Is Shakespeares portrayal of a patriarchal Verona ironic and subversive, or is the play an endorsement of male power Essay Example

Is Shakespeares portrayal of a patriarchal Verona ironic and subversive, or is the play an endorsement of male power? Essay In order for me to answer the essay question the definition of patriarchy must first of all be established. The Oxford English dictionary describes patriarchy as a system of society or government ruled by men, suggesting that a patriarchal society is a society in which men completely dominate everything, such as political life and domestic life. Feminist critic Sasha Roberts supports this meaning as she defines patriarchy as a society dominated by men. During the Elizabethan period, brawls and feuds were part of peoples daily routine. Joan Homler views the constant quarrelling as a daily reality for the Elizabethans. In Romeo and Juliet the feud between the families of Montague and Capulet is a feud so ancient nobody recalls its genesis, and yet it is so widespread it threatens civic order. Although feuds were very common, they were mainly between factions of the aristocracy Sasha Roberts depicts this irrelevant-violence as a crucial facet of masculinity and also suggests that a certain faction of the aristocracy used duelling as a means of asserting power. Coppelia Kahn agrees with this patriarchal reason for feuding as she argues that feuding was the medium through which criteria of patriarchy oriented masculinity is voiced. The feuding appears to symbolise the malevolent masculinity that pervades Elizabethan England. The historian Robert Lacey, in his book, Robert, Earl of Essex, contributes to this view saying: We will write a custom essay sample on Is Shakespeares portrayal of a patriarchal Verona ironic and subversive, or is the play an endorsement of male power? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Is Shakespeares portrayal of a patriarchal Verona ironic and subversive, or is the play an endorsement of male power? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Is Shakespeares portrayal of a patriarchal Verona ironic and subversive, or is the play an endorsement of male power? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In such an age of naked brutality and casual bloodshed it was no coincidence that Shakespeares plays should centre on personally inflicted acts of justice and revenge Although Shakespeares period is ruled by a woman, Elizabeth I, it was a patriarchal society and this is reflected in Romeo and Juliet however, whether Shakespeare endorses male power or attempts to subvert it, is the question I will be exploring in this essay. In the opening scene of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare presents various phallic images, through sexual slang and innuendo, which suggest a patriarchal Verona. For instance, Sampson, a Capulet servant, is conversing with Gregory, another Capulet servant, about his desires to sexually assault the Montague women: and thrust his maids to the wall. (Act1 Scene1, lines 16-17) This reference to rape from Sampson symbolises his status and power over women. It is possible to imply that Shakespeares choice of language is an indication of his endorsement of a patriarchal society. Another example which suggests Shakespeares support of patriarchy is during Sampson and Gregorys conversation: and therefore women being the weaker vessel are ever thrust to the wall. (Act1 Scene1, lines 14-15) Shakespeares decision to use the biblical term weaker vessel, derived from The First Epistle General of Peter, (chapter 3, verse 7), gives the idea that women are the weaker sex. Shakespeare appears to supports patriarchy as he suggests that Christianity fortifies patriarchy and therefore suggest that his beliefs are justified. Shakespeare is also associated with supporting patriarchy in the opening scene through his choice of dictions which introduce strong phallic images; to stand (Act 1 Scene 1, line 8) and long sword (Act 1 Scene 1 line 66) in a phallic perspective suggest to have an erection; tool (Act 1 Scene 1, line 30) and naked weapon (Act 1 Scene 1 line 32) both present an image of a phallus. Shakespeares attempt to imprint these phallic imageries into the mind of the audience can be interpreted as Shakespeare supporting patriarchy as he is suggesting that the phallus can be used to gain power and dominion over women and even possibly men. Although, as Sasha Roberts suggests, each generation rewrites Shakespeare for its own purposes it seems directors such as Baz Lurhmann have tried to direct their interpretation of Romeo and Juliet as Shakespeare would have done if he was alive today. To reflect Shakespeares possible support of patriarchy it appears Lurhmann includes elements such as very tall buildings in the opening scene, which create phallic images, and in turn they create a symbol of male power. Another element in Lurhmanns interpretation of Romeo and Juliet which suggests he believes Shakespeare supports patriarchy, is obtained from the male supremacy created in Tybalts character. He is presented in spaghetti-western style, which indicates his possessing of great authority and power, subsequently suggesting that generally all men possess this supremacy. The language employed by Shakespeare in the opening scene can be analysed as Shakespeares way of intensifying his support of the patriarchal society that existed during the Elizabeth Is reign. His use of lewd language seems to serve as a way of bringing forth his endorsement of patriarchy and as a dramatic function, as Molly Mahood suggests. In Romeo and Juliet the plot is enveloped in patriarchy particular in the Capulet household. And it is in the Capulet household were most forms of patriarchy are endorsed or challenged by the mother figures of Lady Capulet and the Nurse. In Lady Capulets first appearance on stages she challenges Capulets action and behaviour: Capulet: Give me my long sword, ho! Lady Capulet: A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword? (Act 1 Scene 1 lines 66-67) This sarcastic intervention is challenging patriarchy as sword meant penis in contemporary sexual slang and she arguably insults Capulets virility by suggesting his sword is inappropriate and redundant. Lady Capulet again criticizes her husbands behaviour saying, Fie, fie you are too hot (Act 3 Scene 5 line 176). Lady Capulet appears to be challenging a patriarchal society in which men are irrelevantly violent. Another example of patriarchy being subverted is found when Lady Capulet threatens to put Capulet under surveillance: Ay, you have been a mouse- hunt in your time, / But I will watch from such a watching now. (Act 4 Scene 4 line 11-12) Again it is possible to suggest that patriarchal authority is being subordinated, as Lady Capulet is reversing what as being described as the patriarchal gaze, in which women were subjects to mens surveillance. The Nurse is also part of this defiance of patriarchy as she fights for Juliet saying God in heaven bless her! (Act 3 Scene 3 line 168). In addition to this, she expresses her disapproval of Capulet saying you are to blame, my lord, to rate her so. (Act 3 Scene 3 line 169). From this it is apparent of Nurses subversion of patriarchy. Although both Lady Capulet and the Nurse challenge patriarchy they also endorse patriarchy and accept the inevitable defeat to men. The Nurses use of bawdy language, which encourages Romeo to stand up, stand, and you be a man (Act 3 Scene 3 line 87), is an example of the Nurse endorsing patriarchy. The Nurses use of stand bears a bawdy resonance of the erected penis and in doing so it appears she recognises that there is no way to bring to an end the patriarchal dominance of her society. Lady Capulets endorsement of patriarchy takes place when she rejects her daughter: Talk not to me, for Ill not speak a word. Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee. (Act 3 Scene 3 lines 202-203) Lady Capulet appears to be commanding her daughter, just like Capulet always does, but this time to submit to a patriarchal society just like she herself has. Through this Lady Capulet has endorsed patriarchy when she aligns herself with him and his control over Juliet. It is impossible to establish a full conclusion as to whether Romeos character is weak or strong and passive or assertive; this is due to various examples of Romeo being each of these characteristics. For instance Romeo is portrayed as a weak character is through his refusal to be aggressive and to quarrel with Tybalt. Another example of Romeos weakness is witnessed during his feminine behaviour as he cries after being banished from Verona. Friar Laurence criticizes his effeminacy, saying Art thou a man? Thy tears are womanish. (Act 3 Scene 3 lines 108;109) Friar Laurence reveals his attachment to patriarchal assumptions of feminine weakness and masculine mastery, and it is also clear that he believes, tears are conceived to be a sign of emotional vulnerability which should be only found in women. Friar Laurence also describes Romeo as an ill-beseeming beast (Act 3 Scene 3 line 112) that is unseemly woman in a seeming man (Act 3 Scene 3 line 111). Friar Laurence is suggesting that Romeo is behaving in an inappropriate manner like a woman; whereas men, by contrast, should show more strength and assume their position as the head of the house. However Romeo is viewed to be behaving in a completely contrasting manner. You can see this by the rash decision he makes: he is compelled to sneak into the Capulets garden just to catch a glimpse of her. This shows how strong his character is, and that he is assertive rather than being weak and passive. Nevertheless I am unable to suggest that Romeo character is definitely strong and assertive as there are other examples which suggest he is weak and passive. Shakespeare puts considerable emphasis on male bonding and friendship. This is, according to feminist critics, due to the fact that male friendships of the play are partly responsible for the tragedy that falls on Romeo and Juliet. It is this male friendship which leads to the demise of Mercutio and Tybalt who both die, and Romeo who is banished from Verona, and loses his true love: Mercutio is insulted by Romeos persistence to not fight that he decides to fight on Romeos behalf. Consequently, Tybalt murders him. It is at this point that male bonding conflicts with love for a wife; Romeo at first refused to fight Tybalt because he loves Juliet in such a way that he rejects his masculinity. However, after the death of Mercutio, the male bonding is rapidly ignited and Romeo kills Tybalt for Mercutios soul (Act 3 Scene 1 line 117). As Sasha Roberts suggests the bonds between men are defended to the death, unlike the female bonds which are strong but are not protected fiercely, possibly because of mens patriarchal obsession. Shakespeare at this point in the play has clearly endorsed patriarchy by pointing out how it is strongly defended, compared to matriarchy. It can be considered ironical that the two characters, Capulet and Old Montague, who are the ultimate symbols of a patriarchal Verona, are also the prime examples of anxious men. They are both anxious about the possibilities of losing their omnipotent status: Capulet is apprehensive about his ever more challenging and disobedient daughter, Juliet and also prospect of losing power to Tybalt; while Old Montague is agitated and alarmed about being overtly out-classed by Capulet. This suggests that although Shakespeares portray of Verona is endorsed, there is possibly an ironic sensation to this depiction. The idea of romantic love appears to be rejected by Shakespeare as his play ends with Romeo and Juliet dying, rather than living happily ever after, like a typical love story. It seems that this end on a tragic note is Shakespeares way of suggesting that romantic love is destined for failure. This notion of Shakespeare rejecting romantic love is intensified as this concept is yet again incorporated by him in A Midsummer Nights Dream, where the two lovers Pyramus and Thisbe s faith concludes unhappily with their death. From this is possible to suggest that Shakespeare, a likely supporter of patriarchy and the masculine ideas that follow patriarchy, viewed romantic love as an opposition of patriarchy and therefore reflects his rejection of romantic love in Romeo and Juliet as an indication of his endorsement of patriarchy. Like Romeos character, it is also moderately difficult to come to a definite climax about Juliets character. On her first appearance is submissive, conventional and demure, but rapidly matures to womanhood. Feminist critic Sasha Roberts describes Juliet as far from being a simple, conventional heroine. She views her as a multidimensional character bringing forth the idea that she is a multifaceted and versatile character. Sasha Roberts also views Juliet as an unruly woman: Rather than representing a female ideal Juliet evokes the problematic figure of the unruly woman; the woman who challenges patriarchal dictates and social convention. This idea that Juliet is very much an assertive character is noticeable in many scenes, one of them being the balcony scene in which she has double the number of lines as Romeo, dominates the conversation and continuously orders Romeo Well do not swear (Act 2 Scene 2 line 116). This dominance, including her subversion against patriarchy has made me conclude that Juliets character is strong and assertive. Over the years many critics have raised many questions surrounding Mercutios character, and the most famous question seems to be, is Mercutio a misogynist? In my opinion having read his infamous Queen Mab speech, Mercutio appears to be a misogynist. This view has being constructed due to Mercutios reference to women as merely sexual and reproductive objects rather than subjects: This is the hag, when maids lie on their back, / That presses them and learns them first to bear, / Making them women of good carriage. This is she- (Act 1 Scene 4 line 91-93). His use of the word hag- an incubus or nightmare that induced evil, suggests his true feelings of repulsion towards women. Coppelia Kahn take these lines to reveal Mercutios fear of giving in to the seething nighttime world of unconscious desires associated with the feminine, from this it appears Mercutio is a misogynistic character. In Terry Hands 1973 RSC production he deliberately emphasizes the latent misogyny and sexual anxiety present in Mercutio during the Queen Mab speech: Mercutio carried a grotesque, coarse-featured, life-size female doll, upon which he vented clearly sado-masochistic sexual loathing which was both deeply-disturbed and equally disturbing. In this pivotal moment of the play it is very apparent of Mercutios misogynistic characteristic. Capulets unfair treatment of Juliet and his family widely reveals how, in Shakespeares epoch, fathers controlled the lives of wives and daughters and also regarded them as possessions. This treatment reflects the subordinate position of women during the Elizabethan period. An example of this is Capulets commandment over his wife, go you to her ere you go to bed, this mirrors the reality that women had limited personal autonomy; their status and roles were subject to the tyranny of patriarchy and their rights were restricted, legally, socially and economically. Having analysed the question of patriarchy in Romeo and Juliet, I conclude that there is insufficient evidence to conclude whether Shakespeares portrayal of a patriarchal Verona is endorsed or subverted and ridiculed. This is due to various examples which support both ideas; for example Romeos effeminacy and Juliets assertiveness can be viewed as Shakespeare subverting patriarchy; however the dominance of male characters such as Capulet, Tybalt, Mercutio, Benvolio and Sampson, and also the inclusion of a biblical term which hints that patriarchy is accepted can both be viewed as Shakespeares support of patriarchy. In my opinion, another element which could affect how the audience views Shakespeares portrayal of a patriarchal is the interpretation of Romeo and Juliet, for example I recently saw a production of Romeo and Juliet performed by an all-boys school. In this production the homo-eroticism of the play is emphasized and there appeared to be an ironic and subverted depiction of a patriarchal Verona, due to an all male cast. Overall the ambiguity of Shakespeares portray of Verona has made it very difficult to come to a definite conclusion therefore I end this essay by suggesting that Shakespeares opinion of patriarchy, obtained from the Elizabethan society and reflected in his portray of Verona, is that of both subversion and endorsement.

Food Coffee and Seattle Essay

Food Coffee and Seattle Essay Food: Coffee and Seattle Essay Jessica Greene When the city of Seattle is mentioned in conversation the first thing that comes to most people's mind is the Space Needle, but the second is probably coffee. Seattle is filled with coffee: Starbucks, Tully's, Seattle's Best Coffee, and many other coffee shops. So what is it like to live in Seattle and not like to drink coffee? Well I know that answer to that question first-hand. I can count on one hand the number of times that I have tasted coffee, and each time I had the same response: "Yuck!" I do not like coffee, I have never liked coffee, and I do not think I ever will like coffee. In Seattle, coffee is not just a drink with caffeine that is made in the morning to get the day started; coffee seems to be a drink that people cannot live without. People drink coffee with breakfast, with lunch, with dinner, before bed, and whenever they have a free moment. In Seattle, drinking coffee has become a social event. I cannot count the number of times that my friends and I have gone out for coffee, as if it is the same as going to the mall or watching a movie. I do not understand the fascination. I like to drink Diet Dr. Pepper, but I do not ever invite people to go out and drink some Diet Dr. Pepper with me. I do not understand is why I am looked upon as strange because I do not like coffee. Coffee is just a drink. I know a ton of people who prefer diet sodas, to regular sodas, but neither group is considered odd by the other; yet the fact that I do not chose to drink coffee is unthinkable to coffee-drinkers. My mom has told me that I will grow into liking coffee, but why do I need to grow into it? I am not lacking in nutrition by not drinking coffee, and I certainly do not feel like I am missing out on anything in life by not drinking coffee. Yet many people have tried to change my mind. Many of the times that I have "gone out for coffee" with my friends one of them has tried to push his/her drink on me with the notion

Advantages of Economic Growth

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Financial overview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Financial overview - Essay Example For this purpose, the raw material will be collected on a donation basis from the general public through online and off line advertisement, and designers and artists would be recruited from the target customers to convert that raw material into products. Therefore, the initial investment on the collection of raw material would be negligible, and most of the investment would be spent on the setting up of retail and flag shops, and the development of websites and other online platforms for interaction between the customers and the business owner. The business is aimed to be launched in three cities simultaneously. The overall budget is estimated to be around $50,000. The following is the chart representing the breakdown of the budget for the venture: The fluctuation in the exchange rate of the currency as regards foreign currency is a major determinant when choosing international markets for the launch and operation of businesses. The Japanese market is quite volatile in this regard (Reuters, 2011); it is determined that the Japanese Yen has gone from  ¥76 to  ¥84 in relation to U.S. dollar in the past six months this year (Reuters, 2011). This is a great increase on the price of the dollar, of more than ten percent (Reuters, 2011), and is testament of a relatively unstable business environment. Multi national companies hesitate to invest in a market with currency values fluctuating in the values of more than one percent (Reuters, 2011). To counter this risk of business failure, GAAFE would wait till the launch time coincides with the highest currency value so that maximum profits could be attained. If a low value

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Storm Drainage Design Project - Essay Example The height of rainfall and the river discharge in terms of the river level were shown on the vertical axis using two different scales. Height of rainfall is plotted in terms of millimetres, while river level (river height) is plotted in terms of 1 x 10-1 meter. For example, the river height observed at 00:00:00 of October 12 is 0.283 meters, but in plotting the hydrograph, 0.283 was multiplied 10 and plotted as 2.83, instead. This scheme was utilised for aesthetic purposes in the desired hydrograph. Data were, however, analyzed using the original value and unit of the river level per hour of observation. As illustrated in Figure 4, river started to rise in the river at 11:00:00 hours on October 13 when rainfall reached its first peak at 1.20 mm. Interestingly, the second rain peak (also at 1.20 mm.) occurred after 10 hours at 21:00:00 of the same day (October 13). It may be observed from the hydrograph that as the second peak of the rainfall approached, river flow also reached a mini-peak. From hereon, the rising limb of the river flow was very clearly defined. From the first peak of rainfall, the basin lag time was calculated to be 22 hours. This means that it took 22 hours after the first peak of rainfall for the river flow to reach its peak. From the second peak of rainfall, the basin lag time was 12 hours. The average discharge for the rising limb (Q1) of the river flow is calculated as follows: The duration for the peak flow to return back to base flow is 46 hours. Several factors which affect the characteristics of storm or rainfall hydrographs have been described from existing literature. Each of these factors were analysed with respect to the River Cynon hydrograph. The catchment area of 160 sq. km. (Environment Agency – Wales, 2005) is considerably large, which should explain the long lag time of 22 hours before the river flow reached its peak. A large catchment area also tends to receive more precipitation, and subsequently

Creative educational tools Essay Example for Free

Creative educational tools Essay â€Å"We visualise and develop creative educational tools that provoke inspirational activity and bring positive recurring stimuli for children in their learning process and creative play. We believe on the power of creative education.† – Innospark Our team has chosen Innospark, Lithuania, which is actually a new company who produces educational toys for young children. Education is very important aspect of each persons life, especially in this century, so having the children start their educational journey in the early age is very important. Growing bigger, becoming a competitor on the Lithuanian market, Innospark decides to go outside the local market and take a chance on different European markets. Us being able to choose the market we came to agreement to have two markets, first Poland and second, Scandinavia. Considering that Poland is one of EU’s fast developing countries, which also has a lot of investors coming from around the globe and where the middle income is growing rapidly, we decided that Innospark would have a big chance in conquering the Polish market fast. Also there is almost no competition on the market, on their particular product. Scandinavia on the other hand is developed and open for new companies, giving them new opportunities. Even though, there is one actual competitor, Innospark has different kind of products which can easily compete with the others. Our decision on the entry mode is direct export. It is easy to implement in smaller countries, trade barriers are reduced to minimum, because all the countries are EU members and capital requirement is limited. The potential of getting profits are greater, because of the intermediaries are eliminated. All aspects of the transaction are controlled by us. We know who are customers are, our customers know who we are and business trips are more efficient and effective with meeting the customers face to face, for more confidence and trust. Customer relations are one of the most important part, they will feel more confident and secure with our product, once we establish the worming contact with them. We also have to have a total control over the negotiations and transactions, also the patents, copyright and trademarks. For future plans we are considering bigger improvements and expansions on the markets. We also considered about three employees with standard salary (Poland), proximately 410 euros, which is a normal salary for Poland. Advertisement for our product will be throughout the internet.  First the webpage of Innospark and the possibility of Facebook, opening a page is free and getting more customers will be faster and easier, we also would be able to advertise our page with a very low cost. 1. Market Segmentation As stated in the previous section, the market has been segmented by Innospark into two distinct customers, i.e. individuals and businesses. Individuals: The purchases made by this segment are usually single purchases for own kids or someone known to the individual customer. The demographics of this segment can be classified as: An average household income of 1500 Euros Parents have high aspirations for children with respect to education and development Businesses: This category includes business clients who buy toys for children. These clients are also organizations such as day-care, as well as school-based organizations like pre-school and/or nursery. This segment generally caters for seven to twenty five children. 2. Target Market Segment Strategy Exporting is a method of increasing sales potential for businesses. To go international, a company does not need to be big in size or have a huge marketing department. The Lithuanian market represents enough sales potential for Innospark. However, it is important for the firm to grow and the only way to do so is by exploiting the untapped markets, one of them being Poland. As per Euromonitor, the traditional toys and games market in Poland has been dominated by global brands for many years by companies such as Lego, Hasbro, Mattel and Simba. These companies have dictated general trends in the Poland toys market. This indicates that the Poland toys market represents a good opportunity for Innospark since consumers seem to be accepting global brands. Apart from increasing the customer base, exporting would also mean increased market share, and therefore increased profitability by lowering per unit cost. As per a general trend, an average order from international customer is often large r as compared to that from a domestic buyer. This means that exporting its toys can result in an increase in Innospark’s perceived size and stature. Additionally, it will also improve its competitive position, as compared to other similar-sized  startups in its sector. Through growth in business, Innospark may also look at overseas licensing, franchising, or may even set up its production unit in Poland. Additionally, the educational toys that Innospark is offering are very unique and innovative in nature. This opportunity can be exploited by commanding greater profit margins in Poland than in Lithuania. Although Lithuania helped the export-oriented economy in avoiding exchange-rate fluctuation by pegging the Lithuanian currency (the Lithai) to the Euro in 2002, other fluctuations in the economy and business cycles cannot be avoided altogether. Diversifying the market is therefore a feasible option for Innospark to reduce the risks. Also, exporting the products to Poland will help put the idle capacity at work, which will help Innospark to enjoy pure economies of scale with toys that are more global in scope. These products are also most likely to have a wider range of acceptance globally in the long run when Innospark grows and penetrates into other markets. From consumer point of view, Innospark will have to make sure that it offers products of the highest quality at a competitive price in Poland. If it becomes successful as an exporter, chances are highly likely that the educational toys will have increased acceptance in Poland as well due to Innospark’s heightened efficiency and focus on product quality. Lastly, Innospark also stands to gain from the export activities by a potential gain of knowledge. The myriad experiences and gain of information on new technologies, marketing ideas and product line extension that it will have in Poland can help Innospark to improve and grow not only its export business, but also the domestic business. 3. Entry mode As both countries (Lithuania and Poland) are part of EU, trade barriers are minimal. With reference to this information two the most attractive ways for â€Å"Innospark† to entry the new market has been selected: Indirect exports Direct exports Criteria Indirect exports Direct exports Implementation Find an export agent or freight forwarder from Poland, which could handle exporting and would be responsible for coordinating, could be a good choice, as local employees know their home market (customer’s needs, ways to attract them) better. Directly export products to customers (could be wholesalers or individual consumers) which are interested in purchasing them, without any intermediaries. This could lead to a better representation and protection of company’s trademark. Involvement in process Requires minimal involvement in exporting process. The company would be responsible only for finding any kind of intermediary (export agent or export managing company, freight forwarder, etc.).In that way â€Å"Innospark† would be able to continuously concentrate on Lithuania’s market and at the same time increase its market share in Poland. Requires maximum involvement in exporting process as company becomes responsible for developing understanding of a marketplace, handling logistics of shipment, collecting any kind of payments that might be needed to be paid, implementing support service. The market share in Poland might increase greater; however, domestic market would be a little bit â€Å"neglected†. Risk Almost none. This is the best way to field-test export potential for certain products. It might appear that it takes more time, money, energy than company is able to afford. Responsibility Intermediary would be responsible for failures, because indirect export requires minimal involvement in processes – there would always be someone to point the finger at if something went wrong, or not the way it was expected. The â€Å"Innospark† would be accountable for its failures. Being responsible for all exporting process will demand more effort from every level of the company. Potential profits Profits would be lower. Profits would be greater. Control Company would lose control over foreign sales because of the intermediary’s existence in the exporting-selling process. Company would have a better control of all phases of the transaction (ex. Shipment, selling, etc.) Contact with customers â€Å"Innospark† would have no direct contact with its customers. As a result, company might lose the opportunity to get to know the evolving needs of the consumers. â€Å"Innospark† would have direct contact with its customers. As a result, not only company will be able to get to know its customers and their needs, but also customers will know who â€Å"Innospark† is. Business trips Business trips might seem useless as company would be step removed from actual transaction because only intermediary would be able to know the latest information. Business trips would be efficient, useful and informative. There would be an opportunity to meet customers responsible for representing the products of the company. Long-term goals If suddenly the long-term outlook and goals of the company change, the reorientation of the company will be harder as production would already be in someone else’s hands. The reorientation would be easier as the â€Å"Innospark† would be the only unit responsible for exporting production of the company to Poland. As it is clearly visible from the table above direct exports has both, advantages and disadvantages. Analogue situation is with indirect exports. However, because the one of the main concerns on which is based the decision which entry mode should be selected, is contact with customers, the advantages of direct exports had outweighed advantages of indirect exports. With reference to information mentioned previously, the suggested entry mode for â€Å"Innospark† to entry Poland market is – Direct exports. The â€Å"Innospark† will focus on two types of consumers during this entry: Individual consumers (ex. parents, grandparents, aunts, etc.) Wholesale consumers (ex. kindergartens, daycare centers, etc.) The main and most important question is – why? Why consumers are such an essential part of the entry mode? The table below should answer this question. Reason Explanation Consequences Better margins Despite the fact that sales scope will be smaller, margins will be higher. More profit Closer contact with customers Stronger relationships which lead to loyalty will be developed by selling directly to customers, excluding any kind of intermediaries. This will form a more accurate feedback – better knowledge about evolving consumers’ needs. Products that satisfies consumers’ needs better Customers’ loyalty Word of mouth advertising Increase in the market share More profit More efficiency Fewer layers involved in distribution Simpler managing of the distribution processes Future plans â€Å"Innospark† will sell direct to the consumers and also to wholesaler purchasers, who will be responsible for representing the trademark and the products of the company. While this entry mode (Direct export) creates more work for â€Å"Innospark† in terms of generating sales, it provides better margins. Additionally, this process will be more costly, having in mind not only money, but also time and energy, for the first few years; however, once loyal relationships will be developed with individual consumers as well as the wholesale purchasers, the marketing expenses will decrease extremely as the customers become familiar with the â€Å"Innospark’s† extraordinary and exclusive products and continue to make purchases. What is more, loyal customers will not only constantly acquire products, but also introduce them to their friends, family members, etc. company will get free word of mouth advertising. 4. Industry Analysis The toy industry in Poland is characterized by many different domestic toy manufacturers (ex. TUBAN, KANWIL) also as global manufacturers who exports their production to the country (ex. Mattel, LEGO). Nevertheless, there is a  niche of educational toys which „Innospark† can take advantage from as this niche is quite new (within the last five years) and more legitimized nowadays comparing to the situation ten years ago when it was believed that toy can’t have any educational value – it was assumed that toy is just a meaningless way to occupy children giving parents’ a brake from parenthood. Only recently it was proved that there are some special designed toys which not only attracts children’s attention but also teach them constructrive skills at the same time as develop their imagination and ability to concentrate. It would be a great opportunity for „Innospark† to establisth itself while this niche is not overloaded. As it is clearly visible from the table above, competitors mainly focus is on eco-friendly wooden toys or constructors. â€Å"Innospark† would be like a â€Å"gust of the fresh air† in the Poland’s market with its creative solutions applied  to make outstanding educational toys and wide assortment of the products. 5. Staffing policy We decided to start with Warsaw and hire local staff, because, introducing our product, advertising will be more efficient in capital city than in other small towns. The minimum salary will be 405 and more, depending on the work level (Minimum wage in Poland is 404,16 â‚ ¬). The salary will be transferred to their accounts which also can be opened by us in one particular bank, which will be better for the company for not loosing money in transferring etc. We also will have 3 employees, till we expend on the market. Decision is to use local staff. Reasons: Local employees and managers know more of the local market and therefor can build reliable and trustful relationships with the customers. Local customers may prefer interactions with local employees and managers due to the common cultural background and lack of language barriers. Local managers and employees working together can increase employees morale, work satisfaction, organizational commitment and as a result effective performance. 6. Marketing strategy (business scheme) The business scheme will point out the fact that products are absolutely educational tools that are entertaining. This is a meaningful message because parents will desire their kids to play with this kind of toy. The essential feature of the „toyâ€Å", in the product is used to make the kids bound with the product, something mostly hard to do with most educational tools. â€Å"Innospark† create ideas in our minds and develop creative educational devices that provokes developmental activity and makes positive recurring stimulation for kids in their studying process and creative play. â€Å"Innospark† trust in the capability of clever education. Cleverness- clever person is a curious explorer. Let’s create a place where creativity grows Hopes, goals- the first years of children’s life are most important time in the growth of hopes. Let’s have the hopes high. Permitting- a kid so deeply wants to believe his or her wishes can come true. It is our job to help them  build a feeling of inner confidence, fearlessness and toughness. Progress- cleverness has developed into a highly treasured skill in the century. It is an important building block for changes in business, history and nowadays life. Let’s grow clever The business scheme will identify and describe for the fact that there are two definite client groups that must be drawn attention to. To take the awareness of both groups sees that the groups are very dissimilar despite the fact that they are buy identical product. (http://www.edu2.lt/lv/kas-mes-esam/) â€Å"Innospark† will use direct mailings and advertisements. â€Å"Innopark† is a new company, is a little two years old, so for the beginning we recommend choose the „Innospark† website (http://www.innospark.lt/). Will be used like the main tool to spread the product. It will be a cheap and productive way of spreading information regarding and its product. The site will be divided in two fields, one for general information and the other for dealers/traders. The second part will have greater amount of information outside business information like stock. Also, Innospark as a new company, choose the Internet as a cheaper and more effective your advertising apparel and corporate types. To ensure the effective promotion of the search results, one of the ways to register Google AdWords. Next would be placement of advertisements in various, popular international social networks such as Facebook, Twitter etc. Social networks provide advertisements wide spread not only the Internet but also Internet users communicating with each other, as well as commenting on a product on the Internet, writing reviews, etc. Often, when choosing a product, service or business other peoples reviews are crucial selection. Homegrown web sites the opportunity to advertise, is the largest news portals.Like the ad placement site, an important aspect of creating their advertisements, is to choose the advertising audience. Audience determined to run at end-customers, which is a very important part of a successful advertising campaign. The website business scheme is easy to understand and clear, have the webpage shortcuts on all available materials as well as mention it in all talks with clients. To make it easy to find for greater amount of people. Will add the site to more spacious extent of search engineers so even if a specific customer is not informed of but has knowledge of the product category, they will still be pointed to site. 6.1 Sales strategy (Marketing scheme) The marketing scheme will be adjusted for every client group. The marketing scheme for individuals is to make plenty knowledge of. So that clients are asking their dealers to carry for them. To address the marketing part it is future plan that the businesses are not just purchasing one or two of the items but that they are purchasing entire products addressing dissimilar abilities, all of which are valuable. In most cases this is particularly valuable as businesses repeat clients, meaning that if buyer is satisfied with the bought item, they will probably become a long term clients and not search for other dealers. 6.2 Operations strategy (Action plan) Will make manufacture widely popular of all of its products. We choose the publicizing system for many reasons: None of them have been involved in manufacturing action  Popularizing will lower the cost to smallest amount, making all products costs variable Popularizing will make it available for the business team to pay more attention on marketing and new product growth Minimizing the possible financial dangers by not committing to the cost of a manufacturing facility Making business plans sales grow bigger Bibliography Delaney, L. (2014). About Money. Retrieved from http://importexport.about.com/: http://importexport.about.com/od/DevelopingSalesAndDistribution/a/Direct-Exporting-Advantages-And-Disadvantages-To-Direct-Exporting.htm Innospark. (2012, December). Innospark. Retrieved from http://www.innospark.lt/ Martins, R. (2014, November 28). Poland. Retrieved from http://www.tradingeconomics.com/: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/poland/gdp-growth www.eulerhermes.com. (2014). Country Reports. Retrieved from http://www.eulerhermes.com/: http://www.eulerhermes.com/economic-research/country-reports/Pages/Poland.aspx?gclid=Cj0KEQiA-uWjBRChu9ie05m5ipgBEiQAuHIuK_uF1FFr62ciCHwCl1nLspSxhq8sG8r3y0oqDNP-1IQaAsK68P8HAQ www.investopedia.com. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/marketsegmentation.asp

The Oppressing Face Of Madness In The Mirror Of Society :: essays research papers fc

The Oppressing Face of Madness in the Mirror of Society For centuries women in life and literature were often portrayed as submissive, docile, and obedient to men. Focusing primarily on the nineteenth century, literature of the period often characterized women as victims oppressed by society, culture, as well as by the male influences in their lives. Many of the female characters suffered the effects of isolation brought on by constant oppression and subservience driving them insane and mad. The views of women in early literature were often silenced and their opinion’s disregarded by a dominant patriarchal society. One could argue that the men’s influence on society forged the distinctions between sanity and madness. This obsessive position to shape reality proved to be unhealthy and destructive but it was rarely acknowledged among the company of men. A Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) once quoted, â€Å"Too much sanity may be madness, and maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be!† (h ttp://www.quoteworld.org.) Madness even though taboo and troublesome, seemed common in many female literary protagonists of the period. Thus far in the course we encountered the role of madness in such literary works as â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.† The role of madness and oppression in the works can be better examined in three aspects of: the causes of the induced madness, how each female character deals with the insanity, and how the similarities in madness link the texts to common social issues. The conclusion will show the significant roles madness and oppression played in the selected fictional stories echoing the real life torment women lived in. Speaking in an aesthetic tone, one will see that though the Yellow Wallpaper and The Story of an Hour are similar, however, tale by Gilman proves to be a better argument for portraying the role of maddens and oppression as a mirror of society of the time period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Few works in fictional literature embody the portrayal and effects of madness better than Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.† Readers are presented with the tale of a woman suffering from a mental illness whose problems are compounded by the imprisonment she must endure. Set in a similar time period as the already discussed works, many of the same isolation and autonomy issues reside behind the conflict of Gilman’s narrative. The story presents the madness associated with the oppression of women during the era coupled with the unforgiving patriarchal view of society.

Marks & Spencer Natural Environment

1.0 Executive SummaryMarketing environment is very important for any given organisation as it relates to the macro environment, the microenvironment as well as the internal environment. The above sub types of environment are very important in the performance of any given organization. Marks and Spencer is affected by the three sub types of environment. The microenvironment at Marks and Spencer involves suppliers, consumers as well as customers, who deal directly with the organisation and impact on the performance of the organisation.The microenvironment will be discussed in length in this report with an aim of demonstrating how the natural environment operates. The macro environment as it relates to Marks and Spencer refers to the factors that influence the company’s performance but are out of control of the company. This touches on the legal aspects such as laws on environmental issues that impact on the operations of Marks and Spencer. Finally, the report incorporates intern al environment issues, which basically involve; men, money, machinery, materials as well as markets. The above are discussed with an aim of demonstrating how they interrelate to cause positive change in Marks and Spencer.2.0 Overview of the natural environment (Marks & Spencer)In a bid to address possible threats and challenges in regard to the natural environment of the organisation, Marks and Spencer has several plans in place as part of its strategic repositioning for future business scenarios. Plan A program at Marks and Spencer constitutes of a five-year, 100-point plan to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the organisation in relation to the political, economic, social, and technological environment.The plan is designed to facilitate a smooth working relationship between the customers and the suppliers to; combat climate change, through initiation of programs, which embrace safe environmental practices bearing in mind that the company gets its raw materials from the environment and it has a corporate duty and responsibility to conserve the environment. This calls for the company to embrace modern business practices, which are environment friendly such as the use of fuels, which cause little or no pollution to the environment.3) Identify TWO areas of the natural environment likely to impact on Marks and Spencer in the medium termMarks and Spencer has embarked on initiatives to reduce wastage by realigning its production roles with emerging technologies, which ensure that there is little or no wastage of raw materials considering the fact that the rate of harvesting of raw materials from the natural environment is far much higher compared to the rate at which the natural environment is rejuvenating. By embracing wastage control methods such as recycling, Marks and Spencer is promoting a symbiotic relationship between the organisation and the local communities, who are affected by the actions of the company on the environment.The company is commit ted to safeguarding natural resources by putting in place several initiatives such as community-based environmental programs, which are aimed at enlightening the local community on the importance of preserving nature. In addition, the initiatives geared towards safeguarding nature have targeted all stakeholders including the employees because it is viewed that if every stakeholder understands and appreciates the individual role in safeguarding the environment, this would be beneficial not only for the sustainability of the organisation but also for the benefit of all.Trading ethically constitutes an important function in Marks and Spencer. This is important due to the fact that ethical practices are aimed at protecting the given organisation from harming any of its stakeholders. Marks and Spencer has a code of conduct as well as corporate responsibility policies, which guide the organisation in relation to its duties to the stakeholders.Marks and Spencer is committed to building a h ealthier nation by ensuring that it fulfils its social, political, legal, and environmental obligations to its stakeholders. As a retailer, they use a huge range of raw materials to produce our goods. Because of this, it is critical that the organisation manages the use of these materials sensitively and pays proper regard to how they affect natural habitats and bio-diversity.But making a difference here is not as simple as they would like. Change process in an organisation is a demanding and challenging process. It requires new types of standards to be set and adhered to across the world. As some materials – such as cotton and palm oil – are traded globally, the ability to affect change may at times be modest. There is a need for the organisation to work closely with suppliers, government bodies, environmental groups and local communities to promote sustainability.4.1 Description of the marketing strategy the organisation currently employs to accommodate the key featu res of the natural environment.The Marketing strategy would become the parameter for a company to be a successful company.Although environmental issues influence all human activities, few academic disciplines have integrated green issues into their literature. This is especially true of marketing. As society becomes more concerned with the natural environment, businesses have begun to modify their behaviour in an attempt to address society's â€Å"new† concerns. Marks and Spencer have been quick to accept concepts like environmental management systems and waste minimization, and have integrated environmental issues into all organizational activities. Some evidence of this is the development of journals such as â€Å"Business Strategy and the Environment† and â€Å"Greener Management International,† which are specifically designed to disseminate research relating to business' environmental behaviour.Marks and Spencer uses a green marketing strategy for purposes o f promotion of products with environmental characteristics so as to promote environmentally friendly behaviour amongst consumers. For Marks and Spencer the green marketing strategy applies to consumer goods in that the company promotes the concept of eco-tourism.The company has engaged in plans, which has seen product modification geared towards producing more environmentally friendly systems especially in the area of product packaging. Marks and Spencer has invested in production facilities, which significantly reduce wastage as well as preserving energy. In the same manner, the company has adapted ethical advertising policies, which aim at ensuring that every advertisement is considerate of environmental implications in terms of the decisions that consumers make. To this end, the company has participated in several forums and especially those organized by American Marketing Association (AMA) where is has shown support to consumer goods advocating for sustainable environment practi ces.4.2 Explanation as to why the above strategies are likely to be of the greatest future significance to the organisation.Social ResponsibilityHow a company is viewed by the public goes a long way in determining its future performance in relation to consumers. The strategies Marks and Spencer has adopted in a bid to promote natural environment can be seen as efforts geared towards good corporate social responsibility. Many firms are beginning to realize that they are members of the wider community and therefore must behave in an environmentally responsible manner by putting in place corporate social responsibility policies.Hence the reason why Marks and Spencer allocates huge budgets for its natural environment conservation efforts. This results in environmental issues being integrated into the firm's corporate culture. Firms in this situation can take two perspectives; 1) they can use the fact that they are environmentally responsible as a marketing tool; or 2) they can become re sponsible without promoting this fact. For the case of Marks and Spencer, the company has promoted the first perspective of promoting environmentally responsible practices.The strategies the company has adopted in as far as acting responsibly in relation to the environment have taken marketing related dimension. Despite pressure from the government through legislations aimed at protecting the consumers and the society at large, the impact has been felt at Marks and Spencer. Governmental regulations relating to environmental marketing and designed to protect consumers have in one way or the other contributed to Marks and Spencer’s decision to realign its production systems towards achieving less wastage, use of ethical advertisements, as well as engaging in raising the level of awareness on environmental issues is an indication that Marks and Spencer is reposition itself for future implications of government policies on environment.Specifically, Marks and Spencer has adapted t wo concepts of food miles and field to fork in a bid to respond to emerging situations.â€Å"Food miles† is a relatively new idea in the debate about sustainability. Typically it is taken to mean the distance travelled to move food from the place it is produced to the store where it's bought. But increasingly the definition goes wider, to include issues like locality, freshness, use of preservatives, packaging, choice, support for UK farmers and quality. Many environmental groups attach particular importance to food being produced close to where it is sold.Field-to-forkIn 2003, Marks and Spencer launched a new over-arching set of standards to cover the management of the supply chain for fruit, vegetables and salads. These were drawn up after consultation with suppliers, government bodies and other organisations and covers aspects of production from â€Å"field-to-fork†.The company has commissioned independent research to look at similar systems around the world. As a r esult, they believe our Field-to-Fork scheme goes beyond the British and European assurance schemes used by other retailers, being the first to include such a wide range of requirements. Their standards cover traceability, minimising pesticide use, ethical trading, support for non-GM foods and food safety.5.0 Recommendations for changes to the internal operations of the organisation to best meet their potential impact.Although Marks and Spencer has done a recommendable job in terms of promoting the natural environment, there is still room for improvement. The organisation particularly needs to work on its internal environment by; initiating more training programs for its human resources geared towards environment related issues. Secondly, the organisation needs to increase its budget allocated to environment conservation efforts. In addition, the organisation needs to invest in modern production technologies to further reduce wastage.There is also a need for the company to find last ing solutions to the management of materials especially in regard to conservation of its sources of raw materials. Finally, Marks and Spencer must look further from its traditional markets and diversify its brands to cover new markets as a potential source of increasing sales revenues, which will avail more money to be used in promoting the natural environment. The above can only be achieved by the organisation utilizing modern business analytical tools such as SWOT analysis, PEST analysis as well as Michael Porters Fiver Forces analysis so as to arrive at informed decisions, which are also sustainable.Referenceshttp://www.theage.com.au/ Accessed on 20/05/2007.

Business Partner Model Essay

The business partnering model and its impact on both the HR function and HR practice Since the concept of the business partnering model was introduced by Ulrich in 1997, the composition of the HR function has dramatically changed. As Goodge (2005) identified, â€Å"partnering is fundamentally changing almost every HR function, every HR job, and every HR career† (Pg. 32). Ulrich argued that HR needed to deliver on both a strategic and administrative level and identified four key roles through which organisations could achieve this (Torrington et al. 2007). The model has become a fixation for much of the HR community and its introduction has initiated a fundamental change to the HR function’s anatomy over the last decade (Francis & Keegan, 2008). The key themes which will be discussed within this literature review are the impact of the model on the competencies required of successful business partners, the debate of HR’s strategic focus as a result of the model and the loss of the employee champion role. However, attention must first be brought to the partnering model itself. The Model Ulrich’s business partnering model focuses on four key roles that HR need to address in order to deliver organisational excellence (Ulrich 1998). Becoming a ‘strategic partner’ in the execution of organisational strategy, increasing functional efficiency by being an ‘administrative expert’, fully engaging employees by becoming an ‘employee champion’ and finally, through facilitating and encouraging a culture of flexibility and acceptance to the evolving business environment as a ‘change agent’ (Ulrich 1998). Precursors to Ulrich’s partnering model are Tyson and Fell’s 1985 model, based upon three fundamental positions using a construction site metaphor (architect, clerk of works and contract negotiator) and Storey’s 1992 model based on the four roles required in the shift from personnel management to Human Resource Management (regulator, handmaiden, adviser and changemaker) (Torrington et al. , 2007). In 2005, Ulrich and Brockbank mused over the partnering model once more and proposed a refreshed framework. This was not a revolutionary diversion from the original model, however a reflection of the changing roles that they had been observing in organisations since the introduction of the original model (Ulrich & Brockbank, 2005a). The model was upgraded with the omission of the roles ‘employee champion’, ‘change agent’ and ‘administrative expert’, with these being replaced by ‘employee advocate’ (focusing on current employee needs), ‘human capital developer’ (preparing employees to be successful for the future) and ‘functional expert’ (administrative efficiency and the development of policies) (Ulrich & Brockbank, 2005a). The ‘strategic partner’ role remained within the refreshed model and they also added a fifth dimension which was that of the ‘HR Leader’, the genuine leadership role which ties all four key roles together (Ulrich & Brockbank, 2005a). What is interesting from the literature, is that although this more modern model has been considered, it is the original model to which most commentators refer. Before considering the impact of this model on HR functions and practice, it is important to first consider why such a large number of organisations have found it appropriate to restructure their HR departments in this way. In 1998, Ulrich himself questioned the effectiveness of the role that HR played in organisations and recognised that his model needed to move away from HR’s traditional activities, which focused on processes, to a focus on deliverables (Ulrich, 1998). The new model was a way of ensuring that HR as a function was adding value and increasing organisational competitiveness (Ulrich, 1997) and his approach of using HR professionals as strategic business partners was being seen as a mechanism for allowing changes to be made in order for HR to make these significant competitive and strategic contributions (Goodge, 2005). Lawler & Mohrman (2003) argued that in organisations where competitive advantage was created through human and intellectual capital, the demand for HR to be a strategic partner was greater. What makes a competent business partner? Defining what the single role of a business partner involves is rather ambiguous and much of the recent literature identifies that there is no single model for HR business partnering, therefore leaving each organisation to have their own interpretation of what a business partner is (Caldwell, 2008 & 2010; Torrington et al. , 2007; Beckett, 2005). In some organisations the impact of the model has only gone as far as an upgraded ob title (Beckett, 2005; Pitcher, 2008) and it is this weak implementation in some companies that has led to various criticisms of the model (Peacock, 2008; Pitcher, 2008). This leads to the first key discussion identified within the literature, which questions the use of competency models in the selection, development and success of business partners in achieving the outcome of ‘organisational excellence’. With the business partner role seeking a more strategic mind-set, it has been seen as increasingly more difficult to find people who fit the role (Beckett, 2005). Caldwell (2010) has most recently discussed the use of competency models for the better selection and development of HR business partners, as a new way of aligning HR strategy with organisational performance. The competencies that have been argued as most essential for a successful business partner are being a strong operational executor, a cultural steward, a strategic architect, a business ally and credible activist, an experienced talent manager and organisational designer (Ulrich, 2008 cited in Caldwell, 2010). The competencies, in theory, would lead the business partner to performing a balance of the four key roles originally proposed by Ulrich, however what is clearly apparent from the literature, is that the business partner role is wide open for interpretation (Torrington et al. , 2007; Beckett, 2005). Therefore what can be argued as a benefit of using a competency framework, is that it can potentially offer a more consistent approach to selection, development and success of partnering (Caldwell, 2010). Caldwell’s (2010) study considered the HR and business strategy linkage, with selection and development of business partners through the use of competency models as antecedents to this link. What was indicated in his study was that using these competency frameworks was largely effective in the selection of HR business partners, however much less effective in the development and linking between HR strategy and organisational performance (Caldwell, 2010). The relationship between HR roles and competency models is an area of significant controversy and it was not long before questions were raised as to how each key role played out within the business partner position; whether there were a holistic set of competencies for the business partner role or separate competencies for the four key roles (Caldwell, 2010). Other queries were raised in the literature regarding the weighting of importance of each of the competencies and also whether or not these competencies were generally applicable to all HR practitioners or just to those playing a business partner role (Caldwell, 2010). Ulrich and Brockbank (2005a) appreciated that not all of the key roles could be played to the same degree and depending on which HR category you specialised in, different roles may take a priority. This therefore brings the reader back to Torrington et al. (2007) and Becketts’ (2005) notion that there is no single model and that although the discussions are advancing within the literature about the role of business partners, it appears there has been no agreement of the best method of implementation. This was reflected in Caldwell’s study, where he appreciated that the creation of the competency models was beneficial, but that the problem highlighted in HR practice was the difficulty of managing the transition from possessing the competencies, to delivering the capability (Caldwell, 2010). One of the most talked about competencies within the literature is that of possessing business understanding. Lawler and Mohrman (2003) discussed in their research that for someone fulfilling the role of business partner, strong understanding of the business was essential. Beckett (2005) also advocates the need for a commercially aware candidate, however in practice, this is very difficult to recruit for within the pool of HR professionals. As a result of this limited pool of resources, there has been a rise in members within the HR function who have been parachuted in from other areas of the business, such as marketing or sales (Francis & Keegan, 2006). Lawler and Mohrman’s (2003) study noted that one quarter or senior HR professionals had side stepped into the HR function from these other business areas, with the objective of greater strategic alignment with the business. Therefore potentially increasing the impact the HR function has on organisational performance (Francis & Keegan, 2006). There are, however, various implications to HR practice by focusing business partner competencies in such a way. Although HR professionals may see this odern commercial and strategic focus as enhancing the value of their role, it is being observed that line managers and employees can often become sceptical and mistrustful that HR are focused too much on business objectives rather than on those of the people (Caldwell, 2010). Beckett (2005) also outlines concerns of appointing a HR business partner who only has commercial experience by arguing that you are open to the risk of unsafe management of the business, however on the flipside, by getting the balance wrong and isolating your business partners from the rest of the HR function, it can result in losing the HR focus. Therefore a ‘perfect’ business partner would have a balanced background of commercial and business acumen, coupled with the experience of the multiple facets of HR in order to really add strategic value and deliver ‘organisational excellence’ (Lawler & Mohrman, 2003). The shift towards a strategic focus One of the fundamental factors of the business partnering model is ensuring that the HR and business strategies are aligned, therefore enabling the HR function to deliver organisational excellence. This leads to the next key theme identified within the literature regarding the shift to a strategic HR focus which has resulted in a repositioning of the identity of the HR profession (Wright, 2008). Wright (2008) observes that moving towards strategic HRM has contributed to the occupation losing its wider social objectives and transforming into a simple agent of capital (p. 1068). These discussions are contradictory to the balanced purpose of Ulrich’s four key roles, however the literature has suggested that out of the four roles, the strategic partner has been represented with unbalanced proportion. Lawler and Mohrman (2003) argue that if HR does not play a strategic partnering role, how can the function be fully aligned with what the business needs are and then deliver the most effective activities? It is clear from the discussions within the literature that as organisations become more cost effective and streamlined, they will increasingly require fewer HR practitioners to undertake the transactional workloads as this will be transferred to shared service models or outsourcing. Therefore the argument for a partnership to be truly effective, requires the HR function to put more emphasis on the strategic activities such as organisational design and planning (Lawler & Mohrman, 2003). In practice this seems to have been the case and the impact on organisations who have adopted the partnering model have witnessed a transformation in their HR activities, shifting away from the traditional administrative functions to devoting more attention to organisational level activities such as those strategic activities discussed above (Lawler & Mohrman, 2003). Focusing competencies on this link between HR and business strategy however, could lead to the business partner role becoming unsustainable (Caldwell, 2010) and Hope Hailey et al. (2005) question the strategic-heavy focus. Their study demonstrated that while the HR function is becoming more notable strategically, the human side of the functionality is deteriorating (Hope Hailey et al. 2005), thus suggesting that the strategic role on its own does not necessarily enhance the organisational performance of the human capital. Ulrich’s (1997) proposal required HR professionals to be both operational and strategic in their focus through all of the four key roles, however Caldwell (2003) noted the inherent ‘role conflict’ which would naturally emerge from this performance of more than one role, due to the competing demands made upon them by employees and senior management (Hope Hailey et al. 2005). As discussed earlier, the partnering model is most effective and successful in organisations which rely on human and intellectual capital as a source of competitive advantage (Lawler & Mohrman, 2003), therefore if business partners don’t balance the needs of the people focusing roles, they will not achieve the organisational excellence Ulrich’s (1997) model was designed for. Hope Hailey et al. 2005) agree with Caldwell (2003) that ‘role conflict’ is inevitable with the performance of multiple roles and therefore question whether it will ever be possible in practice for the HR function to balance both employee and management needs through fulfilling Ulrich’s four key roles. The ‘perfect’ partner can balance these conflicting roles by having a strategic influence at a corporate level and strong expertise in operational delivery, however as noted in the literature around competencies, these qualities are not easy to find, nor to develop. What has happened to the role of ‘employee champion’? The final key discussion which has been noted from the recent literature, progresses from the fixation of the strategic focus of the partnering model and questions the shift of attention away from the employee. Wright (2008) observed that for nearly all respondents of his study, the strategic adviser role was seen as a much more attractive identity than that of the traditional image of the bureaucratic HR manager. Therefore, one can see how the profession is seen to be losing its focus on the people facing ‘employee champion’ role. Lawler and Mohrman (2003) argue that for partnership to work HR must increase their faith in line managers and transfer various transactional HR responsibilities to them (Lawler & Mohrman, 2003), therefore the answer to this lost role therefore seems to be addressed by this devolvement. The benefits which have been argued for doing this are that it creates more time for HR to become more strategically proactive (Lawler & Mohrman, 2003) and line managers can become responsible and answerable to their employees which strengthens their relationships by almost becoming an HR champion (Ulrich, 1998). In practice however, Hope Hailey et al. (2005) believe that the failure to recognise the importance of the employee champion role is a big mistake and that the devolvement of such a responsibility to line management may be flawed. They noted that empirical research had suggested that devolving various HR responsibilities to the line was being met with certain inefficiencies to deliver such responsibilities, such as lack of training and lack of time, few incentives to fulfil the additional work and the need to focus on delivering their own short term business results (McGovern, 1999 cited in Hope Hailey et al. , 2005). The devolvement is also problematic in the sense that line managers are not always capable or motivated to take on the role of employee champion (Hope Hailey et al. , 2005). Francis and Keegan (2005) were also sceptical over the benefits of devolving HR responsibilities to line management and identified three major problems associated with the delegation of such duties. Firstly, they observed a loss of employee confidence as HR focus shifted to strategic business issues; a cost to employee well-being as a result of potential inconsistent application of policies and processes; and finally a disenchantment amongst HR practitioners who were unable to perform the role that was at the fundamental heart of HR – the employee champion, advocate and counsellor. Francis and Keegan (2005) concluded that not only did this affect the relationship between HR and the workforce, but between the HR professionals themselves. They also noted the strangeness of this shift away from the employee champion role amid the HR community’s grand plans to increase employee engagement (Francis & Keegan, 2005). In essence, it therefore appears that considerable caution must be used in initiating such transfers of accountability. Conclusion It can plainly be observed that over a decade after the introduction of Ulrich’s business partnering model, the HR community are still avidly debating its practical usefulness. What can be gathered from the key discussions is that the theoretical model makes a stellar case for increasing organisational performance and raising the profile of the HR function, however it seems that the impact of the model in practice is that it is the implementation of the model that is failing its success in most organisations. The academic writers are keen to dissect the benefits and limitations of the model, however what really needs to be reported is exactly how to implement the model in practice and to identify this across a range of different organisations. Further research also needs to be undertaken in the area of business partner development, as it appears the essential competencies have been numerously defined, but the focus on training HR practitioners to think and behave in Ulrich’s business partner mind-set requires further investigation. As businesses change, HR functions are being increasingly required to demonstrate their strategic value and this model seems to have provided a platform for really adding value, however as discussed in the final section, it is imperative that the HR function retain a balanced approach to their roles and not to lose sight of the fundamental people side of the people versus processes equation.

Corporal vs. Corporeal

Corporal vs. Corporeal Corporal vs. Corporeal Corporal vs. Corporeal By Mark Nichol What’s the difference between corporal and corporeal, and what do these words have to do with other teams beginning with the syllable corp-? They are all of a body. As you may have guessed, most words beginning with the element corp- refer to a body, denoting either a human or animal’s mortal coil (as in the case of corpse) or an organization of people or things. The origin of this class of words is the Latin term corpus, meaning â€Å"body†; that term was borrowed into English and is synonymous with corpse, which comes from French, but also refers to the main body of a bodily organ or a thing or idea, or the whole of a person’s artistic output or a complete collection of knowledge. Corpus is the also first element of several open compounds, including â€Å"corpus callosum† (Latin for, literally, â€Å"callous body†), referring to a part of the brain, and â€Å"corpus delicti† (the Latin phrase literally means â€Å"the body of the crime†), the concept of the body of proof for commission of a crime. The adjectival corporal means â€Å"affecting the body,† as in the phrase â€Å"corporal punishment.† It’s also a noun referring to a linen cloth used in church services; the meaning is connected to the concept of the body of Christ. (The noun corporal, when used in reference to a low-ranking soldier, is unrelated. It stems from Latin caput, meaning â€Å"head†; a corporal originally led a small unit of troops.) Corporeal, on the other hand, denotes anything that is tangible as opposed to spiritual. Other words stemming from the Latin term follow: Corporation, and its adjectival form, corporate, and the verb incorporate, all refer to a business registered with a government Corposant, from the Portuguese expression for â€Å"holy body,† is another word for â€Å"Saint Elmo’s fire,† the name for a natural electrical discharge. A corps is a large military unit or branch, or another group of people with a function in common; the term is part of the phrase â€Å"corps de ballet,† borrowed directly (as the word corps itself) from French and referring to the dancers in a ballet company; corps is pronounced roughly the same as the French word. A corps d’elite is a military unit or another group whose members are selected for superior skills or other qualities. Corpsman (from membership in a medical corps) is a synonym for medic, a soldier trained to provide basic medical care; it also refers to a member of a government-sponsored service group, such as the National Conservation Corps. Corpulent means â€Å"obese,† and a corpuscle is a very small particle or a cell or group of cells in an organism. (The word core, from the French word coeur, meaning â€Å"heart,† is unrelated.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and ToesConfused Words #3: Lose, Loose, Loss45 Idioms About the Number One

Classifying Terrain for Ground Vehicles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Classifying Terrain for Ground Vehicles - Essay Example However the technique is always inefficient when visibility is interfered due to climatic conditions. The reaction based classification is dependent on the sensor measurement like wheel sinkage, vehicle vibrations, and wheel slip (Garratt and Chahl, 2011). However, some of the interactions of vehicle terrain like the wheel sinkage and slip is not easy to measure accurately. Therefore, the reaction based terrain in normally performed with the help vehicle vibrations. This is because they are easy to measure with the help of accelerometers and inertial sensors. An unmanned vehicle ought to have a complete understanding of the features and the terrain around it in order to be able to navigate multifarious environmental safety (Brooks and Iagnemma, 2010). In other cases, the terrain can only be understood when speed and optimality is sacrificed. This chapter is a literature review that will utilize the measured acceleration values in the vertical direction of the vehicles to classify the terrain traversed. The literature review will be divided into a number of parts discussing wheel sinkage methods, vision based methods and different vibration methods aimed at classifying the data. Terrain classification for ground vehicles are normally categorized as reaction based methods, vision based method, and combination of a reaction and vision based methods. The reaction and vision based approaches are quite analogous to the recognition of human drivers of a terrain in respect to what can be seen and felt through the reaction of the vehicle during the terrain traversal. Vision-based terrain is performed with the help of laser range finders and cameras. To illustrate the various terrain signatures that arise from the various terrain processes, 100 terrain profiles from asphalt, gravel, grass, and sand were researched with the help of

Write a policy brief for the following client ..national government Essay

Write a policy brief for the following client ..national government officials on whether the rise in anti-politics sentiments should be of concern - Essay Example The political class has continuously accrued benefits at the expense of the people they claim to represent. To eliminate the rise of anti-political sentiments, the nationalism sentiments must be promoted through equitable distribution of resources. Self-serving politicians have caused the populace to develop a strong dislike for politics. The low political interest and anti-political sentiments can be overcome through intentional steps understand the needs of ordinary people. Therefore, politicians should take time to discuss with their policies with the public even when they are occupying powerful positions. It is recommended that politicians make policies through consultative processes. Structured decision making processes ease tension and reduce anti-political sentiments. In many parts of the world, people have been developing disenchantment from politics. The persistence in alienation has been increasing. According to Hansard -Audit of political involvement-, the start of the 21st century assessment indicated the desire of the British people to have meaningful and significant improvement in the government and political systems. Over six out of ten Britons had little or no faith in the political systems. An increasing number of people have lost confidence on the political system. This has been clearly seen through the desire to have an overhaul of the electoral system. The focus has been to make a system that is inclusive and reflective of the needs and desires of the people. Political participation by citizens is a multidimensional issue. The rise of anti-political sentiments has been stirred by poor governance and insensitivity from the leadership. There is a dire need to develop policy that encourages inclusiveness and political equity (Hansard So ciety 2011, 17). There are calls to increase and develop the political capacity of the citizens and to establish new politics that respect with concerns of the