APA guidelines Essay Example for Free

APA guidelines Essay Term Definition Resource you used Time value of money Money has a Time Value. This basic idea a dollar received today, other things being the same, is worth more than a dollar received a year from now underlies many financial decisions faced in Business (TItman, Keown, Martin, 2014, P. 172). TItman, S., Keown, A., Martin, J. (2014). Financial Management: Principles and Applications (12th ed.). : Prentice Hall Efficient market A market in which prices quickly respond to the announcement of new information. Efficient markets describes the extent to which information is incorporated into security prices. In an efficient market, security prices reflect all available information at all times; and, because of this, it is impossible for an investor to consistently earn high rates of return without taking substantial risk (TItman, Keown, Martin, 2014, P.210). TItman, S., Keown, A., Martin, J. (2014). Financial Management: Principles and Applications (12th ed.). : Prentice Hall Primary versus secondary market A primary market is a market in  which new, as opposed to previously issued, securities are bought and sold for the first time. In this market, firms issue new securities to raise money that they can then use to help finance their businesses. The key feature of the primary market is that the firms selling securities actually receive the money raised. The secondary market is where all subsequent trading of previously issued securities takes place. In this market the issuing firm does not receive any new financing, as the securities it has  sold are simply being transferred from one investor to another. The principal benefit of the secondary market for the shareholders of firms that sell their securities to the public is liquidity(TItman, Keown, Martin, 2014, P.25). TItman, S., Keown, A., Martin, J. (2014). Financial Management: Principles and Applications (12th ed.). : Prentice Hall Risk-return tradeoff  tells us that we will expect to receive higher returns for assuming more risk (even though there is no guarantee we will get what we expect). However, the risk–return tradeoff that investors face is not based on realized rates of return; it is instead based on what the investor expects to earn on an investment in the future (TItman, Keown, Martin, 2014, P.193). TItman, S., Keown, A., Martin, J. (2014). Financial Management: Principles and Applications (12th ed.). : Prentice Hall Agency (principal and agent problems) The conflict of interest between the firm’s managers and its stockholders is called a principal-agent problem, or agency problem, in which the firm’s common stockholders, the owners of the firm, are the principals in the relationship, and the managers act as â€Å"agents† to these owners (TItman, Keown, Martin, 2014, P. 13) TItman, S., Keown, A., Martin, J. (2014). Financial Management: Principles and Applications (12th ed.). : Prentice Hall Market information and security prices and information asymmetry A situation in which one party in a transaction has more or superior information compared to another. This often happens in transactions where the seller knows more than the buyer, although the reverse can happen as well. Potentially, this could be a harmful situation because one party can take advantage of the other partys lack of knowledge (Investopedia, 2015). Investopedia. (2015). Asymmetric Information. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/asymmetricinformation.asp Agile and lean principles Agile refers to an adaptive, incremental approach to solutions development,  with strong emphasis on delivering value. In contrast, Lean respresents a widely adopted approach to continuous improvement, designed to improve performance by removing barriers which disrupt workflow in existing systems. Both Agile and Lean are particularly attractive and suited to finance sector enviroments where business requirements change frequently and recation time is critical (Agile And Lean In Finance, 2011) Agile and Lean in Finance. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.dbconsulting.co.uk/agile-and-lean-in-finance-22-september/ Return on investment Return on investment, or ROI, is the most common profitability ratio. There are several ways to determine ROI, but the most frequently used method is to divide net profit by total assets. So if your net profit is $100,000 and your total assets are $300,000, your ROI would be .33 or 33 percent. Return on investment isnt necessarily the same as profit. ROI deals with the money you invest in the company and the return you realize on that money based on the net profit of the business (Entrepreneur Media, Inc., 2014). Entrepreneur Media, Inc.. (2014). Return on Investment ROI. Retrieved from http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/return-on-investment-roi Cash flow and a source of value In investments, cash flow represents earnings before depreciation, amortization, and non-cash charges. Sometimes called cash earnings. The maount of net cash generated by an investment or a business durning a specific period. Once measure of cash flow is earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (The Free Dictionary, 2015). The Free Dictionary. (2015). Cash flow. Retrieved from http://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/cash+flow Project management The planning and organization of an organizations resources in order to move a specific task, event or duty toward completion. Project management typically involves a one-time project rather than an ongoing activity, and resources managed include both human and financial capital. A project manager will help define the goals and objectives of the project, determine when the various project components are to be completed (Project Management, 2015). Project Management. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/project-management.asp Outsourcing and offshoring Outsourcing refers to an organization contracting work out to a 3rd party, while offshoring refers to getting work done in a different country, usually to leverage cost advantages. Its possible to outsource work but not offshore it; for example, hiring an outside law firm to review contracts instead of maintaining an in-house staff of lawyers. It is also possible to offshore work but not outsource it; for example, a Dell customer service center in India to serve American clients. Offshore outsourcing is the practice of hiring a vendor to do the work offshore, usually to lower costs and take advantage of the vendors expertise, economies of scale, and large and scalable labor pool (Offshoring Vs. Outsourcing, 2014). Offshoring vs. Outsourcing. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.diffen.com/difference/Offshoring_vs_Outsourcing Inventory turnover A measure of how often the company sells and replaces its inventory. It is the ratio of annual cost of sales to the latest inventory. One can also interpret the ratio as the time to which inventory is held. For example a ratio of 26 implies that inventory is held, on average, for two weeks (365 days in a year divided by inventory turnover ratio of 26 equals 14 days pr 2 weeks average inventory holding period). It is best to use this ratio to compare companies within an industry (high turnover is a good sign) because there are huge differences in this ratio across industries (The Free Dictionary, 2013-2015). The Free Dictionary. (2013-2015). Inventory turnover. Retrieved from http://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Inventory+Turnover Just-in-time inventory (JIT) A supply chain management system designed to reduce carrying costs to a minimum. A firm only orders what it expects for its immediate needs; therefore, it keeps a lowinventory. For example, if a retailer believes it  will sell 1,000 widgets in a week, it orders precisely 1,000 widgets from its manufacturer. JIT systems require that the retailer at the end of the supply chain can accurately predict demand for its products. They also require that each stage of the supply chain knows exactly how much time it takes to fill an order when it is made. The automotive industry and budget retailers commonly use JIT systems (The Free Dictionary, 2012-2015). The Free Dictionary. (2012-2015). Just In Time. Retrieved from http://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Just-in-Time+Inventory+System Vender managed inventory (VMI) A means of optimizing Supply Chain performance in which the manufacturer is responsible for maintaining the distributor’s inventory levels. The manufacturer has access to the distributor’s inventory data and is responsible for generating purchase orders. To further define it, let’s look at 2 business models (Vendor Managed Inventory, 2015). Vendor Managed Inventory. (2015). Definition of Vendor Managed Inventory. Retrieved from http://www.vendormanagedinventory.com/definition.php Forecasting and demand management The use of historic data to determine the direction of future trends. Forecasting is used by companies to determine how to allocate their budgets for an upcoming period of time (Investopedia, 2015). Demand Management: Macroeconomics: Use of monetary and fiscal policies to influence the aggregate demand for goods or services in an economy. During periods of high unemployment, governments attempts to stimulate damand, and hence, production and employment and during periords of high inflation or balance fo payment problems to curb it ( Business Dictionary, 2015). Investopedia. (2015). Forecasting . Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/forecasting.asp Business Dictionary. (2015). Demand Management. Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/demand-management.html

The Case Of Ryanair In Airlines Commerce Essay

The Case Of Ryanair In Airlines Commerce Essay This case is about Ryanair which is the first budget airline in the Europe headed by Michael OLeary who was the CEO of Ryanair. The case further explains how Ryanair the most profitable airline faced various challenges during the time period of 2004 to 2007 including the backdrop of the European airline industry. Main objectives of this assignment are to provide recommendations to senior management team of Ryanair with strategic choices and recommend new strategic initiatives and areas for improving strategy implementation. In order to accomplish those objectives a strategic analysis of environment, industry as well as the internal performances of Ryanair will be conducted. 3.1 About Ryanair Ryanair was founded by Ryan family in 1985. It has changed from a fully service conventional airline to the budget airline segment with the great turbulence they had faced in 1990. Now it has become the worlds most profitable airline. Ryanairs mission statement Ryanair will become Europeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²s most profitable lowest cost airline by rolling out our proven `low-fare-no-frillsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ² service in all markets in which we operate, to the benefit of our passengers, people, and shareholders (Mayer, 2007) It is possible to identify Ryanairs current business scope from that statement. (Thompson Strickland, 2003) They are the Europes most profitable low cost airline who provides low cost no frill services to their customers who are according to (Mayer, 2007) within Europe and price-sensitive with a lower income level or other preferences and less willing to pay for the add-on services onboard. According to (Strategy, n.d) Ryanairs main objective is to firmly establish itself as Europes leading low-fares scheduled passenger airline through continued improvements and expanded offerings of its low fares service. Their other objectives includes providing best customer service, providing point to point short haul routes to secondary airports around major population destinations and travel destinations at the lowest possible cost by lowering the operating costs. According to the case they have some future growth plans also. Critical Issues It is possible to identify many critical issues when analysing the case. Among them main issues would be high customer dissatisfaction and poor labour relations. Other issues may include failure to acquire their Irish rival Aer Lingus, announcement of its CEO Michael OLeary to leave the organisation. Models and Theories Used To analyse the macro-environment of European aviation industry, PESTEL analysis, Porters Diamond model and strategy drivers of globalisation will be used. European aviation industry and especially the low cost airline industry will be analysed using Porters Five Forces model and Strategic Grouping method. After analysing external environment, internal analysis of Ryanair will be conducted using VRIO model and Porters Value Chain analysis. Finally a SWOT analysis will be done to review the findings. External Environment Analysis Organizations do not operate in a vacuum. It is been affected and affects the environments in which it operates and so the strategy of an organization. In a highly competitive market it is necessary to analyse the environment an organization operates and assess the impact to its strategy. Finally this analysis would lead to identify opportunities and threats that are facing by the organisation. When analysing the external environment it can be divided into 2 parts, macro-environment and industry environment. Macro-Environment According to (Thompson Strickland, 2003) macro-environment consists of all relevant forces outside an organisation and those factors are far beyond the control of the organisation. Since they have a big impact on an organisations strategy, analysis is very important. 6.1.1 PESTEL Macro-environment can be analysed using the PESTEL analysis. It helps to identify each factor of macro-environment and its effects on the industry in which an organisation operates. This includes the following components (PESTEL analysis of the macro-environment, 2007); P Political This analyses how political decisions, government policies, etc affects businesses. E Economic This considers economic factors like interest rates, taxation, and economic growth. S Social This analyses how changes in social life styles affects demands and businesses T Technological Technology is changing and improving faster. It affects businesses in many ways. New technology can be used to improve product quality and reduce costs. Also new technology creates new products and markets. E Environmental This considers the environmental factors like climate changes, and impact of industrial outputs on the environment L Legal This relates to the legal environment in an organisation operates. Detailed analysis of the PESTEL analysis for Ryanairs external macro-environment and key drivers for changes including environment created opportunities and threats is included under Appendix 1 6.1.2 Globalisation Drivers of Strategy A detailed analysis of how globalisation created opportunities and forced aviation industry to go international especially in Europes context is conducted under Appendix 2. (Jatuliaviciene Kuanskiene, 2006) 6.1.3 Porters Diamond This model has been developed by Michael Porter to understand the competitive position or advantages that certain nations or geographic regions posses in global competition. According to this model certain nations possess competitive advantages over other nations as an outcome of the combination of interlinked advanced activities or factors between related companies in a geographic location. As this model explains governments play an important role in possessing competitive advantage through proactive actions. (Diamond model Michael Porter, 2010) (Diamond model Michael Porter, 2010) According to (Diamond model Michael Porter, 2010) Porter has identified factors for competitive advantages for regions or countries as follows. 1. Firm Strategy, Structure and Rivalry 2. Demand Conditions 3. Related Support Industries 4. Factor Conditions A detailed analysis of how Europe possessed competitive advantage for aviation industry as a region and how it created opportunities for Ryanair is analysed under Appendix 3. Industry Environment Traditionally after conducting a macro-environmental analysis industry analysis is conducted to analyse the level of competition a business likely to face. (The Industry Environment Analysis, n.d) According to (Pearce Robinson, 2005) the level of competition within an industry is depends upon 5 factors. Profitability of an industry is determined by the collective strength of those forces. Those can be analysed using the Porters Five Forces model. Porters Five Forces (The Industry Environment Analysis, n.d) According to Porter competitive forces are as follows; The threat of entry of new competitors. The seriousness of the threat of entrance of new competitors depends on the barriers presents in a particular industry. If barriers of entry are high and the new comer expects high reactions from existing firms, new firm will think twice before entering. Some barriers to entry are as follows; economies of scale, product differentiation, capital requirement. (Pearce Robinson, 2005) The bargaining power of buyers. When buyers have more power than sellers they can force down the price and thereby affecting the profitability of an industry. (Aaker, 2005) The bargaining power of suppliers. In situations like when suppliers sell for too many customers and when the supplier switching cost is high from the buyers perspective the bargaining power of suppliers can be high.(Aaker, 2005) The threat of substitutes. Firms from different industries can have close competition if their products substitute each other. According to (Thompson Strickland, 2003) competitive pressure from substitute products depends on factors like price of substitutes are attractive, whether substitutes provide satisfactory performance, etc. The Rivalry among competitors in the industry. According to (Aaker, 2005) intense of competition from existing competitors depends on factors like, the number of competitors, their size, similarity of their product offerings and strategies, high fixed costs of businesses and existence of high exit barriers. A detailed analysis of Porters Five Forces model and how each force impact the profitability of the Ryanairs industry which is low cost airline industry is conducted under appendix 4. 6.2.2 Industry Life Cycle Analysis Life cycle stage strongly affects the industry growth rate (Thompson Strickland, 2003). Organisations will have to change their strategy when they move from different stages of life cycle. Analysis of Europes aviation industry is included in Appendix 5. 6.2.3 Strategic Grouping According to (Thompson Strickland, 2003) a strategic group consists of those rival firms with similar competitive techniques and positions in the market. Using strategic group concept can help analysis of competitors in an industry. Reducing the number of competitors into manageable groups certainly make it easier the analysis than analysing large number of competitors (Aaker, 2005). Appendix 6 contains a strategic groping map for the aviation industry in Europe. 6.2.4 Key Success Factors Analysis According to (Thompson Strickland, 2003) KSF are prerequisites to success in a particular industry. They can include particular strategy element, product attribute, resources, competencies, competitive capabilities. KSF can be identified from the industry analysis. A detailed analysis of KSFs of budget air line industry in Europe is provided under Appendix 7. 6.3 EFAS (External Factors Analysis Summery) According to (Fletcher, 2003) after finding main external factors that can affect a business by conducting external environmental analysis EFAS table will be used to organize those factors into opportunities and threats and measure the perceived importance of particular factors. Ryanairs EFAS is attached in Appendix 8. Internal Environment Analysis An internal analysis is a must to identify organisational strengths and weaknesses which are essential in strategy formulation. (Pearce Robinson, 2005) Understanding business in depth is the goal of an internal analysis. This analysis would have more emphasis on the analysis of performances. (Aaker, 2005) Internal analysis can begins with analysis of financial performances. Financial Performances According to (Pearce Robinson, 2005) there are four basic groups of financial ratios. Those include liquidity ratio, leverage ratio, activity ratio and profitability ratio. Liquidity Ratios these ratios are used to measure whether organization is in a good position to meet its short term obligations. Leverage Ratios this ratio is used to identify the firms source of capital either owners or outside creditors. According to (Pearce Robinson, 2005) the most used leverage ratio is total debt divided by total assets. Total debt includes current liabilities and long term liabilities. Activity Ratios these are to be used to analyse whether an organisation utilizes its resources effectively or not. According to (Pearce Robinson, 2005) it is possible to establish an organisations efficiency of its operations by comparing revenues with the resources used to generate them. Profitability Ratios According to (Pearce Robinson, 2005) profitability is the final result of larger number of strategies and decisions made by an organisations management. The profit margin is calculated by the widely used ratio of return on sales (ROS). And other useful ratio is ROI (return on investment). Financial analysis of Ryanair is attached under Appendix 9. Resources and Capabilities analysis The difference between resources and capabilities is defined by (Gallagher, 2004) as resources, what companies have, versus capabilities, things companies can do. Resources and capabilities can take many forms they range from tangibles to intangibles, examples may include plant and equipments, financial resources, technology a company posses, brand and reputation and even expertise an organization posses. (Gallagher, 2004) According to (Fletcher, 2003) tangible resources can be listed in the balance sheet and they become rarely competitive advantages because of their nature and intangible resources can often play big role in competitive advantage creation. In there the organisational capabilities are defined as complex combinations of both tangible and intangible resources. According to (Thompson Strickland, 2003) a companys competencies become a meaningful competitive capability customers value them as valuable and beneficial. Core competencies are resources and capabilities that serve as a source of competitive advantage over rivals. (Internal Analysis Competencies, 2009) Ryanairs resources and capabilities analysis is included in Appendix 10. VRIO analysis and Competitive Advantages This model says that in order core competencies and resources to become sustainable competitive advantages for an organisation, they should have characteristics as follows (Gallagher, 2004); Valuable A resource will become valuable if it can help the organisation to face threat or capitalize on an opportunity. Most importantly those should be valued by customers. Rare If resources are scarce or they are not available to an organisations competitors they become rare resources. Inimitable This means that resources cannot be easily imitated or substituted. Usually intangible resources or capabilities like a good brand image cannot easily be imitated. Organized There is no use from a valuable resource if it is not well utilized by the organisation. Therefore it should be very well organized to be utilized. A complete analysis of Ryanairs resources and competencies using the VRIO model to identify Ryanairs competitive advantages is included under Appendix 11. Value Chain Analysis Value chain proposed by Michael Porter analyses systematically the series of activities an organisation performs to provide products or services to customers (Pearce Robinson, 2005). A firm can achieve competitive advantage over their competitors by performing these strategically important activities better than competitors. According to (Gallagher, 2004) many processes that are identified in value chain analysis can be a potential source of VRIO resources. (Morrison, 2007) Major categories of activities are grouped in to primary activities and support activities. Primary activities help directly the physical creation of products where support activities provide inputs or infrastructure to help primary activities to take on ongoing basis. Primary activities that are identified by this model are as follows (Pearce Robinson, 2005); Inbound logistics activities that are associated with receiving, storing inputs to production Operations activities related to transforming inputs into products Outbound Logistics activities that are related to distributing products towards customers Marketing/Sales activities associated with informing customers to encourage the purchasing Service Activities that undertake once products are sold to customers to enhance or maintain the value of products. Support activities that are identified by this model are as follows (Pearce Robinson, 2005); Procurement activities that are done within the firm to provide inputs across entire value chain Technology development activities that are done to improve the product as well as the way each activity is performed Human resource management activities conducted in order to ensure the availability of human resources to each primary activity. Infrastructure activities like accounting, management that are essential to perform all activities in the value chain. Value chain analysis of Ryanair is included in Appendix 12. IFAS (Internal Factor Analysis Summary) According to (Fletcher, 2003) after finding main internal factors that can affect the current and future competitiveness by conducting internal analysis of an organisation, IFAS table will be used to organize those factors into strengths and weaknesses and measure the perceived importance of particular factors. IFAS of Ryanair is included in Appendix 13. SWOT Analysis According to the findings of external and internal environment analysis SWOT analysis would be as follows. Strengths Strong brand image (as the first budget operator and number one in the budget industry) Web site (enabled them to on line bookings, promotions) Financial strength Low cost strategy Advantages of economies of scale and experience curve Innovative promotional techniques used at a lower cost Same fleet of airplanes New more efficient airplanes Weaknesses Customer dissatisfaction Poor quality of services Poor employee relations Decrease in employee morale Some secondary airports are too far from city centres Opportunities Budget airline market is growing Revenue generation from ancillary services Web site can be turn into a revenue generator Can apply low cost no frill into long haul Spread their business to more countries Increase customer base Acquisition of Aer Lingus is a growth opportunity Threats Security issues like terrorism Rapid increase in oil price and unpredictable fluctuations Intense rivalry among competitors Changes in customer demographics Pressure from environmental protection groups Costly new EU regulations Conclusion Ryanair as the most profitable airline in the world and the number one budget sector airline in the Europe is not without facing any challenges as it is the nature of the highly competitive modern business world. It was possible to identify many critical issues that were facing by Ryanair like high customer dissatisfaction and poor labour relations and many other threats which are externally created when analysing the case. Macro-environment, industry and internal analyses were conducted to analyse the current situation of Ryanair. From the external environment analysis it was possible to identify many opportunities that were created by the environment like growth in the budget airline industry in Europe and opportunities created by internet, etc. Also they were facing many threats like new EU regulation, environmental concerns, fluctuating oil prices and terrorism threats. Further from the internal environment analysis it was possible to identify number of strengths that are possessed by Ryanair like strong brand image, their financial strengths, efficient operations, etc and their weaknesses like customer dissatisfaction, poor employee relations, etc. In the analysis it was found that there is a huge growth potential in Europe and they could successfully win over the competition if they utilize their strengths like brand image and financial strength to beat competition and if they can minimize weaknesses like customer dissatisfaction there will be no chance to competitors like easyJet to outperform Ryanair. Therefore it can be said that the management of Ryanair needs to consider adjusting their existing strategies or if required formulate new strategies to capitalize on the opportunities using their strengths and more importantly to minimize the weaknesses and face externally created threats using their available strengths and opportunities.

Media Portrayal of Mental Illness in America Essay -- Media American S

Media Portrayal of Mental Illness in America The media in American society has a major influential impact on the minds and beliefs of millions of people. Whether through the news, television shows, or film, the media acts as a huge database for knowledge and instruction. It is both an auditory and visual database that can press images and ideas into people's minds. Even if the individual has no prior exposure or knowledge to something, the media can project into people's minds and leave a lasting impression. Though obviously people are aware of what they are listening to or watching, thoughts and assumptions can drift into their minds without even realizing it. These thoughts that drift in are extremely influential. The massive impact it can leave on America's perception leads to generalizations, assumptions, and stigmas. The media influence is not always negative, however. In most cases it has beneficial and positive aspects. Without the media, people would be drastically less informed and conscientious about major issues in t he world around us. In some cases, however, the way the media portrays an issue can twist one's perception, leaving an assumption instead of a factual concept. Mental illness is one of the biggest concepts that the media has distorted due to the majority of portrayals the media presents. Mental health is extremely important and plays a key role in every individual's life. Yet it is also has millions of misconceptions. Mental illness is more common that one would like to believe. In reality, one in five Americans will suffer from a mental disorder in any given year. Though that ratio is about equivalent to more than fifty-four million people, mental illness still remains a shameful and stigmatized topic (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). The taboo of mental illness has an extensive and exhausting history, dating back to the beginning of American colonization. It has not been an easy road to say the least. Due to the endless efforts and research of certain foundations and in dividuals, the ideas and functions of mental health have improved significantly. The advancements made in the field are impressive and without them humankind would not be the same. Yet then why do only fewer than eight million people who are in need of help seek treatment? (National Mental Health Association, 2001). The history, stigmatization, and perce... ...on.(2000,May 15). Negative Media Images of People with Mental Illness Impact America’s Perception: NMHA Survey Focuses on Entertainment and News Media. Retrieved June,16,2002, from http://mhnet.org/articles/nmha3.htm National Mental Health Association.(2001). Did You Know? Retrieved June,16,2002, from http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/didyou.cfm Star,S.A.(1952). What the public thinks about mental health and mental illness. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Mental Health. Star,S.A.(1955). The public’s ideas about mental illness. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Mental Health. Swindle,R.,Heller,K.,& Pescosolido,B.(1997,August). Responses to â€Å"nervous breakdowns† in America over a 40-year period: Mental health policy implications. Paper presented at the meeting of American Sociological Association, Toronto, Ontario. U.S. Public Health Service.(1999). The Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health. Retrieved June,5,2000, from http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/home.html Veroff,J.,Douvan,E.,& Kulka,R.A.(1981). Mental Health in America: Patterns of help-seeking from 1957-1976. New York: Basic Books.

Raising Children in Live, Love and Dance by D.H. Lawrence :: essays research papers

People make the statement that they are living life to the fullest but what do they really mean? D.H. Lawrence states that life is magnificent during the here and now. He also infers that our flesh is ours but not forever and we should enjoy it with emotional and spiritual ecstasy. While all of this is true, one should take responsibilities very seriously in rearing children, tend to their physical state to insure health and still take time to stop and smell the flowers. Although child rearing can bring about a dance it also requires serious responsibility. Most children will move and wiggle to any rhythm. They live for a pattern and enjoyment and it is the parent’s duty to give them both. Kids of all ages need guidance of a parent for school studies, relationships and the ways of the world. At the same time a parent is fulfilling their obligations they must take time to play dress up, throw the baseball, bake cookies and enjoy the time they have with their children. Just as nature grows so do children and in a flash they are ready to leave the nest to embark on their own lives. In addition to rearing responsibilities one should care for their physical being also. Mr. Lawrence voices that our flesh is ours but only for a time and he is correct. Humans are not immortal and just as a flower wilts and dies so do they. Many people invest in money, property and items of monetary value when they should invest in their bodies. Protecting the skin from the sun, not smoking, not drinking and eating properly are all ways of extending the physical well being of one’s life. After all, a dance is not as sweet and taking pleasure in the world is not as fulfilling if sickness interferes. In addition to health, children and all the to-do’s in life it is important to sit back and take in one’s surroundings. People in today’s world live for their employment and never take in the natural beauties that surround them. Pondering on the wonders of the world such as the beautiful sun that rises and sets softens the soul. Enjoying a long walk on the beach with a gentle breeze crossing a cheek and the soft touch of the sand on one’s feet should be a mandatory requirement of life.

Analysis of Greasy Lake by Tom Coraghessan Essay -- Greasy Lake Tom Co

Analysis of Greasy Lake by Tom Coraghessan â€Å"Greasy Lake" by Tom Coraghessan Boyle, is the story of a group of adolescents, searching for the one situation that will proclaim them as bad boys and how their minds change. As the story begins, the narrator gives the impression that he feels he and the others boys should have taken notice of some obvious clues about themselves. These clues would have led them to the conclusion that they were far from the bad guys they wished to be. However, the oblivious teenagers ignore these obvious signs and continue in search of their goal. In this story, Boyle uses many symbols to create the theme. The individual vehicles are each symbols in the portion of the story that they appear. For example, early in the story, the narrator describes the car they drive to Greasy Lake as an old station wagon, obviously not the â€Å"ride† of a true tough-guy. When the boys arrive at Greasy Lake, a â€Å"chopper† is parked on the shore, and next to it is a 57 Chevy (Boyle 113). Both of the vehicles are hotrods that imply a â€Å"greasy† image. The Chevy owner is a tough muscular character who beats the stuff out of the narrator and his friends. The biker, whom is regarded as a bad older character, is dangerous by stereotype alone. Consequently, the vehicles are representative of the individuals who drove them. Another symbol of the danger the young men face is Greasy Lake itself. Dark, murky cold and disquieting, every aspect of it spells danger. Its glass-strewn sho...

From Maus Post Modern Techniques

1) Choose one of the texts above and write a 300-500-word response identifying its use of postmodern elements. From Maus contains elements, which identify a postmodern text. The elements used are the interrogation of the past, pastiche, the use of a non-linear journey, mixing of genres, the use of language and the high and low culture. The fragmented form and the use of anthropomorphism allow the audience to be exposed to a postmodern text. The use of anthropomorphism shows the direct way in which the author hopes to achieve his message. From Maus the text, which uses the low and high culture to identify the element of postmodernism found in the text. This can be seen by the layout of the text, which is a comic book strip however the author is talking about a serious issue. In addition the author allows the audience to go through several historical events, which are narrated by a father talking to his son about the holocaust. The text not only talks about the holocaust it also talks about the post and pre-holocaust. It encounters the problems in which the characters deal with loosing family members for example the father. Furthermore the text is an interrogation of the past, which can be associated with postmodern texts. The use of animals also highlights the contrast in the serious story line. The use of language assists in displaying the postmodern elements found in the text. As the text’s main theme is a historical event you would associate the text with formal and informative language. However, From Maus uses common colloquial language this is evident when the father is talking to his son about the holocaust â€Å"Some Jews thought in this way: If they gave to the Germans a few Jews, they could save the rest† The use of language used by the narrator creates the contrast between high and low society. In addition the use of pastiche and the non-linear form adds to the texts fragmented form. The non-linear form assists in displaying the story line in which is viewed from present day which goes backwards due to the narrators memory. In conclusion from the following elements: pastiche, the high and low culture, mixing of genres and language assist in creating a postmodern text.

Branding Essay

â€Å"As a consuming population we have formed deep emotional bonds with our brands, to the extent that they now determine who we are and how we are perceived†. (Isaksen and Roper, 2008). Brands are everywhere we look. They are simply unavoidable. We wake up in the morning: brush our teeth with a brand of toothpaste, use our branded shampoo, put on several brands of clothes and then eat our branded toast. We simply cannot escape from them. So the questions I pose are: Why do we choose the brands we do? What do our brands say about us? Brand ersonality â€Å"refers to the set of human characteristics associated with a brand† (Aaker, 1997). When I talk about brand image or brand personality I am basically asking if this brand were a person who would it be? Or else when we buy these brands what do they represent? Our modern culture has become obsessed with brands so what do they mean? If you buy a BMW people will assume you are rich, if you are seen walking around with a pair of Beats you are seen to be cool. Every product we buy or service we use says something about us whether we want it to or not. Everything comes with an age or has a stigma attached to it. Even the music we listen to and the celebrities we admire have become brands in themselves. Take Kim Kardashian as an example she wasn’t heard of up until 2007 and now she is one of the most famous women on the planet with business ventures such as perfume, clothing stores, a T. V show and over 16 million followers on Twitter she has completely made a brand out of herself. Aaker (1997) suggests that â€Å"the personality traits associated with a brand, such as those associated with an individual, tend to be elatively enduring and distinct†. Such as when you hear Mercedes you think luxury, Guinness is tradition and Chanel is elegance. In colleges all across the country every student not only has the burden of exams and QCA’s but also how they look and it’s the brands they buy that decide this. You will be questioned if you’re not wearing the latest ‘Hollister’ gear or carrying a shiny new ‘iPhone 5’. ‘Hollister’ originated in California in 1922 and is a brand associated with the beach and surfing yet in most schools and colleges it has been turned into popularity contest of who can have the ost or the best or the newest. Brands are completely consuming us and it’s not Just spoilt teenagers anymore it is ranging from everyone from young kids of 5 years old right through adolescents up to adults. Primary school kids are coming home crying because they don’t have the latest brand of lunch box like their friends and middle aged men are going out buying ridiculously expensive phones and cars Just to stay feeling young because they believe that’s what those brands can offer them. They are willing to pay for Just a couple more years of feeling young and on trend. This leads into Bhat and Reddy (1998) and their theory of how brands can be functional, symbolic or both. â€Å"Functional brands satisfy immediate and practical needs. Symbolic brands satisfy symbolic needs such as those for self-expression and prestige, and their practical usage Is only incidental† (Bhat and Reddy,1998). People have taken a brand that was originally meant as functional such as clothing, phones and cars and turned them into something so symbolic that they actually covet them. You keep certain clothes for â€Å"good wear†; spend hours cleaning your car and people Jump ore now to save a talling phone than a talling baby. Bhat and Reddy ( 8) were able to prove this theory through different research groups and methods â€Å"For example, to owners of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, their motorcycle is not Just a mode of transportation†. (Bhat and Reddy, 1998). They have said â€Å"It is an experience, an attitude, a lifestyle, and a vehicle to express who one is† (Aaker,1996). Adolescents are influenced the easiest when it comes to symbolic positioning of brands. â€Å"As cognitive development progresses, adolescents are able to understand the complex ymbolism of brands and their role in defining the self†. Chaplin and Roedder-John, 2005) They want everything theyre friends have and are surrounded by images of celebrities showing off the latest fashions and technology. Several brands are even endorsed by the celebrities they look up to. Young girls are influenced so easily by the â€Å"beautiful people on television† so why wouldn’t they want to buy shampoo that will make their hair look like Cheryl Cole’s hair or make up that will make them look like Beyonc © or even clothes that will make them look like Rihanna. Even teenage boys are seeing images such as David Beckham sprawled across a billboard half naked so why shouldn’t they buy ‘Armani’ boxers to look like him and why shouldn’t they want to drive the luxury car brands like soccer players? Companies continuously aim products at teenagers through different mediums such as television, music, and celebrities. Isaksen and Roper (2008) suggests â€Å"brands which are placed in popular teenage television programs are likely to benefit from a positive image and be popular among adolescent consumers†. Teenagers have become walking brands but t isn’t their fault it is what they are surrounded by. In summary brands have completely taken over our lives. Everyone buys into them whether they mean to or not and we can all pretend to hate them yet they are such a big part of our everyday lives there is no escaping them. Companies have realised this and know exactly how to market their brands to the different markets so we have to accept them. We are influenced by them in ways we don’t even realise. They are part of our society and culture and the fashion of brands is only growing stronger so my final question is which brand are you?