Friday, November 29, 2019
Monday, November 25, 2019
Celeste Ray’s Essays
Celeste Ray’s Essays Celeste Ray’s Paper Celeste Ray’s Paper In Celeste Ray’s book: Highland Heritage: Scottish Americans in the South. The author takes a close look at what it means to be Scottish in America and more specifically, in the American South. Ray takes a scholarly approach to Scottish immigration to the South in several chapters that deal with the construction of Scottish identity, the emergence of the heritage movement in the Carolinas as well as the reemergence of the Highland Games. Ray traces the history of this movement and shows how it includes diverse threads of Scottish identity.In the preface to Highland Heritage: Scottish Americans in the American South, Celeste Ray explains that she had meant to write a different book, on the archaeology of Iron Age Europe. Fortunately for the anthropology of British populations, her project changed into a richly documented, long-term, regional analysis of the southern Scottish heritage movement. Centered on the Cape Fear Valley of North Carolina, home of the largest settlement of Highlanders in the United States, the study deals not only with the heritage of the approximately 20,000 Highlanders who settled in North Carolina before the American Revolution but also with that of subsequent waves of settlers from other Scottish regions, as well.                                                                                                                                                      In Ray’s book, she rejects the influential ideology that Euro-American ethnicity is generally in decline and that many pe ople claim Scottish or Celtic identity, distinct from the contrasting Anglo-Saxon identity. The Scottish heritage movement celebrates the combining of   â€Å"historical incidents, folk memories, selected traditions, and often sheer fantasy to interpret a past in a form meaningful for a particular group or individual at a particular point in time.†(Ray, 2000). Ray also includes festivals deep in heritage in Scotland and the relationships between the groups of the Scottish within their homeland and in the south as well.  Ray points out that half of all Scottish societies and one-third of the 200 U.S. clan gatherings and festivals are located in the South. After nine years of participating in and interviewing at community events, Ray studies the identity politics borne out in the attire, oral traditions, publications, clan pride, the role of women, songs and dances, heritage dinners, game innovations and displays of weaponry.Ray is very forthright about the irony of t his movement. From the situation in which American tourist dollars pay for the upkeep of castles, whose eighteenth century owners demands probably pushed Scots into leaving, while much that is regarded as traditional was invented by English landowners in the Victorian period of the 19th century. Much of this book asks for further development in more detail. Questions such as: How do movies like Braveheart and Rob Roy change the way in which this movement operates? How will Scottish devolution affect the way in which Scotland relates to American tourists? What will the younger generation, interested in the competitive aspects of Highland games, make of it as they assume more control? How much influence will the Celtic fringe of Viking and Gaelic re-enactors have in the future, especially in confronting the conservative religious aspects of the movement? The movement encompasses both participants with a deep trans generational awareness of their heritage (Ray, 2000) and those who have reclaimed their identity. They participate in organizations and events throughout the year involving distinctive dress, food, and religious services, often reinforced and refreshed with transnational links to the Scottish homeland.Ray views the Scottish American travelers not as tourist but as pilgrims that have come to experience a culture that they see as theirs to partake of. (Ray, 2000) The visions of Highland past and heritage are continually being refined by the fact that heritage pilgrims seek out native authorities that engage in a mutual sharing dance and athletic techniques, music, and genealogical research. (Ray, 2000) These heritage pilgrimages also carry ritualistic and religious qualities. Many travel to Scotland because it is the home of their Presbyterian heritage. (Ray, 2000)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â à ‚                                                                      Ray also points out that there is a dramatic enhancement of the belief in shared kinship and a united identity among Scottish Americans through pilgrimages to Scotland by clan societies. The preservation of a chief’s residence and/or clan lands is the main goal of many clan societies. (135) There is a great drive among the clan societies to not only visit clan territories but also to enshrine an original site of clan residence. Those that do not have surviving ancestral estates or a chiefship are increasingly establishing heritage centers. This provides them with a focal point as their ancestral home. (Ray, 2000) This is not a reflection of the actual relict landscapes of black houses and clachans of ancestral emigrants rather it is a cognitive map of the clanscape that is oriented toward the home of the elite.(Ray, 2000)Ray’s work serves as a helpful work of literature in attempting to understand the behavior of modern Americans as they search for an identity and a community that conforms to the ideas of being â€Å"southern†as well. Ray explores how the Scottish themes and legends merge with southern culture and their identity to produce a unique offspring and a complex sense of identify for the Scottish living in the South. In this book, Ray asks how and why and where we use memories of our ancestral pasts to provide a sense of identity and community in the present. In this attempt to do so, Ray offers an original and insightful examination of what it means to be Scottish in America.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Free Higher Education at the United States Essay
Free Higher Education at the United States - Essay Example The United States government has to step up and take control of Higher education. A lot of countries have free higher education. The exorbitant costs of tuition and the dangerous impact these costs have had on student loans has made necessitates Higher Education be free in all public schools. The increasing competition both domestically and internationally as a result of globalization has created a situation where education isn’t just an option, but a necessity. Because of this competitive pressure student loan debt has increasingly become one of the main problems Americans face. It’s increasing very fast and some people say it may lead to another financial crisis in the United States. In his research Martin argues loan debt for students attending â€Å"public universities has increased by approximately 80 percent during the period 1980–95, while for students attending private universities it has increased by 148 percent over the same period†(Martin 91) This clearly shows the enormous rise in tuition fees. There has been quantifiable evidence that demonstrates these tuition fees. Statistics show that from 2003 to 2004, the tuition for colleges increased by 14% (Reed and Szymanski par 9). The increase in tuition makes families who want their k ids to have a proper chance to make a living go to lenders and credit-card companies for student aid where interest rate are unfair. Almost 60% of undergraduate students have aid. Reed and Szymanski argue that for a family with an income level of $25,000 per year they have to pay about 71% of their earnings for a son or a daughter to a attend four year program college (par 9). Tuition fees will keep rising if the government doesn’t do something about it. Making Higher education free would let the government pay all costs with their real prices and without the interests that private loaners put with their debts. Some may question the effectiveness of free higher education and
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Outline and discuss the evolution of CSR, including its history, role Essay - 1
Outline and discuss the evolution of CSR, including its history, role in the financial crisis and prospects for the future. Supp - Essay Example The topic of social responsibility is a highly debated one, as several theorists think that â€Å"business is obligated only to make profits.†2 On the other hand, many believe that all business entities have a social obligation it is bound to fulfill. However, there is no denial of the fact that while operating to make profits, a business organization has to ensure that they keep the interest of the society and environment in mind because basically the revenues they make have to primarily derive from the same society and environment. Definition: Corporate Social Responsibility can be defined as the â€Å"relationship between global corporations, governments of countries and individuals citizens.†3 CSR is also encompasses the relationship between corporations and their stakeholders. The EU Commission further defines CSR as a concept where â€Å"companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations†4 as well as during their interactions with stakeholders on a â€Å"voluntary basis.†5 Thus, in simple terms it is the responsibility corporate organizations have towards the society they work and operate in. Furthermore, this responsibility is not limited to the present generation in a particular society, but also extends to coming generations, that is the â€Å"future members of the society.†6 CSR is greatly related with â€Å"corporate citizenship, business responsibility, business reputation, ethical corporation, sustainable business†7 etc but is different from them. The CSR approach believes that stakeholders such as â€Å"consumers, employees, the community at large, government, and the natural environment†8 are supposed to be given a stronger focus. Social responsibility of the firms basically stems from the fact that they are using the natural resources available in the area where they function. Thus, they are bound to give something back to the society. In the present day, the wellbe ing of society has become increasingly important, and community is given the main priority in all spheres. In such a community centered world system, the question of who is responsible to safeguard the interests of the people cannot simply be answered by government. While government has a key role, the growing private sector companies including corporate entities need to focus not only on making profits, but also consider the impact of their operations within the society. History and Evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility: The basic idea of CSR has its roots in the era before the birth of Jesus Christ and is first seen when in â€Å"1700 BC†9 the ancient Mesopotamian ruler brought into practice a code that imposes punishment on â€Å"builders, innkeepers or farmers†10 by death if as a result of â€Å"their negligence†11 any inconvenience is caused to local citizens. The people engaged in any trade related activities have to abide by this code, not merely b ecause they feared â€Å"legal consequences†12 but because of their strong sense of â€Å"moral conviction.†13 On the other hand, ancient Roman senators were upset with the fact that businesses were unable to provide adequate taxes in order to â€Å"fund military campaigns,†14 therefore unsuccessful to â€Å"contribute to the war programme.â€
Monday, November 18, 2019
The Ethics of Citibank Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words
The Ethics of Citibank - Research Paper Example As a means of understanding the ethical ramifications of the collapse and the contributing factors that ultimately led up to it, the analysis will first delve into something of a historical analysis of the collapse so that the key decisions that Citibank made leading up to and just prior to the collapse can be understood within a broader appreciation for the means by which successive ethical oversights and dependency behavior created the perfect something of a perfect storm that has affected untold millions around the world and cost untold trillions in loss to the global economy. Moreover, it is the hope of this author that such an analysis will help the reader to not only come to an appreciation for ethical factors and the impacts that they can have but to create a sense of urgency within the mind of the reader to integrate with ethical decision making at each and every step of the business process. As such, the forthcoming analysis will break down the financial collapse and subsequ ent ethical oversights into two main sectors; those dealing with the ethical oversights that existed prior to the crash and contributed to the global financial meltdown (evidenced within Citibank), and those ethical oversights that took place after the crash and fundamentally concerned appropriation and disbursal of stimulus funding. Taking the more recent situation first, it can be noted that in excess of 220 billion USD was allocated to Citibank by the Federal government as a result of TARP. The initial reason for this allocation was of course the fact that the Federal government and key decision makers within the Federal Reserve felt that without TARP stimulus it would be highly possible that the poor investment structure of Citibank could lead to its collapse. Due to the fact that Citibank and others were labeled as â€Å"too big to fail†, it was determined that it was vitally necessary to transfer this massive amount of money from the taxpayers into the coffers of some of the largest financial institutions in the world. Not surprisingly, Citibank and others were none to alarmed with such a rapid increase in the overall level of money that they could leverage to meet their liabilities. Unfortunately, rather than leveraging this money and immediately doing a thorough audit of their firm to ensure that k ey standards were being met and no such situation as had been witnessed the following year could ever occur again, the key ethical oversight of merely continuing to conduct business as usual was witnessed. Certainly, it can be noted that Citibank and others met minimum federal requirements; however, a proactive stance in seeking to maximize their shareholders utility and minimize any potential and lingering levels of ethical oversights was not engaged. Moreover, it can also be noted that one of the first major managerial decisions that was made after the financial collapse and subsequent federal disbursal of bailout funds was with relation to liberal bonuses for many of the top leadership positions within Citibank. This serves as perhaps the most visible ethical oversight that this brief analysis will analyze. The news media soon picked up on this revelation and broadcast the names and actual bonus levels that many of these upper
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Supermarkets And Consumer Behavior In Vietnam Marketing Essay
Supermarkets And Consumer Behavior In Vietnam Marketing Essay Introduction; product and assignment First I believe it is important to briefly fresh up the memory of what product this assignment is based on. Or at least what the outcome of this gathered information will be compared against. The product to introduce in Vietnam is CartCom. It provides the super markets with a new way to communicate with their customers. It is a plastic bracket that is clicked on the handle of the shopping cart and it can be provided with material as advertisements from suppliers or information from the chain. This material is printed on cardboards and put inside the bracket for customers to observe, read, remember and eventually shop. This assignment will emphasize on the change in the Vietnamese society concerning the way they shop and where they shop. There will be focus on numbers, statistics and facts to justify my statements. First I will concentrate on the change from the charming and typical Vietnamese street markets, to the more western way of grocery shopping: the super markets. Later on I will turn the focus on to the consumer behavior in Vietnam and how the presented information affects the introduction of CartCom to the retail chains in Vietnam. The change from traditional street markets to modern supermarkets C:UsersKamillaDesktopcoop mart in vietnam.jpgC:UsersKamillaDesktopStreet market in Vietnam.jpg There has been a remarkable change in the socio culture regarding the shopping in Vietnam. The trends have now changed the routines of grocery shopping and preferences from street markets to super markets. 56% of the total population in Vietnam is below the age of thirty. [1] A young population means growth in purchasing power and therefore the super markets could target Vietnam, expand and push the people of Vietnam to join in on this kind of shopping culture. Vietnam retail Industry Analysis has found that Vietnam is set to undergo a huge transformation from 2007 to 2011. [2] The air conditions mini marts and the supermarkets are becoming dominant. This also means that Vietnam is currently experiencing significant changes to the distribution system in particular, but also the food system it selves. [3] Supermarkets are replacing the traditional Vietnamese hawkers and markets. Their street life, shopping habits are changing because of western trends are taken into consideration and followed. Many are disappointed, especially guides and tourists, because local markets and street vendors are now closing. But this is all because of the change in the socio culture and the change in the peoples preferences regarding their shopping habits. The government is encouraging the boom in shopping centre development and the abandoning of traditional markets. [4] The supermarket business is very successful and the Vietnamese retail market is viewed as the third most promising retail market in the world. [5] Supermarkets versus street markets How could the supermarkets take charge in Vietnam? Do they provide the same value as the old markets? Probably they do, if not they would not survive. Concerning the consumer behavior there are three topics to touch upon regarding the Vietnamese retail market. The numbers are collected at Ac Nielsen ´s report on groceries in Vietnam from 2010. First I found that 67% of total consumer expenditure is on fresh food. This means that eventually the supermarkets became excellent in their offerings of fresh food, so the consumers could turn from the street markets (known for the splendid fresh groceries) and to the supermarkets. If the supermarkets did not offer a satisfying solution to the consumers need for fresh food, I believe this change would not be happening so quickly and maybe the local markets would survive a bit longer. The supermarket chains knew what they needed to provide to turn the consumers into supermarket shopping instead of street market shopping. And they succeeded. The second important issue to touch upon is that most consumers (64%) are aware of price changes and are continually searching for promotions. So the supermarkets have an advantage regarding their opportunity to purchase large amounts of goods and groceries, store them and offer promotions weekly and even daily. This in balance with the promise of always having fresh food. High quality goods and frequent big sales are drawing large numbers of shoppers to supermarkets and away from traditional markets. Supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City are crammed with people during weekends and attracting most middle-income customers. [6] This proves the strong positions the supermarkets are now gaining in Vietnam, and Ho Chi Minh City. Finally it is said that Vietnamese people buy and use Vietnamese products. In connection with CartCom; this is why we chose not to provide the advertising material to the CartCom in addition to the bracket. The supermarkets know their suppliers and they know their customers, we have no knowledge and nothing to contribute concerning the design and decisions for the material used inside. To expand the value in our product to new highs, we will look into the possibility of introducing the screens instead of the plastic bracket. We believe this is yet to expensive and complicated, but when we have gotten the retail chains to see the effect of CartCom, we believe there is opportunities for a digital screen on the carts where you will be able to have your shopping list and also receive information and advertisements. Consumer behavior in Vietnam; south compared to north A finding concerning the consumer behavior alone is worth noticing. This is the differences in consumer behavior between north and south in Vietnam. We will introduce CartCom to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) primarily, so I will focus on this city describing the behavior. Regarding promotion the people here favor all types of promotion, and from my point of view they are more innovative and unrestricted. Price promotions alone will not appeal strongly to the consumers in HCMC. In north this type of promotion is the most effective. As a result the CartCom can be explored in many different ways in the south and not only be used to push sale and push information on low prices. The supermarkets can use CartCom to provide advertising using the supplier brands in other promotions like for example dinner tips and exclusiveness, quality and accessibility in stores. One last finding worth discussing is that the people in HCMC and in the south are more early adapters than in the north. It is always important to think of the decision makers. We are in the b2b market and when selling to companies, in our case the supermarket chains, the decision makers will also here be the key to success. Who are making the decisions whether or not to start using CartCom? One thing is certain; if it is people from south that makes the decisions we are more likely to be approved. The supermarkets are in the b2c market and they make decisions on the basis of what they believe their customers will approve of. People in HCMC are innovative, early adapters and approving of new ideas concerning promotions. [7] I believe HCMC is a right choice because CartCom has a good chance of succeeding there and also because the people here fit the description of what kind of customers needed for the desirable response we wish to achieve. Conclusion; CartCom in Vietnam We have reasons to believe that the consumer behavior inside the supermarkets in Vietnam do not differ from other countries. The reasons why that is, is the supermarkets have not done any radical changes within the stores to adapt other that of course different food and local suppliers. The customers in Vietnam is like other customers visiting supermarkets, they usually bring a shopping list and make use of a shopping cart or a basket. The customers shopping with kids can place the kids in the cart, but this will not cover the CartCom. As shown in the pictures there are still room for CartComs new advertising space. In the picture to the left a child has joined in on the shopping, the CartCom will be placed under the shoppers right hand. There are cart with baby seats on top of the handle, but they only cover the old seat like this one is using, and not he handle. The bracket is placed on the handle where the cart is being pushed, as shown in the picture to the right. C:UsersKamillaDesktopcartcom.jpgC:UsersKamillaDesktopbaby i vogn The shopping will take place as it usually does, only we see a trend for larger purchases and this may make room for larger stores and bigger amount of carts in the stores. Up until now there had been a change in consumer behavior from street market shopping to the supermarket shopping. This has been The Co-op Mart chain that is CartComs first target has had an increase in both customers and revenues by more than 40% compared to the same period last year. [8] There has been a sufficient increase in the supermarket industry and this gains all participants as well as the chains. CartCom we believe will be one of the participants and the increase in profitability in this industry will create opportunities for CartCom to sell more and eventually expand with the screens, as shown in the picture. C:UsersKamillaDesktopskjerm cartcom Will the consumers continue changing their behavior? Another thing worth noticing is the perceived threat of consumers changing their behavior, as they have been doing up until now. The average perception of this is analyzed in Ac Nielsens report on grocery shopping from 2010. The results tell us that Vietnamese consumers are anticipated to change their behavior on several highlighted elements. Elements like purchasing more local food, buy bigger packs to save money, purchase more on promotion and change channel of information received. However because it is expected to change on every subject, I believe this is just another hint telling us that the retail industry will continue growing. I believe the consumer behavior will keep on changing into the western way of shopping, in supermarkets with carts and postponed for in-store advertising. This way of shopping also includes the large purchases to save money and advertising for low prices. The push marketing strategy is becoming old and the chains, we believe, is in need for a new and innovative way of exposing the customers with communication material. I want to highlight one finding from this model. It states that they are anticipating the Vietnamese consumers to buy more Vietnamese products in the close future. This is likely to be a trend to support the countries operations and not import. Also it is supporting short travelled food and environmental focus. Conclusion How inhabitants do their shopping is different in every country. In Vietnam there has been a change from street markets to supermarkets and this creates opportunities for several participants. CartCom is one of them and by introducing a new way of reaching out to consumers during the shopping, we believe we can expand to using screens and that way not be duplicated easily because the plastic brackets are just the beginning of a revolution within in-store advertising. The Ac Nielsen grocery report 2010 http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=vq=cache:y_ldKXyUxcsJ:www.acnielsen.com.vn/site/documents/NielsenVietnamGroceryReportAugust2010.pdf+annual+grocery+report+vietnamhl=nopid=blsrcid=ADGEEShbEBLuDEgDbLQ2NJ5S7dE88LIKbDgtivJ7sJ2yy_M75REjQQvFQQx-1ui3bKdTaaBJi1WKPjwytuw2cjV4IsjqpxLiHUYW0vwxkVm2EwIo1FQo3N7N-INR1KExLRr7znvufnOqsig=AHIEtbSERBeXR8i9t1hcDfpPRnF00k4_7A
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
The End of Make Believe Essay -- Analysis, Claudia Kalb
In a culture saturated in high tech toys that explode with dynamite sounds and whirling lights, children spend countless hours watching television and playing video games and less time engaging in creative and imaginative play. In Claudia Kalb’s article â€Å"The End of Make Believe,†she introduces the Knott family from Cleveland, Ohio. Kris Knott and her husband, parents of three active children, are striving to get back to the basics of play by increasing family time and decreasing their children’s television and video game usage. During the summer months, it would not be uncommon to find the entire family outside enjoying a pleasant evening together. Mrs. Knott states that â€Å"entertainment is not play†and children need carefree, less structured time to use their imaginations (Kalb, par.1). While the Knott’s children have plenty of organized activities such as after school sports, their parents recognize the importance of using imaginatio n and creativity as a source of play (Kalb, par.1). In the same manner, parents must limit children’s time engaging in technology by creating quality family time and encouraging more creative and imaginative play for intellectual, emotional, and social skills to develop. In addition to television, today’s children are inundated with a wide variety of technological choices such as video games, Internet games, and other interactive activities. Despite these advanced technologies, television continues to play a large role in today’s society and while it began as an element to unite the family, it appears to be dividing the family apart now (Winn 437). While television provides us with hours of entertainment, stirs emotions deep inside, and is a tool for gathering information, most experts agree ... ...roviding the â€Å"box†for more creative and imaginative play. In addition, parents must gather around the dinner table and create family traditions that will last forever in their children’s memories. Parents must emulate the Knott family who are creating memories by spending time together outdoors instead of watching television in separate rooms. As a result, these children develop intellectually, emotionally, and socially and contribute both to their family and community. Elyssa Knott, at the young age of 11 states, "How much fun could you possibly have if you didn't use your imagination?" (Kalb, par.1) As parents follow Kris Knott and her family’s example, they will see their own family beginning to change and acknowledge the importance of spending quality time together, letting go of the television remote and stepping back to the basics of play.
Monday, November 11, 2019
A Consideration of the Role of Feste in Twelfth Night
Shakespeare portrays Feste as a well-drawn, wise, cunning, adaptable character. His character is used in Twelfth Night to reflect on the actions and emotions of the others by keeping himself at a distance from the other characters and not becoming emotionally involved in any of the plots at the beginning of the play. Feste subtly conveys his messages and thoughts through his songs to the audience about the other characters in the play. He reveals in his songs that Orsino is â€Å"roaming†after the wrong love in his pursuit of Olivia. Feste somewhat becomes the narrator of the play by commenting on actions that occur within the play and foreshadowing events. When Feste first enters into the play he has been absent from Olivia's court a long time and must now return into her favour. He does not want to listen to what Maria says to him and using his quick wit manages to answer her. Feste demonstrates his quick wit and ability to juggle words effectively when he says: Let her hang me; he that is well hanged in this world needs to fear no colours. This remark reveals that Feste does not fear Maria's threats and also reveals his intelligence and his philosophical side for he would rather be hanged than be in a war, â€Å"needs fear no colours†. Shakespeare portrays him as a wise man although the Elizabethan audience might consider him a coward and unpatriotic for not wanting to protect and defend his country. Feste carries the stigma of stupidity, which previous fools in literature have inflicted upon all fools but Shakespeare created Feste as an intelligent fool who would change the audience's perception of the role of fools. Shakespeare displays Feste's skill at juggling words as an example of the differences between Feste and other fools as traditionally fools are considered to be ignorant buffoons who are there to entertain using jokes and juggling objects to create amusement. However, Feste displays his insight about the people surrounding him instead while also offering his thoughts about which ruinous condition he would rather be in, â€Å"many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage†. Here he hints that a bad marriage may take place and that death is better than to be unhappy in life. Feste is not loyal to his mistress like Malvolio is to Olivia and Viola is to Orsino for he wanders through the different courts always in search of favour and money. In Orsino's court he sings of love and how it can kill, â€Å"I am slain by a fair cruel maid†man's folly and man's deceitful nature while in Olivia's court he sings to Sir Toby and Sir Andrew he sings more joyful and careless songs but still reflecting on the characters' actions. When he sings the type of song Sir Toby selected he adds on to it when he sees they like it and makes the song relevant to what is happening and sings about what he has seen as an outsider watching the scenes that are happening. Even when he uses music he acts in his capacity as the fool for the house and is secretly wording the advice he would give to certain other characters in the play should he be allowed to tell them. This illustrates his perceptiveness and ability to adapt to any situation no matter what he is supposed to do. Feste's perceptiveness is used as a device to remember what has happened in Twelfth Night without becoming too involved in the play and not seeing the bigger perspective. Sir Andrew is revealed as even more ignorant than Sir Toby has already portrayed him as Feste uses his skills at juggling words to make up new words, which seem real and genuine to Sir Andrew. Feste uses his role as the fool to poke fun at Sir Andrew and sets him up for further humiliation later on because Sir Andrew stores the words Feste uses in his memory and later uses them in any context to try and convince everyone of his intelligence. As Twelfth Night is a play all about foolery and based on the Feast of Fools it is fitting that Feste should make fun of the lesser characters of the play, which somehow make the audience laugh at them as well. Feste is the centre of amusement and merriment in every situation, providing the entertainment for the others and he does this in many ways. Sir Toby enjoys Feste making fun of Sir Andrew and Feste knows this so he does it to please Sir Toby and Sir Andrew being the person he is doesn't realise this and pays Feste as well. Feste demonstrates his cunning in managing to get money out of two people for different reasons. In Act 4 Feste reveals he is ready to become part of the play and take an active role. The others have tricked Malvolio agrees to dress up as Sir Topas, a curate. He thoroughly enjoys his new role as he is making Malvolio madder and without Malvolio in the way he is more important to his mistress, Olivia. In his role as Sir Topas he is more appealing to Sir Toby as Sir Toby hates Malvolio for his puritan-like ways. Feste's disguise convinces Malvolio that Feste is a real curate and Feste undermines his own character being reluctant to join in and always being himself he is now pretending to be something he is not although he is adapting to this new role he is putting on a different face, which he has never done before. Feste reveals one of his flaws through his disguise when he does not know where is a safe place to stop teasing Malvolio and juggling words. In this way he goes over the top with his role and needs someone to keep him in check but has no one to do this for him. Feste's final song seems to be a perfect ending to Twelfth Night. While this song contains many silly words and phrases designed to make people laugh, it does have a serious side to it that suggest that love and marriage are not the only things in life and that there is not always a happy ending. The song goes through the life cycle from a â€Å"little tiny boy†and reverts all the way back around again to when the â€Å"world begun†. It seems to be about Feste's life in particular and his choice to become a fool. He is saying that becoming a fool was his only way to survive because he could not have succeeded any other way. Shakespeare uses Feste as someone to reflect and a way to end the play fittingly. In Twelfth Night, the fools are the ones that control the comedy and humour in the play. They assist in the make believe game and fool around with characters who â€Å"evade reality or rather realize a dream†. This makes Feste a pivotal character in Twelfth Night as without him many other things could have happened and a lot less humour and jokes would have occurred.
Friday, November 8, 2019
10 Literature Essay Topics on #8220;The Red and the White A Family Saga of the American West#8221;
10 Literature Essay Topics on #8220;The Red and the White A Family Saga of the American West#8221; The Red and the White: A Family Saga of the American West by Andrew R. Graybill is one of the interesting works of literature that covers race relations on the frontier and re-visits an obscure historical event that has no marker commemorating its location. A good read for individuals interested in the history of the 19th century West, it is part of many higher education courses as it is quite rich with history, details, and themes. If you have to write a literature essay on The Red and the White: A Family Saga of the American West, you first need to decide on a topic. While you are welcome to check our list of 20 topics on The Red and the White for a literature essay, take a look at the following 10 facts first to understand this book better and possibly come up with your own topic. â€Å"The Red and the White†by Andrew R. Graybill is a multi-layered read. In â€Å"The Red and the White: A Family Saga of the American West†, Andrew R. Graybill tells the story of the Clarke family. The narrative focuses on events which occur during multiple generations of the Clarkes. The book is a thought-provoking examination of Indian-white interracial marriages. The author has masterfully presented the issues faced by the interracial families during the late 19th and early 20th century periods in American history. The person at the center of the historical narrative is Malcolm Clarke, a fur-trader who failed at being a member of the military. He is married to Coth-co-co-na, a member of the Piegan tribe. The narration follows their three successive generations, detailing the struggles they had amongst their surroundings. The novel chronicles the Marias Massacre. Utilizing primary sources at the Montana Historical Society and interviews with the Clarkes’ living relatives, Graybill uncovers forgotten history related to the Marias Massacre, an epochal event for the Blackfeet, but hardly mentioned in history. The Marias Massacre, also called the Baker Massacre, occurred on January 23, 1870. The second US Cavalry, under the command of Major Eugene Baker, mistakenly attacked a Piegan Blackfoot encampment with full force. The Piegans were camped near the Marias River, Montana. The attack was so fierce that the soldiers brutally killed 170-220 Indians. While most were killed during the initial attack, eight of them were executed after they had been recaptured after fleeing. The reason behind the inhumane slaughter was revenge for the murder of Malcolm Clarke by his Piegan wife’s cousin. The book goes over the aftermath of the Marias Massacre. People living during the massacre’s time as well as many present-day historians blame Major Eugene M. Baker for the massacre. A known alcoholic, he is held entirely responsible for the Marias Massacre. Furthermore, he failed to accurately report the scale of the killings. The situation was further exacerbated when the US Army discovered that the Blackfoot camp was full of people suffering from smallpox. The political fallout was dealt with by General Sheridan, who supported Major Baker and managed to prevent an official investigation into the matter. After the massacre, the Blackfeet Nation was weakened significantly. They did not have the numbers to retaliate. The book beautifully depicts the Blackfoot tribe of the North American Great Plains. The Blackfoot tribe belong to the largest North American native language groups, the Algonquian. They were split into three tribes, the largest of which was the Piegan (or Piikni in the Blackfoot language). The Piegan was one of the three groups that lived in the North American Great Plains and made up the Blackfoot Confederacy. The other two were Kainai and Siksika. During the nineteenth century, the Piegans were dominant over a large part of the northern plains. â€Å"The Red and White†shines the light on the demise of the Blackfoot population. The Blackfoot tribe’s numbers reached around 20,000 in the 1900s. The population declined dramatically during times of severe illnesses. Their immune systems could not fight off Eurasian diseases. Infectious diseases, such as smallpox, resulted in epidemics. During the year 1837, a smallpox epidemic wreaked havoc and killed off 6,000 members of the tribe. The Blackfeet also faced severe starvation because of disrupted food supply lines and wars. During the year 1882, a desperate group set out on a buffalo hunt, but failed. Therefore, the next year became known as the Year of Starvation. The book also points out the division of borders and the formation of Nation States. Historians are of the opinion that the Blackfeet nation was a confederacy of three distinct and independent tribes. They lived in distinct parts of the Plains. The Piegan occupied the south, the Bloods occupied the central region, and the North Blackfeet lived in the northern region. There were definite differences among the three tribes though they shared a common culture and a common language. The formation of Canada and USA forced the Piegan to divide their homeland. The tribe signed treaties with both the nation-states and reservations created as a result. Andrew R. Graybill shared the whereabouts of the Blackfeet today. The descendants of the Piegan people in the current times occupy the Blackfeet reservation in Montana. The North Blackfeet and the Bloods live in Alberta on the Canadian reservation. The book detailed how the Blackfeet sustained themselves. The Blackfeet tribes partly relied on agriculture and partly lived off the land. They were also nomadic to some extent. When they mastered the use of horses and guns, they moved westwards to improve their bison hunting. Later on, around the 19th century, they were integrated into the cultures of the Plains Indians. The Blackfoot territories shrunk immensely like the tribe itself. Implementing an executive order by President Ulysses S. Grant in the years 1873 and 1874, the territory controlled by the tribe was reduced. The stretch of land bordered by the Sun River in the south and the Marias River in the north was removed. In the year 1887, the Blood sub-tribe signed a treaty with the Canadian government. Known as the Treaty Number Seven, it effectively restricted their land only to reservations located in Alberta. However, the Piegan still occupied a part of the vast reservation located in the north of the Missouri river. â€Å"The Red and White†discusses the signing of the Sweetgrass Hills Treaty of 1888. The year 1882 was one of the most excruciating times for the Blackfeet. Even though some buffalo hunts proved successful, they were destitute and 600 members of the tribe died from starvation. As a result, they were forced to rely on the US government. The leaders of the tribe, White Calf and Three Suns, decided to sell of a part of the Reservation to fulfill their needs. The Sweetgrass Hills Treaty was signed and ratified by the Congress in the year 1888. The huge Montana Indian reservation was broken apart. This list of facts is quite substantial and will be a great help to any student struggling with their literature essay. If you are also having trouble writing this academic piece, go through our guide on how to write a literature essay on The Red and the White. References: Ewers, J. (1958). The Blackfeet; Raiders on the Northwestern Plains. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. Hungrywolf, A. (2006). The Blackfoot papers. Skookumchuck, B.C.: Good Medicine Cultural Foundation. Indians, S. (2016). Soldiers Massacre the Wrong Camp of Indians Jan 23, 1870 HISTORY.com. HISTORY.com. Retrieved 29 March 2016, from history.com/this-day-in-history/soldiers-massacre-the-wrong-camp-of-indians Schultz, J. (1962). Blackfeet and Buffalo. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. The Marias Massacre. (2016). Legendsofamerica.com. Retrieved 29 March 2016, from legendsofamerica.com/na-mariasmassacre.html Nye 23 Paul Hutton, Montana, the Magazine of Western History The Piegan Massacre , Army Politics and the Transfer Debate vol 32 no.2 Spring 1982, 33 Black, George (2012). The View from Mount Washburn. Empire of Shadows: The Epic Story of Yellowstone. New York: St. Martins Press. Scheick, W. (2015). The Half-Blood. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky Utley, Robert M. (1973). Grants Peace Policy, 1869-74. Frontier Regulars the United States Army and the Indian, 1866-1891. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press. Perry, A. (2001). On the Edge of Empire. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. â€Å"EARLY BLACKFOOT HISTORY. American Anthropologist A5: 153–164. April 1892. Grinnell, George Bird George Bird Grinnell Blackfoot Lodge Tales Blackfoot Lodge Tales
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Gucci Group Essays
Gucci Group Essays Gucci Group Essay Gucci Group Essay Executive Summary Gucci Group is a luxury goods retailer focusing on improving their market share while producing high quality fashionable items. Initially, Gucci’s poor business strategy and internal family conflict directly resulted in decreased sales and net income. When Investcorp took control of the company, Gucci regained their success through quality management and acquisitions. Gucci’s product line now includes a large range of products. We would like to continue Gucci’s success and believe that the next major business decision for Gucci is how to manage the new acquisitions. We recommend that Gucci cease further acquisitions of companies to its portfolio and should not challenge the status quo by making big management changes at the group of companies that it has acquired. This will help sustain growth in different segments and maintain an existing customer base. Introduction Gucci Group’s iconic red and green stripe, as well as their G logo, has been associated with luxury, elegance and glamour since 1923. Once a family owned leather goods store, Gucci has expanded worldwide and increased its product mix to include other luxury goods such as purses and shoes. Gucci’s business operations lacked experienced leadership since family members controlled business decisions. The market for luxury goods had become fiercely competitive and Gucci’s lack of business strategy had caused them to lose market share to their close competitors, Moet Hennessy-Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Prada. Gucci financial status had fallen while their competitors had increased their sales and operating margins (Exhibit 4). In 1993, Investcorp bought the remaining shares of the Gucci family and placed the necessary management personnel to help turn around Gucci’s struggling business. : Through a series of acquisitions and business line decisions, Domenico De Sole, President, and Tom Ford, Creative Director, help re-invent Gucci’s brand line and established a firm financial foothold for the company. Gucci acquired three major companies: Yves Saint Laurent Couture, YSL Beaute, and Sergio Rossi to create four divisions of Gucci Group while also generating $3 billions in cash. In the early 1990’s, Gucci’s core customer was a matured, conservative, wealthy woman but the company decided to change their business line to capture the market on the younger, more ashion conscious individual. Identification and Justification of Key Strategic Issue Gucci, as previously mentioned, has evolved from a family business into a global corporation. Along this evolution, Gucci has encountered many challenges. One of the key challenges faced by Gucci is preventing a buyout from one of it’s main competitors, Moet Hennessy-Louis Vuitton, Hermes. In order to prev ent being acquired, Gucci has taken the path to acquiring other companies, and this is the key strategic issue that is challenging them moving forward. Do they continue this path of acquisitions with the capital they have on hand or not. Another key strategic issue that had adversely affected Gucci in the past was streamlining their supply chain and distribution operations. This is related to their key strategic strategy of acquisition. As they acquire companies, they will face the same challenges they have had in the past. Identification and Evaluation of Alternatives Below are the strategic recommendations regarding the future position of the Gucci Group and its new acquisitions. All of these alternatives are mutually exclusive business strategies, and we have evaluated each alternative’s pros and cons should Gucci choose to implement it. Alternative 1: Keep separate management structure and freeze new acquisitions. As of 2000, each of Gucci Group’s new divisions – Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent Couture, YSL Beaute, and Sergio Rossi – had its own management structure. A president or CEO of each of the divisions reported to Domenico De Sole. Our strategic recommendation is to continue managing the newly acquired brands independently while holding off on further acquisitions for now. Pros: Having separate management that ultimately reports to De Sole allows the new divisions to maintain the integrity of each brand and avoid brand dilution, while keeping the overall control of the company in the hands of one man who has proven to be a positive influence on the company. We can also leverage the strength and popularity of the Gucci brand to gain distribution for the smaller names, much like how LVMH leveraged Louis Vuitton’s popularity. By holding off of new acquisitions, Gucci can learn to handle the four brands they currently have before adding extra brands. Cons: Four brands with their own management structure may prove to be difficult for De Sole to wrangle, as the managers could bring their own management styles that may not mesh well with De Sole’s style. With the current hold on acquisitions, Gucci may miss out on opportunities to acquire strong brands. Alternative 2: Increase acquisitions in a number of diverse companies. Most luxury brands have been family-owned or -controlled and, consequently, were single-brand firms for the most part. However, mergers and acquisitions have been growing in the industry, with LVMH leading the way. Our strategic recommendation is to follow LVMH’s lead and acquire a multitude of diverse companies to build the Gucci portfolio. Pros: Family ownership of the Gucci Group had dissolved with the drama and tragedy that plagued the Gucci family, so moving away from the ‘family-owned, single-brand’ system seems like it would strengthen and stabilize the company. Depending on the acquisitions the company makes, Gucci Group could potentially become a lifestyle brand for luxury customers to go to for a diverse set of needs. Cons: If the Gucci name becomes associated with lower quality companies through poorly chosen acquisitions, the Gucci brand could be in jeopardy. Becoming a multi-brand company may take away the focus and attention that each brand, including Gucci, needs to continue being successful. Moreover, acquiring multiple companies now before Gucci management is comfortable with the acquisitions it has already made may be too much too fast for the company. Alte rnative 3: Extend Gucci brand through diffusion lines. Extending the brand through diffusion is another strategic recommendation that would help Gucci increase sales. Pros: With Gucci diffusion lines, the company could target different market segments while maintaining their core business. Extension lines have been successful for competitors such as Emporio Armani and their diffusion line of Armani Exchange. Gucci would be able to attract a new clientele while increasing their customer base. Cons: Diffusion lines may weaken the Gucci brand strength overall due to different quality levels. A new line would also incur large initial capital investment and advertising.
Monday, November 4, 2019
A life of the Senses Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
A life of the Senses - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that throughout history, technology has had indelible impact on the lives of the people and through it; several changes in the way we do things have been realized. For instance, communication has been made possible such that we are able to communicate to those in far-flung areas without necessarily transiting to those places. Away from communication, technology has also enable us to produce goods in a more efficient and faster rate than before, with the increase in the world population, there is high demand for the products, without technology, it would be difficult to satisfy the requirement of the all people without an efficient mechanism through which production can be hastened. It is also important to note that technology has also enabled us acquire knowledge with ease, for instance, the use of Google enables us to get information at the click of the button. These are the benefits that technology as brought to our doorsteps to make life bearable and possible for us, to enable us run errands with ease and communicate issues in a timely manner. Notwithstanding, whereas there are technological advancement that has made our lives easier, there are also some bad effect that technology has brought to us, it is not that advantageous per se. For instance, in his book A life of the Senses, Richard Louv categorically proposed that Google is making us not enjoy nature in the sense that it has created a culture that do not appreciate the value of reading. Most of the people today cannot sustain reading hard copy academic materials for just one hour. This is attributed to the technological advancement that has brought Google, through this mode of getting information, it has been realized that the culture of reading has been fading with time and most of the people no longer considers reading books to be a way of sourcing information. In this doing, to find student reading hard copy materials has become rare, as most of the yout hs prefer technology to enable them get information in a click of a button. The natural reading environment has been pushed to the periphery and no more book are there to read (Goodbody 66). In the contemporary United States, young people have been so engraved in the technology that they have been deflected from getting in touch with nature. The technological advancements experienced in the US are rapidly depriving the young people from enjoying the provision of nature since most of the things they are doing are technology based. There is a strong fear that teenagers in the United States soon will be completely be disconnected from nature if they continue to rely on technology as they do today. In this paper, I have examined the different ways in which technology is affecting the extent through which young people should enjoy nature (Negrotti 43). Overreliance on technological provisions is making the young people to miss associating with nature and there is need that they balance t heir relation between nature and technology. Young people in the US have been deprived nature in the following ways through their skewed interest in the technology used. Using technology, most of the natural things have been enabled in the technology through animations, young people then use this animated or simulated programs to satisfy their quest for the natural system. The use of technology has thus made the youths to lose a lot of natural real time experience of the world by engaging in technology. Take for example tourism, before the onset of technology, there was need for tourism activities where people would go out to have fun in the natural environment, to appreciate the diversity of flora and fauna but with the onset of technology, young people have grown lazier and have no time to visit even parks to see wild animals. Instead, they opt for the movie series to enjoy the natural world as captured and availed in the movies. There are several computer games that has made it p ossible for the young people
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Make a report about tomorrowland festival Research Paper
Make a report about tomorrowland festival - Research Paper Example The nature in which the event draws comparison from other world major events makes it unique and a place to desire. The event creates an ambient atmosphere created by the event organiser makes it dribble with goodness for visitors and performers. The inaugural edition took place in Belgium and was organised by ID&T. the Dutch based company took part in organising the 2005 festival. The festival attracted 180000 attendants. The main performance included Technoboy and Push (Tomorrowland, 2014). The highly published event gave rise to a series of events. The successive years saw a 50000 increase in attendance. The yearly event took place in 2008 attracting a record 1000 DJ’s. In 2013, the first Tomorrowworld festival took place (Tomorrowland, 2014). The Georgia festival in USA attracted 140000 attendances. The extended version of the Belgian festival was a success and gave birth to a number of world Tomorrowworld festivals. The 2014 saw into attendance increase by 10,000 people. The 2015 edition is staged to take place in 2015. Brazil is the chosen as the event country. The festival has won a number of awards including the international dance music awards in 2013 and the Red Elektropedia awards in 2012 as the best festiv al (Tomorrowland, 2014). The festival attracts more than 400 deejays with the 2008 edition attracting a hundred DJs. Other staffs as selected by the human resource department include security and police officer (Tomorrowland, 2014). Their job description allows them to ensure a safe environment needed for the event. The other staff at the festival included the photographers and journalist whose main duty was to ensure the event is documented for future reference. The festival outsourced catering and accommodation services. This included tents and hotel room for the visiting audiences. The available capacity only allows accommodation for the performers thus to cater for the demand
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