Change Initiative

Change Initiative George Tautz Grand Canyon University Organizational Development & Change MGT 623 Dr. Kensler March 17, 2010 Change Initiative Organizational change is a necessary outcome when considering various scenarios contributing to the resulting vision. Perplexing as it may seem, change initiatives don’t always result in positive outcomes. In fact, many never succeed. As a change agent, one should always have formulated a vision of what change will â€Å"look† like for the organization. One would be hard pressed to paint a landscape without having a vision of what the landscape should resemble. Yet, resistance to change usually becomes a significant factor contributing to an initiative’s failure. It is likely an implicit expectation to prepare for the advent of resistance and it consequences. A change agent’s tool box should contain a number of strategies which will support the process of change. Defining and re-defining the end result as well as the change process itself is a useful exercise in that clarity eventually overcomes obscure, poorly orchestrated attempts at invoking change. This paper will propose a change initiative designed for LC- an organization referenced previously in part I of a continuing anthology of LC’s attempts at facing change. Resistance to change will be examined within the context of how certain attributes of any successful change process operate to support or derail attempts at managing a successful change initiative. Managing change requires a vision which supports a renewal process (Moran & Brightman, 2001). Change doesn’t (or shouldn’t) occur for the sake of change. The stress which change places upon an organization isn’t likely to justify the price in terms of its effect on the people which make up the organization. Rather, change should be gauged in terms of its resultant ability to adapt to the needs of the organization’s external and internal customers (Burke, 2002). This should serve as the premise for any organizational change initiative. It is, therefore, the basis for any vision attributable to recognizing that the needs of an organization’s constituents is not being served or met. In practice, such a realization not only forms the basis for a vision of change, but also incites and solicits aberrant behavioral reactions by employees who are responsible for its implementation. Research and anecdotal examples support the fact that an initiative’s success or failure ultimately relies upon whether or not employees get in back of an initiative or stand in its way (Scheck & Kinicki, 2000). As mentioned, employee resistance is an integral component of a scenario for failure if not managed appropriately. Rampant cynicism portends what could ultimately become an abbreviated attempt at change. Symptomatic responses to resistance include withdrawal as well as decrements in performance criteria (Weeks, Roberts, Chonko, & Jones, 2004). Resistance does not necessarily have to be exclusively negative. However, it needs to be planned for and managed upon presentation. Whatever change is envisioned for LC, there must also be a strategy for harnessing employee reactions of uncertainty and control loss. In the case of LC, the precise vision of what the final outcome of change should be must be tempered by alternative strategies necessary to address resistance. In LC’s case, the vision is to become a more responsive organization able to adapt faster to environmental changes. A change in priorities coupled with an extinction of misdirected goals and objectives will require LC to utilize the coalition of support described previously in tandem with the overall goal of reviving the organization’s viability. Trusting management is an important component to the change process. If change is not managed well, employees will inevitably mistrust management. This leads to anger as well as cognitive resistance which is questioning the very need for change in the first place. Interestingly enough, too much poor quality information results in an overall exacerbation of resistance linked symptomology (Allen, Jimmieson, Bordia, & Irmer, 2007). The perceived quality of information offered greater chances for a successful initiative. This is more or less intuitive. So then, what is the best way to provide good quality information? Fortunately for LC, the mechanism is already in place. The coalition set up for LC will serve an instrumental role in developing, analyzing, and disseminating information to the rank and file employees at LC. However, it should be pointed out that the initial selection of coalition team members may prove to be one of the most important aspects of the change initiative. Poorly selected, unqualified or otherwise circumspect individuals who â€Å"leech† their way onto a planning and implementation team such as this one, tend to force more attention onto their own needs rather than on the needs of the organization. A further refinement is in order, however. What must be understood is the observation that employees tend to react differently to quality information based on its source. The reason for this apparent discordant phenomenon has to do with employees perceiving communications emanating from senior management as one way- not two way. One way communication channels do not allow the employee to ask questions. Two way channels offer two way communication. Therefore, the most ideal make up of the coalition team should be senior management as well as supervisors. Proceeding further, it should also be understood that the overall make up of the coalition should consist of experts contributing information appropriate to their expertise. Certainly, a coalition of change agents in a hospital setting, for example, would not do well if we included the landscaping staff whose contribution would be marginal at best to a positive outcome relating to decreasing mortality rates within the institution. In conclusion, trust in management is one of the most important contributing factors when considering the likelihood of resistance to change. To enhance trust, management should form a coalition of experts as well as line supervisors for the purpose of putting forth accurate information. The strategic initiative for LC is to promote a change in how the organization conducts its business. Sweeping changes are proposed which will resonate within all areas of the organization. Immunity from inclusion is unlikely even for the most obscure, entrenched employee. Change will re-define how LC presents its service delivery model to both internal and external clients. In order to garner support for change, LC must communicate to the employees what is being done and why. The company must offer an opportunity for a two way dialogue in order to circumvent employee cynicism. There are specific well orchestrated reasons for selecting the various team members. For example, all the major operations divisions should be represented since whatever is implemented will have far reaching effects on every division of the organization. The change initiative will determine how each division is accountable to the overall mission of the organization. Developing a vision for change is an important step for the change agent to engage in. Without clarity, it is unlikely that change will occur successfully. References Allen, J. , Jimmieson, N. L. , Bordia, P. , & Irmer, B. E. (2007). Uncertainty during organizational change: Managing perceptions through communication. Journal of Change Management, 7(2), 187-210. Burke, W. (2002). Organization Change: Theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Moran, J. W. , & Brightman, B. K. (2001). Leading organizational change. Career Development International, 6(2), 111-118. Scheck, C. L. , & Kinicki, A. J. (2000). Identifying antecedents of coping with an organizational acquisition: A structural assessment. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 21, 627-648. Weeks, W. A. , Roberts, J. , Chonko, L. B. , & Jones, E. (2004). Individual readiness for change, individual fear of change, and sales manager performance: An empirical investigation. Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, 24, 7-17.

Eternal Light Essay

Another â€Å"wayfarer† is Victor Frankenstein, who is striving for â€Å"eternal light,† but in another aspect. He is the â€Å"Modern Prometheus,† longing to â€Å"pour a torrent of light into our dark world,† while creating a human being – a deed, which is intrinsic to God (26). His creation is the third participant in the â€Å"journey† to â€Å"eternal light. † He is unnamed, or more often called the creature, the monster, the wretch, or the one with â€Å"unearthly ugliness† (55). Victor’s creation also dreams for â€Å"eternal light† in the meaning of pure love or happiness, but he is compelled to follow the contrary direction – to â€Å"darkness and distance† (134). The three meet each other at the â€Å"land of mist and snow,† where their â€Å"journey† ends, where the border between possible and common lies, between dream and reality, between genius and mankind, between God and mankind, between â€Å"a country of eternal light† and â€Å"darkness and distance. † The character, accountable for the novel’s drama, is Victor Frankenstein, a student in humanities. â€Å"A possible interpretation of the name Victor derives from the poem Paradise Lost by John Milton, a great influence on Shelley (a quotation from Paradise Lost is on the opening page of Frankenstein and Shelley even allows the monster himself to read it). Milton frequently refers to God as ‘the Victor’ in Paradise Lost, and Shelley sees Victor as playing God by creating life† (Wikipedia). As a god Victor is determined to endow mankind: â€Å"Yet my heart overflowed with kindness, and the love of virtue. I had begun life with benevolent intentions, and thirsted for the moment when I should put them in practice, and make myself useful to my fellow-beings† (50). Moreover, as Prometheus, he gives the world â€Å"a spark of being† (28). Furnishing the world with such extreme power Frankenstein should take the responsibility of creator and help his gift be useful not destructive. However he mishandles it. When he is fifteen, he witnesses â€Å"a most violent and terrible thunderstorm,† which â€Å"utterly destroys† an â€Å"old and beautiful oak† (18). This event could be interpreted as an allusion to how pestilential this â€Å"spark of being† could be. As Miglena Nikolchina contends, the â€Å"serious ailment† is â€Å"in the man alone, undertaking the ‘godlike’ function to be a creator, but in many respects immature for it† (57). The concrete reason for the creature being â€Å"spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on† is his physical ugliness (133). Why Frankenstein’s creation is ugly? According to Cvetan Stoyanov, â€Å"Ugliness is in fact alienation, drifting away from the vital principle – organic could not be ugly, transgressing and killing it is ugly† (206). Something, often cited in connection to Shelley’s work is a sentence in which the perfect artist is described as a morally perfect man, as a â€Å"second creator, faultless Prometheus under the sky of Jupiter† (Shaftsbury 207). In this respect Miglena Nikolchina considers Frankenstein as an untalented artist, because he is not â€Å"morally perfect† and shows this as a reason for the monster’s ugliness. She claims that the Frankenstein’s morality is not one of a creator, but one of an ordinary man. â€Å"Frankenstein has not even fancied that love – namely love and only love his creation wants – is the first characteristic of creator. † â€Å"Ugliness turns out the sign, left behind by the creator who infuses life, but does not manage to come to love it and thus calls forth death, for it is not possible the fated for living to be made without love, and has no vitality what is deprived of the mercy to be loved† (Nikolchina 79-82). Victor’s blindness about the monster’s innocent nature is more harmful than the physical blindness. The blind De Lacey is the only man who perceives the monsters good resolutions. About the structure of the novel Nikolchina offers an interesting definition. It is â€Å"constructed as if of concentric circles of ice. The sailing to the North Pole is the outer circle, which serve as a frame of Frankenstein’s story. The conversation between the monster and Frankenstein among the sea of ice near Chamounix is the frame of the monster’s story, which is the core of the novel† (Nikolchina 86). The central part of his story is when after burning down the cottage of De Lacey he wonders: â€Å"And now, with the world before me, whither should I bend my steps? (80). Hereafter he starts hunting for his creator and begins alienating from his natural innocence. The creature wends his way toward â€Å"darkness and distance. † The changing nature corroborates his moral collapse: â€Å"I travelled only at night, fearful of encountering the visage of a human being. Nature decayed around me, and the sun became heatless; rain and snow poured around me; mighty rivers were frozen; the surface of the earth was hard, and chill, and bare, and I found no shelter† (81). â€Å"Advancing into experience,† Miglena Nikolchina explains, â€Å"is entering into a core of cold as well† (87). She suggests two aspects in analysing the role of ice. First it could be seen as â€Å"a supreme, unapproachable, unsusceptible to changes reality. It elevates Frankenstein ‘from all littleness of feeling,’ it fills him with ‘a sublime ecstasy that gives wings to the soul, and allows it to soar from the obscure world to light and joy’† (Nikolchina 87). Such an eternal and infinite is the picture before Robert Walton too: â€Å"†¦the region of beauty and delight. †¦the sun is for ever visible; its broad disk just skirting the horizon, and diffusing a perpetual splendour. The explorer’s hopes are so great that they turn out fantasies – he imagines an absolutely unreal North Pole: â€Å"†¦there snow and frost are banished; and, sailing over a calm sea, we may be wafted to a land surpassing in wonders and in beauty every region hitherto discovered on the habitable globe† (2). The Modern Prometheus chooses the â€Å"wi ld and mysterious regions† to â€Å"the tamer scenes of nature† (11). He goes beyond the potentialities of ordinary people, however, aiming not at admiring of the Great Nature, but at gaining the divine secrets. While Elizabeth contemplates â€Å"with a serious and satisfied spirit the magnificent appearances of things,† Victor delights â€Å"in investigating their causes. † Elizabeth follows â€Å"the aerial creations of the poets† and â€Å"in the majestic and wondrous scenes† she finds â€Å"ample scope for admiration and delight,† while Victor is â€Å"capable of a more intense application,† and is â€Å"more deeply smitten with the thirst for knowledge† (15). He elevates his intellect, but not his soul. He does not realize that new born (for his creation emerges in a completely unfamiliar world) needs love and attendance. Striving to eternal light,† he encounters â€Å"impenetrable darkness. † Night is closing around,† †dark are the mountains,† â€Å"heavens are clouded† (40-41). The â€Å"spark of being† turns out a hideous abortion. â€Å"Thick mists hide the summits of the mountains† (54). Frankenstein falls into â€Å"deep, dark, deathlike solitude† (50). Suffering â€Å"the eternal twinkling of the stars weighed upon him,† instead of delighting â€Å"eternal light,† he exclaims: â€Å"Oh! stars, and clouds, and winds, ye are all about to mock me: if ye really pity me, crush sensation and memory; let me become as nought; but if not, depart, depart, and leave me in darkness† (87). The magnificent scenes give way to appalling â€Å"dusky plain† (124). The other aspect of the ice, according Nikolchina, is â€Å"something barren and lifeless; like a power, which is hostile to life; like muteness† (88). Longing revenge, Victor departs from land and â€Å"pursues his journey across the sea in a direction that leads to no land,† â€Å"†¦the snows thicken and the cold increases in a degree almost too severe to support†¦ The rivers were covered with ice and no fish could be procured† (123). The nature seems to be inspirited and acts against Frankenstein: â€Å"Immense and rugged mountains of ice often barred up my passage, and I often heard the thunder of the ground sea which threatened my destruction† (124). It seems he has stepped on some unseen border that can not be crossed. â€Å"When he appears almost within grasp of his foe, his hopes are suddenly extinguished, [†¦ ]. The wind arises; the sea roars; and, as with the mighty shock of an earthquake, it splits and cracks with a tremendous and overwhelming sound. The work is soon finished: in a few minutes a tumultuous sea rolls between him and his enemy, and he is left drifting on a scattered piece of ice, that is continually lessening, and thus preparing for him a hideous death† (124). â€Å"Walton is also surrounded by mountains of ice which admit of no escape and threaten every moment to crush his vessel† (127). The situation with the â€Å"unearthly† creature is however different. The stream of his spiritual development is contrary to the ones of Frankenstein and Walton. Through the epithet â€Å"unearthly† Shelley differentiates him from mankind. While Walton and Victor aim â€Å"wild and mysterious regions,† the creature seeks an intimacy with common world. The monster is â€Å"immaculate in a quite literal meaning – he is empty, tabula rasa† (Nikolchina 72). Every scene and every feeling he touches to are admirable for him. Everything is for the first time. He is a child. The monster meets the civilization, for the first, through the agency of fire, which is an allusion to a new Promethean deed. However he encounters some strangers’ fire. The â€Å"new born† learns everything from the outside world, from accidental circumstances. There is no one to guide him, no one to show him what is worth learning. According to A. A. Belskee, Shelley displays â€Å"the destructiveness of individualism, the tragedy of compulsory desolation, the intangibility of happiness without associating with others† (Belskee 303). Every approach to human society brings a lot of suffering to the creature, notwithstanding he sees â€Å"the future gilded by bright rays of hope and anticipations of joy† (65). Despondently speaking to Walton he describes himself as â€Å"the miserable and the abandoned, [†¦] an abortion, to be spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on† (133). The only possible interrelation with the surrounding world is violence. His crimes are a natural reaction, a rebel against the complete solitude. Otherwise the monster â€Å"could not conceive how one man could go forth to murder his fellow, [†¦] when I heard details of vice and bloodshed, my wonder ceased, and I turned away with disgust and loathing† (68). He clearly declares: â€Å"I was the slave, not the master, of an impulse which I detested, yet could not disobey† (132). The wretched interprets his lot as worse than Satan’s from Milton’s Paradise Lost, for â€Å"Satan had his companions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and abhorred† (74). He is the only one of the tree, the only one in the world, who completely rejects society with its gall, the only one who crosses the â€Å"border,† laid by society, and fades in â€Å"no land. † He fades for there will be no one to see him. The â€Å"eternal frosts† have frozen all the hatred into his â€Å"ice-raft† and he is â€Å"soon borne away by the waves and lost in darkness and distance† (143). The hopes of â€Å"poor† Frankenstein also fade with his death. He remains at the icy border, between â€Å"eternal light† and â€Å"darkness and distance. † The only thing he succeeds in is revealing these two possibilities for the future human nature: â€Å"Seek happiness in tranquillity and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries. Yet why do I say this? I have myself been blasted in these hopes, yet another may succeed.

Implication for Managers Essay

The European Model presented a different approach to management that is uniquely different from its counterparts in the United States. The innovative form of management in Europe gain popularity because of the noticeable faster pace of innovation of Europeans as compared with the Japanese. The radical change in Europe is brought about by the tendency of firms from this continent to continuously seek new forms of organization by reforming structures, processes, and boundaries. The distinction of European firms from other countries is there degree of lateral flexibility wherein they can adjust to the differences of cultures, socio-economic, and legal systems across national boundaries. As a result, European firms excel on temporal flexibility that includes innovations that are related to progress, development of technologies, and the changes in social and economic realms over time (Tsutsui, 2001). In relation to this, European firms become more competitive because of the different management style that they implement, which is based on humanizing work in order to develop the needs of people in an organization that is increasingly becoming more nationally diverse. Being the case, the European management style has great implications on managers when it comes to the way they handle the operations and processes of the organizations and most especially on the way they manage employees (Grint, 1997). The Digital Equipment Corporation’s (DEC) is a manufacturing plant in Ayr, Scotland. During the end of the 1980s, DEC decided to respond to the need of American organizations to adapt to the commercial requirements of the European market when it comes to computer technology. The main problem highlighted in the Western-style of management is that it strictly follows the Taylor model of management. Western firms believe that effective management entails that there should a strict distinction among executives and workers. The executives have the responsibility of thinking what the employees should do and workers only have to follow it. In line with this, DEC adopted the â€Å"high-performance work design† in order to address the requirements for new product development, especially in the Far East. Due to the changes in the operation of DEC, the management styles of the organization have to change. The employees of DEC were trained and autonomous work groups were established in order to respond to the need of employees for flexibility and skills acquisition (Armstrong, 2006). The employees of DEC need a supportive style rather than a directive style of management. Being the case, the management style veers away from the concept of mass production and also of Taylorism and point towards the idea that management is a natural process that can actually happen by means of flexible workforce and production organization (Andersen & Taylor, 2005). The change in the management style of DEC has a huge implication on the managers of the organization. The managers of an organization have a pivotal role in the overall operations of the organization namely: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling (Lewis et al. 2006). In the case of DEC, managers have to do different tasks during the transition of the organization to a high-performance work design. First, the concept of focus is highly emphasized in the view of management when it comes to influencing the workforce when it comes to selling the development of new products. Second, managers have to give attention to the support of policies. Managers have to encourage employees to develop their skills by means of implementing a reward system. Third, managers have to establish a good and responsible working organization. DEC established work groups wherein each group that is compose of 12 members need to properly accomplish their responsibilities, including clocking in and out individually because flexitime was implemented. Fourth, the management style of the organizations greatly affected the managers because they have to implement a different style of leadership that gives individual support for employees rather than directive coordination. Fifth, project managers also have the responsibility to create new product line and collaborate with other employees in order to get their opinion and help in creating a competitive edge for the product. Sixth, managers have to make sure of engendering ownership when it comes to the process of the organization wherein managers have to gain the participation and enthusiasm of the employees (Jackson, 2002). The responsibilities of the managers of DEC during the transition in the management style of the organization represent the importance and pivotal role of managers. Contrary to the common belief that managers only have to deal with creating new ideas, planning, and managing the finances and other aspects of the company, a different perspective of managers is given by the European model that is exemplified in the case of DEC. Managers are viewed not merely as executive managers but rather leaders that actually inspire, direct, and guide their employees. In a world that is increasingly becoming competitive, managers of different organizations have to learn from the European model that humanizes the way of management (Leavitt, 2005). Managers in this kind of model do not merely relate themselves more with the employees but they are actually making the organization more relevant to the employees. The employees can actually realize the objectives of the company and be participative and enthusiastic enough to take part in achieving these goals rather than merely thinking of it as mechanical work that they have to do in exchange for money. Managers have the capacity to direct the organization towards its success and in doing so, they also have to give importance to development and growth of the employees.

Conduct Disorder in Young Children Research Paper

Conduct Disorder in Young Children - Research Paper Example It can, however, be extremely difficult to diagnose a mental disorder in young children because the criteria used to recognise the symptoms of disorder in children are same as those used in adults. Diagnosis becomes even more complicated because children often do not have the skill to verbally communicate their thoughts, feelings and reactions towards certain situation. The difficulty in diagnosis also arises from the normal growth and development of young children. There are several symptoms like anger ‘outbursts, irritability, sadness, shyness’ which can be considered as characteristics of emotional disorders among children but such symptoms can also be features of normal adolescent behaviour under specific circumstances (Walker & Melvin, 2010, pp.1-2). This paper focuses on conduct disorder which is a specific kind of behavioral disorder common among children and adolescents. Conduct Disorder Characteristics Conduct disorder is a common type of mental or emotional problem that happens to children and adolescents. Children who suffer from conduct disorder generally show persistency in patterns of disregard for rules and antisocial behavior for a long time. There are some typical symptoms like aggressive behavior, running away from home at night and causing destruction to property. These symptoms increase with age as children pass on to their adolescent stage (Searight et al., 2001). Conduct disorder among young children can also result in deterioration of academic performance because children suffering from the disorder can exhibit learning inabilities that apparently do not have any â€Å"intellectual, sensual or health† reasons. It becomes difficult for them to maintain normal interpersonal relationships with friends and teachers. Even in normal situation they tend to behave in abnormal manner. Moods of depression can be seen in them all the time and they show signs of disobedie nce towards parents and teachers. These children also develop a fear in relation to personal and school related problems (Behavior Disorder/Emotional Disturbances, n. d.). Young children with conduct disorder can display certain patterns in their behavior at home and schools. Negative traits are seen in them like bullying, threatening or intimidating other people. Such children can often get involved in physical fights and can use dangerous items as weapons to physically harm people and animals, something like knife, gun or a broken bottle. It is also common among these children to get engaged in stealing. Other people can be forced into sexual activity by them. Properties of others can be destroyed by these children by setting fire on them. Another trait that can be seen in them is that they can stealthily enter into other people’s houses or get into their cars. These children often show tendency to lie to obtain things they want and can also get engaged in shoplifting. The rules of schools and home are violated by them as they play truant at school or run away from home at night. (Facts for Families: Conduct Disorder, 2004, p. 1). Prevalence There are different ways to evaluate the prevalence of conduct disorder and, hence, it becomes difficult to compare results from different studies. While some studies show prevalence during a definite period of time, there are other studies which show â€Å"cumulative prevalence†. Different studies are conducted during different age ranges of children and methods also vary with each study. As a result of this, different studies produce different estimates for the prevalence of conduct disorder. The prevalence of conduct disorder generally gets enhanced among girls as they leave childhood and move into adolescent periods. This feature is not common among

Man Killed in Sydney Shooting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Man Killed in Sydney Shooting - Essay Example Local people are strictly prohibited to get into the area until the investigation process is in progress and police advice the people for not to come across the street and try to avoid it. However, even after several primary investigation process police is still unable to identify any criminals or suspects. As the shootout was held in the evening the police have decided to close the road from late evening. Even though the investigation is taking place still the criminals are still free and no one is yet arrested by the police. The case is in progress and the murderer is still undetected. Moreover, the increasing number of crime in Australia is affecting its social and political stability to a large extent. Thus, the local people are getting affected by the increasing criminal activities in Australia (The Australian, 2014). The Social Structure Theory mainly implies the relationship between various attributes of the society. The social structure theory is mainly based on the three modules those are a strain, cultural deviance theory, and social disorganization theory. The objective of these components of the theory is to provide support for understanding individual behavior towards the criminal behavior. In this context, the cultural deviance fits appropriately for the case. The cultural deviance theory is a combination of the social disorganization and strain theory. The criminal activities taking place within the society, which is mainly witnessed amid the lower grade people with a poor mentality. From the above case, it is found that the crime has taken place in a roadside area. Police, however, suspects that there might be some involvement of the mafia gang who are experts in this kind of activity as referred to in the case. The cultural deviance theory signifies that the upbringing or the family cu lture of a person can lead them towards the crime.  

Discuss an Opera of Mozart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Discuss an Opera of Mozart - Essay Example In the coda, he ends it abruptly and immediately goes into the first act. Mozart wrote for all audiences at different levels. The multiple levels are in his music, his storyline and his use of different themes. The overture shows us that Mozart conformed to form but didn't conform to style. The purpose of this paper will be to show how he used the roles of the three women to show that he didn't conform to musical style and social standards. In the beginning of the first act, Don Oliviera sees Don Giovanni leaving Donna Anna's quarters. They are singing an aria in duet. It soon becomes a trio as she is saying how Don Giovanni has scorned her. When he argues with her father, they sing a duet in a passionate tenor voice before the father dies. In order to have full understanding of the women's roles, it is necessary to understand the social context of women in the 18 century. In Kristi Brown's Mozart's Women, she compared Donna Anna to a misfortunate Spanish maiden. It was very common f or composers to take the style of where they were living at the time; and write in that genre of music. Donna Anna was a daughter who was to be married. The role was sung by a soprano. Her voice showed her grief finding herself in mourning due to the death of her father. When Don Giovanni left, we hear the first recitavo with the harpsichord. (voices singing to each other as they talk) This is from the Baroque Era. The stone statue invited for dinner in the last scene was part of folk mythology of Don Juan (Donington 446). To return to Mozart's Woman, Brown never once considered the social context whereas Mozart was writing an Italian opera only using the setting and subject matter of "Don Juan" with the 18th century interpretation. It is the purpose of this paper to show how Mozart communicated his values and judgments. For some, it still remained an opera buffa which was the style of the period (Grout 517). It was a light hearted opera which made the audience laugh and also sell t ickets. Mozart used his music and symbolism on stage to go beyond the opera buffa. Don Giovanni, a opera in two acts, was composed by Mozart and first performed in Prague in 1787. (Mendelsohn 55) As a common style of writing, Mozart could only use the opera buffa to show how women were treated in the 18th century. Though Mozart considered Don Giovanni as an opera buffa at the time, his librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte called an opera giocosco. (Fischer, 167) The Opera was placed in Seville in the 18th century (Mendelsohn 55) Mozart's Don Giovanni was controversial. At the time, the theme was thought to be too serious to be considered a "funny" opera". People usually did not die nor were audiences frightened by stoned statues. Mozart used his three women characters in order to mix the reality of their existence with the storytelling of Don Juan. Don Giovanni was killed. The father became the stone statue. The women became the protagonists. Gounoud wrote in the 19th century that Don Giovan ni was an "apogee of the lyrical drama, a wondrous example of truth, beauty of form, appropriateness of characterization, deep insight into the drama, purity of style, †¦.charm and tenderness in the love passages, and power in pathos." (Krehbiel 69) Don Giovanni "can be viewed as an archetype of every man or woman's alter ego, a man who faces that eternal conflict of the tension, desire and craving for love, and the struggle between emotion and reason, the spirit and the

Issues in Global Business and Strategic Concepts Essay - 5

Issues in Global Business and Strategic Concepts - Essay Example y remarkable models, theories and concepts that are in line with the issues in global business and strategic concepts, particularly in understanding the future of Nokia-Microsoft merger. The said merger is generally to obtain a competitive advantage especially in mobile computing. However, specifically, the ultimate goal is to increase potential market share or global expansion for Nokia and Microsoft in areas where the two firms have vital common things to offer leading them to their competitive advantage. It is recommended that the new CEO must consider that it is essential to employ various models in business primarily in line with the issues in global business and strategic concepts. Prior to the actual implementation of the Nokia-Microsoft strategy, it is necessary that the consideration of other relevant factors such as the entry strategy, production and outsourcing, value chain, marketing strategy and the organisational structure should be required. Furthermore, the primary activities in the actual operation should be considered with particular involvement of appropriate process implemented among the following factors: structure, processes, people, culture, and incentives and control. In the age of tough competition and globalisation, firms are conditioned that they should be able to compete, and the one which will be most likely to win in the battle should be able to understand the importance of achieving a remarkable competitive strategy prior to generating a competitive advantage (Siciliani, Straume and Cellini, 2012, p.2041). Microsoft and Nokia, in the midst of tough competition in their industry, are trying to improve their market share, especially in the area of mobile computing (Egan, 2014). Thus, the work at hand tries to establish the idea that seeks to understand the competitive advantage of Microsoft-Nokia merger and the things involved in this strategy. Specifically, this report examines the areas to gain competitive advantage in the

Beginnings of Bionic Flexible, stretchable electronics could launch Essay - 1

Beginnings of Bionic Flexible, stretchable electronics could launch cyborg era - Essay Example A common goal of these groups of scientists is to develop products that are efficient in performance. These are aimed to aid in the deliverance of therapeutic regimens and also in patient examination for vital symptoms (Rosen 18). Rosen goes ahead to provide examples of ongoing strategies in this interesting field combining physics, biomedical and biological sciences. For instance, she gives novel innovations carried out by a scientist at the University of Illinois. In his study, the group has focused in the advancement and development of gadgets that can detect unpredictable beats or spasms and bring these impulses back to normal. Such devices are beneficial in the treatment and control of epileptic seizures that account for neurobehavioral comorbidities worldwide (Rosen, 18). The incorporation of electronics within the human body continue to provide phenomenal advancement in terms of medical care and treatment. The integration of easy to bend electronics into balloon catheters, surgical gloves and stitches is extremely important complex health conditions diagnosis. Rosen implies that although these studies possess a brighter future, they are equally faced with myriad of challenges. This is because most of these studies make use of silicon that has also been used in the manufacture of computer chips. A disadvantage of this material is attributed to its mechanical properties of brittleness and hardness. However, this material has dominated global research in terms of its purification, doping and manufacturing of devices out of the silicon. As expected, research continues to go on with the aim of making silicon blend within the human body. For instance, Rogers and his research group are devising ways of coming up with ultrathin ribbons out of silicon. Such ribbons are capable of stretching and being flexible without any breakage tendencies. These silicon ribbons have been used in epidermal research whereby they have been used in sensing changes in

Consequences of Attacks via Cyberspace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Consequences of Attacks via Cyberspace - Essay Example The consequences of unauthorized access, on the one hand, and the tampering with information, on the other, are enormous, whether accessed in terms of its impact upon individuals, corporate entities or the economy as a whole (Sturdevant, 2005). Indeed, a considerable of the potential consequences of the unauthorised violation of information, or of cyberattacks, highlights the aforementioned. Much has been written about the consequences of cyberattacks and the extent to which the theft, unauthorized access or tampering with information has the potential to wreak havoc upon individual lives, companies and economies. In explaining this, Schwartau (1994) identified three levels of information warfare, each of which had its own unique characteristics, targets and, naturally, consequences. The first level, referred to by Schwartau (1994) as interpersonal Attacks,' focuses on identity theft, both of individuals and of corporations. The successful theft of identity, entailing the gathering of personal/corporate information and records, allows the identity thief to pose as the person/entity in question. Through possession of information such a credit history, driving records, medical files/history and accounts, the identity thief can proceed to harass the entity/person in question and assassinate his/her character or corporate reputation (Schwartau, 1994). While interpersonal attacks, primarily limited to identity threat, are classified as the first level of information warfare, the harm done to victims can take years and substantial amounts of money to repair. As Block (2007) reports, official crime statistics indicate that approximately 5% of all American adults have been victimized and, as a consequence, have witnessed both the destruction of their credit history and, in many instances, their reputation. On the corporate level, however, identity theft may be identified as a serious annoyance more than a problem insofar as the theft of corporate identity is much more difficult than the theft of individual identity and much easier to disprove. That does not mean to imply that it is not problematic or that it does not expose the entity in question to both financial loss and negative publicity but only that its consequences are much more containable than those which result from one of the other two levels of information warfare. Within the context of level two information warfare, referred to by Schwartau (1994) as InfoWar, the consequences are infinitely more serious and substantially more costly. InfoWar, as defined by Schwartau (1994), involves sabotage, the theft of company records, including client and subscriber lists, and industrial espionage. A not uncommon scenario can involve the theft of client and subscriber lists and their subsequent selling to a competitor. In order to highlight the magnitude of the consequences of this act of InfoWar, Gold (2001) discusses the consequences of InfoWar in relation to Encyclopedia Britannica, which was subjected to such a cyberattack incident approximately ten years ago. Its database, containing the names of 3,000,000 subscribers was stolen and sold to a competitor. That database, considered the company's most valuable asset, was conservatively estimated at $1,000,000. Needless to say, the company lost tens of thousands of subscribers, not to mention the financia l loss it incurred (Gold, 2001). InfoWar is not,

Evaluation of a Business Code of Ethics Research Paper

Evaluation of a Business Code of Ethics - Research Paper Example The code of conduct is a document that has been framed for the well-organized and effective performance of the overall performance of the company. Code of ethics used by the PetSmart helps to improve the problem solving ability of the company. The Board of Directors has authorized the Management Team under stewardship of the Managing Director to direct the norms regulating the Code of Conduct, Ethics of the responsibilities allotted to the various departmental heads of the PetSmart. About the company: The company PetSmart, Inc. was established in the year of 1987 in Phoenix, Arizona. It is the one of the biggest specialty retailers of services and solution for the lifetime requirements of pets. The company PetSmart has in excess of 1,172 pet stores in the Puerto Rico, U S A and Canada and in excess of 172 in-store Pets Hotels dog, Doggie Day Camps and cat boarding services. And also PetSmart is the one of the leading online supplier of pet materials and various information’s r egarding the pet care. Company also offers a wide variety of competitively priced foodstuff for pet and pet provisions, and provides various pet adoption services and pet training. Mission statement: The mission statement of the PetSmart is to develop the quality of existence for every companion animals by generating and supporting agendas that save the existences of homeless pets and encourage healthy relations among pets and people. Ethical system used by the organization: Organization used various type of ethical system to improve the overall productivity and problem solving ability of the company. Ends-driven, relativistic, entitlement and duty-driven (legal or religious) ethics are the some of the widely used ethical system. Code of ethics used by the PetSmart is legal code of ethics. Every Associate should read, be aware of and employ the Code of Ethics of the PetSmart and company Conduct and connected policies. Every Associate has also the duty to identify and keep away from or prevent conditions that may cause possible breaches of the Code. In this case, the Code of ethics would be to treat all members of the work force equally without any kind of discrimination on the basis of age, gender, sexual preferences or disabilities. Besides, the Code of Ethics require to consider that there necessitate be no discrimination, or bias in favour of any gender in terms of work allocation, or its execution. Besides, there is need to identify, instil and enforce a code of work practices, which would lay down minimum standards for potential workers. It is essential that every the new workers read and follow the Written Manual of Code of Conduct and ethics of this business which has been provided to them upon accepting appointment in this company. The existing members of the work force would also be provided with copies of written manual which sets forth their ethical and moral interfacing with this organization. Consequences for Breach of Code: All members of the com pany have been provided with a written copy of the revised Code of Conduct/Ethics. Any deviation shall be strictly dealt by way of in commensuration with exiting laws and the company’s own policies and procedures regulating its Code of Conduct. How the code of ethics is used by the company: The pet smart is used legal code of eth

Importance of Gertrude and Ophelia Essay Example for Free

Importance of Gertrude and Ophelia Essay The love a man has for his mother and the love he has for his girlfriend/fiance/wife are two different kinds of love that always seems to conflict one another. The mother and the female companion usually really like each other or they hate each other. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Gertrude and Ophelia has a steady relationship with each other. But Gertrude’s relationship Hamlet starts off as unhappy and ends with death. Throughout the play Hamlet is questioning Gertrude’s love for him and his father which cause their once steady relationship to shaken. For Ophelia and Hamlet, both were so in love, but later in the play shows Ophelia worrying about Hamlet and her love for him slowly diminishing. Gertrude and Ophelia have their own important role in the play with how they affect Hamlet’s decisions all through the play. Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, begins the play with Hamlet upset with her for marrying his uncle, Claudius. She does not see what is wrong with the marriage and tries to tell Hamlet to get over his father’s death. The Act I clearly show that Gertrude’s and Hamlet’s mother-son relationship will never as it once was. Gertrude still tries to help Hamlet throughout the play by trying to convince Claudius to leave Hamlet alone and that Hamlet feels guilt for what he has done. Hamlet hesitate killing Claudius because he is now Gertrude’s husband and Hamlet may unconsciously feel a connection with Claudius as his stand by father. If Gertrude never married Claudius, then Hamlet would probably have the confidence to kill Claudius when he found out that he was the one that killed his father. All through the play Gertrude protects Hamlet. She unknowingly adds fuel to the flame that is Hamlet’s detestation for the marriage. With Gertrude playing the â€Å"victim† in Claudius’, Hamlet has someone who will remain faithful to him. If Gertrude knew about the plan to kill Hamlet’s father, then Hamlet would never have stayed to revenge his father’s death because the Hamlet does not have enough courage to do so. Ophelia is the daughter of Polonius and her life seems to not be under her control. Her decisions are made by what Polonius or Hamlet tells her to do. Ophelia is sweet and innocent ompared to Gertrude’s incestuous act. Ophelia keeps Hamlet calm since she is the most stable person that he has in his life. But later Ophelia goes wild because Hamlet is also crazy. Most of the characters believe that Ophelia is acting this way because of the death of her father, Polonius, but in actuality it is because Hamlet turned on her. Ophelia’s innocence was taken by Hamlet and it caused her to not listen to the advice from her brother, Laertes. Ophelia received most of Hamlet’s anger that was meant to be directed towards his mother instead. She was there for Hamlet to relieve any built up tension he had. Ophelia denied that Hamlet did not lover her, but when she died Hamlet is seen at her funeral confessing his love for Ophelia to Laertes saying that he did not mean to cause Ophelia’s death. Both Gertrude and Ophelia were the safety nets for Hamlet in the play. Even though Hamlet felt as if he could trust know one the two women in the play were meant to keep Hamlet alive as long as possible. Between Claudius killing Hamlet’s father, and Gertrude and Ophelia not knowing this fact helped push Hamlet’s verdict on what he is going to do. Shakespeare put the Gertrude and Ophelia in the play to maintain the balance of good and evil, purity and sin.

Phase 2 Individual Project Essay Example for Free

Phase 2 Individual Project Essay There are many businesses that have expanded their business internationally in order to benefit in some sort of way rather it revenue or a better market for their product. In this thesis, I will research a multination company and its international strategy over the last 10 years. I will elaborate on it international orientation and rather it etho-, poly-, or geocentric. I than explain why the company decided on expanding to the chosen locations. Then I will clarify if they had core capability to succeed in those markets, along with its opportunities and constraints. Last, I will define value chain dispersal and integration strategy and describe the strategy that’s organized around it. I chose to research McDonalds, because it is one of the most successful restaurant chains around the world. They use effective management to strategize global expansion. . They develop effective customer brand loyalty through their Human Resource Department and company personnel. McDonald’s international orientation has ethnocentric and polycentric approaches. Its ethnocentric approach begins with how they initially entered international markets by leveraging standardized product offerings, clean and bright environments, and American brand equity (McDonald’s Success Strategy and Global Expansion through Customer and Brand Loyalty). But with changing times McDonalds have adapted to local regions remodeling it retail space and while changing product line to appeal to local taste. By the golden arch being connected to American culture, it can be at risk in other countries by not staying true to what McDonald’s stand for. By brushing aside ethnocentric considerations , it could be an identity lost. The polycentric approach is how they provided growth and employment to a vast  number of minority groups in the United States and people around the globe. McDonalds is culturally connected around the world be providing business training for employees in Hong Kong and in the UK offering 1800 to employees to continue their education, just to name a few. The influence and most of McDonald’s success is the investment of significant in their employee’s growth and job satisfaction. McDonalds was founded in 1943, and 1967 British Colombia was its first international expansion, advertising to middle and upper class. McDonalds decided to expand internationally, due to the enormous success in America. There was heavy research involved in the expansion. Through globalization and internationalization, McDonalds were able to develop marketing strategies according to cultural needs, to serve specific target markets. McDonalds enter India’s foreign market and 1996 and is a to ugh foreign market to enter, but with McDonald’s success they were able to earn high revenue in India. The success strategy is researching and the development of food. McDonalds thoroughly analyzed the preferred taste, especially to not offend locals. Their key to success is to â€Å"think global, act local.† Furthermore, McDonald’s is a true franchise success; the success of McDonald’s goes back to its roots, the start. By being consistent and providing quality service, cleanliness, and values at all times, customers have nothing to complain about and customers always know what to expect locally and internationally. With making things new and fresh, innovation is a key component to the success internationally. By taking the necessary steps and observing differences in cultures, they were able to tweak their products without causing disruption. Also, McDonalds turns bad into success, by being in the forefront of environmental issues McDonalds took their issues and established their own Global Environmental committee and outlined the steps to reduce solid waste. Ov er the years there has been much global health concern, mainly in relation to children. In response to the concerns, McDonald’s formed the Global Advisory Council (GAC) in 2004. The GAC is an international team of independent experts assembled by McDonalds to provide us with professional guidance in the areas of nutrition and childrens well-being (The Success of McDonald’s Franchise). Finally, what is value chain dispersal and integration strategy? Value chain dispersal is how a business receives information and takes the information to add value to their business in the selling of their product to customers.  Value chains can produce goods or services. The goal of the business to produces maximum value for the least total cost. Integration strategy is use in the training of management and employees, reduce in-effective communication, and reduce cost. The international strategy that is organized around value chain dispersal and integration strategy involving McDonald’s, is that they know their strengths and weaknesses. Adding values strengthens the corporations as a global economy, where the weaknesses are transformed into a positive factor. These projects take effective management. Effective in management in turn can produce great employees, in which they can effectively communicate and execute the mission and statement. In conclusion, it was very informing to research a franchise success, such as McDonald’s. What is even more intriguing is their success locally and internationally and how they cater to different cultures, by researching needs and wants. McDonald’s knows what takes to be a huge success is and success takes brain-storming, along with talent. Reference McDonald’s Success Strategy And Global Expansion Through Customer And Brand Loyalty. The Clute Institute Journal Of Business Case Studies, 3. Retrieved from http://journals.cluteonline.com/index.php/JBCS/article/view/4857/4949 McDonald’s International Strategy: Squander Brand Equity? (2009). Retrieved from http://www.sundarganapathy.com/blog/2009/04/20/mcdonalds-international-strategy-squander-brand-equity/ Roger, Arvind, Kashlak, Rabi, Bhagat, Phatak (2009). International Management: Managing in a Diverse and Dynamic Global Environment (2nd ed.). [Course Smart Solutions]. Retrieved from http://wow.coursesmart.com/9780077674113/?CSTenantKey=coloradotechspid= The Success of McDonald’s Franchise. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.franchisedirect.com/information/trendsfacts/thesuccessofmcdonalds/8/1111/#note4

Internationalization Strategies | Suzuki and Essel Propack

Internationalization Strategies | Suzuki and Essel Propack 1) Introduction Of the many internationalization theories posited, the Uppsala model (Cavusgil, 1980, Johanson Vahlne, 1977) stands out as the most popular and will form the basis of this analysis of this analysis of the internationalization strategy adopted by the companies mentioned in this case study. This model hypothesizes the internationalization process is a result of an epistemic understanding of the internationalization market. The internationalization process is a result of a gradual improvement in the understanding of the international and takes place in a linear sequential fashion. In essence, The Uppsala model construes internationalization intent as an outcome of the psychic distance between two locations i.e similarities between markets in terms of business culture and market understanding influence the decision to penetrate that market (Johanson Vahlne, 1977). The Uppsala model consists of the following stages:- †¢ Need Based Sporadic Exports †¢ Regular Exports through Independent Agents †¢ Creation of subsidiaries abroad to commercialize their product †¢ Producing their products abroad 2) Companies Analyzed The companies that I have selected to analyze are:- a. Essel Propack ( Indian sub-continent Tubing Industry ) b. Suzuki ( Japan Automobiles) The companies have been selected primarily due to convenience of data available online and the fact that both companies are held by parents which operate in major international markets. 3) Essel Propack The case study reveals how a company (Essel Propack) based in an emerging market transforms into an innovative, high-tech industry and a leading player in the tubing industry. A large number of firms from developing markets are now tuning into international markets with the intent of turning into multinationals. These firms are giving substantial competition to existing multinational companies from developed countries. Starting from a developing country, Essel Propack today has twenty-four manufacturing facilities in 13 countries, and has a compelling 32 per cent (estimated) global market share. Clearly then, it has emerged as the leading specialty packaging company in the world. The key to the success of EPLs internationalization strategy has been to effectively use acquisitions to grow and rapidly expand. Acquisitions make it easy to quickly own market knowledge effectively. Access to market knowledge is facilitated by owning a subsidiary abroad as the first penetration point. 4.I. Packaging industry and market dynamics With increasing competition and a wide spectrum of indistinguishable products the quest to own a differentiator has moved to packaging in several consumer product industries. Packaging has become a crucial part of the overall product and differentiation strategy. Companies are paying more attention towards packaging in a bid to garner more recognition/recall share which ultimately leads to realising better revenues. The global packaging industry is estimated to be US $580 billion with a 5 per cent growth per annum. Polymers are central ingredient for modern packaging because polymers offer a number of advantages such as cost effectiveness including logistic cost, lower weight, convenient handling, minimum wastage, more compatibility with designs and aesthetics. Polymers are preferred to many other packaging options like glass, jute, paper, metals and wood. Such is the demand that packaging now accounts for about 25 per cent of total global polymer demand. Tubes are a special form of packaging and find application in oral care, healthcare, cosmetics and toiletries, hair care, pharmaceutical, food and some industrial products. There are mainly three categories of tubes used for packaging applications namely aluminum, laminate and plastic. Tube packaging began with aluminum tubes which are now being increasingly replaced by laminated and plastic tubes. 36 billion tubes per year are manufactured globally out of which 42% are aluminum tubes, 39% billion are laminated tubes and 19% are plastic tubes. The Tube packaging industry has become extremely competitive in recent years and several changes have occurred in its structure: †¢ Capacities have been consolidated by customers by global sourcing options †¢ Increased Competition that has led to downward pressure on pricing †¢ Increased bargaining powers of the buyers †¢ Pressure to keep up with the rapid technological change This has led to regional players being marginalized and having to either merge with larger players or operate only in specialized niche markets. A direct outcome of the consolidation is that the global laminate industry is now dominated by big three players EPL, Alcan and Betts. 4.II. Essel Propack Origins Growth Story EPL is a part of the Essel Group headed by Subhash Chandra which also owns Zee Entertainment Enterprises (the largest media and Entertainment Company in India). EPL was incorporated in 1982 and started production in 1984. The company was the first in India to enter the laminated tubes business. In 2004, it entered the plastic tubes industry. 2006 saw the company make its first acquisition and forayed turned to business of medical devices by evolving 2 medical devices- one based in USA and the other in Singapore. Again in 2006, Essel Propack (EP) penetrated the specialty packaging materials industry by acquiring a South India based company. As on today, EPL is the worlds largest packaging company with manufacturing of laminated and seamless tubes having a wide variety of applications in cosmetics, personnel care, pharmaceutical, oral care and food and industrial sectors. The client base is enviable with several multinational clients as well as domestic ones. Not only that, it has succ essfully managed to create production facilities in countries like China, USA, UK, Russia, Germany, Mexico, Colombia, Philippines, Indonesia, Egypt, Poland and Singapore and of course India. As mentioned earlier with an estimated 32% global market share it is the undisputable leader in the laminated tubes market. In 2001, Essel Packaging (Guangzhou) Ltd, the Chinese subsidiary of EPL, was awarded the ‘‘Most Reliable Enterprise of 2001; In 2006, Essel Propack was a mentioned in Forbes Asias Annual Best Under Billion Companies. Clearly, then Essel Propack has emerged as the one of the worlds best in a relatively short span. From the revenue charts over the years, it can be clearly seen that growth has been incremental but real tapering off in recent years due to the economic slowdown. The segment revenue as on 31.12.2008 is as follows:- 4.III. The phases of growth The first phase was began in 1984, when the company began catering to the packaging needs of the oral care industry by manufacturing tubes and converting aluminum tube users into laminated tubes. Slowly the company also began to serve other related industries such as cosmetics, toiletries, industrial products etc. The second phase started in 1992 with setting up its first overseas venture in Egypt. The third phase saw EPL penetrate the plastic tubes industry with the acquisition of Arista Tubes, UK. The fourth phase marked the entry into medical devices in 2006 by acquiring Tacpro Inc., USA and Avalon Medical Devices, Singapore. It also entered into specialty packaging for personnel care and food industries with the acquisition of Packaging India Pvt Ltd, a leading specialty packaging material company in south India. The company has largely followed Acquisition combined with setting up subsidiaries as a primary medium of rapid expansion. Following are the some of the milestones years in the growth path:- †¢ In 1993, EPL sets up its first overseas venture in Egypt. †¢ In 1997, the company forms a wholly owned subsidiary in Guangzhou, China †¢ In 1999, EPL set up a joint venture in Dresden, Germany. †¢ In 2000, EPL acquires the tubing operations of the Propack group (4th largest laminated tube manufacturer in the world). †¢ In 2003, EPL sets up a manufacturing plant at Danville, USA, to serve Proctor Gambles North American operations. †¢ In 2004, EPL forms Beri-Essel Closures Pvt Ltd a joint venture with a German company Bericap Holding GmbH to manufacture hi-tech closures. †¢ In August 2004, EPL acquires Arista Tubes, UKS leading seamless plastic tubes manufacturer †¢ In 2005, EPs plant in Russia began its commercial operations. Acquires another laminated tube manufacturing company named Telcon Packaging Limited in UK †¢ In 2006, the company enters the Medical Devices industry by acquiring Tacpro Inc., USA, and Avalon Medical Services, Singapore. †¢ In August 2006, the company makes its plans known to set up a plastic tubes plant in Poland. †¢ In August 2006, EP acquired Packaging India, based in the southern part of India. 4.IV. Internationalization Strategy of Essel Propack The Internalization strategy of Essel Propack is clearly the outcome of an aggressive acquisition led plan backed by the finances of the Essel Group. This suggests that the Internationalization process can be substantially accelerated with readily available funding. Each market that EPL serves has a manufacturing plant installed that serves the host country as well as others that are its neighbors. In the Uppsala model Essel Propack is at the 4th Stage where it has the capacity of producing its products abroad. This has been the outcome of its market knowledge gathered since 1984 or over a period of 25 odd years. The clearly shows that Essel Propack has grown by incremental knowledge about the markets it operates in. 4) Suzuki Suzuki Motor Corporation is the 9th largest Japanese automobile manufacturer in the world by production volume headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan. It specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles, the full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a many other small internal combustion engines. It has 35 main production facilities in 23 countries and 133 distributors in 192 countries 4.I. Maruti Suzuki Origins Growth Story Maruti Suzuki India Limited ( Based in Gurgaon) is Suzukis biggest subsidiary and has a yearly production of 626,071 units ( as on 2006). Suzuki has a majority stake (54.2% ) in the Indian auto giant with the remaining owned by the various Indian public and financial institutions. It is a joint venture in the name of Maruti-Suzuki incorporated in 1981 and listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange of India. The company had a 54% market share of the passenger car market in India in 2005-2006. Suzuki in its desire to penetrate the Indian passenger car market initially became a minor partner with the Indian Government as hence the joint venture Maruti Suzuki was born as a Government of India company, with Suzuki as a minor partner. The clear objective was to make a peoples car for the humongous middle class India. Suzuki in the 1980s already had major share in the wheeler segment and was looking to penetrate the Indian 4 wheeler segment. The socio- political situation in India existing at that point in time made the Indian Government scout for a foreign collaborator for the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhis pet project to produce a â€Å"Peoples Car†. A group of Indian technocrats was given the role to source out a collaborator for this project. Toyota, Nissan and Honda the market leaders were all considered but Suzuki won the bid due to the persistence of Osamu Suzuki the CEO Chairman of Suzuki. The Joint venture was so successful that it prompted Suzuki to incr ease its equity participation from 25% to the current 54.2% thereby becoming the controlling parent company. There have been other subsidiaries in India:- SUZUKI POWERTRAIN INDIA LIMITED: Produces engines for cars SUZUKI MOTORCYCLE INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED: Produces Two Wheelers under brand name Suzuki. The first car was introduced in to India in 1898. Though imports of completely assembled cars were a recurring phenomenon in India, the local assembly of cars was missing until 1928. As a part of its internationalization plan, General Motors already had an assembly plant in Bombay in 1928 to reassemble cars and trucks using completed knocked down (c.k.d) kits sourced directly from USA. Ford Motor Company established also took the lead and rapidly established assembly plants in Madras in 1930 and Calcutta in 1931. However, full sledged manufacture of cars really started in 1942 with the Birla Group establishing Hindustan Motors Limited in Calcutta and the Walchand Group establishing Premier Automobiles Limited in Bombay. In the wake of these developments, the Standard Motor Products Limited was established to manufacture automobiles in Madras in the year 1948. However in 1947, as the British rule in India was heading towards an end, the Government of British India created a Panel on Automobiles and Tractors to recommend a framework for establishing manufacturing facilities in the country. The outcome of the panels study was its recommendation to encourage transport industry in India for her economic development. Due to the economic situation prevalent at that time, the Government of India viewed passenger cars as ostentatious and saw no real need to assign priority level to this industry. Nonetheless, the government did see merit in encouraging private investment in domestic manufacturing of passenger cars. The natural fallout of this thinking resulted in the government passing an ordinance that if the foreign players didnt have any significant plans in manufacturing cars locally then they should exit India within a span of three years. This effectively terminated the Indian relationship with General Motors and Ford Motors and they stopped their operations. A point to be noted here is that internationalization should always be integrated with the existing government thinking and policies, a hostile government will generally not allow foreign players to effectively run their operations, as we have seen in the case of General Motors and Ford Motors. With the exit of General Motors and Ford Motors, the car industry in India had just two main players: Hindustan Motors manufacturing under the brand name â€Å"Ambassador† and Premier Automobiles manufacturing under the brand name â€Å"Fiat†. However, the cars produced remained the exclusive purchases of the rich and famous and most people couldnt afford to buy them. The quality of these cars was poor by international standards which further erected barriers in purchases. This resulted in a poor offtake and low volume providing little motivation for the other entrepreneurs in the automobile industry for the next thirty years and this industry grew at a really slow pace during these years. As mentioned earlier it was not until the sixties that the government felt a need to produce small passenger cars. Sanjay Gandhi, the son of the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi was entrusted with the responsibility of manufacturing small passenger cars and he started a company called Maruti Limited to do realize government ambitions. However by 1977, the company was liquidated prompting the Government of India by an Act of the Parliament to acquire Maruti Limited and rename it to Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL). MUL became a public sector company fully owned by the Government of India. The political interest in the success of the project was great and a lot rode of the success of the newly reconstituted MUL. An optimistic production target for MUL was set at manufacturing 100,000 small passenger economy cars in a period of five years which required it to have the best technical team. The management of MUL started looking for a foreign collaborator that had the potential to sat isfy its needs of providing a low cost fuel-efficient car engine of below 1000cc. 11 large established automobile companies from UK, France, West Germany, Italy and Japan were considered and invited to be partners. Most foreign partners however seemed highly cautious with the proposed joint venture. It seemed that Mitsubishi Motors of Japan was to be the likely winner in the race to partner the Indian Government. Surprisingly however Suzuki Motors was chosen amongst several of its more illustrious peers because of its attractive offer and high speed of working. The agreement finalized on October 2, 1982 formed the basic bedrock for the introduction of Suzuki and its long term successful partnership with the Indian Government. 4.II. Internationalization Strategy Osamu Suzukis vision was central in Suzuki Motors bid to enter India. His commitment to the cause made managers from MUL comfortable discussing issues with Osamu Suzuki. The real reason for MUL selecting Suzuki was because of the quickness of making decisions. Clearly, Suzuki was more committed to the cause compared to Mitsubishi Motors which was mired in the bureaucracy of its working. Osamu Suzuki was quick to realize that the current demand for 50,000 cars per year was due to a poor product and inefficient manufacturing standards of Hindustan Motors and Premier Automobile. The real demand assessed by his team was pegged at least 2, 00,000 a year. This assessment was despite of the fact that in Japan at this time, Suzuki Motors was producing lesser cars (Greater than 800cc) than the target outlined by the government of India. It clearly took a calculated risk despite knowledge that it didnt have a demonstrated competency in producing cars above 800cc. According to the terms of the agreement equity participation was the chief form of involvement. Suzuki agreed on a lower equity participation because it felt that India was under-served and also because of its desire to invest in the country which had the worlds second largest population. Equity participation with Government of India has always been the chief internationalization strategy followed by Suzuki insofar as it relates to India. In many countries, Automobile is a regulated industry and FDI norms do not permit a foreign company to directly setup manufacturing facilities unless partnered with a local company. Many other bidders, barring Suzuki of course declined the lucrative joint venture due to this policy of the Government of India. They wanted to setup a directly controlled subsidiary and refused any equity participation with the Indian government. However, Suzuki Motors Company agreed to 26% shareholding in MUL in 1982 relinquishing its right to directly control the operations of the company. It gradually increased its equity stake after about six years to 40% in 1989 and then to 50% in 1992. It currently holds 54.2% and directly controls MUL as on date. This has been only possible due to gradually increasing its relationship and understanding of the Indi an market further reiterating the Uppsala model of psychic distance as a possible explanation of internationalization strategy. Celarly, here the initial production facilities were owned by the government of india, Suzuki has managed through equity pariticipation have a controlling stake in which was primarily a Government Owned enteprise. No company in the automobile segment has influenced the Indian Passenger Car market as much as Suzuki has done. Again, this bears a striking resemblence to the amount of time taken to internationalize. Clearly, since its genesis in 1983 it has taken roughly 25 years for Suzuki to become a an established major player in the Indian Sub-Continent, the same amount that was taken by Essel Propack. 5) Conclusion. The Internationalisation process has been a matter of scrutiny since the early days of international business (Aharoni, 1966; Root, 1987; Berkema and Drogendijk, 2007). Internationalisation is clearly a topic which lies at the heart of the international business field. Many questions in international business research emerge as a result of the interplay between the firm and the different locations (Hutzschenreuter et al., 2007). There are two major threads to internationalisation namely, the stages approach ( emodied in the uppsala model) and the born global approach. Firms face obvious disadvantages in competing with local firms in foreign markets and therefore here , internationalisation is all about surmounting inherent disadvantages that foreignness brings with it (Hymer, 1960, 1968; Hutzschenreuter et al., 2007). We saw clearly that Essel Propack needed to compete with the local pakaging suppliers and its primary intent was to surmounting this very barrier. Hence, it opted to ha ve an acquistion strategy where local manufacturers are acquired instead of directly setting up subsidiaries. As mentioned earlier, the Uppasala model (Johanson and Vahlne, 1977, 1990) suggests that companies internationalise in small, incremental steps and the internationalisation of the firm should be interpreted as a sequential learning curve. (Cyert and March, 1963; Barkema and Drogendijk, 2007; Hutzschenreuter et al., 2007). International expansion for many companies is limited due to the lack of knowledge about markets. Such knowledge can only be acquired through experience from operations abroad (Forsgen and Johanson, 1992). We saw in the case of Suzuki that partnering with the Government of India was the only option available if it had to penetrate the Indian Passenger Car market. In terms of the Uppsala model both India and Japan are also culturally close and have a lot in common. The success of the JV is a testament to this. The â€Å"foreign† perception and lack of information were the major reasons for organizations to follow traditional forms of internationalisation. However, future research can also focus on the â€Å"born global† framework where global firms go to international markets soon after their operations and that too at a fast pace(McKinsey, 1993; Rasmussen and Madsen, 2002). 6) References 70 years of Suzuki Motors Corporation, Suzuki Motors Corporation, Japan, 1990 Annual Report 1998-99, Maruti Udyog Limited, India Aharoni, Y. (1966), The Foreign Direct Investment Decision Process, Harvard University Press, Boston, MA. Athreye Suma Kapur Sandeep (1999) Foreign Controlled Manufacturing Firms in India Long-Term Trends Economic and Political Weekly, November 27, 1999 Barkema, H.G. and Drogendijk, R. (2007), ‘‘Internationalizing in small, incremental or larger steps?, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 38, pp. 1132-48. Chaterjee, Bhaskar (1990) Japanese Management Maruti and the Indian Experience Companies, 2nd International Conference of Association ofInternational Business-India Chapter, Loyola College, Chennai, Jan 14-16. Cyert, R.M. and March, J.G. (1963), A Behavioral Theory of the Firm, Blackwell Business, Cambridge, MA. Data Base Select Report, Research Institute of Economic and Business, Kobe University, Japan Encamation, Dennis (1 989) Dislodging Multinationals, Indias Strategy in Comparative Perspective, Cornell University Press. FDI from Japan to India, http://www.mof.gojp/english/elc008.htmMarch, 2000 Foreign Direct Investment approved by the Government of India, 1990-2000, Indian Investment Center, Government of India. History: Suzuki Motors, 1909-2001, http://www.suzuki.co.jp/cpd/kobe_e/6-l.htmJanuary. 2000 Forsgen, M. and Johanson, J. (1992), ‘‘Managing in international multi-centre firms, in Forsgen, Hutzschenreuter, T., Pedersen, T. and Volberda, H.W. (2007), ‘‘The role of path dependency and managerial intentionality: a perspective on international business research, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 38, pp. 1055-68. Hymer, S. (1960), ‘‘The international operations of national firms: a study of direct investments, Hymer, S. (1968), ‘‘La grande firme internattionale, Revue Economique, Vol. 14 No. 6, pp. 949-73. India Investment Center, (w ww document) http://www.iic.nic.in (accessed September 2003 and June 2004) Indian Investment Center, Foreign Direct Investment approved by the Government of India, 1990-2000. Japanese Overseas Investments in Asia, Toyo Keizai Publication, 1990 Japanese Overseas Investments in Asia, Toyo Keizai Publication, 1998 Johanson, J. and Vahlne, J.E. (1977), ‘‘The internationalization process of the firm: a model of knowledge development and increasing foreign market commitments, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 23-32. Johanson, J. and Vahlne, J.E. (1990), ‘‘The mechanism of internationalization, International Marketing Review, Vol. 7 No. 4, pp. 11-24. Johri, Lalit M. (1983) Business Strategies of Multinational Corporations in India: Case Study of Drug and Pharmaceutical Industry, Vision Books Pvt. Limited: New Delhi Kidron, Michael (1965) Foreign Investments in India, Oxford University Press: London Krishna Kumar (2003), Has India Inc F ailed in Playing the Leadership Role? Vikalpa, Volume 28, No 3, July-September 2003 Kumar, Nagesh (1990) Multinational Enterprises in India-Industrial Distribution, Characteristics, and Performance, New York: Routledge. Kumar, Sanjeev (1996) Foreign Direct Investment in India, B.R. Publishing Corporation: Delhi. Kurian, Mathew K. (1966) Impact of Foreign Capital on Indian Economy, Peoples Publishing House Private Limited, New Delhi Lall, Sanjaya (1999), Indias Manufactured Exports: Comparative Structure and Prospects, World Development, Volume 27, Issue 10, Elsevier Science Limited, http://www.sciencedirect.com (accessed 11120/2003) M. and Johanson, J. (Eds), Managing Networks in International Business, Gordon and Breach, Philadelphia, PA, pp. 19-31. McKinsey Company (1993), Emerging Exporters. Australias High Value-Added Manufacturing Exporters, McKinsey Company and the Australian Manufacturing Council, Melbourne. Nayak, Amar KJR (2000), Disequilibrium of FDI in Extraction VI S Conservation of Natural Resources, International Conference on New Environmental Technologies, BORDA (Germany) NISW ASS (India), Bhubaneswar, Nov. 28-30 Nayak, Amar KJR (2000), Patterns ofFDI in India, Masters Dissertation, Graduate School of Business, Kobe University, Japan. Nayak, Amar KJR (2002), Dis-equilibrium of FDI in extraction vis conservation of natural resources, International Conference on New Environmental Technology, Bhubaneswar Nayak, Amar KJR (2002), Patterns of Foreign Direct Investment in India, 1900s-2000, Masters Thesis, Graduate School of Business Administration, Kobe University, Japan Nayak, Amar KJR (2003), Impact of Trade Investment Policies of GATT/WTO on India, 1955-2000, XXVII Conference of Indian Social Science Congress, lIT Kharagpur, India, Dec 3-7 Nayak, Amar KJR (2004), Globalization Process in India: A Clash of Development Objectives of Host with Growth Objectives of Foreign PhD dissertation, Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Instit ute of Technology; published by MIT Press under same title in 1976. Prospectus, June 25, 2003, Maruti Udyog Limited, Rasmussen, E.S. and Madsen, T.K. (2002), ‘‘The born global concept, 28th EIBA Conference, Denmark. available at: www.aueb.gr/deos/EIBA2002.files/PAPERS/S4.pdf (accessed 23 March 2008). Records of the History ofJapanese Management and Japanese companies, Overseas Companies and Managers, 1979 Reserve Bank ofIndia, http://www.rbi.org.in January, 2000 Root, F.R. (1987), Entry Strategies for International Markets, Heath, Lexington. Sharma Kishore (2000), Export Growth in India, Has FDI Played a Role? Discussion Paper, Yale University, Economic Growth Center, http://www . econ. yale. eduz-cgccntor/ Stiglitz, Joseph E. (2002), Globalization and its Discontents, Allen Lane The Penguin Press, London Suzuki Motor Corporation, Report to the Government of Japan, 1983 2000 Tomlinson B.R. (1989) British Business in India, 1860-1970 in Davenport-Hines, R.P.T. and Ge offrey Jones (eds.), British Business in Asia since 1860, Cambridge University Press, New York Venkataramani, Raja (1990) Japan enters Indian Industry: the Maruti-Suzukijoint venture, New Delhi: Radiant Publication To Kill A Mockingbird: Historical Accuracy To Kill A Mockingbird: Historical Accuracy To Kill a Mockingbird is based off the novel written by Harper Lee of the same title, telling the story of a young girl Jean Louis Finch and her brother Jem growing up in Alabama during the Great Depression. To Kill a Mockingbird is a fictional story about a young girl, Jean Louis Finch (Scout), and her brother, Jem, growing up in Depression-era Alabama. The film centers on the trial of a young black man accused of raping a young white woman. The film was released in 1962 and directed by Robert Mulligan. The screenplay, written by Horton Foote, is greatly based on the novel of the same name by Harper Lee. It stars Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Phillip Alford, Robert Duvall, and Brock Peters. To Kill a Mockingbird won three academy awards for best actor, best screenplay, and best director, and it was nominated for five others. The 1930s Depression and the complex racial relations within the South form the historical context of To Kill a Mockingbird. To Kill a Mockingbird seeks to portray the racial injustices and prejudices against African Americans in the South, while also making a statement about civil rights issues that were occurring when the film was released. The film is greatly autobiographical of the novels author, Harper Lee, and is a study of small town life in the South. The trial of Tom Robinson in the film is reflective of the Scottsboro Trials of the 1930s and the Emmett Till Trials of the 1950s. Also, as Lee was writing the novel the Brown v. Board of Education decision had just been reached and many events in the Civil Rights movement had taken place. Rosa Parks had stirred events leading to the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Authenine Lucy had entered the all white University of Alabama. The racial tensions leading to these events are reflected in the plot and themes of To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel and film of To Kill a Mockingbird are largely an autobiographical account of Harper Lees life. Lee has denied that the story has autobiographical elements, claiming an author only writes what she knows, but the similarities between Lees life, and Scouts life are unmistakable. The novel is set in Maycomb, Alabama, a town resembling Lees hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. Like Maycomb, Monroeville was a world surrounded by racism and occasionally violence. Her childhood and the current events of the 1950s inspired Lee to write To Kill a Mockingbird. Like Scout, Lees father, A.C. Lee, was the inspiration for Atticus Finch. Like Atticus, Lee was a quiet, respected lawyer in a small town, and a member of the state legislature . Lees father had defended two blacks accused of murdering a Monroeville merchant, but the two men were found guilty and hanged . Lees mothers maiden name was Finch, which Lee directly honors by giving the main family in the film and novel the name of Finch. An important part of Lees extended family was lifelong friend, Truman Capote. Lee has admitted that Capote was the inspiration for the character of Dill Harris. Lee herself was known as a rough n tough tomboy much as Scout is portrayed. Through the use of setting, Mulligan was able to accurately portray the South in the 1930s at the height of the Depression. Maycomb, Alabama, was a tired old town in the 30s There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with. But it was a time of vague optimism. Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself. During the Depression, over farming had exhausted the soil, and tenement farming worsened the conditions. These worsened soil conditions and falling cotton process drastically effected economic situations for most blacks and whites in the South. Those with professions in towns were also affected, because, as Atticus explains in the beginning of the film, the farmers cannot afford the services of those with skilled professions in town. Almost everybody was poor. The film accurately portrays the social system of the Depression era South. There was a definite caste system in the rural South. The South had a stubborn will to hold onto its traditions of the past. The social hierarchy in society must be maintained. The film acutely attacks racism and the fear of sexual taboos in its portrayal of the justice system. It is made unmistakably plain that as a black man, Tom Robinson will not receive a fair trial. The film accurately depicts locals forming a lynch mob because they feel there is no need to even try Robinson. The film also accurately shows that racial relations were complicated on many levels in southern society. Any sexual reference between a black man and a white woman was considered a very serious offence by many whites and blacks. The set racial boundaries that had been established could not be broken . In the trial scene Atticus determines that Mayella Ewell was attracted to Tom Robinson. This caused an outrage within the courtroom because social norms held that a white woman could never be attracted to a white man. Therefore, even the suggestion that Tom Robinson had relations with Mayella Ewell causes severe prejudice against Tom in the town. . The town was not necessarily afraid of Tom Robinson, but of breaking the social norm that held a white woman could never be attracted to a white man. Therefore, Tom Robinson was guilty as soon as he was accused. An incident of lynching through mob violence was a plausible reality in the 1930s. During the depression there was a resentment of black laborers with financial freedom, such as Tom Robinson. As economic situations worsened in the South, this resentment grew. During the height of the Depression, the number of lynchings grew in direct proportion to the decrease in the economic stability of the South . There are several instances in the 1930s when black men were killed before they were put on trial. For example, in 1931 a man in Birmingham, Alabama accused of rape was an invalid and not able to commit the crime. The accusers brother however, shot the man and was never arrested for murder . The film accurately shows the small town ethics that governed people in the South in the 1930s. The idealized public society must be upheld, at the risk of rejecting the law. If the social order was ever disrupted, men felt they were obligated to use force to preserve the social norms imbedded in soc iety . To Kill a Mockingbird was written at the peak of the Civil Rights Movement. The film was released in the early 1960s. Throughout the 1950s Alabama had had many tumultuous events dealing with race occur within its borders. The Brown v. Board of Education decision began to govern race relations in the South, but often with violent opposition. The Brown decision negated the separate but equal philosophy of Plessy v. Ferguson. This philosophy had been the ruling basis of segregated Southern society since the Civil War. Brown represented the many southerners fear of racial mixing and complete social equality . These fears led to violent reactions. Tom Bradys Black Monday in which he claimed blacks would be a threat to the loveliest and the purest of Gods creaturesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the well-bred, cultured Southern white woman, shows the dominant ideology in the South following the Brown decision. This ideology is directly portrayed negatively in the film, as Tom Robinson is accused of soili ng the purity of white Mayella Ewell. The Brown decision was still an issue when the film was released, and Mulligan is attempting to show the faults of such an ideology. At the same time as Brown v. Board of Education, Dr. Martin Luther King had been leading civil rights demonstrations, and African American students had staged sit-ins at lunch counters all over the South. Just months before Harper Lee began writing the novel, two major events altered the course of the Civil Rights movement. In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for violating the bus segregation ordinance, and soon after, the Montgomery bus boycott began. Then two black women, Authenine Lucy and Pollie Ann Myers had their admission rescinded from the University of Alabama when the University found out their race. Authenine Lucy sued the school and won admission. She was the first black woman to enter a southern, public university that previously been only white. However, she was severely persecuted and often mobbed . The story was covered nationally and had great emphasis placed on the importance of desegregation of universities. Lee, herself, had attended the University of Alabama a few y ears before Lucy was admitted. The trial in the film mirrors actual trials that occurred in the 1930s and the 1950s: the 1931 Scottsboro case and the 1955 Emmett Case. The Scottsboro Case became a national event of either outrage or celebration. It brought the issues of lynching laws and racial justice to a very international lever, as other countries followed the story. The Emmett Case was probably the most widely publicized trial of the century and the first great media event of the civil rights movement . The Emmett Case had great significance in the South, because it occurred very soon after the Brown v. Board of Education decision. Some white southerners were looking for excuses to persecute African Americans, and the Emmett Case brought this issue to the forefront of current events. To Kill a Mockingbird makes a blatant statement about the currents events that had recently occurred and were continuing to occur in the country. The character of Atticus Finch is a representation of the beliefs that many white Americans needed to strive for in the South. Many critics have equated Atticus to the Abe Lincoln of Alabama. Atticus believed Tom Robinson, and disbelieved Mayella Ewell, a white woman. This was a bold statement not only in the 1930s Alabama, but also in the 1960s. Social norms always accepted a white womans word as truth, and a black mans word as mistrustful . Mulligan was showing that justice should not be determined by a persons race, but by the actual facts surrounding an event. The audience that first saw this film would have understood the implications presented in the film. The film centers on the trial scene in which Atticus gives a strong lesson of not only justice, but also what constitutes humanity. The focus of the movie is on right and wrong. Mulligan was making a deliberate statement. By placing the events in the 1930s, To Kill a Mockingbird is set in time when the beliefs of men ruled their actions in defiance of the laws they professed they believed. African Americans had very few rights, and the novel and film were purposefully set before desegregation and the civil rights movement. The film seeks to show that the Supreme Court should not be needed to prove that a person of a different race is not better or worse than a person of another race. To Kill a Mockingbird is a fictional story that portrays many realities of racism in Southern life in the 1930s. The film is relating the events of the 1930s to the civil rights movement and current events of the 1950s and 1960s. The history in the film is based on Harper Lees observations growing up in a small town in Alabama, as well as events that had recently occurred within the United States right before the film was being made. The history in To Kill a Mockingbird is therefore not literally but symbolically true The film does not seek to show every historical detail of the 1930s, but shows the implications of social norms and the repercussions of these norms. The events shown in the film are subjective versions of many events of the 1930s through the 1960s that show the need for complete social equality.

Free Siddhartha Essays: Wisdom is Difficult :: Hesse Siddhartha Essays

As human beings, we sometimes can not synchronize our minds and souls. When we are at our success of knowledge or intellect, we blind our mind with our ambition which comes along in reaching the knowledge or intellect. As a young brahmin, Siddhartha, has been taught that Brahmin is the soul of "Atman" or the 'Only One' (Chapter 1, page 5). It means that Brahmin is the highest position beside the Creator. This intellect alienates Siddhartha's 'Self'. He does not think that his superior's 'Self' will give him salvation. Siddhartha thinks his 'Self' conquers himself. He wants his 'Self" to die to find wisdom and spiritual knowledge. Rather than searching for his soul, Siddhartha attemps to destroy his 'Self' through suffering of Samanic asceticism. He sees that Samana's knowledge might lead him to his salvation. In page 11 chapter 2, we read: "...had one single goal--to become empty, to become empty of thirst, desire, dreams, pleasure and sorrow--to let the Self die. No longer to be Self, to experience the peace of an emptied heart, to experience pure thought..." Although Siddhartha does the scourge, he does not find his salvation. He quests his torment which is only escaped from the 'Self' for temporarily. Again, Siddhartha rejects and leaves the Samana ascetic knowledge. Siddhartha ends his knowledge quests: Brahminism, Samanic asceticism, and Buddhism. He turns to the use of his senses in finding his goal. His main goal is to be his 'Self'. His sense of 'being' is isolated by his knowledge. He realizes that he does not know his 'Self' which he has spent his life avoiding. He vows him self to explore the 'Self'. The second step of Siddhartha's journey is realizing that although he has knowledge, knowledge is not enough without experience. Experience can be gained through practicing knowledge. Also he realizes that thought and sense must be used together to find the way. He meets with Kamala whose beauty and intellegence overwhelms him. Kamala's observation and sensitiveness help Siddhartha to develop his sense of love. To paid for her lectur, he has his "think, wait, and fast"(chapter 5, page 46). With Kamala's help in another lecture, he gains the combination of the simplicity and intelegence. As he grows older, he makes a friend with Vasudeva, the river's man. Their life is near to the end of the harmonization of the universe.