Dantes Inferno and Virgils Inferno (Dantes Inferno was inhabited by enemies and friends), he borrowed Virgils legends of the Golden Age and Cretan old man, hellish dog, images of Reef and Plantman, etc. Some scholars emphasized a polyphonic character of St. Augustines Confessions, specifically his usage of various biblical quotations, allusions, and Virgils Aeneid. If we remember the main geographical movements of St. Augustine, we can see that these movements reflect Aeneas journeys. For instance, Augustine comes to Carthage, which is one of the most well-known and central cities of the Roman Empire, in order to continue and then finish his studying. St. Augustines usage of some Virgils text is a mix of an old tradition of taking up different narratives, topics from the previous works and after that re-writing them for your own purposes. Thus, Virgil played an important role in Augustines account. Taking the above-stated information into consideration, it is possible to draw a conclusion that St. Augustines work is a powerful force that separates one historical era from another one the end of ancient Christianity from the early medieval Christianity. In turn, Dantes creativity had a tremendous impact on the development of Italian literature and European culture as a whole.

Symbols of Alienation and Loneliness Essay -- Literary Analysis, John

Symbols of Loneliness and Alienation According to DiYanni, Symbols in fiction are simply objects, actions, or even events that convey meaning. The meaning they convey extends beyond their literal significance, beyond their more obvious actual reason for being included in the story (Literature 95). In â€Å"The Chrysanthemums,† John Steinbeck reveals the theme of loneliness and alienation of a woman from her husband through his symbolic use of a realistic setting, character, tinker, chrysanthemums, and conversations. In â€Å"The Chrysanthemums,† Steinbeck paints a vivid picture of Salinas Valley’s landscape and climate to reflect the gloomy mood of the main character Elisa. The introduction of the story conveys a disturbing separation of Salina Valley from the rest of the world. Just as â€Å"the high grey-flannel fog of winter [closes] off Salinas Valley from †¦ the rest of the world† so is Elisa isolated from Harry. Similarly, the â€Å"fog and rain† foreshadows the estranged relationship that exists between Elisa and Harry (Steinbeck 192). Elisa is a thirty-five year old â€Å"handsome† wife who lives on a ranch with her husband Harry. At the beginning of the story, little interaction is demonstrated between the couple, except for glances Elisa casts â€Å"across the yard [to see] Henry, her husband, [talk] to two men in business suits† he is trying to sell some property to without the knowledge of his wife (193). It is evident Elisa feels lonely so she channels all her time, energy and love towards raising her â€Å"chrysanthemums† in her â€Å"wire fence† garden. Not only does the â€Å"wire fence† protect Elisa’s â€Å"flower garden† from â€Å"cattle and dogs and chicken† but it also serves as a barrier between Elisa and Harry and removes every opportunity from the couple to... ...o be opened for any eventualities. And for Elisa every lingering hope for a passionate and nurturing relationship with Harry is a fiasco as she realizes that the â€Å"glowing† the â€Å"tinker† leaves behind is just a figment of her imagination. Her inner passion may never be released around Harry but will be â€Å"strong† in her garden as she pours it all out on her â€Å"chrysanthemums† (197). So she requests for a â€Å"wine† in a tone that is devoid of affection between the couple. Elisa probably hopes that when she wakes up after the drink wears off everything will be a dream. Indeed John Steinbeck’s â€Å"Chrysanthemums† is a symbolic demonstration of the loneliness and alienation that continues to plague many relationships leading to unsatisfied marriages. By using a realistic setting and typical characters Steinbeck makes the story relevant to many generations to come.

The Author to Her Book :: essays research papers

The Author to Her Book In â€Å"The Author to Her Book,† Anne Bradstreet explains how she felt when her poems were published without her knowledge and consent. She explains these feelings of resentment, humiliation, pride, affection, and commitment with the use of many poetic devices. She frequently experiences an internal struggle. Bradstreet uses extended metaphor throughout the poem to express her unhappiness with the publishing of her poems. The use of this metaphor helps us to relate emotionally to her. Line one shows how Bradstreet views her own creation as her own child. She uses apostrophe and personification to express to us how her works were taken away and published without her perfecting them first. In the line â€Å"At thy return my blushing was not small,† Bradstreet declares her embarrassment. She then uses another metaphor in line eight to express again her pain â€Å"My rambling brat (in print) should mother call.† Her words seem to be harsh, but they are written with good cause. Bradstreet is trying to show more clearly her pain, relating her feelings of embarrassment to the embarrassment a parent of a misbehaving child may feel. This poem is written in iambic pentameter and the rhyme pattern is heroic couplet. For example, in line eight she uses the iambic pentameter to stress th e relationship of the child and the book. She uses a simile in line nine to communicate her feeling of objection to the poems. She does not see them fit for publishing. Although she is disappointed, she cannot turn her back on them. Just as a mother would not turn her back on her own child. Bradstreet uses personification in lines thirteen through fifteen when she speaks of her poems as if they had a face. She explains that she would fix things if she could. She speaks of â€Å"rubbing off a spot† or erasing a mistake. Bradstreet also tells of adjusting the meter in her poem when she says â€Å"stretched thy joints to make thee even feet.† In line nineteen Bradstreet uses consonance â€Å"mongst vulgars may’st thou roam.† She uses this consonance to stress how she is about to finally let go.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sing :: essays research papers

Maya Angelo’s, I know why the caged bird sing is an interesting and inspirational story. Although it had many unfortunate situation for Maya it seemed she always overcame her difficulties. As I read the book I stopped and put myself in her place. I felt her pain as she was walking down the isle in the church looking for the all colored bathroom, and she had no choice but to go to the bathroom right there and then. Her embarrassment really made me feel overwhelmed as I compared the situations of my life. In my life’s situation I often feel just like Maya. When I walk into a room and I do not see people of my color. I often feel uncomfortable and afraid to say anything . Her brother Bailey was her role model and support system when she was raped. I felt so sad when I read this portion of the story. I tried to visualize the pain Maya went through, but could not conceive the struggle she was faced as raped by her mother’s boyfriend at the age of eight. Maya kept to herself and was not able to communicate with others, It was when she decided to move back to Stamps that she began to come around. Stamps, for the most part was a very segregated town. In Stamps, her grandmother owned a convenient store. Her husband uncle Willie was crippled at an early age when his babysitter dropped him. Maya felt right at home in Stamps. Her abilities to develop through her hard work and educational values grew day by day. Although being black was often time difficult for her in Stamps, she overcame the hardships by allowing the world of reading and education influence her. I felt really connected with Maya during this period of her life. I figured she wanted to learned as much as she could and to welcome the world with open arms. Her lifestyle of strict discipline and religion was the foundation she had in her life. When Maya moved to St. Louis she felt a part of her stayed in Stamps, she was afraid of the changes that were happening in her life. She felt that St. Louis was a foreign country. She often felt the disconnection with St. Louis and could never get used to the different thing that was happening in her surroundings. As Maya went back to Stamps, she welcomed it back with open arms.

Stereotyping in the Film the Birdcage (1996)

Marketing, education, suggestion and propaganda all subtly influence the opinions and values a society’s members hold. All too often, we have no clear idea how we came to hold the opinions we develop over the course of our lifetimes. From the earliest days of the film industry’s rise at the beginning of the twentieth century, film has had an enormous impact in shaping public views and ideas about everything from what it means to be a â€Å"good citizen† to what roles are acceptable and proper in a â€Å"civilized† society.With the exception of academics and serious students in film or cultural studies, most movie-goers regard the viewing of films (with the exception – sometimes – of documentaries) as simply an entertainment activity when, very often, central to the experience is the swallowing of messages that the creators of the film wish to advance. Since films are often very expensive to produce, the films that find financial backing must also meet with the approval of a society’s elite, moneyed class.It is most often the case, then, that subtle messages and affirmations about the political, social and personal norms the dominant class wishes to endorse and inculcate are embedded in films that reach a wide segment of the population. Richard Dyer, Professor of Film Studies at King's College London, in his essay Stereotyping (1), argues that one of the most common methods by which the dominant economic class attempts to reinforce the worldview it wishes to have embraced by the people, is the employment of stereotypes, which are often one-dimensional, static characterizations of people in various social roles or members of classes of people.These stereotypes range from the flattering depiction of Hero or Faithful Servant, for example, to the cartoonish, demonic or depraved portraits of a â€Å"typical† member of a group of people whose behavior or values the dominant class finds antithetical to their inter ests. Dyer argues that learning to recognize the use of stereotypes in films is provides some self-defense against being oblivious to the attempt to influence one’s thinking and opinions.One such group which has long been the target of such propaganda via stereotyping in films is the homosexual community. It was with the rise of capitalism that homosexuality began to be seen as leading to lifestyles that were not conducive to the provision of good, stable, obedient workers.One of the most influential frameworks for analysis of human relations and the evolution of social norms and political structures from the late 19th century through the present has been Marxist analysis, based on the works of Karl Marx (1818-1883). Dyer employs Marxist analysis, with a nod to sociological terminology (role, individual, type, member) to illustrate that stereotyping in film can occur through the use of iconography â€Å"Iconography is a kind of short-hand—it places a character quickly and economically.P. 32), structurally (â€Å"†¦. by the function of the character in the film’s structure {whether these be static structures, such as the way the film’s world is shown to be organized, materially and ideologically, or dynamic ones, such as plot. P. 33}, and through typing – the opposite of individuation of characters, instead ascribing of attributes to a person based on the idea they are a certain â€Å"type,† and we can understand all we need to know about them by being familiar with that type.While we, generally, think of stereotyping in a negative light, one consideration clearly of great importance to Dyer is the idea that some aspect of typing –insofar as the typing reflects the positive attributes of gay people – should not be discarded entirely, since the recognition for the audience, of some level of commonality in the experience of being gay will serve to illuminate for viewers the struggles faced and the opp ression experienced, hopefully leading to more support in the larger society for improved status and equal civil rights for gay people.In analyzing the use of stereotypes in The Birdcage (Mike Nichols, 1996), I will argue that, while the use of stereotypes by the filmmakers was clearly done with the intention of exposing the stupidity of so many of society’s prejudices, the film does not entirely succeed in leaving the audience with anything close to real motivation for re-thinking approval for the established social idea that gays are somehow â€Å"other† and, at best, sympathetic clowns. The audience simply gets its laughs and goes home.A remake of the French film La Cage aux Folles (Jean Poiret and Francis Veber, 1978), Birdcage is set in drag club called The Birdcage in South Beach, Florida. We learn very early in the movie that Armand Goldman, played by Robin Williams, owns the club and his partner, Albert, played by Nathan Lane, appears regularly as â€Å"Starin a†, the show's star drag queen. The plot of the movie develops when Armand’s son Val becomes engaged to Barbara Keeley, the daughter of the hypocritical, ultraconservative Republican Ohio Senator Kevin Keeley, who is seeking re-election as the co-founder of the â€Å"Coalition for Moral Order. In light of the engagement, the young couple decides that it is finally time for the two families to meet. However, Val requests that Armand and Albert must conceal their homosexuality for this meeting. Stereotyping is not just employed in presenting the characters in Birdcage; the sets also are highly stereotyped and function almost as additional characters. The film opens with the camera panning around from the outside the club, and the viewer gets a quick look at the outside environment.They see bright lights in the night, palm trees, and pedestrians milling about the streets or waiting in line, all in scantily clad outfits and bathing suits. Sequences similar to this occur nu merous times throughout the movie when showing the outside environment. Whether they’re at the beach or in the streets, day or night, the surrounding people are dressed in skimpy clothing, small bikinis, or Speedos. This aspect of the environment is emphasized when the senator and his family are stuck in traffic right outside of the club, approximately seventy-five minutes into the film.While all the cars are stuck in traffic, people are chaotically climbing in and out of open-roofed cars or roller-skating by. Women and men in skimpy and brightly colored bikinis, thongs, and Speedos continuously pass the senator’s idled car while the family stares, aghast, and Mrs. Keely states, â€Å"This is less like Palm Beach than I imagined. † Despite the fact that no indication is given that there is any special occasion being celebrated in South Beach, the carnival-like atmosphere and setting depicts the gay generated environment in a one-dimensional, stereotyped manner.W hile the sexual orientations of the pedestrians is not defined, these sequences are stereotypical cues that the sultry, brightly colored, free-wheeling Florida locale surrounding the drag club, an environment where all the citizens present themselves flamboyantly and provocatively through their dress is to be seen as the typical environment for such a club, a â€Å"gay paradise. † The home of Armand and Albert, located above The Birdcage, is abundantly decorated with stereotypically gay ornamentation. Every available surface is purposefully adorned with lit candles, decadent glass sculptures, flouncy lamps, poufed pillows and homoerotic artwork.The walls are either bright yellow or covered in obnoxious, loud, jungle-themed wallpaper. The significance of the iconographically gay character of the setting is emphasized when Val makes clear that the decor poses as big a pitfall for the senator’s visit, as does the presence of drag queen, Albert. Approximately thirty-six mi nutes into the film, Val insists that they redecorate prior to the Keeley’s arrival. Armand does not understand what is wrong with the decor, and Val points out to a nude sculpture of Neptune, a portrait of a man in drag without his wig, numerous primitive sculptures depicting exaggerated male erections.At first, an offended Armand replies â€Å"But this is art! † and casually turns the erect sculptures around to face the wall, but eventually, out of love for his son, he gives in and clears his home of the many â€Å"gay signaling† items he possesses, completely redesigning it into a setting similar to a Catholic monastery (Armand is Jewish. ). The most ridiculously, screamingly stereotyped character in Birdcage of Armand’s spouse, the drag queen star, Albert.It is no accident that the character, Albert, is the embodiment, not only of the drag queen type, but also of the worst stereotyped version of a woman: shrill, melodramatic, self-absorbed, vain, over ly emotional, and prone to hysterics, suspicion and jealousy. The viewer is introduced to him five minutes into the film while he is in a fit of hysterics. Albert, suddenly devastated by the recognition that he is no longer young and beautiful, and convinced Armand is losing interest in him, is extremely upset and refuses to prepare for his nightly stage performance.The audience immediately sees that Albert is overreacting by the melodramatic way he behaves in this scene. As Armand attempts to enter the dressing room, Albert, who was previously hiding under some sheets, wailing and lamenting his sorrows to the couple’s housekeeper Agador, squeals and barricades the door because he doesn’t want Armand to see him in his â€Å"hideous, hideous, fat and hideous† state. Even in the chaos of Armand trying to break into the room, Albert’s shrieks are completely audible over the ruckus. Once Armand enters the room, Albert begins to make melodramatic claim after m elodramatic claim: â€Å"I’m in such pain!It’ll never pass! I hate my life. † â€Å"Never mind about me feelings. † â€Å"Don’t use that tone to me†¦that sarcastic, contemptuous tone that means you know everything because you are a man, and I know nothing because I was a woman†, â€Å"I was adorable once, young and full of hope and now look at me! I’m this short, fat, insecure middle-aged little thing! † Such behavior and sentiments are typically attributed to the stereotypical, emotionally unstable and utterly dependent woman, Albert’s character embodies the classically drawn stereotype of a melodramatic, overly emotional, ridiculous gay man who might as well be considered a woman.While Albert’s raging hysterics, melodramatic behavior and â€Å"prissiness† was on full display in this particular scene, his diva-like self-absorption and hysterical reactions are carried throughout the entire film, with t he exceptional surprise when he rises to the occasion and â€Å"saves the day,† later in the film Fifty minutes into the film, in an attempt to win the favor of Barbara’s parents, Armand tries to teach Albert how to portray himself as a straight man. This attempt, however, is completely unsuccessful.No matter how hard he tries, Albert cannot walk without swishing his hips while holding out the palms of his hands, his posture is too upright, and the register of his voice is too high. The fact that Albert is incapable of pretending not to be a flamboyant, over-the-top, and extremely feminine person tells the viewer that his â€Å"gay-ness† is what completely defines his entire personality and every aspect of his behavior, and further sets the stereotype in stone.Structurally, the characterization of the relationship between Armand and Albert is reduced by its definition as reflecting a cartoonish parody of the stereotypical traditionally defined roles played by â €Å"husband and wife. † While it is clear that the Albert has a more feminine personality than Armand, the film also depicts Albert as the â€Å"mother† and caretaker of the household.For example, twenty minutes into the film, Armand is silently reading the newspaper and drinking coffee in the kitchen, Albert is feverishly folding the laundry, babbling about matters such as how ratty Val’s shirt is and how he got a pork roast for dinner instead of fillet minion. This scene and many others show how this movie depicts the roles of a gay relationship as being identical to the stereotypical gender roles of a heterosexual couple. There is no question that the creators of this film intentionally employed thoroughly stereotyped characters.There is little to no individual character development whatsoever. However, since these stereotypes are so over-the-top and blatant, there must have been a conscious effort on the part of the filmmakers to feed into such stereotypes. This film is merely a lighthearted nod towards the ridiculous stereotypes that much of society today believes to be completely realistic depictions of homosexuals. Therefore, such obvious stereotyping does not outweigh the comedy or the quality of the film, but rather define it.