Poe, Edgar Allen The Masque Of The Red Death Essays -

Poe, Edgar Allen: The Masque of the Red Death Period C The Masque of the Red Death Poe uses heavy symbolism throughout the story to convey his underlying theme: the inevitability of death and the futility of trying to escape death. The prince's name, Prospero, generally denotes happiness and prosperity. The Prince possesses these characteristics yet is faced with a plague that he desperately attempting to avoid. This oxymoron is used to hint that this man of exuberance will soon be faced with tragedy. The fires in each of the suite rooms serve as a representation of death. Poe depicts them to be "a heavy tripod, bearing a brazier of fire that projected its rays through tinted glass?But in the western or black chamber, the effect of the firelight upon the dark hangings through the blood tinted panes was ghastly in the extreme, and produced so wild a look upon the countenances of those who enter it that there are few?bold enough to set foot within it". The description is meant to produce a mysterious atmosphere in the west in contrast to a propitious one in the east. This can relate to the pattern of the sun's movement. The sunrise in the east represents light and new life for the day. However, the sunset in the west means the end of a day and darkness. Poe uses the element of darkness as a visual representation of death. The black clock is also a symbolic element in Poe's story. "Its pendulum swung to and fro with a dull, heavy, monotonous clang; and when the minute hand made the circuit?it was observed that the giddiest turned pale, and the more aged and sedate passed their hands over their brows as if in confused reverie or meditation". The timepiece represents the rapid passing of time in life. Every time the clock strikes the hour, the musicians quit playing and all of the revelers momentarily cease their celebrating. It is as though each hour is "to be stricken" upon their brief and fleeting lives. To emphasize the brevity of life, the fleeting of life and time, and the nearness of death, Poe reminds the reader that between the striking of each hour, there elapses "three thousand and six hundred seconds of the Time that flies." The significance of the seventh room is apparent throughout the entire story. Black usually symbolizes death, and it tends to be used in connection with death. Furthermore, in describing the black d?cor of the room, the narrator says it is "shrouded" in velvet, shrouded being a term generally referring to death. In addition, the window panes are "scarlet-a deep blood color." The relationship between blood and death is an essential aspect because Poe wants the reader to have a visual image of the blood flowing down the walls as a form of death. This is an obvious reference to the "Red Death". When the masked "Red death" makes his appearance, he moves rapidly from the Eastern room (symbolic of the beginning of life) to the Western room (symbolic of the end of life). In addition, the black chamber furthers Poe's theme. The prince rushes "hurriedly through the six chambers", but as he approaches the unwanted "guest", his dagger stops, and he falls dead upon the black carpet. This signifies that death cannot be destroyed (or avoided) as Prospero tries to prevent his fate from occurring. It is a universal force against humankind that holds "illimitable domain over all". Significantly, the appearance of the "Red Death" at midnight is propitious and symbolic. This is the end of the day, and, by analogy, the end of life. The "unwanted" guest's costume additionally contains some meaning. The mask portrays the message that death is an event that cannot be predicted. It is undetectable; a matter disguised as a variety of things in which its victims are unable to escape from. Death is superior to all defying powers and can overcome anything, as it overcomes Prospero's "impenetrable" walls to claim his victims. Poe is highly successful in showing the importance of symbolism to visualize death. His creative meanings behind several objects in the story further his reinforce theme of death's inevitability.

Hurricane Katrina Survivor Journal Entry †Creative Writing

Hurricane Katrina Survivor Journal Entry – Creative Writing Free Online Research Papers Hurricane Katrina Survivor Journal Entry Creative Writing How does hurricane Katrina affect me personally? Katrina affects me in so many ways that words can not be described. It brought many devastated situation to my life. Like others, my family returned to our home under a damage condition. After the day I left to evacuate for hurricane Katrina, my life started to change from one way to another. Within one month I have traveled to 5 different cities. I started my journey out from New Orleans going to Houston then Lake Charles, from Lake Charles we traveled to Pensacola. Leaving Pensacola to go back to New Orleans in three days then from there we went to Houma and from Houma we went to Houston again, then we traveled from Houston to Austin within one week; after that we went back to Houma for two days then happily being back in New Orleans. During this long everlasting journey, my family and I faced many critical times. Can anyone imagine that within six nights we stayed at five different places? It seems hard to believe but it’s true. During these days, everyone in my family seems to be very worried and unhappy. Every time we turned on the news from our hotel room, everyone started to get quiet and have different thoughts running through our minds. One big concern to my parent was our house, not because it cost a lot but because that’s the only thing we accomplished within 7 years living in United States. No feelings can be worst than knowing everything you own is being taken away from you. Just thinking of the fact that the house may be flooded to the roof no one was on the mood of doing anything. One main similarity from people evacuated for hurricane Katrina is that no one suspected we would go for a one month trip. Therefore, I believed that every family I know of only packed for a 2 or 3 days trip. My family was no different; we only packed two outfits for everyone. I remembered every time we arrived at a new city we have to go find a Laundromat to wash our clothes. As days past by and things are still the same, I started to think of negative thoughts and begin to realize that my life may never be the same due to the fact that I have to attend new school and make new friends. I have never thought of the things I have until I loose it. For example, my friend, I never knew how important they are to me until I see other people with their friends and I have no friends. In conclusion, I feel very blessed for what I have today. Although I went through many tough times but compare to other people I think that my family and I are very lucky that we still have a place to live and a life to start over. Unlike other people who return home and see their house being wash away by water and have lost everything they own. After this enormous tragedy, I have seen myself in a different perspective. Research Papers on Hurricane Katrina Survivor Journal Entry - Creative WritingHip-Hop is ArtNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XThe Spring and AutumnTrailblazing by Eric AndersonThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsCapital Punishment19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Essay

Origins of the cold war beginning in around 1920 Essay

Origins of the cold war beginning in around 1920 - Essay Example The fear of communism in America in 1920s imposed a great threat to USA because they had overthrown the Royal family in Russia in 1917 and murdered them. The communists were then blamed for several strikes that took place including the police of Boston as well as Steel and Coal workers. This article attempts to analyse the origin of the Cold War in 1920s. The Red Scare of the 1920s saw the headquarters of dissident and communist institutions raided without any warranty and numerous people were arrested but were never neither tried nor allowed to access counsel. The media stations were shut down, as some legal immigrants were deported and the judicial system turned a blind eye because the Americas national security was dominant. Interestingly the people whose homes were ransacked did not even have weapons as expected and only three guns were found yet the people could not question the legality of their arrests. It is undeniable that numerous of anarchists and communist were rounded up by Palmer with the help of local law enforcement officials (Murray 82-90). House and the senate debated over the bills that provided draconian sanctions for the people who uttered seditious statements and Palmer believed that responding to public clamour for antiradical action would help in his presidential ambition. A number of sweeping took place in dozens of cities for a very long time as well as smaller raids in different parts of the country. According to Murray many people were arrested and taken into custody without charges and held for long hours (82-90). The Republican district attorney was trying to upstage democratic attorney general even though Palmer got the credit of wholesale assaults on civil liberties rounded up numerous communists both. Barkey explains that the Justice Department agents and some local police got into homes and meeting places where they comprehensively arrested everybody they found in sight (136-137). Some men arrested in Detroit were imprisoned fo r three to six days in dark windowless, narrow corridors where they slept on bare stone floors, bullied by police, derived of food and were only allowed one toilet. The people were denied communication link with their relatives or attorneys and were charged for attending a dance, class or that they ate at the House of the Masses. The Boston Justice Department chained together detainees and matched them along the streets where they were harassed by the hecklings of Americans. There were similar events in Pittsburgh where congregated foreigners were driven away by trucks. Initially, Palmer’s actions were warmly received and the media reported different views such as â€Å"Fighting Quaker of the Cabinet† Uncle Sam’s Policeman, the Rooter out of Reds†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ a man who showed a quality of courage for practicing ideas and more other headlines that strongly supported palmer. Palmer presented lots of case against the Reds by asserting that communism was an alien criminal who put the nation into jeopardy. There were proposals that the US government should restrict immigration and supress extremists and that real Americans were not aliens as the anarchists (Murray 190-195). Barkey explains

Open Source Software Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Open Source Software - Article Example For example, Linux is a good example of open source software that is competing with Microsoft, Apple and other. But depending upon the person some people still think that it is a temporary fashion in software industry another, on the contrary, believes that changes caused by open source will be deep enough and will shape the software industry of the first decade of 21st century. Open source software plays an important role in today’s world. Many people, organization, government sector are benefited by the open source software and are working towards development and support of it. In this paper philosophy of open source, definitions, advantages and disadvantages of open source software, some background history and motivation for open source software, Licences, Copyright Law and Patents, Economics of Open Source Software and at last impact of open source technology will be discussed. What is Open Source Software? : One can not define the Open Source Software in few words, because of many categories and variants that exist for Open Source Software. But it is not complicated and the term ‘Open Source Software’ itself gives an idea about it. Now before giving a definition from various people about the Open Source Software, first look at what general people think about the Open Source Software. General Idea of Open Source Software: The term ‘Open Source’ in Open Source Software refers to user’s freedom of use, redistribution, etc. One can not assume that Open Source Software and Free Software are same things. It can be said clearly that open source software does not have to be gratis.  

Rewrite Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Rewrite - Essay Example Coming into contact with feces of an infected person is one way through which hepatitis A can be acquired or transmitted from one person to the other. Moreover, if a person fails to wash their hands appropriately after using bathroom, they can get infected (Gallagher 9); furthermore, hepatitis A can be transmitted to those individuals engaging in oral or anal sex especially with those that are infected as well as through blood transfusion, although this situation happens occasionally (Mushahwar 2). In addition, transmission of HAV though the consumption of contaminated food and water can be associated with increased outbreaks of this disease globally. Normally, the incubation period of hepatitis A is between 14 and 28 days (WHO), but everyone’s body responds to it differently and exhibit different symptoms of the disease. Some individuals may not show any sign at all but they are infected with this virus; for instance, individuals with subclinical hepatitis have neither sympto ms nor jaundice (Mushahwar 8). Moreover, signs and symptoms of Hepatitis B are more predominant in adults than in children since children have more mild reaction to Hepatitis A as opposed to adults. Symptoms of hepatitis A are jaundice, dark urine, extreme fatigue, vomiting, nausea, colored stool among others (Davis 3), but jaundice occurs in more than 70 % HAV infection cases (WHO). Hepatitis A virus has been known to be one of the oldest diseases affecting humankind, and it was discovered by Steven Feinstone in early 1990’s. The recommended diagnosis of hepatitis A is â€Å"testing the patients’ sera for the presence of certain anti-viral antibodies† (Mushahwar 1), whereby a positive test for anti-HAV is an indication that a person has been exposed to this virus before or is infected. Moreover, this virus can be diagnosed through determining HAV antibody in the feces (Mushahwar 9). Arguably, people who are susceptible to HAV infection are those that not vaccin ated against hepatitis A, travelers exploring places where the virus is endemic, men having sex with men, and people with chronic liver disease (WHO). Additionally, injecting drug users with unsterilized needles and medical personnel in hospitals are also at risk of HAV infection (Mushahwar 13). However, hepatitis A can be avoided by washing hands and engaging in safe sexual activities and by doing this, this endemic disease can be eradicated easily. In most cases, hepatitis is a treatable disease, but leads to death on rare occasion especially when diagnosed late or not treated (Gallagher 8). There are low infection rates the United States and other wealthy states since they are aware of proper hygiene (Gallagher 10); nevertheless, research shows that people aged five to forty are the most vulnerable to HAV infection. According to WHO, about 33, 288 people were infected in 1976, but when the vaccine was administered, this number reduced to seven, 653. This is a clear indication tha t the use of vaccine in preventing HAV is effective and can help in reducing this infection. Moreover, proper hygiene should be individual’s main concern since worldwide outbreaks and localized infections are very common in areas with poor sanitation. Some of the places that are at a higher risk of HAV infection are Africa, Southeast Asia, Middle East as well as some parts of South America. In these places, HAV infection is mainly spread through person-to-person contact by the fecal oral route,

Anahorish And Digging | Comparative Essay

Anahorish And Digging | Comparative Essay Anahorish and Digging are two poems written by acclaimed Irish poet, Seamus Heaney, from the 1972 anthology Wintering Out and the 1966 anthology Death of a Naturalist. Anahorish was the name of the school Heaney attended (the Anglicized version of the Irish word anachgeeor uisce meaning place of cold water), and focuses on Heaney going back to visit his old school, going back in time to make sense of the present, whereas Digging is about Heaney expressing his admiration of his forefathers, and how they dug for survival, whereas he uses his pen as opposed to their spades to dig into the past of his fellow Irish people. I have chosen to compare Anahorish with Digging as I feel that Digging shares many common traits with Anahorish such as the references to land, the reminiscing of the poet, the slow, reflective language, and yet they differ, particularly context-wise. Both poems share the key theme of reminiscing/looking back in time, and the earth, and can be analysed in terms of shari ng this key theme, as well as context and language. Both Digging and Anahorish employ the two themes of looking back in time, and the earth. This is immediately evident in both poems, where in Digging Heaney instantly describes how his fathers spade sinks into gravelly ground, whilst in Anahorish, land references are instantaneously made the first hill in the world where springs washed into the shiny grass and darkened cobbles in the bed of the lane. Cobbles in particular has a strong Irish cultural reference attached to it. We can now see that a direct comparison can be made between the two poems, as they both have a focus on the land, just in different contexts. In Digging, Heaney needs to vividly describe the land so he can transport the reader to what it was like for the potato diggers of Northern Ireland, and how harsh their conditions were; the intense description of how Heaney saw his fathers straining rump among the flowerbeds also conveys to the reader how clear this memory is to the poet, and how it must be imprinted in his mind. Excerpts from the poem such as how he rooted out tall tops, buried the bright edge deep indicates to the reader how painful and laborious this work must have been; the adjective rooted, as well as being a typical Heaney-esque device in which the poet uses nouns as verbs, also has very negative connotations to it, being quite an emotive word as it expresses feelings of suffering and very hard work. In Anahorish, Heaney uses the land as a representation of what he remembers, using the landmarks he sees to inspire his memories of his old primary school, helping him to delve deep into his past so he can make sense of future. Andrew Green notes that the land, in Heaneys early poetry, represents many things, but always encapsulates a continuity of experience. Whether he is searching for personal meaning or attempting to locate a source and possible context for the troubles that plague his native Ireland, he finds his language and inspiration firmly rooted in the land. So integral is the part it plays in the verse of the early collection that we can see in the earth no mere means to end but an end in itself. To summarise Greens points, Heaney often uses the land as a source of inspiration, a method of evoking some of his past memories, helping him explore his past and assist in determining his present. Clearly, the land is of great importance to Heaney, which is expressed through to the reader. Both poems also explore Heaneys reminiscing. In Digging Heaney clearly goes back in time to remember his grandfather digging the land My grandfather cut more turf in a day than any other man on Toners bog. Once I carried him milk in a bottle corked sloppily with paper; in this context, Heaney recalls this moment to stress to the reader the strong ethics instilled in his grandfather (the excerpt goes on to say how his grandfather would have one drink of milk, then get straight back to digging). However, in Anahorish, Heaneys going back in time is of a much greater importance. He describes how the springs used to wash into the shiny grass; clearly, Heaney is trying to remember aspects of his school, in the hopes he can remember who he once was, and thus remember who he is again Heaney is using his history to find himself. It could be stated therefore, that a third theme in both poems is a loss of identity for Heaney in Digging he feels almost uncomfortable with himself for not diggin g like his forefathers, whereas in Anahorish the poet is unsure of who he is, taking measures such as visiting his old school when he was a childhood, and using the land to evoke early memories and rediscover himself; as stated in The Times Magazine article entitled The Poet, those links to whats gone before physical, psychological are the power behind much of his work. Clearly, the land has a direct link to his physical and psychological memories/psyche, and Heaney therefore uses the land to inspire his poetry and memories. So, even though both poems share the same themes, reminiscing and the earth are used in different contexts. Clearly, both Anahorish and Digging take place in different circumstances. For one, in Digging Heaney is using the poem as a way to almost hail the workmen of Northern Ireland, praising them for their patience and strong work ethic. Clearly, the living roots of the poem both become, for the reader, symbols of the poets memory (Andrew Green); indeed, the poem is essentially one long recollection of his forefathers living, and Heaney is using it to bring attention to the plight of the Irish workers. At the time of the poem, it can be assumed that there was a potato famine in Ireland, resulting in mass death by starvation, due to the fact that the potato was the food that the majority of the impoverished Irish survived on; its loss was devastating. In Anahorish, Heaney is presumably in a fragile state of mind, perhaps unsure of who he is, so he goes to Anahorish to see if he can stir up any memories, and hope that the site will help him find himself again. In both poems, the language is relatively slow and reflective. The vocabulary in Digging is descriptive, the poet clearly able to vividly recount his experiences watching his father dig the coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft against the inside knee was levered firmly; therefore we can clearly see that Heaney watching his father dig left a lasting impression on him. Therefore, the language shows how vivid Heaneys memories are. This is also evident in Anahorish where Heaney can remember the after-image of lamps swung through the yards on winter evenings. In Digging, Heaney notes how he once carried him milk in a bottle corked sloppily with paper. He straightened up to drink it, then fell to right away nicking and slicing neatly. The juxtaposing terms of sloppily and neatly in Digging reinforce how at this time in the poem, Heaney is a young boy, with his clumsy manner, whilst his grandfather is an experienced, concise man, who has been digging for many years. So in Digging, cont rast is used to emphasise Heaneys childlike immaturity when he was a boy, again, a clear allusion to the poems theme of reminiscing. In Anahorish, there is a clear contrast to break the light ice at wells and dunghills. It can be assumed that this conflict of ice and dunghill is meant to act as a break, a reminder to the reader that Heaney was looking back into time, and now has to return back to the present. Both poems also use onomatopoeia, Digging describing the squelch and slap of soggy peat and Anahorish noting how the springs washed into the shiny grass. These onomatopoeias are particularly important in helping create atmosphere, and involve the reader in Heaneys train of thought; onomatopoeic words partially close the gap between language and reality as said by Bernard Richards, who further notes that Seamus Heaney is a master of sound effects. An extended metaphor is also present in each poem. In Digging, the entire text is an extended metaphor for Heaney digging into the pa st using his poetry; the phrase Between my finger and my thumb the squat pen rests. Ill dig with it perfectly encapsulates this sentiment. Meanwhile, in Anahorish, the excerpt springs washed into the shiny grass is a metaphor for the passing of time, continuing on in the poem, as the whole point of visiting Anahorish was to arouse any memories which are too deep to stir though thought alone. Both poems are very similar, in which they both express the themes of reminiscing, the earth, and use a lot of the same linguistic techniques. However, in terms of context, the two poems differ substantially; Heaney clearly feels the same sentiments in both, a desire to use the Irish landscape to evoke deep memories, which he communicates to the reader so he can find himself. Development of Global Expansion Strategy: India to Britain Development of Global Expansion Strategy: India to Britain What started as an export house has today become a successful retail business presenting Indian textiles in a variety of natural fibers, and home products including furniture, lights and lamps, stationery, home accessories, pottery and cutlery. In 2004, food products range was launched and in 2006, FabIndia Sana, their authentic body care products range, was launched. Recently, it has also ventured into the jewellery segment. However, the major chunk of FabIndias product range is textile-based. The company has continued its focus mainly on the artisans and sources its products from over 40,000 craftsmen across India. With a strong foundation, the company has been successful in increasing its presence all over India. The concept, now a Harvard Business School case study, is simple. A fully-owned subsidiary of FabIndia, Artisans Micro Finance, a venture fund, facilitates the setting up of these companies, which are owned 49 per cent by the fund, 26 per cent by the artisans, 15 per cent by private investors and 10 per cent by the employees of the community-owned company. After a successful 50 years in India and after creating a niche market and millions of loyal customer base, company is going global. It is already present in 3 cities around the world. In this report we are going to look at the option of taking the company to one of the biggest economies of the work the Great Britain. We will study the market using the concepts of global marketing and try to analyze how successful venture it will be for FabIndia. The Porters five forces are used to study framework for the industry analysis and business strategy development. This reports also talks about what are the reasons for entering into UK. The study of Birmingham and Liverpool, as potential cities for initial setup of the FabIndia store and later expanding to other places as the demand rises. This report will give us the in depth of setting up the FabIndia operations in the UK. Introduction: The history of Indias freedom struggle is interwoven with the Charkha the unusual weapon, employed by Mahatma Gandhi to spread the message of Swadeshi. Gandhi gave the art of Khadi, a special status through this movement. Khadi simply means cotton, usually hand-spun. Khadi is Indian hand spun and hand-woven cloth. The raw materials may be cotton, silk, Polyester or wool, which are spun into threads on a spinning wheel called a Charkha. Khadis earliest avatar was fashioned some 5,000 years ago in India, the original home of cotton, hand spun and hand woven by crafts persons who in all likelihood followed the precise instructions on weaving, spinning and dyeing laid out in the Vedas. Khadi is part of Indian dressing from thousands of years and now is becoming one of the most sought out fabric in fashion industry. John Bissell worked as a buyer for the American departmental store, Macys. In 1958, under a program run by the Ford Foundation, he came to India to advise the Central Cottage Industries Corporation created by the Indian government, on showcasing Indian handlooms and handicrafts. His role was to advise on issues relating to marketing Indian handicrafts. Determined to showcase Indian handloom textiles, and providing equitable employment to traditional artisans, and sensing an entrepreneurial venture, Bissell established FabIndia in 1960. It was also to fuse the best aspects of East West collaboration. Initially, FabIndia started as a wholesale export company, concentrating on the export of upholstery fabrics. In 1999, on John Bissells death, his son William aged 32, formally took over as the Managing Director of FabIndia. The Companys domestic expansion had been spectacular after William took over. By 2001, FabIndia had six stores concentrated in the metro cities. By the end of 2004, these had increased to 20, and the company was seriously considering expanding its stores into the tier-II and tier-III, cities as well as overseas. By the end of 2010 FabIndia had 121 retail stores across India and in addition, stores in Dubai, Rome and Qatar. Company Philosophy: FabIndia is Indias largest private platform for products that are made from traditional techniques, skills and hand-based processes. FabIndia links over 40,000 craft based rural producers to modern urban markets, thereby creating a base for skilled, sustainable rural employment, and preserving Indias traditional handicrafts in the process. FabIndia promotes inclusive capitalism, through its unique COC (community owned companies) model. The COC model consists of companies, which act as value adding intermediaries, between rural producers and FabIndia. These are owned, as the name suggests, by the communities they operate from; a minimum 26% shareholding of these companies is that of craft persons. FabIndias products are natural, craft based, contemporary, and affordable. The essentials of FabIndias new business model are simple. Bissell first created Artisans Microfinance (AMFL), an investment company, which identified and helped fund 17 community-owned firms that FabIndia calls supplier-region companies, or SRCs. Many of these firms had at their core non-profits and cooperatives that had been FabIndia suppliers for two generations. But when they were restructured, their artisan-workers bought shares in the future and a guaranteed piece of FabIndias pie. By tapping the locals and angel investors, FabIndia got a 50-percent boost in investment. More importantly, the SRC shares have already appreciated 50 percent and more. Returns like those and the jobs they generate could spell an end to rural poverty and the ills of urban migrants. The steps taken by FabIndia for the development of the weaker sections of the societies are well appreciated by the customers and also by the Industry, the rewards and recognition with the loyalty of the customers to support the causes for which FabIndia works are also the USP of the brand. Why FabIndia Should Go Global? Going Global for any organization promises tantalizing possibilities. It helps a company in increasing the international brand recognition, grasp greater market share, and achieve top line revenue growth. FabIndia is well established in India with almost 100 plus stores in all major cities of India. The option of going global is very much a strategic decision of the company as the brand FabIndia has got its footprints in the minds of international customers of ethnic Indian products. The domestic markets is well captured and catered to, so the it the time when FabIndia should look for expanding in global market. Some of the reasons specific to FabIndia expansion are: Demand of Khadi (hand-woven fabric) and handicraft products in international market as it is one of the most sought out product in fashion industry and by designers. Demand of Indian handicraft is also increasing in the global market. The world market for handicraft products and ethnic products is approximately  £152 billion. This is increasing at 15% per decade, out of which Indian share is only 2% as there is no major established retail store like FabIndia internationally. Most of the product which reaches to international market is through unorganized sector. So company has got a first mover advantage. Thirdly, FabIndia works as a co-operative so the percentage profit is shared by the shareholders (weavers and artisan). So when a company like FabIndia goes global the cause for which they work also gets promoted which help them to make a loyal customer base. FabIndias Presence in UAE and Rome has given them the ground to know and research about the products which are widely accepted by people of not only Indian origin but also Western Expatriates working in that region. The store in Rome is the reflection of Thinking Global Acting Local, as the products are designed keeping in mind the taste of Italian culture and aesthetic. Selection of Country: After doing the research, on various countries, like, USA, Australia, Canada, Japan, Germany, France etc. we have decided to launched new stores in United Kingdom. The main reason of selecting UK as our target market can be many, but we have mention some of those here which are as follows, Geographic-Economic Environment: The United Kingdom is a country and sovereign state located off the North-Western coast of continental Europe. It is an inland nation spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northern part of the island of Ireland and many more small islands. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and unitary state consisting of four countries, England, Northern Island, Scotland and Wales. The UK is a developed nation with the worlds sixth largest economy by nominal GDP ( £1.3billion) and the sixth largest by purchasing power parity ( £23,188). It provides healthy environment for foreign direct investment and has low corporate and income tax rate that is 28% and 40% respectively in the Europe. It is also a member of European Union which has round about 28 member countries in the Europe. UK is considered as higher income country with peoples power of purchasing rising day by day. Besides this, some more reasons as follows, The easiest place to establish and run a business is Europe: According to a World Bank study, it takes only 13 days to establish a business in the UK. The World Bank has ranked the UK first in Europe and sixth in the world to operate business. Stable Political Environments: Transparency International rates the UK high on the transparency list. The UK is the country with the least corruption in the world. It achieves a higher rating in comparison to the US, Japan, Germany and France. Stable Regulatory Environment: the UK follows a consultative approach for formulation of regulation which is beneficial for a business environment. Gateway to the EU market: The UK acts as an excellent gateway to the European market which has 27 member states and an approximate population of 500 million. Social-Cultural Environment: Britain is often described as a secular society but also, confusingly, as a multi-faith society. The first term refers to the claim that the influence of religion has dwindled in modern societies. Although the 2001 census showed that 77% of people in Great Britain have a religious faith, the secular description is based on the claim that for most this faith is very shallow, with only a tiny minority being actively religious. The multi-faith label refers to the co-existence within British society of many faith communities, largely as a result of immigration. For every company it is dream location as British people are getting very open and accepting the other culture. Due to it peaceful atmosphere and the ethnic, modern and stylish lifestyle, it is a dream business destination for the companies. Now the culture is like Conglomerate that means a traditional company like is still having the opportunity to do the business and the same chances would likely available for international marketing companies. Due to global fashion trend this open consumer behavior would widen the opportunity in fashion and company like FabIndia must have the opportunity in the casual and formal dressings. Handicraft, Furniture and Organic Food Industry in UK: The handicraft industry is contributing  £ 100 millions to the UK economy. In terms of growth, this sector is growing on an average rate of 7%. Gifts and furniture industry contributes  £ 9.2 billion to the economy and organic food industry contributes  £280 to national economy. However, gifts and furniture are increasing at very slower rate because of financial downturn in October 2008. But, now after recovery of financial crisis, these two industries slowly covering and the growth of it expected to rise very soon. The apparel industry in UK is both vertically and horizontally integrated for maximizing returns. Strong laws protecting patents, designs and brands play a vital role in attracting foreign direct investment in the apparel industry. Joint ventures and investments in apparel have also been greatly enhanced by the wide network of European Union which UK signed with 28 countries in 2007. Handicraft Trade: After entering in the European Union, the handcrafts sale in the UK has been raised and it is continuously increasing by 7% annually which is very higher than last decade. Mostly UK imports handcrafts from various countries around the world, like, India, China, Japan, Vietnam etc. however, Indian and Chinese handcrafts and crafts carry the most of the weight of the import because of its popularity, attractive and uniqueness. Target Cities: After deciding on the country the next stage of our operations was to look for cities where we can step-up a business and get great response from the customers. Therefore, at the end we landed on two main cities in UK which are Birmingham and Liverpool. Why Birmingham? Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midland county of UK. It is the second largest city in the country after London with population of 1 million. Out of which 21% population is Asian British which will the prime target for FabIndia at the initial stage of opening stores. The population age between16-59 is 57.7% which is the main target customer for the company. As well as, it is industrial hub and second commercial centre of the UK. Its location is in the middle of the country therefore; it is much closer to cities like Leicester, Nottingham and Northampton where more Asian or Indian ethnic population stays. The city has highest number of foreign visitors after London therefore; there are high chances of getting business from this tourist who come from all over the world. It is shopping hub in the West Midland regions. The purchasing power of the city population is high as compared to other cities in the UK. The store will be open on the New Street which is shop ping centre of the city and very popular place. Therefore, we think Birmingham is the best city for us to introduce a store of handicraft goods. Why Liverpool? The city of museum, Liverpool is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside of UK. It is a fourth largest city in the country with population of almost 0.5 million. Liverpool status as a port city has contributed to its diverse population which historically was drawn from a wide range of people, cultures and religions. The economy of the Liverpool is one of the largest in the UK and per capita income of the local people is  £ 17489. Another important component of the Liverpool economy is tourism and leisure sector. It is a shopping hub in the region and people of the city are very fashionable and like to wear handicrafts products. Liverpool One is the most famous place and main shopping centre in the city; therefore, we are opening a store at that place, where we can easily attract customers to the store. Entry Strategy: To entering the UK market, we have gone through the various factors of investment, but at the end we have decided to enter in the market with the Foreign Direct Investment. We will use Greenfield Investment and start our operation from the scratch. The reasons for taking a FDI may be many; some of those are as follows, As we will get the total control of operation and do not need to depend on anyone in the business. The government provides a good support for FDI and gives concession in the corporate and income tax rates. It will helps us understand the UK market and in future our network and distribution channel which will be develop at the first phase of operation can be usable for future expansion in UK and in Europe. The soft loans from government and local banks will be easier to get when it required for future expansion. Global Marketing Strategy: For marketing of our products at the first stage Focus Strategy will be applied. A strategy in which, an organization aims to achieve market share, by focusing its efforts on serving a narrow range of market segments well. At the beginning of the business Asian and Asian British will be the first target customers in both cities and in the later stage British consumers will be targeted. The reason for this, FabIndia is follow word of mouth publicity and people who are already aware of the brand and its product will be targeted easily. Competitors Analysis: Porters Forces Analysis: This is used to analyze the competitive environment in each country market. The model identifies five sources of competitive pressures on the firm in a given country industry. It deals with global competition across several country markets. New Entrants: From the political analysis we could find that the country has an attractive business environment. Research also shows that entry barriers are low, so it is quite easy to set up a business in the country. Indian handcrafts and ethnic wear are popular among Indians and Europeans in UK. So, stores exclusively for Indian clothes are favorable in the country. This shows there is a high threat of new entrants who might want to set up a business in similar segments as well. Substitutes: The company has certain substitutes products which are served by brands like Wonderworld and Marks Spencer. But, the good thing is there are only a moderate number of substitutes. This would be an advantage to the company. But still the company must have an eye on these substitutes which might face a threat to them. Thus, the company must provide service and improvise in their products, such that these substitutes do not become a threat. Untitled11.jpg Buyer: The bargaining power of the buyer is high. FabIndia is exclusively into the Indian ethnic and contemporary segment. There are moderate substitutes in the country and research shows that there are more Asians in the region. FabIndia is also a brand well known in India and there is quite some brand awareness amongst the people. Thus, the bargaining power of the buyer is high. Supplier: Most of the raw materials which the companies mainly require are readily available in the country. But, the main point of importing from India is because of its workmanship and the purpose of the company. Opening a new branch overseas involves risks too. All these indicate that the suppliers have a low bargaining power. Rivalry: There are only are a few local competitors that offer the similar products and the company positions itself away from the international competitors and regards them as substitutes. Thus, the rivalry among the competitors is low. FabIndias purpose is quite different unlike other companies whose motto is only to make money. Thus from this analysis, we could draw a conclusion the country has a good market potential and the company could do good business in the United Kingdom. Segmentation and Targeting: Every company should embrace target marketing. Here, sellers distinguish the major market segments, target one or more of these segments and develop products and marketing programs tailored to each. Target marketing requires taking three major steps: Identify and profile distinct group of buyers who differ in their needs and preferences. Select one or more market segments to enter. For each target segment, establish and communicate the key distinctive benefits of the companys market offering.(Kotler, 2003) We did analysis on our target market and split into the following parts for Fabindia: Geographic: Region: United Kingdom Density: Urban (Birmingham and Liverpool) Climate: Both winters and summers Demographic: Age: 5-15, 15-30, 30-65+ Gender: Male and Female Nationality: Asian Expatriates, Asian of British Origin, British, Institutions (Designers, Hotels and Restaurants) Race: Asian and Asian British, White British Social Class: Lower, Middle and Upper Psychographic: Lifestyle: Culture oriented, Ethnic Indian, Contemporary Behavioral: Occasions: Regular and Special Benefits: Quality, Service, Economy , Speed Loyalty Status: None, Medium, Strong, Absolute Attitude Towards Product: Enthusiastic, Positive, Cultured, Indifferent, Hostile Positioning: Todays economies are afflicted with surpluses, not shortages. No company can win if its product and offerings resembles every other product and offering. Positioning is the act of designing the companys offering and image to occupy a distinctive place in the mind of the target market. (Kotler,2003). All products need to be distinctive and differentiated. FabIndias brand can be differentiated as, Niche yet affordable. Handcrafted yet high quality This perceptual map helps the organization to identify where it stands in the market and also identifies its positioning strategy. When plotting a perceptual map two dimensions are commonly used. Below is a very basic perceptual map. If we plot the UK Indian handcrafts and clothing market we can identify those brands which are high price and high quality. Both FabIndia and Wonderworld are plotted as high quality and high price. But, the former leads its way in the perceptual map. C:UsersacerDownloadsPerception Map.jpg In our basic map, we can see there is competition within that particular area. Though we have stiff competition and substitutes from the likes of Marks Spence and websites like lehengahouse.com, we provide the real worth for the peoples money with no compromise on quality and design and that is why FabIndia attains its high quality and high price position in the perceptual map. Marketing Mix: Product: FabIndia has a variety of products in different ranged and caters from clothing to organic products. Men, Women Apparel and Home Linen: The textile-based product range includes ready-to-wear garments and accessories for men, women, teenagers and children; bed, bath, table and kitchen linen; floor coverings, upholstery fabric and curtains. Cotton, silk, wool, grass, linen and jute are the basic fibers used. We also have considered the weather conditions in United Kingdom and have altered our products to support this. We have used more woolen products, as it is the best material for cold weather. Our home Linen line will give our customers a traditional Indian decor in their home. Home Dà ©cor: Our home products range carries furniture, lighting, stationery, tableware, cane baskets and a selection of handcrafted utility items. Indian handicrafts have been accepted worldwide and since there is heavy demand we will offer wide variety of furnitures which will give our customers an opportunity to have and Indian theme and ambience in their very own homes. Organic Food: We carry several types of cereals, grains, pulses, spices, sugar, tea, coffee, honey, fruit preserves and herbs in our organic food range. The Organic food industry is one of the biggest industries today as it considered highly healthy and nutritional. Jewellery and Gift Accessories: In 2002, FabIndia launched a new jewellery line which was made with wood, copper silver and gold. The jewellery line was well accepted. They also have products product line as gifts like clutches, purses and wall hanging. All handcrafted and made in rural India. Ayurvedic Skin Care: Our range of Authentic Personal Care Products includes soaps, shampoos, hair oils, pure oils, moisturizers, body scrubs, face packs, hair conditioners and special skin care products. Ayurvedic treatment using Indian herbs is very popular in the western world today and is a big industry. Price: Our Pricing strategy will be made with the main objective on current profit maximization. In our entry strategy we will follow price-skimming strategy, as this is a new market and it would help establish ourselves and gain market position. Cotton Wool Silk.jpg Our price range will range from  £15 to  £150 as there are different materials that are used. After our second quarter we will follow the market based pricing strategy. Pricing will differ from Product to Product and will be at least 50% more than what it is in Indian market. Place We are looking at opening up our first 2 FabIndia stores at two prime locations Birmingham and Liverpool. 1.jpg * Traditional shopping area at Birmingham New Street 2.jpg *Liverpool One Shopping Center These are the two locations where our store will be located, as all the local people know them as a shopping hub. Our stores will have an ethnic yet contemporary design. Our stores will be big as we need to display a wide range of products and this would also give our customers a wide variety to choose from. Promotion: We have various Promotion plans to attract customers and earn their loyalty. Given below are a few of the Promotional activities that we intend to organize and implement. Customer Loyalty Program: In this scheme we will give our customers membership cards and allow them to collect points and allow them to redeem these points in forms of discounts and offering them gifts. We will have different Tiers, which will give our esteemed customers various privileges. Sponsoring Indian Events: India has various festivals that are celebrated worldwide, so we will approach the Local Indian Communities and sponsor events as this would help our brand to reach various customers and at the same time build a wide network and help in Brand Recognition. Organizing Fashion Shows: We will organize fashion shows to show-off our clothing line and this would help attract customers and make them aware on the actual appearance of our clothing line. 3.jpg We will also Invite children and organize a fashion show for them to show our clothing line for kids. Organizing an Indian Food Festival: 4.jpg As we already know that Indian Food is very popular all over the world we are planning to organize an Indian food festival offering various delicacies from all regions of India. Inviting Artists and Authors: We will Invite Popular artists and Authors to our store and support their new launch of books or paintings as this will give our customers to talk to them and understand how they work. Discount Sale in Festive Seasons: 6.jpg We are planning to offer discount sales on festive seasons to encourage consumers to choose our clothing line for their entire ethnic requirement. Promotion of Cause: It is one of the USP of Fabindia in International market like UK. The cause for which they work i.e. for the benefit of weaker section of society. This cause has to be promoted in a way that more people contribute and they realize that when they are buying fabindia product they are giving back to the society. Implementation Plan: Phase 1: This is one of the most important phases in our set up as we would start by setting up our corporate office to handle all operational and official responsibilities. We would also have to take the step of importing all the products and arranging all the logistics activities. At any initial its very important to set up a system as this would help in us to carry out a smooth operation. Corp office.jpg Phase 2: Now we will have to look out for stores in the locations suggested earlier and we will have to make sure the place is big enough to accommodate all our products as we want our customers to see our variety of products and choose. Once this step is complete we will have to recruit staff and train them on certain Indian festivals and also as to what clothing is to be worn on particular festive season as this would give our customers a comfortable atmosphere and an excellent FabIndia Experience as, A loyal Customer is a Permanent Customer. GoldCard.pngSilver Card-send.png Phase 3: Once our store is set and we are ready to kick off we will have to introduce the promotions that were suggested earlier in this plan, as this would encourage more customers to come and have a FabIndia Experience and also help enhance the brand value and recognition. FabIndia has never done too much marketing as they heavily depend on word of mouth and this has really worked for us because they already have a commendable marketing position in India. Phase 4: This is a final Phase where we successfully established ourselves in the United Kingdom and have to keep updating on our clothing line by introducing new designs and also keep modifying our other products. Once we have a commanding market position we can look at expanding into new areas and opening up more stores as the risk will be much lower. Risk Management: Retailing is one of the worlds largest industries. As retailing and wholesaling have become more global, competition has intensified. In addition to the global economic downturn, todays retailers face a wide range of challenges, including industry consolidation, employee attraction and retention, and business continuity. And as always, consumers are demanding ever-higher quality at ever-lower prices for the products they buy. For a retail business, these trends create a host of risks: strategic, financial, operational, and hazard   that can prove costly. Claims Consulting for company like Fabindia, employee and customer claims constitute the largest share of total cost of risk. Many claim consultants have partnered with these types of companies to manage these claims more cost-effectively. Merger, Acquisition, and Divestiture Mergers and acquisitions are common in the retail industry. They need to be efficient enough to minimize the risks associated with these complex transactions. Property Prices-Ever increasing price can affect the revenues of the company. So Fabindia will opt for long term leasing of store space. Competitors- Though highly unorganized there is threat of new entrance. So changes in strategies are important to keep competitive edge. Forex rate and Economy: after the 2008 economic downturn European Economy is still recovering so a close watch is required by management team about the future plans and expansions. Conclusion:

The Poem Girl by Jamaica Kincaid Essay -- Poetry, Poem, Jamaica Kincai

The poem "Girl" by author Jamaica Kincaid shows love and family togetherness by creating microcosmic images of the way mothers raise their children in order to survive. Upon closer examination, the reader sees that the text is a string of images in Westerner Caribbean family practices. Jamaica Kincaid has taken common advice that daughters are constantly hearing from their mothers and tied them into a series of commands that a mother uses to prevent her daughter from turning into "the slut that she is so bent on becoming" (380). But they are more than commands; the phrases are a mother's way of ensuring that her daughter has the tools that she needs to survive as an adult. The fact that the mother takes the time to train the daughter in the proper ways for a lady to act in their time is indicative of their family love. The fact that there are so many rules and moral principles that are being passed to the daughter indicates that mother and daughter spend a lot of time together. The reader gets the impression that the advice that the mother gives her daughter has been passed down from many generations of women. The advice of the ages has enabled their daughters to endure hardships and to avoid making the same mistakes that they had made, such as planting okra far from the house because it attracts red ants. There were some women in the past that learned this lesson the hard way, and included it in the litany of advice for future generations. But "Girl" also shows the hostility and family dissension that the females suffer. The world of the women is not comprised solely of setting the table for tea or determining which day to wash the white clothes or the colored clothes; there is a darker side to their lives. The mot... ...ably performed tasks such as washing laundry on a rock, ironing her family's clothes, or cooking pumpkin fritters in very hot sweet oil. When I first read "Girl" I was amazed at how much work young women had to do in early 1900's. We can definitely say that the role of women has changed over the years in the United States. We do not have to do so many grueling tasks to get through our everyday life. Today, mothers teach their daughters to be more independent. Women in third world countries do not have the luxuries we do. They still have many rules that hold them back from being their own person. Works Cited Jones, Gertrude. Personal Interview. April 15, 2006. Paul. Ephesians 5:22-23. Life Application Study Bible. Jamaica Kincaid. Vanessa Pupello. Fall 1997. Emory University. April 15, 2006. http://www.english.emory.edu/Bahri/Kincaid.html

Campbell Company of Canada: Plant Tour Assignment

GMS 401: Plant Tour Assignment Campbell Company of Canada [pic] Date: March 12th, 2012 Ryerson University Executive Summary As students of Operations Management, we were charged with visiting a manufacturing or service facility and to present and report on our observations. Since all of the members of our group have either worked in or visited a service facility, we were excited with the opportunity to visit a manufacturing plant as part of this project.A few emails and phone calls later, we had organized a tour of The Campbell Company of Canada’s manufacturing facility, in Etobicoke. As a result of our tour, we are able to report on the following key elements: ? Company profile ? Details of the manufacturing process ? Plant layout ? Inventory control systems in place ? Quality assurance techniques ? Maintenance practices ? Ergonomics on the assembly line What they do well: The tour was an invaluable way for us to learn about and see first-hand the challenges faced by the mode rn day manufacturing plant.Work crews have been divided into teams motivated to seek improvements in the manufacturing process and the workers are non-unionized. With a daily output of approximately 1. 5 million units, it’s key that the plant minimizes downtime. As such, Campbell’s has transitioned over the years from reactive maintenance to preventive maintenance, and follows predictive maintenance as a best practice. Productivity and workplace safety have increased with the automation of processes in every area. SAP inventory systems have improved operations in supply chain management.In addition, Campbell’s has done well incorporating ergonomic lessons into all of its training sessions. They’ve also recognized that a healthy workforce consistently performs at high levels, and they have made a point to provide employees with amenities which focus on health and well-being. Recommendations for Improvement: Despite the strides made with employing predictiv e maintenance techniques, onsite technicians aren’t fully trained to deal with problematic equipment and thus Campbell’s is regularly bringing in external personnel to fix this.Since replacing the equipment isn’t a cost effective option, training onsite technicians to better address problems on this machinery when they occur could help reduce the downtime on the line. The threat of production bottlenecks may also be diverted by more general purpose equipment in the packaging area to accommodate sized containers. Our group felt there is an opportunity to improve the comfort, health and motivation of employees by improving ventilation in the packaging area. Table of Contents Executive Summary1Section 1: Company Profile3 Appendix A: Floor Plan †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 Appendix B: Thank You Letter †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 Section 1: Company Profile Campbell Soup Company (referred throughout this report as â€Å"Campbell’s†), a multi-national corporation headquartered in New Jersey, USA, has been delivering products with an exceptional taste and food experience for over 140 years. Founded in 1869 by Joseph A. Campbell and Abraham Anderson, the company has grown into a global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality onvenience-branded food products with a particular focus on canned tomatoes and vegetables, jellies, soups, condiments and minced meats (Campbell Company of Canada, 2012). Over the last century Campbell’s has developed into the leading house-hold brand name, not only domestically in North America, but globally. At present, Campbell Soup Company is the number one maker of soups in the world and dominates its domestic markets of North America with a market share of 69 percent (Forbe s Canada, 2011).In addition, Campbell’s Company of Canada represents a 60 percent global market share of the $4 billion soup market (Wikinvest, 2010). The wholesome goodness of Campbell’s products entered the Canadian markets on November 28, 1930; where a manufacturing plant was opened up in Toronto, Canada (Funding Universe, 2012). Hired locally from the Toronto area, many generations of families have since contributed to Campbell’s immense success within the soup industry (Funding Universe, 2012).Of the many products offered by the Campbell Soup Company, this report focuses on the soup production and manufacturing operation of Toronto-based Campbell Company of Canada (also referred to Campbell’s throughout this report). Being the sole provider of Campbell products to the entire Canadian market, Campbell Company of Canada runs production 5 days a week on 20 hour work cycles. Conveniently located just north of Lake Ontario, the Campbell Company of Canada plant encompasses 550,000 square feet of property; with 500,000 sq. ft designated for the actual plant and 50,000 sq. t for administrative offices. This plant employs 580 staff members, 430 of whom work within the physical plant, with the remaining 150 working in the offices. To get a better feel of the plant’s functionalities our group engaged in a plant-tour led by Mr. Gord Kirk, who is a Senior Manufacturing Engineer at Campbell Company of Canada. The Toronto-based plant produces a variety of canned aseptic soup & sauces. Of the aseptic soups, 5 types are primarily produced: Vegetable, Tomato, Chicken Noodle, Cream of Mushroom and Beef Broth. According to Mr. Kirk, roughly 1. million products are produced at this plant each day. These products are then shipped to third party retail food chains, mass discounters, mass merchandisers, club stores, convenience stores, drug stores and other retail, commercial and non-commercial establishments (Wikinvest, 2010). Currently, Campb ell Company of Canada’s largest retail customer is Wal-Mart Inc. , which contributed to approximately 18 percent of the company’s consolidated net sales during the 2010 fiscal year and 16 percent in both 2009 and 2008 (Wikinvest, 2010). Appendix A: Plant Layout [pic]Appendix B: Thank-You Letter Monday, March 12th, 2012 Attention: Ms. Bertha Walls and Mr. Gord Kirk On behalf of my team, GMS 401: Operations Management, I would like to take the opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for assisting us with our team project. Each team member contacted numerous companies in order to arrange a plant tour of the facilities, but the policies of these firms prohibited tours due to health and safety concerns. We were quite fortunate to have stumbled upon Campbell’s as a tour option and were delighted when an opening became available. Ms.Walls, from the initial telephone conversation through the two weeks leading up to the day of the tour, you were extremely receptive a nd helpful. In addition to booking our tour promptly and providing us with important details such as plant regulations and safety codes; you took the initiative to provide us with a layout scheme of the Campbell’s plant and a framework of questions and answers which related directly to the key topics of our report. Ms. Walls, my team and I are very thankful for everything you did for us. Your professionalism, knowledge and kindness were phenomenal. Sincerely, Operations Management Team Ryerson University Campbell Company of Canada: Plant Tour Assignment GMS 401: Plant Tour Assignment Campbell Company of Canada [pic] Date: March 12th, 2012 Ryerson University Executive Summary As students of Operations Management, we were charged with visiting a manufacturing or service facility and to present and report on our observations. Since all of the members of our group have either worked in or visited a service facility, we were excited with the opportunity to visit a manufacturing plant as part of this project.A few emails and phone calls later, we had organized a tour of The Campbell Company of Canada’s manufacturing facility, in Etobicoke. As a result of our tour, we are able to report on the following key elements: ? Company profile ? Details of the manufacturing process ? Plant layout ? Inventory control systems in place ? Quality assurance techniques ? Maintenance practices ? Ergonomics on the assembly line What they do well: The tour was an invaluable way for us to learn about and see first-hand the challenges faced by the mode rn day manufacturing plant.Work crews have been divided into teams motivated to seek improvements in the manufacturing process and the workers are non-unionized. With a daily output of approximately 1. 5 million units, it’s key that the plant minimizes downtime. As such, Campbell’s has transitioned over the years from reactive maintenance to preventive maintenance, and follows predictive maintenance as a best practice. Productivity and workplace safety have increased with the automation of processes in every area. SAP inventory systems have improved operations in supply chain management.In addition, Campbell’s has done well incorporating ergonomic lessons into all of its training sessions. They’ve also recognized that a healthy workforce consistently performs at high levels, and they have made a point to provide employees with amenities which focus on health and well-being. Recommendations for Improvement: Despite the strides made with employing predictiv e maintenance techniques, onsite technicians aren’t fully trained to deal with problematic equipment and thus Campbell’s is regularly bringing in external personnel to fix this.Since replacing the equipment isn’t a cost effective option, training onsite technicians to better address problems on this machinery when they occur could help reduce the downtime on the line. The threat of production bottlenecks may also be diverted by more general purpose equipment in the packaging area to accommodate sized containers. Our group felt there is an opportunity to improve the comfort, health and motivation of employees by improving ventilation in the packaging area. Table of Contents Executive Summary1Section 1: Company Profile3 Appendix A: Floor Plan †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 Appendix B: Thank You Letter †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 Section 1: Company Profile Campbell Soup Company (referred throughout this report as â€Å"Campbell’s†), a multi-national corporation headquartered in New Jersey, USA, has been delivering products with an exceptional taste and food experience for over 140 years. Founded in 1869 by Joseph A. Campbell and Abraham Anderson, the company has grown into a global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality onvenience-branded food products with a particular focus on canned tomatoes and vegetables, jellies, soups, condiments and minced meats (Campbell Company of Canada, 2012). Over the last century Campbell’s has developed into the leading house-hold brand name, not only domestically in North America, but globally. At present, Campbell Soup Company is the number one maker of soups in the world and dominates its domestic markets of North America with a market share of 69 percent (Forbe s Canada, 2011).In addition, Campbell’s Company of Canada represents a 60 percent global market share of the $4 billion soup market (Wikinvest, 2010). The wholesome goodness of Campbell’s products entered the Canadian markets on November 28, 1930; where a manufacturing plant was opened up in Toronto, Canada (Funding Universe, 2012). Hired locally from the Toronto area, many generations of families have since contributed to Campbell’s immense success within the soup industry (Funding Universe, 2012).Of the many products offered by the Campbell Soup Company, this report focuses on the soup production and manufacturing operation of Toronto-based Campbell Company of Canada (also referred to Campbell’s throughout this report). Being the sole provider of Campbell products to the entire Canadian market, Campbell Company of Canada runs production 5 days a week on 20 hour work cycles. Conveniently located just north of Lake Ontario, the Campbell Company of Canada plant encompasses 550,000 square feet of property; with 500,000 sq. ft designated for the actual plant and 50,000 sq. t for administrative offices. This plant employs 580 staff members, 430 of whom work within the physical plant, with the remaining 150 working in the offices. To get a better feel of the plant’s functionalities our group engaged in a plant-tour led by Mr. Gord Kirk, who is a Senior Manufacturing Engineer at Campbell Company of Canada. The Toronto-based plant produces a variety of canned aseptic soup & sauces. Of the aseptic soups, 5 types are primarily produced: Vegetable, Tomato, Chicken Noodle, Cream of Mushroom and Beef Broth. According to Mr. Kirk, roughly 1. million products are produced at this plant each day. These products are then shipped to third party retail food chains, mass discounters, mass merchandisers, club stores, convenience stores, drug stores and other retail, commercial and non-commercial establishments (Wikinvest, 2010). Currently, Campb ell Company of Canada’s largest retail customer is Wal-Mart Inc. , which contributed to approximately 18 percent of the company’s consolidated net sales during the 2010 fiscal year and 16 percent in both 2009 and 2008 (Wikinvest, 2010). Appendix A: Plant Layout [pic]Appendix B: Thank-You Letter Monday, March 12th, 2012 Attention: Ms. Bertha Walls and Mr. Gord Kirk On behalf of my team, GMS 401: Operations Management, I would like to take the opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for assisting us with our team project. Each team member contacted numerous companies in order to arrange a plant tour of the facilities, but the policies of these firms prohibited tours due to health and safety concerns. We were quite fortunate to have stumbled upon Campbell’s as a tour option and were delighted when an opening became available. Ms.Walls, from the initial telephone conversation through the two weeks leading up to the day of the tour, you were extremely receptive a nd helpful. In addition to booking our tour promptly and providing us with important details such as plant regulations and safety codes; you took the initiative to provide us with a layout scheme of the Campbell’s plant and a framework of questions and answers which related directly to the key topics of our report. Ms. Walls, my team and I are very thankful for everything you did for us. Your professionalism, knowledge and kindness were phenomenal. Sincerely, Operations Management Team Ryerson University

Similarities Between Human and Animal Communication Essays

Similarities Between Human and Animal Communication Essays Similarities Between Human and Animal Communication Paper Similarities Between Human and Animal Communication Paper Unsurprisingly one animal which communicates in a very similar way to humans is chimpanzees, so much so that an area of the brain involved in planning and producing speech, and sign language in humans plays a similar role in chimpanzee communication. Another similarity between chimpanzee and humans is the use of body language. Chimpanzees have evolved many facial and body muscles to help them convey messages, for example erect hair shows agitation or aggression; grinning portrays fear; prolonged staring is threatening behaviour; and hanging the lower lip indicates a calm, relaxed mood. If emotions of humans and animals are observed; one cant deny the obvious similarities. For example, the fear emotion, humans and animals have similar responses; widened eyes, open mouth, rapid heartbeat, hair stands on end, muscles tremble and so on. The ease encountered in training animals can be mainly attributed to the fact that as humans we share with animals many methods of communication. However, it takes some effort for both humans and animals to be able to effectively interpret the meanings behind some behaviors. For instance, we humans tend to shake hands hen we meet with a new person, dogs however, have another type of handshake: they will tend to smell the behind of the other dog. While these approaches may seem quite different, in reality they are both methods of getting to know another person and greeting them. There are several similarities we may observe between humans and animals in their daily interactions. A happy dog will romp around Just as a child, a mad dog may bark, growl and bare its teeth while a human will yell and may give verbal warnings. Animals may communicate similar feelings as humans owever, the method of expressing them may be quite different. Communication by definition means the ability to send information to another, via any given form of medium. Even on the most basic level, communication can be as simple as a facial expression, or as complex as the mysterious and majestic whale song heard beneath the ocean waters. Sure, animals are capable of generating a multitude of sounds, which could be construed as though it was imitating human language. Most animal research as determined that animal language is unique, but s lacking the complexity or expressiveness of human speech. Another thing all creatures do, both big and small is vocalizing. I am not necessarily speaking about speech, but if you carefully listen to both humans and animals you can here the distinct variation in the sounds being made. If a human is happy, his or her voice will sound much more clearly and can exhibit an elevation in volume. Animals that emote with sound, can also show the same distinct sound change, which is why most owners can tell if their pet is happy.

Comparison of the Songye Power Figures and the Fang Reliquary Figures

Comparison of the Songye Power Figures and the Fang Reliquary Figures Introduction The beauty and uniqueness of African artwork remain distinctive from the historical ages to date. One of the most common artwork is that of sculptural designs that has individualism and highly values content that forms today’s historical analysis.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Art of Africa: Comparison of the Songye Power Figures and the Fang Reliquary Figures specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More What is even more interesting of the sculptures is the introspective draping the sculptural works. There is mystical aspects inclining to the ancestral believe, worship and realm of the unknown. This paper forms a comparison as well as contrast between the Songye Power figures and the Fang Reliquary figures. Songye Power Figures Style of Songye Power Figures This is a bilaterally symmetrical sculpture furnished with textural scales and an aesthetic form to reflect devotion. Entire surface of the Songye powe r figure draped with metals, wood, feathers and other material linings fastened systematically to produce a balanced appearance. However, the Songye power figure originating from the Republic of Congo appears more distinctive with the indentations on the eyes, mouth and stomach areas that lack the tack lining. Like other similar traditional figures, Songye’s empty areas are stuffed with symbolical substances such as plants and animal remains or minerals around the geometrically outlined limbs, chest area, head and neck. Copper nails with turret heads were common material featuring on the sculpture like other similar sculptures such as the Fang Reliquary sculptures. The finishes of the sculpture include beaded necklaces and naturalistic bands made of animal hide and pelts. Like most traditional figures, the pedestal base of the sculpture was also an integral section of the design. The figure below illustrates the sculpture. Songye Power figureAdvertising Looking for e ssay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Purpose of Songye Power Figures The mouth of the Songye figure symbolically presents the offerings to the ancestral spirits who bestows fertility and provides protection against illnesses or misfortunes. Like other sculptures, the purpose of this figure was to strengthen the diviner’s powers of healing and maintain the societal wellbeing. The diviner recommend the Songye sculpture for the patients treated using the herbal medicine, so that it can strengthen the healing process through divine protection. The large sized sculpture were communally owned but small designs customized for special personal needs such as private prayers reminiscent of protection against the evil spirits, heal ailments and communication to the ancestral spirits were available. Like the other traditional sculptures, Songye provided divine powers for success for common endeavours such as hunting or ga thering. Songye also had the role of protecting personal object and devotion. One special need that the figures addressed was enhancing fertility through support of conceiving or preventing miscarriages. The genitalia of personal Songye would indicate the preferred gender for the first child. The figures were also an empowerment to the community such as illustrating the ideal masculine leadership style and like other similar sculptural designs, Songye were idiosyncratic to represent regional reputation. Tribal Life of Songye Power Figures Similarly, to other sculptural works such as the Fang Reliquary, Songye Power Figures are sculptures commissioned to top leaders such as chiefs or village elders, whose wishes are to benefit communities. Design of the sculpture also comes as an ancestral appraisal symbol to assist during crisis. This meant that everyone in the society had to seek the divine intervention through sacrifices and special appeals to the sculptures. Other sculptures have special aspects that unite members just like the Songye sculptures. They share various traditional functions such as protection against enemies, illness, witchcrafts and procreation matters. Fang Reliquary Figures Style of Fang Reliquary Figures On the other hand, the fang reliquary sculptures made from woodcarvings and metals have glittering surfaces and patina appearances especially after palm oil applications during rituals. Unlike other sculptors, the Fang Reliquary sculptures have daring human obstructions and receptacles of ancestral relics, thus referred to as the guardian of sacrosanct.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Art of Africa: Comparison of the Songye Power Figures and the Fang Reliquary Figures specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The relics are made of human bones. The enhancements idolized the ancestral forehead figures due to believe that force saturates in the head. The reliquaries made from joint ba cks preserved the relics and the figure provided guardianship through the symbolic trace of ancestral protection. The sculpture is arguably the main influence of traditional wooden sculptures. It has an absolute physic appearance and in Gabon, the female sculpture emanates vitality. The fang reliquary figures have three distinct groups, one with a head crafted on a long neck, full sculptured figures and half figures or busts. The figures are either stand-alone or seated. Unlike other sculptures, the spherical but naturalistic of Fang Reliquary brings out sophistication from the simple carvings. The neck is often round with the hands placed in diverse styles such as in front of the body, chest, and holding objects or placed on the knees for the seated figure. The navel is a cylindrically exaggerated protruding carve-out. The legs are shorter to give a stunted appearance, while the eyebrows and fore head projects some contours and arcs around the nose area. The eyes were made of round ed metal bits. These aspects making the sculpture unique compared to other forms such as the Songye sculptures as shown below. Fang Reliquary figure Purpose of Fang Reliquary Figures Unlike Songye sculptures, Fang Reliquary sculptural work was to protect people from the spirits of the deceased. The figure was sacred but lost the value of sacredness once separated from the receptacles or repository chest of relics. Unlike other religious statutes, it also underwent sacred ritual of distraction after losing sainthood, which involved prayers, sacrificial offers to the ancestors and libations such as pouring of alcoholic drinks in honour of deity. Tribal Life of Fang Reliquary Figures Fang Reliquary sculptures are universal and blends the environment, other forms of tribal rituals, believe and communal characters better than other sculptures. The figures are mainly in seated positions on top of the bark boxes that held sacred relics thus depicting the guardian figures better than the S ongye sculptures. A clear distinction from other forms was that it brought out youngster aspects as an emphasis over continuity of life.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion The artworks came to existence when there was need for change such as migration, planting of new type of crops, before taking on a hunt, fishing and during nuisance, period, when people had to prepare for war. Both the art forms have a way of creating a blend between the unborn, the living and the living dead and represent religious symbolism. This is a clear indication that the African artworks were mainly based on sacred believes and sacrificial practices.

Strategy as Revolution by Gary Hamel Literature review

Strategy as Revolution by Gary Hamel - Literature review Example Hamel argues in his article that while change may not be welcomed so easily, it should take the courage and initiative of the rule breakers or those in favor of new approaches to present clearly their positions to the senior management for subsequent adoption as policies. Worth noticing is that while Hamel encourages revolutionary approach in policy formulation and demand for change, he nevertheless points out that organizational hierarchy should be respected and a good method which incorporates everyone should be adopted as the best way forward. Introduction For a longtime, many business enterprises have been concerned about the direction of the business, normally employing the tested methodologies that work, or at least the ones that have been approved or put into practice by old establishments. Management is normally concerned with where the business is making an effort to get to in the long run, which, I must say, is not bad only that every other business has the same dream: dire ction. By the same token of concern for business direction, so are they also concerned about which market a business should venture into and what competition strategies are anticipated to work in their best interest? Not only will you find these businesses also doing research on what resources in terms of assets, facilities, technical competence and even finance, but also on what to expect in the external environment. Well planned, that is the trend, unaltered as propounded by many old theories of economics. This is not to dispute the validity of these theories, because when they were formulated, they laid the foundation of the current market scenarios that we see today. To put it differently, suffice it to say that this is what management has for a long time accepted as strategy. So then, what is strategy? Johnson and Scholes define strategy as the direction and scope an organization takes to achieve long term market goals. Strategy exists under different levels such as corporate s trategy, business unit strategy and operational strategy. Article Critique Hamel (Hamel, 1996, p. 69) observes that in the recent past, business firms are all struggling to expand in what he terns as a fight for incrementalism. He also observes that in the current time and space, success is being achieved by how fast firms respond to customers' desires. In addition to this, Hamel also finds out that while this strategy is being adopted by firms, not all, business firms have earned themselves positions in the competitive market either as rule-makers or rule-breakers (Hamel, 1996, p.70; Choe Maker, 1995: 31). That either business firms set rules on how they want to operate in the market or as would be campaigned for, revolutionize the whole system of conformity to predetermined set of rules of the early economists. His view is both divergent and emergent in the sense that he deviates from the norms and presents emerging issues around strategizing in an organization. Anderson (1999, p. 217) and Beinhocker (1999, p. 98) agree with Hamel that organization change is fundamental for laying strategy. With this in mind, Hamel rightly argues that while rule-setters may survive now, rule-breakers, also known as revolutionaries, have a futuristic strategy that will propel them to be the market leaders in the future. He goes on to explore how organizations have conducted themselves towards success or stagnation and assesses this through what he classifies as the ten principles of liberating revolutionary spirit for the success of an organization (Hamel, 1996, p. 70). Like to

Western liberal democracy. The evolution of liberal democracy Thesis

Western liberal democracy. The evolution of liberal democracy - Thesis Example Liberal democracy,otherwise called constitutional democracy,is the most dominant form of democracies in the contemporary world and the phrase 'Liberal Democracy' is a frequently used to describe Western democratic political systems including the United States,Britain,New Zealand,Canada,Australia,and other nations. To define a liberal democracy, it is "a form of representative democracy where elected representatives that hold the decision power are moderated by a constitution that emphasizes protecting individual liberties and the rights of minorities in society, such as freedom of speech and assembly, freedom of religion, the right to private property and privacy, as well as equality before the law and due process under the rule of law, and many more." 1As against the distinction with the Communist People's Republics or the 'Popular Democracies' of the Cold War period, constitutional democracies in the modern period are differentiated from the direct democracies and participatory dem ocracies. The various constitutional forms of liberal democracies include republics, as in the case of the US, India, and France, and constitutional monarchy, such as the UK and Spain. This paper deals with Western liberal democracy in two sections: the evolution of liberal democracy and the nature of liberal democracy.Liberal democracy has its origins in the Age of Enlightenment in Europe in the 18th century at a time when monarchy was the practice of the time. The Western liberal democracy has emerged from the unique history of European civilisation and it has grown to become one of the most important forms of democratic government in the contemporary world. Today, one prevalent question concerning the Western liberal democracy is whether it can be served from its Western historical context and universalised for all nations of the world. The evolution of Western liberal democracy needs to be realised as the result of influential movements in the Europe, including the French Revolu tion and the English Revolution, based on the theoretical and philosophical thoughts such as liberty, equality etc. The American story of the evolution of liberal democracy is not different. "In part enlightened by European theoretical works, in part influenced by the European history, and in part responding to new life in American colonies, Madison, Hamilton and Jefferson, among others, conceived a federal republic, creating a new version of democracy which is elegant in theory but miserly in fact. It is elegant in the way it structures a durable government. It is miserly in the way it embraces the realities of the eighteenth century America, excluding a vast majority of people from the democratic process. Initially confined to one race and one gender, the base of American democracy has gradually expanded." 2 Thus, the American liberal democracy mixes reality with vision and today it has become the epitome of Western liberal democracy. Today, the eighteenth century liberalism which was based on property has been transformed o a new liberalism which is established on formal equality and liberty. . The Western liberal democracy in the contemporary world demonstrates that civil and political rights of the people can go hand in hand with higher standards of living. "In light of these achievements, liberal democracy is touted as the ideal form of government for all the peoples of the world. Any other system, including any other notion of democracy, is seen as a lesser construct, an inferior design, a recipe for social and economic backwardness." 3 Analysing the chief components in the origin and development of the Western liberal democracy, it is essential to relate to some essential sources of it. Any political ideology has a historical life, growth and development and the ideology of the Western liberal democracy is not different. Thus, it is important to have the background knowledge about the Greek heritage of democracy and the contributions of Christian theology and Roman