Public Health and Health Care Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Public Health and Health Care Paper - Essay Example Generally, the private sector in any health care system of a nation consists of diverse nongovernmental institutions of varying scale and scope. Public health is basically financed with government’s funds solicited from tax revenues. In the United States, â€Å"the public sector includes official (or governmental) agencies, voluntary agencies, and nonprofit agencies.† (Delaune & Ladner, 2006, 60) This essay is hereby written with the objective of describing public health and its role in the delivery of health care services. It aims to describe a selected public agency and determine its contribution to the core functions of public health. The essay will also examine specific ways the agency influences the workplace and health care provider. Finally, the roles of the agency workers are to be identified, including specific responsibilities, competencies, and skills. At the top of the hierarchy in the public sector’s delivery of health care is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) which is the sole governing body tasked with the responsibility of delivering health care services to the public. Next in line are state departments of health which vary in providing health care to their constituents. The state departments of health eventually relegate and coordinate health activities of local health units. A report from the USDHHS on Public Health in America proffered the public health sector’s vision as â€Å"healthy people in healthy communities† with the mission of â€Å"promoting physical and mental health and preventing disease, injury and disability†. (DHHS, n.d., 21) The national governing body ensures that its role in the delivery of health care services to the public encompasses the following core functions, to wit: â€Å"prevents epidemics and the spread of disease; protects against environmental hazards; prevents injuries; promotes and encourages healthy behaviors; responds to disasters

Web 2.0 †Simplifying the Complicated Essay Example for Free

Web 2.0 – Simplifying the Complicated Essay Ever since its birth, Web 2. 0 has become a tempting topic of small talk everywhere technology is discussed. In most cases, those small talks can lead to lengthy discussions, and even debates. The word, to begin with, took time before settling with a definitive description. The processes and characteristics are also repeatedly debated about. If there is anything more intriguing with Web 2. 0, it is the power that it gives website visitors. It empowers web users to become part of the creation of a site, to associate themselves with a specific brand or service, or even with mere ideas. It creates a pool of knowledge which fosters collective intelligence, which becomes useful for all users. It also creates new uses for old applications, enabling them to be recreated and popularized. Introduction Except with enough interest on technology, Web 2. 0 is more of a jargon than a utility for many. What majority of internet users do not realize is that they are already using it even without them knowing. Web 2. 0 has suddenly taken over the whole computing industry. The takeover was so sudden that even experts agree that this has become the way computing today should be—or will be. The confusion is forgivable. For many, Web 2. 0 is a complicated thing. The more experts try to simplify it, the more complicated it becomes. To begin with, it is extremely difficult to at least define the term. There is also a lot of confusion as to where the Web 2. 0 begins; and where Web 1. 0 ends. Moreover, there is the question if the latter ends where the former begins. To better understand the word, it takes an analysis of the bits and pieces that make it up. We begin with the internet. (MacManus, 2005; Ding, 2007) The internet is designed to share and give out information. It began as an avenue for data creators and owners to send their information to others, often specific recipients. In review, it has become effective to what it is aimed at. The internet has become a way to make information available for others. The whole point of this information process is the need for knowledge. 55% of richness all over the world comes from knowledge. Peter Druker even said that the most production increase happens with the increase of knowledge. Today, communication has become more than just a one-on-one process. With information coming from sources of all directions, intelligence has become collective. The internet is one viable process of communication that cannot be underestimated. Without any initial help from bigger companies, the internet reaches one billion users. It should be noted that information is different from knowledge—and knowledge is different from intelligence. Information only becomes knowledge when a user processes it. In the same way, intelligence is a collection of knowledge. Thus, a single piece of information is not knowledge until used, while a single piece of knowledge cannot be called intelligence unless other knowledge is grouped with it. (Idehen, 2004; Bates, 2005) Communication enabled a big shift for knowledge. Where before knowledge is from one point to another (1 to 1), with communication it has become one point to several receiving points (1 to n). Thus, it can be said that there is an increase in the efficiency of knowledge sharing through communication. Yet, the web age has also contributed more to this. Thus, the Web 1. 0 and Web 2. 0. In Web 1. 0, everybody is creating information (n to n). In response, everybody can access information too (n to n). Instead of a linear process, there is a cycle of information sharing happening to all involved—the senders and receivers of information who are also receivers and senders in their respective rights. Web 1. 0 became an alternative way to communicate because of this efficiency that it offered everybody. (Barefoot, 2006) It does not only get information, it also gives information in return. Web 2. 0 – Simplifying the Complicated aims to present how Web 2. 0 works. It creates a bird’s eye view of the definitions. It also consults the processes of how Web 2. 0 is taking the web and its users. Effects, both good and bad, will also be analyzed. In the end, there is an attempt to conclude: is Web 2. 0 hype or a formation that is here to stay? Literature Review The word Web 2. 0 was coined by Dale Dougherty in 2004. (Anderson, 2007) Since then, it has become a widely-used word. Experts are talking about Web 2. 0 as if it is a new revolution. Indeed, it is. The word Web 2. 0 has been used and abused by many. Singel (2005) quoted Tim O’Reilly who defined the term as the framework of participation for the purpose of information. Schindler (2007) agreed to this statement, defining Web 2. 0 as the collaborative internet. However, Boutin (2006) claimed that definitions to the word may change, depending on who is using the term. Thus, no single definition can be associated with it. Almost every netizen is already using the Web 2. 0 in one way or another. Anderson (2007) identified that the Web 2. 0 is the use of collective information, where data is the chief element, among others. Thus, blogging, forums, tagging, and all other forms of publishing over the internet for public use may be regarded as Web 2. 0. Without one knowing it, Web 2. 0 is right before their very eyes. There have been questions, thus, if Web 2. 0 is hype, or a fad that will soon pass. Singel (2005) stated that the first conference held for Web 2. 0 was sold out despite the steep price tag. Schonfeld (2006) dismissed the idea of it being a publicity spin off. In fact, he claimed that the Web 2. 0 is the current name of the internet game. Despite the arguments, Web 2. 0 definitely has its positive effects. Companies view it as a way to save on marketing costs and improve customer relations. Businesses agree that the Web 2. 0 will impact their operations positively. These benefits, however, have corresponding detriments. (Serious business: Web 2. 0 goes corporate 2007) Keen (2006) stated that the Web 2. 0 setup enables users to publish just about anything within the limits, and so it can give way to anyone who wants to be a writer or performer. Thus, the entertainment industry may be threatened. Singel (2005) dismissed this. He quoted John Batelle who affirmed that despite the openness of Web 2. 0 for a new breed of entertainers, talent is one question that separates the real from the web-based. On the other hand, Harris (2006) expressed concerns to the loss of privacy because of the limitless sharing through Web 2. 0. Even mere personal files that get inside the Web 2. 0 is shared in a way, and he activities of users included, proving that privacy may in fact be sacrificed. Kantor (2006), however, stressed that copyright and limits will still be enforced, so that there is no need to worry about privacy. Despite the different views on Web 2. 0, it has become a fact that it is the way computing is currently being done. Internet users are getting the benefits, and are more than willing to participate. Internet companies are making waves for new Web 2. 0 applications and services. Businesses are turning their keys to include Web 2. 0 in their online presence. All these show that Web 2. 0 is definitely an issue worth discussing.

Processes :: essays research papers fc

While working in procurement at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space in Sunnyvale, California, there were many processes in place that needed improvements. In this paper I plan to analyze how the organization I worked for improved its' processes. I will provide examples to support the processes and my own ideas for improving them. In my organization we purchased electronics for all the programs within Lockheed Martin that were based in Sunnyvale. Some of the processes that my organization was improving on were time management, [reducing time to place an order?] reducing the supplier base and reducing requirements. "The organization assigned the purchasing function usually has several functions and responsibilities. It must acquire items that conform to the requirements specified and obtain these items in time to support manufacturing schedules, and the items must be procured at a minimum cost." (Cappels[, page]) Our organization found that too much time was being spent getting the order to our department. The parts had to go through too many people before it finally reached our organization. The engineer began the process by filling out a form and sending it to a planner who would enter it into Sunnyvales' [Sunnyvale's] own computer based program called PROMIS. PROMIS would route the information to Quality Assurance (Q.A.) to have the proper requirements (called T-codes) added to the part. These requirements called out packaging specifications, supplier quality levels, and other provisions that may be required on a specific part. Once the T-codes had been applied, PROMIS directed the part to the correct purchasing organization. Once our organization received the order in PROMIS they would then direct through PROMIS to the correct employee who handled that specific commodity. Sometimes this process would take months [wow!]; sometimes it would take days. This often interfered with scheduling and meeting deadlines, which created line shutdowns. There was no really definite way to determine how long it would take a request to get to our organization to be purchased. One way our organization found to improve the routing process was to create "Quads" in which there would be one person from each department working together in one area attaining the same goal of procuring a part. This way if any problems occurred we had the correct person right next to us to resolve the issue. There were several times were [when? Where?] I needed to address some requirements that were placed on the order that I felt did not belong.

Labor and Delivery Assessment Essay

Internal fetal monitoring is accomplished with a fetal scalp electrode that is a direct electrocardiogram of the FHR and therefore produces the most accurate FHR tracing having an advantage over the external monitoring. The FSE is attached to the fetus during a vaginal exam and then connected to a fetal monitor. Because the risk of transmission to the fetus is increased by the small puncture in the fetal scalp, use of internal scalp electrodes should be avoided if at all possible in the presence of known maternal infections such as HIV, hepatitis or GBS. Fetal scalp monitors are also avoided in preterm infants because of the increased risk of ventricular hemorrhage. Electronic monitoring of UCs can be done internally by using an intrauterine pressure catheter (IUPC). It is inserted into the uterine cavity through the cervical os. It reflects the pressure inside the uterine cavity. As the pressure changes, it traces on the graph paper. The IUPC can measure the resting tone of the uterus between contractions, referred to as intensity. An advantage of an IUPC is that it provides a near-exact pressure measurement for contraction intensity and uterine resting tone. The sensitivity of the IUPC allows for very accurate timing of UCs, thus making it extremely useful when closer uterine monitoring is needed. A disadvantage for both internal monitoring methods is that membranes must be ruptured and adequate cervical dilation must be achieved for insertion. The procedure is invasive and increases the risk of uterine infection or perforation or trauma. It can also cause a placenta rupture if the placenta is low-lying. Electronic FHR monitoring can be done externally by using an ultrasound (US) transducer. The transducer is placed on the maternal abdomen over the fetal back and held by an elastic belt. The US transducer can be more beneficial than auscultating the FHR because it provides a continuous graphic recording. It can show the baseline variability and changes in the FHR. It is noninvasive and doesn’t require the rupture of membranes or minimal cervical dilation. FHR monitoring by US transducer is limited because it is susceptible to interference from maternal or fetal movement and may produce a weak signal. The tracing may become sketchy and difficult to interpret. Telemetry is another type external monitoring. It can monitor both FHR and uterine activity. This system can be worn on a shoulder strap by the mother, which allows the woman to ambulate, helping her ambulate while continuously monitoring. Electric monitoring of UCs can be done externally using a tocodynamometer or tocotransducer (toco). The toco is placed on the maternal abdomen at or near the fundus and held in place by an elastic belt. As the uterus contracts, pressure exerted against the toco is transmitted and recorded on to graph paper. The toco can assess UCs for frequency and duration, but not intensity. The advantages are that it is non-invasive, easy to place, and may be used both before and following rupture of membranes. It also provides a permanent, continuous recording of the duration and frequency of contractions. Explain what Pitocin is used for: Pitocin is used for the induction and/or augmentation of labor at term, facilitation of threatened abortion, and in postpartum to control bleeding and prevent hemorrhage and uterine atony after expulsion of the placenta. PELVIC ASSESSMENT FINDINGS:Give normal findings and measurements Diagonal conjugate – extends from the suprapubic angle to the middle of the sacral promontory. – 12.5 cm Ischial Spines – arise near the junction of the ileum and ischium and jut into the pelvic cavity They serve as a reference point during labor to elevate the descent of the fetal head into the birth canal. 10.5 cm Pubic Arch – triangular space below the symphysis pubis. The head passes under this arch during birth. 1.5 – 2 c from diagonal conjugal Coccyx -small triangular bone that articulates with the sacrum. It usually moves backward during labor to provide more room for the fetus. > 8cm in diameter Sacrum – wedge-shaped bone formed by the fusion of five vertebrae. On the anterior upper portion of the sacrum is the sacral promontory which is another guide in determining pelvic measurements. Types of Pelvis Gynecoid -The most common female pelvis is the gynecoid type. The inlet is rounded, with the anteroposterior diameter a little shorter than the transverse diameter. This is the most favorable for a vaginal delivery. Android – The normal male pelvis is the android type; however, it occasionally is seen in females. The inlet is heart-shaped. Anthropoid – The inlet of an anthropoid pelvis is oval, with a long anteroposterior diameter and an adequate but rather short transverse diameter. This is the second most favorable for vaginal delivery.

John Donne Essay

The literary heritages of John Donne are famous for their style that distinguishes them from poems of his age, particularly his attachment to sensuality and reality. He is in fact considered to be a ‘metaphysical poet’, and recognized to be ahead of his contemporaries. One of his most notable collections are the Holy Sonnets, which is a reflection of his a primarily religious life. (Stubbs, 2006) The innovative use of language and metaphors are what distinguishes the works of John Donne; he has produced a wide collection of poems, satires, sonnets, translations, and other literary works. The life and struggles of John Donne reflects the rich and meaningful body of literature that he has produced. He was born to a rich family, yet poverty was common for him, as he went to a period of persecution during his process of transfer of devotion to the Anglican Church. He eventually became an Anglican priest, which is said to have considerably influence the writings in the latter years of his life, when he wrote poems and sermons. (Bald, 1970) He became known for a style, which would be known as metaphysical, and often, his work is dubbed as metaphysical conceit, as he cleverly unifies two vastly dissimilar ideas. The most common subjects of his literature are death, love and religion; he employs the use of irony, witty-ness, and cynicism. (Stubbs, 2006) This metaphysical form of literature would refer to the passion for life and pleasures, yet much regard for the emotional dimension. John Donne marked the evolution to a more personal poetry from the classical forms before his time. The early poetry of Donne is mainly criticisms of the problems of the English society during that time, as Britain was plagued by corruption and pretensions of its citizenry and nobility. He used colorful imagery to create satires of this reality of his time, but eventually, he moved on to the topic of religion, which shows that Donne lived a religious life, as he converts from Catholicism to being a devoted Anglican. Donne also produced substantial amount of love poetry, which is said to be addressed to his wife, who died after giving birth to their twelfth child. The poems written at the later stage of the life of John Donne has a more pious and somber tone to them. His poems began to take on a gloomy tone, as he writes about more serious things; for instance, his poem in memory of Elizabeth Drury, symbolizes destruction and the fall of man. (Greenblatt, 2006) Increasingly, he moved towards more religious topics, which exhibited this gloomy nature. The motivation for this shift to religious poems and sermons is his conversion to the Anglican Church, which marked a step to maturity and change in his writing style. These sermons and poems would later on influence English poets and future literature. Towards the conclusion of his fruitful and dynamic life, the focus of Donne’s work shifted to death, as he nears his own death. His works explores this topic, and how humans fear this inevitable occurrence, and the eventual accent to heaven following one’s death. He delivered the sermon Death’s Duel from his deathbed, which shows suffering and pain, yet also salvation and hope. (Bald, 1970) He died in 1631. The literature of John Donne is impressive indeed, and each piece of literature reflects his life and the society that is revolving around him. His work is wide-ranging, from love to death to religion; each shows passion, emotion, and reality. The metaphysical nature of his poems influences the future of English literature, as he cleverly used metaphors, imagery, and language. References Bald, RC. (1970). John Donne: A Life. United States: Oxford University Press. Donne, John. (2006). John Donne’s Poetry. Donald Dickson, Ed. United States: W. W. Norton and Company. Greenblatt, Stephen. (2006). The Norton Anthology of English Literature. United Kingdom: W. W. Norton and Company. Stubbs, John. (2006). Donne: The Reformed Soul. United States: Viking Books. Targoff, Ramie. (2008). John Donne, Body and Soul. United States: University of Chicago Press.

The Military Balance of Power essays

The Military Balance of Power essays In an age where how to manufacture weapons of mass destruction is relatively common knowledge, with the only real limitation being the procurement of the necessary components, we find ourselves asking whether possession of such former aces in the hole connotes the same military power distinction it once did. Knowledge is difficult to contain in the increasingly globalized world of today; weapon systems and arms that were previously exclusive to a select few nations have found their way to other countries through various, sometimes clandestine, channels. The inevitable question in light of such developments is can we still meaningfully compare military strength and power between countries, today and in the future? Like all the other capabilities that may constitute a states power, military power has no cut and dry definition that enables it to be measured directly. At best it can be characterized by a number of quantitative and qualitative factors which can be categorized as being either internal or external measures of a states military power. The internal measures include such factors as a states military budget, its weaponry, and its morale and leadership; the external measures and their respective factors include a states international reputation as well as its association with other states, such as in the case of alliances (Rourke 320). Although military spending is not identical to military strength, comparisons of the military budgets between countries can be revealing. The combined U.S. military budget with that of its allies for 2002 was more than 38 times greater, at over $555 billion dollars, than the combined military expenditure of the seven countries identified by the U.S. Department of Defense as potential enemies - Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria (Berry 39). This enormous disparity reveals the dependency of the military on the underlying economy of the state as a so...

The 15 Most Loved, Read, and Shared Career Articles of 2015

The 15 Most Loved, Read, and Shared Career Articles of 2015 What a year! We have finally reached the final week of 2015. There are a lot of career advice and job seeking tips out there. But some career advice just stands above the rest. We have analyzed what our readers loved the most in 2015 and compiled this list of the most popular career advice to get you supercharged for the year ahead. 5 Clues That It’s Time to QuitHere are 5 tell-tale warning signs that may indicate it’s time for you to start job hunting. when you are ready,  browse over 498,547 new jobs on TheJobNetwork.Show Me The Money: 8 Good-Paying Part-Time JobsPart-time jobs are lucrative and plentiful, but finding them means knowing where to look. Here is a list of 8 good part time jobs to help you get started.How Not To Job Hunt: Tips from an Executive RecruiterA longtime recruiting professional knows what he looks for in an executive job seeker–and what he avoids.Top 9 Stress Relieving Activities at Work That’ll Keep You HappyEver wish a stress s uperhero could save you from chaotic meetings, fast approaching deadlines, never ending projects or traffic jams? Well, you can become your own stress-busting superhero. Here are some quick and easy stress relieving activities at work that will keep you happy and productive!4 Questions That Will Make You Rage QuitHere are four questions you should ask yourself when deciding if it’s time to cut bait and look for a new job.The 35 Highest Paying Jobs You Can Get Without a Bachelors DegreeNo Bachelors degree? No problem. Here is a list of 35 potential careers to consider. Some even come with a median salary of $122,530!10 Nursing Careers You Didn’t Know ExistedThe nursing field is one of the fastest growing in the country. As healthcare modernizes and expands from the ER into the app store, there are a number of new opportunities to look out for as you consider nursing or look to explore a new area of your career.8 Hilarious Truck Signs Spotted On the RoadTake a break! Her e are  some of the most hilarious truck signs spotted on the road.The 9 Worst Mistakes You Can Ever Make at WorkHere are some key mistakes to avoid if you want to remain at the top of your work game.Crush your Next Job Interview with These 12 QuestionsHaving appropriate questions to ask after your interview can be the determining factor on whether or not you get the job.8 Red Flags Employers See on Your ResumeRecruiters watch for certain items on a resume and, if you have any of those on yours, that might be the reason why you don’t hear back.4 Resume Best Practices for 2016To help you get started, here are some tips to get your resume ready to compete in the new year.6 Tips for Job Hunting While You’re Still EmployedLooking for a new job while still employed in another makes you more employable; however, it can backfire if your current employer finds out. Here are some great tips to help your job search while you are still employed.Why You Should Say ‘Thank Yo u’ Instead of ‘Sorry’Over apologizing can lead others to doubt you or lose confidence in your abilities. Here is a comic by Yao Xiao suggests  how using â€Å"thank you† instead of â€Å"sorry† can have a much different effect.Top 5 Reasons Why You Didn’t Get HiredWant to know some red flags that will make hiring managers toss your resume to the bottom of the pile? Here is a list of top 5 deal breakers.SEE ALSO:Trending Career Articles for Healthcare ProfessionalsTop 20 Job Seeking Tips for Office and Admin ProfessionalsEverything You Need to Know to Get  a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)

Lexical Competence Definition and Examples

Lexical Competence Definition and Examples The ability to produce and understand the words of a language. Lexical competence is an aspect of both linguistic competence and communicative competence. Examples and Observations Anna GoyDuring the last decade or so more and more philosophers, linguists, psychologists, and computer scientists have become convinced that no complete account of our competence in the domain of word meaning can be given without a link between language and perception (Jackendoff, 1987; Landau Jackendoff, 1993; Harnad, 1993; Marconi, 1994). Moreover, it has been claimed that the boundary between lexical and encyclopaedic knowledge is not clear cut (or may be completely absent): the way we use, perceive and conceptualise objects is part of a kind of knowledge that not only belongs to our lexical competence, but is precisely what allows us to know the meanings of words and to use them correctly.Diego MarconiWhat does our ability to use words consist of? What kind of knowledge, and which abilities, underlie it?It seemed to me that to be able to use a word is, on the one hand, to have access to a network of connections between that word and other words and linguistic expressions: it is to know that cats are animals, that in order to arrive somewhere one has to move, that an illness is something one may be cured of, and so forth. On the other hand, to be able to use a word is to know how to map lexical items onto the real world, that is, to be capable of both naming (selecting the right word in response to a given object or circumstance) and application (selecting the right object or circumstances in response to a given word). The two abilities are, to a large extent, independent of each other. . . . The former ability can be called inferential, for it underlies our inferential performance (such as, for example, interpreting a general regulation concerning animals as applying to cats); the latter may be called referential. . . .I later discovered, thanks to Glyn Humphreys and other neuro-psychologists, that empirical research on brain-injured persons confirmed, to some extent, the intuitive picture of lexical competence I had been sketching. Inferential and refere ntial abilities appeared to be separate. Paul Miera[D]eveloping good test instruments for evaluating hypotheses about vocabulary development may be more difficult than we have typically supposed. Simply comparing the associations of L2 learners and native speakers, using ad hoc lists of words, as much of the research in this area has done, begins to look like a very unsatisfactory approach to assessing L2 lexical competence. Indeed, blunt research tools of this kind may be intrinsically incapable of evaluating the hypothesis we think we are researching. Careful simulation studies provide a way of testing out the capabilities of these instruments before they are widely used in real experiments.Michael Devitt and Kim SterelnyWhen we talk of an ability to use a name gained at a dubbing or in conversation, we are talking of competence. So competence with the name is simply an ability with it that is gained in a grounding or reference borrowing. Underlying the ability will be causal chains of a certain type that link the name to its bearer. Since the names sense is its property of designating by that type of chain, we could say that, in a psychologically austere way, competence with a name involves grasping its sense. But competence does not require any knowledge about the sense, any knowledge that the sense is the property of designating the bearer by a certain type of causal chain. This sense is largely external to the mind and beyond the ken of the ordinary speaker.

Leadership Analysis of a Public Figure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Analysis of a Public Figure - Essay Example Let us get a brief overview of his background before discussing his input and role in the advancement of the digital world. Steve Jobs was born in 1955 in California. Paul and Clara Jobs, who belonged to a lower middle class family, brought him up. He grew up in the neighborhood of engineers who used to work with electronic equipments at their homes. This environment helped him shape his interest in the field of electronics. Jobs was a brilliant student at school. He always showed good results and excellent exam performances. He graduated from high school in 1962 and got admission in Reed College, Oregon. However, Jobs had to leave that college because of poor financial status of his parents. In 1976, Jobs along with his friends, Steve Wozniak and Ronal Wayne, invented the first ever Apple computer in the garage of his parents’ house and put it for sale. To develop the computer, he received funds from engineer Mike Markkula, who was the product-marketing manager at Intel. This was just the start for Jobs. Later on, he went on to develop Apple Lisa, Super Bowl television, Macintosh, and a number of other products. He resigned from Apple Inc. in 1985 due to his clash with the Apple’s CEO, John Sculley and founded NeXT Computer straight away with the capital of 7 million dollars. Later on, Apple bought NeXT Computer in 1996 and appointed Jobs as the Interim Chief Executive. In 2000, Jobs became the CEO of Apple Inc. This was the real start of Steve Jobs as a leader. After becoming the CEO of the company, Jobs proved his leadership and management skills and worked hard to achieve domination in the field of digital electronics. Jobs-inspired Apple and NeXT products are considered platforms for a number of today’s amazing innovations (Severance, 2012). Jobs was the man who never stopped working and kept on creating new products even during his bad days. He was an enthusiastic person who always worked with a positive mindset to achieve success (Gr ant & Sharma, 2011). Even when he was fired from Apple inc. in 1986, he did not get upset and kept on working with a new approach. He even said in a speech that leaving Apple Inc. was the best thing which could have happened to him in his life. He did not leave his heart at that time and entered the world of creativity with new aims and heights of motivation. If we analyze the working approach of Jobs at NeXT Computer and Apple Inc., we come to know that Jobs used a combination of autocratic and transformational leadership styles in both companies. As Branson (2011) states, â€Å"Steve Jobs’s leadership style was autocratic; he had a meticulous eye for detail, and surrounded himself with like-minded people to follow his lead†. He was a kind of leader who wanted to take charge of every matter of the company. He was also a transformational leader because he always motivated his employees to show improved efficiency and productivity. As Riggio (2009) states, â€Å"transf ormational leaders have the ability to inspire and motivate followers†. A transformational leader focuses on creativity and innovation (Oke, Munshi, & Walumbwa, 2009). Jobs moved Apple Inc. to the heights of success by focusing on employees and motivating them to prove their potential. It was due to

Strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Strategic management - Essay Example A framework of analysis is used whereby the external and internal environmental factors affecting Barclays Bank operation in the retail sector is reviewed. The strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threat are presented in order to give a view of the situation prevailing in Indian banking system. Findings and conclusion show that the innovative strategies of Barclays are not sustainable because it is overtaken by the economic crisis which is the main reason for decline of growth. Foreseeable solution is an alternative strategy that the bank should consider to attain growth in the Indian market. Strategic Management The case study of Barclays Bank in India 1. Introduction The purpose of this report is to provide information on the strategic situation of Barclays Bank in India. This will consist of systematic analysis of factors associated with the external environment such as political, economic, social and technological that impacts the operation of the business. By knowing the fact ors that affect its operations, Barclays can align its corporate policies and strategic priorities in the present setting. Barclays Bank entered the Retail Banking system in India on May 2007 and used innovative growth strategies to attract the underserved population of the country. Barclays regarded this sector as a good potential for launching of its innovative products. But there is doubt on whether this strategy would work well under the economic crisis circumstances. The challenges faced by Barclay in pursuing this vision has been difficult, so that an analysis will be done to know if Barclays has succeeded to achieve growth in Indian banking. Barclays Bank is a late entrant to India but considered timing is just right. In an interview with Suresh Gurunani, Head of Barclays Retail Baank , said that it is better to start from scratch because it does not have any â€Å"legacy system† (Boir & Palande, 2007). Why India? India is a emerging market , it offers a wealth of oppo rtunities in trade, technology transfers, and direct foreign investment (Chuan, Li). Further to this, prediction as to the state of India’s economy states that soon enough, it will be one of the countries that will overtake the Group of 7 economies (Hamilton, 2011). Background. Barclay’s Bank mission in India is to offer a unique retail banking service with a vision of increasing customer convenience through innovative products and service offering. Barclays saw the opportunity of growth in the retail banking sector because of the large segment of population that do not go to banks. Barclays used innovative strategies to introduce the bank to the Indians. Its marketing strategy was done in three parts: first, the brand was introduced to create awareness and interest; the second phase was devoted to communication of Barclays as a heritage bank to create trust, and the third is the buildup of the brand suggesting its unique propositions. The business model of Barclays is composed of the following product offerings: The bank offered credit cards like smart budget card, Platinum debit card, seven-year personal loans and Premier League Card. The bank also proposed the â€Å"kudumb† savings account which allowed a family of maximum four people to have a single account that could also be extended to other members of the family like the maid. Their â€Å"No Frills† account has a maintaining average quarterly balance of as low as INR 350 equivalent to $7 only. Personal loans of up to a maximum of 1.7 million INR

The arbitrage theory of capital asset pricing Literature review

The arbitrage theory of capital asset pricing - Literature review Example At the same time, the risk factor offers price to investors for investing their money in risky securities. The sum total of both these factors gives a clear view regarding the expected rate of return on a particular asset. It is generally calculated by using a risk measure called beta. The arbitrage pricing theory is a well known alternative to capital asset pricing model that is beneficial for the investors to determine whether an asset is correctly priced or not. This paper tends to evaluate various aspects of the arbitrage theory of capital pricing. Structure of Arbitrage Pricing Theory Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT) is an alternative to capital asset pricing theory and it is formulated by the economist Stephen Ross in 1976. In order to clearly evaluate the potentiality of arbitrage pricing theory, it is necessary to understand the range and terms of capital asset pricing model (CAPM). As discussed above, CAPM calculates rate of return of an asset by adding the value of risk taken with duration of investment. It is relevant to understand the working method of CAPM also. Assume that risk-free rate is 5%, the beta measure of the stock is 3 and the expected rate of market return for this period is 12%; then the expected rate of stock becomes: 5%+3(12% - 5%) = 26% In the opinion of Roll and Ross (1980), this theory had considerable significance in empirical work during the periods of 1960’s and 1970’s. However further researches on this concept have questioned its reliability and authenticity of the computation of empirical constellation of asset returns; and, many related theories have detected ranges of disenchantment with the CAPM (ibid). Authors say that this situation led to the demand for a more potential theory and it caused the formulation of APT. Although, APT was developed recently, CAPM is considered as the basis of modern portfolio theory. Huberman and Wang (2005) claim that both the CAPM and APT show relation between expected returns o f assets and their co-variance with other random variables; and an investor cannot avoid some types of risks by diversification and the concept of covariance is interpreted as a measure of such risks. While comparing with CAPM, the APT contains fewer assumptions; and at the same time, this theory is very difficult to use. Roll and Ross (1980) clearly tells that the basic idea behind arbitrage pricing theory is that the price of a security is varied by mainly two groups of factors such as macro factors and company specific factors. Since no ‘arbitrage assumptions’ are employed, this theory is popularly known in this name. The group categorization and thereby macro as well as company specific factors are very crucial to form the following formula: r = rf + ?1f1 + ?2f2 + ?3f3 + †¦ where r represents the expected rate on the security and rf is the risk free rate. In this formula, f stands for a separate factor and ? is a relationship measure between the security price and that factor. Cho, Eun, and Senbet (1986) have conducted an empirical investigation so as to evaluate the international performance of the arbitrage pricing policy. In their research, they mainly employed two valuation techniques such as inter-battery factor analysis and Chow test. The inter-battery factor analysis helped the authors to estimate the international common factors while they could test the validity of the APT using Chow test method. A

The Red Tent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Red Tent - Essay Example Leah, Dinah, and Rachel find the tent as a safe haven, which caters for their emotional needs. It is in this tent that the women had an opportunity to share feelings, thoughts, and ideas. This way, they were able to continue with life and feel unified and strong at the same time despite the challenges they were facing (Finding 49). The tent can also be regarded as significant since it serves as a birthplace where the women bring new lives into a society where the male gender is dominant. Thus, the Red Tent acts as a support system that brings the women together for their own well-being. Each woman in the tent is supported by the rest in times of giving birth. In the tent, some women gain experience of helping others with childbirth. For example, Dinah and Leah become midwives and assist their fellow women during childbirth. The tent also reveals the tribulations that women went through in the past, as well as the role of the ancient women (Finding 49). The setting of the book explores the traditions and customs that subjected women to suffering. Traditionally, women did not take part in meaningful activities in the society, as they were only expected to give birth, take care of their children, and provide household services to men. It was men who ruled over women and the female members of society had an obliga tion to be submissive. The Red Tent is also a symbol of the common problems that women used to face during the ancient times. This is because women are sent in this tent when they experience their menstrual cycle, as well as during the times when they are nearly giving birth. Although men consider this as a form of isolation, women take this as an opportunity to share amongst themselves and address the issues affecting them. Since they sit privately in the absence of men, such an experience enable them to talk freely and help one another (Finding 50). There are certain rituals taking place in the Red Tent, the most significant of them being

Questions Week 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Questions Week 5 - Essay Example (Bardwell, 2007) It is possible that the differences in the educational teachings each of these generations have received from school due to the rapid changes in the information technology affects the differences in their professional satisfaction, motivation, leadership issues and styles, as well as the different strategy when it comes to increasing the employee’s morale among others. As a human resource manager, the art of being able to motivate and increase the morale of each worker despite the differences in their work expectations and satisfaction remains a challenge. What is the best way to resolve the conflicting issues among the baby boomers, the generation ‘X’ and ‘Y’ workers? Is the motivational strategy applicable to baby boomer workers equally effective in terms of motivating the generation ‘Y’ workers? What are the factors that the human resource manager should consider when it comes to dealing with each type of worker? Is pay-for-performance the best way to increase the workers’ productivity and motivation? Di Gregorio (2000) stated that despite all the available qualitative software packages used in analyzing literature, the best method is the use of NVivo. Launched back in May 1999, the NVivo version 1.2 software is considered as the updated and improved version of NUD*IST. NVivo’s newer version is 2.0. These softwares are downloadable from the website http://www.qsr.com.au, NVivo software is easy to use. The researcher could easily import necessary documents from the microsoft word processing package and eventually use coding strips to code these documents on screen. According to Lyn Richards (1999), NVivo software is designed exclusively for â€Å"researchers who desire to display as well as develop a rich data in dynamic documents.† The capability of this software to assist the researchers when going through a long process of qualtitative data

The Red Tent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Red Tent - Essay Example Leah, Dinah, and Rachel find the tent as a safe haven, which caters for their emotional needs. It is in this tent that the women had an opportunity to share feelings, thoughts, and ideas. This way, they were able to continue with life and feel unified and strong at the same time despite the challenges they were facing (Finding 49). The tent can also be regarded as significant since it serves as a birthplace where the women bring new lives into a society where the male gender is dominant. Thus, the Red Tent acts as a support system that brings the women together for their own well-being. Each woman in the tent is supported by the rest in times of giving birth. In the tent, some women gain experience of helping others with childbirth. For example, Dinah and Leah become midwives and assist their fellow women during childbirth. The tent also reveals the tribulations that women went through in the past, as well as the role of the ancient women (Finding 49). The setting of the book explores the traditions and customs that subjected women to suffering. Traditionally, women did not take part in meaningful activities in the society, as they were only expected to give birth, take care of their children, and provide household services to men. It was men who ruled over women and the female members of society had an obliga tion to be submissive. The Red Tent is also a symbol of the common problems that women used to face during the ancient times. This is because women are sent in this tent when they experience their menstrual cycle, as well as during the times when they are nearly giving birth. Although men consider this as a form of isolation, women take this as an opportunity to share amongst themselves and address the issues affecting them. Since they sit privately in the absence of men, such an experience enable them to talk freely and help one another (Finding 50). There are certain rituals taking place in the Red Tent, the most significant of them being

Summay of UAE auditing Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summay of UAE auditing Law - Assignment Example his paper intends to provide a rich review on the elements that encompass the United Arab Emirates auditing law in regard to the organization of the auditing profession. The Law has it chapters each containing a number of articles therein. Each chapter handles one perspective explicitly the first chapter has only one article the main thing herein is the definition of terms therein used or referred in the law. Chapter two is on the schedule of auditors and qualifications for entry therein. The following get stipulated in this chapter the function of the ministry in regard to the scheduling of auditors, mechanisms to prevent quacks from entering the industry, the rights of a member and the qualifications, the exception of nationals from the qualification of having a bachelor degree in a recognized university as stipulated, in clause five of article four, conditions for registration and registration of a qualified but inexperienced national, conditions for a non-national to be registered, the method of auditors training, and function of the ministry in the determination of remunerations for parties involved in the training Chapter three expounds on the application process for one to be a registered auditing practitioner, the enactment and operation of the committee responsible for the application process, and the role of the ministry of Economics and Commerce in the integration of the whole application process. Chapter four provides a layout of the formation, the constitution and authorities of a high audit commission in regard to the directions of the ministry therein concerned (Alexander, 2002). Chapter five tackles the rights and duties of individuals registered to be auditing practitioners. Under this chapter auditor own the right to audit and approve balance sheets of all organizations, right to observe and maintain professional ethics, right not to be involved in active participation of any cooperation or organization, must have more than five years

Dreaming in Cuban Essay Example for Free

Dreaming in Cuban Essay Throughout the years, Cuba is known to be a Communist country struggling to determine its own identity. Some Cubans have fought with the decision to stay in their native country or migrate to the United States. Others have decided to settle in Cuba and let their fate be determined by the gods. Santeria, an African religion mixed with Catholic traditions, is practiced by many Cubans and allows followers to establish their destiny by the orishas, or African spirits. It also gives a sense of individuality to the characters in the novel, Dreaming in Cuban which incorporates several elements of the faith into the story. Overall, the Santeria religion affects the Cuban people in many parts of their lives politically, artistically, musically, and in their relationships. Santeria or La Regla Lucumm originated in the region of West Africa and was part of the traditional faith of the Yoruba inhabitants. It was brought to the Caribbean countries of Cuba, Haiti and Brazil, Trinidad, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic through the Yoruba people who were part of the slave trade. When they arrived at their Caribbean destinations, they reluctantly baptized within the Roman Catholic faith and were forced to leave behind their traditional beliefs and practices. However, they managed to come up with a way to merge their beliefs with the Roman Catholic Church by â€Å"†¦choosing a catholic saint and associating the saint to each of the orishas, [or African gods,] of their traditional practices† (Santeria 101). The santeros focus on building relationships with â€Å"powerful, but mortal, spirits, called orishas, [which is] a manifestation of †¦God† (BBC). In addition, they are taught that if they carry out the appropriate rituals, these spirits will support them in life, and enable them to â€Å"achieve the destiny that God planned for them before they were born† (BBC). The idea makes the followers feel that they have a purpose for their life and will live their life according to the standards. According to a Cuban researcher, â€Å"there are several principle orishas which are believed to control every aspect of human life, especially health, purity, and fertility. The orishas are rather like Greek gods or goddesses, in that they reflect the human weaknesses and strengths, but are closely identified with their Catholic counterpart† (Marshall 231). In Dreaming in Cuban, by Christina Garcia, Felicia chooses her orisha to be Saint Sebastian due to her admiration of his â€Å"double death† (Garcia 77). She was able to related to the god in a way that resembles how she feel. A man chooses to sacrifice every little item he has to his orisha: â€Å"He lights an unfiltered Popular—Cuba’s national brand—and offers a bit of tobacco to Eleggua, the orisha of opportunity† (Sigler 207). Having the fear of a god controlling his life, the man would submit everything he has to the god. For such crisis as the Cuban Revolution, Cubans have sought for help from the spiritual world and have become drawn to the Santeria religion. According to a documentary filmmaker, Cubans have always â€Å"flocked to Santeria priests, or babalawos, during hard times to ease their weary bodies, minds, and souls; and the current climate of economic instability proves no exceptions† (Sigler 213). They have also looked to their orishas for a â€Å"†¦source of comfort and help in time of need†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Gonzalez- Wippler 70). However, in order to continue receiving assistance from the, they have to uphold their moral behavior strictly. Straying from the â€Å"right and narrow way† will disqualify them from the protection of the orishas and will receive punishment. A santero priest who lived in Cuba says he sees between seven to eight clients per day, but â€Å"demand for his services has gradually increased in recent years† (Sigler 213). Thus, the downfall of the life quality in Cuba increased the influence of the religion on Cubans. Many people are drawn to the practices of the religion throughout their neighborhoods. According to an Afro-Cuban woman, â€Å"[she] was drawn to the Afro-Cuban religion Santeria and to the practice of spiritualism, [and] grew up surrounded by many people who practice this religion of African origin and who believed in the orishas, or African gods† (Carrillo 63-4). The African society in Cuba has been looking for solace in their history of torture and discriminating experience: â€Å"The slave seeks a bit of peace and hope after much suffering and harassment. With rites, offerings and the sacrifice of blood, he invokes the gods of redemption, from whom he has been brutally separated by inhuman slavery† (Marshall 235). The religion makes them feel more human and therefore helping them live their lives the way the â€Å"gods† what them to live. Felicia wishes to settle peace with her father. Her best friend Hermania told her â€Å"He [the orisha] will bring you and your father peace, a peace you never knew while he lived on this earth† (Garcia 14). Eventually, she decided to give into her friend’s request and sacrificed a goat on the altar. Felicia also went to Santeria for another husband, believing that she can attain her blessings through orishas: â€Å"believers can accomplish many things because the dead are benevolently inclined toward the living†¦Felicia del Pino is fortunate in that she knows unequivocally what she wants: another husband. In this respect, at least, she will be twice more blessed† (Garcia 147). However, they told her she cannot keep her husband: â€Å"What you wish for, daughter, you cannot keep. It is the will of the gods† (Garcia 148). This became true later on when the man she met died in a fire. In another part of the book, Celia visits a santera â€Å"when she was dying of love for the Spaniard† (Garcia 159). Therefore, Santeria affects people in their relationships because people rely on the religion to fix their issues on love. The Santeria religion may manipulate the minds of their followers to fail in their revolution against Batista. Traditionally, all the presidents in Cuba have been â€Å"initiated santeros† (Gonzalez- Wippler 69) and given a god to protect them; therefore the followers of Santeria are in fear and submission to the leader. They also believed that the battle for the power between Castro and Batista was fought on two levels: the physical world and the world of the orishas† (Gonzalez- Wippler 69). It was believed that Castro won the war because of the many [sacrifices] made on his behalf, but he could not destroy Batista who escaped from Cuba with a fortune. In the novel, Felicia asked Hermania’s father about fighting Batista. However â€Å"he said it was useless, that the scoundrel is under the protection of Chango†¦ Batista’s destiny†¦is set. He will escape Cuba with a fortune in his suitcase† (Garcia 163). The religion affects the santeros in their political stance and gave them no hope of rebelling against the president of Cuba. The Santeria religion is also increasing in its numbers after the Revolution. â€Å"Now that there is more freedom of religious expression, an increasing number of young people have been initiated into Santeria. And since they no longer fear losing their jobs or facing other hassles because of their religion, you can see people on the streets wearing colored, beaded necklaces that correspond to their particular saint† (Carrillo 67). Pilar, in the book, also wore beads to represent an orisha: â€Å"I select a red and white one and place it over my head† (Garcia 200). In an African woman’s opinion, â€Å"Santeria and the ‘folklore† of my family neighborhood was no longer devalued or considered taboo; on the contrary, these practices were to be celebrated as a central part of [her] Cuban heritage† (Morejon 84). Therefore, the religion grows substantially in rate by the acceptance that they have of expressing themselves. In the life of an African woman, Santeria affected the way she expressed herself through art: â€Å"I’ve always felt inspired to paint Afro-Cuban folk themes, mostly orisha motifs, although some of my early work is landscapes. I paint with both acrylics and watercolors. (Carrillo 66)† Pilar also paints the colors of the beads that she chose to represent the orisha, Chango: â€Å"I awake and paint a large canvas ignited with reds and whites, each color betraying each other†(Garcia 203). Thus, the Santeria religion affects the people artistically. The religion also affected Cuban music. The system of beliefs was interconnected in that â€Å"†¦white saints were matched to black gods while African drums beat time to Catholic prayers† (Marshall 20). The practice of drum beating plays a major part in Cuban music and how it centers on the orishas. The dance moves are â€Å"choreographed to represent sacred messages to and from† (Gonzalez- Wippler 195) each other. Not only does it affect the rhythm and movements in dancing but also the lyrics of voiced music: â€Å"Santeria†¦has supplied many songs sung in Yoruba by a male singer leading a chorus to the rhythm of conga drums, while dancers dressed in different colors express the attributes of the different orishas or saints of the sect† (Marshall 216). Therefore, Santeria affect the music part of the Cuban lives. As time progresses, the influences to Santeria will continue to increase in Cuba and sink into the spiritual identity of Cuba. According to a professor in history, â€Å"†¦Santeria isn’t just a religion, its part of the Cuban identity† (Sigler 212). Santeria may be widely celebrated because so many people in the government are currently practicing the religion† (Sigler 213). Thus, Santeria will continue to affect the Cubans politically, artistically, musically, and in their relationships.

Euro Disneys Poor Performance

Euro Disneys Poor Performance Euro Disney and other Disney are subsidiaries to Walt Disney Company. This is a case study based on Euro Disney to critically analyse and answer question of the Not So Wonderful World of EuroDisney- Things are Better Now at Paris Disneyland. EuroDisney first year of operation was faced with several factors in which hindered their financial growth and success in the first year of operation. The case study will analyse and answer several questions relating to the Not so Wonderful world of EuroDisney. The questions are broken down in to five which are: 1) Why was Euro Disney performing poorly during its first year of operation? Recommend and propose strategies and suggestions to improve the situation? 2) To what degree do you consider that these factors were a) foreseeable and b) controllable by either Euro Disney or the parent company Disney? Evaluate the cross-cultural marketing skills of Disney! 3) Do you think the new theme park would have encountered the same problems if a location in Spain had been selected? 4) If you were the business development manager, what would be the major consideration you would go through before selecting a location for the next Disneyworld? 5) From your discussion select a location you think will be the next Disneyland site. By the end of the analysis, a clear understanding it to be derive on what lead to the not so wonderful world of EuroDisney, and shading light on mistakes made by the parent company. Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Euro Disney and other Disney company in various countries making it a network of international family entertainment network in all house hold around the world with four business diversification which are media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment and consumer products. Disneyland, Disney world and all places Disney have been known as the happiest place on earth, the goal of Walt Disney is opening Disneyland was not to just be a theme park, but to be a theme park that the entire family could enjoy. Although the Walt Disney Company was founded in 1938, it was not until 1952 that the theme park, Disneyland, was opened to the public. When Walt Disney opened an amusement park in the middle of Southern California orange groves in 1955, he changed the way that Americans, and the world, viewed such entertainment. Once the domain of carnival hucksters, amusement parks underwent a significant makeover at the hands of the head of the Disney Studios Walter Elias Disney is a pioneer, innovator and possessor of one of the most fertile imaginations in the world. He was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon and philanthropist. Disney is famous for his influence in the field of entertainment during the twentieth century. As the co-founder (with his brother Roy O. Disney) of Walt Disney Productions, Disney became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world. The corporation he co-founded, now known as The Walt Disney Company, today has annual revenues of approximately U.S. $35 billion. Disney is particularly noted for being a film producer and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. He and his staff created a number of the worlds most famous fictional characters including Mickey Mouse, a character for which Disney himself was the original voice. He received fifty-nine Academy Award nominations and won twenty-six Oscars, including a record four in one year, giving him more awards and nominations than any other individual. He also won seven Emmy Awards. He is the namesake for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the United States, Japan, France, and China. In April 1992, The Walt Disney Company and Affiliated Companies opened a new park for European visitors. It was located by the river Marne some 20 miles east of Paris and was designed to be the biggest and most lavish theme park that Walt Disney Company had built as compared to other sister companies (Cateora, Graham, p.615). Nevertheless, the development of big theme park in Paris instead arise Euro Disneys start up problems because the management has done some mistakes on project plan. They could not arrange a proper plan. Since the management not able to purposely consider certain outcomes, there was a something wrong in planning Euro Disney. The Disney management also did not have ample assumption about the European market as well as they did for their parent mark. CHAPTER 2 2.0 CASE STUDY The not-So-Wonderful World of Euro Disney Things Are Better Now at Paris Disneyland. 2.1 The questions of case study have to be answered: Question 1 Why was Euro Disney performing poorly during its first year of operation? Recommend and propose strategies and suggestions to improve the situation? Question 2 To what degree do you consider that these factors were a) foreseeable and b) controllable by either Euro Disney or the parent company Disney? Question 3 Evaluate the cross-cultural marketing skills of Disney! Question 4 Do you think the new theme park would have encountered the same problems if a location in Spain had been selected? Discuss! Question 5 If you were the business development manager, what would be the major consideration you would go through before selecting a location for the next Disneyworld? From your discussion select a location you think will be the next Disneyland site. CHAPTER 3 3.0 ANSWERS TO CASE STUDY 3.1 Question 1 Factors that contributed to Euro Disneys poor performance during its first year of operation. Euro Disneys factors of poor performance marketing mistakes were present throughout the whole inception of Euro Disney. Euro Disney were faced with several affecting factors which contributed to the failure or poor performance of the company, the factors came along with location, price, and lack of research in exchange rate, as well as the style of the theme park all played roles in the lack of success experienced by Euro Disney. The factors that played into the unsuccessful first year could have been foreseen and somewhat easily by Euro Disney or the parent company, the same goes for their being able to control them. Hostility among the French had risen even as the plans were being set as it was stated earlier, that they did not want American imperialism invading their country and culture. Cateora Graham, p.614 reports, Paris theatre director Mnouchhkin descried Euro Disney as a cultural Chernobyl. In fall 1989, during a visit to Paris, French columnist pelted Michael Eisner with e ggs. The joke going around at the time was, for Euro Disney to adapt properly to France, all seven of snow whites dwarfs should be named Grumpy Location Many factors contributed to Euro Disney poor performance during the first year of operation and many of these factors could have been alleviated if the proper factors would have been looked at previously. The first problem was the demographics and subsidies, and because the French government made Disney an offer it could not refuse, they located Euro Disney 20miles outside of Paris, a location that was thought to be very convenient. It played a negative role in the success in the success for Disney. How many people go to Paris to get glimpses of American theme parks? Most of the tourist going to Paris would spend time travelling the city and its wonders. About 17 million lives less than two hour drive from Paris and another 310 million can fly there at the same tie or less. The French government offered the company more than $1billion in various incentives; all in the expectation that project would create 30,000 French jobs. The land came at rock bottom prices, cheap loans were made available, and a dedicated high speed TGV and suburban railway link was also offered by the French. France gave Disney an offer they could not refuse, overlooking the over value franc, bad weather, French people not being known for their hospitality and occasional anti-American demonstration by angry farmers because French agricultural subsidies had been cut, Paris was still chosen to be home of Euro Disney. The climate in Paris was also unsuitable and off-season attendance was way below expectation. Many landmarks events were competition to Euro Disneys opening year, such event was the one held in Spain. Spain held the world fair in Seville and Barcelona was home to the 1992 Olympics which took tourists to area other than Paris. All in all, 1992 was not looking good for Euro Disney in terms of success. Foreign uncontrollable and Exchange rate. In Paris in regards to economic forces, legal forces, competition, and culture can be held accountable for Euro Disney misfortune. In opening in the summer of 1992, Europe was entering into recession and this caused income from catering, merchandise, including souvenirs and foods, hotels to be way below that was expected. High interest rates also caused many currencies to devaluate against Franc leading to more financial difficulties for Euro Disney. In negotiation with France, lawyers were used excessively. The rigid legal approach was offensive to the French, who, like most Europeans consider depending on lawyers to reach a conclusion to be last resort. Despite the foreign market uncontrollable hindering the park from the beginning, when Euro Disney opened in the summer of 1992 many marketing and operational errors factored into the parks unsuccessful opening. Advertisement made by Euro Disney Another controllable factor was the advert made by Euro Disney, which factored the poor the poor performing by the Euro Disney in Paris. Euro Disney advertising had emphasised Disney image as an alluring bit of American rather than an explaining to potential customers what they can actually do for the park. France (2004) reports, every surface that could possibly have an advert placed on it clothing, buses, taxis, myriad walls and billboards, even the snow you sky on now hawks something. According to Wikipedia encyclopaedia, Â ´Advertising is the promotion of goods and services, companies and ideas, usually performed by an identified sponsor. Company are bombarding us with thousand of advert with only one intention, to persuade us to buy their product. Euro Disneys image marketing did not explain to Europeans that the theme park was or what attractions it had to offer the European consumer. The company advertising focused on the size of the park and the glamour behind it that this p oor marketing strategy hurt over all business. No one in France cared that Euro Disney had cost over $4 billion and that its 4,800 acres include five separate recreation areas, six hotels with room for 5,200 people in all, an entertainment centre, a 27 hole golf course and a wooded campground. The marketing strategy in America was used in France and it backfired when the French visitors stayed away from the park. Yes advertising bombards us everywhere, but it is not without control and regulation by the government, businesses, and citizens. This opens one of the major issues in advertising, the question of law and ethics. The sensitivity perceived by the French in relation to the advert was that, it did not tell them what the citizens will benefit from the EuroDisney, and also the French were not happy with how the Americans use their own advertising style. Poor Management operation The management of Euro Disney had difficulties due to cultural and lack of understanding of the French culture. Operational errors that easily could have been avoided accounted for more troubles than were expected in the Euro Disney. In regards to employees, alcohol, admission and hotel prices, and breakfast in the hotel, staffing problems, and regulations regarding pets, many problems cause the Euro Disney misfortune in the first year. The employees dressed code enforced on employees prohibited facial hair and limited the use of makeup and jewellery. The lack of understanding by the parent country in regards to the dress culture of the French affected customer patronage. The French did not think dress standards like that existed outside the west military academy. Also the ban on alcohol caused astonishment in a country where glass of wine is normally given for launch and it is necessary as a fork for eating. However banning the alcohol in this theme park could have ever been a consi deration is unbelievable and since it was a major issue, this policy of not serving alcohol in the park was also a hindering factor at Euro Disney. Another factor that leads to poor operation was the price system. Prices involve around Euro Disney were also the cause of it not performing well and not generating profit. consultant who studied the park say that its high admission price 30 percent more that Disney Orlando makes visitors keen to take as many rides as possible, so they spend less time shopping for Mickey Mouse ears and such. Prices at the Disney hotel were high compared to other hotels in Paris, the hotels in Paris ranges from $180 to $380 in the Paris metropolis. Staffing problem One of the major factors in the customer relationship in the international marketing, even at the domestic market is the customer- staff relationship. At Euro Disney, there were staffing approach problems too. The company had tried using the same team work model it did use either in America or Japan, which did not work in France. Within the first nine weeks of Euro Disneys operation, roughly 1,000 employees, 10 percent of the employee left. People were leaving because they felt they were not being understood and they were not being treated in an appropriate manner that was satisfactory to them. The company actually taught that Monday would be a les busy day, while Friday a hectic busy time, but the reverse was the case, Monday turned out to be very busy at the Euro Disney. Unforeseen issues Factors that really could not be seen by managers included the approach to European recession, the Golf war in 1991, and increased interest rates. External factors that affected business were also the devaluation of the Franc currency in the international market, which lead to competitors to draw the attention of customers to the various sites. These competitors were the worlds fare in Seville and the 199 Olympics, which was held in Barcelona. (Cateora, Graham, p.615) Ethnocentrism The managers of Disney and Euro Disney used their way of doing business, their cultural belief and ethics, and what they know and are used to in order to try and get another country to do the same. Cateora Graham describes in more detail, A brainstorming, kick the door down attitude seemed to reign amongst the U.S. decision makers. The authors referred to one former managers comment, We were arrogant, it was like, we were building the Taj Mahal and people will come on our terms. Ethnocentrism is usually referred to as tunnel vision. This view says that one certain ethnic group beliefs about morals is the right one and better than any group. The French saw the American managers as bullies, arrogant, and workaholics. A search for the topic, Business culture Vs French (n.d) refers to Laura Hampton, French ministry of Education as she explains the views that the French have about American business and culture: The French have a love or hate relationship with the U.S. We are deeply admired for many things (entertainment industry, our political system, our optimism as a people) but they are also very critical of the role the U.S has played in globalisation which they see threatening their own identity, culture, and language (Regarding management practices) the French are less direct about theory expectation and you have to pay closer attention to the subtle cues given to you., Disregarding the French culture of being the worlds biggest consumers of wine, the management of Disney still hung on their we know best conviction. Male employees had to keep well groomed as the American managers wanted in this way. Their insensitivity to the French culture led to a very bad start even though they did relent in some areas such as allowing females employees to wear brightly coloured nails polish and allowing kennels for the quest pets. The French would never dream of leaving their pets when going on vacation. (Cateora Graham, p 615) CONCLUSION: the major factor that contributed to their poor performance, during their first year of operation can be narrowed down to marketing surveysm, which lead to ethnocentrism and self reference criterion. 3.1.2 RECOMMENDATION, PROPOSE STRATEGY AND SUGGESTION TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION AT EURO DISNEY. There are several means in which the controllable factors could be avoided in other to present Euro Disney the success it needed at the first year of business. This means are suggest and proposed as follows: The deliverance of advertising to the customers, not on the physical composition of just the area alone, but on the resources and service that a customer will get from patronising the resort. Advertising should be careful controlled. Society needs to make sure that people are not taken in by misleading advertisement. There is a set of principles that all advertisers must follow (Roman Mss, 2003, p.200): Tell the truth, show the truth- the product should look exactly the same way as the consumers will purchase it Make the general impression truthful- Advertising is judged not by what it says, but what consumers thinks it says. (p.201) Ban weasels and dangling companions- All sentences must be clear. Substantiate product claims- must provide evidenced that the claim is true. Back testimonials with research. It is crucial that cross cultural communication, cooperative decision-making and collaborative problem solving be implemented in multinational corporation management like Disney. It is important that the management of a multinational corporation work together to overcome boundaries and differences and to be able to communicate, and collaborate in order to effectively work together, communicate, make decision, and solve problems as a single entity as globalisation does simple that. This brings the world together. The EuroDisney could use the help of the Disney in Turkey in other to be able to handle the cultural difference in French. By understanding the French culture, EuroDisney will be able to bring polices that will be accepted by the French customers. The French cherish their culture that it is important for EuroDisney to able to adapt the culture and avoid cultural self criterion, rather try to understand the culture of the French. Make use of their number one asset which is human resource in order to apply the best approaches and method and focus on both macro and micro economics of the global business. The management from the head quarters branch(in this case, management from the United State) cannot do this alone but will achieve success if he learns from those in the various parts of the world and learns from those who are experts in the various locations and cultures in which they live and work. They will next, approaches communication, sales, customers services, find solutions, developing innovative tactics, and so on. The best way in managing a diverse sales team is to incorporate the sales management from each area and empowering them and learning from them, this system will help the Euro Disney to overcome the cultural differences and policies that are not suitable for the French workers. Generally as management, it is important to have a general knowledge of domestic activities and policies, and to understand the various cultures and operations of the sales force outside of the United States. This can only be accomplish by using human resource from which are familiar with the culture of French, company, and cultures, how business is handled in different parts of the world, varying company policies and operations (although the company is an entity, policies and routines vary slightly, if not extremely, in order to accommodate the differences), language and cultural differences, various sales methods, training, customer service, account management, follow up procedures, key account management, and so on. Can only be handled by working with the various sales teams and using their expertise. CONCLUSION: The above mentioned proposed recommendation will tackle the poor performance at Euro Disney. The first recommendation should be the market research and survey, which will tackle the staffing problem, cultural issues and drafting and delivering of effective promotion, 3.2 Question 2 3.2.1 The factors that could have been foreseeable and controlled by Euro Disney or the parent company. Taking a look at the above mentioned factors that lead to the poor performance of Euro Disney in their first year of operation, some of the factors were possibly foreseeable, while some were not foreseeable and uncontrollable. A company reputation and size of Disney is allowed no room for mistakes. The stakes involved are billions of dollars. Complementary businesses like that of the hotel industry are reliant upon the success on the success of this team park in Paris. Generous funds received from the government and private institutions would have to be made well of. Disney should be able to foreseen the unforeseen. When Euro Disney was established the consideration taking into account is the geographical area and culture as well. However Disney established the Euro Disney based on the nature or American thinking, they expected the Europeans to act as Americans and thrive over newly designed theme park. They forgot that they were producing a massive theme park bigger than any other theme park in Europe for the American mentality. They could have calculated the exchange rate, and did not calculate the European culture. They could have foreseen the problems mentioned in the above poor performance factors listed. Factors such as those mentioned above are not categorized as the unforeseen; rather they are being classified as the expected factors, which Euro Disney or the parent company Disney should have detected. Economics, politics, culture complemented and associated with in depth analysis of the 4Ps follow the basic principles of marketing. Disney should have foreseen the changing economic scene in France with the forthcoming European recession in 1991. The relationship with the French government should have been handled with greater care and delicacy, because of the size of the investment involved and ultimately, the number of jobs dependant on the success of the Euro Disney. Looking at culture, the parent company can force itself on another people, looking at the cultural profile of the French, which in this case was the European continent. Disney promoted its product, the theme park similar to that of Tokyo Disneyland in Japan believing Europeans wanted their piece of Americana. In inte rnational marketing, the needs and wants of the consumer are being indentified, the package presented by Disney to their customer meet neither their needs nor wants. Disney true success lies in adapting to the surrounding culture of the French and Europe as a whole, being marketing oriented in finding success in customer satisfaction. Disney failed in both aspects. Culture is wide and change occurs when resistance slowly yields to acceptance, so the basis of resistance becomes unimportant or forgotten, which means that on the part of the European community, we are certain to see compromise, but over a period of time. Disney too has to reconcile with the environment it has settled in. we read in the case that Disney does ultimately mend it ways. Making room for continuous change is the best way to go about its business. CONCLUSION: most of the factors that lead to the poor performance of EuroDisney in their first year of operation were foreseeable which are the staffing problem, advert problem, and cultural differences and so on, where some factors were not, such as the economic recession at that time in Europe. 3.3 Question 3 The cross-cultural marketing skills of Disney The problem was that in the beginning, cross cultural marketing skills were not used and employed. Taking for example, Disney executives were told that French did not take breakfast in the morning, which lead to downsize but surprisingly, the French do eat breakfast. Cross cultural marketing would have let the managers know that the Europeans were more energetic and covered more of the Euro Disney theme park and rides than those in the western hemisphere. Therefore, instead of the normally three days stay at the Disney American theme park, the stays were normally shortened to two days stay. The European vacation customs were not being examined so the theme park did not see profits and success as hoped. Americans take short breaks but they take the more often. However, Europeans take one month for holiday. The American managers thought that the Europeans would change their one month tradition and adopt the Americans shorter yet more frequent time off but did not happen. The French schedule remains the same and they would close the office and factory during the entire month of August, which was contrary to what the American do. These factors should have been considered. Cross cultural marketing would have been extremely useful but the parent compan y executives were being quite ethnocentric and it cost a great price. (ibid, p.615) needed to say, their cultural marketing skills were unsatisfactory, in fact, nonexistent. Had they had any skills of this sort, the beginning would have been a success and not such a failure at the start. Therefore, we can say that the skills of Euro Disney cross cultural marketing skill was poor, they did not have skills of cross cultural marketing skills which is the main key in dealings in international trade like Euro Disney. They put an American theme park in the middle of Europe with American mentality, American food, and this did not heed to the cultural values of the Europeans. However, the new CEO in 1993, the park understood their problem and made the changes. They then started their new marketing plan, which included skills of cross cultural values, understanding. They started to include French and European favourites like Zoro and Mary Poppins. They advertising campaign include famous European characters with the magic kingdom. Within a year, they took off deals boosted. CONCLUSION: after the recognition of the problem facing Euro Disney which was the cross cultural marketing skill, which was bad. After some time park understood the pending problem and provided a solution, which was the use of French in their advertising campaign and so on. 3.4 Question 4 3.4.1 New theme park in Spain Spain is a country that accept and receive foreign cultures compared to France, the southerners receive foreign culture with greater warmth compared to the central and east Europeans, in which if Euro Disney would have launched in Spain, Disney would have met less criticism. But we should bear in mind that, Euro Disney is actually built to serve the entire Europe as a whole not just Spain. Therefore, criticism will likely come from other part of Europe, even if Spain receives Americans with warmth. Cultural profile is formed as the bases of international marketing relationship, how a product is being marketed in the international market, in a foreign country is based on the cultural variable present in the country. In other for Disney success in marketing the theme park internationally, it will force them never over emphasise the importance of understanding the culture of a foreign culture. A theme park in any part in Europe generally, Spain not excluded will face a varying percentage of regal restraints, political risk, culture conflict, and economic disruption as well. Therefore, if Disney places a theme park in Spain, it is believed that the cultural difference will lay a huge role in its success, as suggested earlier. Disney would have to adapt to the customers culture and the culture of Spain generally, and incorporate them into the development, implementation, and operation of a new theme park. The workaholic habits of the Americans is opposite of not just Spains focus of life and family first, but generally Europe as a continent. In the United States, people focus more on themselves and individuality is the focus not group (Hofstede cultural dimension). CONCLUSION: international marketing is the function associated with culture, what one is able to do in marketing to a particular foreign product is shaped by the cultural variables of the country. A theme park is Spain as in another part of Europe would face a varying proportion of, legal restraints, political risk, culture conflict, and economic disruption. 3.5 Question 5 3.5.1 The major considerations for the next Disneyworld The consideration for the next Disneyworld should be in Dubai. Dubai should be considers as the next Disneyworld location priority. Dubai (UAE) is the major commercial business hub of the Arab world. Business horizons expand from the west coast of the United States to the eastern Philippine archipelago. Business communities around Europe have created a stronghold here as a gateway to most of Northern Africa, the Middle East and to a limited extent the Asian Subcontinent. Dubai seems to be a good strategic location for the Next Disney world to be established. Dubai is seen as the portal not only to the minority communities from Europe, Asia and Americas but specifically to the Muslim world of over one billion. Then underlying opportunities are immense. The parent company Disney is already a recognise figure in households of the respective location UAE. The relaxed social and cultural atmosphere Dubai possesses over Muslim states should not pose a threat to the continuity of business a t Disney in Dubai, which will be called Disney Arabia. Dubai reports a GDP (gross domestic product) per head of US$15,000 to $18,000, one of the highest figures in Asia. The trade balance remains a surplus with over US$500 million. The infrastructure boasts access to telecommunication facilities and transport by land, air and water as state of the art. The diverse ethnic communities level communication barriers between the Arabs and expatriates. All in all, Dubai posses the qualities and the right backdrop to promote the new Disney Arabia to a wider scope of people, both the conservative and the more liberal, foreign and local. Thus, lunching the new Disney subsidiary is obviously not an overnight or one day project, meticulous planning will be needed in defining the eight Ps as pertinent to the Arab world. CONCLUSION: it is important to learn from the mistakes that were made when EuroDisnay was started. Having offices and managers from the country will be detrimental. Incorporating Dubai culture and examining the tourist activities, practices and trends will be crucial to the making of breaking of a Disney in Dubai. CHAPTER 4 4.0 CONCLUSION Euro Disney faces poor performance during their first year of operation, which makes it important to learn from mistakes that were made when Euro Disney was started. Having offices and managers from the country will be detrimental. Incorporating the culture and examining the tourist activities, practices, and trends will be crucial to making or breaking of a Disney new project and existing one as well. The Disney Paris in recent

Maquiladoras and the Exploitation of Womens Bodies Essay -- Murder Fe

Maquiladoras and the Exploitation of Women's Bodies Works Cited Missing In a changing economic and political climate gender stereotypes in Juà ¡rez, Mexico refuse to change. With an increasing number of women forced into the workplace in maquiladoras(1), men's position and women's assumed position in society is being challenged. This changing economic environment in an unchanging cultural environment is part of the reason that young women are disappearing being raped and mutilated before ultimately being killed and "abandoned like meat by-products in the desert" (Pà ©rez, March 2004). These women's bodies are entering unknowingly and unwilling into a war about cultural norms and a changing economic atmosphere. The exploitation of and war on women's bodies in Juà ¡rez was set in motion long before they began being murdered in large numbers; it was instigated in the maquiladoras were they were working. Juà ¡rez is a popular site for US Fortune500 companies to place factories that have very law cost and optional taxes. The more than 500 maquiladoras operating in Juà ¡rez have drawn an influx of Mexicans who hope to get rich quickly. While the workers in maquiladoras are better of financially than they would be anywhere else, the maquiladora environment and cities are far from ideal. Maquiladoras employ mostly young women.(2) In a machismo culture women are preferred to men as workers in the maquiladoras because they can be paid substantially lower wages, while they also have better manual dexterity. Years of sexist attitudes have created an environment where this pay gap not only possible but entirely acceptable. The average wage is from four to seven dollars for a nine-hour work day and there are no benefits offered to workers. ... ...gainst societal norms that require them to be at home. This violation of the cultural norm may be part of the reason why their bodies are later abducted, raped, mutilated and later left in the desert. This phenomenon of murder is a clear message to the women of Juà ¡rez that they are overstepping their bounds and that the murders will continue—either until views change or the women step back into their prescribed roles. 1. Spanish word for factory. Used to refer to the factories in Mexico run by American companies where many of the women of Juà ¡rez work. 2. Although most of these factories have an official policy of hiring only women aged sixteen or older, many workers can forge documents and be hired as young as twelve possibly younger. 3. Mestiza means mixed in Spanish. Mestiza was originally used to refer to someone with mixed native and European blood.

Co-education Female Essay

The debatable issue on Co-education is continually progressing through the State and convincing parents and teachers that sex-separation will reveal a sign of improvement in student’s lives. In the United States, teamwork is a massive aspect in people’s lives where both girls and boys work together in order to achieve their goal , however, both articles provide informative proves that co-education could result in failure because of the different stereotypes in society. The debate mainly focuses on the separation of both sexes in school since â€Å"there is no extra cost. The debate also catches the reader’s attention by the different research that many scientists did in order to prove a fair result that will satisfy the parents and teachers. The separation of sexes in school could result in improvement of education and behavior with boys and girls. Based on Jennifer Medina’s article, teachers will face less problems if both sexes are separated since the boys will tend to focus more on learning than on girls, in addition, girls will tend to feel more comfortable participating in class. Co-education will also result in good teamwork especially in the outside community because both girls and boys will learn to communicate. However, from the boy’s point of view, they will tend to be more comfortable in expressing themselves and learn about â€Å"being a man† in their own bodies. In addition to those articles, the media will affect the parents and the teachers around the state because of highly known and educative people in society. For example, Leonard Sax who is a best seller author of Why Gender Matters and Michael Sax argues about single sex with a huge audience in order to prove their facts about the separation and the importance of it. In contrast, both sex educations could also result in improvement around the state and in schools because boys and girls will learn to communicate together and work hard as one community. In addition, many authors and scientist were seeking for evidence in order to prove that Co-education could be for the good of their community. For example, a research on Bronx’s Eagle school stated that both sexes’ classes tend to have higher test scores around the state and tend to receive high percentages in their community. Both sexes will also learn and appreciate that both sexes are important in everyone’s lives since they communicate and work together outside of the learning community. Researchers also proved that working together as both sexes will also result a sign improvement in teamwork because many girls tend to be left out in single-sex schools in teamwork projects. Comparatively, Co-Education and single education also have their problems in society because of their lack of certain teachings in schools. For example , a study showed that girls tend to be smarter than boys and tend to solve math and science faster and more accurate since there are different brains and each person have a different sign of knowledge and personality. However, since girls are smarter, they tend to ask for more detailed teachings and writing scripts since they will have more things to explain in their writing assignment. When in contrast, boys have to write about a simple sport or a job they seek for in order to prepare them for the future. Although, teachers who support single education tend to have other opinions toward their ways of teaching. For example, Mr. Napolitano claims that he is more comfortable in expressing his feelings and thoughts while teaching to single sex classrooms because the boys will tend to have the same situation. In addition he also shows a book called Patrol Boy in order to show boys that having a tattoo is not a material they should use in co-ed class. In conclusion, this debate tends to prove that single education will show more improvements since the media tend to support it and also the teachers. The reasons that parents should choose single education is because they will improve economically and also their students will face less behavior problems and more school focused. However, co-ed schools tend to have higher scores and will teach the students to work together in order to improve their speech especially outside in society since they will be working together as one team. Both articles prove that both educations will result in bonding together as students and as teachers in this society because at the end of this debate both classrooms will be teaching and learning in the states.

Belonging: Romulus My Father and Becoming Jane Related Text

Fundamental to perceptions of belonging is the recognition of its complex nature encompassing both belonging and its antithetical concept of isolation. This duality, manifested in the relationship between an individual and the people and environment they are exposed to is paramount in the development of ones identity and therefore the definition of the institutions to which they may belong. The fragility and labyrinthine nature of belonging is explored in Raimond Gaita’s Romulus, My Father through the contrasting characters of the narrator and his titular father in their experiences to assimilate to Australian culture and society.Contrasting, Julian Jarrold’s biographical drama ‘Becoming Jane’ illustrates the influences of society on the development of an individual’s character, and further, the will of individuals to both challenge and conform to society in order to achieve a sense of belonging. Through its inherent duality, the complex notion of be longing and isolation is defined by an interaction between an individual and their surrounds. The contrasting notions of belonging and isolation are explored in Gaita’s memoir through the conflicting experiences of the narrator and his alienated father.Illustrated through the harsh and influential environment he was exposed to in his youth, Romulus’ character, personality and morals were formed in unique circumstances, something that would later alienate him from other more conventional societies. Culturally and socially isolated in Australia, â€Å"a landscape of rare beauty, to a European eye†¦ seemed desolate† leading to Romulus attempts to replicate European society in rural Australia. The acknowledgment of this isolation by the narrator that â€Å"my father could not become reconciled to it† provides an understanding as to the difficulties Romulus’ past experiences had provided him with.Through the development of a morale code no individu al, even himself could fulfil and expectations of others he realised were too high as shown through his forgiving attitude, Romulus’ â€Å"character† as his â€Å"central moral concept† was evidently flawed in judging others. Contrasting, Raimond’s appreciative attitude towards Australia and lack of previous cultural influence allows his to gain his identity based purely on Australian ideals and values. Contrasting however, Romulus’ wife Christine, raised in a similar environment to her husband, becomes the narrator’s conception of isolation s her personality, identity and value systems are not adaptable to an Australian setting. Additionally, Romulus, My Father demonstrates the significance of relationships to achieve a sense of belonging. The conformation of identity achieved through the filial bond between narrator and his father permits Raimond to gain insight into his heritage and therefore develop his identity whilst allowing Romulus t o confirm his identity and reside in an aspect of society.Illustrated through the abandoning of his youthful innocence, adoption of his fathers responsibility and philosophical nature and growing comprehension of Romulus’ struggle to belong, Raimond’s experience at the time of his fathers mental deterioration is symbolic of his growing maturity and the significance of relationships in the attaining of identity. Further, through the use of first person narration and the memoir text type, the narrator effectively reflects on the personal nature of belonging in which Romulus resides.Illustrated through the significance of Hora on this filial interdependence, Gaita reflects on the impact of secondary characters on relationships through the imperative middle ground between the strict moral expectations of Romulus and the youthful naivety of Raimond that Hora creates. Consequently examined through his rationale to Romulus’ dilemmas including that of the shaving blade, the â€Å"example† of Hora’s friendship with Romulus acted as a significant influence in Raimond’s development allowing him to embrace the cultural values of â€Å"honesty, loyalty, courage and charity† advocated by both men.However, despite similar experiences between the maternally neglectful and alienated Christine and Romulus, by the conclusion of the novel, the eulogy to Romulus by Raimond reflecting on his â€Å"unhesitating acceptance†, â€Å"common humanity† and furthermore the recognition of this by members of the society, portrays that Romulus was accepted in a manner suitable for a migrant in the contextual climate. Contrasting to Gaita’s Romulus, My Father, Julian Jarrold’s biographical drama Becoming Jane is concerned with an individual’s ability to redefine themselves in order to belong to a variable society.Through the societal and cultural relationship between Jane Austen and her patriarchal English soci ety, a sense of belonging is preceded by an extensive experience of isolation. Illustrated by her original discontent at the ideals portrayed by her Georgian England society or marriage and suppression of individuality, Austen’s feministic, professional and somewhat modern and radical perceptions of love and sexual equality are means by which she attempts to adapt to incorporate her desires.The acceptable notion that â€Å"affection is desirable, money is absolutely indispensable,† reflected by traditional characters of society further enphisises the female position in society and the limited institutions to which they were permitted to belong. Accentuated through Lady Gresham’s enquiring as to if â€Å"anything can be done† about Austen’s literary ambitions, Jane’s isolation from a society, which fails to cater for her needs, is expressed through a disapproval of her actions from traditionalist members of Georgian England.Further demonstrat ion of the significance of societal influences on the concept of belonging occurs in the final scene of the film when, whilst dressed in pure white, Austen offers to read her novel to a crowd of young girls, hence, alluding to the cyclical nature of society in which constant development and compromising of culture is caused by a constant incorporation of individual desires into a set social construct. Furthermore, Becoming Jane illustrates the significance of relationships in developing and maintaining identity.Outlined by her original devotion to family, Jane’s discontent in society is a result of her changing opinions, as experiences in the relationships to which she is exposed, create a feeling of angst and dissatisfaction within the character. As relationships around her diminish as conveyed through emotional writing scenes, Jane seeks comfort in relationships absent from her original moral formation represented by her family and Lady Gresham.Illustrated through Jane†™s new relationship with Tom Lefroy, Austen is able to confirm and strengthen her desire to adapt the society in which she lives. Lefroy’s character’s, originally black costuming gradually becomes lighter as the responder recognizes his eventual encouragement for Austen’s desires. Foremost however, is Jane’s decision to abandon love at the end of the film as protest to the restricting nature of her society. â€Å"The good do not always come to good ends. It is a truth universally acknowledged. Jane Austen As her desirable relationship becomes impossible due to societal expectations and formalities, Jane rejects all subsequent offers for marriage, as her values, much like Romulus’, are unchanged despite societies attempts to conform them. Through this, the interaction between relationships and socially accepted relationships is explored in a manner that both alienates and accepts. The complex notion of belonging and isolation is created through a n interaction between society, culture and relationships.Through Gaita’s memoir addressing the impact of society and culture on individuals and their attempts to identify themselves through relationships, Jarrold’s contrasting film Becoming Jane addresses the more radical concept of belonging where an individual attempts to conform a society to their own needs and desires as opposed to adjusting their own character to meet societal expectations. Through the contrasting notions and concepts of belonging, this multi-faceted notion is addressed through many varied perspectives reflected through relationship, cultural and societal significance to individuals in their respective societies.