Murdoch Family Business Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Murdoch Family Business Analysis - Essay Example The business was originally set up in the year 1828 by two emigrants of Scottish origin into Australia in 1828 viz. Reverend James Murdoch and Helen Murdoch. The members of this family are prominently known as the international proprietors in the world of media. The family business is especially popular in the United States of America, United Kingdom and Australia. Some of the members of the Murdoch family have also carved a niche of themselves in the area of clergy, military and arts in Australia. The Murdoch Family Business is highly reputed for its business legacy and because it has been a highly successful and completely family controlled business which has been managed in an impressive manner over the generations of the functioning of the business empire (Page, 2003).Currently, the Murdoch Family Business holds stakes in a number of companies and corporations in the arena of media including News Corporation, the Times of London, and Sunday Times, 21st Century Fox and The Herald and Weekly Times Limited. The Murdoch Family Business is mainly concentrated on the mass media and entertainment industry either through the direct ownership companies or through stakes in internationally acclaimed entertainment and media companies. The different companies under the control of the family operate in various verticals of the mass media and entertainment sector. As per a report by Forbes in 2007, Rupert Murdoch was the 73rd ranked billionaire in the world who has a net worth of USD 9.1 billion as of 2007 (Forbes Magazine, 2007). By 2013, Rupert Murdoch went on to become the 33rd richest individual in the United States of America and the 91st richest individual in the world. From 2007 to 2013, the net worth of Rupert Murdoch as the owner of the Murdoch family business rose form USD 9.1 billion o USD 13.4 billion. Also, in 2013, Rupert Murdoch and the family were ranked as the 33rd most influential family in the world. The fortune

Medical Modal Essay Example for Free

Medical Modal Essay Explain the two models of disability and the impact of each on practice: †¢ Medical Model Disability is seen as the problem; not attempting to overcome challenges presented from disability. Therefore people with disabilities are excluded and miss out on lots of things in life †¢ Social Model The environment and society are seen as the problem, not the disability. All people are included where possible and the environment and resources can be adapted to make things possible. Why is a positive attitude towards disability and specific requirements important? Having a positive attitude helps to ensure that children and people with disabilities and specific requirements achieve positive outcomes in their lives. Positive attitudes promote positive learning and development and gives the person or child high self-esteem, self-reliance and self-confidence. It is about adapting the environment or society to meet the individual’s needs. Explain how inclusive practice promotes equality and supports diversity. Assistive technology (AT) can help disabled people to perform functions that they couldn’t otherwise do, such as electric wheelchairs, voice recognition on their computer for mobility and communicating. Speech therapists can support children with cerebral palsy for example or other conditions that cause difficulty with speech. Health professionals will help children with cystic fibrosis. Additional learning support at school could help a child with autism or dyslexia. Portage workers help support the family and child when they may have developmental or learning difficulties, physical disabilities or other Special Educational Needs. FIRST team can give advice and show strategies for children with behavioural difficulties.

The Wife of Bath as a Feminist Essay -- The Wife of Bath Essays

The Wife of Bath’s Tale features a character that seemed to resemble a feminist. But in Chaucer’s time, feminism was thought to be abnormal and the pilgrims reacted negatively towards her for it, but The Wife of Bath had no shame about displaying herself as she really was. She was not ashamed of the fact that she had been married five times, and was about to marry again and she hid nothing. The prologue of this tale showed that the Wife of Bath was not seen as an upstanding woman, nor did she desire to be seen as one. She portrayed feminism, almost as soon as she began speaking in the prologue, she explained that she had gone through five husbands, and she was on the look out for a sixth. She also admitted that she married for money: "I’ll tell the truth. Those husbands I had, three of them were good and two of them bad. The three I call â€Å"good† were rich and old. They could indeed with difficulty hold the articles that bound them all to me† (Bath 263). She even went to the point of saying that she didn’t value her husbands’ love. Then again, why should she? She received what she wanted which was money, control, and anything that she desired, they provided. The Wife of Bath thought that all women needed to be the controlling factors in marriage. That is how she believed she would gain her husbands’ money. She claimed that if women can’t marry for money, they must marry for sex, for those are the only two things that really matter. Women must have control of their husbands, according to the Wife, and she is proud of the fact that she governed her husbands. If she had to put them in their place, she would make her husbands feel guilty, even if they had nothing to feel guilty about. The Wife exaggerated with her accusations, showin... ...raitor, you say she’s game for any fornicator.† (Bath 265). The wife wanted what every woman wants in a relationship which was POWER. The Wife of Bath came across as a very fake woman. So how would she be portrayed in today’s society? There are plenty of women out there who marry for money. Some of them like to publicize it, while others do not. There is only one thing that would make The Wife of Bath not as successful today, which is the law. Most men who do come from money, or have earned their own wealth, watch it closely. There are protectors out there, and contracts such as a pre-nuptial agreement. But The Wife played it well as she would wait until the husband would die. In that case, she would gain his wealth. But in my opinion, I have a hard time thinking that a man would stick around with an ugly old woman that liked to beat him and never honor his love. The Wife of Bath as a Feminist Essay -- The Wife of Bath Essays The Wife of Bath’s Tale features a character that seemed to resemble a feminist. But in Chaucer’s time, feminism was thought to be abnormal and the pilgrims reacted negatively towards her for it, but The Wife of Bath had no shame about displaying herself as she really was. She was not ashamed of the fact that she had been married five times, and was about to marry again and she hid nothing. The prologue of this tale showed that the Wife of Bath was not seen as an upstanding woman, nor did she desire to be seen as one. She portrayed feminism, almost as soon as she began speaking in the prologue, she explained that she had gone through five husbands, and she was on the look out for a sixth. She also admitted that she married for money: "I’ll tell the truth. Those husbands I had, three of them were good and two of them bad. The three I call â€Å"good† were rich and old. They could indeed with difficulty hold the articles that bound them all to me† (Bath 263). She even went to the point of saying that she didn’t value her husbands’ love. Then again, why should she? She received what she wanted which was money, control, and anything that she desired, they provided. The Wife of Bath thought that all women needed to be the controlling factors in marriage. That is how she believed she would gain her husbands’ money. She claimed that if women can’t marry for money, they must marry for sex, for those are the only two things that really matter. Women must have control of their husbands, according to the Wife, and she is proud of the fact that she governed her husbands. If she had to put them in their place, she would make her husbands feel guilty, even if they had nothing to feel guilty about. The Wife exaggerated with her accusations, showin... ...raitor, you say she’s game for any fornicator.† (Bath 265). The wife wanted what every woman wants in a relationship which was POWER. The Wife of Bath came across as a very fake woman. So how would she be portrayed in today’s society? There are plenty of women out there who marry for money. Some of them like to publicize it, while others do not. There is only one thing that would make The Wife of Bath not as successful today, which is the law. Most men who do come from money, or have earned their own wealth, watch it closely. There are protectors out there, and contracts such as a pre-nuptial agreement. But The Wife played it well as she would wait until the husband would die. In that case, she would gain his wealth. But in my opinion, I have a hard time thinking that a man would stick around with an ugly old woman that liked to beat him and never honor his love.

Gone with the Wind Essay

â€Å"Gone with the Wind† is an adaptation of an historical romance. The film, set in Civil War-era southern United States, tends to be highly sentimental. Paradoxically, the circumstances in which it is set are often harrowing and serve to highlight the bravery required to survive during that time. The â€Å"frothiness† of the plot is in stark contrast to the utter seriousness of its context. The film opens in the antebellum South, on a Georgia plantation where the heroine entertains two gentlemen callers. The talk is of imminent war, a theme which guests carry through the subsequent picnic. Talk then turns to action and the men depart to enlist in the Confederate Army. Confidence and jubilation quickly become disappointment which gives way to horror as the realities of war intrude upon the genteel tableau. Under assault, the Southerners struggle to keep their society together in the face of poverty, filth, and chaos. We see the major historical points of the period, especially Sherman’s march through Georgia and the burning of Atlanta, a scorched earth policy. The women are the main characters in the film. In the effects of war and its aftermath we see destitution, famine, terror, desperation. The wounded are legion and supplies dwindle and disappear. The war ends and the soldiers come home to regroup. Carpetbaggers descend and begin an uneasy alliance with enterprising individuals, notably Scarlett. She casts aside honor to regain prosperity, marrying for money and using her combination of feminine wiles and shrewdness to rise above abject poverty. Finally she marries Rhett, a selfish opportunist like her. At the end he realizes that she will never love him and leaves Scarlett with that which has sustained her; an abiding love for Tara. This narrative is history seen from the women’s perspective. They are alternately brave, childish, and childlike, treading on the line between what they are and what they must be. They do it for the men of the South, themselves, and for the South itself. The depiction of the war and the events surrounding it is largely consistent with the historical record. The factual portions of the film are in part accurate. For instance, at a benefit supporting the war, the ladies are asked to relinquish their jewelry. Such a depiction is consistent with the account in â€Å"The American Civil War† by Peter J. Parish and it highlights one of the sacrifices women made during this time. George A. Trenholm, who replaced Secretary of the Confederate Treasury Memminger, asked for these concessions as the finances of the South became particularly desperate. This detail concerns one of the points at which â€Å"Gone With the Wind† succeeds as history. â€Å"†¦wealthy female slaveholders escaped significant disruption in their lives at the outset of the war, for they had money to maintain their antebellum lifestyle and the slaves to maintain plantation production. † (Frank 514) Thus the sheltered experience depicted in the film is wholly consistent with rich women’s lives until the last stages of the period. In opposition, several events as depicted in â€Å"Gone with the Wind† are inaccurate. At the end and after the war, black people did not leap to the aid of their former masters as the film asserts. The character Mammy would have sought paid employment rather than stay on a ruined plantation. In reality, the vast majority of the planters used violence to subjugate their â€Å"property. † In one scene, the character Ashley Wilkes chides Scarlett for treating the convict workers in her lumber mill cruelly in supposed contrast with their treatment of the slaves. It is true that in the darkest days for the South they did choose to prevail upon the Negroes to fight for their own oppression. â€Å"There was no greater irony in all the efforts of the Confederacy to find adequate means to match its ambitious goals than the proposal to arm Negroes. † (Parish 561) But the slaves did not fight for the South as much for a newfound and cherished liberty, greater than they had ever known. And once they had tasted that liberty, they did not willingly acquiesce in the imposition of a terrible, unjust burden. The importance of the Civil War and its aftermath can hardly be overstated. The struggle has been the only armed conflict fought on our territory. It consumed nearly 500,000 lives, the largest wartime death toll in American history. It also was a first step in remedying the shame of slavery which Americans had perpetrated in a country which largely had been the realization of a vision of freedom and equality. They fought with not only the political reality of the South’s secession of 1861, but with the region’s separate psychology. â€Å"By 1860 the South was a state of mind as well as a place on the map. A definition of ‘Southernness’ was and is at least as much a task for the psychologist as for the geographer. † (Parish 303) This enduring mindset notwithstanding, had the South won, not only would the crime of slavery have been continued, it is doubtful that the U. S. would have grown into the superpower it is today. The war determined that an integral part of the union would remain. The significance of the war for the world at large in the mid-nineteenth century â€Å"†¦belongs in part to the realm of might-have-beens; its long-term consequences derived less from what did happen from what did not. † (Parish 381) Among the events that very well might have happened were interference from foreign governments, international recognition of the Confederacy, and the widening of this internecine war into a general conflagration abroad. Such luck for the union was due to the relative isolation the U. S. has enjoyed throughout its history. Americans fought their war amid constant threats from abroad. â€Å"There was nothing inevitable about the fact that it remained a domestic†¦affair. It remained a purely American affair through a combination of good fortune and great skill on the part of those who wished to keep it so, gross errors on the part of those who did not, and canny calculations of national and self-interest on the part of those who might have been caught in its toils. † (Parish 381) Although some continue to fight this war in their minds, they benefit from over 200 years of federal association and its attendant largess. As I stated earlier, with regard to the historical accuracy of the film as document, it is a women’s narrative. Though there was no Scarlett O’Hara per se, the things we see her experience and perpetrate on others is consistent with the accounts of those who actually lived in that time and place. The threat of starvation was indeed present in all households in the later stages. â€Å"Domestic production and ingenuity staved off a state of crisis for slaveholding women for a while, but, by the end of the war starvation and material deprivation shook even the most affluent households. † (Frank 515) When Scarlett was forced to hide her wagon under a bridge with three highly vulnerable people in it while Northern soldiers passed overhead, she was surviving a circumstance familiar to many Southern women. â€Å"†¦many faced the hazards of living in the path of the Union army. Those who resided near the battlefront risked having their property commandeered, stolen, or destroyed by Northern soldiers. (Frank 515) Such dangers were in addition to the threat, both potential and realized, of bodily violation. Scarlett valiantly, not to say desperately, defends herself and her loved ones against a looting Union soldier when she shoots him in the face. It is an act not uncommon to those willing and able to defend themselves. The depiction of slave and ex-slave loyalty is highly romanticized to say the least. â€Å"Gone with the Wind† depicts Negroes as possessing a childlike innocence. They seem to be a rich vein of merriment instead of the human beings upon which the horrors of bondage had been visited. Nowhere do we see slavery’s pain and degradation. The black characters in the film are even more a caricature than even the heroine is at times. The film’s tendency toward opaque sentiment at first glance is a terrible injustice to a period quite painful to the American psyche be it black or white, Northern or Southern. Certainly the film is nowhere near the caliber of slave narratives, Ken Burns’ â€Å"the Civil War†, or â€Å"Uncle Tom’s Cabin. † However, it is important as hitherto all-too-often neglected genre of women’s history. Seldom in mainstream culture is the women’s perspective represented so faithfully. And equally seldom is it given the attention and resources devoted to this film. It is simply not taken seriously enough and shunted off into women’s studies classes rather than included in the mainstream of scholarship. Valuable though they are, the women’s studies classes or gender studies courses tend to attract the favor of those predisposed to appreciate them. â€Å"Gone With the Wind†, for a long while a staple of popular culture, has reached a much wider audience. In many ways this movie is indeed an historical romance, ladies’ fiction. However it is also a significant historical document. Many more people have learned about the Civil War from the women’s point of view by means of viewing this film than from any other source. This fact, in addition to its inclusion of important data, renders it deserving of attention and respect. For instance, it highlights the worthlessness of the Confederate currency, a situation which underscores the sheer lack of administrative competence displayed in the South at all stages of the war. Not only did the Confederates fight the North, they also had to contend with the inherent weaknesses of their fledgling nation, as they sought to envision it. Many things weakened â€Å"The Cause†, most notably slavery’s lack of long-term viability as an economic model. The South was heavily invested in a system which had no hope of succeeding beyond a few years. To a great extent, the Confederacy fell under its own weight, much to the past and continuing chagrin if its champions and much to the edification of the nation of which it is a part as well as humankind in general. If only the proof of that assertion would not have required the death of so many and the maiming of still more. Bibliography Frank, Lisa Tendrich. Women in the American Civil War Vol. II. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, Inc. , 2008 Parish, Peter J. American Civil War, the. New York: Holmes and Meier, 1975.

Coach Handbag analysis Essay

Company overview Designing and marketing of accessories and gift products for women and men. The company primarily operates in the US and Japan. It is headquartered in New York City, New York and employed 18,000 people as of June 30, 2012. 36% market share as accordance of Marketline In just two years (2003–2005), Coach’s market share has increased from 18 percent to 23 percent. TARGET MARKET DISCRIPTION men and women aged between 20s- 40s who possess mid to high levels of disposable income, seeking distinctive, easily recognizable, accessible luxury products that are relevant, well made, and provide excellent value (2012, 03). Mkt 501 Case Study Module 1 Target Market Coach Handbags. Retrieved 03, 2012, http://coachinc.wordpress.com/assignment-1/brand-positioning/competitor-analysis/ Product Life Cycle Shorten new-product cycle time (releases every four to five weeks, up from twice a year). Learn through multiple new-product variations (12 to 28 per release, up from two to three). http://mmoore.ba.ttu.edu/ValuationReports/Coach.pdf SWOT ANALYSIS – MARKETLINE UNDER COACH 2 STRENGTHS Strong focus on the handbags category Consistent revenue and profit growth Multi-channel distribution strategy WEAKNESSES Dependence on independent manufacturer for procuring merchandise OPPORTUNITIES Expanding presence in China Joint ventures with international partners in Europe Increasing online sales THREATS Counterfeit goods Ban on advertising of luxury products in China Intense competition started MISC INFO: Coach was launched in 1941 in a loft in New York’s Soho district by a leather craftsman named Miles Cahn, who created ladies’ purses designed in elegantly understated black or brown and featuring simple brass turnlocks and little other decoration. The bags were expensive but so well made that they were considered an excellent value. Coach was able to present the brand from head to toe, including products from hats and outerwear to handbags and accessories. One major breakthrough was the â€Å"wristlet,† a zippered rectangular bag just 4 by 6 inches. This new product grew out of Coach’s research into how women were using their purses. Coach spends over $5 million per year on marketplace testing of new products research shows that the best Coach customers visit the store every four to five weeks. This dictates the rhythm at which Coach rolls out its own products and floor-set changes.

Prosauropods - The Ancient Cousins of the Sauropods

Prosauropods - The Ancient Cousins of the Sauropods If theres one rule of evolution, its that all mighty creatures have smaller, less overwhelming ancestors lurking somewhere back in their family treesand nowhere is this rule more evident than in the relationship between the giant sauropods of the late Jurassic period and the smaller prosauropods that preceded them by tens of millions of years. Prosauropods (Greek for before the sauropods) werent simply scaled-down versions of Brachiosaurus or Apatosaurus; many of them walked on two legs, and theres some evidence that they may have pursued an omnivorous, rather than strictly herbivorous, diet. (See a gallery of prosauropod dinosaur pictures and profiles.) You might assume from their name that prosauropods eventually evolved into sauropods; this was once thought to be the case, but paleontologists now believe that most prosauropods were actually second cousins, once removed, of the sauropods (not a technical description, but you get the idea!) Rather, it appears that prosauropods evolved in parallel with the true ancestors of sauropods, which have yet to be definitively identified (though there are a number of likely candidates). Prosauropod Physiology and Evolution One of the reason prosauropods are fairly obscureat least compared to raptors, tyrannosaurs and sauropodsis that they didnt look all that distinctive, by dinosaur standards. As a general rule, prosauropods had long (but not very long) necks, long (but not very long) tails, and only attained median sizes of between 20 and 30 feet and a few tons, max (with the exception of odd genera like the giant Melanorosaurus). Like their distant cousins, the hadrosaurs, most prosauropods were capable of walking on two or four feet, and reconstructions tend to show them in a relatively clumsy, ungainly posture. The prosauropod family tree stretches back to the late Triassic period, about 220 million years ago, when the first dinosaurs were just beginning to establish their worldwide dominance. The earliest genera, like Efraasia and Camelotia, are wrapped in mystery, since their plain vanilla appearance and anatomy meant their ancestors could have evolved in any number of directions. Another early genus was the 20-pound Technosaurus, named after Texas Tech University, which many experts believe to have been an archosaur rather than a true dinosaur, much less a prosauropod. Other early prosauropods, like Plateosaurus and Sellosaurus (which may have been the same dinosaur), are much better established on the dinosaur evolutionary tree thanks to their numerous fossil remains; in fact, Plateosaurus appears to have been one of the most common dinosaurs of late Triassic Europe, and may have roamed the grasslands in giant herds like modern bison. A third famous prosauropod of this period was the hundred-pound Thecodontosaurus, which was named for its distinctive, monitor-lizard-type teeth. Massospondylus is the best-known of the early Jurassic prosauropods; this dinosaur did in fact look like a scaled-down sauropod, but it probably ran on two legs rather than four! What Did Prosauropods Eat? Over and above their evolutionary relationship (or lack of relationship) to the giant sauropods, the most controversial aspect of prosauropods concerns what they ate for lunch and dinner. Based on an analysis of the teeth and relatively lightweight skulls of certain prosauropod genera, some paleontologists have concluded that these dinosaurs werent very well equipped for digesting the tough vegetable matter of the late Triassic period, though there are no direct proof that they ate meat (in the form of fish, insects or smaller dinosaurs). On the whole, the preponderance of the evidence is that prosauropods were strictly herbivorous, though that what if still lingers in the minds of some experts.

Free Essays on Prejudice

Giving Up Prejudice Prejudice is a negative attitude towards a group of people who have some characteristic in common that is not shared by all people. An attitude is a person’s tendency to respond favorably or unfavorably to the objects and situations he or she encouterns. Attitudes towards a group or person are made up of three components: affective, cognitive, and behavioral. The affective composing concerns of how much the person likes or dislikes the attitude-object ex: person, group, thing. A cognitive component consists of people’s beliefs about attitudes-objects. Stereotype is used in prejudice that many beliefs, about some groups and it’s members have some basis facts but has usually an overly simplistic and inaccurate beliefs that all members of a certain group believe the same things and act in the same manner. The behavioral component concerns the way a person feels that he or she should act towards the attitude-objects. - Grolier Inc. People threw-out the world use prejudice. Some people due tend to use it and other people might use it without even knowing that they are being prejudice towards a group or person. In today’s society kids with out adults use prejudice against someone or something in today’s society. A true and hard to accept fact that today, is that gays are not accepted by many people. But there are people who have, like myself, and other that still discriminate or are prejudice against them. Off all the different types of predudice against homosexuals people who have sexual or romantic relationships with people l of the same sex as themeselves is perphaps one of which alot of people would think that is is very controversial in todays society. Alot of people can see it as another life. They do not have the same privileges that any heterosexual couple have. Firstly, marriage is said to be for a male and female and not for two people of the same sex. Secondly, the image ... Free Essays on Prejudice Free Essays on Prejudice Giving Up Prejudice Prejudice is a negative attitude towards a group of people who have some characteristic in common that is not shared by all people. An attitude is a person’s tendency to respond favorably or unfavorably to the objects and situations he or she encouterns. Attitudes towards a group or person are made up of three components: affective, cognitive, and behavioral. The affective composing concerns of how much the person likes or dislikes the attitude-object ex: person, group, thing. A cognitive component consists of people’s beliefs about attitudes-objects. Stereotype is used in prejudice that many beliefs, about some groups and it’s members have some basis facts but has usually an overly simplistic and inaccurate beliefs that all members of a certain group believe the same things and act in the same manner. The behavioral component concerns the way a person feels that he or she should act towards the attitude-objects. - Grolier Inc. People threw-out the world use prejudice. Some people due tend to use it and other people might use it without even knowing that they are being prejudice towards a group or person. In today’s society kids with out adults use prejudice against someone or something in today’s society. A true and hard to accept fact that today, is that gays are not accepted by many people. But there are people who have, like myself, and other that still discriminate or are prejudice against them. Off all the different types of predudice against homosexuals people who have sexual or romantic relationships with people l of the same sex as themeselves is perphaps one of which alot of people would think that is is very controversial in todays society. Alot of people can see it as another life. They do not have the same privileges that any heterosexual couple have. Firstly, marriage is said to be for a male and female and not for two people of the same sex. Secondly, the image ...

Find out What a Bulbous Bow Is

Find out What a Bulbous Bow Is The strongest resistance any vessel faces in standard operations comes from displacement as the hull moves through the water. Waves that climb the bow are water being pushed aside faster than it can move away. It takes a lot of power to overcome the viscosity and mass of water and that means burning fuel, which adds to costs. A bulbous bow is an extension of the hull just below the waterline. It has many subtle shape variations but it’s basically a rounded front portion that flares out slightly as it blends into the traditional displacement hull construction. These forward protrusions are about twice as long as the width of the base and they would usually not extend forward past the top of the bow. The basic principle is to create a low-pressure zone to eliminate the bow wave and reduce drag. First appearing on the USS Delaware in 1910, the bulbous bow was a controversial design of U.S. Navy Ship Architect David W. Taylor. Much of the controversy disappeared ten years later when passenger ships began exploiting the design to increase speeds. Hulls built with bulbous bow sections are common today. Under certain conditions, this type of design is very efficient at redirecting forces of hydrodynamic resistance and drag. There is a movement against bulbous bows that allows greater flexibility of ships at a time when slow steaming is a way to save fuel. Good Conditions for Bulbous Bows The design of a ship with a bulbous bow is discussed in many textbooks and technical articles. It is often referred to as a theory or an art, which is a short way of saying nobody is 100 percent sure of what they are writing. There are details to be worked out but modern builders have proprietary ways of analyzing and integrating all hydrodynamic aspects of their hulls and these methods are strict secrets. A bulbous bow works best under certain conditions and good design gives efficiency gains throughout the range of these factors. Speed – At low speeds, a bulbous bow will trap water above the bulb without forming a low-pressure zone to cancel the bow wave. This leads to increased drag and loss of efficiency. Each design has what is known as most efficient hull speed, or often just hull speed. This term refers to the speed where the shape of the hull is acting on the water is such a way to produce the minimum possible drag. This ideal hull speed might not be the top speed of a ship because at some point the lower pressure zone created by the bow features becomes larger than necessary. A zone of lower pressure water that is larger than the hull is inefficient and leads to reduced rudder response. Ideally, the cone of lower pressure water will collapse just before the props. This gives the prop blades something to push against and limits cavitation at the props and rudder. Cavitation will lead to reduced efficiency of props, sluggish steering, and excessive wear of hull and drive components. Size – Vessels under 49 feet (15 m) do not have enough wetted area to take advantage of a bulbous bow. The amount of drag on a hull is related to its wetted area. The structure of the bulb also increases drag and at a certain point, the benefits shrink to zero. Conversely, larger ships with a high proportion of waterline to frontal area use the bulbous bow most effectively. Bad Conditions for Bulbous Bows Rough Seas – While a traditional hull rises with the wave, a hull with a bulbous bow can dig in even if it is designed to lift the bow under normal conditions. The issue of trim is one of the most deeply dividing aspects of bow design among naval architects. There is also a huge psychological aspect among crews who perceive this bow design as dangerous in storms. There is some truth that these bows dig into wave faces but there is little proof that it is more dangerous than traditional designs. Ice – Some ice breaking ships do have a special shape of a bulbous bow that is heavily reinforced. Most bulbous bows are prone to damage since they are the first point of contact with an obstacle. In addition to ice, large debris and fixed objects like dock faces can damage these extended underwater bows.

Submit a Personal Statement of 150500 words (maximum) that highlights Essay

Submit a Personal Statement of 150500 words (maximum) that highlights your leadership achievements or significant service contributions to your high school o - Essay Example This aided people to find books of interest and informed them of activities that occurred in the library. Teaching young people to read opened the joy of reading to them, as well as contributing to their overall learning process. . In helping children find the joy of reading, I was able to introduce them to a hobby that can last a lifetime and enrich a person immeasurably. Another contribution to my community involved helping to clean up the roads. By participating in the road cleanup, I was able to help maintain a safe environment that people in our community have been able to enjoy. Put simply, a clean environment is one that is easier to enjoy. As an active member of my church community, I help in maintaining the physical beauty as well as trying to nurture the religious aspects of the congregation. When I helped to restore my church, I was not only doing so out of the good will of my heart, but I also had in mind the many people who will be able to experience the same joy that I do when I attend my church. Not only did I help in renovating the building, but I was also able to teach young children about the church's founding as well as the biblical history of my religion. By participating in such service contributions, I was not only able to retain the faith in my religion for many people, but also bring new people into my faith. Community Service is not only

Discuss the questions the research PowerPoint Presentation

Discuss the questions the research - PowerPoint Presentation Example Inflation targeting argues that an approach may not be operational due to time that monetary policy affects inflation, and also difficulties in forecasting inflation. These problems are the reasons for policy making should target money and exchange rates as well as other variables that are more directly controlled (Kohn and Robert, 309). The rate of inflation is fundamental determinant for the discount rate that is used to calculate the investment present value (Bernanke and Mishkin, 143). Changes in the rate of inflation affect market valuation of stock. There are various ways to construct and forecast this inflation rate and also the rationale of the methodology. Consumer price index (CPI) relies on simple analysis but more technical in forecasting the inflation rate. The technical analysis mean that prediction using Consumer Price Index that has passed and is related to an inflation rate data than prediction using economic data e.g. trends of commodity prices and employment wages( Bernanke and Mishkin, 122). Inflation rate momentum for the forecast is more important than the reversion. This means that inflation rate does not undergo reversion on its trend quickly on long term and short time changes in Consumer Price Index which are indicative of future changes and not changes in Consumer Price Index on a distant past. Forecasting using CPI requires construction of various different forecasts of a year before the annual CPI inflation by use of variables and method. Variables are CPI inflation, measures of inflation and economic activity and also the inflation expectations. These may be obtained through survey. Our study involved constructing many different forecasts of one-year-ahead annual CPI inflation using a number of variables and methods and then comparing the accuracy of those forecasts. Variables included CPI inflation, core measures of inflation, measures of economic activity, and inflation expectations obtained from surveys. Empirical models

Catcher in The Rye Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Catcher in The Rye - Coursework Example He is depressed, and he admits it himself several times throughout his narration. Besides the circumstances he got himself into, his brother died, and it had a great impact on Holden. Later, during his school years, he had another encounter with the death, when one of the boys, James Castle, jumped out of the window. However, I do not think Holden is capable of committing suicide. It is not â€Å"phoniness†; it is exaggerated way to express the feeling of depression and utter despair. He is not the type of guys that are so brave. He admits himself that â€Å"I’m one of these very yellow guys. I try not to show it, but I am†¦The more I thought about my †¦yellowness, the more depressed I got.† He would talk suicide, he will consider it, but he will not master up the courage to do it. Also, he does really love his parents and especially his sister Phoebe. He knows his death will make her very sad. He thinks about different things a lot, but he doesnâ€℠¢t do it. For example, he is thinking it would be good to go and say hello to Jane, and he is very excited about it, however he is not â€Å"in the mood† for it. In the other instance, he invites the prostitute, but he feels so peculiar about having sex, that he just talks with her. When thinking about prostitute coming to him, he took care to groom himself, even though he thought he did not have to.

Corporate Governance at the Central of Seychelles Coursework

Corporate Governance at the Central of Seychelles - Coursework Example .............24 3.4. The conclusions about the research findings and how well it has met the project objectives and research questions............................................................................................26 3.5. Recommendations on specific courses of action on how improve corporate governance in the Bank.....................................................................................................................................27 List of References..........................................................................................29 Appendices.....................................................................................................33 Appendix I...............................................................................................................................33 Appendix II..............................................................................................................................35 PART B POWER POINT PRESENTATION 1. How well have the research questions been answered 2. How have interpersonal and communication skills been developed during the project work 3. How could undertaking of such projects help in one's accountancy studies and/or current employment role PART 1 - Project objectives and overall research approach 1. IntroductionSeychelles can be identified as a Middle Income Country (MIC) in Africa with the highest per capita income in the region estimated at US$ 8,960 in 2008 (www.cbs.sc). It is a service-based economy with the tourism, fisheries industry and offshore services. However, according to the Seychelles government statistics it has been faced with imbalances in macroeconomic indicators. Thus after implementing the IMF reform program of Seychelles... .....................................................................24 3.4. The conclusions about the research findings and how well it has met the project objectives and research questions............................................................................................26 3.5. Recommendations on specific courses of action on how improve corporate governance in the Bank.....................................................................................................................................27 Seychelles can be identified as a Middle Income Country (MIC) in Africa with the highest per capita income in the region estimated at US$ 8,960 in 2008 (www.cbs.sc). It is a service-based economy with the tourism, fisheries industry and offshore services. However, according to the Seychelles government statistics it has been faced with imbalances in macroeconomic indicators. Thus after implementing the IMF reform program of Seychelles in 2008 a lot of change has taken place in the Seychelles economy and such change is basically connected to the role of governance in the reform process. Especially, the government has targeted reform program in order to stabilize the macroeconomic factors and achieve sustainable growth in the country. In fact Seychelles is a good performer in relation with the governance.

Religoin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Religoin - Essay Example Mysticism is key to the methodology of any religion (Underhill 43). The creation theory states that, the universe and all life form in it originated from God -who created everything in six days with man being created on the last day. This is found in the book of Genesis; used as the basis of creationists fundamentalist Christians against evolutionists Charles Darwin then came up with the Darwinism theory of biological evolution. According to evolutionists, human beings evolved from apes to the present Homo Sapiens Sapiens through natural selection. They argue that in order to cope with the change in the environment, human beings adapted to the changing environment by weeding out the weak and only leaving the strongest to survive. The continental drift theory theorizes that the earth was initially a large land mass that split into seven continents due to tectonic plates shifting in the core of the earth’s crust. The two theories greatly differ with the creation theory (Ruse 24). The methodologies used by both factions are quite different. The creationists rely on sacred texts like the Bible to pursue an understanding of the universe while the evolutionists use scientific correlation of cause and effect to investigate the phenomena. The conflict thesis proposed by William Draper in 1875 aims to highlight the differing perspectives between religion and science. Draper came up with the conflict thesis to highlight how the two ‘conflicted’ in terms of methodology, intellectual framework, and politics. Others such as Richard Dawkins provide an in depth view of the epistemological differences between science and religion. He argues that science and religion differ in the way they formulate and hold beliefs. Religion uses faith-based methods while science uses reason-based methods. Dawkins in his theory suggests that science uses inductive statements that can be verified through statistical analysis on objective

Corporate Governance at the Central of Seychelles Coursework

Corporate Governance at the Central of Seychelles - Coursework Example .............24 3.4. The conclusions about the research findings and how well it has met the project objectives and research questions............................................................................................26 3.5. Recommendations on specific courses of action on how improve corporate governance in the Bank.....................................................................................................................................27 List of References..........................................................................................29 Appendices.....................................................................................................33 Appendix I...............................................................................................................................33 Appendix II..............................................................................................................................35 PART B POWER POINT PRESENTATION 1. How well have the research questions been answered 2. How have interpersonal and communication skills been developed during the project work 3. How could undertaking of such projects help in one's accountancy studies and/or current employment role PART 1 - Project objectives and overall research approach 1. IntroductionSeychelles can be identified as a Middle Income Country (MIC) in Africa with the highest per capita income in the region estimated at US$ 8,960 in 2008 (www.cbs.sc). It is a service-based economy with the tourism, fisheries industry and offshore services. However, according to the Seychelles government statistics it has been faced with imbalances in macroeconomic indicators. Thus after implementing the IMF reform program of Seychelles... .....................................................................24 3.4. The conclusions about the research findings and how well it has met the project objectives and research questions............................................................................................26 3.5. Recommendations on specific courses of action on how improve corporate governance in the Bank.....................................................................................................................................27 Seychelles can be identified as a Middle Income Country (MIC) in Africa with the highest per capita income in the region estimated at US$ 8,960 in 2008 (www.cbs.sc). It is a service-based economy with the tourism, fisheries industry and offshore services. However, according to the Seychelles government statistics it has been faced with imbalances in macroeconomic indicators. Thus after implementing the IMF reform program of Seychelles in 2008 a lot of change has taken place in the Seychelles economy and such change is basically connected to the role of governance in the reform process. Especially, the government has targeted reform program in order to stabilize the macroeconomic factors and achieve sustainable growth in the country. In fact Seychelles is a good performer in relation with the governance.

Violated human dignity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Violated human dignity - Research Paper Example Technology† (Headrick, Daniel) However, the movie Idiocracy shows us a fiction of future in opposite direction that is going to decrease the quality of human life, less concerns toward intelligent and beautiful terms, and increase the number of social problems such as abandoning trash, poor security system, and hiring improper employees in extremely important field such as medical field and political field. As the movie Idiocracy sarcastically reveals the problems, we cannot deny that the problems listed above exist today. The problems can be summarized in four issues such as changes in human life style, cultural decline, corruption of morality, and materialism. The serious story begins with changes in human life style. â€Å"Lifestyle theory is composed of three interlocking models: the structural model, the functional model, and the change model.† (Walters, Glenn, P.1) A long time ago, human struggling in poor status with starvation, disease, and war has been seek for something intelligent and progressive to enhance the quality of their life. Nonetheless, people started to be interested in the opposite way, looking for satisfaction based on basic instinct when their life became wealthy and convenient. We can see the sarcastic warning from the director of Idiocracy that people could forget to develop intelligence progressive ideas; moreover, those areas would stop growing and would be even decline. To tell the truth, poetry, literature, and art were popular and developed a lot back in the day, and they really enjoyed and longed for them. Nevertheless, this generation is tamed for entertaining program, show, and unhealthy program fro m the dumping mass media. For the reason, people just want amusement and time-killing more than beautiful and intelligent delight. The changes in the future humans in Idiocracy life style caused a cultural decline. The major interests of most people would be focused on money, sex, and silly

Water Conservation Essay Example for Free

Water Conservation Essay Water is an integral part of land/soil productivity. Its misuse can cause both degradation and erosion of soils. Management of water resource is considered to necessary for well being of human life as well as crop yields. There is a gap between the seasonal availability of water and its equitable supply throughout the year. Accordingly the storage of water and passage through soils is very important. It is well known that about 70% area in this country is subject to varying degree of water stress. There are areas with heavy rainfall but water problems become predominant during non-monsoon periods. It is thus a matter of concern to create a redistribution system and requirements as and when it is needed. Although there are many methods for water management, the two important methods are mentioned as follows. (I) Watershed management (II) Rainwater harvesting (I) Watershed Management : A watershed is an area bounded by the divide line of water flow so that a distinct drainage basin of any small or big water course or stream can be identified. The rain falling over this area will flow through only one point of the whole watershed. In other words, the entire area will be drained only by one stream or water course. In this way we will have definitive water resource which can be assessed and analyzed for planning for the optimum utilization through ground water, wells, tube wells, small ponds, bigger tanks or reservoirs. Watershed management is very important for rainfall and resultant run-off. More than 900 watersheds of the flood prone rivers have been identified and are at present in operation. The development of delayed through propagation of water harvesting technology is also based on the concept of micro watershed. Himalayas are one of the most critical watersheds in the world. The damage to reservoirs and irrigation systems and misused Himalayan slopes is mounting as are the costs for the control measures during the flood season every year. The vast hydroelectric power potential can be harnessed from the Himalayas watersheds on a sustainable basis. (II) Rain water Harvesting : Water harvesting technologies have established the economic and practical feasibility for inclusion in integrated watershed management plans. A number  of such structures in the Hirakud catchment have revealed that these are desirable for protection of land, restoration of degraded land for creation of micro irrigation potential of reuse of water. This would also help in increased production based productivity for generation of employment of opportunities. The concept of watershed management has been extended to agro-industrial watersheds which take care of agro-industrial development.

Highlighting mitchells and butlers strategic

Highlighting mitchells and butlers strategic Executive Summary This report is aimed at highlighting Mitchells and Butlers strategic choices through the analysis of its internal and external environment. A number of measurement tools were used in order to express this. The report firstly looks into the external environment in which the organisation is involved with. The external analysis was split into two different sections: The macro environment and the microenvironment. A PESTLE analysis was used for the macro environment as this captures all the factors that affect Mitchells and Butlers, of which none of them they can control. To analyse the microenvironment Porters five forces model was used as this highlights all the factors that can have a direct effect on an organisation. Following the Internal Analysis the report then looks at the internal logistics of the business. Looking internally into Mitchells and Butler identified many aspects of the business such as its resources and capabilities, competitive advantage, core competencies and the stage the company is at with regards to the life cycle. All these differing aspects will then help to identify the strategic choices available to Mitchells and Butler. The report then looks at the financial side of the organisation using three financial statements: Cash Flow, Balance Sheet and 5 year income statement. These are analysed to review sales trends and profit trends. A SWOT Analysis has been drawn out which helped in the completion of the TOWS matrix. The TOWS matrix combined with the SFA model identify areas where Mitchells and Butler can grow. To conclude the report, all the data was collected and analysed to suggest short, medium and long term plans for Mitchells and Butler. Introduction. This report is the second part of a two part report which will analyse both the internal and external factors that influence the Mitchells and Butlers organisation. A strategic analysis of the company has already been carried, which can be seen in Appendix 1. It involved carrying out analysis on the vision, mission, values and objectives of M+B. This report will focus on the strategies that Mitchells and Butler implement in order to grow. The report will firstly look at the Micro and Macro external environment using tools such as PESTLE, SWOT, Porters five forces model and competitor gap analysis which will combine to give a competitor analysis. Once the external analysis is complete the report will then focus its attention on the internal analysis. This will involve analysing Mitchells and Butlers core competencies by conducting a portfolio analysis. Based upon these analysis the report will then finish with recommendations of the future strategic choice and direction of the company followed by a short, medium and long term plan for Mitchells and Butlers. The business report will use David F (1988) comprehensive strategic management model as a guideline in order to cover all aspects of the strategic report. As mentioned above Vision and mission statements have already been analysed, th erefore this report will start on performing both internal and external audits. 1. External Analysis â€Å"A companys marketing environment consists of the actors and forces outside marketing that affect marketing managements ability to develop and maintain successful relationships with its target customers. Successful companies know the vital importance of constantly watching and adapting to the companies environment†. (Kotler, P et al. 2008) 1.1 Macro Environment Carrying out external analysis allows firms to adapt quickly to the changing environment. The macro environment is the â€Å"complete social context in which the organisation resides†. Carrol, A + Buchholtz, A (2008) Kotler, P et al. (2008) also includes that it is the larger societal forces that affect the whole microenvironment. He states that there are six major forces in a companys macro environment: Political Economic Social Technological Legal Environmental 1.2 PESTLE Analysis PESTEL analysis categorises the factors that effect an organisation externally. Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (2005) note that many of these factors are linked. When one factor changes it can have a knock on effect on other factors. As these factors change they affect the competitive environment in which the organisation operates in, as a result it is crucial that organisations are aware of the changes in the external environment. Political Licensing Laws- Mitchells and Butlers have a minimum requirement to follow all licensing laws lay down by the government. If at any time they come in breach of these licenses they place themselves in serious jeopardy with the federal agencies. Smoking Ban- The smoking ban, introduced in July 2007, had a serious effect on all of Mitchells and Butlers managed pubs and restaurants. The ban meant that no establishment was to allow smoking in any of its premises. Economic Unemployment- With the UK, along with the rest of the world, going further and further into a recession, companies look to try and cut costs by lowering the number of staff, therefore unemployment rises. A report written in the TimesOnline website by Grà ¡inne Gilmore in February 2009 highlights some facts and figures which can affect consumers disposable income. In it he states that unemployment rose close to two million and predictions have been made that the figure could rise to three million by next year, the highest level since 1986. Tax Increase- With taxes expected to rise in January 2010, consumer spending will slow down. Inflation The rise of inflation makes it harder for people to borrow as the banks Social Social Responsibility As the leading operator of managed pubs and pub restaurants in the UK, Mitchells and Butlers has a commitment to give the responsible retailing of alcohol. Mitchells and Butlers established a policy for retailing alcohol in a responsible manner. This ensures that all of their licensed premises are operated responsibly. Under age Drinking Mitchells and Butlers launched the â€Å"Challenge 21† campaign, which was aimed at stopping/ reducing the number of under aged drinkers in their managed premises a. Healthy Eating Due to the increased awareness of healthy eating through government ad campaigns, celebrity chefs etc Mitchells and Butlers has to be aware of the varying attitudes towards healthy eating. As a result they offer a wide variety of dishes on there menus across all their differing brands. They look to offer a good choice of healthy options at the same time as offering more indulgent dishes. Mitchells and Butlers are continually creating fresh dishes with an emphasis on nutritional value. Legal Minimum Wage The National Minimum wage was introduced 10 years ago and has increased 5.5% year. Mitchells and Butler must comply with the minimum pay levels for each age group to comply with the law. Health and Safety at Work act 1974 The Act is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in the United Kingdom. (hse.gov.uk, 2009) Mitchells and Butlers must ensure that they enforce the health and safety of both there workforce and their customers. Environmental Weather Due to the varying weather conditions throughout the whole year, Mitchells and Butlers should be constantly aware of the effects good and bad weather can have on there outlets. Recycling Due to raised awareness of pollution in the environment and the effects of waste Mitchells and Butlers have to show there commitment in creating as little waste as possible, and where possible recycle as much of their waste as possible. They also have a commitment to reducing there carbon footprint which can be done by the recycling of used cooking oil which is then converted into bio-diesel. 1.3 Microenvironment â€Å"The microenvironment consists of the actors close to the company that affect its ability to serve its customers: the company, suppliers, marketing intermediaries,rs and publics†. Kotler, P et al. (2008) It is the environment with components that have specific and immediate implications for managing the organisation. Decisions made involving the microenvironment have a direct effect on the organisation. It can be controlled by the company and analysis at this level is firm specific. Xu, J.(2005) There are many models that can help firms to measure the position they are in within their environment. 1.4 Porters Five Forces The Objective of performing industry analysis is to develop an organisations competitive advantage in order to be more successful than its competitors. The way in which this can be done is by using Porters Five Forces Model. ( Lynch, 2003) In it he identifies the five basic forces that can have an effect on an organisation. Bargaining power Threat of Of suppliers new entrants The report will now go into further detail of each threat, identifying the different aspects of each factor and the affect they could have on Mitchells and Butler. Threat of Entry With Mitchells and Butlers being the leading operator of managed pubs and pub restaurants, they must be aware of any potential threats that may arise from new entries in the market. The industry in which Mitchells and Butlers operates is one where barriers to entry are very low and therefore easy for new organisations to enter the market. However due to the sheer size of the organisation they have an automatic advantage over any new entries. Economies of Scale Mitchells and Butlers are in the position to gain economies of scale due to the number of managed outlets they have. With around 2,000 businesses they have the ability to lower the costs of products because of the amount they will be ordering at one time. Experience Mitchells and Butlers has been operating as an independent division since 2003 but it history dates back to 1898. This unparalleled experience of the pub industry accounts for invaluable knowledge and experience which can help in the development and growth of the organisation. Customer Loyalty With over 2000 outlets built mainly in residential areas Mitchells and Butlers will have built up a high level of customer loyalty. This makes it increasingly difficult for new competitors to establish a loyal customer base for themselves. It is evident however that not everyone is within close proximity to a Mitchells and Butlers unit and therefore consumers will be loyal to a different business. Product Differentiation Mitchells and Butlers understand the importance of product differentiation and aim to deliver products of the highest quality at the lowest possible prices. It also prides itself on customer service, displaying just how important they feel it is. Mitchells and Butlers also drive to promote its own brands in order to create product differentiation. Bargaining Power of Buyers Concentration of buyers With Mitchells and Butlers being in a market with a huge amount of potential buyers then it is in complete power with what price to set. If the buyers are not happy with the price then they simply have to go elsewhere as the market is big enough to attract more customers. However Mitchells and Butlers can not set the price at whatever they choose as the fierce competition in the market drives prices down and they have to compete with there rivals for customers. Product Differentiation With so many other options available for the buyer Mitchells and Butlers has to be able to differentiate itself from the rest of the market. They do this buy offering the highest quality at the lowest possible prices. It also prides itself on customer service, displaying just how important they feel it is. Mitchells and Butlers also drive to promote its own brands in order to create product differentiation. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Mitchells and Butlers is in a very strong position when it comes to its bargaining power with its suppliers. They are the leading operator in managed pubs and pubs restaurants with the largest market share. Suppliers will have to listen to what they are demanding or else they face loosing a huge amount of revenue. Threat of Substitutes Products or services There is a large threat of substitutes that are available from supermarkets. The off trade market that is now available to potential consumers is a huge threat to Mitchells and Butlers. With the constant promotion of alcoholic beverages from the large supermarket chains such as Tescos, Sainsburys and Morrisons means that Mitchells and Butlers have to differentiate themselves from this market and establish themselves as offering an experience and a service rather than just solely a product. The supermarkets also advertise deals such as â€Å" TWO CAN DINE IN FOR  £10†. This such advertisement was ran by MS. Being a differentiated product will entice potential consumers towards it. Threat of Rivalry In a market where growth is slow and competition very high, Mitchells and Butlers have created rivalry by becoming the leading operator in its markets and taking a lot of customers from its competitors. However it does not face rivalry from small independent outlets as they focus their attention away from the big rivals. The way in which Mitchells and Butlers create rivalry is by the pricing policy on drinks. Being the leading operator in managed pubs means that they are able to buy in bulk reducing the costs of products. With relation to food Mitchells and Butlers has a variety of brands that are in varying markets that can capture different customers with the varying levels of quality and price. For example the harvester brand is aimed at the lower end of the market, whereas the Browns brand is at the other end of the spectrum, catering for the higher end customers. 2.0 Internal Analysis The process of performing an internal analysis is similar to that of an external analysis. Representative managers and employees from throughout the firm need to be involved in determining a firms strengths and weaknesses. The internal analysis involves collecting information about the firms management, marketing, finance and operations. The gathering of this information is a great benefit to managers and employees as they get to know how their work affects other areas and activities of the organisation. Performing an internal analysis is an excellent way of improving the process of communication within an organisation. (David, 1999) 2.1Portfolio Analysis Campbell et al (2002 p. 107) defines a portfolio analysis as an â€Å"Underpinning concept that is a need for a business to spread its opportunity and risk. A broad portfolio signifies that a business has a presence in a wide range of product and market sectors. Conversely, a narrow portfolio implies that the organisation operates in only a few or even in one product or market sector. A broad portfolio offers the advantage of robustness in that a downturn in one market will not threaten the whole company† It is essential that Mitchells and Butlers carry out a portfolio analysis as they operate in many different markets resulting in a number of different cashflows from there brands. 2.2 BCG Matrix The Boston consultancy matrix identifies the relationship between market share and growth of a business. It offers a way of examining a companys portfolio of product and market interests. (Campbell et al 2002) Market Share Stars Question Marks Cash Cows Dogs Mitchells and Butler would be classed as a cash cow. Being the leading operator in managed pubs they have the largest share of the market. However the market in which they are positioned is one that is maturing. Growth for Mitchells and Butlers is slow and the condition of the market is stable. Below is a diagram which converts the BCG matrix into the product life cycle. Internet Accessed via: There are many brands associated with Mitchells and Butler which are in varying stages of their life cycle. The next stage of the report is to show an example of brands in there different stages of the life cycle. The use of this is that it allows Mitchells and Butlers to identify which of their brands are in the decline stage and come up with either new strategies/ products in order for it to grow again. 2.3 The Life Cycle Model 2.4GE-McKinsey Matrix An alternative way in which to evaluate the portfolio of an organisation is by a directional policy matrix/ GE-McKinsey matrix. This matrix categorises an organisations business units into those with good prospects and those with less good prospects. The matrix positions units according to how attractive the market is in which they operate and secondly through the competitive strength of the SBU in that market. (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, R. 2009) 2.5 Resource Based view of Mitchells and Butler The resource based view of a firm is a model of an organisations performance that focuses solely on the resources and capabilities controlled by a firm as sources of competitive advantage. (Wernerfelt, B. 1984, cited in Barney, J Hesterley, W. 2006) Resources are defined as the tangible and intangible assets that an organisation controls whereas capabilities are a â€Å"subset of a firms resources and are defined as tangible and intangible assets that enable a firm to take full advantage of other resources it controls†.( Barney, J Hesterley, W. 2006. p.76) Barney Hesterley (2006) also state that there are four main categories in which resources and capabilities can be classified into four main sub categories: Financial resources, Physical resources, Human resources and organisational resources. M B Financial resources and Capabilities Two loans: One of  £2.3 billion which is secured against the assets and cash flow of he business. The second is an unsecured loan of  £550 million from a number of major banks. Cash generated through sales of products and services. M B Physical resources and Capabilities Property, plant and equipment. Computer Software. Leases: Both operating leases and financial leases. Reputation M B Human resources and Capabilities Operated by an experienced senior management team. Committed to training and investing in their employees to enable them to develop their skills and experience. M B Organisational resources and Capabilities Relationships between the different levels of management. Clear communication Importance of team building in each business unit. Experience of senior management. Training programmes at operational level. Mitchells and Butler use their capabilities to turn their resources into products or services. For instance it uses its reputation to increase its financial resources. 2.6 Core Competencies â€Å"Core competencies are the skills and abilities by which resources are deployed through an organisations activities and processes such as to achieve competitive advantage in ways that others cannot imitate or obtain†. (Johnson, Scholes, and Whittington, 2008. p. 97) This is no more important than in a recession, Mitchells and Butlers needs to focus on its core competencies in order to cerate competitor advantage and steal, what is, a diminishing number of, customers. 2.7 The VRIO Framework VRIO is an acronym for 4 questions that can be used in order to assess the competitive advantage that can be gained from resources and capabilities. The VRIO framework allows an organisation to assess its resources and capabilities potential to create a competitive advantage. †( Barney, J Hesterley, W. 2006. p.76) The Question of Value Mitchells and Butlers uses its resources and capabilities in order to create competitive advantage and stay the leading operator in managed pubs and restaurants. Its organisational resources and capabilities has equated to the acquiring of 239 pub restaurants from Whitbread plc in 2006. The financial capabilities plus experience of management team means that they can cope in a period of financial downturn. The Question of Rarity With Mitchells and Butler being in such a saturated market where growth is very slow and product differentiation hard to achieve then its physical resources and capabilities create very little competitive advantage. It is its organisational, human and financial resources that create it. The size, experience, knowledge, training, quality, price create competitive advantage over a long period of time. The Question of Inimitability This question aims at identifying an organisations strength against any competitors trying to imitate their products or services. For Mitchells and Butler although it may be easy to copy its tangible resources, it is certainly not easy to imitate their intangible capabilities. With over 100 years of experience in the pub trade gives them invaluable experience and knowledge of the industry. The senior management team has over 15 years of experience and the board of executive directors have worked on the strategy and development of Mitchells Butlers since 1995. (mbplc.com â€Å"our management†) [Cited 14/12/2009] The Question of Organisation Although Mitchells and Butler may have competitive advantage with its resources and capabilities, in the above three questions, it can not continually create a competitive advantage unless they are an organised company. The senior management team must work together in order to create systems, policies and procedures in which each individual unit runs at its optimum level. This is done by vertical communication between the varying different levels of operation. 2.8Value-Chain Analysis A Value chain â€Å"is the set of business activities in which a firm engages in to develop, produce, and market its product or services†. † (Barney, J Hesterley, W. 2006. p.83) 3.0 Financial Information 3.1 Cash Flow Statement The cash flow statement can be seen in appendix 3. 3.2 Balance Sheet The balance sheet is available in appendix 4. 3.3 5 year Income Statement Available in Appendix 5. From analysing the above financial information, one can draw the major trends from the financial year 2008. Sales Trend Analysing the 5 year review one can see a major difference in the sales trend. Turnover has increased to  £1,908 million over the year which is a 0.7% increase over the financial year. However Profit Trend Although there was an increase in revenue there was a significant decrease in operating profit. From the previous year there is a huge drop from  £309 million to  £131 million a gap of  £178 million. A reason for this could be due to the amount of money they had to repay on a loan they took out to cover the costs of an abandoned joint venture. Mitchells and Butler decided to reduce its level of â€Å"unsecured medium term debt†. (mbplc.com. 2009) Looking at the 5 year report one can see that the dividend pay out was  £18 million, compared to the previous 4 years ,it is on average around  £33 million less. To do this they paid an interim dividend of 4.55p per share which is represented on the income statement. This was paid on the 27th June 2009. The short-term loan of  £550m has to be paid down to  £400m by the end of 2009 and then down to  £300m by the end of 2010. Mitchells and Butler have managed to get the loan amount down to  £475 million. The organisation is aiming to bring capital expenditure down to  £120 million whilst selling some of its pubs along the way. This is a way in which they will pay back the  £550 million loan, however it will have a huge effect on the size of the business and its net profit in the next financial year. (Hall, 2009) Below is a list of further trends that were available from the corporate profile September 2009. Major Trends 2008 Turnover-  £1,908m up 0.7% EBITDA-  £477m up 1.1% Operating profit-  £343m Profit before tax-  £179m down 13.5% Earnings per share- 31.5p down 11.3% Before exceptional terms and IAS 39 movements. Source mbplc.com- corporate profile September 2009 (Appendix 6) 3.4 Balanced Scorecard Financial L4L growth turnover and profit, ROI on investment and acquisition, total capital expended, rent/lease review uplifts, assignment premiums Internal Business Processes Mitchells and Butler have both long and short hold leases. IT systems Mitchells Butlers is reliant on its IT systems to trade efficiently and to ensure that appropriate controls are in place Learning and Growth Graduate Programs are in place for two different areas: The Corporate Graduate Scheme and the Retail Graduate Scheme Training given at all operational levels. Employees must be able to work to the standards set by the Mitchells and Butler legacy. Customer Service Standards Service standards have a huge impact on Mitchells and Butlers success. Service standards are a key element in the choice of consumers pub. Employee satisfaction survey, retailer satisfaction survey, Now to Wow, mystery customer, retailer complaint levels, customer complaint levels Strengths Financial ability Market share Management Team Knowledge and Experience within the industry. Diversity of customers through differentiated markets. Training schemes. Brand name Good understanding of customers needs Weaknesses Massive amounts of cost implications. Hard to differentiate products and services. High level of debt Dire trade outlook Opportunities Smoking ban Increase in the eating out market. Cheap pubs available for acquisition. Increase customer base by going â€Å"green†. Comply with all environmental issues. Threats Smoking ban Regulations Staying in is the new going out Recession Decrease in leisure pound Increase in the off trade market New Legislations Bad press from binge drinking Competition Low barriers of entry. Current disagreements between board members. 3.5SWOT Analysis 4.0 Strategic Choice In order for MB to develop further, they must look at the different strategic options. They need to ask themselves 5 questions: What do we want in life? On WHAT basis are we to compete? WHEN do we implement these? WHICH direction? HOW? Patton, F(2009) 4.1 Porters Generic Strategies Porters two parameters: â€Å"a company can seek to compete† and the market in which a company seeks to compete can be broad or narrow, led him to construct the three generic strategies seen below. (Thomson, 2001) Patton, F (2009) Porters model of generic strategies. Adapted from Porter, M(1985) Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. Mitchells and Butlers uses the Differentiation strategy. It offers a range of differentiated products across a number of markets. The different brands in the organisation ensure that they appeal to the whole market. A way of expressing how MB use the differentiated strategy is to look at the different brands and the markets they operate in. Cost/ Price Focus: Crown Carveries- â€Å"Top quality carvery meals at great prices†¦..† Differentiation Focus Harvester â€Å"Family-friendly restaurants serving freshly-prepared grills, spit-roasts and fish dishes and the famous salad cart, included with every meal†. Cost Leadership Ember Inns â€Å"Quality local pubs providing customers with a relaxed home from home and a great range of cask ales, wines and tempting, traditional pub food favourites with a modern twist†. (Internet accessed via [Cited 14/12/2009] 4.2 Strategy Clock The strategy clock was developed by Cliff Bowman. The clock is based around price and the perceived value the customer will gain from the product or service. Mitchells and Butlers can use the strategic clock to choose where they wish to position a brand or business unit. It represents different positions in a market where potential customers have different requirements in terms of value for money. (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, 2008. p224) Mitchells and Butler are positioned between the hybrid and differentiation stage. They aim to provide products and services that are different to that of their competitors in a range of different markets however in certain brands e.g. harvester their strategy is to offer lower cost meals. For a more in depth explanation of Bowmans strategy clock please see Appendix 6. 4.3 The Ansoff matrix Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, R (2009) state that the Ansoff matrix provides a simple way of showing the four different directions of strategic development. They state that an organisation starts in the top left hand box. It then has a choice between penetrating further within its existing sphere, move to the right and develop new products for its existing markets; moving downwards bringing its existing products into new markets: or move diagonally down, which involves full diversification where the organisation enters new markets with new products. Adapted from Ansoff, H (1988) The diagram above was taken from an internet site: http://strategyiseverywhere. However the model is exactly the same across all literature. Mitchells and Butlers strategic development direction is one which uses market penetration, market development and Product Development. Market Penetration Market penetration involves the organisation taking an increased share of its existing markets with the same product range. It does not involve an organisation having to venture into unfamiliar territory. The advantage of market penetration is that it increases power over both suppliers and buyers. (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, R 2009) Mitchells and Butlers used market penetration as a growth strategy by building, buying and acquiring more and more pubs. It is now the leader in managed pubs and pub restaurants within the industry with around 2,000 businesses. Market Development Market development involves an organisation offering existing products to new m

Gawain :: Essays Papers

Gawain Passage Analysis An anonymous author around the fourteenth century wrote Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The story is set in the time of King Arthur and deals with two major plot devices that are common in such tales: the beheading contest between Gawain and the green knight and the attempted seduction of Gawain by the lady. The passage contained in lines 928-993 occurs shortly after the lord of the castle invites Gawain into his home and offers him a meal. The section focuses on the introduction of the lady who will later try to tempt Sir Gawain to sin. The author describes her in such ravishing splendor that the reader can imagine how hard it would be to resist her advances. The hag by her side is also introduced here as a direct contrast to the lady. In this way, the lady's and the hag's respective physical characteristics are further enhanced by the presence of each other. Similar to other stories written in this period, the hag in this story has magical elements that are not revealed until much later. The lady of the castle comes to Gawain only after dinner and prayers are attended to by herself and her lord for she "Longed to look on the knight"(Norton, 222). Prior to her appearance, the lady has been secluded away in the church closet with her maids. From the very first words written about her, she is described as a very attractive person. The author goes on to describe her hair, face, and manner of dress, all of which only lend more brilliance to this vision. The passage is a testament to her comeliness and will later be important in the story since it sets the foundation for the obvious attraction Gawain feels towards this woman from whom "He claims a comely kiss, and courteously he speaks; / They welcome him warmly, and straightaway he asks / To be received as their servant, if they so desire"(222). The lady later admonishes Gawain the next morning when he fails to kiss her as a chivalrous knight should. The lady's appearance is only enhanced by the presence of the hag at her side. The magical element of the hag has also been introduced in such other literary works as "The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell" and in "The Wife of Bath's Tale" in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. In each of these stories, the hag turns out to be something other than what she seems. Gawain :: Essays Papers Gawain Passage Analysis An anonymous author around the fourteenth century wrote Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The story is set in the time of King Arthur and deals with two major plot devices that are common in such tales: the beheading contest between Gawain and the green knight and the attempted seduction of Gawain by the lady. The passage contained in lines 928-993 occurs shortly after the lord of the castle invites Gawain into his home and offers him a meal. The section focuses on the introduction of the lady who will later try to tempt Sir Gawain to sin. The author describes her in such ravishing splendor that the reader can imagine how hard it would be to resist her advances. The hag by her side is also introduced here as a direct contrast to the lady. In this way, the lady's and the hag's respective physical characteristics are further enhanced by the presence of each other. Similar to other stories written in this period, the hag in this story has magical elements that are not revealed until much later. The lady of the castle comes to Gawain only after dinner and prayers are attended to by herself and her lord for she "Longed to look on the knight"(Norton, 222). Prior to her appearance, the lady has been secluded away in the church closet with her maids. From the very first words written about her, she is described as a very attractive person. The author goes on to describe her hair, face, and manner of dress, all of which only lend more brilliance to this vision. The passage is a testament to her comeliness and will later be important in the story since it sets the foundation for the obvious attraction Gawain feels towards this woman from whom "He claims a comely kiss, and courteously he speaks; / They welcome him warmly, and straightaway he asks / To be received as their servant, if they so desire"(222). The lady later admonishes Gawain the next morning when he fails to kiss her as a chivalrous knight should. The lady's appearance is only enhanced by the presence of the hag at her side. The magical element of the hag has also been introduced in such other literary works as "The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell" and in "The Wife of Bath's Tale" in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. In each of these stories, the hag turns out to be something other than what she seems.

External Factors Essay

External factors are a number of influencing factors which are not controlled by the company but will impact pricing decisions. It includes of legal, consumer trends, technological, and competitors. Our company focuses on technological and competitor as external factors that influencing price setting on matcha collagen biscuits. Competition factors can look into three areas which are monopoly competition, perfect competition and oligopoly competition. Monopolistic competition is a situation where a single company or group controls the entire output of the market for a given type of product or service with any buyers. Besides, a monopoly is protected from competition by high barriers to entry and the product it produces has no close substitutes. Example of monopolistic competition is water service which supplier of water has no substitutes. Perfect competition is a market structure where there are a large number of buyers and sellers. There are a perfect knowledge of market condition and the price which no individual firm has any influence on the market price. The products in perfect competition are homogeneous which they can be substituted easily. Therefore, the company can entry or exit the industry without affecting the market. An oligopoly competition is a situation in which a particular market or industry is dominated by a small number of firms which compete against each other. There is an element of interdependence in the decision-making of these firms. Example of oligopoly competition are newspaper industry, petrol stations, and airlines. Our product’s price is influence of external factors which is perfect competition. This is because there are many firms produce an identical and homogeneous biscuit in the biscuit market such as Munchy, Tiger, and Jacobs. Besides, they are many sellers in the biscuit market which are Kraft, Julie, and Munchy as well as there is no dominating firm. Therefore, our company is considered as price takers which accepts market price determined by the forces of market demand and supply. Furthermore, all buyers and sellers have perfect knowledge about the prices of biscuits in the market. Hence, our company cannot simply set the price of matcha collagen biscuits to maximize its profit, this will cause our product easily substitute with another brand of biscuits. Moreover, our company has complete freedom of entry into and exit from the biscuit market without affecting the entire market. Technology is a business enabler that has a revolutionary impact on the actual conduct of business. It contributes to achieving desired business productivity and efficiency. Under technological, our company using advanced technology on manufacturing operation to produce matcha collagen biscuits. Examples, our company used the latest techniques and machinery in order to increase the production as well as maximize capacity. Furthermore, the creation of databases and electronic communications in our company have enabled vast quantities of information to be shared and quickly distributed within the company. Moreover, our company’s customer service department used communication technology to talk to customer but will also have access to internal systems, such as technology to simplify credit control and stock control. Therefore, shifts in technology and advances may affect costs, quality and overall innovation of our product which becomes a major factor of setting the right price f or matcha collagen biscuits.

How serious is Global Warming?

This report will cover Global Warming and its effects on people. Also this report will look at different ways that Global Warming affects humans as well as animals. This research report will cover climate change, greenhouses gases and evidence to support Global Warming. Evidence There is a lot of evidence to support the Global Warming; however the significance of the source depends on the reliability of the source. One of the most reliable methods of collecting data to show Global Warming is ice-core dating. Ice cores are samples dag up from accumulation of snow and ice over a period of time that recrystallized and trapped air bubbles[1]. Measuring temperature of the Earth's surface with thermometer can only provide data for past two or three centuries. Another sources of information about the past, is studying peat bogs or dendrochronology. Plants produce pollen in vast amounts, and each species of plants has a distinctive type of pollen. When looking at peat bogs. Differences between species and between the ecological conditions needed to flourish best, their pollen allows scientists to determine temperature and humidity levels of past years. Tree ring analysis is also used by scientists when looking at Climate change. Each year, tree produces new layer of xylem vessels. The diameter of xylem depends on the season2. The width of the tree ring can tell the scientists about the growth of the tree. This evidence is reliable as tree is dependent on the environment, the temperature and the humidity. All methods produce reliable data, however validity of the evidence can be questioned. The validity depends on whoever carries out the research. If the research is carried out by a private company (e.g. (BP) British Petroleum) will show only some of the data the most reliable to the question or to prove a certain point. The most reliable researches are carried out by independent companies or universities. What is Global Warming? The solar radiation in form of light waves passes through the atmosphere. Most of it is absorbed by the earth and warms it. Some of the waves are reradiated back into space in form of infrared waves. However, some of the Infrared radiation is trapped by the Earth's atmosphere and it warms it. As the composition of atmosphere changes and it thickens, more infrared radiation is trapped causing the raise in global temperatures. In natural cycle the concentration of CO2 in the air should equal the composition of carbon dioxide in the soil. However human activity changed that by releasing extra CO2 from the fossil fuels into atmosphere. The natural cycle is out of equilibrium and can not get rid of the excess of the gas. Causes of global warming One of the main causes for the Global Warming is human activity. The human needs and populations becoming lazy caused everything to be computerized and the energy use is great. To supply great deals of energy more fossil fuels are burned and more greenhouse gases are given off to the atmosphere. Also the lack of commitment of human race to healthy life styles caused the car manufacturers to increase the car production in recent years. Everyone wants to own at least one car, but they don't think about consequences of that. Many more cars cause a lot of emission of CO2 into the atmosphere. Greenhouse Gas Formula Contribution (%) Water Vapour H2O 36-70 Carbon Dioxide CO2 9-26 Methane CH4 4-9 Ozone O3 3-7 The raising temperature causes more water to vaporise, which leads to more UV light being trapped by the atmosphere, therefore the increase in the average temperature. As the graph above shows over a period of hundred years there is a positive skew, which indicated the increases in temperature. The increase is around 1oC, which could suggest a fast increases in surface temperatures. Environmental implications The increases in the concentration of greenhouses gases in the atmosphere, the possibility of acidic rains increases. Acid rains are caused by emissions of compounds of ammonia, carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur which react with the water molecules in the atmosphere to produce acids.[5] The below diagram shows the damage to the European Forests caused by Acid rain and Air pollution. The data shows on the above diagram was collected in 1988, which means that by now there would be more damage made to the European forests over the past 20 years as the concentration of gases increases in the atmosphere. Economic Implications As the climate changes and the surface temperature increases, the food companies may find it tricky to grow crops in certain parts of the world where they did before. This means that rice for example may not grow in Asia and this may lead to big scale starvation. This could also be seen as a social implication to the Global warming. On the other hand, car industries may have planned rises in sales. There are two reasons for that. One of them is the fact that everyone now want to own a car, however that will only increase the concentration of carbon dioxide in air. Car industries are coming with new ways of overcoming the CO2 emission and are producing hydrogen powered cars. Many hybrids have been designed by many different car manufactures, however they are not widely available for public use as they are more expensive than the petrol powered cars. Prevention of Global Warming To help prevent Global Warming, the emission of Carbon Dioxide has to be lowered and emission of other greenhouse gases. One of the ways in which gas emission can be lowered is use of renewable energy sources. One of the powers that we could use is solar power or wind power, however in England there is a problem with solar powering as there is not a lot of sun and it is not reliable. Many hot countries in the developing world, for example countries of South America could use sun light as their source of energy. However when using sun light energy, back up batteries or generators are essential as sunlight is not a reliable source of energy. In the UK not many houses are solar powered as the installation of PV cells is very expensive. It is important that the developing countries lower their gases emission and start to use renewable sources of energy as the consumption is going up along with the CO2 emission. The industrialized countries are around 24% of world population and use about 75% of energy. Along with that they account for 73% of CO2emission in the combustion of fossil fuels. Meanwhile, it is projected that energy consumption will increase primarily in the developing world related to the population growth and the ongoing industrialization in the future. Another way of lowering carbon emission was introduced by the car industries which introduced hydrogen powered cars. In hydrogen combustion water is given out when hydrogen is used as a fuel. It can be seen that Global Warming is a serious issue even to the government, as the mayor of London decided to have 8 hydrogen powered buses by 2012. It sound like it is not a lot but still developing hydrogen powered engines are very expensive.

Life in the Iron Mills

. Life is Not Merely a Coincidence â€Å"Theatre of the Absurd† is designated for plays of absurdist fiction and refers to the avant-garde theatre of a loosely associated group of dramatists such as, Beckett, Ionesco, Pinter, and Albee who first emerged during and after World War 11. The plays express the belief that â€Å"in a godless universe human existence has no meaning or purpose and therefore all communication breaks down† (Britannica Online Encyclopedia). Logical construction and argument gives way to irrational and illogical speech and to its ultimate conclusion which is silence. Absurdist theatre is often called a reaction to realism, as instead of conforming to the concept of real life, absurdist sought to provide an unmistakably unreal experience. The absurd dramatist relates to existentialism and the philosophical approach in understanding human existence and experiences. Existentialism is based on the assumption that individuals are free and responsible for their own choices and actions. Hence, people are not victims of circumstances as there is the freedom of choice. In an absurdist play, time and settings are generally ambiguous, if they are even defined at all. The characters are not meant to mimic real people, but instead are often â€Å"metaphorical or archetypal† (Britannica Online Encyclopedia). Absurdism is a form of drama that emphasizes the absurdity of human existence by employing disjointed, repetitious, and meaningless dialogue, purposeless and confusing situations, and plots that lack realistic or logical development. The guiding principle of absurdism is to look at the world without any assumption of purpose and its usefulness is it exists without prejudices or specificity. As it is equally alien to everyone, Absurdism is meant to be accessible to everyone. One of the common misconceptions of theatre of the absurd plays is that nothing makes sense. On the contrary, the characters in absurdism tend to behave in a serious way, reacting realistically to the bizarre occurrences of their environment. The protagonists of Endgame by Samuel Beckett, The Zoo Story by Edward Albee, and Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco are all overwhelmed by the irrational nature of their respective environments and the general effect they share is a nightmare and dreamlike atmosphere that is their existence involving the forces of hope, truth, identity, reality, alienation, meaning, and human existence; all of which are forces they are struggling against. The idea of the Endgame is taken from the game of chess where the concept designates the last, and entirely predictable, stage of a game, the end. The play portrays a universe which is nearing its end. Hamm and Clov both are the protagonists in Beckett’s one-act play, Endgame. Hamm is the chess King, paralyzed and wheelchair bound, who moves only when he makes demand for Clov to service him â€Å"get me ready, I am going to bed† (391) or â€Å"I feel a little too far to the left / Now I feel a little too far to the right† (399). Clov is his submissive Knight who staggers around erratically submitting to Hamm’s every whim. Hamm controls everything and everyone while having absolutely no control over himself or his environment. Frustration and anger dictates his existence as he sees the end all humanity seem to be moving towards is both uncertain and elusive, and he is terrified. Hamm channels his anger at God by shouting â€Å"The bastard! He doesn’t exist! † (Levy 410). The forces of a meaningless existence, reality, and Armageddon are the forces Hamm and Clov struggles against. Both are starving for identity and a healthy relationship with others but it is an impossible feat. They want to preserve their own unique identity, but it is necessary for both to relate to the outside world and nature to develop a true identity. Hamm and Clov are confined in a depressing, stagnant, bare, and dismal vacuum of their environment located partially underground, and their relationship with nature is nonexistent as Beckett reveals â€Å"nature has forgotten us / There’s no more nature† Levy 393). Since both fail to develop an identity the result is a failure to establish a healthy mature relationship with each other. Outside all seems dead, barren, and nothing occurs as Hamm states â€Å"outside of here it’s death† (393). Inside, Hamm and Clov, his caretaker is passing the time mortifying each other and toying with fears and illusions of a possible change that will never occur. Clov indicates â€Å"I can’t be punished anymore† (390) when he reflects on his life with Hamm. In return Hamm declares that he is miserable, â€Å"can there be misery—loftier than mine? † (391). Hamm is attracted to whatever light there is in the gray world and constantly asks Clov to push him under the window so he can feel the light on his face. Light is used as a symbol of hope and life which expresses many of the nuances of Hamm’s personality. Hamm is cursed with darkness and he wants Clov to share the same miserable fate so he continuously antagonizes him. The antagonist is at times Hamm as well as the environment and death. The antagonist death will ultimately prevail and win the chess game. Clov and Hamm are in the â€Å"endgame† of their life and death lurks around the corner. Endgame is the term used to describe an ending in chess where the outcome is already known. The chess endgame parallels the final stages of life. Hamm and Clov will succumb to death regardless of how the game is played. They are stuck in a perpetual loop that never allows final closure. Hamm claims he wants to be â€Å"finished† (410), but admits that he hesitates to do so. He has no answers to the basic existential questions of why he is alive, why he has to die, and why is injustice in his miserable, suffering, and empty existence. Just as death cannot arrive to seal off life, neither can Hamm or Clove escape to close the book of one existence and open another. The Zoo Story by Edward Albee is more anchored in reality than most typical works in the genre of Theatre of the Absurd. The drama is a confrontation between middle-class America and the outcasts of society, Peter and Jerry. Albee presents the setting in a simple structure in New York’s Central Park consisting of two park benches. The play never changes, and the action unfolds in a linear manner, from beginning to end. There are three overriding themes in the short one-act play. They are absurdity versus reality, alienation and loneliness, and wealth and poverty. The protagonist is Peter, a complacent publishing executive of middle age and upper-middle income. He is a conventional family man with morals, mainstream social values, and financial stability. Peter is contending with forces of loneliness, hope, identity, and meaning in his life. Marriage, his cage, and life in general has not played out the way Peter anticipates as his household is female-dominated and he is forced to comply with the desires of his wife. He desires to be freed from the cage and the zoo of his life as Albee shows Who better than a nice married man with two daughters and†¦a dog? [Peter shakes his head] No? Two dogs. [Peter shakes his head again] Hm. No dogs? [Peter shakes his head sadly] Oh, that’s a shame. But you look like an animal man. CATS? [Peter nods his head, ruefully] Cats! But, that can’t be your idea. No, sir. Your wife and daughters? [Peter nods his head] Is there anything else I should know? (549) Jerry, the antagonist is an aggressive, dysfunctional, lonely, disheveled thirty something man in search of human interaction who also yearns to be released from his cage. Jerry is in a personal conflict with his sexuality and Peter is dealing with his emasculation. The distinctions being, Jerry is a social outcast who is free spirited and morally obligated. He is a free man in respect to Peter restrained life. Jerry is in a search of meaning and his struggle is to find his purpose in life. Without the purpose he seeks his life is meaningless and he chooses death to end it all. Peter is a template of American societal male and is a caged animal. Through the serious failed conversation and misrepresentation of the act of love, Jerry begins his life experiment to see if the middle class are animals after all. The lives of both Peter and Jerry is forever altered when they encounter each other on that faithful day and The Zoo Story highlights what happens when one character enters the life of another and rapidly changes it forever. Neither character prevailed in the drama with the violent conclusion of the psychological attack by retreat by Jerry when he tries to teach Peter the nature of human existence and relationships. Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco explores issues of chaos while arriving at a clear message about the chaos. Despite the wild themes and constant activity in the play, a structure and a plot does move forward. Ionesco challenges the point of life and rational nature of humans and forces humanity to challenge to understand ourselves and our actions. The protagonist is Berenger, an everyman who has strong moral character and individuality. The force he has to contend with is the decision to be an individualistic or conform because the masses have succumbed. He is not so different from everyone else in many respects, however, his strength of self and individualism is highlighted when he resists the call to conformity when he says â€Å"But they won’t get me / You won’t get me! † (Levy 469). Berenger chooses to be alone and to give rationality another try. The question becomes is he being true to himself or not? Is human condition one more of rationality or irrationality? To what degree should one resist the pull to conformity, and to what degree should one capitulate to the ways of the world? The antagonist is the ruling government and Nazism and the protagonist Tom prevailed by standing for what he believes even though at times he doubts his decision. Life is full of challenges faced on a daily basis. The many circumstances of life test the human existence, identity, hope, truth, and alienation among many other. Existentialism is based on the assumption that individuals are free and responsible for their own actions and choices. Humans are not victims of circumstances as the freedom of choice is a reality. One gets to make conscious choices when faced with challenges in life. The primary difference between the Theatre of the Absurd and existentialism is that while existentialism recommends a certain type of response to the apparent failure of the human condition, the works of Beckett, Ionesco, Pinter, and Albee makes points without providing any integrated human solution. If the nature of man is partly or mostly irrational, the Theatre of the Absurd expresses the absurdity of human life in a relatable fashion. Works Cited â€Å"Electronic Encyclopedia. † Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. , 2011 Web. 11 Nov. 2011 . Levy, Walter. Modern Drama: Selected Plays from 1879 to the Present. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1999. Print.