Dekada 70 Essay

For the Philippines, the seventies was more than just a period of shaggy hair, bell-bottom jeans, platform shoes, and disco music. It represented the rise of the conjugal dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, a U.S.-sponsored regime characterized by military repression and wholesale human rights violations. Conversely, it was also the fecund period for the sociopolitical awakening and involvement of many Filipinos; the humus for the renowned religious-political event, the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. [2] Dekada 70 journeys with the central character Amanda Bartolome (Vilma Santos), the reticent wife of an alpha-male husband, and the worrying mother of a boisterous all-male brood. Thoroughly relegated to domesticity in a world slathered in testosterone, Amanda begins to undergo a transformation when her family becomes imbricated in the sociopolitical realities brought about by the Marcos dictatorship. The declaration of Martial Law, the lifting of the writ of habeas corpus, the curfews and police searches, all these could have easily floated past Amanda’s head had her sons not found themselves caught in the crossfire between the government and the pro-democracy movements. As one son after another faces the oppressive forces of the dictatorship, Amanda gradually realizes that the personal is political. While chanting slogans for sociopolitical change, she finds her own voice and comes to terms with the fullness of her own person. [3] It is notable that in the film, the divine presence is sublimated in the refusal to acquiesce to societal structures that perpetuate injustice. The characters’ eyes are opened to the dehumanizing impact of such oppressive structures and they join in the prophetic denunciation of what they have identified as ‘not-God.’ This importantly resonates with the praxical imperative associated with theologies of liberation, which configure God as imbricated in the collective protest of the oppressed. Amanda then, in her ‘conversion to justice,’ can be seen as synechdochic of the epiphanous ‘becoming’ of Filipinos as a true people of the eucharist. [4] Based on an awarded novel of the same title, Dekada 70 essays Amanda’s personal and political journey is a patient navigation of each year of the seventies. To director Roňo’s credit, the film has a clear focus and steadily gets to its point through engaging but inobtrusive camerawork. The politically-charged scenes are strident enough to be visually disturbing, yet tempered enough to work on a more psychological level. [5] There are touches of seventies style  Filipino humor that foreign audiences might miss; they effectively establish that this is a real, average Filipino family trying to navigate through the eye of the political storm. The acting is generally impressive, most especially that of lead actress Santos, who gives a luminous, sensitive performance. Santos essays the transformation of Amanda so effectively that we do see clearly at the end of the film that there has been a fundamental change in her character. [6] If there is something to be faulted about the film, it is Roňo’s failure to keep melodramatic moments in check. The funeral sequence of one of Amanda’s sons, for instance, becomes an over-extended session of copious tears. The rich story material of Dekada 70 could do away with such ‘in your face’ paroxysms, which only work to dull the film’s cutting edge political trajectory. [7] Nonetheless, it cannot be denied that Roňo had created a noteworthy, epic-scale Filipino film, and on a Third World budget at that. It also cannot be denied that Roňo had not forgotten the sentence of history on his home country. [8] Neither will Filipino audiences.

Addressing the Community Leadership Challenges Faced by Women Leaders of Sitio Galilee, Antipolo Essay

This 2012 study explores the community leadership of women in the locale of Sitio Galilee in Antipolo City. Even though the standards of leadership persist to be male-oriented, more women are taking up leadership positions in our society. The prevalent aim of this study is to identify the challenges that these women leaders face toward development in their community; more importantly, how these can be addressed. The study mainly sought to (1) identify and understand the leadership challenges that women leaders face in initiating development in their community, and (2) facilitate or assist possible action programs that will address these challenges. To resolve this issue, the processes of the Participatory Action Research (PAR) were followed, namely: (1) diagnosing the status of women’s involvement and leadership in the community, (2) planning of action programs that will address the identified leadership challenges, (3) its implementation and monitoring, and (4) the evaluation. The accounts of women leaders and the perceptions of the members were collected through one-on-one interviews. In addition, focus group discussions were conducted to encourage people’s participation. Guided by the Social Role Theory, the role of the women as community leaders is further analyzed. This study is a contributory factor to theoreticians and community development practitioners in analyzing the unaddressed issues of community leadership. See more: My Writing Process Essay Keywords: Women and leadership, community leadership, community development, Participatory Action Research Background of the Study Traditionally, community affairs and administration have been the sphere of influence of men. Hassan (2008) explains that â€Å"this is evident from the imbalance of leaders and office bearers across community, local councils and associations.† Silong (2008) also pointed out that â€Å"women have not been active in local politics and are relatively inactive in public processes due to institutional, socio-economic and cultural constraints.† In the history of the Philippines, women portrayed essential roles, not only in the facet of taking care of the family but also in the development of the life of the tribe during the pre-colonial times (Shah, 2007). With the beginning of colonization, it brought about a patriarchal society wherein women were made inferior to men and are not licensed to certain rights (Clamonte, 2007). However, times are changing. There is now acceptance that women can do and play a significant role in community affairs, particularly in contributing to the achievement of community development and progress. Nowadays, stories of women occupying leadership positions are becoming ordinary. Although regarded by Zaharah and Silong (2008) as â€Å"the unsung heroes of community action†, women’s role in community leadership has become increasingly important. In certain communities, they already learned the knowledge and skill that have produced positive transformation to their community (Bond, Holmes, Byrne, Babchuck, & Kirton-Robbins, 2008). More importantly, they have established themselves as community leaders. However, many are not aware of the challenges that these women leaders face. In view of this, the researcher learned, through the ocular visit that all the community leaders of Sitio Galilee, Antipolo are women. Their husbands work in the city and only come home for the weekend. Hence, their weekdays are spent at caring for the family, doing household chores, daily chatting in the neighborhood and playing card games. Above all this, they also manage to plan and work concerning community affairs. The researcher sought to further investigate on the women’s leadership in the community, specifically on the challenges they encounter. Research Objectives The women leaders in the community of Sitio Galilee, Antipolo face several leadership challenges that need to be addressed. How can the community of Sitio Galilee, Antipolo address these? Specifically, this study sought to: 1. Diagnose the status of women’s involvement and leadership in the community; 2. Identify the leadership challenges faced by women leaders towards community development; 3. Initiate the planning of action programs that will address the identified leadership challenges; 4. Implement the action program and facilitate its monitoring; and 5. Evaluate the effectiveness of the action programs. Significance of the Study This study serves its significance for two aspects: theoretical and practical. Firstly, this study is guided by the Social Role theory. This theory emphasizes on the processes of role-taking and role-making as part of an individual’s life. Accompanied by these processes is the role conflict which may develop as one struggle different simultaneous roles. This study improves the clarity and applicability of the theory as it is used by a researcher. This study is a contributory factor to the residents of Sitio Galilee, Antipolo in broadening their understanding of the leadership barriers that their women leaders are encountering. This Participatory Action Research assists them in the process of maximum participation of the community, through initiating action programs, in addressing the identified challenges. Hence, this study promotes and encourages community development in the locale. This study is affiliated with the University of Santo Tomas and its Simbahayan Office. This is a useful document in analyzing and addressing the issues of community leadership within their partner communities. Scope and Delimitation The scope of this research is the women leaders in Sitio Galilee, Antipolo. This study focused on the role of women in leadership and community development, the identification of the experienced leadership barriers towards development in their community, and most significantly the process wherein these challenges were addressed. This study did not cover other factors, other than leadership per se, that impede the process of development and progress in the community of Sitio Galilee. A constructivist worldview was applied. This implies that the researcher seeks to establish the meaning of a phenomenon from the views of the participants. In this endeavor, the journeys of women leaders were described and determined by the participants. Furthermore, the action programs implemented came from the propositions of the participants. The researcher only served as facilitator and participant observer of the said approach. Theoretical Framework Individuals have several roles that they play across time and place within the period of life. According to Burr (1972), â€Å"throughout life, individuals transfer into and out of different roles, keeping some, leaving others behind, and beginning new roles.† This study is guided by the Social Role Theory. This is not just a single theory; rather this was established through interrelating and interconnecting perspectives. One of the pioneers of this theory is George Herbert Mead’s â€Å"role-taking†. It explains that the ability to put oneself in another’s place is an essential development of the ‘self’ (Ritzer, 2000). According to this theory, â€Å"social role is a set of rights, duties, expectations, norms and behavior a person has to face and to fulfill.† Linton (1936) explained that, as cited in the study of Harrison and Lynch (2005), â€Å"the role represents the sum total of all various roles of an individual, and determines what one does for the society and one may expect from it.† In this sense, â€Å"roles do not remain static, but change and evolve over time†, as stated by Turner (1990). There is the concept of â€Å"role-taking† where an individual acquires or takes on the role of other individuals; and â€Å"role-making† wherein one is able to create and recreate these roles (Turner, 1990). In undergoing these processes, one may experience â€Å"role overload† and â€Å"role conflict†. Turner (1990) defines role overload as, â€Å"the experience of lacking the resources, including time and energy, needed to meet the demands of all roles.† On the other hand, role conflict is defined by Turner (1990) as, â€Å"an incongruity between the expectations of one role and those of another.† However, there is the so called â€Å"role balance†. Role balance is a state wherein an individual is able to perform his or her roles well and meet its expectations (Marks & MacDermid, 1996). To show how the social role theory is applied in this study of the leadership challenges of women leaders, the researcher conceptualized a paradigm that illustrate how the multiple roles (with its linked rights, duties and expectations to it) of a woman contribute to the challenges they face. Literature Review Gender role encapsulates the characteristics and behaviors that are distinguished as either masculine or feminine (Bem, 1974; Clamonte, 2007). Carli and Eagly (2001) have enumerated: The set of traits and behaviors labeled as masculine includes the following: is self-reliant, independent, and assertive, has leadership abilities, is willing to take risks, makes decisions easily, is dominant, is willing to take a stand, acts like a leader, and is athletic, ambitious, and self-sufficient. The set of traits and behaviors labeled as feminine include these: is affectionate, compassionate, and cheerful, does not use harsh language, is loyal, sensitive to the needs of others, sympathetic, gentle, and understanding, loves children, and is tender and warm. Tannen (1990) pointed out that, â€Å"the traditional gender role is a social orientation that emphasizes closeness and solidarity, whereas the traditional masculine gender role is a social orientation that emphasized power and status.† In sociology, gender roles are considered ‘artifactual’ or socially constructed ideals in the society. Eagly (2002) has characterized this as a â€Å"male-advantaged gender hierarchy.† The roles associated to men benefited them more than the women’s. They gained more access to resources, authority in decision makings and more slots in the administration (Kolb, 1999). In the Philippines, women enjoyed distinguished equality in the society during the pre-colonial times (Santos-Maranan, Parreno, & Fabros, 2006). Shah (2007) explicated that, â€Å"Filipinos have tracked kinship bilaterally.† Some of the rights they experienced are: (1) they were entitled to the properties of their family, (2) instigate divorce of their husbands, (3) engage in trading and a lot more privileges (Clamonte, 2007). However, the coming of the Spaniards that brought about the indoctrination of Catholicism has downgraded the role of Filipino women (Shah, 2007). The spirit of the native Filipina was changed. Shah (2007) expounded that, â€Å"the image of the Filipino women became tied to the house whose only duty was to take care of the husband and the children.† Alesina, Nunn and Giuliano (2011) also added, â€Å"It also became a father’s good girl, a husband’s subject, and a long-suffering woman with sealed lips and silent sobs and has not right to participate political undertakings.† In the rural area, the Filipino woman belongs in the home. Flavier (2007) described in his book, Doctor to the Barrios, that â€Å"rural women in the Philippines wield considerable authority, the housewife in particular.† According to him, the housewife is often called as the â€Å"Reyna ng Tahanan†. A recent writing by Vartii (2011) revealed that, â€Å"there is a re-emergence of the empowerment of Filipino women though the political process.† In the present times, women in the Philippines are reviving the strengths they lost. Women now are seen working outside the home and occupying the prominent positions in their own field. Many even manage to become leaders. Fabros (2005) affirmed, â€Å"No matter what kinds of issues they (women) are involved in at present, one thing is clear – they are the very testimony of a better Philippines.† The second-wave feminism and radical feminism have remedied the traditional issues on gender (Cornell, 1998 in Pflanz, 2011). Even though there was a significant development of the status of women in the 20th century, there’s still much to be done to fully change the social beliefs regarding this matter. Carly and Eagly (2001) argues that, â€Å"women continue to lack access to power and leadership compared with men.† There is this phenomenon called â€Å"glass ceiling†. Coleman (2003) defines this as â€Å"a barrier that is impenetrable to women.† Pflanz (2011) mentioned in his study that, â€Å"Studies involving women in leadership roles indicate the majority of women believe their biggest obstacle to advancement is a mindset favoring candidates that fit in a male-dominated environment.† Even though the standards of leadership persist to be male-oriented, more women are taking up leadership positions in our society (Pflanz, 2011). Pflanz (2011) further explained that, â€Å"many women assume leadership positions in order to have an influence within their communities.† The Department of Communities of the Queensland Government (2006) stated that, â€Å"Community leadership is leadership in, for and by the community.† Ferrer (2010) affirms, â€Å"it reflects the concept of people and groups working together to achieve common vision and goals.† Community leadership is not profit-oriented and therefore involves non-paid leaders (Baconguis, 2010). In the study of Garina (1957), he revealed that, â€Å"non-paid local leaders are vital in community action; cooperation with them by outside agencies is imperative in the process of community development.† Women’s participation in the communities and national scene was not only through public leadership. In many cases, women form the backbone of formations as members or volunteers, particularly at the community level. There are numerous examples of this point: barangay health workers, churchwomen, community mobilizers, members of people’s organizations and civic organizations – over and above their traditional roles as domestic managers/housekeepers, caregivers, and even as they engage in productive labor outside the domestic sphere (Bond, Holmes, Byrne, Babchuck, & Kirton-Robbins, 2008). The report on the Forum on Women NGO Managers in 1987 entitled, â€Å"Women NGO Managers: Issues and Dilemmas† revealed that women NGO managers play multiple roles and have triple responsibility of caring for the home and children, earning a living/working outside the home and contributing to the national development. It showed that these women experience a major dilemma on how to balance and integrate the concerns of family life and the demands of work/career commitment. These pressures on family-work commitments are further magnified by leadership roles that women play in their organization (PHILDHRRA, 1987).

Kidney Dialysis Essay

The kidney has two important functions for the body because it is connected to the body’s blood flow, it can help monitor blood pressure and secrete hormones, which can raise blood pressure in the event when it does not receive enough blood flow. However the most important job is filtration of blood. The kidney works to filter out toxins, especially chemicals that are formed as a result of cells using energy. The kidneys also work to maintain the balance of electrolytes within the body which can be lost during exercise. Cells need a good balance of electrolytes such as sodium and potassium within the body. If one kidney fails the other one is enough to maintain the body however if both fail to work it is a major issue and it causes problems as the kidney cannot filter the blood. How does a renal dialysis work: A dialysis machine tries to mimic some of the functions of a normal human kidney. One of the jobs of a kidney is to remove urea and some salts from the blood so they can leave the body in the urine. In a dialysis machine, blood from the patient runs through tubes made of a semi-porous membrane. Outside the tubes is a sterile solution made up of water, sugars and other components. Red and white blood cells and other important blood components are too large to fit through the pores in the membranes this acts like the glomerlus in the bowman’s capsule where ultra filtration takes place, but urea and salt pass through membranes into the sterile solution and are removed, this is what happens in a normal functioning kidney the small molecules can pass through the glomerlus but proteins and cells cannot as they are too large. What is haemodialysis: Kidney failure, whether it is permanent or temporary, is mostly treated using renal dialysis, which kind of replaces the kidneys filtration function. One form of renal dialysis is called hemodialysis. With hemodialysis, the patient’s blood is run through a machine with a special filter that helps clean out the waste products. Once the blood has been filtered, it is allowed to return to the body. One of the difficulties of hemodialysis is that it takes place at special medical centres and we are short of machines. This means that the patient has to visit three times per week that lasts between three to five hours per session, this takes up a lot of time. What is peritoneal dialysis: Peritoneal dialysis is the other main form of renal dialysis. With peritoneal dialysis, a sterile cleansing fluid called dialysis solution is injected into the abdominal cavity. The abdominal cavity is lined by a membrane called the peritoneum, which allows the waste products and extra electrolytes to pass through it and travel to the dialysis solution. The dialysis solution also contains a sugar called dextrose, which helps speed the process up. After the solution has sat in the abdominal cavity for four to six hours, it is drained out. This process is repeated four times per day. This type of treatment can take place at home because it makes use of a catheter, which allows the patient to connect a bag of dialysis fluid to a tube that feeds directly into the peritoneal cavity. This treatment allows a person to be a bit more flexible however the patient still needs to do this treatment a few times a day which means it takes up time of a normal persons life. The benefits and risks of a kidney transplant: A kidney transplant is much better than staying on a dialysis machine. A kidney transplant means you can live a normal life, you won’t have to go to the hospital a few times a week to get treated and this wastes time as it takes 2-3 hours on a dialysis machine 3-4 times a week this means that you cannot go away. Someone who’s on a dialysis machine has to give up a lot of time and this may get in the way as they may have to cancel many things during their normal daily life. A kidney transplant gives the body a whole new kidney and works perfectly where as a dialysis machine can only mimic a few of the roles of a kidney. The risks of a kidney transplant are that the body may reject the kidney as it is foreign so a very close tissue match is required. After a person has had a kidney transplant they have to be on drugs for the rest of their life so that the body does not reject the kidney. Kidney transplants can also cause infections or bleeding which can dangerous. Donor cards: A donor card is a card that shows that a person has agreed to give away some  of the organs after they die, and this can be used for transplants. However there are issues, some people believe that it is religiously wrong to give away your organs after you die and this causes a lot of problems. A family member may have given consent to give away their organs when they die but after they die their family members may object and not allow it and this causes a lot of problems. There is a long list for transplants and it is very hard to receive a transplant, donors help quicken this service. In England it is optional to become a donor or not. Another issue may be about race some people will not wish to have an organ from someone else from another race or the donor may not wish to give their organs to someone else from another race or religion and this is another problem that causes delays and means there’s a shortage of donors. Definitions: Ultra filtration: A high pressure filtration through a semipermeable membrane in which colloidal particles are retained while the small sized solutes and the solvent are forced to move across the membrane by hydrostatic pressure forces. Ultrafiltration is a vital process that takes place in the kidneys. With ultrafiltration, large molecules (such as cells and proteins) that are essential are separated or filtered out to be reabsorbed. The ultrafiltrate, in turn, is passed through the proximal tubule, the loop of Henle, the distal convoluted tubule, and a series of collecting ducts to form urine. Osmosis: Diffusion of a solvent (usually water molecules) through a semipermeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration. Selective reabsorption: The act or process of absorbing again, as the selective absorption by the kidneys of substances (glucose, proteins, sodium, etc.) already secreted into the renal tubules and their return to the circ ulating blood. Microvilli: Any of the minute hairlike structures projecting from the surface of certain types of epithelial cells, especially those of the small intestine. Co-transport proteins: Facilitated diffusion: Transport of substances across a biological membrane from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration by means of a carrier molecule. Since the substances move along the direction of their concentration gradients, energy is not required. Active transport: A kind of transport wherein ions or molecules move against a concentration gradient, which means movement in the direction opposite that of diffusion – or – movement from an area of lower concentration to an area of higher concentration. Hence, this process will require expenditure of energy, and the assistance of a type of protein called a carrier protein. ADH: a peptide hormone released from the posterior pituitary lobe but synthesised in the hypothalamus. There are 2 forms, differing only in the amino acid at position 8: arginine vasopressin is widespread, while lysine vasopressin is found in pigs. Has antidiuretic and vasopressor actions. Used in the treatment of diabetes insipidus. Osmoregulation: The process of regulating water potential in order to keep fluid and electrolyte balance within a cell or organism relative to the surrounding. Counter-current multipliers: Resources used: http://www.livestrong.com/article/75374-renal-dialysis-work-those-kidney/ http://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/tests-treatment/question17.htm

Airline Customer Service Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Airline Customer Service - Research Paper Example With the many options that are in the travel market today, airline customer service has to be top notch in order to gain repeat customers. Needs and expectations of the customers Airline customer services have deteriorated in the recent years due to growth of the travel industry. There has been lack of amenities. The airlines use the 9/11 events as reason for their actions by justifying it as economical necessity. Further implementation of newer technology for security screening has added to the frustration of the customers. There is also the matter of the employee and customer relation. This is usually transmitted from the management level. The way they are treated by the management, which in turn is reflected in the employees’ behaviour towards the customers, affects the employees’ morale. Airline companies are constantly in competition with each other for every customer, but even then they are not making the necessary investment in the customer service department. It is not logical for the travel industry professionals to believe that the customers expect 100% efficiency in the airport services. Mostly customers expect some failure in service but at the same time they expect every effort from the Airline Companies to maximise service efficiency. Service failure can occur when the customer’s expectation regarding the level of service is not met. Customers’ expectations too vary. ... The idea was that if the Passenger Bill of Rights was passed through the Congress, then there could be a set of guidelines to perform service to the customers and there could be penalty where there will be non-compliance. Over the years, customers’ tolerance level on bad service has declined. Based on this the airport companies feel there is increased possibility of air rage among customers. A study has been made on customer’s perception towards air rage. There are certain physiological and physical factors over which the airlines have no control like flight delay owing to poor weather. In such case even though the customers perceive this as bad service they still do not have the propensity to air rage. The study has further shown that there is a decline in the customers’ expectations for high level of airport service. Many people feel that flight delays, overbooking and cases of lost baggage are common occurrences these days. If this is true then the customers h old these expectations while traveling long distance in flights. In such cases air rage occurrences get suppressed. Airline customers feel that they are entitled to certain privileges and if they are not granted, the customers are inclined towards more aggressive behavior. Dissatisfaction can arise in customers when there is bad service after good service. One way of moderating customers’ perception of bad service is to provide positive act after a poor service. If airline services can make up for any poor service then the customers may not approve of air rage. Reducing the customers’ negative attitudes towards airlines can create customer satisfaction. Hence the airline company should take every

The Importance and Implication of Early Attachment to Childrens Social Essay

The Importance and Implication of Early Attachment to Childrens Social and Emotional Competence - Essay Example In particular, understanding of attachment’s internal working models can enhance understanding of the dynamics and processes of teaching and learning. When the teacher-student relationship is bolstered, the prospect of students for successful learning is enhanced (Bishop, 2008).   Proposals for practice are put forth. Primarily, the genius of John Bowlby (1988) was to assemble a range of philosophical perspectives and scientific disciplines to ponder on children’s growth from biological beings into advanced cultural and social beings. Due to this encouraging combination of ethology and psychology, evolutionary biology and theory, cognitive science and systems thinking, the interpersonal and personal, surfaced the notion of attachment (Howe et al., 1999), which in the view of contemporary scholars is more than just another model of children’s emotional and social development: ‘it is the theory that subsumes and integrates all others. It is a relationship-based theory of personality development and our psychosocial progress through life’ (Howe et al., 1999: 10). Because of this, according to George (1996), the nature and value of children’s intimate or personal relationships matter to a great extent, as do all the things that influence these relationships—the natural volatile character of children, relationship history of parents, the pressures created by the material and social environment. Obviously, the value of relationships will differ from family to family. Bishop (2008) elaborates that of specific concern to nurture school workers is the awareness that negative relationships disturb children’s capability of developing strong emotional and social understanding.

Operation Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Operation Management - Assignment Example The location would provide greater benefits to the company as there is significant demand for printing related services. Correspondingly, the aspect of quality control and capacity planning have been emphasised as they would enable the printing organisation to ensure quality outcomes. Part 1: Introduction The growing demand of the printing industry has inspired in strategizing a business plan related to printing. The business is based in the city of Madinat Zayed in the UAE to meet the market demand and benefit from the business in the future years. Al Gharbia Printing Centre will be based on the concept of partnership, where the capital for the business will be provided by every member. The business will be headed by three partners; one of the partners will focus on the operational aspects and the others on the marketing. The intention for the business to set up was the profit making perspective and the demand. The printing service will be small in nature with nearly 30 employees in the initial years. The factors that influenced the business idea regarding the printing were the market trend and the growing demand in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The growing economy of the country, the future market growth prospects and the present market need of the business have influenced the choice of the business. The printing services as planned by the partners would offer cards, brochures, booklets, envelops, business forms and catalogues to meet the demand of the market and to attain its unique position. The easy availability of the raw material and the location of the business selected in the UAE would prove to be of advantage to the business. Moreover, the business can be beneficial as the printing service would provide assistance to the other industries by fulfilling their requirements of cards, catalogues and brochures (Palo Alto Software, 2013). Mission The missions of the Al Gharbia Printing Centre are as follows: To ensure satisfaction to the clients Creation o f more value through better services Promoting the cultural communication for the up gradation of the society Ensuring creativity and design in serving the public To influence the growth of the people working in the organisation Employing high standards Ensuring reliability, ethical practises and professionalism Ensuring timely delivery of services Goal of the Company The goal of the business is to develop relationship with clients. Working together with the client and gaining trust would facilitate in the delivering better services. Providing satisfaction to the customer is the primary goal of the business. Attainment of the long-term goals by providing quality services through Al Gharbia Printing Centre business will be the utmost objective. The business strategy for the success of the business is based on the mission, goals and objectives of the business. The business strategy to be used is to analyse the market and the target segments. The target market segment strategy is to be followed in which the focus of the company will be to satisfy the requirements of the small organizations. The reason for selecting this strategy is because the primarily aim to would to work at small level and gradually grow towards satisfying larger organisations’ demand. The business depends on the knowledge of the print vendor they rely upon. The main area of the marketing strategy would be face-to-face contact with the individuals. The pricing and the promotion

Surgery Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Surgery - Case Study Example The patient is physically active and does not have any known allergies. Her height and weight on admission were 70 kg and 178 cm high respectively. She currently presented to the emergency department on the 27th April 2009 with a history of sudden, acute right sided abdominal pain which was associated with nausea. The patient was thus admitted with a diagnosis of acute right sided abdominal pain and her code status was full. History of presenting illness: According to the patient she was in her usual state of health until late this morning when she developed sudden right sided abdominal pain. The pain was colicky in nature and was associated with a feeling of nausea. It was localized in the right lower quadrant and there was no radiation. There were no particular aggravating factors. The pain was slightly reduced in supine position. The intensity of the pain increased gradually throughout the day and by the evening it became unbearable. Thus, the patient was rushed to the ER. Menstrual History: The patient reported having regular menstrual cycles of 4/28 days with normal flow. She has no complains of dysmenorrhea or intermenstrual bleeding. Her last menstrual period (LMP) was on the 20th of December 2008 and currently she is 18 weeks pregnant with twins. Sexual History: The patient lives with her steady boyfriend of 10 years. The couple report having regular, unprotected sexual intercourse. The frequency of intercourse is at least twice a week. There are no complains of dysparunea, post coital bleeding or any other problems. Past Obstetric History: The woman has had two previous deliveries, seven years and three years back. Both were normal vaginal deliveries. Both pregnancies followed an uncomplicated course and there were no issues like pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. Social History: The woman did not have any addictions or allergies. She works as a full time employ in an education center and lives with her two children, a boy and a girl, aged seven years and three years, respectively. The patient is physically active and likes to engage in sports such as netball. Moreover, she also reports going to the gym five days a week. Findings on Examination: On inspection, there were no visible signs of any abnormalities. On palpation, the abdomen was soft, but significant guarding was present. There was localized tenderness in the right lower quadrant. No palpable masses were found. The gut sounds were present. Shifting dullness and fluid thrill were absent. Pain score on arrival: 7 out of 10 Investigations ordered and their results: On arrival in the ward and abdominal ultrasound was ordered to elucidate the cause of the abdominal pain and it revealed a right sided ovarian cyst which was 16 cm in diameter. Nursing Assessment: A young female patient, 18 weeks pregnant with twins, presenting with right sided abdominal pain, tender on palpation, feeling nauseated on arrival and has a pain score 7 out of 10. Nursing Diagnosis: Acute right side abdominal pain Management Plan: On the basis of the ultrasound, it was decided

Then And Now How Is America Changing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Then And Now How Is America Changing - Essay Example The paper shows that racism in America has always appeared as a system. It is a system that has been supported by economic and materialistic conditions in places of work whether in blue collar jobs or in other forms of employment. The joblessness has also been reinforced by increased social isolation due to lack of proper education and other social supports. This, in the long run, condemns the unemployed segment into a vicious cycle that is not easy to break, which gives the impression that particular race is not fairly considered. America is one country that is very dynamic politically, socially and economically. Our main focus is economic changes that have happened in America for the last forty years and how these changes have influenced racial, sexism and classism. Many factories in America have opted for cheap labor abroad, which in turn produces cheap products that have ready market both in America and the world. The trend in racial harmony has been a function of the elements of tolerance and understanding that has been cultivated into the American people since the days of Martin Luther King Jr. In as much as the racial and gender divide has been bridged, America is today faced with a much bigger problem of economic disparity with 99% struggling as the 1% wallow in wealth. The economic divide so created is severe to the extent that poor Americans have opted to mounting regular demonstrations like the ongoing â€Å"occupy the wall street demonstration† and with these happenings a possible class revolution may be seen in the future.

Compensation (Human Resources) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Compensation (Human Resources) - Essay Example Incentive plans normally endow with compensation foundation on a formula, on accomplishment of concert objectives, on an unrestricted decision, or an amalgamation of these. An organization internally could be measured adjacent to the individual performance. These plans consist of stock-based strategy, which put forward stock options based on stock performance or finance policy, which suggest cash booty joined to congregate objectives. These plans recompense performance with the time period of 2 to 5 years. The key similarity among the Apple Inc and the Microsoft is in the efficient potential by both the company sales. Good sales incentives are provided to the employees in both the organization and the bonus provided by both the companies are depended on the profitability of the company. The company insists in the working hours for making it a success in the market. The differences in the company are in terms of the payment structure. The basic payment provided by Microsoft are high compared to that of apple inc† Microsoft is reportedly trying to hire away Apples retail employees by bribing them with... wait for it, better wages. People that have spoken to The Loop on condition of anonymity confirm that Microsoft has contacted a number of Apples retail store managers to work in their stores. In addition to "significant raises," the managers have also been offered moving expenses in some cases.† (Microsoft reportedly poaching apple retail staff, 2009). The dissimilarity in the strategies of the companies occurs due to certain reasons. The main idea in the planning of the strategy is based on the efficiency in the company’s operations, productivity and profitability. Various reasons are there in expecting the positive relationship in the organization. The level of the executive employees also plays a vital role in the organization size and the positioning of the strategy. The different contingency approaches

An Evaluation of Emergency Plan for Hurricanes and Natural Disasters Research Paper - 1

An Evaluation of Emergency Plan for Hurricanes and Natural Disasters - Research Paper Example rs, it has been observed that these changes have been occurring quite more often in today’s world due to atmospheric and climatic imbalances that appear in different natural disasters such as volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and most recently the tsunami that have shattered the lives of many in past few years and most recently in Japan. It has been observed that with every hazard that occur, it becomes highly important for the state to react and take spontaneous measures to tackle the situation immediately for becoming more grave and to lower down the intensity of the situation by implementing a thorough strategy that outlines the quickest most relief efforts on immediate basis to help the victims and the affectees of the disaster. For countering such serious situations, it is very important for the governments around the world to take strong measures and to have an emergency plan or a policy that defines all the phases required for early relief and recovery of th e localities hit by the disaster. It is highly imperative to understand the significance of the disaster management plan and the whole process that is involved in relief operation during the time of disaster and it is also very important to understand that how the success of the plan can be acquired through its implementation. Disaster management is a strategy that is devised in case of any natural calamity happens. It has also been termed as the disaster recovery management that can be strategized and become operational during the time of any disaster or a major catastrophe that can affect the human population on a large scale. Around the world in majority of the countries where natural disasters become a part of their lives, governments strategize such disaster or emergency plans for quick relief measures in order to restore the normal operations or the routine life in the areas hit by disasters. The disaster management policy or plan depends on certain essential elements. But one of the

Prison Policy Recommendation Essay Example for Free

Prison Policy Recommendation Essay There is currently a bill in the legislature that would double the maximum prison term for anyone convicted of armed robbery. As a criminologist advisor to a state legislator, I have been tasked with proposing a recommendation on whether or not the current bill on the table will be good for the government and the communities it represents or detrimental. The proposed bill would double the current maximum prison term for any individual convicted of armed robbery. The thought behind such a bill is that a longer prison term will deter people from even attempting, or committing a crime in the first place. This bill would also, in hopes, keep offenders from re-offending for the same crime. As a result of these hopes, the bill has gained much popularity within the legislature. As appealing as the possible resulting lower crime rates sound, there are certain costs that must be considered. The bill proposes longer prison terms for offenders. These longer terms will also come with a higher price tag. The cost of keeping inmates for a longer period will rise exponentially. Another cost, though not monetary, should also be considered; that is the risk of even more violent crimes being committed. If the prison terms for armed robbery were to be doubled and is close to that of the crime of attempted murder, what’s to say an offender would not go all the way if the sentence would be virtually the same? There may be possible solutions for the bill that can be appealing to both the government and the community. The first would be to increase the maximum term served before parole could be offered. For example, instead of a ten-year sentence, with parole after three years; increase it to six or seven years before parole can even be considered. Another option would be to put in place a work program within the prison system. This will be somewhat similar to the outside world, in that if the prisoner does not work, they will not eat or receive rec time. We do not get handed a meal simply because it is supper time. If we don’t work, we don’t eat. Same premise for prisoners. It is my recommendation that the bill not  be approved as it stands but that it is rewritten to reflect changes to the current prison terms. The prison term does not need to be lengthened, but the offenders do need to be made to serve more of their current term before coming up for parole. It is my opinion, and based on crime rates that offenders are often not rehabilitated in such a short period, time, term in prison, and often get paroled and re-offend. This is an endless cycle. If terms were lengthened, it would cost more to house and feed a prisoner, but the costs would outweigh that of releasing them, having them reoffend, costs of trial and a second prison term. Also, the implementation of the work program would help them to realize that prison is not just a free ride, with meals and rec time without hard work and consequences. The parole system must also be overhauled. Parole officers often cannot keep good track of their parolees, and offenders receive too many chances. Perhaps, requiring prisoners to learn a trade would be equally helpful to them outside of prison. The proposed bill for doubling the maximum prison term should not be approved. It cannot succeed as it is. Simply doubling a prison term without further consequences will be a hindrance to the justice system as a whole. A crime is a crime, and an offenders background should not be taken into account. Instead of threatening offenders with a longer possible sentence, change the current rules and statutes for prison terms. Make them serve the majority of their sentence, make them work for basic needs in prison, and educate them. Give them a skill, so that the possibility of reoffending goes down. As popular as the bill may seem, it does not mean that it is the right choice for the government or the communities it represents. All of the options must be considered and weighed carefully before a decision can be made. Instead of creating new laws, perhaps we should first look at ways to enhance and make the current ones better. Only then, can we hope to move forward and create a better nation. References South, T. (2010, June 8). Bill would keep armed robbers in prison longer. Retrieved from timesfreepress.com: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/jun/08/bill-would-keep-armed-robbers-in-prison-longer/ What are positives negatives to maximum prison sentences? (2011). Retrieved from Yahoo Answers: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index Would doubling the maximum prison term for anyone convicted of armed robbery be a good idea or a bad one, why? (2007). Retrieved from Yahoo Answers: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index

Gleaning Rich Insights from Works of Literature Tackling Fatherhood Essay Example for Free

Gleaning Rich Insights from Works of Literature Tackling Fatherhood Essay Reading works of literature by different authors on a common topic broadens our understanding about human nature, cultures and history. Poetry that expresses angsts and pangs, or exalt the beauty or of things around us, in forceful language or elevated style like the lyric poem, can be an enriching experience. Watching or reading a play can likewise be an inspirational experience. Indeed, there is a variety of meanings, sentiments, and even moral lessons that unravel to readers exploring poetry and play focused on a central unifying theme. This paper presents six types of fatherhood types as gleaned from five poems and one play: (a) the grieving father, (b) the despised father, (c) the hardworking but detached father, (d) the itinerant far-off dad, (e) the involved father, and (e) the deadbeat dad. The selected works of literature all say something about the human experience, motivation, and condition, with special focus on the overwhelming father-child bond. While all of them are created in thought-provoking manner and are replete with figurative language, taking the reader on a journey and letting various insights linger in the memory, they differ in their approaches. In effect, the different perspectives on fatherhood are crystallized into an integrated idea with a richer context. â€Å"On My First Son† by Ben Jonson has an opening line that reflects a father’s deep melancholy and anguish as he mourns what most people may consider to be their greatest loss: the death of one’s own child. When Jonson writes, â€Å"Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy† (Ciuraru 191), there is heartfelt grief as he shares a painful loss. The use of the word thou, oftentimes used in formal religious context as prayers, adds impact because it conjures an image of a father paying his last respects to his young son. The last few lines which echo the poet’s relief that his son has escaped the trials and tribulations of this world (Ciuraru 191) point to how the author attempts to soothe his intense pain and reflects his acceptance of his son’s fate as well. On the other hand, â€Å"Daddy† by Sylvia Plath speaks from a daughter’s point of view for a father who has passed away. It has a somber and dark mood and the feelings of intense hatred and betrayal are shown in the very selection of words and imagery. â€Å"Perhaps no poem is as explicit and powerful as Sylvia Plath’s `Daddy,’ which describes an idealized yet oppressive father, one whom the speaker rejects with a resounding, forceful brutality† (Ciuraru 14). Parental relations, as most psychoanalysts may confirm, carries over into one’s adult relationships, and this was clearly the case with Sylvia Plath. During her childhood, she lost her father, Otto Plath, to complications from surgery following a leg amputation (Martin, para. 1) and this, along with her memories of feeling smothered and betrayed, appeared to have left an imprint on her. Plath uses metaphors, notably a shoe to describe her father, and herself as the foot that is in some way trapped in the shoe, to express just how suffocated and oppressed she felt. As many who are familiar with Sylvia Plath’s life would know, the talented writer had a tumultuous relationship with her poet-husband Ted Hughes, and â€Å"personal jealousies, differences in American and British views of gender roles, and a return of Sylvias depression complicated the Plath-Hughes marriage† (Martin, para. 8) and she makes references to how her very life was sucked out of her the way a vampire drinks the blood of its captive, in her poem. In the 15th stanza, she states: If Ive killed one man, Ive killed two The vampire who said he was you And drank my blood for a year, (Barnet 703) There are many other figures of speech, including similes, rhyming and tone, that helpfully lend emphasis and effectively transport readers to a time when people felt quite shackled by parental authority and were powerless to do something about it. Plath’s poem ends with a sense of closure, nonetheless, reflecting her resolve to take matters into her own hands. As for â€Å"Those Winter Sundays† by Robert Hayden, the specific use of figurative language effectively highlights the hardworking but detached type of father that many of us may be familiar with. Upon reading the poem in its entirety, one senses a certain remoteness shown by the father, or as perceived by the son from his father. The first line in the second stanza, which says: â€Å"I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking† creates a mental picture in the reader’s mind, through poetic devices like rhyme and assonance or the use of long vowel sounds to slightly slow down the poem for emphasis. The reader also senses that cold refers not just to the weather but to the feeling that envelops the son as he rouses himself from slumber and faces his father. Hayden also places specific words at the beginning of his lines to give it focus and importance. The very last line in the poem which describes love as being austere is an indirect acknowledgment that love dwells even in a home where the patriarch rules in an authoritarian or a cold, forbidding way. The very first stanza also reveals that the father is very hardworking and sacrifices his own physical well-being for his family’s sake, but gets no appreciation for his efforts and dogged determination to carry out his parental duties. Another poem, â€Å"My Father in the Navy: A Childhood Memory† by Judith Ortiz Cofer speaks of a daughter’s longing for a father who is busy working in distant shores. The reader gleans how the poet’s career Navy father requires him to be apart from his family for considerable lengths of time. As such, the speaker in the poem aptly phrases the love, intense longing, as well as pride for the traveling father who looked â€Å"stiff and immaculate in the white cloth of his uniform and a round cap on his head like a halo† (Barnet 727) in such creative and vivid manner: His homecomings were the verses we composed over the years making up the siren’s song that kept him coming back from the bellies of iron whales and into our nights like the evening prayer. (Barnet 727) The author’s use of simile, personification and metaphor, among other literary devices, added to delivering a poem with grace and impact. The poem, in effect, strikes a resonant chord among readers who, at some point in their live, have had to be apart from a beloved father or father figure, and fully know what it is like to celebrate their return. The poem, â€Å"A Parental Ode to my Son, Aged Three Years and Five Months† by Thomas Hood conveys the vulnerability of the new and involved father. This special father-child bond is written about only on few occasions by a handful of writers seeking to dwell on such topic. The first few lines of the poem, which contains metaphors, mirrors the unrestrained happiness and amusement of the father for his toddler. His lines, like â€Å"Thou happy, happy elf! Thou tiny image of myself! Thou merry, laughing sprite! † (Klein 109) are punctuated by asides that let readers experience his joy. The poet also juxtaposes poetic verses with a very fatherly voice describing a much-loved child. Aside from the use of rhythm and rhyme, Thomas Hood likewise uses other figures of speech like similes and alliteration to express his terms of endearment for his young son. Another work of literature, the well-known â€Å"Death of a Salesman† by Arthur Miller, has a common thread that ties it to the five poems explored in this paper, in that it revolves around the life and dreams of a main character who happens to be a father. Willy Lohan, the salesman, represents the dog-tired father who has worked all his life to provide for his family’s needs (Williams 51), and nurtures big dreams for his sons, but the demands of fatherhood have drained him. Though his mental faculties appear to be failing him and one of his sons tends to belittle him and finds him off-track, his all-consuming fatherly concern is unassailable. Referring to his son Biff, whom he mistakenly hopes will follow in his footsteps, Willy says, â€Å"That boy’s going to be magnificent† (Williams 79) reflecting a father’s immense pride and rosy hopes for his son, even if he had been a bum for years. Readers of the play, with its timeless theme of reaching for one’s dreams, will attest to the great impact of this piece of literature. As one of them said, â€Å"Reading drama was far more enigmatic than reading prose fiction† (Oates, par. 4). All the works of literature studied here contain immense value, not just for their stylistic accomplishments and the succinct voicing of themes that are usually treated in traditional or melodramatic fashion without the rich context. Compared to the portrayal of fathers in other non-literary media like movies or television, poetry and plays rely heavily on figurative language that help elevate the experience for readers, and underscore life lessons, while bringing to readers’ minds their own poignant family experiences. The language and literary devices contribute much to a broader understanding of the subject matter. Analyzing a group of poems and a play bordering on the same subject showed that gathering different points of view or interpretations, reflecting various angles, leads to a clearer and more comprehensive study. Works Cited Barnet, Sylvan, et al. An Introduction to Literature. 14th ed. New York: Longman, 2005. Ciuraru, Carmela, ed. Poems About Fathers.. New York: Random House, Inc. , 2007. Klein, Patricia, ed. Treasury of Year-round Poems. New York: Random House, Inc. , 2006. Martin â€Å"Two Views of Plaths Life and Careerby Linda Wagner-Martin and Anne Stevenson. † Modern American Poetry Home. 1994. 11 May 2008 http://www. english. uiuc. edu/maps/poets/m_r/plath/twoviews. htm. Oates, Joyce Carol. â€Å"Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman: A Celebration. † Weblog entry. Celestial Timepiece: A Joyce Carol Oates Home Page. 11 May 2008 http://www. usfca. edu/~southerr/arthurmiller. html. Williams, Liza M. , and Kent Paul. Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman Book Notes. New York: Barrons Educational Series, 1984.

LOreal Strategic Management Change

LOreal Strategic Management Change 1. INTRODUCTION. During the last years the organizations have been going through a process of expanding their barriers to reach new markets across the globe, this process in known as globalization, this describes the process by which societies, cultures, and economies happen to be integrated creating a massive market all over the world in which different companies can be part of. The following report was made upon LOreal analyzing how every acquisition made by the company was a fundamental part to become the leader and biggest cosmetic company in the beauty industry, how did they enter the US market by acquiring the main US brands at that particular time, and finally it will analyze their implemented strategies and market challenges showing how new strategic partners can make possible growth through globalization. The centre of attention of the report will be focused on the internal and external influences to LOreal, and how globalization could affect policies and decisions made by the company. LOreal was created by Eugene Schueller in France 1907 and named after his first product LAureole, the aim of this French chemist was to create the first synthetic hair-color product ever made and then start selling it within France and perhaps some parts of Europe, however, as the time goes by, LOreal positioned as the leader in European hair color market and skin care, but this wasnt good enough for them, as they wanted to reach new markets as the American, and Asian, therefore, LOreal made certain acquisitions, as well as the implementation of new market strategies and corporate strategies to successfully reach their goals. 1.1 SWOT ANALYSIS THEORY. Now the first part of the report will be focused on the primary internal and external influences that the company is subject to, to be able to analyze this influences, I would like to use the SWOT analysis which is a strategic planning method to identify the internal and external factors that are contributing or retaining the company to achieve their goals, The strengths and weaknesses refer to the company and its products whereas the opportunities and threats are usually taken to be external factors over which the company has no control. SWOT analysis involves understanding and analysing the strengths and weaknesses and identifying threats to the business as well as opportunities in the marketplace. Once that is done, we can then attempt to exploit strengths, overcome the weaknesses, grasp the opportunities and defend the organization against threats. This is one of the most important parts of the planning process. SWOT analysis asks the questions that will enable you to decide whet her your company and the product will really be able to fulfil your plan and what the constraints will be.[1] 1.2 STRENGTHS. LOreal has gone through different types of management from their creator, to the CEO Owen Jones, Jones management style has brought to the company a revolution from a French based cosmetic company to a world leader in the cosmetic industry, LOreal main ability is to acquire local cosmetic brands (Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Helena Rubinstein)[2] re-arrange their operational strategy and finally place them in a better location among the competitors, their brand management has been a massive tool to position LOreal in the place they are, as every single product and brand they manage is aiming to an specific segment of the different markets, rather than placing their products indiscriminately as every market has a different demand to be supplied. Another strength of LOreal that can be clearly identified is their patent desire to invest in Research and Development, with this we can assure that LOreal is an organization that is looking forward to implement the latest technology in all their products so that they can efficiently satisfy all their customer needs. They spent and average of 3% of their revenue in R D, when the average of the industry is less than 2%[3], LOreal is aware that in the days we live in, any advance in technology represents a competitive advantage and subsequently thats the best manner to own a market. LOreal has also shown their strength when it gets to marketing campaigns as they know that in order to be successful internationally you must be flexible and able to adapt to new environments, and to be more specific you must e able to produce exactly what a customer is demanding, which is the case of Savannah-Based Carson, which had a 35% share of the US ethnic hair care market and established presence in South Africa, this market has an estimated value of 1 billion dollars, according to LOreals product manager â€Å"You cant pretend to be No 1 in the world and forget about 1 billion consumers of African origin†[4] 1.3 WEAKNESSES. Now to look at the weaknesses of the company, even with the success of the globalization impact, LOreal havent done so much to diversify their products, rather than that, they have focused all their efforts in developing products for the main areas the work on (hair, skin, make up, and perfume). With the US brands acquisition, LOreal split into 3 main product divisions, consumer, professional, and luxury, in his objective to be the world leader in the beauty industry, CEO Jones has focused his efforts on the consumer brands as they are easier to retail, and relatively less expensive therefore is not that hard to build up a reliable data base, however the other 2 areas are very important as well an eventually if they focused their efforts on improving either one or even both of them the response may be positive and subsequently they will be able to reach a bigger portion of the market.[5] Another weakness of the company, and is commonly seen in this kind of organizations is the decentralized organizational structure, with this I am referring to the flow of information and control of the company due to many subdivision, this could affect the production level of the company because of the need of giving reference the other members of the board and directors of the company. 1.4 OPORTUNYTIES. Due to the good performance of LOreal, they have had certain opportunities which they knew how to use, for example the market in Africa, as they had the vision to recognize the enormous potential of this market, now LOreal is the leader of this segment, which wasnt very attractive to the competitors, at the first stage because they didnt know that people in Africa may be interested in this sort of products which lead them to lose interest for this segment and as a consequence LOreal settle down as the leader of the industry by implementing their acquiring strategy along with specific marketing strategies, basically, LOreal realized that the main thing to take over Africa was to develop a product which completely satisfy the population , due to this, LOreal invest in a multi million dollar research and development facility in Chicago to focus exclusively on the hair and skin needs of the people of African-American descent.[6] As stated before another big opportunity for LOreal to grow is to focus more on their line of dermocosmetics (anti-aging), as this area has a very small portion of the revenue and considering the research network they have, it would be interesting if the focused their efforts to create a new anti-aging product at affordable price and distributed through their channels to reach a bigger population. LOreal being the world leader of the beauty industry could diversify trying to enter new markets such like the clothing taking advantage of their well known name as they already have a strong influence over the new trends of fashion in terms of make up, hair and skin care. 1.5 THREATS. In relation to the threats and challenges, even that LOreal is the market world leader; there are some competitors in the industry and competitors for every single product division of LOreal (consumer professional luxury), competitors like Estee Lauder, Proctor Gamble, Revlon, and Max Factor, specially for the Japan market, which is the market that LOreal is aiming to control. LOreal is the world leader in the industry, however their competitors have been able to strategic place some of their products in the actual market, reason why LOreal is considering acquiring an other brand (Nivea) so that they can gain a better position in the European market. 1.6 SWOT MATRIX STRENGTHS * The ability to acquire new brands and transform then into new market leaders WEAKNESSES * Lack of diversity on their product catalogue OPPORTUNITIES * As they have all the knowledge and capacity they are able to explode new markets such like the African market THREATS * Some other competitors in the industry that currently are stronger in some other segments of the market like in Asia Now that the SWOT analysis has been done, its clear that the reason of success of LOreal is the focus they have implemented on their strategies, as they have been able to identify internal and external influences that gives them a competitive advantage over the rest of the competitors in the industry, as they know exactly where do they want to be, how are the going to achieve their goals, and what is the best way to get to that desire success. Profit margins are easily destroyed when companies focus on internal issues versus the external conditions that affect customers. Revenue comes from the outside, from customers buying products or services, not from implementing new technology, re-engineering business processes or building great teams. Focusing on external forces increases the bottom line. In fact, by shifting to an external focus, companies can often increase profits from 5 to 10 percent. An external focus, however, means more than just gathering competitive and market intelligence. It takes more than empty customer-centred rhetoric. It starts with the CEO and requires core behaviours to focus on where the money comes from.[7] 2. GLOBALIZATION. The second part of this report will be analyzing the following topics: * The impact of globalization in the organization. * How does it affect their policies and decision making, * How effective has LOreal been according to this new situation. 2.1 CONCEPT OF GLOBALIZATION As stated in Time International (1999), globalization means that countries, economies, companies or people in general are coming closer together. This is not because they are forced to do so, but because they want to do so. In fact they want so much to come closer to others that they cannot help themselves. As worldwide communications get better, information, technology, people and financial flows move faster. The cultural assumptions and premises of democracy and free markets spread and become more readily accepted. This very attractive and almost irresistible globalization process becomes more widespread[8]. Friedman (2000) states that the driving force behind globalization is free market capitalism, which uses free trade and competition to create virtual rulers of the world markets. These very powerful capitalists make economies to increase and be efficient. With the opening up of world markets, globalization has become a major force shaping both management theory and practice. Forces of globalization have been accelerating and, as such, are shaping policies and behaviours of nation states as well as corporate entities all over the world.[9] 2.2 How did LOreal become the biggest beauty company? The acquisition strategy implemented by LOreal guide them to be the world leader company in the beauty industry; all these US acquisition they made created a sub division within their products catalogue, consumer, professional, and luxury, LOreals success is a clear example of how to implement a corporate strategy and manage a brand internationally to achieve a massive growth even when the market they sell their products in isnt very steady, the key was to understand and successfully satisfy the needs of every customer through its products like they did with the Wet Lipstick in Japan, or the Research and Development process they carry out to satisfy the afro-American customer needs. LOreal has the capacity to reach more people across the world than any other beauty company thanks to their distribution channels and also is able to generate a bigger income rather than other companies due to their big products catalogue. 2.3 The Acquisition process. As stated in the case, the success of LOreal was achieved thanks to all the acquisitions made through out the world and especially in the US, all the process began by acquiring Ralph Lauren, and Helena Rubinstein which was a cosmetic maker with international distribution, after five years of negotiating process LOreal took full ownership of both companies. The next acquisition of the company was Redken in 1994 however the new products launched under LOreals ownership werent successful so they decide to rename the company to Redken 5th Avenue NY. Following their process the next company to be acquired was Maybelline which was the third largest company completely based in the US and it was very attractive due to their anti-aging line that was very eye-catching to young population, in the market this is very representative for LOreal as this will bring a new image to the company renewing the old French fashion, turning it into a fresh young image. Soft Sheen and Carson was a key element in the acquisition process as they brought a whole new market to the company that hasnt been taken care of because the current competitors didnt realize that that segment of the population may be interested in this sort of products, and in addition LOreal invested 3% of their revenues in research and development to create a new product specially for them. In the 2000 LOreal bought Matrix focusing on their professional line supplying the need of hairdressers and beauty saloons with a high quality standart. The most important acquisition made by LOreal was made in the 2000, they bought Kielhs after a three year countership, the owners finally agreed to sell their company after they realize that they couldnt meet the demand, however some of the employees werent very happy about the new acquisition as they thought that the company wont have any independence left after LOreals take over, this new acquisition was very important for the company as Kielhs could bring a better position related to the store high-end segment of the business. 2.4 WHAT WAS THE ROLE OF ACQUISITIONS IN THIS GROWTH? The prospect of increasing profitability and market share by acquisitions continues to exercise a more seductive and immediate appeal to business leaders than a reliance on growth alone. There has always been a substratum of mergers, acquisitions and, indeed, divestments in all developed economies. However, the extent of this depends on the buoyancy of the economy. The periodic rise and fall of such activity has heightened debate among managers, academics, politicians, and regulators about acquisition activity and their benefits, as well as ethical considerations (Vinten, 1992). Mergers and acquisitions (MA) have a unique potential to transform firms, and to contribute to corporate renewal (Angwin, 2001). They can help a firm renew its market position at a speed not achievable through internal development (Haspeslagh and Jemison, 1991; Harrison, 2002). [10] Value creation is the important objective in successful acquisitions. Yet, empirical and other studies continue to highlight the low success rates associated with acquisitions. No matter how attractive is the business opportunity associated with an acquisition process, value is not created until capabilities are transferred, and people from both organisations collaborate in order to create the expected benefits and the unpredicted opportunities. This collaboration relies on the will and ability of managers from both organisations to work together towards a new future. The key to integration is to obtain the participation of the people involved without compromising the strategic task. Finding similar organisational cultures and management styles has become a common panacea for avoiding employee dissatisfaction that could undermine MA performance. Different authors agree that it is important to consider cultural compatibility as a criterion for screening potential candidates for MA. On the other hand, managing the cultural differences has been proved as a more realistic and successful strategy in integration processes than finding the ideal culture fit. Buono and Bowditch consider that successful integration can be achieved even between diversified organisational cultures. This viewpoint is adopted in this exploratory study. It examines the strategies being used by executives that encourage employees diversity tolerance while allowing for learning to occur within parent and acquired firm. It looks at the strategies the firms implemented to facilitate the units to work together, and integrative practices involving firms within the same industry but from different countries and contrasting corporate values. In bringing together firms with different skills and knowledge bases, acquisitions create unique learning opportunities for the partner firms. As recently argued by management researchers, knowledge and the capacity to create, transfer, transform and utilise it are the most important sources of a firms sustainable competitive advantage[11]. Acquisitions have played a very important role in LOreals growth, particularly in their expansion through out the world, the more companies the acquire the bigger LOreal was getting as well as their profit, in 1996 they bought Maybelline for $758 million dollars and began a complete restructuration of the brand, starting from moving the headquarters within the USA. With all the restructuration LOreals CEO Owen Jones successfully achieved to reach from 3% to 15% on the nail market, they have also raise their sales in nearly a 100% and positioned Maybelline in over 70 countries. Globalization has had a very positive impact over LOreal as due to this they had the need to reorganize their company making some sort of decisions like relocating their headquarter for the USA operations in Chicago so that they can have control of all the operations taking place in America in a central place where they can keep track of all their progress, this has also brought another issue related to globalization which is the technology, LOreal has invested 3% of their revenue in developing new products where the average of investment in this field in the industry is around 2%, technology has also brought new channels of communication where they can easily be in touch within the company and also they have been able to use cost-efficient distribution channels thanks to their acquisition of Soft sheen-Carson as they had developed cheap delivery systems. 2.5 LOREAL EFFECTIVENESS LOreal has been going through a massive change since their beginning as they started their business creating a synthetic hair-color product to be sold in France and probably around Europe, the response of the people to the product was so good that the company decided to enter the beauty market, diversifying their product catalogue not only to hair care but to skin care as well, with the result of being the market leader. However the effectiveness of the company is not very clear at this stage as the product by itself cant guarantee the success of the company, instead of that, a good strategic management along with a visionary CEO can bring a major strength to the organization and will build confidence within the company to achieve their goals as they stated at the beginning, well, this is the case we are analyzing, as previously stated, CEO Owen Jones had the vision to expand the boundaries of the company by acquiring strategic partners that can contribute to a massive growth for LOr eal, his leadership enables him to see and opportunity of expansion taking advantage of the globalization boom and his vision of opportunities where the competitors didnt see anything was a key to succeed in some parts of the world, LOreal was bright enough to understand that the needs or likes of the people in America were not the same as the people in Asia or in Africa reason why they decided to create products for every single market and this gave them the opportunity to be the world leaders in the market. After all this facts it is clear that LOreal has had a very effective response to the new changing environment as they are prepared to adapt to new situations and is a company willing to deal with organizational change, this is a enormous benefit for the company as they can easily gain competitive advantage at a low cost of opportunity. 2.6 IMPROVEMENT AREAS. LOreal is the world leader company in the beauty industry thanks to their brilliant management and their products; however there is always a little extra that can be done to reach that additional little piece of the market. In my point of view I would suggest that the company hire an Asian Marketing Manager hopefully with a strong Japanese background in order to be able to completely take over this market as this market has a huge potential which was proved with the Wet Lipstick, perhaps if they invest some part of their revenue in research and development as the did with the African market, they might get a very good response as all the markets should be kept in mind as a big opportunity. LOreal could also consider expanding to the Latin American market and specially the South American, now that they control the US market (North America), they can implement their expansion strategy to take over central and south America which is a market that havent been explode yet or not as much as they could. LOreal could implement the same strategy implemented by Dell in Brazil, as they decided to relocate their plant in South America (Brazil) in order to manage all the market from there, taking advantage of the Mercosul market which enables the company to save on taxes within the continent. And finally LOreal should consider to extent their products catalogue to clothing and accessories as this may give them a competitive advantage over the rest of the companies in the same industry, it is very important to try to be always one step ahead of the company and be visionary in order to predict what the market wants and how to supply that demand. 2.7 CONCLUSION. After analyzing this case it is clear how important is to have a good strategic management and understand how the environment can affect every organization from the most insignificant change to any huge change that may involve any of the decisions of the company, its understandable that the vision of the CEO of the company can bring success to the organization and build a good know how that will enable the company to enter new markets. 2.8 REFERENCES. [1] Westwood, John. How to Write a Marketing Plan (3rd Edition).London, GBR: Kogan Page, Limited, 2006. p 27. [2] LOreal and the globalization of American beauty, Page 5. [3] LOreal and the globalization of American beauty, Page 15. [4] LOreal and the globalization of American beauty, Page 9. [5] LOreal and the globalization of American beauty, Page 2. [6] LOreal and the globalization of American beauty, Page 9. [7] Emerald Insight Staff (CB). Change Strategies.Bradford, GBR: Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2004. p 4. [8] Samli, A. Coskun. In Search of an Equitable, Sustainable Globalization: The Bittersweet Dilemma. Westport, CT, USA: Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated, 2002. p 21. [9] Samli, A. Coskun. In Search of an Equitable, Sustainable Globalization: The Bittersweet Dilemma. Westport, CT, USA: Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated, 2002. p 34. [10] Emerald Insight Staff (CB). Mergers and Acquisitions. Bradford, , GBR: Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2005. p 4. [11] Emerald Insight Staff (CB). Mergers and Acquisitions. Bradford, , GBR: Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2005. p 5.

Albergo Diffuso: An Alternative Form of Hospitality Essay -- Tourism

The defining features of the albergo diffuso. â€Å"Like a holiday apartment, an albergo diffuso allows travellers to join in village life, but the bonus is that it offers the basic services of a hotel† (Williams, 2010). In order to gain a full comprehension of the new concept, some of the salient features of this phenomenon must first be discussed. To be able to earn its name, an albergo diffuso hotel is required to meet several criteria. First, the initiative should come from within the community and a hotel must use existing buildings and local workforce. Second, the minimum number of rooms required is seven; they all should be located within 200 meters from each other. Third, the area must have some minimum services offered, such as a restaurant, a grocery store, a pharmacy. Last, local residents should be part of the experience: it's their open and welcoming attitude that makes a guest's stay memorable (Dichter). In addition, an albergo diffuso hotel must retain unique local touch to differentiate itself from uniform accommodations. Dall'Ara insisted on recovering the origins of a local culture and preserving a strong sense of place. Being a part of the historic centre, abandoned buildings gain new life and naturally stand out from traditional and boring style of cookie cutter structures (Fortney-Schneider, 2011). For example, the countryside in the Marche region offers the traditional Italian village lodging, while the town of Matera features unique grottoes-type hotel rooms with atmosphere of a typical twentieth century cave dwelling. The renovations in each village carefully preserved detailed period decor to ensure the guests have a truly authentic experience and enjoy the sense of ease and tranquility of the bygone times (... ...â€Å"Saving Towns by Filling Rooms† by Gizela Williams that appeared in the May 2010 issue of The New York Times (New York Edition). A featured article from blog community insidersabroad.com. Valerie Fortney-Schneider More Than a Mere Hotel: Albergo Diffuso is a Welcome Alternative October 2011 the brochure The innovation â€Å"Albergo Diffuso Developing Tourism Through Innovation and Tradition†. IDEASS Italy www.ideassonline.org by Giordano Dichter a research paper â€Å"Albergo diffuso† concept as a new offer in rural area. Pavlo Ruzic, Marinela Dropulic. Institute of Agriculture and Tourism, Porec a case study â€Å"A typical Italian phenomenon: The â€Å"albergo diffuso† Marco Confalonieri, Inoversita Cattolica del Sacro 2010 Tourism Management database a January 2012 article by Amà ©lie Racine titled â€Å"Albergo Diffuso: An alternative form of hospitality† from tourismintelligencego.

Matriarchal Figures in The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde a

Matriarchal Figures in The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and Persuasion by Jane Austen ‘A dominant female member of the family’[1] is often described as a matriarch. Lady Bracknell in ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ and Lady Russell in ‘Persuasion’ fulfill this role therefore can be described as matriarchs, and as such they play vital roles. They affect the lives of Gwendolen and Anne, by imposing their beliefs on them. Although Lady Russell is not related to any of the characters in ‘Persuasion’, after Anne’s mother died Lady Russell took on the role of her mother. Lady Russell has some control over Anne, as Anne ‘had always loved and relied on’ her and cannot believe she would ‘be continually advising her in vain’. The matriarchs are pivotal as they are the prime reasons for the plots’ complications; Lady Bracknell tries to prevent two potential marriages between Jack and Gwendolen, and Algernon and Cecily, and she is the reason Jack finds out about his family connections. Lady Russell persuades Anne not to marry Wentworth causing eight years of heartache and misery, as she was wrongly persuaded. She induces further complications by trying to persuade Anne to marry William Walter Elliot, when Anne and Wentworth meet again. Lady Bracknell’s importance is enhanced because she overshadows her husband, which is true to her matriarch ways, and he occupies a subordinate position. Lady Bracknell has taken the opposite role to that which society accepted in the 1890’s, her husband stays at home, while she goes to social gatherings. Her husband’s role is summed up in Gwendolen’s speech to Cecily about her father. ‘The home seems to be the proper sphere for the man. And certainly, once a m... ...y say that Anne should marry for money ‘she deprecated the connexion [to Wentworth] in every light’, and only approves of alliances with men with money, such as Charles Musgrove and William Walter Elliot. The matriarchs actions and advice to women would be ‘don’t marry for money, but go where money is’[8]. [1] The Pocket Oxford Dictionary [2] York Advanced Notes ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ [3] Richard Foster , Wilde as Parodist: A Second Look at The Importance of Being Earnest [4] Inside the House of Fiction, ‘Jane Austen’s Cover Story’ [5] Dan Rebellato, Drama Classics Series, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ [6] York Notes Advanced – ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ [7] Richard Foster , Wilde as Parodist: A Second Look at The Importance of Being Earnest [8] Juliet McMaster , Alfred Lord Tennyson as quoted in ‘Class’

Bad Medicine :: Essays Papers

Bad Medicine Before the age of television shows, movies, and the Internet people entertained one another with vibrant and exaggerated tales. Geoffrey Chaucer’s, The Canterbury Tales, is a good example of this form of entertainment. The novel details the journey of a band of pilgrims, who engaged in a storytelling competition, as they travel toward the shrine of Thomas à   Becket. These Middle Age storytellers varied as much as the stories, and consisted of a knight, physician, monk, and many more. In â€Å"the Prologue† the Physician is revealed as a con artist who cares more about himself than his patients. The Physician was a medical doctor, who was responsible for taking care of the ill and disease stricken. â€Å"No one alive could talk as well as he did / On points of medicine and surgery†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Chaucer 30). He was part of the rising middle class society and his garments that were â€Å"lined with taffeta† (Chaucer 31) made this assumption apparent. During the Middle Ages taffeta was a material like silk, which was very expensive, so only the wealthy could afford it. To many he seemed to be a productive member of society, but appearances can be deceiving. People of the medical profession were looked upon with a certain respect; so many patients did not question what was prescribed. The Physician misused his title to take advantage of his patients’ faith. He was revealed as a liar and a cheat. He was a partner with the druggist, to help each other build their wealth. The reader can draw the appearance of his deceit in the following quote, â€Å"He gave the man his medicine then and there. / All his apothecaries in a tribe / Were ready with the drugs he would prescribe / And each made money from the other’s guile; / They had been friendly for a goodish while† (Chaucer 30). Chaucer describes these habits of the physician in order to allow the reader to paint a mental picture of his morals and character. Chaucer also brings the readers attention to the fact that the Physician â€Å"did not read the Bible very much† (31). Chaucer implies that the Physician is a sinner, who did not see an error in his dishonesty. Many analysts believe that Chaucer was trying to portray certain qualities through the vivid descriptions of the characters’, such as in the following quote describing the physician; â€Å"In blood-red garments, slashed with bluish grey / And lined with taffeta †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Chaucer 31).

My Life in the Light of the Rule of Benedict

We live in a time impatiently dashing towards the next. Ours is a society plagued by the need to move on without resolving issues of the here and now. We readily throw objects for the latest, and within the same breath complain that things are not the way they used to be. We so willingly burn bridges, and under the same lifetime demand for meaningful and lasting connections. Our lives are imbalanced and devoid of meaning because we are so caught up in the demands that society imposes upon us. And at the end of each day we feel so empty and restless, longing for something more. The good news is that meaning and purpose can be found for those who truly want it in their lives and are willing to do what it takes to find it and keep it. The book of St. Benedict was written some 15 centuries ago. But it finds place even in modern times. The precepts that it gives are enduring for those who want to find a semblance of spiritual peace in our chaotic and often uncertain world. The book is mainly about how man can strike a balance between his work and his spiritual life of prayer and meditation. This work of St. Benedict, which was written in the Middle Ages, became the foundations of the monastic life, where men of God were men of the world as well, doing menial jobs even as they tend to their spiritual lives. St. Benedict’s philosophy revolved around three main concepts: peace, pray and work. That in spite of the daily grind and drudgeries of our existence, we can all strive to find peace in our lives through finding time to pray and sanctify all our daily activities. He believes that the men of God should never turn their backs to the world and their responsibilities to their communities because a life of prayer without the actual good work that benefits other people is useless. Our duty as Christian is two-fold, the daily worship of God and the daily service to mankind. In every aspect of living, there is a way to find balance and address these two things at the same time. The wonderful thing about The Book of Benedict is that while it deals with profound issue of faith and grace, it also has practical advices on how to observe them in the real world. Balance and moderation is the key to a peaceful and content life. We must never be tempted to excesses and overindulgence. In food, two of a kind is sufficient so that if a person does not eat one, then there is always a second option. In my life I make it a point to enjoy my food, the key to feeling food is to savor every bite and celebrate the blessings that it represents. There are some cases when celebrating through food is well-deserved, but still, it should be taken in moderation. As St. Benedict said, â€Å"For nothing is so contrary to Christians as excess, as our Lord saith: ‘See that your hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting’ (Lk 21:34).† I have realized that food, to be truly enjoyed need not be taken in excessive amounts. The secret is in learning how to delight in and appreciate each small bite of food. In terms of clothing and other possessions, the same principle of moderation and appropriateness should apply. The clothing that we buy should be suitable to its use and to the climate of the place that we live in. Circumstances and not wants should dictate our choice of the clothes to buy. Of course every article of clothing should be tasteful in design, never ostentatious and ornamental, but tasteful and practical. And for those who have too much should give them away to the less privileged so that other people can find use for them. Looking at St. Benedict’s philosophies of moderation and appropriateness, I have realized that the tendency to hoard and acquire more material belongings is at the very heart of the loneliness that afflicts most of us. We are never happy with what we have, always wanting more in an effort to cover up the emptiness that we feel. The sad truth is that most of us look outside ourselves for answers, when all that we could ever need has been laid out in front of us. All that is needed is that we spend the time to look at all the blessings that we have and give thanks for them. My life is dictated by duties and responsibilities. But I know the value of prayers in my life. I make the time to attend to matters of my soul, even as I try to fulfill my duties to my family and my community. I have realized that I have everything I need to have a happy and full life. It is just a matter of changing how we look at our lives. If we continue to define our lives by what we do not have, then we shall never be content even while we are drowning in material possessions. The grace to have a grateful heart can only be achieved through constant prayer, and while my day is filled with things to do, I make it a point to make prayer a necessary habit. Indeed the secret to a happy life is no longer a secret. St. Benedict has long given us the power to define our own lives. Our lives may be filled with the realities of work and responsibilities, but in prayer we find a safe haven where we can find peace and the strength to carry on with what needs to be done for the day.

An Autobiography of Moon

I know you are very curious to know about me. I have often noticed you looking at me with eager eyes. Now listen to my life story. I belong to a very large family, the solar family. My grandfather is called the Sun and he has nine daughters. My mother is the Earth. I am her darling as I am her only child. Imagine my aunt Uranus has fifteen children! I am so found of my mother that I always go around her day and night. I am 4600 million years old. Yet the bond between me and my mother continues without any change. Whenever I look at you human beings, I am very happy. I know that you praise me as a beauty. You compose a lot of poems and songs in praise of me. You are scared of my grandfather but are fond of me. However, I too have my problems. A lot of stones from the space fall on me and cause injuries to my body. Moreover, my health also fluctuates. Today as you see me I am very bright. I grow weaker and weaker. But there is no consolation! For the next fourteen days I will gather my brightness and glow. You know what my most memorable day is my life was? It was July 21st of year 1967. On that day. I remember, I was just getting out of my bed and I found something tickling my face. I looked at it. Oh! It was a human being. You know how happy I was then. I did not disturb him. Thereafter, more than twenty human beings landed on me. I wish thousand and thousands of you come to me and play in my garden. Then I shall not feel lonely, you know.

Death of a Salesman Essay

‘Death of a Salesman’ tells us a lot about the ideology of the author, Arthur Miller. His main character Willy is a normal man who feels he is a failure because he doesn’t average ‘a hundred and seventy dollars a week’ which causes him to become suicidal. Miller is trying to tell the audience that ambitions and dreams can take over our lives and destroy them in the process. Biff says ‘I don’t know what I’m supposed to want’ as if there was one dream to fulfil otherwise you have failed. The pressure surrounding dreams is far too great and sometimes we have to come to terms with the fact they cannot be accomplished. Arthur Miller is also exploring the fact that success doesn’t only involve career, money and popularity. Happy has his ‘own apartment, a car and plenty of women’ but comes to realise that he still not satisfied. He tells Biff that ‘I’m lonely. ‘ Money may make you financially successful but it does not secure your happiness. Willy is only preoccupied with living up to his idol, Dave Singleman. Dave Singleman is a salesman who ‘drummed merchandise in thirty-one states’ and could just ‘pick up his phone and call the buyers, and without ever leaving his room, at the age of eighty-four, he made his living. ‘ This is Willy’s ultimate fantasy, to make his name known and to be able to work from home. Hundreds of salesman and buyers were at Dave Singleman’s funeral, Willy believes that this greatest sign of popularity and honour. Arthur Miller creates one of the most heart-wrenching scenes in the Requiem when no one shows up at Willy’s funeral other than his family and neighbour. Not only does ‘Death of a Salesman’ inform the audience about Arthur Miller’s opinions on success, failure and dreams, it tells them what he thinks of his own country. This play is set in America, Miller’s home country, in the 1940s. It is a vigorous attack on American values. He disapproves of the belief that money and public esteem are signs of excellence. Willy Loman is a victim of this system. This becomes evident when he does not believe that Bernard will not be successful because he is not ‘well-liked. ‘ The American Dream is the concept that through hard work and dedication, anyone can be successful. Through Willy’s character, Arthur Miller shows us that he disagrees with this belief. The theme of The American Dream runs through the entire play, Willy is a firm believer in it. At first, this concept seems to be inspirational and advantageous but it is the very thing that kills Willy. This play shows the audience that The American Dream encourages superficial prejudice against those who do not achieve it. This causes pressure and insecurity for those who are not ‘rich’ and ‘well-liked. ‘ It examines the cost of blind faith in the American Dream. Despite being written over fifty years ago, this play is still important and relevant today. The play is a tragedy and many people can empathize with Willy’s character. Willy is not superhuman, he is just a man. Moreover, The American Dream is still very much alive today. People flood over from all over the world to come to America to search for fame and fortune, only a few ever achieve it. In conclusion, Arthur Miller allows the audience to see the inside of Willy’s by Time-switches and expressing his ideology and beliefs on success, failure, dreams and America. ‘Death of a Salesman’ addresses the painful conflicts within one family, but it also tackles larger issues regarding American national values. A half century after it was written, this play remains a powerful drama. It is even more relevant today in a world where materialism is such a major problem. There is a part of everyone in the character Willy Loman. Written by Emily Kho – 1 – Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.