Micro & Macro Economic Analysis - Electronic Arts Coursework

Micro & Macro Economic Analysis - Electronic Arts - Coursework Example Similarly if one variable falls, the other is destined too as well. Today In the modern world, the theory of demand and supply seizes more emphases of business analysts in decision making. Demand and Supply theory in the modern world of fierce competition enfolds a great deal of attention for strategic planning to achieve competitive advantage over rivals. The phrase â€Å"Demand and Supply† was first used by James Denham-Steuart in his book named â€Å"Inquiry into the Political Economy† which was published in 1767 (Steuart Denham et al, 1966). The theory discussed above is supplemented by the characteristics of the market in which the company exits. Conventionally there are four basic types of market structures. Perfect competition: such markets have many buyers and sellers, none being able to influence prices. Oligopoly: several large sellers who have some control over the prices. Monopoly: single seller with considerable control over supply and prices. Monopsony: single buyer with considerable control over demand and prices. The company with its gaming products operates in the Oligopolistic environment. Where there are several large producers but have a tendency to dominate major markets across the globe and influence some change in prices (Sloman, 2010). The concept of elasticity comes into play here. Elasticity is the measurement of how changing one economic variable affects the other. Elasticity of demand can be of three basic types; Price elasticity of demand – measuring the dynamics of the quantity demanded by the change in price. Income elasticity of demand – measures the dynamics of quantity demanded by changes in consumer income. Cross elasticity of demand – measures the responsiveness of quantity demanded by changes in price of another good. The concept in itself is a complete strategy. When ascertaining price of a product these elasticity’s should be kept in mind (Sloman, 2010). A detailed analysis of the Micro and Macroeconomic environment of Electronic Arts Inc is conducted below in detail, to explain the subject without obstruction. MICROECONOMIC ANALYSIS The demand and Supply theory as discussed above are amongst issues one needs to cater before planning product launch, indulging in price war s and budgeting for marketing. As the demand and supply curve has serious implications on the pricing strategies being adopted, there should be reasonable understanding of the subject matter before decisions are made. For the purpose of explaining the subject effortlessly, let’s consider the example of the world’s largest video game developer Electronic Arts, Inc. Electronic Arts (the company) is America’s largest developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. The company has a well diversified portfolio of products and geographical presence all over the globe. Under such circumstances the demand and supply implications are more severe for planning purposes as different conditions will be faced by the business analyst across geographical horizons. (Electronic Arts, 2011) Demand and supply has remained unchanged and unchallenged till date. There has always been a gap in the demand and su

Assessment Template Essay Example for Free

Assessment Template Essay A trainer of this Competency Unit must: †¢ have demonstrated competency under this Competency Unit †¢ have at least 2 years related experience in the Manufacturing Industry †¢ be certified competent in preparation, delivery and evaluation of training sessions or relevant National Trainer Competency Standards certification (ACTA) Assessor Requirements An assessor of this Competency Unit must: †¢ have demonstrated competency under this Competency Unit †¢ have at least 2 years related experience in the Manufacturing Industry †¢ be certified  competent in the conduct of competency-based assessments or relevant National Trainer Competency Standards certification (ACTA) Candidates Profile Description of candidates: Age group: 21 to 55 years old Education level: PSLE or equivalent Language: Chinese / Basic English Minimum ability of: †¢ Singapore Workplace Safety and Health requirements knowledge †¢ Follow written and oral work instructions †¢ Listen, read and write English at a proficiency level equivalent to Employability Skills system (ESS) Level 3 †¢ Manipulate numbers at a proficiency level equivalent to Employability Skills system (ESS). Level 3  Special needs of candidates As the candidates are expected to have a varying level of command of the English Language, it is expected that the assessor shall apply the principle of fairness without comprising the validity and reliability of the assessment especially during oral questioning where candidate’s comprehension of the questions may be impacted by the command of English. In this case, the assessor can paraphrase the questions in order to solicit a response from the candidate. Evidence Gathering Plan for Performance Statement. |Performance Statement |Assessment Criteria |Assessment | | |(Candidate is able to) | | | | |Method |Tools | |PS 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 3 | | | | | | | | | |PS 4 | | | | Evidence Gathering Plan for Underpinning Knowledge |Underpinning Knowledge (UK) |Assessment Criteria |Assessment | | |(Candidate is able to) | | | | |Method |Tools | |UK 1 | | | | |UK 2 | | | | |UK 3 | | | | |UK 4 | | | | |UK 5 | | | | |UK 6 | | | | |UK 7 | | | | |UK 8 | | | | |UK 9 | | | | |UK 10 | | | | Assessment Specification for Practical Performance. |SPECIFICATIONS |GUIDELINES | |Duration |xx minutes | |Venue |Training Provider | |Set-up |Simulated condition / environment with the capacity for up to 15 candidates for conduct of | | |assessment and equipped with, but not limited to: | |Documents to be used |For Candidate – Practical Performance Assessment Paper | | | For Assessor – Practical Performance Assessment Paper (with answers) and Individual Assessment| | |and Checklist Summary record | |Pre-assessment instructions |Prepare the test materials, checklists, hand tools, measurement devices and equipment required| |(Assessor) |for work assignment. Place it at designated locations. | | |Instruct the candidates to retrieve test materials, checklists, hand tools measurement devices| | |and equipment from the designated locations. | |Pre-assessment instructions |Inform candidates the following before commencement of assessment: | |(Candidate) |Purpose of the assessment | | |Assessment duration | | |Performance statements expected | | |Method of assessment – Direct observation | | |Verification of candidate’s identity | | |Appeal procedures | | |Workplace Safety and Health requirements if any | | |Special needs if any | | |If candidates have no further questions or needs, assessment shall begin. | |Process |The work assignment consists of three tasks as follow: | | |Task 1: | | |Task 2: | | |It is suggested that assessors conduct the tasks sequentially starting with Task 1 and end | | |with Task 2 and use the Individual Assessment and Checklist Summary record for Practical | | |Performance Record to rate the observations against the performance statements and criteria | | |Where assessor is not able to ascertain the competency during practical performance, this can | | |be supplemented by oral questioning | | | If candidate  does not demonstrate competence against any PS, the candidate should still be | | |allowed to complete the assessment. | | |The result of the assessment will be made known at the end of the test | |Recording Assessment Result: |Record findings and conclusions in Individual Assessment and Checklist Summary record for | | |Practical Performance | | |Place a tick in the â€Å"C† column for â€Å"Competent† to indicate the outcome of the assessment for a| | |PS. | | |Place a tick in the â€Å"NYC† column for â€Å"Not Yet Competent† to indicate the outcome of the | | |assessment for a PS. | | |Record observations of competence | | |Record any questions asked and the given answers | | |Record reasons for â€Å"NYC† in the event the candidate intends to appeal and these will serve as | | |your supporting evidences. | | |Transfer your results to the Overall Assessment Summary Record | | |A candidate is deemed competent if â€Å"C† is ticked in all Assessment Criteria | | |If any Assessment Criteria is graded â€Å"NYC†, the candidate is deemed Not Yet Competent in the | | |Performance Statement and therefore in the assessment | |Feedback |Give feedback to candidate on the outcome and request for feedback. | | |Candidate is to sign on Individual Assessment and Checklist Summary record for Practical | | |Performance Record at the end of the assessment. | | |In the case of â€Å"NYC†, candidate must be reminded of his / her right for appeal. In case where | | |candidate accepts the outcome of the assessment, the candidate will sign the Overall | | |Assessment Summary Record. If the candidate intends to appeal, the assessor will remind | | |candidate of the appeal process and the candidate does not sign the Assessment Record Summary. | Assessment Specification for Written Questions. |SPECIFICATIONS |GUIDELINES | |Duration |xx minutes | |Venue |Training Provider’s room | |Set-up |Chairs and tables for each Candidate | |Documents to be used |For Candidate – Written Assessment Paper | | |For Assessor Written Assessment Paper (with answers) and Individual Assessment | | |and Checklist Summary record | |Pre-assessment instructions (Assessor) |This section is to be conducted after the Practical Performance. | | |If the candidate is unable to clearly express his / her answer in writing, the | | |assessor can request the candidate to draw or demonstrate. The assessor must | | |indicate in the â€Å"Evidence† column of this method of answering the question | | |A variation in the answer may appear which is not 100% describing the given | | |answers. In this case, the assessor can use his or her own discretion to assess if | | |the answer meets the need of the question. Comments must be written in the | | |â€Å"Evidence† column. | | |All questions must be answered | | |Further questions for clarification must be noted down in the â€Å"Evidence† column as | | |well. | |Pre-assessment instructions (Candidate) |There are a total of xx written questions in this section. | | |In the event that you are unclear of the question, you may ask for any | | |clarification before proceeding to answer the question. You are allow to draw or | | |demonstrate if needed | | |If you have no further questions or needs, we shall begin. | |Process |Assessors are to use the Written Assessment Paper (with answers) to rate the | | |answers against the questions. | | |Where assessor is not able to ascertain the answers , this can be supplemented by | | |further oral questions | | |If candidate is not able to answer any question, the candidate should still be | | |allowed to complete the assessment. The unanswered question will be re-asked again | | |at the end of the final question. | | |The candidate must be given other means to express the answer where necessary. | | |The result of the assessment will be made known at the end of the test | |Recording Assessment Result: |Record findings and conclusions in the Individual Assessment and Checklist Summary | | |record | | |Place a tick in the â€Å"C† column for â€Å"Competent† to indicate the outcome of the | | |assessment for a UK. | | |Place a tick in the â€Å"NYC† column for â€Å"Not Yet Competent† to indicate the outcome of| | |the assessment for a UK. | | |Record answers given by candidate. | | |Record any additional questions and answers given. | | |Record reasons for â€Å"NYC† in the event the candidate intends to appeal and these | | |will serve as your supporting evidences. | | |Transfer your results from Individual Assessment and Checklist Summary record to | | |the Overall Assessment Summary Record | | |A candidate is deemed competent if â€Å"C† is ticked in all Underpinning Knowledge | | |questions. | | |If any UK question is graded â€Å"NYC†, the candidate is deemed Not Yet Competent in | | |the Performance Statement and therefore in the assessment | |Feedback |Give feedback to candidate on the outcome and request for feedback. | | |Candidate is to sign on the Individual Assessment and Checklist Summary record and | | |Overall Assessment Summary Record at the end of the assessment. | | |In the case of â€Å"NYC†, candidate must be reminded of his / her right for appeal. In | | |case where candidate accepts the outcome of the assessment, the candidate will sign| | |the Assessment Summary record. If the candidate intends to appeal, the assessor | | |will remind candidate of the appeal process and the candidate does not sign the | | |Overall Assessment Record Summary. | Appeal Process A general practice carried out by assessors is to share the appeal process at the beginning of the assessment. It may give the candidate the assurance that if they fail the assessment, there is a procedure to handle that situation. However, if the candidate is very nervous from the moment he/she enters the room, it is important to assure the candidate that the purpose of the assessment is to assess his/her ability to demonstrate certain knowledge and skills, and to help calm him/her down. It would not be advisable to share the appeal process while conducting the assessment. It would just suggest to the candidate that he/she has failed some sections of the assessment and that may affect the performance of the remaining assessment. If sharing is done at the end of the assessment, it may be redundant especially when the candidate has shown competency according to the assessment criteria. However, if the candidate fails the assessment, he/she might be too emotional to listen to the appeal process. In summary, it is best to share the appeal process at the start of the assessment. Code of Practice for Assessors The National Council for Measurement in Education’s Code of Practice stipulates: 1. The differing needs and requirements of the person(s) being assessed, the local enterprise(s) and/or industry are identified and handled with sensitivity. 2. Potential forms of conflict of interest in the assessment processes and/or outcomes are identified and appropriate referrals are made, if necessary. 3. All forms of harassment are avoided throughout the planning, conduct, reviewing, and reporting of the assessment outcomes. 4. The rights of the candidate(s) are protected during and after the assessment. 5. Personal or interpersonal factors that are not relevant to the assessment of the competency must not influence the assessment outcomes. 6. The candidate(s) is made aware of the rights and processes of appeal 7. Evidence that is gathered during the assessment is verified for validity, reliability, authenticity, sufficiency and currency. 8. Assessment decisions are based on available evidence that can be produced and verified by another assessor. 9. Assessments are conducted within the boundaries of the assessment systems policies and procedures. 10. Formal agreement is obtained from both the candidate(s) and the assessor that the assessment was carried out in accordance with agreed procedures. 11. Assessment tools, systems and procedures are consistent with equal opportunity legislation. 12. The candidate (s) is informed of all assessment reporting processes prior to the assessment 13. The candidate(s) is informed of all known potential consequences of decisions arising from an assessment, prior to the assessment. 14. Confidentiality is maintained regarding assessment results 15. Results are only released with the written permission of the candidate(s) 16. The assessment results are used consistently with the purposes explained to the candidate 17. Self-assessments are periodically conducted to ensure current competencies against the assessment and Workplace Training Competency Standards 18. Professional development opportunities are identified and sought 19. Opportunities for networking amongst assessors are created and maintained 20. Opportunities are created for technical assistance in planning, conducting and reviewing assessment procedures and outcomes. Resources This section provides the reference materials needed to implement and conduct the assessment. Practical Performance Assessment Paper Instructions to Candidates: †¢ Check carefully to ensure you are sitting for the correct paper. †¢ You are required to complete and submit your work assignment within the time allocated to the Assessor for marking. If failure to do so will result in you been considered Not Yet Competent (NYC). Time allocated: xx minutes Task 1: xxx Instruction: 1. xxx Task 2: xxx Instruction: 2. xxx Written Assessment Paper Instructions to Candidates: †¢ There are a total of xx questions. †¢ The candidate shall answer all the questions in this section. †¢ Time allocated: xxmins List of Questions: 1. xx NAME OF APPROVED TRAINING ORGANISATION: |Candidate Name: |NRIC/FIN No. : | |Candidate Designation: |Company: | |Assessor Name: |Date of Assessment: | |Candidate Acknowledgement: |Tick (() | |1. I was given information about the assessment and I have completed the Self Assessment Checklist | | |2. The assessment’s purpose, process and duration were clearly explained | | |3. The assessor checked for my special needs | | |4. The appeal procedure was clearly explained | | |Candidate Signature: Date: | CHECKLIST FOR ASSESSORS |Did I †¦ |Tick (() if you | | |have done so | |Pre-Assessment Preparation | |Ensure the availability and safe working condition of assessment resources such as tools, equipment and materials. | | |Ensure the set-up of assessment site is in accordance with assessment plan and WSH guidelines. | | |Introduce myself in a friendly manner to the candidate. | | |Verify candidate’s identity via his identification documents. | | |Put the candidate at ease. | | |Encourage candidate to seek clarifications if in doubt. | | |Explain the purpose, context and duration of assessment to candidate. | | |Brief candidate on the assessment requirements and process, including clear instructions on the assessment to be | | |taken. | | |Establish the evidences that will be gathered during the assessment. | | |Check with candidate for any special needs. | | |Brief candidate on his rights and process of appeal to the assessment outcome. | | |During Assessment | |Use assessment plan and tools to carry out the conduct of assessment. | | |Use evidence gathered to decide if the relevant criteria are met and make assessment decision. | | |Comply with the Code of Practice (ACTA-CU6) for Assessors when conducting assessment and making assessment decisions. | | |Assess and record candidate’s competency for all assessment criteria (AC) promptly and accurately. | | |Record outcomes in summary record page. (Candidate is considered competent only when he/she is rated ‘C’ for all the | | |ACs. ) | | |Feedback results to candidate. | | |Sign on appropriate pages. | | |Ensure candidate sign on summary record. | | |Check and submit completed form to appropriate person in organization. | | Assessment Record – Practical Performance [Durations: xxmins] |Performance Statements | |Please tick (() |REMARKS | | |Assessment Criteria | | | | |(Candidate is able to) | | | | | |C |NYC | | |PS 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 4 | | | | | |Remarks: | | | | | | |Assessor Signature: | |Date: | | Assessment Record – Written / Oral Questions [Durations: xxmins] |Underpinning Knowledge|Question |Suggested Answers |Please tick (() |REMARKS | | | |(may include) | | | | | | |C |NYC | | | | | | |. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Remarks: | | | | | | |Assessor Signature: | |Date: | | Overall Assessment Summary Record Competency Unit : xxx Assessment Duration: x Hrs xx mins |APPROVED ASSESSMENT CENTRE: |xxx | |Candidate Name | |NRIC Number | | |(As in NRIC) | | | | |Performance Statements |Assessment|Overall |Date |Assessor Name |Assessor | | | |Method |Result | | |Signature | | | |Indicate |Indicate | | | | | | |C or NYC |C or NYC | | | | | |PS 2 | | | | | | | |PS 3 | | | | | | | |PS 4 | | | | | | |. PP – Practical Performance WQ – Written Questions OQ – Oral Questioning Assessment Outcome: COMPETENT NOT YET COMPETENT Feedback on outcome: | | | | | | Assessor’s Signature: _________________ Date: __________________ Candidate’s Signature: ________________ Date: __________________ * Candidates would be certified with a Statements of Attainment (SOA) only when they have achieved 100% skills competency, as stipulated in the course, and score 80% and above in their post-test (if applicable). Pre-Assessment Information for Candidate. XXX is required to provide candidates with relevant pre-assessment information which include but are not limited to: 1. This assessment covers the following competency unit: †¢ xxx 2. The eligibility to sit for this assessment which include: †¢ Candidates should have at least 6 months of industrial working experience within the last 2 years from the date of application for assessment, or †¢ Candidates should had received training or on-the-job training or personal coaching on topics that are relevant to the selected competency elements of the competency unit 3. The purpose of this assessment is to assess candidate’s competency level in applying products’ assembly skills at operational level in their work places. 4. The assessment duration and methods for the competency unit must be clearly explained and communicated to candidates. 5. For candidates intending to apply for certification under WDA’s Assessment Only Pathway (AOP) they should do a self-evaluation of their competency against the competency unit standards before registering for assessment. (see next Section) 6. The implication of the assessment results which include: †¢ Awarding candidate who passed the assessment sitting with Statement of Attainment (SOA) for the respective competent unit by Workforce Development Agency (WDA). †¢ Obtaining a pass in this assessment does not automatically qualify or imply that the candidate is a R1 pass holder. There are other criteria that to be fulfilled by the candidate as stipulated by Ministry of Manpower (MOM). 7. The disciplinary actions against cheating in the assessment or performing unsafe act despite repeated warning in the assessment must be clearly explained and communicated to candidates. 8. Candidates have the same right of appeal as other candidates who are assessed under the learning pathway. The process of appealing must be clearly explained and communicated to candidates. 9. The conditions of granting a deferred assessment on: †¢ Medical grounds – a medical report or certificate from registered medical practitioners †¢ Unexpected and exceptional grounds which may include (but are not limited to):  ­ accidents (sporting, motor vehicle, etc) where an injury is sustained  ­ bereavement. Unexpected and exceptional circumstances does not include where a candidate had mistaken the day, time or venue of assessment. The process of deferred assessment must be clearly explained and communicated to candidates. Self-Assessment Checklist for Candidate Instructions and Advice 1. This self-Assessment Checklist is designed to assess your competency in the area of xxx. 2. In this self evaluation, you are advised to reflect your current or past work experience where you have acquired the competency in the following good practices at the workplace in your area of responsibility. 3. Please answer all the questions truthfully, and to the best of your knowledge and ability, by putting a tick on either â€Å"YES† or â€Å"NO† column respectively. 4. If you answer â€Å"YES† to all the questions, it is likely you have acquired the required level of competency and ready to take the assessment. You may apply for a certification of your competency through the Assessment Only Pathway with ATOs. 5. You are encouraged to read the Assessment Only Pathway guide (which can be obtained from ATOs) thoroughly to find out more about the assessment for this competency unit before enrolling for the assessment of this module. 6. However, if you have not achieved the expected level of competency through this simple self evaluation, you are also advised to gain more experience, attend a relevant training program, or take on self development before enrolling for the certification. 7. Please note that this self evaluation checklist is not exhaustive. It is meant as a guide only. Please also note that the actual assessment under the AOP certification framework is much more rigorous, consisting of a written test on underpinning knowledge and a comprehensive competency based assessment (CBA) using various CBA methodologies. You must be able to demonstrate or provide evidence that you have acquired the various competency elements within the competency unit during the actual assessment. SELF-ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST xxx For each performance criterion, you should evaluate your knowledge, skills and attitude (KSA) described. If you have the KSA, put a tick (() on the â€Å"YES† column and if no or not sure tick the ‘NO† column. If you do not have the required KSA, write the details of the areas that are needed to learn. Competency Unit: xxx |Performance Statement |Self Evaluation Questionnaire |Your answer (Tick ()|Details of KSA that I | |(Requirements) |(Knowledge, Skills ,Attitude (KSA) I must be able | |don’t have yet | | |to show and tell during the assessment) | | | | | |YES |NO | | | |I know how to †¦ | | | | | |I know how to †¦ | | | | | |I know how to †¦ | | | | |PS 2 |I know how to †¦ | | | | | | | | | | | |I know how to †¦ | | | | | |I know how to †¦ | | | | | |I know how to †¦ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 4 | | | | | | | | | | | End of Self-Assessment [pic] ASSESSMENT RECORDS for Competency Unit: xxx Code: (TBA) Self-Assessment Checklist For Competency Unit:

Did Hitlers Foreign Policies Make WWII Inevitable?

Did Hitlers Foreign Policies Make WWII Inevitable? Ultimately Hitlers determination to transform European society brought war and destruction to Europe in 1939. Though not necessarily the war he was planning for; evidence suggests that Hitler was preparing Germany for conflict with Russia. This indication would consist of economic output towards the end of the 1930s for example, according to Anthony Wood in Europe 1815-1945, the output of steel in 1935 stood at 16.1 million metric tonnes; this by far out produced the superpowers steel industry and could imply the planning for military conflict. Hitlers policies based on lebensraum and the establishment of a racial empire on East European and Russian soil were without doubt ruthless, but did they make the Second World War unavoidable? The extent to which Hitlers foreign policies made the Second World War inevitable has constantly been under contention. A J P Taylor argues Hitler was just an average western leader, and the Second World War was at the fault of many rather than solely Hi tlers foreign policy. According to Ian Kershaw, Hitler defines his foreign policy as the art of securing for a people, the necessary quantity and quality of lebensraum  [1]  Deflated from the effects of The Treaty of Versailles, German economy was crippled, the army was reduced, and they suffered from loss of Land. Germany was desperate to revoke the Treaty which brought it to its knees, and unite all German speaking countries. In protest, Hitler began a course of secret conscription, written in Mein Kampf, Hiter justified this action, Especially your people, doomed to languish along unarmed beneath the thousand eyes of the Versailles peace treaty'  [2]  This action can be seen as a trigger, contributing to making the Second World War inevitable as surrounding countries felt threatened by Hitler and his determination to reverse the damages of the Treaty of Versailles. Another breach of the Treaty Hitler was able to embark on was his creation of the Air force the Luftwaffe, Taylor agrees that the treaty is a cause of the war, Second world war was cause by the first world war, the armistice, or the Versailles treaty.  [3]  Mein Kampf is a crucial element into understanding the reasons behind Hitlers foreign policy, and being able to assess if they made the Second World War inevitable. Introduced within the text, Hitler establishes the need to achieve aims in which he sees as vital to the success of th e Third Reich. Hitler sought to destroy the Treaty of Versailles imposed on Germany after the defeat in World War One. Hitler felt the Treaty was unfair and most Germans supported this view. Uniting all German speakers together in one country would strengthen Germany, as after World War One there were Germans living in many countries spread across Europe. Hitler hoped that by uniting them together in one country he would create a powerful Germany or Grossdeutschland.   Finally, Hitler wanted to expand his ideology and population into the East to gain land and vital resources for Germany, for example the tank producing factories in Czechoslovakia would prove vital if Hitler was planning for war. By signing non-aggression pacts, Hitler gave the impression he had peaceful intentions which would prevent a war. For example the alliance with the Poles, who felt threatened should Germany attempt to win back the Polish Corridor. This could suggest a triumph for Hitler, as it was evidence of peaceful negotiations which would give reason for Britain to follow a policy of appeasement. Moreover this ensured Hitler was guaranteed Polish neutrality whenever Germany should move against Austria and Czechoslovakia. However, according to John Weitz in his book Hitlers diplomat, Hitler had mentioned a definite solution to the Donzig and corridor problems.  [4]  This questions if Hitler had an overall plan to attack Poland. Neville Chamberlains policy of appeaseme nt could be seen as a mistake which eventually contributed to the Second World War as, Appeasement was partly the result of a history lesson too well learned.  [5]  After The First World War, Europe was left devastated. Chamberlain was keen to avoid another war and sympathised with Hitler and the severity of the Treaty of Versailles upon Germany. Hitler was able to exploit Britain, as he knew they would appease and compromise with Hitler to avoid another War. Thus Hitler could fulfil his aims without the threat of immediate military intervention, Taking full advantage of appeasement the Nazis moved swiftly to annex German Austria in March 1938.  [6]  The naval agreements between Britain and Germany reiterate the failure of appeasement and its role in contributing to the Second World War, Both Britain and France were reluctant to take stronger stands against German rearmament for fear that this would give the Germans all the more reason to refuse to cooperate in international efforts to maintain peace.  [7]  Hitler was able to build up strength of the Navy and the Air Force. Foreign Policy encompassed the importance of racial purity and the need for a nation to be prepared to compete with its neighbours in a fierce, uncompromising and constant struggle to survive and expand into Eastern Europe. Present in Mein Kampf, this expansion was to give extra living space to the Aryan Master Race. For example, Hitler discusses that Germany must find the courage to gather our people and their strength for an advance along the road that will lead this people from its present restricted living space to new land and soil The occupation of Russia would ultimately give him living space which would provide resources for the German population and an area, in which the excess German population could settle and colonise. An additional advantage Hitler saw was that communism would be destroyed. Most historians are in cohesion that Hitler and his foreign policy caused the Second World War, However, A.J.P. Taylor, claims that Hitler never intended a major war and at most was p repared for only a limited war against Poland. However this claim is widely rejected throughout the differing interpretations. Germanys constant rhetorical on Russia is crucial to the debate. Russia was rich in raw materials such as oil which is vital for any country planning to wage war. Through realisation that Russia would solve internal problems, strengthen it militarily, and enable Germany to become economically self-sufficient by adding food and other raw material sources, The Molotov-Ribbentrop pact is essential within this argument. The Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Soviet Union had its advantages for both countries involved. The pact meant that Germany was safe from threat of Russia and communism, but in a secret appendix Eastern Europe was divided into German and Soviet spheres of influence, fascism was safe from destruction whilst this bided time for Russia to prepare for a war. Realising the strength of the French Empire and their colonies, Hitler saw Russia as a temporary ally, until this pact was broken when Hitler invaded Russia in 1941. Another alliance signed was the Rome-Berlin Axis, surrounding countries such as Poland were threatened as the aims of this threatened as territorial expansion and foundation of empires based on military conquest and the overthrow of the post-World War I international order; and to stop the spread of communism throughout Europe. The occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany revealed to Hitler the weaknesses of the allies decision making and tested how far they would be pushed before they would intervene with military action.   The events leading up to the union revealed fragments in the Foreign policy of Britain and France who yet again did nothing to protest Hitlers aggressive foreign policy British attitudes were a key factor in the other problem Taylor cites, unity.  [8]  It also it dealt a severe strategic blow at Czechoslovakia which could now be attacked from the south as well as from the West and North. Another example in which Hitler recognised is the Abyssinian crisis which Britain and France failed to react towards Mussolini It had already been manifested in their reluctance to wage a full scale economic war on fascist Italy during the Abyssinian crisis  [9]  , this gave Hitler the opportunity to remilitarize the Rhineland, free from threat from the other western powers, Hitlers coup in the Rhineland the vacillating recognisable pattern of weakness  [10]  Hitler had given the instruction that if they met any resistance, to withdraw however none was met, And France made no move  [11]   . This shows the allies as inconsistent, and seemed to be more interested in their own domestic policy rather than foreign policy, most people had the failures of their own government and the everyday worries of trying to cope with economic misery  [12]  . The Hossbach Memorandum can be used as evidence that Hitler had planned for war and revenge, which would therefore suggest that Hitlers hostile foreign policies made the Second World War inevitable. Through this memorandum Hitlers motives becomes clear.   The aim of German policy was to preserve the racial community and gain space; this is mentioned within his works, Mein Kampf. Germany used an aggressive foreign policy force to secure the goals, his successes in foreign policy down to 1938 derived in the main from this bullys intuition, coupled with his instinctive gamblers risk  [13]  This memorandum has two confliction interpretations, There have been two interpretations of this memorandum, Hugh Trevor-Roper suggest that this was Hitlers scheme for war, The Second World War was Hitlers personal war in many senses. He intended it, he prepared for it, he chose the moment for launching it  [14]  whereas A.J.P. Taylor disagrees and suggests Little can be discovered so long as we go on attributing everything that happened to Hitler In conclusion, the extent to which Hitlers foreign policies made the Second World War inevitable is open to much debate. A J P Taylor argues Hitler was just an average western leader and the foreign p olicy he shaped would have been similar to that of any other German leader. The Treaty of Versailles acted as a catalyst which ultimately created more problems than in solved. Taylor argues that it was the fault of many events and different leaders, whereas other historians such as Hugh Trevor-Roper suggest that Hitlers foreign policy was fully intent on making the Second World War inevitable. The allies took a stance of non intervention, which could be argued as too little action too late, their policy of appeasement had failed and with it the League of Nations. The evidence put forward would suggest that the aggressive stance in foreign policy that Hitler portrayed was ultimately the last straw in a series of events and different circumstances which led to the destruction of the Second World War.

Journey to a New Land :: History

A Journey to a New Land My parents immigrated to Canada in 1990 to escape the tyranny of the Chinese government and to build a better life in Canada. After listening to their stories of hardships and frustrations, I realized how fortunate I was to be living in the country I now called home. When the day came to revisit my homeland, I felt uncertain and nervous. Would I fit in? Would I like it there? These were some of the concerns that were racing through my mind. But as the trip progressed, I realized how much I enjoyed staying inChina. Despite what started off as a foreboding voyage, this journey turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. It had been a long time between my move from China to Canada and the visit to my homeland. As a baby, I had left for Canada and adopted many new traditions and learned many new things. Going back to China for the first time in eleven years would offer me incredible new experiences, but I wasn’t prepared. I wasn’t ready. Leaving my birth country at the age of one and forgetting many of the proper Chinese traditions, I felt so isolated from my culture. The only encouragement I had of taking this trip was from my parents, who reassured me that I was going to do fine. However, my doubts still remained and I knew this would be an obstacle I had to overcome. As I first stepped onto Chinese soil, I began to explore many of the different features of my culture. The benefit of the currency exchange enabled my parents and me to shop in exquisite Chinese boutiques and eat delectable Chinese foods. As I bit into a delicious deep-fried dumpling while sipping some bubble tea, my worries and anxieties drifted away like mist. Eating and drinking as if I were royalty and shopping in splendour, my life was a paradise. For the first time since I arrived in my motherland, I felt that I did fit in with my culture, for I was adopting many of the Chinese customs already. Adapting to China’s less fortunate society was the hardest challenge. One major disappointment of the Chinese living style was the unsanitary conditions. Everywhere I went, most washrooms were smelly, fly-infested places where toilets were holes dug under the ground. It was repulsive yet distressing to think that millions of people in China had to endure these conditions everyday.

Life of Pi Essay

During Life of Pi, and Castaway, characters in each experience disastrous deaths of loved ones which play with their will to survive. However, their hope and determination pull through and overcome this heart- wrenching event. For Pi, from Life of Pi, there are numerous deaths that have a huge toll on him. Pi’s whole family dies when the boat they are travelling on sinks. Growing up in an Indian culture, Pi was very close to his family, and a part of Pi also died that day. â€Å"Every single thing that I value in life gas been destroyed. And am I allowed no explanation? I am to suffer hell without any account from heaven? † [OR SHOULD I USE â€Å"To lose a brother is to lose someone with whom you can share the experience of growing old, who is supposed to bring you a sister-in-law and nieces and nephews, creatures who people the tree of your life and give it new branches. To lose your father is to lose the one whose guidance and help you seek, who supports you like a tree trunk supports its branches. To lose your mother, well, that is like losing the sun above you. It is like losing–I’m sorry, I would rather not go on. †] Although Pi is devastated he is determined to survive. Likewise in Castaway, the protagonist: Chuck Noland’s plane crashes and he washes up to shore. While isolated, Chuck makes himself a companion out of a volleyball who he names Wilson. This ball becomes important to Chuck because it is the only object he has contact with for four years while on the island. He talks to Wilson as if he was a person and when he loses Wilson, he becomes wounded. This is a hard time for Chuck because all he had that was keeping him sane leaves. Nevertheless Chuck perseveres through the hardships and keeps moving forward with hope and determination. Despite the battle of deaths these characters Pi and Chuck Noland were presented, they prove that with hope and determination to live it is possible to overcome their adversity if death, and any other difficulty that arose. Aside from the emotional destruction due to the deaths both protagonists endured, they also have to deal with the physical destruction as well. These events are what trigger both Pi and Chuck’s journey. In order to defeat the odds, characters must be courageous, obtain hope, and stay determined. In Life of Pi, Pi and his family are moving to Canada from India on boat. When the ship sinks, Pi is the only one from his family to make it to a life boat. â€Å"The ship was sinking. My mind could hardly conceive it. It was as unbelievable as the moon catching fire. † While this was happening, Pi is very optimistic. Although fear and negativity flowed through him, in the end Pi gains hope. Throughout the novel, Pi would constantly go through episodes of defeat and self-pity. However, Pi is determined to survive. It was through this determination and courageous acts that Pi beats the odds and lives through this destruction. Similarly to Pi, Chuck Noland from Castaway also had an unexpected change of events while travelling. Chuck was on his way to Russia when he mentions to Kelly, his love interest â€Å"I’ll be right back! † as he was boarding the plane. Little did Noland know that it was about to crash. This physical destruction is a gigantic catastrophe for Chuck, and after four years of being stranded on an island, decides to undertake the Atlantic Ocean back to civilization. To achieve this, after being isolated Chuck needed courage. Along with determination, and hope Chuck strives for salvation and saves himself. With the unfortunate events Pi and Chuck are faced with, each made their way home relatively safe- considering the circumstances. The characters proved that despite the expectations of failure that were set for them, if they had courage, hope, and determination they would survive any tragic event that came their way. There is no argument that both the novel Life of Pi, and the movie Castaway are both tragedies- a sinking ship and crashing plane are tragic events. However, protagonists in each stay hopeful and determined to have a happy ending. Pi, from Life of I is a very obedient, sensitive person. He follows his parent’s rules strictly. Pi was always very observant of his older brother, and strived to stay out of trouble. When Pi was stranded on the life boat alone, he lost life as he knew it. Pi experiences monstrous behavior, even going as far as to eat human flesh-cannibalism. Every rule Pi had been taught that human restraint has â€Å"gone out the window†. The way Pi viewed the world completely changed. Death is so real, so close to Pi, his views altered entirely. â€Å"By the next morning I had lost all fear of death, and I resolved to die. † (page 268) Pi also had very strict rules when it came to religion, spirituality and faith. Pi was a strict vegetarian due to his belief in God. While stranded, Pi had no other choice but to kill and eat animals. Because of this, he loses his innocence. â€Å"Lord, to think that I’m a strict vegetarian. To think that when I was a child I always shuddered when I snapped open a banana because it sounded to me like the breaking of an animal’s neck. I descended to a level of savagery I never imagined possible. † This proves how this tragedy made Pi lose hope in himself. He went against every standard he has ever believed in. Chuck from Castaway’s views on life and the world also changed drastically after the plane crash. Chuck Noland’s whole life revolved around time and work before the crash. Once chuck had witnessed how quickly life could turn for the worst, he had a complete change in attitude. At the beginning of the movie Chuck really did not care about other people’s feelings. As chuck gained hope to survive, and determination to do so, he even treated Wilson- a volleyball with respect. By the time Chuck returned home, he had a genuine concern for people around him. With both of these characters, it is clear that the tragic experiences altered their hearts, and outlook on life. Both the stories of Pi from Life of Pi by Yann Martel, and Chuck from Castaway are very similar. Each has experiences of death, destruction, and tragedy that take a great toll on both characters. However they resolve their adversities, and prove it is possible to beat the likelihood of failing by turning to hope and staying determined to survive. Each story ended with a new beginning for each character: the prize from the pain. The theme of hope continued to their future lives with Pi: through this wife, children, and new home, and new openings. In the same way, Chuck also had a chance to start over.

Retail and auto sales Essay

In terms of the GDP, most of the analysis that goes towards decline is negative, and rise is positive. In some cases, though, a rise is actually negative, such as the fact that a rise in inflation is negative, or a rise in the price of oil is negative, while a rise in the GDP or personal income could be seen as more positive. It is important to understand these basics before an analysis of the indicators can really proceed. If a person does not understand the basics of economic indicators, they are not going to be able to take their knowledge and do anything with it. They will be left with a certificate of knowledge, with no personal knowledge to back it up. The most recent figure of a . 06 GDP represents weakness. Unemployment As the above statistic shows, an overall determination of the status of the current US economy is complicated by issues of declining employment as well, particularly in banking sectors. There are definite signs of a slowdown in some areas, but there are other areas that are more optimistic. Many people see room for optimism within this objectively, while others are more pessimistic or cynical about the future and say that things will have to be worse before they can be better. Actions of the Federal Reserve have helped to shore up some elements of the economy, but underlying problems do remain. As one source notes, â€Å"The Fed has quelled the panic that prevailed in the financial markets until recently. But it still has to nurse an economy weighted down by massive bad debts. That is likely to require a period of easier money†¦ with banks hoarding, consumer confidence in the pits, and housing still in freefall, it may be too early for optimism† (Coy, 2008). Still another source notes that while some elements of the economy may actually benefit from the current situation in terms of job creation, the mass majority of indicators shows a situation in which there are problematic dimensions of unemployment and layoffs such as the ones in the auto industry recently: â€Å"As long as the largest asset on household and bank balance sheets continues to deflate, the credit and consumption hits will keep coming. The worst is not over†¦ commodity prices and gold will go up. The loser? Oh, pretty much the rest of us† (Up, 2008). Of course, this is just one subjective opinion, that seems to be somewhat slanted towards an over-valuation of the housing market’s impact. Retail and auto sales Retail and auto sales have fallen with a fall in consumer confidence, and major US automakers have asked for part of the bailout that is now being sunk into the banking sector. â€Å"Aside from questions about the wisdom of government intervention or putting taxpayer money at risk, bailing out Detroit could put Washington in the position of subsidizing job losses† (Auto, 2008). On the other hand, some argue that a bailout is needed to help this industry. Consumers are spending less on retail than expected, but are still spending. In terms of auto sales, â€Å"The car makers have at least 10 assembly plants more than they need to meet demand, according to Oliver Wyman Consulting. That translates to roughly 30,000 factory jobs plus significant numbers of engineers and other salaried personnel. GM estimates it needs to slash its salaried-employee costs in North America by 30%. † (Auto, 2008). Too many variables can change in the external environment for most prognostications about the future of the US economy to be taken totally literally. What people who do propose to predict the future do, however, is to take the past and present indicators such as those in the auto industry and retail, into account and determine the likelihood of certain scenarios, based on confirmation from past facts and patterns that have held true throughout economic history. In this manner, those who look to the future can say something like, the economy will recover in a certain amount of time, or will fall again, based on many examples of this happening in the past. In the same way, people look to the past of economic improvements and adjustments to see the future economically. Bank and mortgage failures In terms of bank failures, a major factor was the swaps against sub-prime mortgages that pushed the otherwise profitable company to the brink of bankruptcy. As the mortgages ties to the swaps defaulted, companies that have since been bailed out such as giants of the banking industry like Washington Mutual and insurance industry like AIG were forced to raise millions in capital. â€Å"As stockholders got wind of the situation, they sold their shares, making it even more difficult for these companies and banks to cover the swaps. AIG could has more than enough assets to cover the swaps, but couldn’t sell them before the swaps came due† (A profile, 2008). This has led the government to install a bailout in terms of loans to banks and other companies that have put further stress on the global economy. In return, the government often becomes a partial holder or owner of the company, getting such perks as â€Å"veto power over all important decisions, including asset sales and payment of dividends† (A profile, 2008). The original plan to dissolve one company affected by the bailout, AIG, and sell it piecemeal should be revived as soon as the economy will permit. â€Å"The plan was for the Fed to break up AIG and sell off the pieces to repay the loan. However, the stock market plunge in October made that impossible, as potential buyers needed any excess cash for their own balance sheets. Therefore, the Treasury Department will instead purchase $40 billion in preferred shares from its Capital Repurchase Plan† (Profile, 2008). It is the overall conclusion of this report that the economy is currently experiencing a crisis that is, at the current writing, on the very inside edge of a recession, and that since 2007, the government has made efforts to curb the crisis by first raising and then lowering interest rates, and then setting up a semi-nationalized banking system and the so called bailout fund which helped many companies stay alive. Stock market The stock market has always risen and fallen with various demand curves. The demand the consumer had in terms of the demand curve then outdistanced the supply, because of many factors in the external environment. There is also the issue of banks and credit, which affects many consumers directly. â€Å"The Fed’s latest survey of bank loan officers found a further marked tightening of credit, both in terms of charges and more stringent requirements for borrowers. Some 70% of banks had tightened standards for residential mortgages† (Forsyth, 2008). Many banks have also lowered interest garnered in savings and money market accounts. And of course, there is also the issue of Iraq, which is also a political issue. Currently, all of these issues are affecting the stock market. At the present time of writing, the stock market has posted modest gains for the day, after a brief rally and then a fall in the early week. The chart shown below illustrates the state of the stock market at the current writing, and can be interpreted as such in viewing. Consumer confidence Another important theme and issue that affects particularly economic factors in the present is the confidence of the consumer. The future is never set in stone, but present demographic indicators can give commentators some idea of what is going to happen in terms of fiscal policy. GDP refers to Gross Domestic Product, which has slowed down somewhat but is still up in the first quarter. CPI refers to Consumer Price Index, about with the Federal Reserve is involved in terms of predictions about inflation because of interest rates. PPI refers to production price index, and is going up. In terms of how the economy is doing generally regarding some of these indicators, as one source states, â€Å"Consumer spending on goods plunged 2. 6%, but outlays for housing, medical care and other services rose†¦ heading into the second quarter, while overall April payrolls shrunk by 20,000 jobs, services added 90,000†¦ services make up almost 60% of the Gross Domestic Product† (Cooper, 2008). In other words, while some of the indicators are up, others are down, showing a volatile economy in general. REFERENCE Cooper, J (2008). Services: Heavyweight in a hard fight. Businessweek. Coy, P (2008). The Fed may have more cutting to do. Businessweek. Forsyth, R (2008). Corporates boom, tanks tighten. Barron’s. Auto makers force bailout issues (2008). Wall Street Journal. Profile of AIG (2008). http://useconomy. about. com/od/businesses/p/AIG. htm

Free Essays on Emotions

Comparing Differences and Similarities During Childhood and Adulthood Toward My Parents In the stages from childhood to adulthood, I’ve experienced many different feelings toward my parents as the years went by. Experiences in life had many influences on my attitude toward my parents and one can never really step back and notice until the years have passed. There are three main attitudes that I experienced, positive, negative, and neutral attitudes. In the negative attitude it took place during my childhood years. I was somewhat of a rebellious child. I thought my parents were too strict. They impose a lot of rules on me. For example; I was not allowed to stay over at my friend’s house, and my friends were not allowed to come over to my house to sleep over. My parents were also very controlling that at times I was so afraid of them, that I didn’t even speak to them. Their customs were so old fashion that whenever company came over, we knew already that we had to go outside until the company left. We were not allowed to go inside when my parents had company. I thought that was cruel and very unfair of my parents. Another thing that I thought was very unfair was that whenever I misbehave all my mother had to do was look at me with that evil look that she gave me and I knew that I was going to get punished. To put it bluntly, whatever my parents said, that’s what had to be done and I was not allowed to answer back. I always felt like I was a prisoner instead of a daughter. I guess their ways was what taught me to grow inside and how today I look at my parents with a different attitude. Today I respect them for teaching me to make better choices in my life. I see now why my parents had the attitude that they had. They made good judgements toward my life and they seem to be wiser now that they have gotten older. My parents also seem to be more understanding. For example, the other day I went over to the... Free Essays on Emotions Free Essays on Emotions Emotions â€Å"Men decide far more problems by hate, love, lust, rage, sorrow, joy, hope, fear, illusion, or some other inward emotion, than by reality, authority, any legal standard, judicial precedent, or statute.† -Cicero (106 BC – 43 BC) What is an emotion? One definition, by dictionary.com, is â€Å"A mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by physiological changes; a feeling.† To most people, that definition doesn't seem quite complete. Emotions and feelings are very personal - no two people experience any one emotion the same way, nor do they experience any one situation the same. While one person may be happy to receive a B on a test, another may be disappointed s/he didn't receive an A. Eric Jensen, Ph. D. lists the core emotions as anger, sadness, disgust, surprise, joy, and fear. These core feelings are only a small portion of the range of emotions that are present nearly every day. Naming emotions in their full range is very challenging, because emotions, by their very nature, are not rational. When we try to put a label on how we are feeling, we move from that feeling to being rational and thinking, rather than just experiencing the emotion. In addition to the many shades of emotion, we also experience mixtures and combinations of them. For example, a combination of 'joy' and 'acceptance' could be felt as 'love'. A combination of 'sadness' and 'surprise' could be felt as 'disappointment'. The combinations are nearly endless. Emotions help us in many different ways. The four major ways emotions help us are awareness, motivation, communication, and decision-making. These are basic things we need to survive in the world. We experience emotions to help us understand other people and our surroundings. They help us to become aware of others by giving us visual and verbal clues to respond and react to situations. When someone i... Free Essays on Emotions Comparing Differences and Similarities During Childhood and Adulthood Toward My Parents In the stages from childhood to adulthood, I’ve experienced many different feelings toward my parents as the years went by. Experiences in life had many influences on my attitude toward my parents and one can never really step back and notice until the years have passed. There are three main attitudes that I experienced, positive, negative, and neutral attitudes. In the negative attitude it took place during my childhood years. I was somewhat of a rebellious child. I thought my parents were too strict. They impose a lot of rules on me. For example; I was not allowed to stay over at my friend’s house, and my friends were not allowed to come over to my house to sleep over. My parents were also very controlling that at times I was so afraid of them, that I didn’t even speak to them. Their customs were so old fashion that whenever company came over, we knew already that we had to go outside until the company left. We were not allowed to go inside when my parents had company. I thought that was cruel and very unfair of my parents. Another thing that I thought was very unfair was that whenever I misbehave all my mother had to do was look at me with that evil look that she gave me and I knew that I was going to get punished. To put it bluntly, whatever my parents said, that’s what had to be done and I was not allowed to answer back. I always felt like I was a prisoner instead of a daughter. I guess their ways was what taught me to grow inside and how today I look at my parents with a different attitude. Today I respect them for teaching me to make better choices in my life. I see now why my parents had the attitude that they had. They made good judgements toward my life and they seem to be wiser now that they have gotten older. My parents also seem to be more understanding. For example, the other day I went over to the...

buy custom David Fincher’s Style essay

buy custom David Fincher’s Style essay This paper seeks to analyze the styles of David Fincher as a director. His achievement in cinematography has been because of his unique style as a director. It is quite difficult to separate the facts from the opinions when it comes to David Fincher. However, this paper seeks to separate the two by analyzing the different aspects of the director; David Fincher. Analysis of David Finchers Style as a Director Fincher began his career from a very low point by directing commercials but soon moved into music videos. His fast rise has been attributed to his unique style and auteur for his work. He later moved to greater heights as a movie or film director. His directing skills are very unique in comparison with other directors of his time. Fincher actually used weather such as rain or shadows to conceal the figures and faces of the actors in the film. (Judith, 2003) This is a style that has never been seen before and it attracted many reviews and reaction from the film industry. Finchers style also included fluid tracking with a camera and single frame intact. He had a very unique tendency of shrinking Hollywood endings in a way that represented a very strong and unique style of evidence. This skill was notable in a few films among the many films that he directed namely; fight club, panic room and Se7en.In these films , Fincher uses the elements of weather to bring out emotions and feelings. For example, he uses rain to mark a mood; he also uses the rain to set up a climatic change. On the other hand, in the movie Se7en, Fincher greatly heightens the general outlook and feeling of the city into a city that is of bleak despair. As the rain showers fall on the specific actors, the story line of the film follows the intelligence and style that uses rain and water in a unique way. In the film fight club, Fincher uses rain to mark the most dramatic moments in the films. One of the dramatic moments in the film is a part where there is a heated argument amongst the actors. It is important note that in order for a director to outshine the actors, the director does not only require skill but also requires having auteur as a film maker. (Ferrara, 2011) Fincher has outshined most of the actors in the films he directed because of his auteur and unique directing styles. Finchers auteur is his stampin all of his work in the film industry. This is because Fincher uses an objective and specific way that has taken subjective scripts and changed them into their own different world. Fincher has only been making movies for a couple of decades but has hit the peak of the film industry through his unique style in directing the films. Fincher focuses on sharp dialogue, strong characters and electronic scores that make the film epic and the characters look like portraits. What Theme did David Fincher use in the Films? David Fincher used theme of unity, electronic scores, and strong characters, theme of noir, music, and sharp dialogue among any themes. In the film fight club, Fincher outlined the narrators background. In this film he used a theme that tried to deal with concepts in the lives of the actors in an idealistic fashion. Fight club was initially seen as sinister or a seditious film .Fincher used the concept theme to change it into a funny and seditious film. He was able to achieve this by including the element of humor to the element of temper. According the Edward Norton, fight club probed into the element of despair and analysis. This is because it probed the frustrations of the people that live in the system of the film .Fincher adds a visual effect to his films to add or depict the inside of the narrators brain at a telescopic level. Flincher also used musical theme to bring out style in a unique way. He sought for a band which had never recorded in a film. He used the music to break ground in the film and achieve a nontraditional score. David Fincher also used a cinematography theme that gave him maximum flexibility in composing the shots. He applied a lurid skill that made people sort and shiny instead of bland and realistic. This helped to apply a mundane look to nighttime exteriors by including a variety of colors. This technique and style was used in the film fight club. This film was filmed mostly at night. The crew used lights form inexpensive lambs to create a glow in the back ground. Fincher also used subliminal frames in fight club. He uses this theme to an illusion and show that the hero only existed on the periphery of the narrators mind or consciousness.( Hill, 2010) Fight Club Film Directted by David Fincher The fight club film starred Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helen Carter. Fincher intended the violence in the film to serve as a unique metaphor in the conflict between the generation of young people and the value of advertising. In order to achieve this, he used homoerotic overtones to keep the audience of the film uncomfortable and looking forward to the end, which in this case is a very twisting end. In this film Fincher includes the element of humor to the element of temper in order to create a sinister element. Fincher also added to his theme by using visual effects. He achieved this by utilizing previsualized footage of challenging visual effect as a tool. He added a musical theme this filming. Taking into consideration this film was mostly filmed at night. Fincher used shadows and color to achieve the effects. He also added a theme of light by using inexpensive lambs which helped to cat shadows on the many areas in the film. David Finchers Style in the Fight Club Film as Compared to his Other Films Fight club involves and narrates a neo noir theme but is classified as a retro noir film. This is because of the gender presentation in the film. These films allow the survival, thriving, crime solving of the female gender without the assistance of men. On the other hand, the film fame fatale introduces a heroic chic who exists in a criminal and dangerous world. The female actor is presented as necessary but not peripheral as opposed to the female actors in the film fight club. In fight club a disintegrating body is the center of slanting trauma while in other films the slanting trauma does not come out so strongly. (Hill, 2009) The costumeric culture in the fight club film shapes the male identity and ignores the capitalism in totality. This is a style that is not seen in any of David Finchers other films. Conclusion David Fincher has made a big impact in the film world and the world as well by his unique and different directing styles. This has not only put him at the top in the filming business but has also made him win awards for his unique style in the directing of films. His style as a director has added value to the filming industry and improved many aspects of directing. Buy custom David Fincher’s Style essay

Big Family

Coming from a big family I am used to speaking over someone else in order to be heard, laughing loudly to express my happiness, and sitting at the dinner table eating delicious food cooked my grandmother. Because the majority of my life is spent with my mouth open, sometimes even when I sleep at night, I want to be an orthodontist.I contemplated on the possible careers I would pursue in the future, but could not think of one that would fulfill me as an individual. I thought about what I enjoyed doing the most, or what I often found myself doing-smiling. I love smiling, and love making other people smile, and there is no better way to express your happiness than by showing off your pearly whites. There are many individuals who ashamed of their teeth, refuse to smile or cover their mouth when they do. I want to be able to help them with this problem, especially children because the world always looks brighter behind a smile. In order to be fully prepared to become an orthodontist, and after browsing over the variety of courses offered at Boston University, I was interested in the pre-dentistry program offered at the College of Arts and Science. After viewing pictures and reading about the curriculum, I was convinced that Boston University would indulge me with a variety of knowledge in the liberal arts, and allow me to concentrate in science and pre-dentistry. I want to receive top quality education because one day I want to be able to fulfill my dream of having my own dental clinic and know that BU prepared me for it.

In What Ways Real Estate is a Conduit for Flows of Finance between Essay

In What Ways Real Estate is a Conduit for Flows of Finance between Global Cities World-Wide - Essay Example Its population was estimated to be close to one million residents (Hall 1997 p. 2) A few years ago, Manuel Castells and David Harvey began an era of stimulating research. The accomplishment was to connect the process of conglomeration of metropolis to the larger historical dynamic of industrial capitalism. From then on, the city was no longer regarded in terms of social ecology, which is dependent upon the elements of population and space. The new metropolis came to be viewed as an outcome of predominant social forces which were motivated by the capitalist concept of industrialization. This conflict between the affluent and the modest became essential to how the metropolis developed (Friedmann 1986). In the past decade the research of the metropolis has been correlated to global economics. This new perspective refined insights into the dynamics of urban change. This enabled a required spatial approach on an economic system which has transcended national boundaries. The objective of t his introduction is to research as basically as possible the main hypothesis which connect the formation of metropolis to worldwide economic processes. This is intended to develop a framework for academic investigation. This academic research is composed of political considerations. These global cities have become the launching platform for global capitalism. There is a contrasting relationship. between industrialization in this time of global administration and the political affiliation of territorial concerns. This enables the comprehension of the processes which occur in the global cities and what is the causal attribution of political disagreement. There are several aspects which will be reviewed. These aspects are the following: The manner and development of a global city's entry into the global economy and the tasks which are delegated in the global city. In the global city, the new system of production will be pivotal for any basic developments which occur. The global cities of the world are perceived as being points. This perspective is based on industrialization and economic perspectives. Global cities are the points of arrival for large populations of domestic and international migration. The inception of global cities forms a perspective of the major contrasts and idiosyncrasies of industrialization. These contrasts and idiosyncrasies include territorial and economic separation Global city development produces social expenses which overshadow the social and economic capacity of the local governments. The exception being the city of Tokyo which is an attribute of Japanese industrialization. Tokyo has been able to succeed in deterring foreign economic interests from making major economic injections in this global city. The economic potential of the global city dissipates under the multiple influences of dependent local economic situations and the worldwide economic situation (Friedmann 1986). Literature Review Goldman Sachs has been an important influ ence in the UK and the Euro zone The new prime minister of Greece, Lucas Papademos is a former employee of the European Central Bank and Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs is a high profile US concern whose impact is of great significance in the UK as it is in the Euro zone The previous director general of the Italian treasury, Mario Draghi, is also a former employee of Goldman Sachs. The probable candidate for Berlusconi's post in Italy , Mario Monti, is also an interest of Goldman Sachs. Is it a coincidence that many of the

Power Point Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Power Point Research Proposal - Essay Example However, heart attack risk factors can be effectively reduced by embracing a healthy living style, which includes modified diets, lifestyle, and physical activities for older women. The PICOT-based research question will be the basis for the practice where two heart attack reduction intervention will be compared, which include the use of Aspirin and lifestyle modification. Mortality rate caused by heart attack in older women is a global epidemic. Although there being medications such as Aspirin to reduce heart attack, the side effects are adverse making it a rather risky intervention. However, lifestyle modification forms a better intervention compared to the use of Aspirin as it has minimal risks and side effects and promote the overall health of a woman as well as reducing risks to other diseases. The evidence-based practice aims at establishing the effectiveness of modifying lifestyle to reduce the chances of a heart attack that will be compared to the use of Aspirin intervention. The practice further aims at improving awareness of heart attack risk factors that will be a major intervention in reducing mortality rate from heart diseases in older women. The evidence-based practice will be important, as it will find out whether lifestyle modification for women aged 45-75 years is better compared to the Aspirin regimen. The practice will further promote awareness of risks factors that contribute to heart attacks among older women. Studies have shown that physical activity has been one of the most successful interventions in reducing coronary heart disease. Daily exercise including simple walks has potential health benefits including reducing heart attack risks. The literature conducted aimed at the perceptions associated with Aspirin regimen in reducing the risk of heart attack. Additionally, reviewed studies aimed at comparing the efficacy of modifying lifestyle to the use of Aspirin regimen. Notably, most studies points out that modification

Business Law (sales) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Law (sales) - Essay Example fficers of the dealer to verify if what the salesman is saying is true and to assert his right properly, the employer Happy Harry must be presumed to know that because the case facts says: â€Å" On August 29, 2002, Happy Harry notified Willie Rammit that his car had arrived that he could pick up the car whenever he wanted to but the sooner he did, the happier Harry would be.† This indicates prior knowledge on the part Harry to get Willie to get the car before August 30, the original delivery date; hence the employer could be faulted here for bad faith given what happened after wards.† B. Identify the legal theory on which Willie rely as the basis for his lawsuit, explain how the required elements of that theory apply to facts of Willie’s lawsuit. Will Willie succeed in his lawsuit? The legal theory on which Willie rely as basis of lawsuit is contractual negligence. There was negligence on the part of the manufacturer by forcing the buyer, through the salesman, to bring home the car. Although the car was not as per customer’s requirement, it does not justify the seller to be negligent in the product it made to sell from the manufacturer. The case facts say that it was the car engine that caused the fire and more over, Willie could not come out from the car to save himself and that the car was also the immediate cause why Willie was not able to get away from danger even assuming that the fire was an accident. The case facts are clear: â€Å"Willie left with the car and began driving to his home. Approximately thirty (30 minutes) while he was still driving home, the engine of the car caught fire and Willie was trapped inside the car because he could not get his seat belt unfastened due to the fact that the buckle was stuck and would not unlatch. As a result of being stuck in the belt, Willie was severely burned over seventy percent of his body. He was hospitalized with his burns for five (5) months.† For negligence to be used as basis of liability,

Wheelchair Experience Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wheelchair Experience Assignment - Essay Example So I decided to bring him to a mall in his wheelchair and have lunch there at the same time. The first difficulty we had was looking for a space to park our car which had to be somewhat near the entrance. We were fortunate to find a spot very close to the mall entrance, but found it frustrating that there were no ramps to access the curb. I finally rolled my cousin up to the entrance, where a nice young man held the door open for us. Upon entering the mall, my cousin found it somewhat simple to move the wheelchair through the aisles and walkways. Deciding to have lunch, we had to take an elevator to the first floor to get to the food court. We got directions from a store map to find where the elevator was, and we found out it was on a far side of the mall. However, we were pleased that the elevator was quite fast and spacious. After that, we found the entrance to the food court very easily, and my cousin was able to maneuver to the food court by himself. As soon as we arrived at the food court, my cousin commented that the brick flooring made it a quite uneven ride up to the food counters. After selecting a food stall, my cousin was able to hold and stretch for the orders with my help, until it was time to look for a table. My cousin had to let me carry his food to me until I got seated at the table. We finally managed to find an oval table with enough room to get my cousin’s body conveniently level to the table. Eating in the wheelchair appeared fairly alike to eating while in a regular chair, and my cousin shared that it was easy to do so. However, we noticed that he needed to lock the wheelchair in place to keep from rolling away while he ate or stretched for the food. After eating we decided to visit some shops. We went inside several clothing shops, and all three were just about the same in construction. The first shop was the easiest of the stores to maneuver, since there was a

Ethics Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Ethics Paper - Essay Example In the light of these, the following study explains the mandate of social responsibility and ethics in coming up with a strategic plan while considering the demands of stakeholders. Additionally, it provides an example of a company which did not consider ethical considerations and finally recommends the best means of preventing similar occurrences in future. A strategic plan refers to the overall defining term of an organization which highlights its decision-making, directions, and overall modes of operation. The reason why ethics and social responsibility are important when this organizational tool is being constructed is that the organization has to consider the principles of individuals as well as commit to its obligations to the wider society. Failure to meet these demands would mean the integrations of the organization in the society within which it is based would be ineffective. The result of such would be difficult or impossibility of conducting business, since the people would oppose or fail to support the organization’s presence. Ethics go a long way in defining the constituting elements of social responsibilities of an organization. Social responsibility in this term refers to the stakeholders who include clients, suppliers, partners, surrounding societies, and generally anyone who is affected by the organization in one way or another. One key element of social responsibility is that it should treat all the stakeholders equally. Again, the majorly considered aspects of stakeholders are social impacts and environmental effects emerging from the organization’s presence. In a nutshell, ethics should defend against the eruption of any kind of tension or conflict between the organization and all the affected stakeholders (Ferrell & Hartline, 2012). An organization which considers its ethical constitution emphasizes on, and inflicts transparency in all its activities.

Business Law (sales) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Law (sales) - Essay Example fficers of the dealer to verify if what the salesman is saying is true and to assert his right properly, the employer Happy Harry must be presumed to know that because the case facts says: â€Å" On August 29, 2002, Happy Harry notified Willie Rammit that his car had arrived that he could pick up the car whenever he wanted to but the sooner he did, the happier Harry would be.† This indicates prior knowledge on the part Harry to get Willie to get the car before August 30, the original delivery date; hence the employer could be faulted here for bad faith given what happened after wards.† B. Identify the legal theory on which Willie rely as the basis for his lawsuit, explain how the required elements of that theory apply to facts of Willie’s lawsuit. Will Willie succeed in his lawsuit? The legal theory on which Willie rely as basis of lawsuit is contractual negligence. There was negligence on the part of the manufacturer by forcing the buyer, through the salesman, to bring home the car. Although the car was not as per customer’s requirement, it does not justify the seller to be negligent in the product it made to sell from the manufacturer. The case facts say that it was the car engine that caused the fire and more over, Willie could not come out from the car to save himself and that the car was also the immediate cause why Willie was not able to get away from danger even assuming that the fire was an accident. The case facts are clear: â€Å"Willie left with the car and began driving to his home. Approximately thirty (30 minutes) while he was still driving home, the engine of the car caught fire and Willie was trapped inside the car because he could not get his seat belt unfastened due to the fact that the buckle was stuck and would not unlatch. As a result of being stuck in the belt, Willie was severely burned over seventy percent of his body. He was hospitalized with his burns for five (5) months.† For negligence to be used as basis of liability,

Ethics Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Ethics Paper - Essay Example In the light of these, the following study explains the mandate of social responsibility and ethics in coming up with a strategic plan while considering the demands of stakeholders. Additionally, it provides an example of a company which did not consider ethical considerations and finally recommends the best means of preventing similar occurrences in future. A strategic plan refers to the overall defining term of an organization which highlights its decision-making, directions, and overall modes of operation. The reason why ethics and social responsibility are important when this organizational tool is being constructed is that the organization has to consider the principles of individuals as well as commit to its obligations to the wider society. Failure to meet these demands would mean the integrations of the organization in the society within which it is based would be ineffective. The result of such would be difficult or impossibility of conducting business, since the people would oppose or fail to support the organization’s presence. Ethics go a long way in defining the constituting elements of social responsibilities of an organization. Social responsibility in this term refers to the stakeholders who include clients, suppliers, partners, surrounding societies, and generally anyone who is affected by the organization in one way or another. One key element of social responsibility is that it should treat all the stakeholders equally. Again, the majorly considered aspects of stakeholders are social impacts and environmental effects emerging from the organization’s presence. In a nutshell, ethics should defend against the eruption of any kind of tension or conflict between the organization and all the affected stakeholders (Ferrell & Hartline, 2012). An organization which considers its ethical constitution emphasizes on, and inflicts transparency in all its activities.

My Exchange Experience Essay Example for Free

My Exchange Experience Essay Ocean is more resplendent because of its waves; forest is lusher because of the rainstorms; and life is richer because of all the milestones. I always believe that what makes people different is not the starting point, but the turning point. Twenty years had been gone in my life, but I did not feel my growth and maturity until I went to California as a foreign exchange student. In 2006, I should be like many other sixteen-year-old teenagers who go to school every day and spend time with parents at home. However, I made a decision to come to the United States for ten month with AFS Intercultural Program. At first, my English teacher in China asked me if I want to go to the AFS winter camp, which is for selecting exchange students across the country. At that time, I had absolutely no idea about doing abroad. What I pictured my life was to finish high school, go to a college, and get a decent job. My parents advised me that there were two choices lying in front of me. On one hand, I could ignore the exchange program and live like what everyone does, whereas on the other hand, I could try to go to a different way of living. Finally, I was selected to be one of the sixty three exchange students who would go to the United States. Since I stepped onto the land of United States, lots of hardships have already waited to test me. The very beginning thing I had to handle was to become adapted to the American style of living, such as trying all different kinds of food, watching movies together with the family, getting up early on Christmas day morning to open presents from â€Å"Santa Claus†, and so on. Then, I had to get used to the life in school. In China, we do not have the opportunity to pick courses; whereas here in the United States, I got so many classes to choose from. What was more, I had to make decisions on my own instead of asking my parents like what I normally did back home. Usually, I had to prepare a lot of work for whole night, but I never told my parents how tired and hard I felt here. I never wanted them to worry about me, which was another big difference. In China, I could tell them all my feelings, however, in America, all I could do was to bear everything on my shoulder and kept going on without hesitance. I felt so lucky to get involved in this exchange experience, which is a really important milestone in my life because I harvested and grew up a lot from it. I got the chance to practice my oral English skills because I was the only Chinese in that town. And then, without the aid of Mom and Dad, I managed to do many things well relying on myself, which really steeled me. Instead of looking at America through TV shows, I was personally on the scene to experience American culture, especially the education system.

Issues Involved in Strategic Planning

Issues Involved in Strategic Planning They are stated in precise terms as quantitatively as possible. The emphasis on goals is on measurement of progress toward the attainment of objectives. Goals have the following structures they: 1. Are resulting from objects, 2. Offer a normal for measuring presentation, 3. Are articulated in concrete terms, 4. Are time-bound and work-oriented. Advantages and Disadvantages: It helps organizations do to satisfy a particular need of the society or to fulfill a particular deficiency in the society. There is always a deadline which sometimes is never meant by organizations. Review the issues involved in strategic planning: Businesses that succeed do so by creating and keeping customers. They do this by providing better value for the customer than the competition. Marketing management constantly has to assess which customers they are trying to reach and how they can design products and services that provide better value (competitive advantage). The main problem with this process is that the environment in which businesses operate is constantly changing. So a business must adapt to reflect changes in the environment and make decisions about how to change the marketing mix in order to succeed. This process of adapting and decision-making is known as marketing planning. Where does marketing planning fit in with the overall strategic planning of a business? Strategic planning is concerned about the overall direction of the business. It is concerned with marketing, of course. But it also involves decision-making about production and operations, finance, human resource management and other business issues. The objective of a strategic plan is to set the direction of a business and create its shape so that the products and services it provides meet the overall business objectives. Marketing has a key role to play in strategic planning, because it is the job of marketing management to understand and manage the links between the business and the environment. Sometimes this is quite a straightforward task. For example, in many small businesses there is only one geographical market and a limited number of products (perhaps only one product!). However, consider the challenge faced by marketing management in a multinational business, with hundreds of business units located around the globe, producing a wide range of products. How can such management keep control of marketing decision-making in such a complex situation? This calls for well-organized marketing planning. What are the key issues that should be addressed in strategic and marketing planning? The following questions lie at the heart of any marketing and strategic planning process: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Where are we now? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How did we get there? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Where are we heading? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Where would we like to be? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How do we get there? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Are we on course? Why is marketing planning essential? Businesses operate in hostile and increasingly complex environment. The ability of a business to achieve profitable sales is impacted by dozens of environmental factors, many of which are interconnected. It makes sense to try to bring some order to this chaos by understanding the commercial environment and bringing some strategic sense to the process of marketing products and services. A marketing plan is useful to many people in a business. It can help to: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Identify sources of competitive advantage à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Gain commitment to a strategy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Get resources needed to invest in and build the business à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Inform stakeholders in the business à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Set objectives and strategies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Measure performance Advantages and Disadvantages: Market planning delivers a means for actively involving personnel from all areas of the business in the management of the company and this participation improves the quality of the plans, with the participation of the staffs it enhances their overall understanding of the companys objectives and goal. One of the disadvantages is costly to implement. Explain different planning techniques: Planning is a critical business responsibility that is often overlooked, particularly by smaller companies with limited time and personnel resources. However, the reason for this oversight is often the result of managements lack of planning techniques. Learning useful planning methods and factors eliminates this knowledge gap. Business planning is just as critical as having a map when traveling to an unfamiliar location. Without it you may never reach your destination. Primary Planning Types Business planning types come in various flavors depending on the company size and industry. However, there are three basic plans that apply to all businesses, large or small. Business, strategic and marketing plans are important to every for-profit and nonprofit organization. Understanding the goals and components of each offers businesses the tools to create effective plans using the most basic or sophisticated techniques. Business Plans Typically used for starting up or financing a company, business plans are the cornerstone of the planning function. Components of a business plan include an executive summary, market analysis, product/service descriptions and financial/operations projections for a minimum of three to five years. In start-up situations that need initial financing, creators should paint a vivid, yet conservative, picture of the founders and the rationale for believing the business will succeed. When seeking growth-financing, management should highlight past company performance and carefully project the impact of the new funding on improving net income. Always include debt service, which is the amount needed to repay the new loan, in income and expense projections. Strategic Plan Strategic plans should be created by business owners and/or senior management only. Unlike business plans, which are based on historical data and future projections, strategic plans are more conceptual. These plans should include defining your organizational goals, identifying your available options to achieve your objectives and considering new short-term opportunities you believe will exist to improve your businesss results. You may want to incorporate specific industry trends into your planned strategy. Strategic plans are not long-term creations, but should address taking advantage of available opportunities in the next 12 to 24 months. Marketing Plans All the fabulous business and strategic plans ever devised will fail if you dont market and sell your product or service. A solid marketing plan will help you achieve gross income and sales goals. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis is an effective technique for creating a winning marketing plan. SWOT is also useful in strategic plan creation as a foundation technique. You can also combine a SWOT analysis with the four Ps product, price, publicity, and place of effective marketing. Even if you have invented the better mousetrap, you need a superior marketing plan to get results. These techniques will give you the ammunition you need. SWOT analysis and marketing A vital part of the planning process is looking at the existing position of an industry and trying to decide how factors external to the business may affect the business. An organization can perform a SWOT analysis as a way of deciding which marketing plan to use. The organization performs an audit on the internal and external nature of the company looking at the current and future situation. An audit is a review of all the company s activities. Strengths Reviews the business current strengths such as a good brand or strong sales performance Can develop the strengths, perhaps in the way they promote the product, or wish to develop new products (Tesco have used their strong brand name to launch several products) Weaknesses Reviews the business current weaknesses such poor response times to requests for information or late deliveries Can implement strategies to eradicate these weaknesses e.g. more resources put into a better warehousing system for the dispatch of goods. External Opportunities Reviews the business future opportunities e.g. new technology making it easier to manufacturer certain goods or new markets abroad Can use strategies to take advantage of the potential opportunities e.g. developing new products to meet the potential increased demand Threats Reviews the business future threats, mostly from increased competition from other firms or from changes in the economic situation. Can employ strategies to ward off these problems, e.g. setting lower prices or increasing promotion Rational about the use of a SWOT analysis in measuring the influence of marketing to a business strategy; Possible strengths in marketing might be: Specialist marketing expertise An innovative product or service The location of the business convenient for customers The reputation of the brand perhaps it is trusted or recognized as the highest quality Likely weaknesses in marketing could include: Lack of a clear product differentiation compared with competing products Weak distribution compared with competitors Inadequate online presence Potential marketing opportunities could include: The use of technology to develop new products Growing demand from overseas markets (e.g. China India) The use of social media like Facebook and Twitter to reach new customers A list of likely marketing threats might include: Competitors introducing better products at lower prices Changes in the economic environment which encourage customers to be less loyal to established brands Changes in customer tastes and fashions Universal Techniques To make business planning come alive and succeed there are three simple practices that must be always be employed. First, set realistic, measurable goals. Second, understand and communicate with your customer base. Third, attract and retain the best employees your company can afford. Without these three components, your business planning, however sophisticated, risks failure on a massive scale. Using these three simple techniques, your business plans should deliver the results you want. SPACE, PIMS. PIMS data can be described as a guide to help management describe the business a business situation and opportunity relative to the offerings of its competitors in two-dimensional space. TASK 2 BE ABLE TO FORMULATE A NEW STRATEGY Produce an organizational audit for a given organization Tesco Marketing Audit: The marketing audit is a fundamental part of the marketing planning process. It is conducted not only at the beginning of the process but also during and after the process completion. Marketing audit not only consider its own plan but also considers internal and external factor that affects marketing planning. Some important tools used by marketing audit are SWOT for internal and external environment where as PESTLE and Five Forces Analysis which focus only on the external environment. It can be viewed as an umbrella that covers efforts to assess customer needs and wants and to understand community patterns. The external environment is reviewed at micro and macro level. Definition: The marketing Audit has been defined by Phillip Kotler strategic market auditing (1977) as a comprehensive, systematic, independent and periodic examination activities and resources in order to determine problem areas and opportunities and to recommend a plan of action. As per the definition: Marketing Audit is Comprehensive, systematic, independent and periodic features. In simple word marketing audit is the complete review of the environment that includes both internal and external environments of any organization. The marketing audit follows the following areas as components of marketing audit:  · Environmental Audit which includes Macro Environmental Audit and Micro Environmental Audit.  · Marketing Strategy Audit  · Marketing Organization Audit  · Marketing System Audit  · Marketing Productivity Audit  · Marketing Function Audit Processes and techniques used for auditing the marketing auditing environment follows simple three steps are: a) Agreement on objectives, scope and approach: Marketing auditor must prepare for the marketing audit by holding discussion with the CEO and the executive staff and briefly reviewing some financial and marketing data. Often objectives are discussed in the meeting such as determine how the market views the company and its competitors, recommending a pricing policy, determining sale activity. The audit would cover the marketing operations of the company as a whole. b) Data collection: More time is spent on the gathering data. More auditors are involved when the project is large. Auditor has to spent time in deciding what question to be asked, who will be interviewed and so on so forth. Daily reports of the interviews are to be written up and reviewed. c) Report preparation and presentation: When the data gathering is over, auditor prepares notes for a visual and verbal presentation to the company officer. Techniques used for auditing the marketing environments are as follows. 1) SWOT Analysis: It is one of the most important tools of marketing audit. It helps a lot of help to the marketers and is used at the beginning of the marketing audit process. It has advantages as well as drawbacks. Some of the drawbacks are subjective and cannot be relied too much. Therefore it should be used as a guide in the marketing planning and not as a prescription to the process. 2) PESTLE Analysis: Various factors of the marketing is analyzed by PEST analysis that effects upon the marketing process. An organization that is carrying the analysis needs to study the environmental factors that are internal and external. 3) Five Force Analyses: This is an analysis that helps the marketers to have a clear picture of competitors for the market. This analysis has some similarities with PEST analysis. In this analysis the marketer goes through five areas of concerns. Analyze and evaluate the external environment of the organization by using PEST framework, Porters Five Forces model and Product life cycle. Companys profile: Tesco runs more than 2300 supermarkets and convenience stores in the UK, Ireland, Central Europe and Asia. It is operating in almost areas such as gasoline retail (Tesco Express) small urban stores (Tesco Metro) hypermarkets (Tesco Extra) and Financial service (Tesco Personal Finance). It covers up to 35% stake in US grocery. It is the leading online grocery store and is now expanding its business with a TV channel and a retail based education institution. A) A PEST Analysis of the industry was then undertaken to examine the local, national and global influence of political, economic, social and technological factors to understand opportunities and threats well. An assumption was made that most of these ( political, economic, social, legal and environmental ) factors would, to some extent apply to the retail industry in Sweden: Political: Following the European Integration and Free Trade Agreements, the market has opened British Companies to invest in Eastern European. It has 60 stores in Hungary. Lidl is fighting hard to maintain its market share with an aggressive pricing strategy against Tesco. Economic: Retail industry is fairly recession proof and also very sensitive to interest rate. Because of September 11 events, the world economy have suffered heavily, stocks were plummeting and prices are low all time. However the world economy is up after the September 11th attack. Consumers are optimistic and retail industry is once again boosting. Social: There are changes in consumer taste and lifestyle present both opportunities and threats for the retail industry. There are alternative Sweden national retailers which poses additional threats to the Tesco while entering in the Sweden market industry. Technical: Introduction of online shopping via internet is now a common place in retailing. IT system undertakes a paperless operation, the management and administration of the company which are monitored by the secured severs, it provides a flexible base for running the business. Sweden is at the forefront of technologically developed with national companies like Ericsson, hence Tesco gets an advantage of developed logistics and distribution channels already in place. One other tool that will be used in these areas is Porter Five Forces. This model can be used to good analytic effect alongside other models such as the SWOT and PEST analysis tools. Five Forces analyses five important in the determination of competitive power and these are:  · Buyers power:  · Suppliers power:  · Rivalry among competitors:  · Threat of new entrants:  · Threat of substitute product Problems faced by Tesco can be explained by Porters five forces including of the threat of substitutes from other supermarkets, buyer power, supplier power and the power of customer. Buyer power also decides the prices in the market. If products are expensive in Tesco then they will purchase from Sainsbury. This mean market is disciplined which make the pricing is disciplined as well. This in turn stops them to destroy the market in a profit war. Supplier power is an important part of this model. Supplier power is wielded by suppliers demanding that retailers should pay them certain price for their goods supplied. There is always a threat of substitution, although Tesco tries to ensure brand image and quality by having the best value for the products. Tesco acknowledges the fact that there have always been threats from the competitors and new entrants into the markets and therefore always plan to improve upon developments in its stores. Carry out an environmental audit for a given organization: PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Ecological, Legal and Environment) Among the above PESTLE analysis Political, Economic, social and Technological factors are implemented as a technique for the auditing of the marketing environment. Political/ legal:- An environment of marketing at any nation is affected due to the political reasons. There should be the management of change once there is a change in the political condition and situation. The system of nation keeps on changing if there is a lack of stability in politics and the organization should change the marketing strategies as per the changing environment so that the organization can exist in the changing environment. Economic:- Economics plays a vital role in the marketing environment audit. A country with weak economy cannot compete in the international market. To be successful in the marketing there should be a sound financial transaction of an organization. Some of the components of economic factors for environmental audit are: Interest rates, Business cycles, Investment policies. There should be good investment policies for the investment by the nation so that the interest of the investor in investment increases which helps to raise financial stability in the nation. Social and cultural:- Social and cultural refer to the tradition and costumes or belief of people living in a particular geographical region. Social value and norms sometimes becomes the barrier to the marketing environment. There is vast different in the culture and tradition of eastern and western societies as a result of it the culture of eastern may not be suitable for western and vice versa. The marketing depends upon the culture and tradition of any geographical area. S Technological:- In this competitive age technological changes plays a vital role in the marketing. All the developed countries have been successful due to the drastic changes in the technology and their capacity to cope with changing technology. Different technologies can be used for the auditing of the marketing environment. SWOT analysis:- SWOT analysis includes strength, weaknesses, opportunity and threats for an organization. Strength and opportunities are the positive aspect of an organization whereas weaknesses and threats are negative. Similarly strengths and weaknesses are internal environment whereas opportunity and threats are external. Low cost of production and sales, good information about the market and sound finance of the organization are the strengths and lack of communication and low quality of goods are the weaknesses. Similarly lack of competition and expansion of the market is the opportunities whereas control from pressure groups, lack of political and system stability are the threats for any organization. PORTERS five forces model:- It consists of five main points that are listed below: Bargaining power of the customers: It is found in the open or the competitive market where the customer has the advantage over the suppliers or the sellers. A consumer has the choice of quality and the rate and if the supplier fails to fulfil the satisfaction of the consumer there is the chance of the customer to walk away from the suppliers. In this case the buyer has every right to complain and the seller need to hear it and recover so that the buyer did not leave the consumption of the commodity.. Bargaining power of the supplier: We normally find it in the monopoly market where there is the presence of only one market. Here the supplier has the advantages over the customers. A seller can fix the price of his own and sell low quality products as a result of it buyer couldnt get enough facilities. As only one marker is available the customers are forced to buy goods from the same shop and have no choice. For an illustration, if one city has only one market the people living there have to purchase the commodities from the same market no matter what the price and quality is because they dont have a second option. In this case the supplier has their own choice of marking prices. Such type of business brings profit motive rather than service motive. Threat of new entrants: When there is the presence of new product or the new supplier the old products and the old supplier gets affected. A customer of particular supermarket gets diverted to next one, if the new supplier gives him new schemes ad facilities. Threat from the substitute product: It provides the facilities to the consumers as the consumers have enough choices for the commodities to use. The customers wont feel bored of using same product again and again. Rivalry among the competitors: Rivalry begins where there is the presence of competitive market or when two similar types of goods are present in the market. It gives advantages to the customers. When there is rivalry among competitors consumers receives the benefits. Apply organizational and environmental auditing techniques in a given situation. As for the project work I have chosen Tesco which deals with retail sales of food and household products. They use PESTEL analysis for the purpose of marketing environment audit. Political:- Under political it uses the monopoly system, taxation policies, rules of employing the staffs and government stability as a method of evaluating political environment. Economic:- Under the economic sector the interest rates, inflation and business cycles are evaluated for the purpose of environmental marketing audit. Social cultural:- There are different cultures of the particular area. The marketing of Tesco has been influenced due to the social cultural factors as well. The different elements under socio cultural which can affect the marketing audit of the organization are demography, distribution of income of the people and their lifestyle. Technology:- Technology plays a vital role during upgrade any organization. In this competitive age no organization can ever think of improvement in the absence of technology. The factors influencing technology in an organization can be the development of new technologies, rate of technology transfer and investment on the research of technology. Positioning of Ansoff matrix: For any decision to be taken at the business level, you need the right strategic tools. Ansoff matrix is one of them. Ansoff matrix helps a company decide their market growth as well as product growth strategies. The 2 questions which the Ansoff Matrix can answer is How can we grow in the existing markets and What amends can be made in the product portfolio to have better growth. From the above two questions, it is clear that the Ansoff matrix deals with the business external market scenario as well as the product portfolio which the company has. The matrix is divided into two quadrants. The product quadrant and the market quadrant. The Product quadrant on the X axis is further divided into Existing products and New products. The market scenario on the Y axis is divided into existing markets and new markets. Thus the Ansoff matrix divides a firm on the basis of the products it has existing products or new products, as well as the markets it is in existing markets or new markets. Explain the significance of stakeholder analysis: What is Stakeholder Analysis? Stakeholder Analysis (SA) is a methodology used to facilitate institutional and policy reform processes by accounting for and often incorporating the needs of those who have a stake or an interest in the reforms under consideration. With information on stakeholders, their interests, and their capacity to oppose reform, reform advocates can choose how to best accommodate them, thus assuring policies adopted are politically realistic and sustainable. Although Stakeholder Analysis originated from the business sciences, it has evolved into a field that now incorporates economics, political science, game and decision theory, and environmental sciences. Current models of SA apply a variety of tools on both qualitative and quantitative data to understand stakeholders, their positions, influence with other groups, and their interest in a particular reform. In addition, it provides an idea of the impact of reform on political and social forces, illuminates the divergent viewpoints towards proposed reforms and the potential power struggles among groups and individuals, and helps identify potential strategies for negotiating with opposing stakeholders. Who Are Stakeholders A stakeholder is any entity with a declared or conceivable interest or stake in a policy concern. The range of stakeholders relevant to consider for analysis varies according to the complexity of the reform area targeted and the type of reform proposed and, where the stakeholders are not organized, the incentive to include them. Stakeholders can be of any form, size and capacity. They can be individuals, organizations, or unorganized groups. In most cases, stakeholders fall into one or more of the following categories: international actors (e.g. donors), national or political actors (e.g. legislators, governors), public sector agencies (e.g. MDAs), interest groups (e.g. unions, medical associations), commercial/private for-profit, non-profit organizations (NGOs, foundations), civil society members, and users/consumers. To achieve Stakeholders objective an organization should be able to separate their interest from each other and as such act according to the power they exert in the organization. Employees of MS Have a welfare department established in 1930. Financial interest safeguarded bonuses Job performance appraises and financial incentive Benefit package interest free loans granted, Buy as you earn shares, bonus or right issue Suppliers: Always used UK based suppliers, ensuring consistent quality Relationship to build reliance on suppliers Lifelong relationship. Mutual dependability respects the specification and standard. Social commitment: Strong tradition of CSR Sponsorship of Charities. Community development efforts Government social projects. Environment friendly: Removed artificial color and flavoring from its entire food and soft drinks range-April 2008 Launched school wears made from recycled plastic bottle Despite tough economic conditions Mark and Spencer stick to Plan A, as it gives them brand and differentiation. AL Gore said a sustainable business can be profitable one Business Continuity Reviewed the tools and processes established to ensure we have the capability to protect our people, the brand, property and profit at all times; Received plans for all locations both nationally and internationally; Discussed plans for the Olympics and the Queens Diamond Jubilee; Full medical and security package introduced for all business travelers; Travel tracker system introduced both nationally and internationally; A group training awareness program launched; and Evacuation pack and welfare response. Plan A The External International Advisory Board established, comprising academics and advisors, extending our reach to reflect the countries we operate in and source from; Discussed progress in reducing carbon emissions, improvements in fuel and energy efficiency, reduction in waste and packaging, improvements in recycling and the MS/Oxfam clothes exchange; An update on work with suppliers to set up 12 Ethical Model factories in Bangladesh and three in India; Review of commitments against plan; Overview of discussions with UNICEF outside the UK on social development programs linked to the garment industry; and Overview of what we believe will be benchmarked as industry leading positions across a number of key areas. General Merchandise ethical sourcing Reviewed how we manage the ethical risks across our supply chain outlining our ethical trading approach across 1.7 million workers, spread over 1,448 sites in over 77 countries with 55 different languages; Considered the key ethical issues including: excessive working hours, poor health and safety, terms and conditions of employment, migrant labour, and low