Introduction to East Asian Cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Introduction to East Asian Cinema - Essay Example The movie had a well structured thematic direction and representation of Chinese culture that it gained government’s approval. Despite application of modern settings within the film, it possesses some close similarities with ‘Journey to the West’, which was released in February 2013 by Chinese Huayi Brother’s film company. Yoo (2012) says that with respect to the moral story behind Jia’s film, one can develop an understanding that the director strives to create a contrast between two different cultures. In this regard, one can say that Jai’s film, ‘The World’, portrays a theme of clash of civilization witnessed in modern globalized societies. ‘Journey to the West’ resembles ‘The World’ in key elements constituting its thematic structure. The movie features the struggle between Chu, and Huen in an effort to retrieve lost treasures stolen by a western insurgent group. This film employs a traditional Chinese setting in its physical portrayal of scenery background. The film’s director develops a fantasy-action film creating a contrast between western extremists and traditional Chinese fighters. Ciecko (2010) says that unlike Jia’s film, ‘Journey to the West’ incorporates significant use of imagery and classical dialog in enhancing development of an fantasy filled movie, with typical crew members representing traditional Chinese art. On the contrary, Jia adopts local actors to play defined roles in showing interactions between Western world and Chinese cultures. Therefore, there is a pronounced similarity between thematic construction of ‘The World’ and that of ‘Journey to the West’. ... ‘Journey to the West’ entails depiction of Chu demonstrating his martial art skills in elaborately traditional Chinese stages. In this movie, cultural designs remain conspicuous in the attire and infrastructural development of Kung-fu stages used in fights. In addition, Huen demonstrates his exceptional ability to blend tragedy and comedy into the movie. In this context, ‘Journey to the West’ film contains some similarities with one of the East Asian movie watched in class. The movie, ‘The World’, captures most of its key scenes within Beijing’s World Park. This park lies squarely inside China’s mainland. Despite this fact, infrastructure development inside the park seeks to create an environment different from that of actual Chinese environment. The main aim of the unique constructions inside the park is meant to create an environment, where tourists would be able to view representation of the world inside a single tourist attract ion site. Ciecko (2010) says that the park’s entrance bares structures resembling typical Roman castles and Gothic sculptures. In addition, gardens inside the left side of the main entrance depict symbolic Italian landscape in terms of terrain and the grand staircase. Apart from these features at the entrance, the world’s perception in enhanced by presence of typical landmark features located in different nations around the globe. Within the movie, ‘Journey to the West’, one main actor named Xuan Zang seems to develop significant interest in the structural and physical appearances of infrastructure within the extremists warehouse facility. Commander Steward, the leader of the extremist group runs into Xuan admiring the city view from

Learning Team Assignment Analyzing and Interpreting Essay Example for Free

Learning Team Assignment Analyzing and Interpreting Essay Ask your instructor for specific information regarding the analysis you are required to perform for your data set. Combine your Week Two Learning Team assignment and Week Three findings with Week Five findings and make a recommendation to the research problem. Use the statistical tables given in the appendices of the textbook and a statistical analysis application: a Microsoft Deadline: ( ), Business General Business Its important to get familiar with the teachers you have when you start your classes. Be sure you know where they have their offices and understand how to get in touch with them easily. You need a good relationship with your professors for many reasons.

Title IX: Leveling the Playing Field Essay -- gender equity in sports

How does one define the success of a high school and college? Is it through standardized test scores, graduates, and college applicants? Is it through winning games and playing beyond the school? Yes, in fact it’s all of these things. America is based on freedom and equality. America is created with â€Å"Liberty and Justice for All†. America is only now starting to treat women as the equals they are. Although Title IX has improved athletic opportunities for women, the ratio of women to men athletic funds is uneven because of the revenue main stream men’s sports bring to the schools. As colleges grew in people and pride, football became the new sensation. With the predominant â€Å"football schools† nationwide, female athletic programs weren’t given much thought. Football provides the schools funding through its massive packed stands. The revenue made funneled back into the football programs and left little funding for any other sport, male or female. In 1972, the nation finally decided to make a stand, and force schools to create and sponsor other athletic teams for females, besides cheerleading and square dancing. Title IX was enacted in 1972 by President Richard Nixon. It â€Å"requires† gender equity for boys and girls in every educational program that is federally funded. Many people do not even know that Title IX exists, or if they do, that it applies to more than sports. However it applies to sports, access to higher education, career education, education for pregnant and parenting students, employment, learning environment, math and science, sexual harassment, standardized testing and technology. It forced schools to even the playing field and implement women’s sporting teams. Before Title IX, it was nearly impossible to get a f... ...011. Davis, Paula M. "Imagine Fund Will Offer Race and Gender-based Scholarships in Response to 2006 Anti-affirmative Action Law." MLive. Michigan Live LLC, 20 Aug. 2008. Web. 06 Feb. 2011. Grant, Christine. "A Title IX Presentation." Bailiwick. The University of Iowa Libraries, 25 Sept. 1995. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. Lopiano, Donna. "Title IX Q & A - Women's Sports Foundation." Title IX. Women's Sports Foundation, 26 May 2005. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. Rhode, Deborah L., and Christopher J. Walker. "Gender Equity in College Athletics: Women Coaches as a Case Study." NCAA. National College Athletics Association, 26 Mar. 2008. Web. 6 Feb. 2011. Weistart, John. "Equal Opportunity? Title IX and Intercollegiate Sports." Wilson Web, Fall 1998. Web. 2 Feb. 2011. "Christine Grant | Sports Management Resources." Our Consultants. Sports Management Resources. Web. 10 Feb. 2011.

English translation, Part 1/prologue of Lazarillo de Tormes Essay

I think it is good that such remarkable things as these, which may never have been heard of or seen before, should come to the attention of many people instead of being buried away in the tomb of oblivion. Because it might turn out that someone who reads about them will like what he reads, and even people who only glance lightly through this book may be entertained. Pliny says along these lines that there is no book–no matter how bad it is–that doesn’t have something good in it. And this is all the more true since all tastes are not the same: what one man won’t even touch, another will be dying to get. And so there are things that some people don’t care for, while others do. The point is that nothing should be destroyed or thrown away unless it is really detestable; instead, it should be shown to everybody, especially if it won’t do any harm and they might get some good out of it. If this weren’t so, there would be very few people who would write for only one reader, because writing is hardly a simple thing to do. But since writers go ahead with it, they want to be rewarded, not with money but with people seeing and reading their works, and if there is something worthwhile in them, they would like some praise. Along these lines too, Cicero says: â€Å"Honor promotes the arts.† Does anyone think that the first soldier to stand up and charge the enemy hates life? Of course not; a craving for glory is what makes him expose himself to danger. And the same is true in arts and letters. The young preacher gives a very good sermon and is really interested in the improvement of people’s souls, but ask his grace if he minds when they tell him, â€Å"Oh, what an excellent sermon you gave today, Reverend!† And So-and-so was terrible in jousting today, but when some rascal praised him for the way he had handled his weapons, he gave him his armor. What would he have done if it had really been true? And so everything goes: I confess that I’m no more saintly than my neighbors, but I would not mind it at all if those people who find some pleasure in  this little trifle of mine (written in my crude style) would get wrapped up in it and be entertained by it, and if they could see that a man who has had so much bad luck and so many misfortunes and troubles does exist. Please take this poor effort from a person who would have liked to make it richer if only his ability had been as great as his desire. And since you told me that you wanted me to write down all the details of the matter, I have decided not to start out in the middle but at the beginning. That way you will have a complete picture of me, and at the same time those people who received a large inheritance will see how little they had to do with it, since fortune favored them, and they will also see how much more those people accomplished whose luck was going against them, since they rowed hard and well and brought their ship safely into port. I. Lazaro Tells about His Life and His Parents You should know first of all that I’m called Lazaro of Tormes, and that I’m the son of Tome Gonzales and Antona Perez, who were born in Tejares, a village near Salamanca. I was actually born in the Tormes River, and that’s how I got my name. It happened this way: My father (God rest his soul) was in charge of a mill on the bank of that river, and he was the miller there for more than fifteen years. Well, one night while my mother was in the mill, carrying me around in her belly, she went into labor and gave birth to me right there. So I can really say I was born in the river. Then when I was eight years old, they accused my father of  gutting the sacks that people were bringing to the mill. They took him to jail, and without a word of protest he went ahead and confessed everything, and he suffered persecution for  righteousness’ sake. But I trust God that he’s in heaven because the Bible calls that kind of man blessed. At that time they were getting together an expedition to go fight the Moors, and my father went with them. They had exiled him because of the bad luck that I’ve already told about, so he went  along as a muleteer for one of the men, and like a loyal servant, he ended his life with his master. My widowed mother, finding herself without a husband or anyone to take care of her, decided to lie at the side–I mean, stay on the side–of good men and be like them. So she came to the city to live. She rented a little house and began to cook for some students. She washed clothes for some stableboys who served the Commander of La Magdalena, too, so a lot of the time she was around the stables. She and a dark man–one of those men who took care of the animals– got to know each other. Sometimes he would come to our house and wouldn’t leave till the next morning; and other times he would come to our door in the daytime pretending that he wanted to buy eggs, and then he would come inside. When he first began to come I didn’t like him, he scared me  because of the color of his skin and the way he looked. But when I saw that with him around there the food got better, I began to like him quite a lot. He always brought bread and pieces of meat, and in the winter he brought in firewood so we could keep warm. So with his visits and the relationship going right along, it happened that my mother gave me a pretty little black baby, and I used to bounce it on my knee and help keep it warm. I remember one time when my black stepfather was playing with the little fellow, the child noticed that my mother and I were white but that my stepfather wasn’t and he got scared. He ran to my mother and pointed his finger at him and said, â€Å"Mama, it’s the bogeyman!† And my stepfather laughed: â€Å"You little son-of-a-bitch!† Even though I was still a young boy, I thought about the word my little brother had used, and I said to myself: How many people there must be in the world who run away from others when they don’t see themselves. As luck would have it, talk about Zaide (that was my stepfather’s name)  reached the ears of the foreman, and when a search was made they found out that he’d been stealing about half of the barley that was supposed to be given to the animals. He’d pretended that the bran, wool, currycombs, aprons, and the horse covers and blankets had been lost; and when there was nothing else left to steal, he took the shoes right off the horses’ hooves. And he was using all this to buy things for my mother so that she could bring up my little brother. Why should we be surprised at priests when they steal from the poor or at friars when they take things from their monasteries to give to their lady followers, or for other things, when we see how love can make a poor slave do what he did? And they found him guilty of everything I’ve said and more  because they asked me questions and threatened me too, and I answered them like a child. I was so frightened that I told them everything I knew–even about some horseshoes my mother had made me sell to a blacksmith. They beat and tarred my poor stepfather, and they gave my mother a stiff sentence besides the usual hundred lashes: they said that she couldn’t go into the house of the Commander (the one I mentioned) and that she couldn’t take poor Zaide into her own house. So that matters wouldn’t get any worse, the poor woman went ahead and carried out the sentence. And to avoid any danger and get away from wagging tongues, she went to work as a servant for the people who were living at the Solano Inn then. And there, while putting up with all kinds of indignities, she managed to raise my little brother until he knew how to walk. And she even raised me to be a good little boy who would take wine and candles to the guests and do whatever else they told me. About this time a blind man came by and stayed at the inn. He thought I would be a good guide for him, so he asked my mother if I could serve him, and she said I could. She told him what a good man my father had been and  how he’d died in the battle of Gelves for the holy faith. She said she trusted God that I wouldn’t turn out any worse a man than my father, and she begged him to be good to me and look after me, since I would be an  orphan now. He told her he would and said that I wouldn’t be a servant to him, but a son. And so I began to serve and guide my new old master. After he had been in Salamanca a few days, my master wasn’t happy with the amount of money he was taking in, and he decided to go somewhere else. So when we were ready to leave, I went to see my mother. And with both of us crying she gave me her blessing and said, â€Å"Son, I know that I’ll never see you again. Try to be good, and may God be your guide. I’ve raised you and given you to a good master; take good care of yourself.† And then I went back out to my master who was waiting for me. We left Salamanca and we came to a bridge; and at the edge of this bridge there’s a stone statue of an animal that looks  something like a bull. The blind man told me to go up next to the animal, and when I was there he said, â€Å"Lazaro, put your ear up next to this bull and you’ll hear a great sound inside of it.† I put my ear next to it very simply, thinking he was telling the truth. And when he felt my head near the statue, he doubled up his fist and knocked my head into that devil of a bull so hard that I felt the pain from its horns for three days. And he said to me, â€Å"You fool, now learn that a blind man’s servant has to be one step ahead of the devil.† And he laughed out loud at his joke. It seemed to me that at that very instant I woke up from my  childlike simplicity and I said to myself, â€Å"He’s right. I’ve got to open my eyes and be on my guard. I’m alone now, and I’ve got to think about taking care of myself.† We started on our way again, and in just a few days he taught me the slang thieves use. When he saw what a quick mind I had he was really happy, and  he said, â€Å"I can’t give you any gold or silver, but I can give you plenty of hints on how to stay alive.† And that’s exactly what he did; after God, it was this fellow who gave me life and who, although he was blind,  enlightened me and showed me how to live. I like to tell you these silly things to show what virtue there is in men being able to raise themselves up from the depths, and what a vice it is for them to let themselves slip down from  high stations. Well, getting back to my dear blind man and telling about his ways, you should know that from the time God created the world there’s no one He made smarter or sharper than that man. At his job he was sly as a fox. He knew over a hundred prayers by  heart. He would use a low tone, calm and very sonorous, that would make the church where he was praying echo. And whenever he prayed, he would put on a humble and pious expression–something he did very well. And he wouldn’t make faces or grimaces with his mouth or eyes the way others do. Besides this he had thousands of other ways of getting money. He told everyone that he knew prayers for lots of different things: for women who couldn’t have children or who were in labor; for those women who weren’t happy in their marriage–so that their husbands would love them more. He would give predictions to expectant mothers about whether they would have a boy or a girl. And as far as medicine was concerned, he said that Galen never knew the half of what he did about toothaches, fainting spells, and female illnesses. In fact, there was no one who would tell him they were sick that he couldn’t immediately say to them: â€Å"Do this, and then is; take this herb, or take that root.† And so everyone came to him–especially women–and they believed everything he told them. He got a lot out of them with these ways I’ve been telling  about; in fact, he earned more in a month than a hundred ordinary blind men earn in a year. But I want you to know, too, that even with all he got and all that he had, I’ve never seen a more greedy, miserly man. He was starving me to death. He didn’t even give me enough to keep me alive! I’m telling the truth: If I hadn’t known how to help myself with my wily ways and some pretty clever tricks, I would have died of hunger lots of times. But with all his know-how and carefulness I outwitted him, so that I always–or usually–really got the better of him. The way I did this was I played some devilish tricks on him, and I’ll tell about some of them, even though I didn’t come out on top every time. He carried the bread and all the other things in a cloth bag, and he kept the neck of it closed with an iron ring that had a  padlock and key. And when he put things in or took them out, he did it so carefully and counted everything so well that no one in the world could have gotten a crumb from him. So I’d take what little he gave me, and in less than two mouthfuls it would be gone. After he had closed the lock and forgotten about it, thinking that I was busy with other things, I would begin to bleed the miserly bag dry. There was a little seam on the side of the bag that I’d rip open and sew up again. And I would take out bread– not little crumbs, either, but big hunks–and I’d get bacon and sausage too. And so I was always looking for the right time to score, not on a ball field, but on the food in that blasted bag that the tyrant of a blind man kept away from me. And then, every time I had a chance I’d steal half copper coins. And when someone gave him a copper to say a prayer for them–and since he couldn’t see–they’d no sooner have offered it than I would pop it into my mouth and have a half-copper ready. And as soon as he stuck out his hand, there was my coin reduced to half price. Then the old blind man would start growling at me. As soon as he felt it and realized that it wasn’t a whole copper he’d say, â€Å"How the devil is it that now that you’re with me they never give  me anything but half coppers, when they almost always used to give me a copper or a two-copper piece? I’d swear that this is all your fault.† He used to cut his prayers short, too; he wouldn’t even get  halfway through them. He told me to pull on the end of his cloak whenever the person who asked for the prayer had gone. So that’s what I did. Then he’d begin to call out again with his cry, â€Å"Who would like to have me say a prayer for him?† in his usual way. And he always put a little jug of wine next to him when we ate. I would grab it quickly and give it a couple of quiet kisses before I put it back in its place. But that didn’t go on for very long: he could tell by the number of nips he took that some was missing. So to keep his wine safe he never let the jug out of reach; he’d always hold on to the handle. But not even a magnet could attract the way I could with a long rye straw that I had made for that very purpose. And I’d stick it in the mouth of the jug and suck until–good-bye, wine! But the old traitor was so wary that I think he must have sensed me, because from then on he stopped that and put the jug between his legs. And even then he kept his hand over the top to make sure. But I got so used to drinking wine that I was dying for it. And when I saw that my straw trick wouldn’t work, I decided to make a spout by carving a little hole in the bottom of the jug and then sealing it off neatly with a little thin strip of wax. When it was mealtime, I’d pretend I was cold and get in between the legs of the miserable blind man to warm up by the little fire we had. And the heat of it would melt the wax, since it was such a tiny piece. Then the wine would begin to trickle from the spout into my mouth, and I got into a position so that I wouldn’t miss a blasted drop. When the poor fellow went to drink he wouldn’t find a thing. He’d draw back, astonished, then he’d curse and damn the jar and the wine, not knowing what could have happened. â€Å"You can’t say that I drank it, Sir,† I said, â€Å"since you never let it out of your hand.† But he kept turning the jug around and feeling it, until he  finally discovered the hole and saw through my trick. But he pretended that he hadn’t found out. Then one day I was tippling on my jug as usual, without realizing what was in store for me or even that the blind man had found me out. I was sitting the same as always, taking in those sweet sips, my face turned toward the sky and my eyes slightly closed so I could really savor the delicious liquor. The dirty blind man saw that now was the time to take out his revenge on me, and he raised that sweet and bitter jug with both his hands and smashed it down on my mouth with all his might. As I say, he used all his strength, and poor Lazaro hadn’t been expecting anything like this; in fact, I was drowsy and happy as always. So it seemed like the sky and everything in it had really fallen down on top of me. The little tap sent me reeling and knocked me unconscious, and that enormous jug was so huge that pieces of it stuck in my face, cutting me in several places and knocking out my teeth, so that I don’t have them to this very day. From that minute I began to hate that old blind man. Because, even though he took care of me and treated me all right and fixed me up, I saw that he had really enjoyed his dirty  trick. He used wine to wash the places where the pieces of the jug had cut me, and he smiled and said, â€Å"How about that, Lazaro? The very thing that hurt you is helping to cure you.† And he made other witty remarks that I didn’t particularly care for. When I had about recovered from the beating and the black and blue marks were nearly gone, I realized that with a few more blows like that the blind man would have gotten rid of me. So I decided to be rid of him. But I didn’t run away right then; I waited until I could do it in a safer and better way. And although I wanted to be kind and forgive the blind man for  hitting me with the jug, I couldn’t because of the harsh treatment he gave me from then on. Without any reason he would hit me on the head and yank on my hair. And if anyone asked him why he beat me so much, he would tell them about the incident with the jug: â€Å"Do you think this boy of mine is just some  innocent little fellow? Well, listen and see if you think the devil himself would try anything like this.† After they’d heard about it, they would cross themselves and say, â€Å"Well–who would ever think that such a little boy would do  anything like that!† Then they’d laugh at the prank and tell him, â€Å"Go on, beat him. God will give you your reward.† And this advice he followed to the letter. So, for revenge, I’d lead him down all the worst roads on purpose to see if he wouldn’t get hurt somehow. If there were rocks, I’d take him right over them; if there was mud, I’d lead him through the deepest part. Because even though I didn’t keep dry myself, I would have given an eye if I could have hurt two eyes of that man who didn’t even have one. Because of this, he was always beating me with the end of his cane so that my head was full of bumps, and with him always pulling on my hair a lot of it was gone. I told him I wasn’t doing it on purpose and that I just couldn’t find any better roads, but that didn’t do any good. The old traitor saw through everything and was so wary that he wouldn’t believe me any more. So that you can see how smart this shrewd blind man was, I’ll tell you about one of the many times when I was with him that he really seemed to show a lot of perception. When we left Salamanca, his plan was to go to Toledo because the people were supposed to be richer there, although not very free with their money. But he pinned his hopes on this saying: â€Å"You’ll get more  water from a narrow flowing stream than you will from a deep dry well.† And we’d pass through the best places as we went along. Where we were welcomed and were able to get something, we stayed; where this didn’t happen, we’d move on after a few days. And it happened that as we were coming to a place called Almorox when they were gathering the grapes, a grape picker gave him a bunch as alms. And since the baskets are usually handled pretty roughly and the grapes were very ripe at the time, the bunch started to fall apart in his hand. If we had thrown it in the sack, it and everything it touched would have spoiled. He decided that we’d have a picnic so that it wouldn’t go to waste– and he did it to please me, too, since he’d kicked and beat me quite a bit that day. So we sat down on a low wall, and he said: â€Å"Now I want to be generous with you: we’ll share this bunch of grapes, and you can eat as many as I do. We’ll divide it like this: you take one, then I’ll take one. But you have to promise me that you won’t take more than one at a time. I’ll do the same until we finish, and that way there won’t be any cheating.† The agreement was made, and we began. But on his second turn, the traitor changed his mind and began to take two at a time, evidently thinking that I was doing the same. But when I saw that he had broken our agreement, I wasn’t satisfied with going at his rate of speed. Instead, I went even further: I took two at a time, or three at a time–in fact, I ate them as fast as I could. And when there weren’t any grapes left, he just sat there for a while with the stem in his hand, and then he shook his head and said, â€Å"Lazaro, you tricked me. I’ll swear to God that you ate these grapes three at a time.† â€Å"No, I didn’t,† I said. â€Å"But why do you think so?† That wise old blind man answered, â€Å"Do you know how I see that you ate them three at a time? Because I was eating them two at a time, and you didn’t say a word.† I laughed to myself, and even though I was only a boy, I was very much aware of the sharpness of that blind man. But, so that I won’t talk too much, I won’t tell about a lot of humorous and interesting things that happened to me with my first master. I just want to tell about how we separated, and be done with him. We were in Escalona, a town owned by the duke of that name, at an inn, and the blind man gave me a piece of sausage to roast for him. When the sausage had been basted and he had sopped up and eaten the drippings with a piece of bread, he took a coin out of his purse and told me to go get him some wine from the tavern. Then the devil put an idea in my head, just like they say he does to thieves. It so happened that near the fire there was a little turnip, kind of long and beat up; it had probably been thrown there because it wasn’t good enough for stew. At that moment he and I were there all alone, and when I whiffed the delicious odor of the sausage, I suddenly got a huge appetite– and I knew that all I would get of it would be the smell. But the thought of eating that sausage made me lose all my fear: I didn’t think for a minute what would happen to me. So while the blind man was getting the money out of his purse, I took the sausage off the spit and quickly put the turnip on. Then the blind man gave me the money for the wine and took hold of the spit, turning it over the fire, trying to cook the very thing that hadn’t been cooked before because it was so bad. I went for the wine, and on the way I downed the sausage. When I came back I found that sinner of a blind man holding the turnip between two slices of bread. He didn’t know what it was yet, because he hadn’t felt of it. But when he took the bread and bit into it, thinking he would get part of the sausage too, he was suddenly stopped cold by the taste of the cold turnip. He got mad then, and said, â€Å"What is this, Lazarillo?† â€Å"You mean, ‘Lacerated,'† I said. â€Å"Are you trying to pin  something on me? Didn’t I just come back from getting the wine? Someone must have been here and played a joke on you.† â€Å"Oh, no,† he said. â€Å"I haven’t let the spit out of my hand. No one could have done that.† I kept swearing that I hadn’t done any switching around. But it didn’t do me any good–I couldn’t hide anything from the  sharpness of that miserable blind man. He got up and grabbed me by the head and got close so he could smell me. And he must have smelled my breath like a good hound. Really being anxious to find out if he was right, he held on tight and opened my mouth wider than he should have. Then, not very wisely, he stuck in his nose. And it was long and sharp. And his anger had made it swell a bit, so that the point of it hit me in the throat. So with all this and my being really frightened, along with the fact that the black sausage hadn’t had time to settle in my stomach, and especially with the sudden poking in of his very large nose, half choking me–all these things went together and made the crime and the snack show themselves, and the owner got back what belonged to him. What happened was that before the blind man could take his beak out of my mouth, my stomach got so upset that it hit his nose with what I had stolen. So his nose and the black, half-chewed sausage both left my mouth at the same time. Oh, Almighty God! I was wishing I’d been buried at that very moment, because I was already dead. The perverse blind man was so mad that if people hadn’t come at the noise, I think he would have killed me. They pulled me out of his hands, and he was left with what few hairs had still been in my head. My face was all scratched up, and my neck and throat were clawed. But my throat really deserved its rough treatment because it was only on account of what it had done that I’d been beaten. Then that rotten blind man told everyone there about the things I’d done, and he told them over and over about the jug and the grapes and this last incident. They laughed so hard that all the people who were going by in the street came  in to see the fun. But the blind man told them about my tricks with such wit and cleverness that, even though I was hurt and crying, I felt that it would have been wrong for me not to laugh too. And while this was going on I suddenly remembered that I’d been negligent and cowardly, and I began to swear at myself: I should have bitten off his nose. I’d had the opportunity to do it; in fact, half of the work had already been done for me. If only I’d clamped down with my teeth, I’d have had it trapped. Even though it belonged to that skunk, my stomach would probably have held it better than it held the sausage; and since there wouldn’t have been any evidence, I could have denied the crime. I wish to God I’d have done it. It wouldn’t have been a bad idea at all! The lady running the inn and the others there made us stop our fighting, and they washed my face and throat with the wine I’d brought for him to drink. Then the dirty blind man made up jokes about it, saying things like: â€Å"The truth of the matter is I use more wine washing this boy in one year than I drink in two.† And: â€Å"At least, Lazaro, you owe more to wine than you do to your father–he only gave you life once, but wine has brought you to life a thousand times.† Then he told about all the times he’d beaten me and scratched my face and then doctored me up with wine. â€Å"I tell you,† he said, â€Å"if there’s one man in the world who will be blessed by wine, it’s you.† And the people who were washing me laughed out loud, while I was swearing. But the blind man’s prophecy wasn’t wrong, and since then I’ve often thought about that man who must have had a gift for telling the future. And I feel sorry about the bad things I did to him, although I really paid him back, since what he told me that day happened just like he said it would, as you’ll see later on. Because of this and the dirty tricks the blind man played on me, I decided to leave him for good. And since I had thought about it and really had my mind set on it, this last trick of his only made me more determined. So the next day we went into town to beg. It had rained quite a bit the night before, and since it was still raining that day, he went around praying under the arcades in the town so we wouldn’t get wet. But with night coming on and there still being no let up, the blind man said to me, â€Å"Lazaro, this rain isn’t going to stop, and the later it gets the harder it’s coming down. Let’s go inside the inn before there’s a real downpour.† To get there we had to cross over a ditch that was full of water from the rain. And I said to him; â€Å"Sir, the water’s too wide to cross here, but if you’d like, I see an easier place to get  across, and we won’t get wet either. It’s very narrow there, and if we jump we’ll keep our feet dry.† That seemed like a good idea to him, and he said, â€Å"You’re pretty clever. That’s why I like you so much. Take me to the place where the ditch is narrow. It’s winter now, and I don’t care for water any time, and especially not when I get my feet wet.† Seeing that the time was ripe, I led him under the arcades, to a spot right in front of a sort of pillar or stone post that was in the plaza–one of those that hold up the overhanging arches of the houses. And I said to him, â€Å"Sir, this is the narrowest place along the whole ditch.† It was really raining hard and the poor man was getting wet. This, along with the fact that we were in a hurry to get out of the water that was pouring down on us–and especially because God clouded his mind so I could get revenge–made him believe me, and he said, â€Å"Point me in the right direction, and you jump over the water.† I put him right in front of the pillar. Then I jumped and got behind the post like someone waiting for a bull to charge, and I said to him, â€Å"Come on, jump as far as you can so you’ll miss the water.† As soon as I’d said that, the poor blind man charged like an old goat. First he took one step back to get a running start, and then he hurled himself forward with all his might. His head hit the post with a hollow sound like a pumpkin. Then he fell over backward, half dead, with his head split open. â€Å"What? You mean to say you smelled the sausage but not the post? Smell it, smell it!† I said, and I left him in the hands of all the people who had run to help him. I reached the village gate on the run, and before night fell I made it to Torrijos. I didn’t know what God had done with him, and I never made any attempt to find out.

An Analysis of Counterfeit Culture in Fashion Essay

Among the social constructs that exist in most cultures and societies, fashion is probably one of the most ambiguous; it can be purposive yet frivolous, essential yet expressive, and functional yet influential.   What started as mere protection from the elements has become a global industry that defines generations and mindsets, producing lifestyles and preferences that are adhered to by large segments of world population.   This phenomenon is linked to the creation of brands and branding—symbols of a particular lifestyle choice that may reflect certain values and beliefs, which ultimately translate into an economy marked by persuasion and aspiration. Popular culture has appropriated fashion and its related concepts in a multitude of ways, and has contributed to the growth of a significant number of brands.   An excellent example of this is the practice of celebrity endorsement, wherein brands are assigned to famous individuals—those who have gained success and equivalent reputations in their chosen areas of expertise—and fashion is probably the most visible.   The lure and appeal of these celebrities instantly affect consumer behavior, and assure economic success for the fashion brand owner. Likewise, a celebrity increases his or her status by being associated with brands that have a positive, aspirational image—which is then communicated to the consumer.   This is perhaps the single most important reason why certain brands are coveted; and such desire is measured in its practical effects:   increased sales, brand growth, and higher tag prices.   However, these results also correlate with negative practices, and one of the most controversial is the production of counterfeit goods. The journey of the garment, which is the basic unit of fashion, traces a long road from its beginnings in the mind and hands of its creator—the designer—who must have included the necessary components for protection and expression, combined with style.   Now, a single garment already connotes bigger concepts of identity and socio-political notions; but the dangers of counterfeiting threatens to redefine the social and political aspects associated with an original creation, as well as the stripping of its unique identity. If the goal of counterfeiting is to help individuals with their status and self-esteem issues, then the act could be evaluated on the level of psychological support and alternative means of coping; but since counterfeiting fashion goods is not ever likely to have this altruistic objective at its core, there can be no other way to define it but downright stealing and infringement. Counterfeiting, as evident in its proliferation worldwide, is a profitable business; people involved in it—the producers and consumers—are liable for their actions.   While consumers could be incorrectly seen as passive participants in the transaction, producers have no other reason to be in it but to claim rights and profits meant for the original source. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Practice of Counterfeiting Fashion Counterfeit goods are defined by Rutter and Bryce (1146) as â€Å"those which illegally imitate, copy or duplicate a good or use a trademark without authorization†, and thus are subject to certain parameters and criteria that will reveal its true source.   The practice of counterfeiting is a trade no longer new, but its occurrence in fashion and its high-profile industry has produced effects that delve not just on appropriating someone else’s ideas—it is now an industry in itself, founded on the copied factors of design and appeal, and, most importantly, on the deliberate attempt to claim the benefits originally meant for the source. Key in this discussion is the level of desire associated with a particular fashion item, which necessarily stems from the popularity and reputation achieved by a brand.   In order to sustain this kind of exclusive image, most fashion brands use leverage on price and availability—the more expensive and limited, the better chances they have for assuming desire, apart from the given quality and originality of design. Therefore, if a fashion item is deemed unreachable or exists in limited quantities, it almost always translates to promoting want and desire in consumers.   Take for instance the Hermes Birkin, an ordinary-looking ladies’ handbag that uses the strategy of exclusivity; with its hefty tag price and buying procedure of having prospective buyers on a list that may be addressed after months—even years—the item has realized its status as a must-have for the status seeker. Counterfeiting enters the picture at this point, taking advantage of the limited production and availability.   Fake Birkins are now introduced, which greatly diminishes the value placed on the original, whether or not marks of identification are put in place.   International fashion brands have become victims of the counterfeiting trade, based on the documented $15.8 billion in terms of losses in total sales of all counterfeited products (Rutter and Bryce 1148).   The original standpoints on the social and political meanings of fashion within the areas of identity and culture have now been taken over by the issues of equality and class. III.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   China and the Economy of Counterfeiting The process of counterfeiting in its affinity with controversy would not have reached great heights if not for the participation of the producer and the consumer.   News and information in recent years have pointed to specific locales where counterfeiting originates on a large scale, and China—the biggest among several countries involved in the practice—is perhaps the most significant player in the industry. With its huge land area and population, the ascent of China toward economic superiority is apparent, and is acknowledged as the potential determinant of world fashion and its future (Mead 419).   However, its issues regarding its history and politics have pushed the Chinese toward a work ethic of hardship and the idea of quantity (Mead 424), believing that this attitude equates to a richer, better life.   Its sheer size and the persevering quality of its people have made China a major target of international companies, in the same way acknowledging that China has the capability of producing any random commodity required by the market (Pang 120). These two factors, size and capacity, are the same factors that have allowed the Chinese to take on jobs that pay less than required by their Western counterparts, thus making them the perfect players in the goal of mass-producing consumer goods.   Apparel brands such as Nike and Adidas (Pang 129), to name a few, have been manufactured in China for some time; the presence of these coveted brands in the same work environment can eventually give rise to their counterfeit versions. China should not be mistaken as a country that disrespects ownership and originality of ideas; in fact, its history should always be appropriated, and the connections between the past and present should be made.   Work and production were the landmarks of Maoist China, and its recent adoption of capitalism has resulted in a fanaticism for Western brands. Putting these two together would allow one to understand the motivations behind the culture of counterfeiting in China—as it is but a product of opposing cultural and social values informed by history.   However, countries like China and other bastions of counterfeiting will not be able to justify their business any longer; stricter rules on counterfeit goods have been put in place in major locales around the world, and arguments of tradition and historical events will soon become passe and inconsqeuential. IV.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Fashion Consumer in the Counterfeit World The consumer of counterfeit goods in general is often referred to as the ‘other’ (Rutter and Bryce 1149), and rightly so—for the consumption of products already known to be fake and copied reveals a statement that corresponds to the consumer’s social, political, and economic status, as well as ideology.   These are people who have been excluded from the privilege of affording merchandise that may be too costly or unavailable, yet possess a desire to achieve the same effects gleaned from ownership.

Using Google Analytics To Write Smarter Content

Using Google Analytics To Write Smarter Content Smart content is content that perfectly fits your audience. But who is your audience? Thats the BIG question, isnt it? Smart content is content that perfectly fits your audience. #ContentMarketingNearly every blog post that talks about content marketing starts with Know Your Audience and then tells you why thats important. Only if youre really lucky will they tell you how to figure out who your audience is, or how to write for multiple audiences.  But wouldnt you love it if they said click this button and were going to tell you who your audience is, what they like, and where they live? This is your lucky day. You can write smarter content thats a perfect fit for your audience using Google Analytics and their Audience data. Google Analytics has always been a great source of audience information, but these specific reports are even more helpful. To get started, youll want to log into your Google Analytics account. Find Audience in the left-hand column. Beneath that you can see the different sections and reports available. Clicking on these sections will reveal the sub-sections well be covering in this post. There are four key areas where Google Analytics can tell you specific traits about who is reading your content. #1 Demographics: Age And Gender Google Analytics can give us a good picture of what age and gender  our audience is made of. Using and the data we have as an example,  and see how this plays out. As we dug into our own data recently, we were blown away by the high Pinterest use by our users, and the pattern we saw in the topics of the blog posts in our system. 90% of social shares in came from Pinterest. The most popular topics for users on Pinterest were food and home. Heres what we know about the Pinterest network outside of users. 90% of Pinterest users are women. 52% of Pinterest pins are about food,  18% of pins are about home, 15% are about lifestyle. Does our blog attract a larger female audience or not? It would seem that that might be the case, with 90% of our social shares happening on Pinterest and with 90% of Pinterest users being women, but just because we have a high number of female users of doesnt mean thats who is reading our blog. By looking at the data Google Analytics provides, we can get a better picture. It looks like most of our audience is between the ages of 25-34, and it tips slightly toward more female readers. And that is super useful information, because: We can research to find out what topics that age group prefers. We can see that we are writing for two audiences at once, almost equally male/female. Think of it this way: If you were writing a blog that focused on fun things to do now that you are retired, you should see your readers age skew towards 55+. If you dont, something is wrong. Or, if you do see those ages topping your graph, but you decide to write about the latest technical gadgets and change directions, you will likely see your traffic take an initial hit because youll be shedding your current audience and trying to attract a new one. Knowing the age and gender of your audience helps you create content that is appropriate for them. If you want to take this even further, you can also see traffic spikes and dips on specific dates in the detailed Google Analytics report of age/gender demographics. If you dont publish more than one post a day, you can easily see which posts appealed to specific audiences the most. Youll note that this data isnt for 100% of your total sessions (upper right corner). Well talk about the missing data in a bit. Creating smarter content means knowing the demographics of your audience, and writing to fit them.#2 Interests: Affinity And Market Segment Discovering  what specific topics your audience is interested in reading about is like finding gold. According to Google, the affinity category was built for businesses interested in running a TV ad on a local station, or those currently running a TV ad who would like to extend the reach of a TV campaign to an online context for an efficient price. The In-market segment are those people  who are researching products and actively considering buying a service or product like those you offer. The Other category is for those who arent in either affinity or in-market, but are likely to visit your sites offerings based on interests theyve shown online. Google Analytics is providing this information to help you buy ads, not write content, so when it comes to the interest categories available, they are definitely ad-focused. Even though  you arent using this information to purchase ads, it can still help you see what topics your readers are interested in. For , we currently have readers that are interested in tech, entertainment, and social media. That makes sense; our content seems to be fitting the people who would be interested in our product.  Our content is  attracting the right reader. What is fascinating is the In-Market segment, which tends to resemble the kind of content users are creating. Remember how much of our user base was using Pinterest, and what the typical Pinterest content was? Home, food, and lifestyle!  Our users have distinct interests in the content they are creating, and have created an interest trail online that is reflected here. It helps to know what specific kinds of topics to write about, and to not have to worry that someone outside of your demographics might not like it. While you  dont purposefully want to alienate, you dont have to worry about making everyone happy, either. #3 4 Geography And Mobile The last two that will be useful are geography and mobile demographics. Knowing where your readers are located is helpful, not just because of language, but because it makes you aware of the different cultures you are addressing.  s readership is heavily skewed toward the United States, but we do have readers all around the world. This fits, again, with our user base. Being aware of the different cultures can help you: Know whether or not your holiday-themed posts will make sense to your audience. Avoid content that is a cultural/social faux pas in countries your audience resides. Avoid phraseology or comparisons that would confuse or offend your audience. If you have a younger, technologically skewed audience, youll probably see a similar level of mobile usage that we do. Other audiences may not be using their phones and tablets as much as they use a desktop. Knowing that your audience is skewed heavily towards mobile (as ours is)  reminds you to make sure  that your content is readable on the devices people are using to read it. Responsive web design, crisp graphics, sign-up forms that function in the mobile app–these are all things to keep in mind. At this stage in the game, most users are mobile for most sites. Using  Google Analytics Demographics  For Smarter Content Now that you know this is available, how can you put it to work for your own content? Learn About Demographics Knowing that most of your readers are female and around age 25 wont help you much if you dont know what kind of things interest the average 25-year-old female. There is plenty of research and information online, but you have to know how to find it. Here are a few sites that specialize in demographics: Pew Research Center Market Research Demographic Research As always, data is only as valuable as your ability to interpret it into something usable for you. Create Reader Personas This data that Google Analytics is providing you tells you who is reading your content now. It doesnt mean you cant change your content, but it does give you an idea of what to change it to if you want to keep your current audience. You can use the information Google Provides to  create a kind of reader persona that helps you stay focused on what you write. With a user persona in mind, you can write conversationally as if you were speaking directly to them. You know better what to write when you know who you are writing it for. The Missing Audience Data In Google Analytics Remember that 25% of total sessions issue I pointed out? The data that Google uses to compile these reports isnt the whole picture; it isnt 100% of your total sessions.  Google gathers this data using third-party DoubleClick cookie and device identifiers. That means that when a cookie isnt associated with a specific user, Google cant come up with demographics and interests for you. In other words, the data you have is only partial. Its a subset of your users, and doesnt match your overall traffic that you see elsewhere in Google Analytics.  Additionally, Google doesnt want you to be able to identify specific users, and so some data is removed if that data hits a threshold where an identity might be determined. Still, even with those two gaps in place, you are being given a wonderful amount of specific data about your current audience.  It is a significant tool for guiding you, and you wont find this level of information elsewhere.  Remember, Google Analytics audience reports are  not the end-all method of determining who your audience is, but they are  certainly another tool for your content marketing toolbox. Enable Google Analytics Demographics Before you can use Google Analytics demographics and accessing this information, you will need to enable it in your Google Analytics account. Google provides a step-by-step walk-through to help you do this. You may need to update your analytics tracking code to make demographics work, and adjust your privacy policy as well. Once you have everything in place, you can access data about your site visitors and create content better suited to them. Get This Free Audience Demographics Dashboard To make all of this easier to track in Google Analytics, I created a custom dashboard for us in our Google Analytics account. If youd like to use the same dashboard in your own Google Analytics, you can easily install our custom dashboard here. Each visual widget is linked to the report supplying the data, so its easy to dig into more detail if you want to just by clicking the title of the widget. Our custom Google Analytics audience demographics dashboard makes all of this easy. Feel free to customize this dashboard any way youd like for your own use.

Free Essays on Hospitality In Odyssey

Hospitality in the Odyssey Hospitality has played a large role in ancient Mycenaen society and is even evident in the writings of the time, as witnessed in Homer’s Odyssey. Hospitality reveals itself as a domineering factor in the way characters act and the way characters are treated in the Odyssey. One instance of the role of hospitality in the Odyssey occurs early on in the epic when Telemachus secretly set off to find Nestor. Upon first sight of Telemachus and Athene and without any inquiries about who they were, Nestor’s son Peisistratus invited them to the banquet that was in progress. It was not until after Telemachus and Athene had had their fill of food and gotten comfortable that they were asked who they were and where they came from. It seems to have been a common gesture of courtesy in ancient Greek culture to offer guests food and entertainment before attending to business. A second instance of hospitality at work in the Odyssey came in book six when Nausicaa found Odysseus on the shores of Scherie. Even though Odysseus must have appeared intimidating, or even monstrous, Nausicaa felt obligated to help. As was the case when Telemachus visited Nestor, food and drink was readily given to Odysseus shortly after his arrival at the palace. Even though Odysseus was a total stranger, he was still promised food, shelter, and a ride back to his homeland. These gestures of hospitality in the Odyssey were used as an instrument to tell the reader who were the protagonists and who were the antagonists. All of the good characters immediately took Odysseus or his son Telemachus into their homes and fed them. None of the antagonists in the story ever exhibited any form of hospitality towards Odysseus or Telemachus. In the Odyssey, the good offered hospitality, and the bad fed off of the hospitality of others. Hospitality seemed to play a major role in ancient Greek societies. Social status appears to have been determine... Free Essays on Hospitality In Odyssey Free Essays on Hospitality In Odyssey Hospitality in the Odyssey Hospitality has played a large role in ancient Mycenaen society and is even evident in the writings of the time, as witnessed in Homer’s Odyssey. Hospitality reveals itself as a domineering factor in the way characters act and the way characters are treated in the Odyssey. One instance of the role of hospitality in the Odyssey occurs early on in the epic when Telemachus secretly set off to find Nestor. Upon first sight of Telemachus and Athene and without any inquiries about who they were, Nestor’s son Peisistratus invited them to the banquet that was in progress. It was not until after Telemachus and Athene had had their fill of food and gotten comfortable that they were asked who they were and where they came from. It seems to have been a common gesture of courtesy in ancient Greek culture to offer guests food and entertainment before attending to business. A second instance of hospitality at work in the Odyssey came in book six when Nausicaa found Odysseus on the shores of Scherie. Even though Odysseus must have appeared intimidating, or even monstrous, Nausicaa felt obligated to help. As was the case when Telemachus visited Nestor, food and drink was readily given to Odysseus shortly after his arrival at the palace. Even though Odysseus was a total stranger, he was still promised food, shelter, and a ride back to his homeland. These gestures of hospitality in the Odyssey were used as an instrument to tell the reader who were the protagonists and who were the antagonists. All of the good characters immediately took Odysseus or his son Telemachus into their homes and fed them. None of the antagonists in the story ever exhibited any form of hospitality towards Odysseus or Telemachus. In the Odyssey, the good offered hospitality, and the bad fed off of the hospitality of others. Hospitality seemed to play a major role in ancient Greek societies. Social status appears to have been determine...

Definition and Examples of Conditional Sentences

Definition and Examples of Conditional Sentences In English grammar, a conditional sentence is a type of sentence that expresses one situation (the condition,  antecedent, or protasis in a dependent clause) as a condition for the occurrence of another situation (the result, consequent, or apodosis in the main clause). Put simply, the basic structure underlying most conditional sentences can be expressed as, If this, then that. Also called a conditional construction  or a conditional. In the field of logic, a conditional sentence is sometimes referred to as an implication. A conditional sentence contains a conditional clause, which is a type of adverbial clause  usually (but not always) introduced by the subordinating conjunction if, as in, If I pass this course, I will graduate on time. The main clause in a conditional sentence often includes the modal  will, would, can, or could. A subjunctive conditional is a conditional sentence in the subjunctive mood, such as, If he were to show up here right now, Id tell him the truth. Examples and Observations In each of the following examples, the italicized word group is a conditional clause. The sentence as a whole is a conditional sentence. If I ruled the world,Every man would be as free as a bird,Every voice would be a voice to be heard,Take my word, we would treasure each day that occurred.(Leslie Bricusse  and  Cyril Ornadel, If I Ruled the World. Pickwick, 1963)If I ruled the world, was king on the throne,Id make peace in every culture, build the homeless a home.(Nasir Jones et al., If I Ruled the World (Imagine That), 1995)Now, if I had  been that young woman, I would have planted my feet, looked those men straight in the eye, and dared them to try to put me on board a ship when I didnt want to go, but times were different then.(Jennifer Chiaverini,  The Quilters Apprentice, 1999)Even  if she were to  confide in them all her suspicions, even  if she were to  tell them about the pills, even  if she were to  lead them to her locker at the Greyhound Bus Terminal and actually present them with her bloodied dress and the stacks of hundred-dollar bills, she would be regarded with skepticism and outrig ht disbelief.(Joy Fielding, See Jane Run. William Morrow, 1991) All this can be a dreadfully boring business, unless you think you have a future.(Bernard Malamud, The German Refugee, 1964)Conditional Clauses That Are Not Introduced by a Conjunction- It is possible to construct conditional clauses that do not begin with if or unless. The commonest way of doing this is to begin the clause with one of these words: were, should, had. For example: Were I to own a new BMW car, another ten microcomputers would be at my command, so their advertisements claim.Should you succeed in becoming a planner, you would be helping to create these parameters.Had I ignored my fitness, I could never have played international cricket for twenty years. (John Seely, Oxford A-Z of Grammar and Punctuation, rev. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2013)-  Were I to take a turn into the country,  the trees would present a leafless, wintry appearance.(Thomas Paine, winter 1792)- Let Domingo be my heir  should I fail to return, I said to the House that surrounded me.(Jane L indskold, Child of a Rainless Year. Tor Books, 2005)- Yet this strangest of all things that ever came to earth from outer space must have fallen while I was sitting there, visible to me  had I only  looked up as it passed.(H.G. Wells,  The War of the Worlds, 1897) Using the Past Perfect in ConditionalsIf the situations are set in the past, the past perfect is used in the conditional clause and a past perfect modal, usually would have, in the main clause. - If we had been there yesterday, we would have seen them. (But we were not there yesterday.)- If he had been given a good mark, he would have told me. (But it seems that he was not given a good mark.) If the auxiliary in the conditional clause is were, had, or should, we can omit if and front the auxiliary: - Were she here now, there would be no problem.- Had we stayed at home, we would have met them.- Should you see him, give him my best wishes. (Sidney Greenbaum and Gerald Nelson, An Introduction to English Grammar, 2nd ed. Pearson, 2002)Direct and Indirect ConditionsConditional clauses generally express a direct condition, indicating that the truth of the host clause (or apodosis) is dependent on the fulfillment of the condition in the conditional clause (or protasis). However, some condit ional clauses may express an indirect condition that is related to the speech act: [18]   And if I remember rightly you had jaundice didnt you (if I remember rightly it would be true to say)[19]   I mean if I told you honestly things can be really interesting [...][20]   [. . .] I did need to have a need to say , that I was doing something because uhm , otherwise I wouldnt be anybody if you see what I mean Direct conditions may be either open (or real) or hypothetical (or closed or unreal). Open conditions leave completely open whether the condition will be fulfilled: [21] Youre going to have huge trouble , if youve infected me. In [21] the speaker does not give any indication whether he or she believes that the conditionthe infection by the person addressedhas been fulfilled.(Sidney Greenbaum, Oxford English Grammar. Oxford University Press, 1996) Material Conditionals in LogicA material conditional expresses  another type of connection, neither causal nor logical yet similar to other types of conditionals in that it cannot be true if it has a false consequent and a true antecedent. An example of a material conditional is If humans live on Jupiter, then my great-grandmother was an astronaut. Although no natural link connects the antecedent and  consequent in this conditional, its meaning is clear. The point of this sentence, and others like it in English, is to emphasize that the antecedent is false. It is a way of expressing No way is there human life on Jupiter.Although material conditionals are often just  humorous ways of stating that something is false, we can draw from them a logically useful principle about interpreting sentential connectives. In a material conditional, the if... then... that connects the component sentences is a  truth-functional connective. This means that the truth of the conditional sentence is determined completely by (is a  function of) the truth of its component sentences. The only circumstance under which a material is false is when it has a true antecedent and a false consequent. That is why the compound sentence If theres human life on Jupiter then my great-grandmother was an astronaut can be used to state the falsity of there is human life on Jupiter. The consequent of the conditional (my great-grandmother was an astronaut) is obviously false. Yet the sentence as a whole is understood as true. But if the antecedent were true, then the conditional would be false, for it would have a true antecedent and a false consequent. Thus, a material conditional  of the form If (antecedent), then (consequent) is true unless the antecedent is true and the consequent is false. (Merrilee H. Salmon,  Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking, 6th ed. Wadsworth, Cengage, 2013)

Business Ethics of Fords Pinto Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Ethics of Fords Pinto - Essay Example This essay discusses the question of constraint upon the freedom to export various types of commodities that have several different interests and issues today. A close examination of those concerns moves far beyond the scope of this paper, yet the use of some of the ethical theories studied lends assistance in informing the discussion. After consideration of the various positions, the conclusion is that the absence of any constraint on exports would be unethical. If, using a form of Kant’s prime objective, the categorical imperative is the protection of the American workforce, many corporations would go out of business because of the associated loss in competitive position. As for exporting those commodities banned in the United States, but not elsewhere, unless the product is known to be harmful or deficient, there is no ethical dilemma. The researcher states that an example of this is clear with Nestle’s exportation of infant formula. While the product itself may be s afe, the misuse by third-world mothers seeking to attenuate the expense results in under-nourished children, children who do not receive the full benefit of a mother’s natural milk, and recorded deaths. Obviously, this is where the ethical issue becomes the most difficult and where the idea of balance between regulation and corporate responsibility makes the most sense. Should the government force the company to stop exporting a legal product because of a negative impact through product misuse by the consumers? No.

Develop a Basic Marketing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Develop a Basic Marketing Strategy - Essay Example Information communication technology (ICT) industry is one of the highly prioritized sectors of the economy. ICT is a highly dynamic sector of the economy in Hungary accounting for about 6% of the country’s economy (Johansson, Karlsson, and Stough 102). ICT industry in the country targets three main pillars namely creating a highly skilled labor force, increasing the number of IT experts, and attracting more companies and Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs). The ICT industry in Hungary presents a great opportunity for Apple Inc to expand its customer base in Eastern Europe. This marketing plan will try to assess the potential benefits of the company entering in this market. Apple also has a strong workforce of talented individuals in many parts of the world. This seems to fit in well with the human capital available in Hungary because Hungarian employees are highly skilled and motivated. Apple computers do not function well with other Operating systems. This may be a disadvantage for the company because most of the customers in Hungary have other operating systems and it may prove difficult to switch immediately to Apple. Recent changes in management for the company may not be well received in new markets such as Hungary. Steve Jobs was highly regarded around the world as an effective manager and an innovator for the company. His sudden death created some level of uncertainty among customers. This may also may prove a problem for newer markets. One threat for Apple is the legal problems that may result in operating in Hungary. Hungary is an emerging economic powerhouse that is still trying to stabi8lize itself with various legal structures. Some of the laws such as tax policies may affect Apples operations in the country. Another challenge for Apple Inc is the popularity of a new mobile Operating System, Android that is gaining popularity in Hungary and other markets in Europe. This may pose a challenge for

Taxonomy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Taxonomy - Case Study Example The main objective of a car crash analysis is to use a car crash data to identify critical combinations of accident that may produce the greatest amount of harm during an automobile adventure. Analyzing faults of cars and trucks in a car-truck crashes can provide important information to be used during an automobile adventure by drivers. It concentrates on investigating who is at fault between a driver of a truck and a driver of a car. Most of these faults are done by careless drivers that engage on unsafe driving acts on the roadways. For instance, a fault of leaving a vehicle in the travel lane due to inattentive driving behavior may cause a severe and costly accident. The research shows that crashes of cars and trucks are more fatal and severe than any other type of vehicle crashes and can be characterized either by low frequency of occurrence with high severity such as head-on crashes or by high frequency of occurrence with low severity like rear-end crashes (U.S. Department of T ransportation, 1999). Finding out unsafe driving acts commonly experienced on roads, due to careless and inattentive drivers, is a noble undertaking of any person embarking on an automobile adventure to test out a car. This will enlighten on some of hazards or traffic hassles that one might run into on the streets before taking a race. By ranking, these unsafe driving acts would help other drivers taking an automobile drive in a great way to identify and avoid these careless and costly acts. Taking a safe automobile drive to test a car out on a highway will require a lot of discipline and caution. In this regard, ensure that your car is fitted with tools such as air bag and speed limit among others that are essential in reducing cases of injuries and death in case a road accident occurs. A driver needs to rest enough before driving, be alert and avoid alcohol or drug while driving. The headlights, signal lights, windows and

To what extent did the successive rulers successfully avoid the Essay

To what extent did the successive rulers successfully avoid the principles of the Revolution between 1815 and 1848 - Essay Example By doing this, we will not only be able to understand this subject matter better, but we will also be able to attain a much more knowledgeable and informed point of view on this issue as well. This is what will be dissertated in the following. The French Revolution took place basically from the year 1789 to the year 1799, and it was a period in which serious political and social change took place in regards to the political history of France and Europe as a whole. As well, it was a period during which "the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on Enlightenment ideals of democracy, citizenship, and inalienable rights. These changes were accompanied by violent turmoil, including mass executions and repressions during the Reign of Terror, and warfare involving every other major European power" (Wikipedia, 2007). After the Revolution, and basically for the next century on, France would then be governed as a republic, a dictatorship, a constitutional monarchy, and an empire as well. There are many different causes that are considered as being influential on the start of the French Revolution, and in particular there are many economic factors that are involved here. After all there was an incredibly poor economic situation that was present as well as a rather unmanageable national debt, and not only that but there were also a high number of wars during the 18th century, a fact which also greatly contributed to the start of the Revolution. As well there was an incredibly high unemployment rate and food scarcity that was apparent, particularly so in the months immediately preceding the onset of the Revolution. However there were also many social and political factors that were involved here, and for instance, there was a resentment of royal absolutism, as well as a resentment of noble privilege and dominance in public life by that of the more ambitious professional classes. The French Revolution, rather ironically enough, is considered as being a failed revolution, as "Liberte, Egalite, and Fraternite quickly descended to the towering figure of Robespierre and his Reign of Terror as the revolution spun out of control and began to murder itself. First the royalists were beheaded, next the moderate girondists, and by then the violence and suspicion was totally out of hand as the revolution devoured itself" (French, n.d.). It was in the year 1789 when the National Assembly took a collective oath to draft a new and 'better' civil constitution for France, and this task was finally completed in the year 1791. "The new constitution declared France to be a constitutional monarchyandWithin this new government, all legislative powers would fall to a single Legislative Assembly, which alone had the power to declare war and raise taxes" (Hooker, 1996). There were many things that came from this new constitution, and one of the most primary matters was that of economic reform; as the Assembly was faced with the project of reforming the finances and economy of the country and, not only this, but as well, the government

International Joint Venture System Research Proposal

International Joint Venture System - Research Proposal Example Influence to more international maybe as sure of many opportunities opened up by vast markets, which result from unique political, economic& cultural environment in China. Any foreign company could need to rethink its approach in managing employees and the organization as a whole. Against this background, formation of joint ventures in China calls for adaptability, and management of change. These will and bring about improved performance by thawing any foreseeable resistance, withholding crucial information and claiming responsibility for the managerial decision and action taken by personnel. The United States of America is a capitalist economy whose strategic orientations calls for "let the best man win and put you money when your mouth is" perspective. This indeed may not be an appealing view for a Chinese socialist oriented economic attitude. Therefore setting up business of a joint venture system in china calls for a great understanding of the intricacies involved. Other experts call this environmental scanning while the researcher now feels it is appropriate to term it as regional or global scanning. A Sino American comparative analysis type of study will form the basis for the ensuing research on variables that will include adaptability to environmental factors, human resource management adjustments in the nature of personnel training, development , strategic thinking , horizons etc 2. Research objectives and Questions. The primary objectives for this study shall be To focus on the influences of both internal and external forces on joint ventures established in China. To identify the ways in which adaptation is done for succeeding in such ventures. To evaluate the essence of training and development in success in joint venture business. To determine the competitive advantages China offers to such joint ventures. Some specific research questions for this study include; Why is Chinese culture and orientation important Why is training and development critical for success among joint ventures How does competitive advantage and adaptation assume significance Which internal and external influences affect joint venture systems in global market What complexities exist in Chinese based joint venture What are the likely ways in which to alleviate such complexities. 3. Reviewing previous literature There are different sources of data, i.e. primary and secondary. However, it may not be appropriate to assume that the other experts have not positively contributed into the pool knowledge of in this area. To refer and borrow from scholars on Chinese management issues, publications by journals and texts regarding such operations by joint ventures form a critical basis for argumenting ideas available to support any ideas made. There has been a notion regarding paucity of studies on management in China. Academicians have focused on human resource practices in general, which seem shallow (Verna & Yan 1995, Tsung, 1994, Ding, Fields and Akhtar, 1997). Change, management & adaptation :On managing change and ensuring adaptability the (economist, 1991) when China was in a modernization phrase, China attracted industrial foreign

Online Assingment Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Online Assingment - Article Example The New York Presbyterian hospital is the first hospital to test surgery that is designed only for type 2 diabetes. This study is designed to test if diabetes is better handled by surgery as opposed to the other medical treatment options that there are today. This is the first study available to those who are overweight or mildly obese and may open doors to new studies. Under guidelines that currently exist, bariatric surgery is used for the treatment of severe obesity or morbid obesity for people who have a body mass index of 35 or greater. Treatment is now available for patients with a body mass index as low as 26. The body mass index of a healthy person is 19 to 25 while those who are overweight have a body mass index of 26 to 29. Those who are obese have a body mass index that is above 30. Patients with a body mass index below 26 and above 35 are not permitted in the study because the health risks are too dangerous. Previous research has shown that gastric bypass surgery for thos e people with a body mass index of 35 or greater will benefit from the results to treat their type 2 diabetes.

International Joint Venture System Research Proposal

International Joint Venture System - Research Proposal Example Influence to more international maybe as sure of many opportunities opened up by vast markets, which result from unique political, economic& cultural environment in China. Any foreign company could need to rethink its approach in managing employees and the organization as a whole. Against this background, formation of joint ventures in China calls for adaptability, and management of change. These will and bring about improved performance by thawing any foreseeable resistance, withholding crucial information and claiming responsibility for the managerial decision and action taken by personnel. The United States of America is a capitalist economy whose strategic orientations calls for "let the best man win and put you money when your mouth is" perspective. This indeed may not be an appealing view for a Chinese socialist oriented economic attitude. Therefore setting up business of a joint venture system in china calls for a great understanding of the intricacies involved. Other experts call this environmental scanning while the researcher now feels it is appropriate to term it as regional or global scanning. A Sino American comparative analysis type of study will form the basis for the ensuing research on variables that will include adaptability to environmental factors, human resource management adjustments in the nature of personnel training, development , strategic thinking , horizons etc 2. Research objectives and Questions. The primary objectives for this study shall be To focus on the influences of both internal and external forces on joint ventures established in China. To identify the ways in which adaptation is done for succeeding in such ventures. To evaluate the essence of training and development in success in joint venture business. To determine the competitive advantages China offers to such joint ventures. Some specific research questions for this study include; Why is Chinese culture and orientation important Why is training and development critical for success among joint ventures How does competitive advantage and adaptation assume significance Which internal and external influences affect joint venture systems in global market What complexities exist in Chinese based joint venture What are the likely ways in which to alleviate such complexities. 3. Reviewing previous literature There are different sources of data, i.e. primary and secondary. However, it may not be appropriate to assume that the other experts have not positively contributed into the pool knowledge of in this area. To refer and borrow from scholars on Chinese management issues, publications by journals and texts regarding such operations by joint ventures form a critical basis for argumenting ideas available to support any ideas made. There has been a notion regarding paucity of studies on management in China. Academicians have focused on human resource practices in general, which seem shallow (Verna & Yan 1995, Tsung, 1994, Ding, Fields and Akhtar, 1997). Change, management & adaptation :On managing change and ensuring adaptability the (economist, 1991) when China was in a modernization phrase, China attracted industrial foreign

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection paper - Essay Example I strolled, as it were, and encountered the ruined columns and pillars, and among the sepulchers, and felt around my way into the burial dimness of the tombs, and discovered no route coming out from them. The terminal curse of Rome stems from the messages it unrelentingly presents between outer and inner sceneries. It is a city where the subjective and hidden gets seriously transformed into the historical and obvious, where the sightseers observe in the rubbles the many of lost holes that rest defeated in Rome’s earth. I do not really know how to describe, in any harmonious and friendly way, the Rome that exists now; its dark pathways, and avenues of palazzos; its cathedrals, surrounded with the exquisite stones or marbles that were initially refined for the decoration of pagan sanctuaries; its hosts of wicked scents, combined with the aroma of many a thousand incenses; its modest life, gaining meager energy from what has been gone long time ago.

How To Manage Conflict Essay Example for Free

How To Manage Conflict Essay Managing conflict is never easy, whether youre trying to resolve a conflict of your own or trying to help two people settle a dispute. The most important thing to know is that the longer you let the situation continue, the worse itll be when its time to resolve it. So take a deep breath, maintain your cool, and get ready to find a solution that can make everyone (reasonably) happy. 1. Make a plan for meeting. If two people are genuinely in conflict and you want to help them or they need your help then you should plan a time to meet that would make everybody happy. Of course, you may just walk into a conflict and have to solve it on the spur of the moment, but hopefully you have some time to plan in advance. If so, pick a time and place that works for both people, and make sure that they are both invested in solving the conflict. If theres real trouble, then the sooner you can get together, the better. Ad 2. Let each person state his or her side of the story. If you are in charge of managing a conflict, whether its because youre a manager or because youre helping two people figure out their issues, you have to be an active listener. Let each person express his or her position and listen with compassion and care until each person has stated his or her feelings and desires. Dont let the people interrupt each other and make it clear that each person will take turns fully explaining him or her self.[1] Make sure that both people are really listening to each other instead of just waiting until their turn to have their say. If necessary, have one person repeat some of the main points the other person made, so its clear that they both have an understanding of how each person is feeling. 3. 3 Make it clear that you are there to help resolve, not solve. The people who are in conflict must figure out how to move past their problems on their own, not look to you for a magical solution that will make all of their problems go away. You should make this clear from the start so both parties know that they have to work hard and listen actively before they can move  forward. You are there to mediate so the conflict doesnt get out of control and so that both parties can look at the situation with more objectivity and control, but that doesnt mean you will provide them with an answer. 4 Maintain your objectivity. Even if you think that Lucy is obviously in the right and Mary is 100% wrong, it is not your position to say so. If you jump in on Lucys side, then Mary will feel like youre both ganging up against her and the conflict will be even further from a resolution. Instead, keep your own personal opinions and ideas out of it and treat each persons perspective with compassion and respect. Even if one person is more right than the other, they both still have to reach a solution that can reasonably please both of them. If youre mediating a conflict, then you should pay equal attention to both people. Let each person spend about the same amount of time speaking and make points that support both people instead of just focusing on one person or the other. Maintain a neutral expression, and try not to look put off or skeptical if one person is stating something you dont agree with at all. 5. 5 Be a calming force. One of your primary tasks is to help both people keep their cool. Manage their stress levels, their anger, and their emotions to the best of your ability. If someone is getting too heated, raising his or her voice, and getting visibly angry or upset, take a five-minute break or ask that person to take a few deep breaths and wait until he or she can speak calmly. You can only find a solution if both people stay calm and can see clearly.[2] If the conversation is not going down a constructive path, and both people have resorted to name calling and cursing and just criticizing each other back and forth without getting anywhere, then you should intervene and get the conversation back on track. You can say something like, Lets focus on whats important here, or Were just not getting anywhere with this kind of talk. 6 Figure out the source of the tension. Once both people have stated their  cases, you can help them figure out what is really at stake. They may think that they are really angry at each other because of financial tension, but they may really be upset because of a lack of communication. Be as specific. Have each person discuss all of the things that are troubling him or her and see if you can really find the root of the problem. Be patient. It may take a bit of digging and some pain to get there. If you can put it in simple terms, something like, Bob feels that Mary is micromanaging his project or Sara feels like Jim doesnt spend enough quality time with her, then you can begin to tackle the problem better than if you just knew that the two people were angry with each other. 7 Work together to find a solution. Once you have all agreed on the source of the tension and the problem that is at hand, you can begin to find a solution. Remember that both people do have to agree about the nature of the real problem to be able to find an effective solution. It may not be readily apparent, and you may need some perseverance and creativity to get there, but eventually, you should be able to find a way to make both people (reasonably) happy. Here are some potential solutions you may find and ways to state them gracefully: It seems like both of you are having trouble living together. Sara may be a bit too focused on being neat, while Mary may be a bit careless when it comes to doing chores. To solve the problem, you should set out a list of guidelines for how you can both keep the house clean without running into trouble. If you both agree to do the things on the list, then you can stay happy in your living space. It seems that Bob has been managing Clark a little too closely. To avoid this in the future, Bob and Clark can discuss the objectives of a project in great detail and can decide on times when they can both check in about the status of the project; this will make Bob feel at ease about where the project is going, while giving Clark a little bit of breathing room. 8 Make a plan. Once youve found a resolution for the problem, you can set out specific guidelines for making it happen. Remember that both people have to be invested in finding this solution. You can set a timeline for achieving  these goals and have both people put it in writing so they feel that it will actually happen. Here are some ways it can happen: Mary and Sara should sit down and discuss which things in the house have to stay clean at all times, and which parts should be cleaned occasionally for an extra nice touch. Once you agree on the daily chores that really need to be done, you can make a chart of rotating tasks. Bob and Clark should meet for an hour before every new project, taking at least two detailed pages of notes so that Clark has enough direction to go off on his own. They should meet every three days for half an hour to discuss the progress of the project. 9 If both parties agree to disagree, help them part amicably. Maybe neither person, or one of the people, is unwilling to budge, and after much discussion, you havent moved past square one. If thats the case, then you should still make it so that one person understands where the other is coming from and that they can leave the situation without extra hostility or tension. Maybe Bob cant help but breathe down Clarks neck or Sara will always be messy no matter what; if thats the case, then they have to find a way to coexist or make a smart plan for parting ways. Consider the fact that maybe both people just arent ready to resolve the conflict and need more time to cool off. If you feel like the argument is getting nowhere because both people are too heated and emotional, not because they refuse to budge from their positions, then consider asking both people reschedule your meeting for a time when both parties can think more clearly. 10 End the conversation on a positive note. Whether both parties have reached a healthy conclusion or have agreed to disagree, you should end the situation on an optimistic note so neither person feels defeated. If both parties are feeling friendly, go out for a coffee or a beer; if both parties are still very angry, try to diffuse the situation with a bit of humor and see if theyll at least shake hands and stay cordial. If emotions are too heated, then its time for everyone to back off for a bit, but if the vibe is positive, make the people feel good about having the conversation. Remind both parties that, however unpleasant it may be to discuss a conflict, that  they have been mature and done the right thing by deciding to resolve the situation instead of staying angry or avoiding the tension. Method 2 of 2: Managing Your Own Conflicts 1. Face the conflict head-on. If youre dealing with a conflict of your own, then the worst thing you can do is run and hide, waiting for the conflict to get bigger and bigger until its almost impossible to resolve it. Sure, conflict is no fun, whether youre butting heads with a co-worker or your long-term boyfriend, but remind yourself that if you brush your problems under the rug, then they are guaranteed to get worse. So take a deep breath and accept that you have to deal with it.[3] That being said, pick your battles. If you feel like your boyfriend has been neglecting you, then speak up; but if you feel like you dont like the way he loads the dishwater, maybe its better to hold off. 2 Dont tell everyone about it. Its okay to seek advice from a close friend or another co-worker if you genuinely dont know what to do. But if you feel the urge to complain to every person in sight about the conflict just so you can gossip or get some anger off your chest, then youre only getting yourself worked up and possibly putting your relationship in jeopardy if the other person finds out about what youve been saying. If you do need advice, then talk to just one or two people whom you really trust so you can have some meaningful direction.[4] Think about it; how would you feel if you heard your co-worker was telling everyone in the office about your problems without talking to you about it? That kind of behavior is guaranteed to make you feel worse. 3 Use I statements. I statements are crucial for solving a conflict as objectively as possible. I statements make your feelings and motives clear and can help the other person see your side of the story without feeling accused or persecuted; You statements make the other party feel like he or  she is on the chopping block and will make him or her feel much more defensive. Here are some ways to make useful I statements: I feel like we havent been spending enough time together is more effective than You are always neglecting me. I feel like Ive been picking up the majority of the work on the project, is more effective than You have been making me do all of the work on this project. 4 Be specific. This doesnt mean you have to list the 90 things that the person has done to hurt you or to cause the conflict. In fact, this kind of behavior will only make the person feel worse, like hes being picked apart. Instead, stick to two or three concrete scenarios that can illustrate what you mean to make the person see the situation from your perspective. Here are some examples: I was really hurt when you left my birthday party early to hang out with your friends instead of spending more time with me. I spent ten hours on the Roberts report while you only worked on the cover page.

Strategic Positioning Of The Ryanair Airline Commerce Essay

Strategic Positioning Of The Ryanair Airline Commerce Essay Ryanair is a leading no frill airline in Europe and across the globe, it has managed to outperform all other airlines and in 2006, it carried over 34.8 million passengers. Ryanair is targeting low income earners and cost conscience customers 1. 2.1 PESTEL Analysis: (See appendix 7.5) PESTEL analysis is a useful strategic tool for understanding market growth or decline, business position, potential and direction for operations. It is a framework for reviewing a situation and can be applied by Ryanair to review strategic direction as well as marketing intention 4. When one aspect in the PESTEL analysis is affected, the rest will also be affected for example if the political situation of Ireland changes then the economical, technological, social, legal, economical and even environmental aspects will change 4. Ryanair is not in good terms with some governments in the European Union as well as airline industry authorities and airport regulatory bodies due to the rules and regulations they set. The EU wanted to charge tax on aviation fuel due to carbon emissions generated by the airline industries before 2010, Ryanair argued that any environmental taxations scheme should be to the benefit of more efficient carriers, so airlines with low load factors that generate high fuel consumption and emission per passenger and airline that offer connecting rather than point to point flights should be penalised thus excluding itself 5. Secondly, Ryanair protested against charges and conditions on some airports such as Stansted and Dublin. Economical conditions also affect both capital availability and cost, as well as demand 4. If demand is high and the capital is low, it will be attractive for Ryanair to invest and grow with expectations of being profitable. To influence demand Ryanair must continue to use its current strategy and improve its services and upgrade its customer care policies. The currency exchange rates affect Ryanair as they may determine whether customers will book a flight or not. If the exchange rate is high, customers will opt to use other means of transport such as the EURO express. To avoid this situation, customers can use the Euro to book flights 1. Moreover, jet fuel prices are dominated in US dollars and therefore Ryanair will have to risk paying more or less for fuel as it will include the exchange rate. The opportunity to exploit a particular strategy successfully may depend on demand which exists in growth conditions and does not in recession. Although a depressed economy will generally be a treat which results in a number of organizations going out of business, it can provide opportunities for some4. The recession decreased the number of competitors in the industry as well as weakening the remaining competition. In and after recession, customers are more willing to fly with a no frill or low cost carriers rather than a differentiated or hybrid carrier. Therefore, to certain extent the recession has had a positive impact Ryanair. The socio or cultural environment involves demand and tastes, which vary with fashion and disposable income, and general changes, can provide both opportunities and threats for Ryanair 4. Ryanair should be aware of demographics changes as the structure of the population by ages, affluence, regions, number working and so on so as to be able to take advantage when an opportunity occurs. Technological breakthroughs affect the airline industry the most. If the organization can adapt to the technological change then it will be able to overcome competition and increase its market share. The global focus in the 21st century is environmental protection. Ryanair has been able to meet the demand and standards of the world market by offering eco friendly airlines. The aircrafts produce 50% less emissions, 45% lower noise emissions per seat. A winglet modification programme on the fleet is providing better aircraft performance and a 2% reduction in fleet fuel consumption, a saving which Ryanair hopes to improve in the coming years 1. Ryanair has been using one type of airline, Boeing 737 to save cost on training staff. As Ryanair cannot dump expenses on its customers it should look for ways to reduce costs and the author believes that this is one of it 1. Legal factors affecting Ryanair is that of labour unions. Ryanair does not have a good relationship with its employees as it has refused to acknowledge unions. Secondly it is providing poor working conditions and low salaries. Although Ryanair has argued that its pilots are the best paid short haul pilots in Europe. In the autumn 2006 pilots in Ryanair lodge a complaint with the Irish Labour Relations Commission on the basis that there were significant in net salary between Ryanair and Aer Lingus pilots. 2.2 Michael Porters 5 Forces Analysis: (see appendix 7.8) The threat of substitutes in the airline industry is high as there are other means of transport to and from Europe as well as within Europe. Customers are opting to use the Euro Express (train) rather than using an airplane as it is cheaper and offers extra benefits. The Euro Express enables its customers to enjoy the scenario while offering more or less the same services as the airplane. Rivalry amongst existing firms; there are a number of competitors within the market and when the European Union commenced even more competitors entered the market. The industry is competitive and is becoming saturated. Each competitor is using a strategy to get a foot hold in the industry. Although some of the airlines are using the no frill strategy, Ryanair has been able to best them by creating a strong brand offering the lowest price fare. Bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of suppliers is low as there are many suppliers in the industry. The suppliers of the airline industry are those who supply the airline with parts such as the blades and engines, food, uniforms for the air hostess and so on. They are easily replaceable as Ryanair can get these services from any country within and outside of Europe. Ryanair as a supplier has a high bargaining power as it offers services that are unique in the market (it is the only no frill airline in the United Kingdom). Bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of buyers is very high as there are a lot of substitutes and competitors in the market. The customer can easily use his/her car to go Dublin rather than take an airplane. Secondly, as there are a number of competitors in the market, the airlines will offer discounts and promotions to attract customers and therefore customers can easily switch from one airline to another. Threats of new entrants; the biggest barrier to entering the airline industry is capital but nowadays entrepreneurs can take a loan with the bank or form an alliance such as a joint venture to overcome this barrier. The industry regulations can help decrease the number of new entrants and reduce competition within the market. There is no union among the existing firm to keep new entrants out, in other industries the existing firm come together to keep new entrants out of the industry as they would saturate the market even more. 2.3 Ratios Analysis: Ryanairs financial performance is positive, although there is still room for improvement (see appendix 7.9). The net profit margin in 2006 was lower than 2005 but Ryanair managed to increase it in the second half of 2006. The return on capital employee has been constant from 2005 to 2006. 3.0 STRATEGY CHOICES: 3.1 Strategy: Ryanairs objective is to firmly establish itself as Europes leading low-fares scheduled passenger airline through continued improvements and expanded offerings of its low-fares service. Ryanair aims to offer low fares that generate increased passenger traffic while maintaining a continuous focus on cost-containment and operating efficiencies 1. Ryanair was initially a hybrid (see appendix 7.4) as it was a full service conventional airline, in the early 1990s it become a no frill carrier under the management of Michael O Leary 1. The author believe that this move by the Chief Executive Officer has enable Ryanair to create a market peak for itself and gain market share and therefore I would not suggest a change in strategy. The industry is very competitive and is becoming saturated thus if Ryanair decides to change its strategy it will have to design and implement a new strategy that is not being used by its competitor or that has never been used in the industry. This is next to impossible as all of the strategies i.e. differentiation, cost leadership are already being used. Secondly, Ryanair would lose the foothold it has in the industry and its market share and it would have to start from scratch, which will mean more capital will have to be invested into the new strategy. Although Ryanair is using the no frill strategy1 they must be careful to not devalue the company. Currently, it has a large customer base but most of which have a very low opinion of the airline 6. Moreover, Ryanair should increase more benefits to its customers for example they should remove the 50 cent wheelchair levy that was impose on every passenger ticket 6. These small charges are making customers opt to fly with a different airline. The airline offers point to point flight 1. Ryanair uses secondary terminals to avoid crowding in the terminals as well as to decrease its turnaround time. The turnaround time is also kept to a minimum by the flight attendants cleaning the airplane instead of outsourcing professionals. Building on its success in the Ireland-U.K. market and its expansion of service to continental Europe, Ryanair intends to follow a manageable growth plan targeting specific markets to gain an advantage over its competitors. Ryanair believes it will have opportunities for continued growth by 1: Initiating additional routes from the U.K. or Ireland to other locations in continental Europe that are currently served by higher-cost, higher-fare carriers Increasing the frequency of service on its existing routes Starting new domestic routes within EU countries Considering possible acquisitions that may become available in the future Connecting airports within its existing route network (triangulation) 3.2 Competitive Advantage Analysis: Ryanair has many competitive advantages (See appendix 7.7). According to Ryanairs official website the following are some of its competitive advantage; 3.2.1 Low Fares: Ryanair sets fares on the basis of demand for particular flights and by reference to the period remaining to the date of departure of the flight, with higher fares charged on flights with higher levels of demand for bookings made nearer to the date of departure. The airline sells seats on a one-way basis, thus eliminating minimum stay requirements from all travel on Ryanair scheduled services, regardless of fare. Ryanairs competitors generally do not operate a one-way pricing policy, so direct comparison is not possible, but current round-trip fares on Aer Lingus, Ryanairs largest competitor on the London- Dublin route, for travel in September 2004 were 82.27 Euro for economy restricted return tickets, 218.27 Euro for economy flexible return and 353.75 pounds for business class tickets. 3.2.2 Customer Service: Ryanair delivers the best customer service performance in its peer group. According to reports by the Association of European Airlines and the airlines own published statistics, Ryanair has achieved better punctuality, fewer lost bags and fewer cancellations than all of the rest of its peer grouping in Europe. Ryanair achieves this by focusing strongly on the execution of these services and by operating from uncongested airports. 3.2.3 Frequent Point-to-Point Flights on Short-Haul Routes: Ryanair provides frequent point-to-point service on short-haul routes to secondary and regional airports in and around major population centres and travel destinations. Short-haul routes allow Ryanair to offer frequent service, while eliminating the necessity to provide frill services otherwise expected by customers on longer flights. Point-to-point flying allows Ryanair to offer direct, non-stop routes and avoid the costs of providing through service for connecting passengers, including baggage transfer and transit passenger assistance costs. In choosing its routes, Ryanair favours secondary airports with convenient transportation to major population centres and regional airports. Secondary and regional airports are generally less congested than major airports and, as a result, can be expected to provide higher rates of onetime departures, faster turnaround times, fewer terminal delays and more competitive airport access an d handling costs. Faster turnaround times are a key element in Ryanairs efforts to maximize aircraft utilization. Ryanairs average scheduled turnaround time for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004 was approximately 25 minutes. Secondary and regional airports also generally do not maintain slot requirements or other operating restrictions that can increase operating expenses and limit the number of allowed take-offs and landings. 3.2.4 Low Operating Costs: Management believes that Ryanairs operating costs are among the lowest of any European scheduled passenger airline thus being advantageous to the airline. Ryanair strives to reduce or control four of the primary expenses involved in running a major scheduled airline: Aircraft equipment costs Personnel productivity Customer service costs Airport access and handling costs 3.2.5 Aircraft Equipment Costs: Ryanairs initial strategy for controlling aircraft acquisition costs was to purchase used aircraft of a single type Boeing 737, there was a significant reduction in the number of such used aircraft available for purchase in the market. The 737-800s represent the latest generation of Boeings 737 aircraft and share certain basic attributes in common with Ryanairs current fleet. Although Ryanairs acquisition of the 737-800s has already, and will continue to significantly increase the size of its fleet from that in 1998 and thus significantly increase its aircraft equipment and related costs, the purchase of aircraft from a single manufacturer enables it to limit the costs associated with personnel training, maintenance and the purchase and storage of spare parts, as well as affording greater flexibility in the scheduling of crews and equipment. 3.2.6 Personnel Productivity: Ryanair endeavours to control its labour costs by continually improving the productivity of its already highly-productive work force. Compensation for employees emphasizes productivity-based pay incentives, including commissions for on-board sales of products for flight attendants and payments based on the number of hours or sectors flown by pilots and cabin crew personnel within limits set by industry standards or regulations fixing maximum working hours, as well as participation in Ryanairs stock option programs. 3.2.7 Customer Service: Ryanair has entered into agreements on competitive terms with third party contractors at certain airports for passenger and aircraft handling, ticketing and other services that management believes can be more cost efficiently provided by third parties. Management attempts to obtain competitive rates for such services by negotiating multi-year contracts at prices that are fixed or subject only to periodic increases linked to inflation. The development of its own internet booking facility and reservations centre has advantaged Ryanair to eliminate travel agent commissions. 3.2.8 Airport Access Fees: Ryanair attempts to control airport access and service charges by focusing on airports that offer competitive cost terms. Management believes that Ryanairs record of delivering a consistently high volume of passenger traffic growth at many of these airports has allowed it to negotiate favourable contracts with such airports for access to their facilities. Ryanair further endeavours to reduce its airport charges by opting, when practicable, for less expensive gate locations as well as outdoor boarding stairs rather than more expensive jet ways. 3.2.9 Ecommerce: During January 2000, Ryanair converted its host reservation system from the BABS (British Airways Booking System) to a new system called Flight speed, which it operates under a 10 year hosting agreement with Accenture Open Skies (Open Skies). As part of the implementation of the new reservation system, Open Skies developed an internet booking facility called Skylights. The Skylights system allows internet users to access Ryanairs host reservation system and to make and pay for confirmed reservations in real time through Ryanairs website which accounts for a 96% reservation of all flights. 3.2.10 Safety: Ryanairs commitment to safety is a primary priority of the Company and its management. This commitment begins with the hiring and training of Ryanairs pilots, cabin crews and maintenance personnel and includes a policy of maintaining its aircraft in accordance with the highest European airline industry standards. Ryanair has not had a single incident involving major injury to passengers or flight crew in its 20 year operating history. Although Ryanair seeks to maintain its fleet in a cost-effective manner, management does not seek to extend Ryanairs low cost operating strategy to the areas of safety, maintenance, training or quality assurance. Routine aircraft maintenance and repair services are performed at Dublin, London (Stansted), Glasgow (Prestwick), Shannon and Milan (Bergamo) by Ryanair and, at other airports maintenance contractors. 4.0 STRATEGY IN ACTION: According to Ryanairs website the company plans to initiate new services and improve existing ones and therefore the author will suggest ways the company can do so. The first is initiating additional routes from the U.K. or Ireland to other locations in continental Europe that are currently served by higher-cost and higher-fare carriers. As economies have just emerge from a recession, customers are more cost conscience and therefore if Ryanair continues to use its no frill strategy it will be able to quickly gain market share and dominance. Increasing the frequency of service on its existing routes, as seen in appendix 13 the most used route is from Dublin to London, therefore Ryanair should increase flights from Dublin to London and vice versa. Starting new domestic routes within EU countries, as the EU Union continues to grow, more markets will open up. Ryanair should try to enter these markets the first so as to gain the first mover advantage such as being the first to exploit the market thus gaining more knowledge about the market. Considering possible acquisitions that may become available in the future. Ryanair acquired a small Dutch budget, short haul, carrier buzz and wanted to acquire Aer Lingus its Irish rival and long haul airline. Although the acquisition failed at the time, Ryanair can still try again but using a different strategy. In the future the airline should appoint a stockbroker to purchase Aer Lingus as it did when its stockbroker Davy purchased the Aer Lingus shares. Secondly, Ryanair should negotiate behind closed doors, the first attempt failed because of media interference. Ryanair should state that it will bring in an expert to handle the organizational structure so that the 2 organizations can be able to work together and allow trade unions so as to win over the trust of the government and the Aer Lingus board. Connecting airports within its existing route network, currently Ryanair is using secondary terminals to avoid traffic and increase its turnaround time. But most customers prefer to use the main terminals and therefore if Ryanair uses both the main and secondary terminals it will be able to increase its customer base. 5.0 CONCLUSION: As seen in section 3.2 Ryanair is using the no frill strategy, the company has positioned itself well in the market and has manage under the leadership of the Chief Executive Officer and shareholder Michael O Leary to become a household name. Although Ryanair is targeting a niche in the market where its customers are willing to forgo extra benefits for the low fare, the company should try to add value for its customers where ever it can and when ever it can to increase brand loyalty and ultimately sales. 6.0 REFERENCE: Ryanairs official website, http://www.ryanair.com obtained on 21st November 2009 at 12:11 P.M G. Johnson, k. Scholes, R. Whittington 2008, Exploring Corporate Culture, 8th Edition, Prentice Hall Ryanairs history 2009 obtained from http://en.Wikipedia.org/Ryanair on 19th November 2009 at 11:23 A.M PESTEL Analysis, obtained from http://university-essays.tripod.com on 19th November 2009 at 12:00 P.M S. Cairns and C. Newson, predict and decide: Aviation, climate change and UK policy, ECI Research Report 33, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford 2006 D. Milmo, Ryanair the world least favorite airline, Guardian 26 October 2006 Center for Asia Pacific Aviation 2009, obtained from http://www.cntreforpacificaviation.com on 15th November 2009 at 2:12 P.M BBC WORL NEWS, fast track, interview with Michael OLeary time 11:55 28th December 2009 Ryanairs marketing mix 2009 obtained from http://www.marketingteacher.com on the 27th of November 2009 at 12:06 P.M. Ryanairs competitive advantage obtained from http://www.slideshare.net/puya455/newanalysis-of-ryanairs on the 27th November 2009 at 1:00 P.M Ryanairs value chain analysis obtained from http://www.peerpapers.com/essays/Ryanair-Value-Chain-Analysis/171123.html?topic