Saturday, November 30, 2019

Intel China Essay Example

Intel China Essay What are the reasons for Lis behavior? Yong Li, one of the AM’s for the firm has already achieved a certain extent of success within the primary focus of Intel’s strategy to develop connections and associations with the clients in his account base. Li is conscious to the fact that his accomplishments as an Intel ambassador is unquestionable and consequently to bring in additional value to his role he has placed effort, time and plan to one of the individual projects he has undertaken to self improvise and take a comprehensive approach to the detailing of the particular project. Li is self driven to achieve stiff targets that he sets out for himself, however the decision received from Tang’s office to scrap out the project indirectly through Qing Chen after two months of effort was taken into account as an insult to his calibre and competence. Li experienced an instant disengagement with his immediate supervisor and manager as he felt that his hard work, overall performance and the effort placed in his long term approach in the project was disregarded without any deliberation by the new heads of the division. 2. What are the roles of Chinese and Western cultures in these events? We will write a custom essay sample on Intel China specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Intel China specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Intel China specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The case study presents a perspective of the underlying troubles within China Intel Corporation management styles that is flanked between a western corporate functioning and eastern philosophies deterring a smooth management change process and raising questions on decision making and directing people towards a common goal of the company. Charles Tang originally a native from China has recently moved back from US as Intel’s new marketing head; however the employees and officials view him as a young expatriate who is unfamiliar with the â€Å"ways of the place†. Initially Tang in his interactions with the Chinese officials was undetermined as his direct responses held no weight in confidence. Tang soon learnt that his style of answering in a straight forward fashion without taking time to contemplate on the reactions was not accepting into the Chinese culture. He established credibility as he adapted a new stroke change by means of asking for additional background information and time for his boss to make the final decision. However Tang interaction with his team was guided by Intel’s professional code of conduct policy on the â€Å"disagree and commit† philosophy. When Tang made a decision to restructure and streamline the team assignments in order to advance Intel China strategic objective, he received Yong Li’s extreme emotional reaction of â€Å"losing face† which signified impairment between the relationships of the two parties. As a senior manager, Tang witnesses the effect of on the organizational culture imparted from an employees change in behaviour due to his decision. In the face of this issue, Tang has called for a joint meeting to resolve the issue as he internally believes an open discussion will take care of the grievance; however he faces the pressure to deliver consistent decision making behaviour at his seniority level. The clash of ideologies within Tang is caused by his personal style adopted in the west of dealing and understanding people in an open style and the new strategic responsibilities he must adhere and prioritise for the company to succeed. The case study does not elaborate much about Qing Chen, the new departmental manager’s role in the company. Qing Chen as per instructions has conveyed the decision to discontinue the project in an autocratic manner to Yong Li. However her role as an immediate supervisor does not end with relaying information only and she is required to perform a strategic and active role involved in understanding daily operations of the team and directing them accordingly in order to bridge the gap between the senior management’s vision and the AM’s roles towards the goal. 3. How would you have handled the situation with Li? Would there have been a way to save face? In this scenario being considered an expatriate, every action taken as per the need of the role is viewed prejudice. Hence the challenge before leading the employees to perform their goals must involve building trust and confidence amongst both the parties involved. Charles Tang at his level is set out to make strategic decisions and cannot be completely involved in micro management; however his subordinate Qing Chen must be delegated to be actively involved in the daily operations and also understand the team’s including Yong Li’s disposition at work, general attitudes, team dynamics, ethnic background and aspirations. As this situation has lead to one of the crucial performer’s of the team â€Å"losing face†, it is necessary for Charles Tang to address the entire AM team in a forum to articulate Intel’s strategic goals and reiterate that contributions at work are valued however they must be focused towards achieving the common objective of Intel. At this stage the company’s â€Å"disagree and commit† philosophy must be revisited to make the team members aware of it. He must emphasize that the team’s direct contact and daily updates with Qing Chen must be adhered. At the end Tang must appreciate the top performers of the team and announce his plans to reassess existing projects as per the strategy. The one on one meeting with Yong Li must be directed carefully to avoid any emotional hijack of the decision already taken. However the main intention of the meeting is to build back the Yong Li’s confidence and reinstate his credibility by understanding his point of view on the scope of the project. In case during the review, new light is thrown upon the importance, range and feasibility of the project, Charles Tang may be required to revisit his decision and set deadlines for the project. Simultaneously, Qing Chen must be part of the review and the AM’s must be instructed on giving regular updates to her. Likewise she must be individually explained on her accountability towards the team’s performance and updates. 4. What must Intel do in China if it wishes to attract and keep the best and brightest employees? An American multinational company such as Intel to coexist and excel in china must first understand how Chinese administration and work philosophy differs from American corporate culture. To manage potential cross cultural conflict, global managers like Tang must be equipped with skills to be gain insightful knowledge on the nuances of the Chinese culture in order to bring out the best in people. Secondly, as per Intel’s philosophy to encourage innovation the company believes in encouraging dissent through the â€Å"disagree and commit philosophy†. However encouraging disagreement to advance effectiveness under no circumstances implies distortion of the reporting lines. Hence the corporate power structure must be restored through the vertical managerial hierarchy. As the top brass of the management is intensely involved in organising and developing programs locally and combining its expertise through global integration, simultaneously overseeing the administration of the account managers by the supervisors must not be overlooked. To improve the reporting lines between the supervisors and the account managers, the supervisors must be empowered to make decisions with a broader scope of authority. In this case, the supervisor must have their ears to the ground to listen to various ideas and strategies from the employees through which a constant engagement and regular performance progress track report is maintained. To strive towards the vision of the company, improving internal communications within the organisation may be considered. Encouraging and applauding good ideas at work through a transparent and fair system similar to an incentive or recognition program may be devised to build a corporate culture to support continuous innovation within the company.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Microsoft Corporation facing antitrust claims

Microsoft Corporation facing antitrust claims On May 18, 1998, Microsoft, the largest computer software manufacturer in the world was sued on a number of antitrust allegations. The allegations ranged from violation of various sections of the Sherman Antitrust Act to Microsoft illegally attempting to monopolize the internet browser market.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Microsoft Corporation facing antitrust claims specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It was also alleged that Microsoft had illegally monopolized the operating systems market for personal computers whereby it had anti-competitively bundled its windows operating system with its Internet browser, Internet Explorer. These allegations arose due to Microsoft which had monopoly power misusing the market influence it possessed in order to dominate the market. It was also alleged that Microsoft had made some anti-competitive and illegal contractual arrangements with various internet service providers and compu ter manufacturers and was also involved with other illegal actions and also discouraged its competitors to penetrate into the market through the utilization of application barriers hence creating a monopoly in a bid to strengthen its grip on monopolizing the market (U.S. Department of Labor n.d.). The United States department of justice petitioned the District court to find in civil contempt the Microsoft Corporation. Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson issued an injunction that stopped the putting together of windows and internet explorer. This preliminary injunction was however overruled by DC Circuit Court of Appeals on May 12, 1998 citing that the 1995 consent decree did not apply to windows 98. â€Å"The argument for this course of action was that, the limited competence of courts to evaluate high-tech product design and the high cost of error should make them wary of second-guessing the claimed benefits of a particular design decision’’ (DeCarlo, 2003). On issuing his ‘conclusions of law’ Judge Jackson on April 3, stated that Microsoft was guilty of an anti-competitive tying of Internet Explorer with windows and also liable for monopolization but also found that Microsoft did not hinder the distribution of Netscape through its contracts. Judge Jackson on June 2000 found that, Microsoft enjoys the largest and most stable market share thus having a monopoly; it also used its power as a monopoly to eliminate its competitors from accessing personal computers’ operating systems, Microsoft’s actions were also deemed to have harmed consumers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The judge also found that the antitrust market is the personal computer operating systems market for the computers that are compatible with Intel. The judge also noted that the ‘applications barrier to entry,’ is what protect ed Microsoft’s monopoly. Judge Jackson also observed that despite the fact that its contracts had various anti-competitive implications, Microsoft was however not guilty of any anti-competitive contracts that would hinder Netscape’s distribution (Mallor et al 2010). In my opinion, should Microsoft windows split with internet explorer, the company would be at a disadvantage since it would suffer a hefty loss which they had previously enjoyed good sales from. This would in turn give a fighting chance to the other players in the field to gather up a market share from Microsoft which would hurt their profits and control of the market and should the ruling on bundling not be reversed, Microsoft could easily loose grip of their customers. Due to antitrust uncertainty, Microsoft has also had a 40% drop in their stock price. The other issue at hand is the continuous antitrust lawsuits that Microsoft is about to face in the near future should the ruling be withheld and this is a key factor that spells a series of other antitrust lawsuits against other key players in the computer industry. References DeCarlo, D. (2003). Exclusive remedy in a nutshell. CBS Interactive, Inc. Web. Mallor, J., Barnes, A., Bowers, T. Langvardt, A. (2010). Business law: The ethical, global and e-commerce environment. New York:, NY: McGraw Hill/Irwin.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Microsoft Corporation facing antitrust claims specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). Occupational safety health administration. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/about.html

Friday, November 22, 2019

Assessment of the Role of Jimmy Corrigan As Depicted By Chris Ware in the Smartest Kid on Earth

Assessment of the Role of Jimmy Corrigan As Depicted By Chris Ware in the Smartest Kid on Earth Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid On Earth, by Chris Ware, is about a meek and lonely man in his mid-thirties who meets his father for the first time in a Michigan town over Thanksgiving weekend. Jimmy is an awkward and cheerless character with an overbearing mother and a very limited social life. Jimmy attempts to escape his unhappiness via an active imagination that sometimes gets him into awkward situations. The book deals with loneliness, familial dysfunction, inadequacy, bullying, generational conflict, masculinity, sexual frustration, social embarrassment and depression. Ware wrote and illustrated the book. He is best known for a series of comics called the Acme Novelty Library, and incidentally, this graphic novel.First and foremost, Jimmy Corrigan has a very unique style. The first thing you notice is the thick line weight, the very geometric design of the illustrations, and the thick, opaque colors used. The illustrations do not contain any fine detail. What Ware uses is subtle shifts in line weight. What Ware also does well is capturing the different shapes of the figures as they walk, talk, move their head, turn around, etc. This, along with adding slight blocks of color for shadows, really gives the illustrations depth and distance when there seemingly couldnt be. People, objects, buildings, the sky, the weather, etc. are all drawn in a very minimalist nature. Everything is given the simplest shape possible yet you know exactly what you are looking at, just by where certain lines bend and curve. The colors used for illustrations are relatively drab. Every color is a sort of soft, pastel like color, which gives the illustrations a very unobtrusive feel. This color palette fits the story nicely considering the story is rather drab and depressing. The colors do a good job of setting the mood and bringing you into Jimmy Corrigans life as well as mind state. With that said, what I foun d rather interesting was how Ware used the color red. Unlike the other colors, red was bright and strong, and at times really jumped off the page. For the most part it was used for sound effects, which although sounds like a relatively simple idea, I thought was a really good representation of them. Red was also used for narration as well, such as words. They were used almost as a guide at times, to really keep the story going,Another technical aspect of the work is the integration of various kinds of text. You have your typical cartoon for the dialogue and thoughts of the characters. You also have your typical sound-effects text as well. There are a few unique uses of text: one is use of cursive lettering in parts of the story. These scenes arent really Jimmys daydreams nor are they his full fledge dreams. They are much more like whimsical, fantasy like thoughts. They are also used at times as narration as well as representing Jimmys thoughts. Another unique use of text is his use of early-20th century lettering. Ware applies this to the poster/flyer like images entitled à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Jimmy Corrigan, Smartest Kid on Earth, which are sprinkled throughout the book. Another instance of this is when he is talking about the past, more specifically Jimmys grandfathers childhood. The text is both technically and beautifully done. Although they are necessary to the style and the story, it is interesting to note that Ware is an ardent ragtime enthusiast who publishes a journal on ragtime music, collects ragtime paraphernalia, and has even designed album art and posters for ragtime performers (jackhanley.com). This is all pretty apparent and really comes out in Jimmy Corrigan.Several images reoccur throughout the book and tie together the plotlines: superheroes, birds, broken limbs, guns, peaches, redheads, the Fair, and Jimmy Corrigan. The images bind the story together and reiterate the similarities between the Jimmies of each generation (findarticles.com). For example, the Chicago Worlds Fair of 1 893 represents the imaginary world that the Corrigans inhabit. A world thrown together, that looked great for the two weeks of the fair and then collapsed into sudden ruin. Each character has a very brief childhood where everything looks fine until the harsh reality crashes through the illusion, ending childhood (i-reports.info). None of the Corrigans seem able to break the bonds of their past. Jimmy tries to make a connection to his father, but cannot seem to make any human connection.The superhero image is the one reoccurring image that really stands out throughout the book. Jimmy himself wears a Superman shirt. Jimmy imagines himself a bird flying outside of the clinic like Superman, and when a bird crashes into the window, we are back with Jimmy in the clinic, back to reality. In Jimmy Corrigan, superheroes are not invincible. A superhero jumps from the rooftop across from Jimmys office building and dies. A toy Superman that a child plays with at a diner dives to the floor. Jimmys dad picks it up to give back to the child, commenting how we would not want Superman to get hurt (findarticles.com). And in the first couple pages of the book you have a young Jimmy meeting a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“superhero at a comic book convention. The superhero then goes home with Jimmy and his mom and subsequently sleeps with his mom, and then sneaks out in the morning. Not exactly something Superman would do, maybe Batman, but not Superman.Ware does a great job of connecting the past with the present. One example is how the book spans the time from Jimmys great-grandfather in 1863 to the present; the different time changes are illustrated through a particular visual sequence of a bird gathering nest materials by various hospitals (findarticles.com). This bird is seen first collecting a flowered twig around a war-zone tent-hospital, then by a hospital building in the 1890s, next at Lincoln Hospital in the 1930s, then at St. Marys in the 1950s, and finally placing the twig in a nest on the windowsill of a present-day doc-in-a-box where Jimmy wa its with a bloody nose (findarticles.com). You have a sense that it is the same bird reflecting on times gone by, as well as different birds from different times.Ware uses a variety of narrative techniques. These techniques vary from panel to panel. Ware uses one of the more basic panel-to-panel transitions called simply Å“moment to moment; the same subject is displayed in adjacent instants, like a movie running jerkily on a slow computer (McCloud chapt. 3). This is basically used to animate the story and give it some fluidity. Ware also uses transitions very similar to moment to moment, one being action to action, in which the focus remains on a single subject, but this time, two separate, consecutive actions are displayed (for example, the first panel might contain a car speeding along, the 2nd the car smashing into a tree, or in this case Jimmy) (McCloud chapt. 3). The other transition Ware uses similar to this is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“subject to subject, in which both panels are within the same scene or idea, but each portrays a different subject (McCloud chapt. 3). The three of these techniques are the basis for how the story is told. Another interesting narrative feature of the story is when he uses the transition called à ¢ â‚ ¬Ã…“aspect to aspect, which is when the author Bypasses time for the most part and sets a wandering eye on different aspects of a place, mood, or idea (McCloud chapt. 3). Ware does this periodically throughout the book to set the mood, describe a setting, show what a character is thinking, etc. He will have a number of consecutive panels that will show simple objects, or even small details of simple objects, along with the regular narrative features of the story. The bulk of the story obviously deals with the modern-day Jimmy. This part of the story starts off the book and continues in a relative linear fashion, flowing in and out of dreams and thoughts. We join Jimmy at work and soon follow him through a series of panels which show his simple, boring, and depressing life. What is then introduced is a rather odd dream sequence in which Jimmy imagines himself as a robot. Similar dream sequences happen throughout the course of the story, including one where a giant superhero h and picks up Jimmys house and then proceeds to drop it.Another narrative feature that happens quite frequently throughout Jimmy Corrigan is when Jimmy has his daydreams. These serve as a window into Jimmys psyche and often reveal tiny details about his persona. Some of them show Jimmy imagining himself with different women, including his co-worker Peggy, the nurse at the doctors office his father brings him to, and the girl his father adopted Amy. The daydreams do not all contain the same themes though. The one involving Peggy has Jimmy imagining her as an almost mother-like character. This is probably due to the fact that Peggy is a very domineering woman, much like Jimmys mother. The next one comes during Jimmys visit to the doctors office with his father. This daydream is purely sexual. Jimmy takes the nurses niceness and seemingly flirtatious actions and runs with it, setting off a series of images depicting the nurse coming on to Jimmy, them running away together and then ultimately getting married. This is all rather humorous and really does accurately portray what goes through a manà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s mind when he meets an attractive woman. This similar chain of events happens when Jimmy has a daydream about Amy. Only this time a bomb or meteor demolishes everything and Jimmy and Amy are the only ones left. Yet unlike the previous two this daydream has Jimmy taking charge and taking care of someone else. It shows him chopping wood, being a real man. The daydreams are quick and to the point. The majority of the time they end rather abruptly with someone or something snapping him out of it.Although the main plot of Jimmys life and his attempt at reconnecti ng with his father is told in a relative linear fashion, it is the inclusion of flashbacks from Jimmys life, his fathers life, and his grandfathers life, that really elevates the plotline and reveals more about who the Corrigans are. They really show why these three men are who they are. Whats interesting is how Ware treats these flashbacks. There is never any notice of them. They flow in and out of the story, revealing more and more each time. Ware breaks up the flashbacks, being careful not to show too much too soon. What makes these flashback even more confusing is that it is often tough to figure out wh Ware is talking about, a prime example being that Jimmys grandfather is also named Jimmy. Ware makes no attempt at depicting any of these three men differently in the flashbacks either. Young Jimmy looks the same as modern day Jimmy and Grandfather Jimmy. The only clues are of course the backgrounds and settings. There is a reoccurring theme with the Corrigans. The interconnected stories reveal a long genealogical line of abandonment and disappointment, regret and paralyzing isolation (cnn.com).Although Jimmy Corrigan contains images, symbols, and characters pertaining to superheroes, it is easy to say that the book is not exactly of the superhero genre. Upon further research it was interesting to find out that parts of the book are indeed autobiographical. The main example being when Jimmy and his newly met Dad sit on the couch in awkward silence, with nothing to say and so much unsaid. Jimmys dad, feebly trying to make up for a lifetime of missed breakfasts, fries some bacon in a skillet, then arranges the bacon strips on Jimmys plate so they spell HI (cnn.com). The entire breakfast sequence is vividly evoked, down to the tsss, tlink, tink that Ware uses to convey the sound of a metal fork turning frying bacon in a skillet. Ware drew from his own life experience for the scene.Like Jimmy, I never knew my father. Over the years, I tried to envision him, to imagine him. Id seen photographs of him, but they were years old, I had no idea what he looked like. And then he called me up one day (cnn.com).Ware was 29 years old, and more than halfway through the writing of the book, when he first met his own father. Their meeting, too, was tentative and awkward, and tinged with anger. His father died a short time later. Many of the other scenes in the book are from Wares memory as much as his imagination. The book contains several accounts of schoolyard cruelty that will be painfully familiar to anyone who, as a child, was the butthead or the dork, the shortest or the skinniest, the last picked for kickball or the first target in dodge ball (cnn.com).This is the category where Jimmy falls into, the dork, the weirdo, the quiet guy the lovable loser. He is not your typical à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“leading man. He is no hero, he is not talented, and he really does not bring anything to the table. Yet vast amounts of people are drawn to characters and stories like this, both in the literary world, and the film and music world as well. What is it that draws people towards characters like this? What makes people interested in seeing or hearing a lonely, depressed person go through his/her lonely, depressed life? It would seem that in one way or another everyone has been there before, maybe not for long, but they have been there. Everyone has felt lonely or depressed at some point in their life, so for the most part people can relate. They know what it is like to not feel loved. Because of this, people tend to root for these types of people when they appear in book, or in movies.There have been numerous movies that contain this everyman, this lonely, somewhat depressed person who is just lacking in life. Some examples are American Splendor (the bio pic of graphic novelist Harvey Pekar), Sideways (Paul Giamattis character Miles), Taxi Driver, Welcome to the Dollhouse, and oddly en ough most movies about serial killers including Psycho, Henry and American Psycho. Of course these happen to be towards the extreme end of the spectrum. These characters, like Jimmy Corrigan, are almost always, needless to say, ugly and unkempt. They always have some sort of social issues, whether it is shyness, a speech impediment, or just all in all awkward. The characters are almost always single and have a limited amount of friends, if any at all. They are simple and plain, and basically lead ordinary, drab lives. Yet through all of this these characters find something to strive for, to keep them going, if only for a short time. Like any human being they want something more out of life, to break the cycle of loneliness and despair. For Jimmy it is trying to reconnect with his father, for Miles in Sideways it is trying find love after his painful divorce, for Dawn in Welcome to the Dollhouse it is simply trying to fit in, for Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver it is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ well à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ who knows. The truth is, we root for these characters. We want them to achieve their goals or at the very least get some closure. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they dont. Jimmy Corrigan is a story of loneliness and abandonment and the struggle to break this cycle and not repeat it. Although Jimmys life is boring and depressing, and seemingly one dimensional, the way in which Chris Ware presents is not. Ware is not content with simply telling a story of a lonesome man. He delves into the depths of why people can be like this and how they try and deal with these feelings and emotions. In the words of Harvey Pekar, O rdinary life is pretty complex stuff.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Language and Structure in the novel When I Whistle by Shusaku Endo Essay

Language and Structure in the novel When I Whistle by Shusaku Endo - Essay Example Here he encounters a person who seems vaguely familiar but whom he cannot quite place. This man turns out to have been a fellow student at Nada Middle School some forty years before. Their brief conversation provokes an extended reminiscence that transports Ozu back to a simpler, more serene time in his life. Upon seeing boats on the lake, he conjures up his schoolboy friend, Flatfish, and their adventures together in an idyllic time before World War II, when the Japanese educational system sought to inculcate the virtues of pride and industriousness. While his stern teacher tried to build character, Ozu spent his school hours daydreaming about the young women he and his best friend, the unsophisticated but endearing Flatfish, would pursue, literally, once the school day had ended. (Allen 530-531; Updike 94-102) The romance and innocence of his adolescence is captured for Ozu in the enduring image of Flatfish's "tiny head being tossed about by the waves as he swam desperately for the open sea" in pursuit of a girl, Aiko, whom he had met by chance and with whom both were madly in love. While militarism gripped their nation, Ozu and Flatfish preferred the frivolous joys of childish classroom pranks and chasing girls. In When I Whistle , Endo is concerned to draw a number of disturbing contrasts between wartime and present-day Japan while scrupulously avoiding, in translator Van C. Gessel's words, "painting either period in a romantic light." What, Endo asks, is the legacy of the war generation, what kind of Japan has resulted from the devastation of World War II Part of his answer is seen in the life-style of Eiichi, the ruthless young surgeon of When I Whistle; unaffected by the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and unable to see his patients as anything but specimens for his own experiments, he extends the imperialistic impulse of prewar Japan by ignoring the past and worshipping the present. (King 23-24) The accumulation of material possessions is the only source of meaning for the new generation. This striking thematic element in When I Whistle is made more powerful by its pervasive medical and hospital imagery. (Cunningham 527) Chronic heart and lung problems have plagued Endo throughout his adult life and consequently he has spent much time in hospitals; in the early 1960's, Endo underwent a series of major surgical procedures, resulting in the removal of one lung. Japan emerges in When I Whistle as one large cancer ward, the malignancy of rampant materialism uncurable, the placebo of success a momentary distraction in the face of a godless eternity. As a Christian, Endo is an apologist for a set of values he believes is indigenous to the West but foreign to Japanese soil. A convert who recognizes the irony that Japan has become less spiritual as it has become more Westernized, Endo constructs themes which generally revolve around a protagonist confronted with the ruins of a native culture to which he is drawn and by which he is repulsed. Ozu is thus an exemplar of Endo's despairing vision of the postwar era-an open-hearted Japanese seeking answers and finding only the echoes of the past. Endo wrote When I Whistle between his two more celebrated historical novels set in the seventeenth century, Chimmoku (1966; Silence , 1969) and Samurai (1980; The Samurai , 1982). In

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Comparative Study of Different Bibliographical Sources for the Sonata Annotated Bibliography

Comparative Study of Different Bibliographical Sources for the Sonata by Paul Creston - Annotated Bibliography Example According to Grove’s dictionary (33), personal initiative leads to creativity in sonata as illustrated by Paul Creston who took piano and organ lessons. Rhythm can form the basis of a style in sonata, and the more performances an artist initiates in sonata, the more accolades and awards he receives. Paul Creston engaged cool romantic compositions in enticing his sonata performances (Grove’s dictionary 33). In the sixties and seventies most work and styles in sonata is attributed to Paul Creston. In turn, the society gave him a role to play in influencing sonata music. His performances involved shifting divisions of the normal meter, which was widely acknowledge and appreciated in America. Creston’s decision on 1932 had significant impact on sonata music. This is evident in the developments in the last century. Grove’s dictionary (34), states that another performer who was a music teacher and influenced sonata historically; thus, Marcus van Cravel. According to Slomski (8), benefits of engaging in sonata early in life to enhance creativity in this style of music are evident. Early participation can influence performance in sonata as evident in engaging in social duties. Slomski (97) asserts that engaging in several activities before establishing oneself in sonata often improves other music genres. Like other works of literature, Monica Slomski supports that exemplary works of sonata are disputable worldwide. Slomski (143) cites a case whereby outstanding performance in sonata earned Paul Creston awards in the orchestral field. This book in line with other literary sources highlights the importance of persistence towards achieving individual goals in performing sonata. Personal attributes such as hard work is to be utilized to achieve recognition for music activities especially sonata. This source elaborates the ways through which sonata enhances fame. Sonata’s background on tone and orchestral characteristics in most

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Term Exam Sample Paper Essay Example for Free

Term Exam Sample Paper Essay This sample test should only be used as a guide to the styles of questions. The topics covered here are not exhaustive. Your revision should not be based on these set of questions only. The level of difficulty of this sample test is also NOT indicative of the level of difficulty of the actual test. The answers are provided at the end of the document. 1. A reasonable estimate of the annual standard deviation of return of the stock market would be? a. Less than 5 percent. b. Between 5 and 10 percent. c. Between 15 and 25 percent d. More than 30 percent e. Impossible to estimate 2. A project has an expected cash flow of $200, in year 1. The risk-free rate is 6%, the market rate of return is 16%, and the projects beta is 1. 5. Calculate the certainty equivalent cash flow for year 1. a. $175. 21 b. $164. 29 c. $228. 30 d. $212. 56 e. None of the above 3. Share X has a standard deviation of return of 10%, share Y has a standard deviation of return of 20%. The correlation coefficient between the shares is 0. 5. If you invest 60% of your funds in share X and 40% in share Y, what is the standard deviation of the portfolio? a. 10% b. 20% c. 12. 2% d. 14. 0% e. None of the above 4. Richard Rolls critique of tests of the capital asset pricing model is that: a. Given an efficient market portfolio the CAPM is tautology b. The market portfolio is not efficient c. You need to test the model using the market portfolio for all capital assets d. a and c e. a and b 5. The Template Corporation has an equity beta of 1. 2 and a debt beta of . 8. The firms market value debt to equity ratio is . 6. If it undertakes a new project with the same risk profile, what is the project beta (assuming zero tax rate)? a. 0. 70 b. 0. 72 c. 0. 96 d. 1. 04 e. 1. 05 6. Consider following data on three shares: Share Standard Deviation A 0. 6 B 0. 30 C 0. 20 Beta 1. 00 0. 80 1. 29 Assuming that you wished to minimise risk, you would select share if the share was held in on its own, and you would select share if the share was to be added to a portfolio. a b c d e 7. A, A A, B B, A B, C C, A In a portfolio of three different shares, which of the following is NOT possible? a. b. c. d. e. The ris k of the portfolio is less than the risk of each of the shares held in isolation. The risk of the portfolio is greater than the risk of one of the shares. The beta of the portfolio is less than the beta of each of the individual shares. The beta of the portfolio is greater than the beta of one of the individual shares betas. The standard deviation of the portfolio is greater than the standard deviation of the risk free asset. 8. You hold a diversified portfolio consisting of 20 different shares with $1,000 invested in each. The portfolio beta is equal to 1. 35. You have decided to sell all your holding of Edna Average Cosmetics Ltd which has a beta of 1. You will reinvest the proceeds in Aggressive Action Ltd which has a beta of 2. What is the new beta of the portfolio? a. b. c. d. e. 1. 35 2. 35 1. 45 1. 10 1. 40 9. A company is considering an investment in a new project. That project is best evaluated as though: a. b. c. d. e. It is a stand alone project independent of the company and so its risk is measured as variance. Its risk is adjusted to allow for diversification with the companies existing projects Its cost of capital is the weighted average cost of capital Its risk is evaluated as though it were traded in the capital markets None of the above 10 Is the portfolio with the minimum possible variance an efficient portfolio? a. b. c. d. e. Yes No Yes, but only for risk loving investors Yes, but only for investors who will not take any risk. Yes, but only for investors who are risk neutral. 11. For a two-stock portfolio, the maximum reduction in risk occurs when the correlation coefficient between the two stocks is: A) +1 B) 0 C) -0. 5 D) -1 E) None of the above 12. The variance or standard deviation is a measure of: A) Total risk B) Unique risk C) Market risk D) Bankruptcy risk E) None of the above 13. The risk of a well diversified portfolio depends upon the A) Market risk B) Unique risk of the securities included in the portfolio C) Number of securities in the portfolio D) Variance of the portfolio E) None of the above 4. A factor in APT is a variable that: A) Affects the return of risky assets in a systematic manner B) Correlates with risky asset returns in an unsystematic manner C) Is purely noise D) Affects the return of a risky asset in a random manner E) is generally not correlated with stock returns 15. A company has a cost of capital of 15%. However, it is introducing a new product that it considers to be a ver y risky endeavour to a well diversified investor. What can you say about the appropriate discount rate for the project? A) The rate used should be 15% B) The rate used should be lower than 15% C) The rate used should be greater than 15% D) Any rate between 12% and 18% is acceptable E) The rate should be the expected market return. 16 What has been the average annual rate of return in real terms for a portfolio of U. S. common stocks between 1900 and 2006? a. Less than 2% b. Between 2% and 5% c. Between 5% and 8% d. Greater than 8% e. Greater than 20% 17. Mega Corporation has the following returns for the past three years: 8%, 12% and 10%. Calculate the variance of the return and the standard deviation of the returns.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Disney Imagineers :: essays research papers fc

Broad topic: Disney Imagineers Narrow topic: The Inventions of the Disney Imagineers General purpose: to inform Specific purpose: By the end of the speech, the audience should know who the Disney Imagineers are and three different inventions they have created. Thesis: The Disney Imagineers have invented many things that have changed technology today. I. Introduction A. Imagineer is a term that is not found in the dictionary. It combines the words â€Å"imagination† and â€Å"engineering†. It is the act of learning and succeeding by dreaming and doing. B. The first Imagineers were hand selected by Walt Disney to help design Disneyland and create the other theme parks all over the world. Since then, they have expanded and invented many new products. C. I am only 20 years old, and yet, I have been to Disney World 21 times and have witnessed the work of the Disney Imagineers first hand on various occasions. D. The Disney Imagineers have invented many products that have changed technology today such as specialty hair dryers and robotic human torsos and everything in between. E. I will be touching on three of their inventions: animatronics, fluid projection screen and synchronized parade routes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  F. Transition: One of the first great inventions by the Disney Imagineers were animatronics. II. Animatronics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Disney desired to give life-like movement to 3-D figures. B. They used cams and levers to move the figures C. The cams and levers were not working so well, so they combined this idea with an electric-hydraulic-pneumatic approach. D. They also used magnetic recording tape and solenoid coils that would trigger one another to produce action. E. First audio-animatronics were used in Disneyland. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Enchanted Tiki Room opened on June 23, 1963. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It had a cast of 225 birds, flowers, masks, drummers, and tiki poles. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The birds would click their beaks, swivel around on their perches, and sing and talk to one another. F. Transition: Another invention that was created by the Disney Imagineers was the fluid projection screen. III. Fluid Projection Screen A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is a fluid screen that is generated by pumping water through a screen nozzle and having an axial flow director and a nozzle insert on it. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It creates a screen of water that can be projected upon. C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If the water is not at the right pressure and the flow is not correct, the screen may have holes in it and then the projection will not be seen on it. D.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The fluid projection screen was first used at Disney’s MGM Studio’s Fantasmic! and The Adventures of the Little Mermaid.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Cadbury channels Essay

1. Claremont Tasmania – At this site Cadbury manufacture boxed chocolate assortments, moulded chocolate blocks, chocolate confectionery bars and food drinks for the retail and industrial markets. 2. Ringwood Victoria – At this site Cadbury manufacture confectionery bars and bar pieces, filled and hollow chocolate novelty units for children and the Easter and Christmas events as well as a range of industrial chocolates and compounded chocolate. 3. Scoresby Victoria – At this site Cadbury manufacture a range of sugar and caramel based confectionery and licorice product for both the retail trade and industrial customer.  ¡ The Cadbury brand has also been licensed to other selected food manufacturers who produce and distribute their range of Cadbury products, notably ice cream. These licencees are responsible for their own Covenant Action Plans.  ¡ Cadbury does not sell their goods directly to the final user; between them  stands a set of intermediaries performing a variety of functions  ¡ Service establishments in particular supermarkets, convenience stores, deli’s, petrol stations etc are highly involved marketing and distribution channels as this is where the target market exists. With these establishments, Cadbury products are made widely available and accessible to the main target markets  ¡ Marketing channel performs the work of moving goods of producers to consumers (see figure)  ¡ A manufacturer selling a physical product and services might require three channels: sales, delivery and service  ¡ Cadbury use Sales Managers and Reps as sales channels, telephone, email and face to face as delivery channels and again Reps and Merchandisers for the setting up and display of products and promotions as service channels (with regards to the supermarkets)  ¡ Wholesalers are a vital part of the supply chain for independent outlets and eventually the consumer.  ¡ Cadbury uses intensive distribution method, as it attempts to place its products in as many establishments as possible. Factors that influence the design and management of marketing channels  ¡ Consumers are motivated by the presence of brands, they expect to see them and want to buy them  ¡ Cadbury products are primarily available in supermarkets and convenience stores and display remains one of the key areas for development not only within these to channels, but also independent retail  ¡ Confectionery requires a great deal of consideration when optimising  displays so Cadbury has created the ‘Go Another Cadbury’ bespoke display solution to address merchandising opportunities in the impulse trade channel.  ¡ Cadbury studies, in recent years, show that the confectionery industry has shown the effects of an increasing move by consumers towards convenience shopping  ¡ Convenience shopping is being able to convert customer footfall into purchases. This can be achieved by ensuring confectionery is placed in high traffic flow locations, combined with displaying with other products, such as newspapers and magazines in addition to hot-spots at the till point  ¡ Displays which have impact supported by effective point of sale and clear signage all influence impulse buys  ¡ Within the convenience channel, forecourts play an important role and Cadbury confectionery continues to be a valuable category  ¡ With the advent now of Cadbury vending, innovation is now at the forefront of its business drive and is directly working with machine manufacturers to create new vending options  ¡ The development of multi-channel machines has provided vending operators (pubs, TAB’s, Universities etc) to take advantage of the growing need for snacking solutions  ¡ The latest Cadbury automates machines can sell confectionery, salty snack and chilled drinks, making them ideal for almost every foodservice environment Channel conflict and how it can be resolved  ¡ Cadbury could be affected by vertical channel conflict and horizontal channel conflict  ¡ Vertical channel conflict arises when a disagreement occurs between different levels within the same channel. For example, this could arise if Cadbury came into conflict with its retailers, who agree to sell just Cadbury products, but in fact are also selling rival competitors products  ¡ Horizontal channel conflict involves conflict between members at the same level within the channel. For instance, this may occur when separate petrol stations sell Cadbury products at different price, benefiting one above the other  ¡ Channel conflict can be constructive but too much is dysfunctional  ¡ The challenge is not to eliminate conflict but manage it  ¡ The adoption of superordinate goals (come to an agreement), exchange persons between to more channel levels (appreciate other’s point of view), or co-optation (win support of the leader of another organisation) are ways of effective conflict management What role the Internet can play in helping to fulfil marketing channel requirements  ¡ Cadbury uses direct marketing channels as well as one-level channels and two-level channels  ¡ Their official website informs buyers about all of Cadbury’s products and services including information about products, recipes, health and nutrition, sponsorship, fundraising etc.  ¡ It can also provide a way for retailers and Cadbury to communicate with each other through email about future orders, upcoming promotions and any other relevant information  ¡ Cadbury uses the internet as a service and information channel, which allows it to describe the products in detail with the use of visual aids and  creating an effective communication channel in reaching its customers What role does relationship marketing plan in the Cadbury’s channel management  ¡ Company-client relationships is imperative with respect to product range, store locations of products and display space  ¡ Via the internet website, customers loyal to Cadbury can register and participate in games, downloads, design your own product, interact with Freddo, Caramello and yowie (targeted more for children), lodge customer complaints and also express interest for employment.  ¡ Through newsletters, public relations and sponsorship, which go along way in satisfying customers, Cadbury can continue to inform customers about their products together with upholding their tradition of making quality products

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Prevention is better than cure Essay

Out of a country’s health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventative measures. The rising costs of health care have become an issue for many countries in the world. To deal with this problem, it is recommended that a big part of the state health budget be used for health education and disease prevention instead of treatment. First of all, many kinds of diseases are preventable and preventing a disease is usually much cheaper than treating it. For example, people could prevent catching a cold if they dress warmly and get good rest when the weather first gets cold in the winter. But many people get sick because they fail to do so and have to spend much more money seeing a doctor. Another case in point is cancer, the leading cause of death in the world. But lung cancer, liver cancer and many other kinds of cancer could all be effectively prevented if people take measures for their health in an early stage. Small t hings such as smoking less or eating more healthy food would have kept millions of families from becoming bankrupt if the patients took measures for early cancer prevention. In addition, health education also plays a key role in improving people’s health. By giving people more information about health, countries could help people understand the importance of disease prevention and ways to achieve it. However, emphasizing on disease prevention is not downplaying the significance of medical treatment. After all, prevention and treatment are just two different means toward the same goal.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Kohls and Effective Advertising essays

Kohl's and Effective Advertising essays Did you know that the Kohls department store we know and love today was once your modern supermarket? Maxwell Kohl, who had previously operated traditional grocery stores, built his first supermarket in 1946, the first in what would become a southeastern Wisconsin chain known as Kohl's Food Stores. In 1962, he started his first department store, Kohl's Department Store, in Brookfield, Wisconsin. He positioned Kohl's between the higher-end department stores and the discounters, selling everything from candy to engine oil to sporting equipment (Kohls, 2013 ). In 1972 the British-American Tobacco Company's US retail division, BATUS Inc., bought a controlling interest in Kohl's Corporation, which at the time operated 50 grocery stores, six department stores, three drug stores and three liquor stores. The Kohl family, led by Allen and Herbert Kohl, continued to manage the company (Kohls, 2013). Over the last 40 years Kohls has become one of the most successful department stores with very well advertised daily deals and great fashion lines. The advertisement has multiple interfaces with a silent white background. Every letter on the advertisement is full of color and properly sized. There are pictures of men and women randomly placed where there are space, modeling shirts and various products. Small print lines the bottom of each picture with an accurate description of the product. Each segment seems to have its own box with invisible boundary lines as to not protrude into its neighbors space! Every so often there lays a banner describing a new section of the stores products. Finally at the very bottom reads the hours of operation specific to the location this advertisement portrays. There are five human needs the advertisers hit pretty hard in this advertisement. Every human, whether or not they like to admit it, has a need for attention. Some may have a stronger ne...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Free will Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Free will - Essay Example For a human being, true exercise of ‘free will’ is associated with multiple determinants such as physical/causal, psychological, biological and theological, which affect the decision for the ultimate action (Timothy, 2011). Personal, moral and societal constraints may thus affect the true exercise of free will. Free will has also been associated with the concept of moral responsibility for one’s actions by most philosophers’, who have commented on the topic in history, shifting the onus to the individual being wholly responsible for taking an informed and educated decision when confronted with a peculiar situation or aspect of life (Timothy, 2011). However, there have been contentious issues on understanding the concept of ‘free will’ as philosophers agree, and at the same time disagree on its relationship with determinism (Vargas, 2006). Some philosophers believe that the two are compatible, while others’ swear to the contrary.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Assignment2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assignment2 - Coursework Example The customer noticed that there was a problem with his skin and he starts making a research about the perfect cure for that by searching online, consulting a doctor, or asking a group of friend. After that, the customer can make a decision about what he wants. Next is the actual purchase of the facial product and finally, a post-purchase evaluation. When the customer was asked why she bought the facial mask she replied, â€Å"For treatment.† When asked why the mask is important to her, she says the product will treat black head and even tone making her to have a better skin and appearance. By having a better skin and appearance, she replied that she would be beautiful, healthy, and bright. Therefore, we know something about the features of the facial mask and her perception of the benefit which she has gained by that product’s feature (good health, beauty, and brightness). On the other hand, when asked â€Å"How do you feel when you are using the mask?† she repli es â€Å"Relax and calm.† In this case, it can conclude that the benefit of using the facial mask for treatment is crucial to this customer since it results in the valued end state of self-esteem. In this regard, the customer responded that the benefit of using the facial mask was self-esteem (relaxed and calm) as well as for beauty, brightness, and good health. The process of establishing links between features, benefits, and valued end states is termed as a laddering interview. It involves asking a customer repeatedly to identify the reason why something is important to her. As cited by Kuester (2012), a brand delivers the benefits which the customer truly desires. Branding also assists the customers to remember the product. The customer bought a facial mask of the Clearance brand not because of the product’s attributes but because of those attributes, combined with the brand’s image and many other intangible and tangible factors that created an attractive whole. In the same way,