Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Essay

Little Women, written by Louisa May Alcott, is a novel based on a family of four girls, Margaret â€Å"Meg† March, Josephine â€Å"Jo† March, Beth March, and Amy March, and of their family values. Little Women demonstrates strong events based on several family values. The story of the March family is set in New England during the civil war. Throughout this point in time the little women are to survive with out a father figure, as their father has gone to fight in the war. Over long periods of time, the four March sisters had to face the fact that they were very poor and could not receive every thing that they wished for. As the March family stayed home awaiting the return of their father, they were very lucky to receive the â€Å"fatherly† support from an old, wealthy neighbour, Mr Laurence. Overtime the girls formed a tight bond with Mr Laurence and his grandson Laurie. As the March family continues through the hard times in life, they are blessed by the friends hip of family and friends. In the Novel the four sisters show that they are very unselfish and are capable of sharing what little things they have with others. Even though the girls realise (Amy especially) that they are suffering poverty and are not able to receive everything that they wish, they are very grateful for what they have. The March sisters tend not to make a fuss mainly because whilst their father is away life gets tough with only a mother figure around. â€Å"Not far away from here lies a poor old woman with a little new born baby. Six children are huddled into one bed to keep from freezing, for they have no fire. There is nothing to eat over there; and the oldest boy came to tell me they were suffering hunger and cold. My girls, will you give them your breakfast as a Christmas present?’ pg 20 In the chapter A merry Christmas this here is a great example of how generous the March family is even though the have so little themselves. The girls were very disappointed to give their food away but knew that there was a family suffering severely without any food, so they decided to the right thing. In Little women the four March sisters show loyalty by looking out for each other. Through the hardest times in life the girls manage to stick by each other and along the way on their journey they learn from their mistakes. Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy are not your everyday type of sisters who may fight a lot with one another. The girls infrequently have fights because they are so alike, they are so kind to one another and share anything they have for that is all that they do have. â€Å"I let the sun go down on my anger; I wouldn’t forgive her, and today, if it hadn’t been for Laurie it might have been too late! How could I be so wicked?’ said Jo half aloud, as she leaned over her sister, softly stroking the wet hair scattered on the pillow. As if she heard, Amy opened her eyes, and held out her arms, with a smile that went straight to Jo’s heart.’ Page 115. Even though the girls make mistakes they learn from them and are persistent never to make that same mistake again. Through out the novel looking out for each other is a true family value and by doing this the girls manage through life a lot easier. Life becomes more interesting when family and friends are together. It’s not until later on in life when the March girls realise that their next door neighbours are not close and that they ought to become neighbourly with one another. It is here in the novel where all the sisters begin to loosen up and enjoy the new company of the ‘Laurence boy’. At first the girls are a bit timid because they are embarrassed by the fact that they are so much poorer to Laurie, but after first impressions the girls really begin to bond with Laurie and they form a tight friendship. ‘We are not strangers, we are neighbours, and you needn’t think you’d be a bother. We want to know you, and I’ve been trying to do this ever so long.’ Page 70.Through the novel it is important to be able to have the love and support of friends and family so that it makes life easier through the difficult and depressing patches. In conclusion Marmee only wants best for her girls, but in her eyes this does not mean the wealthiest man that the girls can get their hands on this means, happiness and security from the one they tend to spend their rest of their lives with. â€Å"Money is a needful and precious thing,-and, when well used, a noble thing,-but I never want you to think it is the first or only prize to strive for. I’d rather see you poor men’s wives, if you were happy, beloved, contented, than queens on thrones, without self- respect and peace.† If along the way the girls did not have one another and there values then Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy would struggle more then what they already do. Through out the novel family values are very important and are expressed in many ways, not only through family but close friends too. The March sisters go through life with the love and support of each other and share an amazing journey.

Philippine Culture Essay

The culture of the Philippines is very diverse. This is due to the colorful combination of different nations with our country. Its culture is reflected by the complexity of the history of the Philippines through the blending of Pre-Hispanic indigenous Austronesian civilizations. There are a number of countries that have influenced Philippine culture such as Spain, United States, China, India, and the Arabs. The influences of these countries are visible in the various practices of the Filipinos up to the present. The Spaniards brought the Spanish language, Catholicism and other religious celebrations such as fiestas. The American influence is evident in the use of the English language and the presence of contemporary pop culture such as fast-food, music, movies, basketball and media. The Arabs and Indians brought Islam to the southernmost island of the Philippines along with their own customs and traditions. The Chinese brought trade and commerce to the country as well as their affirm ation of the importance of respect and family. Society The locals of the Philippines are called Filipinos. Their primary ancestors are the Malays who came from the southeastern Asian country which is now called Indonesia. The Philippines is a combined society, both singular and plural in form. It is singular as one nation, but plural in that it is fragmented geographically and culturally. The nation is divided between Christians, Muslims, and other religious-ethno-linguistic groups; between urban and rural people; between upland and lowland people; and between the rich and the poor. Although different in numerous ways, the Filipinos are very hospitable and give appropriate respect to everybody regardless of race, culture and belief. Family In a traditional Filipino family, the father is considered the head and the provider of the family while the mother takes responsibility of the domestic needs and in charge of the emotional growth and values formation of the children. Children see their mothers as soft and calm, while they regard their fathers as strong and the most eminent figure in the family. Another particular trait of Filipinos is their strong respect for elders. Children are taught from birth how to say â€Å"po† and â€Å"opo† to teach them as early as possible how to properly respect their elders. These words are used to show respect to people of older level. Upon arriving home, conservative families expect children to practice the kissing of hands or touching their parents’ or elder family members’ hand to their foreheads with the words â€Å"mano po† as a sort of greeting. Within the family, the parents are expected to receive the highest respect from the children along with the elder siblings, as they are given the responsibility to look after younger siblings when parents are not around. Answering back or addressing parents or elder siblings with an arrogant tone are not at all tolerated in children. The children are also not allowed to leave the house without their parents’ permission. Upon reaching adulthood, Filipino children are not obliged to leave their homes after finishing school. In fact, most of them maintain their close relationship with their parents by staying at home at least before they get married. Moreover, Filipinos keep close connection with other relatives. They recognize them from the second degree to the last they can identify. Weddings The majority of Filipino weddings are now Catholic weddings, but some native traditions remain. Most have special â€Å"sponsors† who act as witnesses to the marriage. The principal sponsors could be godparents, counselors, a favorite uncle and aunt, even a parent. Secondary sponsors handle special parts of the ceremony, such as the candle, cord and veil ceremonies. Candle sponsors light two candles, which the bride and groom use to light a single candle to symbolize the joining of the two families and to invoke the light of Christ in their married life. Veil sponsors place a white veil over the bride’s head and the groom’s shoulders, a symbol of two people clothed as one. Cord sponsors drape the yugal (a decorative silk cord in a figure-eight shape) over the shoulders of the bride and groom to symbolize everlasting fidelity. The groom gives the bride 13 coins or arrhae, blessed by the priest, as a sign of his dedication to his wife’s well-being and the we lfare of their future children. Death Death in the Philippines is one of the most important occasions in family life, as attested to by a humorous statement that families have large reunions only during â€Å"Binyag, Kasal at Libing† (Baptisms, Weddings, and Burials/Funerals). Once a Filipino dies, it is traditional to hold a wake. Deceased men are dressed in the traditional Barong Tagalog while women are dressed in either black dresses or in their best dress. Relatives that are closest to the deceased are customarily dressed in black, and women use black veils as well. Caskets of Filipinos are often covered with glass, with the inner part of the lid containing ribbons with the names of the deceased person’s immediate family. Behind the casket is a crucifix between two candles. Flowers are often given in condolence to the family, with a message from the donor written on a ribbon attached to the flowers. Family members keep vigil, pray, eat, talk, and socialize with guests. It is traditional, as with the oth er aspects of Philippine culture, to be hospitable to the guests; this is done by offering food and refreshments to those mourning with the family. After the death of a person, a nine-day period of having a novena of prayers and Masses offered up to the deceased is held, although the beginning of the â€Å"Siyam na araw† varies, but usually ends the week after the death. Another period follows after death, the 40-day mourning period. Family members indicate their state of bereavement by wearing a small, black rectangular plastic pin on their left breast or breast pocket area. A ceremonial mass is held at the end of this 40 day period. Common belief states that the soul goes to Heaven after these 40 days, following the belief that Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven after the said period of days. The 1 year death anniversary is also a bit significant, as well as the subsequent birth anniversaries of the deceased. Many foreign relatives come to mourn the death of their lost ones. Death is very emotional experience among those close to the deceased. Values The Filipinos are known to be hospitable. But aside from this trait, there are many other values that the Filipinos possess which help them live harmoniously with their neighbors. These have also made the Filipinos appealing towards others due to their pleasant demeanor. The following are some of the Filipino values: Bayanihan is the creation of an association with neighbors and helping whenever one is in disastrous need. Close Family Ties are something the Filipinos are well-known for. The primary social welfare system for the Filipino is the family. Many Filipinos live near their family for most of their lives, even as independent adults. Pakikisama or harmony, involves getting along with others to preserve a harmonious relationship. Hiya is shame and a motivating factor behind behavior. It is a sense of social decency and compliance to public norms and behavior. Filipinos believe they must live up to the accepted standards of behavior and if they fail to do so they bring shame not only upon themselves, but also upon their family. Utang na Loob or Debt of Gratitude, is owed by one to a person who has helped him great. There is a local saying: ‘Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalinangan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan’, meaning, ‘One who does not look back o where he started, will no get to where he is going.’ Amor Propio is concern for self image. Filipinos believe that how they present themselves to others is an important aspect to be accepted in society. Delicadeza or sense of propriety refers to sensitivity regarding the limits of proper behavior or ethics in a situation. Filipinos try to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Palabra de Honor or word of honor is very important to the Filipinos. They believe that one must keep their word whenever they make a promise for the person to whom one has made a promise will count on it. Beliefs Before the coming of the Spaniards and the introduction of Roman Catholicism, the indigenous inhabitants were believer of animism, or the worship of nature. Bathala was the supreme god of the tagalogs, symbolized by the sun. Other Tagalog gods and goddesses include the moon, stars, and even objects such as trees, shrubs, mountains, or rocks. The spirits consist of aswang (ghoul), tikbalang, (a man having the head of a horse), kapre (a giant that smokes tabacco), tiyanak(resurrected aborted babies), dwende (dwarves and elves), engkanto (minor spirits), and diwata (fairies and nymphs). Food A typical Filipino meal consists of at least one viand (ulam) served with boiled or fried rice (kanin). Filipinos also regularly use spoons together with forks. They also eat with their hands, especially in informal settings and when eating seafood. Accompanying rice, popular dishes such as adobo (a meat stew made from either pork or chicken), lumpia (mat or vegetable rolls), pancit (noodle dish), and lechon (whole roasted pig) are served on plate. Other popular dishes include: afritada, asado, chorizo sausages used in pancit or fried rice, empanadas, mais (corn), mani (roasted peanuts), paksiw (fish, cooked in vinegar and water, some spices like garlic and pepper), pan de sal (salted bread rolls), pescado (fried or grilled fish), torta (omelette). Indigenous Filipino and regional cuisine include: dinuguan, kare-kare (ox-tail stew), kilawen, pinakbet (vegetable stew), pinapaitan, and sinigang (tamarind soup with a variety of pork, fish or shrimp). One delicacy eaten by the Filipino people but are reprehensible to some western cultures is balut (a boiled fertilized duck egg). Popular snacks and desserts indulged in are chicharon, halo-halo, puto, bibingka, ensaymada, polvoron, and tsokolate. Popular local liquors include lambanog, tuba, and basi. Architecture Pre-Hispanic architecture is usually characterized by using indigenous woody materials. The bahay kubo is the mainstream form of housing. It is characterized by the use of indigenous materials such as bamboo and coconut as the main source of wood. Cogon grass and nipa palm leaves are used as roof thatching, although coconut fronds are also used. Most are usually on stilts due to the frequent floods and rainwater during the wet season. Regional variations include the use of thicker and denser roof thatching in mountain areas, longer stilts on coastal areas especially if the structure is built outright on the water. The architecture of some tribes in other regions is characterized by very angular wooden roofs, bamboo in place of leafy thatching and ornate wooden carvings, especially on Mindanao Island. The Spanish introduced stones as housing materials. The introduction of Christianity brought western style churches and subsequently became the center of most towns. Colonial era architecture still survives in Intramuros and Vigan. Contemporary architecture usually favors western-style structures although pre-Hispanic housing is still largely common in rural areas. American style suburban gated communities are popular in the cities, especially Metro Manila and surrounding provinces. Famous Artworks in the Philippines EDSA People Power Monument EDSA, Quezon City The monument towering along EDSA was designed by sculptor Eduardo Castrillo in 1993. The structure was cast to serve as a tribute to the brave Filipinos who marched along the now-historic avenue of EDSA during the 1986 People Power Revolution to overthrow former president Ferdinand Marcos. Quezon Memorial Circle Elliptical Road, Quezon City The Quezon Memorial Circle, the tallest triad structure in Quezon City, was designed by Filipino architect Federico Ilustre. The three vertical pylons of this 66 (Quezon’s age when he died) meter tall monument correspond to the three major islands of the Philippines–(Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao). Each is topped with a mourning angel holding a sampaguita wreath, all crafted by an Italian sculptor named Francesco Riccardo Monti. Housed inside the two-story barrel-like base is a museum with the remains and other priceless treasures of the late President Manuel L. Quezon. The construction of this Carrara marble-made monument was completed in time for the centennial of Quezon’s birth in 1978. By the mandate of President Ferdinand Marcos, the site was declared a National Historical Landmark under the Presidential Decree No. 260. U.P. Oblation University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines’ renowned landmark, the Oblation, is a masterpiece of National Artist Guillermo Tolentino. In 1935, Guillermo was commissioned by Rafael Palma (then University President) to craft a monument that would express in visual form the second stanza of Jose Rizal’s â€Å"Mi Ultimo Adios† (â€Å"Last Farewell†). The concrete statue painted in bronze stands 3.5 meter high (to represent the 350 years of Spanish colonization of the Philippines) on a pile of rocks symbolizing the islands of the Philippines. Funding for the statue was raised through a 2-month fund campaign that garnered P2,000. The model for the statue was widely rumored to be Fernando Poe, Sr. though there are sources that claim that the real model was Guillermo’s student apprentice Anastacio Caedo. Andres Bonifacio Monument Bonifacio Circle, Monumento, Caloocan City The sculpture featuring a 45-foot high pylon topped by a winged figure of victory was crafted by national artist Guillermo Tolentino in 1929. It commemorates the famous proletarian hero Andres Bonifacio with his revolutionary group, the Katipunan, fighting for the causes of Philippine Revolution– injustice, suffering and resistance. The Supremo in his Barong Tagalog, holding a bolo on his right hand and a revolver on the other, stands in front of 22 darkened bronze figures at the base of an octagonal obelisk, the number of sides of which symbolize the first eight provinces that armed against the Spaniards. Other historic figures on the monument are Emilio Jacinto (the â€Å"Brains of Katipunan†) and the three hooded martyred priests (Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora). Leading to the monument are three steps which represent the three centuries of Spanish rule. Cultural Center of the Philippines Roxas Boulevard, Manila Standing on the 21-hectare piece of land along Roxas Boulevard, Manila is Leandro Locsin’s (National Artist for Architecture) envisioned edifice that serves as the Philippines’ national center for performing arts – the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). This architectural work is considered one of the most significant landmarks in the country. Completed in 1969, the CCP main building faces the reclaimed land inManila Bay with its marble facade. At its sides are two arching columns beamed 12 meters from the terrace. In front is a large lagoon with fountains illuminated by underwater lights during nighttime. It houses four premier theaters, an ethnographic museum, galleries, and a Philippine arts and culture library. Manila Metropolitan Theater Padre Burgos Street, Manila The Manila Metropolitan Theater- located at the Padre Burgos Street – was formerly Manila’s premier venue for theatrical performances. Built in 1935, this art deco structure was designed by the distinguished Filipino architect Juan M. de Guzman Arellano. The bronze sculptures of female figures on the facade of the theater are works by the Italian sculptor Francesco Riccardo Monti. Inside, there are relief carvings of Philippine plants that adorns the lobby walls and interior surfaces of the building designed by the artist Isabelo Tampinco. It needed to be reconstructed after the US and Filipino liberation in Manila in 1945, fell into disuse in the 1960s, was partly restored in the following decade, and fell again into disrepair. It is currently undergoing renovation through Manila City government’s project to restore its historical buildings. The Transfiguration Eternal Garden Memorial Park, Balintawak, Quezon City The brass and bronze sculpture entitled â€Å"The Transfiguration† (1979) is one of Napoleon Abueva’s (national artist and Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture) religious-themed creations, found at the Eternal Garden Memorial Park. His other famous masterpieces that attest to his religiosity include the â€Å"Kiss of Judas† (1955) and the â€Å"Thirty Pieces of History†. Pinaglabanan Shrine Barrio Paraiso, San Juan, Metro Manila A major work of art by Filipino sculptor Eduardo Castrillo is his creation the Pinaglabanan Shrine (1974), located in San Juan, Metro Manila. Also known as Spirit of Pinaglabanan, the shrine is composed of three cut and welded brass figures on a 10 x 4.3 x 4.3 meter sculptured concrete base. This was built in commemoration of the first battle of the 1896 Revolution, which happened on this site. Filipino Struggles Through History (Mural) Bulwagang Katipunan, Manila City Hall One of the most striking murals of Carlos â€Å"Botong† Francisco entitled Filipino Struggles Through History (1963) can be found in the Bulwagang Katipunan of Manila City Hall. As commissioned by former Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas, this 270Ãâ€"487 centimeter mural was painted in three panels chronicling the history of Manila and the Philippines. It depicts the panoramic episodes of the first great Rajahs of Tondo, the Spanish colonial period, the 1896 Revolution and other events up to the American colonial period. Also seen in this mural are famous Philippine historical personalities such as Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Francisco Balagtas, and Limahong.

This is history...this is history on drugs Essay

This is history...this is history on drugs - Essay Example It is also a contributor to the economy. Historical sites and archeology have attracted tourist and thus pumping cash into the country’s economy. History has boosted scientific growth since it is from the past that advancements are made to better human life. It is from history that a country is able to know is origin and independence. How the country evolved and split into its various states. Nowadays in school, history is an uphill task and most students do not like it. The students have the mentality that the course is very wide and difficult. Loewen records that current history analysis focuses more on the good and pays little attention to the wrong. He quotes President Wilson to whom many students attribute women suffrage. Though this is true, President Wilson led the country to war during Palmers raid. He says more harm took place when Wilson secretly funded the invasion of Russia thus controlling the security of the state. Wilson linked with Japanese invasion to invade Vladivostok and set up an anticommunist government while maintaining the war fronts. Loewen says,’ no one of the twelve American history textbooks in my original sample ever mentioned it.’ He compares American history books to Russian books and concludes that the latter are more descriptive in their approach. In the past, Wilson also wanted to build links and promote boarder security wi th neighboring Latin countries. The idea was noble and favored both countries to grow economically and have a larger security backing. Current books however shy from showing the wrongdoing of Wilson. It was through this that the invasion occurred. American books try to make individuals to seem like heroes. It is through this that most books shy away from documenting the outcome of the 1920 election (Loewen 17). Idolizing individuals led to the development of new terminologies owing to their acts. Christopher Columbus voyages are said to be the cause of

What mitigating factors contribute to juveniles being charged as Research Paper

What mitigating factors contribute to juveniles being charged as adults - Research Paper Example 15-16). This procedure is based on the assumption that juveniles require help and reformation to grow into responsible citizens of the country and must receive such assistance instead of punishment. This is also because children or young adults will lose highly valuable time that they could have been spending in gaining a proper education and other healthy activities essential for their future livelihood serving prison time. Hence, under such circumstances, juveniles are given shorter prison terms or more flexible punishments compared to adults who are held fully accountable for their actions and crimes and are kept in proper state prisons rather than rehabilitation centers (Torbet, pp. 20-22). Moreover, adult prisons may have certain problems within them, which include sexual offences, use of drugs, harsh treatment, and exposure to many evils in society, which is not a suitable environment for someone of a tender age. It is likely to do them more harm than good to expose them to such aspects of adult prisons and allow them full interaction with adult prisoners that are likely to have a highly negative impact upon their unripe brains and personalities. Juveniles who are exposed to such aspects may receive psychological shock or may be fully harassed in adult prisons, which would completely ruin their chances at a normal life in the future. Usually, juveniles receive less punishment for smaller crimes such as theft or use of drugs and other such offenses. They usually confront punishments, such as community service, attendance of rehabilitation centers, or sent to juvenile delinquent prisons for a short period. They may also undergo periods of probation or other terms to serve sentences or to report their progress as responsible citizens of the country (Steinberg & Scott, pp. 1009-1013). While such procedures are encouraged to promote future well-being of the child/young adult and to give them a fair opportunity at living normal and healthy

Management Organisational Design and change Essay

Management Organisational Design and change - Essay Example A summary of the main points discussed will be given in the conclusion at the end of the paper. 1. Basically, strategic planning can be defined as the process of attempting to strike a balance between the organisation’s objectives and resources and its changing opportunities (Mintzberg, 2000). It tries to set the direction for the use of all resources and this direction will remain valid for a period of time. As such, analysing scenarios and using them as a strategic planning tool is beneficial for planners to rank them and attempt to identify commonness in possible futures and potential pathways. Thus, scenario review involves engaging in a systematic conjecture concerning potential futures and is mainly based on scanning the environment in which the organisation operates, interpreting signals and making predictions about what might happen next. This allows the organisation to be better positioned to formulate ideal strategies that can be implemented to meet the changing dema nds of the environment in which the organisation operates. It is important for the planners to rank these scenarios given that they often differ in their order of importance. Some scenarios would require immediate actions while others would require long term plans. It is also important for the planners to identify the commonness of these scenarios in possible futures and potential pathways so as to enable them to ensure that they do not waste resources on scenarios which would otherwise require the same strategy to be solved. The planners have to first identify the scenario then followed by choosing the appropriate pathway that can be taken to fulfil the strategy. Pertinent scenarios to the organisation are often given priority and it is the duty of the planner to anticipate the intended destination of the strategy to be implemented. 2. Strategic drift is a scenario that is witnessed when a strategy manager has failed to monitor and keep pace with its changing external environment. There are certain issues for managers when they prevent strategic drift and some of them involve the following: establishing the capacity of the organisation to make the strategy happen, availability of resources as well as fear for worsening the situation. The environment in which organisations operate is dynamic and at times, unprecedented scenarios which are unfavorable to the organisation may emerge the reason why managers ought to prevent such issues from happening (Kleynhans et al 2007). In most cases, the managers prevent strategic drift by weighing their capability of making the strategy happen. Indeed, there may be changes in the external environment and it is the role of the strategy managers to ensure that the organisation has the capability to meet these changes. In order to prevent strategic drift, the managers ought to deploy strategic decisions that will ensure that the organisation may remain viable in the face of changing environment so as to be able to be better po sitioned to keep pace with the changes. The availability of resources and time may be the other issues for the managers when preventing strategic drift. It is the duty of the manager to ensure that they channel adequate resources that enable them to monitor the environment to avoid

Inherent Risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Inherent Risk - Essay Example following paragraphs explains the importance of external auditors as well as internal auditors in the reducing or even eliminating the errors and frauds that stain the financial statements. The first step that the auditors do is to base their audit programs on the inherent risk of each item listed in the financial statements . This topic will further be explained in the following paragraphs(Courtney, Briggs,2004, p139). The company is owned by stockholders. Stockholders can invest their hard earned money in Qantas Airways Ltd. by just visiting the Australian stock exchange and paying for the number of shares of stocks pegged at the hours stock market share. Products. Qantas Airways Limited. is engaged in the transport of air passengers and cargo. The company provides international, domestic as well as internal or regional transport of air passengers and cargo In Australian airspace as well as outside Australia. The company also is engaged in other business activities aside from ferrying human beings from one corner of the world to another. The other financial activities include subsidiary investments in QantasLink and Jetstar. The company is also engaged in the business of inflight catering as well as holiday and travel activities. The above income statement shows that the expenses generated for the year ended June 2007 was 12,756. And, the expenses generated for the year ended June 2007 was 11,593.50 Plus, the expenses generated for the year ended June 2007 was 10,757.70. The inherent risk of this accounting item is that one or more of the accounting staff could recorded an expense in the journalisation stage of the accounting process when there is no right for such recording to occur. Generally accepted accounting principles and international accounting standards states that expenses should be recorded only if the corresponding use of an asset has also occurred. In addition, the accountant could have recorded an expense such as salary expense giving the

Management Accounting and Finance in U.K. museums and music Dissertation

Management Accounting and Finance in U.K. museums and music organisations - Dissertation Example Therefore in the following sections we will discuss about the historical background of the UK, the economy of the country, the political factors related to the overall administration of the country, the various social factors, the cultural aspects, the leisure activities and the financial aspects of both music organizations and museums. Background The European cultural funding have long been the subject of resentment for the arts organizations & artists of America. However over the last two years that is after 2010, as the severe minded conventional governments took step against the background of a profound fiscal emergency, countries across the European continent have focused on the arts segment for ruthless cuts. The most spectacular changes are taking place in countries that have conventionally been the major devotees of culture namely the Netherlands and the United Kingdom while locations that have been historically less charitable to the arts & culture of the society are now edg ing their funding to a meager amount. On the continent and in the nation of UK, art spaces, individual artists and museums have long been supported almost entirely with public funding, an arrangement that's tough to comprehend in the private-fundraising system prevailing in the U.S. For instance, In the Netherlands the proficient and talented artists used to get almost lifetime grants and accommodation allowance so that they could create art devoid of the requirement for a job for earning, and their unsold creations were bought by the government. In France, there was, until lately, specific unemployment assistance, planned to rush artists over amid performances. In nations... The European cultural funding have long been the subject of resentment for the arts organizations & artists of America. However over the last two years that is after 2010, as the severe minded conventional governments took step against the background of a profound fiscal emergency, countries across the European continent have focused on the arts segment for ruthless cuts. The most spectacular changes are taking place in countries that have conventionally been the major devotees of culture namely the Netherlands and the United Kingdom while locations that have been historically less charitable to the arts & culture of the society are now edging their funding to a meager amount. On the continent and in the nation of UK, art spaces, individual artists and museums have long been supported almost entirely with public funding, an arrangement that's tough to comprehend in the private-fundraising system prevailing in the U.S. For instance, In the Netherlands the proficient and talented artists used to get almost lifetime grants and accommodation allowance so that they could create art devoid of the requirement for a job for earning, and their unsold creations were bought by the government. In France, there was, until lately, specific unemployment assistance, planned to rush artists over amid performances. In nations like the, Hungary, Spain and UK all art museums were once supported with no private funding. Now the situation is changing fast. "The greatest impact within the visual arts will be on emerging productions or new works, and mainly in countries where the contemporary visual arts market is weak," said Luca Bergamo, secretary general of Culture Action Europe, a pan-European art advocacy organization based in Brussels.

Political Science Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 10

Political Science - Assignment Example Under the Miranda rules, the suspect has a right to contact a lawyer and if he or she cannot afford one, the federal government appoints a lawyer to represent the suspect in court. In addition, the suspect can invoke his or her right to be silent during the interrogation or demand to have an attorney before the interrogation could commence. Americans believe that the police have an obligation to inform the suspect of his or her rights. Indeed, the police read out and confirm that the suspects understand the Miranda rules read to them. The police then enquire from the suspect whether they wish to speak based on their understanding of the Miranda rules (MirandaWarning.Org, 2015). If the suspect does not understand English, the police translate and record the Miranda warning in a language convenient to the suspect. However, the police only give or read the Miranda rights and warnings to a suspect if they are facing interrogation in police custody (Thomson Reuters, 2014). Judges respect the Miranda rules and cannot use any evidence gathered from interrogations that failed to inform the suspect of their Miranda rights and warnings. Even the U.S military provides and requires suspects to sign a form that informs them of their charges and rights that protects them against self-incrimination (MirandaWarning.Org,

Law,human right and government report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Law,human right and government report - Essay Example With my self-control ability, determination, and time consciousness, I constantly kept on reminding members to attend meetings and submit their contributions in time since time management is imperative in the success of any group especially academic groups and life in general. Interestingly, many abided. I often consciously reminded team members of participating into meetings in time. My group operated well by following three principles. We were courageous and intimate to tackle the issues that were prevalent. We chose the issue Self Determination of Aboriginals a topic that our tutor cautioned that it was possibly one of the hardest topics and advised us to rethink of another topic. However, team members insisted that we work on such a challenging topic as it would allow us gain greater perception of issues and consequently learn more. Additionally, we maintained a good relationship by embracing forgiveness and apologies for those who did not make to attend meetings. Finally, fairness was highly embraced in task allocation, with each member taking an equal workload thus eliminating any sense of discrimination. I was delegated the task of completing ‘the political context’ of autonomy of aboriginal that included domestic and international political contexts, and its supporters and opponents. Three main tools proved to be helpful in finalizing the task; library database, Google scholar, and Google search webpage. The library database helped me to find outstanding and peer-reviewed articles. The Google scholar provided supplementary literature that might be missing in the library database. The Google search webpage further complemented the research by providing up-to-date news and imperative information about the concept. I used the date of publication/update of articles and reliability to ascertain the usefulness of the literature. The

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 3

Report - Essay Example After World War II Nestlà © saw a boom period and since then it grew at a faster pace leaving behind all the competitors of the market. Nestlà © is also listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange. It is also ranked at the number 1 position in the Fortune 500 companies in 2011. Nestlà © is serving over 150 countries at this time with almost 461 factories or operations in 83 countries. With the help of these facts and figures we can imagine the huge network of Nestlà ©. The basic key factor behind the foundation of Nestlà © Company was the research to find out the alternative for the infants whom mothers cannot feed. This was an intense social thinking and thus we can say that from its origin Nestlà © Company is aimed to work for the people and not for gaining profits. Nestlà © have taken many steps in the social concerns. They always try to satisfy their customer base not only with their products but also with the communication skills. Through this way they give value to the potential customers. Customer and supplier relationship management is an important tool to create a good company name. Nestlà © has always differentiated itself as the company focusing on the people who are very much health and nutrition conscious (Raza 2013). As per recent information, Nestlà © has announced to expand its research and development centre in Singapore. The primary focus of this R & D centre will be health and nutrition. The Nestlà © team also says that th e core aim of their company’s presence is to enhance the quality of people’s lives every day. This is also shown If we consider the world wide operations then there are almost 8000 brands which have been offered by Nestlà ©. As a result they have captured a huge market share and thus achieve success as compare to many other competitive firms. According to a news report Nestlà © is such a biggest company in the food industry that its financial results can predict the

A deeper understanding of the meaning of charity Essay Example for Free

A deeper understanding of the meaning of charity Essay At the beginning of the semester, I was asked to come up with a project for New Testament class that would put what I was learning into a direct application to my life. I asked myself, â€Å"what would make the most positive difference in my life at this moment†? One of the things I struggle with the most is that I think I can generally be too cynical, judgmental, and selfish in my interactions with other people. So, I decided I wanted to learn more about the topic of charity as I studied the New Testament this semester. To know about charity first requires a serious study of it. As I read the assigned passages in the New Testament, I studied them with an emphasis on charity. I would think about each verse I read and try to relate it to charity in some way. Reading the scriptures in this fashion helped me gain insights on charity in every chapter that I studied. I especially enjoyed the â€Å"Becoming QA† assignments because it helped me to ask specifically what I could learn about charity from a given chapter. I continued this pattern for the rest of my scripture study by asking myself inspired questions about how the people in each chapter showed charity (or lack of charity) for one another. For example, reading about Joseph’s reaction to Mary’s unexplained pregnancy in the first chapters of Matthew made me ask myself how he could have had that much charity for his fiancà ©e – Joseph would have naturally concluded that Mary had committed adultery, as what another way could she have gotten pregnant? How did he not freak out? This would have been such a difficult trial for him. After reading a few quotes from Elder James E Talmage, I learned that he loved his fiancà ©e so much, and his faith was so strong, that he immediately believed the angel that came to him explaining the truth. His faith in God led him to have charity for Mary. As I studied charity throughout the semester, I started to understand it better. Understanding bridges the gap between a belief (and action) and simple knowledge. My study of charity helped me know what charity is and how people express it, but I lacked something that would help me truly believe in it. This stepping stone came through prayer and pondering. The Spirit taught me why charity is important for me to obtain as I prayed about what I studied and thought deeply about what specific changes I needed to make in my life. The understanding that I gained from charity led me to a belief. Belief came for me when I took what I had learned and acted upon it. Putting my plans for service and kindness (that I had decided on through pondering and prayer) into action led me to believe that charity is one of the most important principles of the gospel, that Jesus Christ has charity for every one of us, and that I can have charity for my brothers and sisters too. This was the most fundamentally important step in the process for me. When I met the missionaries’ investigator Clarence, I felt genuine sympathy for his family’s problems. I helped them pay for groceries on one occasion when they didn’t have the means, and I had no expectation of them paying me back for it. Although Clarence had every intention of doing so, he wasn’t able to reimburse me before he moved away, and I was surprised to find that I wasn’t disappointed at all. A basic knowledge and understanding of charity would mean that I knew intellectually that I shouldn’t expect anything in return, but because I believed the principle of charity, I felt in my heart that doing the right thing means doing it solely for the benefit of others and nothing else. I felt the Spirit strongly as I served Clarence and his family – and that was all the confirmation that I needed. Change has come into my life this semester as I have come to know, understand, and believe in the principles of charity. Where previously I would look the other way or ignore someone who needs my help, now I am actively on the lookout for people that I can assist I have started looking forward to finding opportunities to show charity to others.   The studying, question asking, and application of my understanding and belief has changed me as an individual and brought me closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ. I have a coworker who can get on my nerves at times. Our personalities clash more than most, and the frequent jokes or comments that he makes towards me or things that I like can be hard for me to deal with. Due to this becoming project, my patience and my empathy for him have increased quite a bit. I find myself brushing off comments that would have bothered me a few months ago. I ask him questions about his interests and they lead to normal conversations. These changes came naturally out of the application of my studies, and they were totally unexpected. It’s a big deal for me to be on good terms with my coworker! I really enjoyed working on this project this semester. I have felt a change in my interactions with others – both in my thoughts and in my external actions such as conversations and service. I believe so strongly that it is possible for every person to develop for others a measure of the love that Christ feels for each of us.   I have a long way to go to get to where I want to be, but I am excited about the changes that I’ve felt so far as I have tried to follow the example of my Savior.

The Future Of Education Essay Example for Free

The Future Of Education Essay Students nowadays used to communicate with people because they are expecting the continuous connection of information. Against the way, they live their lives to put away their personal technology during a class session because there are a few reasons for student expect what they learn at school have the connection with the real world(Kelley, 2009). Besides that, the student can easily access the information by search from Google and a lot of relevant websites will recently produce. Students today grow up with gadgets and everything is on fingertips. That’s how technology conquers student mind and the way they think. This evolution of the study can lead to the generation of innovative students. Live in twenty-century era fully change the ways of working in all area of life. Modern technology hundred percent influenced the changes in education system. This revolution era needs a concrete development plan in education, but over time it must have some factor that will defect the plan which is can be a factor that limits of the contemporary role of education management. The educational institution that applied this new environment will be more modern and successful where people in there does not look like having a traditional way of teaching and learning such as only using the book as their available sources of knowledge.Innovative happen when the people have a creation of ideas, can do something that is outside of the box and keeps the task to be practice. Creativity and innovation are more important in the twenty-first century whereby the knowledge society has been developed so well(Mishra, 2014). One of the factors that people can reveal their creative and innovative skill i s by education. It shows because in education have a learning process where it is can help especially student to hit the road by showing what they have. The nature of online instruction does not allow an instructor to perceived important non-verbal cues that signal in order to be understanding. Other than that, a successful online student can be describe self-motivated, self-directed, exhibiting an internal locus of control with above average executive functioning, communication, interaction and technological skills(Kauffman, 2015). When new idea has been generated, created and developed it show that hat how the innovative behavior been described and the process of a student learning. According to research done by (Thurlings, Evers, and Vermeulen (2015) state that there are a few reason that lead to the changes of teacher behavior because form teaching it can affect the creation of innovative student. Firstly is keep up to date with a quickly changing especially with the community of people. This is because it will lead to demands in knowledge where in fact will increasing for both students and teacher. The next reason is upcoming ne w technologies and understanding of deep things about the teaching require. It is important because it will lead to have a creative idea by apply it with the connection of technologies. Third is the school itself need to show a good example and act which is as the starting point for more innovative behavior of people who is lawfully live a country so they can stay competitive. Education is extremely important in order to help student showing their ability in order to create interesting new things and creative ideas. All technologies are a group of people or devices that are made up of smaller parts of other technologies. That is how the change tries to get better and how they are built through combination and recombination. Some of those technologies in the assembly will be harder and more pre-decide, some softer and open to change by the end users. Softer technologies are those that combine humans in their design and putting into law, where allowing tools to be used in any ways(Anderson Dron, 2014). Social technologies are basically and mostly soft. Other than that, the application of social technology is unable to be separated from the processes, rules, normal behaviors and ways of doing things that are grouped together with them. The technologies provide opportunities and the users as a people, groups, and networks decide how the best use for selfish reasons.

The Globalization And Localization Factors That Affect Next Marketing Essay

The Globalization And Localization Factors That Affect Next Marketing Essay In todays world international business have become easier because of the globalization. International business now has grown over the years because of the benefits it has offered to the world. In this report I will be focussing on the International strategies of the brand NEXT which has business. Next is one of the main fashion labels s and it is certainly one of the biggest Multi-national these days. This report will also focus on micro and macro factors that affect the company. Then I will be considering the globalization and localization factors that affect NEXT. Key environmental variables and core competence with relation to its international strategy. In the end recommendations would be made for the development of the companys international operations. Next was established in 1864 in Leeds as J Hepworth Son, Gentlemans Tailors. The company started with women wear store in 1982 and then gradually upgraded to men, children and interiors. The company was named NEXT in 1986. Now NEXT is a retailer based in UK. It offers its customers stylish and good quality products in different sectors like clothes, footwear and also home products. NEXT distributes its products to the customers by three main channels. These channels are the NEXT Retail, a chain of 500stores in the UK; and the Next Directory, which is a direct mail catalogue and transactional website with more than 2million customers and Next International, with more than 170 stores overseas. (www.nextplc.co.uk, 2009). According to Rugman Hodgetts (2002) International Business is defined as different forms of business transaction taking place across national borders for the purpose of satisfying the needs of individuals and organisations. International business has become more common in past few decades and it has helped many poor countries to grow and has allowed some developing countries to grow more. Across the border transactions have allowed the multi-national companies to reduce their production cost by going to the less developed countries where wage rate is lesser than their own countries. According to Griffin and Pustay (2006), International business consists of the business transactions which are made between two or more countries. For example NEXT buy material from a country and ship it to Srilanka or Bangladesh for stitching and then it goes to different countries to the retail stores of NEXT. Nexts mission is to be the first choice of its customers in the UK and overseas for people who want quality, style and affordable prices. In todays world fashion is changing very frequently so the retailers like Next have to offer its customers with the new products. They just want their customer satisfaction by providing them with the better quality and design with compared to their competitors. Next strategy is to target different group of customers who not only look for good quality but also the better prices. It offers its customers of different classes with affordable prices. According to Gerald Tellis (1989), price is a very important variable in forming a strategy for a business. The public policy makers main focus is to check if they customers are getting reasonable prices for the products they are buying or if they are getting value for money. Another point that he mentions about what the economists look at, if the higher-price products are of good quality or the retailers are charging their customers more than the product worth. Nexts strategy is, they always look for their customer satisfaction by providing them with the affordable prices and the modern style, so that they dont get disappointed. According to Antony Dnes (1995), franchising is a better way to expand your business. Better understanding of franchising could result in successful revival of a business. Franchising authority awards different franchises to the producers by offering them the lowest prices for specific quantity and quality. Next have 170 franchise stores in different countries and have different price ranges for different countries. Nexts Strategy: According to Nexts Annual report of 2009 (ir3.quartalflife.com), their main strategy is to achieve their financial objective which is the delivery of sustainable long term growth in their shareholders value. In 2009 their EPS have gone down, so it is very hard for them to cover up quickly so it is a bit challenging for Next. But they are confident that their long term objectives can be achieved by the strategies they have made after 2009. The board needs to manage its strategic risks to deliver the long term benefits to its stake holders. This strategy has just been planned on normal basis to know how to achieve their goals, but Next is facing challenges from its competitors for example Marks Spencer have opened a eco-factory in Srilanka which would help them reducing their cost, as the plant in that factory is solar so it would use less electricity. So Next has to come up with something special to cut down its cost of production and be able to achieve its financial objectives. Thei r main focus is to improve and develop their range of products in different parts of the world and keep its customers with in the fashion world. They have given their stores a demanding financial criteria and those stores must meet those figures before other investments are made. They are also trying to increase their customers who are shopping by using their Next Directory. They have also considered increasing their gross and net margins by better sourcing and controlling the cost of their products. Macro-environment According to Jobber D, (2007) macro environment consists of environmental issues that may affect business performances. This analysis takes into account those factors such as political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental changes. For successful marketing strategy the company has to focus on these changes, bearing in mind that all these factors are interlinked with each other. Political/Legal The current economic condition faced by the world economy has forced the UK government to take serious notes on their legislations. For instance the recent decrease in VAT was a strategy to increase consumer spending, which was a positive implementation for the current economic condition, however, it did not affected a lot as the government failed to raise consumer lending by financial institutions. This failure of government approach affected NEXT as the peak season (Christmas Sale) went without high sales. Mr Wolfson (CEO) of Next plc has also mentioned the same situation in one of his interviews regarding government policy to tackle the economic conditions. (www.ft.com, 2009). The government latest intervention to kick start the economy was to cut down its interest rate to its all time low last month. The company can benefit from it as it has the opportunity to borrow the money at a very less interest rate. Moreover, NEXT has also got opportunity to attract more investment through share in the stock exchange, as savers will be more willing to invest their money instead of saving it on such a low rate. Economic Since the end of the year 2007 and early start 2008 the world economy was struck by reverse economic condition since 1990. With less consumer spending and global financial institutions collapsing it has resulted in Next share prices plunging. Current affairs show that Next need to survive the economic turbulence instead of its growth. However, companys branding and well established customer loyalty will help the company to survive in this downturn. Socio-culture Speaking of the socio-cultural future it should be mentioned that people retire earlier these days, as well as working shorter hours. Average working hours per week have decreased over the last 20 years. As a result many people have more spare time. This means they have time to compare prices in the High Street and the quality of goods and services from retailers. But as a result, they spend more time in the shops. Another issue these days is the Child Labour. Due to efficient media consumer are well informed and therefore this awareness challenges them to care. They dont want to buy just a product but they look beyond into the production process, labour used, etc. That leads to the issue of child labour in the clothing retail sector. There are companies who rely on it in order to be competitive in the domestic market. For example Marks Spencer had been accused of using child labour in Indonesia in 1999. Once the customers become aware of such practices, companies get into real trouble if they do not respond immediately. Consumers do look for best price but not at the cost of their ethics. NEXT has taken a good care of this and is never found involved in this. (www.hausarbeiten.com, 2009). Environment After looking at the current position and the threats from the different green organizations regarding global warming NEXT has taken many environmental friendly steps. Firstly its 98 stores recycle cardboard and plastic. Annually 11,935 tonnes of cardboard and polythene is recycled that is reused in making 12 million hangers. It has also decreased 7.1% carbon dioxide emission per 1000 parcel delivered/collected. (www.nextplc.co.uk, 2009) Technology Next is equipped with the latest technology in order to compete with their competitors. They have a team of 100 technologists to ensure that they sell safe products. Their technologists have developed specific manuals for the suppliers to ensure they comply with the law and safety and performance standards. (www.nextplc.co.uk, 2009) Micro-environment: According to Jobber (2007), micro-environment consists of the actors in the firms immediate environment that affects its capabilities to operate effectively in the chosen market. The main factors are customers, suppliers and competitors. Customers: According to Jobber (2007), customers are at the centre of the marketing philosophy and effort. So it is very important to satisfy your customers and understand their actual needs. In 2003, the main customer for NEXT were aged 25-44, but in 2008 that has changed to 20-34-years-old (www.nextplc.co.uk). Therefore, it seems to be that the NEXT is now attracting more young customers. The next always had good quality, good reputation and excellent customer service. The other is that they have also varied their product and introduced more style into it. Its online service is also becoming popular. Suppliers and Distributors: According to Jobber (2007), business is really influenced by the suppliers of a company. Next wants its suppliers to work with them closely, and they are committed to provide their customers with the products which are made in tidy and safe environment. Their main aims are to communicate their moral standards to the suppliers, and to promote good work places in the countries where their suppliers are, and to build capacity with the international chain of suppliers. Next by itself is a retailer so it reaches its customers by franchises and online web orders. It has also the Online Web directory, from where its customers can buy the products they want and also they have broachers and catalogues to sell their products to the end customers. Competitors: Next has two main competitors Debenhams and Marks and Spencer Group. Due to the recession many multi-nationals sales and their profit has gone down, and now they are making strategies to achieve their objectives. Because of the recession companys were unable to achieve their planned growth and targets. Because of economic downturn many companies have fallen to make cuts in their aspects of business. This could be a good short-term solution but it could cause problems for providing the customers with the quality and efficiency they want in the products. MSs net profit has gone down in 2009 if compared to 2008s figures. In 2008, its Net profit was  £821m which was recorded as  £506m and their earning per share has also dropped by 35.7p per share, as it was 43.6p in 2008 where as in 2009 it was recorded as 28.0p. But they are now trying to cover up their net profit of last year by eco-factory in Srilanka which would help them save their costs of production as it uses the solar power so it would use less electricity. They have planned,(Plan A) to response to the challenges and has set sustainability targets for 2012, and the commitments to achieve their goals. They have now started online international delivery to 80 countries, which could help them gain more customers all over the world as people would not have to visit the store or if they do not have any store nearby they can still get the MS products online (corporate.marksandspencer.com). Debenhams Annual report for 2009 shows that its net profit and EPS have grown as compared to 2008. Net profit was recorded as  £95.1m in 2009, whereas in 2008 it was  £77.1m and their EPS was noted as 10.0p in 2009 and in 2008 it was 9.0p per share. Their main strategy to boost up their business in the future is to have more space for their stores, have multi-channel expansion and balance sheet optimisation, which would help them. In this era of recession Debenhams have managed to make more profit then the previous year by their strategies. According to their report of 2009, market shares gains have been achieved on a regular basis for some two years. This shows that they have been planning for their business very well so that they can overcome any hurdle. (www.investis.com) If we see the financial report of Next for 2009, it is a bit disappointing for them as its Net Profit has gone down from  £353.9m to  £302.3 in 2008 to 2009 respectively. And the EPS has dropped by 12.7p per share as it was 168.7p in 2008 and in 2009 it decreased to 156.0p per share. (ir3.quartalflife.com) Globalization Localisation drivers: According to Ricky and Putsay (2006), international business has grown very quickly in the past ten years that many experts believe this era to be the era of globalization. According to him Globalization can be defined as the inexorable integration of markets, nation-states, and technologies. Globalization has now enabled the people to reach around the world more quickly and cheaply than ever before. The world is getting closer day-by-day in terms of business, now it is normal that a company would do business with companies in other countries. It has now led to the escalation of international trade in the economies of the world. Next has been very benefited by the globalization as it has been able to get the products stitched at very cheap price from the Asian countries. Globalization drivers Next understands the needs of its customers from different areas of the world and offer them with affordable prices. Next have very effective marketing channels like accessing the customers via internet, fashion magazines, TV etc. According to Simpson and Thorpe (1999), understanding differences between customers and difference in terms of product and service expectation is very important for international expansion. Next understands the need of its customers and provides its customers with the up-to-date fashion and it keeps them with the rapidly changing style with affordable prices. According to Ricky and Putsay (2006), importance of the foreign direct investment is also increasing because of globalization. It was just 2.4% in 1980 but by 2004 FDI equalled almost 22% of years GDP. It can help the business to grow internationally and earn more profit for the company. FDI can help the business in different ways. For example if Next goes to do business in Pakistan, the currency fluctuation would help Next, as in when it invest in Pakistan it would invest in Pakistani rupees and after getting the product and selling here in UK in pounds would definitely help to boost their sales profits. They would get cheap labour in Pakistan so they would save their production cost. As Pakistan is still a developing country so it would want multi-nationals to invest there, and they may provide Next with Tax Subsidiary for some time. Core Competence: According to Ricky and Putsay (2006), a core competence is a distinctive strength or advantage that is central to a firms operation. The companys main strength would be its core competence over its competitors. The company needs to identify the things they do well. Nexts core competence over its customers is it targets a wide range of people from different classes by offering the products and style they want with affordable prices. They also have been focussing on expanding their business in different parts of the world through franchising. It has also created its brand image overseas, which is very important for a company. According to Keller (1993), brand image is perception about a brand as reflected by the brand associations held in customer memory. Nexts brand image helps the business to grow much faster for example if a person has a good perception of Next in his mind, he would tell his friends and the people he knows to buy its products, which is a very efficient way of market ing. Next has an edge over its competitors that it is targeting the market which comprises of mainly the youngsters. As youngsters are more into fashion then anyone so it helps Next to get more customers then its competitors. As mentioned earlier, Next strategy is to provide its customers with the quality and style they want with affordable prices whereas if we look at the prices of its competitors, they target higher class. Recommendations: Next should try to bring more innovation in cloth manufacturing because by doing this they could attract more and more young customers to buy their products and also concentrate on the changing trends in the fashion world. Because of the economic crisis all over the world people do not want to spend more, so Next should do price cutting in their products and have promotional offers in the store to attract more people. Next needs to follow its competitors, as it is the era of global warming, so they should work on making the world eco-friendly by building plants like MS did, it would also reduce the production cost for them. To promote its brand Next could also target the markets where they have suppliers and the neighbouring countries for example if they are manufacturing there products in Bangladesh, they could target the neighbouring countries as there are a lot of emerging economies so it would help them grow their business in those economies. And if they promote their business in countries like Pakistan where they would not have a lot of competition as Next has a well-known brand name and the competitors would not be able to compete with their strategies and they could make much profit from these types of markets.

King Leopold and the Belgian Congo Essay -- African History Essays

King Leopold and the Belgian Congo It is widely debated why exactly King Leopold decided to conquer the Congo, but the general consensus seems to be that it was out of the belief that â€Å"the highlands of the Congo may be as rich in gold as the mountains of the western slope of the American Continent† (Stead). In the mid-1870s, the King hired Henry Stanley, who was familiar with many parts of Africa, to help him go about conquering. During the following years Stanley stayed in Africa, talking various tribes into signing over their lands and rights. After this was completed the King officially took over the Congo, renaming it the Congo Free State. This was especially ironic because all natives of the country were either forced to give up their way of life in exchange for virtual slavery in the ivory trade, agriculture, or the rubber traffic, or die trying to escape fate. Leopold was undeterred by the amount of suffering and death in the Congo, brought on by his rule. Belgian soldiers and officials were known f or their cruelty in their methods to make, and then keep, Congo natives wo...

An Analytical Essay on Hamlet as Ghost Story, Detective Story and Revenge Story :: The Tragedy of Hamlet Essays

An Analytical Essay on Hamlet as Ghost Story, Detective Story and Revenge Story    William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, is a ghost story, a detective story and a revenge story all within one plot. Throughout the play, qualities of all three types of stories are displayed. The ghost story consists of Hamlet Senior and the circumstances surrounding his untimely demise at the hands of the present King, Claudius. He is being tortured in hell until his death is properly avenged. The detective aspect of Hamlet is brought about by Hamlet trying to figure out whether or not his fathers ghost was real and also to what, if any extent, his mother the "virtuous" Queen Gertrude was involved with the murder of his Father. Both Hamlet and Laertes, bring yet another aspect to this most versatile play, by seeking revenge for their fathers death, each in their own way. By viewing the play as either one or all of these different aspects we learn to have different perspectives on the play.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story of Hamlet Senior's death is the ghost story aspect of the play. Hamlet Senior, the late king, was being tormented in hell throughout the daylight hours and during the night he was forced to walk the castle. He stated that he was "Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night, And for the day confin'd to fast in fires, Till the foul crimes done in my [being the late King's] days of nature Are burnt and purg'd away (50 lines 10-13). His release from this torture would not be permitted until his avenger is retaliated against by his son. Hamlet, Francisco and Bernardo all see the ghost of the late king, but the apparition will only speak to his son. The ghost brings an unnatural feel to the drama and leaves the reader/viewer wondering if it was real or all in Hamlet's mind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hamlet is made to do some detective work in this melodrama. His first order of business was to figure out if the ghost of his father that he thought he saw, was in fact real and if it was, was it unfeigned or a demon. Then, he must decide if the ghost of his father was truthful about Claudius, his father's brother, Hamlet's uncle who was also the reigning King, committing fratricide against his father. To find evidence of Claudius' involvement, Hamlet uses the players, to bring about his uncles deep seated feelings hopefully lodged in his conscience.