Thursday, December 19, 2019

Shirley Jackson Using Color To Symbolize Cruelty and Evil...

Shirley Jackson What is humanitys true nature? Are people basically good, or basically evil? Over the centuries, many people have tried to find the answer to this question, to no avail. Author Shirley Jackson takes a definite stance on the issue throughout her work, arguing that people are basically evil. Many times, this theme is obviously stated in her stories, but sometimes it is woven in more subtly. In her short stories The Lottery,† Elizabeth, and Flower Garden, Shirley Jackson uses color to symbolize the cruelty and evil common in everyday life. In â€Å"The Lottery,† Jackson tells the story of what appears to be an innocent festival in a small, rural town in the United States. All of the townspeople gather around a black†¦show more content†¦Traditionally, the color black is used to represent death; in the context of a ritual stoning, it represents both death and malice on the part of the townspeople participating in the event. As Cleanth Brooks and Robert Warren say in â€Å"Shirley Jackson: ‘The Lottery’†, much of the story is a commentary on the practice of scapegoating common in old ritual practices and in current ones such as tabloid reporting (224). This is also symbolized with the black box—the townspeople â€Å"[keep] their distance, leaving a space between themselves and the stool† (Jackson â€Å"The Lottery† 292) that the box is kept on when it is brought out, and focusing any visible nerves on the black box and the black mark that means their death. In this way, the color black becomes a physical manifestation of the townspeople’s cruelty, as they have come to fear it rather than the people who may kill them during the ritual. The theme of color used to symbolize cruelty is continued in Jackson’s short story, â€Å"Elizabeth,† although it is more subtle than in some of her other stories. The titular character is a disappointed woman in her thirties, carrying on a loveless relationship with her boss. In general, the theme of hidden evil in everyday life is harder to pick out than in many of Jackson’s other stories—there is no horrifying twist or startling revelation to make the theme more obvious. Cruelty is instead shown in the

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Sustainability Reporting Style of Wesfarmers and Woolworths Limited

Question: Discuss about the Sustainability Reporting Style of Wesfarmers Limited and Woolworths Limited. Answer: Introduction In the recent era, massive progress can be seen in the businesses all over the world and the businesses are expanding is a very fast pace. Thus, the companies are able to generate more amounts of revenues and profitability. However, it has been seen that the business activities of these companies have negative effects on the environment, community and the people of community. For this reason, it is the responsibility of the companies to adopt the strategies of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability. In this situation, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is considered as a major tool to promote sustainability and corporate social responsibility in the companies. The main aim of this repost is to compare and contrast the sustainability reporting style of two Australian companies that use GRI guidelines for sustainability. For this report, two Australia corporations are selected; they are Wesfarmers Limited and Woolworths Limited. Purpose of Sustainability Report It can be seen that both Woolworths and Wesfarmers use to prepare well-structured sustainability report according to the guidelines of GRI. In case of both the companies, there are some major purpose behind the development of sustainability reports. They are discussed below: Woolworths The major purposes of sustainability reporting in Woolworths are discussed below: People: Creating diversity in the workplace is a major purpose of sustainability reporting in Woolworths. Women should occupy 40 percent of the position of executives and senior managers posts in Woolworths as per the sustainability strategy of the country. In addition, the company has taken major initiatives to reduce the wage gap between men and women. According to the initiative of Federal Governments Employment Parity Initiative, including indigenous people in the workforce is a major purpose of the sustainability reporting of Woolworths (woolworthsgroup.com.au 2017). Planet: Another major sustainability reporting purpose of Woolworths is to make a healthy Australia by reducing environmental pollution. There are two sub purpose sunder this initiative. They are to work towards zero food wastage and to reduce carbon emission below 10% level (woolworthsgroup.com.au 2017). Prosperity: Another major purpose of sustainability of Woolworths is to establish a trusted relation with their stakeholders. In this context, the purpose of Woolworth is to inspire the customers to buy their products in the healthy and sustainable way. With the help of sustainability reporting, Woolworths is determined to get the top quality ranking (woolworthsgroup.com.au 2017). Wesfarmers The sustainability reporting purpose of Woolworths is discussed below: People: Development of people is one prime purpose of sustainability reporting in Wesfarners. It is the sustainability objective of Wesfarmers to provide safe workplace to the employees of their company. The employees of Wesfarmers get better opportunities to enhance their career (wesfarmers.com.au 2017). Sourcing: Another major purpose of sustainability reporting in Wesfarmers is to maintain a good relationship with the suppliers of their company. The company is determined to source products in a responsible way without harming the environment. Community: It is the purpose of Wesfarmerss sustainability initiatives to provide their customers with safe products in order to make positive contribution towards the community (wesfarmers.com.au 2017). Environment: Another major purpose of sustainability reporting of Wesfarmers is to reduce the amount of carbon emission in order to reduce the negative effects of climate change. In this process, waste reduction is another sustainability purpose of Wesfarners. As a result of this purpose, the company has taken many crucial initiatives to reduce the negative effects of environmental pollution (wesfarmers.com.au 2017). Governance: Another major purpose of the sustainability reporting as per GRI in Wesfarners is to maintain robust policies for corporate governance. Stakeholders It needs to be mentioned that every business organization develop the sustainability reports for some of the key stakeholders of their organizations. There is not any exception of this fact in the cases of Woolworths and Westerners. In this context, it needs to be mentioned that both Woolworths and Wesfarmers have the same stakeholders, which are interested in the sustainability reports of these companies. The first stakeholder is the investors. As the people of Australia become more environment and sustainability conscious, they consider the sustainability reports before investing (wesfarmers.com.au 2017). The second stakeholder is the community people. It can be seen that the operational activities of the companies affect the environment and the community people. For this reason, the people of community are interested in the sustainability reports of these companies as the sustainability actions will bring good for them. The next stakeholder is the young Australian that is in need of jobs. It needs to be mentioned that it is one of the major sustainable objectives of both the companies to create jobs in the market. Due to this, the young Australian will be interested in the sustainable reports of these companies (woolworthsgroup.com.au 2017). Thus, these are the major stakeholders of these two companies for sustainability reports. Differences between Sustainability Reports From the above discussion, it can be seen that both Woolworths and Wesfarmers use to publish their sustainability reports on yearly basis. In this context, it is crucial to mention that both the companies use the guidelines of GRI at the time to prepare their sustainability reports. The overall objective of both Woolworths and Wesfarmers is same for sustainability reporting. However, there are some major differences between the sustainability reporting of Woolworths and Wesfarmers. The major difference can be seen in the purpose of sustainability reports of Woolworths and Wesfarmers. The three major purpose of the preparation of sustainability reports of Woolworths are people, planet and prosperity (wow2016cr.qreports.com.au 2017). Based on these three aspects, Woolworths uses to develop their sustainability reports. As per 2016 sustainability report of Woolworths, different type of description and information is provided in it. However, in case of Wesfarners, it can be seen that the company has different set of purpose of sustainability reports. Apart from the common purposes of sustainability, some additional sustainability purposes can be seen for Wesfarmers; they are sourcing and governance. It needs to be mentioned that the 2016 sustainability report of Wesfarners also includes all the details and information regarding the purpose of sustainability (sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au 2017). Apart from the purposes, differences can be seen in the structure of the sustainability reports of these two companies. It can be seen that there are four sections in the 2016 sustainability report of Woolworths; they are performance highlight, group review, business review and other information (wow2016cr.qreports.com.au 2017). However, the structure of 2016 sustainability report of Wesfarners is different. There are four major parts in 2016-sustainability report of Wesfarners; they are sustainability at Wesfarners, managing directors welcome, detail about the companys major principles and details about the business of the company. By observing the sustainability repots of both Woolworths and Wesfarmers, it can be seen that the details about GRI reporting have been provided in different formats. In case of Woolworths, all the GRI indexes are provided at the end of the report with the page numbers. However, in case of the 2016 sustainability report of Wesfarmers, the GRI indexes are provided in the form of footnotes in each page (sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au 2017). Thus, as per this discussion, it can be observed that there are some crucial differences between the sustainability reports of Woolworths and Wesfarmers. Importance of Sustainability Reporting It needs to be compulsory for the companies to publish their sustainability reports based on the guidelines of GRI. The major reason is that the there are many benefits for the sustainability report preparation as per the guidelines of GRI. They are discussed below: Building Trust: Sustainability reports help in bringing transparency about non-financial performance of the companies that helps in the reduction of reputation risks of the companies (globalreporting.org 2017). Improved Systems and Processes: With the help of GRI guidelines, business organizations become able to examine the effectiveness of internal management and business decision-making processes of the companies (James 2015). Vision and Strategy: Sustainability reporting helps the companies to properly engage with their stakeholders. This particular process leads to the development of robust visions and strategies for the businesses (Toppinen et al. 2012). Reduction in Compliance Cost: The measurement of sustainability performance helps the companies in complying with the regulatory requirements and this process reduces compliance cost for the companies (Toppinen and Korhonen?Kurki 2013). Competitive Advantage: With the help of sustainability reporting, companies can build goodwill in the market. This process provides them with the necessary competitive advantages (Fernandez-Feijoo, Romero and Ruiz 2014). According to the above discussion, it can be observed that there are many benefits of the adoption of GRI guidelines for the preparation of sustainability reports. For this reason, it is compulsory for the business organizations to prepare sustainability reports based on the principles of GRI. Conclusion The above discussion shows the analysis and evaluation of sustainability reporting of Woolworths and Wesfarmers. The above discussion shows that both the companies have different purpose for the preparation of sustainability reports based on the guiding principles of GRI. The analysis shows that there are some key differences between the sustainability reports of Woolworths and Wesfarmers. They are the structure, content and information in the sustainability reports and others. The study also shows that there are many benefits of developing sustainability reports based on the principles of GRI. Thus, it is compulsory for the companies to adopt it. References Fernandez-Feijoo, B., Romero, S. and Ruiz, S., 2014. Commitment to corporate social responsibility measured through global reporting initiative reporting: Factors affecting the behavior of companies.Journal of Cleaner Production,81, pp.244-254. globalreporting.org. (2017).The benefits of sustainability reporting. [online] Available at: https://www.globalreporting.org/resourcelibrary/The-benefits-of-sustainability-reporting.pdf [Accessed 28 Oct. 2017]. James, M.L., 2015.The Benefits Of Sustainability And Integrated Reporting: An Investigation Of Accounting Majors'perceptions.Journal of Legal, Ethical and Regulatory Issues,18(1), p.1. sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au. (2017).2016 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT. [online] Available at: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/media/1835/edited-extract-of-wesfarmers-2016-sustainability-report.pdf [Accessed 28 Oct. 2017]. Toppinen, A. and Korhonen?Kurki, K., 2013. Global Reporting Initiative and social impact in managing corporate responsibility: a case study of three multinationals in the forest industry.Business ethics: A European review,22(2), pp.202-217. Toppinen, A., Li, N., Tuppura, A. and Xiong, Y., 2012. Corporate Responsibility and Strategic Groups in the Forest?based Industry: Exploratory Analysis based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Framework.Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management,19(4), pp.191-205. Wesfarmers.com.au. (2017).Our approach to sustainability. [online] Available at: https://www.wesfarmers.com.au/investor-centre/company-performance-news/our-approach-to-sustainability [Accessed 28 Oct. 2017]. Woolworthsgroup.com.au. (2017).Corporate Responsibility - Woolworths Group. [online] Available at: https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/community-and-responsibility/group-responsibility/corporate-responsibility [Accessed 28 Oct. 2017]. Woolworthsgroup.com.au. (2017).Environment and sustainability - Woolworths Group. [online] Available at: https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/community-and-responsibility/group-responsibility/environment [Accessed 28 Oct. 2017]. wow2016cr.qreports.com.au. (2017).2016 CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY REPORT. [online] Available at: https://wow2016cr.qreports.com.au/xresources/pdf/wow16cr-full.pdf [Accessed 28 Oct. 2017].

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Metabical Positioning and Communications Strategy

Decision Making Process for Metabical Metabical is a prescription drug for controlling weight loss for overweight individuals, and a product of Cambridge Sciences Pharmaceuticals (CSP). CSP is a healthcare researcher that focuses on developing, manufacturing, and selling drugs that treat health disorders. Its drugs cure health disorders, which include immune deficiencies, metabolic, acute, and chronic disorders.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Metabical: Positioning and Communications Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Researchers found the drug to be effective for overweight persons bearing body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30. It combined calosera, an appetite supplement compound with meditonan, fat blocking, and calorie absorbing agent. The combination enhanced weight loss for overweight individuals. In addition, the drug had optimal effects when used in low dosages, which have minimal negative effect s on the liver as opposed to other drugs. Additionally, researchers also introduced a different perspective of the drug, which allowed the users to use only a single pill daily. Just like other prescription drugs, metabical has negative side effects that patients felt after the consumption of high-level calories and fats. The drug was clinically tested and the results showed that the drug was effective with majority test participants achieving their goals for weight loss by twelve weeks. Tests revealed that persons with BMI of 25 to 30 lost at least twenty-six pounds after taking Metabical. Metabical was also effective in the modification of behavior and healthy eating habits. Test participants on Metabical dosage had a mean of less than 10 per cent of weight shedding in a period of three years. However, researchers found the drug to be less effective to individuals with BMI of above 30 since they lost low weight, and thus not recommended for that group. After the approval of its us e in over the counter, CSP embarked on pricing models in order to come up with the favorable price for Metabical. However, it estimated to have a retail price of approximately $3 to $5 per pill. In the United States, the majority in the population have overweight problems, which compelled the medical insurance plans not to cover the health rated problems to overweight risks. Hence, patients bought the drugs without the involvement of reimbursements from the medical insurance cover plans.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There were expectations that few prescriptions would cover the cost of Metabical, but Printup thought of launching a campaign to persuade health care insurance plans to include the cost of Metabical in the drug plans from review of the first six months performance of sales. CSP planned to launch Metabical in January 2009 after successive approval by the F ederal Drug Authority (FDA) of the United States. FDA approved Metabical as the first drug for overweight individuals. The researchers gave time for the development of reliable positioning strategy and associated marketing communication plans for the new drug. The overall marketing duties fell on the hands of Barbara Printup, the head of marketing department at CSP. CSP made various decisions on the development of Metabical. CSP also had planned to assist individuals who succeed in achieving the desired weight results to adopt healthy eating habits in order to keep the weight in check. CSP expected to carryout development of support program on which it could spend $200,000. In addition, it expected the cost of producing the program for year 1 to be at least $2 million but the estimated cost of the program was to be lower than 10% of the marketing budget for year 1. The program would include online referencing materials, which included; online weight-control tools, personal support, meal plans, and exercise plans. There was no trial testing for the decision of the support program before its implementation and therefore, studies had not measured its impact for further decision making. However, Printup, senior marketing director at CSP, was optimistic that the program would assist the Metabical users to attain and maintain their goals of weight loss. Yet, there was anxiety on how she was going to highlight the program within communications strategy. Consumer Segmentation By 2000, overweight population formed 34 per cent of the total population in the United States with adults being the most affected, and 4.5 per cent falling into the category of being severely obese. Studies on the vice showed that obesity of adults’ population increased with advancement in age for both men and women.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Metabical: Positioning and Communications Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The studies found highest incidences for each gender disparity to be ages between 65 and 74 for men, and 55 and 64 for women (Dewhirst and Davis 90). Secondly, studies on the vice also found low-level education to be a great factor that facilitates the increase in the cases of obesity. Population of people with less than the high school level education was greatly affected by the cases of obesity, but excess weight affected all demographic segments. However, health service providers were opportunistic about the prospect of Metabical, which could aid overweight individuals to shed off their weight and establish exercise habits and healthier eating habits. In addition, they said that it was a hard task of taking a pill everyday, but the support program was an excellent idea that would complement the idea of achieving obese free population (Weinstein 118). In 2007, Print commissioned a market survey of overweight individuals. Results showed interesting findings from the respondents who were overweight individuals. Nearly, 70 per cent of them indicated that they were not satisfied with their body weights. In addition, 35 per cent of the overweight population indicated that they were actively trying to lose excess body weights. In addition, 15 per cent of individuals in that segment indicated that they were comfortable using drugs for controlling body weights. Lastly, 12 per cent were desperately in need of an appointment with a health service provider for a prescription. Printup had the mandate to carryout market segmentation. In carrying out the market segmentation, she considered various factors, which included population age, level of education in a population, and the size of affected proportion in a population. Beginning with the population age, studies found that the majority of the affected individuals are adults of ages between 55 and 74 for both men and women. Therefore, this insight formed a market segment, which comprises of adults ne ar retirement age and old aged. Secondly, the level of education was a factor that determined the severity of overweight in a population. Hence, it is a crucial factor in the formation of market segment for the Metabical drugs.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The task was to identify the market segments by considering the populations literacy levels. The studies showed that individuals with low-level of education, less than high school education, were the most affected by the severity of overweight cases. Thirdly, clinical tests found Metabical to be most effective for overweight individuals with BMI of between 25 and 30. Therefore, Printup could choose individuals with BMI of between 25 and 30 to be an effective market segment. In addition, this segment formed the only market for the Metabical and thus of crucial importance to CSP. Lastly, market segment can be determined by putting into consideration all the above factors, and their effects on the entire population. Low level of education in a population contributes to overweight due to ignorance on the effects of unhealthy eating habits. In addition, most people are unemployed and stand high chances of spending a lot of time eating due of idleness. Shockingly, unemployed population do es not afford the cost of buying organic foods and thus consume a lot of fast food, which is unhealthy. Position of Metabical in the Market Place Cambridge Sciences Pharmaceuticals (CSP) can easily identify the differential advantages of Metabical in the marketplace. It was the first overweight drug that the Federal Drugs Authority of the United States approved for use in the health sector, which was after successful clinical tests in which respondents responded positively by losing their weight. In addition, the majority of people in the entire overweight population were desperately in need of consulting health service providers for prescription. Therefore, metabical stood a high chance of selling well in the market by being a monopoly. In addition, Alli and other preexisting drugs failed to eliminate the overweight problems without harmful effects to patients and as a result, FDA eliminated them from the market (Dewhirst and Davis 90). In addition, Metabical has a chance of gettin g into the health assurance plan due to its effectiveness in reducing the risks of overweight to a victim. Successful incorporation of Metabical into the medical plans would help the researchers to get a large market share for there are no close substitutes in the market. Moreover, medics praised the drug for being a major breakthrough to a health disorder that has affected many people with no cure, which shows that metabical will find its way into health facilities as a recognized prescription unlike its predecessors. Communication Strategies The drug in question required an effective communication that would include every player in his or her making of decisions. The effective plan ought to focus on two parties for the drug, viz. the end of application use, who is the patient and the health care officer offering the prescription. In addition, the health care providers ought to be the one who supplement the metabical prescription with the recommendation of the right support program depending on the nature of the patient’s case (Carlton and Blaise 77). The drug was a major breakthrough for the CSP because it gave an opportunity for researchers to dominate in the overweight drug market. Therefore, the launching budget for the drug ought to be higher than the ones of the previous launches that the researchers have had in the past. However, there was going to be a close relationship between the budget for the Metabical and the most recent launched drug. Hence, the current budget was going to be a fine tune of the previously used budget with the major differences being in the costs of things that have changed due to inflation in the economy (Carlton and Blaise 82). In addition, in the generation of a market timeline, I planned to perform a comprehensive test of advertising and product promotion campaigns in the first year of the drug launch. The test would involve respondents who are conversant with marketing medical drugs for specific market segment. Their feedback would be a great milestone in the making of a comprehensive market budgeting plan for metabical and the support program for patients who are under the medication program. Advertising is the most important marketing strategy for a new product in the business. Medical drugs require a specific advertising strategy depending on the target customers. Metabical targets both the patient and the health care provider and thus direct-customer advertising strategy could be the best method of advertising for it would reach the targeted customers effectively. However, FDA had allowed the drug producers to use media and other channels for advertising drugs and thus television, online, and print media could be the best choice of advertising methods for the case of metabical. Over the first year of launch, the drug needed to have heavy advertising in order to achieve a comprehensive market sensitization within a short time frame. Therefore, I would recommend for the utilization of more th an two-thirds of the first year’s total marketing budget on direct–customer forms of advertising. This assertion holds because the main objective is to create awareness of the existence of metabical in the drug market and more so to the target market segments that CSP had identified earlier before the launching. The most effective form of direct-consumer form of adverting for metabical ought to have three most important initial concepts, which include sensitizing patients that weight loss is tough and thus it cannot be done by oneself. This move could help to win the willingness of patients to purchase the drug as assistance in achieving their weight loss goals (Quelch and Beckham 89). Secondly, the concept of encouraging patients to build desire for building physique that is attractive. This aspect could boost the persuasiveness of advertisements for the desire of many humans is to have attractive physique in their lifetime, and thus many patients would choose to buy the drug with physique attractiveness as their ultimate goal. Lastly is the creation of awareness of the most weight loss that a patient can achieve after taking the drugs. This stage is the most important part of the advertising that tends to create awareness of the targeted patients in the population. The message could read something like those extra twenty pounds could kill you. This statement implies that patients with more than twenty extra pounds depending on their BMIs would eliminate themselves from the market segment (Weinstein 67). In addition, it was crucial for the advertising strategy to target the medics. Therefore, a professional advertising method was necessary in order to reach the medics in health care centers and training institutions. The most effective form of advertising for the above goal was advertising in the academic and professional print media such as in the medical journals and reports. In addition, online advertisements were also crucial and could be ef fective when done on the websites of CSP, hospitals, health institutions of learning, and other health organizations. These forms of advertising could help in effectiveness of the aligned timeframe of advertising. One year is a short period for advertising and creating comprehensive awareness for a new drug in the market. Hence, it is necessary to carry out frequent evaluations of the effectiveness of the advertising strategies that were in use. I would recommend for the adjustments of the advertisement strategy intended for health care providers by touching on three important elements (Quelch and Beckham 89). They include sensitizing the medics, which is done by informing them that Metabical drug is effective and safe weight loss drug for patients, and hence an alternative to the previous prescriptions that were in use. Second, is emphasizing on the harmful effects of obesity and overweight disorders to the patients. The advertisement should touch on the effects such as diabetes, h eart diseases, and others that are fatal for the human life. Thirdly, informing them that the FDA has approved Metabical as the only effective and safe weight-loss-drug in the drug industry of the United States. In addition, it is crucial to inform them of the findings of the clinical tests whereby the drug was found to be most effective for patients with BMI of between 25 and 30. That information is essential for sensitizing them about the right patient for the prescription. The advertisements ought to inform them of the importance of the support program to the victims who were under the medication (Carlton and Blaise 114). Lastly, product promotions are very crucial for the promotions of new market products in the business. Therefore, metabical needed product promotion campaigns in order to boost its sales in the market. Product promotion is more effective than advertisements for the seller gets immediate feedback from the buyers. In addition, the seller is capable of reaching the target customers and directly informs them on crucial information about the product. However, product promotion does not have a wide coverage of the market when compared with other forms of advertisements, but it has more influence in the market than the other forms of marketing. It is also expensive and time consuming though it has significant long-term advantages for the product sales. I would recommend that product promotion and public relations for the metabical follow the launch, as they would help to emphasize information about the drug to the public. Within the first year of launch, the marketing department should keep on evaluating the effectiveness of the marketing strategies that the researchers are using. This move would help to ensure that the cost of marketing strategies does not exceed the estimated marketing budget without significant returns from the market. In addition, evaluation helps in early detection of problems, which otherwise would deter the achievement of the marketing goals and identification of their correction measures before it is too late. Hence, Printup, the researchers marketing director, ought to have a schedule of regular meetings with the executive of CSP within the first one year of the product launch. In those meetings, she would brief the executive about the sales performance with regard to the successively reached market segments, and tell the plans that are already in place for the unreached market segments. In addition, she would also give an assurance of whether the marketing budget will be enough to cater for all costs of her marketing strategy. Lastly, she would assure the executive that the aligned period is enough for the planned marketing strategies. Works Cited Carlton, Maria, and David Blaise. The power of promotional products: how to  motivate prospects, reward performance and create targeted promotions with residual value, New York: Maruki Books, 2007. Print Dewhirst, Timothy, and Brad Davis. â€Å"Brand Strategy and Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC): A Case Study of Player’s Cigarette Brand Marketing.† Journal of Advertising 34.4 (2005): 81-92. Print Quelch, John, and Heather Beckham. Metabical: positioning and communications  strategy for a new weight loss drug, New York: Harvard Business Publishing, 2009. Print. Weinstein, Art. Handbook of Market Segmentation: Strategic Targeting for Business  and Technology Firms, Washington D.C: Haworth Press, 2004. Print This case study on Metabical: Positioning and Communications Strategy was written and submitted by user Bright Hen to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Historical character Essay Example

Historical character Essay Arthur Miller was a playwright who dealt with many issues and themes. His play The Crucible involves a comparison with McCarthyism in the form of the Salem Witch Trials. McCarthyism came about when a politician named Joseph McCarthy tried to cover up his views of an anticommunist policy by using scapegoats. In this play, a girl named Abigail accused almost the whole town of witchcraft. This happened because in her own cunning way she turned the accusation against her, which was created when some girls in the town become ill while conjuring spirits, and used a scapegoat to avoid being hanged. Abigail was the leading figure in both Millers play and real life. Her role in the community was the niece of the village reverend. She appears to be deep and dark minded but intelligent girl who with her age has the power of innocence. Abigail is the leader of this movement as the public hung on to her every word and believed everything she and the rest of the girls say. She knows that she has power and is not afraid of using it to satisfy her needs. The rest of the towns-people see her as a saviour coming from the Devil to rid the world of the witches. We will write a custom essay sample on Historical character specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Historical character specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Historical character specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The girls and Abigail, however, know that it is just a trick to avoid punishment. As Abigail was the ringleader of the group, she is the first one to use a scapegoat in the form of Tituba. We first see this when Abigail is blamed for the dancing yet quickly turns the blame to Tituba, another servant. When Tituba enters the room Abigail is quick to notice that she could use her as a scapegoat. The fact that Tituba is a black slave from Barbados makes her an easy target, as the people in the room at the time will not believe her innocence over Abigails. This is because they were a racist society. For this, she was easily believed to be under the power of the devil. The reasons for starting all this was cold hearted revenge. The purpose for this might have came from her earlier childhood. She says I will come to you in the black of some terrible night And you know I can do it: I saw Indians smash my dear parents heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night. Her violent and traumatising past may contribute to her actions that took place and her attitude towards using life to get her way.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Nineteenth Century America Essays - Labour Relations, Free Essays

Nineteenth Century America Essays - Labour Relations, Free Essays Nineteenth Century America As urban industrial workers expanded in the 19th century, industry and the industrial work force boomed as well. Workers , however, were met with difficult situations that ultimately led to violent outbursts. Low wages could not buy food and clothes at the same time and conditions in the work place brought about countless deaths and injuries. Growing number of immigrants caused the reduction of wages and insecurity of the workers caused unemployment. There were hostilities between workers, employers, and organizations and complaints of no social safety nets. Due to these chaotic dilemmas, union members decided to emerge as one, in order to overcome the corporations. Methods of scientific management were incorporated and the two ideological groups (radicals and conservatives) were firmly rooted in the belief of mutualism. However, conflicts between anarchists and capitalists ignited strikes, generating the Haymarket Square Riot along with the Homestead and Pullman strikes. It was then clear that they could not eliminate corporate control. Even with unity, the workers resulted in a fruitless effort. Urban industrial workers were bombarded with many problems, a major one being long working hours. They not only had to endure endless hours of labor and turmoil, but received scarcely any pay at all. To make things worse, they were struggling to exist in the late 19th century where industrialization was flustering and depressions were part of the norm. An average American worker earned a measly $500 per year and a woman only half as much as the men. People were not making enough money to purchase the necessities of life and thus, lived a hard, struggling life. A woman stated she didn't live , but merely existed.. she didn't live that you could call living. However, even at low wages, an incredible number of hours were being worked. Skilled workers worked an average of 50.4 hours a week and the unskilled at 53.7 hours a week. Where machines replaced workers, the cost of the equipment had to be covered by intensive labor. Steelworkers, for example, worked on average 63.1 hours per week; some laborers were even required to work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, with even a 24 hour shift and only one day off every two weeks. Long laborious efforts began to produce in the US one of the most highest industrial accident rates in the Western industrial world. Between 1880 and 1900, 35,000 workers were killed annually and another 536,000 were injured. There were more deaths in the working field of railroads and coal mines. There were at least 2000 fatal injuries and one of every 399 railroad men were killed. In addition, unsafe working conditions played a major role in the suffering of the industrial workers. Conditions in the factories were very poor. In California, 2,000 men, women, and children would share 8 untended outdoor toilets, eat and sleep among insects, and labored temperatures over 100 degrees, often without water available. To top it off, there was a swarm of immigrants that caused factories to be overcrowded. As immigrants increased, working force increased, leaving employers to control the wages. If it wasn't low wages or long hours, it was job insecurities. Only a few workers could count on full-time employment. Depressions and recessions led to cyclical employment, style and weather caused seasonal employment, and machines replacing humans brought structural employment. There were no social welfare programs or a social safety net to turn to. A social safety net was a social welfare program funded by the government that compensated for the injuries, illnesses, and welfares for workers and single mothers. No safety net meant bad news to the unemployed workers. There were 3 level of workers: unskilled workers (who were laborers), machine workers (who were operatives), and skilled workers ( who were craftsmen). The corporation's ideal workers were ones who used their hands and not their brains. Wanting to control the output, they tried to get rid of the worker autonomy and the brains and replace them with operatives. This looked as a threat to the workers who knew what would result of unlimited output: irregular employment and price cuts. A plan known as scientific management was devised by a man named Frederick Winston Taylor.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Explain how the company's global strategy operates Research Paper

Explain how the company's global strategy operates - Research Paper Example People visit Starbucks owing to its reputation and the status symbol it has built for itself. The business model of Starbucks is a well-repudiated and successful one worldwide. The report throws light on the success of the international strategies that are undertaken by the company and also examines the position of the company in the global market. The coffee giant has also encountered with a lot of challenges in the international as well as the national market. The last section of the report regards certain recommendations to overcome the challenges that are faced by the company in the international market (Speiser, 2003). Starbucks Corporation Starbucks Corporation is a global coffee giant and coffee house chain which is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the largest coffee company in world that owns around 20,891 coffee stores in sixty-three countries worldwide. In United States (US), it has 13,279 stores and target to channelize their services to every corner of the worl d with coffee and merchandise. The Starbucks coffee shops offers cold and hot beverages, bean coffee, full leaf teas, pastries and snacks. Apart from these, Starbucks also provides with entertainment products such as books, film and music CDs. The ice cream brand of Starbucks is also offered at the grocery stores (Peng, 2009). Every day billions of people worldwide sip into the coffee mugs at Starbucks at any time of the day just to enjoy the taste of the coffee with their friends, families and loved ones. There has been an increase in demand in coffee industry and with it the competition has increased. The main competition in the coffee industry started in 2007 after the sales of coffee rose up to 50% (Burritt, 2007). Thus, Starbucks have faced certain challenges from their competitors. Global Strategy of Starbucks Corporation The global strategies that are developed by the company can be explained through the expansion plans and more which are explained in this section. Competitiv e Strategy Starbucks concentrates on serving a niche segment of consumers which the rivals are incapable of doing. Starbucks attracts coffee lovers and even non-lovers of coffee by providing brewed coffee and delicious snacks and ice creams which are unbeatable in their standards. The gossip over the coffee and snacks are much enjoyed when it is in Starbucks as the environment is very comfortable. Thus, the company concentrates more on comfort of the customers so that they feel at home and visit the shops often (Virginia’s community colleges, 2013). Four Fold Strategy The Starbucks chain has inserted the booming coffee culture in the American urban society easily with the four fold strategy which is as follows: a. Market segmentation: The Company has planned for market segmentation plan after making a rigorous market research. The market research included the tastes and preferences of the people. The company has always maintained its high position in the coffee market. It com petes with its rivals on the grounds of comfort and not in terms of convenience. The closest competitors are Dunkin Donuts and McDonald (Ghemawat, 2007). b. A superb leadership: The founder of the company, Howard Schultz has worked hard for innovating products which will attract

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Case Study -Rehabilitation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

-Rehabilitation - Case Study Example Further, the committee may recommend that the hospital starts home-based care for these patients before admission for rehabilitation. In addition, since the hospital may have a problem getting into these partnerships or even establishing an own institution, the committee may recommend that the hospital adopts a policy that bar patients with conditions requiring treatment from admission. This will ensure that the patients are first treated before admission. Mary, being an authority in health information can play several roles in this process. First, she can be an advisor to the committee providing statistical information on the viability of each of the proposed recommendations. This will not only help in making decisions but also assist the committee to assess the feasibility of procedures and the economic implication of each. Mary can, therefore, help with research and environmental analysis. In addition, Mary as part of the management should help in the implementation of the proposed course of action and communicating this to the rest of the stakeholders in the

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Environmental and Consumer Influence Essay Example for Free

Environmental and Consumer Influence Essay External factors such as political, legal, social, ecological, cultural, technological and business ethics will be discussed. MAC Cosmetics slogan reads, â€Å"Professional makeup artist quality cosmetics† (MAC Cosmetics). This slogan allows the consumer to know that MAC makeup is so good makeup artist use it. It allows the consumer to connect the dots between makeup artists to celebrities to the consumer and the consumer using celebrity worthy products. With so many other makeup brands MAC Cosmetics is known for being bold and colorful; from their products to the celebrities they use to advertise and market their products. For example, Nicki Minaj, a well-known music rapper known not only for her controversial lyrics but her unique form of dress. She is the flashy and different exactly what MAC Cosmetics attempts to portray their products to be. Before Nicki Minaj there was Lady Gaga, another example of an over-the-top music artist. When describing the psychological and social factors involved in consumer purchase of this product; MAC Cosmetics much like every product marketer have researched and studied these factors under a microscope, figuratively speaking. It is important to understand every aspect of a consumer’s behavior factor to receive a clearer picture on how to market the product. When speaking of consumer psychological and social factors we are speaking of the consumer’s motives, perception, and attitudes. When analyzing a consumer’s motives, a motive is defined as a reason for doing something (Merriam-Webster). When comparing one consumer to another the motives may not be all the same. Motives can range from simply needing a makeup refill to wanting to use a highly advertised product. Wanting to use a popular product such as MAC can then be a psychological factor. When speaking of a psychological factor we then have to take into consideration the needs of this particular consumer. Perhaps this product is used by everyone he or she knows and they merely would like to fit in. But this example is most likely take place in a younger consumer, maybe a high school or college student. Another motive that can be introduced is the consumer may feel good wearing this product. Not only because this product does what it advertises but because the consumer likes how they look wearing it. As discussed above, how the consumer feels when wearing the product may allow them to give the perception of flawless skin. The perception goal given by the models and celebrities used to market the MAC Cosmetics products, they want consumers to feel like they can look just like them. To be realistic everyone has some flaw they would like to cover or camouflage and when told by a celebrity who is admired and continuously looks flawless, that will affect the decision of the consumer’s perception of that particular product. It may also play an important role in which influences the consumer to purchase this product. The perception given by the advertisement then becomes a motive for the consumer to purchase a product they may have had no intention in purchasing. Attitude also plays an important role in purchasing a product like MAC Cosmetics. Attitude is defined as a feeling or emotion toward a fact or state (Merriam-Webster). A consumer’s attitude may have several factors. A consumer’s personality, family, and simply a dislike of someone or something may influence a consumer’s attitude. The perception MAC marketers attempt to portray in MAC Cosmetics is that their product is used by celebrities and models. And for example, Nicki Minaj, as previously stated above she is a music rapper who seems to have a strong opinion about everything and everyone. Using her as the spokesperson could be safe to say that her attitude describes MAC Cosmetics. Consumers then may translate that and assume that by using this product they too can feel strong and outspoken. Social class also has a lot to do with the purchase of MAC Cosmetics. Unlike some well-known makeup brands, for example Cover Girl or Maybelline, MAC is not found in grocery stores or drug stores. MAC Cosmetics is found in higher end department stores such as Nordstrom and Macys and some cities have the MAC Cosmetic stores. The price of the cosmetics is a bit higher than the examples listed above. Which means someone on a budget may not be willing to fork up the extra cash to purchase MAC products. Not saying that you will have to mortgage off your home to purchase MAC Cosmetics but it is definitely a social class factor. Consumers who are or consider themselves in this social class will purchase MAC Cosmetics because like previously discussed, it is not utterly available and is more expensive than others. The psychological and social factors all play and important influential role in a consumer. The factors of motives, perception, attitudes, personality, family, social class, and reference group all play important roles and each tie into each other in one or many forms. Marketers are fully aware of these factors and ensure their products are able to trigger a consumer’s sensation in order to have them purchase the product. But along with psychological and social factors there are also external factors to consider. For example there are political, legal, social, ecological, technological, and business ethic external factors that affect a consumer’s behavior. Some external factors that may influence consumers to purchase the MAC Cosmetic products are social, ecological, and business ethical. As previously discussed a social factor can be influenced by simply allowing the purchaser to seem as if they are a part of an unspoken club. MAC Cosmetics allows their consumers to feel that they are receiving only the best money can buy. By MAC only selling their products at high end departments stores it allows the consumer of only those stores to have access to the product. For example because MAC Cosmetics is not found just any where consumers who shop at Wal-Mart would not have access to MAC Cosmetics. This allows consumers in this social bracket to purchase MAC products. Another external factor that maym influence MAC Cosmetics purchases is the ecological factor. These days, many beauty companies are setting an eco-friendly example and MAC Cosmetics is one of them. MAC Cosmetics is offering refillable packaging and compacts, with refills often old for slightly less money (Pollack Boyer). MAC Cosmetics also rewards for being environmentally thrifty by handing out free lipsticks to customers who return five or six empty product containers (Pollack Boyer). Consumers may be incline to support and purchase products from MAC Cosmetics because they are supporting the environment through earth-sustaining and earth-fri endly practices. Another external factor that may influence a consumer behavior to purchase MAC Cosmetics is business ethics. For MAC Cosmetics business ethics and ecological factors play hand-in-hand. Along with their ecological practices MAC Cosmetics contribute to the fair trade and community. Fair trade means paying a fair price for outsourced labor, while community trade creates long-term economic initiatives to ensure sustainability within the communities in which ingredients are extracted (Pollack Boyer). MAC Cosmetics and other companies are not only transforming their own products, but also supporting others who are helping the environment (Pollack Boyer). As discussed above the analysis of consumers behaviors have many different factors and each consumer situation is different. MAC Cosmetics may not be for everyone but they try hard to be for everyone. Marketers ensure to stimulate all aspects of consumers psychological and social factors and their external factors. Some examples were given for each factor in order to better understand a consumer and their reasons for purchasing the MAC Cosmetics products. MAC Cosmetics advertises to have â€Å"more than 100 shades for eyes, lips, and face, everything a makeup addict cannot live without†, you be the judge. REFERENCES Bagozzi, R. P. , Gurhan-Canli, Z. , Priester, J. R. (2002). The Social Psychology of Consumer Behaviour. Philadelphia, PA: Pearson. MAC Cosmetics. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. maccosmetics. com/index. tmpl Merriam-Webster. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://east. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/attitude? show=0t=1369245814 Merriam-Webster. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://east. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/motive? show=0t=1369886515 Pollack, J. and Boyer, D. (n. d. ), Green Cosmetics Companies we love: Yves Rocher, MAC, The Body Shop and Aveda. (n. d. , Fall). Canadain Living . Retrieved from http://www. canadianliving. com/life/green_living/green_cosmetics_companies_we_love_yves_rocher_mac_the_body_shop_and_aveda. php

Friday, November 15, 2019

Causes and Treatments of ALS

Causes and Treatments of ALS What is ALS? Introduction ALS is not contagious and although life expectancy of a person with Amyotrophic Laterals Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, averages between two to five years after diagnosis. Up to 10 percent will survive more than ten years and five percent will live for 20 years. Approximately over 5,000 people in United States will be diagnosed with ALS every year. ALS occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic or socioeconomic boundaries’ and can affect anyone. There can be significant cost associated for medical care, equipment, and home health care giving for this disorder. It is important to become knowledgeable about your health plan coverage and programs for which you may be eligible. Recently, my love was succumbed to this neurodegenerative disorder and after being diagnosed, he lived several months thereafter. It is because of our experience with his illness and this disease that I wanted to be the voice that he left behind. â€Å"He fought a good fight and ALS finished his course†. It is my mission to assist with the fight by bringing awareness through advocacy for those living with Lou Gehrig’s disease and their families that they can live fuller lives by accessing the resources available to them. Just What Is ALS? ALS is an incurable degenerative neurological disorder. The nerve cells of the brain and spinal cord, which control voluntary muscle movement, deteriorate – the muscles waste away leading to paralysis and eventually lead to death. In 1941, national attention was brought to the United States when a baseball player struggled with the disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease. Each year in the U.S., about 5,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. It is a rare disease and impact strikes those after the age of 40 and can affect more men than women. Lateral identifies the areas of the spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that signals and control the muscles are located. As the area continues to degenerates, it can lead to both scarring and hardening (sclerosis) in the region. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS can eventually lead to their demise. As the motor neurons die, the brain ability to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. You may lose the ability to speak, eat, move and breathe, and with ALS, the motor nerves affected are the motor neurons that provide our voluntary movements and muscle control. Forms of ALS There are three different types of ALS: Sporadic Familial Guamanian Sporadic is the most common form of the ALS disease and it affects between 90 and 95 percent of all the cases. Familial (FAL) means that the disease can be inherited and in these families, there are 50% chance that the offspring can inherit the genetic mutation and can develop the disease, and Guamanian is a high incidence of the ALS disorder that is observed in Guam and Trust Territories of the Pacific in the 1950’s. Causes of ALS ALS atrophy. Brain areas specifically affected in C9ORF72 cases (blue), in non-C9ORF72 cases (green), and all ALS cases (red). It has become clear that a number of defects can lead to motor neuron degeneration in ALS. In 2011, a researcher advance was made when scientists found that the defect in the C9orf72 gene is not only present in ALS patients but also in patients who suffer from a type of front temporal dementia (FTD). In searching for the cause of ALS scientists studies the role of environmental factors such as exposure to toxic or infections agents, as well as trauma or behavioral factors. Studies shows that during the 1991 war those deployed to the Gulf region were more likely to develop ALS compared to military personnel who were not in region. How is ALS treated? No cure has been found as of yet, but the Food Drug Administration (FDA) in 1995 approved the first drug treatment called Riluzole. Riluzole reduces the damage to the motor neurons by decreasing the release of glutamate. The clinical trials of ALS patients have shown that the drug Riluzole has prolonged their survival by months, mainly in the area of those who has difficulty in swallowing. Riluzole have extended the time before an individual has needed ventilation support. The drug has not reversed the damage done to motor neurons, and they must be monitored for damage to their lives and other side effects. However, this disease-specific therapy has offered hope that the progression of ALS maybe slowed with new medications of drugs. Other treatments for patients with ALS to improve the quality of life is best provided by a team of healthcare professionals such as physicians; pharmacists; physical, occupational, and speech therapists; social workers, home care, and hospice nurses. A physician prescribes the medication to ease fatigue while controlling spasticity, pharmacists monitor’s medication to avoid the risks of drug interactions. Physical therapy enhances their independence and help patients with their range of motion. The team of health professionals teaches ALS patients with the ability to help them speak louder and clearly. Nutritional support by a nutritionists helps them how to plan and prepare small meals that supply enough calories, fiber and how to avoid foods difficult to swallow. Intermittent positive pressure ventilation [IPPV] or bi-level positive airway pressure [BIPAP] is used to aid breathing during sleeping. The devices inflate their lungs from external sources when their muscles are no longer able to maintain normal oxygen and carbon dioxide levels the devices maybe used full time. The severity of ALS, the lack of effective treatments, and the progress in ALS research helps identify targets making it more tractable to develop therapies for ALS. ALS is linked to other neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson. Supporting People and Projects The ALS Association offers grants and awards to private industries and scientists to accelerate the developments of treatments and a cure for ALS disease. The Association administers, The Milton Safenowitz Post-Doctoral Fellowship for ALS Research, the only post-doctoral fellowship for ALS research, and the ALS Association’s Sheila Essay Award recognizes premier achievement in research of ALS disorders. ALS Association holds workshops each year, which brings together scientist researching ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. All of the Association staff holds leadership positions on a national and international organization to assist with unlocking the mysteries of Amyotrophic Laterals Sclerosis (ALS). Public Policy Public efforts in Washington, D.C. has raised the profile of ALS in the White House, members of Congress, federal agencies, Centers for Medicare Medicaid (CMS), and including the National Institutes of Health. One of the signature accomplishments of the Public Policy Department is by eliminating the 24 months waiting period for those disabled with ALS and had to wait before they could begin receiving Medicare benefits. ALS is one of two diseases where the waiting period does not apply, and the waiver for ALS is the only change Congress made to the waiting period since it first began. Through public outreach, social media and the internet, The Association will continually raise awareness about ALS and the search for a cure. References Koroshetz, W. (June 2013). Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Fact Sheet. NINDS, (No. 13-916). Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov.com Madsen, A. (2010, March 29). The National Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Registry. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov.al.com Madsen, A. (2012, February 14). Lou Gehrig’s disease Info. Retrieved from http://www.diseaseinfosearch.org/LouGehrig.com ALS Association (2010). Retrieved from http://www.alsa.org/ Project ALS (2012). Retrieved from http://www.projectals.org/ Image courtesy of Bede P. Bokde A.L., Byrne S. Elamin M. McLaughlin R.L., Kenna K. Fagan A.J., Pender N. Bradley D.G., Hardiman O. Multiparametric MRI study of ALS stratified for the C9orf72 genotype. Neurology. 81 (published online ahead of print) p.4.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Intimate Apparel Synopsis

Tommy DelZenero Intimate Apparel Feb 6th, 2013 The character I really tried to focus on while watching Intimate Apparel was George, the man from Panama. I thought he was the best actor on the stage that night, but that’s not saying too much. For the first half of the play, the actor performed a monologue with the spotlight solely on him. After the break, the actor participated in scene work with multiple characters. George in the storyline is a man who works a very physically demanding job digging canals in Panama.He one day decides to write a letter to Ester, the unmarried woman who works with fabrics, and he immediately takes a liking to her. They exchange letters for about six months and then it happens- George sends her a letter proclaiming his love and asks Ester to be his wife. She replies and says she would love to; he comes a few weeks later for the wedding. Off the bat when they met, it seems to be a little awkward; they had never met and barely knew each other. Over time, they got closer due to their proximity but emotionally they grew distant.George doesn’t seem to be the romantic that Ester had originally talked to. Also, she finds out that he has been cheating on her. He ends up taking her money and leaving Ester. There were a lot of good things that the actor did throughout the course of the play that I have been taught to do as well. He knew his lines for the most part, his inflection changed at appropriate times, and he used a lot of good hand motions and other gestures. Also, in the first half of the play (before the intermission), the actor played a roll in which he was very romantic and sweet.When he recited the letters, he was able to come across as a very well together and in love man. I genuinely thought he was being sincere and true to Ester. Later in the play, George became very distant and withdrawn. He became a cheating man without morals, who was selfish and inconsiderate. The actor was able to portray two different extr emes in the same play, and he did a pretty good job making the transition. I think this would be hard to accomplish, but he was effectively able to do so. Another effective part in the play was the anger the man who played George was able to show.At the scene in the bedroom talking to Ester, he stomped around, making a certain amount of noise without drowning out his own vocals. Throughout the journey of the theater performance, he made a lot of hand gestures and facial expressions that showed me how he felt; he let me feel his emotions. With that said, George didn’t have a flawless performance. For the most part, I thought it was poor acting; but he did well relatively speaking as I addressed above. With that said, it was hard to understand him half the time. At certain parts it seems he wasn’t exactly sure of his lines.He stuttered at parts that didn’t call for stuttering; it wasn’t apart of the script. That just comes down to memorization. Additionally , the actor lost the role at one point, letting out a smirk mid-scene. That smile kind of threw the audience; actors must be in character at all times. Physically, the actor made the audience believe he was a physically worn man. From the clothes he wore to his whole demeanor. His facial expressions showed exhaustion; while speaking from Panama, his voice was strong but tiresome and showed uncertainty. When he came to the contiguous United States, his physical appearance changed.Although he was not in Panama any longer, his true roots came out in the way he spoke and the heavy accent he placed on his words. George became better dressed and modernized; this led to an emotional change as well. Emotionally speaking, in the beginning of the play George was such a smooth talker; he was a sweetheart who was very persuasive and manipulative. The inflection George had in his voice was very sincere. He showed his charm and passion through the words in his letters (even though they turned out to not be his own words). Regardless, he made Ester fall in love with him and want to see him.He seemed genuine. In person though, he wasn’t so loving. George showed his heartlessness and rudeness in his cheating and dialect towards Ester. He showed anger by the way he stomped about the bedroom and stormed out of rooms. He showed his impatience by the way he knocked at the door, so hard and so loud. There were subtle things that could’ve been done better, but the emotion was attempting to be displayed. Intellectually the actor had a few different motives. The first half of the play the audience thought George was all about love and being Ester’s husband.After the intermission, his true colors came out and he became a money hungry hustler. Throughout the play, the character George had many different emotions and types of person he had to show. The actor did a pretty decent job with his faces and body language that he performed. I thought overall, he did an okay job and the play was interesting. I enjoyed watching the storyline play out, though the acting could’ve been much better. It seemed as though the performers were not prepared to act in front of an actual audience. With that said, I look forward to seeing other productions in the future.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Rachel Carson and the Fight Against Indiscriminate Pesticide Use Essay

In her 1962 book, Silent Spring, Rachel Carson details the dangers of indiscriminate pesticide use, which had â€Å"already silenced the voice of spring in countless towns in America† (Carson (1962) page 3). ‘Miss Carson,’ as many of her detractors referred to her, received ridicule from academics, industry leaders and professional journals for over a decade. Years after her death, conservative and libertarian groups such as the Cato Institute, American Enterprise Institute and the Competitive Enterprise Institute attacked her and the apparent successes for environmentalism in the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the ban of DDT to provide an example of a ‘failed’ government program. Rachel Carson revealed the dangers imposed by indiscriminate pesticide use in her 1962 book, Silent Spring. Although Carson used DDT as her focus, the chemical was an example of the numerous synthesized pesticides employed in many aspects of mankind†™s daily lives. As a biologist with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carson was alerted to the â€Å"numerous case reports of damage to birds and fish after DDT application† and believed that â€Å"because DDT was so effective, it unbalanced ecosystems† (Oreskes (2010) page 219). Carson expanded her research and eventually published her revealing book to alert the public and bring an end to indiscriminate use. The book made numerous claims against pesticides, illustrated the destruction caused by prior use and warned of a future in which â€Å"over increasingly large areas†¦ spring comes unheralded by the return of the birds, and the early mornings are strangely silent where once they were filled with the beauty of bird song† (Carson (1962) page 88). These â€Å"elixers of death,† she warned, are less insecticides as they are â€Å"biocides† (Carson (1962) pages 15, 8), infiltrating water supplies, food supplies and organisms from the bald eagle to man. â€Å"If [Silent Spring] stimulated the public to press for unwise and ill-conceived restrictions on the production, use or development of new chemicals, it will be the consumer who suffers.† Dr. William Darby, 1962 Heralded as one of the most influential books in the environmental movement, Carson’s writing was less scientific and more thought provoking. Her often-extreme word choices and diction provided a sense of urgency for some, but drew many detractors. Doctor William Darby, a Professor of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University, reviewed Silent Spring shortly after its publishing. According to Darby, the â€Å"dramatic description[s]† were simply a ploy to mask other scientific findings are mislead the public (Darby (1962)). Darby accused Carson of â€Å"name-drops by quoting or referring to renowned scientists out of context†¦ [leading] the reader to conclude that the authority mentioned is in accord with the author’s position† (Darby (1962)). To further refute her claims, Darby refers to her as â€Å"Miss Carson† throughout his essay. This treatment of certainly harmed, or was an attempt to harm, her credibility in the scientific field. He continues â€Å"her ignorance or biases on some of the considerations throw doubt on her competence to judge policy† (Darby (1962)). Darby stated that â€Å"if it stimulated the public to press for unwise and ill-conceived restrictions on the production, use or development of new chemicals, it will be the consumer who suffers.† Here was an academic, in the field of biochemistry, blatantly denouncing Carson and her conclusions. In The Chemicals Around Us, a viewpoint published in Chemical Weekly in July 1962, Carson was referred to as a â€Å"crank† and that her writing style was more indicative of â€Å"a lawyer preparing a brief† (Chemical Weekly (1962)). Obviously a somewhat biased publication, the article continued to claim that although â€Å"her facts are correct, her conclusions less certain, and her innuendos misleading†¦ such a public be damned attitude was outmoded some years ago and†¦ too many people are watching.† The phrase, â€Å"too many people are watching† referred to the chemical industry and pro-chemical government, implying that despite her efforts, they would fight back against such erroneous claims with ease. Carson’s detractors were not publishing this information against her for publicity, but were concerned. They were not concerned about the indiscriminate use of pesticides, but rather the ability of public outrage and the future of the chemicals industry. By attacking Carson’s conclusions and writing style, they could distract from the dangerous scientific findings. Facing harsh criticism, Carson’s urgent push for policy against indiscriminate pesticide use seemed to stall. When President Kennedy tasked the President’s Science Advisory Committee with investigating the claims, a new hope emerged. Although the committee did not back or deny Carson’s claims, they lay the burden of proof â€Å"on those who argued that persistent pesticides w ere safe† (Oreskes (2010) page 222). The paradigm shifted against the chemical industry. The findings established that the industry itself was tasked with proving the pesticides used were not a danger to human health or the environment, â€Å"explicitly invoking the standard of reasonable doubt,† rather than those against indiscriminate use proving pesticides were a danger (Oreskes (2010) pages 220-224). According to Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway in their 2010 book, Merchants of Doubt, â€Å"the legal phrase reasonable doubt suggests that they were guided by existing legal frameworks†¦ to demonstrate the safety of their products,† and that â€Å"manufacturers had not demonstrated the safety of DDT, and reasonable people now had reason to doubt it† (Oreskes (2010) page 222). It took two more Presidential Administrations before President Nixon authorized the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 and in 1972, the ban on the use of DDT in the United States. The environmental movement, the work done by Rachel Carson, the President’s Science Advisory Committee, numerous scientists and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and banning of DDT was often heralded as a true governmental policy success story. Not until the early 2000s did the evidence exist that DDT was in fact harmful to humans, and a dangerous carcinogen (Oreskes (2010) page 229). For three decades, the establishment of the EPA was used as an example to follow for the creation of new social, economic and environmental policies. As conservative and libertarian think tanks in the mid 1990s were facing new policies and government regulation conflicting with their ideals, a new strategy for combat emerged. By slandering Carson, â€Å"freemarketeers realized [they] could strengthen the argument against regulation in general. (Oreskes (2010) page 218). To argue against regulation, they would destroy the main example of successful policy and regulation: the establishment of the EPA and banning of DDT. In the late 1990s, groups such as the Cato Institute, American Enterprise Institute and the Competitive Enterprise Institute renewed the attacks on Rachel Carson and the â€Å"junk-science†Ã¢â‚¬â€scientific findings that could not be explained under the free-market system—that led to the ban of DDT in the United States. These think tanks, backed monetarily by Philip Morris and other corporation, â€Å"organized off-the record briefings [with members of Congress], wrote and placed op-ed pieces, and organized radio interviews† (Oreskes, (2010) page 234). The Heartland Institute, focused on â€Å"free-market solutions to social and economic problems†¦ insist[ed] that some one million†¦lives could be saved annually† in developing countries around the world through the use of DDT (Oreskes (2010) page 2 33). There were even claims that her â€Å"false alarm† about pesticides led to the death of millions, making her â€Å"worse than Hitler† (Oreskes (2010) page 217). By destroying Carson’s reputation at the expense of key facts and scientific findings, these groups were changing history. â€Å"Orwell understood that those in power will always seek to control history, because whoever controls the past controls the present† (Oreskes (2010) page 238). Conservative and Libertarian think tanks believed they could control history to derail the progress of regulatory authority in the United States. In the forward to Silent Spring, Carson quotes Albert Schweitzer, â€Å"Man has lost the capacity to foresee and to forestall, He will end by destroying the earth† (Carson (1962) Forward). According to Carson, â€Å"it took hundreds of millions of years for life to produce the life that now inhabits the earth†¦ [and] to adjust to these chemicals would require time on the scale that is nature’s, it would require not merely the years of a man’s life but he life of generations† (Carson (1962) page 7). Rachel Carson believed indiscriminate pesticide use and the continued development of synthetic chemicals would devastate our planet in a way that would require generations for the environment to reach equilibrium. E. B. White, an American essayist once wrote, â€Å"I am pessimistic about the human race because it is too ingenious for its own good. Our approach to nature is to beat it into submission. We would stand a better chance of survival is we accommodated ourselves to the planet and viewed it appreciatively instead of skeptically and dictatorially† (Carson (1962) Forward). By allowing the leaders of this nation to be manipulated by groups controlling history, we failed not only Rachel Carson, but ourselves, our environment and our future. Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Co, 1962. (Carson (1962)) â€Å"The Chemicals Around Us.† Viewpoint, Chemical Weekly. July 14, 1962: 5. (Chemical Weekly (1962)) Darby, William J. Text from Jukes, Thomas, 1962. â€Å"A Town in Harmony.† Chemical & Engineering News (Aug 18): 5. (Darby (1962)) Oreskes, Naomi, and Erik M. Conway. â€Å"Chapter 7: Denial Rides Again.† Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming. New York: Bloomsbury, 2010. (Oreskes (2010))

Friday, November 8, 2019

Free Essays on Jan Phillips Vs Ice Cream Market

Haagen-Dazs, one the worlds most renowned super ice cream blends was created by Reuben Mattus, after working in his mother’s ice cream shop. He developed a taste and passion for creating fine and rich ice creams. Promising the best and purest taste, Mattus used only the finest ingredients for his ice creams. Haagen-Dazs began with just three flavors†¦vanilla, chocolate, and coffee. The ice cream began being distributed in New York City and quickly spread throughout the United States. After all of Mattus’s hard work, Haagen-Dazs is now world renown, with many flavors and growing in customers every year. Haagen-Dazs has made more than $900 million in sales since 1991. But as the years have gone by, new ice cream companies have begun to compete with Haagen-Dazs making the ice cream market extremely competitive. Starbucks and TCBY are two of the stronger competitors. Consumers in the past 5 years have become more fat conscious, and this type of change definately affects the â€Å"junk food† market. With the new low-yogurts and ice creams on the market, it’s not the question who makes the low fat ice cream. It’s become a market of who has the best tasting low fat/no fat icy treats. With all of the low fat competition on the market, Jan Phillips has come up with a conusmer drawing idea. Low fat sorbets that have that premium Haggen-Dazs flavor, low calories and low fat. The perfect idea for the consumer that is weight conscious or dieting. She has only one concern though. Sweet â€Å"junkies† are drawn to the rich and thick texture and flavor of traditional ice cream. Sorbets and Sorbettos often have less milk than sherbets and ice creams. Phillips idea would like to promote exotic flavors like strawberry, kiwi, and mango. Then again, consumers don’t crave fruity tastes when thinking of frozen desserts such as ice cream. Jan Phillips has a big decision to make. Haagen-Dazs was built on word of mouth advertisi... Free Essays on Jan Phillips Vs Ice Cream Market Free Essays on Jan Phillips Vs Ice Cream Market Haagen-Dazs, one the worlds most renowned super ice cream blends was created by Reuben Mattus, after working in his mother’s ice cream shop. He developed a taste and passion for creating fine and rich ice creams. Promising the best and purest taste, Mattus used only the finest ingredients for his ice creams. Haagen-Dazs began with just three flavors†¦vanilla, chocolate, and coffee. The ice cream began being distributed in New York City and quickly spread throughout the United States. After all of Mattus’s hard work, Haagen-Dazs is now world renown, with many flavors and growing in customers every year. Haagen-Dazs has made more than $900 million in sales since 1991. But as the years have gone by, new ice cream companies have begun to compete with Haagen-Dazs making the ice cream market extremely competitive. Starbucks and TCBY are two of the stronger competitors. Consumers in the past 5 years have become more fat conscious, and this type of change definately affects the â€Å"junk food† market. With the new low-yogurts and ice creams on the market, it’s not the question who makes the low fat ice cream. It’s become a market of who has the best tasting low fat/no fat icy treats. With all of the low fat competition on the market, Jan Phillips has come up with a conusmer drawing idea. Low fat sorbets that have that premium Haggen-Dazs flavor, low calories and low fat. The perfect idea for the consumer that is weight conscious or dieting. She has only one concern though. Sweet â€Å"junkies† are drawn to the rich and thick texture and flavor of traditional ice cream. Sorbets and Sorbettos often have less milk than sherbets and ice creams. Phillips idea would like to promote exotic flavors like strawberry, kiwi, and mango. Then again, consumers don’t crave fruity tastes when thinking of frozen desserts such as ice cream. Jan Phillips has a big decision to make. Haagen-Dazs was built on word of mouth advertisi...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

About the U.S. House of Representatives

About the U.S. House of Representatives The United States is a large, fractured, diverse and yet still unified nation, and few government bodies reflect the paradox that is this country better than the House of Representatives. Key Takeaways: U.S. House of Representatives The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the two legislative bodies in the United States federal government.The House is currently made up of 435 representatives- referred to as congressmen or congresswomen- who serve an unlimited number of two-year terms. The number of representatives from each state is based on the state’s population.As required by the Constitution, representatives must reside in the state from which they are elected, must have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and be at least 25 years old.A representative’s primary duties include introducing, debating, and voting on bills, proposing amendments to bills, and serving on committees.The House has the exclusive powers to initiate all tax and spending bills and to impeach federal officials.   Metrics of the House The House is the lower of the two legislative bodies in the U.S. government. It has 435 members, with the number of representatives per state dependent upon that states population. House members serve two-year terms. Rather than represent their entire state, as Senate members do, they represent a specific district. This tends to give House members a closer link to their constituents-and more accountability, since they have but two years to satisfy voters before having to run for re-election. Also referred to as a congressman or congresswoman, a representative’s primary duties include introducing bills and resolutions, offering amendments and serving on committees.   Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming, all sprawling but sparsely populated states, have just one representative each in the House; tiny states like Delaware and Vermont also send just one representative to the House. By contrast, California sends 53 representatives; Texas sends 32; New York sends 29, and Florida sends 25 representatives to Capitol Hill. The number of representatives each state is allotted is determined every 10 years in accordance with the federal census. Although the number has changed periodically through the years, the House has remained at 435 members since 1913, with shifts in representation occurring among different states. The system of House representation based on district population was part of the Great Compromise of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which led to the Permanent Seat of Government Act establishing the nations federal capital in Washington, DC. The House assembled for the first time in New York in 1789, moved to Philadelphia in 1790 and then to Washington, DC, in 1800. The Powers of the House While the Senates more exclusive membership may make it seem the more powerful of the two chambers of Congress, the House is charged with a vital task: the power to raise revenue through taxes. The House of Representatives also has the power of impeachment, in which a sitting president, vice president or other civil officials such as judges may be removed for high crimes and misdemeanors, as enumerated in the Constitution. The House is solely responsible for calling for impeachment. Once it decides to do so, the Senate tries that official to determine whether he or she should be convicted, which means automatic removal from office. Leading the House House leadership rests with the speaker of the house, usually a senior member of the majority party. The speaker applies House rules and refers bills to specific House committees for review. The speaker is also third in line to the presidency, after the vice president. Other leadership positions include the majority and minority leaders who monitor legislative activity on the floor, and the majority and minority whips who ensure that House members vote according to their respective parties positions. The  House Committee System The House is divided into committees in order to tackle the complex and various matters on which it legislates. House committees study bills and hold public hearings, gathering expert testimony and listening to voters. If a committee approves a bill, it then puts it before the entire House for debate. House committees have changed and evolved over time. Current committees include those on: agriculture;appropriations;armed services;the budget, education, and labor;energy and commerce;financial services;foreign affairs;homeland security;House administration;judiciary;natural resources;oversight and government reform;rules;science and technology;small business;standards of official conduct;transportation and infrastructure;veterans affairs; andways and means. In addition, House members may serve on joint committees with Senate members. The Raucous Chamber Given the shorter terms of House members, their relative proximity to their constituents and their larger numbers, the House is generally the more fractious and partisan of the two chambers. Its proceedings and deliberations, like those of the Senate, are recorded in the Congressional Record, ensuring transparency in the legislative process. Phaedra Trethan is a freelance writer who also works as a copy editor for the Camden Courier-Post. She formerly worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer, where she wrote about books, religion, sports, music, films, and restaurants. Updated by Robert Longley

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Health Services Strategic Marketing Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Services Strategic Marketing - Coursework Example Porter’s value chain is significant as a marketing strategy since the manner in which value chain undertakings are conducted influences the cost of product and profit. The value chain emphasizes on systems and the process of changing inputs in to products that are sold to consumers. Porter identified two groups of activities that are essential to any business. Primary activities are necessary in the process of developing, selling, preservation and sustenance of a product or service. Support activities serve as back-up to the primary activities (Fortenberry, 2010). An example of primary activity is Bingham Memorial Hospital’s prescription for customers which depends on effective procurement process of medicines by the organization as a support activity. Another example is human resource management that is a support activity to primary activities such as operations, inbound and outbound logistics as well as sales and marketing. Response to Carla Setzler’s Script Indeed, the consumer purchasing decision is influenced by whether or not he/she perceives the products of a health care organization as valuable. Consumers attach value to employee competence, which is demonstrated by efforts of the organization to train and recruit professionals with the necessary competences. Customer service needs to be highly valued especially the first contact between the customer and the organization because it influences his/her perception regarding the value of product and service offerings (Rothaermel, 2012).

Friday, November 1, 2019

American Foreign Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

American Foreign Policy - Essay Example Seeking to explore the effects of the end of the Cold War on the foreign of policy of the United States, this essay will address the changes caused by this tumultuous event on the international geopolitical system. Has American state self-interest changed following the collapse of bipolarity? What motivates US foreign policy in this New World Order? During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were locked in a bitter confrontation pitting two opposite poles in the international order against one another. In this period of bipolarity, state behavior was mediated by concerns regarding the stability of the international system as well as the state interest and behavior of the other major power. Today, the United States operates in a unipolar world and is the world’s hegemonic state. State behavior is less constrained as it was during the Cold War but US state interest today reflects power conditions and the maintenance of overall system stability which promotes the supreme status of the United States in the international system. Power is a â€Å"hard† issue and a primary concern for survival; so called â€Å"soft issues† like human rights and democracy are far less salient. In the anarchic world of international affairs, hard or core issues always supersede soft issues and are integral to defini ng state interest and behavior. What is the state of the international system following the end of the Cold War? In an article entitled â€Å"Soft Balancing in the Age of U.S. Primacy†, T.V. Paul addressed the issue of hegemonic power and stability in the post-Cold War period and explores the means through which other powers have attempted to counteract the global supremacy of the United States. As the world’s hegemonic power, the United States has, in the Cold War period, resorted to unilateralism and expansive military might. The systemic level response, according to this article has been a variety of soft-power strategies by

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Perception of mathematics of first year students Literature review

Perception of mathematics of first year students - Literature review Example Most first year students will perceive mathematics as a difficult subject and preserved for the bright and interested students. These negative perceptions make most first year students, in most cases girls approach the subject with a negative attitude, and this undermines their performance. The study of mathematics in schools has not been distinctively defined, and it is not a culture or value free field (Ernest, 2000). This means that mathematics in schools is not viewed as being the same as mathematics in other academic fields or research areas. Appreciating mathematics among first year students is usually expressed in their ability of comprehending the major branches and notions of mathematics. It is also viewed as the ability of students to establish the interconnections or interdependencies that exist in the field. The study of mathematics usually compels its communal applications in the fields of governance, commerce, education along with industry. Traditionally, mathematics wa s viewed as compulsory for all students who had ambitions of venturing into various academic fields (Ernest, 2000). However, this has changed with most students in the modern times not viewing it as vital for every member of their population. This is because of the revolution going on across many academic fields (Ducksworth, 2008). Students across many schools perceive mathematics as a study reserved for a few people who are left in charge of controlling the major systems in their economies (Ernest, 2000). This is because they view it is a hard subject and this negative perception undermines performance. Success achieved in the field of mathematics is not perceived by the students to be the main determinant of economic success within a country (Clements, Sarama & DiBiase, 2004). The students perceive mathematics as not being the most important element of the revolution of information. They view the other subjects taught in the school curriculums and skills acquired through every day practice as being the most vital determinants of the revolution in information (Ernest, 2000). Students in their first year of school perceive the study of mathematics as a study of doing things (Marshall, 2007). Very few students are involved in reading mathematical textbooks and are instead involved in the act of solving problems through doing actual things (Clements, Sarama & DiBiase, 2004). The language that is used in studying mathematics in schools is composed of imperatives that command students to perform certain tasks in specific ways. This implies that the capabilities of studying mathematics are perceived by students as being dominant and covering their overall studies in different fields (Ducksworth, 2008). Additionally, students perceive mathematics as a field that requires their understanding and abilities to work out problems (Marshall, 2007). This looks like a task for many students, and they will approach mathematics with a bad attitude, which challenges their perf ormance. Many first year students also believe that one cannot develop an appreciation for the field of mathematics without him or her having the capability of working out solutions (Ernest, 2000). According to Popham (2005), some of the students fail to achieve a high performance in schools due to the overvaluing or undervaluing of the field’

Monday, October 28, 2019

How effectively does Shakespeare use scene 1 Essay Example for Free

How effectively does Shakespeare use scene 1 Essay A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life this immediately tells the audience the tragic fate of the lovers mentioned in the first 6lines of the prologue. Warning the audience of the sorrow and heartbreak that the play will lead to. Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet is based on the hatred between two families, the Montagues and The Capulets and how their anger and passion towards each other lead to the death of a beloved child from each family. Shakespeare uses Act 1, scene1 to introduce many of the main themes that appear throughout the play, these main themes are; Disorder, fate, light and Darkness, love and passion. Using this prologue Shakespeare is able to tell the audience the entire story line without them even watching the play. The line of the prologue beginning A pair of star-crossed lover. tells the audience straight away of the fate of the two characters involved. This set the scene for an inevitable ending whilst warning the audience what to expect, this is also back up throughout the play because as soon as one good thing beings disasters follows closely behind. Using prologues at the beginning of his plays, Shakespeare was able to capture and engage the audiences attention and quieten them down before any of the main characters are introduced. The takes place in the form of a sonnet, this would have contained the classic characteristics of love poetry, this would have been a very successful way to introduce the play because not only would it have captured the audiences attention and quietened them down, but Shakespeare would have used this prologue to give the audience vital information that they would have needed to understand the rest of the play. Shakespeare would have also been able to give the audience some idea of what to expect throughout the rest of the play. This was very effective as it used tight rhythm and rhyme designed to draw the audience in. The prologue at the beginning of Romeo and Juliet beings Two House-holds, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona (where we lay our scene) and continues Whose misadventured piteous overthrows, Do with their death bury their parents strife so in these two short lines Shakespeare has told his audience who the characters are going to be and where the play is set. Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona, Italy. Shakespeare chose this location because in the 16th century, Italy was regarded as a beautiful country, known for it wealth and romance, using these images and scene he had created in his head Shakespeare thought Verona would be the perfect place for extravagant lovers Verona was one of the 4 most important states in Italy. Each of these states has its own ruler; these rulers would have been very competitive, trying to gain superiority over others. Shakespeare used this key theme in the play Romeo and Juliet in the form of the Prince. The Prince would have ruled the state and overseen all activities that take place, this would include quarrelling and feuding between any families that live in the state. Shakespeare picked this up in his version of Romeo and Juliet making the Prince the ruler and the Montagues and the Capulets the two feuding families. Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet was not a piece of William Shakespeares direct work; he had based all the ideas and storylines on a book he had read by Arthur Brooke, entitled The Tragic History and Romeus and Juliet written in 1562. The History of this particular story goes back even further, to a Greek author names Xenophon. Whilst re-writing this particular storyline Shakespeare decided he was writing the play for different reasons to the ones Brook had used. Arthur Brook wrote the poem to warn young people of the dangers of physical attraction Shakespeare wrote his version because he was more interested in considering the validity of true love. Although Shakespeare had copied the story from two other people he had changed it and added pieces to make it his own. For example, Marcutio, Benvolio and the nurse were not featured in Xenophon version or Arthur Brooks version. Shakespeare had to do this because his audience would have known the original storyline and may have thought of Shakespeare as a fake, audiences in this time period would not have held back if they did not like the play they were being shown they would leave and cause havoc in the theatre. Not only did Shakespeare add characters, he added little parts of scenes to give the play more of an impact and reinforce the storyline. For example he added; a street fight, domestic scenes of food preparation, an incident with the musicians, Tybalts challenge to Romeo and the killing of Paris in Act5 scene 3. Act 1, Scene 1 opens with Capulet servants, Sampson and Gregory talking aggressively and violently in a busy market place looking for trouble, and therefore women being the weaker vessels are ever thrust to the wall, therefore I will push Montagues men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall. The two servants them speak of the hatred and bitterness between to two families whilst discussing violent and crude images. This section also represents the high-lightered issue of violence, which occurs in different sections of the play. Not only is this section crude and vulgar, it shows how violent these men maybe towards women and man. Its not long before a servant from the Montague family enters the scene, an argument sparks and the two sides are soon shouting at each other. This shows the audience of the loyalty that the servants have towards their households. When the argument/ fight continue the audience are shown that everyone is willing to put their life on the line for the sake of their family name. This is also observed later on in the play when Romeo and Juliet realise for the first time they are from 2 different, arguing families. This argument prepares the audience for other quarrels and brawls further on in the play. What, drawn and talk peace? I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. Have at thee, coward this particular dialogue spoken by Tybalt not only reflects the aggressiveness of his personality but tell the audience of the hate and bitterness between the two families. Shortly following these events Benvolio enters, Part, fools! Put up you swords, you know not what you do this shows the audience the peacekeeper in the play, the man that attempts to separate the two families and stop the brewing fight/argument. When this does not work Lord and Lady Capulet enter, followed by Lord and Lady Montague. Both the Capulet and Montague Lords want to join in the fight but are stopped by their wives, who tell them that they are too old. As the wives hold the pair back the Prince enters with his men. The Prince is seen as the figure of authority in the play; the person who controls all problems and is seen as someone who is capable of sorting out any feuding and arguments. He uses this power in a long speech where he talks of past quarrels between the Montagues and the Capulets and how it cannot continue. He does this to tell his audience that these arguments are not a one off thing and happen regularly disrupting the people of Verona. The two families recognise the figure of authority and part, this shows the audience that the Prince is superior to all other characters. The Prince continues, If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace this is the only time that the Prince is seen as a threatening figure in the play, warning all members of the Capulet and the Montague household that if ever a fight breaks out again someone will pay the price with their life. The Princes language in this section is firm but at the same time, Shakespeare makes sure his audience wont view him as a threat to any of the other characters although he is. The Prince speaks in blank verse, to show he is superior and powerful and emphasises his intelligence. All the characters understand the Princes speech, but Romeo goes on the break the rule and is later banished from Verona although Romeo himself is not present when the fighting breaks out. This separates him from the rest of the characters making him seem detached from the families feuding and willing to carry on with his life without starting trouble every time he sees a member of the Capulet household. The scene continues, the Montagues leave with the Prince and the Capulets are instructed to return to their homes, Montague, Lady Montague and Benvolio are left in the market place, here a conversation takes place about Romeo and how he seems withdrawn from all goings on. Benvolio is asked to investigate into why Romeo is behaving like this and the rest of the Montagues leave. This is the first time the audience are introduced to Romeo when he begins his conversation with Benvolio. This is where the themes of love and passion are brought into the play. With Cupids arrow, she hath Dians wit; And in strong proof of chastity well armed, From Loves weak childish bow she lives uncharmed Romeo is speaking in verse to tell the audience about his love for Rosaline but Benvolio is not convinced that Romeo is actually in love, Romeo complains because the woman he claims to love will not marry nor love him back. Benvolio tells Romeo that other women will come along and he should try hard to forget about her, Romeo listens to this although really he is not convinced. Romeo uses and elaborate way of speaking Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate, O any thing of nothing first create! but this indicates to the audience his emotions are artificial, not coming from the heart. The audience would now know that Romeo is truly infatuated with Rosalind and that it was not just a fling or something he wasnt taking seriously. Throughout Romeos long speech to Benvolio he uses many oxymorons to emphasise what he thinks he is feeling. Loving hate and cold fire are perfect examples of when Romeo confuses himself with the overwhelming emotions he claims to have. The line love sickness, indicates to the audience that Romeo is almost infected with love for Rosaline and this may not be such a good thing. This would be showing the audience that love can to do terrible things to normal people, confusing the mind and turning and normal life chaotic. The light and Dark imagery is shown in the speech between Benvolio and Romeo but this is not mentioned until the audience is introduced to Juliet, Juliet is seen to be the light and Rosaline is seen to be the darkness that fills and confuses Romeos heart. This is where Shakespeare cleverly uses imagery to represent the two female characters in Romeos point of view. The other themes are continued throughout the play, from when Romeo and Juliet meet to when the both die together in the chapel of rest, where Juliets body has been placed. The theme of love however is resisted in Act 1 scene 5, when Romeo and Juliet fall in love and know they shouldnt. The idea of courtly love is present through most of this scene, although Romeo and Juliet are not experiences this, the theme and ides is the same. The idea of courtly love originally came from a European tradition from the middle ages but still known in Elizabethan times. This was basically a set of rules/ expectations of people who fall in love. These rules stated a number of things this included her coldness inflames the passion. He is consumed with melancholy and makes up verses about love this is present in Romeo and Juliet towards the end when Romeo is desperate to see Juliet and in his last hours makes up several verses to calm himself and prepare himself to meet his wife, Juliet in heaven. The idea of marriage also originated in Europe and is also present in the play, this theme is only mentioned by Capulet once, when he is talking to Paris about his arranged marriage to Juliet. Juliet was pleased and honoured to have been asked to marry Paris until she meet Romeo, this is when she began to resent the arranged marriage. Capulet tells Paris the way to win his daughters heart, the themes of love and passion, light and dark and violence are continued throughout. Shakespeare very cleverly uses Act 1 Scene 1 to introduce these theme either through the prologue, what the first characters say or the actions and imagery that are used. Shakespeare was able to take all of this into account and still produce his own version of Brooks poem The Tragic History and Romeus and Juliet.