Open Boat Theme

In the second half of the nineteenth century, Charles Darwin’s evolutionary theory exerted such a powerful influence on multiple aspects of human life that its echo could be traced as far as in the literary fiction of the period characterized as literary Naturalism.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Open Boat Theme specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the most innovative writers of his generation, the American novelist, short story writer, poet, and journalist Stephen Crane produced a series of works remarkable for their Naturalistic tendencies. Among those literary pieces, Crane’s short story â€Å"The Open Boat† is singled out by its thematic and stylistic correspondence to literary Naturalism. By means of such literary devices as setting, characters, and atmosphere, Crane efficiently develops and supports the main theme of â€Å"The Open Boat† — the impossibility of struggl ing against the eternal and permanent Nature. As it is obvious from the name of the movement, Nature is the central notion that determines the course of events in a Naturalistic story. It is represented as an eternal and impregnable matter that exists independently of the worldly vanity. Natural determinism reveals itself in the fact that despite all the man’s attempts to change the natural course of events, everything happens according to the predefined scheme. Nature is objective and remote from all the earthly suffering of man; it is neither brutal, nor friendly; it simply pursues the eternal order of things. Setting â€Å"The Open Boat† amidst the stormy sea, Crane depicts the objectivity of Nature, exactly following the Naturalistic interpretation of it as an indifferent and impartial matter: â€Å"This tower was a giant, standing with its back to the plight of the ants. It represented in a degree, to the correspondent, the serenity of nature amid the struggles of the individual — nature in the wind, and nature in the vision of men. She did not seem cruel to him then, nor beneficent, nor treacherous, nor wise. But she was indifferent, flatly indifferent.† (Crane 142) In this fragment Crane emphasizes that Nature does not possess any emotional characteristics and only acquires them through human interpretation. Nature per se is an objective course of fixed events, and it is only through man’s vision of them that those events gain some meaning.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Placed in the objective setting of Nature are four men, the only survivors of a shipwreck who are now trying to reach the shore in a tiny dingy boat. All of them — the intellectual correspondent, the comic cook, the strong and industrious oiler, and the remote yet compassionate captain — initially pursue one aim: to survive by w ay of struggling with the nature. They view the sea deep as a hostile enemy who can engulf them in the twinkling of an eye, and therefore their eyes are steadily focused on it in fearful apprehension: â€Å"None of them knew the color of the sky. Their eyes glanced level, and were fastened upon the waves that swept toward them. These waves were of the hue of slate, save for the tops, which were of foaming white, and all of the men knew the colors of the sea.† (Crane 123) Throughout the whole story Crane comments on those colors of the sea that change in accordance to the mood of the remaining crew: the waves gradually change from dark lead to â€Å"emerald green with amber lights†, to black, to â€Å"carmine and gold† (Crane 123–124, 136–137, 141). Those changes of color correspond to the alteration of the survivors’ mood: from despair and anger at their disastrous state, to the growing feeling of camaraderie towards each other, and finally , to the understanding of the necessity for cooperation not only among each other but also with the nature for the overall success of their rescue. Mutual support and association with the forces of nature appear to be the key to ultimate survival of men in the seemingly hostile natural environment. It is no mere chance that the injured captain, who has demonstrated a high level of tolerance and encouragement to his team, realizes the dangers of coming too close to the shore and being trapped into a current instead of waiting for help from the rescue station. He demonstrates an insightful understanding of the Nature’s powers from the very start of the misfortune, answering the correspondent’s question on whether they will make it to the shore by the phrase â€Å"If this wind holds and the boat don’t swamp, we can’t do much else† (Crane 127). It designates his obedience to Nature and destiny and his awareness of the higher powers that guide human ex istence. Another revealing fact in support of the Nature’s importance for human life is the fate of the oiler. Being the most physically fit and trained for the battle of survival, he ventures to reach the shore swimming without any support from the dinghy and is the only one who perishes. Such is the result of his presumption and conceit in face of the omnipotent Nature which does not forgive petty arrogance and rewards cooperation instead.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Open Boat Theme specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Stephen Crane’s short story reflects such key concepts of literary Naturalism as natural determinism and Nature’s indifference and objectivity as opposed to the vanity and frailty of men. This story of human struggle and survival in a hostile natural environment teaches the lessons of necessity for cooperation and illusiveness of man’s free will in face of the eterna l laws of Nature. Works Cited Crane, Stephen. â€Å"The Open Boat.† The Red Badge of Courage and Other Stories. Eds. Anthony Matthew Mellors and Fiona Robertson. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1998. 123–146. Print. This essay on Open Boat Theme was written and submitted by user Eloise Whitaker to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Leda And The Swan

William Butler Yeats’ poem â€Å"Leda and the Swan† is an awkward recreation of the Greek myth in which Zeus takes the form of a swan in order to seduce Leda. In this poem William Butler Yeats, known as one of the greatest twentieth century poets of Europe chose to use the sonnet format to retell this story. Yeats was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1965. He died at age 73. This Poem was written in 1924, just one year after Yeats won the Nobel Prize in poetry. Yeats, unlike many other poets, wrote this poem using a rhyme scheme. Leda and the Swan states two main charaters and doesn’t refer to the main event whatsoever. Leda and the swan refer to two characters and leaves the reader wondering what was the relationship that emerged and took place. Because the title doesn’t mention the rape, it brings out that a situation existed, but doesn’t put emphisis on the fact that the horrific act was invloved. The significance that the poem, even though it descibes the rape, more analyzes the relationship between Leda and the Swan In the first stanza of the poem, Yeats immediately brings the reader to the moment of supreme horror and doesn’t hesitate to let the reader know what is happening: a sudden blow, great wings beating still above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed, dark webs, her nape caught in his bill. Leda was a victim of a surprise attack. She is described as â€Å"a staggering girl,† â€Å"her helpless breasts†(Rosenthal, 115). The Swan is identified as overpowering- â€Å"the great wings,† â€Å"the dark webs,† â€Å"he holds her helpless breast upon his breast†(Rosenthal, 114). The first stanza describes this poem as a rape. The swan is not known for being a violent bird. It is a peaceful, beautiful bird. Perhaps this is why Zeus chose the swan as a disguise to surprise Leda. It was â€Å"a sudden blow.† She had no time to react, or defend herself. It seems as if she had no idea what was happening. This ... Free Essays on Leda And The Swan Free Essays on Leda And The Swan William Butler Yeats’ poem â€Å"Leda and the Swan† is an awkward recreation of the Greek myth in which Zeus takes the form of a swan in order to seduce Leda. In this poem William Butler Yeats, known as one of the greatest twentieth century poets of Europe chose to use the sonnet format to retell this story. Yeats was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1965. He died at age 73. This Poem was written in 1924, just one year after Yeats won the Nobel Prize in poetry. Yeats, unlike many other poets, wrote this poem using a rhyme scheme. Leda and the Swan states two main charaters and doesn’t refer to the main event whatsoever. Leda and the swan refer to two characters and leaves the reader wondering what was the relationship that emerged and took place. Because the title doesn’t mention the rape, it brings out that a situation existed, but doesn’t put emphisis on the fact that the horrific act was invloved. The significance that the poem, even though it descibes the rape, more analyzes the relationship between Leda and the Swan In the first stanza of the poem, Yeats immediately brings the reader to the moment of supreme horror and doesn’t hesitate to let the reader know what is happening: a sudden blow, great wings beating still above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed, dark webs, her nape caught in his bill. Leda was a victim of a surprise attack. She is described as â€Å"a staggering girl,† â€Å"her helpless breasts†(Rosenthal, 115). The Swan is identified as overpowering- â€Å"the great wings,† â€Å"the dark webs,† â€Å"he holds her helpless breast upon his breast†(Rosenthal, 114). The first stanza describes this poem as a rape. The swan is not known for being a violent bird. It is a peaceful, beautiful bird. Perhaps this is why Zeus chose the swan as a disguise to surprise Leda. It was â€Å"a sudden blow.† She had no time to react, or defend herself. It seems as if she had no idea what was happening. This ...

iOS Development in C# with Xamarin and Visual Studio

iOS Development in C# with Xamarin and Visual Studio In the past, you may have considered Objective-C and iPhone development but the combination of a new architecture and a new programming language together may have been too much. Now with Xamarin Studio, and programming it in C#, you may find the architecture not that bad. You may end up coming back to Objective-C though Xamarin makes feasible any type of iOs programming including games. This is the first of a set of tutorials on programming iOS Apps (ie both iPhone and iPad) and eventually Android Apps in C# using Xamarin Studio. So what is Xamarin Studio? Previously known as MonoTouch Ios and MonoDroid (for Android), the Mac software is Xamarin Studio. This is an IDE that runs on Mac OS X and its pretty good. If youve used MonoDevelop, then youll be on familiar ground. Its not quite as good as Visual Studio in my opinion but thats a matter of taste and cost. Xamarin Studio is great for developing iOS Apps in C# and likely Android, though that depends on your experiences creating those. Xamarin Versions Xamarin Studio comes in four versions: Theres the free one that can create Apps for the App store but those are limited to 32Kb in size which is not a lot! The other three cost starting with the Indie version for $299. On that, you develop on the Mac and can produce Apps of any size. Next is the Business version at $999 and thats the one used for these examples. As well as Xamarin Studio on the Mac it integrates with Visual Studio so you can develop iOS/Android apps as if writing .NET C#. The clever trick is that it uses your Mac to build and debug the App using the iPhone/iPad simulator while you step through code in Visual Studio. The big version is the Enterprise edition but that wont be covered here. In all four cases you need to own a Mac and to deploy Apps in the App store needs you to pay Apple $99 each year. You can manage to offset paying that until you need it, just develop against the iPhone simulator that comes with Xcode. You have to install Xcode but its in the Mac Store and its free. The Business edition does not have a big difference, just that it is on Windows instead of the Mac with free and Indie editions, and it uses the full power of Visual Studio (and Resharper). Part of that comes down to whether you prefer to develop Nibbed or Nibless? Nibbed or Nibless Xamarin integrates into Visual Studio as a plugin that gives new menu options. But it doesnt yet come with a designer like the Xcodes Interface Builder. If you are creating all your views ( the iOS word for controls) at runtime then you can run nibless. A nib (extension .xib) is an XML file that defines the controls etc in views and links events together so when you click on a control, it invokes a method. Xamarin Studio also requires you to use Interface Builder to create nibs but at the time of writing, they have a Visual designer running on the Mac in alpha state. It will likely become available on the PC as well. Xamarin Covers the Whole iOS API The whole iOS API is pretty massive. Apple currently has 1705 documents in the iOS developer library covering all aspects of iOS development. Since they were last reviewed, the quality has improved a lot. Likewise, the iOS API from Xamarin is pretty comprehensive, though you will find yourself referring back to the Apple docs.​ Getting Started After installing Xamarin software on your Mac, create a new Solution. The project choices include iPad, iPhone, and Universal and also with Storyboards. For iPhone, you then have the choice of an Empty Project, Utility Application, Master-Detail Application, Single View application, Tabbed Application or OpenGl Application. You have similar choices for Mac and Android development. Given the lack of designer on Visual Studio, you can take the nibless (Empty Project) route. Its not that difficult but nowhere as easy to get the design looking spot on. In this case, as you are mainly dealing with square buttons, its not a worry. Architecting iOS Forms You are entering into a world described by Views and ViewControllers and these are most important concepts to understand. A ViewController (of which there are several types) controls how data is displayed and manages view and resource management tasks. The actual displaying is done by a View (well a UIView descendant). The User Interface is defined by ViewControllers working together. Well see that in action in tutorial two with a simple nibless App like this one. In the next tutorial, well look in depths at ViewControllers and develop the first complete App.

Capital purchase justification Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Capital purchase justification - Assignment Example The purchase of the equipment is necessary to make the hospital run (Grantham, Haupt, Isbell, McClung, & Rettie, 2005). A CAT scan needs service providers. Selecting a service provider is always the responsibility of the procurement department. The procurement department will find a suitable supplier through researching the market. This will involve market survey on directories, form procurement colleagues, and the Internet. It will be necessary to search for more than three providers to evaluate. One of the economic advantages to deliver the CAT scan is that it will assist in saving cost by comparing prices and deliverability. Selection is made in terms of the provider that in delivering the CAT scan in time. We identified General Electric, Siemens and Medic Exchange. Selection process is done by choosing a provider from the phone book, Internet or using friends and family members. After settling for Siemens, the formal selection process is done. This was evaluation in terms of tech nical and financial evaluation. A contract was signed by the vice president because it was capital equipment which needed high authorization to Siemens to provide the CAT scan needed. It is necessary to the company to analyze the available options for making the right choice. The first step is to document organizational needs by putting the details and specifications by making the Vice President aware of our reasoning’s and justification for our actions. The company analyzed what Siemens could do concerning the CAT scan. The identifying potential sources were also considered by doing research of which organization is capable of providing the CAT scan. Information sent to Siemens is an introduction including contact information. A summary of business needs was prepared by drawing a proposal request for the CAT scan. An invitation to participate was sent to all three vendors for participation in the selection process. The date proposed was for a one-on-one discussion of key iss ues. The third step is to initiate vendor discussions on issues of the site and training or personnel to use the CAT scan. Then non-responsive vendors will be weeded out through both technical and financial evaluation. The fourth step is a final vendor round up. This is the final stage to make an offer and obtain the contract. One of the most important parts of the process is making a decision and sticking to it. This suggests reviewing material facts from the two meetings with each vendor, and a decision is made (Healthcare Financial Management Association (U.S.), 2009). A research article by Grantham et al. points out two aspects on how teams respond favorably to a request for information security budget costs justified with a clear ROI business case. There is also a developing concept of risk based ROI. The concept quantifies taking action of cost and risk associated and how this should be minimized by implementing a proper security infrastructure. This concept is used to purchas e insurance for the CAT scan. If a security breaches occurs as a result of not implementing the proper procedures, the associated costs far outweigh the cost to replace the CAT scan. This was an issue that was addressed with the vice president. To help avoid these liability costs is the goal. This is how the percentage of return on investment (ROI) is calculated. This is often the case when actual security risks are

Iran from 500 - 100 BC - Artistic Research Paper

Iran from 500 - 100 BC - Artistic - Research Paper Example It was eventually restored to Persian control between 330 and 100BC, and prospered into the modern era again. The area covered by modern day Iran was then called Persia, and as mentioned in the Bible and in Greek history and literature, it was a proud nation at the heart of a great Empire. Much of our knowledge comes from Greek and Jewish sources because original writings from that location have been lost. This means, unfortunately that some of the historical information is somewhat biased. The Greeks admired the skills of the Persians in producing fine works of art in metal, with precious jewels, and in sculpture, painting and weaving, but at the same time saw them as a threat, and dismissed their culture as â€Å"barbaric.†i Some scholars have noted that the best Greek imperial artefacts of this period such as statues and monuments demonstrate the use of styles and materials, such as gold, which they borrowed from the so-called â€Å"barbarian† culture of Persia.ii Al though very little in terms of writings has survived from Persia in this period, there is fortunately quite a lot of archaeological evidence in the form of metalwork, such as precious armlets in silver and gold, and carved stonework with a distinctive theme: â€Å"The realism of Achaemenian art manifests its power in the representation of animals, as can be seen in the many reliefs at Persepolis. Carved in stone or cast in bronze, the animals served as guardians to the entrances or, more often, as supports for vases, in which they were grouped by threes, their union a revival of the old traditions of tripods with legs ending in a hoof or a lion’s paw.†iii Some of these animal images are realistic, like bulls and horses, while others are more figurative, like griffins and strange creatures with lion’s heads and wings. Another art form that was perfected by the Persians in this period was inlay work, using precious stones that were obtained via the extensive tradi ng networks that the empire had built up over the preceding centuries. The devolved system of government used by the Persians meant that local governors (called â€Å"satraps†) looked after the infrastructure of the empire, and collected taxes. They also made sure that great cities were built and maintained with impressive architecture, including tombs for great leaders, temples for the predominant religion which was Zoroastrianism, and buildings for legal and commercial activity. This infrastructure is evidence of considerable wealth, allowing citizens to learn new decorative trades and arts. The city of Susa, which is often known by its Greek name Persepolis, is a fine example of the high level of planning in city architecture that the Persians were capable of. Another major innovation which the Persians enjoyed was the creation of a postal system, consisting of good roads with posting stations placed a day’s ride from each other.iv Official documents, trade items, a nd all kinds of ideas travelled along this network, making Persia the envy of the civilized world in those days. Reflection It was very interesting to read that even in this early period Persian carpets were famous across the world for their luxurious quality. I think that the cold of the desert areas at night in winter time caused the

Create atmospher Essay Example for Free

Create atmospher Essay The writer creates a tense, aggressive and misleading atmosphere. Miller creates a tense atmosphere as Eddie is attacking Rodolfo with sneery comments to lower his self esteem and make Rodolfo look bad in Catherines eyes. The quote thats why the water front is no place for him (Rodolfo) Eddie is making Rodolfo feel unwanted and like this place is no place for you. Also this could imply that Catherine also no place for him and he needs to back off. In the stage direction Miller make the atmosphere tense by I quote (has has been unconsciously twisting the newspaper into a tight role) and everyone is looking at him and acknowledging him knowing how much Rodolfo annoys him. Then miller writes in the stage direction about the paper suddenly tears in two this doesnt only show eddies frustration and strength but also could symbolise Eddie and Catherines relationship, it shows if Eddie keeps on pushing her and twisting their relationship and eventually it will break and Catherine will have to make a decision and that is exactly what happens later on in the play when Catherine has to chose between staying with Eddie or going with Rodolfo and she finally feels she needs to stand up for herself and grow up so goes with Rodolfo. Eddie then moves on to how Marco and him should go see a fight together, and constantly addressing Marco showing he feels Marco as the only person who can put Rodolfo down a peg or two, he loves the dominance over Rodolfo so then takes advantage of this by always asking for Marcos approval on matters on how Rodolfo has done bad, like when Catherine and Rodolfo were out late at the pictures and Eddie states about how Rodolfo might get picked up if hes out that late and how he dragged Catherine off and shouldnt be out so late with her. Marco asks Eddie what has he done and Eddie tells him about being late In and Marco say to Rodolfo you come home early now Eddie loves how Marco can embarrass and be dominant over Rodolfo. When Eddie is talking about fighting Marco is uneasy because he can see that its not a good idea, but Eddie is making the atmosphere so misleading he is being nice and saying things like you want to come and I treat you and he says Ill buy the tickets at this point the reader is not sure of what is going to happen but we have this thought at the back of our head that its not a good idea and foreshadowing danger. Then the atmosphere turns violent and tense, it starts out Eddie saying about how he could teach Marco how to box, then he turns to Rodolfo and then states well come on, Ill teach you instantly this seems an innocent gesture from anyone else but not Eddie, he knows what he is doing and just wants to get back at Rodolfo. He is saying Ill show you a couple a passes these are all excuses he just wants a chance to inflict pain on Rodolfo. Boxing is another manly sport that feminine Rodolfo cant do, and Eddie knows this so takes advantage of this weakness knowing he wont be able to defend himself so expects Rodolfo to be weak. It then turns out that Rodolfo is very good and both Eddie and Marco are praising him so this all seems like a bit of fun but then Eddie is egging him on to do worse and saying dont pity on methrow it we then get this superstition that its not going to turn out well. Eddie then states you cant hurt me but we know this is not true because Rodolfo has already hurt him but through Catherine instead, Eddie knows this and takes advantage of this all the time making the atmosphere tense and aggressive, Eddie knows he has sort of lost Catherine to Rodolfo and is determined not to lose to Rodolfo at something Eddie is good at. Catherine then becomes scared and is the only one sensing trouble so asks what are they doin? and Beatrice doesnt think anything of it and is happy they are finally getting on and cant see the trouble behind it. Eddie seems fine and happy then all of a sudden fakes a punch and lands his right on Rodolfo, Rodolfo staggers. Marco then rises this shows that Marco is not afraid to stand up for his family and is kind of warning to Eddie. Then Catherine rushes to Rodolfo this will seriously anger Eddie as it seems Catherine has already made the decision to go with Rodolfo instead. Eddie senses Catherine is angry with him so instantly comments on how Rodolfo is fine and saying did I hurt you kid? he is trying to keep the atmosphere neutral and not get on the bad side of Catherine. Beatrice then puts and end to it and says thats enough to Eddie. He then says to Marco Ill teach him again and in the stage directions It states Marco nods dubiously this shows that Marco weary of this. Eddie is made out to be a bully and Rodolfo seems even better in the eyes of Catherine for being so good at boxing and not fighting back to Eddies punch. After the boxing the atmosphere becomes tense again Rodolfo puts on the record paper doll and we know that this record has created quite a tense atmosphere in the past because the lyrics symbolises the love triangle between Eddie, Catherine and Rodolfo. The lyrics state about how Catherine is Rodolfos girl and not Eddies anymore and Its tough to love a doll thats not your own and thats how Eddie feels. We know that this was not a good idea for Rodolfo to do then he asks Catherine to dance. Marco can see that Eddie is uncomfortable with this, so Marco sets him a challenge he places a chair in front of him and asks him to lift the chair by one leg and with one arm behind your back, Marco only demonstrates this though, this may imply that Marco wants to be the dominant one and show Eddie how its done after Eddies pathetic attempt to do it, Eddie then proceeds to accept the challenge it. Eddie cant do it and never faults himself and how its because the chair is on an angle not because he isnt strong enough. This could also symbolise about how Eddie feels his judgments are right about Rodolfo and now Marco needs to show Eddie some dominance and prove Eddie is wrong. Marco then raises the chair exactly how he showed Eddie and he carries on hiring the chair all the way above his head and holding it there. The stage directions state Marco gives of a glare of warning to Eddie all the while still holding the chair over his head, he is stating to Eddie to back off and leave Rodolfo alone before he does something his regrets. His glare then turns into a smile of triumph this shows that he has dominance over Eddie and control. Marco ends the scene as the most powerful man. All the while the atmosphere has a constant theme of tension and aggressiveness. In this extract there is pathos which means you feel sympathy for a someone and this particular person is Eddie. He never seems to get what he wants and has been seen as a bully and not a nice person in everyones eyes. We feel pity for him as Catherine has shown she has chosen Rodolfo over Eddie and now Eddie seems powerless and not the man of the house when Marco shows his act of dominance.

Animal Farm Compared To The Russian Revolution :: compare contrast

Education is not as prominent in the book as during the Russian Revolution. In the book, education is mentioned when Snowball finds old spelling books, once belonging to Mr. Jones. He begins to teach himself, followed by the other pigs, and finally he helps the other animals to read and write. Some of the not so intelligent animals find this quite taxing, whereas the pigs– being the most intelligent, learn the fastest. Snowball is the most interested in educating the animals, and the well being of the other animals on the farm. Just as Trotsky was intent in educating the Russian people, and their well being during the Revolution. â€Å"Napoleon took no interest in Snowball’s committees. He said that education of the young was more important than anything that could be done for those who were already grown up.† This shows Snowball’s commitment to the animals compared to the uninterested Napoleon. In the book Napoleon began his leadership role quite well, with his ideas being fair and with a positive meaning. As the story continues he becomes more corrupt, and his ideas turn into a dictatorship. â€Å"Napoleon lead the animals back to the store-shed and served out a double portion of corn to everyone, with two biscuits for each dog.† As time went on his true nature, of a power crazy character begins to surface, he becomes more selfish and the principle idea of equality no longer exists. The farm is run on terror, and no animal dare speak out against him, for fear of death. â€Å"The news leaked out that every pig was receiving a ration of a pint of bear daily, with half a gallon for Napoleon.† Just as during the revolution, when at first Stalin was fair and just but as he was given power he turns into a corrupt man with dictatorship qualities. He became more selfish and sinister. When securing his power base he engineered the permanent exile of Trotsky. This compares to the book, when Napoleon and his ‘nine sturdy puppies’ chased Snowball out of the farm. Napoleon then proceeds to portray his true nature of an assassin. Snowball is the other main leader in animalism, along side Napoleon. He was the one who was most interested in the well being of the animals and their education. The complete opposite of Napoleon. I fell if he had not been chased away (assassinated) then the idea of communism may have succeeded.

P&G Strategic Plan Essay

Executive Summary Our Procter & Gamble Strategic Plan makes available an investigation and assessment of the current and prospective opportunities for the company based on in-depth market and company research. Analyses are based on standard business strategy analysis tools, which are: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats (SWOT) analysis, External and Internal Factors Evaluation (EFE/IFE) Matrices, and standard financial analyses including competitive comparison with Procter & Gamble’s industry. Strategic alternatives were evaluated with the use of the Internal-External (IE) Matrix and the Grand Strategy Matrix which fed into the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM). The results of the QSPM validated the best strategy to pursue. The best strategy for Procter & Gamble is the production of less expensive, yet same quality consumer goods, which we plan to implement without compromising our belief in quality and effectiveness. Introduction In order to begin a strategic plan for a company it is important to understand what that business does. Since 1837, P&G has built a rich heritage of touching consumers’ lives with brands that make life a little better every day (â€Å"Company Heritage,† 2011). P&G believes that innovation will sustain them. They have a broad range of brands and are known as the world’s leading branded consumer company since their products are sold in 180 countries (â€Å"Global Structure & Governance,† 2011). Buhovac, Epstien, and Yuthas, in their book Implementing Sustainability: the role of leadership and organizational culture, wrote: â€Å"P&G managers have widened their organizational perspective to see the broader picture and capture benefits beyond a particular issue or cost. They strive to create products that enable consumers to be more environmentally sustainable. Improving efficiency of the entire product life cycle from cradle to grave is a major focus of P&G’s sustainability efforts† ( p. 44.). A brief look at the history of P&G and their mission/ vision statements will provide a better understanding of what type of company P&G is and wants to be. History According to Procter and Gamble’s website, P&G was created on October 31, 1837 by brother-n-laws, William Procter and James Gamble. Each one had their own skills; William made candles and James produced soap. They formed Procter and Gamble to make and sell candles and soap (â€Å"P&G: A Company History,† 2006). The two entrepreneurs were successful in making it through the financial difficulties of the time. The largest impact on the company at this time was the civil war in which the government contracted the company to supply soldiers with soap and candles (â€Å"P&G: A Company History,† 2006). Edison’s light bulb invention caused the demand for candles to weaken and the company began to focus on making soap by opening up their first research lab. The research lab came up with Ivory flakes which served as soap to wash clothes and dishes. Chipso was the first soap designed for washing machines. Dreft was the first synthetic house-hold cleaner and Crisco, which is still around today, was an all-vegetable shortening (â€Å"P&G: A Company History,† 2006). From that time on, P&G has continued to be innovative and create new products for consumers and in 2011 ranked number 26 on the Fortune 500 list (â€Å"Fortune 500,† 2011). Mission and Vision Statement Procter and Gamble has created a mission statement to tell what their business is. â€Å"Sometimes called a creed statement, a statement of purpose, a statement of philosophy, a statement of beliefs, a statement of principles, or a statement ‘defining our business,’ a mission statement reveals what an organization wants to be and whom it wants to serve† (David, 2011, p. 44). P&G’s mission statement says, â€Å"Procter & Gamble will provide branded products and services of superior quality and value that improve the lives of the world’s consumers. As a result consumers will reward us with industry leadership in sales, profit, and value creation, allowing our people, our shareholders, and the communities in which we live and work to prosper† (David, 2011, p.46). P&G has also created a vision statement that states, â€Å"Procter & Gamble’s vision is to be, and be recognized as, the best consumer products company in the world† (David, 2011, p. 44). Proctor & Gamble’s mission and vision statements explain their dedication and importance of selling high quality products in order to improve people’s lives around the world while providing jobs and stimulating the economy (â€Å"Purpose and People,† 2011). The objectives the company would like to uphold in living up to the mission statement are building existing businesses into stronger global leaders, expand to reach more markets, increase higher margins with global leadership potential, and produce more products in order to satisfy all consumers’ needs and wants. P & G believes they can improve everyone’s lives in ways that enable them to thrive, to increase the quality of living, and over time make them loyal buyers (â€Å"Purpose and People,† 2011). STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT One of the most important parts of the strategic formulation stage of the strategic management process is the assessment of a company, both externally and internally, and where that company stands in their industry. The results of these assessments will produce information that can be analyzed to determine the best strategic plans for evaluation based on the company’s present situation. The external assessment looks at forces beyond a company’s control; opportunities that can enhance and threats that can hurt their operations. The internal assessment looks at forces from within that are either strengths that can be capitalized on or weaknesses that must be offset, or both, for success. Financial and operational analysis, using the Dun and Bradstreet business ratios, looks at a company’s financial and operational success, or failure, as compared to competition within their industry. External Forces Evaluation (EFE) Matrix The following analysis is an external evaluation of the opportunities and threats that can affect Procter & Gamble. The External Factors Evaluation matrix, Figure A-1, and this supporting summary draw data from published reports, news articles, and blogs to ensure as complete a picture as possible is presented. The following opportunities and threats discussed refer back to Figure A-1. Opportunities. As Procter and Gamble is looking to find ways to bring in customers, they have used a method of observation to see what people are concerned about and what they want (Silverman, 2011). By spending $2 billion annually on R&D, Procter and Gamble have brought upon the company an opportunity, as they think about Future Growth plans with a focus on increasing concentration on its core attractive business and enhancing its customer base. Also, Procter & Gamble has been applying for and being assigned patents for â€Å"fabric care compositions and systems comprising organ silicone micro emulsions and methods employing same†¦ assigned Patent for Automatic Dishwashing Detergent Composition†¦and Process for Treating a Hard Surface using an EO/PO Trisiloxane† (â€Å"Targeted News Source†, 2011). As more women want the natural look, there is a movement towards the use of herbal cosmetics (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review,† 2011). As the manufacturer of cosmetics, Procter & Gamble have an opportunity to capitalize on this opportunity by shifting their production and purchase from synthetic cosmetics towards natural, herbal cosmetics. As the producer of Herbal Essences, the opportunity to increase a line of â€Å"herbal† cosmetics and healthcare products is wide open for the taking. Procter & Gamble have a great opportunity to take advantage of the emerging economies of countries like China, Kuwait, and India (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review†, 2011). With increased employment and the growing desire for affluence, there is an increase in disposable income available for the purchase of known brands into a market that has little penetration from other organized retailers (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review†, 2011). Another opportunity Procter & Gamble has developed is to branch out and invest in manufacturing in developing countries such as its chemical company, Procter & Gamble SA. â€Å"It is one of the newest P&G subsidiaries†¦in South Africa principally into production of cleaning products and beauty care products. P&G uses its South African base to export to neighboring SADC countries,† (â€Å"Procter & Gamble SA – Strategic SWOT Analysis Review,† 2011). This opportunity can help to offset a slowing economy in the United States where Procter & Gamble presently generate 41% of their 2011 sales (Hoovers, 2011). As the producer of Iams and Eukanuba pet foods, Procter & Gamble has a prime opportunity to capitalize on the growing trend of humanization of pets worldwide (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review†, 2011). Procter & Gamble’s market share of pet food and personal pet care products can be increased through an increase in their line of high-quality food and luxury products (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review†, 2011). With the decline in the market and rising government debt, Jonathan Chevreau published on his Financial Post Blog Wealthy boomer a letter written by Robert Smith, CFA, CFP where Robert wrote that investors should be moving towards purchasing stocks from â€Å"solid dividend-paying companies† ( 2011). Procter & Gamble were cited as one of the companies that are a sure bet because of the diversity and necessity of their products. Procter & Gamble can capitalize on this by continuing to provide a dividend on their stocks which should attract more investors. There is a new trend advancing in the baby diaper industry. Competitor Kimberly-Clark has jumped into the trend with Huggies jeans; a diaper that looks like it is jeans material. Now they are producing a camouflage design diaper for Wal-Mart that will support Military families. Procter and Gamble has recognized the new trend by introducing floral prints for girls. John Brase, head of North American baby care marketing at Procter and Gamble is stated in an article by Bruce Horovitz (2011) as saying, â€Å"You have a group of moms focused on fashion who think of the diaper as an extension of clothing.† Another opportunity for Procter and Gamble is the demand for environmentally friendly products. In recent years there has been an increased focus on saving the earth through green choices. This opportunity has prompted Procter and Gamble to become publicly committed to long-term goals of reducing energy consumption, converting to entirely renewable energy sources, using 100% renewable or recycled materials, and eliminating disposal of consumer and manufacturing waste in landfills (Pandis, 2011).

Online Instruction In A Continuing Professional Education Setting Education Essay

IntroductionThe article I chose to supply a outline for is entitled, â€Å" The New, Modern Practice of Adult Education: On-line Instruction in a Continuing Professional Education Setting † by Brian W. Donavant of the University of Tennessee at Martin. The intent of his survey was to analyze the effectivity of on-line instruction compared to traditional bringing attacks. His survey involved quantitative research methods through the usage of pre and posttests in both the online and teacher led classs every bit good as an unfastened ended questionnaire to assist find if the potency for success of on-line direction is related to demographic variables of the pupils. This multi-phased survey was conducted in a non-academic scene utilizing police officers go oning their instruction. The about 200 participants were from the Florida Regional Community Policing Institute and varied in age, gender, ethnicity, educational background, and old ages on the occupation.Research QuestionThe ge neral inquiry of this survey was to find if there were statistically important differences in successful acquisition by the participants who learned via online acquisition in comparing to teacher lead preparation. Additionally, the survey set out step the potency of online larning success by constabulary officers and if this possible online larning success was related to assorted other factors such as race, gender, age, and educational experience. The survey besides measured the officers ‘ attitudes and perceptual experiences sing the usage of online larning for professional development. ( Donavant, 2009 ) While the writer acquiesces to the impression that the apposition of online acquisition to instructor lead acquisition in authoritative academe has been done legion times, there is small to no important research done measuring this in the sphere of professional development and go oning instruction. The deficiency of important research from this position is what motivated the research worker to prosecute this way.MethodsThe first stage of this three stage survey was an scrutiny of pre and post-test professional development tonss used to determine if larning really occurred and if there was a difference in effectivity between on-line bringings versus teacher lead direction. The pre and post-tests used anon. multiple-choice and true-false inquiries. The research worker had no control over the arrangement of the participants into control or experimental groups of people. Additionally, the research worker did non hold control over the figure of participants in each group or the continuanc e and quality of the direction. ( Donavant, 2009 ) The 2nd stage of the survey examined the potency for online acquisition success correlated to gender, race, age of the scholar, figure of old ages of constabulary service, figure of old ages of formal instruction, and old exposure to online acquisition. This rating leveraged Kerr ‘s Test of Online Learning Success ( TOOLS ) ( Marcel S. Kerr, 2012 ) which is a 45 point self-report appraisal that attempts to determine behavioural strengths and failings to mensurate possible online larning success. Participants rated each of these 45 points on a 5 point Likert-type of graduated table runing from 1 ( strongly disagree ) to 5 ( strongly agree ) . ( Donavant, 2009 ) Finally, the 3rd stage of this survey involved an open-ended questionnaire to turn to considerations of on-line bringing methods that were identified through analysis of the current literature that the writer deemed as relevant beginnings. The research worker ‘s purpose was to find other lending factors that were important to the larning experience such as willingness to take part in on-line acquisition, scholar ‘s perceptual experiences of the user of online acquisition in the sphere of professional development, and the practicality of its usage as a bringing mechanism. For the 2nd and 3rd stages of this survey, one constabulary bureau within each of the six geographic parts of the United States was indiscriminately selected and each bureau had anon. voluntaries to take part it the survey. The 2nd stage had a sum of 188 officers participate while the 3rd stage had a sum of 150 constabularies officers participate. Of the 188 officers that participated in the 2nd stage the bulk were white males ( 87.8 % and 85.6 % severally ) with a average age of 36.9 and a average figure of old ages on the force of 10.75. 75.3 % of the participants had non participated in any on-line instruction prior to this survey and the bulk listed their degree of instruction attainment as â€Å" some college † 52 % . ( Donavant, 2009 ) The stage one survey that used the historical pre and post-test consequences used a t-test to find the significance of the pre and post-test consequences comparing on-line instruction to trainer led experiences. The stage two survey besides conducted a t-test to find if there was a degree of significance between those who completed on-line instruction and those that did non complete on-line instruction. Bipartisan eventuality analysis was conducted to assist find if there was a relationship with possible success in on-line instruction and independent variables such as race, gender, and prior exposure to online instruction. The research worker so used Pearson Correlations to find important relationships between online larning success and independent variables such as age, figure of old ages of service and degree of educational attainment. ( Donavant, 2009 )ConsequencesThe stage one post-test tonss ( Teacher Lead: M=82.91, SD = 18.43 ; Online: M=73.38, SD=21.72 ) were significantly hig her than pre-test tonss for both instructor led and on-line lead instruction ( Teacher Lead: M=43.27, SD=17.96 ; Online: M=47.44, SD=16.74 ) . The ANCOVA analysis revealed no statistically important difference in the effectivity between both trainer lead and on-line bringing ( 1, 40 ) = 2.99, P = .09. ( Donavant, 2009 ) The stage two survey rendered similar consequences of deficiency of significance between online larning success and gender, race, and old engagement in on-line instruction ( I†¡2 ( 1, N =178 ) = 0.12, P = .72 ; race, I†¡2 ( 5, N = 184 ) = 7.97, P = .16 ; or old engagement in OE, I†¡2 ( 1, N = 188 ) = 3.07, P = .08. ) Where the research worker did happen some degree of significance was the correlativity between possible online larning success and the officers ‘ educational degree they achieved, R ( 185 ) = .23, P = .001. The consequences of the 3rd stage of the research indicated that a bulk of the pupils liked the convenience of the on-line instruction ( 92, 68.7 % ) but bulk besides indicated that what they liked least about the on-line educational experience ( 63, 52.9 % ) was the deficiency of interaction with the teacher as their primary ground for non wishing the on-line educational experience. ( Donavant, 2009 )DecisionThe research worker surmised that while the effectivity of on-line instruction versus teacher lead preparation are both deemed significantly effectual, the potency of on-line instruction being effectual is significantly correlated to the pupil ‘s anterior experience with on-line instruction every bit good as their degree of instruction. The research worker besides went on to sum up that by and large talking, there is no important benefit of online acquisition in comparing to teacher lead preparation when looking at it from the position of race, gender, old ages on the forc e or age. So, for an organisation sing teacher lead preparation in comparing to online instruction, they should see the person scholar and take into consideration their degree of instruction along with old experience with on-line instruction. If an organisation has a figure of pupils who do non hold a batch of post-secondary instruction, they may happen better consequences with teacher lead preparation.

Productivity †Is It In You

Productivity – Is It In You The big deal these days, especially if you are in the romance arena, is to write very short books and write to market. You pen whatever is hot, pen it quickly, and sell it fast. For example, a bunch of writers are attempting to flood the market with short, clean, billionaire romance stories, offering them at a premium, publishing one a month or more. Then theyll use Fussy Librarian, FreeBooksy, and other sites (mini-Bookbub types of promo sites) in an attempt to accelerate interest and sales. Some authors are making serious bucks doing this. (So are all these sites!) I can see the logic and have spoken to authors who are living proof of its success, but Im not sure how long this method will work. Once upon a time, free ebooks were uncommon, but then suddenly everyone jumped on that train. The cost of ebooks dropped like a rock. Now it takes more than just offering a free book to snare readers. I mean, how many of these billionaire books can one person read? Dont get me wrong. Kudos to the folks making five- and six-figure incomes from this method, but these folks will change their marketing strategies as conditions change. They are smart entrepreneurs regardless of the methods used, and they morph with tools and concepts as they materialize. But right now, with so many people shooting out books like bullets, how long before the market is glutted? Even more so, how long can an author produce like that? (I wont get into quality of the writing, because that is so subjective; plus, some authors write faster than others.) For last years words belong to last years language. And next years words await another voice.  Ã‚  ~T.S. Eliot Writers were meant to produce words, with each book supposedly becoming easier. But you might want to be careful not to burn out using this method. Writing to market is SOOO tempting, believe me. It rambles around in my head, too, only with mysteries. Mark Dawson writes his John Milton suspense novellas fast and furious. The writer who wants to make good dough at this thing (even a living) realizes that the only â€Å"formula†Ã‚  is to keep producing quality work at a steady pace.  ~James Scott Bell Writing for a living is a two-part formula: Quality + Pace. Your quality must match the quality your readers expect, and you must find a pace that wont burn you out. Dont be sucked into what other authors are doing. Choose the quality and pace that suit  you best. After all, you need to be in this business for the long haul, not just through the fads.

Euphemisms for Job Loss

Euphemisms for Job Loss Euphemisms for Job Loss Euphemisms for Job Loss By Maeve Maddox The unfortunate occasion of being dismissed from employment can be expressed in numerous ways. Some of the more familiar expressions are: to be made redundant to receive a pink slip to be dismissed to be discharged to be laid off to be let go to lose one’s job to be fired to be got rid of to be booted out to be given the boot to get the sack to be sacked to be given one’s marching orders to get the ax/axe These homely expressions still appear in headlines: Pentagon gives pink slips to thousands of soldiers, including active-duty officers Digital strategy to axe tens of thousands of central government jobs Thousands of Woolworths staff face sack in Christmas week Thousands of Doctors Fired by United Healthcare However, when it comes to carefully worded announcements issued by people doing the firing, today’s reader must exercise advanced skills of textual interpretation. Here are some of the ways firing people is described by public relations officers: realigning the workforce reallocating resources focusing on involuntary attrition rightsizing the company offering unpaid leave with the option to pursue new employment eliminating redundancy smart-sizing the company redeploying workers rewiring for growth eliminating positions rethinking our future adjusting to shifts in demand rebalancing human capital re-engineering simplifying streamlining going in another direction And my personal favorite: decruiting. decruit (verb): to remove people working for an organization from their jobs because they are no longer needed. Clearly modeled on the word recruit, this poor little misshapen invention is already being used without scare quotes: the phenomenon of companies announcing their various intentions to decruit vast numbers of people.  Ã¢â‚¬â€œStanley Bing, Fortune. Teach leaders what they must know to decruit workers when necessary. –from a brochure for a business leader workshop sponsored by Penn State. Let go of the unalterable agents. If you can’t change their work habits, then change their work place. Decruit them. Let them go. –â€Å"Tips to Lead Your Company to Success,† Miami Association of Realtors. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About TalkingBody Parts as Tools of MeasurementArtist vs. Artisan

Relationships Suffer When a Person is Depressed Essay

Relationships Suffer When a Person is Depressed - Essay Example As a person’s partner is likely to be in their company more than anyone else, and relies on them and has certain expectations for their relationship, then it is the partner which is likely to feel the adverse affects of the person’s depression more than anyone else. The exact ways in which depression causes these types of relationships to suffer, include immediate, remote and contributing factors. The immediate cause of a suffering relationship due to an individual’s depression is the psychological manifestation of the depression itself. When a person is depressed, they often experience feelings of loneliness, sadness, despair, unhappiness and isolation. These feelings are very strong and persistent in the condition of depression, hence such a diagnosis. Due to the strength of these undesirable feelings, a person can easily change in terms of demeanour, mood, personality, outlook and behaviour. They may want to avoid social activities and any occasion where they must interact with others. They may be in very low moods which makes them difficult to talk to and engaging with them while they are like this is often quite an arduous and frustrating experience. They often find it impossible to be optimistic, friendly or willing to try anything new. All of these things are a manifestation of the feelings they experience when depressed. In this way, depressions seriously can affect the individual’s relationship. If the persons partner is forced to tolerate being with someone who is unhappy, moody, pessimistic and unwilling to socialize or engage in activities, this can easily and quickly put a strain on the relationship. Another possible cause of relationships suffering when a person is depressed is previous abuse of some type, which is a remote cause. For example, if the depressed