Impact of developing technology on the retail industry Research Paper

Impact of developing technology on the retail industry - Research Paper Example The focus is on improving competitiveness and taking advantage of the available opportunities. The need for shops is increasingly becoming obsolete with the changing technological trends. Online systems have led to the creation of virtual shops that are slowly replacing the convectional shopping centers. This trend is expected to increase with the future predicting a possible phase off for shops. This revolution has been experienced in several sectors, Apple was one of the corporations that championed this paradigm shift through online marketing and use of its applications. Many record shops have been closed in the near past because of the changing patterns in buying of movies and music as initiated by Apple. Purchase of music online has become so prevalent not only in the United States and in Canada but in other countries including the underdeveloped countries. This trend is gaining popularity in the sale of books, Amazon, eBay among others continue to expand for the convenience and efficiency that they give to their customers. Competition has enhanced advancement across the retail markets worldwide. Technology has been the central focus for many retail outlets. Despite the fact that most of the retailers are still on profit, their margins continue to decline. This has prompted a game change that has helped them keep ahead of competition. Home Depot, a company that deals with selling household items has been able to adopt technological changes. The company developed a mobile application that not only did it enhance the customer experience but also facilitated the associates in taking inventory. The company and its customers have received this strategy with a lot of optimism. Competitiveness has also facilitated research in strategies that are predicted to enhance sales as well as increase the customer base. The pressure from competition will force the optimization of the supply chain in order to provide a better customer experience as well as remain on a profi t-making trend. The number of physical stores is expected to dramatically reduce. The so called ‘brick and mortar’ establishments are likely to remain but technological change has to be coupled with the change. However, the change will come with a drastic reduction in these outlets. Another phenomenon expected to be coupled with the reduction in the number of stores is the reduction in their sizes. The main reason for this is the increased business online capable of enhancing the decisions to lease, facilitating merchandising plans and transforming the physical layout. With the reduction of the physical locations and the size of the premises, diversification is of great essence (Sohl, 2012).. The retail market can divert its activities online as well as diversifying to the other areas of the product supply chain. In addition, they can result to offering services. Technology will facilitate the retailers to refocus on customer loyalty while enhancing closeness with the c ustomers. Loyal customers will keep on buying fro the same retailer irrespective of the change. However, in order to facilitate their shopping experience it is obligatory that they keep abreast with change, even loyal customers deserve quality and efficient services. Despite being top on the retail of household items, Home Depot developed a mobil

Homeland Security Essay Example for Free

Homeland Security Essay Over the last few decades, a large number of terrorist organizations have sprung up around the world and the United States Homeland Security Policy has rapidly evolved to counter the threats that these terrorist organizations come as. The modes and methods of operation that these organizations use have become increasingly sophisticated and one cannot help but agree that amongst the most prominent of these terrorist organizations is the infamous Al Qaeda (Madsen, 2005). This paper seeks to examine the origin, ideology, infrastructure and history of Al Qaeda and provide an analysis of the United States Homeland Security Policy in light of the destructive potential Al Qaeda holds. By doing so, an analysis will be made of the effectiveness of the current Homeland security policy in light of the terrorist threats that are faced by the United States. The first traces of the establishment can effectively be traced back to the Afghan-Soviet War. It was during this war that the desire to join the Afghan Marxist Regime grew exponentially amongst foreign Arab Mujahedeen. In order to utilize this fervor, the Maktab-al-Khidmat was formed. This organization was formed by Osama Bin Laden And his teacher/mentor Abdullah Yusuf Azzam (Williams, Al Qaeda: Brotherhood of Terror, 2002). Together they established carried out extensive recruitment and fund accumulation from 1984 onwards. This organization had its headquarters in Pakistan and it was the Maktab-al-Khidmat that later evolved into the Al Qaeda and this phase of evolution can be traced to the point where Abdullah Yusuf Azzam began to persuade Osama Bin Laden to channel his own finances and resources into the operation (Global Security, 2008). During the soviet war, the involvement of the United States was primarily through the funding that it provided the afghan mujahedeen (Gerges, 2004). Quite a bit of this funding was done through the Pakistani intelligence agency known as the Inter Services Intelligence Agency. This involvement was code named Operation Cyclone and was designed to deal an indirect defeat to the Soviets. An aspect of the Maktab-al-Khidmat was that even though it did not manage to generate any significant numbers in terms of man power, it still allowed likeminded people from over forty countries to find a platform upon which they could unite and work together for bigger projects. When the war ended, the mujahedeen were back in power within three years time and Afghanistan was once more under the control of religious radicals. In 1988, Osama bin Laden, who had returned to Saudi Arabia, decided to form groups such as the Maktab-al-Khidmat in other parts of the world but at this stage in the evolution of the group, Osama had no desire to develop the group on entirely military grounds. Rather it was Abdullah Yusuf Azzam who considered the element of militarism and aggression to be undeniably important. Osama Bin Laden was later joined by former American special forces member Sergeant Ali Mohammad after Abdullah Yusuf Azzam had been assassinated, investigations carried out later showed that Osama Bin Laden worked closely with Ali Mohammad to devise plans for attacks on various United States civilian and military facilities. Later when the Gulf War began, complications grew between Osama Bin Laden and the Saudi government when the Saudi government chose to resort to asking the United States for support instead of taking up Osama Bin Laden on his offer to provide arms and support in the Gulf War. As a result of these complications, Osama Bin Laden was exiled from Saudi Arabia to Sudan, where he continued his objection against the Saudi government (Williams, The Al Qaeda Connection: International Terrorism, Organized Crime, and the Coming Apocalypse, 2005). This resulted in Osama bin Laden losing his Saudi passport as well as his Sudanese passport along with the humiliation of being disowned by his family. In these hard times, Osama Bin Laden turned to Afghanistan where he was welcomed by the Taliban. Afghanistan served as the ideal recruiting and training ground that was needed for Al Qaeda to develop itself and to strengthen its infrastructure. After having sought and found refuge in Afghanistan in 1996 (Burke, 2004), Osama Bin Laden began to establish training camps and began to gather local forces under his flag who he found shared his opinions from the time of Abdullah Yusuf Azzam. Ideology Objectives It is believed that the ideology that runs in the Al Qaeda network is one that has been inspired by the writings of Sayyid Qutb who was an author, educator, poet and was considered to be a leading intellectual of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. Around the 1950’s and the 1960’s, Sayyid Qutb worked extensively on religious ideologies and published works which denounced the American way of life and the culture that prevailed in the American society. One of the few areas upon which Sayyid Qutb’s work had the most influence was that of Jihad, which is the Arabic term used for the struggle for Islam.   Through the teachings of Sayyid Qutb, the aggressive aspect of jihad became increasingly hostile and violent in its justifications. It is believed that the current set of beliefs that run through the foundations of Al Qaeda are based upon the very same principles of Sayyid Qutb’s political and religious philosophy that justifies the barbaric actions that the Al Qaeda takes today. According to Sayyid Qutb’s philosophies, the more non-Muslim dominance grew, the more justified it became to wage war against these elements. Concepts such as socialism and nationalism are highly criticized and condemned in the beliefs of Sayyid Qutb as were reflected in his teachings. This would explain the momentum that Al Qaeda appears to be gathering the last few years. It is believed that the traditional leader of the Al Qaeda, osama was also   highly influenced by Sayyid Qutb in his days as a student and would relish opportunities to debate upon them and learn more about them. Modern day religious analysts believe that Sayyid Qutb’s teachings served to provide extremists a loop hole through the interpretation of religious scriptures through which they could justify not only their wars but also the techniques that they use in their war. Moreover, interpretations of Sayyid Qutb’s teachings made in the late part of the last century built upon this loophole and reached a degree where it became obligatory to wage war against any and all elements that were non-Islamic. This mutated version of the philosophies of Sayyid Qutb made it obligatory to wage war not only against non-Islamic elements but also against any Islamic elements that refused to join the war. This can be observed to explain the Al Qaeda attacks on muslim countries as well as non-muslim countries. Organizational Structure The core organizational structure is one that centers on the base and develops and operates from that base (Gunaratna, 2003). Al Qaeda follows a Hydra like organizational structure in which distanced modules of the organizations are placed around the world and kept highly active while the central nerve is kept well hidden and it is ensured that information and funding are supplied to the distanced modules to keep them running. This way, Al Qaeda traditionally operates on a centralized leading structure where decision making and resource distribution is managed and coordinated by the center while the execution of the decisions is assigned to the nodes of the organization. However, the modern day organizational structure of Al Qaeda has evolved considerably as a result of the recent measures taken by the United States military with its partners in the war on terrorism (Wright, 2006). It is believed that the measures taken by this war on terrorism have led to the scattering of these nodes to a point where they have become isolated from each other and are operating independently in a majority of their catchment regions. It is believed that this decentralization of the nodes of Al Qaeda has caused the name Al Qaeda to become something of a brand name amongst terrorist organizations. This would explain attacks such as the 7 July London bombings of 2005 in which the involved elements were identified to be more Al Qaeda trained than of Al Qaeda origin (Corbin, 2002). It was attacks such as these that brought forth the fact that Al Qaeda had begun to optimize itself by making use of likeminded elements rather than spending time and resources to establish itself in regions where it desired to carry out operations. This can also be observed to explain the increasing number of Al Qaeda members who are educated and belong to well to do and sophisticated families. The arrests of Al Qaeda personnel made in the last few years have led to the origination of the belief that perhaps Al Qaeda does not operate by itself any more but has either chosen to disperse itself and inject itself into smaller terrorist organizations or has chosen to take on prodigies in the form of smaller terrorist organizations in reply to the increasing number of measures being taken by the coalition of the members of the war against terrorism (Vidino Emerson, 2005). Al Qaeda does not operate solely by its own self, more than often it utilizes smaller more agile terrorist organizations to obtain its objectives. Frequently groups that it has coordinated with include Abu Sayyaf Group from Malaysia, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, Jemaah Islamiya from Indonesia and   Lashkar e Taiba from Kashmir. Hierarchy The current hierarchy that Al Qaeda employs is an element that has not been ascertained by American intelligence in its structure. However, the arrests of Al Qaeda personnel have led to an inference in this regard. It is believed that Al Qaeda is divided into seven divisions. The first of these divisions is that of the Shura Council which comprises of the senior Al Qaeda members and where the emir presides. The second and perhaps most active section is the Military Committee which oversees and managers training of personnel, weapon acquisition, arsenal maintenance and strategic planning. The third and perhaps even more significant section is the Business Committee which ensures that consistent funding is maintained through businesses around the world and also handles the responsibility of the providing of false documentation when needed. The Law Committee evaluates the plans to decide whether or not the plans drawn comply with the religious principles that the organization follows. Closely working with this committee is the Study/Fatwa Committee which is in charge of the drawing up and publication of religious edicts (Bajoria, 2008). A media committee was also formed in the late 1990’s but it is believed now that it has been replace by the As-Sahab which is an advanced media production house which is in charge of handling public relations as well as ensuring a supply of the video and audio requirements that the organization requires. The United States Homeland Security Policy The Department of Homeland security was established on the Cabinet level on June 6, 2002 as an enhancement to the White House Office of Homeland Security. It was through the department of Homeland Security that the Patriot Act was passed and it was observed to be one of the most deep reaching and most extensive of measures that had ever been taken by the Bush administration. In order to gain an understanding of the United States Homeland Security Policy it is first essential to gain a concrete understanding of the major events that have shaped its formation in the past and are currently shaping its evolution in the present through their long term implications. When studying the attacks that Al Qaeda has made in its history, it is necessary to understand that it was not merely the destruction because of the attacks that was the cause for concern, but the degree of information acquisition, ammunition and explosive acquirement and intelligence implementation that is staggering. The modus operandi of Al Qaeda involves well educated and sophisticated people who are well funded. This makes the implications of the attacks of this organization all the more profound and deeper in the long run. One of the first attacks that the Al Qaeda staged was in 1992 in Yemen. As per the objectives of the Al Qaeda discussed above, the objective of this attack was to discourage the prevalence of American armed forces elements from proceeding to Somalia in international famine relief efforts. The operation under which the soldiers were moving was Operation Restore Hope and was meant for the sheer purpose of discouraging the American armed forces and the American people. Seven people were injured severely and two people died, all of them were civilians. Formerly, Al Qaeda had chosen to exercise its resources in battle and against military installations. This attack was perceived as a change in the Al Qaeda’s stance towards the war it was waging. It was in this attack that the Al Qaeda first presented justification for the killing of civilians and this aspect of the Al Qaeda’s evolving modus operandi was one that has been the focus of almost every homeland security policy that has developed ever since.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines is current leader among many airline carriers in todays highly competitive transportation industry. In order to maintain such a strong hold on the airline industry, Southwest Airlines utilizes an intense and highly systematic set of marketing strategies. Most of their strategies are centered on offering its consumers low-cost tickets and free baggage checks to fly most anywhere in the United States. Customers can be rest assured that Southwest Airlines will continue to do whatever it can to provide low-cost services. Some of the key issues that will be discussed will include Southwests free baggage policy, its marketing mix strategies, its segmentation principles, as well as a SWOT analysis. Marketing is a vital part of any business and is an integral component of selling any product or service. Whether the business is a small mom and pop operation or a world industry leader, marketing is a part of the business. Southwest Airlines makes total use out of its best resources and abilities to build on its key marketing practices. According to research by Chan, one of Southwests main strategies is that it strives to treat its employees fairly and engages in profit sharing so that their employees collectively own about 10% of the company. Southwest Airlines has a high employee retention rate of at least 92.3% and maintains an enthusiastic work force. Southwests operational strategy is based on six pillars, namely limited passenger service, frequent, reliable departures, short-haul, point-to-point routes between mid-sized cities and secondary airports, very low ticket prices, lean, heavily productive ground and gate crews, and high aircraft utilization. Some of these key factor s, as well as attention to excellence in management competence have launched this company to great success. Because there are many ways to fulfill the needs of the customer, a straight-forward approach is to consider the four Ps of the marketing mix. This paper will examine the marketing mix and give examples of the marketing mix as it pertains to Southwest Airlines. The four elements of the marketing mix are product, place, promotion and price. As in the Product category, segmentation has defined some of the price points. Price (the amount a customer pays) is determined by market share, competition, operational costs, brand or product identity and the customers perceived value of the product. Pricing may increase or decrease with frequency and pricing strategies must be planned and worked daily. The global recession of the last two years has clouded some of the traditional differences, as some resort and upscale brands have discounted heavily to the point where the lower priced properties cannot effectively compete. Hotels should have learned the lessons of the airlines and not just compete based on being the lowest cost. The anger of flyers today for being charged extra for almost everything has opened the way for certain carriers to expand and others to enter what were previously lucrative and exclusive markets. The associates of each of those airlines have major differences as well in how and what to communicate to their travelers. Cash flow is an obvious critical factor and reasonable discounts on a logical basis are often good business practices. Southwest Airlines in the US has been consistently one of the most profitable carriers in the past 20 years and, at times, is the lowest fare provider. A non-technical look at their pricing strategies from only a consumers view will show how they track, demand, and adjust prices accordingly, even in the economic downturn. They are not always the lowest fare in a given market on a given day, but their overall satisfaction ratings demonstrate their ongoing and continued success. Consumers will always remain sensitive for fair prices, discount options and special offers, but competing on price as the major component for success is not viable or logical for long-term . As a Promotion category, southwest is one of many airlines that are increasingly interested in finding more contemporary avenues for advertising. Although, they are still lagging behind other airlines, they are discovering the importance of social media in promotion. Social media sites like twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and even blogging allows Southwest the ability to get the online community to learn more about its low-costs prices and services. As a place category, Southwest Airlines is the fourth largest airline in the US. It flies 64 million passengers per year to 64 cities in 34 states. Southwest Airlines operates a fleet of 388 aircraft of the Boeing 737 type, ranging from the 737-200 to the Next Generation 737-700. Although Southwest Airlines is mainly a point-to-point carrier, there is an increasing amount of transfer traffic on their routes. Major hubs in SWAs network include Las Vegas (185 daily departures), Phoenix (183), and Baltimore/Washington (161). In 2009, Southwest partnered with Coastal Vision 3000, a Northwest Florida business group, in an attempt to position Northwest Florida as one of Americas premier beach destinations. This partnership is working hard to stimulate job growth, economic progress, and provide travelers more options for flying into areas with popular beach destinations. Southwest Airlines, along with Jet Blue, Frontier, and Airtran, are currently leading in low-cost air fare pricing and are continuing to profit while other airlines such as United, US Airways and Delta are suffering economic setbacks (Chan, 2007). Based on this research, Southwest Airlines has not been forced to decrease their flights or lay off many employees even with the ramifications of the events of September 11th on many airline industries. The airline successfully maintained a $2 billion cash reserve prior to September 11th and continues to strive and survive during difficult economic times. Part of its enduring success is associated with effective marketing strategies as well as long-term overall strategies. According to further research by Chan, Southwests primary focus is the creation of a tailored set of best-fit activities. It still carries on much of it philosophies from 30 years ago by offering low cost without the fancy gimmicks offered by other airlines. Southwest has never participated in an in flight meal service or assigned seats and still maintains those same practices in order to keep costs low. Also, according to Chan, Southwest has something known as a linear route structure. The airline uses this method to fly only one specific kind of airplane so that it can stay in high-density markets only. This strategy benefits the airline by allowing it to maintain a strong competitive advantage and high profits. Controversy Over Carry-on Baggage Within the last several years, the discussion of legislation regarding industry-wide standardization on limitations for carry-on baggage has been widely debated throughout the US airline industry. While a number of airline industry-based groups have advocated standardization on the number, size, and weight of bags that would be allowed onto an aircraft, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has yet to take any serious action to this point. As a result, the debate over carry-on baggage restrictions still exists and causes unnecessary confusion and difficulty for both the airlines themselves as well as their passengers. As the number of airline passengers has increased in recent years, the number of passengers electing to bring their luggage on board a plane instead of checking their bags has also increased. Some passengers feel that checking their bags will lead to loss, damage, or theft. Others find waiting in check-in lines too time-consuming and opt to check-in at their gate. As a result overhead bins and storage compartments on flights are often overcrowded. These overcrowded bins lead to approximately 4,500 injuries annually in the United States according to Air Safety Week, an industry newsletter. These injuries result from baggage that falls on passengers when bins are opened after arrival or when bins accidentally opening during rough transit. Southwest holds the notable status of being the only country-wide carrier to not charge passengers for second checked bags. Over the past few months, all the Legacy Airlines and most of the low-cost carriers have added a charge for second bags, and American Airlines made an announcement on May 21, 2008 concerning a $15 fee for a first checked baggage, this created a huge uproar. Southwest chief executive Gary Kelly stated that, Its not what customers want, nobody wants to be nickeled and dimed. Other airlines jumped on similar bandwagons by imposing a $25-each-way fee for the second bag checked. (Maxon, 2008) Research by Maxon also noted that Southwest is imposing some fees, on January 29, 2008 is began initiating a $25 fee each way for the second bag checked. According to this research other airlines are also charging for transporting pets, travel by unaccompanied minors, shipping checked items such as antlers and ski gear or getting better seats. Theres no telling how long Southwest will stick with its passenger-friendly fee policy, but during this tough economy, Southwest managed to be the only profitable airline in the first quarter of 2008 and recently ranked as the top U.S. airline in a major customer satisfaction survey. What does it take to succeed in a business as troubled as the airline business? It takes a unique strategic point of view, a long-term commitment to that strategy, and a personality in the marketplace that customers find interesting, engaging, and compelling. That is why Southwest Airlines continues to fly high relative to the competition. In 2009, it was the only major carrier to turn a profit. In 37 years of operation, it has never lost money. Today, it is in the remarkable position of charging some of the lowest fares, paying relatively high wages (unlike its rivals, it has never used bankruptcy court to redo union contracts), and generating the best returns. Unusual, to be sure, but thats what happens when you combine a unique strategy with an engaged and upbeat workforceand you always look for customer-oriented ways to differentiate yourself. Last year, as the other big carriers generated $2 billion in checked-baggage fees, Southwest not only refused to charge for checked bags, but unveiled a hilarious ad campaign to tweak its rivals for doing so. SWOT Analysis Strengths: Most of Southwests strengths are the same reasons why the airline has captured a comparative advantage in the airline industry. Southwest has been able to maintain a low cost approach to flights that has appealed to the budget minded consumer. It is the first airline to â€Å"offer reasonably priced travel packages with low frills and excellent customer service.† (Broughton, 2010) One strategy that Southwest uses to keep their costs low is to purchase only Boeing airplanes. This approach reduces repair costs and provides bulk discounts on purchases. Southwest has made itself very attractive to consumers by offering many customer oriented programs. It is the first airline that offered discounts on flights to senior citizens. In addition, it made the check-in process more efficient by initiating ticketless travel. With the â€Å"no seat assignment† policy, the process of boarding flights is not only time effective but also more cost effective then their competi tors. Southwest Airlines is also the only airline that offers credit on frequent flyer miles based on the number of trips taken with the airline instead of miles traveled. Another customer oriented program that Southwest has adopted is the â€Å"Bags Fly Free Campaign† and a new early bird check-in program that they are hopeful will have a revenue potential generating approximately $18 million dollars. â€Å"The carrier also generated approximately $10 million in revenues from its new pet fare, unaccompanied minor service charges, and excess/heavy baggage fees.† (Gittel, 2009) With more than 3,200 daily flights and 35,000 employees nationwide, Southwest Weaknesses: Although Southwest Airlines has consistently turned a profit that does not mean that they are exempt from weaknesses. Weaknesses refer to the organizational impediments that Southwest must consider when making operational decisions. Southwest does not offer international flights. This decision limits Southwest flight locations to within the continental United States. This weakness over time may become a barrier to increasing sales, as it is shutting out consumers that need to fly internationally. Southwests inability to utilize online booking agents is another weakness that the airline should reconsider. Companies such as Priceline.com and Expedia.com would be able to increase the airlines ticket sales and thus be better able to meet their load capacity. Load capacity is a serious concern to Southwest Airlines, as it represents the total number of passengers required to meet their breakeven point. Southwest Airlines does not use chat communications such as email in its op erations. Electronic forms of communication would provide the airline with a more direct and quicker way to interact with employees and customers. Opportunities: Southwest Airlines has many opportunities which will help them to grow and stay productive. In the past, new technology developments have been one of the many driving forces which enabled growth for Southwest. Applying new technology to make the travel experience more enticing is an opportunity that Southwest continues to pursue. Research and development to advance procedures and services within the industry would help the airline maintain its competitive edge by allowing the airline to introduce new products or services. Southwest should also focus on increasing their ability to advertise on the internet in order to reach a broader range of consumers. Currently, Southwest is planning on extending flights to further destinations. A long term consideration for Southwest Airlines is to expand their flights internationally and to other national markets. The airline is also planning to increase the frequency of 65 flights while decreasing the frequency of 10 flights for a total net gain of 52. In addition, they are considering expanding services to include leisure or business classes. Finally, Southwest has initiated a labor reduction by â€Å"launching a voluntary early-out program to better align staffing with the carriers capacity levels. The company expects annual savings in subsequent years from the program to exceed the cost of the program† (Unknown, 2010) and with these savings Southwest can invest in other opportunities to maintain its success. Threats: The threats that Southwest Airlines are faced with are situations, events or conditions that are faced by all airlines within the entire airline industry. One of the biggest threats that Southwest has had to face since 9/11 is the decline in the number of travelers for leisure. Many travelers since the terrorist attacks of 9/11 have opted to travel by car instead of flying out of fear. Since 9/11 there have been numerous terrorist attempts on airplanes. The most recent one was Christmas day 2009. In order for Southwest to continue to grow and survive in the airline market they must continue to communicate to their customers their dedication to the security of their passengers. In addition, Southwest must stand by their commitment by increasing airport security, which has and will continue to increase their costs on an annual basis. Another threat that the airline industry must contend with is the governments ability to create and execute new regulations that will affect airlines such as Southwest. Many of these regulations can increase operating costs. One such regulation includes restrictions on the types of aircraft used and limits on the number of operations. The biggest threat to the airline industry is the fluctuation in gas and oil prices. Southwest has managed to establish fuel hedging contracts in the past which has given them the advantage over their competitors. However, these contracts are expiring and if Southwest cannot successfully renegotiate these contracts, they run the risk of subjecting themselves to higher fuel costs. This could have a negative impact on not only their future customer fares but also their profits as well. To date, they have revised their fuel hedge portfolio to include derivative contracts in place for approximately 50% of their estimated 2010 fuel consumption. This revision has lowered their first quarter 2010 expected hedging premium costs by $30 million, which is $15 million lower than the fourth quarter 2009 costs. Market Segmentation Market segmentation is among the most powerful weapons in the marketing arsenal. Joyce Rogge the vice president of marketing for Southwest states that, Our goal is to become the preferred airline in each city that we serve.†. Southwest is consciously focusing on targeting various customer bases. The companys campaign has concentrated on attracting the African American demographic that remains prevalent in as many as 24 of 59 regions that Southwest Airlines serves. (Churchill, 2001) Southwest decided to partner with BETs (Black Entertainment Television) Black College Football Classic Coverage, ESPN, and National Football League games to target the male 25-54 demographic. The airline has used these avenues as well as partnerships with Pizza Hut and Disney as part of their increasing advertising budget to target key demographic markets. With respect to the psychographic category, Southwest is meeting the cost conscious needs of flyers. Airline carriers like Delta, United, and American have battled for higher margins by indulging the price-insensitive business traveler, thereby effectively leaving behind a large number of consumers who hunt for bargains. As competing airlines have continued to increase costs to cater to customers who require plush seats, better wines, and airport lounges, Southwest found the need to appeal to the comparatively undemanding flyer who absolutely had to travel but was not willing to pay the high fees charged by other carriers. Southwest has entered into a variety of intended geographic markets to include openings in Florida, Baltimore, and even Long Island where there is a shuttle service to Boston. In other words, Southwest arrives where customers are, rather than spending time and effort to build traffic. This and other tactics have attributed to 23 years of profits for Southwest. (Haas, 2010) Although, segmentation is a great way to uncover growth markets, current segmentation practices often blind companies to market disruption-the most valuable kind of innovation. CONCLUSION Southwest has long been regarded as a benchmark in its industry for operational excellence. Southwest Airlines is a fine example of a company that is committed to its core competencies and efficient operations to drive its low cost structure, outstanding delivery of customer service, and innovative HR management practices. It has the lowest costs and strongest balance sheet in its industry. This airline might face many challenges in the future such as an increase in labor costs, fuel costs and competition from other low cost carriers. However, it still has the comparative advantage within the airline industry. Southwests competitors will not be able to grow as quickly as Southwest. In order for the competition to grow at a faster rate they would have to operate at a cost equal or lower than Southwest. Southwest Airlines has taken all of the above factors into consideration in an effort to maintain itself as one of the top contenders in an ever changing industry. References: Chan, B. (2007, August). Why is Southwest Airlines one of the Best Low Cost Airlines? Retrieved from http://fishtrain.com/2007/08/21 Maxon, T. (2008, June). New Southwest Airlines ad campaign targets other airline fees. The Dallas Moring News. Retrieved from http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/053108dnbusairnickel.3633d88 Southwest Airlines Announces Service from Northwest Floridas New International Airport Near Panama City Beach, Florida. Southwest News Release. Retrieved from http://www.southwest.com/swamedia/pfnPressRelease.html?int=HOMEWNEW03CTYPFN Churchill, R. (2001, April). Southwest Airlines Powering a Sales Liftoff-Southwest Airlines Co. advertising targets African-Americans-Brief Article-Statistical Data Included. Brandweek. Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BDW/is_14_42/ai_72981547 Gittell, Jody. The Southwest Airlines Way: Using the Power of Relationships to Achieve High Performance. McGraw-Hill Trade. December 19, 2009. Harvey, G., Turnbull, P. (2010). On the Go: walking the high road at a low cost airline. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 21(2), 230. Retrieved March 11, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global Jackson, W., Jackson, M. (1 July). Southwest Airlines: The Next Fight Begins. Journal of the International Academy for Case Studies,65-81. Retrieved March 11, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. Russell, Matthew, Southwest Airlines: An Industry Leader, February 2010, http://www.associatedcontent.com. Smooth Landing Research Associates, Southwest Airlines, Cornell Universitys Johnson Graduate School of Management, 1997. Southwest Airlines Press Release, Southwest Airlines Reports Fourth Quarter Profit and 37th Consecutive Year of Profitability, January 2010, http://phx.corporate-

A Comparison of East of Eden and Candide :: compare and contrast essay examples

East of Eden and Candide In the midst of 80s nostalgia and remembering the greatness that was this decade, I don't want readers to think that "children of the 80s," are oblivious to great, classic literature and today's current events. Recently, I have read two incredibly amazing books. Furthermore, I have noticed some interesting parallels. The first is East of Eden by John Steinbeck. This novel is an unbelievably grandiose recreation of the Book of Genesis. Salinas County is depicted as a place of incredible purity and innocence, in which people have simple values and work hard to sustain them. In contrast, there is Monterrey, a seedy, dirty, yet attractive town filled with brothels, bars, factories, and ports. Some sort of warped destiny once joined Mr. Trask to Kate, the union of good and evil. As a result, she gives birth to twins, Aaron and Caleb. Both Mr. Trask and Aaron embody all that is good, whereas Kate and Cal embody all that is evil. Cal often goes to Monterrey, and upon finding out that his mother is still alive as well as being the head of the most prestigious brothel in town, he seeks her out. After repeatedly being underestimated and rejected by his father, Cal decides that the ultimate revenge will be to take his brother Aaron to meet his mother. He was right? Upon hearing the news, Mr. Trask has a stroke, and Cal feels incredibly guilty. The last few chapters of this book compose the most intense writing or probably even the most intense experiences that I have ever had. Lee, the family's loyal servant, repeatedly notes a passage in the Bible, in which it is made clear that any individual, regardless of past experiences or trauma, has a choice in life. The fact that humans have the ability to always make this crucial choice and use a superior rational is what sets us apart from other species. Even though Mr. Trask is virtually a vegetable and at the brink of death, Lee begs that he show some sign that he has forgiven his son Cal or the cycle will not be broken. Cal will continue to be a resentful rogue, who feels unloved and has no direction. This simple idea is extended through and endless number of pages. I have never read so fast and understood so much in my entire life, not that my life is really that long yet.

Evaluate One Philosophical Theory That Tries to Deal with Agrippa’s Trilemma.

Evaluate one philosophical theory that tries to deal with Agrippa’s Trilemma. Agrippa’s Trilemma gives us the three possibilities when trying to justify a belief. The first is that our beliefs are unsupported; the second that there is an infinite chain of justification; the third being that there is a circular chain of justification. One theory that tries to deal with this is foundationalism, which suggests the first option of Agrippa’s Trilemma is true. Throughout this essay I will argue why although one of the more popular theories, it still has its flaws.Foundationalism suggests that the first option of Agrippa’s Trilemma- that there are beliefs that can be unsupported- is correct for certain ‘foundational’ beliefs. The epistemic regress argument, as explained well Richard Fumerton, shows how this is likely to be the case. It’s best to explain this with an example. Let’s say, a man comes up to you and tells you it is going to rain tomorrow, and as evidence he says ‘because the winds are going to change direction’. You ask him why he thinks this, and he says he just ‘has a feeling’.Naturally you take this as nonsense, a poor justification for his claim, and don’t believe him. This shows us then that to be justified in believing something, P, because of E, you must be justified in believing E. However, let’s say his justification for believing E- that the winds were changing bringing rain- was that he saw it in a gypsy’s crystal ball. Though he may think this is a good justification because he believes in that sort of thing, you are sceptical and again dismiss his claim.This brings us to expand our first principle to what is known as the Principle of Inferential Justification (PIJ): ‘To have justification for believing P on the basis of E one must not only have (1) justification for believing E, but (2) justification for believing that E makes probable P . ’ (Fumerton, 2002) From the PIJ we can easily show how the epistemic regress argument unfolds. Going back to the example, if you were to believe P, there must be another proposition you could legitimately infer it to be true; E1.But, surely the only way E1 could justify you that P is true is if E1 is itself justified, and if justification is inferential then it would mean E1 would have to be legitimately inferred from another proposition; E2. As you can see this would go on and on infinitely, hence why it’s a ‘regress’ argument (Fumerton, 2002). The solution would be to reach a proposition that didn’t need any further justification, one that was noninferential- self-justifiable- and so could be a ‘foundational’ belief.One foundational belief thought up by Rene Descartes is that he existed, in his famous Cotigo Ergo Sum ‘I think, therefore I am’ meditation (Descartes, 1641). From being sure of his existence he then tried t o build more beliefs, which is how foundationalism works. The idea of his existence is, to him, infallible, and therefore it could theoretically be used as foundation on which to build more beliefs. However, even such foundations such as the existence of one’s self can be called into question. It is believed that truly infallible beliefs are very few, or arguably do not exist at all (Pritchard, 2006, 41).This is a problem because, even if a truly infallible belief or beliefs can be deduced, they would be too few and too narrow to be able to build a complex series of beliefs on top of. What I mean by this is that the path from basic foundational beliefs to derived beliefs would be very tricky to bridge. Pritchard used the example of believing 2+2=4 as infallible. How then, he argued, would he deduce from this belief that he is sitting at his desk? The problem with suggesting the foundational belief must be infallible is that it is too strict. Logical entailment’- where p logically follows a proposition q, therefore p cannot be true without q being true- is a key part of foundationalism, and so foundationalists with the belief that foundational beliefs must be truly infallible have to deal with this problem (Foundationalism, n. d. ). In response to this, Pritchard goes on to say you could argue that fallible beliefs perhaps could be used as a foundation. The reasoning for this is because infallible beliefs are too strict so perhaps the only option is to open up to such beliefs.An example would be sensory beliefs; perhaps these should be accepted as foundational beliefs. However he acknowledges that this does create another problem: that you would have to argue why you think these deserve to be foundational beliefs. Surely though, sensory beliefs such as ‘there is a book on my desk because ‘I can see it’ have some doubt, and still require justification of their own? The doubt I am referring to is you could, however unlikely, be ha llucinating the book and therefore are not fully justified in believing it is there.Your senses cannot be fully trusted. You would have to then justify, surely, ‘how do you know your eyes are seeing a book and your brain isn’t just hallucinating’, and by doing this you are proving that sensory beliefs are not fully grounded foundational beliefs. This argument is similar to the ‘evil demon argument’ and dream argument’, as they also dismiss sensory beliefs as foundational (Descartes, 1641). This shows that fallible beliefs also have their problems. Some argue that these non-inferential justified beliefs simply don’t exist.Let’s say that statement P is claimed to be a non-inferential justified belief. For subject S to be justified in believing P is true, he must have a reason. He must also therefore have a belief in which gives him this reason to justify his believing in P. But how can this be, that S relies on another belief? By b eing inferentially justified, it has just contradicted itself (Pojman, n. d). However a counter for this by some foundationalists would simply be that there needn’t be a reason for believing P but P itself, as is the definition of a ‘self-justifiable’ belief.So, I believe the argument for foundationalism is a good one because as finite beings we cannot deal with an infinite chain of justifications. There must be a bottom, such as Descartes foundational belief. I cannot, however, ignore the arguments against foundationalism. Fallible beliefs should be dismissed as they are flawed from the start, because claiming a belief that can be doubted as fully-grounded is doomed to fail from the start. The problem of moving basic beliefs on to more complex derived beliefs is harder to counter, but I’d still say that infallible foundational beliefs are still the strongest argument for foundationalism.Perhaps it is just that no philosopher has yet discovered undeniable non-inferrential foundational beliefs so far. Word count – 1140 Bibliography Descartes, R (1641) ‘Meditations on First Philosophy’, in John Cottingham (ed) ‘Meditations on First Philosophy: Cambridge University Press, 13-15, 17 Fumerton, R. (2002) ‘Conditions and Analyses of Knowing’, in Moser, P. (ed. ) The Oxford Handbook of Epistemology Oxford: OUP, 204-33. Foundationalism. (1999) [ONLINE] Available at: ]. Pojman, [ONLINE] Available at: [Accessed 18 November 12] Pritchard, D. (2006) What is this thing called knowledge? London: Routledge, 39-41

Develop your organizational culture and leadership  - TheJobNetwork

Develop your organizational culture and leadership   - TheJobNetwork A critical task for any HR professional is to help ensure that their company’s organizational culture and leadership accurately and effectively reflects its values, beliefs, and mission. How does your company fare in this critical area?In today’s impossibly crowded business climate, having a clearly developed culture and identity is essential for an organization. According to Inc., â€Å"Culture has always been important, but today, it’s becoming more than just a buzzword. Culture is an important differentiator to set your company apart from the competition. It’s also what attracts the right talent and brings in the right customers†¦ Plus, with more than 30% of the workforce now made up of Millennials,  according to the Pew Research Center, culture is more important than ever. Millennials want to work for companies that share their same values. They want to feel like their work has a purpose and makes a difference. In short, they want a good cultur e fit.†With companies eager to rise above the noise in their respective industries and connect with their target audiences, all in an effort to be successful, a key piece of the puzzle is developing an organizational culture and presence that’s transparent and elicits positive feelings- both from within the company and from prospective customers. Inc. identifies four primary factors why this is so important:Culture builds brand identity.Your company’s personality and how your organization is perceived by the world at large help form your brand identity. According to Inc., culture is what tells the world who you are as a brand. â€Å"The more your audience understands and identifies with your brand, the more they’ll want to buy from you.† Everyone wants to feel like you’re talking to them personally, and in order to do that, you have to establish a company vibe that people can relate to.Culture increases loyalty among employees.Do you want you r company’s employees to love coming to work each day and feel a loyalty toward helping fulfill your organization’s mission (beyond their paychecks)? Of course you do, and the best way to make this happen is to help them connect with your company’s core culture. According to Inc., â€Å"Companies with a strong culture have employees who like the challenges of their job, get along well with their co-workers and enjoy the atmosphere of the workplace†¦ Culture gives employees a driving goal and purpose for what they do. It connects your leadership team with the rest of the employees and binds them with a set of shared beliefs. Your employees want to feel like they are contributing to something larger than themselves.†hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});Culture attracts and retains talent.A company with a strong culture and well-perceived brand identity does not have to work very hard to attract and retain top talent from around the world- rather, it will attract talent to you. Once people are a part of your team, they’ll be energized and continually drawn to supporting your organization’s core goals and mission. It will make your job as an HR professional easier while helping your company to operate at peak levels- a real win-win.Culture makes advocates out of employees.When employees genuinely feel good about the work they do and the company they work for, they become effective brand advocates. According to Inc., â€Å"It’s true that good talent knows [good talent]. And when your employees are happy with their work, they are more likely to share with others. They’ll spread the word about their positive experience with your company, and you’ll soon gain a strong reputation.†Hopefully, it’s now clear why having a well-developed organizational culture and supportive leadership structure is important for the health and success of your company. But as an HR professional, how do you affect real organizational change in an effort to develop and maintain your culture? The Society for Human Resource Management recently published an article that discusses the role of HR professionals in the development of organizational culture and outlines key steps you can take to make positive, lasting change.According to the article, â€Å"The key to running a successful organization is to have a culture based on a strongly held and widely shared set of beliefs that are appropriately supported by strategy and structure. When an organization has a strong culture, three things happen: Employees know how top management wants them to respond to any situation, employees believe that the expected response is the proper one, and employees know that they will be rewarded for demonstrating the organization’s values.†As an HR professional, you play a key role in this cultural development. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, â €Å"Strategic thinking and planning must extend beyond merely meeting business goals and focus more intently on an organization’s most valuable asset- its people.†To this end, HR professionals should focus on building a strong organizational culture by:Being a role model for the organization’s beliefsReinforcing organizational valuesEnsuring that organizational ethics are defined, understood and practicedEnabling two-way communications and feedback channelsDefining roles, responsibilities, and accountabilitiesProviding continuous learning and trainingSustaining reward and recognition systemsEncouraging empowerment and teamsPromoting a customer-supplier work environmentRecognizing and solving individual and organizational problems and issuesOnce a strong organizational culture is set in place, HR professionals can do a great deal to maintain the work done in this area, including the following:Mindful hiring practices, including looking at the organization’ s vision and mission and conducting cultural fit interviewsOnboarding programs that help employees become enmeshed in the organization’s cultural frameworkReward and recognition programs that incentivize employees whose behavior supports the company’s values and missionThere you have it- some helpful background on the power of organizational culture and leadership, along with effective tools for building and maintaining your organization’s brand identity. Use the strategies and advice presented here to help set up your company for lasting success!

The cask of amontllado

The cask of amontllado "The Cask of Amontllado" by Edgar Allan Poe This is very well-thought out story of revenge involving two enemies, in which a man, Montresor elaborately plans the demise of his foe Fortunato. Montresor chooses the the timing to seek his revenge perfectly. It is the time of the carnival (Mardi Gras). The carnival in itself creates a great diversion. It's a particularly haphazard and crazy time. Fortunato is quite drunk, and much too trusting of Montresor. He even throws a mask and cloak over Montresor, making their departure from the carnival even less conspicuous.Montresor subtly plays Fortunato's ego in order to convince him to leave the carnival and sample some Amontllado that he had supposedly just purchased. Montresor keeps mentioning that he was on the way to have Luchresi sample the wine and get his opinion on its authenticity. He knows that Fortunato would never give up an opportunity to sample such a fine wine, nor would his ego allow an "inferior" connoisseur to judge the qua lity of the wine.English: This is a oil on canvas portrait of John ...

Definition and Examples of Text Linguistics

Definition and Examples of Text Linguistics Text linguistics is a branch of linguistics concerned with the description and analysis of extended texts (either spoken or written) in communicative contexts. Sometimes spelled as one word, textlinguistics (after the German Textlinguistik). In some ways, notes David Crystal, text linguistics overlaps considerably with . . . discourse analysis and some linguists see very little difference between them (Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics, 2008). Examples and Observations In recent years, the study of texts has become a defining feature of a branch of linguistics referred to (especially in Europe) as textlinguistics, and text here has central theoretical status. Texts are seen as language units which have a definable communicative function, characterized by such principles as cohesion, coherence and informativeness, which can be used to provide a formal definition of what constitutes their textuality or texture. On the basis of these principles, texts are classified into text types, or genres, such as road signs, news reports, poems, conversations, etc. . . . Some linguists make a distinction between the notions of text, viewed as a physical product, and discourse, viewed as a dynamic process of expression and interpretation, whose function and mode of operation can be investigated using psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic, as well as linguistic, techniques.(David Crystal, Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics, 6th ed. Blackwell, 2008) Seven Principles of Textuality [The] seven principles of textuality: cohesion, coherence, intentionality, acceptability, informativity, situationality, and intertextuality, demonstrate how richly every text is connected to your knowledge of world and society, even a telephone directory. Since the appearance of the Introduction to Text Linguistics [by Robert de Beaugrande and Wolfgang Dressler] in 1981, which used these principles as its framework, we need to emphasize that they designate the major modes of connectedness and not (as some studies assumed) the linguistic features of text-artifacts nor the borderline between texts versus non-texts (c.f. II.106ff, 110). The principles apply wherever an artifact is textualized, even if someone judges the results incoherent, unintentional, unacceptable, and so on. Such judgments indicate that the text is not appropriate (suitable to the occasion), or efficient (easy to handle), or effective (helpful for the goal) (I.21); but it is still a text. Usually, disturbances or i rregularities are discounted or at worst construed as signals of spontaneity, stress, overload, ignorance, and so on, and not as a loss or a denial of textuality.(Robert De Beaugrande, Getting Started. New Foundations for a Science of Text and Discourse: Cognition, Communication, and the Freedom of Access to Knowledge and Society. Ablex, 1997) Definitions of Text Crucial to the establishment of any functional variety is the definition of text and the criteria that have been used to delimit one functional variety from another. Some text-linguists (Swales 1990; Bhatia 1993; Biber 1995) do not specifically define text/a text but their criteria for text analysis imply that they are following a formal/structural approach, namely, that a text is a unit larger than a sentence (clause), in fact it is a combination of a number of sentences (clauses) or a number of elements of structure, each made of one or more sentences (clauses). In such cases, the criteria for distinguishing between two texts are the presence and/or absence of elements of structure or types of sentences, clauses, words, and even morphemes such as -ed, -ing, -en in the two texts. Whether texts are analyzed in terms of some elements of structure or a number of sentences (clauses) that can then be broken down into smaller units, a top-down analysis, or in terms of smaller units such a s morphemes and words that can be put together to build the larger unit of text, a bottom-up analysis, we are still dealing with a formal/structural theory and approach to text analysis. (Mohsen Ghadessy, Textual Features and Contextual Factors for Register Identification. Text and Context in Functional Linguistics, ed. by Mohsen Ghadessy. John Benjamins, 1999) Discourse Grammar An area of investigation within text linguistics, discourse grammar involves the analysis and presentation of grammatical regularities that overlap sentences in texts. In contrast to the pragmatically oriented direction of text linguistics, discourse grammar departs from a grammatical concept of text that is analogous to sentence. The object of investigation is primarily the phenomenon of cohesion, thus the syntactic-morphological connecting of texts by textphoric, recurrence, and connective. (Hadumod Bussmann, Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics. Translated and edited by Gregory P. Trauth and Kerstin Kazzazi. Routledge, 1996)

The French Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

The French Revolution - Essay Example Lasting from 1789 to 1799, the French Revolution was an era of profound social and political turbulence that not only shaped the French, but also the entire trajectory of modern history. That is, the French Revolution was marked by great and revolutionary events that left a permanent mark on the history of the French and modern history; the most outstanding events of the French Revolution are the fall of powerful monarchies and churches as well as the rise of both democracy as well as nationalism. Successive years of poor harvest coupled by a serious economic crisis following a two years long war lead to the rise of deep resentment for the advantaged position of the clergy and the Aristocracy, thereby fuelling the demands for change (Eye witness to history, 2007). Enlightenment ideals were held in high esteem in this period, leading to the meeting of the Estates-General in 1989 and the announcement of the Tennis Court Oath by members of the Third Estate in the same year. These events were later followed by the assault on Bastille, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, as well as the march on Versailles, eventualities which many contemporaries consider to have set the revolution in motion. In the following years, after the rise of the revolution, different liberal assemblies were in constant struggles with right-wing supporters of the Monarch whose intent was to frustrate the reform movement; following the declaration of a republic in 1892, King Louis XVI was put to death a year later. The trajectory of the revolution was greatly influenced by a series of external threats as marked by the numerous conquests featured in the revolutionary wars including the conquest of the Italian Peninsula as well as other low lying countries and territories on the west of Rhine. Popular agitations in France eventually climaxed with the rise of

On the instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On the instruction - Essay Example This problem can be solved through parental, guardian as well as educators’ intervention so as to be in a position to educate children about the constructive use of the internet. It should be everyone’s responsibility to provide internet safe education to the children so that they become aware of the risks they are likely to encounter through the use of the internet. The other solution that can be implemented in order to deal with this particular problem is related to empowerment of the children so that they can become masters of the destiny in as far as internet use is concerned. There are different ways of implementing these measures which are likely to provide a long solution to the problem that is related to adverse impacts of the internet on children. According to the Internet Society, â€Å"the most effective way to deal with perceived problems arising from Internet use is to empower children and young people so they know how to safeguard themselves against the a dverse effects of using the internet.† Whilst other strategies are used by different governments such as filtering or blocking websites that are thought to contain malicious information to children, it can be seen that these techniques have their own shortfalls. A holistic approach that is people centred should be implemented in order to address this problem. Empowerment of children with regards to the use of the internet is very effective since this strategy is designed to produce positive benefits of using the internet. There are different empowerment techniques that can be used such as teaching the children about appropriate language to use as well as imparting knowledge to them about their respective communities’ social, cultural and ethical norms that shape their behaviour. Every person belongs to a culture that has norms and values and these create the identity of the people living in that particular area. The culture of people also shapes their identity hence it is the role of the parents in particular to impart knowledge about their cultural values to the children. This can help the children to distinguish between something that is good from bad. Children who are aware of their cultural values are likely to maintain them throughout their lives. These values also help them to know the things they are allowed to do as well as things they are not allowed to do in their society. Morally upright children often display positive traits about their culture and this can redeem them from behaving badly when they are using the internet. It is also important for the parents as well as the educators to educate their children about the positive benefits that can be derived from using the internet. As stated by the Internet Society, it can be observed that the internet is not evil since it has significantly improved our lives in various ways. There are more benefits that are likely to be obtained from using the internet than the negative aspects such as the ones mentioned above. Essentially, parents and the educators should always strive to educate their children to be in a position to make a distinction between something that is bad from good. Whilst the parents and teachers spend most of the time with their children, it can be noted that they cannot control their behaviour all the

Gay Marriages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gay Marriages - Essay Example As the report declares in Oklahoma, we're introduced to a rancher named Sam. When Earl, his spouse of 25 years, died, he left the farm to Sam. But a few of Earl's cousins, who were of the mind that the land belongs to them, sued for it and won, which now means Sam, who has nary a cent to his name, has to find someplace else to go. His children, from a previous, heterosexual marriage, try to sell a few of Sam's horses, but the asking price is insultingly low. This essay stresses that De Seve uses shots of rallies and protests, fragments from interviews with gay public figures. The history of marriage from medieval times to now is explained, it is said that the concept of mar-rying for love, not the business of survival, is a relatively modern act and that marriage is an ever-evolving institution. De Seve invokes the case of Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter, a white man and black woman whose marriage led to the 1967 Supreme Court decision ending legal restrictions on marriages based on race. The film makes us understand, that it is very important to be tolerant towards those who are not like you, and even if you are a heterosexual, you should understand homosexuals and their desire to have a family. Matters of civil justice often can be quite serious, as it is shown in â€Å"Tying the Knot†. But there can even be life-threatening consequences: in most states, gays cannot make medical decisions for their partners in an emergency.

Buying Verses Renting A House - How Will One Choose Essay

Buying Verses Renting A House - How Will One Choose - Essay Example Possessing a home frequently binds up hundreds of thousands of amount that may be spended more securely and more profitably somewhere else over the next decade. And whilst property brokers or dealers might disgust to admit it, home possession engages its own descriptions of fling money away, like assets taxes and the costs of scrounging. The study illustrates main costs and profits of possessing and renting, together with tax breaks - and possessing a home nowadays is more luxurious than renting (The Economist, 2005, Issue 8416). There are perceptibly turnovers to home possessions further than the monetary criteria, like serenity and a feeling of constancy. Proprietors cannot have their home pulled away by a property-owner who has assured to shift back in. Owners can also alter the paint of their living room walls or place doors or windows without asking any authorization. Merge these paybacks with the contractual expenses of a house sale, and renting almost certainly does not make wisdom for most people who previously own their home and feel established in it. But the computation can look fairly diverse for those who are in view of moving anyhow or who do not up till now own a home. At the least, renters in bang markets, who frequently mourn that they are wasting wealth, should be familiar with that their option has as influential a financial justification as buying does at present. (The Economist, 2005, Issue 8416) In U.S a 1,000-sq.ft, two-bedroom apartment on the rental fee is for about $3,700 per month. Purchasing a comparable apartment cost approximately $1.1 million, which can decode into monthly expenses of $6,000 or accordingly. To evaluate the cost of renting, the analyst summed up monthly rent and renters' cover. For possessing, the analyst incorporated particular costs for home insurance, main repairs, assets taxes and credit payments, as well as the tax subtractions they generate. This evaluates that owning is more expensive every month; therefore purchasers are gambling completely on price admirations. (Buying Or Renting A House, Online, P1) But to countless people, the psychosomatic profits of purchasing are more or less not possible to conquer. Possessing makes them sense that they have attained a dream come true, or it gives them the protected sense that, if not anything besides, they have a concrete asset where they can slumber in darkness. These are pleasant thoughts, certainly. The question is how greatly they are meaningful to you. Advantages And Disadvantages - Buying Or Renting A House Breathing in one's personal home is an essential part of one's dream. However, scores of people hold fallacy about the monetary features of purchasing and possessing a home. It is for eternity healthier to purchase a house; paying rent is like driving money along the drain. For decades, such suggestion has confident communities to have a loan like mad to get on the possessions ranking at earliest. But as one observes around the world House prices are at present at very high levels in comparison to rents in a lot of parts of the world and at this time, it over and over again makes more monetary sense, particularly for first-time purchasers, to rent out instead. Home purchasers are liable to undervalue their cost. Formerly maintenance costs, insurance and

Building Information Modeling (BIM) For Sustainable Design Dissertation

Building Information Modeling (BIM) For Sustainable Design - Dissertation Example Introduction 29 5.2. Kiowa County School, Greensburg, Kansas 29 6. Results and Discussion 33 7. References 37 Building Information Modeling for Sustainable Design 1. Chapter One: Introduction 1.1. Impact of Building Construction on Environment Building construction is one of the oldest human activities on the earth. The proverb â€Å"necessity is the mother of invention† probably evoked in human talent for creating a controlled environment in order to moderate the effects of climate. Human beings constructed shelters to adapt themselves to a wide variety of climates (Encyclopedia of Britannica, n.d.). This is how emerged a new activity, which is called building construction. Centuries of development have established three principal characteristics of building construction; design, material, and comfort. The history of evolution of building construction has marked number of trends that are associated with these characteristics. Among them are search for increasing durability of building materials, quest for providing greater height and span to the construction, implementation of innovative approaches to increase the degrees of control over the interior environment of the building as well as the use of more robust machineries in construction (Encyclopedia of Britannica, n.d.). The present state of building construction is the result of many evolutionary processes like agrarian, industrial, and digital. In the process of evolution, the design process of building construction became more and more complicated. At the same time, this process also created a broad range of building products that are categorized according to the building types and markets. Today’s building construction process involves professionals like building product manufacturers, craftsmen, contractors, coordinators, specialized consultants, and quality control personnel. This complex integrated process represents the largest industry in the world. According to United States Environm ental Protection Agency (EPA), in the USA this industry in 2002 consisted of 223,114 establishments representing more than $531 billion in annual revenues. It is no doubt that this complex process provides countless benefit to the society, however; at the same it uses a vast amount of resources. Worldwide construction activities consume three billion tons of raw materials each year; it is 60% of total global use (Dixon, 2010; Ahmed, 2010). Loss of agricultural land to the building is 80% (Dixon, 2010). Total land area in the USA is 2.3 billion acres; urban land area from 1945 to 2002 quadrupled against twofold population growth over the same period (United States Energy Protection Agency, 2009). During the time of 1997 to 2002, rural land use for residential purposes increased by 29% (United States Energy Protection Agency, 2009); no other industry uses more material worldwide than the construction industry (Ahmed, 2010). Per Australian Bureau of statistics building and construction industries use 55% of timber, 27% of plastic products and 12% of iron and steel (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2003). Building construction industry on one side consumes enormous natural resources, and on the other side it gives to nature heat and pollution, construction waste, solid waste, sewage and surface drainage. According to EPA (United States Energy Protection Agency, 2009), buildings in the United States produces 38.9% of the nation’s total carbon dioxide emissions; 20.8% from the residential sector and 18.1% from the commercial sector. According to

Human Rights Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Rights - Case Study Example By enforced disappearance, the abductor not only violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and his right to life but also denies the abducted the right to a family life, as well as, various economic, social and cultural rights. Furthermore, they take away the victim's right to adequate standard of living and his right to education. Also, if death is not the ultimate outcome of the disappearance, then the victim might suffer an extended period of physical and psychological torture which also contradicts Article 6 of Body of Principals for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, which states that "no person under any form of detention or imprisonment shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment3 4." In the case of P.D.S' wife, where the state failed to take any sort of action against the disappearance of the victims, the victim's family and friends, who experience slow mental torture, have the right to plead their case to the international human rights bodies. If the appeal is made to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, then the report to be admissible, it has to originate from the family member or a friend of the missing person, in this case, P.D.S' wife. A written report, giving clear indication of the sender, that is, P.D.S' wife, has to be submitted and if she mentions the Utopian Government, then the Government have to provide the Working Group with some basic data including the missing person's full name, date and place of disappearance, where was the person last seen and any steps taken for the determination of the whereabouts of the abducted. If the case is pleaded to any other Treaty-Based International Human Rights Organizations, then the complaint or the admissibility procedure is that the person putting forward the complaint should have sufficient authorization or justification if complaining on behalf of someone else. It has to be clearly proven and shown whether the individual is being affected by the violation or not. Also, the complaint made should be compatible with the provisions of the treaty invoked. The complaint has to be sufficiently substantial as if substantial facts are not provided then the complaint might be rejected as a case of "manifestly ill-founded". All the domestic remedies should be exhausted before bringing a claim to the committee. According to the Treaty-Based International Humans Rights Organizations, if a complaint is being examined by some other international organizations such as Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the European Court of Human Rights or the African Commission o

Buying Verses Renting A House - How Will One Choose Essay

Buying Verses Renting A House - How Will One Choose - Essay Example Possessing a home frequently binds up hundreds of thousands of amount that may be spended more securely and more profitably somewhere else over the next decade. And whilst property brokers or dealers might disgust to admit it, home possession engages its own descriptions of fling money away, like assets taxes and the costs of scrounging. The study illustrates main costs and profits of possessing and renting, together with tax breaks - and possessing a home nowadays is more luxurious than renting (The Economist, 2005, Issue 8416). There are perceptibly turnovers to home possessions further than the monetary criteria, like serenity and a feeling of constancy. Proprietors cannot have their home pulled away by a property-owner who has assured to shift back in. Owners can also alter the paint of their living room walls or place doors or windows without asking any authorization. Merge these paybacks with the contractual expenses of a house sale, and renting almost certainly does not make wisdom for most people who previously own their home and feel established in it. But the computation can look fairly diverse for those who are in view of moving anyhow or who do not up till now own a home. At the least, renters in bang markets, who frequently mourn that they are wasting wealth, should be familiar with that their option has as influential a financial justification as buying does at present. (The Economist, 2005, Issue 8416) In U.S a 1,000-sq.ft, two-bedroom apartment on the rental fee is for about $3,700 per month. Purchasing a comparable apartment cost approximately $1.1 million, which can decode into monthly expenses of $6,000 or accordingly. To evaluate the cost of renting, the analyst summed up monthly rent and renters' cover. For possessing, the analyst incorporated particular costs for home insurance, main repairs, assets taxes and credit payments, as well as the tax subtractions they generate. This evaluates that owning is more expensive every month; therefore purchasers are gambling completely on price admirations. (Buying Or Renting A House, Online, P1) But to countless people, the psychosomatic profits of purchasing are more or less not possible to conquer. Possessing makes them sense that they have attained a dream come true, or it gives them the protected sense that, if not anything besides, they have a concrete asset where they can slumber in darkness. These are pleasant thoughts, certainly. The question is how greatly they are meaningful to you. Advantages And Disadvantages - Buying Or Renting A House Breathing in one's personal home is an essential part of one's dream. However, scores of people hold fallacy about the monetary features of purchasing and possessing a home. It is for eternity healthier to purchase a house; paying rent is like driving money along the drain. For decades, such suggestion has confident communities to have a loan like mad to get on the possessions ranking at earliest. But as one observes around the world House prices are at present at very high levels in comparison to rents in a lot of parts of the world and at this time, it over and over again makes more monetary sense, particularly for first-time purchasers, to rent out instead. Home purchasers are liable to undervalue their cost. Formerly maintenance costs, insurance and

Human Rights Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Rights - Case Study Example By enforced disappearance, the abductor not only violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and his right to life but also denies the abducted the right to a family life, as well as, various economic, social and cultural rights. Furthermore, they take away the victim's right to adequate standard of living and his right to education. Also, if death is not the ultimate outcome of the disappearance, then the victim might suffer an extended period of physical and psychological torture which also contradicts Article 6 of Body of Principals for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, which states that "no person under any form of detention or imprisonment shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment3 4." In the case of P.D.S' wife, where the state failed to take any sort of action against the disappearance of the victims, the victim's family and friends, who experience slow mental torture, have the right to plead their case to the international human rights bodies. If the appeal is made to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, then the report to be admissible, it has to originate from the family member or a friend of the missing person, in this case, P.D.S' wife. A written report, giving clear indication of the sender, that is, P.D.S' wife, has to be submitted and if she mentions the Utopian Government, then the Government have to provide the Working Group with some basic data including the missing person's full name, date and place of disappearance, where was the person last seen and any steps taken for the determination of the whereabouts of the abducted. If the case is pleaded to any other Treaty-Based International Human Rights Organizations, then the complaint or the admissibility procedure is that the person putting forward the complaint should have sufficient authorization or justification if complaining on behalf of someone else. It has to be clearly proven and shown whether the individual is being affected by the violation or not. Also, the complaint made should be compatible with the provisions of the treaty invoked. The complaint has to be sufficiently substantial as if substantial facts are not provided then the complaint might be rejected as a case of "manifestly ill-founded". All the domestic remedies should be exhausted before bringing a claim to the committee. According to the Treaty-Based International Humans Rights Organizations, if a complaint is being examined by some other international organizations such as Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the European Court of Human Rights or the African Commission o

Mary Shelley & Frankenstein Essay Example for Free

Mary Shelley Frankenstein Essay How do the themes explored by Mary Shelley in Frankenstein relate to a modern audience? The beginning of civilisation brought the evidential classification of people as insiders and outsiders in any close society, due to the narrow stereotypical minds of the masses and often the simplistic facts of life. People are separated from the rest of the community as a result of perhaps their physical appearance or a difference in their personality. Stereotypical idols in todays society are greatly influential; we are quick to identify faults in others and use this excuse to ostracise them from the world and ourselves. Mary Shelley embodies this outsider through the monster that Frankenstein creates. He is isolated and rejected by everyone, so we are made to empathise with him; human beings have a natural instinct to do this, so the text is universalised. Ironically, at times the monster is more humane than those who consider themselves human, those who consider themselves insiders, opposed to the monster- an outsider. This novel opens on a personal note, Shelley uses the device of letters as a hook to draw in the reader; an invasion of privacy universalises the thoughts on paper, like reading someone elses diary. This makes it easier for us to empathise to Captain Walton and subsequently Victor Frankenstein, who is very similar in many aspects to him. These two strong male characters are romanticised by Shelley make them easier to relate to in a modern audience, because they far more believable with multi- faceted personalities. They are romantic anti- heroes; their ambition intrigues us and we are able to identify with them and their achievements. The letters are deliberately left without an exact date, so as to not only create a sense of mystery but to also ensure that the story isnt concreted to a specific era, as it relates more to society as a whole rather than a period of time. Shelley uses a high diction style of writing, which is littered with emotive adjectives to prevent it becoming stagnated and boring for the audience. The information is given to us little at a time to arouse our curiosity and make us read further into the book, where crescendos are commonly used after a more mundane part of the story, so the excitement peaks and falls throughout. An example of this is when the monster is first sighted in letter 4 where there is a dramatic climax before he disappears from view, leaving the audience in doubt of what will happen next. A prominent theme in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein is one of an idealistic world. Victor idealises his family, like a fairytale, too good to be true in reality, which it seems he wants to escape as he knows his family are far from perfect, and a good example of this is portrayed in the quote; There was a considerable difference between ages of my parents, but this circumstance seemed to unite them closer in the bonds of devoted affection. (Ch1, pg33, line7)

Negative Effects of the Industrial Revolution

Negative Effects of the Industrial Revolution 1834 in Lowell, Massachusetts; chants of Union is Power could be heard as the young girls of Lowell Mills took to the streets to protest a wage cut of 15-20% to their already meager salaries. Banded together as one, with a common sense of companionship and unity bred from long hours of working side by side; the girls attempted to keep their earnings. An attempt that only ended in defeat, and the firing , of many. This is only a small example of the many indecencies done to society during the Industrial Revolution of America. From 1824 to 1840 the Jacksonian Era raged in America, a period in time in which the common man became the focal point of politics and the Industrial Revolution reared its head; changing the country economically as well as socially. In this time period The United States of America went from a mainly agricultural based economy to one that relied heavily on textiles and manufacturing. Several factors contributed to this occurrence: new technology, new fuel sources, advancements in transportation, a rise in immigration, and the creation of the telegraph which led to faster communication not only in America but also across the sea. Technological advancements were accompanied by a drastic rise in the population, not only had the average birth rate risen, immigration had added hundreds of thousands new residences in a relatively small period of time, mostly coming from Ireland and Germany. In the mid-1840s Ireland was faced with the Potato Famine, an extreme drought that left more than two million dead. In an attempt to escape this condition, and find a country that could not only support them but in which they could also make a living, many Irish immigrated to America. Unfortunately, many of these immigrants reached the land of plenty with insufficient means and were forced to stay in the cities being unable to afford expanding westward into new territory, or even owning any land at all. Due to their financial situations, many Irish immigrants were taken advantage of by the natives. Boston was a good example of the abuse that occurred to the Irish. Landlords were known to divide former single family dwellings into inexpensive housing charging a single Irish family living in a nine by eleven foot room with poor ventilation, no water, unsanitary conditions, and no daylight for around $1.50 a week. The demand for housing was astronomical and the cramped, overpopulated conditions that steamed from this need became a breeding place for diseases; especially cholera. Of all the Irish children born in Boston during this period, sixty percent did not live to see their sixth birthday, and the adult Irish lived an average of only six years after stepping off the boat into America. Most of this death and disease was simply caused by poor housing. A Boston Committee of International Health described an Irish slum as, a perfect hive of human beings, without comforts and mostly without common necessities; in many cases huddled together like brutes, without regard for to age or sex or sense of decency. Under such circumstances, self-respect, forethought, all the high noble virtues soon die out, and sullen indifference and despair or disorder, intemperance and utter degradation reign supreme. Not only were the new Irish immigrants faced with horrible living conditions, they were also discriminated against heavily by the native Americans. The Protestant population that could trace their origins all the way back to the earliest English settlers did not take very kindly to the newcomers. Not only were they stealing scarce jobs that were in high demand in their eyes, but they were also Catholics. Protestants were extremely against any religion that wasnt theirs, especially Catholics who were rumored to be cannibals among other things. It was this resentment that helped fund a strong nativist/ anti-Immigration movement and helped to later form the Know-Nothing Party. This discrimination along with the fear that the Irish immigrants would take much needed jobs led to the placement of NINA signs on many factories, or No Irish Need Apply . Germans, the other major European nationality emigrating to America at this time, faired slightly better due to the fact that they arrived in North America in much better financial standings. However, they were still forced to deal with discrimination and were still forced down to the bottom of the social ladder. Many ended up pushing westward and keeping to themselves, forming German communities. Women were another group that was greatly affected by the Industrial Revolution. Before the Industrial Revolution farm women and girls made a living for their families; spinning yarn, weaving cloth, and making candles, soap, butter, and cheese. However, with the new technology in manufacturing goods, these women were displaced by factories that could produce the same products at a much quicker pace and at greater quantities. While these factories took away one part of their livelihood, they attempted to make up for it by offering employment to them, promising a new economic independence and the ability to afford all of the manufactured products of the time. This promise was misleading; the reality of the matter was that these factory girls typically worked long, grueling thirteen hour days, six days a week. They earned a meager salary, much below the male workers of those days, for limb-numbing, mind-draining, dangerous work in which the machinery could seriously or even fatally injure a girl of she made a mistake. On top of that, they were made to live in a small boarding house owned by their employers, carefully watched and held at a very strict time schedule that ran their lives leaving these young women with no free time. Their lives were lived from whistle to whistle, its blowing signaling when to wake up, eat breakfast, go to work, and every other aspect of their lives including going to church every Sunday. The factories also claimed that they would provide education for their young workers. However, this was generally meant to be done on the ladies own time that of which there was little. A young woman who worked in the Lowell M ills of Massachusetts in 1845 wrote about her living conditions, Crowded into a small room, which contains three beds and six females, all possessing the without end tongue of women, what chance is there for studying?Despite the constant restriction these women were set in a new environment far from home with no mother-like figure to guide them. These boarding houses provided plenty of temptations and the lack of guidance was surely an equation for trouble. Another problem that arose with women in the workplace was the rearing of the next generation. Long hours in the factories, year after year, led to a physically and emotional premature breakdown of these women. When it came time to raise their own children who were to be the next generation, many times they had to continue working or were ill after the added stress that child birth put on them. A young Lowell Mill girl simply known as Julianna commented that, It has been remarked by some writer that the mother educates the man. Now, if this be a truth, as we believe it is, to a very great extent, what, we would ask, are we to expect, the same labor prevailing, will be the mental and intellectual character of the future generations of New England? The Industrial Revolution which led to the employment of women completely disrupted the cult of domesticity that was in place at this time. Despite the fact that this cult of domesticity was almost necessary to the bringing up of children at this time, it was also something that most women wanted. They looked forward to raising their children at home; this was a society that was still predominantly family orientated. A new way of looking at life was becoming prominent with the Industrial Revolution. The strive to make money in order to survive and obtain the luxuries now available to the general population through the new manufacturing technologies brought about the idea that money equaled happiness. That, To get, and to have the reputation of possessing, is the ruling passion ( Bellows, Henry W. The Influence of the Trading Spirit ,1845) is the new American ideal. According to Henry W. Bellows , this new drive for material possessions and money was creating an anxiety in the people of America, making them fundamentally unhappy. The basic moralities that used to drive the nation were no longer, and the new need for material conquests had taken over creating an every man for himself environment. In other countries in the world, happiness is as easy as maintaining a family business and making enough financially to support a family, but not so in America. Where work had driven American families ti b e gone from the home for most of the day and to neglect the family. This bread an unfortunate consequence of unhappiness during the Jacksonian period. All of these factors can add up to and attribute to one of the most influential social changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution; a widening of the gap between the rich and the poor. Through the new market enterprise, those in charge continuously took advantage of the less fortunate, gaining wealth without fail. Whereas those who were poor only continued to become more so. This widening of the social gap was beneficial to none but the highest of classes leaving the majority to despair and strive to survive. The Industrial Revolution from 1824 to 1840 was a time of drastic change. An influx of new immigrants, over population, new social roles for women, a new American ideal, and a widening gap between social classes were all unfortunate repercussions of this movement that drastically changed the way society ran for the worse. Creating a negative impact that categorizes this era and provides a building block for unrest in the Civil War. Sources Cited: 1834 Lowell Mill Girls Turnout to Protest Wage Cuts. Massachusets AFL-CIO. Web. 26 Feb. 2011. . Bellows, Henry W. The Influence of the Trading Spirit. 1845. Print Robinson, Harriet H. Memories of a Factory Girl. 1898. Print. A Young Woman Writes of the Evils of Factory Life in 1845. Documents Workbook Out of Man A History of the American People. Fifth ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, 2007. 146-47. Print. A New England Woman Describes the Responsibilities of American Women in 1847. Documents Workbook Out of Man A History of the American People. Fifth ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, 2007. 148-49. Print. A Young Woman Writes of the Evils of Factory Life in 1845. Documents Workbook Out of Man A History of the American People. Fifth ed. Upper Saddle RIver: Pearson Education, 2007. 146-47. Print. A New England Factory Issues Regulations for Workers. Documents Workbook Out of Man A History of the American People. Fifth ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, 2007. 146-47. Print.

Torvald Helmer of Henrik Isbens A Dolls House :: A Dolls House Essays

Torvald Helmer of Henrik Isben's A Doll's House In Henrik Isben's A Doll's House, he makes the observation that women in contemporary society posses no independent self unrestricted from the male's image of them; Isben accomplishes this through the character relationship between Torvald Helmer and his wife Nora. Henrik Isben sought to show the psychological complexity of realism underneath the surface of a typical urban bourgeoisie or professional class family. Thus in doing so, brings out the central conflict between the idealistic Torvald and this underlying theme demonstrated through Nora. Ultimately, it is because of Torvald's completely inflexible and self-righteous attitudes towards life and his moralistic values, that Nora is driven from her role of submisiveness in his game of male dominance to seek her own identity. Hel. (walking about the room). What a horrible awakening! All these eight years-she who was my joy and pride-a hypocrite, a liar-worse, worse-a criminal! The unutterable ugliness of it all! For shame! For shame! ...(62) It is only when she has found this sense of a self that she had been denying and sacrificing all these years, that she can truly begin to love others. Hel. Before all else you are a wife and a mother. Nora. I don't believe that any longer. I believe that before all else I am a reasonable human being just as you are-or, at all events, that I must try and become one. (68) This game which she had been playing with her father before, and now with the close-minded Torvald, she finally realizes, is the "Dolls House" she's been living in for all her life, never finding out who she truly is. Nora. But our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your doll wife, just as at home I was Papa's doll child; and here the children have been my dolls. I thought it was great fun when you played with me,

Shakespeares The Winters Tale :: Shakespeare Winters Tale Essays

The Characters of Hermione, Perdita, and Paulina in The Winters Tale  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although Hermione is one of the main characters, we see very little of her in the play. She is horribly betrayed by her husband, but we never really see her feelings on the subject. In many other plays, Shakespeare uses asides and soliloquies to give insight into the characters mind. Hermione must be having complex and very troubling thoughts, but we never see them. Hermione is in Act I Scene ii where she plays the perfect royal hostess. In Act I Scene iii, she is accused of adultery with Polixenes by Leontes and taken to prison. She is not seen agian until Act III Scene ii, where she stands trial for her treason. Immediately after this scene, she dies, or appears to die, offstage. The audience is given no indication that she is still alive until Act V Scene iii, where the statue becomes flesh. Hermione is portrayed as an innocent victim throughout the play. When her husband fist becomes jealous, she is puzzled by his behavior and wonders if affairs of state are bothering him. Her lack of knowledge about his jealousy gives credit to her plea of innocence. She had obviously never been an unfaithful wife, therefore she had no reason to worry that her husband would suspect her. Polixenes flees in fear of death, but he leaves Hermione behind. If she had known that she was guilty and was facing punishment, she could have left with Polixenes. When she comes back to life as a statue, she says that she has preserved herself in the chance occurance that Perdita was alive. The audience is never given any further explaination, so we cannot conclude that she even saved herself in an illegal or false fashion. The character of Perdita is a wonderful study in the sociological theories of nature versus nurture. She leaves the royal court when she is only days old and is raised by and old shepherd and his son, the Clown. Although the family found a great deal of money when they found the baby, the upbringing she recieved could not have been equal to a traditional royal upbringing. Nevertheless, Perdita seems to be endowed from birth with a royal manner. She has been crowned Queen of the sheep-shearing feast when we first see her again, and she has won the deep love of a prince.