Smart Mart Strategic and Analysis

Question : Describe the strategic and ethical choices specific to Smart Mart, Engage issues under conditions of strategy implementation and evaluation, Apply relevant tools and techniques of strategic analysis for Smart Mart, Apply principles of decision-making under conditions of uncertainty, Justify or substantiate strategic choices, decisions, or intent, and Recommend a course of action for Smart Mart. Answer : 1.0 Strategic and Ethical Choices for Smart mart The company started its journey from 1978 by Liam Van de laye. The main business of the company was very much concentrated into one very specific area that is providing healthy organic food products to the community. They remain very much focused into this segment. It has been observed that the over the years the market dynamics have changed. Therefore, the business policies of the companies have changed. In modern business segment, most of the retail consumers are focusing in the adoption of the organic foods. Therefore, in this condition the Smart mart have the most lucrative option to promote its business in large scale. The main reason behind this is the organic food is their key functional area. However, all the other competitors will also change their focus in the organic food segment. This shift in policy will not take much time for the competitors to promote their organic businesses. Therefore, the adoption of the Organics 2.0 strategy will work very smoothly for the company. Through this strategy, the company will remain able to get the insight data of the market. This market insight will help the company to gain the competitive advantage over its nearest competitors. It has been seen that most of the other companies collects the product through using the others supply chain. Therefore, it will be very much viable for the company if they use their own supply chain to ensure that the quality of the product does not degrade (Rasouli and Timmermans, 2014). Company is operating with the organic foods with a long year of experience. Therefore, the major ethical issue will be, with the increasing competition within the sector the company should not shift their focus to deliver the non-organic foods or lower graded organic foods to the consumers. 2.0 Issues under consideration of strategy implementation and evaluation The major considerable issues that should be kept under the prime consideration will be Market Expansion Production process control Return on Investment Market expansion will be one of the most futuristic decisions made by the company. According to Gaughan (2011) it is very much required to have a considerable visibility to gain the maximum advantage from the market. Therefore, as the trend of organic food is growing very fast the company with its strong brand name should expand its reach within the market. However, to grow their market the company should go with the acquisition strategy. The main advantage of this strategy is that it will help the company to gain the visibility with a single deal. If the company wanted to have their own establishment to increase the visibility, it would take time and would take growing investment. This could have a adverse effect on them. The production of the organic food process should be kept under strict quality control because their brand name has developed on it. Therefore, to maintain the image of the company the company should implement a strict monitoring on the supply chain of the company. On the production issue, the company should implement the use of bio fuel so that the pollution level decreases. However, to get the better return on investment the company should increase the product offering ranges and needs to redesigning of the pricing of it so that it become very much accessible to the common consumers. It has been observed in the retail market that the mass markets have received much better values for their investments rather than the niche marketers. Therefore, to get better return on investment the company should increase its product offering and need to review its pricing policies to attract the most of the customers under their belt. 3.0 Application of the relevant tools and techniques It is very much necessary to have an analysis of the internal and the external environment to get a glimpse of the strategic market dynamics. Therefore, the SWOT analysis will provide the internal image of the company and the Porters five forces analysis will help to understand the external competitive environment of the company. SWOT analysis: The major Strength of the company is the long-lived brand image in the organic food sector. Other than this, the other strength of the company is the self-owned supply chain, which ensures the optimum quality of the offering. However, to gain the competitive advantage the company should expand its business through acquisition and should increase its product offerings (Gaughan, 2011). The major Weakness of the company is the lower brand visibility of the company and the lower product offering with a high-end pricing. This lower brand visibility over the year affected the growth of the business for the company. On the other hand, the limited product range and higher pricing is restricting the growth of the company in the mass market. However, the major Opportunity for the company is that with its higher brand value the company will remain able to expand in the consumer market. However, to become a mass marketer the company must have redesign its product offering range and pricing policies (Rasouli and Timmermans, 2014). The major Threat for the company will be the growing number of competitors and maintaining the quality of the products through owning the self-owned supply chain. Therefore, to overcome these threats the company should increase its market reach very rapidly with its rapid expansion policy (Stevens, 2010). Porters Five Forces Analysis The porters five forces model for the company will be discussed through the following table: Forces Outcomes Strategic Choices Bargaining power of the suppliers The supplier bargaining power will increase as the number of competitors will increase. Therefore, to minimise the impact from this the company should focus in developing own SCM of the products. Bargaining power of the Buyers The bargaining power of the buyers will be higher as the most of the retailers are moving towards the organic. The company should expand its product offerings and should make the pricing competitive one so that the product comes within the reach of the mass markets. Thereat of substitute products The thereat of the substitute products is low because only a few products are available in the organic category. The extension of the food products range will help the company to deal with this issue. Threat of new entrance The threat of the new entrance is very high because there is no market entrance barrier for the other companies. Expansion and the product range expansion will help the company to handle the issue. Industry Rivalry The industry rivalry is very high due to the increasing number of retailers coming up with new business ideas. Constant review of the external business scenarios will help to resolve the issue (Kamin, 2010). Table 1: The Porters five forces analysis of the company 4.0 Principles of Decision-making under conditions of uncertainty According to Burls and Sandercock (2011), the decision-making under condition of uncertainty can be termed as structured or methodical, disciplined approach in context to decision making. Therefore, in that case probabilistic analysis can be the core for compiling logical reasoning. Therefore, Smart Mart can implement the decision-making concept under uncertainty in order to make effective strategic decision. On the other hand, risk and opportunity can be proactively managed so that expected goal can be achieved. The management of Smart Mark can employ Expected Utility Theory. As per Rasouli and Timmermans (2014), the theory explains that a decision maker can make a selection between prospects of uncertain and risky by weighing against the values of expected utilities. Therefore, in order to select the concept for store, the Smart Mart can apply decision-making process to gain best value from uncertainty. On the other hand, the store managers of the company not in favour to change the concept of store, as the managers believe that that store concept is doing fine. Apart from that, people from other department have a view that if the concept is not modified then it can be tough for Smart Mart to battle their competitors such as Big-Box Mart. Therefore, CEO of the company can take decision by comparing the expected utility values of the store concepts. If the store concept is scaled up to a level of supermarket concept then it can provide more utility value in comparison to other concepts thought that is to be niche player or carrying the operation with existing setup (Malyshev et al. 2010). Moreover, scaling up the store to next level can help the Smart Mart to tackle its major competitors and provide good services to people. On the other hand, it i s not clear whether the market will accept the change or not therefore, the decision falls under uncertainty. 5.0 Justify or substantiate strategic choices, decisions or intent In order to gain the leadership position in the area of organic food market, Smart Mart has to develop strategic that can meet all the requirements of market and consumers. Therefore, as per the case, the under mentioned points can be strategic choices, decisions and justification Enhance Customer Service: Smart Mart has to provide superior and quality customer service to their consumers in their stores. The employee in the store has to be full time ready to deliver quick assistance to customers and solving their queries. For instance, in order to improve customer service, the company can include more number of billing counters so that customer does not have to stand in queue for long time (Stevens, 2010). Therefore, it can deliver good customer experience. Thus, the company has to provide full satisfaction to the customers in order to sustain in the market and gain market share. Mergers and Acquisitions: This strategic choice can be effective for Smart Mart to perform efficiently in the market. According to this strategic, the company can fall into negotiation with other industry or can acquire small industry to gain market benefit (Gaughan, 2011). This strategy can help the company in decreasing the percentage of competition and it can make company to remain more focused on the firm that is being purchased. Further, it can be helpful for Smart Mart to increase their footprints across the nation and company can increase their customer base. Technology: The Company can employ advance technology such as internet or online shopping. This would help in building customer circle and providing quick service to customers. On the other hand, the company can be able to increase its visibility in the market with their range of organic food. Moreover, it could help in building relationship with customers and it can help the company in gaining loyal customers (Kamin, 2010). In the case of intent, it is clear that company is focused on repositioning the company in the organic food market. The company wants to increase their market share and provide quality and healthy food to people that free from chemicals or preservatives. Therefore, it can help Smart Mart to gain competitive advantage against their competitors and earn better profit and sales. 6.0 Recommend a course of action for Smart Mart In order to improve the operation, the Smart Mart can follow the mentioned suggestions. The company may need to decrease the level of debts or liabilities so that company can generate better cash inflow which can be invested in profitable venture. Moreover, the operational expenses have to be checked. Therefore, company has to be decreased the cost of production and cost from unnecessary research and development. Smart Mart has to focus on the marketing and promotion in order to engage pool of customers. The company can release TV commercial to make people aware about their stores. On the other hand, the company can give discount to the customers for one month that will help in building image of the company in the organic food market. Therefore, company may need to invest the portion of their income in the promotion as it will help in increasing the sale of the company. The decision regarding the store concept has to be taken soon in order to scale up the business process. As it will help in increasing the profitability of the company and on the other hand, company can gain competitive edge to give tough challenge to their competitors. Therefore, it will help in performing superiorly in the organic food market. The management of the company has to hire more efficient and productive employees that can increase the performance level of the company with minimum wastage. Moreover, the company can generate more creative ideas that can be helpful for the future prospect of the Smart Mart. Therefore, company can register growth in the business and operations. The company can use social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Google +, etc. to communicate with the customers and let them know about the special offer given in the stores. This will help in increasing the brand value of the company and company can be able to sustain for long in the market. Reference List Burls, A. and Sandercock, J. (2011). Decision-making under conditions of uncertainty-what can we learn from palivizumab?. Acta Paediatrica, 100(10), pp.1302-1305. Gaughan, P. (2011). Mergers, acquisitions, and corporate restructurings. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Kamin, M. (2010). 10 steps to successful customer service. Alexandria, Va.: ASTD Press. Malyshev, V., Piyavsky, B. and Piyavsky, S. (2010). A decision making method under conditions of diversity of means of reducing uncertainty. Journal of Computer and Systems Sciences International, 49(1), pp.44-58. Rasouli, S. and Timmermans, H. (2014). Applications of theories and models of choice and decision-making under conditions of uncertainty in travel behavior research. Travel Behaviour and Society, 1(3), pp.79-90. Stevens, D. (2010). Brilliant customer service. Harlow, England: Prentice Hall.

Night By Elie Wiesel Essays (556 words) - Human Rights Abuses

Night By Elie Wiesel Although Night is not necessarily a memoir--as discussed in the "Overall Analysis and Themes" section--I will often refer to it as a memoir, since that is the genre which closest approaches the mixture of testimony, deposition and emotional truth-telling that is in Night. Finally: it is clear that Eliezer is meant to serve, to a great extent, as the author Elie Weisel's surrogate and representative. With alterations of minor details, what happens to Eliezer is what happened to Weisel himself during the Holocaust. Please bear in mind, however, that there is a difference between the persona of Night's narrator, Eliezer, and that of the author, Elie Weisel. Night is narrated by Eliezer, a Hungarian Jewish teenager. At the book's opening, Eliezer is studying the Cabbala, Jewish mysticism. His instruction is cut short, however, when his teacher, Moche the Beadle, is deported. In a few months, Moche returns, telling a horrifying tale. The Gestapo (German secret police) had taken charge of his train, led everybody into the woods, and systematically butchered them. Nobody believes Moche, who is taken for a lunatic. In the spring of 1944, the Nazis occupy Hungary. Not long afterwards, after a series of increasingly repressive measures are passed, the Jews of Eliezer's town are herded onto cattle cars. A nightmarish journey ensues: after days and nights crammed into the car, exhausted and near starvation, the passengers arrive at Birkenau, the gateway to Auschwitz. On Eliezer's arrival in Birkenau, he and his father are separated from his mother and sisters, whom they never see again. They soon endure the first of many "selections" that will occur throughout the memoir: the Jews are evaluated, to determine whether they should be killed immediately or put to work. Eliezer and his father seem to pass the evaluation, but before they are brought to the prisoners' barracks, they stumble upon the open-pit furnaces where the Nazis are burning babies by the truckload. The Jewish arrivals are stripped, shaved, and disinfected; throughout, their captors treat them with almost unimaginable cruelty. Eventually, they are marched from Birkenau to the main camp, Auschwitz itself, and eventually arrive in Buna, a work camp where Eliezer is put to work in an electrical-fittings factory. Under slave-labor conditions, severely malnourished and decimated by the frequent "selections," the Jews take solace in caring for each other, in religion, and in Zionism. But with the conditions of the camps, and the ever- present danger of death, many of the prisoners themselves begin to slide into cruelty, concerned only with personal survival: sons begin to abandon and abuse their fathers. Eliezer himself begins to lose his humanity, and his faith. After months in the camp, Eliezer--poorly clothed in the freezing cold--undergoes an operation for a foot injury. While he is in the infirmary, however, the Nazis decide to evacuate the camp because the Russians are advancing, and are on the verge of liberating Buna. In the middle of a snowstorm, the prisoners begin a death march, forced to run for more than 50 miles to the Gleiwitz concentration camp; many die of exposure and exhaustion. At Gleiwitz, the prisoners are herded into cattle cars once again. There is another deadly journey: 100 Jews board the car, but only twelve remain alive by trip's end. Throughout the ordeal, Eliezer and his father have kept each other alive through mutual concern: but now, in Buchenwald, Eliezer's father dies. Eliezer survives in Buchenwald, an empty shell of a man, until April 11, 1945, when the American army liberates the camp.

Lycurgus - Spartan Lawgiver

Lycurgus - Spartan Lawgiver Dateline: 06/22/99 Back to Sparta: A Military State Although the evolution of Greek law codes is complicated and cant really be reduced to the work of a single individual, there is one man who stands out as responsible for Athenian law and one for Spartan law. Athens had its Solon, and Sparta had its Lycurgus the lawgiver. Like the origins of Lycurgus legal reforms, the man himself is wrapped in legend. Herodotus 1.65.4 says the Spartans thought the laws of Lycurgus came from Crete. Xenophon takes a contrary position, arguing Lycurgus made them up; while Plato says the Delphic Oracle provided the laws. Regardless of the origin of the laws of Lycurgus, the Delphic Oracle played an important, if legendary, role in their acceptance. Lycurgus claimed that the Oracle had insisted the laws not be written down. He tricked the Spartans into keeping the laws for an ostensibly short period while Lycurus went on a journey. Because of the authority invoked, the Spartans agreed. But then, instead of returning, Lycurgus disappears forever from hi story, thereby eternally obliging the Spartans to honor their agreement not to change the laws. See Sanderson Becks Ethics of Greek Culture for more on this. Some think the laws of Sparta were essentially unchanged until the third century B.C., with the exception of a rider to the rhetra quoted by Plutarch. See Legislation in Sparta, by W. G. Forrest. Phoenix. Vol. 21, No. 1 (Spring, 1967), pp. 11-19. Source: (amherst.edu/~eakcetin/sparta.html) Lycurgus Reforms and the Spartan SocietyBefore Lycurgus there had been dual kingship, division of the society into Spartiates, Helots, and perioeci, and the ephorate. After his travels to Crete and elsewhere, Lycurgus brought to Sparta three innovations: Elders (gerusia), Redistribution of land, and Common messes (meals). Lycurgus forbade gold and silver coinage, replacing it with iron coinage of low value, making trade with other Greek poleis difficult; for instance, there were supposedly loaf shaped and sized iron coins. It is also possible that the iron coins were valued, as iron had been in the Iron Age of Homer. See The Iron Money of Sparta, by H. Michell Phoenix, Vol. 1, Supplement to Volume One. (Spring, 1947), pp. 42-44. Men were to live in barracks and women were to undergo physical training. In all he did Lycurgus was trying to suppress greed and luxury.[www.perseus.tufts.edu/cl135/Students/Debra_Taylor/delphproj2.html] Delphi and the LawWe dont know whether Lycurgus asked the oracle simply to confirm the law code he already had or asked the oracle to provide the code. Xenophon opts for the former, while Plato believes the latter. Theres a possibility that the code came from Crete.Source: (web.reed.edu/academic/departments/classics/Spartans.html) Early SpartaThucydides suggested that it was not the kings who declared war, and the fact that seven helots attended each Spartan indicates the helots lot may not have been so bad. The Great RhetraPassage from Plutarchs Life of Lycurgus on his obtaining an oracle from Delphi about the establishment of his form of government: When thou has built a temple to Zeus Syllanius and Athena Syllania, divided the people into phylai, and divided them into obai, and established a Gerousia of thirty including the Archagetai, then from time to time appellazein between Babyka and Knakion, and there introduce and repeal measures; but the Demos must have the decision and the power. Xenophon on the SpartansNine passages from Herodotus about the famous Spartan lawgiver Lycurgus. Passages include notice that female slaves were to work on clothes while free women, since production of children was the noblest occupation, were to exercise as much as the men. If a husband were old, he should supply his wife with a younger man to beget children. Lycurgus made it honorable to satisfy natural cravings by stealing; he forbade free citizens from engaging in business; failing to do ones duty would result in loss of status of the homoioi, (equally privileged citizens). Occupation Index - Leader Plutarch - Life of Lycurgus

Free Essays on Beloved

After the abolishment of slavery, the black community became the core of African American culture and life. This was due in part by segregation and other socioeconomic factors, but also to the spiritual and social unity of each black member. This was well exemplified in the story, as each former slave underwent arduous struggles to affix the broken pieces of their lives and attempt to become independent members of the community in a time which did not allow them to accomplish such a feat. The black community played a major role in Beloved, especially with their interactions with Sethe. After Sethe's escape from slavery, she traveled to Cincinnati to reunite with her children and mother-in-law, Baby Suggs. She arrived at 124, a house constantly filled with people and happiness. Where not one but two pots simmered on the stove; where the lamp burned all night long. Strangers rested while their children tried on their shoes. Messages were left there, for whoever needed them was sure to stop in one day soon. (Morrison, 87) Sethe was enveloped with love and security, while Baby Suggs, the local spiritual leader, became the driving force in the community, gathering the people together to preach self love and respect. "When warm weather came, Baby Suggs, holy, followed by every black man, woman and child who could make it through, took her great heart to the Clearing..." (Morrison, 87) Toni Morrison's Beloved is a book about a community made up of individuals running away from their pasts. In meeting a few of those individuals and learning how and what they are running from, it becomes obvious that no one can deal successfully with the burden of past memories alone. Those who attempt to face their troubles alone wind up tiring out and giving up, as is demonstrated by Baby Suggs. Sethe and Paul D however, try to fight back the past only to realize it cannot be done alone. After doing so, they find that with the community or a loved one to "enco... Free Essays on Beloved Free Essays on Beloved Toni Morrison's Beloved is a book about a community made up of individuals running away from their pasts. Learning how and what they are running from, it becomes obvious that no one can deal successfully with the burden of past memories alone. The black community is the core of African American culture and life. This is due in part by segregation and other socioeconomic factors, but also to the social unity of each black member. This was well exemplified in the Toni Morrison’s Beloved. Each former slave underwent struggles to mend the broken pieces of their lives and attempt to become independent members of the community. The black community played a major role in Beloved, especially with their interaction with Sethe, Baby Suggs and Paul D. The community would keep their support withdrawn from the family that lived in 124, so Baby Suggs, Sethe and Paul D are left to deal with their trials alone. So this paper will examine the role of the community in the lives of Sethe, Baby S uggs and Paul D. in Toni Morrison’s Beloved. In Beloved we see the African concept about neighborhood, how community feeling and responsibilities prevail over the family structure. However, community can be very helpful or become destructive. Beloved is a good example of how the community can help people to find their identity, help runaways to escape and help exorcise Beloved. In talking with Paul D about Home Sweet Home and their past, Sethe says: "but it's where we were, All together. Comes back whether we want it to or not" (14). Although, â€Å"they a community life at â€Å"Sweet Home† (Jesser, 330), Sethe was determined to run away, as she did, from Home Sweet Home. After Sethe's escape from slavery, she traveled to Cincinnati to reunite with her children and mother-in-law. Baby Suggs. â€Å"An escape involves even more risk and requires greater reliance on connection to a community† (Jesser, 330). She arrived at 124, a house constantly filled with people ... Free Essays on Beloved April 19th, 1996 A critical analysis of the main characters and plot from the novel "Beloved" (BY TONI MORRISON). Beloved is a novel set in Ohio during 1873, several years after the Civil War. The book centers on characters who struggle fruitlessly to keep their painful recollections of the past at bay. The whole story revolves around issues of race, gender, family relationships and the supernatural, covering two generations and three decades up to the 19th century. Concentrating on events arising from the Fugitive Slave Act of 1856, it describes the horrendous consequences of an escape from slavery for the, her children and Paul D. The novel is divided into three parts. Each part opens with statements as to indicate the progress of the hauntingfrom the poltergeist to the materialized spirit to the final freeing of both the spirit and Sethe; Part I: "124 WAS SPITEFUL" Part II: " 124 WAS LOUD" Part III: "124 WAS QUIET". These parts reflect the progressive reconciliation of a betraye d child and her desperate mother. Overall symbolizing the gradual acceptance of freedom and the enormous work and continuous struggle that would persist for the next 100 years. The dynamics of the story attempt to distance the reader from an immediate and direct exposure to the extremes of the real horror contained in the narrative. Reading the story resembles "listening" to a story. This peculiar "oral" style surfaces; it feels as if the novel is speaking the emotions of each character out loudly, allowing the reader to identify with each one. Events that occurred prior and during the 18 years of Sethe's freedom are slowly revealed and pieced together throughout the novel. Ever so painfully, Sethe is in need of rebuilding her identity and remembering the past and her origins: "Some things just stay. I used to think it was my rememory. Some things you forget. Other things you never do. But it's not. Places, places, are still there. If a house burns down i... Free Essays on Beloved The definition of literature is protean with personal interpretation. A broad meaning of literature is â€Å"anything written, even what you receive in the mail if you send for free information about a weight-reducing plan or motorcycle.† It is further defined as â€Å"a kind of art, usually written, which offers pleasure and illumination† (Kennedy, xxxviii). My personal definition of the standard by which to evaluate a piece of writing as literature requires the work to create a lasting impression that invokes the emotions of the reader. Alexander Solzhenitsyn in an open letter, to the Fourth Soviet Writers’ Congress narrowed the description of literature by defining what does not qualify: Literature that is not the breath of contemporary society, that dares not transmit the pains and fears of that society, that does not warn in time against threatening moral and social dangers- such literature does not deserve the name of literature; it is only a faà §ade (Solzhenitsyn, www.mercuryhouse.org). By the aforementioned standards, Toni Morrison’s Beloved has undeniably earned its place in contemporary literature. Disregarding the supporting fact that Morrison received the Nobel Prize in Literature for Beloved, I intend to prove that not only is this work literature, but it will become a classic (Morrison, cover). Beloved was written. This complies with the concept that anything written is literature. The pleasure that is mentioned as a requirement of literature is purely an evaluative judgement and therefore introduces a question of taste. When a reader becomes completely involved in the plot and characters of a novel, as I did, it becomes apparent that it is an enjoyable piece of work. To illuminate, a novel must enlighten the reader and inform. Much of Beloved is told from the perspective of freed slaves. Morrison, most likely had family who were slaves, which adds to the clout of this novel. An unforgettable passage ... Free Essays on Beloved After the abolishment of slavery, the black community became the core of African American culture and life. This was due in part by segregation and other socioeconomic factors, but also to the spiritual and social unity of each black member. This was well exemplified in the story, as each former slave underwent arduous struggles to affix the broken pieces of their lives and attempt to become independent members of the community in a time which did not allow them to accomplish such a feat. The black community played a major role in Beloved, especially with their interactions with Sethe. After Sethe's escape from slavery, she traveled to Cincinnati to reunite with her children and mother-in-law, Baby Suggs. She arrived at 124, a house constantly filled with people and happiness. Where not one but two pots simmered on the stove; where the lamp burned all night long. Strangers rested while their children tried on their shoes. Messages were left there, for whoever needed them was sure to stop in one day soon. (Morrison, 87) Sethe was enveloped with love and security, while Baby Suggs, the local spiritual leader, became the driving force in the community, gathering the people together to preach self love and respect. "When warm weather came, Baby Suggs, holy, followed by every black man, woman and child who could make it through, took her great heart to the Clearing..." (Morrison, 87) Toni Morrison's Beloved is a book about a community made up of individuals running away from their pasts. In meeting a few of those individuals and learning how and what they are running from, it becomes obvious that no one can deal successfully with the burden of past memories alone. Those who attempt to face their troubles alone wind up tiring out and giving up, as is demonstrated by Baby Suggs. Sethe and Paul D however, try to fight back the past only to realize it cannot be done alone. After doing so, they find that with the community or a loved one to "enco... Free Essays on Beloved Toni Morrison, in her novel, Beloved, uses plant life, such as trees, to represent sources of healing, comfort and life, in a world where it is hard to find hope. These images of trees are an escape from the brutal world of slavery that the characters of Sethe, Paul D and Baby Suggs faced in Beloved. For these characters, trees brought hope against the white men who brought only fear and sadness. For Sethe, trees are associated with her escaping toward freedom. They also are used to mask the realities of her former slave life. Paul D uses trees as a place of comfort, while Baby Suggs uses trees as a way to make a difference. But the ability of trees to function as centers of solace and peace is complicated by the way white men have perverted their natural function. Trees are naturally supposed to provide joy and bring peace, yet in Beloved, they are also used as sites for lynches and burnings. Just as white men destroyed the lives of slaves, white men have distorted the func tion of trees as gatherers of happiness and hope for the future. The connotation that trees have for Sethe, Paul D and Baby Suggs are altered by the images that slave holders have created. Because of this, nature has a split meaning for the former slaves in Beloved. Sometimes, the concepts of trees bring hope for a better life and soften the blows of slavery, while other times, trees hold with them the memories of a life filled with shamefulness and brutality brought on by the white slave owners. Each main character in Beloved has a special idea of what trees represent. But for every happy idea that each character has about trees, there is the opposite meaning conveyed in the characters mind that reminds them of their traumatic past. Sethe, Paul D, and Baby Suggs peaceful memories about trees are paralleled with memories from the darker side of humanity. For Sethe, trees are a symbol of masking the true horror she has faced in her life. The beau... Free Essays on Beloved Eighteen Years of Not Living Toni Morrison’s Beloved is a story of a former slave woman and the daughter that comes back to haunt her after eighteen years. It is the meaning of time and memory and how remembering either destroys or saves a future. In order to live in the present and make plans for the future, one must come to terms with the past. The novel opens with Sethe and her daughter Denver living as outcasts in a house outside of Cincinnati given to her mother-in-law, Baby Suggs. Sethe’s mother-in-law has been dead for eight years, and her two sons have run away; they are afraid of their mother and a ghost that shakes the house. The ghost is the spirit of the baby daughter that Sethe murders eighteen years prior in order to save her from slavery. The attempt is also made on the other children without success. To this house arrives Paul D, a former slave who has been wandering for years from the plantation Sweet Home, which Sethe escapes years before. Soon, there is another arrival, a mysterious woman from nowhere whom Sethe’s daughter, Denver, at once accepts as her sister, grown up and back from the dead. This is Beloved, who takes the name from the word that is on the gravestone of Sethe’s dead child. When Sethe escapes the plantation years before, Ella, the former slave woman who has led Sethe and the just-born Denver from the Ohio River, is the person that guides them to the community of former slaves. When Sethe does not need anyone after Beloved’s death, Ella ostracizes Sethe and her family from the community for eighteen years. Her arrogance causes the black community of Cincinnati to shun her. The characters in this story still feel the scars of slavery many years after their escapes as if it is yesterday. They are numb, almost incapable of emotion because of the deep suffering and terror that slavery has brought to their lives. The ghost of this dead child haunting... Free Essays on Beloved Beloved Toni Morrison’s, Beloved, is a complex narrative about the love between mothers and daughters, and the agony of guilt. â€Å" It is the ultimate gesture of a loving mother. It is the outrageous claim of a slave.† These are the words, of Toni Morrison, used to describe the actions of Sethe, the central character in the novel. She, a former slave, chooses to kill her baby girl rather then let her live a life in slavery. In preventing her from the physical and emotional horrors of slavery, Sethe has put herself in to a realm of physical and emotional pain: guilt. And in understanding her guilt we can start to conceive her motivations for killing her third nameless child. A justified institution as the 19th century emerged; the infamous institution of slavery grew rapidly and produced some surprising controversy and rash justification. Proslavery, Southern whites used social, political, and economical justification in their arguments defining the institution as a source of positive good, a legal definition, and as an economic stabilizer. The proslavery supporters often used moral and biblical rationalization through a religious foundation in Christianity and supported philosophic ideals in Manifest Destiny to vindicated slavery as a profitable investment. Southerners used popular sovereignty to justify their slavery practices, ultimately slavery is supported through popular sovereignty since it is the people’s will to enslave black, or at least the Southerner’s will. Another social aspect of rationalization is the slavery institution is derived from the Southern argument, which contrasted the happy lives of their slaves to the overworked and exhausted Northern black wageworkers. In the South, benefits; whereas in the North black were caged in dank and dark factories and were released after their usefulness had served its purpose. Why work in the North when there are safe, comfortable plantations to work on in the South?... Free Essays on Beloved Beloved Can a mother’s love be so strong that she could kill her own children to save them from being harmed by others? This is the question that is being asked throughout Toni Morrison’s Novel Beloved. The character Sethe, in the novel, had killed her own daughter beloved and attempted to kill the rest of her children in the fear that they would live the same tortured life that she had. With Sethe’s decision to brutally kill her children she had confronted the issues of morality, religion and spirituality. She had made the decision to kill her children who were not yet old enough to decide whether they wanted to live or die. She believed she could save her children from a life of abuse s but the only children who have been abused in the novel are those who she has hurt herself. Although, I personally have never been placed in a situation like Sethe’s, I strongly disagree with what she has decided for her children. When reading about the different stories of slaves in America it is obvious that not one of these slaves lived a happy, healthy life. It was also clearly known that the slaves in America were fed little to eat, wore few articles of clothing and were often beat for no good reason. With this in mind it is obvious that no person whether, black or white would want this life for themselves and especially for their children. With always being treated so badly it is evident that there was no morality being practiced between white people as well as between blacks. Sethe might never have understood that what she did to her children was wrong. The more the black slaves were treated like animals the more they would act like them. Although we see this horrible mistreatment in the lives of slaves it is the life that they have been given. Most of the slaves will live this life in hopes that someday they will be free from chains and become equal to the white race. I believe that Sethe had t aken away beloved’s...

Sociology - Article Critique Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sociology - Article Critique - Assignment Example There are many questions involved in this article that target the laws and regulations, causes of child labor, working conditions and environment, education and training, consequences of child labor, and so on. However, the author didn’t ask any questions directly, instead Menelievich gathered all the information and statistics in the article and then discussed them and finally summed everything up with own solutions and ideas. This is what makes this article a succinct but well bodied research. The writer talks about the causes of child labor by covering up the most important factors in a very succinct manner. Following are the causes of child labor in a brief manner to make the topic clear: I. Poverty & Ignorance of parents Poverty is of course the foremost reason of child labor. When a family is poor and the guardian is unable to feed their kids, they find no other way but to put their children on work despite of the fact that the children’s age is for studying and n ot working. ... not expect to be totally supported by its family and this is what makes the child see no abnormality in missing school and to start working (Menelievich,1979, p. 560). III. Lack of schools and adequate educational infrastructure When there will be less schools and inadequate educational infrastructure, there are fewer chances that the children will be educated. So it’s essentially important that there are enough schools in each country, city and town so the children can get education. When the children will be involved in educational activities, their parents will not consider taking them out from the schools and putting them in on work. IV. Parent’s unawareness about the harms of child labor As mentioned at by Menelievich, â€Å"The age at which children start working varies but in a good many countries there are still children who are working at as early an age as 6. For example, a study carried out in India revealed that 24.6 percent of the children surveyed had sta rted work between the ages of 6 and 9, 48.4 percent between 10 and 12, and 26.9 percent between 13 and 15 (Menelievich, 1979, p. 562).† Furthermore; â€Å"In Bombay it was found that children employed in hotels and restaurants were working an average of over 11? hours a day, while in Santiago de Chile they were putting in between 10-13 hours a day (Menelievich, 1979, p. 562).† Now anyone can realize how an early age labor life can crush a child’s innocence and personality. 6-12 is the age of children when they are growing up and their emotions, personality talents are being built so when they are put on labor; they lose their childhood. Furthermore, prolonged exposure to heat, sun, dust, insects, chemicals, wind etc effects the physical health of the child immensely which can cause skin diseases,

Path of Light Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Path of Light - Essay Example Depending on the surface and the position of the reflective surfaces images can be inverted and in other cases depending on the arrangement of the surfaces form many images. The structure and path that the light follows is therefore dependent on the surface and the origin of the light at the source. The reflective surfaces differ from curved surfaces to mirrors that reflect the light and form an inverted image (Keller et al 29). In addition, if the image is reflected across two mirrors there is formation of many similar images that are formed through reflection. Curved surfaces on the other hand form images depending on whether the surface is concave or convex with each surface forming its own unique form of image (Kokhanovsky 107). This is as a result of the path that the light takes once it hits the curved surface and the eventual image that is illustrated on a screen. Similarly there are images that are formed from shiny surfaces that are brighter and more reflective while the dar ker images form unique and distinct images depending on whether the surface can let any light pass through. The surface is therefore an important part in understanding the path of light since it forms different images depending on the surface. There are different methods that can be used to make an experiment and establish the path of light and how the light travels from one source to another. One of the experiments uses cardboards that are placed in a straight line with holes on the same point. The cards are used to show that when one illuminates light at one end the light is seen at the other end when the cards are arranged in a straight line. However, if one of the cards is located on a different position or the hole on the cards are not in congruence then there is no image formed at the other end. The light does not move to the other cards since it does not travel in

Promotional Effectiveness of an Advertisement Essay Example for Free

Promotional Effectiveness of an Advertisement Essay This paper will examine the effectiveness of an advertisement for Giorgio Armani’s fragrance for men found in Men’s Health magazine. Focusing on the specifics of the ad, analysis will be done to depict the ins and outs of how the advertisement is conveying its message to the reader. To understand how marketers exploit their products to the consumers, the dynamics of an ad can be studied. Assessing the advertisement on a few important characteristics such as how the product is differentiated from the competitors, is there a need for redesign to obtain a more universal appeal, or are there any triggers which might evoke some negative emotions towards the product. The ad is a full page, double sided ad in the magazine. This is one of many fragrance promotions which are found throughout the magazine. To assess the characteristics of the ad, a number of questions can be asked to depict if there is room from improvement to effectively relay the marketer’s promotion. Promotional Effectiveness of an Advertisement Assessing the characteristics of an advertisement can lead to an understanding of how marketers promote their products to the consumer in effective or not so effective ways. Thumbing through Men’s Health magazine there are numerous ads. In fact, there seems to be an ad on every other page screaming out at the reader. To differentiate their product from other competitors, marketers have the task of effectively appealing to a universal customer without sacrificing the effectiveness of the target segment. In some cases there is a glaring need for a possible redesign or some other way to improve the advertisement. The strategies used by marketers to promote the Giorgio Armani’s fragrance can be assessed through a number of questions focusing on the effectiveness of the advertisement. According to Mullins and Walker Jr. (2010), identifying and having a clear understanding of the target market is essential for the planning and implementation of an effective promotional program (p. 368). By asking whether or not the ad effectively communicates the products benefits is a basic start and exactly what marketers want to relay to the reader. The target market is men who are reading through Men’s Health who come across this ad to see a young, attractive looking man in black and white photo with the fragrance bottle in the corner. On the other side a clear, bright picture of a wave crashing with a bottle of the fragrance in front of the wave. The marketers want the reader to see the benefits of being in the elite class of young, sleek looking men who wear the Armani fragrance. Marketers push a message of distinguished men wear our product. The wave gives the reader a feeling of clean, cool, and refreshing emotions and benefits from wearing the fragrance. Marketers use these pictures to convey the message of the products benefits. For marketers, differentiating from the competition is an important factor in promoting a product. In a magazine specifically for men, marketers of all big name brands take out full page ads to promote their individual product. Mullins and Walker Jr. (2010), mention that print media is much different than broadcast media because the reader selects the advertisement they want to read and take as much time as they want to read it (p. 354). With the Armani ad, there is a simple shot of a young man starring at the camera and a bottle in the corner. The back side has a flip up part to sample the fragrance. Thumbing through the rest of the magazine there are nine other, full paged fragrance ads located in the front of the magazine and most have a flip up sample on the back. All of them have a young attractive man looking at the camera in some similar variations of the Armani ad. Of course the fragrances all have their unique smell and that is a matter of taste in the consumer’s mind, but esthetically, the ad is not different at all. Improvements to better their uniqueness and elite class could be made. The market segment targeted in the ad is based on the person who is most likely to pick up a Men’s Health magazine, men. This might mean young or old but typically a young man in his twenties, thirties, forties, and maybe fifties. Marketers for Armani already have an advantage in knowing who are most likely to be the readers of Men’s Health and can narrow down their strategies to direct them towards the appropriate market segment. The ad is basically designed to have a universal appeal without sacrificing its effectiveness at the targeted segment and there really is not enough visual or literate information on the advertisement to trigger any real negative emotions towards the product, however, there could be room for improvement in some marketing strategies to improve the advertisement. The advertisement for Armani’s fragrance is clearly based around the sample of the fragrance on the back side which serves as the hook to get men craving that smell. There is not much that a marketer can do if the consumer does not enjoy the smell of the fragrance. However, to differentiate the product from the competitors’ products, a possible change in the typical shot of a man starring into the camera could improve the advertisement by creating interest in the uniqueness of the ad. The ad is in black and white which is different than the rest, but a change in the esthetics of the ad might separate Armani from the completion. An article in the Journal of American Academy of Business (2011) describes the importance of evaluating the marketing strategy. Possible improvements can be made in the advertisement for Armani by evaluating how effective there ad is with selling their product. Selecting and placing more importance on the pricing strategy might improve the effectiveness of the ad. The company could run a bundle deal with the different sized bottles. If the market segment is men, an attractive woman might get readers to stop more often. Celebrities always seem to push products well so maybe an endorsement could help. In the end, setting a clear and measurable objective can only be effective if it is evaluated right. Marketing managers for Armani face strategic decisions about how they can create a need and want for their fragrance. In the medium of print, marketers can narrow down their targeted market to exploit their product further and analyze what gets readers to select their promotional advertisement to read. Communicating the benefits, differentiating the product form competitors, identifying the market segment targeted, and analyzing the appeal of the product are ways to analyze the effectiveness of the promotion and find room for improvement if any. The Armani advertisement conveys a clear benefit through the use of their product by appealing to a targeted segment, but could use improvements in differentiating their strategies from the competition.