Kill Bill vs Hamlet

Hamlet and Kill Bill â€Å"Revenge is a dish best served cold. † The Sicilian proverb used as Kill Bill Vol. 2's tagline perfectly points out a tragic flaw shared by Shakespeare's Hamlet and Quentin Tarentino's modern hero: Bill (from Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2). In Kill Bill Beatrice is a killer belonging to a team of assassins lead by a man by the name of Bill. Beatrice and her master fall in love and one night while she is on a job, she discovers she is pregnant.She realizes the world of assassins is no place for a mother and makes the decision to leave the team and leave Bill. When Beatrice does not return to him, Bill searches everywhere for her, not willing to accept she may have been killed on the job. He finally finds her only to learn that she is pregnant and about to be married! From this, Bill derives his motivation for revenge. Hamlet obviously has more of a just cause to act on, where Bill, and really all the corrupt characters in his world, act based o n selfishness.Though However much they may differ, their likeness is shown through choices made when taking their time in exacting revenge, when they let their situations drive them to madness, when they refuse to act without confirmation, and when they let their arrogance and need for revenge blind them. While similarities between Hamlet and Bill's moral standings are little to none, it is the element of revenge that reveals the shared traits that bring these men to their demise.The realization that his lover had not only left him without a single word, but had only months later been knocked up and engaged to wed, sent Bill into a maddened outrage. He confronted Beatrice outside of the church where she, her soon to be husband, and all of his family were having a wedding rehersal. He tells Beatrice he just wants to see her happy and that he'll let her go. Once Beatrice is back inside the church Bill sends in his team to kill them all. Bill walks in himself and shoots Beatrice in the head.Obviously this cruelty is nothing like the madness Hamlet experienced after finding out the truth behind his father's death. His became more of a depressed mind. He would sulk around day after day saying outlandish things to people who tried to comfort him. It seemed that suicide was not far from his thoughts. Another thing his madness led him to do was to force himself upon the one he thought he loved: Ophelia. This flaw in Bill and Hamlet's characters affected them in very different ways. However this is not surprising, for they were certainly very different people.The point is, these two men let these unfortunate happenings make them both forget their minds for a time. However rash these two men might be under the right circumstances, it is more in their nature to procrastinate. It just so happens that even with that direct shot to the head, Beatrice did not die. Bill has one of his assassins sneak into her hospital room, fully prepared to finish the job. However when the a ssassin informs him of his former lover's condition, he tells her to abort, saying, â€Å"Y'all beat the hell out of that woman, but you didn't kill her.And I put a bullet in her head, but her heart just kept on beating. We've done a lot of things to this lady. And if she ever wakes up, we'll do a whole lot more. But one thing we won't do, is sneak into her room in the night like a filthy rat, and kill her in her sleep. And the reason we won't do that thing, is because that thing would lower us. † It is safe to say that even with absolutely no regard for human life, Bill is a man of honor and integrity. Hamlet too decides to spare the life of his victim for the time being.He finds himself alone in a room with his uncle, the prey not privy to the predator's presence. However the King had just prayed for forgiveness of his sins, and Hamlet was determined to make him burn in hell. Instead of getting the job done when they had their chance, these men let their ideals and over-con fidence lead to their destruction. Bill's virtues would typically make a good man even more righteous, so naturally this quality has a negative effect towards his outcome. Because of his decision, Beatrice is allowed to wake up from her coma to find out that Bill has taken her baby.Determined to get her baby back and to get her own revenge, she sets out after Bill. Along the way, one by one, she slays her fellow assassins who have wronged her. All this time Bill has plenty of opportunities to set a trap for her or to simply find her and finish her, but he waits, just as Hamlet waits, wasting his constant access to his uncle, the King. The last bit of procrastination that only prolongs the lives of the victims, increasing the chance of failure with every permitted breath; the last tie between these two tragedies, is the need for confirmation.Rather than acting when they still had the advantage, Bill and Hamlet both insist on getting answers. When Beatrice finally makes it to Bill's h ouse, he first allows her quality time with her five year old daughter, leaving her completely vulnerable. When the girl is asleep and Beatrice leaves the room, he injects her with truth serum and questions her on everything that happened and why, all the while having access to a number of different weapons. It is not until they are both seated across from one another, both with sword in hand, that any attempt is made to kill.This is also a perfect reflection of Bill's sense of honor. In Hamlet's similar situation based on finding the truth, Hamlet refuses to make a move on the unsuspecting King until he has judged his reaction based on a play put on that closely resembles the murder of Hamlet's father. Of course after having seen the play, set up by Hamlet himself, the King sends Hamlet away to his death. In the final moments of both these tragic stories, both Bill and Hamlet meet their end. The outcomes do differ slightly.Hamlet does end up carrying out revenge on his uncle, sendi ng him to the depths of hell, while Bill's prey lives on. One thing that makes up for Bill's lack of success is that after the lethal blow had been cast upon him, he seems to realize that he had a choice between dieing and watching the one he loves die. It seemed like more of a success to him that his love got to live, and he got to spend his last moments with her. However, that is not to be taken as acceptance of death (because right up until he was critically wounded, he wanted Beatrice dead) or admittance of wrongdoing.These characters definitely have only themselves to blame for their demise. The traits of these men that led them to make bad decisions are known as their tragic flaws. Nonetheless, these so-called flaws aren't necessarily horrible attributes and definitely don't make a person bad or flawed. In fact most human beings display all these qualities in some degree. This is why, no matter what generation, nationality, race, sex, or culture; past, present, or future, we w ill always be able to relate to, and learn a great deal about ourselves from tragedy.

Enron Corporation and Anderson case study Essay

Analyzing the fall of two Giants This case results in the publishing of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and relevant to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Also, it is related to SAS 103: Auditing, Quality Control, and Independence Standards and Rules. [1] What were the business risk Enron faced, and how did those risks increase the likelihood if material misstatements in Enron’s financial statements? The business risks Enron faced are as following: †¢Using complex business model †¢extensive using special purpose entities †¢using untraditional ventures to expand business rapidly †¢limitations in GAAP The complex business model used in Enron lead overstate its revenue while not disclose the exact value of debt. Numbers of special purpose entities are used to keep debt off the books. The untraditional ventures incense the business expansion rapidly and risky. Also, the limitation of GAAP makes it possible that management took advantages of complex standards to hide the actual economic substance. All of these above increase the likelihood of material misstatements in Enron’s financial statements. [2] (a) What are the responsibilities of a company’s board of directors? (b) Could the board of directors at Enron—especially the audit committee—have prevented the fall of Enron? (c) Should they have known about the risks and apparent lack of independence with Enron’s SPEs? What should they have done about it? The responsibilities of a company’s board of directors include: †¢Protect the shareholders’ assets and provide a return on investment †¢Make important decisions that affect shareholders (dividends) †¢Decide on which executives to hire / fire The fall of Enron could have been prevented by the board of directors. The board should responsible for the company’s financial reports. However, they are failed to disclose the off books liabilities to the public, which led  the Enron fall. What is more, the board and the audit committee do not question any of the high risk transactions. They should have known about the risks and apparent lack of independence with Enron’s SPEs. They should recognize that the high risk transactions with SPE will have huge effects on Enron. Meanwhile, they should ask SPE to disclosure financials properly. [4] What are the auditor independence issues surrounding the provision of external auditing services, internal auditing services, and management consulting services for the same client? Develop arguments for why auditors should be allowed to perform these services for the same client. Develop separate arguments for why auditors should not be allowed to perform non-audit services for their audit clients. What is your view, and why? Auditors should not be allowed to perform non-audit services for their audit clients, because auditors need to be independence. If an auditor provide management consulting services for his audit client, he is just audit what he have done, which ,I think, is meaningless. On the contrary, some people may agree that auditors should be allowed to perform their services for the same client. First, choosing one firm to do all of these services can save a great deal of money. Second, the auditors will much more familiar with the client’s business and its industry, which make their work efficient. [6] Enron and Andersen suffered severe consequences because of their perceived lack of integrity and damaged reputations. In fact, some people believe the fall of Enron occurred because of a form of â€Å"run on the bank†. Some argue that Andersen experienced a similar â€Å"run on the bank† as many top clients quickly dropped the firm in the wake of Enron’s collapse. Is the â€Å"run on the bank† analogy valid for both firms? Why or why not? Yes, I think the â€Å"run on the bank† analogy valid for both firms. The fraud of Enron’s financials leads a collapse of investor, customer, and trading partner confidence. Its stocks experience a sharp slump. Meanwhile, Standard & Poor’s re-classify Enron’s stocks as junk bonds, making almost every stockholder feel unsafe. The price drops to $0.26 per share in couple of days. Even worse, debts holders begin to call the loans because of the diminished stock price, which lead the collapse of Enron directly. Andersen experiences a similar situation. The damaged reputation of Andersen results  in losing many top clients and partnerships oversea. [9] What has been done, and what more do you believe should be done to restore the public trust in the auditing profession and in the nation’s financial reporting system? The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is a good way to restore the public trust in the auditing profession and financial report. The Act required top management to certify the accuracy of financial information individually, and increase the independence of outside auditors. As the most severe act in history ever, I believe SOX can help to restore the public trust.

BAZAARS OF HYDERABAD Essay

In The Bazaars of Hyderabad is a vibrant, colorful poem describing the bazaars of Hyderabad. This poem was written during the British Rule when Indians were asked to boycott foreign products and buy goods from traditional Indian bazaars. During this time, publication of Indian newspapers was banned so she might have thought the best way to spread the message to people was through her poems. In The Bazaars of Hyderabad begins with a question from the poet to the merchants in the bazaar about what they are selling. The merchants reply that they are selling silver and crimson colored turbans, purple brocade tunics, mirrors framed in amber and daggers with handles made of jade. The first stanza ends there. The next stanza is about another stall and the same question is asked by the poet to the vendors about what they are weighing and selling. Saffron, lentils and rice are being sold by the vendors. The poet asks the maidens what they are grinding and she gets a reply that they are grinding henna, sandalwood and spices. The poet then questions the pedlars about what they are selling and they say chessmen dice made from ivory. The third stanza takes us to a jewelry store where the poet asks the goldsmith what ornaments they make. Wristlets, anklets and rings are made is the reply. Moreover, they say they manufacture bells for blue pigeons to be tied to their feet. The bells are as delicate as a dragonfly’s wing. Simultaneously they make gold girdles for dancers and sheaths for kings to keep their swords. The poet visits a fruit shop in the fourth stanza of the poem In The Bazaars of Hyderabad. There she enquires about what they are selling. They tell her they sell lemon, pomegranate and plum. Then the musicians are asked what they play and they say sitar, sarangi and drums are played. She even comes across magicians and asks them what they are chanting and they say that they are chanting magical spells to charm thousand ages to come. The final stanza is about the flower girls who are asked what they are weaving with strands of red and blue flowers. The girls reply that they making garlands for bride and groom to decorate their bed for their wedding night. They are also weaving sheets of white flowers which are placed on graves for fragrance purposes. In The Bazaars of Hyderabad is lucid and vivid in language. It creates beautifully a colorful picture of the bazaar in the minds of its readers.

Postmodern at The Truman Show Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Postmodern at The Truman Show - Essay Example A tool by which to analyse The Truman Show is irony. What this means essentially is that the levels of meaning intersect only through the audience, because the levels of meaning are all contained in one artistic work but can only be dissected by the audience, who connect with the artist through the work. It is irrelevant which medium the work is in for it to be ironic and in fact the term post-modern essentially means only that it comes in the period after the modern. The audience and the artist have become familiar to such a degree that levels of meaning can be understood by one another without explicit definition or formulation, with shifting definitions and formulations seeming to be more of a conversation. We must use irony so that the conversation can be analysed. Much of the conversation is mediated by Christof, the character who created the Truman Show, who directs from the Lunar Room. Christof may be seen as a form of alter ego for Truman, because whereas Truman believes that he is leading his own life, in reality he is being led by Christof. The Lunar Room is a command post through which all the characters in Truman's world - Seahaven Island - walk on their ironic way from an ever intruding, yet supervening, reality. "It's a life", says Christof, about Truman in the opening sequence in the Lunar Room, although we are not given to understand whether he is referring to himself or to Truman. He speaks with a self-reflexivity, using the collective pronoun "we", but we - as the audience - do not know for sure whether Christof regards himself as the "we", because Christof is an actor in a movie. Perhaps the contextualising of the film means that the real irony lays in the fact that Peter Weir is Christof and Christof is Weir. Such appropriation of identity never really leaves us throughout the movie. Each character in the movie has multiple characteristics. For example, Meryl who plays Truman's wife speaks rapturously: MERYL Well, I mean, there is no--there is no difference between a private life and a public life. My--my life is my life, is The Truman Show. The Truman Show is...a lifestyle. It's a noble life. It is...a truly blessed life. The post-modern characteristic is that Meryl's life is not her life at all, it is not The Truman Show; it is neither public, nor private. This aesthetic denies that it is aesthetic through repetition and irony - note the repetition of "there is no", "my - my", "The Truman Show". What Weir's script and the magnificent acting of Laura Linney - as Hannah Gill, as Meryl Burbank - has achieved is to erase the lines between fantasy and reality; however we need a point of contact with the movie. It becomes essential for us to identify with Truman Burbank. There is a very neutral aesthetic running throughout The Truman Show whose purpose is to draw as many of the audience as possible into the drama. Along with the controlled action, which many audience members will be able to identify with, Truman works in the seemingly ubiquitous corporate world: TRUMAN (to mirror cam) I'm not going to make it. You're going to have to go on without me. No way,

Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Diversity - Essay Example CEI is an indication of zero tolerance to discrimination in the workplace, especially with reference to the LGBT community. The rating of corporations in terms of their CEI displays to the public companies with good and ethical practices in terms of their corporate cultures. For a company to appear in the list of top ten LGBT companies, it has to exhibit maximum CEI. This compels potential employers of LGBT community to develop their organizational cultures with gender orientation in mind. Consequently, the 100 percent CEI requirement is a good initiative of checking workplace discrimination on LGBT community in a work environment crippled by dearth of LGBT workplace protection law. Human rights must be protected from all dimensions. Every member of the society deserves to enjoy protection against discrimination of whatever kind. Consequently, it is difficult to object the demand by Diversity Inc’s requirement of 100 percent CEI for companies listed in their website, which is a public exhibition of companies that are socially responsible and zero tolerant to workplace

The Effects That Tech has on diff Gens Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Effects That Tech has on diff Gens - Essay Example With these unstable effects of technology on existing two different generations, a controversial issue whether technology is a blessing or a curse arouse interest. In recent years, evolution of modern technology has increased dramatically. Young people today considered this world being transformed by technology as a better place to live in. Computers, for example, spare us from wearisome and time-consuming tasks. Instead, it enable us to buy and bank conveniently online, and help us to keep in touch with our friends and loved ones easily through emails, voice mail, or video link. Computer has taken a prominent role in molding the young minds of this modern generation. But on the other side, there’s the older generation that questions the emphasis given to modern technology as an alternative to traditional way of performing some tasks and for social interaction. Few among them, though, would rather prefer to go back to the comparatively crude products of yesteryear. One of thei r major concerns is the bad effects on their health. Modern inventions have changed the way they do things, and many laborious works have become more bearable that contribute to a sedentary life-style in large segments of the population. Therefore, the older generation owed some health problems such as heart disease to modern technology. In this case, would technology be a curse, more than a blessing? . As children, they watched the horror series Chucky in Betamax format, but now, these series can be viewed online through the Internet, or bought in CD or DVD format. Generation Y has experienced large changes in technology, so they have learned to exploit it quite effortlessly. However, they have become quite dependent on technology to conduct significant tasks and to express their individuality (Kumar & Lim, 2008, p.570). Baby Boomers are more open to technology than older generations, but they tend to remain traditional in how they interact with others, especially their families (K umar & Lim, 2008, p.570). Technology has formed a generation gap, or symbolically, a technological wedge, between Baby Boomers and their Gen Y children. This problem has not been fully addressed yet because some people are taking for granted how technology negatively affects their families. These generations must find ways to bridge this gap without necessarily contradicting their interests and preferences in life. Without resolving this gap, generation clashes can result to family conflicts and unhappiness. Gen Y children and Baby Boomer parents can use technology as a bridge that can strengthen family ties through using it to develop better learning and communication strategies. Gen Y children use technology to do multitasking, while Baby Boomer parents employ technology to supplement their activities, but most of the latter prefer doing things the traditional way, and this difference in how technology is used can lead to a strong communication gap between them. Gen Y children dep end on technology to do several tasks at the same time, which makes them great multitaskers (Cekada, 2012, p.41), while Baby Boomers do not like doing many things altogether (Cekada, 2012, p.43). Baby Boomers clash with their children who prefer finishing tasks their way, while the former want them to do things the way they used to. Because of these differences in how they see their responsibilities, Gen Y children may overlook that their parents do tasks in a different way, thereby making them impatient in dealing with the

Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Argument - Essay Example This paper will examine the perception towards slum tourism through literature exploration (Eveline & Rivke, p 113.) In the slum, setting there is nothing that is called garbage. Everyone in the slum wants a better life, Critics argue out the slums are exploitative, and they do not have a place in ethical travelers` itinerary. Professor David Fenell, at Brock University in Ontario, questioned the fact that the tourists visit places to take pictures and observe the lifestyles of the slum residents. He believes that the main purpose of slum tourism is to make the westerners feel better of their lifestyle in comparison to the slum habitants. They feel lucky on their life situation in comparison them. However, the proponents of slum tourism argue that ignoring poverty will not take it away. Slum tourism helps them to understand what poverty means. The big issue is how to conduct it (The New York Times, 2008) There conceptual ambiguity in slum tourism is based on a failure to set specific goals of tourism. The exact thing that attracts people during the tour in the slums and favelas is not precisely known (Manfred, p. 421). The use of poverty tourism indicates that poverty is the reason for the visits. The critiques argue that tours on the human wretchedness, infirmity, and unworthy living conditions should not be termed as a tourist attraction aspect. This issue has been largely fuelled by the mass media who present the pictures of such conditions. However, the proponents suggest that the word poverty tourism demonstrates the anticipated situation that propels them to go to slums (Eveline & Rivke, p 114.) Many organizers of slum tourism encourage active role-playing of the participants aimed at helping the residents. A church group in Mexico runs a tour of local garbage dumps where the scavengers collect trash to earn a living. In the tour, they make sandwiches and provide water in bottles for the scavenger.

Strategic Human Resource Management enhances organisational Essay

Strategic Human Resource Management enhances organisational performance in both good and bad economic times - Essay Example The sensitivity of this department is so significant that no organization can exist in its absence, requires ultimate professionalism, ethical discipline, wide knowledge on human relations, and the drive to success. Moreover, human resource management relies on the objectives, vision, mission statement, and target goals of the organization. Since, these company features directly determine the performance and success of the organization operations it is logically true that human resource management has a subsequent influence in the performance of the reference organization. To achieve the perfect organizational performance human resource management requires good policies, adequate strategies, effective organizational culture, and good corporate environment to attain the requisite competitive advantage that guarantees organizational performance. Most significantly, strategic human resource management enhances organisational performance in any economic setup. Indeed, we can define Strat egic human resource management as a strategic approach to manage human resources of a given organization.  Its main aim includes designing and implementing a set of internally consistent policies and procedures that guarantee the contribution of available human capital of a firm to the achievement of its business objectives. Strategic human resource management puts a lot of emphasis on the development of the firm’s capacity to respond to the external environment through a better utilization of human resources. Indeed, the strategy of any given firm reflects its timely response to the ever-increasing changes in the competitive market. Hence, Strategic human resource management acts as a catalyst in the satisfaction of the strategic goals through promoting behavioral utility among employees. Actually, the issue of Strategic human resource management has been in the limelight for a

The class is American Art and Architecture. Topic is the american Term Paper

The class is American Art and Architecture. Topic is the american artist John Singleton Copley - Term Paper Example He was one of the most successful artists in colonial America who was widely renowned for his portrait paintings and he was believed to be the master of great pieces of American history of arts. He was one of the finest portraitists in American history. His capacity of demonstrating the fantasies of people and objects in contrast with various combinations of light and dark enabled him to be recognized for a long time by the art historians. The parents of Copley were said to be poor and uncultured and he was the stepson of the artist Peter Pelham. By the time in 1760, although being difficult circumstances in life, Copley managed to gain the position of a supreme artist. And then in 1774, he left Boston and went to London, where he familiarize his style of painting with the British painterly approach and that was the time when he diversified his focus of the paintings from portraits to history paintings which enabled him in gaining global appreciation. Many people argue that Copley was not formerly trained under any professional artist, but this is not the reality. In the difficult times of his youth, Copley had to spend 3 years with his stepfather, Peter Pelham and there he got the chance to study and learn the drawing patterns, printmaking and the art of painting portraits. Not only his stepfather, but Copley also had witnessed the artistry works two English artists, John Smibert (1688 – 1751) and Joseph Blackburn (1752 – 1777). Copley had learned a lot from the copies of various old master paintings that were drawn by Simbert. The early work of Copley was mainly influenced by by  Joseph Badger (1707/8–1765), Robert Feke (about 1708–1751), and John Greenwood (1729–1792). Not only them, but his early works also reveal that they were influenced by Simbert and Blackburn. For instance, his painting of Joseph Mann which he painted in 1754 was influenced by the early works of Feke and Greenwood. He

Political Science College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Political Science College - Essay Example The 'things' which he mentions in the title include the physical objects which the soldiers carried with them, and the emotional thoughts and pressures which they had to carry in their minds. These physical and emotional loads were symbolic of and filled with fear, love, grief and their longings. O'Brien specifies the physical loads which all the soldiers carried with them. Many of them were things of common use in the war, while apart from these soldiers also carried things of personal value to them. Soldiers basically carried with them an assault rifle, which is usually carried by soldiers of low rank. Some of them also had grenade launchers, multi-purpose two-pound poncho and even magazines of ammunition. Some included mosquito repellents, chewing gums, marijuana and pocket knives. Their priorities could be seen from the things they possessed. These loads were taken along because it would be of physical help to them in the war. There were other things which gave them psychological support, which made them emotionally strong in facing the war. These things were of great value to them. Lt. Jimmy Cross, carried with him reminders of Martha, his love. Cross has the letters which she sent to him. He occasionally took them out and read, hoping that she would be his sometime in future. He also keeps in his mouth a good-luck pebble, which was given by her. Henry Dobbins was peculiar because he found his girlfriend's pantyhose important and put it around his neck. Ted Lavender found it imperative to calm himself down and so always kept tranquilizers with him. Kiowa preferred the New Testament and kept it safe. While they literally carried these things, they also carried emotions, which were emphasized with their possessions. Cross keeps Martha's reminders and Dobbins puts the pantyhose around the neck in remembrance of their love. It gives them comfort in the war to think about the girls they love. Compasses and maps are also carried by Cross, because he has the responsibility of the lives of his men during the war. Some of them like Lavender carry fear which never leaves him. Apart from all these, the soldiers have the reputation, which puts them under a lot of pressure. They have the responsibility to fight courageously forgetting all their personal thoughts and grieves. Whatever they feel, it must not be taken out when facing their enemies and this demanded a lot of strength. As it is mentioned in 'On the Rainy River,' many of the soldiers might have been forced into war like O'Brien was and they may not have enough strength to fight or face the enemies. Their internal conflicts togethe r with a repulsion towards war, increased their mental sufferings. Even after the war, the soldiers have psychological burdens with the thoughts about their dead fellow-mates and the terror of the war. They are never relieved of its frightening experiences and its thoughts. Thus, the physical and emotional loads which they carry with them to the war are what the author means by 'things.' The things that they carried were of great importance to them, because all of it either physically or emotionally helped them face the war. While the rifles gave them safety, the mosquito repellents made survival easier. The religious books made them brave and courageous and the reminders of love performed a role of relieving their thoughts from the terror of war and fear of lives to a happier and safer future, where they would unite with their

The importances of the primary,secondary and tertiary levels of health Essay

The importances of the primary,secondary and tertiary levels of health promotion in nursing practice - Essay Example It then becomes imperative for health nurses to define their services and to provide evidence that will support the effectiveness of the interventions they offer. In accomplishing this, Deal (1994) asserted that there should be an implementation of standardized nursing language. Unlike the last few years, roles of nurses have changed from â€Å"not a good press† to an essential ability in the improvement of healthcare. Nowadays, nurses claim that caring is just as important as technical skill. Nurses are directly involved in the implementation of health promotion. Their participation in the implementation of healthcare promotion determines the success or failure of the desired practice. The first article deals with a particular state in the United States – New York and the role of the public health nurses to the health promotion and maintenance. Firstly, health promotion is initialized through assessing the health as well as the health care needs of the population in identifying who would benefit from the health promotion or the ones that are being described in the article as â€Å"at risk of illness, injury, disability, or premature death†. Collectively, health promotion is being defined in the article as the respond to the identified healthcare needs in a form of range of activities that will contribute to health and the prevention of illness and the like. Article 1 takes the nurses as the critical and most important role inevitably involves in the promotion and maintenance of the health of the public. American Public Health Association and Public Health Nursing (2003) define nurses’ role as to â€Å"promote the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, social, and public health sciences†. Correspondingly, public health would be in great danger devoid of a strong nursing workforce. They are the ones that provide direct care to the public as a response to the implementation of health

If I Could Tell You Essay Essay Example for Free

If I Could Tell You Essay Essay TimeTime, said to be eternal, possess neither a beginning nor an end. Yet however there is a fixation on being able to measure it in years, months, days, hours, minutes and seconds. Trying to save time with new technology, manage time with multi-tasking activities. All in the hopes of giving meanings to the past, present and future. The past is able to been seen but not changed, today is in the present yet still unpredictable, and tomorrow is not guaranteed. If I Could Tell You by W. H. Auden is a villanelle much like others using rhyme, repetition, and meter, that revolve around the main idea of the continuity time and its unforeseeable nature. The rhyming of the alternating ending lines, â€Å"Time will say nothing but I told you so† (1) and â€Å"If I could tell you I would let you know† (3) keep the rhyme scheme which stays on the central themes. â€Å"Time will say nothing but i told you so† shows that time keeps going, because this is a statement. Although the things of the future are unforeseeable, it is guaranteed that in the end the only one who will know what will happen is Time. â€Å"If I could tell you I would let you know† show how unforeseeable Time is. Auden knows that he can not see into the future, which is why he says â€Å"If I could †. These two phrases depict the speakers understanding of the continuity of time even though he shows to have a desire to know ahead of time what to do before certain events. The villanelle itself has a rhythm as a whole through periodical thinking. The beginning shows how Time does not wait for anything or anyone, â€Å"nothing but I told you so†. He later goes on to question Time in the second stanza and if we should fight back, which is why he says â€Å"weep when clowns put on their show† and â€Å"stumble when musicians play† which are juxtapositions since these actions are not likely given the circumstances. The third stanza shows the shift as he begins to understand that Time is necessary and things have to happen for a reason, â€Å"the winds must come from somewhere†. In the fourth stanza his train of thought is nearing a conclusion as he begins to wonder if not only do things have to happen, but are they meant to happen for the greater good, â€Å"Perhaps the roses really want to grow†. The ending shows Audens maturity throughout the villanelle and ends with â€Å"If I could tell you I would let you know † stating that Time is out of his hands, but it is acceptable and if there was anyway he could help, he would. Throughout the villanelle, time is personified and introduced to the reader as an unreliable character, through. Auden blames Time for unwanted changes in life, and he repeats the line because he observes that all changes, even those that are unintentional, come with Time. The repetition of Time at the end of the stanza rather than the beginning or end display how eternal time is. The first part of each stanza question Time, but all ends with â€Å"Time will say nothing but I told you so†, explaining that whatever Auden thinks or observes, will all be part of the past in the future. Much like poetry as a whole, used to express emotion and speechless opinions, the villanelle is almost perfect fitting for the theme of time. A villanelles structure alone portrays almost a near exhibition of time. Through the first five stanzas, a villanelle is predictable with tercets although the last stanza is a quatrain. This depiction could be metaphorical that time can be planned although in the end, everything may not come to together as hoped. The meter only emphasises this metaphor more by breaking the alternating line in each of the tercets before at the end. Audens desire to be able to match time is emphasized by the repetition of two phrases by the structure of the poem, which in itself helps portray the author’s idea about times continuity and its unforeseeable nature.

Strategic Marketing Plan For The French Fashion House Marketing Essay

Strategic Marketing Plan For The French Fashion House Marketing Essay In the ninetys the brand took a new direction: diversification and internationalization. From now, the company offered a wide range of product so women can dress from head to foot in Caroll. Also, the French company aimed bigger: shops, affiliations, and franchises locations in department stores appeared worldwide. Thanks to its strong two figures growth for the past few years, China became the favorite new destination for companies. Shalendra Sharma, associate professor of political science, University of San Francisco says that with an estimated 300 million Chinese consumers with much disposable income, it is an opportunity that should not be missed  [2]  , even if the current economic environment requires caution. According to the CCI and Cotton Incorporated Global Lifestyle Monitorà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ Survey, apparel tops the list of items Chinese consumers prefer to shop for (31%), Notice that women are largely more interested than men (39% versus 22%). Figure 1: Lifestyle Monitorà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ SurveyDefinitely, China represents a great opportunity for clothes retailer. The country made its name and growth by assuring the role of world supplier, especially for clothes. Since the economy became better, Chinese want to enjoy more western lifestyle. That is why Caroll developed a growing interest for Chinese market. However, Chinese are specific needs, expectations and behavior that Caroll must understands and faces. The aim of the following analysis is to try to define how Caroll could tackle into the middle market in China, using internal and external analysis, outlining issues and opportunities for the brand. Situation Analysis An academic report written by several professors, Heiko Gebauer, Thomas Fischer and Elgar Fleisch, name Entering the Chinese mid-market segment: key to long-term success? pointed out major mistakes when entering the Chinese market: Misunderstood of the Chinese consumers, their needs and expectations. Companies overestimate their image value. Managers miss opportunities in focus on few cities only such as Beijing or Shanghai In order to handle those issues for Caroll, I will design a strategic marketing plan consisting in an analysis to match market opportunities to the resources and capabilities of the company. In this case, I will follow different steps to establish a SMP for Caroll: Environmental Analysis (PESTEL) Identifying Customers Competitor The company in its environment (Porters Five Forces and SWOT analysis) The company Marketing Mix: The 4 Ps and 3 Vs Value Creation (Value Chain, Boston Box and Ansoff matrices) The analysis is based on information found on Internet and on my personal experiences as women clothes consumer and Asian person and knowledge since I studied how to do business in China during five month at the SEM Tongji University in Shanghai in 2011. PESTEL analysis focuses in following area; political system and stability, economic stability, socio-cultural practices, technological advancements, environmental efforts and legal and judicial systems. It gives a global view, the big picture, of the environment in which the brand is interested to. It provides a strong framework of opportunities and risks.   P for Political Political advantages Political disadvantages Not Relevant Government stability Labor law Political stability Regulation/Deregulation Social/Employment Legislation Tariffs Tax Policy Trade Restrictions Bureaucracy Corruption Freedom of the press Environmental law Government type China is based on communism political system with on unique party, the Chinese Communist Party. Because of the unique party China is not seen as a real democratic country by foreigners. However the country enjoys political and government stability thanks to strong control and obedience. Indeed, no substantial political opposition groups exist (Central Intelligence Agency, 2012). So, even if some issues exist like ethnic unrest in Tibet, they do not represent threats to its political stability. Since Mao Zedong, former president of China, the country uses capitalist economy in order to make China the first economic power. The path is still followed and the government decisions are design to ensure continuous economic growth. The country shows goodwill, regulations, tariff and tax policies are favorable to business and especially for foreign companies; reduction in taxation to foreign companies, creating designated free trade zones such as Shanghai and Shenzhen, investing in public amenities and facilities to attract foreign investors, and continuously liberalizing their trade regulations to create attractive and impactful investment centre. Nevertheless, corruption is strongly embedded in China government. It is called the East Asian paradox: countries displaying exceptional growth records despite having thriving corruption cultures (China economic review, 2012). E for Economic Economic advantages Economic disadvantages Not relevant Consumers Disposable Income Economic Growth GDP/GNP growth Globalization Labor cost and supply Exchange rate Interest rates Inflation rate Business Cycle Stage Likely Economic Change Unemployment Rate As I said earlier, China adopted for open market concept. Chinas continuous and gradual reforms started with phasing out agriculture activity; followed by liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, open banking and financial system, creation of share market, large amount of private sector investment, and large foreign direct investment (Central Intelligence Agency, 2012). Thanks to its efforts, in 2010, China became the number two world economy in term of size. China benefits from a solid two figures growth even with the crisis. However, the country faces inflation and increasing local government debt which could represent a threat regarding government gifts for company and reduce the buying power of consumers. One of the main China economic challenges is to encourage local demand that is why the governments 12th Five-Year Plan, adopted in March 2011, focuses on the need to increase domestic consumption in order to make the economy less dependent on exports in the future (Central Intelligence Agency, 2012). S for Socio-Cultural Social advantages Social disadvantages Not relevant Age distribution Career attitude Educational structure Attitude to work Social mobility Cultural taboos Health Consciousness Population Growth Rate Perception of safety Employment patterns China has 1,344,130,000 people and reached a 7.298 trillion USD GDP in 2011 (World Bank, 2011). In 2012 73,5% of the people is aged from 15 to 64 years old, 51,4% male and 48,6% female and the median age is about 36 years old (Central Intelligence Agency, 2012). In 2010, 47% of the population lives in urban areas and China tends to become more and more urban. Indeed, people move to cities looking for job and life improvement. Official language is mandarin; however, there are more than 100 dialects in China. Students and executive employees are encouraged to learn English. When I was in China, I notice that the language was really important for Chinese. For example, you will get a different price when negotiating if you speak English, Chinese or the local language. The Chinese culture is influenced by Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. I think the most famous Chinese word is Guan Xi, meaning relationship; business practices in China focuses on building relationship. Also, as for many Asian cultures, the image is very important in China. They have a strong sense of shame and pride. Related to the importance of the image, Chinese, especially the upper and middle class society, have developed a sense of materialism where owning (luxury) goods and designer items give them status in the society. Deng Xiaoping, one of the important figures in the opening of the market  said  «Ã‚  to get rich is glorious  Ã‚ ». Contrary to western people, Chinese freely discuss about money, how much they earn, what they have à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ T for Technology Technology advantages Technology disadvantages Not relevant Impact of Internet (reduce communication costs) Rate of technological changes RD activities Technology incentives Technology transfer Degree of automation Emerging technologies To be honest, technological advancement is lower than in developed country. However, China does not ignore the importance of technology and has invested and still invests a lot in engineering, telecommunications, and manufacturing and information systems. China took advantage that many high end technology companies as Apple or Huawai are established in China to acquire new technologies. Indeed, when a company wants to settle in China, the law requires that half of the managers must be Chinese and part of employees too. Moreover, the government is trying to attract brains in China in order to not only copy others technologies but to develop their own. As for many areas, China wants to be the first and the best. E for Environmental Environmental advantages Environmental disadvantages Not relevant Environmental consciousness Weather Climate changes There is more than one documentary on pollution in China; the country suffers from its rapid growth and the activities linked. Even if the Chinese government thinks that environment is a serious issue that must be handling. However corruption and wish of development made environmental control difficult. It could either be on opportunity (cost) and a threat (image). L for Legal. Legal advantages Legal disadvantages Not relevant Employment law Antitrust law Consumer law General framework Health and Safety laws Discrimination law Chinas legislature is mainly derived from the soviet and continental civil code of principles. China has set up international trade and economic arbitration in order to attract foreign company and develop international business. However, Chinese prefers the use of arbitrator; it represents a saving time (Central Intelligence Agency, 2012). According to me, the legal point represents the biggest threat for doing business in China. When I study in Shanghai, I had the chance to have a class about Chinese laws and I can affirm that the law and its application are designed to advantage Chinese part, always. For example, only a Chinese lawyer that is to say a lawyer who was graduated in a Chinese Law School is competent. Also, several cases show that it is usual that foreign court decisions are not enforce by Chinese courts. The PESTEL analysis of China point out that it represents a great opportunity for Caroll to tap into the Chinese market; huge potential, increasing buying power and middle class, sense of materialism, development of infrastructures, goodwill of the government Several other fashion clothes brands already entered the Chinese market and has registered high sales and profitability. Nevertheless, threats are as big as opportunities. As I just said, it is not good to have issues in China. I remember a story that my Chinese friend told me; in China, cars have the priority over pedestrians. He told me to be careful, because in the case a car hit me, even if the driver past the red light, as I am a foreigner I am wrong and all Chinese will defend the driver (strong collectivism value). I think that this point totally highlights that the Chinese culture is way different from the French culture and this represents the second threat: Caroll does not know the market and consumers. Exhibit 2: Growing mid-market households in China in millions. Boston Consulting Group The exhibit above shows that middle class are emerging, the study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group (2010) estimates that in 2020 about 69 million people will be considered as middle class, more than the French population! Furthermore, it has been forecasted that by 2025, this segment will increase to 590 million with a whopping US$ 1.3 trillion spending power. Helen Wang, author of The Chinese Dream: The Rise of the Worlds Largest Middle Class and What It Means to You said that to be middle-class in China the person would earn between $10,000 and $60,000 a year. Considering the cost of Chinese life and living standards, much lower than in western countries, a middle class can afford pretty huge apartment, longer and better education and spends in entertainments and apparels. These citizens are mostly urban, engaged in services and have a modern world view; this new middle class represents China as a consumer society. As we saw earlier, the image is an important value for Chinese that is why they spend in good quality products or non-essential consumption in order to show their success (status). Families tend to buy more discretionary and small luxury items and the share of the household budget that goes food, clothes and other necessities shrinks (The McKinsey Quarterly, 2006). Mostly, middle class consumers are looking for famous product which showed they are part of the community and meanwhile tailored product; they need to keep their personality. With increasing product knowledge and surging purchasing power, mainland consumers in China are developing higher demands for quality and comfort in clothing. They usually prefer apparel made of natural fabrics (International Trade Centre, p.50, 2011). According to the China Textile Development Report in 2010, Chinese consumers ranked comfort at the top priority. Even if they are able to afford more expansive product, middle class consumers still but cheap product. They consider cheap and expansive products strongly different and pay attention to details (distribution channel, store, servicesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). It will be a huge mistake to think that they are not price consciousness. J. Roy says  [3]  , Most people only buy clothes online when they are looking for something cheap, not when they are looking for style. It would be a mistake for an American retailer like J. Crew or Gap to emphasize e-commerce over their in-store shopping experience, customer experience is highly appreciate by Asian consumers. According to the Global Monitor, web sites are used to read customer reviews and compare prices (59%) and browse the latest styles (58%), followed by buy clothes (55%). Also, customers tend to be more loyal to a brand. It is important for Caroll to create a good relation with consumers even if the maximal potential is not reached yet, Guan Xi. Chinese consumers develop a strong environment conscience, an important factor to consider if Caroll want to create a long term relationship. Understanding and adaptation are key words, for example Levis had launch a specific line designed specifically for Asian physiques and tastes, with different cuts and tighter fits. It common knowledge than Asian people are smaller but it another thing to redesign clothes to fit to their size. I think that is difficult to understand the Chinese middle class needs and expectation only based on studies. I had the chance to study with Chinese student in marketing that help me to better answer to this part but the analysis is not enough deep. Y. Chen  [4]  says that given the competitiveness of the market, it is only advisable (for retailers) to enter China if they are serious about it and also put required investments behind it. The domestic clothing market in China is dominated by brands of European origin and other imported products, such as Giorgio Armani, Cerruti 1881, Hugo Boss, Dunhill, Chanel, Dior, Ermenegildo Zegna and Salvatore Ferragamo. The middle and low end of the market has a product mix of foreign and domestic brands, with most of the goods being manufactured in China and least developed countries (Bangladesh, Egypt, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and Viet Nam) such as Nike, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Zara, CA and HM. However, we can notice a growing competition from Chinese brand as Bosideng, White Collar, Kaiser, Lily, Girdear, JNBY, Peacebird, Sierli and Gloria (International Trade Centre, p.35, 2011). In 2001, the China accessed to the World Trade Organization and after a short period, foreign brands started to target Chine; 2007 for HM, 2008 for Zara and Marks and Spencer, 2009 for Tommy Hilfiger à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Competitors to Caroll are already established in the Chinese market and so get a great advantage since Chinese consumers are more loyal and focus on long term relationship. Figure 3: Main foreign Apparel brands in the Chinese market (source ITC, 2011) Figure 4: Main domestic Apparel brands in the Chinese market (source ITC, 2011) SWOT Matrix Strengths Weaknesses International experience, in particular in Japan, first contact with Asian culture Trendy clothes Works with world famous fashion clothes designers Comfortable products Good quality product Prices policy, price of Caroll clothes are a little bit too high for middle class but far too low to be consider as luxury clothes Many unhappy opinion on the quality of service (customer reception, information ) Fails to create a sense of belonging to a community despite different attempts Opportunities Threats Increase of the middle class, the target Increase of purchasing power Low labor and estate cost Growing interest for clothes shopping Open market, government policies to attract foreigner (taxation, tariff à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Strong established competition Open market = upcoming competition Legal system and corruption Inflation = raise of cost Unknown in China I will not spend more time on opportunities and threats since we already spend times on it with the environment and competitors analysis; I will only repeat that opportunities are as great as threats are big. The SWOT analysis tends to demonstrate that Caroll has several strengths in order to fit with the Chinese demand. However, the company has to work hard on consumer experience and price that represent key drivers for change. Once again, adaptation is a key solution. In another field, we can take the example of Best Buy, an electronic retailer pretty successful who failed to tap into the Chinese market. Indeed, bargaining is a strong value of Chinese culture and the company didnt give the possibility to bargain in Best Buy Store. Within two years, the brand closed all its stores in China since it was unable to satisfy Chinese consumers. Porters five forces model Threat of new entrants High threat Low entry barriers with encouraging government policies, economy of scale and other costs advantages and really attractive market. Switching cost almost inexistent. In balance, significant capital requirement and well established huge players. Sustainable industry growth rate. Supplier bargaining power Moderate High supplier concentration (in 2008, China represented half of textile and clothes supplier). Low suppliers differentiation. Low switching cost. In balance, notable threat of buyers integration (growing Chinese competition). Low dependence with buyers. Industry Rivalry Highly competitive market Highly concentrated market with numerous and diversified competitors including some huge in size (like Zara or Mango). High fixed cost (physical store). Almost no switching cost. In balance, high industry growth rate in a product differentiation model with significant customer loyalty. Low exit barriers Customers bargaining power Moderate Consumers highly sensitive to consumers experiences and differentiation. Demanding market. Low switching cost. In balance, significant customer loyalty. Low buyers volume. High number of buyers relative to sellers. Threat of substitutes Low / Moderate threat Enormous choice of substitute at lower price and quality. Switching cost almost inexistent. In balance, substitutes are considered in a total different way with a total different consumers behavior and habits. The Porters Five Forces analysis totally complies with the environment, competitors, market and consumers analyses. The biggest threats are represented by the highly competitive market with existing and future competitors. Concerning customers and suppliers buying power, I will say that one word, Guan Xi. Everything is based on relationship; understanding and answering. Chinese are more willing to show loyalty than Western people, so the threat can be handle by creating good relationship. And last, the substitute threat is not really significant as customers are able to make a clear distinction between products. The marketing mix Product Price Variety product: several line casual working clothes evening clothes Quality: high quality product with noble and still comfortable fabrics Design: use of famous worldwide clothes designer = design + value for customers Brand name: Caroll is a well-established French company in Europe and can offer a certain image (elegance, wealthy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) to the customer. Service: attempt to reach the most complete and valuable consumers experience. Price: right match with the quality of the product and service and the image. Currently, I think that for the Chinese market, the price of Caroll is not justified. Promotion Place Advertising: China is a giant advertising place. Marketing and advertising are everywhere. This is an opportunity for Caroll to build solid brand awareness by using diversify communication event billposting commercial Internet Public relation: be present, involved is really important. Public relation is a key factor for success. Distribution channel: as we saw in order to tap into the middle market, Caroll must open physical store better than only online selling. Location: when I was in Shanghai, I was impressed by the number of mall, there are malls everywhere. Availability and good location will be an help to develop the brand into the Chinese market. The target is the middle Chinese class. The intended position is to represent a high valued brand representing the elegance, offering high quality product at reasonable price. Strategic Segments Align 3 Vs Valued Customers middle class working women living in urban area Value Proposition high valued and high quality fashioned clothes and accessories Value Network physical store enjoying satisfying customers experience. Value Value The Value Chain Firm infrastructure 400 stores, 274 in France, 123 worldwide Support activities Human resource management About 1200 employees Technology development Design Procurement Elegant and noble fabrics Operations Specific line product Outbound logistics Warehousing Services Customer support Online store Marketing and sales Advertising and promotion like fashion shows. Inbound logistics Inventory control Storing Chinese and least develop country for supply Primary activities Service The Boston Box matrix The following Boston Box matrix is based on personal perception of the market since no information was found. Evening clothes (dress for party for example) Casual clothes Working clothes Accessories shoes Ansoff matrix Market Development Diversification Chinese middle class represent a new market for Caroll, new customers needs and expectations so new business model and strategy. Target different geographical markets at home or abroad. There is no need to diversify more the brand. Caroll is already offering a wide range of products (clothes and accessories). Market Penetration Product Development Going to the Chinese market is one thing but stay strong in the European market is another. Even if the Chinese market offers great opportunities, this is a major issue to reinforce our position in existing market. Caroll has to work harder on: Introduce a loyalty scheme = community Increase and improved sales force activities. It is important to design specific line to fit with Chinese demand Design specific line for Chinese (taste, size à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Improve customer service or quality.

Marketing Environment Audit Of Wh Smith Marketing Essay

Marketing Environment Audit Of Wh Smith Marketing Essay Executive Summary The objective of this report is to conduct a marketing audit and appraise some of the processes, models and techniques used. This will include an evaluation of the actual external marketing environment in which an analysis of Porters Five Forces will be conducted to identify ways forward for WH Smith to stay competitive in the retail environment. P.E.S.T. analysis will be undertaken to identify the opportunities and threats facing WH Smith and an assessment of the actual internal marketing environment will be conducted in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses affecting WH Smith. This report found the relevant information from a variety of different sources including academic text books, case study texts, and various web sites including newspaper articles, the national statistics web sites, WH Smith annual reports and Datamonitor reports. Based on analysis from Porter Five Forces and P.E.S.T. the report found WH Smith lacking in the areas of expansion outside of the UK market in both the travel and high street divisions, WH Smith online store needs to be updated and more media needs to be added also the digital music download industry is worth looking into for future growth of the company along with the development of the already existing eBook website. And promotion and advertising is needed across all divisions and areas of the WH Smith. Introduction Background WH Smith is one of the leading retail groups in the UK. Its engaged in the retailing of newspapers, magazines, stationery, books and entertainment products. The company operates 565 high street stores and 490 travel outlets located at high streets, airports, train stations, hospitals work-place motorway service areas across the UK (WHSmithplc, 2008; Datamonitor, 2008). Key facts about WH Smith: WH Smith employs over 17,000 people. Every year 70% of the UKs population visit a WH Smith store On average, over 1.2 million people visit a WH Smith High Street store every day of the year WH Smith operates two divisions: High street and Travel. Every year 125 million travellers pass WH Smiths busiest Travel store at Londons Victoria Station WH Smith sells 1.5 million magazines every week; 24,000 magazines every hour they are open WH Smith sells in excess of 40 million books yearly On average, WH Smith sell 3,000 A4 pads daily End to end the sales of WH Smiths 3 best selling rulers would stretch from London to Spain (WHSmithplc, 2008; Datamonitor, 2008; Network Rail). Terms of Reference The aim of this report is to undertake a marketing audit appraise some of the processes, models techniques used for auditing the marketing environment. This is conducted thru evaluation of the external marketing environment assessing the actual internal marketing environment for WH Smith. From this the potential impact will be assessed to identify its impact on WH Smiths marketing planning marketing mix. The report will finish with a conclusion and recommendations will be made as regards the company going forward. Main Findings Kotler (2000, p. 708) states a marketing audit is a comprehensive, systematic, independent, periodic examination of a companys-or business units marketing environment, objectives, strategies, and activities with a view to determining problem areas, opportunities and recommending a plan of action to improve the companys marketing performance. An audit should be conducted on a regular basis, thoroughly and be well organised (CIM, 2002). An audit is undertaken so a company can identify its standing in the marketplace and involves an internal and external environmental analysis. Internal environment analysis: It is imperative for an organisation to regularly asses their marketing, financial, manufacturing and organisational competencies to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of each factor (Kotler, 2000). Models used in this analysis: Value Chain Analysis PIMS (Profit Impact of Marketing Strategy) GAP Analysis Portfolio Analysis PLC (Product Life Cycle) Innovation Audit NDP (New Development Process) Experience Curves External Environment Analysis Theory: This analyses the micro and macro environments of the organisations which will lead to identifying the opportunities and threats facing the firm. Micro Environment: Factors closest to the organisation (customers, competitors, distributors, suppliers), these can have a considerable impact on the firms performance within the marketplace; the firm has no direct control over these factors but can have some influence (Businessdictionary, 2009). There are four techniques used in analysing the micro environment: Market analysis: Netmba (2007) states The goal of a market analysis is to determine the attractiveness of a market and to understand its evolving opportunities and threats as they relate to the strengths and weaknesses of the firm. Customer analysis: Identifying and understanding the needs and wants of your customers, exploring new trends for growth and expansion of the organisation (wmep, 2008). Competitor analysis: Entrepreneur (2009) describes competitor analysis as identifying your competitors and evaluating their strategies to determine their strengths and weaknesses relative to those of your own product or service Industry analysis: Industry analysis involves reviewing the economic, political and market factors that influence the way the industry develops. Major factors can include the power wielded by suppliers and buyers, condition of competitors, and the likelihood of new market entrants (Businessdictionary, 2009). A useful model that can be used when carrying out the internal analysis is Porters Five Forces: Porters Five Forces Model To quote from Hooley et al (2008, p 73) Porter (1980) suggests that five main forces shape competition at the level of strategic business units and that a systematic analysis of each in turn can help managers identify the key to competitiveness in their particular industry Competitive rivalry: Venturenavigator (2009) describes this as the intensity of competition between existing organisations in an industry. E.g. price, quality, and innovation. Threat of new entrants: Mallon (2005) suggests the risk of new entrants is based on the industrys barrier to entry, e.g. of brand capital costs, access to technology or requirements to obtain licenses. Substitutes: A substitute product is a product that replaces the need for your product altogether, e.g., Timber framed houses being replaced with steel frames (Whatmakesagoodleader, 2009). Supplier power: Buyer power looks at the relative power a companys customers has over it, size plays a factor, if the company is much larger than its suppliers, and purchases in large quantities, then the supplier will have very little power to negotiate. i.e. Tescos buying in huge amounts leads to suppliers having no power (Mallon, 2005). Buyer power: Customers can exert their power to shop around and demand lower prices; this creates price wars with companies which lead to reduced prices (Smit, 2006) also large businesses that purchase huge quantities from suppliers have greater buyer power and can demand lower prices; smaller firms do not have the same bargaining powers (Mallon, 2005). Macro Environment: Opportunities threats occur here, they are uncontrollable short-term factors that affect the organisation as well as everybody within society, and the organisation has no control or influence over these factors (CIM, 2002). In order to identify opportunities threats a PEST analysis must be conducted; this looks at four external factors affecting the firm: PEST Analysis Political: Political factors hold alot of weight over the regulation of a company e.g. consumer competition laws. Economical: The state of a countrys economy is central when deciding on business trading e.g. interest rates and inflation. Social: Social and cultural influences change from each country and must be measured e.g. changing trends, education, health system and ethnicity Technological: Technology is vital for competitive advantage, and is a major driver of globalization (Marketingteacher, 2010). SWOT Analysis: Hooley el al (2008 p42) states a SWOT seeks to identify the most significant factors, both internal and external, affecting the organisations and its markets. It provides a quick executive summary of the key issues. Secondly, however, by looking at where the strengths and weaknesses align with opportunities and threats it can help strategy formulation. The organisation can begin to see where its strengths might be best deployed, offensively and defensively, as well as where its weaknesses leave it vulnerable to change or competitor action. Porters Five Forces Analysis This analyse will report on the industry as a whole and identify ways forward for WH Smith to stay competitive in the retail environment. Buyer power High Having such a large operation gives WH Smith huge bargaining powers to negotiate terms without the risk of losing suppliers as switching costs are low and this makes industries highly competitive in reducing prices to win contracts with companies such as WH Smith (Datamonitor, 2009). Supplier power Low Supplier power becomes reduced for industries such as books, cards, stationery and entertainment because of the large number of companies within these industries that can supply WH Smith, also switching costs is relatively low (Datamonitor, 2009). Threat of new entrants High The rivalry from established competitors such as WH Smith discourages new entrants into the market but because the industry does not involve huge investment this encourages other businesses to start up (Datamonitor, 2009). Substitutes High eBooks threaten the traditional form of books but are a relatively new idea and currently not as popular as the traditional book concept, the reading devices are expensive which can turn customers off initial purchases, but WH Smith has adapted to this idea with the introduction of http://ebooks.whsmith.co.uk in October 2001 (Encyclopedia, 2002) another substitute to WH Smith is the increasing sales of second-hand books on sites such as Amazon and eBay. Competitive rivalry High WHSmithplc (2008) states large customer such as Tescos sell almost everything that WH Smith but at a reduced price such as cutting the prices of CDs to under  £10 damaging WH Smiths market share (Cope, 2003), all the while giving its customers the opportunity to carry out their grocery shopping at the same time. Consumers are looking for more value for money and it seems consumers are swapping trips to the high street in favour of a spin around a virtual store (Rigby, 2006), online retailers as Amazon give customers easy access to products online while facilitating easy access to compare prices and get more value for money. WH Smith needs to offer reduction and offers to match retailers such as Tescos and build on their web site. P.E.S.T Analysis Political: National minimum wage increase Threat The Office for National Statistics show that in October 2009 an increase from  £5.73 an hour to  £5.80 for adults was awarded with 18-21 year olds increased from  £4.77 to  £4.83. The majority of WH Smith employees would have benefited from this increase but WH Smith will be at a disadvantage with higher over heads being the main issue at a time when the economy is on a downturn (Hopkins, 2009). VAT increase in 2010 Threat Hopkins (2010) states the VAT increase of 2010 is another hit to WH Smiths profit margins as it increases from 15% to 17.5% in January, as this is necessary to bring stability to the UK economy it is also putting the company at a disadvantage, WH Smith high street stores have already seen a drop in sales over 2009 due to the economic downturn in the UK, this shows expansion is needed into other countries to avoid such risks throughout the company but as the WH Smith annual report shows there are no new plans to expand the high street division (WHSmithplc, 2009). Terrorist attacks Threat WH Smithplc (2009) states The spread of a deadly disease, an act of terrorism or war could decrease the number of customers visiting WHSmith outlets. The Travel division of WH Smith was particularly affected by such events on 11th September 2001 (New York City) and 7th July 2005 (London), which saw decreased amounts of commuters using airports and public transport which lead to a drop in sales (WHSmithplc, 2009). Due to the United Kingdoms involvement in the current war in Afghanistan WH Smiths Travel and high street divisions will be devastated by every terrorist attack in the UK for the foreseeable future due to their locations. Economical: Economic recession Threat The office of national statistics shows that the UK contracted by.02% in the third quarter of 2009 and remains 5.1% lower than the third quarter of 2008; however there is an increase in activity from the second quarter of 2009 showing the economy is slowly starting to recover. WH Smith (2009) Annual report shows high street division recorded a loss in sales of 2.3% over 2007 another loss of 5% over 2008, along with the closures of book outlets such as Borders and Woolworths this increase in the economy is good news for WH Smith in 2010. Interest rates Threat Interest rates were left unchanged at 0.5 per cent by the Bank of England today, as the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) continued its policy of keeping the price of money at record lows to stimulate the flagging economy (Sabbagh, 2010). Ian McCafferty, the chief economic adviser at the CBI, states the unchanged interest rate is unsurprising due to the fact that recovery in the UK is likely to be slow and drawn out, similar to that following the 1980s recession with sub-par growth continuing into 2011. This hold on rates will promote consumer spending but is still a threat to WH Smith as this is not a permanent hold on rates and can be increased. Unemployment Threat The office of national statistics identifies that as of 16th December 2009 the unemployment rating stood at 7.9% which was relatively unchanged from the previous quarter and has risen 1.9% on the same quarter in 2008, this stands at one of the smallest increases in unemployment since spring 2008 giving hope that the economy is back on track, with more people in employment it will promote consumer morale and more spending which will lead to increased profits for WH Smith. Social: Increase in the travel industry Opportunity A survey conducted by Travelzoo showed that over half of the UK respondents said they had plans to travel more in 2010, 66% of UK respondents are hoping to take one or two holidays and 31% are thinking about more than three trips. This shows the importance of holiday to UK residents as 25% will give up nights out, 22% will give up house improvements and 52% will get rid of luxury goods in order to be able to travel in 2010 (news.holidayhypermarket, 2009). With more people that ever travelling in 2010 it shows the travel industry is back on track and will promote increased profits for WH Smith in 2010. Acquisitions and partnerships Opportunity WHSmithplc (2009) shows acquisitions of Leeds-based UNS with 71 retail units, 8 Caffee Nuovo coffee shops in 62 hospitals and 23 airport units from Alpha Retail UK Limited also a franchise deal with Road Chef was also confirmed in 2008 (Hasell, 2008). 2010 will see six units opening in Delhi airports giving WH Smith a good share of the Indian market and shows the division is set on further international expansion outside of the UK. An alliance with Penguin in which Smiths will stock only Penguins overseas guides in the majority of its travel stores in airports, and rail and bus stations to the exclusion of all rival brands titles is another step forward in a time of retailing giants like Tescos taking over the book industry WH Smith has taken steps to ensure its competitiveness in the marketplace as discounts from suppliers ensures lower prices for end users (Freedman, 2009). High street benefited from the closure of the Woolworth stores in 2008 with WH Smith looking to have control of ten of the Woolworths stores before the end of 2009 (Felsted Lemer, 2009), this is another step forward for the UK market but having only two stores outside of the UK shows high street needs to be more active in foreign expansion. Technological: On-line sales Opportunity Whsmith.co.uk was launched in May 1999 with the intention of winning a third stake of the online book-market within three years but problems identified in customer service, lack of products available and poor promotion the site is losing customers to bigger competitors such as Amazon, the same can be said of the entertainment and eBook sites WH Smith operates (news.bbc, 1999). The economic recession is making more people price sensitive and so many more consumers are searching the internet in the hopes of better deals and a bigger range of products, as Rigby (2006) states Shoppers, it seems, are swapping trips to the high street in favour of a spin around a virtual store. Investment, promotion and management into the online stores would yield endless profits for the company. Digital music and eBooks Opportunity Encyclopedia (2002) shows WH Smith has made advancements into the eBook industry starting with the launch of http://ebooks.whsmith.co.uk in October 2001, but as with whsmith.co.uk the eBook site is lacking in promotion and available products on the web compared to Waterstones who identify eBooks as being a big part of their business and a fast growing part of the book industry over the past twelve months (Allen, 2009), also digital music is an area WH Smith has no investment in but should be taking steps to invest in as more customers are turning to digital music rather than purchasing CDs as Garrahan (2009) states Physical album sales have fallen sharply as music retailing has evolved from CD album purchases in retail outlets to digital downloads of songs from online stores. According to research the author defines the strengths and weaknesses as follows: Strengths: Widely recognised brand in the UK WH Smiths (2009) states their business model is based on their widely recognised and respected brand which has been part of the UK economy for the past 217 years, Datamonitor (2009) states The Companys brand is an important asset and strongly appeals to the customer, thereby positively affecting the companys business an example of this would be 70% of the UK population visit a WH Smith store every year (WHSmithplc, 2009). Wide retailing operation in the UK Travel operates 490units: 135 are in airports, 114 in railway stations, 118 in motorway service area, 95 in hospitals and 19 in locations such as bus stations and workplaces, nine units are in four non-UK locations, in Paris, Shannon, Copenhagen and Stockholm (WHSmithplc, 2009). High street operates in 565 High Street stores located in almost all of the UKs major high streets (WHSmithplc, 2009), it benefited recently with the closure of Woolworths and is taking the appropriate steps to expand its presence with plans to take over ten of the Woolworths sites as stated by Felsted Lemer (2009) and the recent collapse of the 45 stores Borders book chain occupied in the UK was another opportunity for expansion of the high-street stores which WH Smith decline to invest in, WH Smith had initially shown interest in a deal but then pulled out of talks (Marlow, 2009). The company has show to be a strong competitor in the UK market but more focus is needed in expansion into foreign markets as competitors such as Amazon have done. Strong performing travel division 2009 showed profits of 17% to  £48million and 8% profit growth, the division operates from 490 units (2008: 449 units), 135 are in airports, 114 in railway stations, 118 in motorway service area, 95 in hospitals and 19 in locations such as bus stations and workplaces, nine units are in four non-UK locations, in Paris, Shannon, Copenhagen and Stockholm and these units have shown to perform higher in rush hour than some lower performing high street stores (WHSmithplc, 2009). 2010 will see six units opening in Delhi airports which will give WH Smith a good share of the Indian market and shows the strength of the travel division, its stability in an economy downturn and shows the division making the necessary steps for foreign expansion (Hall, 2009). Weaknesses: Geographic concentration: Datamonitor (2009) identifies high street as having two locations outside the UK: Paris and Belfast with travel operating nine units in four non-UK locations Paris, Shannon, Copenhagen and Stockholm with six more to be opened in Delhi airports in 2010 (Hall, 2009) . WH Smith is open to many negative environmental factors having all of its operations in Europe, one such factor is the current economic recession that resulted in a 2.3% loss in sales over 2007 and another 5% loss over 2008 for the high street stores. Competitors like Amazon have operations in Canada, Japan, UK, China, France, Germany and the US; also Borders operate in Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (Borders, 2010; Amazon, 2010). As Travel is taking steps for foreign expansion high street has no plans for expansion as WHSmithplc (2009) points out The High Street plan remains unchanged thus making the company vulnerable to adverse market conditions in the region and puts it at a competitive disadvantage over global retail giants (Datamonitor, 2009). SWOT Analysis Strengths Widely recognised brand in the UK Wide retailing operations in the UK Strong performing travel division Weaknesses Geographic concentration Opportunities Increase in the travel industry On-line sales Digital music and eBooks Acquisition and partnerships Threats National minimum wage increase VAT increase in 2010 Terrorist attacks Economic recession Interest rates Unemployment Marketing mix: Product WH Smith offers a wide variety of Books, Stationary, Gifts and Cards, Magazines, DVD, DVD formats, UMD formats, Blue-ray and HD DVD, Music, Games, eBooks, PC and Electronics in the high street and travel division. WH Smith needs to invest heavily in digital media; along with eBooks focus must be put on investment in digital music as this market shows huge growth with ITunes being the market leader. Price Due to the increased amount of competition entering the market WH Smith needs to adjust its pricing structure in line with its competitors to ensure customers feel they are getting value for money thus increasing its market share, as customers become more price sensitive and shop around for better deals online and high street. Agreeing partnerships as the travel division has done with Penguin is an example, this ensures a reduced prices for the customer at the till as it reduces supplier costs, and this in turn increases competitiveness with such rivals as Tescos and Amazon. Place WH Smith high street has 564 stores present in almost all of the major high streets within the UK and travel has 481 units in airports, hospitals, motor service, bus and train stations within the UK, the UK market works well for WH Smith but it now needs to focus on foreign markets. Travel occupies nine travel units in Paris, Shannon, Copenhagen and Stockholm, the recent plan to open six units in Delhi airports in 2010 is such a way forward but more expansion into other countries is needed to stay competitive. High street offer two stores outside of the UK in Paris and Belfast with no plans to expand further in 2010, while competitors such as Amazon and Borders have a presence worldwide WH Smith needs to expand to stay competitive with such companies. WH Smith online has a weak presence, a huge amount of investment in promoting and managing the site is required. It has been shown that more people are moving to the internet for day to day purchases, research on products and value for money, if WH smith is not seen to be offering these to consumers they will move to competitors such as Amazon. Promotion Advertising offered by WH Smith is poor for all divisions as this has an impact on sales, more focus needs to be put into the advertising and promotion of both divisions, i.e. TV, radio, internet, ideas such as sponsoring Universities/teams as students would cover a big part of WH Smiths customers, reduction in prices would also be classed as advertising, cutting prices below competitors and this would also lead to customer passing on the information thru word of mouth. Marketing planning (strategic tactical planning): Businessdictionary (2010) states Tactical planning is Systematic determination and scheduling of immediate or short-term activities required in achieving the objectives of strategic planning, while Strategic planning is a business process that many companies employ to identify their critical success factors that set the course for future growth and profits (Gaw, 2009). Tactical planning as relates to WH Smith includes short term plans including pricing structures, discounts, and loyalty cards. Strategic planning is more focused on long term goals such as expansion into new markets such as the move into India with six travel units opening up also developments in industries such as digital music downloads needs to be a main focus of WH Smith going forward as the world is moving into the digital age. Conclusion The report found WH Smith to possess a huge market-share within the UK, but lacking in the areas of expansion outside of the UK compared to other competitors such as Amazon and Borders which leaves it vulnerable to negative effects on the economy such as the current economic recession. Also retailers as Tescos and Asda can offer drop down prices of mostly all products WH Smith sells included in a customers weekly grocery shopping which heightens competition for WH Smith with these retailers WH Smiths attempts into the digital era is lacking, the companies websites (entertainment, eBook, whsmith.co.uk) were found to be in need of attention is areas such as customer service, products available and promotion as customers are not satisfied with the current system. Also the digital music industry was found to be a growing market and it would be in WH Smiths interest to invest in this area. Recommendations The report finds that the WH Smith needs to be more active in promoting the company outside of the UK, competitors such as Amazon and Borders have done this successfully, expansion into other countries reduces the chance of being affected by economic factors such as the economic recession in the UK which has had negative effects on WH Smith high street division with a reduction in sales over 2007 and 2008. WH Smith on-line needs vigorous investment in all online stores, customer service, availability of products and promotion are the main issues to start with. Amazon has a great online presence as it markets its site very well, targeting its customers with items relating to previous purchases, this is a good idea for WH Smith to work on. Investment in digital music downloads is advised as this market has shown to be growing rapidly with ITunes as market leader. More partnerships like Penguin need to be agreed in both divisions, thus reducing supplier costs which can be passed onto customers; this will help with competition from Tescos and Asda. Reference/Bibliography Allen, K (2009), E-readers turn heavy textbooks into a light read just like Dan Browns latest, http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/sep/10/sony-readers-boost-ebook-market (date accessed: 12/01/2010) Amazon, (1996-2010), http://www.amazon.co.uk/ (date accessed: 06/01/2010) Bintliff, E, (2009), Borders UK goes into administration, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/87e1fc72-dac1-11de-933d-00144feabdc0.html (date accessed: 07/01/2010) Borders, (2010), Borders stores around the world, http://www.borders.com/online/store/InternationalStoresView (date accessed: 06/01/2010) Businessdictionary, (2009), Micro environment, www.businessdictionary.com/definition/microenvironment.html (date accessed: 25/11/2009) Businessdictionary, (2009), Industry analysis, www.businessdictionary.com/definition/industry-analysis.html (date accessed: 25/11/2009) Businessdictionary.com (2010), Tactical Planning, http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/tactical-planning.html (date accessed: 10/10/2010) CIM (2002), Marketing environment stage 1, London, BPP Publishing limited Computergram, (1998), WH SMITH BUYS EUROPES BIGGEST ONLINE BOOKSTORE, http://www.cbronline.com/news/wh_smith_buys_europes_biggest_online_bookstore?print=1 (date accessed: 07/01/2010) Cope, N, (2003), WH Smith blames Sars and fall in CD sales for profits slump, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/wh-smith-blames-sars-and-fall-in-cd-sales-for-profits-slump-537378.html (date accessed: 06/01/2010) Datamonitor, (2009), Company Profile WH Smith Datamonitor, (2009), Industry Profile Stationary and Cards Datamonitor, (2009), Industry Profile Books Dickson, M, (2005), Swann Upping, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/575ea15e-b2cb-11d9-bcc6-00000e2511c8.html (07/01/2010) Directgov, (2010), VAT Value Added Tax, http://direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/Taxes/BeginnersGuideToTax/DG_4015895 (date accessed: 10/01/2010) Drummond, G and Ensor, J, (2004), Strategic Marketing planning and control, second edition, Oxford, Butterworth Heinemann. Encyclopedia, (2002), http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-82247922.html (date accessed: 07/01/2010) Entrepreneur, (2009), Competitive analysis, www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/term/82078.html (date accessed: 25/11/2009) Felsted, A Lemer, J, (2009), WH Smith eyes more Woolworths stores, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6fc55222-2fd8-11de-a2f8-00144feabdc0.html (date accessed: 10/01/2010) Freedman, S, (2009), Booksellers get down to business, http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/may/28/writers-kindle-revolution (date accessed: 10/01/2010) Garrahan, M, (2009), Apple joins forces with record labels, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/28129982-7a18-11de-b

The Character of Lady Macbeth :: GCSE Coursework Macbeth Essays

The Character of Lady Macbeth      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The character of Lady Macbeth is a complex one, there is much that can be said regarding the juxtaposition of ideas concerning her behavior. Within this essay I shall attempt to elaborate on her forceful, selfish and contradictory character. Samuel Johnson within ‘The Plays of Shakespeare’ highlights how ambition of a protagonist leads to detestation on the part of the readers: Or in other words an ambitious nature can be used as a tool by the playwright to produce a sense of loathing and dislike amongst the audience.   The dangers presented by ambition are well described; In Shakespeare's time, it was necessary to warn credulity against vain and illusive predictions. These passions are directed to their true end. Lady Macbeth is merely detested; and though the courage of Macbeth preserves some esteem, yet every reader rejoices at his fall. (133) In "Memoranda: Remarks on the Character of Lady Macbeth," Sarah Siddons comments on the Lady's cold manner:   [Macbeth] announces the King's approach; and she, insensible it should seem to all the perils which he has encountered in battle, and to all the happiness of his safe return to her, -- for not one kind word of greeting or congratulations does she offer, -- is so entirely swallowed up by the horrible design, which has probably been suggested to her by his letters, as to have forgotten both the one and the other. (56)   In his book, ‘On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy’, H. S. Wilson describes the role of Lady Macbeth: ‘Professor Kittredge used to point out to his classes that Lady Macbeth, in urging Macbeth to act, uses the three arguments that every wife, some time or other, uses to every husband: "You promised me you'd do it!" "You'd do it if you loved me!" "If I were a man, I'd do it myself!" But Macbeth's mind is made up by her assurance that they may do it safely by fixing the guilt upon Duncan's chamberlains. (72)’   L.C. Knights in the essay "Macbeth" describes the unnaturalness of Lady Macbeth's words and actions:   Ã¢â‚¬ËœThus the sense of the unnaturalness of evil is evoked not only be repeated explicit references ("nature's mischief," "nature seems dead," " 'Tis unnatural, even like the deed that's done," and so on) but by the expression of unnatural sentiments and an unnatural violence of tone in such things as Lady Macbeth's invocation of the "spirits" who will "unsex" her, and her affirmation that she would murder the babe at her breast if she had sworn to do it.

The Use of Computers on Car Crash-Analysis Programs :: Technology Computers Essays

The Use of Computers on Car Crash-Analysis Programs In the world today, computers are used in every field. Be it a major space exploration or a small chore like cleaning our room. The use of computers has made our lives easier but at the same time a computer failure can make our lives miserable too. We trust computers more than we trust anything else these days. We use computers to communicate, share personal information, buy goods online, etc. We also trust computers with our safety. Starting from house alarm systems and other safety devices we have now moved on to using computers to Test Car Crashes. Car crash analysis programs gained wide usage by the late 1980s but ARA (Applied Research Associates) Personnel in the Silicon Valley Office have been engaged in studying the crash response of vehicles, occupant safety, and right-of-way structures since 1971( ARA Website, 25h May). One of the major programs used for this testing is the DYNA3D which was developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (A Gift of Fire, Baase). DYNA3D is a computer simulation program that models the interactions of physical objects on impact such as vehicle impacts involving roadside structures such as signs, supports, guardrails and crash cushions. DYNA3D, suitable for solving problems involving rapid change, has had many applications in safety analysis. Laboratory analysts have used DYNA3D to study crashworthiness in a number of vehicle safety studies, where models of complex vehicles impact roadside safety structures and other vehicles, deforming under the impact. The DYNA3D progra m uses a technique called the finite-element method where a grid is superimposed on the frame of a car dividing the car into a finite number of small pieces or elements. The grid is then entered into the program along with data describing the specifications of the materials making up each element such as density, elasticity, etc. While reading the effect of a head-on collision on the structure of the car, the data can be initialized to represent a crash into a wall at a specified speed. The program in return helps compute the force, acceleration, and displacement at each grid point and the stress and strain within each element. Using graphics programs, the simulation produces a picture of the car at intervals after impact.

Ejlert Lovborg and Hedda Gabler direction and casting

Briefly outline your casting ideas for the roles of Hedda and Ejlert Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg and then explain how you would direct your actors, in the scenes in which they appear together, in order to reveal their complex feelings for one another. As a director I would direct this play to have a naturalistic style. The play should be as though the audience were watching a small slice of the lives being lived in the Tesman house. Therefore I would use realistic furnishings. For the role of Hedda Gabler I would cast an actor able to show military inheritance through stature, bearing and voice. Hedda would have perfect, aristocratic posture, an air of arrogance and power, and a strong, manipulating voice. As written in the stage directions, the actor would be a â€Å"lady of 29† or thereabouts. She would be tall and slim; have â€Å"steel grey† eyes, and â€Å"medium brown† hair, â€Å"not particularly ample,† which would be put up in a loose bun. Hedda would wear dark coloured satin dresses. She would speak with a slow pace and leave pauses, so as to keep the other characters waiting on her words. Her wit would be dry. The actor who would play Ejlert Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg would be 33 years old. He would be quite slim, with short dark hair, bright green eyes, and a short beard. He would be dressed in a dark, fitting, three piece suit, â€Å"quite new,† with a matching top hat. He would be pale, with definitive cheekbones. He would have fast paced delivery of lines and a low pitch. His most prized possession would be the manuscript for his new book, which is his ‘child' with Thea Elvsted. As a rehearsal process I would ask the actors to write down their previous relationship before the actual written play starts. I would ask them to improvise scenes which are linked with there previous lives. For example when Hedda was about to shoot Ejlert when they were younger. I would also ask the actors to write their biography for their characters. During Act two where Hedda and Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg first meet in the play, Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg â€Å"seems a little embarrassed.† I would direct the actor playing Hedda to show her boredom with Brack and Tesman just before Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg enters. When Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg comes in, Hedda's change in mood would be sudden, her eyes would light up and her body language would show excitement. Hedda would be stimulated by the situation unfolding before her. When Thea arrives she will be able to play. As Hedda takes the album from the desk, I would direct the actor to not look at Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg but at Brack and Tesman. As she sits Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg would move closer and take a seat next to her, â€Å"not once† taking â€Å"his eyes off her.† Then whispering to her, â€Å"Hedda†¦Gabler.† His expression would show that he is still in love with her. As Hedda's next line, â€Å"Now! Sh!† would be said with a smile, she's happy she still has a hold ov er him and she can manipulate him. We see how Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg is still infatuated with her as he is disgusted with Hedda that she has thrown herself â€Å"away like that.† He also calls her â€Å"dearest Hedda† and â€Å"darling Hedda,† the actor would show how he wishes the best for her, and his desire to be loved by Hedda. When Mrs. Elvsted enters Hedda will be happy as she is now able to see how her actions will affect people's lives. Although she doesn't quite expect Mrs. Elvsted and Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg to be as close. â€Å"He says I've inspired him, too,† Hedda's reaction to this line would be envy, she wanted to be the inspiration, she wanted to be at the heart of something exciting, instead she is bored all day. When Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg declines the punch, he would look to Mrs. Elvsted with an expression of enthusiasm, Hedda would just look straight on at him with a false expression of admiration. Then Hedda smoothly changes tactic by adding that he must drink â€Å"because of other people.† As Mrs. Elvsted realises that Hedda is beginning to win the fight, the changes in status and moods between the characters would gain momentum. After Hedda says that Mrs. Elvsted came around in â€Å"a state of desperation,† She would calm herself and relax back into the chair, whilst smiling between Mrs. Elvsted and Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg, and nod at Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg next line. â€Å"Desperation,† Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg would sit bolt up looking between Hedda and Mrs. Elvsted with a questioning look. The sudden turn in the situation would give Hedda joy, and fuel her to go on, â€Å"Your going to a party,† she has again found how to control Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg. In the final part of Act three, Hedda and Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg say goodbye for the last time. Just as Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg is â€Å"about to leave,† Hedda reaches her hand out in his direction and says, â€Å"No! Wait!† She moves across to the desk, and begins unlocking the pistol case as she says her following line. He stands there, motionless watching her, hoping she has the answer to all that is wrong, a look of hope in him. As she turns from the desk Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg is slightly disappointed that Hedda is carrying a pistol, she hands it to him slowly as she says, â€Å"do you recognise it?† He takes a slightly angry tone as he remarks that Hedda â€Å"should have used it† before. Hedda clasps her hands around his during the line â€Å"well†¦! You use it now,† showing a small but significant sign of affection for Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg. When he leaves she would move slowly over to the stove momentarily stopping to retrieve the manuscript. The pull ing up a chair she would begin to burn the manuscript, page by page, ripping each one with an audible tear. Saying her lines slowly with a sneer. During her time with Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vborg, we see that Hedda Gabler can show affection for others, and we also see her most manipulative side. The softly spoken â€Å"vine leaves† image shows how Hedda controls others to gain the perfect circumstances for her dull life, these ideals of love give her happiness. When her ideals are not met, then her attitude changes and the characters are put into place until she is happy with what is happening around her.