Monday, September 30, 2019

Van Sant’s ‘Death’ Trilogy: Gerry, Elephant and Last Days

Gus van Sant's three films, Gerry, Elephant and Last Days, are, in essence, a trilogy, linked by their common structures, compositions, and representations of death. In this paper, I will analyze these similarities and discuss the treatment of each film's central event. Van Sant's early career showed a unique experimentation with story structure and plot devices. In films like My Own Private Idaho, Drugstore Cowboy and To Die For, he displayed a freedom of narrative, creating esoteric, poetic pieces that challenged and often bewildered viewers. His career then became more conventional, and he hit somewhat of a lame lowpoint with the film Finding Forrester, a sappy story about a young black teenager whose writing gifts are altruistically recognized by an aging author played by Sean Connery. His next film, however, was completely different than anything he had directed. It starred Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, who, along with van Sant, would normally create box office demand with their work. Yet the film was not widely released or widely seen. It was mostly dismissed as an indulgent experimental piece, something created by Hollywood artists bored with their usual work and with easy access to too much funding. Van Sant followed this with a film that premiered at Sundance and, surprisingly, took the top prize. It purported to be a representation of the Columbine killings, even though Columbine was never mentioned, and several liberties were brazenly taken with facts that most people were intimately familiar with. It featured no professional actors; actually, the characters were all essentially playing themselves, even using their real names and shooting in their actual school. The film was much more widely seen, and the unique treatment of time and plot proved to be very similar to his previous work. His most recent film, officially titled Gus van Sant's Last Days, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and attempted to vaguely recreate the death of Kurt Cobain. The thematic elements and structure were by now easily recognizable. The film's first reviews were harsh, but eventually, critics seemed to warm to it, and it was widely praised for its bravery and patience. Van Sant refers to them as a â€Å"news story† trilogy, in that they are all based on real events. Gerry is about two guys who get lost in the desert, and one of them eventually kills the other one. Even if we're unfamiliar with the event, we can picture the sensational headline, probably depicting the event as horrific and the murderer as an animal. Van Sant's portrayal of the event, from the characters losing their way to the actual murder, reveals his intent to fully immerse himself in the event and depict how such an act could occur. When we witness the murder, it appears natural and even compassionate. The circumstances under which the characters are behaving are unusual and extreme, but their intentions and humanity are always recognizable. The next two films are events with which the culture is very familiar. Almost everyone who sees them has a strongly formed emotional impression of the stories. The Columbine massacre and the suicide of Kurt Cobain are two of the most omnipresent cultural events for this generation of Americans, and van Sant chooses to take them on. His intentions are similar to those of his first film in the series; he wants to discover, through the process of filmmaking, how such acts could occur. It is unclear as to whether van Sant intended to create a trilogy, but these films are unmistakably similar in several different ways, including their shooting and editing style, their themes, and their attempt to depict a â€Å"found story†. Common Style Cinematographer Harry Savides shot the trilogy, and his style remains consistent; it can best be described as meditative. Most of the elements and techniques were developed in the process of making Gerry. The shooting period lasted twenty-one days. There were lots of problems during the shoot, and the scenes were always planned and executed on set, in collaboration with the actors, and with very little adherence to a shooting script or written dialogue. During this process, van Sant and Savides developed what would become a signature style for them. They composed very long tracking shots of the characters simply walking through the desert. Some shots were close-ups of their faces as they trudged, always with a definite purpose and determination. Others were long shots of their tiny bodies against the hugeness of the landscape. The most famous shot is the two of them barely moving, close to death, silhouetted against the sunset, still moving slowly towards nothing. Another element they developed is a lack of adherence to any definite sense of time or chronology. The films are edited haphazardly, with several scenes repeated at different points in each film from different perspectives. In Gerry, the two men never find water, yet the sun rises and sets at least eight times during the movie, in very different settings. In Elephant, one hallway encounter between two characters, with another character running by, is seen three times from each characters' perspective, and continually serves as a warning that the killers are about to enter the school. There is no attempt to operate by any logical standards of time or character arc. The focus here is on a creation of atmosphere. The flexible chronology and the long static shots create a strong sense of freedom for the actors to immerse themselves in their characters. In each movie, and especially in Gerry and Last Days, the characters operate in a trance-like state, moving through the world of the film with no attempt to relay an emotion or communicate to anyone in any way. They simply are, and we watch them as voyeurs, knowing in each case that they are moving slowly towards death. The process of close collaboration with the actors is similar for each film as well. The actors are very much a part of the development of the story and their own characters. This trust in the actors to create their own worlds adds a unique element to the trilogy. Common Theme The central theme of the three films is â€Å"young death†. The first death is a compassionate murder; the second deaths are emotionally empty executions; the last is a slow wasting away. They all seem tragic because of the age of the victims and the somewhat easily avoidable circumstances under which the deaths occur. The deaths are also empty of crescendo. There is no sense of narrative closure in the deaths of the central characters, or an attempt to draw moral or dramatic conclusions from the deaths. This treatment of death is similar to the films analyzed by Catherine Russell in her work Narrative Mortality: Death, Closure and New Wave Cinemas. She notes that conventional cinematic narratives â€Å"codified the desire for meaning as a desire for meaningful death, and the desire for ending was formalized as a desire for death.† 1 She claims that new wave films â€Å"consistently split death from closure, and prevent meaning and ending from fitting neatly together.† These films have no plot or story; they end abruptly, with no attempt at coherent explanations. Their focus is on the world of the characters as they hypnotically and obliviously move towards their death. Common Intentions: A ‘Found Story' This refusal to exploit the deaths of the central characters for emotional or dramatic effect highlights van Sant's focus on creating realist cinema. He strives to present each scene as naturally as possible, with no cinematic affectations or even unnecessary camera movements. They wanted no â€Å"moves†. He and Savides make it clear that their intention is to recreate reality on screen. Realist theorist Siegfried Kracauer defines a ‘found story' as one that â€Å"emerges from the filmmaking†. 2 This description aptly describes van Sant's triptych; the process clearly defines the product. An example of this comes from the production of Last Days. Van Sant was in the costume designer's office when a Yellow Pages salesman entered and delivered his pitch. The director envisioned the affect this would have on his drugged-out, detached lead character and threw the two worlds together. The effect was brilliant in that it intensely highlighted the two different worlds that these characters inhabited. It also reveals van Sant's attempts to infuse his films with as much realism as possible, down to the actors who portray the characters. In fact, the actors are usually playing themselves. In Elephant, each character uses their real name and moves around their actual high school, interacting with their actual friends. The scenes are meticulously composed, but the dialogue and relationships, the individual moments, are mostly improvised, providing the audience with a strong sense of voyeurism and recognizable interactions. The affectations occur during editing. The sound design and aforementioned obscure chronology are the clues as to how we interpret the reality that they present. In Elephant, a character that most recognize as the eventual killer walks through the cafeteria drawing up his ‘plan'. He stops and we hear the sound slowly rise and overwhelm the boy, implying his â€Å"special mode of reality†.3 In Last Days, a somewhat bizarre element is employed in one of the final scenes. Blake, the Cobain surrogate, is lying in his garden house, close to death. Suddenly, his spirit emerges from his naked body as an apparition and hovers beside him. This mystical element meshes with the hypnotic, often spiritual mood of the film. At first glance, it seems to stand in stark contrast to the dogmatic realism of the rest of the film. However, the scene effectively illustrates the characters' state, and in this sense, remains consistent with the production's intentions. These common elements all serve the common event in each film: the eventual deaths of the major characters. Gerry Gerry depicts two characters, both ostensibly named Gerry, wandering through the desert looking for â€Å"the thing†. They see tourists with lame visors taking one path, and they decide to take another. They lose their way and spend the film attempting to survive. Each interaction between the characters is infused with purpose and a wry humor. They always have a new plan and never lose their forward-thinking state of mind. They resist despair and anger and seem always to assume that they will make it out ok. The majority of the ninety-minute film consists of the characters moving through the desert, searching always for the way home. There is maybe fifteen minutes of dialogue and, except for the tourists, no other characters. We see them simply walking, moving together, sometimes in what seems to be a competitive state, and other times alone, separately climbing different peaks to get a better view. The desert scenery is beautifully composed, and there are few shots less than a few minutes long. The characters are resisting death. They are slowly succumbing to the elements, fighting thirst and fatigue, never wanting to appear weak to the other. They always keep moving. Once, when they have stopped to rest, one of them comes to the other, tired but satisfied. He says, simply, â€Å"I found the car. I have water. I know the way out.† He is convinced of the truth of this claim, and is extremely disheartened when, after a few minutes of forceful persuasion, he realizes it is an illusion. Eventually, after moving around for what could be days, they lie down, exhausted and in a trance. One is clearly stronger than the other and is capable of continuing; one is finished. They lie next to each other, staring at the sky. Suddenly, the strong one moves on top of the weak one, wrestling him, literally shaking the life out of him. He stabs him and he bleeds, giving in quickly to the loss of consciousness. No emotion is displayed, and the event seems natural and pure. The act is clearly one of compassion for the pain of the weak one, a hastening of the inevitable and a cessation of the pain and agony and waiting. It is an act of euthanasia. However, it is also an act of survival; the strong one is now free to move again and attempt to survive on his own, which he eventually does, seeing the highway before him shortly after the murder. There is no lesson in the death, or any sense of closure. It is simply an act, and it bleeds into the reality of the rest of the film, having no special significance. It comes and passes in the same manner as the rest of the journey. It is a violent act, somewhat selfish, and it occurs in the vague context of an allegorical journey. The film is about being lost and eventually succumbing. However, there is never a sense of panic from the characters, or a sense that they have lost control or even hope. There is an acceptance at one point, when they lie down, and some timid shedding of tears from the weaker Gerry. But the characters admirably remain focused on survival and getting out, on proving their strength against the elements and their own thirst and exhaustion. The stronger character's devotion to this elusive hope eventually saves him, and he finds his way, leaving behind a friend who, all elements aside, he had murdered. He rides away in a car, still in a trance, looking back at the desert. The film is beautiful, and it is essentially a meditation on the struggle to survive. Elephant Elephant is a montage of different students at a public high school. Because the audience knows it is about the Columbine murders, the outcome is a given. Each ‘victim' is introduced with a title card, and we see them in their world, interacting with their friends, with no exposition or context. We know what high school is, and we understand and recognize the basis of the conversations and relationships. Scenes and characters intertwine as new characters are introduced and followed. Various social issues are broached in the context of the characters' lives, issues that have all been mentioned in the context of the killings as an attempt at explanation or blame. The first shot is a weaving car, casually sideswiping a parked car and almost hitting a biker. It creates a reckless and irresponsible tone, depicting apathy towards life and danger. We see that it is a drunken father driving his son to school, and the son demands that his father pull over and let him drive. He is not angry, just exasperated, and the issue of parental carelessness and forced responsibility of the child is depicted. We see the boy being disciplined by the principal and feel pity for him and his circumstances. We are introduced to three popular girls as they flirt with a boy and then eat lunch. They enter the bathroom, awkwardly discuss their body issues, and casually, simultaneously, vomit. The killers are at home, receiving weapons in the mail, which they have ordered over the internet, and practicing with them in the garage. The shy, geeky one, earlier seen picking spitballs out of his hair and plotting in the cafeteria, is playing Beethoven, slyly invoking A Clockwork Orange. The blond, outgoing one, who slyly invokes Eminem, enters his room and plays a generic video game, playing a character wandering through a vast white empty landscape shooting men in suits in the back as they slowly and obliviously walk towards the horizon. Video game violence is thus invoked as a ‘factor'. Later, as they prepare to enter the school for the massacre, the blond one enters the shower with the shy one and says, â€Å"I've never even kissed anyone, have you?†, and they embrace. Another element, repressed homosexuality and a sense of separation, is introduced. These issues are peripheral to the mood of the film. It is amazingly ominous. We see the killers entering the school with their arsenal very early in the film, and are repeatedly reminded of their entrance as other characters pass through the same time period. We never know when the first shots will occur. We know from the news that the library and the cafeteria were the scenes of the massacre, and we repeatedly hover there, watching characters, picturing the chaos about to occur. It is visceral and exciting, and sickening and bizarre. Van Sant, without affectation, makes us fall in love with some of the characters, simply from the purity of their interactions and their lives. He highlights their beauty, and exposes their talents and quirks. Even the killers are presented almost sympathetically, or at least without any attempt to vilify them. We observe their normal lives, at breakfast with their family, practicing the piano and playing games, and their relationship is almost pleasant to watch. We see their psychosis, however, and realize very soon that they are capable of total detachment and extreme violence in retaliation for a vague sense of being underappreciated and emotionally tortured. The killings finally begin, a few scenes after we hear the machine gun being cocked in the library. The geeky girl with the long pants in gym class arrives late for her job in the library, and as she speaks to the boys with their arsenal, they splatter her blood against the books. They turn and randomly shoot into the crowd of scurrying students. The killings are not gruesome or ugly; they are simple and easy. We meditate on the killers' callousness and the painful pointlessness of the act, rather than recoil at the blood and shock of the shootings. We also never see a panicked face or hear a shrill scream; the deaths, as in Gerry, blend with the everyday we have adjusted to seeing. The world does not change because of the acts that occur. The ending is extremely abrupt; the killers meet in the cafeteria, and as the blond brags about his kills, he is ruthlessly shot in the head by the shy one. He is speaking, we hear a shot and see blood, and he falls out of frame. At first, we are not sure if he was shot by another student or a sniper, but when we see the shy one, in the same long shot, moving towards the freezer looking for more victims, we realize. The film ends as he finds a popular couple whom we know and he obviously despises, and tortures them happily, pointing the machine gun at them and reciting eenie meenie miney mo. The film takes place in a single morning, in the span of a few hours. The characters we meet have no thoughts of their fate, wandering through their lives as death approaches in a sedan with a devil hanging from the windshield. Van Sant chooses an extremely familiar event and gets inside what might have happened. What he manages to create is a total sense of normalcy in the high school. There is no sentimentality in this film, this depiction of an event that is so loaded with emotion and sentiment and anger and backlash and blame in our culture. He strips it down and rips away all the sensation, and reveals easy to know people in an easy to know situation about to face something horrific and familiar to us all. His intentions and approach are similar to that of the film United 93, about the September 11th plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. We all know the details, we have all felt the sentiment, but the film attempts to forget all that and show real characters in a real situation, without any sentimental pretensions. It tries to depict how such an event really looked. In Elephant's case, this is done in service of a meditation on the casualness of violent death. Last Days Last Days depicts the deterioration of a rock star, based on the suicide of Kurt Cobain. The first shots are of Blake walking through the woods, urinating in a pond, vomiting, and singing Home on the Range by a fire and a tent. He returns to his house and wanders ghost-like through the halls and rooms, avoiding contact with any of the stragglers in the house, cooking macaroni and cheese and watching a Boyz II Men video. We see the state of his life intimately, and his world becomes recognizable. He is out of it and detached, and has no desire to connect with anyone. He carries around an ominous shotgun in several scenes, and at one point, he mimics shooting two of his friends as they lie in bed. He is in a trance. He literally hovers in some scenes, slowly, slowly, collapsing to the ground and resting, comatose, against the door, falling violently when it is opened and a straggler checks for his pulse. No one in this film wants anything. No one, especially Blake, has any sense of purpose. This is the weakness of the film from a cinematic standpoint. Gerry and Elephant remain fascinating in large part because of the strength of their characters' intentions and purpose. In this world, no one feels anything. The peripheral characters might have intentions relating to a vague sense of hedonism or greed, but that is not near enough to drive the film. This is about a wasting away, a slow, drawn out surrender to death, a suicide. The wallpaper is crumbling, the house is falling apart, no connections are made, and we are witness to a man who is totally numb to the world. It again features the long, static shots of seemingly nothing, zooming in on the television, holding on Blake's lifeless body on the floor. There is a beautiful shot of Blake experimenting with sounds in his studio. The camera slowly moves backward, and we watch for an extremely long time as he moves around the room, haphazardly enjoying himself with his instruments, seemingly at peace, In the end, we see him cowering in the garden room, watching characters come and go, completely alone, and ready for an ending. This is a meditation on decay. Death These films very effectively reveal worlds that simply are. The characters we follow slowly approach their death, one at the hands of his friend, others at the hands of gun-toting teenage psychos, the last, presumably, by his own hand. But, in fitting with the tone of the trilogy, death simply is. It happens just as casually as the taking of a photograph or the preparation of macaroni and cheese. When it happens, nothing is done to signify or indicate any sense of change or profundity. The realism of the films is, to me, something almost euphoric. There is a real beauty in the interactions between the characters, in how recognizable their worlds are, and because of this, the audience receives a gift: there is a chance at a profound understanding of the nature of what happens to them.

Early Learning and Childcare

Early learning and childcare 63 Trafford rd rushden northans nn10 Abigail wignall sh40856/NCC assignment 1 pg1 Task1. 1 From birth to adulthood children continually grow develop and learn,if children do not develop propely they may be unable to reach their full potential. All young people follow a similar pattern of develpoment,however each child is diffrent and may develop at a diffrent rate. There are three areas of development, physical, intellectual,social and emotional. heres is a guide of how they develop for the following age ranges â€Å"taken from study book early learning and childcare†. -3yrs physical development by6months a child will:  ·turn their head towars sounds and movement  ·watch an adults face while feeding  ·smile at familar faces and voices  ·reach up to hold their feet when lying on their backs  ·hold and shake a rattle  ·put everythings in their mouths between 6months and 1year  ·move from sitting with support to sitting alone  ·roll ov er from their tummy to their back  ·begin to creep, crawl or shuffle on their bottom  ·push on or push against adult hands or furniture to reach a standing position  ·raise arms to be lifted  ·turn and look up when they hear their name pat and poke objects when playing  ·pass objects from hand to hand  ·look for things thathave been hidden or dropped  ·reaches hand toward source of food Between one and two years  ·begin to walk  ·sits alone indefinitely  ·feed themselves  ·push and pull toys while walking  ·wave goodbye  ·point or make noises to indiacte wants  ·enjoy a picture book  ·shake head for no  ·uses thumb and first two fingers to grip  ·crawl upstairs  ·stoops to pick things up from floor  ·begins to show prefrence for onr hand  ·builds tower of few bricks  ·holds crayon in palm and makes marks on paper Between two and three  ·Kneels to play  ·throws kicks ball  ·builds larger bruck tower  ·pour liquids  ·uses pencil to m ake marks and circular scribbles Newborn to three months the social and emotional development should be the child very depdant on adults maily mother for comfort,cuddles and reassurance and the child will quieten while the adults do so. Between six to nine months the child enjoys the company of others and begin to like games such as peek a boo and show affection to known people but shywith strangers at one to two years their social development should extend to play alongside other children also like to please adults and perform to an audience.They may become upset and distressed if seperated from known adults, a object can be used for comfort. By two to three years they should be developing a sense of own identidy and want to do things themselves and demand adult attention and can become reluctant to share be prone to tantrums outburts but also enjoy playing with adults or older children who give attention, and play with others same age for short periods of time. intelectual develop ment between 0-3years should be begining to realise others are seperate beings from ourselves and become more confident but do still require adult reassurance.At 0-3 months language development should be making happy sounds 6-12 months they should be making babbling sounds and begin show feelings by squealing with pleasure, crying or laughing to show enjoyment. one to two years they should be joining words to make sentances and by two be using 50-150 words and start understand conversation and understand keywords. by 2-3 years should be able to put words together to make sentances scribble on paper use several hundread words by three be joining in songs and be asking questionns like how? why?. Physical development at age 3-7years yrs  ·jump with feet together  ·walk on tip toes  ·go up and down the stairs  ·catch and thow a ball  ·climb  ·paint  ·thread beads on to laces  ·gain controll over eating tools 4years  ·throw with aim  ·use sccissors  ·hold pencil be able draw houses/people 5years  ·hop  ·skip  ·ride bike  ·jump from height  ·climb confidently  ·write  ·thread needles  ·do laces and buttons (Information found children and young peoples workforce-early learning and childcare 2012) By 3-4years their intellectual development should be as follows, able sort objects into gropus eg colour or size.Understand simple tasks given for example fetch a story book and bring it to mummy. socialy and emotionaly they should have become more independant and self motivated feeling more secure and able cope with unfamilar faces and surroundings for small periods of time. By 4-5years grammar becomes more accurate and their questions become more complex communicating better, able understand books as a source of fun and begin to recoginze wn name and written words theve seen on few occasions, be able form some lettering and begin copying shapes.At age 5-7years they should be handling books well and understand text has meaning, be able make up stories and regonize an increasing number of letters linking them to sound. development at age 7-12 years should be thye child being able to run,hop skip,climb,swing confidently, and start enjoying team games and may misjudge their own abilty before age nine. Social and emotional development at this age range should becoming less dependant on adults nad enjoy being in a group of people at the same age wanting to fit in with the peer rules. They should have an understanding that certain behavoiurs are un acceptable.Begin form close relationships at age eight also becoming more aware of own gender can be bossy or arogant but enjoy playing with others same sex but need adult reassurance and help when comes to arguments in play. Intelecutaly at this age the child should be able to read,write and take an intrest in certain subjects he enjoys by around 9, also be knowing diffrence tenses and grammar,read out loud but may need help tackling complexities of spelling, their vocabular y will grow if adults introduce and encourage new words and ways of using lanuage.At the age 12-19years is said to be the period from childhood to adulthood could start at age 11 and last untill 19-20years. Adolesecnce is a transition period where young people grdually detach themselves from their parents, and form a close group of friends. many physical changes occur at this stage in life, changing their apperance and bodies, coordination and strength increase greatly although every persons rate can be diffrent.Adolesence for boys usually begins later than girls, boys begin to develop sex characteristics like deep voices body hair and muscle growth,testicals and scrotom growth begins in mid puberty penis growth beings a little later but continues growing for a longer period of time. Girls begin breast budding at around age ten, her pubic hair will begin to grow and darken and curl also body begins to to become more round developing curves of womanhood, By 13 some girls can almost b e physicaly mature, also this is average age to bein their menstral cycle this can depend on the age of pubertal onset.By age 15 a girl is most likely to e at her adult height and may have a woman figure but her hips and breasts may become fuller. Lanuage development in teenagers may become imtating but that is there way of testing out there new found language and skills like sarcasam, their logical thinking ability is also growing and maturing they may ut them into pratice by debate either fomaly or infomaly.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Awakening Study Guide

Section 1: Due Wednesday, March 8 Chapter I 1. What does the parrot say? What does it mean? How might these comments foreshadow what will occur in the novel? 2. Describe Leonce Pontellier. Specifically describe his reaction to the parrot, how he speaks to his wife, and his reaction to Mrs. Pontellier's question about dinner. 3. Describe the Pontellier children. 4. What is the role of the â€Å"quadroon†? 5. Who is Robert Lebrun? What is his part in this story? Chapter II 1. Describe Edna Pontellier. What does she look like? Where is she from? Where does she live now? 2. What is Robert Lebrun like?What are his plans for the future? Do you think he will ever follow through with his plans? Why, why not? 3. Describe Edna and Robert's relationship. Chapter III 1. How does Leonce feel when he returns home? 2. How does he feel about Edna's mothering skills? 3. Why does Edna cry? 4. How do others feel about Leonce? Chapter IV 1. What is a mother-woman? Why is Edna not one? Who is a mo ther-woman? 2. How is Edna different from Creole women? Chapter V 1. How does Robert relate to women on the island? 2. How does Edna feel about sketching? 3. Do you think Adele faked fainting? Why,or why not?Chapter VI 1. â€Å"A certain light was beginning to dawn dimly within her – the light which, showing the way, forbids it. † Analyze the above sentence. What does the light represent? How does the light forbid as it compels? 2. What does Edna come to realize about her â€Å"position in the universe†? 3. What is the ocean's effect on Edna? Chapter VII 1. How does Edna have an â€Å"outward life which conforms, and the inward life which questions†? 2. What does Edna blame her change upon? 3. How do Edna’s and Adele's outward appearances represent their inward lives? 4. How does Adele treat Edna's sadness?What does this say about her? 5. Describe Edna's sisters. Chapter VIII 1. Why does Adele tell Robert that Edna is not one of them? 2. Who is Alc ee Arobin? What stories does Robert tell about him? 3. Describe Robert's relationship with his mother. 4. How is Robert affected by the letter from Montel? Chapter IX 1. Early in this chapter the parrot speaks, and the Farival twins play songs from Zampa. Why do you think Chopin repeats these events? 2. Again, Edna sees the ocean and remarks on its restlessness. How does the ocean reflect Edna's own feelings? 3. Describe Mademoiselle Reisz.How does Edna feel about her? 4. Describe the story Mlle Reisz's playing conjures for Edna. 5. How does Mlle Reisz's playing affect the audience? Chapter X 1. Edna cannot swim. What are the implications, then, of her focus on the ocean? 2. â€Å"She wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before. † Analyze the above sentence. List the different meanings it has for Edna’s life. 3. Why does Edna have an encounter with death? Chapter XI 1. How does Leonce feel when Edna returns from swimming? 2. Now that Edna is awakening from a dream, how does her everyday life affect her? Chapter XII 1.Edna says, â€Å"He'd never be in bad humor if it weren't for me,† referring to Leonce. Why does Edna think this? 2. Where are Robert and Edna going, and why is it unusual? 3. Describe Mariequita's encounter with Robert. Chapter XIII 1. Where does Robert take Edna after they leave church? 2. Describe Madame Antoine and her life. Section 2: Due Friday, March 11 Chapter XIV 1. Who took charge of Edna's children while she was on the island? 2. What doesn't Edna realize about herself? 3. What does Robert's song, â€Å"si tu savais† (if you knew), represent? Chapter XV 1. Describe Edna's reaction to hearing Robert is going to Mexico. . Does her reaction surprise you? Why, why not? Chapter XVI 1. How does Mlle Reisz react to Edna? 2. Do you agree with Edna's idea that a woman should never sacrifice herself for her children? 3. What does Mlle Reisz think about Madame Lebrun's relationships with her sons? 4. What new information did you learn about Mlle Reisz? Chapter XVII 1. The setting has changed. Where does the story take place now? 2. Leonce is angered when Edna tells him she went out. Why is he angry? 3. What does Leonce think Edna should do about the cook? 4. Why does Edna try to destroy her wedding ring?What change is taking place in her? Chapter XVIII 1. How does Edna feel about the house and her domestic chores? 2. How does Adele feel about her domestic chores? 3. Reflect upon the difference between the two women. 4. Compare and contrast the Pontellier marriage with the Ratignolle marriage. Chapter XIX 1. After her visit with Adele, what does Edna do about her domestic obligations? Does this surprise you? Give evidence as to why you think Edna's reaction is expected or not. 2. How does Leonce react to Edna's actions? 3. Of what does Chopin say Leonce is not aware? 4. What does Edna spend her time doing?Chapter XX 1. What does the neighborhood grocer think of Mlle Reisz? Why do you thi nk he feels this way? 2. Describe the altercation between Victor Lebrun and the black woman. 3. The Lebruns comment that Edna looks better. Why do you think Edna looks healthier? Chapter XXI 1. Describe Mlle Reisz's apartment. 2. How does Mlle Reisz react to Edna's arrival? 3. Mlle Reisz says to Edna, â€Å"To be an artist includes much; one must possess many gifts – absolute gifts – which have not been acquired by one's own effort. And, moreover, to succeed, the artist must possess a courageous soul. The brave soul.The soul that dares and defies. † Do you think Edna has such a soul? Why or why not? 4. Do you think Mlle Reisz has such a soul? Why or why not? 5. What do you think is in Robert's letter to Mlle Reisz? Why has he not written to Edna? Chapter XXII 1. Describe the conversation between Leonce and Doctor Mandelet. 2. Why would Edna tell Leonce that â€Å"a wedding is one of the most lamentable spectacles on earth†? Chapter XXIII 1. Describe Edna' s father. 2. What is the doctor's assessment of Edna's health? 3. What story does Edna tell at dinner with the doctor and her father? Chapter XXIV 1.Edna's father gives Leonce the following advice concerning Edna, â€Å"Authority, coercion are what is needed. Put your foot down good and hard; the only way to manage a wife. † Do you think this would be an effective way for Leonce to relate to Edna? 2. Who is Emerson? What kind of literature did he write? Why would Edna be reading his works? Chapter XXV 1. Who is Arobin? What kind of man is he? 2. Describe Edna's encounter with him after the races. 3. Edna imagines her time with Arobin means she is being unfaithful to Robert. Does Edna ever think of her husband? Chapter XXVI 1. Mlle Reisz mothers Edna; why does Edna let her treat her that way? . Chopin says of Edna that she â€Å"resolved never again to belong to another than herself. † Do you think this is an accepted way for women to think in the late 1800s? 3. Edna ad mits to Mlle Reisz that she is in love with Robert. How does Mlle Reisz react? Section 3: Due Tuesday, March 15 Chapter XXVII 1. Edna says to Arobin that she would like to â€Å"determine what character of a woman† she is. He replies, â€Å"Why should you bother thinking about it when I can tell you what manner of woman you are. † Think about Edna's comments concerning wanting to be her own woman, to be possessed by no one.Why would Chopin not have Edna protest such a comment? 2. Mlle Reisz tells Edna, â€Å"The bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings. It is a sad spectacle to see weaklings bruised, exhausted, fluttering back to earth. † Do you think Edna is strong enough to soar? Why, why not? 3. Arobin kisses Edna. What are the implications? Remember what the doctor said about Arobin. Chapter XXVIII 1. How does Edna feel after the kiss? Chapter XXIX 1. Who are the â€Å"thousand muffled voices† tellin g Edna to leave her home? 2. Describe Edna's demeanor concerning moving.Chapter XXX 1. We learn the second line in the song Robert sang to Edna. What is that line? Why is it important? Why does Edna not want Victor to sing that song? Chapter XXXI 1. Arobin walks Edna to her new house. How does he treat her when they arrive? Chapter XXXII 1. How does Leonce react to Edna's move? 2. What is Leonce most worried about? What actions does he take? 3. Edna is pleased to see her children. Does this surprise you? Why, why not? Chapter XXXIII 1. What is the advice Adele gives Edna? How does Adele feel about Arobin? 2. Describe the meeting of Robert and Edna. 3.Robert sees Arobin's photograph in Edna's â€Å"pigeon house. † How does he react? Chapter XXXIV 1. Describe the meeting of Arobin and Robert. 2. Arobin declares his love to Edna. Does she believe him? Should she? 3. Which man does Edna fantasize about? Chapter XXXV 1. Edna spends time with Arobin. He feels her â€Å"latent sens uality. † What does she feel? Chapter XXXVI 1. Edna meets Robert by chance at an outside cafe. Describe their meeting. 2. They return to Edna's house where she kisses him and declares she is possessed by no one. What else does she tell Robert? Chapter XXXVII 1. Edna goes to Adele's sick bed.How does this make her feel? 2. Why does Adele say to Edna, â€Å"Think of the children†? Chapter XXXVIII 1. Doctor Mandelet speaks to Edna as they leave Adele's house. What advice does he give her? What does he speak to her about? 2. What keeps Edna awake? Chapter XXXIX 1. Why does Chopin begin the last chapter with Victor Lebrun and Mariequita? 2. In this last chapter, the novel seems to be repeating itself. Which quotes are similar to or are repeats of previous lines? 3. How does the novel end? What is Edna's fate? Is the ending appropriate for the purpose of the book? Explain.

Abstract Expressionism

Melinda Alexander Abstract Expressionism In this essay, I will demonstrate a comparison of control and chaos in the painting methods between Jackson Pollock and Helen Fraternally. I consider both artists to operate at a type of controlled chaos. However, I find that Fraternally used more control in her painting method where she carefully applied colors to certain spaces. Pollock's painting is more a result of his actions than a specific thought as where to apply a certain color in an empty space. Jackson Pollock's drip-method is creative and original. No one before him had used this method of pouring and splattering paint.Artists normally brushed or pushed the color. His process was completely unique. He did not use an easel. The canvas was laid on the ground. Industrial paint, raw canvas, sticks, and other tools instead of brushes were all materials that make his art pieces so unique. Lavender Mist exhibits an energy that almost gives life to the painting. The colors contrast in a w ay that are bold but not overwhelming. The dark hue mixes with the light so that it is neither heavy nor airy. At 87 X 118 inches the scale is huge. Amongst the chaos there is an even distribution of pattern and colors throughout the pacing.This gives it unity, symmetry and balance. I think that is why I call it controlled chaos. He reminds me of sort of a maestro conducting an orchestra. Using his tools, paints and body the way a maestro would conduct a symphony. He is moving everywhere flinging paint around not knowing really what it will look like. The spontaneity and originality of his work is interesting and cool. Helen Freakishness's work with water color is also original. I think her action is more controlled than Pollock as she moves the color to fill certain spaces on the paper and she sketches some with charcoal.Chaos is demonstrated as well with her painting freely from nature or her memory of it. Like Pollock, she painted on the floor and at a large scale. Mountains and Sea gives a calm and soothing feel generally. The lines are implied with the shapes being organic and soft made from where the paint seeped into the weave. There is unity with some of the sketched lines suggesting a scene. Yet the shapes remain undefined. There is also unity and balance with the color hue of pale greens and blue giving a cool effect. The use of pale orange accent as a contrast warms up the picture Just enough to make it light and airy.This painting is nice. I found Pollock's methods and pieces more interesting. Overall, Jackson Pollock and Helen Fraternally used techniques including both chaos and control while creating their art pieces. Both artists worked freely being surprised with the end result not really knowing what they were creating while working. Both artists used techniques and tools that were original producing effects new to the art world during that time. Fraternally used more control or thought in that she moved color into certain spaces. I think she was also more controlled in that she painted from memory ND sketched some.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Business Strategy Essay

For better understanding, this assignment has been organised in four sub- headings, they are as follows: the general overview of Porter’s Five Forces model; the importance or usefulness of Five Forces model; the criticisms and evaluation of Porter’s model; the recommendation and finally the conclusion. Overview of Porter’s model Johnson et al (2011) described Porter Five Forces as a strategic tool that helps identify the attractiveness of an industry in terms of five competitive forces: the threat of new entry, the threat of substitutes, the power of buyers, the power of suppliers and the extent of rivalry between competitors. Porter (1980) argues that this model is based on the insight that a good business strategy should meet the opportunities and threats in the organizations external environment. Particularly, competitive strategy should be based on an understanding of industry structures and the way they change. From the above explanation we can see that Porter’s Five Forces is a simple tool that supports strategic management in decision making through understanding where strength and weaknesses lie. Importance of Porter’s Five Forces The Porter’s Five Forces is a simple but powerful tool that supports strategic understanding where power lies in a business situation. It also helps to understand both the strength of the firm’s current competitive position, and strength of a position a company is looking to move to. †¢This model also emphasizes extended competition for value rather than just competition among existing rivals, and the simplicity of its application inspired numerous companies as well as business schools to adopt its uses as suggested by Wheelen and Hunger (1998). With clear understanding of where power lies, it will enable a company to take fair advantage of its strengths and improve on its weaknesses and off cause avoid taking wrong steps. Therefore to apply this planning tool efficiently, it is important to understand the situation and look at each of the forces individually. Criticisms and Evaluation of Five Forces Porters Five Forces is no doubt a powerful framework in determining the competitive nature of an industry. However it has been criticised by various commentators regarding its usefulness in today’s dynamic business environment. Although, Wheelen & Hunger (2002) recognised the five force they both thought that Stakeholders influence should have been included as the sixth force. This is because interest groups like the government, local communities, creditors, trade associations, special interest groups, unions and shareholders all have big influence on how the organisation operate. For instance, financial policies such as interest rates are being regulated by the government and may have a negative or positive effect on the organisation. Also as part of the stakeholders if creditors refuse to provide credit facilities for some firms could force them into liquidation. Porter’s model assumed that all businesses are competing against each other while in the actual sense some complement each to provide a better product, which are known as complementors. Complementors in this sense are businesses that provide complementary services to each other. These companies form strategic alliance to enhance the services that they provide either for the purpose of efficiency or cutting of cost. Example of this situation can be seen on iPods and headphones. Apple produced the iPod while Sony produces the headphone which Apple uses and same time Apple is competing with Sony on its brand of MP3 music player, in other words, each of these firm benefits from each other’s presence. Downes (1997) in his article â€Å"Beyond Porter† in the Context Magazine, suggested three new forces which he called; Digitalisation, Globalisation and Deregulation. Digitalization: He claims that organisations are now highly influenced by technological advancement, especially in information technology as well as retail organisations. Most firms no longer depend on high street sales rather online to boost their revenue. Some high street store also trying to play catch up with organisations like eBay and Amazon who have dominated the online. The introduction of credit cards by credit card organisations, loyalty cards by retail stores, all these new digital technologies allows companies to chase competitive advantage on a different level thereby creating new strategy to outweigh its competitors. Globalization: According to Downes (1997) days are gone when firms were only competing with their local rivals. Most organisations are now competing on international level by way of improved distribution channels, businesses can now buy and sell and on a global level. Customers, through the internet have the chance to shop around and compare prices globally. Even most medium size companies find themselves in an international market, even if they do not have branches overseas. Based on these facts it is not enough anymore for any business to position itself as a price-leader. Instead competitive advantages emerge now from the ability to develop long-term relationships to more mobile costumers and to manage extensive networks of customers and associates for mutual benefit. Deregulation: Industries like Communication, Railways, Airlines, now have different ways of competing against each other since firms are now in the hands of entrepreneurs’ unlike in the 1970 when most firms were in the hands of government. Deregulation creates more intense atmosphere for competition because every player in the industry wants to dominate the market. When compared to Porter’s Five Forces model, digitalization, globalization and deregulation have become more powerful forces in the last few decades, which Porter barely takes into consideration in his work. Today’s companies are highly influenced by technological progress, especially in information technology. Therefore, it is not advisable for any business to develop a strategy solely on the basis of Porters model. Shapiro and Varian (1998) claimed that economic laws do not change while technology do then went further to argue that Porter’s models are economic laws and rules that has been around for ages before his study but technology and information has moved and still moving and will continue to be a major force in competitive strategy. Presently, the level of information made available to businesses has intensified competition. For instance, firms can now gather so much information about their customers and how much they are willing to pay for the product. With customer’s shopping available to them they may choose to â€Å"lock them in† which would not have been possible many years ago when five forces was propounded. Despite the huge success of five forces in strategic management, this model did not give exact percentage of these forces to signal when the company is at risk, therefore the model on its own lacks enough information to actually guide decision makers. Although, still applicable in today’s dynamic business environment, it was advocated many years back when the business environment were not that competitive, for instant, when it was proposed it could be that a firm has only one supplier for its material which eliminated the possibility of strong competition among suppliers. This model from all indication assumed identifiable competitors, business partners, and customers who engage in more or less predictable ways. Kippenberger (1998), Haberberg & Rieple (2001) all suggested that it is not advisable to develop a strategy based on Five Forces model alone, it should be used in addition to other frameworks, thus SWOT and PESTEL analysis. This does not mean that Five Forces is invalid, but it is good to adopt a model knowing its merits and demerits. Rather than jump into a framework thinking it has solution to every situation. Recommendations Managers and decision makers in conducting analysis on Porter’s Five Forces should brainstorm on all relevant factors for the firm’s market situations and then check against the factors presented for each force. It will also be relevant to use positive sign to indicate forces that are in favour of the organisation and negative sign for forces strongly against the organisation in question. After identifying the favourable and unfavourable forces of the company’s performance and industry’s attractiveness, the manager should analyse the situation and examine the impact of these forces. Conclusion This assay has given a thorough account of Porter’s Five Forces by drawing attention to some of the criticisms of this model, which includes neglecting the all-powerful forces of Stakeholders, the emergent effects of digitalisation, globalisation and deregulation. Complementors and Collaborators as well as easy access to information were all overlooked by this framework. Through evaluation of this model, we also found that most organisations have managed to avoid the bargaining powers from either the supplier or distributors by way of backward or forward integration. This assignment acknowledged the usefulness of Porter’s model in strategic analyses even in today’s dynamic business environment but must not be used in isolation without considering other forces mentioned above. And finally organisations and decision makers should not assume that all their competitors and business partners are identifiable as suggested by this model.

Tension between Idealism and Naturalism Assignment

Tension between Idealism and Naturalism - Assignment Example Naturalism involves the observation of science and relevant impact of it to the society. Naturalism is an ideology that everything in the universe is a product of physical stuff or nature. It shows that there is nothing supernatural in the world, and everything could be explained using application of hard and soft sciences. It is a method of truth-seeking within the society and has an impact on the public policy. It doesn’t mean the denial of human spirituality but an embrace of real spirituality. Naturalism clashes with idealism in the sense that, it suggests humans are like stardust and their atoms exchanged with the rest of the Earth system. It connects humans to nature and shows the sense of its feeling to the universe. The greatest Greek artist Praxiteles used the idealism to explain the charm of his work to the society by representing the god Hermes holding the young Dionysus on his arm playing with him. The idea shows the Greek art expansion within a short period. In Praxiteles works, there are no traces of rigidity but depicts that god stands before us in a relaxed pose that does not impair his dignity. Praxiteles shows the society the hinges of the body to improve the understanding and clarity of his work. He wants to bring to bring to reality in his idealistic styles the impression of a living body in all its grace and beauty. It is important to understand that Praxiteles and other Greek artists achieved the Hermes beauty through knowledge. Hence a quote â€Å"no living body quite as symmetrical, well-built and beautiful as those of the Greek status†.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Packaging and Pricing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Packaging and Pricing Strategy - Essay Example One firm that has successfully integrated into the Lowes paradigm is Green Fiber. I.-Introduction Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse is an American-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. The Mooresville, North Carolina-based chain has grown from a tiny hardware store into the world’s second-largest home improvement retailer. (Fortune, 2008) Lowe’s is ranked 48 in the 2008 Fortune 500 Largest Corporations in America. (Fortune, 2008) The company has grown nationwide and today, its stores offer around 40,000 products in stock and even more products are available through their Special Order Service. (Lowes, 2013) One of the most unique branding success stories within the Lowes family is Green Fiber. Green Fiber has developed the capacity to turn what has previously been an environmental "problem" into a major commodity in the building products industry. Green Fiber's natural fiber insulation offers a substantial environmental benefit: made from 8 5 percent recycled paper fiber, Green Fiber insulation products divert millions of tons of paper from landfill each year. (Green Fiber, 2013) As a natural fiber blow-in insulation made with no harmful chemicals, Green Fiber insulation products provide a safe option for builders and DIY homeowners that wish to improve the efficiency of their home insulation without introducing chemically treated materials. (Green Fiber, 2013) Product Description: Green Fiber Cellulose Insulation provides a smart environmentally-friendly choice for home upgrades and new construction. Cellulose insulation is a cost-effective alternative to conventional fiberglass insulation. It provides a green, efficient, non-toxic, affordable thermal solution that increases any homes efficiency and thermal qualities. Blow In Natural Fiber Insulation acts as a thermal blanket in the attic space of a home by increasing the insulation R-values and making homes more energy efficient. (Green Fiber, 2013) II. Current Produ ct Analysis: Green Fiber Insulation is currently the only cellulose-based insulation material offered by Lowes Home Improvement Warehouses. (Lowes, 2013) The main product competitor found on the shelves of Lowes is conventional pink fiberglass insulation that is sold in rolls and bundles. The established presentation of the product is adequate but not dazzling. The simple fact is that Green Fiber Insulation is treated just like its Fiber Glass insulation competitors. In Lowes Home Improvement Stores it is sold as a bulk basic material with limited product information beyond R-Value properties and quick installation guides. The Product Life Cycle of Green Fiber Insulation is at an intersection point. Since the product’s introduction in 2000 cellulose insulation product sales have grown by over 57%. (Green Fiber, 2013) Cost of Green Fiber Insulation is declining on a per unit basis because of increased sales. As profitability for Green Fiber has increased direct competitors (ce llulose insulation manufacturers) and indirect competitors (fiberglass insulation manufacturer’s) have regressed into the market and are attempting to challenge Green Fibers position.

Religious Freedom, Secular Forum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Religious Freedom, Secular Forum - Essay Example For others, it demonstrated how the UK universities were willing to appease Islamists extremists so as not to offend the minority groups. The issue of gender segregation being the latest in a series of clashes has led to other questions including blasphemy, same sex marriages and other demands of a secular society. It also raises a question on what is really meant by religious freedom and the extent of tolerance that could be allowed in religion (Malik, 2014). In the modern secular society, religion no longer plays a part in political and intellectual disputes. Religious freedom today could therefore be defined as expressing freedoms and beliefs in a much broader way rather than a special kind of liberty (Malik, 2014). This is so long as one’s religious freedom does not cause harm to another individual. This indicates that there is a limit that cannot be crossed in the name of religious beliefs. In my point of view, the Muslim and other minority groups in the society should be allowed to carry on with their religious practices freely and without having to interfere with the rights of other religions. On the subject of gender isolation in public meetings, it should be allowed since it does not interfere with the other groups in the university. Furthermore, it does not interfere with the policies and practices of the university. Limits should however be defined to ensure order and consistency in the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

International Trade Administration of North America Term Paper

International Trade Administration of North America - Term Paper Example When we look at the old pattern where how the US economy works, that is, the population also grows along with US economy, the job fulfilment is reached. When we check the business-peak cycle from January 1980 to July 1990 we can observe the total U.S employment grow by 151,000 net new payroll jobs in a month. And it increased at a rate of 178,000 at the business- peak cycle from July 1991 to March 2001, but around the turn of millennium the situation began to change in U.S. than before (Lenain, et al., 2012). Due to the weak employment growth in the beginning of the millennium the economy fell into recession and began to shed jobs at the end of 2008 and this lasted till the president signed the American recovery and reinvestment act. The recession made a large and continuing negative impact on the state and local governments, however with the help of recovery act and by the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance extensions contained in the tax relief, unemployment insurance reaut horisation and job creation act of 2010, the U.S. economy had added jobs in every month from February 2010 (Lenain, et al., 2012). The economy of whole North America includes 528 million people in its 23 sovereign states and 15 dependent territories. It is marked by a sharp division between predominantly English speaking countries of Canada and united states , which are among the wealthiest and most developed nations in the world, and the countries in central America and Caribbean the less developed.

Social Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Social Media - Essay Example Other noticeable social media platforms include Google Corporation’s Google+ and Wikipedia, which normally serves as a reference site. Social media is no doubt becoming an integral part of human lives. They have been celebrated for the fact that they enhance communication between individuals, hence making interaction much easier. The role of social media in marketing has also been applauded as stakeholders have argued that it is the next big thing in marketing. Social media platforms increases both brand recognition and loyalty while at the same time reducing the cost of marketing. Experts have also attested to the fact that it improves customer experience. One major disadvantage of social media platforms According to (Kerpen, 2011) is the fact that their users tend to lose their privacy â€Å"You lose certain confidentialities as compared to not being on social network.† Similarly, concerns have been raised over the prospect of online bullying and stakeholders in various industries have overtime attested to the fact that social media platforms bring about distraction during working hours, hence resulting into time wastage. The Social Marketing book (Zarella, 2010) majorly revolves around how social media and its components have transformed the marketing world. In as much as commercial adverts, discounts and other marketing strategies are still worthy practices, social media marketing is much easier as it lowers the cost and enables producers to interact with the customers at a close range. The source on likability of social media (Kerpen, 2011), heavily touches on some of the reasons why various parts of the globe have faith in social media. One of the reasons why manufacturers and service providers for example, prefer social media is they get to improve their products from the customer comments. Customers on the other hand have fallen in love with the fact that social media takes the pressure of

Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Reflection Paper - Essay Example It is known as industrial organization, and it makes managers have an understanding of how to make strategic decisions. Strategic decisions are those decisions that aim at changing a firm’s condition for which it competes with other firms. This is done to increase profit made by a firm in the long run. Managers must consider the economic cost of resources in order to achieve their profitability. The economic cost of resources is equivalent to the sum of what resource owners pay and the forgone returns of failing to take the resources of the owner to the market. In order for a firm to maximize its profits, the revenue and cost must not be dependent at all times. According to Thomas and Maurice, managers may make mistakes like increasing output to cut down average costs (13; ch.1) In the market, there are two groups of people: price setters and the price takers. The price takers are firms that cannot set prices in the market. To them, prices are set by demand and supply forces i n the market. Price setters, on the other hand, decide on the price for their products. Price setters control the market as they have the power to set prices. Market is where buyers and sellers exchange goods and services under an arrangement. The market helps in reduction of cost as the only cost involved is the product’s price. There are various market structures. ... Thirdly, there is the monopolistic perfect market that comprises many small firms, differentiated products and no barrier to entrance of new firms. The last form of structure is oligopoly; it is whereby firms produce all products, and their profits are not independent. The action of one firm may lead to a consequent effect on other firms. A recent structure is the globalized markets whereby markets in the world have been integrated. The integration has provided firms with a chance to sell and buy their goods and services in the foreign markets. Charles and Christopher presented an alarm on increased competition from other producers (23; ch.1) A review on Is Wal-Mart Good for America This movie gives a provocative scrutiny of the effect Wal-Mart had on America’s economy. This video highlights the transforming relationship between retailers and manufacturers demonstrated by Wal-Mart, which has led to bankruptcy firms in America and increased unemployment rate. As Wall-Mart suppo rters advertise the pros of low cost, others are shocked at what has led to low prices and the effect of large retailers on SMEs. From the Chapter Cne review in the video, it can be noted that this is one of the many mistakes that managers do hoping that they will make more profits. For instance, the global retailers overtake producers in decision making on product price, type and quality. Global retailers are superseding manufacturers in making decisions about product quality, type and price. There is no balanced trade as the Chinese are unable to buy American products while Americans buy theirs. To add to that, Wal-Mart has 6,000 suppliers, and China makes 80% of this. China has emerged

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Researched argument essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Researched argument - Essay Example uch individuals has been depicted in several literary books and articles with a view of informing the entire nation and the world, at large, about the unlucky population in the United States. One of these books is Ehrenreich’s â€Å"Nicket and Dimed†. The book has its settings in Florida, Maine and Minnesota (Ehrenreich 38). People normally work to get money and make their lives better. However, what most of the workers in Florida experience is opposite, or contrary to what a reasonable person would think of. Most of the people in this area work hard but poverty still remain the greatest challenge to their existence and lives. Most of the workers strive to do their best but they do not achieve their target of affording a good lifestyle. The same is experienced by workers in Twin Cities in Minnesota and Maine. Another contradicting issue on the poverty life among people in these regions is that the demand for labor in most industries and companies is high, but the wages are very low and there are no increments. This is against the normal law of economics whereby an increase in demand naturally leads to an increase in the price of the product, or labor in this case. In addition to the above, the workers work tirelessly under these low wage rates. It is uncommon to find people commit themselves working on a peanut pay. Ehrenreich says that she grew with a belief that the secret of success was hard work and nothing else (E-notes.com). What she experiences in the mentioned areas makes her doubts her beliefs and the childhood teachings. ‘Hard work’ was the secret of success: ‘Work hard and you’ll get ahead’ or ‘It’s hard work that got us where we are (Chazelle & Chainani)†. She remembers this, through flashback, and believes that it is only t hrough hard work that she will achieve her life dreams and consequentially succeed in his plans. The reality that unveils the low-wage workplace is like a mockery to her (E-notes.com). She does not believe it

Journal Entry See Below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Journal Entry See Below - Essay Example The group’s origin dates back in 1999-2003 during the Iraq war, and a time when Sadam was under scrutiny by the US Government. The group was formed to promote the existing war in Iraq between Sunnis and Shiites, where Shiites were supposed to die because it was heretic. In addition, the group wanted to expand its control over Iraq and Syria. It emerged from Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), which was a major character in Sunni insurgency. The group was then under the leadership of Musab al-Zarqawi then. However, after his death, the group merged with other extremist groups to form the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). However, in 2007, things lost balance in the group after many Iraq Sunni groups differed with ISI because of boundary disagreements. In 2011, the group emerged after foreign troops withdrew from Iraq and when Abu bakr al-Baghdadi was appointed the group’s new leader, who chose former Ba’athist military and intelligence officials as his personal assistants. However, in 2012, it adopted a new Moniker and branded itself the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). The group has 7,000 members, 3,000 of whom are foreigners mainly from Britain and Belgium. According to reports published on CBS News website, ISIL (S) uses social media to recruit most of its members, especially from the west. In addition, it has a multilingual media group called Al Hayat, which specializes in printing and distributing glossy magazines and videos that aim at influencing people into being part of the group. Its main sources of finance are smuggling, extortion, and outlawed crimes. It is estimated that the group can make up to $8 million per month. The group’s organizational structure is composed of a supreme leader, who currently is Al-Baghdadi, who is has two deputies, one in charge of Syria, and the other in charge of Iraq. The leader has cabinet ministers, who offer advice, and have independent roles including being in charge of salaries, transport,

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Conflict Theory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Conflict Theory - Assignment Example As far as our roles are concerned, our society, community or group expects certain roles from us (Woznaik, 2009). An individual cannot be identified alone as he has no individuality or character on his own in isolation, but when he is part of a certain system. Whatever a person performs or does, it is according to some social or societal conditions or norms such as rules and regulations, conditions for playing and so on (Callahan, 2010). The idea of self is related to one’s positioning in a society. If a person regards himself delinquent, he has developed a self-concept of delinquency. If the self-concept is positive, the person shows avoidance of delinquent behaviour and if the self-concept is negative, he is more prone to be delinquent. Labelling of a person as delinquent or good also builds a self-concept that is either good or bad (Brownfield & Thompson, 2008). The societies who have lower crime rates promote shamefulness in a positive manner and those having higher crime rates promote shamefulness in a negative manner. There are two concepts, stigmatization and reintegrative shaming. Stigmatization leaves the wrong doer as a disrespectful person who should not be forgiven while reintegrative shaming allows wrong doers to be forgiven and gain respect again. The wrong doer is regarded as a person who has done a wrong deed, but is not overtly bad (Braithwaite, 2000). If labelling of a person is done using reintegrative shaming, the crime will be minimized while the labelling of a person by stigmatizing will make his situation worse and he will appear more delinquent. Overall, a person requires social support for keeping himself away from crime (Braithwaite, 2000). A person becomes a bully or victim when he is stigmatized in his childhood at some time by his parents or some other person in authority (Leyva & Bickel, 2010). Parents who are hostile,

HRM Of Bloomberg.Com Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

HRM Of Bloomberg.Com - Case Study Example In spite of such diversity, a large proportion of work in the manufacturing industries too relates services. (Hoque 1999b). While human resources management as a concept attracted a lot of attention as a "more effective and productive approach to managing organizations' key assets, its people", there have been differences of opinion as to whether it is industrial relations management-personnel management (IR & PR) freshly packaged or a totally different discipline "aimed at integrating the management of people into overall business strategy and organizational goals" (Poole, 1990; Salamon, 1987; Storey, 1995b cited in Mc Gunnigle 2000). Three models of HRM have been suggested: normative" (prescriptive of an ideal approach); "descriptive" (identifying developments and practice in the field); and "conceptual" (a model for classification). (Storey 1992 cited in Mc Gunnigle 2000). In the normative model HRM has a "team development" orientation, a "significant role for line managers" and s eeks to develop an "organizational culture". The conceptual model differs widely from IR-PR with as many as 27 differences listed. All researchers however agree that employee commitment is not only the dominant aspect of HRM but that it is the main differentiator between HRM and IR-PR. (Storey 1992 and Guest 1995 cited in Mc Gunnigle 2000). The objective of human resource m... 'Stretch', in this context refers to additional productivity, effective contributions and taking part in continuing improvement processes. The net effect of this would be self-motivated employees, less need for supervision necessitating fewer levels of management and reduced overheads. In addition when organisations achieve a congruence of perceived interests with employees, they are less likely to be viewed with suspicion when they undertake any changes necessary to meet environmental needs. Workforce in such organizations will be willing to swap roles (multi-tasking) that help them in more effective utilisation of labour. (Guest 1987 and Beer et al., 1985 cited in Hoque 1999a, 8) The most compelling reason for carefully crafting human resources management practices in services industries, is that in the service industries, the customer is not only a recipient of the service but also a part of the service process. This is the reason why there has been a shift in human resource management practices with service firms pursuing strategies that feature greater customer orientation. There is an increased awareness in the service firms that it is critical to obtain customer-oriented behaviours from their employees, a decided shift from the past. In order to achieve these outcomes, service firms are utilizing their human resource practices to "stimulate and reinforce behaviours needed for the successful implementation of greater customer-oriented strategies." HRM practices such as design, staffing, performance appraisal, compensation and training and development are shaped by organisational conditions, such as strategy, organisational life cycle stage, technological change, unionisation, internal labour markets and whether or not

Monday, September 23, 2019

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 24

Case Study Example It commanded 7.6% of the market. Secondly, according to the case, Eskimo pie had at least one of its products in 98% of the grocery stores located across the United States. As such, this has considerable implications in determining the worth of Eskimo pie. Therefore, Eskimo’s market presence and market share across the United States commands a better higher price than what is estimated by Goldman. Having a larger market share and presence in any industry gives the company an edge over its competitors. Therefore, it should deserve and attract a higher premium than what was offered by Goldman and Nestle. Past performance is vital when estimating the value of Eskimo pie. Since 1987, the company’s net sales increased by over 50 % ((17198-30769) Ã · 30, 769). Subsequently, profits of the company increased by over 1300% over the same period ((2526-171) Ã ·171). This is according to the data depicted in Exhibit 1. There are many reasons a company might want to acquire another company. The primary reason nestle wanted to acquire Eskimo Pie was to possess and establish a stronger and robust position or presence in the frozen novelty market. According to the case, nestle owns drumsticks. I can take this to mean that maybe nestle owns other frozen novelties, but the case does not specify or mention any. By purchasing Eskimo pie, nestle would be a frontrunner in the industry by having a larger presence. There are potential synergies to be gained from acquiring Eskimo pie. This is because of the involvement of nestle in the frozen novelties too. In my opinion, Eskimo is worth more to nestle as an acquisition than as a stand-alone company. This is due to the following reasons. Most of the workforce and management of Eskimo pie would not be needed in order to avoid duplication of duties. Since the products of Eskimo and nestle target and go to the same market, the distribution costs of nestle would b e nearly eliminated. Additionally, the marketing expenditure will drop. I

Pestel Analysis, Political and Legal Factors Research Paper

Pestel Analysis, Political and Legal Factors - Research Paper Example This essay will therefore present a pestle analysis for college Hunks Hauling Junk Company. Political and Legal Factors The government has interests on how businesses are run. This interest is experienced through direct and indirect control of business by the government. Political and legal processes in a country are the main channels through which the government influences an industry. The government has interest in the running of business due to its social responsibilities. In particular, the federal government, local author and state governments have an interest in the junk industry due to their assumed responsibilities. The risks associated with the junk business are the main cause of government’s interest in the industry. Such risks are concerned with the safety of the employees as well as the environment. In response to the need of protecting the environment and people, the government has established the relevant legislations and policies. These laws and policies form th e legal factors that affect the industry. The Environment Protection Act was specifically established to protect the environment from harmful effects resulting from uncontrolled business practices. This Act has provisions that regulate waste management, recycling, and disposal. Such policies will have an effect to the company that will be felt through regulations on its business. Protection of employees from exploitation by employers is the responsibility of the government. The junk industry is labor intensive and therefore employees form a major part of junk companies. Employment laws of the United States are applied by the government to regulate employment with emphasis in protection of employees from exploitation. The company is therefore expected to be conversant with these laws and their implication in the business. The junk industry has disposal of wastes as a major part of their day-to-day operations. Companies in the junk industry are also involved with recycling as part of their strategic management. Recycling and disposal of waste are processes of interest to the authorities especially the local government. In response to the two activities, the government has established environment protection measures through relevant laws and policies. The legislations and policies are mainly concerned with the disposal and recycling of hazardous wastes. Due to its operation scale, College Hunks Hauling Company needs to consider these legislations and policies. Economic Factors Economic factors in an industry are factors that determine a business’s rate of success in the industry. These factors affect availability of capital, operation cost and the demand of a company’s products (Grant 95). Consumption is an important process in sustenance of business and therefore factors that affects people’s consumption affects business operations. The disposable income of a country gives a measure on how much the consumers are able and ready to spend at a particular time. The company will therefore be affected by the variations in the consumer’s consumption power resulting from the level of disposable income of a country. Currently, the United States’ level of disposable income per household is slightly above 10%. This is a significant figure compared to the current taxation rates and the spending rates experienced in previous years. The junk industry depends on the rate at which people replace their old and worn out

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Leadership and Team Building Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership and Team Building - Essay Example This is popularly known as teamwork. As such, this paper seeks to evaluate the measures that can be taken by a newly appointed person in the organization towards building a cohesive team. The paper starts by explaining the meaning of leadership and teams. The main part of the paper will discuss the theoretical framework of various components of leadership and teams and how they can be effectively implemented in order to improve the overall performance of the organization as a whole. Leadership is often confused as management but a closer analysis of the two shows that they are somehow different. Basically, leadership is about â€Å"Envisioning change, that is â€Å"articulating a compelling vision, mission and strategy†, which â€Å"connects employees, shareholders, suppliers and customers† (Kets de Vries, Vrignaud, & Florent-Treacy, 2004, p. 479 as cited in Ekmekci, 2009, p. 42). On the other hand, it can be observed that management is mainly concerned with solving problems as well as monitoring progress in the organization (Almos et al. 2007). Focus is on leadership in this paper since management is also a component of leadership. The leaders in the organization drive change and they should articulate this change to their followers so that their efforts can be directed towards the same direction in the firm. This entails that teamwork is necessary in order for the new leader of the organization to achieve this feat. On the other hand, a team is described as â€Å"a collection of individuals who are dependent on their tasks, who share responsibility of outcomes†¦who manage their relationships across organizational boundaries,† (Cohen & Baily, 1997, p. 241). Essentially, the main idea behind teamwork is synergy of individual efforts towards the attainment of the desired goals in the organization. Thus, effective leaders in the organization should foster team building and development since these help to improve the overall

Dominos vs. US Pizza Essay Example for Free

Dominos vs. US Pizza Essay The research report you have authorized us to write on â€Å"Dominos vs. US Pizza† is now ready and follow this letter. This report is the result of work completed at SKIPS. During our work term as other student, we were engaged to assist in related topic collection. In the course of this work we gained knowledge about this topic. It is the detailed information and data which is the subject of this report. Through the course of the term, we were given the opportunity to learn much about the strategic model of Dominos. We feel that this knowledge will be helpful in future work terms, and in our career. We would like to thank our mentor Mr. Manish Thaker for his patience and good judgement, as well as classmates who were always willing to help. Sincerely Parul Kapoor (43) Sejal Rathod (55) Table of contents Contents Executive summary Introduction Research methodology Analysis of research data Findings Conclusions Recommendation Annexure Executive Summary This report contains the detailed research about the ‘strategies of Dominos vs US Pizza’. The research was an exploratory one. The aim of the research was to find the out the strategies adopted by Dominos to attract customer towards it. The research was conducted in the period of March to April. The target population of the research was the pizza consumers. Out of this the sample size of 100 were drawn based on convenient sampling technique. The research was done by filling the questionnaire which was fully drawn on the basis of the research objectives. The conclusion for the research was almost drawn during the data collection itself. 100% of respondents like pizza. Out of sample size of 100, 68% of respondents visit more to Dominos. 35% of respondents lie in age group of 20-25 years, visit these restaurants with their friends in free hours. Respondents prefer Dominos because the quality of the food offered by Dominos is good. Awareness of preferred restaurant came from friends and T. V add. This shows that people are attracted more towards Dominos because quality of food offered by Dominos is better than Quality offered by US Pizza. INTRODUCTION Problem Definition: Both (Dominos and US Pizza), provide same kind of facility. They have huge varieties in pizza as well as other items. Us pizza has unlimited scheme packages and price of its items are also reasonable whereas Dominos doesn’t have any unlimited packages and price of all the items are also high as compare to U. S. Pizza. Still people attracted towards Dominos, more than US Pizza. Research Objectives: The key objectives of the research are identified as following: To study the strength of Dominos business model. To study the strength of US Pizza’s business model. To find out ‘why people are attracted more towards Dominos than US Pizza’ Research Design: This is an exploratory type of research. It’s a problem of general nature, numbers and statistics are used to support this research. The primary source of data is in questionnaire and short interview. Research design is the that phase where researcher has to detail a plan in which alternatives are going to be chose at each of the following stages. Selection of type of research. Selection of measures and measurement techniques. Selection of sample size and sampling techniques. Selection of methods of data analysis. Research Methodology: Primary Data: Data is collected through structured questionnaire by conducting survey. Mode of collection Online questionnaire Offline questionnaire Methods of Data Analysis The questionnaire of 22 variables (2 dependants and 18 independents) was administered through advanced data analysis of utilities of SPSS. 1. Hypothesis To achieve these objectives, the following hypotheses are formulated:- 1. H0 :- More Frequency of customer towards Dominos Pizza H1:- Frequency is more towards other restaurant 2. H0 :- All parameters are equality important H1:- At least 1 Parameter is Important 3. H0:- Customers are satisfied for all Parameter H1:- Customers are Satisfied for At least One Parameter Data analysis and interpretation: Exhibit-1 1)Like restaurants Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid YES 100 100. 0 100. 0 100. 0 Interpretation: From Exhibit -1 we can conclude that 100% people like to go to restaurant. Exhibit-2 2)Visit time Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent. Valid ONCE OR TWICE IN WEEK 23 23. 0 23. 0 23. 0 ONCE OR TWICE IN 15 DAYS 27 27. 0 27. 0 50. 0 ONCE OR TWICE IN A MONTH 37 37. 0 37. 0 87. 0 OCCATIONNALY 13 13. 0 13. 0 100. 0 Total 100 100. 0 100. 0 Interpretation:- From above chart 37% people go to restaurant once or twice in a month, 27% people go to restaurant once or twice in a 15 days, 23% people go to restaurant once or twice in a week and only 13% people like to go to restaurant occasionally. Exhibit-3 3)No. of visit Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid 1-5 91 91. 0 91. 0 91. 0 5-10 7 7. 0 7. 0 98. 0 MORE THAN 10 2 2. 0 2. 0 100. 0 Total 100 100. 0 100. 0 Interpretation: looking above graph 91% respondent visit restaurant 1-5 times in a month Exhibit-4 4)Prefer Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid PIZZA 59 59. 0 59. 0 59. 0 CHAT 6 6. 0 6. 0 65. 0 SANDWITCH 25 25. 0 25. 0 90. 0 OTHER 10 10. 0 10. 0 100. 0 Total 100 100. 0 100. 0 Interpretation: From above Exhibit more preference given to pizza then other snacks. Exhibit-5 5)Like pizza Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid YES 100 100. 0 100. 0 100. 0. Interpretation: Above diagram conclude that thought respondents like other snacks like sandwitch, chats etc, they also like pizza. Exhibit-6 6) Preferred rest. Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid DOMINOS 68 68. 0 68. 0 68. 0 US PIZZA 26 26. 0 26. 0 94. 0 PIZZA WORLD 2 2. 0 2. 0 96. 0 PIZZA ZONE 2 2. 0 2. 0 98. 0 OTHER 2 2. 0 2. 0 100. 0 Total 100 100. 0 100. 0 Interpretation: Respondents like to go many restaurant like dominos, us pizza, pizza world, pizza zone etc but they give more preference to dominos. Exhibit-7 7)Reason for visit Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid QUALITY IS GOOD 86 86. 0 86. 0 86. 0 PRICE IS LOW 8 8. 0 8. 0 94. 0. SERVICE IS GOOD 2 2. 0 2. 0 96. 0 4 2 2. 0 2. 0 98. 0 5 2 2. 0 2. 0 100. 0 Total 100 100. 0 100. 0 Interpretation: Above diagram conclude that people give more preference to dominos because food quality of dominos is better than other restaurant. Cross-tab Q-9 Q-10. Important factor satisfaction level 8. (a) Quality * 9. (b)Price Crosstab Count 9. (b)Price Total Satisfied least satisfied 8. (a)Quality very imp 54 46 100 Total 54 46 100 Interpretation: From above cross tab 54% respondents to whom quality is very important and they are also satisfied by the price which they are paying for the quality. 8. (a) Quality * 9. (c)Service Crosstab Count 9. (c)Service Total Satisfied 8. (a)Quality very imp 100 100 Total 100 100 Interpretation: Almost all the respondent to whom quality is very important they all satisfied by the service given by the restaurant. 8. (a) Quality * 9. (d)Ambience Crosstab Count 9. (d)Ambience Total Satisfied normal 8. (a)Quality very imp 79 21 100 Total 79 21 100 Interpretation:- Above table conclude that respondents to whom quality is very important they are also satisfied by the ambience in the restaurant. 8. (a)Quality * 9. (e)Customization Crosstab Count 9. (e)Customization. Total Satisfied normal least satisfied 8. (a)Quality very imp 77 21 2 100 Total 77 21 2 100 Interpretation: respondents who gives very important to quality also satisfied by the customization adopted by their favourite restaurant. 8. (b)Price * Satis. In Quality Crosstab Count Satis. In Quality Total very satisfied 8. (b)Price very important 46 46 IMPORTANT 23 23 least important 31 31 Total 100 100 Interpretation: In this table respondents who gives very important to the price, they are also very satisfied by the quality they are getting in that price. 8. (b)Price * 9. (b)Price Crosstab Count 9. (b)Price. Total satisfied least satisfied 8. (b)Price very important 0 46 46 IMPORTANT 23 0 23 least important 31 0 31 Total 54 46 100 Interpretation:- Respondents who gives very important to the price they are least satisfied by the price adopted by their favourite restaurant. 8. (b)Price * 9. (c)Service Crosstab Count 9. (c)Service Total satisfied 8. (b)Price very important 46 46 IMPORTANT 23 23 least important 31 31 Total 100 100 Interpretation: This table conclude that respondents to whom price is very important they also satisfied by the services delivered by restaurant. 8. (b)Price * 9. (d)Ambience Crosstab. Count 9. (d)Ambience Total satisfied normal 8. (b)Price very important 46 0 46 IMPORTANT 2 21 23 least important 31 0 31 Total 79 21 100 Interpretation: Respondents also satisfied by the ambience presents in their favourite restaurant. 8. (b)Price * 9. (e)Customization Crosstab Count 9. (e)Customization Total satisfied normal least satisfied 8. (b)Price very important 46 0 0 46 IMPORTANT 0 21 2 23 least important 31 0 0 31 Total 77 21 2 100 Interpretation:- Respondents to whom price are very important they also satisfied by the customization. 8. (c)Service * Satis. In Quality Crosstab Count Satis. In Quality Total very satisfied 8. (c)Service very important 52 52 important 48 48 Total 100 100 Interpretation: Respondents who give much important to the service they are also satisfied by the quality. 8. (c)Service * 9. (b)Price Crosstab Count 9. (b)Price Total satisfied least satisfied 8. (c)Service very important 52 0 52 important 2 46 48 Total 54 46 100 Interpretation: Respondents to whom service are very important they are satisfied by the price which they are paying. 8. (c)Service * 9. (c)Service Crosstab Count 9. (c)Service Total satisfied 8. (c)Service very important 52 52 important 48 48 Total. 100 100 Interpretation:- Respondents to whom service is very important they also satisfied by the service offered by their favourite restaurant. 8. (c)Service * 9. (d)Ambience Crosstab Count 9. (d)Ambience Total satisfied normal 8. (c)Service very important 31 21 52 important 48 0 48 Total 79 21 100 Interpretation: respondents who gives important to the service they are also satisfied by the ambience in the restaurants. 8. (c)Service * 9. (e)Customization Crosstab Count 9. (e)Customization Total satisfied normal least satisfied 8. (c)Service very important 31 21 0 52 important 46 0 2 48 Total 77 21 2 100. Interpretation: Respondents to whom service is important they are satisfied by the customization. 8. (d)Brand * Satis. In Quality Crosstab Count Satis. In Quality Total very satisfied 8. (d)Brand very important 31 31 Important 23 23 least important 46 46 Total 100 100 8. (d)Brand * 9. (b)Price Crosstab Count 9. (b)Price Total satisfied least satisfied 8. (d)Brand very important 31 0 31 Important 23 0 23 least important 0 46 46 Total 54 46 100 8. (d)Brand * 9. (c)Service Crosstab Count 9. (c)Service Total satisfied 8. (d)Brand very important 31 31 Important 23 23 least important 46 46 Total 100 100 8. (d)Brand * 9. (d)Ambience Crosstab. Count 9. (d)Ambience Total satisfied normal 8. (d)Brand very important 31 0 31 Important 2 21 23 least important 46 0 46 Total 79 21 100 8. (d)Brand * 9. (e)Customization Crosstab Count 9. (e)Customization Total satisfied normal least satisfied 8. (d)Brand very important 31 0 0 31 Important 0 21 2 23 least important 46 0 0 46 Total 77 21 2 100 Interpretation: Respondents gives least important to the brand but they are satisfied by quality, price, service, ambience and customization delivered by their favourite restaurant. 8. (e)Ambience * Satis. In Quality Crosstab Count Satis. In Quality Total very satisfied 8. (e)Ambience important 33. 33 least important 67 67 Total 100 100 8. (e)Ambience * 9. (b)Price Crosstab Count 9. (b)Price Total satisfied least satisfied 8. (e)Ambience important 33 0 33 least important 21 46 67 Total 54 46 100 8. (e)Ambience * 9. (c)Service Crosstab Count 9. (c)Service Total satisfied 8. (e)Ambience important 33 33 least important 67 67 Total 100 100 8. (e)Ambience * 9. (d)Ambience Crosstab Count 9. (d)Ambience Total satisfied normal 8. (e)Ambience important 33 0 33 least important 46 21 67 Total 79 21 100 8. (e)Ambience * 9. (e)Customization Crosstab Count 9. (e)Customization Total satisfied normal least satisfied 8. (e)Ambience important 31 0 2 33. least important 46 21 0 67 Total 77 21 2 100 Interpretation: Respondents who gives least important to the ambience but they are satisfied by the quality, price, service ambience customization. 8. (f)Customization * Satis. In Quality Crosstab Count Satis. In Quality Total very satisfied 8. (f)Customization very important 2 2 important 98 98 Total 100 100 8. (f)Customization * 9. (b)Price Crosstab Count 9. (b)Price Total satisfied least satisfied 8. (f)Customization very important 2 0 2 important 52 46 98 Total 54 46 100 8. (f)Customization * 9. (c)Service Crosstab Count 9. (c)Service Total satisfied 8. (f)Customization very important 2 2. important 98 98 Total 100 100 8. (f)Customization * 9. (d)Ambience Crosstab Count 9. (d)Ambience Total satisfied normal 8. (f)Customization very important 2 0 2 important 77 21 98 Total 79 21 100 8. (f)Customization * 9. (e)Customization Crosstab Count 9. (e)Customization Total satisfied normal least satisfied 8. (f)Customization very important 0 0 2 2 important 77 21 0 98 Total 77 21 2 100 Interpretation: Almost all the respondents gives important to the customization and they are also satisfied by the quality, price, service, ambience, customization. 8. (g)Nearness * Satis. In Quality Crosstab Count Satis. In Quality Total very satisfied. 8. (g)Nearness very important 58 58 least important 42 42 Total 100 100 8. (g)Nearness * 9. (b)Price Crosstab Count 9. (b)Price Total satisfied least satisfied 8. (g)Nearness very important 52 6 58 least important 2 40 42 Total 54 46 100 8. (g)Nearness * 9. (c)Service Crosstab Count 9. (c)Service Total satisfied 8. (g)Nearness very important 58 58 least important 42 42 Total 100 100 8. (g)Nearness * 9. (d)Ambience Crosstab Count 9. (d)Ambience Total satisfied normal 8. (g)Nearness very important 37 21 58 least important 42 0 42 Total 79 21 100 8. (g)Nearness * 9. (e)Customization Crosstab Count 9. (e)Customization Total satisfied normal least satisfied 8. (g)Nearness very important 37 21 0 58 least important 40 0 2 42 Total 77 21 2 100 Interpretation: Almost all the respondents prefer to go to nearness restaurant and they are also satisfied by it. Exhibit-10 10)Visit with whom Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Friends 87 87. 0 87. 0 87. 0 Family 4 4. 0 4. 0 91. 0 g. f/b. f 9 9. 0 9. 0 100. 0 Total 100 100. 0 100. 0 Interpretation: respondents mostly go to the restaurant with their friends. Exhibit-11 11)Scheme Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid unlimited 65 65. 0 65. 0 65. 0 By one get one free 5 5. 0 5. 0 70. 0 Discount 11. 11. 0 11. 0 81. 0 coupons 7 7. 0 7. 0 88. 0 Other 12 12. 0 12. 0 100. 0 Total 100 100. 0 100. 0 Exhibit-12 12)Awareness Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Friends 68 68. 0 68. 0 68. 0 TV adds 17 17. 0 17. 0 85. 0 news paper adds 9 9. 0 9. 0 94. 0 Posters 4 4. 0 4. 0 98. 0 Internet 2 2. 0 2. 0 100. 0 Total 100 100. 0 100. 0 Interpretation: looking to the above diagram respondents aware about the restaurant by their friends and by TV adds. Exhibit-13 13)Frequency Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid occationally 28 28. 0 28. 0 28. 0 once or twice in a week 15 15. 0 15. 0 43. 0 once or twice in a month. 57 57. 0 57. 0 100. 0 Total 100 100. 0 100. 0 Intr Interpretation: respondents visit dominos once or twice in a month. Exhibit: 14 14)Visit reason Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid In your free hours 66 66. 0 66. 0 66. 0 For meetings 6 6. 0 6. 0 72. 0 For parties 21 21. 0 21. 0 93. 0 For someone parties 7 7. 0 7. 0 100. 0 Total 100 100. 0 100. 0 Interpretation: Respondents mostly like to go to Dominos in their free time for Parties. Exhibit-15 15)Freq. visit reason Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Quality of food is good 53 53. 0 53. 0 53. 0 Has good friendly atmosphere. 32 32. 0 32. 0 85. 0 It is near your house 10 10. 0 10. 0 95. 0 Other 5 5. 0 5. 0 100. 0 Total 100 100. 0 100. 0 Interpretation: Above diagram conclude that respondents like to go to Dominos because the quality of the food offer by dominos is better. Exhibit-17 17) age Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid 20-25 35 35. 0 35. 0 35. 0 25-30 17 17. 0 17. 0 52. 0 30-40 29 29. 0 29. 0 81. 0 above 40 19 19. 0 19. 0 100. 0 Total 100 100. 0 100. 0 Interpretation: looking to the above exhibit mostly young generation, who come under the age of 20-25 preferred to go to the Dominos. Findings conclusions. 1) From above analysis we can conclude that 68% respondents prefer to go to the Dominos then other restaurants. 2) Respondents prefer to go to the Dominos because the quality of the food is good over there. 3) People give very important to the quality, price and services. They give important to the customization but they give least important to the brand ambience. But comparison to all factor more preference given to quality price. They are satisfied by the quality in their favourite restaurant but they are least satisfied by the price. 4) Out of the respondents most number of respondents visits dominos with their friends family. 5) Respondents also aware about Dominos by their friends and TV adds. 6) Out of respondents mostly they prefer to visit Dominos once or twice in a month in their free time and for parties so we can conclude that they are regular customer. 7) Dominos attracts all kind of generation like those who come in age 20-25, 25-30, and above 30 also. But more attracted by 20-25 years old people. Conclusion 1) People gives more important to price and they also least satisfied by the price in dominos but they are attracted to Dominos because they are satisfied by the quality offered by the Dominos and for that they are not paying high price. 2) People are not attracted towards Dominos because it is an international brand. People are not giving important to the brand but they are giving important to the quality and price. 3) Mostly people go to Dominos with their friends and family. But people go to there with family rarely because of the price factor. They prefer to go U. S. Pizza with family because it offer unlimited scheme which is enable them to spend less. 4) People also aware about the Dominos by their friend and TV adds also by the banners. 5) Dominos attracted all kind of generation like youngster adult. Strategies Following are the strategies adopted by Dominos to attract the customer towards it. 1) They maintain the quality of the food same in every store because there quality is main factor to influence the customer. 2) They maintain same taste in every store. 3) They also maintain hygiene level. 4) They have monopoly in 5 types of pizza which is thin crust, hand toast, cheese burst, deep dish, 3 cheese. 5) They come up with new product every 3-4 months. 6) They contacted their customer and ask about their choice taste and they launch new product according to customer preference. 7) People give more preference to the nearness restaurant so they open their branches in 15 areas. 8) They give free delivery in just 30 minute. If it is not delivered in 30 minute they give pizza free of cost. 9) Mostly college going student and working people go to Dominos so they open there branches in 2. 5km 3 km near to the college and office area. Recommendation 1) People give more important to the price if dominos reduce their price then people they can capture almost all market share. 2) If dominos don’t want to reduce the price than it can also offer some discount or unlimited scheme. People attracted towards US pizza because of it unlimited scheme. Here people already satisfied by quality if they offer some scheme then they can attract more people who go restaurant with their family. 3) They also offer salads or other customization product. Annexure Dominos vs us Pizza Questionnaire Respected Sir/ Madam We, 1st year PGDM student from St Kabir Institute of Professional Studies , conducting a research on ‘Dominos vs US Pizza’. We want to know your views about these restaurants. The information provided by you is purely for research purpose and will be strictly kept confidential. Top of Form. 1) Do you like to go Restaurants? Yes No 2) When do you go to Restaurants? Once or Twice a week Once or Twice in 15 days Once or twice in a month Occasionally 3) How many times in previous month did you visit the restaurant? 0 1-5 5-10 More than 10 4) What do you prefer in snacks? Pizza Chat Sandwich Others 5) Do you like Pizza? Yes No 6) Where do you like the most to go for Pizza? Dominos US Pizza Pizza world Pizza zone Others 7) Why you like to go in above mention Pizza restaurant? Quality is good Price is low Service is good Others 8) How much importance do you give to the following factors when you go for eating pizza? Very Important Important Least Important Not at all Important Quality Price Service Brand Ambience Customization Nearness 9) How much are you satisfied with the following factors in your preferred pizza restaurant? Very satisfied Satisfied Normal least Satisfied Not Satisfied Quality Price Service Ambience Customization 10) With whom you like to go in this restaurant? Friends Colleague Family G. F/ B. F Others 11) Is there any scheme in above pizza restaurant? Unlimited By one get one free Discount Price Coupon Others No scheme s 12) How did you know above restaurant? Friends T. V Add. Newspaper adds. poster. Internet Other 13) How frequently you go to this restaurant? Occationally Once or twice in week Once or twice in month rarely 14) When you prefer to go? In your free hours For meetings For parties For someone’s parties 15) What is the main reason you frequently go a particular restaurant? Quality of food is good Has a good friendly atmosphere your family children like it It is near your house Other 16) Name 17) Age 15-20 20-25 25-30 30-40 above 40 18) Area where you belong: 19) Contact No 20) Gender Male Female 21) Occupation Student Job Business Other 22) You’re monthly Income? 20000 Bottom of Form.