Superstitions in Huckleberry Finn Essay Example For Students

Superstitions in Huckleberry Finn Essay In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, there is a lot of superstition. Some examples of superstition in the novel are Huck killing a spider which is bad luck, the hair-ball used to tell fortunes, and the rattle-snake skin Huck touches that brings Huck and Jim good and bad luck. Superstition plays an important role in the novel Huck Finn. In Chapter one Huck sees a spider crawling up his shoulder, so he flipped it off and it went into the flame of the candle. Before he could get it out, it was already shriveled up. Huck didnt need anyone to tell him that it was an bad sign and would give him bad luck. Huck got scared and shook his clothes off, and turned in his tracks three times. He then tied a lock of his hair with a thread to keep the witches away. You do that when youve lost a horseshoe that youve found, instead of nailing it up over the door, but I hadnt ever heard anybody say it was any way to keep of bad luck when youd killed a spider.(Twain 5). We will write a custom essay on Superstitions in Huckleberry Finn specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In chapter four Huck sees Paps footprints in the snow. So Huck goes to Jim to ask him why Pap is here. Jim gets a hair-ball that is the size of a fist that he took from an oxs stomach. Jim asks the hair-ball; Why is Pap here? But the hair-ball wont answer. Jim says it needs money, so Huck gives Jim a counterfeit quarter. Jim puts the quarter under the hair-ball. The hair-ball talks to Jim and Jim tells Huck that it says. Yoole father doan know yit what hes a-gwyne to do. Sometimes he spec hell go way, en den agin he spec hell stay. De bes way is tores easy en let de ole man take his own way. Deys two angles hoverin roun bout him. One uvem is white en shiny, en tother one is black. De white one gits him to go right a little while, den de black one sil in en gust it all up. A body cant tell yit which one gwyne to fetch him at de las. But you is all right. You gwyne to have considable trouble in yo life, en considable joy. Sometimes you gwyne to git hurt, en sometimes you gwyne to git s ick; but every time yous gwyne to git well agin. Deys two gals flyin bout yo in yo life. One uv ems light en tother one is dark. One is rich en tother is po. Yous gwyne to marry de po one fust en de rich one by en by. You wants to keep way fum de water as much as you kin, en dont run no resk, kase its down in de bills dat yous gwyne to git hung. (Twain 19). Huck goes home and goes up to his room that night and Pap is there. In Chapter ten, Huck and Jim run into good luck and bad luck. The good luck was Huck and Jim finds eight dollars in the pocket of an overcoat. After dinner on Friday, they are lying in the grass, then Huck ran out of tobacco, so he went to the craven to get some, and finds a rattlesnake. Huck kills it and curled it up and put it on the foot of Jims blanket. Night came and Jim flung himself on the blanket and the snakes mate was there, and it bit Jim on the heel. Jim tells Huck to chop off the snakes head, then skin the body of the snake and roast a peice of it. H e took the rattles off and tied them to Jim wrist. Jim said it would help him. Huck says I made up my mind I wouldnt ever take a-holt of a snake-skin again with my hands, now that I see what had come of it. (Twain 52). .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c , .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c .postImageUrl , .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c , .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c:hover , .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c:visited , .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c:active { border:0!important; } .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c:active , .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u190a00b9778f80049c0236cbf286875c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Role of the Emperor in Meiji Japan Essay ThesisAs one can see Superstition plays an important role in the novel Huck Finn. Huck killing the spider which is bad luck, the hair-ball that tells fortunes, and the rattle-snake skin that Huck touched are examples that brought bad luck to Huck and Jim in the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Racism And The Ku Klux Klan Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

Racism And The Ku Klux Klan Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers Racism and the Ku Klux Klan Since the early development of society in the United States, racism has always been a divisive issue faced by communities on a political level. Our country was built from the immigration of people from an international array of backgrounds. However, multitudes of white supremacists blame their personal as well as economic misfortunes on an abundance of ethnic groups. African-Americans, Jews and Catholics are only some of the of groups tormented by these white supremacists. As the amount of ethnic diversity gradually increased in the political systems of Louisiana and the United States, organizations rapidly formed to challenge the new ethnic variation in government. The Ku Klux Klan is one of these groups that were formed by people who were angered by the increase of diversity in political office and in the workplace. Local and state officials that were members of the Klan aided in providing influence, money, and information to the racist organization. As the civil rights movement became accepted, it seemed as if the power of racist organizations deteriorated. However, with the Klan demanding freedom of speech, with political figures related to the Ku Klux Klan still bringing prejudice to politics throughout the country, and with multitudes of African-American churches being burned to the ground, it seems as if the Ku Klux Klan is still a threat to the citizens of this country. The Ku Klux Klan has played a major role in United States history. As the south was undergoing the era of Reconstruction after the Civil War, the votes of newly emancipated black Southerners put the Republicans in power throughout the state. White Southerners resorted to brute force to preserve the white supremacy they once had. The Klan was originally arranged into secret societies that terrorized local white and black Republican leaders. They also threatened all African Americans who violated the old ideas of black inferiority. Sworn to secrecy, its members wore white robes and masks and adopted the burning cross as their symbol. The Klan members seemed to be most active during election campaigns, when they would either scare people into voting for their candidate or get rid their opponents entirely. They were noticed for their horrible acts of violence that they called nighttime rides. These attacks included murder, rape, beatings, and warnings and were designed to overcome Republican majorities in the south. Due to the fear of a race war, state officials were unable to suppress the violence. Law enforcement officials were Klan members themselves and even when the law officers were legitimate, Klan members also sat on juries where criminally accused members were often acquitted.(Harrel,47-52) The Klan was popularized through literature and film in the early nineteenth century. Its influence spread with help from Thomas B. Dixon's The Clansman (1905) and D.W. Griffith's movie The Birth of a Nation (1915). (Harrel, 85) Harrel felt that this eventually "led to the establishment of a new Ku Klux Klan, which spread throughout the nation and preached anti-Catholic, anti-Jewish, anti-black, antisocialist, and anti-labor-union Americanism" (87). Harrel stated that the Klan's two million adherents exercised great political power, "often taking the law into their own hands, mobs of white-robed, white-hooded men punished immorality and terrorized un-American elements" (88). The Klan erupted as a secret organization employing its secrecy to mislead the public and inquiring newspapers. Therefore, they were labeled the invisible empire. Harrel urges the idea that in certain regions the Klan did not have enough influence to become politically triumphant (307). "But where it was strong the Invisible Empire elected scores of local officials, state legislators, a few governors, several national representatives, including Earle B. Mayfield of Texas, William J. Harris of Georgia, and Hugo Black of Alabama, to the United States Senate." (Harrel, 307) The Klan was extremely hungry for political gain. The best way to promote the growth of an organization of this sort would be the expansion of a network with prominent political and investment resources. "The limitation of immigration, maintenance of national prohibition, restriction of the political influence of the Catholic Church and minority groups, clean government, and maintenance of community morals, were goals which violence and intimidation alone could not achieve." (Harrel, 305) It is seemed necessary that in order to have a prosperous organization, the Klan would

Business Finance Report

You need to conduct a research on equity capital available for new ventures in your home country and prepare the report.   1) An introduction explaining major sources of equity capital for new ventures, such as 2) Describe all main BA, VC and PE firms in your home country (their structure, history, approach, number of deals, total amount of capital raised, etc.) – all factors you may consider appropriate to have a better understanding of their activities. 3) Summarize BA, VC and PE firms in your home country in the following table:   Sectors: list all the sectors in which they invest (e.g. high tech, tel , agriculture, etc.) Website: Give the link to the website 4) Give your conclusion on the situation with equity capital in your home country and perspectives for the future. You are required to prepare the report based on the results of your research and analysis. The report should contain: tables of contents, introduction, analysis and conclusion. The student’s work will be assessed by analytical abilities, deepness of research, solid judgments, logic of statements, and understanding of implications of finance and business.    Business angle are individual investor who finance new start-ups from his own fund directly. He /she are independent financially i.e. his profit or loss will not hamper the whole economy of a country. They do not have any family relation with the startups. They make their own investment decision, which is final[1]. Their investment varies from medium to long term depending n the case. Venture capital was first introduced in the 20th century, which means risky capital. It supports new ideas that are very risky but have high profit and growth. It is a type of equity financing which is very long term. There is a liquidity problem in venture capital as during the startups the project is expected to run for several years. It involves high technology and enjoys capital, which is the main benefit when the business succeeded[2]. It does not take a dividend in the intermediate stage. It also participate I the management o the entrepreneur and give expert advice besides monetary support. Private equity is a class of asset that consists of various securities, which are invested, in panies to generate high values. There are various types of Private equity like leveraged buyout (LBO), venture capital, Mezzanine capital and growth capital Growth capital refers to small amount of investment in the equity of a matured pany to help it expand its capital base or increase its market share without any changes in the management control of the pany[3].  Ã‚   In this section detailed analysis of various BA, VC and PE in Spain will be done and their impact on the new ventures will be discussed. In Spain, many business angle brokers support startups. However, top 10 are: Carlos Blanco: He is one of the greatest business angle in Spain. He is the cofounder of a gaming pany named Akamon Entertainment. He is also the CEO of Grupo ITnet. He has invested in many panies like Infantium or Kantox. Yago Arbeloa: He is the brother of Spanish footballer Alvaro Arbeloa and is in this business from the year 2010. He has invested in panies like Reclamador, Percentil and Really late Booking. He is also the president of AIEI and media group of Hello[4]. Francois Derbaix: he is the most active angle business in Spain. He has given support to almost 21 panies in past year, which includes Startupexplore, Tiendeo and unitae. He is also the co-founder of Toprural and Rentalia[5]. Currently he is running Soysuper. Every entrepreneur must read his personal blog before starting up a venture. Jesus Encinar:   He is called the founder of Idealista. He also invested in Spanish startups like Etece and AsesorSeguros. He is the advisory board member of Seaya Ventures, a venture capital firm founded by Micheal Kleindl and Beatriz Gonzallez, which has invested in panies like Ticketea and Cabify since 2013. Bernando Hernandez: Previously he is the director management of product in Google and currently he is running the product division of Flickr’s. He is the one of the initial investor of Tuenti that is a social networking site purchased by Telefonica[6]. As an angle business investor he has also funded Mad Video and Mola . Jesus Monleon: He has a lot of expertise and experience in investing and creating various panies. He has founded Emagister in 2000 and recently founded Offerum. For 7 years he has worked in Caixa Capital Risc as an venture associate backing both early stage and mature panies[7]. As an angel business investor, he has funded panies like DADA panies, Chicfy and Deporvillage. Axel Serene: He has at least 20 years of knowledge in the business of internet and is the Chief Executive Officer of Vittalia. As an individual investor, he has funded and backed various panies like Tiendeo, Popplaces and Akamon. He is a Barcelona based investor. Walter Kobylanski: He is the co-founder of panies like Gigas based in Madrid. He and his brother Christian has founded an investment vehicle known as Danka Capital that is backing panies in its early stages[8]. As an individual investor he has funded panies like TouristEye, Ducksboard and Jugo. Martin Varsavsky: He is very famous for inventing and promoting tech juggernaunts like Ta and jazztel. Recently he has fuended Fon-Martin that is an active investor for startups over the past decade[9]. With the help of Jazzya Investment he has supported more than 30 panies like Hootsuite, Meneame and Tumblr which was purchased by Yahoo for $1 billion in 2013. Juan Margenat: He is the co-founder of Marfeel, which is a based in Barcelona. He is also the advisor of Conector. Previously he founded Plan B and Weekendesk Iberia. He has also invested in Habitissimo and fintech darling Kantox. Top 10 Venture capital firms supporting new startups in Spain are as follows: Axon Partners group: Unlike most of the other Spanish venture capital firms is focuses on international market and has office in Spain, Colombia and India. In addition to funding the startups, it also gives consultancy services to panies in which it does not have a holding. In the year, 2010 Party Gaming was merged with this Venture capital firm[10]. Since 2013 it has funded 8 panies raising an   amount of euro 23.9 million. Cabiedes & Partners: It is one of the most famous VC firm in Spain, which have backed more than 40 panies within the country. It was founded in late 90s and is run by Cabiedes brothers. The firm has raised euro 30 million funds in 2014 and focuses on performance and key metrics[11]. It has entered into 17 deals since 2013 raising an amount of euro 25.2 million. Kibo Ventures: Telefonica chose it so that it can manage its Amerigo fund which aims at Latam and Spanish startups. It has entered into 16 number of deals since 2013 raising an amount of euro 24.7 million. It has its head quarter in Madrid and was founded in 2011 Nauta Capital: Like Axon, it also has an international base. It has offices in London and Barcelona. It backs panies, which is at its growth-stage[12]. It has   raised 100-150 million Euros in 2014 and invested in 30 startups within Spain, US and UK. Since 2013 it has entered into 7 deals raising a fund of 35 million euro.   Vitamin K: It is based in Madrid and invest in internet panies and technology which are at its early stage. It is run by Rafael Garrido and has funded at least 10 panies since it was founded. It has entered into 6 deals since 2013 raising an amount of 6.2 million euro. Active venture partner: Their policy is to invest 80% of its funds in Spanish startup and rest are allocated to European countries. It is one of the key funders of BuyVIP, the online shopping pany, which was purchased by Amazon in 2010 for $110 million[13]. It has entered into 4 deals since 2013 raising an amount of 14 million euro. Bosnai Venture capital: It is the oldest venture capital firm of Spain, which was founded in 1999. It invests in panies, which are at its early stage, and its portfolio has startups like Wallapop. It is one of the oldest funders of Idealista[14]. It has entered into 2 deals since 2013 raising a total fund of 3.87 million euro. Lanta Digital Ventures: Angel Garcia founded it in 2013, a very experienced entrepreneur who was previously the Chief finance Officer of a technology pany named Fractus that was the main developer of mobile phone. It has entered into 2 deals since 2013 raising a fund of 50k Euros. Seaya Ventures: Beatriz Gonzalez daughter of president of BBVA’S and Michael Kleindl founded it, which helps panies at their growth stages with an approximate investment of 10 million Euros[15]. It has entered into 5 deals since 2013 raising a fund of 23.4 million Euros. Caixa Capital Risc: It is the most active investment vehicle in Spain. Since 2011, it started funding technological panies and has a portfolio of almost 100 panies including La Caixa which was the most friendly startup banks in Spain. It has entered into 18 deals since 2013 raising an amount of 202 million Euros. Top 5 Private equity firm in Spain are as follows:   Magnum Partners: It manly focuses and invests in Iberian region. It targets all the middle level to upper middle level panies in Portugal and Spain. Portobello Capital: It is Spanish based private equity firms that invest in new ventures and startups, which have high growth aspects, but risk factor involved is very high. Mercapital Servicios: it supports the middle size panies in Spain by steering their process of internationalization[16]. It also invests in panies in Latin America who wants their development to speed up N+1: It supports the existing ventures that are willing to extend their market base and diversify in different sectors. They support panies who are setting up new units or expanding its exiting setup. MCH: It invests in panies who are willing to introduce new technology in the market. They not only provide funds to these panies but also give them expert advice relating to technological development.   https://www.linkedin /in/yago-arbeloa-2448623 https://es.linkedin /in/kobylanski https://www.linkedin /in/martinvarsavsky https://es.linkedin /in/juanmargenat Digital marketing, Online Advertising https://www.linkedin /in/jesusmonleon https://www.linkedin pany/axon-partners-group https://www.crunchbase /organization/cabiedes-partners https://www.crunchbase /organization/kibo-ventures www.nautacapital /news/nauta-iii www.webmd /vitamins-and-supplements/supplement-guide-vitamin-k www.bonsaiventurecapital /en/node/7 https://www.linkedin pany/caixa-capital-risc www.bloomberg /profiles/.../3407468Z:SM-mercapital-servicios-financieros-sl Storm water discharge, Scrape Recycling mch.aarogya /mch/what-is-mch/12-over-all-mch-and-health-sector-situation.html From the above discussion, it can be said that BA, VC and PE have changed the face of startup venture all over the world. In the recent year BA, VC and PE has grown at lot in Spain supporting new ventures and technologies, which involves high risk as well as high growth. It not only supports news startup panies with fund but also provide them technological and expert advices. Now a days, they are also involving in the management of new ventures which was previously not a tradition. Almost 10 BA, 10 VC and PE has been discussed in this report which gives an overview that this BA, VC and PE are focusing on every industry and giving financial and other assistant to panies who need support. Startup ventures, which previously used to struggle to enter into the market with new schemes and technology because of lack of fund are now a day’s supported by this BA, VC and PE with investment. This new ventures are now getting a platform to highlight their talent in the market. Their success and growth rate has also increased a lot during these years because of these BA, VC and PE.  Ã‚   Baldock, Robert, and David North. "The role of UK government hybrid venture capital funds in addressing the finance gap facing innovative SMEs in the post-2007 financial crisis era."  Research Handbook on Entrepreneurial Finance(2015): 125. Business, Small, and Tourism Branch. "ARCHIVED—Financing With Venture Capital: Advances in Knowledge Over the Last Ten Years and Research Avenues References." (2012). Cumming, Douglas J., and Sofia A. Johan.  Venture capital and private equity contracting: An international perspective. Academic Press, 2013. Demaria, Cyril.  Introduction to Private Equity: Venture, Growth, LBO and Turn-Around Capital. John Wiley & Sons, 2013. Dutta, Supradeep, and Timothy B. Folta. "A parison of the effect of angels and venture capitalists on innovation and value creation."  Journal of Business Venturing  31, no. 1 (2016): 39-54. Gregson, Geoff, Sacha Mann, and Richard Harrison. "Business angel syndication and the evolution of risk capital in a small market economy: evidence from Scotland."  Managerial and Decision Economics  34, no. 2 (2013): 95-107. Harrison, Richard. "Book Review: Venture Capital, Private Equity, and the Financing of Entrepreneurship."  International Small Business Journal  31, no. 7 (2013): 832-834. Hellmann, Thomas, and Veikko Thiele. "Friends or foes? The interrelationship between angel and venture capital markets."  Journal of Financial Economics115, no. 3 (2015): 639-653. Hisrich, Robert D., SaÃ… ¡a PetkoviĆ¡, Veland Ramadani, and Là ©o-Paul Dana. "Venture capital funds in transition countries: Insights from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia."  Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development  23, no. 2 (2016): 296-315. Lumme, Annareetta, Colin Mason, and Markku Suomi.  Informal venture capital: Investors, investments and policy issues in Finland. Springer Science & Business Media, 2013. Manigart, Sophie, and Mike Wright. "Reassessing the relationships between private equity investors and their portfolio panies."  Small Business Economics  40, no. 3 (2013): 479-492. Mason, Colin, and Yannis Pierrakis. "Venture capital, the regions and public policy: the United Kingdom since the post-2000 technology crash."  Regional Studies  47, no. 7 (2013): 1156-1171. Mason, Colin, ed.  Handbook of research on venture capital. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2012. Rosenbusch, Nina, Jan Brinckmann, and Verena Mà ¼ller. "Does acquiring venture capital pay off for the funded firms? A meta-analysis on the relationship between venture capital investment and funded firm financial performance."Journal of Business Venturing  28, no. 3 (2013): 335-353. Siepel, Josh. "Book review: Handbook of research on venture capital, volume 2: A globalizing industry."  International Small Business Journal  32, no. 4 (2014): 474-475. Vanacker, Tom, Veroniek Collewaert, and Ine Paeleman. "The relationship between slack resources and the performance of entrepreneurial firms: The role of venture capital and angel investors."  Journal of Management Studies  50, no. 6 (2013): 1070-1096.

Brand management for Rolex (a case of study) Essay

Brand management for Rolex (a case of study) - Essay Example The case study will explain the brand management strategy developed by Rolex in the international market. Rolex has followed certain branding strategies to maintain its good image in the international market and enhanced its brand value significantly. This case will analyse the strategies that has made Rolex a famous brand. It is a descriptive case study. In this case study, qualitative method has been followed. The data that is used in this case study is secondary data and it has been collected through websites and books. The case study consists of six chapters. The first chapter describes the brief overview about the overall case study. The second chapter is the literature review. In this chapter, the details about the research topic have been explained to generate in-depth understanding of the research problem. The third chapter consists of statement of research problem and the research methods where the main research problem has been identified and the methods of conducting the c ase study have been stated. The fourth chapter will describe the research process i.e. what has been done to perform the case study analysis. In the fifth chapter, the secondary data will be analysed with regard to the research problem and the literature review. The final chapter is the conclusion where the actual findings of the research will be described on the basis of analysis of the findings. The basis of the case study is brand management of Rolex. Literature Review Rolex is one of the dominating deluxe wristwatch manufacturing companies. It is a multinational company which operates their business in excess of 100 countries. Rolex is renowned for its good business performance and high status (Rolex, n.d.). Brand Management Brand management is about developing an image of a brand and also maintaining it. Brand management helps a company to define any product, position the product, and deliver it to the customer. It is an ability to generate and sustain the brand. A strong brand is an asset for a company which discriminates any product from other alternative products. It can set an additional image to the product of the company (Management Study Guide, 2011). Brand Positioning of Rolex With regard to establishing brand image, Rolex always prefers to use certain traveller or singer or other stylish person for advertisement purposes. Rolex seeks selective media for advertising their products which can help to form the image of the brand as well as control the advertisement cost. Rolex is extremely elegant to accomplish multiple factors while spending least amount of money which can help to maintain the balance between optimal cost and profit. Through their good marketing skills, Rolex successfully increases their fans and earn the honour and faith of Rolex users (Fairy, 2010). Brand Awareness of Rolex From early 1930s, Rolex focuses on product quality. The advertisement of Rolex was limited to just product level and made by using verbal statements and graphi cs.

The Highly Appreciated Powerful Performance of American History X Essay

The Highly Appreciated Powerful Performance of American History X - Essay Example Maslin’s response to the violence depicted which he observes Derek commits â€Å"with horrifying gusto†. His take suggests the raw virility of Derek’s character is such that milks a certain kind of violent furiously and heats things up simply by viewing Derek in a sexual tryst right before the violence initiates. However, the focus of the film overflows with the ‘tacitly homoerotic violent energy’ of the skinhead bullies. Roger, on the other hand, focuses on the hostile tribalism being an epidemic angle of the movie. He denotes the rapidly spreading race hatred of the skinheads being largely due to the stringent culture of the local ethnic group. Cinematography, another key element of American History X, plays a vital role in its effective execution and hence formulates the basis of divergent critic responses. Mccarthy views Kaye’s registration of scenes from the movie as tremendously powerful, with a ‘certain fierce beauty’. The cinematography that is so artfully executed focuses on dramatic action as well as illustrates a ‘potent visceral effect’. According to Mccarthy it also rarely strays or overstates the case that the director is trying to present. Maslin, although believes that the storyline was oversimplified in the way it was reduced to a mere outline, seen in the way there is no detailed emphasis on the transformation that Derek undergoes in prison. That being said it is directed with an impressive combination of ‘handsome photo-realism’, as well as ‘visceral punch’, which effectively complements the fiery acting to make its impact felt.

Business game Essay Example for Free

Business game Essay Reflection on Personal Performance in Business Strategy Game Business strategy games involving management process before confirming the decision to be made. Lesson learned taken from the business game, from the process and the content from the case (industry and situation condition of the business). Management Process Planning was the first process taken. Reading and understanding the relevant information was necessary and plays a significant role in planning process. Expectation was established in the planning, and followed stepping process until all aspects have been determined, including all distinctiveness in production (capacity, model, etc. ), transportation (shipping), labor, etc. Planning is critical, and it was indicated in the business strategy games, in which it required quite some time to achieve an agreement. Time was also a factor should be considered, and it drove the discussion on the planning to obtain the agreement. Organizing was also needed in the game to obtain optimal process. One opinion was listened and it organized the discussion and the direction of the process toward certain strategy. Other opinion was taking in to consideration, whether support or as devil advocacy to the strategy. The process also managed by organizing the flow of discussion to center on the strategy with already decided to be focused on. One person plays role as organizer at one time became a source person or follower in the other time. This approach of organizing made the progress of the discussion in the one focal point that describes the strategy taken which leads to the decision. When a member played the role as organizer, then the member did directing the process and content according to the chosen strategy, and also can happened that the strategy can be changed according to the expected result and considering assumption of strategy of the competitors. Some times in the process, one or more member can have their drive going down. In this situation other member did motivated the team to keep up the winning spirit. Controlling was also involved in the process, by focus on one thing and sacrifices in other thing, align with the strategy. These four processes of management were implemented in the process of gaining the final decision and in determining the content to be made (such as production/manufacturing, shipping, labor, price, etc. ), in which the final decision was made by consensus. The experience in the game gives the learning point in practicing of implementing management process, planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. Within a given time, group should be able to do planning (including crafting the strategy, and establish the goal), organizing the process (including agreed on the road map of the process, listening and expressing opinion, and adjusting to the characteristics of the group), directing (including do and accept direction, motivating others, make or initiate decision), and controlling (to be aligned with strategy). Management Functions Strategy plays a critical role in the process, and aim to make the company have differentiation that creates competitive edge compare with the competitors. Decisions are determined align with the chosen strategy. Strategy such as increasing market share and or increasing price to obtain more profit, and or have a low cost production by moving the manufacturing to the low cost location, and or lowering the labor cost, and or increasing the quality of the product, etc. , were became the issues discussed during the process. Any decision made in the process should be linked to the strategy and eventually to the expected result (goal). Marketing management initiatives plays important role in the process. Attention was put in the advertising or promotion program. The decision on the initiatives was made in relation with other initiatives, and initiative should be congruence to be able to reach expected impact. Operations management was also applied, in order to have efficient and low cost production, to be able to lower the price, or put emphasizing in better quality of product and therefore adjust the price to a higher number. Having different locations of manufacturing was also part of consideration in operation management, including the days needed for shipping, and inventory level. Financial management was critical. At the end of the day, the success of the strategy, whether the plan was achieved of not, was determined by facts and figures which was analyzed and interpreted in terms of financial. The situation or condition of the company was considering of profitable, safe or potentially bankrupt, and whether the strategy was effective or not was determined from numbers including financial ratios. Production plan and realization, exchange rate, labor cost, product sold or unsold, inventory level, price, etc. were contributed to the financial condition, and will be analyzed further for determining next strategy (for next run). Human Resource was also had major role in the decision process. Number of labor involved, salary and incentives, were several factors considered in human resource function. During the discussion it was also considered incentive factors as the factor that can boost the motivation of the employees, in which can increase the productivity and eventually proportionally can lower the cost. Experience in the business games told that the management functions will be more effective if it was take into consideration in integrated way. The strategy made was comprise of many functions of management, Working in Teams Team work was a factor that can smooth the progress of the practice toward a productive way. At one time one member took the role as leader, and expressed the idea or opinion which regarded as reference that was supported or argued by other members. The leader than guide or direct the process toward obtaining acceptable or best solution. Other member played role as follower, tried to understand point of view of the leader, and gave opinion to enrich the information for having the decision. In one process it can happened that the role of leader was switch from one member to another member, and lead the discussion toward the decision. Working in team in the business games demonstrated by listening to other opinions or ideas and, gave contribution to the group by doing analysis and expressing constructive argument and idea or opinion to the group. In the process of making group decision, group tried to obtain consensus, with all group members support the decision. Experience and Lesson Taken to Working Place In leading unit in the working place, it is important to have clear goals for the unit, which are determined in the process of performance planning that usually take place at the beginning of the year. The goals comprises of organization (unit) objective, and individual objective which should be clear and measurable (refer to SMART Goals principle) and cascaded from top to bottom, means that the goals are aligned from executive or manager position to staff position. Having a clear goals or expectations will make all employees within the unit know exactly what are expected to be achieved and will make the monitoring of performance become more effective, and eventually it will make the evaluation of the achievement more effective. Leader should be able to define the goals, which reflected what the unit wants to be, particularly for the respective year. For the unit, strategy than decided to define what is the best way to achieve the goals or answering how to get there. Leader should be able to determine the strategy, which should consider of having different way of doing rather than just following the same thing. Strategy should have put into consideration opportunities and obstacles that can potentially will be faced along the year. For the unit performance, flow of work, service level agreement, number of employee, training and development program that will have impact to the quality of work, compensation practice, etc. should be considered in order to have effective strategy. Every people in the organization have potential, and leader should put effort to unleash the potential of the individual and support them to perform in their work. Many initiatives of improvement or programs come from the people in the unit that can give positive impact to the unit. Motivation is needed to keep the work spirit not fall to the lower level. Leader should do coaching to ensure people in the unit understand and on track, make sure that people move to the same direction with same strategy. Every function of management can be implemented to achieve optimum result. Managing the operation implemented to ensure effectiveness and efficiency of work. Human resource management will help in ensuring what unit do are align with the business. Financial management can be implement whether in business or support function, for instance to measure Return on Investment of certain initiatives. As member of management team, we should contribute in a positive way by giving opinion and ideas, or doing what has been decided productively. Discussion should be conducted in conducive way, listen what other people say and express opinion to reach to the decision. When decision has been made, member should follow and committed to perform the decision in effectively. Success of the unit is also determined by the competency, performance, and contribution of the members. To have an optimum result, member should be able to look the purpose as unit purpose not individual purpose. This principle can create synergy between members in the team and can contribute more to the performance of the team. The business strategy games provide inspiration that can be applied in the working situation. Having competitors that can affect the result of one group convey the message that in establishing standard, one unit should not look into inside factors, but should also consider outside factors. The capability of the unit can be seen differently and will lead to different goals and strategy. Strategy can be different if the external condition is supportive and indicates opportunity and will be different if the external conditions are not accommodating. Macro and micro analysis can be conducted to have a more comprehensive analysis for obtaining effective and right decision. Read more: http://www. ukessays. com/essays/business/reflection-on-personal-performance-in-business-strategy-game-business-essay. php#ixzz2leirR8KT BUSINESS SIMULATION GAMES INDIVIDUAL REFLECTION PAPER On 10 November 2010 afternoon, Our Can group get a chance to get the materials business simulation games, the first time we were a little confused and not understand what the content and intent or purpose of this program. Until then we get the opportunity to play an active role play in the game by forming a company in our Group Can. Listen Read phonetically Dictionary View detailed dictionary I am a member of cans group discussion 3, in this business game, we manage the company named CHAMP. We chose the name CHAMP for our company becouse we hopes that companies will become a leader or a winner in this Business Simulation Game. Growth of our company in this game very interesting and gave many valuable lessons. Our company was ranked second on the game in first year, after making changes in the manufacturing and marketing strategy; we became the first winner in the game in the second year. In the third year we make changes in the shipping, manufacturing also marketing strategy again to maintain its position as champion, but in the fact that our ranking dropped to be number 3. In the fourth year we wanted to get back into champions. We did totally change the strategy in all sections and mainly to increase product awareness, we contracted with many famous artists paid a high price for promotion. But the results we slumped to the lowest ranking (sixth). This surprised us and made us confused to find out where our biggest mistakes in managing the company. Listen Read phonetically Dictionary View detailed dictionary noun camp compound Did not want to continue to decline, in the fifth year we try to flash back to learn the success stories in the first and second year, besides that we also study the companys strategy of competitors, then we create a new strategy and the results we were able to ride into fourth place. In the sixth year we try to make small changes to strategy in several sections and the results we rose again to number three. In the seventh year we do not make changes to our strategy and stay at rank 3. After doing business game above, there are many valuable lessons that I get. Those lessons were: About Management Process (Planning, Organizing, Directing, Controlling) In managing a company as a manager or owner of a business we must have: a. Planing ? Both long-term planning and short term, this really helps us to determine the strategy or action we should do in the near future or the preparation for long-term corporate strategy. b. Organization ? Complete, clear and transparent as one of the supporters because of the companys people are assets of a company†, the placement of people with appropriate knowledge and skills that will facilitate the acceleration of the process as well as the operations of a company. It also must be supported by a clear Job Description and detail-enter the respective functions of the organization. c. Directing ? In the governance of a company also must be supported by rules or standard operating systems or procedures are clear and understood by all line employees. we often call with company regulations, standard operating procedures etc. d. Controlling ? As a manager or owner in a company we still have to implement controls on employee performance, corporate governance, corporate operating costs and market conditions that support the smooth and that we manage the companys growth periodically. We can also be done with checking Monthly Report / Balance Sheet , hold on monthly meetings, etc. Listen Read phonetically Dictionary View detailed dictionary adjective inside deep indoor internal interior profound inland intrinsic cavernous thoughtful three-dimensional adverb deeply sound preposition in within on to inside under in the course of prefix endo- 2. About Management Function (Strategy, Marketing, Operations, Finance, Human Resources, etc. ) Strategy ? Corporate strategy should be set appropriately by considering several factors, including supporters of human capital, finance, market share and also that there are competitors in the same type of business with our company. In the governance of a business may take a few strategies such as for launching a new product needs some backup strategy, it is necessary whenever the initial strategy does not show results in maximum then we still have some alternative backup strategy, so it does not require a long time to take any action appropriate in market penetration. Marketing ? According to my opinion, the success rate of a company also backed with the full functionality of the marketing is true both in the company engaged in the services or products etc. Capable marketing, product master, around the existing market and marketing must knowing the strengths and weaknesses of competitors. Listen Operations ? Operational support from both system and service level aggrement factor in a process of corporate governance is very important. It also needs to be supported with the latest technology. Listen Read phonetically Dictionary View detailed dictionary verb hold conduct make organize provide establish arrange carry out throw take set up call launch institute stage put on bring about impose carry on incur exercise levy open put up effect float lay on negotiate afford touch off operate stage-manage generate phrase bring into being Finance ? A company can be said in good condition when to generate maximum profit. As a manager or the owners of a company we should be able to manage our capital versus operating costs required, the greater the profit earned by production costs that are not too large will show the healthy of a business. However, we also must consider the placement of funds and financial governance of our company, whether already in accordance with the budgeting or is not appropriate. In terms of business expansion or major factor that should we consider is the condition of our corporate finance, whether supportive or not, when lack of support but the potential or opportunities that we have a large, one financial source of our business is on loan from the Bank with a source of return and specific timeframe. Human Resources ? In addition to the above factors one important thing to note is that inadequate human resources that are reliable and have the skills to suit the needs of the company. A competent leader should be able to determine the amount of labor requirements and can put the right people-enter the respective divisions within an organization. 3. About Working In Teams To work as a reliable teamwork are some things we have to consider include: Get familiar with either all members of the team, it is useful to the division of tasks and towards solving problems that arise. We must be willing to hear opinions of all members of the team in making changes in strategy or action for operasinal company. Explore more information and opinion that reliable and resonable with the case or problem that we should solving as a good team work, eq. Browsing some data from internet or from any sourches. Putting the right people on the job or responsibilities in accordance with the characteristics of our team members are. Based on the experiences and lessons I got from the business game I have done, I plan to apply some advantages in my workplace. As the leader of my unit : A leader should have strong leadership and enough skills to manage the organization and the company. Planning, directing (also mentoring or choaching program) and controlling periodicly to all of my sub ordinate. Delegate some responsibilities to the deputy business with a fixed control function properly . Sharing knowledge to all sub-ordinate, sub-branch manager and exploring new knowledge, new technology and strategy for the success of Bank Mega Cluster Balikpapan Special Hire employee from another Bank (Manager or Marketing) to help me manage the company and make the vision 1000 of Bank Mega become reality (become the leader bank in Balikpapan – East Kalimantan Indonesia) As a member of my management team : Being more creative, proactive and always have new ideas to supporting the management team More details in targeting business opportunities and increase market share. Establishing a reliable team work with 2-way communication is effective and still value the opinions of other members of management team Read more: http://www. ukessays. com/essays/business/business-simulation-games-individual-reflection-paper-business-essay. php#ixzz2lej5YvdS REFLECTION PAPER – THE BUSINESS STRATEGY GAME About Management Processes From the Business Strategy Game, I learned that first important process for a company to determine its future business path was to set a strategic and realistic planning about what is the company goal, how long the goal will be achieved and how to achieve the goal among the competition. In setting the plan, company should define first what is their mission statement or strategic vision. This mission statement is a statement which indicates the purposes and activities of the company’s business/goals in brief, clear and focus words. Along with mission statement, company must clearly define its objectives quantitatively within certain period. From these quantitative objectives, company could set a realistic and attainable long term strategic planning to allocate budget and resources in the company. In strategic planning, company should define clearly its target market, financial objective and competitive position among the industry. This strategic planning will be the direction of the company in running its business. After setting the strategic planning, company should design an organization structure to manage the company effectively, by designating persons who will in charge in each roles and held responsibility in each area of the business in the company (marketing, finance, operation, sales and so on), especially the person who will be responsible as the leader of the company (as CEO). The role of CEO is very essential because he/she must lead company to the right direction in implementing company strategy to achieve company’s objectives. From the clear and effective organization structure, CEO and management will have clear legitimation and authority in directing all resources in the company to implement the company’s strategy. Finally, the company should closely and intensively controlling and monitoring the performance of the strategy during implementation to assess its progress against the pre-defined targets and ensure that all the company elements were doing their parts and responsibility in the right track. About Management Functions In a company, management should establish the right and important functions which will run the company operational activities, define what are the responsibilities of each functions and ensure that each functions performed in accordance with the company objectives. In order to give more value to the company in terms of profitability, management should work together to set a strategy in making company’s output (product or services) more competitive in the market by considering all aspects involved. As an example, to gain more profitability company could set pricing strategy to be higher or lower compare to market but before decided the price, company should consider other aspects such as costs, quality and resources needed in creation of the product or services. About Working in Teams In working as a team member in the company, it is very important to determine a clear designation about who will act as the leader and the follower. Because if there’s no clear designation, potentially will cause the resources in the company to move to the wrong direction and this will destruct company effort in achieving its objectives. As a leader, a person should show the ability to manage and to coach the entire team member to do their tasks properly, and he/she should has willingness to listen and appreciation to his/her followers insights at the same time. And as a follower, one should give respect to the leader and obey the leader decisions. But it is important too for the company to define what is the follower assignment and designation, because if it is not clearly defined, the follower couldn’t perform nor contributed optimally in attaining company’s objective process. What I plan to do in my work place from the experience and lessons I took from the BSG are : As the leader of my unit I will put more effort to be an effective and efficient leader of my unit and will put more awareness to all my team member that our jobs especially in designing the most efficient operational work flow in my company has essential impact in saving the company budget and optimizing company resources which will contributed in achieving the company’s objective especially in financial aspect and giving more value to the customer and shareholder. And furthermore I will spend more time and effort to evaluate designation and job description for each member of my team, to put the right person to the right job and responsibility. If the designation and job description were not fit or not clear to the team member, it will impact to the performance of the working unit itself because each team member do not know exactly what is their role in their working unit. As a member of my management team I will put more consideration and attention about financial impact of any decision that my management made. From the BSG, I see that all activities in each working unit must be contributed and affected to the company strategic planning especially in achieving financial goals. And I will put more respect to any member and any decision of my management team made, even though sometimes the decision seems to be hard to be implement, I will try to see it from wider perspective that the decision must be made deliberately and considered many important aspects which ending is to give more value for the company.

Weber Essay -- essays research papers

Max Weber was the first to observe and write on bureaucracies which developed in Germany during the 19th century. He considered them to be efficient, rational and honest, a big improvement over the haphazard administration that they replaced. The German government was better developed than that in the United States and Britain and was nearly equal to that of France. Weber saw that modern officialdom functioned according to six principles: (1) Fixed and official jurisdictional areas which are ordered by rules, that is laws and administrative regulations. (2) Hierarchy and levels of graded authority where the lower offices are supervised by the higher ones. (3) Management is based on official documents (the files). (4) The officials have thorough and expert training. (5) It requires the full time work of the official. (6) Management follows rules. While these principles seem obvious today, German government agencies were pioneering modern administration to replace practices dating back to the Middle Ages owing loyalty to the king, dukes and the church. From the perspective of the official, Weber observed that office holding is a "vocation," that is it is a calling requiring a prescribed course of training for a long period of time and having examinations which are a prerequisite for employment. He is to be loyal to the office he holds, not to a patron. By virtue of his position, the official enjoys high social esteem. (Weber notes that this is especially weak in th...

Google Brand Strategy Essay

This paper will give you an inside look as to how Google Inc. has evolved into a multi-billion dollar empire since it was first developed in 1996 by two Stanford University graduates working out of a garage. The paper will also compare Google to its strongest competitors in the search engine, web advertising and mobile phone industries. The paper will also reveal what the key elements to success are in those industries. The paper will also detail the resources and key competencies that Google has to make them the leading internet search engine with over 60 percent of market shares. The paper will also discuss the business model and strategies used by Google to help them become one of the fastest growing companies in history. The paper will also touch briefly on some of the threats and weaknesses they face in the marketplace. The paper will also include a recommendation to Google’s top management to help them sustain its competitive edge and financial success in the industry. Background History and Company Growth In 1996, Stanford students Larry Page and Sergey Brin teamed up to develop a new search engine they named BackRub. They chose this name because of the engines ability to rate websites in relevancy based on metatags and keywords. Backrub was quickly gaining popularity and in 1998 Yahoo’s cofounder, David Filo talked Brin and Page into leaving school to put their focus making Backrub a major part of Yahoo. Backrub was later named Google, which was taken from the word googol. Googol is mathematical term for a number represented by the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros. The founder of Sun Microsystems was the first person to invest in Google with $100,000 in August of 1998 which raised $1 million by the end of September. Google was named â€Å"Top 100 Web Sites and Search Engines for 1998† by PC Magazine and was recorded successes at record pace. Google saw potential for profits in other segments of the market and made innovative ideas to gain market share. In 2000, their innovations included wireless search technologies, search capabilities in ten languages, and Google Toolbar browser. Google expanded its product line again in 2004 with the launch of Google News, Google Product search, Google Scholar and Google Local. Google’s index of web pages also grew to more than 8 billion and increased its country domain to more than 15. Google then entered the mobile phone market in 2004 when they created a feature allowing users to text a search request and Google would provide results to the search. Google Earth was created in 2005, which was later enhanced in 2010 when it included an Earth View mode allowing users to view 3D images of various locations at ground level. Between 2005 and 2010, Google also added Book Search, Music Search and Video Search. Google created features for its website to include Gmail software, web-based calendar, web-based documents, spreadsheet applications and language translations to accommodate 51 languages. Discuss competition in the search industry. Which of the five competitive forces seems strongest? Weakest? What is your assessment of overall industry attractiveness? Google has been able to sustain its competitive advantage because of the strong relationships they have built with Internet users, advertisers and websites. In 2010, Google was the most visited website with more than 147 million internet users visiting their site on a monthly basis to search for information. Google’s management believes its strongest rivals are Microsoft and Yahoo, although market share rankings from June 2006, June 2009 and May 2010 showed Google has more than twice their competitors combined. Yahoo was first founded in 1994 and in 2010 held the top third position for most visited search engine site. Almost any information available on the web can be viewed through Yahoo’s portal. Yahoo has many of the same features as Google such as, personal calendar, email, news, weather, television listing and online photo albums. Yahoo has also partnered with mobile phones allows users to search from their mobile devices just as Google has done and the searches performed through Yahoo accounted for 35 percent of the market in 2010. Yahoo’s many features and services have generated revenues from many sources. Yahoo’s relationship with Google goes back to 2000 and has at times been cooperative and other times adversarial. In fact, Yahoo was one of Google’s first customers, but in 2002 they parted ways when Yahoo purchased other companies to develop search engines and since then they have been considered rival companies. Another of Google’s top competitors is Microsoft whose revenues in 2009 were approximately $58.4 billion, with $14.6 billion net income. They were able to make these impressive profits through sales of computer software, consulting services, video games hardware and online services. Microsoft’s computer software Windows 7 and Microsoft office raked in half the company’s revenues in 2009 and most of its operating profits. Their online sales of $3.1 billion showed a loss of $2.3 billion during 2009. The online services generated income came from banner ads on the company’s MSN web site and other affiliated sites, as well as search-based ads displayed with Bing results. Microsoft entered the search engine industry during 2004 in an effort to compete with Google. This happened because Microsoft noticed job postings for Google were nearly identical to Microsoft specifications. Microsoft believed Google was attempting to design software applications that compared to Microsoft office such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Google is well aware of the competitive pressures created by its rival and they fully understand what it takes to hold the competitive edge. They created a strategy that would allow themselves to hold their own against its rivals. In their mind, if the competition could do it, so could they. Competition stems from all sorts of directions for Google. They must compete against their rivals like Yahoo and Microsoft in the search engine industry, new entrants to this industry, the product innovations of their rivals, as well as the bargaining powers their rivals may have that they do not. One of the biggest forces of competition is website traffic. If Google can get more internet users to visit their site over MSN or Yahoo, they will have more bargaining power with advertising sales. Google must also obtain qualified employees with the capabilities to compete with the new and innovative products that Microsoft continues to create. Because the search engine sites are so alike, this causes the rivalry between competitors to increase because the products are less differentiated. What are the key factors that define success in the industry? What are the key competencies, and resources of successful search engine companies? Success in the search industry can be defined by looking at several different factors. One of the most obvious signs of success is revenue growth. Google’s revenues from its websites have grown from $792,063 in 2003 to $15,722,486 in 2009 as stated on its 10-k reports. Revenues from licensing have grown from $45,271 in 2003 to $761,759 in 2009. However the value of their stock reached the high point in 2008 at just over $700 per share and has dropped to below $300 in 2008, gained a little in 2009 and dropped again in 2010 to around $450. Some analysts believe Google’s recent decline in revenue and earnings stemmed from their decisions to increase stock prices in order to achieve revenue and growth earnings that pushed the boundaries of their corporate philosophy of making money without doing evil. In order to be successful, Google must continue to develop innovative products at features to better meet the needs of its customers. They need to offer these products at lower prices than their competitors as well. Have Google’s business model and strategy proven to be successful? Should investors be impressed with the company’s financial performance? How does the company’s financial performance compare to that of Microsoft and Yahoo? Google’s innovative products and business acquisitions have all played a part into their strategy directed at increasing the company’s market share in internet advertising. The addition of these products has increased traffic to Google’s website, and therefore, has given them more opportunities to advertise to Internet users. The strategy to dominate the internet advertising market was designed to be worldwide. China was a market that they were particularly interested in taking over since they have more than 300 million users. Unfortunately for Google, China was not as interested in this and they were faced with challenges from their local search provider, Baidu and the Chinese government. As of 2009, only 31 percent of China’s internet users searched using Google and 64 percent used Baidu. Google’s business strategy included creating new products and features for the mobile phone industry. In 2010, 234 million people owned mobile phones, with 30 percent having internet access from their devices. Google first introduced its Android operating system in 2008 free of charge to any phone manufacturer marketing mobile phones with internet capability. The applications included the operating system had Wi-Fi capability, email, web-based calendar, Google Earth maps, and GPS. T-Mobile was the first to use Google’s Android operating system with the launch of G1 in September 2008. The G1 had many of the same features as Apple’s iPhone, but much less expensive. The Android operating system was extremely successful with its market share, increasing from zero in 2008 to 13 percent in May of 2010. Another area of Google’s business strategy focused on computer software programs used by businesses. Senior management believed the programs would move from local hard drives to the Internet. These is referred to as cloud computing. The market was believed to grow to as much as $95 million by 2013. The move would offer many benefits to corporate users such as lower software acquisition costs, lower computer support costs, and easier collaboration amongst employees in different locations. Google first launched its beta version of free word processing and spreadsheet in 2006 and later relaunched in 2008 to compete with Microsoft’s Office products. In 2008, Google launched its Chrome Browser and Chrome operating system, specifically to accommodate cloud commuting applications. The Chrome browser was created with a multiprocessor design that allowed users to operate spreadsheets, word processing, video editing and other applications simultaneously. Each tab opened a new window so if one crashed the other applications running would not be affected. Also in 2009, Google made agreements with Acer, Hewlett-Packard and Lenovo to start production of netbooks that used Chrome OS and Chrome browser to access cloud-based Google apps software. Google’s business strategy also included expanding into the television market. In 2010, Google teamed up with Intel, Sony, Logitech, Best Buy, DISH Network, and Adobe to develop Google TV. Google TV was built on the Android platform, running the Chrome browser to search live networks and cable programming that streamed videos from providers such as Netflix, Amazon on demand videos, and YouTube. Google TV users would be able to use their televisions to browse the web and run cloud based applications. Google’s business strategy also focused on the addition of targeted advertising placed alongside search results on its website. Google Adwords increased annual revenues from $220,000 in 1999 to more than $86 million in 2001. These ads were prices using an auction system, where uses bid on keywords that described their product or service. What are the company’s key resources and competitive capabilities? What competitive liabilities and resource weaknesses does it have? What opportunities exist? What threats to its continued success are present? In order for Google to have continued success in the search engine industry, they need to have resources and capabilities to create competitive advantage over its rivals. Many of theses resources needed for success are intangibles. They included human assets and intellectual capital. This means having employees with experience, education, creativity and innovation to develop new products and features to compete with its rivals. Another important resource is their company image. Google’s 10 principles’ of Corporate philosophy includes â€Å"You can make money without doing evil†. Their image is different from many other businesses. Google believes in conducting business in unconventional ways. They believe their work should be challenging, but fun. The company puts emphasis on team achievement and individual accomplishments that contribute to the company’s overall success. They work in a place where there is great communication and camaraderie in order to have the tools necessary to produced Google users with the information they are seeking. Google also believes being great will not make them successful. They must anticipate the future needs of its user and develop innovate product and services in order to be successful in the search engine industry. Building relationships or alliances with suppliers is another key component of success. These relationships can help to reduce costs and enhance product quality and performance. A perfect example of this relationship is Google offering its Android operating free of charge to mobile phone providers or its collaboration with Sony, Logitech, Best Buy and DISH network to develop Google TV. Some of the tangible resources needed for success include financial assets, technological assets and organizational resources. Google must have cash and marketable securities in order to finance new products and investments as well as pay dividends to its stock holders. Some technological assets are its copyrights and production technology. Production technology refers to the processes used to develop new products to compete with its competitors. Organizational resources included the company’s workstations and servers used in developing these products. Some of the threats that Google faces in the industry include new entrants in the market and product innovations from its competitors. Overall, Google has done a relatively good job in competing with the development of competitors products. They created the Android operating system in order to enter the mobile phone industry and they are developing new applications for cloud commuting to compete with Microsoft office software. They need not worry too much about the entrance of new businesses as they have developed a brand and corporate image that has already earned loyalty from many consumers. What recommendations would you make to Google’s top management team to sustain its competitive advantage in the search industry? How should it best capitalize on its strategic initiatives in mobile phones, cloud computing, emerging markets, and other venues? Because Google’s rivals are competing with relatively the same products, I would suggest to Goggle’s top management to focus in conducting business in an ethical manner that conforms with the business philosophy. They have received much criticism recently because of their impressive revenues growth during the recession. They need to focus on building their brand image that consumers are appealed by. I would also suggest finding ways to offer products and services at a lower price to its consumers in order to dominate the market. With products being so comparable and easily substituted they need to compete on price. It would be in Google’s best interest to focus on the markets in the United States and Canada , rather than in China. China does not want them competing there and they are spending too much time and money trying to get in when there is plenty of opportunity here. The only thing they are gaining from this is bad publicity. It would be in the best interest of the company to put much of their focus on the thing they do best and that is the search engine. Google should stay with the industries they have performed well in, such as search engine and mobile phones. Their biggest competitor, Microsoft, is the leader in innovative products and they will most likely be more successful than Google in the cloud commuting market because businesses are familiar with their products and have already created a following where Google has not. They should focus on the areas they do well in and leave the other markets to competitors. Management needs to add features to make their current products more appealing to consumer rather than looking for new markets to enter. References Thompson, A., Peteraf, M., Gamble, J., & Strickland III, A. J. (2012). Crafting and executing strategy. (18 Edition ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Thompson, A. A., Peteraf, M. A., Gamble, J. E., & Strickland, A. J. (2012). Cases m for crafting and executing strategy. (19 ed., Vol. 1). The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Ancient greek architecture

The foundation of the temple was measured over 350 by 180 feet [about 110 by 55 meters] in size; probably one of the largest temples built in the ancient times. Temple of Artemisia was built around 323 BC in Usually, Turkey. The city was once called Ephesus. The whole temple was built as a dedication to the Greek Goddess Artemisia. When discussing about Greek Architecture, the most distinctive element is the classical orders. Columns in Ancient Greek period were used externally and internally.Nowadays, Orders are still used in shared public places such as churches, universities, court buildings, museums, etc. Other elements such as: buildings on platform, peripheral columns, pediment, are equally important in Greek Style. First Church of Christ, Scientist Pasadena is located at 80 Oakland Street, Pasadena CA 91101. It is considered as one of the Historic church buildings in Pasadena. The construction of the building started in the year of 1907 and finished in 1909. The fascinating bu ilding was designed by architects Marathons and Van Pelt.When First Church of Christ had Just finished with the construction, it was the largest and greatest building in Pasadena. The Building was equipped with fireproof materials ND made earthquake resistant. The 100-year-old building is very significant as it is part of the Pasadena Playhouse Historic district, a non-profit organization designed to preserve Pasadena historical and also buildings with advanced architecture. The First Church of Christ Scientist is also similar to Temple of Artemisia in many ways. Firstly, the Ionic colonnades that characterize a typical Greek Architecture.Six Ionic columns border the entrance door of First Church of Christ. The two scrolls on the capital of the columns really signify Ionic Columns of Temple of Artemisia. Moreover the First Church of Christ scientist imitates the look of pediment (triangular-shaped roof) of Temple of Artemisia. The two pediments are peaked cap pediments, in which the pediment forms a perfect triangular shaped and does not have broken tip. Additionally, The pediment of Temple of Artemisia is highly decorated with sculptures, whereas the pediment of The First Church of Christ Scientist is plain.The First Church of Christ Scientist is freestanding, with columns only on the front side. The building itself stands on top of a high platform and has only one staircase eating to the entrance. This is different from Temple of Artemisia, which has stairs on every side, and has ionic columns running all around the building. Dentals are not very detailed in the untreatable of First Church of Christ Scientist; unlike the untreatable of Temple of Artemisia with its complex and detailed decorations.The pediment of Temple of Artemisia is decorated with a sculpture, which pictures great military in Ephesus. In terms of function, both Temple of Artemisia and the First Church of Christ Scientist hold the same purpose, which is sacred place to worship and pray. Tem ple of Artemisia was dedicated for the Greek Goddess Artemisia and is a place where people do rituals and pray to Goddess Artemisia. While First Church of Christ Scientist functions as a Christian Church, specifically for the practice of Christian Science; where people gather together every Sunday to pray to Jesus Christ.Additionally, if we're talking about the materials used for the construction process, The two buildings use different materials and apply different construction method. Temple of Artemisia was fully made out of marble, a strong, very precious stone that is high in maintenance but less durable. At that time of construction, Marble was probably the most efficient and advanced material for the construction of the temple. Concrete was not invented by then. Workers had to drag white marble stones and carve it into sculptures manually. It took almost 12 decades to build the temple.While everything was done manually at the time Temple of Artemisia was constructed, the Firs t Church of Christ Scientist was built in a more advance way. Concrete, the strongest and most durable material was already invented and spread across America. The First Church of Christ Scientist was built in concrete and painted in white. These days, with the help of technology such as: laser cut, laser paint, bulldozer, etc, the construction can be done faster. The construction process was done in two years time. The Journey from Temple of Artemisia to the First Church of Christ Scientist takes almost 20 centuries.The First Church of Christ Scientist has the combination and mixture of other styles as well. Dome structure lies at the back of the main building, consisting some elements of Roman architecture as it imitates the Pantheon of Rome. The next building would be Ambassador auditorium, a small auditorium built by the Worldwide Church of God to be used as one of its branch. It is located at 131 S SST John Eve, Pasadena (CA 91105). The building is famous for its magnificent an d unique design and is often called by its nickname † The Carnegie Hall of the West†.Ambassador auditorium does not only function for center of worship but also functions as a concert hall for various kind of public performances. From soloist to small ensemble, even symphony concerts have taken place in Ambassador auditorium. The capacity of the hall is approximately for 1262 people. The simple, yet sophisticated design of the building is the work of an architectural rim in Los Angels, with the supervisions of Daniel, Mann, Johnson and Maidenhead. They chose the building to be minimalist style as it is efficient and cost friendly.The construction process was carried out by the William Simpson Construction Company of Los Angels. It took 12 years to design the concept and 2 years to finish the construction. The interior designer is Robert Smith. The Ambassador Auditorium was officially opened on April 7, 1974. When observing the design of Ambassador Auditorium, there are a few elements of the building that are taken from Ancient Greek Architecture. The most distinctive element is peripheral columns running around the rectangular-shaped building.Each column of Ambassador Auditorium is 72 foot in height, with 8 flutes on each shaft. Six identical columns lies on the front and backside, and nine columns lies on left and right sides. This is similar to the arrangement of colonnades in Temple of Artemisia. The temple has two series of eight Ionic colonnades each for the front and back of the building, while the sides were supported by two rows of seventeen (Ionic) columns each. Both buildings are surrounded by colonnades, regardless of the sensing. Despite the similarities, there are also so many elements that differentiate them.Firstly, materials used for the construction of Ambassador Auditorium are different than Temple of Artemisia because most part of Ambassador Auditorium is covered in glass. Glass was chosen to let more lights to enter the building , because light is very essential for Christian church. In Christianity, Light is often associated with God and holiness. Ambassador Auditorium was initially built for worship purpose, therefore the building is covered mainly by glass. Whereas for Temple of Artemisia, white marble s the main material for the construction.The whole temple was entirely marble except for its tile covered wooden roof. There was barely any glass in the building, because glass were not so popular in the past, probably because they were not very strong. Due to development of technology, glass is now made thicker and heavier; therefore stronger. The columns of Ambassador auditorium is certainly different from Ancient Greek columns, but they are equally unique and beautiful. The shape and the design of the column are not exactly the same as those of Temple of Artemisia, as they are not auricular and do not have decorations on the capital.The exterior columns of Ambassador Auditorium are very slender, with no decoration on its capital and have less flutes on the shafts. The building combines many geometrical shapes such as square, rectangle, triangle, and lines; to emphasize the minimalist style. The exterior design of the building is indeed undeniably beautiful with all the simple elements around it. There is a beautiful little water fountain in front of one of the entrance, adding the aesthetic element to the building. Furthermore, the walkway leading to the entrance is made UT of green granite, that is said to be cut and polished in Overeager, Italy.Ambassador Auditorium is truly a world-class facility despite its simplicity. If you think the exterior is astounding, the interior of Ambassador auditorium is equally enchanting and sophisticated. The inside of the building is decorated with classical style, making it more elegant. The auditorium's main door is covered in bronze. The main hall of the building is decorated with 1390 piece bronze and a huge crystal chandelier in its lobby. Staircase railing is made out of rare African DOD, called Shaded; ornamented underneath with gold leaves.Moreover, the ground is covered with a wool-made purple carpet- indeed an ideal match for the crystal hanging overhead. The Huge crystal chandelier, the beautifully carved ceilings, and the fully polished stair railings altogether create an alluring atmosphere in the building. In conclusion, The First Church of Christ Scientist is more similar to the Temple of Artemisia because it consists of more Ancient Greek elements and decorations such as: free-standing, pediment, Ionic columns, sculptures on pediment, etc. Even though

Free Essays on Remember The Titans

REMEMBER THE TITANS In Boaz Yakin’s Remember the Titans, football becomes the force that is strong enough to break through the wall of prejudice. The character shown by the young men and the courage of their coach demonstrates the exceptional personality traits that were needed to tackle prejudice. In the end these individuals and a town at large realize that the color of their skin does not make them, their goals, or their lives any different from one another. Prejudice is one of the darkest chapter in American history and prejudice is also one of the darkest chapters in American sports history as well. There is only one number in all of major league baseball that is retired throughout the league. It is not Babe Ruth, Cy Young, or Joe Dimaggio. The number is 42, and it belongs to the first African-American to play Major League Baseball, Jackie Robinson. I believe that the reason this is the only number that is retired throughout the league is that breaking the color barrier in baseball was that significant of an accomplishment. Robinson was forced to endure verbal and physical abuse from teammates, fans, and the society around him on a day to day basis. Today, some of the most significant records in all of baseball are held by African-Americans. Hank Aaron holds the career record for the most home runs. Barry Bonds holds the single season record for home runs. Bob Gibson holds the single season record for earned run average. The point is, that without the efforts of Jackie Robinson, the world would have been denied the opportunity to witness the accomplishments of these exceptional athletes. In Remember the Titans, the issue of prejudice is handled by an entire town, and the battle with prejudice is fought not by grown men, but high school students. Segregation was breaking down all over the country, and high schools were becoming integrated around the country. The legendary high school head football coach wa... Free Essays on Remember The Titans Free Essays on Remember The Titans REMEMBER THE TITANS In Boaz Yakin’s Remember the Titans, football becomes the force that is strong enough to break through the wall of prejudice. The character shown by the young men and the courage of their coach demonstrates the exceptional personality traits that were needed to tackle prejudice. In the end these individuals and a town at large realize that the color of their skin does not make them, their goals, or their lives any different from one another. Prejudice is one of the darkest chapter in American history and prejudice is also one of the darkest chapters in American sports history as well. There is only one number in all of major league baseball that is retired throughout the league. It is not Babe Ruth, Cy Young, or Joe Dimaggio. The number is 42, and it belongs to the first African-American to play Major League Baseball, Jackie Robinson. I believe that the reason this is the only number that is retired throughout the league is that breaking the color barrier in baseball was that significant of an accomplishment. Robinson was forced to endure verbal and physical abuse from teammates, fans, and the society around him on a day to day basis. Today, some of the most significant records in all of baseball are held by African-Americans. Hank Aaron holds the career record for the most home runs. Barry Bonds holds the single season record for home runs. Bob Gibson holds the single season record for earned run average. The point is, that without the efforts of Jackie Robinson, the world would have been denied the opportunity to witness the accomplishments of these exceptional athletes. In Remember the Titans, the issue of prejudice is handled by an entire town, and the battle with prejudice is fought not by grown men, but high school students. Segregation was breaking down all over the country, and high schools were becoming integrated around the country. The legendary high school head football coach wa...

Obama Gives Himself a Grade of Incomplete After 18 Months Article

Obama Gives Himself a Grade of Incomplete After 18 Months - Article Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that President Obama pointed out that being criticized comes with the job so he understood why a lot of criticisms are being hurled on his way. But he was very optimistic in the sense that though not much credit is being given to his administration, he wants to still do a good job as the leader of the country. Because he believed that what he is doing is not only for this generation but he believed in making America strong so that when his daughters have kids, they would be the one to enjoy the fruits of his labor. The researcher has to agree with President Obama that his administration merits undue credits. For one, the author believes that his efforts with regards to health care reform are very much undermined. Past presidents have attempted to improve health care services to adapt to changing demands and needs of the people but it was Obama’s determination that finally made it push through. Another is that the a uthor believes in Obama’s leadership skills. He is not a traditional politician and people are quite uncomfortable with that fact. Furthermore, since he is the first African-American president, the author think most people are still not in terms of that idea. That is why most criticisms of him, in my opinion, are not really about political issues but about personal resentment and biases. The researcher believes that Obama would create a lasting legacy worthy to be remembered—as the president who helped the country recover from another economic depression and not just as the first African American president. This article is a press release from the White House’s Office of the Press Secretary with respect to the Executive Order 13441. Executive Order 13411 declares a national emergency in relation to the status of the sovereignty of Lebanon. The Executive Order was issued in August 2007 and is being extended by President Obama for another year.

Case Study on Dish Network Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Case Study on Dish Network Corporation - Essay Example The company was among the first companies in the world to introduce the system of pay-TV services to its customers. The mission of the company is to provide best entertainment services at affordable price, add more entertainment channels and offer high value services such as high-speed internet. The company being large is facing certain problems such as employee dissatisfaction, few legal cases, high expenditure due to such legal cases, weak distribution channel, cut throat competition, entry of new companies in the industry and customer complaints with regards to service and payment issues. The company can create problem solving team also known as the steering committee to follow a step wise method for developing a business case. This would include the identified problems relating to Dish Network. The team would mention the problems and causes of the problems. Then alternatives solutions for the problems would be identified and proper cost/benefit analysis is done to check their via bility. Feasibility analysis of the solutions is done to evaluate the economic, social, environmental and legal factors of the external and internal resources of the company. After testing the solutions on these scales, the final implementation is done. The implementation includes steps such as time allocation and preparation of work schedules to estimate the time frame of implementation. Then the last or the evaluation step is carried out. In this step the company analyses the affect of such implementation and formulates new guidelines for the company. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Company Overview 4 Business problems of Dish Network 5 Methodology 7 Position 8 Sense 10 Uncover 11 Solve 13 Build 14 Achieve 15 Conclusion 16 Reference 18 Bibliography 19 Company Overview The Dish Network Corporation is one of the largest satellite broadcasters in United States. The company provides service to about 14 million subscribers. The clients of Dish Networks are in hospitality sector, retail, restaurants, etc. They provide services like on-demand videos, local, international and specialty sports channels, blockbuster movies and pay per view facilities in addition to the basic program package. Dish Network as almost 34,000 employees. The corporate office of Dish Network is mainly based in Meridian, Colorado. The company provides internet and voice services through its partners. About 90 percent of the company is controlled by Charlie Ergen, the chairman of the company (â€Å"Is DISH Network a great company, or what†). The customers of Dish Networks can access hundreds of audio & video channels, international channels and Interactive TV applications. The company also provides more than 280 basic video channels to its customers, 2500 local channels and about 30 movie channels. It covers about 93 percent of the United States household. The customers receive the programming through in-house equipment which includes a satellite dish and a set-top box. Some recei vers are also internet-protocol compatible. It allows the customers to view programs through the internet connection (â€Å"Investor relations dish network†). There is stiff competition in the satellite market. The nearest competitor of Dish Network is DirecTV Group. DirecTV is one of the largest pay-tv in US. It is larger in size and stronger capital base than the Dish Networks. Moreover, the network of DirecTV is stronger than Dish TV and it is sold in more stores than Dish Networks. There are also some large providers of cable service successfully competing with Dish Network, they are Time Warner Cable and Comcast. The Time Warner Cable Inc. is a cable service provider in US. It offers video channels, voice services and high speed data through its broadband services. Whereas, Comcast is also