New Start Up Business free essay sample

Due to all of the factors, the public has been quick to recognize and accept the value of high quality car wash services. The Business T. C. W will be providing customers with three services: exterior car washing, interior cleaning, and detailing. T. C. W has no true competitors that are trying to offer a high quality service for a reasonable rate. Most are trying to compete on price alone. T. C. W’s ability to provide a high quality service, both in regards to the actual washing as well as customer services are all based on their ability to find the best employees. Hiring the best employees is cost effective because it decreases HR costs associated with turnover and other employee costs. Hiring the best employees and making sure that they are well taken care of ensures that they in turn take care of the customers. Study after study proves that a happy employee is far more likely to provide the highest level of customer service compared to an employee who is not happy and feels that they are being taken advantage of. We will write a custom essay sample on New Start Up Business or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Vision T. C. W will be the cleanest and technologically advanced two-bay freestanding car wash, with remote (video) security monitoring, in the projected service area. In our first full year of operation, we intend to establish T. C. W as a premium self-service exterior, interior auto care facility. T. C. W must be able to create and maintain financial balance by charging a fair market value for services, which exceed customer expectations in quality and service. Mission T. C. W will offer technologically advanced, frictionless, touch free, exterior, and interior automotive care. Location The business location of T. C. W is 825 York Road, Towson, MD. Management The management team consists of our President Dylan Burtis, with over 15 years of marketing experience. Outside management support includes Nicole Guglielmo, David Beacken, Jackie Matera and Allie Reitman, who have 20 years of combined experience in the car wash industry. Product Strategy T. C. W will offer not only the cleanest and technologically advanced car wash, with remote (video) equipment security, and monitoring. It will also offer our customers peace of mind; by freeing them from worrying about scratching and damage associated with brush or cloth type car washes. This will fulfill the community’s need for a high quality premium; touch free in-bay automatic, car wash service. Marketing Plan T. C. W’s marketing strategy is to aggressively support and promote that we are the cleanest; the most technologically advanced touch free and frictionless car wash in the Baltimore area. The key element in attracting and keeping customers is offering a high level of service and a quality product. The perception and ability of the car wash to produce a wash that is damage-free to vehicles is extremely important to the success of an operation. Advertising and Promotions Our advertising and promotional strategy is to position T. C. W as the cleanest, technologically advanced, frictionless car wash in the community. The following methods will be utilized to drive our message to our customers. The grand opening of T. C. W will be executed upon completion of cleaning and landscaping the facility. A mass mailer will be sent to the targeted market population, within a five-mile radius of the T. C. W location, which is 825, York Road in Towson, MD. This mailer will be divided up into zip codes and launched in two-week increments. During the first thirty days, a representative from T. C. W’s management team will be on location during daylight hours to meet and greet customers and assist with any question and concerns. After the initial promotional period, a representative will still be at the facility daily for a four-hour minimum. Keeping the T. C. W facility clean and in excellent operating condition is essential to the success of this business venture. In addition to the grand opening mailer, all fleet operators within a five-mile radius will be identified and contacted to promote package discounts for fleet use above five vehicles. Situational Analysis Competition The competition includes two threats to our business and they are located within our 5-mile radius in regards to our target market. The first competitor is AutoSpa, which is located in Cockeysville, MD and specializes in providing the finest, most up-to-date car washing service, according to their website. They were voted Baltimore Magazine’s â€Å"Best of Baltimore Car Wash 2008† and again in 2011. They even offer a customer satisfaction survey and T. C. W is taking note and currently creating our own customer satisfaction survey to counter theirs. 2) The second competitor is Whiz Car Wash, which has four current locations and has been in business for 50 years. Their locations in Baltimore include car washes on Loch Raven Blvd, Erdman Avenue, Liberty Road, and E. Joppa Road. One particular advantage they have besides the obvious experience of 50 years is their self-service coin operated car washes, which are open for 24 hours. Customers According to the ESRI automotive aftermarket expenditures, T. C. W will target three main groups of customers: individual car owners and leasers, car dealerships, and local businesses. The surrounding area is quite affluent, 50% of the residents earn over $67,000 a year in three-mile radius and residents within a 5-mile radius earn a median salary of roughly $60,000. A huge percentage of the area within our five-mile radius is filled with affluent, well educated, married/couple homeowners, which will only benefit T. C. W because we offer technologically advanced, frictionless products, which the well educated will be looking for. Fortunately for T. C. W, there are also many prominent car dealerships within the Towson area and many residents purchase from them. This means that many residents own luxury cars and will want them to look nice. There are ten different car dealerships within a 5-mile radius from T. C. W, which will require car-washing services for the various fleets. Lastly, there are many different local businesses that have company cars and that require clean appearances. Climate Political Factors: Include government regulations and legal issues and define both formal and informal rules under which T. C. W must operate. Some examples include:  · Tax Policy  · Employment Laws  · Environmental Regulations  · Trade Restrictions and Tariffs  · Political Stability Economic Factors: Affect the purchasing power of potential customer’s and T. C. W cost of capital. Some examples include:  · Economic Growth  · Interest Rates  · Exchange Rates Inflation Rate Social Factors: Including the demographic and cultural aspects of the external macro environment. These factors affect customer needs and the size of potential markets. Some examples include:  · Health Consciousness  · Population Growth Rate  · Age Distribution  · Career Attitudes  · Emphasis on Safety Technological Factors: Can lower barriers to entry; reduce minimum efficient production levels and influence outsourcing decisions. Some examples include:  · RD Activity  · Automation  · Technology Incentives  · Rate of Technological Change Target Market The most effective Target Market for T. C. W are families; usually with the parent’s being in their early thirties to late fifties. The population demographics within a 3-mile radius of our facility are 102,771 people, as indicated in the ESRI database we used for class. Our market research has determined that the car wash consumer resides in multi family housing units. Based upon the geographic information on the ESRI map, there are currently 23,592 families within the three-mile radius of our location at 825 York Road and there are 40,493 households. In regards to the population within the three-mile radius, the data reflects that 58. 2% of the households are family units. The data also indicates that in the three zip codes within the five-mile radius of our location are 67,164 occupied family units out of 114,809 households. This reflects that 58. 5% of all households are family units and that T. C. W has huge potential for growth and new clientele within both three and five mile radiuses. Strategic Focus Plan Mission Statement At Towson Car Wash our mission is to provide a fast, friendly, clean, and shiny experience to each and every customer. We want our guests to leave feeling satisfied as we offer exceptional customer service. We demonstrate corporate social responsibility by being environmentally friendly and give back to the community as often as our business model will allow us. We understand that automobiles are of great value to our customers and we will treat them like the entity that they are. At Towson Car Wash we offer the best services at the best prices, it is our duty to keep our customers happy. With excellent staff and experienced management we make an ambitious team with a strong drive to succeed. Goals Build and maintain trusting relationships with our customers to grow our customer base and gain customer loyalty Develop the perception that our company is easy to do business with Spread awareness about our services through promotional efforts and social medias Provide an excellent quality car wash experience for every customer Build the company name to be recognized in the Towson community Offer value and benefits to our customers that they cannot find anywhere else Keep employees happy by building rapport through one-on-one meetings Increase revenue while limiting expenses Be able to open a second location after 5 years Core Competitive Advantage At Towson Car Wash our core competencies are unique, believable, and overt. We offer a service that the community does not have, which fulfills a strong need for Towson residents. Our business is located at 825 York Road on the corner of a major intersection. Not only does the area have high traffic, but also being on the corner allows us to have two entrances and exits on two of the busiest streets in the intersection. With no other carwash within a 4-mile radius of our location, we can provide our customers with a service convenient to them. Our location sets us apart by giving us a first mover advantage. We have considerable reason to expect large profit margins and a monopoly-like status throughout the community. Towson is a highly populated area occupied by a diversified demographic with a large student population. Having hardly any competitors in such a congested area will certainly drive traffic to the business. Towson Car Wash’s prominent location will attract customers and spread awareness to an uncountable amount of passerby’s during its construction alone. With location as our largest core competitive advantage we fit all of the criteria to make it successful. Consumers benefit from our location because it is easily accessible and offers high levels of customer service and a variety of both tangible and intangible elements. Of course potential competitors that may pursue the Towson area can imitate a car wash. However, our location on York Road cannot be imitated, which would make it difficult for us to have a direct competitor nearby. Once we have established our position in the market and made a name for ourselves within the community we can and hope to leverage Towson Car Wash to a second location, where we know that we would already have a firm position in the market and a potential customer base from the success of our first location. Our business would not thrive as much as it potentially will if it weren’t for our location; because of this creating awareness and driving traffic will be easier and allow us to allocate our time and money where we see it best fit for the company. SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses  · Limited Competition  · Limited Substitutes Customers are not going to drive the distance to one of these other locations when they can get a quality wash less than a mile away. There are limited substitutes for a car wash. Consumers only option other than a car wash would be to hand wash their car themselves. We will need to get potential customers to see the value in using our services. Our location is one of the best aspects of the company. It will be conveniently located at 825 York Road, which is the corner of York Road and Bosley Avenue. With Towson Town Center and a I-695 exit right down the street, this is a heavy traffic area. There are also about seven apartment complexes less than a half mile from the location. Car washes serve the niche market of individuals who value keeping their car clean. Being that the demographic in the area is wealthy, there is a large niche market for this service in the Towson. Towson Car Wash would have a first mover advantage because there are no other car washes in the immediate Towson area. This will give the company an edge in capitalizing on this neglected area. According to ESRI, there are about 39,000 cars within a five-mile radius of our location. This is the biggest strength for the company. If 50% of these cars visited T.C. W. every other week, the company would still make a substantial profit. All of these factors will make Towson Car Wash a great success. Weaknesses A weakness for any new company is the cost associated with starting the business, Towson Car Wash is no different. We will need a large initial investment to make the process run smoothly. The company will need to buy the land and mechanical equipment to run the wash, as well as, pay the construction costs. It has been estimated that it costs $135,000 to build an in-bay automatic car wash. When adding land and construction costs the total would end up somewhere around $500,000. This is a substantial investment, however, it has a fairly quick payoff. The second weakness is the seasonality aspect. A car wash only operates about nine months out of the year. Out of those nine months, days of operation are weather permitting. Since the weather can only be forecasted so far in advanced, this presents an issue with calculating steady revenues. This aspect can also be a threat with the fact that after a rainy day, people will most likely not pay to have their car washed. The final weakness that Towson Car Wash possesses is an unestablished client base. We are new comers to this market segment and do not have clientele to follow us and spread the word. This is where our competition has the upper hand; they have been around longer and most likely have steady customer loyalty. To held build a strong base quickly, we will need to offer great promotions to get people in the door and provide outstanding service to keep them coming back. Another advantage that our competition has is the knowledge of the business and supplier relationships. Since we are new to this business, it is going to take time for us to establish ourselves, however, we are confident that we can efficiently do so. Opportunities The opportunity in the Towson area is huge; there is a large market, including Towson University’s over 20,000 students just down the street from our location. When these students need a car wash, they will look to Towson Car Wash, rather than making the ten-minute drive to one of our competitors. Another opportunity is the cycle of Towson students. Every semester, Towson students graduate and new students take their place, this gives T. C. W. the chance to quickly build a strong consumer base, as well as, continually spread word of mouth about the business. Once the business is firmly established at this location, there will be great room for expansion opportunities. We will be able to find other untapped markets and successfully establish a branch of T. C. W. Expanding will be much easier at this point because of the knowledge and expertise learned from opening the original Towson Car Wash location. We will then have a client base that can vouch for the quality of our work and promote our business. Lastly, we will have knowledge of the car wash industry and therefore will be able to develop our own T. C. W. products. Starting a line car wash items can prove to be extremely lucrative if we have the backing of our clientele. There will then be an opportunity to sell the product like to big chain stores, such as Pep Boys or AutoZone. This could take some time, however, it is a definite possibility for the brand. Threats Any start-up business faces the issue with being a new entrant. We are unfamiliar to potential clientele, which could make them weary of trusting us with their automobile. The only way to combat this issue is to have excellent customer service and promise the best quality car wash. Another external hazard is the unpredictable economy. The economy is slowing coming back from the 2008 recession, however, if the economy takes a turn for the worst again, T. C. W. company could be hit hard. When people are struggling to pay for essential items, like food and water, they will refuse to pay money to wash their car. Another potential issue T. C. W. faces is the possibility of a drought. Since peak months for a car wash is the summer, this is a very realistic problem. In this scenario, government sets limits on how much water can be used, which could have an enormous negative impact on the business. Finally, the erratic thought process of consumers should always be of concern. It is probable that many consumers will not see the value, or difference, in spending money to have their car washed when they can do it themselves. For this reason, it is for the utmost importance that we always hold our employees to a high standard and make sure that they are giving our clients quality work each and every time. Marketing Tactics Place Towson Car Wash will be built at 825 York Road, Towson, Maryland. This address was chosen because of its convenient location, as well as, the lot size. An average car wash takes up about 1,000 square feet (Moore). This lot is just over a half acre of land so there is more than enough room to accommodate such a structure. It is also located on a corner, which means that there is two ways of entering and exiting the premises. The most important factor associated with this location is the amount of passing traffic. Towson Town Center is Maryland’s second largest shopping mall with almost 200 stores and is located just one-mile from the future T. C. W. location. There are also seven apartment complexes and numerous houses less than a mile away from the location. Just a few feet down the street, there are fast food restaurants, as well as, a gas station, and grocery store. Lastly, there is an exit for I-695 just a half mile down the street. All of these elements bring a great deal of traffic to the area, which is why we believe it is the perfect place to open the first Towson Car Wash. Price There is a strong demand for our service and not much competition in our area. This allowed us some freedom when constructing our pricing layout. The first factor we took into consideration was our target market. Our target market is unique in the sense that it appeals to everyone with an automobile. Most target markets focus on a specific group; however we are opening a car wash which in theory could attract all automobile owners regardless of such factors as age, social class and so on. The second factor we considered was various packages to accommodate our wide customer base. We recognized that our customer base could range from students in high school or college to working adults. Lastly, we wanted our prices to reflect the quality of our services. When it came down to our prices it wasn’t a question of setting our prices to compete with our competition. The most important factor for our prices was that the price matched the quality of our service not only in our eyes but more importantly in the eyes of our customers. We are offering three different packages: bronze, silver and gold. The bronze is our basic package which cost 10 dollars. The bronze package includes a standard car wash, tire cleaning and air/towel drying. The silver package cost 12 dollars and includes a full service wash, tire cleaning, window cleaning inside and out, dash-side panel cleaning, interior vacuum cleaning and an air/towel dry. Finally the gold package cost 20 dollars and  includes full service wash, tire cleaning, window cleaning inside and out, dash-side cleaning, interior vacuum cleaning, shampoo carpet cleaning and an air/towel dry. Product Our business is mainly service oriented with providing car washes. To further expand our revenue we will be offering car products within our store front. The products will reflect our service and be car convenience products. The products will range from air fresheners to steering wheel covers. The idea here is to be able to meet customers potential needs. If customers are happy with our services they will be more likely to buy our products. When customers are getting their car washed they will be inside of our store. Inside the store we will have comfortable seating and television to keep them occupied while their car is being washed. It makes sense from a business perspective to have products in the store for customers to check out while they wait. If they are getting their car cleaned chances are they might be interested in an air freshener of other related car products. We don’t plan on making our own products; therefore we will be using other companies with reputable products. Again the goal for these small purchase products will not be to generate massive profits but to satisfy customer’s potential needs. We plan on making most of our profits from our services but if customers use our business we want to be capable of meeting all of their needs. The in-store products are as follows:  § Air fresheners  § Steering wheel covers  § Advanced windshield wipers  § Interior car whips  § Seat covers  § Windshield shade covers  § Car wax  § Car ornaments Promotion After conducting our research we realized there was a need for car washes in the Towson area that wasn’t being met. The main reason we began this business venture was due to the high demand for car washes that wasn’t being met in Towson. The demand is there all there is left to do is find ways to draw in the customers. We came up with a few promotions that we felt would appeal to our potential customers. The first was a rewards program that would ultimately lead to benefits such as discounts and even a free car wash. The way the rewards program works is every time a person gets their car washed we record it and after three washes the customer would get the fourth free. The second promotion we are planning to run is with local college students. All the college students would have to do is bring their student id and they will receive a discount. This deal applies to students that attend schools in the Towson area. For our last promotion we plan on running events for local clubs and Greek life organizations. We will keep our doors open to any fundraising groups that are willing to partner with us. The way it will work is the group or organization we partner with will be responsible for promoting a certain day that we both agree on to support their cause. They will drive more customers to us and in return we will give them a part of the profits from that day. When we first open we will plan on running some basic advertising campaigns. Most of our advertising will be free due to the fact that we are located on a major intersection were thousands of cars drive each day. Most customers will see our sign and be made aware of our new business. To further touch potential consumers we will be putting ads in local newspapers and college newspapers such as the Towerlight. In these ads we will add our current promotions. We have should also note that those getting their car washed on the weekends are more likely to spend more money. You can see in the chart, that the average person on the weekend spends more than one during a business day. We also coin that as a result that working people come in on the weekend and those with full-time jobs tend to spend more than those who do not and can come in during the week. One last thing we would like to note in our financial analysis, is that the above chart is an average. If we were to actually document each weeks income, it would vary by season. Our business is seasonal in that customers are more likely to spend and utilize our service during the Spring, Summer, and Fall rather than winter. Conclusion In conclusion, we believe T. C. W to have a model for success. Although it might take around two years to make profit, we know that we can be successful once we pay off our initial start-up costs. There is a significant demand for a car wash in the Towson area and we plan to go above and beyond meeting that demand by not only offering a car wash, but a great one that meets the needs of our consumers and builds relationships with them through superb customer service.

010 Peer Review Professor Ramos Blog

010 Peer Review Peer Review Quick Write Have you ever had a good experience workshopping a paper? Why was it good? Why was it bad? Peer Review We are going to peer review first. I want to make sure you have enough time before the lesson for today. Before we peer review, I want you to take a look at your own draft. Add dialogue, find a spot to add in some dialogue. Add details  of a character or an artifact in your narrative. What can you describe or add details too? Are you giving enough context so the reader follows along? Add an image  to help tell the story. What image would help the reader? What image is related to your literacy? Effective Title. What should you title your essay? What would be a good title that makes your reader want to read the essay and prepares them for it.Fall Semester Examples This is the first of many peer reviews. Keep these things in mind. Peer edit the same way you revise your own work. Be specific in identifying problems or opportunities. Offer suggestions for improvement. Praise what is genuinely good in the paper. Grading Criteria Literacy Lesson Story Dialogue/Description Title/Images Responding Chapter four details the three major forms of response: agree, disagree, and agree but with a difference. You can argue anything. Remember, not everything has to be an argument.  For this class, we will focus on responding to arguments/conversations. The book includes many templates. Including to  Disagree p. 60,  Agreeing p. 62, and  Agreeing and Disagreeing Simultaneously p. 64. Show, Don’t Tell The writing you do at this level should do the work, instead of you having to tell us. No more lines like: In this essay†¦ My literacy narrative is †¦

Brainstorming Six Thinking Hats Communications Essay

Brainstorming Six Thinking Hats Communications Essay Brainstorming is one of the best-known techniques for producing fresh ideas and approaching problems from innovative new angles. Brainstorming sessions are best done in small groups; participants are asked to leave their inner critic at the door and come up with the zaniest ideas possible. This challenge is based on a tool created by famous ‘lateral thinker’ Edward de Bono to improve decision making skills. The Six Thinking Hats technique is particularly useful for group brainstorming as it emphasises ‘what if?’ thinking rather than ‘what is’ assumptions. People or groups often tend to follow certain fixed ways of thinking. This technique involves looking at a problem or issue from a number of different perspectives, each represented by a different coloured hat, and giving each one equal weighting in a discussion. White hat (= objective) When you wear this hat, you focus on available information to see what you can learn from it. You try to fill any gaps in your knowledge. This is where you analyse past trends and extrapolate from historical data. Red hat (= emotions, feelings) When you wear the red hat you use intuition, gut reaction and emotion to respond to an issue or idea. You also try to think how other people will react emotionally to the issue, and try to understand their intuitive responses. Black hat (= negatives, points of caution) When you wear the black hat you are the pessimist. You are cautious and critical and try to find reasons that things will not work. It’s a useful perspective, since it highlights any weak points in a plan and enables you to either eliminate them, or prepare measures to counter problems should they arise. Black hat thinking makes plans more resilient. Yellow hat (= positive focus) The yellow hat is the positive thinking hat. When you wear this hat you seek harmony; its optimistic viewpoint enables you to see the value, benefits and further opportunities in a plan. Yellow ha t thinking helps you keep going when everything looks gloomy and difficult. Green hat (= generates new ideas or concepts) The green hat stands for creativity. Its mood is provocative, experimental, and explorative. Wear it to playfully spin ideas free of any judgement or criticism. Blue hat (= defines focus, control of thinking) The blue hat stands for process control. It sees the big picture. Wear this hat to chair a meeting, or to bring any of the other processes /thinking approaches [?] to order. During a typical Six Hats session you will flip between different hat ‘modes’: when ideas are slow in coming you’ll try green hat thinking; when the mood gets too pessimistic, switch to yellow hat thinking; when contingency planning is needed, put on your black hat, and so on. 3 How to Play 3.a Game Instructions The six animals on the right-hand riverbank are desperately looking for their thinking caps, which the wind has cheekily deposited on the left bank. Send the hats back to their respective owners by following the 6 ways of thinking, one at a time, all the way through from the left to the right.

How and in what ways are race,age and gender important factors for Essay

How and in what ways are race,age and gender important factors for understanding the development and operation of the criminal justice system in England and wal - Essay Example In this context, race, age and gender become important because while a prisoner is certainly placed under boundaries of law, s/he does not stop being a human being and it must be noted that s/he has the same right to be treated humanely and with as much importance as those who are not with him/her in prison. The treatments and the rights are controlled by those who are supposed to manage Her Majesty’s prisons and even though things such as the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention on Human Rights have improved the conditions for many prisoners, there is still a lot more which can be done (Valette, 2002). This is certainly recognised in the corporate objectives outlined by the UK Prison Service but it must also be noted that the external environment of the world at large and the UK in particular is changing rapidly and in the next ten to fifteen years significant alterations can be expected (Beckford, 2005). In this context, gender and age become particularly important since recent research has shown us that young males in prisons are particularly likely to commit suicide while they are in prison. While there is no method by which we can know exactly why a prisoner might kill him/herself we are told by the Royal College of Psychiatrists that there are certain risk factors associated with individuals who have previously committed suicide in prisons (RCP, 2005). Unsurprisingly, these factors are: The lack of support from the prison authorities can have several influences which push a prisoner on the brink to committing suicide. For instance, if a prisoner is seen as being at risk for suicide the need for a constructive relation between the prison authorities and the prisoner is strongly recommended. In fact, positive relationships are the most important means for preventing prison suicides as is a programme

Methodology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Methodology - Assignment Example All researchers base their work on philosophical assumptions. A researcher works within a parameter of socially influenced outlook, and there so the initial assumptions are always taken for granted. Generally speaking, philosophical assumption is deduction made by the researchers based on his previous knowledge and perspective of the concerned subject (Scotland, 2012). There are three kinds of philosophical assumptions that form the root of a research methodology. The structure of a research is consisted of ontology, epistemology, methodology, and methods (Scotland, 2012). Ontology can be defined as the study of a subject’s reality and deals with the question of â€Å"what is† (Scotland, 2012). The researcher needs to define his perspective concerning the subject based on its real form and implications (Scotland, 2012). Epistemology is concerned with knowledge that is collected from field research (Scotland, 2012). Epistemological assumptions are born from study of data that are collected and assimilated by the researcher (Scotland, 2012). It is an establishment of relation between the â€Å"would-be-knower and what can be known† (Scotland, 2012, p.9). The structure of a research is confined within ontological and epistemological assumptions. All the assumptions that are made by the researcher are based on guesswork (Scotland, 2012), and so the philosophical aspects of the research can never proven as completely true or false (Scotland, 2012). The ontological and epistemological assumptions differ with each research since each subject has its own definition of reality and therefore the research approach is also different. Methodology is the defined course of action which is reliant on the selected methods of research (Scotland, 2012). Therefore, methodology is the process and reasons of data collection and deduction (Scotland, 2012). Methodology is the manner in which the researcher confirms or refutes his

Teens Decreasing Morality Essay Example for Free

Teens Decreasing Morality Essay Some aspects of moral values among university students in three societies: Poland, Australia and the Philippines J.J. Smolicz, D.M. Hudson and M.J. Secombe1 Graduate School of Education, Adelaide University The paper reports the findings from a comparative study of moral values undertaken among university students from five universities in the Philippines, Poland and Australia. The aim of the study was to compare the way students brought up in different cultural traditions, but subjected to the homogenizing trends of globalization, evaluated what they deemed as the most appropriate solutions to some of the basic life dilemmas facing individuals today. The respondents were senior undergraduate and postgraduate students drawn from education and social science faculties in two independent Catholic and three secular state universities. A total of 448 students participated in the study, with 80 to 100 students originating from each university. This paper presents a detailed analysis of one example from each of three categories of moral dilemmas, in which students were asked to state their position in relation to twelve issues including abortion, extramarital affairs and stealing. In addition to providing concrete data on themselves, students indicated whether they believed the actions listed were wrong, acceptable or dependent on circumstances. The students’ responses to the issues showed a generally consistent position for each university along a value orientation continuum ranging from Traditional Christian to ‘Post-modern Individualist’. The degree of support for Traditional Christian values varied, however, from issue to issue according to the university and country under investigation. moral values; abortion; infidelity; stealing; tertiary students; international. INTRODUCTION As a result of global secular influences, it could be expected that responses to moral dilemmas would have become more uniform across different cultural and ethnic and religious groups. In order to ascertain any possible modification to or rejection of traditional moral values crossculturally, the study sought the views of young people who were university students in three different countries and in institutions with different ideological profiles. The researchers had access to the collection of comparable data in Poland, the Philippines and Australia countries very different in their regions, cultures and histories. It should be stressed that the study did not aim to take the form of a statistical analysis of variables to test a pre-established hypothesis which could lead to any predictions for a wider population. This comparative study was not funded by any organisation, but was the result of co-operative efforts among colleagues in the three countries concerned. The authors, in particular, would like to express their gratitude to Ms Monika Koniecko, Professor Elzbieta Halas, Dr Illuminado Nical, Ms Susana Manzon and Mr Robert de la Serna for the contribution they have made to the data collection and analysis of this paper. The theoretical framework of the study is based on the humanistic sociological conceptualization of Znaniecki, in which the term ‘moral values’ refers to the meanings which group members are expected to accept as a guide to right and proper conduct and the way in which they should act in their daily life. Znaniecki (1963: 267-70) draws an important theoretical distinction between the ideological attitudes which individuals profess in terms of the religious and moral values of their group, and the tendencies to action which these same individuals reveal in the specific contexts of daily life. UNIVERSITY PROFILES Data were gathered from a total of 448 respondents, drawn from five different universities. The number in each institution ranged from 80 to 109 (80 in Leyte and Adelaide; 89 in Warsaw; 90 in UAP and 109 in KUL). In Poland, the student respondents were drawn from two universities. One of these can be regarded as firmly set within the Catholic tradition. In 1918 the Catholic Church established the Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) as a privately funded institution in a provincial centre in the east-central part of Poland. Over the period of Communist rule, it functioned as the bastion of Catholic religious and moral values in Poland. Today it is a medium-sized university with faculties reflecting its religious base: Theology, Canon and Civil Law, Christian Philosophy, Humanities, and Social Sciences as well as specialised institutes in Polish Church History, Higher Religious Education and Migration. Many of its students have gone to the priesthood and a variety of leadership positions in the Church and society at large. The second Polish university which provided respondents for this study was Warsaw. A state institution, originally founded in the early nineteenth century, Warsaw is a very large university, with a full range of humanities, social science and natural science faculties. Its position in the heart of a capital city, renowned for its high culture in music, art, literature and the theatre, yet traditionally strongly linked to the Polish Catholic Church, has had an important influence on its ethos in providing access to moral values based in the Catholic tradition, as well as its more atheistic, anti-clerical counter-tradition. Two other groups of respondents were drawn from universities in the Philippines. One set was provided by the University of Asia and the Pacific (UAP), which is a private university in Manila, established by the Opus Dei order of the Catholic Church. Its ethos reflects the Opus Dei dedication to Catholic spirituality and emphasis on intellectual, political. educational and business leadership. It is best known for its high profile research specialisations in economics, political economy and business management, as well as its undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences. Its fee-paying structure and high entrance standards make it an à ©lite institution, both socially and academically, and its total enrolment of around two thousand students is still relatively small. The second Philippines institution from which respondents were drawn was the provincial state university at Tacloban on the island of Leyte in the eastern Visayas. The Leyte Institute of Technology (LIT) sees its role as providing for the practical educational needs of the surrounding community which has maintained a strong commitment to Catholic values reflecting the local community. It offers degrees in vocational disciplines, applied science and technology and teacher education, with a particular emphasis on post-graduate studies in education. At present time there are around seven thousand students enrolled at the Leyte Institute. The two universities in the Philippines were chosen to provide contrasting communities within the overall Catholic ethos of the country. UAP could be regarded as an intellectual centre closest to the teachings of the magisterium of the Church. Opus Dei is rightly regarded as a bastion of traditional Catholic teaching because it has scrupulously upheld the full and undiluted doctrine of the church. LIT, in contrast, is a comparatively small regional university, chosen because it had no metropolitan glitter about it, was state-run and attracted a technically oriented clientele from financially and socially modest homes, in one of the poorest provinces of the country. The strong Catholic orientation of the Philippines was very apparent, however, in that seminars were normally begun with a prayer and Catholic feast days were regularly observed, even though it was a state university. For the Australian section of the study, respondents were drawn from Adelaide University, which was established as a public institution in the late nineteenth century, the third oldest university in Australia. Situated in the capital city of the state of South Australia, it offers a wide range of degrees across the disciplines of science, agriculture, engineering, the professions, economics, music, humanities and social sciences. The student body currently numbers close to thirteen and a half thousand. Like most government-funded educational institutions in Australia, Adelaide University is strongly secular in ethos and has traditionally regarded religion and theology as sectarian pursuits, inappropriate for university students, while its philosophy department has been openly atheistic (Duncan and Leonard, 1974). The students participating in the study came from the Graduate School of Education. Poland and the Philippines, the two predominantly Catholic countries investigated in this study, both inherited a strong Catholic tradition anchored in the post-Tridentum spirit. The respondents from the four Polish and Filipino universities who claimed to be Catholic (over 80%) would formally be expected to uphold the religious and moral values prescribed by their church and know that any deviation would be regarded as a sin. Evidence on which values were being rejected or regarded more relativistically and how frequently constitutes valuable information on changes taking place in moral values in countries which have long been regarded as strongholds of Catholicism. METHOD Student participants from the five universities were asked to complete a questionnaire on their religious and moral beliefs. For students in the Philippines and Australia the questionnaire was in English, but a Polish version was used for the respondents from Poland. Some questions were designed to gather concrete data concerning the respondents’ background: gender, age, language use, level of parental education and religious affiliation. There was also a series of questions to gather cultural data i.e. these were concerned with the students’ beliefs and moral perceptions and other attitudes in relation to the moral/religious convictions among them. Responses to Specific Moral Issues When presented with moral issues which epitomized contemporary moral dilemmas, participants were asked to indicate whether they agreed that action concerned was wrong: whether its moral status depended on the situation; or whether they considered the action not wrong. The range of responses available was: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Considered Wrong Situation dependent Not wrong No opinion The questions and responses were thus deliberately framed in terms of the maintenance of traditional moral values. Data were initially summarized in frequency distributions for each university. Of the twelve situations presented to the respondents, one example from each category of issues will be discussed. viz. Abortion classified as a ‘Life and Death issue’: Abortion: A Life and Death Issue This issue proved important in the analysis because of the polarisation of data. There was a clear distinction between the percentage of responses which considered abortion to be wrong from the three Catholic oriented universities, including LIT, and the two more secular ones. Traditional moral values on abortion were strongly maintained on this issue especially at the three Catholic oriented universities: UAP (93%), KUL( 80%) and LIT (74%) while in Warsaw (49%) only half gave evidence of supporting these values. Even lower, the Adelaide figure of 25% who considered abortion to be wrong, could be seen to reflect a society where abortion is legally available, virtually ‘on demand’. In the case of responses rejecting traditional values, Adelaide respondents (44%) stood out as having the highest percentage of rejectors of traditional values. Warsaw (12%) is aligned with LIT on 15% in this response an indication of much lower rejection among students who lived in predominantly Catholic societies, than the secular society of Adelaide which largely accepted abortion. Abortion was an issue of debate, depending on the situation, for students from Adelaide (30%) and Warsaw (34%) rather than for the three Catholic-oriented universities LIT (4%), UAP (6%) and KUL (14%). These students were upholding the traditional Catholic teachings. The situational response indicated that some students considered an issue was neither right nor wrong in itself. If they had doubts about it, they could choose this option to record individual responses . Extra-Marital Affairs: A Sex and Marriage Issue There was a marked convergence of responses in relation to this issue. The majority of students from all five universities agreed in maintaining traditional opposition to such actions: UAP were unanimous on 99%. Warsaw(70%) and Adelaide (69%) showed a similar stance in opposing this issue. In this regard, Warsaw and Adelaide respondents almost matched the frequency levels from LIT at 73% and KUL at 85%. The ‘ranking’ of the university responses is similar to the previous issue, abortion, but there is general consensus. The responses on the upholding of traditional moral values had their mirror image in the data showing rejection of such values. There was strong evidence of less acceptance for ‘extramarital affairs’ at Warsaw (1%) and Adelaide (5%) where responses to this option were at a very low level, comparable to UAP(1%) and KUL (1%). The respondents at LIT (14%) showed some approval of the issue but the number was relatively small. The third response option, reflecting a more situational approach, was valuable in highlighting issues where there was a high degree of ambiguity or uncertainty. Low scores, in contrast, suggested that the respondents in the group concerned had made up their minds to be either upholders or rejectors of traditional morality. The relativistic view was comparatively high and shared by as many as 26% from Warsaw and 23% from Adelaide indicating the doubts some students expressed depending on the situation. STEALING: A Human Relations Issue The issue of ‘stealing’ was also striking in the way a large degree of consensus was displayed among students from all universities but the pattern of response differed markedly from those shown for the other two issues. ‘Stealing’ elicited the highest response of moral rectitude with over 70% of students in all universities and over 80% in three of them considering stealing as ‘wrong’. ‘Stealing’ was also the issue which elicited the highest level of support for any traditional value among Warsaw students (87%). With a corresponding figure of 82% at KUL, stealing seems to evoke a particularly strong sense of ‘wrong’ among Polish students. It is interesting to note that UAP students, who were the highest upholders of moral values on virtually all other issues, were below Warsaw at 81% in the case of ‘stealing’. Adelaide students with their dual Protestant and secularist orientations, also demonstrated greater acknowledgment of ‘stealing’ as ‘wrong, than for any other issue (74%). At Adelaide 41% of respondents indicated that they belonged to one of the Protestant denominations whilst 30% claimed that they had no religion a response which did not occur at all in any of the other groups of participants. The remarkable unanimity of responses for this issue from students at all universities was also seen in the complementary rejection of traditional values, in that only very few claimed outright that ‘stealing’ was not wrong. Only LIT showed a relatively high proportion of those rejecting traditional values, amounting to 14%. In contrast, while on most moral issues Warsaw and Adelaide displayed a high degree of permissiveness, Adelaide showed no more than 4% of respondents, and Warsaw had no-one who condoned stealing. The figures for KUL and UAP were minimal 3 and 2%. Overall stealing was not acceptable as an issue. The minimal number of students at Warsaw and KUL, UAP and Adelaide who openly condoned stealing has to be considered alongside the proportion who expressed relativistic attitudes by indication that their judgement of whether stealing was ‘wrong’ or ‘not wrong’ would depend on the circumstances. Respondents from Adelaide (21%) and UAP (17%) expressed some doubt in relation to stealing which was somewhat higher than Warsaw (12%) and KUL (16%). The figure for LIT was as low as 6% which reflects the pattern for all universities as seeing stealing as ‘wrong’. These findings suggest that moral issues in social relationships are not necessarily seen to be tied directly to Christian beliefs, despite their specific prohibition in the Ten Commandments. Findings raise questions such as : Is stealing related to established ‘legal’ rather than ‘moral’ codes? For some Protestants, what constitutes sin and restitution for sin becomes very much more a matter for the individual conscience and there is a greater tendency to adopt relativistic attitudes where what constitutes right and wrong depends on personal judgement of the situation. CONCLUSIONS The various responses to these three issues provide valuable information on the relative ‘holding power’ of Christian (mainly Catholic) beliefs in Poland and the Philippines when compared with mainly Protestant (or religiously indifferent) Australia. The responses also throw light on differences among the various moral values examined, in the extent of their support or rejection. In the three predominantly Catholic universities (UAP, LIT and KUL), traditional Christian values continued to be upheld for ‘abortion’ in the life and death issue. In the two universities where there has been a tradition of secularist values, there is a much greater rejection of traditional moral values, together with a substantial number of those with a relativistic orientation expressing an essentially ambiguous stance. One issue on which Warsaw and Adelaide join forces with the Catholic oriented University is on the issue of ‘extra-marital affairs’, a ‘Sex and Marriage Issue’, with about two third of responses upholding a traditional negative view of such practices. This particular value appears to hold no relationship to Christian religious belief or non-belief, assuming a virtually universalistic dimension. The same situation apprears to hold for the ‘social relationship’ issue stealing. Responses from students in all five universities favour the upholding of traditional moral values for this issue which is considered more frequently ‘wrong’ by Warsaw students than by respondents from all other universities. There is a minimal rejection of the traditional norms that condemn ‘stealing’. It is the rejection of certain moral propositions when the respondents openly admit that certain actions which are contrary to traditional morality are no longer ‘wrong’ which put them in conflict with the religious authority to which they officially subscribe. What is clear is that some of the traditional values are changing within the orbit of particular Christian denominations. The results suggest that believers display a spirit of selectivity among moral values showing traditional disapproval for certain actions, while revealing a proclivity for greater permissiveness in relation to others. The issue of abortion shows that in the Catholic oriented universities, there is little evidence of collapse of traditional values and that globalization trends have not seriously undermined other traditional values. The other two moral issues discussed, extra-marital affairs and stealing, where there is a greater convergence of responses, can be viewed as highlighting more univer salistic values which appear to go beyond the confines of any particular religious belief. REFERENCES Andres, T. D. (1980) Understanding Values. Quezon City: New Day Publishers. Blumer, H. (1939) Critiques of Research in the Social Sciences I: Appraisal of Thomas and Znaniecki’s ‘The Polish Peasant in Europe and America’. New York: Social Science Research Council. Duncan, W.G.K. and Leonard, R.A. (1974) The University of Adelaide. Adelaide: Rigby. Ossowska, M. (1985) Normy Moralne: Proba Systematyzacji. P.W.N. Warszawa. Smolicz, J.J. (1997) In Search of a Multicultural Nation, in R. J. Watts and J.J.Smolicz (eds), Cultural Democracy and Ethnic Pluralism: Multicultural and Multilingual Policies in Education. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. Smolicz, J.J. (1999) On Education and Culture. (M.J. Secombe and J. Zajda, eds) Melbourne: James Nicholas Publishers. Smolicz, J.J., Secombe, M.J. and Hudson, D.M., (2001) Family Collectivism and Minority Languages as Core Values of Culture among Ethnic Groups in Australia, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, vo l. 22:2. Znaniecki, F. (1963) Cultural Sciences: Their Origin and Development. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. Znaniecki, F. (1969) On Humanistic Sociology: Selected Papers (Bierstedt, R. ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Znaniecki, F. (1998) Education and Social Change. (Halas, E. ed) Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang.

Justice and Injustice in Othello Essay -- Othello essays

Justice and Injustice in Othello        Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Tragedy of Othello, by William Shakespeare, a great injustice is done to the main character, Othello the Moor. Othello is manipulated by the villain Iago to satiate Iago’s need for control and his desire for revenge. Othello the General has promoted another, Cassio, to hold the position that Iago feels he deserves. For the injustice that Iago feels has been committed against him, he brings about the destruction of Othello and his wife, Desdemona, using Cassio as his tool for doing so.   Iago is the master villain in Othello, and is indeed a prototypal villain; that is, he is the mould for many other villains in their own deeds. He appears to be cunning, decisive, and able to take advantage of any set of circumstances. He moulds the people around him and his surroundings to suit his own â€Å"peculiar† ends. Furthermore Iago appears to be a good and honest person to all involved parties until just before the close of the play. Everyone is his willing dupe. Every master villain attempts his level of excellence.   Iago, to achieve his revenge manipulates Othello into wrongfully suspecting his wife of infidelity, and makes him insane with jealousy, enough to kill her in his rage. Othello is the general of the city of Venice, and as foreigner, a dark-skinned Moor. Othello appears to be a ... ... everything possible to his advantage, even his reputation for honesty; for no more reason than that he was passed over for a promotion. We know that the noble Othello is fooled, and simultaneously feel sorry that such an honest man has been duped. Works Cited Snyder, Susan. "Beyond the Comedy: Othello" Modern Critical Interpretations, Othello Ed. Harold Bloom, Pub. Chelsea House New Haven CT 1987. (23-37)Norman Sanders, ed. Othello. Cambridge: New York, 1995: 12. C. W. Slights. "Slaves and Subjects in Othello," Shakespeare Quarterly v48 Winter 1997: 382. J. Adelman. "Iago's Alter Ego: Race as Projection in Othello," Shakespeare Quarterly v48 Summer 1997: 130.

Ozone Depletion and Global Warming Essay

There is no doubt that global warming is fast becoming a serious issue at this time. However, not all people are aware of the negative effects that global warming and ozone depletion can bring. They are also not aware of the fact that their day-to-day actions can contribute largely to the phenomenon. While ozone depletion and global warming is hard to deal with, there are numerous ways where people can contribute to the environment so that the situation will not become much worse than what is seen today. If people would like to help improve the environment, they should start within themselves by changing some of the ways they run the household. Recycling and reusing is a very practical thing to do especially nowadays when everything is high in terms of their cost. Recycling can decrease the amount of garbage that will be sent out to landfills. People should also choose to buy products made out of recycled materials. It is also important to conserve energy by turning appliances off when they are not in use, or by using Energy Star qualified products, or by modifying the house and using green power or installing solar panels. Spreading the word and participating in activities and programs that support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions can also significantly help. Changing household ways can be easier compared to that of the workplace setting because there are less people to instruct and there are fewer appliances to check. Still, when working, people should always utilize office equipment such that they are only used when needed. Things that are not usually used should be powered off but things that are mostly used should not be turned off every time because constantly switching them on and off can use up more energy. Employees and companies should also make it a point to recycle and reuse their materials, especially paper. Papers should only be used for important communication or reports. Other less important things should be communicated through the Internet by email or instant messages.

Food Product or Ingredient Development Scientist Essay

Develop tastier, healthier, less expensive, and more convenient foods and ingredients. Blend the science of food with the culinary arts to satisfy consumers and your own creativity. Food Microbiologist or Food Safety Expert Investigate the source of the latest food-borne illness outbreak, create a new rapid test for pathogens, develop a better food processing method. Or work as fermentation scientist, helping optimize and control beer-making, cheese-making, and other food fermentations. Food Chemist Design and apply methods to analyze the chemical nature of foods. Maybe your specialty would be natural food colors or flavor chemistry. Maybe you would manage a lab testing the nutrient content of foods. Your company needs to measure sulfites in wine or antioxidants in tea – and they need you to help them do it! Perform research for structural upgradation and upkeep of food packages in storage room. Analyze and develop new sources of compounds like proteins or sugar substitutes through efficient research. Inspect various factors which generally influence flavor and texture and food items. Perform analysis and design new processing methods for food package and develop safer food products. Coordinate with technicians, scientists and experts to complete work efficiently and within timeframe. Review raw ingredients for maturity of food processing and ensure safe preservation of high quality products. Prepare all production specifications and ensure fixation of processing  operation. Evaluate all processes and storage upkeep in factories plus maintain good performance record in coordination with engineers. Prepare test samples of food products and supervise exceptional quality maintenance in food processing department. Maintain product quality and standards of healthcare service inclusive of improvement to quality of products. [State the Name of Career Researched] Overview of Career: [Provide a description, in your own words, of this career. The 2-3 paragraph overview does not need to be comprehensive, but must include sufficient detail and so explain the career. You must write the overview using your own words, do not copy and paste from another source.] Typical Duties or Activities: [Briefly describe the types of activities someone holding this career will perform on a daily (or routine) basis.] Work Conditions: [1. Describe the physical environment where a person in this career typically works; 2. Describe the physical expectations on the employee; 3. Describe a typical Work Schedule.] Types of Positions Available / Specializations Within Career: [Provide a list of the common types of positions a person in this career may hold. Be sure to list any typical starting positions.] Types of Degrees, Certifications, Licenses, or Training Required: [Provide a list of any minimum required degrees, certifications, or licenses a person must hold before entering this career field; list any common degrees, certifications, or licenses typically required for advancement.] Special Skills (or Qualities) Needed: [List any of the skills or traits a person needs to be successful in this career.] Job Outlook (Growth): [Provide a description of the Job Outlook / Growth Potential for this career field.] Salary Range / Potential: [List at least the entry and average wage for someone in this career. You may wish to compare the local ranges to a regional or national average.] Advancement Potential: [List any advancement potential or other areas of future promotion and, if known, how much experience or additional education may be required.] Professional Associations: [List any Professional Associations, Unions, or Organizations that support this career or that someone working in this career may wish to consider joining.] Similar Occupations: [List 3-4 careers/jobs that are similar or related to this career.] Additional Research Topics: [Use this space to list any additional information about this career that you found and feel will be helpful to you going forward or that you wish to find out more information regarding to help you decide if this is the correct career field for you.] Why This Career? [Provide an explanation, in your own words, of why you choose this career. The 2-3 paragraph explanation needs enough detail to describe your interest in this career and why you think it is a good option for you based on the information in your Career Interest Survey and this Career Profile. You must write the overview using your own words, do not copy and paste from another source.] References: [List any and all references (websites, publications ) used in this Profile. References must be cited using MLA or APA formats.]

The Changeling Essays

The Changeling Essays The Changeling Essay The Changeling Essay He believes he loves her and this over rides any other consideration, despite the advice of his servants that to travel now would be the best option. This reinforces the theme of lust and love causing the characters to make rash decisions. Alsemero declares his love for Beatrice almost immediately, Beatrice response to this is also ironic: Our eyes are sentinels unto our judgments, And should give certain judgment what they see; But they are rash sometimes, and tell us wonders Of common things, which when our judgments find, They can then check the eyes, and call them blind Beatrice states that it is important to be weary of decided on first appearances; one should not just trust the eyes but should make a reasoned judgement. However neither Beatrice nor Alsemero do this, again reinforcing the theme of irrational passions and behaviour. Her words are hollow as they are at odds with her actual behaviour which follows what her eyes tell her. Beatrice later states, after reflecting on Alsemeros choice of friendship: Methinks I love now with the eyes of judgment Little has changed since their last meeting yet Beatrice believes she is acting rationally. This also brings in the recurring use of the imagery of sight, eyes and blindness to reflect the theme of Appearance vs. Reality and as a metaphor for reason and judgement. Unreasoned emotion is also portrayed through the relationship between Deflores and Beatrice. The contempt and disgust Beatrice-Joanna feels for her fathers servant is somewhat unfounded, as Deflores states: She knows no cause fort but a peevish will. Although disfigured and only a servant whereas she is daughter of a nobleman, Beatrice has no reason to dislike Deflores. Her irrational hatred, or peevish will has no basis and emphasizes the view that Beatrice has little rational control over her emotions and a lack of reason, nor does she understand such emotion. As the scene ends Beatrice drops her glove on the floor, and her father instructs Deflores to pick it up, It is unclear whether this is intended for Alsemero or Deflores, or whether it was accidental. However it appears purposeful and underlines the idea of Beatrices sub conscious feelings manifesting themselves and her inability to control them. Beatrice admits she has overwhelming feelings for Alsemero but that her hatred for Deflores is perhaps even stronger. One may interpret that what she sees as vehement disgust for Deflores is actually underlined by a subconscious sexual attraction to him, one she cannot control. Sexual overtones are prevalent throughout the play, for example in Deflores description of the glove or Alibius use of the ring as imagery for intercourse.

The role of women in Japanese Theatre and the portrayal of Japanese Essay

The role of women in Japanese Theatre and the portrayal of Japanese women in western theatre - Essay Example This persona has been carried forward into the Western traditions of portrayals of Japanese females in popular theater which is typified in â€Å"Madame Butterflyâ€Å". The performance of female parts in most Japanese theater is done by male actors. This tradition in both the kabuki and the bunraki is still primarily maintained today. However, the performance of the gidayu is a tradition that has included female performers since the late 16th or early 17th century (Coaldrake, 1997, pp. 13). The performance of the gidayu is similar to the oral traditions of story telling in the Western traditions. However, it is done in a chanting voice that emotes action and the furtherance of the story through a combination of this chanting and of song. The skill of the performer is measured by how well she engages her audience and helps them visualize the play without an actual visual performance. The performance is accompanied by an instrument that is played by the artist. This tradition is part of the geisha traditions and artistries as well as those who are dedicated solely to this type of performance. Traditionally, The Edo period, running from 1603 to 1868 saw a great deal of restrictions in the activities of all people, but even more so for women. During the late Edo period there were attempts to try and suppress global influences that might subvert the Japanese heritage and traditions. One of these attempts was through the suppression of extravagances in art, which included the public performances by women (Coaldrake, 1997, pp. 12). These attempts, however, were largely unsuccessful as seen through the remaining existence of this type of performance in Japan. The onnagata are male performers who portray female parts in the kabuki. The origins of the all male kabuki as the only kabuki did not occur until the early 17th century when in 1629 females were prohibited from performing. Previous to this time all female

The Business Strategies of Google Inc and Its Effects on the Business Essay - 2

The Business Strategies of Google Inc and Its Effects on the Business and the Industry - Essay Example This paper illustrates that a research study conducted by Morgan Stanley pegs the total number of internet users at about 1.8 billion as of the year 2009. The number is expected to grow by about 13 percent annually on a year on year basis. The report also states that approximately 18.8 thousand minutes was spent on internet browsing by ‘netizens’ across the world. Geographically China followed by USA and India have the largest number of active internet users with the numbers growing geometrically over the years. The analysis of the strategic framework of an organization can be done by using the framework of the Generic model proposed by Michael Porter. The model states that a firm can pursue four strategies that include overall cost leadership, focus, differentiation, and differentiation focus strategies. Depending on the business and the market environment a firm can either chose one strategy or a combination of these strategies. Overall cost leadership strategy involve s a strategic framework in which a business organization lowers its cost of operations and uses the cost benefits to sell products at lower prices than their competitors. Business organizations using a differentiation strategy provide a unique product or service offering that is unmatched by the competitors in the industry segment. Firms using such a strategy normally charge a premium for their uniqueness in the product or service offering and generate their core competence based on their innovations. Focus strategy involves targeting a very core and niche consumer segment and providing services that tend to cater to the very specific needs of the customers.