Saturday, August 31, 2019

Analyse Ways Essay

The Shoe-Horn Sonata by John Misto has five main themes or concerns. They are; History and Memory, Power and Control, Heroism and Relationships and War and Atrocities. John Misto explores all these ideas while telling the story of Bridie and Shelia’s reunion fifty years after they last saw each other. The play is about the histories of the women and the nurses that were captive of the Japanese during World War Two; their individual histories and joint suffering. The stories of these women were never made official and there is no government recognition of their plight and few, if any, official records. These painful memories are not part of any ‘official’ history and this is made clear in the play. â€Å"The British didn’t want anyone to know about us. They’d have lost prestige if people found out how women of the Empire had lived in the war. So for the sake for King and Country, they burned out diaries. Every last one.† Shelia, Scene Thirteen. Misto makes it clear in the course of the play that the memories of the women are accurate. The oral stories from these fictional characters have juxtaposed over them the factual images to confirm and extrapolate the stories of the women. The visual images of the thin, starving people are very strong and clear to an audience, for example, Scene Seven opens with a photo of some women POW’s Ââ€" â€Å"emaciated, haggard and impoverished†. This is shown while Bridie explains how thin Sheila and herself got while at the Japanese camps, â€Å"The lightest I got was exactly five stone…† The visual images show exactly what the women are talking about and add to the sense of theatre around the play. They heighten the audience’s understanding of the enormity of the issue. There is use of background sounds throughout the play, for example in Scene Five when Bridie explains what happened on Radji Beach on Banka Island there is â€Å"sounds of machine gun fire and cries of women on the soundtrack†. The dues ex machine effect of these amplified sounds further highlights the theme of memories and history, linking both the action and the memories of the two women on stage. The Shoe-Horn Sonata explores power relationships at a number of levels. The most obvious power play on stage occurs between the interviewer and the women he is interviewing. This power play has an ambiguous moment in which the women are uncertain as whether Rick has overheard a ‘private’ conversation in Scene Ten. This is also explained in the stage directions: â€Å"Bridie and Shelia look up, startled. Then they both realise they are wearing small microphones. They both wonder whether every word has been overheard…† Rick also has the power to choose what questions to ask, and what to edit out of his documentary film. On another level we can see the role of power between the prison guards and prisoners. The guards abuse their power physically, sexually and emotionally and many seemed to enjoy the pain they inflicted. Lipstick Larry’s comment in Scene Eight, â€Å"Plenty of room in the graveyard for her…† is typical of the cruelty the guard’s exhibit. The prisoners had little choice but to cooperate and be humiliated and abused, this in turn had a large physiological effect on both women. This is shown when Shelia explains that she still has nightmares about Lipstick Larry in Scene Ten â€Å"[haunted] Every night when I fall asleep, Lipstick Larry’s waiting. He calls to me and I go to him Ââ€" and no one can change that. Not even you.† The Japanese dominated the women in every aspect; they even made them bow to the Japanese flag every morning. In Scene Nine, the two characters are reminded of this power by the presence of the Japanese flag that is being projected on the back screen. It doesn’t move and dominates the stage; a continuing reminder of how the women lived their lives in the camp and the power and control that continues to affect them. This emphasises to the audience just how horrible the camps really were for the women and how they continue to affect them today, fifty years on. Misto’s play revolves around the heroic deeds and relationships that are up held by the women during the war. The heroic deeds were acts of physical courage of the highest order. For Sheila, the supreme sacrifice of selling her body to the Japanese in order to obtain the necessary drugs for her friend’s survival is all the more poignant as we understand the cultural and social background that she had come from. Misto focuses on the ‘unsung’ hero’s of the war, for example the Australia nurse that washed the bed pans of the women on the way to Belalau. â€Å"It was the bravest act I have ever seen. She didn’t get a medal for it butÂ…all of us loved for of that…† (Sheila) The stories of the two women are expanding the conventional view of heroism to include acts of sacrifice beyond simple physical courage. The Shoe-Horn Sonata shows clearly that relationships are able to survive the toughest of times. The relationship of Bridie and Shelia survives not only the horror of the prisoner of war camps but also the pain of their reunion decades after the war. Misto uses a variety of theatrical techniques to convey this relationship to the audience and show that survival and growth are features of the relationship. Misto gives evidence of how tough times were in the camps with a combination of dialogue and screen images being used to illustrate what had happened to these people, for example, the slides of the women POW’s at the open of Scene Seven. These slides portray the starving bodies, rough conditions and brutality yet through all this the relationship gets stronger. The music played throughout the play symbolises the stage at which Bridie and Sheila’s relationship is. For example, Scene Ten closes with Anne Shelton’s â€Å"I’ll walk alone† displaying to the audience that at this point in the play Bridie and Sheila’s relationship is at its most fragile point because the truth about Sheila’s sacrifice has just been revealed. The play highlights the horrors of war particularly for women and civilians. The atrocious way in which human beings treat fellow human beings in a wartime situation is not restricted to the Japanese, but seen to be central to war itself. The atrocities are seen to have affected both women’s lives ever after. For example Bridie’s fear of the Japanese people in David Jones. What is particularly significant for these women is the requirement to ‘keep  smiling’ (Scene Nine) and to repress the memories. For these women the memories of the atrocities are tinged with guilt and shame. In some respects this amount to an even worse atrocity to plague the lives of these women after the war. The humour used by Misto in the play, derives not only from the way in which the women used the power of the human spirit to laugh at adversity, but also from the way in which the playwright has juxtaposed those moments of recounting of comic events with the horrors of the memories of the reality. The light and dark in this play allows us to be both horrified and entertained. As in any great tragedy, the comic allows not simply relief from the pain, but help us to question the reasons for the horror. John Misto believes that the women victims of this defeat of the British deserve to have their stories told and their sufferings recognised by a wide audience. Having talked to ‘real survivors’ he wrote the play in the hope that more people would be exposed to their suffering and above all to their courage. The dialogue, music, the sound effects and the projected images work together to shape the audiences response and to tell the powerful story of the women’s memories, raw vulnerability, strong relationships and heroism.

Discussing the Relationship between Eugenics, Genomic, and Reproductive Technology

Discussing the Relationship between Eugenics, Genomic, and Reproductive Technology Since the early part of human existence, various discreet and unique characteristics can be seen either on the physical: such as moles, height, physique; and psychological, being manifested on certain behaviors and attitudes. This distinct and apparent inherent characteristic makes up an individual, and consequently has contributed towards the evolution and development of mankind.The study of such, which usually starts from the biological beginnings in genes and DNA’s, can be considered in the basic principles of Eugenics, Genomic, and the Reproductive Technology, and its relative associations. Eugenics can be considered a form of a social thinking, which advocates the development of the hereditary traits of human by means of a variety of forms of intrusion or intervention.All throughout the history, the term has been classified as an advocate for social responsiveness, an enlightened attitude o f the society, primarily aimed to create a stronger, healthier, and intelligent people, and at the same time lessen the sufferings of human (Currell 25). To achieve this goal, earlier methodologies used the procedures on selective or discerning breeding, while the modern methodology focused on the birth control, genetic counseling, pre-natal testing, genetic engineering, and the in-vitro fertilization.Though, the philosophy of eugenics can be considered somewhat idealistic, some of the advocates against it consider it as an enticement to the â€Å"power hungry† and noticeably can be subjected to further corruptions. Furthermore, it is also considered by some as the justification for the sponsored-state discrimination or extermination, and genocide such as the Holocaust. The word â€Å"Genomic† usually covers a broader context of related technologies and scientific research.The term genome refers to the total set of instructions or processes in creating an organism. It is the master or the original blueprint of all cell activities and structures during the life span of an organism (McGrath 10). Considering the human genome, it is comprised of tightly threads in a coil figure of DNA, where the genes can be found. Genomic, therefore, refers to the to the study of the DNA, the mRNA, and the corresponding protein levels.The Reproductive Technology covers all of the anticipated and current technologies in animal and human reproduction, together with the assisted technology in the reproductive state, and contraception. The assisted reproductive technology include the following: cloning, treatment of hormone, cryogenic preservation of sperms and embryos, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, artificial reproduction, embryo transfer, and surrogacy, to name a few. Aside from contraception, other techniques involve artificial wombs, repro genetics, technology choice germinal, and parthenogenesis in vitro (Mur 39).Many concerns of the reproductive technology have consequently given rise to certain bioethical issues, since the knowledge or technology more often changes the premises that lie following the existing systems of reproductive and sexual morality. More so, the ethical issues of human improvement occur when the reproductive technology has eventually evolved to be a possible expertise or technology not only for the reproductively withdrawn people but also for healthy reproductive people.Therefore, based on the respective discussion above, eugenics, genomic, and the reproductive technology are associated with each other. They comprised a common theme, which is the human being- for the betterment deemed achievable. They apparently constitutes a â€Å"cyclic† pattern of contextual connotation since the inherent characteristics of every human being depends on the unique genes or â€Å"genetic codes† (genomic).These in turn can be influenced by the social intervention (eugenics) on both of the parents since t he social requisites or responsiveness determines the characteristics and behavior of the parents, which in-turn could be inherited by the off spring. The process or the system upon which all of these can be conceived fall on the ‘reproductive technology† since it is concerned with the various methods of how the women can be â€Å"fertilized† to conceive birth. Aside from this, the reproductive technology also deals with the means of controlling or inhibiting reproduction.Therefore, the innermost portion of the relevant study of the human being lies on the field of genetics, which is being represented by genomic. The inherent process wherein the behavior of a child can be obtained through the combination of genes or DNA’s of both parents, and consequently can be affected by the social various social interventions. The reproductive technology signifies the process wherein these two concerns may be verified. Though the topics presented constitutes a broad ran ge of knowledge, the basic underlying principles and its corresponding associations can be seen.The issues of possible temptation to power, ethical, and moral concerns, cannot be justified. With respect to the technological advancement in the field of human â€Å"development†, the scientific method of achieving such will definitely have an impact on the issues governing morality, ethical values, and social norms. The important thing to remember, though the goal of human development can be very enticing, is that certain boundaries should not be crossed over not to cause imbalanced on the very nature of human existence.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Wisma Atria

Breadbasket Private Limited marks Its virgin birth at Parch Bugs Junction (retail outlet) on 1st July 2000. With a remarkable period of five months, on December 2000, it ventures into its second venue at Novena Square and further enterprise onto its third outlets closer to the HAD heartlands, Junction 8 shopping centre. Breadbasket has established a firm foundation In local market with Just three years, It Is a listed company on March 2003. It has adopted 4 type generation concept design for retail outlets since year 2000 to 201 2, however there Is a constant In all outlets which is the transparent open kitchen.With just a piece of clear glass that separate the customers from the chefs, it is an apparent indication of its quality of the breads that are served fresh daily. (Breadbasket Group Limited, 2014) Since 2012, breadbasket team diverts its attention In strengthening their core competencies, broadening Its business to 15 countries, Including Mainland China, Hong Kong and Indones ia (737 bakery outlets, 58 food atria and 41 restaurants) Since its foresight in expanding into international market, it has initiated various house brand such as Breadbasket, Toast Box, They Mom Chant, Food Republic, Rampantly andThe Icing Room; and also franchises Din ATA Fun from Taiwan and Carol's Jar from USA. (Breadbasket Group, 2012). With Its long achievements lists. Breadbasket Group Limited Is a creditable International company who has great foresight in anchoring its stand beyond Singapore. Political Breadbasket Is Initiated by a Singapore named Dry George Queue who sees the stability of Singapore In her economic and development. Singapore Is one of the lowest corporate tax rates and smooth growth In business among Salsa countries. Singapore Economic Development Board, 2014) Economic According to the statistic reports on its refined annual breakdown, affirming Its Investor and public that It Is a stable company and has been consistently making increasing profit over the y ears. And, it has managed its cash flow well by investing in property, plant, equipment and joint venture. However in the recent years the dividends paid out to the shareholders of the company have fluctuated which may be due to the following factors such as the stiff competition between the many bakery stores blossoming over the years, short and long term loans that the company has. Breadbasket Group Limited, 2012) Social brands, four hundred and forty-eight outlets spreading over thirteen countries in South East Asia and Middle East. (Breadbasket Group Limited, 2014) Looking into microscopic aspect of the business; on the brand breadbasket in Singapore as it is one of the driving revenue for the company. To date as of 17th June, there are six branches in the north and west zones respectively, seven in the east and south zones respectively and fifteen branches in the central zones.It affirms the strategy that breadbasket Group Limited display to focus on the prime areas in the cent ral zones where the higher income working class and tourists are, as for the remaining zones breadbasket is situated at the heartlands, which are more populated. Breadbasket Group Limited, 2014) Technological Living in a technological advance era, Breadbasket has keep up with the trend by having well- furnished website and faceable page that provides information in regards to the company and their products.Breadbasket is constantly making sure that they are on tracks with the latest trend, for example in line with the world cup 2014, it launch a series of bread with innovative names such as Go Goal, Surreptitiously, Dillon and Supersets. (Breadbasket Group Limited, 2014) Environmental Breadbasket has most of its ingredients imported from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Despite the high cost and short lifespan of the individual products, the top notch quality of ingredients give robust quality assurance and give the consumer value for money products.They also i ntroduce seasonal products such as Sahara flower from Japan, chestnut from China and strawberry from Korea. (TRY EMERITUS, 2014) Legal Breadbaskets signature floss bread which has sweep Singapore by storm when it first launch, does not seem to have any copyright protection. However breadbasket the name of the brand and its logo rights are possess by Breadbasket Group Limited. The threats of new entrants The capital cost for a bakery in reference to its the production and equipment cost are low which eventually set a low barrier for new entrants.As there are no copyrights to the individual created breads, imitation to the variety breads are somewhat effortless. Products in the bakery industry are facing very substantial threat from F that caters to light snacks take away offering a different taste for the consumers to replace breads. The lower pricing for these light snacks remain very alluring. Suppliers The basic elements to make a bread are flour, eggs and wheat which are relative ly cheap for any buyers to purchase. The quality of the products do not differ much across suppliers hence it creates more opportunities for new entrants to enter and compete with breadbasket.Due to this, breadbasket is not able to increase the price of its products. Customers Customers are spoilt with choices to unprecedented number of bakery stores. In Just a short walking distances, customers are exposed not Just to bakery stores but also light snacks stores such as Jellybean, Mr. Bean, Old Change Eke etc which are relatively similar in term of the price. Intensity of Rivalry With the low production cost; Breadbasket has very intense rivalry in the market with Akers stores such as Four Leaves, Prima Deli Bakery, Coddle, Swiss bakery and individual neighborhood bakery.Every single one of them have different innovative strategy to sell their products however the breads' taste and quality do not differ much from each other. Conclusion Breadbasket has been constantly expanding its bu siness, however that would mean an increase of cost in rental in particular in the prime areas and manpower in the midst of the intense rivalry. It will result in the decrease in its return of its profit revenue and relatively low sustainability in the long term. They might need to insider to either closing or lowering the scale of branches that have lower profit margin.Nevertheless we need to applaud on breadbasket for its continual effort in creating new products ( 10 products every 4 months ) and give a hearing ear to the public their prefer choice of breads which are evidenced in its new launch of people's choice Floss Black Pepper Crab Bun (2014). It has also portray as a socially responsible company by introducing the Panda look alike buns where all the proceeds go to the terror of the 7. 8 magnitude earthquake in China. Fresh ideas for their retail outlets together with its open kitchens to showcase the reduction and skills of the bakers.It has also been investing increasing amounts of money on purchasing of property, plant and equipment to keep up with constant stiff competition. Lastly, Breadbasket Group has a very capable and experienced director Dry George Queue who has more than thirty years of F experiences to oversee the whole business and employing diversification strategy in expanding and franchising various brands besides breadbasket. With George and his team competency to keep up with the trends and foresight for fresh business opportunities are critical to the continual success of breadbasket.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Legal issues for managers - ILAC assignment Essay

Legal issues for managers - ILAC assignment - Essay Example This was even with the fact that Security One Pty Ltd was not well prepared to carry out the task. After his suggestion was accepted and SIL agreed to use Security One Pty Ltd for the consultation, he informed his wife, thus making it possible for his wife to have privileged information which allowed her to buy more shares in the Security One Pty Ltd and use this as a way to enrich herself. Yet, in all this, Paul never informed the other members about the possible conflict of interest. Paul also hired employees from an informal organization which led to the firm incurring huge losses after the employees form the informal organization stole property and hard cash from SIL. In hiring the employees, he did not carry out a due diligence and only did a simple web search fro the organization. This lack of delicate care led to him not being able to know that the organization was not a formal one and that it was run by criminals. Kim gave her sister in law privileged information about the proposal to create the new power plant. Using this information, the sister in law, Judy was able to buy purchased $50,000 worth of shares in the company. Karen, despite warning by the CEO, went ahead and made decision to invest more money even after the CEO had warned that an increase in the price of coal would reduce SIL’s market competitiveness and would lead to losses. Even after the CEO’s perditions of the price of coal going up came to be true, she still went on and continued to invest more money. This led to many losses. Conclusion Under the Corporations act 2001, an officer of a firm is supposed to act in the best inters of the firm. In cases where the officer has a conflicting interest in the firm, he or she should be able to look at this issue and be able to refrain from making company decisions. Paul was in a position where he had conflicting interests with the firm he was working for. He should have told

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Communication, Ethics, and Society Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communication, Ethics, and Society - Assignment Example Despite the disparities in cultures, Carola slowly adjusts to the new culture; they start a business, and have a child. Her husband becomes jealous of her, especially in the event of her flirting with other men. The movie ends with Carola travelling back to Switzerland with her daughter after several arguments with Lemalian. Lemalian doubts that she would return to him. In as much as I can clearly recall the movie, I am not able to recall all the names of the characters in the movie, for instance, the serviceman at Lemalian’s and Carola’s shop, the priest in the church amongst others. Basing my argument on DeFleur’s argument, the movie is well portrayed, thus, making it less tasking for me to recall the major characters and the plot of the movie (78). The audience’s perception, attitude and attention have been aroused, allowing the audiences follow involuntarily the contents of the movie. Conclusively, the manner in which content has been displayed by the media determines the permanence and the consistence in which the audience will have in following up the themes displayed to the

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

The history of Chinese women before the age of orientalism Essay

The history of Chinese women before the age of orientalism - Essay Example In the ancient also, the female infants had lower chances of surviving to adulthood while men had low mortality rate and could easily survive to adulthood. Bound feet, which were a tradition even for poor women, depict the painful constraints of the female role. Women and culture in the early days in china represent a great part of history in the Chinese writings. Most of the Chinese historians were not in any way influenced by the feminist movements and it was the historians from the North America and Europe who took a step to dig deeper into this history (Susan, 1997). It is only in 1970s that they start researching as a response to feminist scholarship and anthropologist. The historians look at patriarchy while distancing themselves from female victimization. There were only writings on the history from the mid 19th century but currently there has been articles and research into the live of women in the early years of china history.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Kotter's 8-Step Approach Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Kotter's 8-Step Approach - Research Paper Example However, the deployment of the change-fostering process improves the company’s ability to change and improves the level of change, both in the present and the future. The Toyota Motors company has employed crucial company and business changes, including the diversification of the company’s production at 26 countries – where the brands produced are differentiated. In effect, the company’s business outlook is highly innovative. This paper will diagnose the Toyota Company, so as to expose the needs for change, and then discuss a plan for organizational transformation, utilizing Kottler’s 8-step approach. Company Overview of Toyota Motors The Toyota Motor Corporation is a Japanese, global automaker. The company is headquartered at Aichi in Japan. As of 2010, the company had 300,734 employees, across its areas of operation. The Toyota Company was the third-largest automaker in 2011, in terms of the levels of production, after the Volkswagen group and Gen eral Motors (GM). The Toyota Motors Corporation ranks at eleventh position globally, in terms of the revenues realized. As of 2012, Toyota Motors reported that it had produced its 200-millionth unit (vehicle) during its history in auto making (Toyota Motors, 2013). The company was started by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937, after the production of the Type A engine during 1934 while still a department of the parent company, Toyota industries. The Toyota group owns the Scion brand, Daihatsu, Lexus and Hino Motors, together with other non-automaker companies. The company offers a wide range of vehicle models, ranging from mini cars to large trucks. The company’s global sales for its different auto companies totaled 6.78 million in 2003 (Toyota Motors, 2013). Diagnosis of need for Change at Toyota Motors Leading and causing change entails leading the people within a company, towards the realization of a specific modification in the affairs and the processes employed at the organization. The process of change can be exceptionally quick and straightforward. In this case, the change process can also be time consuming and immensely complex. These facts lead to the conclusion of Paton and McCalman (2000) that the managers of change at any organization should deploy the change process through the following chain of stages. Figure 1: The Change Process in an Organization by Paton and McCalman (2000) One area of change that can be identified for Toyota Motors draws from the company’s innovation to develop more eco-friendly and fuel-economical engine models. The innovation was a major success, as it placed the company among the top players in the auto making industry, in the areas of perceived sensitivity of fuel efficiency, increasing driving performance and in response to environmental responsibility demands (Tabuchi, 2009). The innovative car’s drive train system was launched by the company in 2004, and the company enjoyed the success of the technology for more than five years, but was not dynamic enough to employ the technology in the development of all their car models (Tabuchi, 2009). This successful area of technology points out the need to capitalize on the hybrid technology, throughout the production of all the vehicles produced by the company. However, that has not been the case. Therefore, this is one area of change that will improve the quality of the vehicles of the company. It will increase the

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words - 1

Leadership - Essay Example So, far we have talked about culture taken in a broader sense, however organization culture is a quite a narrowed down classification of culture and it could differ significantly from organization to organization. For instance the organizational culture of a hospital may differ significantly from that of a not-for-profit organization or a retail firm or even take the example of law firm. The basic Organizational Culture has some characteristics which if an organization can capitalize can pay them off big time for example culture are made up robust values which are almost impossible to change in a brief period of time so if an organization is able to capitalize on such characteristic it could inject ethics from the very outset of its existence. It could make loyalty, efficiency leadership and many different qualities such as these an integral part of it an employee routine. Employees are highly skilled and tend to stay in the organization, while working their way up the ranks. The organization provides a stable environment in which employees can development and exercise their skills. Examples are universities, hospitals, large corporations, etc. Employees are "free agents" who have highly prized skills. They are in high demand and can rather easily get jobs elsewhere. This type of culture exists in fast-paced, high-risk organizations, such as investment banking, advertising, etc. The most important requirement for employees in this culture is to fit into the group. Usually employees start at the bottom and stay with the organization. The organization promotes from within and highly values seniority. Examples are the military, some law firms, etc. Employees dont know if theyll be laid off or not. These organizations often undergo massive reorganization. There are many opportunities for those with timely, specialized skills. Examples are savings and loans, large

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Book report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Book report - Essay Example hat our inability to perform simple duties such as opening doors or switching on lights does not originate from us and we are not incompetent but rather it is because the design of the product we are using does not meet human needs and also does not take into consideration principles of cognitive psychology. This book also indicates the need for developing good designs and illustrates simple steps that can be followed to achieve this. It also highlights and discusses the situations that lead to forming of bad designs. Simple things that we use daily in our lives that are perceived to be very easy to use have now proved to be quite complicated as technology advances. An example that the author gives in the book is that of a door. The different designs that have been used in different types of modern day door have made it difficult for the author to use them. The difficulties that the author experience with the door have become popular making doors which often cause confusion to be referred to as "Norman doors" the authors name. Some designs require one to push or pull the door in a given direction while for others one needs to slide the door so as to be able to open it. The first chapter of the book influences designing positively. The author talks of important but simple aspects of design that a designer needs always to put into consideration for his or her design to be effective. Designed products need to be very safe, efficient and should satisfy individuals when it comes to actual usage. The author talks about two crucial attributes of a good design. These are discoverability and understanding. The design made should enable the user to determine what actions are doable and where and how the user can carry them out; that explains discoverability. In understanding, the user of the product should be capable of knowing what it is all about and how it is meant to be used. While designing their products designers should aim for not only beauty, but also utility,

Friday, August 23, 2019

A Semiotic Comparison of Disneyland with Marriotts Great America Essay

A Semiotic Comparison of Disneyland with Marriotts Great America - Essay Example Various themes give rise to different effects on the individuals.   It is almost like that the premise takes control of how visitors should react to the circumstances: offering a variety of choices, hence, conferring a mixture of diverse emotions as well.   â€Å"Disneyland is commonly seen as the prototypical total fantasy park in America, or probably in the world†, (The Sale of Two Cities: A Semiotic Comparison of Disneyland with Marriott’s Great America, p.1).   It is unquestionably exemplary that people from different walks of life, visitors of different age group, find themselves enthralled and at times, powerlessly captivated. Incontestably, Disneyland has the ability to initiate a feeling of awe, generating such wonderful notion to its visitors.   The structure of the park, as well as its different auras, however, allow the people to become barely aware of the divergence and picture between the real world and the world of imagination. Rides represent out of the ordinary experiences, however, not all are just amusing, for some also intends to remind us of the important aspects of life such as greed, fear, and even death. Consequently, Marriott’s fashion is definitely atypical, in contrast to the prototypical picture of Disneyland.   It chose not to make an apparent distinction between the fantasy world and the real one. The journey from reality to fantasy is done subtly; allowing the visitors to experience the flight from the real world while they are still made aware of realism. The plodding switch from true existence to the wonderful world of imagination make Marriott’s an astonishing pursuit to the majority. Palpably, the two theme parks have several contrasting aspects.

What is the best way to motivate employees to perform better Essay

What is the best way to motivate employees to perform better - Essay Example The other school of thought is that workers are motivated to perform better by internal motivating factors, such as achievement, enjoyment, a sense of competence, and personal loyalty to employees, which are factors that drive employees to work better or harder (intrinsic motivation) (Linder, 1998: p6). What all have in common, however, is that whether external or internal, rewards play an essential role in job satisfaction for the employee. When examining the internal factors that motivate employees, it has been found that the behaviour of employees is linked to attitudes and that the motivation for employees is not solely dependent on money (Lindner, 1998: p7). Internal factors of motivation consist of variables that are directly associated with the work of team members with such dimensions as challenging work environments, autonomy, and responsibility being closely linked with intrinsic motivation of employees. Indeed, interesting work has been identified as one of the most important internal factors of motivation, while having a sense of ownership concerning the work and output also acts as a major motivating factor. There is no clear agreement on where the responsibility for providing these set of motivating factors comes from, however. This is in line with Lindners (1998: p7) idea that these motivating factors differ within the organizational context that the employee works in. Under a ‘rewards’ system, it is clear that it is up to the management to provide motivation for employees. Longenecker (2011: p11) states that managers are responsible for motivating employees to use their talents and energy more willingly by encouraging ownership through maintenance of productive relationships and developing trust with individual employees. Lindner (1998: p) also identifies managers as being responsible for motivating their employees, noting that they should ensure that the work

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Australian Rules essay Essay Example for Free

Australian Rules essay Essay Australian rules is set in a small rural town, where the relationships between the white townspeople and the Aboriginal people on the mission are complex, conflicted and marred by deeply entrenched racism. The local football team in many ways serves to represent the town, it reflects the conflicted relationship between the white people and the Aboriginal people- we begin to understand this as the film unfolds. Other themes inherent in the film are themes of family, love, loyalty and violence- the secrecy of domestic violence and the more overt forms of racial violence that spill out onto the public spheres of the football field and the pub. The opening narration informs us that half the football team is Aboriginal and that there would not be a football team without the Aboriginal players, therefore we understand how the town team relies on the talent and number of the Aboriginal players. We then witness the contradiction of the white and Aboriginal boys playing side by side as team members followed by the social segregation between the members after the match. This segregation is highlighted by Blacky (a white boy from town) and Dumby (an Aboriginal boy who is the best player on the team) whose friendship transcends these borders and we also witness ways that this segregation between the white teenager and Aboriginal teenagers is culturally imposed by certain adults. In one of the beginning scenes, just after a football match, Dumby and Blacky want to ‘hang out’ together, but Dumby is taken back to the mission by an older friend and Blacky cannot follow. Blacky, Clarence and Dumby all call out to each other ‘Nukkin ya’ and this use of Aboriginal language between two Aboriginal teenagers and Blacky the white boy signifies the level of their friendship and mutual acceptance. Pickles’ comment to Blacky that ‘now he even talks like one’, symbolises the town’s disapproval of such respect for Aboriginal culture and Aboriginal people. The character of Pretty, Dumby’s older friend from the mission, plays an important role in the film. He was once a talented football player himself but no longer ‘kicks goals for whitefellas’ and he is significant because he is the main character to verbalise that Aboriginal people are treated differently and unfairly. He is somewhat aggressive in his approach, expressing bitterness and resentment, yet it is implied that his approach is reactionary to the way he has been treated, and his statementsoverlooked by the white coach- are significant examples of changing responses to uneven power dynamics. For example the white coach tells Dumby to make sure all the Aboriginal team players turn up to the next match and Pretty interjects stating that it doesn’t work that way anymore, his metaphor of ‘yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir’, clearly refers to the history of Aboriginal people being used as servants and points out that the coach’s approach of ordering Dumby around is no longer appropriate. Unfortunately the coach does not take this message on and rather than acknowledging the Aboriginal boys as talented, valuable and indeed essential team players, he nervously treats them as unreliable boys who may destroy the team’s chances by not turning up. This attitude of relying on Aboriginal talent, whilst refusing to appropriately acknowledge this talent is made explicitly clear during the award giving ceremony that takes place after the team win the finals. Pretty is made to leave the ceremony after he disputes the truth of a speech about the egalitarian nature of football ‘where you can be anyone, from anywhere, and receive the recognition you deserve’. Pretty is immediately proved to be right when the awards are given only to white boys, and Dumby, who is obviously the most talented player on the team is left completely unacknowledged. There is a direct shift in Dumby’s response and he becomes more like Pretty, demonstrating anger and resentment, rather than his normal cheerful, co operative self. This gives us insight into Pretty’s character and how he may have developed the attitude that he has towards white people. Pretty and Dumby’s break-in to the pub that very night can be interpreted as a direct response to the unfairness of the award ceremony- although there are characters, such as the coach, who are not willing to see the connection. The fact that Dumby is then murdered by Blacky’s father is a complicated event with many layers of meaning. The insights we have been given about Blacky’s father prior to the shooting is that of a man who dominates his family, puts down his sons for showing vulnerability and who physically abuses his wife. There are instances in which we can see links between the violence he demonstrates towards his family and the verbal and physical violence he feels justified in displaying towards Dumby, and then later towards Dumby’s sister, Clarence. There is a scene in which the father physically attacks Blacky and forces Blacky to declare loyalty to him (regarding the shooting), meanwhile verbally abusing Clarence with racial slurs and ordering her to get out of his house. During this scene the camera pans onto the faces of the Blacky’s mother and siblings and we see how domestic and racial violence become enmeshed, that the father’s attack on Blacky for being with Clarence is an act of violence that hurts his whole family. Interestingly it is Clarence who is the least cowed in this scene, she does not show fear and walks out with dignity. In this way we can see how control and domination is a particular pattern in this family, but is not taken on by Clarence. In many ways, the shooting, and the following events, are catalysts for great changes, both in the town, and more specifically in Blacky’s family. Blacky rejects his parent’s demands to maintain loyalty to his father and instead Blacky remains loyal to his friendship with Dumby. Blacky’s rejection of his father’s authority instigates other members of the family, such as his mother and next youngest brother who subtly take Blacky’s side. The scene where his brother urges him to get up and face his father, (when his father beat him to the ground), symbolises the request of his family for Blacky to represent them all and challenge the father’s authority. The resolution of the film sees the father gone, leaving Clarence and Blacky happily together but planning to this town ‘that has nothing for them’. The fate of the town is not so happy, the boys from the mission won’t come to town and there is no longer a football team. In many ways we can see how Australian rules reflects the complexities of human relationships- of love and loyalty and hatred and violence, and clearly demonstrates how deeply entrenched racism hurts everyone. The town, through its racism has destroyed the tentative trust of the Aboriginal people and has lost its ‘glory’- its winning football team. Its seems empty, a place only good for leaving.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Impact of Pop Art and Design on British Culture of the 1960s

Impact of Pop Art and Design on British Culture of the 1960s Pop Art is a 20th century art movement and style that had its origins in England in the 1950s and spread across the globe (most notably the US) in the 60s. Pop artists often utilised the techniques and imagery of pop culture, incorporating everyday objects such as comic strips, billboards, supermarket products, pictures of celebrities and magazine advertisements into their work. The most well-known and influential artists were Richard Hamilton and David Hockney (British) and Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg (American). This paper will examine the impact of Pop Art on British culture of the 1960s, with a special emphasis on the movements leading figure, David Hockney. While Pop Art in its earliest incarnation in late 50s Britain had a nostalgic flavour, as it spread, it was consistently linked more to the wealth and prosperity of the post World War II era (Biddington, 2007). The term was first coined by the English critic Lawrence Alloway in a 1958 issue of Architectural Digest to describe the paintings that celebrated post-war consumerism, defied the attributes of Abstract Expressionism, and worshiped at the alter of materialism (Pioch, 2002). Practitioners of Pop Art replaced the epic with the everyday and the unique with the mass-produced, eroding the fixed divide between high and low art, good and bad taste and fine art and commercial art (ibid). Advertising and the media were some of Pop Arts favourite subjects, and the artists seemed to simultaneously celebrate and critique consumer society: Oftentimes the work itself suggested the depersonalized processes of mass production in areas of popular taste and kitsch previously considered outside the limits of fine art. It rejected the attributes associated with art as an expression of personality. Works were close enough to reality and at the same time it was clear that they were not ready-mades but artificial re-creations of real things (Damjanovic, 2006). Considered by many to be the first Pop Art piece is Richard Hamiltons Just What Is It that Makes Todays Home so Different, so Appealing?, which incorporated numerous references to popular culture and materialism (Biddington, 2007). Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg followed his lead and used popular imagery such as the American flag and beer cans in their paintings, collages and prints, while Andy Warhol favoured the use of famous people and everyday objects in his silkscreens (ibid). Alternatively, Roy Lichtenstein utilised a comic strip style in his paintings. However, perhaps the most important artist of them all (and certainly the most famous and highly publicised British artist of his generation) was David Hockney. By age eleven he had already decided that he wanted to be an artist, and years later he attended the royal College of Art in London, where, in his own words, he realised that there were two groups of students there: a traditional group, who carried on as they had done in art school, doing still life, life painting and figure compositions; and then what I thought of as the more adventurous, lively students, the brightest ones, who were involved in the art of their time. They were doing big Abstract Expressionist paintings on hardboard (Lucie-Smith, 1999). Hockney, in turn, tried his hand at abstraction, but found it too bleak. In search of his own style, he rejected figure-painting as anti-modern and experimented by including words in his paintings in order to humanise them; these, however, were soon joined by figures painted in a deliberately rough and rudimentary style which owed a great deal to Jean Dubuffet (ibid). After a prize-winning career at the Royal College of Art, Hockney achieved international success by the time he reached his mid-20s with a show at the Young Contemporaries Exhibition in January, 1961 (Pioch, 2002). This show marked the public emergence of Pop Art in the UK, with Hockney as one of the movements leaders. His paintings of this period were often playful and witty (very much in the vein of Pop Art), although he was also adept at more serious and traditionally representational portraiture, such as Mr. and Mrs. Clark and Percy (Tate, London, 1970) (ibid). Hockney was also a skilled draftsman and graphic artist, and his work in this field including etched illustrations to Cavafys Poems (1967) and Six Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (1969). Hockneys success was so rapid that after leaving school he did not have to rely on teaching to make a living, like the majority of his contemporaries (Lucie-Smith, 1999). In the early sixties he travelled to Egypt, Italy, Germany and the United States. He fell in love with Los Angeles, where, in his own words: Within a week of arriving there in this strange big city, not knowing a soul, Id passed the driving test, bought a car, driven to Las Vegas and won some money, got myself a studio, started painting, all within a week. And I thought, its just how I imagined it would be (ibid). Upon his return to England he began to make a series of prints which were an updated version of Hogarths Rakes Progress, and which reflected his American experiences (Gurewitsch, 2006). He also began using acrylics rather than oil paint, which led to five one-man shows in 1966 throughout Europe, and later his first major retrospective exhibition, at the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London (Lucie-Smith, 1999). By this time, Pop Art, with Hockney as its patron and star, was widely popular in Britain, and   coincided with the youth and pop music phenomenon of the 1950s and 60s, and became very much a part of the image of fashionable, swinging London. Peter Blake, for example, designed album covers for Elvis Presley and the Beatles and placed film stars such as Brigitte Bardot in his pictures in the same way that Warhol was immortalizing Marilyn Monroe in the USA (West, 1996). It could be argued that while Hockneys work was the impetus for the growing acceptance and influence of the movement, in many ways he himself was the reason for its success. For Hockney wasnt simply a talented artist; he was a personality. With his bleached hair, his outward homosexuality (the subtext of which was also found in his work), his vocal admiration of Whitman and Cavafy, his eccentricity and gregariousness made him instantly likeable (Lucie-Smith, 1999). There was an even a film about him, his life and his work (Jack Hazans A Bigger Splash) that was widely popular. People saw in Hockney the embodiment of the freedom and newness of the 60s, the tearing down and humanising of the sacred and the revered, along with a newfound openness to sexuality, and it is difficult to say where the work stopped and the person began; that is, was Pop Art the influencer, or was it Hockney himself? Were the widespread effects attributed to the movement (low art rising to the status of high and vice-versa; the pasts powerful icons suddenly relegated to mere products and everyday objects achieving the level of works of art; pop culture supplanting tired, traditional culture; the old art world establishment being turned on its head; etc.) because of his paintings or his personality? Furthermore, was Hockney himself the catalyst for this, or was he merely following the zeitgeist? While it is difficult to say, two things are certain: Hockney was an important figure during this time, and 60s Britain was forever changed. Hockney eventually turned away from Pop Art painting, and branched out into other forms, including photography, set design, costumes, lithographs and even work made using colour photocopiers. As for Pop Art, while it still survived in Britain, thanks to artists such as Hamilton, R.B. Kitaj, Allen Jones, Eduardo Paolozzi and Peter Blake, for the most part it became more associated with its American counterparts, ending up the territory of Warhol and the like. But the movements effects on the artwork and cultural climate lingered for a long time, virtually transforming television, advertising and packaging, not to mention photography (David Bailey, John Cowan, Robert Whitaker) and architecture (Cedric Price, Alison and Peter Smithson). Bibliography Biddington, J. Pop Art: What is it? Pedigree and Provenance, 2007. http://www.biddingtons.com/content/pedigreepop.html Damjanovic, Sasa. Pop Art. HuntFor.com, 2006. http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/C20th/popart.htm Dormer, Peter. Design Since 1945. London: Thames Hudson, 1984. Green, Jonathon. All Dressed Up: The Sixties and the Counterculture. London: Pimlico, 1999. Gurewitsch, Matthew. David Hockney and Friends. The Smithsonian, 2006. Lucie-Smith, E. Lives of the Great 20th-Century Artists. London: Thames Hudson, 1999. Pioch, Nicolas. Pop Art. WebMuseum, Paris, 2002. http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/tl/20th/pop-art.html West, Shearer (ed.). The Bulfinch Guide to Art History: A Comprehensive Survey and Dictionary of Western Art and Architecture. Boston: Little Brown and Co., 1996.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Changing Pattern of Consumer Behaviour

Changing Pattern of Consumer Behaviour Today organizations need a deep insight into consumer behaviour and its changing patterns in order to survive in the market place. Large organizations have highly trained individuals recruited to collect information about the consumers constantly changing needs and trends so that they can get focused on what is required by consumer; so that they can cater those needs as accurately and efficiently as possible . Harrods is one of the worlds most well-known department stores situated on Brampton Road in Knightsbridge, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England; It was established in 1849 as a small grocery store with only two helpers. Today, it offers its customers with everything from food to fashion, furniture to sportswear plus 20 in-store restaurants serving every kind of cuisine imaginable from pizza to sushi. Services range from piano tuning to fitting saddles. Must-see sights include the Food Halls, the Egyptian Hall and the Pet Department. (Visit London) Harrods after tenure of great success has lately seen a falling trend in its sales. Harrods, therefore, has further studied the behaviour of its consumers more closely in order to know the reasons of this unfortunate decline in sales. This report contains an analysis of this study, external influences and how they can be used positively to augment the sales; It mentions the strategies Harrods can use in order to get the same honourable and prestigious position back in the marketplace. Task 1: Impact of External Influences An insight into the behaviour of consumers at Harrods Harrods is a high end departmental store which offers a great range of products and services. Once opened as a small grocery shop has now matured to become a good example for posh and glamorous shopping, complementing itself on its motto Omnia Omnibus Ubique which means that All things, for all people, everywhere. It is famous about Harrods that you can buy anything you can name at Harrods, from a hair pin to furniture. (go there guide) Consumer behaviour is a study of when, how and where people buy or do not buy certain products or services. When buying a product, consumers usually go through several stages which can be named as need recognition, information search, evaluation of different purchase options, purchase decision and post purchase behaviour e.g. a need arise when you see your current television set is out dated and pretty old fashion or may be its broken. You decide that you want a new television and then start looking for different options transferring yourself to the next stage and you start looking for which television to buy and from which place; this is the stage when Harrods should come in the mind of a consumer. Then a consumer evaluates between different available options which Harrods has advantage of providing consumer all under one roof and then finally he buys a product. (East, 2008) Harrods is considered a glamorous shopping place. Though nearly everything is available at Harrods but the target market segment that Harrods focuses on is the upper class. This is the market segment the management at Harrods keeps in mind while carrying out its marketing activities. People visiting Harrods may belong to any age group but majority of them belong to the social class A and expect a service that is up to the mark. They expect that the product available at Harrods would belong to the highest of the qualities available. Marketers define four types of buying behaviours and it is based on the type of products that the consumer intends to buy. All four types of buying behaviors can be witnessed in the consumers at Harrods as a vast range of products are available at Harrods. Complex buying behaviour This where the person purchases a high value brand and inquires about a lot of information before the purchase is made. This may be when a consumer is buying a very expensive outfit of Paul Smith Black at Harrods Habitual buying behaviour This is when somebody purchases a product out of routine e.g. a daily newspaper, sugar or salt. This is applicable for a consumer buying grocery from the grocery section Variety seeking buying behaviour It is when the person likes to shop around and try out with different products. Some consumers at Harrods do not have the particular brand in mind beforehand when they shop for any product so they experiment different brands. Dissonance reducing buying behaviour This is the type of behaviour when buyer is extremely concerned with the purchase of the product, because the purchase is expensive or occasional. An example could be buying expensive furniture at Harrods. (Micheal.R.Solomon, 2005) The management at Harrods needs to keep all these consumer behaviour theories like what makes consumer buy a product, what kind of behaviours can they adopt while shopping at Harrods in mind and factors can cause a change in consumer buying patterns in mind while they take their management decisions. They specially need to be aware of the expectations of their consumers and what exactly they want from Harrods in order to improve and find the loop holes which might be leading to a fall in sales. External Factors may influence Buying Behaviour Consumer behaviour can be affected by various factors that may be highly uncontrollable by marketers. These external factors may include the opinion of your friends, the values and the way you are brought up, the media, the culture, certain groups you interact with etc. All of these external factors are mentioned in details with respect to the consumers of Harrods as follows: Culture Culture does influence consumer behaviour; culture is defined as our attitudes and beliefs. The point that we need to know here is the way these attitudes and beliefs are developed. As a person matures, a child is influenced by his parents, siblings and other family members who may educate them about rights and wrongs. They learn about their religion and culture, which helps them develop these opinions, attitudes and beliefs.. (Micheal.R.Solomon, 2005) Geographical Culture Harrods needs to understand the culture of people living in London. The way they are brought up and what their values are. Do people living in London like to go to glamorous shopping places like Harrods? Are they comfortable shopping at such high end places? What are their buying trends and do they prefer large shopping places over small ones? Can people living there afford to buy expensive or do they usually spend this much on average? All these questions need to be answered in order understand the psyche of consumers living in London and cater them according to their needs. If we go back into history, UK is a class based society and some remains of such behaviour are still existent. People who belong to a high class do like to show off and go to high end places but as time is passing this frame of mind is changing. This change of mind may be one of the factors leading to fall in demand for Harrods. Subculture Subcultures can be defined as members that possess beliefs, values and customs that set them apart from other members of the same society. There can be nationality, ethnic, racial, geographical or religious sub cultures. People belonging to various parts of the world and belonging to various sets of beliefs and norms live in London, which leads a complex set of people who may have different beliefs and norms mixed up. Understanding and catering to all of them is not very realistic but Harrods needs have knowledge regarding major subcultures so that its products are designed according to it and their do not hurt anyones beliefs and norms. (Leon G Schiffman, 1997) Global Culture In order to make sure that the products it is offering is in line with the Global culture, Harrods needs to study the global trends of buying behaviour as well. Generally people around the globe have started preferring large shopping malls over small specific buying areas. This facilitates a consumer in a way that all the products are available under one roof. As people are getting more and busier with their work lives, this saves time. Moreover the world is also moving towards better quality products and services. Designer clothes and fashion apparel are getting popular. Brands are getting global. This trend of customers goes in favour of Harrods. Multinationals have the brought the consumer base to one platform which in a way has helped marketers to understand complex behaviours. (my library) Reference Groups Reference group is an actual or imaginary individual or group concealed of having significant relevance upon an individuals evaluations, aspirations and behaviour. Marketers have seen that reference groups can strongly influence buying behaviours. Reference groups are particular set of people some people may look up towards to that have an impact on consumer behaviour. So they can be only a band like the Savage Garden or your direct family members. Marketers have grouped reference groups into classes to comprehend the way the influence more clearly. (Micheal.R.Solomon, 2005) Types of Reference Groups Normative: Some group and individuals are more powerful than others and affect a broader range of consumption decisions. A very good example would be family. Your upbringing really has a strong influence on your likes and dislikes, definitions of right and wrong. Family values and practices usually do not change and develop basic standards of behavior. If a family is used shop from department stores rather than individuals outlets or it may be particularly Harrods then this practice may be passed on to further generations as well and this how the cycle goes on. (M.Khan, 2007) Comparative: These are the people you compare yourself to and can relate to e.g. friends, neighbors or a club you are a member of. Some of these may be ones you aspire and want to imitate. A person may start shopping from Harrods because a friend of his shops from Harrods and he likes it very much and recommended him as well. (M.Khan, 2007) Reference groups can further be divided into direct and indirect reference groups: direct are the ones you have contact in person with and indirect may be the ones you may not have direct contact with such as celebrities. (Balythe, 2008) Marketers cannot directly manipulate your direct reference groups or use them for their benefits but indirect reference groups can easily be used by marketers. Harrods needs to study about its consumers reference groups and use them in its favour. If Harrods serves its existing consumers really well they will automatically prove to be a resourceful reference group for some potential consumers. They can also use celebrity endorsements referent powers. (Wagner, 2003) Opinion leader Opinion leaders are the people who have greater knowledge about a certain thing than a lay man so you respect their views and that may influence consumer behaviour. Most of the times it would really affect the behaviour if the thing to buy is a highly technological product, may be a hi-tech computer and the opinion leader in that case may be a computer expert. (CL Tyagi, 2004) Economic Environment Economic environment has a great influence on buying behaviour. People usually spend more during good economic times and during an economic boom and likewise less during recessions. Lately aggregate demand around the globe felt due to global recession. People were out of jobs and businesses were heading towards a downfall which left people with less disposable incomes on hand to spend. This may also be one of the factors leading to Harrods reduced sales. (Angus Deaton, 1980) Competition Competition is another factor which influences the consumer behavior. This provides consumers with more options available so they start comparing between the available options and selects the one which benefits them the most. Harrods has a few potential competitors mentioned below: Selfridges There is store called Selfridges Co. It is also one of the largest areas in the world with 540,000 sq.ft of selling area. It is located on the Oxford Street which is a prime posh location. Like Harrods, it is also famous among consumers for providing a large range of products and services. The difference between Harrods and Selfridges could be that Selfridges is more focused towards entertainment as it has 15 bars, cafes and restaurants inside the area. It has two more smaller department stores, one in Manchester and the other in (business week) Marks and Spencer Another strong competition would be Marks and Spencer (MS). It is a British retail chain and it has 330 department stores and over 340 food location all over UK. It does not operate in UK only but has over 300 locations in countries including Indonesia, South Korea, India and China. The factor that differentiates M S from Harrods is that it core range consists of mid-priced household items, fashion apparel and other products whereas Harrods is designed for the best or may be for everything rather a narrowed specific price range. M S has been in this market for more than 100 years and has been ranked as the no. 1 supplier of women wear. Moreover, the company makes 90% of its sales in its home country which certainly is UK. It can give Harrods a tough competition if Harrods get even a little bit lenient in its services (business week) Fortnum Mason This is 300 year old department store. It is very famous for its food which includes jams, teas, and sauces. It also supplies Queen with annual Christmas puddings. It has five restaurants and though it generates most of its sales from food but it also sells gifts, luggage, household products, cosmetics etc. Though its product range and the area of focus are not exactly same as Harrods but it can be counted as a competition and was mentioned by a number of consumers at Harrods. (business week) Task 2: Recommended Positioning Strategy Perception A study of human perception can also help marketers to understand the consumer behaviour. Perception is the process by which people select, organize and interpret their sensations; where sensation is how are sensory receptors (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, fingers) to basic stimuli such as light, colour, sound, odor and texture. Like a computer system human mind also processes the information in order to perceive things. (Martin E Evans, 2009) This is the age of sensory marketing. Marketers make use of impact of sensations on consumers product experiences. They use vision, hearing, touch and taste in order to create an image of the brand in the minds of the consumer to create a competitive advantage. Marketers try and create brands unique association with the sensation. (Hawyer, 2008) Harrods may use a certain trade dress which is colour combination an organization uses so frequently that consumers start associating that brand with that colour combination. Whenever they see that colour combination around their mind recalls the brand in sub-consciousness. This is how marketers create an image that can last very long in the minds of the consumers through our sensations; as consumers start associating those brands to different things. Consumers perception about the brand consists of both its functional attributes as well as the symbolic attitudes. Functional attitudes may include its price; its features etc. and symbolic may include its image. Marketers have discovered that consumers evaluation of a certain product is more dependent on what it means rather than what it does. This meaning has more to do with products market position and it may be more to do with our expectations of the product as communicated by its colour, packaging and styling rather than the product itself. (Kathy Niel, 2007) Therefore, Harrods should use these tools of sensation in order to create an image of Harrods that consumers cannot forget; an image that stays in the minds. It should create a certain sensation so that consumers can associate the brand with that sensation. This automatically attracts a consumer towards a brand as it creates a certain impact in the minds of the consumers that lasts for very longer periods of time. Attitude Attitude is actually a learned behaviour. They may be favourable and unfavourable attitude for a product or a service. Marketers say that attitudes have the quality of motivation, they can lead consumer towards certain behaviour or can even stop him from doing so. Harrods should try and develop a positive attitude about itself in the minds of the consumers. (Micheal.R.Solomon, 2005) Harrods have had certain issues which may lead to a negative attitude. Harrods in order to maintain its glamorous image threw a lady out from the store. Eilene Kadden, from California, was ejected from the store because she did not have the right image; she was too fat. Such kinds of incidents adversely affect the image of the brand and such incidents can lead to negative attitudes for the brand in the minds of the consumers. Harrods should respect its customers irrespective of race, colour, ethnicity and physical attributes of a person. Tri-Component Attitude Model According to this model attitude consists of three components which are cognitive, affective and conative components. (Micheal.R.Solomon, 2005) The cognitive component consists of persons cognitions i.e. his knowledge and perception about the brand. This may be formed by a combination direct exposure and from other sources. Harrods should create a positive impression in the minds of the consumers through its image, service and behaviour. The affective component is more about the feeling of the consumer. How related and emotionally attached he is to the brand. A family might be shopping from Harrods from last three generations and may develop an emotional attachment to the store. These emotions can further affect the actions of the consumers. They van be negative as well. The Conative component deals with the actual behaviour of the consumer, it is also called the consumers intention to buy. This model can help Harrods to develop a positive attitude among its current and targeted consumers. Harrods should try to factually as well emotionally create a positive feeling about the brand. Self Self-concept is the beliefs that customer holds about himself. It can be positive as well as negative. At times you feel that a part of you is more positive. People buy products which they can relate to themselves. What is the reason that social class A is the major consumer at Harrods? It is that all the products are designed keeping the social class as a target market segment and so they can relate to it. Positioning Strategy This is the way a brand portrays itself and places itself in the minds of the consumers. Positioning a brand is a very crucial task. This is what can either make a brand or break a brand. When a marketer targets a certain market segments, it intends to different itself from the other brands through its competitive advantage. How to Position When a brand is to position itself, the very first step when a business decides to enter the market to describe the market in which the brand is to enter and to struggle. The market where Harrods is to compete is London. It is posh area where people spend money to avail highest quality products and services. The next step would be to collect information from the relevant consumers about what perception do they have regarding the competing brands in the market. Harrods needs to understand what attributes regarding the shopping stores are most favourable in the minds of the consumers. It needs a complete knowledge about the likes, dislikes, preferences and frame of mind of the relevant consumers it intends to target. It needs to determine the share of mind of all the competing brands which are mentioned above including Selfridges, Marks and Spencer, Fortnum and Masom. It needs to rank the competitors and the attributes which would be hard to compete. At the end it needs to position its elf using the combination of the preferable attributes and attributes of the brand itself to capture a territory in the minds of the consumer. Era of Marketing This is the age of Marketing. Marketing a brand is becoming more important than the product itself. The Marketers study the market in detail, segment the market into different segments based on demographics and psychographics and then select the most profitable segment as the targeted segment. All the products and services are then designed keeping that particular segment in mind. All the decisions are also taken in accordance to that particular targeted segment. (Gerit Antonides, 1998) Harrods instead of taking decsions keeping the products and services in mind, needs to take decisions keeping the preferences of targeted consumers in mind. If a certain brand in preffered and renowned in US but people in UK prefer other brands over it which may even be of slightly lower quality, opting for that brand of better quality would not be sensible decision. Harrods has taken some bad decesions in the past to save its glamorous image; it has kept a range of brands which are not even liked by most of the people in London which is a failure for Harrods to understand the psyche of its consumers. Suitable Positiong Strategy for Harrods The three major positioning concepts known among the marketers and they are functional, symbolic and experiential position. Functional position is when the firm shows itself as the solution to problems. It promotes the benefits that can provide and gain a favourable position. Symbolic postioning is when a organization uses its image, belongingness and egoistic image which provides the comsumers with social meaningfulness. This is the kind of positioning suitable for an organization like Harrods and this is what it has been doing in the past as well but a certain change is needed to make this symbolic position better. These changings would be mentioned further in the report. Experiential position is when an oraganization makes use of the consumers sensory and cognitive stimulation and the concepts of perception to create an image in the minds of the consumers that consumers can relate to. Harrods Current Positioning Harrods has positioned itself as a high-end, glamorous, luxurious and high end department store. It has not positioned itself as a department store but as an unforgettable experience. Harrods has a reputation for excellence and a motto Everything for Everybody Everywhere. Consumers know it as a place where you can buy everything. From sugar and potatoes to luxurious cars, everything is available at the Harrods. The major component or competitive advantage that Harrods has used is its grand image and variety. Repositioning Harrods Some of the Harrods policies to maintain its high end image has in turn adversely affecting its reputation. The incidents of forcing people out due to their physical appearance and strict dress code rules make customers inconvenient and lead to a negative impression. Harrods need to add a component of humbleness in its positioning statement. The feeling that one gets when he hears about Harrods is of arrogance and attitude. A tinge of humbleness needs to be added to the image in order to create a positive impression. Harrods should try and create an image of an environment friendly organization. People once protested against Harrods selling animal fur. Such kind of incidents would not happen if you have you have a complete knowledge about youre the culture and values of targeted consumers and people around. Harrods should encourage the brands operating inside the store to promote green environment and produce as many environment friendly products as they can and take steps for protecting the environment from every kind of pollution. This will lead to a responsible image about in Harrods in the minds of the consumers which will definitely in turn improve the sales. Online and Offline Positioning Messages As mentioned under the heading of repositioning Harrods, Harrods needs to promote a tinge of humbleness with its glamorous image. The current motto used by Harrods is Everything for Everybody Everywhere and All things, for all people, everywhere which portrays that literally everything is available at Harrods. Messages like Everything that you need because we care! would promote an image of care and responsibility on part of the organization. This would portray that the organization is not selfish about its own benefits only. The attitude of the employees in the store will automatically depict the position and set a mark in the minds of the consumers. Moreover for offline positioning, Harrods can launch campaigns for environment protection. It can sponsor such activities in order to create an impact and show that it actually cares and contributing towards the society. Conclusion Harrods is a very famous and well known brand. It has successfully achieved its targets and continuously improved and expanded over the years. Its management worked efficiently to satisfy the needs of its consumers. It was clear and focused on the segment it was targeting and therefore tailored its products accordingly. Due to some external factors and some of the bad decisions that Harrods took declined its sales. The image that Harrods was enjoying is slightly damaged but its not late to make for the mistakes in the past. Moreover, every firm needs to innovate and re-position itself according to changing environment. Harrods in order to earn its position back needs to make slight changes in its positioning. It should get more humble towards its customers and promote environmentally friendly products. Task 3: Individual Critical Reflection on Learning Outcomes Critical Reflection on Learning Outcomes Before the start of the module, I was not sure of whether it will further enhance my learning or not. The theories I was to expected to apply in the module were the ones I had already studied several times so I was not looking forward to any further new learning and experience. As I started working on the module and started gathering information about Harrods, I realized that my perception about the module was entirely wrong. Though I didn.t learn anything new in the module but it gave me an opportunity to apply what I have learned in a real life situation. All the concepts and course material that I studied in the course was practically applied to solve the given problem of reduced sales. Moreover, while I was studying for the course I had an impression that most of the concepts mentioned in the course books are only for theoretical purposes and are not used or helpful to the firms in real life situations. My opinion was proven wrong while I working on the module as I saw that firms do use these concepts and they do help them in understanding the behaviour of consumers which is critical for their success. This module was a great experience. Though collecting information and analysis was a little tough and tiresome but it was worth it. The data collection on the external factors influencing the consumer behavior was really difficult; classifying it and coming up with useful results and conclusions was even more troublesome. This module specifically enhanced my analytical skills and improved my confidence of practically applying theoretical knowledge. References Angus Deaton, J. M. (1980). Economics and consumer behaviour. Balythe, J. (2008). Consumer Behaviour. business week. (n.d.). Retrieved august 27, 2010, from business week: http://investing.businessweek.com/research CL Tyagi, A. K. (2004). Consumer Behaviour. East, R. (2008). Consumer Behaviour. Gerit Antonides, W. F. (1998). Consumer Behaviour. go there guide. (n.d.). Retrieved august 2010, 28, from go there guide: http://www.gothereguide.com Hawyer, W. D. (2008). Consumer Behaviour. Kathy Niel, S. P. (2007). Consumer Behaviour Implications for marketing strategy. Leon G Schiffman, H. H. (1997). consumer behaviour. M.Khan. (2007). Consumer Behaviour. Martin E Evans, G. F. (2009). Consumer Behaviour . Micheal.R.Solomon. (2005). Consumer Behaviour: buying, having, being (8th ed.). my library. (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2010, from my library: http://www.accessmylibrary.com Visit London. (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2010, from Visit London: http://www.visitlondon.com/attractions/ Wagner, S. (2003). Understanding Green Consumer Behaviour.

Monday, August 19, 2019

THE HOLOCAUST Essay -- Essays Papers

THE HOLOCAUST The Holocaust was the mass annihilation of the European Jews by the National Socialist Party (Nazi) of Germany from 1933 to 1945. In The War of the Jews, Dawidowicz explains the conditions that made anti-Semitism politically acceptable. The Germans of the nineteenth century "inherited a Christian-inspired popular and intellectual anti-Semitism that depicted Jews as foreigners- a state within a state- killers of Christ, well poisoners, and a cause of every misfortune, whether natural, economic, or political. The forces of naturalism, Volkist theory, bogus racial science, and fear of modernity reinforced and built upon this foundation." 1 The impact of the Holocaust has greatly affected the society of the past and the present. These feelings were fortified by Nazi propaganda blaming the Jews for everything from Germany’s loss of World War I to the depression that followed. "A raving lunatic, a comic-strip character, a political absurdity. Yet his voice mesmerized millions, ‘a guttural thunder,’ according to Heiden, ‘the very epitome of power, firmness, command and will.’ "2 Adolph Hitler is remembered as the founder and leader of the Nazi party. Hitler was born in Austria on April 20, 1889 to an abusive half Jewish and a mother who breast-fed him until the age of five. As Head of State and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Hitler was responsible for the deaths of millions of Jews.3 "Hitler’s ideas about the Jews were at the center of his mental world. They shaped his worldview and his political ambitions, forming the matrix of his ideology and the ineradicable core of National Socialist doctrine. They determined the anti-Jewish policies of the German dict atorship from 1933 to 1945, and they furni... ....203. 9. See Dawidowicz, p.206. 10. See Dawidowicz, p.207. 11. See Dawidowicz, p.209. 12. George Eisen, Children and Play in the Holocaust (Amherst: The University of Massachusetts Press, 1988) p. 13. 13. See Rosenburg, Myers, p.428 14. See Rosenburg, Myers, p.433 15. See Rosenburg, Myers, p.434 16. George M. Kren, Leon Rappoport, The Holocaust and the Crisis of Human Behavior (New York: Holmes and Meier Publishers, Inc., 1980) p.127 17. See Rosenburg, Myers, p.434 18. See Kren, Rappoport, p.127 19. See Kren, Rappoport, p.85 20. See Kren, Rappoport, p.128 21. See Kren, Rappoport, p.128 22. See Kren, Rappoport, p.125. 23. See Kren, Rappoport, pp.126-127. 24. See Eisen, p.12 25. See Eisen, p.13 26. See Eisen, p.13 27. See Rosenburg, Myers, p.433 28. See Rosenburg, p.434

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Clark and Menefee Architects :: essays papers

Clark and Menefee Architects The Reid House was designed by W.G. Clark and Charles Menefee and built in John’s Island, SC in 1986. Menefee and Clark designed primarily in the American South. Clark and Menefee are known for their â€Å"tripartite vertical organization.† The base level normally consists of secondary bedroom(s)/studio spaces and services. The First floor is a â€Å"piano nobile of principal rooms with a double-height living space.† The attic level usually consists of the master bedroom and bath. The Reid House is set up in this fashion. The house is located in a modest setting, surrounded by house trailers and cheaply built houses. The image of the house was â€Å"derived from vernacular farm buildings as well as from more formal Palladian structures.† One author described the setting as â€Å"John’s Island, a peaceful landscape where truck farmers tend tomato fields carved out of scrub-pine and dwarf-cedar forests, and where the front yards of shacks ar e littered with junked cars, rusting agricultural machinery, and other decaying impedimenta of the Industrial Revolution.† The house is a three-story tower with two components. The first is a 20 ft. sq. section made of concrete block, housing the living and bedrooms, referred to as the â€Å"served space(s).† The second part, referred to as the â€Å"serving space(s),† is a wood-frame shed that holds the kitchen and the bathrooms. These two components are â€Å"joined at the fireplace and chimney, around which the stair winds.† The materials used for the house are inexpensive, in keeping with the surrounding structures. One section is made of concrete blocks, exposed on the inside and covered with waterproofing paint on the outside. The other part of the house is â€Å"sheathed in plywood and battens and its roof is covered in asphalt shingle.† The floors are painted pine, the interior partitions, painted plywood. The total cost of the house was $102,000, only $2,000 over the budget that the Reids had set. They wanted the house built because they wanted to move their two small children out of a trailer home, and they wanted to have a larger space in which they could manage their 120-acre horse farm. The total area of the house is only 1600 sq. ft. One author noted that the house â€Å"[reconciles] lofty aspirations and modest means.† W.G.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Article on How Teenagers Spend Their Free Time

What do teenagers do in their spare time? They are on Facebook! This is Bristol FollowWednesday, November 10, 2010 WHAT do we teenagers do in our spare time? Hang round by shops with our hoods up, knifes in pocket, shouting abuse and getting drunk? Yes, all those grown ups would like to think that but, we normally just go out to have fun – go to the cinema, shopping and places like that! Or we are on Facebook. We will spend our lives, sharing our lives, on Facebook. From posting pictures, writing statuses, and joining funny yet sometimes offensive groups or fan pages.But, have you ever thought, that maybe, you could get into heaps of trouble from those little comments? Facebook can get quite abusive. With us posting pictures, which, yes, aren't very modest of ourselves, with skimpy outfits, and slapped-on make-up. But the nasty comments, are where we draw the line. Consider this, once it's on there, will your digital footprint ever be erased? Imogen Rodgers, Lucy Perry, Bethan y Seymour, Year 9, St Bede's CAN Facebook fight to stay on our favourites or is it time to ignore the friend you don't like?It's most people's way of life – an addiction. With no less than 400 million active users Facebook is ranked the number one social networking site worldwide but with so many others, like Twitter, Bebo, MySpace, Flickr, Google buzz, Habbo, Friendster, the list is endless, Will Facebook keep its crown or will one of its enemies take over? At the moment 35 million Facebook users update their status each day, this shows how popular it is. The site's publicity and popularity levels are soaring, but over the past four years another site has had quite a bit of the spotlight too.Twitter was launched in 2006 and with its appeal of getting to hear what celebrities have to say directly from them and reading their every â€Å"tweet† it seemed like there was a new social fish in town. However, even though it may seem like Facebook is starting to slip away, no other site could take over from what stole our hearts first. Elsie Bradley, The City Academy, Bristol DO you have Facebook? Some people feel that entertainment is sitting in front of a computer and watching the lives of others dissolve into this new cyber life.How many times have you seen a message saying â€Å"I'm bored! â€Å"? They make me want to scream, â€Å"THEN GO AND DO SOMETHING ELSE! † But the truth is that our lives are now revolving around these social networking sites. Those who don't have such groups as Facebook are constantly under peer pressure to create an account and get sucked in. Especially if you don't have an account, you have no control whatsoever of what pictures of you are being pinned up on the internet.All those pictures that you thought your â€Å"friends† deleted – they're all up on Facebook. Sarah Orr, Amy McGrath, and Evie Gowie, Year 9, St Bede's I, LIKE many other people really enjoy going home and using the computer maybe to play games, send an email or go on Facebook but are we getting too addicted to Facebook? Do you really need to go on Facebook, when you have just spent a day at school talking to those people? Emily Shiga, Banor Kofi-Ofuafor and Jess Chapman, Year 9, St Bede's

Apush Notes Chapter 8

A. P. U. S. History Notes Chapter 8: â€Å"America Secedes from the Empire† ~ 1775 – 1783 ~ I. Congress Drafts George Washington 1. After the bloodshed at Lexington and Concord in April of 1775, about 20,000 Minutemen swarmed around Boston, where they outnumbered the British. 2. The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia on May 10, 1775, with no real intention of independence, merely a desire to continue fighting in the hope that the king and Parliament would consent to a redress of grievances. a. It sent another list of grievances to Parliament. . It also adopted measures to raise money for an army and a navy. c. It also selected George Washington to command the army. 1) George had never risen above the rank of colonel, and his largest command had only been of 1200 men, but he was a tall figure who looked like a leader, and thus, was a moral boost to troops. 2) He radiated patience, courage, self-discipline, and a sense of justice, and though he insisted on wo rking without pay, he did keep a careful expense account amounting to more than $100,00. II. Bunker Hill and Hessian Hirelings 1. In the first year, the war was one of consistency, as the colonists maintained their loyalty while still shooting at the king’s men. 2. In May 1775, a tiny American force led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, surprised and captured the British garrisons at Ticonderoga and Crown Point. 3. In June 1775, the colonials seized Bunker Hill (before known as Breed’s Hill). a. Instead of flanking them, the Redcoats launched a frontal attack, and the heavily entrenched colonial sharpshooters mowed them down until meager gunpowder supplies ran out and they were forced to retreat. 4. After Bunker Hill, George III slammed the door for all hope of reconciliation and declared the colonies to be in open rebellion, a treasonous affair. 5. The King also hired many German mercenaries, called Hessians, who, because they were lured by booty and not duty, had large numbers desert and remained in America to become respectful citizens. III. The Abortive Conquest of Canada 1. In October 1775, the British burned Falmouth (Portland), Maine. 2. The colonists decided that invading Canada would add a 14th colony and deprive Britain of a valuable base for striking at the colonies in revolt. a. Also, the French-Canadians would support the Americans because they supposedly were bitter about Britain’s taking over of their land. b. General Richard Montgomery captured Montreal. c. At Quebec, he was joined by the bedraggled army of General Benedict Arnold. d. On the last day of 1775, in the assault of Quebec, Montgomery was killed and Arnold was wounded in one leg, and the whole campaign collapsed as the men retreated up the St. Lawrence River, reversing the way Montgomery had come. e. Besides, the French-Canadians, who had welcomed the Quebec Act, didn’t really like the anti-Catholic invaders. 3. In January 1776, the British set fire to Norfolk, Virginia, but in March, they were finally forced to evacuate Boston. 4. In the South, the rebels won a victory against some 1500 Loyalists at Moore’s Creek Bridge, in South Carolina, and against an invading British fleet at Charleston Harbor. IV. Thomas Paine Preaches Common Sense 1. In 1776, Thomas Paine published Common Sense, which urged colonials to stop this war of inconsistency, stop pretending loyalty, and just fight. 2. Nowhere in the universe did a smaller body control a larger one, so Paine argued, saying why tiny Britain had to control gigantic America. . He called King George III â€Å"the Royal Brute of Great Britain. † V. Paine and the Idea of â€Å"Republicanism† 1. Paine argued his idea that there should be a â€Å"republic† where senators, governors, and judges should have their power from the consent of the people. 2. He laced his ideas with Biblical imagery, familiar to common folk. 3. Hi s ideas about rejecting monarchy and empire and embrace an independent republic fell on receptive ears in America, though it should be noted that these ideas already existed. a. The New Englanders already practiced this type of government in their town meetings. . Some patriots, though, favored a republic ruled by a â€Å"natural aristocracy. † VI. Jefferson’s â€Å"Explanation† of Independence 1. Members of the Philadelphia Congress, instructed by their colonies, gradually moved toward a clean break with Britain. 2. On June 7, 1776, fiery Richard Henry urged for complete independence, an idea that was finally adopted on July 2, 1776. 3. To write such a statement, Congress appointed Thomas Jefferson, already renown as a great writer, to concoct a Declaration of Independence. a. He did so eloquently, coming up with a list of grievances against King George III and persuasively explaining why the colonies had the right to revolt. b. His â€Å"explanation† of independence also upheld the â€Å"natural rights† of humankind. 4. When Congress approved it on July 2nd, John Adams proclaimed that date to be celebrated from then on with fireworks, but because of editing and final approval, it was not completely approved until July 4th, 1776. VII. Patriots and Loyalists 1. The War of Independence was a war within a war, as not all colonials were united. . There were Patriots, who supported rebellion and were called â€Å"Whigs. † b. There were Loyalists, who supported the King, often went to battle against fellow Americans, and were called â€Å"Tories. † c. There were those who didn’t care, and these people were constantly being asked to join one side or another. 2. During the war, the British proved that they could only control Tory areas, because when Redcoats packed up and left other areas, the rebels would regain control. 3. The Patriot militias constantly harassed small British detachments. 4. Loyalists were generally conservatives, but the war divided families. a. Benjamin Franklin was against his illegitimate son, William, the last royal governor of New Jersey. 5. The Patriots were generally the younger generation, like Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry. 6. Loyalists were most numerous where the Anglican Church was strongest. 7. There were also those who sold to the highest bidder, selling the British and ignoring starving, freezing soldiers (i. e. George Washington at Valley Forge). 8. Loyalists were less numerous in New England, where Presbyterianism and Congregationalism flourished. VIII. The Loyalist Exodus 1. After the Declaration of Independence, Loyalists and Patriots were more sharply divided, and Patriots often confiscated Loyalist property and resell it (good way to raise money). 2. Some 50,000 Loyalists served the British in one way or another (fighting, spying, etc†¦), and it was an oddity that the Brits didn’t make more use of them during the war. IX. General Washington at Bay . After the evacuation of Boston, the British focused on New York as a HQ for operations. a. An awe-inspiring fleet appeared off the coast in July 1776, consisting of some 500 ships and 35,000 men—the largest armed force seen in America ever until the Civil War. b. Washington could only muster 18,000 ill-trained men to fight, and they were routed at the Battle of Long Island. c. Washington escaped to Manhattan Island, cross ed the Hudson River to New Jersey, reaching the Delaware River with taunting, fox-hunt calling British on his heels. d. Crossing the Delaware River at Trenton on a cold December 26, 1776, and surprised and captured a thousand Hessians who were sleeping off their Christmas Day celebration (drinking). e. He then left his campfires burning as a ruse, slipped away, and inflicted a sharp defeat on a smaller British detachment at Princeton, showing his military genius at its best. f. It was odd that General William Howe, the British general, didn’t crush Washington when he was at the Delaware, but he well remembered Bunker Hill, and was cautious. X. Burgoyne’s Blundering Invasion 1. London officials adopted a complicated scheme for capturing the vital Hudson River Valley in 1777 which, if successful, would severe New England from the rest of the colonies: a. General Burgoyne would push down the Lake Champlain route from Canada. b. General Howe’s troops in New York, if needed, could advance up the Hudson and meet Burgoyne in Albany. c. A third and much smaller British force commanded by Colonel Barry St. Ledger would come in from the west by way of Lake Ontario and the Mohawk Valley. 2. However, Benedict Arnold, after failure at Quebec, retreated slowly along the St. Lawrence back to Lake Champlain, where the British would have to win control (of the lake) before proceeding. a. The Brits stopped to build a huge force, while Arnold assembled a tattered flotilla from whatever boats he could find. b. His â€Å"navy† was destroyed, but he had gained valuable time, because winter set in and the British settled in Canada; they would have to begin anew the next spring. 1) Had Arnold not contributed his daring and skill, the Brits most likely would have recaptured Ticonderoga and Burgoyne could have started from there and succeeded in his venture. 3. Burgoyne began his mission with 7000 troops and a heavy baggage train consisting of a great number of the officers’ wives. a. Meanwhile, sneaky rebels, sensing the kill, were gathering along his flanks. 4. General Howe, at a time when he should be starting up the Hudson, deliberately embarked for an attack on Philadelphia. a. He wanted to force an encounter with Washington and leave the path wide open for Burgoyne’s thrust; he thought he had enough time to help Burgoyne if needed. b. Washington transferred his troops to Philly, but was defeated at Brandywine Creek and Germantown. . Then, the fun-loving Howe settled down in Philadelphia, leaving Burgoyne â€Å"to the dogs. † d. Ben Franklin, in Paris, joked that Howe hadn’t captured Philadelphia, but that â€Å"Philadelphia had captured Howe. † 5. Washington finally retired for the winter at Valley Forge, where his troops froze in the cold, but a recently arrived Prussian drill master, Baron von Steu ben, whipped the cold troops into shape. 6. Burgoyne’s doomed troops were bogged down, and the rebels swarmed in with a series of sharp engagements, pushing the St. Legers force back at Oriskany while Burgoyne, unable to advance or retreat, surrendered his entire force at Saratoga, on October 17, 1777. a. Perhaps one of the most decisive battles in British and American history. XI. Strange French Bedfellows 1. France was eager to get revenge on Britain, and secretly supplied the Americans throughout much of the war. 2. After the humiliation at Saratoga, the British offered the Americans a measure that gave them home rule—everything they wanted except independence. 3. After Saratoga, France finally was persuaded to enter the war against Britain. a. Louis XVI’s ministers argued that this was the perfect time to act, because if Britain regained control, she might then try to capture the French West Indies for compensation for the war. b. Now was the time the strike, rather than risk a stronger Britain with its reunited colonies. 4. France, in 1778, offered a treaty of alliance, offering America everything that Britain had offered, plus recognition of independence. a. The Americans accepted with caution, since France was pro-Catholic, but since they needed help, they’d take it. XII. The Colonial War Becomes a World War 1. In 1779, Spain and Holland entered the war against Britain. . In 1780, Catherine the Great of Russia took the lead in organizing the Armed Neutrality (she later called it the Armed Nullity) that lined up all of Europe’s neutrals in passive hostility against England. 3. America, though it kept the war going until 1778, didn’t win until France, Spain, and Holland joined in and Britain co uldn’t handle them all. 4. Britain, with the French now in the seas, decided to finally evacuate Philadelphia and concentrate their forces in New York, and even though Washington attacked them at Monmouth on a blisteringly hot day in which scores of men died of sunstroke, the British escaped to New York. XIII. Blow and Counterblow 1. French reinforcements, commanded by Comte de Rochambeau, arrived in Newport, Rhode Island in 1780, but flares sometimes erupted between the Americans and the French. 2. In 1780, feeling unappreciated and lured by British gold, General Benedict Arnold turned traitor by plotting with the British to sell out West Point. a. When the plot was discovered, he fled with the British. b. â€Å"Whom can we trust now? † cried George Washington in anguish. 3. The British devised a plan to roll up the colonies from the South. a. Georgia was ruthlessly overrun in 1778-1779. b. Charleston, South Carolina, fell in 1780. . In the Carolinas, Patriots bitterly fought their Loyalist neighbors. d. However, in 1781, American riflemen wiped out a British detachment at King’s Mountain, and then defeated a smaller force at Cowpens. e. At the Carolina campaign of 1781, Quaker-reared tactician General Nathanael Greene distinguished himself with his strategy of delay. 1) By slowly retreating and losing battles but winning campaigns, he helped clear the British out of most of Georgia and South Carolina. XIV. The Land Frontier and the Sea Frontier 1. 1777 was known as the â€Å"bloody year† on the frontier, as Indians went on a scalping spree. . Most of the Indians supported Britain and believed that if they won, it would stop American expansion into the West, and save Indian land. 3. Mohawk chief Joseph Brant, recently converted to Anglicanism, and his men ravaged the backcountry of Pennsylvania and New York until check by Americans in 1779. 4. In 1784, the pro-British Iroquois (the Oneidas and the Tuscaroras had sided with the Americans, the other four with the British) signed the Treaty of For Stanwix, the first treaty between the U. S. and an Indian nation. a. Under its terms, the Indians ceded most of their land. 5. Even in wartime, pioneers moved west, showing their gratitude to the French with such town names as Louisville while remembering the Revolution with Lexington, Kentucky. 6. George Rogers Clark, an audacious frontiersman, floated down the Ohio River with about 175 in 1778-1779 and captured forts Kaskaskia, Chohokia, and Vicennes in quick succession. 7. The tiny American navy never really hurt the British warships, but it did destroy British merchant shipping and carried the war into the waters around the British Isles. 8. Swift privateers preyed on enemy shipping, capturing many ships and forcing them to sail in convoys. XV. Yorktown and the Final Curtain. 1. Before the last decisive victory, inflation continued to soar, and the government was virtually bankrupt, and announced that it could only repay many of its debts at a rate of 2. 5 cents on the dollar. 2. However, Cornwallis was blundering into a trap. a. Retreating to Chesapeake Bay and assuming that British control of the seas would give him much needed backup, Cornwallis instead was trapped by Washington’s army, which had come 300 miles from New York, Rochambeau’s French army, and the navy of French Admiral de Grasse. . After hearing the news of Cornwallis’ defeat, Lord North cried, â€Å"Oh God! It’s all over! † 4. Stubborn King George wanted to continue the war, since he still had 54,000 troops in North America and 32,000 in the U. S. , and fighting did continue for about a year after Yorktown, especially in the South, but America had won. XVI. Peace at Paris 1. Many Brits were weary of the war, since they had suffered heavy reverse in India and the West Indies, the island of Minorca in the Mediterranean had fallen, and the Rock of Gibraltar was tottering. . Ben Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay met in Paris for a peace deal. a. Jay suspected that France would try to keep the U. S. cooped up east of the Alleghenies and keep America weak. b. Instead, Jay, thinking that France would betray American ambitious to satisfy those of Spain, secretly made separate overtures to London (against instructions from Congress) and came to terms quickly with the British, who were eager to entice one of their enemies from the alliance. 3. The Treaty of Paris of 1783, Britain formally recognized the USA and granted generous boundaries, stretching majestically to the Mississippi on the west, the Great Lakes on the north, and to Spanish Florida on the South. a. The Yankees also retained a share in the priceless fisheries of Newfoundland. b. Americans couldn’t persecute Loyalists, though, and Congress could only recommend legislatures that confiscated Loyalist land. XVII. A New Nation Legitimized 1. Britain had ceded so much land because it was trying to entice America from its French alliance. a. Remember, George Rogers Clark had only conquered a small part of the land. 2. Also, during the time, the American-friendly Whigs were in control of the Parliament, which was not to be the case in later years. 3. France approved the treaty, though with cautious eyes. 4. In truth, America came out the big winner, and seldom, if ever, have any people been so favored. XVIII. Makers of America: The Loyalists 1. Loyalists were conservative, well-educated, thought that a complete break with Britain would invite anarchy, and felt that America couldn’t win against the more powerful army in the world. . Many Britons had settled in America after the Seven Years’ War, and they had reason to support their home country. 3. Thousands of African-Americans joined the British ranks for hope of freedom from bondage. a. Many Black Loyalists won their freedom from Britain. b. Others suffered betrayal, such as when Cornwallis abandoned over 4000 former slaves in Virginia and when many Black Loyalists boarded ships expecting to embark for freedom and instead found themselves sold back into slavery. c. Some Black exiles settled in Britain, but weren’t really accepted easily. . Most Loyalists remained in America, where they faced special burdens and struggled to re-establish themselves in a society that viewed them as traitors. 5. Hugh Gaine, though, succeeded. a. He reopened his business and even won contracts fro the new government. b. He also published the new national army regulations authored by Baron von Steuben. c. When New York ratified the Constitution in 1788, Gaine rode the float at the head of the city’s celebration parade. d. He had, like many other former Loyalists, become an American.