Macbeth by William Shakespeare Essay Example

Macbeth by William Shakespeare Paper In drama the audience is informed of each characters personality by numerous ways, the most obvious being the characters own actions and deeds. The use of a second party account, and finally the effective use of dramatic irony, where the audience knows something which the character is unaware of and then the audience can see his/her reaction to the news. The audiences first impression of Macbeth comes from another characters account. This character, a sergeant, whom had been injured in battle and had retreated to a camp, was asked by the king how Macbeth had fought in battle. The sergeant shows Macbeth in a courageous and noble light, For brave Macbeth well he deserves that name. Macbeth is seen in this way as he came against a merciless rebel in battle. Even when Macbeths army were losing , he was brave enough to make his way through the opposition and slaughter every man in his way, until eventually getting to the rebel Macdonwald and killing him. It was very important to Macbeth that hed made his King and country proud, his bravery reflected this and showed that he was loyal, Like valours minion carved out his passage. Till he faced the slave. And fixed his head upon our battlements. We will write a custom essay sample on Macbeth by William Shakespeare specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Macbeth by William Shakespeare specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Macbeth by William Shakespeare specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Joined with his friend, Banquo, the audience first sees Macbeth whilst he was on his way home from battle, when they came across three witches. Instantly theres a definite contrast of mixed feelings in the air between Macbeths reaction and Banquos reaction. The prophecy that Macbeth will become thane of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland gets the best of Macbeth. Macbeth seems to be very accepting and open minded to the prophecies of the three old hags and he doesnt care to question them. The three witches had easily seduced him, Stay you imperfect speakers, tell me more! Macbeth is obviously intrigued. However, Banquo seems to be much more disturbed and suspicious, he questions their motives more, Were such things here as we do speak about? As witches are a sign of evil, he feels threatened. Hes confused by how the prophecies could be possible due to the divine order, where the king is chosen by God, how then could it be Macbeth? Banquo is far more surprised than Macbeth when the prophecies come true yet he still questions the witches, What, does the devil speak true? The witches had successfully manipulated Macbeth to a state where he was almost entranced with the prophecies; he liked what he heard, That he seems rapt withal. With the prophecies fulfilling their purpose, Macbeths ambitious nature runs away with him and leads to regicide to obtain his wishes. The audience in the Elizabethan era in the 16th century had different attitudes and beliefs about witchcraft than the one we share today. The audience would have been horror-struck as witches were seen as the devils agents and the viewers would have taken a great hatred and distrust to them, especially once the reactions to the witches from both the characters were seen. The audience would have now questioned their first impression of Macbeth and would have wondered whether their interpretation of Macbeths character was accurate. Macbeth now being Thane of both, Glamis and Cawdor, started to rethink whether regicide was a good idea. He felt that killing Duncan may not be a necessary thing to do in order to achieve the final prophecy, as he had built a respectable reputation. Macbeth definitely experiences a heavy spell of doubt. Shakespeare uses a powerful soliloquy in order to convey Macbeths feeling of a divided and troubled mind, almost as if theres an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. He weighs up the consequences of his actions and the antithesis in the line, cannot be ill, cannot be good, shows his doubt. Macbeth manages to come up with several excuses as to why not to go through with the plan, the first being the simple consequence of murdering the king, which is being put to death if caught. The second being that kingship and loyalty to Duncan would be broken, after all they are related! Thirdly, that king Duncan does not deserve to die because he has been a good king, Besides this Duncan hath borne faculties so meek. Macbeth even goes a step further and thinks how strong his arguments are and decides that theyre all very valid points, Strong both against the deed. Ultimately, Macbeth decides its in his best interest not to perform the task, but not if Lady Macbeth had anything to do with it! Lady Macbeth has shown to have a great influence over Macbeth and proves to be very persuasive. She uses a number of different techniques to make him reconsider as she shares the same character flaw of empowering ambition. Firstly, Macbeth shares with her his new plan and explains that his reputation matters. He hath honoured me of late, and I have bought golden opinions from all sorts of people. However, Lady Macbeth thinks hes crazy and she deploys phase one. She accuses him of breaking his promise to her, and that she can no longer trust his love. Lady Macbeth tells how a promise made to her is important, just like their love for each other. She asks Macbeth who influenced him to break this promise to her, and tells that if it were her she would be selfless and committed of purpose, What beast wast then, that made you break this enterprise to me? She then explains how she would have acted on the most grotesque and unnatural of promises. She would have killed her own baby if she promised to, I had given suck the babe that milks me. Smiling in my face. Have plucked my nipple and dashed the brains out. She makes Macbeth feel guilty. Then she deploys phase two: Macbeth as a man. She questions Macbeths masculinity by calling him a coward, which would have been a real threat, as for a man to be brave was very important, And live a coward in thine own esteem, but screw your courage to a sticking plate and we will not fail! Macbeth relies on Lady Macbeths confidence and agrees that killing Duncan will be a small price to pay for the greater good of, of course, himself! Later that same evening, whilst Macbeth is waiting for the go ahead signal from Lady Macbeth, Banquo and Fleance meet him. The scene conveys the dark and evil nature of what was about to take place. Banquo certainly feels this, The moon is down.. A heavy summons lies lead upon me.. Yet I dare not sleep. Here Banquo explains how its night; connoting darkness and evil, and that even though he is very tired he wouldnt dare to sleep because of the dark nightmares of the three witches. This scene also displays dramatic irony as Macbeth claims to not think about them when the audience knows that he is in fact obsessed, I think not of them. Macbeth then tries to lure Banquo into supporting him and if he does, he will be rewarded, If you shall cleave my consent. It shall make honour for you, Banquo replies in saying, In seeking to argument it, and allegiance clear, I shall be counselled meaning as long as my loyalty to the King can be maintained, I will join you, which clearly shows the conflicting feelings between both characters. Banquo goes on to say how well the King has been received and that the King was so pleased he gave Lady Macbeth a crystal to ward off evil. Obviously another effect of dramatic irony to convey that the real evil will inevitably take place as the owner of the crystal is evil herself. Both characters, Macbeth and Banquo are now beginning to separate and have different views which are the start of a great divide and corruptness between them. As Banquo leaves the scene, Macbeth is left alone to gather his present feelings about the regicide. A powerful soliloquy conveys this and shows what Macbeth is thinking. Macbeth starts to have an adrenalin rush which causes him to suddenly see the vision of a dagger. He suspects that its a manifestation of the mind so he questions his doubts, Is this a dagger I see before me, the handle towards my hand? Macbeth feels that the appearance of the dagger is a false creation of a heat oppressed mind He feels that the dagger isnt real so he tries to touch it to qualify this, Come let me clutch thee, but he doesnt hold it. Theres a conflict between sight and touch. Shakespeare uses punctuation and short sentences to convey Macbeths emotions of panic. The punctuation interrupts the flow to make the actor appear to breathe heavily to empathise Macbeths dilemma, Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight. Macbeth begins to trust the dagger and feels encouraged and confident in what hes doing. He sees the dagger guiding him to Duncans room. He begins to see blood covering the blade. A modern audience would have believed that Macbeth was so fired up that this was purely a hallucination. However, and Elizabethan audience would have confidently believed it was a supernatural happening due to the work of witches and the devil. The tone of the soliloquy changes from doubt and uncertainty to confidence and the transition made into evil. Macbeth loses his heroic identity and creates himself a new identity of murderer. He does this by welcoming all things evil. He now feels that he is performing a sacrifice of King Duncan to the goddess of the witches, Pale Hecate. Macbeth associates himself with dark creatures, His sentinel the wolf. Like a wolf, Macbeth hunts out Duncan like any other predator lurking in the night, and just like wolves are represented in folklore, Macbeth stalks the king with his stealthy pace. Macbeth then mentions Tarquins ravishing strides. Tarquin, a Roman, raped his hostess, Lucrecia, in the dead of night. Again, just like Tarquin, Macbeth is out to commit a brutal and violent crime in the cowardly night, a perfect time to kill Duncan in his sleep. Macbeth and Tarquin both victimised innocent people and committed a dishonorable act. Macbeth convinces himself that he is now an inhuman creature. Finally, Macbeth makes a reference to a ghost, Moving like a ghost. Macbeth uses this comparison as he would like to be as quiet as possible. However this comparison would have been far more powerful to an Elizabethan audience as it again refers to the supernatural and again an Elizabethan audience would have been freaked at his lust for satanic qualities! Macbeth eventually proceeds to kill King Duncan. The dagger disappears and Macbeth can now go it alone and fulfill the evil deed. In a little over one act of the play, the audiences have witnessed Macbeth being influenced by several forces which have encouraged the transition from heroic nobleman to evil killer, for example, his overwhelming ambition, which makes Macbeth want a position he cant have due to the system of the divine order. He is also influenced by the meddling, old witches who plant the idea of regicide into his head and finally his wife, who encourages and persuades him to kill the king. The murder of King Duncan results in chaos and anarchy all over Scotland and produces the destruction of Macbeth in the final battle between good and evil.

India Luxury Market Essay Essay Example

India Luxury Market Essay Essay Example India Luxury Market Essay Essay India Luxury Market Essay Essay Market Trend There was a slow-down in the growing in gross revenues of premium and luxury tickers in India in 2008-’09. It prompted the market leader Titan industries to come in the economic system market. Following the footfalls. luxury ticker trade names like Tag Heuer and Rolex introduced low-price theoretical accounts. But in recent old ages. nomadic phones may besides hold dampened growing in the incursion of tickers in India. as they provide a clip readout every bit good as dismay and other time-related maps. Watch industry experts believe that their product’s original map is progressively losing importance. and that wrist watchs are now being bought as manner accoutrements. Owning more than one ticker is like having different pieces of jewelry. Competitive landscape The economic system watch demand is being met for the most portion by the unorganized sector and by direct imports. The premium section is progressively being peppered by manner trade names such as Esprit. Swatch. Fossil and Tommy Hilfiger. There has besides been strong value growing for these trade names. with turning demand from middle- and upper-income groups in urban India. Titan. HMT and Maxima are the taking Indian participants and Timex. Casio and Swatch are now the strong transnational participants in the market. More multinationals are come ining the retail market. but no new domestic companies have done so. and the multinationals’ portion of value gross revenues has increased over the reappraisal period. Premium Brand A ; Product Perception With the tickers market in India now going manner and manner driven. particularly at the premium terminal. companies now launch theoretical accounts and designs every six months. International trade names such as Fossil launch spring/summer and winter scopes. Titan. on the other manus. times its launches to suit in with the Indian festive season – Deepavali and nuptialss. Companies like Casio and Swatch and luxury trade names like Rolex are researching a niche market for chronographs. but this is presently negligible. Companies besides need to react to merchandise inventions. The Citizen eco-friendly ticker has been good received in India and is reportedly selling good in its monetary value bracket. extinguishing the problem of replacing batteries and promoting the usage of multiple tickers. Apparel trade names such as Esprit. Tommy Hilfiger. Benetton and Levi’s have all gained acquaintance among India’s urban young person. who may go more willing to seek these brands’ premium tickers. Affluent. urban Indians may experience more comfy about purchasing premium tickers. while go oning to see luxury tickers as illustrations of overindulgent or insensitive disbursement. ‘New’ Rich India: The ‘New’ rich India is now indulging into the experience of having Luxury Brands. India’s quickly turning high-end retail market is expected to increase from the about $ 3. 5 billion in 2008 to $ 30 billion by 2015. Luxury vesture. aromas. premium vino. high-end tickers have achieved good incursion among male Indian consumers. Among adult females. jewelry and cosmetics can already tout high degrees of consciousness. followed by classs such as pocketbooks and nomadic phones. These points. while non needfully being better ( in quality. public presentation. or visual aspect ) than their less expensive replacements. are purchased with the chief intent of exposing wealth or income or position symbol of their proprietors. There is a distinguishable displacement from ‘Old luxury’ to ‘New luxury’ . Old luxury is defined by the properties. qualities and characteristics of the merchandise. whilst ‘New luxury’ is defined by the consumer’s point of focal point on the experience that their purchase stimulates and non in ownership or ownership of the merchandise itself. † The clients Redefined luxury as they believe it to be a mark of ego deserving – â€Å"They are worth it ; † it authenticates the buyer’s success and position ; it is a signal to others that the proprietor is a member of an sole group ; They require unflawed public presentation in this application. the cost of merchandise malfunction is excessively high to purchase anything but the best. Motivation of Study: The affair of have oning and basking all right timekeepers is a passion that these yearss must be justified. We like nice expensive tickers even though inexpensive tickers exist to make the same thing. Hence like any other luxury good. today modern shoppers buy luxury goods to honor themselves. to fulfill psychological demands or to do themselves experience good to demo off their personality or to hike their self-pride. Contribution of the research: This survey aims to understand the above said consumer purchasing behavior which will assist the present selling Directors to better shift their stigmatization and advertisement scheme to capture the right mark market for luxury merchandises to hike the gross revenues in times where economic system are at a challenge. Literature Review: Research Aim: This survey intends to happen out if consumer purchasing behavior of immature buyers are influenced by factors such as premium monetary value of luxury tickers. perceived quality of luxury tickers. social position and trade name trueness associated with the ingestion of luxury trade name. This survey besides intends to measure whether sensed qualities of the luxury branded ticker have influence on the purchasing determination of consumer. It is besides intended to find whether the high quality criterions of luxury tickers are the concluding consumers opt for the luxury tickers. Affiliations of societal position of geting certain luxury branded goods will besides be studied to understand whether consumer purchasing luxury branded goods merely for the affair of being affiliate with certain quarters of people holding the same luxury trade name of goods. This survey besides will besides measure whether trade name trueness of luxury trade name will act upon the purchasing determination of consumer. This survey besides aims to bring out whether a individual who has been abroad is a ground for the consumer buying a luxury ticker Research Question: The intent of this survey is to measure what motivational factors encourage consumers into buying luxury trade name tickers. In measuring this statement. this survey aims to reply the undermentioned inquiries: Is it the monetary value or the type of users of the trade name that drives the purchasing behavior of the consumer for luxury branded goods? Is it the strong emotion of know aparting themselves with the lower category consumers that drives higher category consumers to turn to luxury trade names? Is it the tag name of a mega trade name that drives the long term demand for that luxury trade name? Is gender a deterministic factor in make up ones minding the purchase of a luxury trade name? If yes so what factors are of import gender wise? Is it the merchandise public-service corporation or the trade name perceptual experience that is cardinal for luxury ticker trade names? Will a person’s visit abroad act upon his determination to buy a luxury ticker? Previous Research part: Findingss of overall old research indicate that individual’s penchants plays a cardinal function in buying luxury goods. Individual’s penchants may be based on desire and non-desires. which are based on experience in buying luxury points from their satisfaction. or nondesire such as prejudice towards trade name merchandises. Leibenstein ( 1950. p. 188 ) classified demand of goods and services ingestion in relevant to motivation into two chief facets: functional and non-functional. Functional demand is â€Å"demand for a trade good which is due to the qualities inherent in the trade good itself† . On the contrary. demand of goods ingestion that comes from other factors. which is non the merchandise quality. is defined non-functional demand. The result from Leibenstein’s ( 1950 ) survey particularly stresses the function of interpersonal effects towards luxury trade names ingestion. and derived three chief effects ; Veblen. Snob. and Bandwagon INTERPERSONAL EFFECTS Perceived Conspicuous Value Perceived alone Value Perceived Social Value Ostentation Non-Conformity Conformity VEBLENIAN SNOB BANDWAGON Interpersonal effects ( Vigenron A ; Johnson ) ( 1999 P. 7 ) Veblen Effect: The Veblen consequence can be explained through conspicuous ingestion in which people feel that it is necessary to buy luxury merchandises because they have a high monetary value ticket ( Leibenstein. 1950 ) . Conspicuous ingestion is use by people to demo wealth. power and position ( Veblen. 1899 ) . Monetary values of merchandise have a important facet in consumers’ sentiment of quality ( Vigneron A ; Johnson. 1999 ) . Surveies by Erickson A ; Johansson ( 1995 ) have shown that monetary value is used to judge quality of luxury merchandises between a scope of trade names. Normally people would tie in high monetary values with better quality. Additionally. those who do tie in high monetary values with better quality would besides propose that high monetary values show a considerable sum of prestigiousness ( Lichtenstein et Al. . 1993 ) . Snob Consequence: The snob consequence takes into history personal and emotional desires ( personal effects ) . and the influence of other people’s behavior ( interpersonal effects ) towards the buying of luxury trade name merchandises ( see Figure 1 ) . The snob consequence can be farther explained through two fortunes. First. the launch on new merchandises which creates exclusivity in which the prig would buy the merchandise instantly because a minor sum of consumers at that peculiar clip would hold acquired it. Snob consumers merely purchase â€Å"limited points that have a high value. whereas those readily available are less desirable. Rare points demand regard and prestige† ( Solomon. 1994. p. 570 ) . Merchandises that are viewed as unique. popular. and expensive causes a higher demand for consumers ( Verhallen A ; Robben. 1994 ) . particularly snob consumers. Snyder and Fromkin ( 1977 ) back up the statement by Verhallen and Robben ( 1994 ) proposing that people have the desire to be alone. India: The Affluent Multitudes: Luxury volumes have been spurred by a important growing in the rich in recent yesteryear. The new rich come in varied forms. sizes and manner quotients. Exporters. transnational bankers. college childs gaining plum wages at call centres or BPO operations. comfortable corporate married womans. and successful enterprisers. What they have in common is that they have really high buying power Bandwagon Consequence: The bandwagon consequence represents consumers who purchase luxury merchandises because they wish to suit in with a peculiar group. For illustration. people would devour merchandises that are stylish and fashionable to tie in themselves to similar people ( Berry. 1994 ) . Dubois A ; Duquesne ( 1993 ) explains that the prig and bandwagon consequence are non likewise. Although the similarity between the bandwagon and the snob consequence is that people wish to heighten their self-concepts. the distinction is that they purchase luxury points for different grounds. Bandwagon consumers purchase points to be fit in with others. whereas prig consumers purchase points to be alone and stand out. Persons who fit in with groups that purchase luxury trade name merchandises and/ or wish to distinguish themselves from people who do non buy luxury trade names are influenced by the bandwagon consequence ( Vigneron A ; Johnson. 1999 ) Luxury is wages: First time/New Buyers: They use luxury goods as a position symbol to state â€Å"I’ve made it! † . They are motivated by their desire to be successful and show this to others. Luxury trade names that have widespread acknowledgment are popular ; nevertheless they don’t wish to look munificent or hedonic in their visual aspect. They want to buy â€Å"smart† luxury that exhibit importance while non go forthing them unfastened to unfavorable judgment. Personal Effectss: Consuming luxury merchandises can besides be from personal desires and gustatory sensation. PERSONAL EFFECTS Perceived Emotional Value Perceived Quality Value Self-Actualization Reassurance HEDONIST PERFECTIONIST Personal effects ( Vigenron A ; Johnson ) ( 1999 p. 8 ) Hedonic Effect The hedonistic consequence occurs when consumers purchase luxury merchandises and value the point. Peoples who purchase points for self-realization ( e. g. inner direct consumers. Riesman. et Al. . 1950. or function relaxed consumers. Kahle. 1995 ) . and those who are non affected by interpersonal influences ( e. g. conforming to group norms. Bearden. et Al. . 1989 ) represent the hedonistic consequence. Dichter ( 1960 ) explains that motive of noncognitive and unconscious is able to carry consumer penchant of merchandises. Merchandises that are consumed are known to hold an emotional value that is added to their character ( Vigneron A ; Johnson. 1999 ) . When consumers purchase luxury merchandises they expect that the point will offer benefits such as clannishness. Dubois A ; Laurent. ( 1994 ) stated that if merchandises create an emotional value for consumers. it represents that the merchandise is good and holds an of import feature. Perfectionist Effect The perfectionist consequence exists when consumers purchase luxury points and expects superior merchandises and public presentation every bit good as quality ( Vigneron A ; Johnson. 1999 ) . Peoples who represent the perfectionist consequence are those who are associated to personal values and justice a merchandise harmonizing to their value of a luxury set merchandise. An illustration of the perfectionist consequence is when consumers are buying a luxury ticker they expect it to be accurate. Harmonizing to Groth and McDaniel. ( 1993. p. 10 ) stated that â€Å"high monetary values may even do certain merchandises or service more desirable† . because people view merchandises with high monetary values with great quality ( Rao A ; Monroe. 1989 ) . Additionally. consumers may measure the degree of how luxury a merchandise is by its quality ( Vigneron and Johnson. 1999 ) . Methodology Research Method: Quantitative informations consists of closed terminal information that includes numerical figures. The survey has collected quantitative informations by using closed-end inquiries towards a questionnaire. Focus Group Discussion to understand properties both physical and emotional that influence the purchase of a luxury ticker. The group comprised of 7 persons. 3 female and 4 male participants who have been users of luxury tickers. Data Collection: Primary Data aggregation: Gathering information from consumers of luxury tickers through online questionnaire study Secondary Data Collection: Research penetrations and hypothesis design with the aid of antecedently published research work on luxury goods purchasing behavior. Sampling: Non-probability trying method is adopted. Since the mark audience or respondents of involvement are consumers of premium or luxury tickers. the trying method adopted here is convenience trying and snow-ball sampling. Measurement A ; Scaling: Measurement Techniques used? Perception map: ? Utility of characteristics in the ticker: Chronograph. Double dial. Indicator light etc. ? Stylish Designs that make the ticker a manner statement Respondents were asked to rate the 10 different trade names in order to obtain their perceptual experience of these trade names on the above defined dimensions Based on two predefined dimensions i. e? ? ? Exploratory Factor Analysis: To understand the implicit in factors act uponing the purchase behavior of luxury ticker for work forces A ; adult females and overall Arrested development: To understand which interpersonal A ; personal consequence is critical when consumers make a luxury ticker purchase determination Discriminant Analysis: To understand the group behaviours based on the following discriminating variable? Gender? Trip abroad? Work Experience: Buying power? Amos: Confirmatory Factor analysis to determine the Exploratory Factor Analysis RESULT AND ANALYSIS 1. Discriminant Analysis: Work-Ex A ; Fresher Inference: Wilk’s lambda ( 0. 627 ) is more than 0. 4 which is non important ; Box M trial is besides undistinguished However based on analysis top 5 properties know aparting work ex A ; fresher are Attributes Q5_7_attribute_analog Q5_2_attribute_alarm Q5_12_attribute_torch Q5_9__attribute_calculator Q4_8_attribute_celebrity_endorsement Variable weight of know aparting map . 366. 361. 331. 271. 262 2. Discriminant Analysis: Gender Inference: Wilk’s lambda ( 0. 578 ) is more than 0. 4 which is non important ; based on analysis top 5 properties know aparting males A ; females Attributes Variable weight of know aparting map. Q4_3_attrifashion_statement Q5_3_attribute_dualclock Q5_13_attribute_barometer Q5_8_attribute_motionsensor Q9_2_buy_in_store. 329 . 285 . 269 . 259 . 255 3. Discriminant Analysis: Abroad Visit Inference: Wilk’s lambda ( 0. 573 ) is more than 0. 4 which is non important ; nevertheless based on analysis top 5 properties know aparting foreign visited and non visited people Attributes Q5_9__attribute_calculator Q5_6_attribute_color Q5_16_attribute_warranty Q5_11_attribute_straptype Q4_9_attribute_brand_image Variable weight of know aparting map. 228. 225. 221 . 207 . 205 3 ) Exploratory Factor Analysis- ( Male A ; Female ) Research Question: Is gender a deterministic factor in make up ones minding the purchase of the luxury ticker. If yes what factors are of import gender wise? Hypothesis: Womans while doing luxury goods purchase give more importance to emotional factors whereas Men go for Physical Utility features Factor analysis for male respndents ( 58 males ) Consequences: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Fac1 ( Ostentation ) : o O O O O O O O? ? ? ? ? ? Sth to remmeber. manus gesture. to be alone Fac2 ( value added characteristic ) Calculator. digital. compass. Fac3 ( Generic demands ) Shape. H2O opposition Fac4 ( Economic demands ) Discounts Fac 5 ( Tech understanding ) Compass. Motion sensor Fac 6 ( basic ) Analog. H2O opposition Fac 7 ( Wrist suitableness ) Strap type Fac 8 ( excess feautres ) : Date and twenty-four hours show. trade name image Exploratory factor analysis female Respondents ( 23 females ) : Fac1 ( Economical ) : o O O O O o Warranty. after gross revenues. parallel. emotional satisfaction Fac2 ( Style ) Social position. to be alone. manner statement Fac3 ( Particular demands ) Alarm. altimeter. digital. double clock Fac4 ( value added characteristic ) Calculator. compass. barometer. torch. Fac 5 ( Tech understanding ) Hand gesture. price reduction Fac 6 ( Exclusivity ) Motion detector. dismay. trade name image Result Analysis: ? Work force: O Attach importance to Ostentaion. value added feaures and manner ( veblenian consequence and perfectionist consequence are ruling ) ? Womans: o Style. Economic attributes an generic demands ( Hedonist and snob effects dominate 4. Checking the Interpersonal and personal effects shown by males and female while purchase of luxury ticker in Store Research Question: O Is it the monetary value or the type of users of the trade name that drives the purchasing behavior of the consumer for luxury branded goods? O Is it the strong emotion of know aparting themselves with the lower category consumers that drives higher category consumers to turn to luxury trade names? O Is it the merchandise public-service corporation or the trade name perceptual experience that is cardinal for luxury ticker trade names? Hypothesis: -Luxury ticker purchase is chiefly to demo off and as an index of position symbol: veneblian consequence. Users besides buy luxury tickers due to sensed emotional value or for hedonist grounds Veneblian Effect: Snob Effect Bandwagon Effect Hedonistic consequence Type of consequence Veneblian prig Bandwagon Hedonistic Coefficient 0. 517 0. 499 0. 274 0. 305. Inference: As we can clearly detect from the above tabular array that the veneblian consequence is really outstanding in all instances of interpersonal or personal effects. That means Peoples tend to purchase Luxury tickers to demo off of their Public and Social Status. Snob and Bandwagon consequence follows Veneblian consequence. 5. Arrested development Analysis to look into whether long term demand for luxury tickers is driven by trade name image Research Question: Is it the trade name image that drives the long term demand for that luxury trade name? Hypothesis: Brand Image for lucury trade names is responsible for the long term demand of these tickers. Inference: Arrested development is undistinguished with regard to the variables that drive trade name image. Even the R^square value is 0. 071. Hence we can deduce that trade name image is non a good factor to explicate the long term demand for luxury tickers. 6. AMOS The default theoretical account is created based on explorative factor analysis and taking research literature into history. Model Fit Summary Check: Cmin/DF 2-5 OK GFI gt ; 0. 9 Not OK PGFI gt ; 0. 5 All right NFI. TLI. CFI gt ; 0. 9 Not All right RMSEA soap 0. 1 Not All right Model is relatively fit as such But Goodness of fit index is non keeping good. Validity A ; Construct Reliability S No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Attributes Q4_1_attribute_social_status Q4_3_attribute_fashion_statement Q4_2_attribute_to_be_unique Q4_6_attribute_emotional_satisfaction Q4_9_attribute_brand_image Q5_9__attribute_calculator Q5_10_attribute_compass Q5_12_attribute_torch Q5_13_attribute_barometer Q5_3_attribute_dualclock Q5_4_attribute_altimeter Q5_2_attribute_alarm Q5_5_attribute_digital Q5_7_attribute_analog Q5_8_attribute_motionsensor Q5_16_attribute_warranty Q4_10_attribute_secon_time_brandpurchase Q4_4_attribute_premiumwatch_collection Q4_8_attribute_celebrity_endorsements. Concepts Error e1 e2 Delta 1. 028 1. 079 0. 608 0. 635 1. 282 1. 323 1. 687 1. 473 1. 793 1. 816 1. 032 2. 133 1. 407 1. 074 2. 078 0. 179 1. 402 1. 367 2. 019 Lambda 1 0. 67 0. 922 0. 884 0. 997 1 0. 912 0. 971 0. 774 1 1. 135 1. 005 1. 258 1 0. 876 0. 84 0. 403 1. 231 1 AVE CR Exclusivity e3 e4 e5 e6 e7 0. 81 0. 81 Tech_Savvy e8 e9 e14 0. 84 0. 68 Value_Added _Feature e15 e16 e17 e21 1. 22 0. 75 Reliability e22 e23 e26 0. 82 0. 69 Brand_Perce ption.

Surviving the Dangers of Working from Home - Freewrite Store

Surviving the Dangers of Working from Home - Freewrite Store The Dangers of Going Freelance The advertisement reads: Day job got you down? Why not branch out on your own and make your mark? This is what I call ‘the fantasy.' If you want to branch out on your own, you have to be realistic. Yes, you get to work from home. You get to decide what projects you’ll work on. You get to monetize your chosen skill. There’s a lot more freedom of choice. But there are also a lot of dangersthat you must be aware of. The Dangers of Going Freelance So you get to work from home. Great! But what does this mean? Option 1) You get up, have a shower, and sit in your office at home. You may have a hundred different projects to get to work on. You eat a quick snack at home in your kitchen when you’re hungry. You take a break at home in your living room. You decide you’re too tired for work, so you have dinner at home. What to do this evening? You could watch a film at home on your own. Now it’s bedtime. Noticing a pattern? Everythingyou do is at home. Option 2)You wake up at midday and lounge in bed till 1 pm. You finally drag yourself into the shower. You spend two hours choosing your outfit and making breakfast. You sit on your sofa with your laptop and stare at the screen. Okay, just one episode and then you’ll work, right? It’s now 4 pm, and you haven’t done any work. Not hungry - why bother making lunch? Feeling guilty, you do something that makes you feel like you’ve done a lot. 6 pm, time to cook dinner. You could watch a film while eating dinner, why not? 10pm...well now it’s too late to do any work. Working from home is a lot harder than it sounds and the day-to-day routine can be worse than the humdrum office commute unless you combat it early. With a lack of routine comes boredom, loneliness, procrastination, low levels of motivation, bad health, and, as a result, low self-esteem. You cannot build a good business when you’re unhappy. But it’s not all doom and gloom if you do it right! Combating the Dangers 1. Scheduling This sounds like the death of fun, but without a schedule, you’ll have no will to work. Make a schedule and stick to it. (I’ll elaborate on scheduling in a minute.) 2. Go out In the evenings, it starts to hurt when you realize you haven’t even left the house to go to the corner shop. Try to organize evening activities: societies and clubs, gigs, drinks out with friends†¦ It is very important to have a social life. Not only will evening activities give you something to look forward to and steer away the boredom, but it will also stimulate the mind. Try to split up your days, as well. Join a morning yoga class, a creative writing course, an evening book club. Get yourself out of the house! 3. Do your work in a cafe I considered this at first and frequently talked myself out of it, thinking I’d feel incredibly lonely sitting in a busy cafe alone. A month into my new freelance business, I was waiting in a cafe for a friend. I took out my notebook and found myself, one hour later, knee-deep into my third article. There’s something about the hustle and bustle of a cafe that makes you feel busy and keeps the mind buzzing. Despite the noisy backdrop, there’s far less available to distract you. Most importantly, working in a cafe gets you out of the house. 4. Avoid distractions. A lot of your time and concentration will be taken up by the buzzing of your phone. Ignore those notifications. Put your phone on silent and close everything on your laptop that you don’t need for the task at hand; get your head in the game. You’ll find you may enjoy throwing yourself wholeheartedly into a project. Concentration Tactics Getting yourself to start working is half the battle, but then you need to keep working. 1. Write a To Do List Before doing any work, write out a to do listand get every little nagging task out of your brain. The washing, the grocery shopping, paying that bill, writing that article, contacting that client†¦ Keep the to do list on hand because you will remember something else you have to do in that thirty-second break you take to get a glass of water. 2.  Zone Out I find it easier to work when there’s some background noise.When you’re working at home put some music on in the background. (Tip: I find orchestral music is best for this because there aren’t any lyrics to sing along to!) 3. Be Real Be realistic about the time it takes to do things. Pessimists say it always takes thirty times longer than you expect. It’s okay to take your time to do things. 4. Ease Up You need to remember to give yourself a break (though don’t overuse this excuse!). Give yourself a break every few hours, rather than just one break a day. The mind always works better when it isn’t tired. You don’t have to reach the end of your day feeling blasted. Scheduling It’s a very different thing, organizing your time around a deadline you’ve been given and sticking to deadlines you’ve given to yourself. There’s no one to penalize you except yourself. There are many different ways of scheduling your life. Try each of them and find the one that suits you best. 1. Lists List everything you need to do and make your way through it. The list will grow as you get things done because, a lot of the time, getting one job done creates another three jobs. It is very important to finish what you are doing before starting something new. 2. Planner Draw out a table with days and times of day and rigidly decide what you’re going to do hour by hour (keeping in mind the time it takes to do things). 3. Reminders Get a reminders app on your phone. It’s like a to do list, but you can set alarms for each task. 4. Move location Start the day at a desk, move to your sofa, to the floor, to another desk, to the bed, outside. Stale surroundings can spark boredom and boredom is dangerous. 5. Keep it simple Underestimate yourself; set one big task for the day and feel great when you do more than just that task. 6. Split it up Scared of the giant task ahead? Split it into lots of smaller tasks, so it feels more conquerable.    It is very important to be realistic about the amount you can get done each day - don't think about quantity completed, but time and effort spent. Things do take time. Don’t get yourself down. You’re doing something awesome. You’re creating your own business from scratch! Don’t forget to give yourself a pat on the back once in a while!    Maddy Glenn has been writing fiction from age seven. Maddy recently designed and released a free creative writing course on her website.  She developed a freelance editing and writing platform, focusing on editing fantasy fiction and writing articles to help new writers develop their skills.

Linked -- The New Science of Networks by Albert-Laszlo Barabasi Essay

Linked -- The New Science of Networks by Albert-Laszlo Barabasi - Essay Example The nodes are identified using links that allow us to move from one web page to another with every click. Web pages act as switches that keep the society up to date with current information. Barabasi and his research team realized that in the World Wide Web exist connector nodes, which somehow assemble many more links than other nodes. These connector nodes are often referred as hubs and have a wider range of connection links. Barabasi and his coworkers realized that the structure of World Wide Web is composed of highly interlinked hubs. The topology of the Internet restricts its users’ ability to see everything out there. The World Wide Web contains a number of small scale structures that limit the level to which it can be explored. The internet comprises both hardware and software, and other sub-systems. All these work together with the World Wide Web, establishing a connection that makes it possible to share information. People in this diverse system are by no means insigni ficant. It is because of the genius minds of many scientists that the web exists today. Millions of people work to maintain and monitor components of the system round the clock. DNS server, giant routers and switches, protocols, web browsers are just some of the vital components and elements of the World Wide Web. Terrorist Network The tragic terrorism events of September 11, 2001, caught people’s attention worldwide. Barabasi describes terrorist groups as webs without spiders. A network of terrorists is often small and has few resources; it tends to rely on other means such as the hit-and-run acts of violence. Al-Qaeda, the terrorist network held accountable for many terrorist attacks, was created over a long period. Driven by religious thinking and intolerance to the social and political system, many were attracted to the radical organization over the years. The network extended bit by bit to become a large web without a spider. Al-Qaeda is so well spread and self-sustainin g that even removing Osama bin Laden might not eliminate the danger they create. The terrorist network has become a diverse network that constantly changes its system as per its current plans. It has many secretive nodes that are hard to trace; it is quite challenging to identify the people who comprise its various nodes. Terrorist networks have objectives and links to social networks, which qualifies them to be called systems. Hollywood and Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon network Barabasi describes hubs as connectors in scale free networks. The Bacon factor is a popular bit of entertainment trivia, which demonstrates how any Hollywood star can link to actor Kevin Bacon and other actors within six â€Å"moves† between people. This network consists of nodes, actors, producers, animators, writers and other related groups. A link is created every time a new video is produced. The Hollywood network thus offers a clear demonstration of a web, with different hubs and nodes, mostly repre sented by human beings, and links represented by the human relationships. Can we say that human beings are components in some way and that they satisfy a stated idea? The principle of the Hollywood network is to produce films. The public continuously demands new films from Hollywood. However, this seldom happens because the characters rarely act together in all movies. Many work independently minding their own business without affecting other movie productions. The Hollywood ne

Resistance to psychologization in the novel Tom Jones Essay

Resistance to psychologization in the novel Tom Jones - Essay Example Keeping in accord to the theme of argument in the paper that the narrator in the novel The History of Tom Jones often withholds information about the psychological traits of his character these observations are highly relevant. The limits of psychologization in the novel not only stops emergence of Tom Jones are a complete human character but also it affects the constructional themes of the novel from the perspectives of theme, narrative and characterization. The character of Tom Jones in the novel deserves special critical treatment and discussion because he can be regarded as a bridge between the themes of conventional medieval romanticism and the future course of the tradition of novel writing with special focus on the analysis of human psychology. While the narrator has quite carefully resisted the temptation of indulging within the psychologization of the protagonist by withdrawing information about his interior thoughts, on the other hand, he also has provided subtle hints to t he traits of psychological disturbance of the character under specific situations. Observing this trait feature in Fielding’s writing, Evans Lansing Smith has quite aptly suggested that â€Å"Henry Fielding’s novel †¦ stands at a crucial turning point in our survey of the hero in literature. While looking backwards to the traditions of the medieval romance, Tom Jones carries the conventional symbolism of the Classical epic †¦ forwards into the future, anticipating a long line of novels in our tradition which combine realistic or historical detail and mythic symbolism† (Smith 195). The relevance of Psychologization in the context of novel writing: The critics like Frances Ferguson are of opinion that psychologization of characters in novels not only helps readers to follow aesthetics of the narrative from the perspective of an outsider, but at the same time it helps them to receive understanding of the characters as well as flow of the novel from quite a personalized perspective. One of the basic principles regarding the technique of novel writing is to incite readers to enjoy tension of characterization and plot development. A novelist can effectively use his narrative skills to develop the tension by emphasizing on the psychologization of characters. Frances Ferguson in this context has opined that narration of the psychological complexity of character in a novel â€Å"†¦does not at all directly express mental states but rather relies on the contradiction built into the formal stipulation of them. Psychological complexity, that is, pits the stipulated mental state against one’s actual mental state †¦. Psychology is the ongoing possibility of the contradiction between what one must mean and what one wants to mean† (Ferguson; Cited in Macpherson 123). This observation not only attracts attention in the context of explaining Fielding’s narrative retrain of Tom’s character, but at the same time also finds support from Dr. Johnson’s special emphasis on the importance of explaining characters in terms of manner and nature (Watt 261). Ian P. Watt explains that â€Å"‘Character of manners’

The Audobon Zoo Essay Example for Free

The Audobon Zoo Essay THE AUDUBON ZOO, 1993 The Audubon Zoo is located in New Orleans, Louisiana and is a 501(3)(c) non-profit organization. In 1914 the Audubon Commission was created to maintain and develop Audubon Park. In 1919 the Audubon Institute was established as the parent agency. Over the next several decades many changes would occur including the addition of a monkey cage, mammal cage and a deer paddock. Louisiana school children purchased the first elephant in 1924 and shortly thereafter an aquarium and sea lion pool was added. Through the Great Depression of the 1930s and 1940s the zoo was barely able to keep its doors openand in the 1950s it was labeled an animal â€Å"ghetto† by the media. In 1970 the U. S. Humane Society insisted the zoo be brought to industry standards. In the early 1970s the Commission worked closely with Mr. Ron Forman, City Hall Liaison for Audubon Park, to pass a special referendum that generated close to $2 million in bonds. These funds were the beginning of the Zoo’s restoration project that enabled it to expand from 19 acres to over 55 acres. Volunteers at the Zoo formally became known as Friends of the Zoo. By the 1980s the Zoohad received accreditation from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association and was noted as one of the nation’s top-rated zoological parks. And in 1989, Friends of the Zoo became known as Audubon Nature Institute where it remains today. Today, the zoo combines research laboratories with acres of pristine natural habitat where rare and endangered animals roam and reproduce (ANI, 2009). The Audubon Nature Institute’s mission to servesone purpose: Celebrating the Wonders of Nature. Its facilities carry on this mission through the Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center, Entergy IMAX Theatre, Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, Audubon Wilderness Park, Audubon Insectarium and Audubon Nature Institute Foundation. Additional opportunities for the Zoo include technological advances in animal breeding and new interactive computer programs that allow visitors to become educated about the animals history, environment, special characteristics, feeding and origination. Educational programs for both children and adults are offered through visitor programs, school field trips, outreach programs, and educator’s resources. A very real threat to the Zoo is the unpredictability of Mother Nature. New Orleans is located on the Gulf of Mexico and hurricanes cause a threat to coastal areas during the summer and fall seasons. Tourists and residents will be deterred from visiting the Zoo during inclement weather and will have a negative impact on admissions revenue for an undetermined amount of time. A SWOT analysis is essential in evaluating the market potential of the Zoo. In areas of strength; new attractions will draw repeat customers and with the educational activities offered year round there is a limitless supply of â€Å"new† school children as they grow and develop their interest in the world around them. The rehabilitation center for injured animals is a favorite of the public and should be marketed accordingly. And, the Zoo’s Center for Research of Endangered Species has been recognized as â€Å"top notch† and as such also holds considerable value in marketing. The one major weakness of the Zoo is its absolute necessity to depend on donations from a generous public. Unfortunately, not all funds that are pledgedare actually received by the Zoo and this creates challenges in budgeting from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year. In a poor economy when the public are forced to worry about basic survival needsdonations will sharply decline. While the Zoo enjoys a heavy supply of volunteers, which creates a positive image to the community, they cannot be held to the same standards as paid employees. Volunteers are more apt to come and go as they will and this leaves the Zoo at the mercy of over worked, understaffed employees. A financial analysis of the Zoo reveals that it has done very well and that at the end of 1982 it was virtually self-sufficient. Improved efficiency in the area of operations was the first step towards this turnaround. The Zoo is entering a maturity stage and should look for opportunities to reduce its employment costs, non-value added programs and departments, administrative supplies and expenses associated with daily overhead. Media exposure can be highly expensive and as a non-profit entity the Zoo should take advantage of as much free exposure as possible. Press releases about new acquisitions, programs, animals, and the rehabilitation center should be sent to the media on a continuing basis. News articles with information about the different animals and the lands they originate from could become a regular travel guide feature of the local print media. Holding special events for a targeted segment of the public could draw additional revenue; live music on the green or in the park, Sunday afternoon Jazz Concert, or birthday parties with the special child’s favorite animal as the thememay stimulate growth in revenue. Another idea would be to consider an â€Å"adopt-an-animal† program. Local schools, businesses or individuals could agree to â€Å"adopt† an animal and provide monetary support through fund-raising or in-kind donations. Offering a yearly pass for residents at a discounted rate may seem contradictory to the idea of increased revenue but, if the community felt that they could visit the Zoo at any time without paying an entrance fee they may be more apt to spend discretionary dollars on hats, tee-shirts, sweat-shirts or other accessories, concession stand items and impulse buying of souvenirs. Key factors in bringing a successful turnaround of the Zoo begins with the original bond of $2 million and the total of a $5. 6 million development program that was created by the Audubon Park Commission. These funds permitted expansion of the Zoo to its present 48 acres allowing the area to be divided into geographic sections that featured the differentiation of the animals. Next was the implementation of admission charges to generate revenue and help off-set the few donations the Zoo received. The creation of the group Friends of the Zoo, which managed guidelines for the many topics and programs available also offered the edZOOcators conductededucational programs. The implementation of fundraising through new and interesting events and finally, the continuous expansion of programs and updating of other programs helped to create the Zoo’s success.

Free Essays - Contemplation in Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays

Marlow’s Contemplation during his Journey   In one of his novels, Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad depicts the tale of a man who reflects upon the meaning of life as well as all of its intricasies and implications. Indeed, Marlow, the main character of this story, questions several existential topics and explores his own personal curiosity about the solidarity and darkness of the jungle he finds himself in. At one point in the storyline, Marlow and his crew depart towards the station where the enigmatic Kurtz resides. An interesting aspect of this portion of the adventure is that Marlow’s crew is mostly composed of cannibals. Upon realizing how famished these natives are, Marlow contemplates how incredible it seems that the cannibals have restrained themselves from giving in to their hunger and eating the European men onboard. It is this speculation that will be the topic of discussion in the following paper. Marlow’s thoughts and perception of the native tribe will be examined in order to provide a more conc ise understanding of his analysis of the cannibals.   During their trip towards Kurtz’s station, Marlow describes the inequality of power and discrimination that the natives must live with. They constantly receive unfair treatments, such as beatings and the lack of food and medical support, as well as being paid in ridiculous manner that can only fuel their hate towards the European conquerors. Upon suggesting that the cannibals on his crew are treated in a disingenuous way, Marlow truly questions why their motives have not been violent so far : ‘’Why in the name of all gnawing devils of hunger they didn’t go for us – they were thirty to five – and have a good tuck in for once, amazes me now when I think of it’’ (Conrad 37). Further analysis provided by Marlow explores the underlying reason why the natives refuse to attack their opressors. He manages to pinpoint one particular aspect that is responsible for such behaviour : ‘’And I saw that something restraining, on e of those human secrets that baffle probability, had come into play here’’ (37). The human act of restraint, according to our narrator, is the simple yet bafling evidence which he stipulates. But what truly surprises Marlow is the fact that there shouldn’t be any logical reason for the starving cannibals not to attack, and consequently eat, him and his crew. He believes that hunger can by no means be deterred by any reasonalble explanation :

Jack Daniels

Jack Daniel's Case Analysis I. Identify Symptoms 1. Jack daniel traditionally gave the slop for free for decades, then established a price of $2 per thousand gallons, and then raised to $4. Because of the low prices and availability of the feed, farmers began to expand their business. Water was being polluted by the excess amount of cattle being raised. 2. Jack Daniel informed farmers it would stop delivery until proper environmental improvements are made. However, there was no formal written contract stating Jack Daniel will continue delivering the slop. . A low demand of whisky occurred, because consumers turned to lighter beverages. This resulted in Jack Daniel’s â€Å"dry house† method which disposes of thick slop.4. Layoffs were made in Jack Daniel. 5. Angry employees may form a union 6. Farmers were angry, having no slop to feed their cattle. 7. The farmers moved the feedlots and improved the environmental conditions. Farmers state that Jack Daniel promised them s lop if they fixed the water pollution problem. 8. Jack Daniel denies making such promise. II. Root Cause . There is no written contract between the farmers and Jack Daniel stating the terms and commitments they have for each other, such as, Jack Daniel providing the thick slop for the farmers for affordable prices, and the farmers preserving the environment. III. Stating the issue 1. What actions should be implemented in order to meet each side’s needs, while keeping both Jack Daniel and the farmers’ businesses afloat? IV. Alternatives 1. Jack Daniel could return to selling its traditional whiskey with thick slop.In doing so, it could raise the price of thick slop to the farmers to cover the expenses it takes to make it. Positive: The farmers can feed the cattle. Negative: a. The feed will not be at a bargain price which will lead to farmers looking for alternatives. This result to more tension between the farmers and Jack Daniel. b. Jack Daniel will only be wasting it s time and money in making the whiskey because demand for it has dropped. . The farmers should find an alternative feed for the cattle. Positive: a. Jack Daniel will continue to make its dry house method with no thick slop and keep its business afloat. b. The tension between the tow might break. Negative: a. Farmers will have to seek alternative means of feeding the cattle and may have to down size its recent growth. b. Tension might only increase. 1.Jack Daniel could hold to its promise that it would stop delivery unless the farmers made environmental improvements, which the farmers invested heavily on doing so. Positive: a. Tension will clear between the two. b. The farmers will have their feed. Negative: a. No written contract made. Jack daniel is not obligated to support the farmers. The free ride never lasts forever. V. Best Alternative There was no formal contract between the two. JD and the farmers should sign an ethical and legal contract stating their terms if any.But again JD is not obligated to do anything. VI Recommended action and follow up If the farmers like to take legal action, it will only trigger more tension and go no where in court because there is no written claim to back them with. JD might be seen as unethical on breaking their promise but there was no proof that they had a promise and they have been doing a favor to the farmers up until now. If the farmers find no other alternative to feed cattle, they should form a business proposal for JD that fit their needs while keeping their own business afloat.

Challenges and Opportunities of the Global Insurance Industry

Introduction The global insurance industry seems to have escaped the worst of the financial crisis in comparison to other financial institutions. Day to day business has been relatively unaffected but the area that gave the most cause for concern has arisen from exposures to risky financial instruments. â€Å"The Reactions Magazine’s Global Insurance Conference 2009† was held in Swissotel, Zurich, Switzerland. At this conference the financial services industry tried to re set itself following the worst crisis for years. (www. euromoneyseminars. com). Insurance is an established industry. Like other companies insurance is facing increased competition from global players. It has been difficult for insurers to accomplish profitable growth, so they need to improve this. They will need to adopt new advanced approaches to expand their distribution networks. This essay is divided into two sections. The first talks about the types of risks that are present in the global insurance industry. I will take each of these points and discuss them in detail: growth, governance and risk management, market reporting, mergers and acquisitions, human capital and lastly compliance and regulation. The second section looks at the opportunities that are available to the global insurance industry within the next twelve to twenty – four months. They include: disaster modelling, disaster planning, managing the industry’s reputation, grow globally, innovative products and delivery and Focus on readdressing product and distribution strategies. The insurance industry is always looking for new opportunities in different services and geographies. To take advantage of these opportunities insurance companies need to re-examine their strategies and be prepared to drive basic changes in the way they work. The primary function of insurance is to act as a risk transfer mechanism. The basic principle of insurance is that the losses of the few are paid by the many. Its underlying purpose is to provide protection against the risk of financial loss, thus giving peace of mind to the policyholders. † (www. peerpapers. com) Challenges are getting bigger for insurers as an increas e in pressure for bigger profit margins. This means taking a hard look at reducing costs and top line revenue growth. Making a profit is due to the ability to accurately assess risk and look after customer relationships over time in order to get financial success. I am going to look at the following six challenges. 1. 1 Growth After a spell of cost cutting and readjustment, insurers are again moving up a gear and trying to strive for managed growth. While growth is valued by investors, it is hard to find in the fairly mature insurance industry. To be successful in the future companies will need to create and design new products and services, cross – sell more effectively, strengthen their ties with brokers and agents and avail of any opportunities presented by emerging markets such as China and India. (www. pwc. com). Further demand for pensions and health insurance is likely to rise in the Western world as the population ages and lives to enjoy a longer retirement. Costs will remain critical however to meet the ever exacting demands of today’s customers is liable to be the main point of contention. There are new openings from the increasing wealth of customers in new markets e. g. China. As their insurance industry is one of the fastest growing in the world with GDP at 3. 2% and the end of December 2008, they stand far behind the global average of insurance industry which stands at 7%. www. lloyds. com) Saturation of insurance markets in the developed world has made the Indian market more attractive for international insurers according to â€Å"Booming Insurance Market in India (2008-2011)†. This is due to its huge population base and large untapped market. (www. newsblaze. com) 1. 2 Governance and Risk Management Natural calamities are another challenge facing the industry. Global warming has caused a change in weather patterns which have caused a shift in the underlying probability of insured loss by storms, floods, wind and heatwaves. Natural disasters like hurricanes Katrina and Rita whose losses amounted to $61. 5 billion (www. duncansadviceonmmoney. vox. com) These disasters posed some very serious problems for the insurance industry as they are faced by difficult and uncertain financial burdens because of this this has shown the importance of quality data and calibration of model outputs, effective validation and also the experience and initiation of the underwriter. Structures will have to be put in place to tackle the threat of climate change. The development of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) capabilities help to protect insurers from damages to their reputation and provide a platform for strengthening governance, decision making and compliance with regulations. Pricewaterhouse- Coopeus (ERM for the insurance industry) revealed that many insurers have difficulty implementing and enforcing ERM in the face of containing data, systems and governance challenges. Also found in this study were examples of how resourceful and efficient management and helping to overcome these hurdles and bring greater insight to the insurers ERM missions. www. pwc. com) 1. 3 Market Reporting Insurers are facing a major overhaul of market reporting. This contains the launch of the market Casistent Embedded Value Principle, a planned move to a finalised IFRS level for insurance contracts and the increased risk and capital management disclosure foreseen by EU Solvency II â€Å"Scheduled for implementation in 2012, it is a new regulatory regime de signed to provide a principles-based supervisory framework for European insurers and reinsures. Solvency II is a risk-based system and is being built to meet the challenges of rapidly developing financial markets. It will also bring an increased level of transparency and harmonisation to the sectorâ€Å". (www. towersperrin. com). These changes are likely to set a model for global disclosure for others to follow in relation to risk. The key elements , include the possible adoption of IFRS(International Financial Reporting Standards) in the US form 2014. Implementation of Solvency II and IFRS reporting will be demanding. The good news is that corresponding timings and basis of valuation could open up cost – savings in areas like data, modelling and reconciliation. These changes help to increase stakeholder confidence by enabling insurers to show a single view of their business that shows more clearly how it is run on the inside. A survey by (IFRS 2007) insurance states that companies will need to provide more risk information and explanation to meet the exacting expectations that have come about from market events. (www. pwc. com) 1. 4 Mergers and Acquisitions Although funding is a challenge from time to time. Mergers and Acquisitions is vital for business to expand complementary earnings streams, realise opportunities for cost saving synergies and reinforce their existence in fast increasing emerging markets. Emerging markets are underinsured and these present potential business for the insurance market. Within ten years China is expected to become a leader in the global insurance market, while India is set to double its digits in the growth rate. However, due to cultural conflicts and protectionism could stop growth in economies. In the near future, the insurance industry is liable to be a very active period for mergers and acquisitions. US insurance companies attractive evaluation will make it easier for insurers in the EU to infiltrate the US market. (www. pwc. com) 1. 5 Human Capital All organisations in the world realise the importance of people in the conduct of their business therefore the trend of classifying their employees as assets. The human resource management school of thought tends to focus on the enrichment of the knowledgeable worker in terms of its theory. Human resource planning should be part of the total resource planning equal to planning devoted to capital development and materials and equipment purposes. Many insurers are facing an skills shortage in their workforce. Training and development of staff is now on the agenda as a rule in all organisations. Improved productivity is expected to result in trained and motivated workers. The employee training programs are intended to provide them with more knowledge and skills so they can do their job to the best of their ability. Training is a visible pay-off and is seen immediately whereas development is future- orientated.. Lessons are being learnt on a continuous basis in the requirement of human capital in the new economy in comparison to the old economic labour force. M Morley et al 2004). This investment in recruitment and career development lags behind other financial sectors. They look at short term fixes rather than looking at the long term prospects. However, looking to the future demographic shifts accelerating globalisation look set to change the shape of the labour market and make it more difficult to attract and retain good peo ple. (www. pwc. com) 1. 6 Compliance and Regulation Growing regulatory demands are bringing increased problems to insurers. Solvency II is included to require a critical check of capital and risk management along with sustaining information and documentation. The EU Reinsurance Directive gives a standard system of regulation and mutual recognition across Europe. This includes an ease of the regulatory limitations on securitisation which could give way for a large increase in risk transfer to the capital markets. Also they give a new definition of reinsurance that will prevent several contracts. Insurers are also facing a ceiling on regulatory changes including anti-money laundering and harder conditions on consumer protection. A key challenge is to know how to include these requirements into â€Å"business as usual†. Enterprise wide risk management can assist in providing ways to do so. They can help by giving a greater understanding of the trade off between reward and risk which will result in a brighter capital allocation. (www. pwc. com) As I have discussed in the challenges previously opportunities in the next twelve to twenty-four months can be found by global expansion adopting the latest technologies to give better service delivery and provide services to meet the exacting requirements of the next generation of retirees. The insurance industry is in the process of undergoing transformation as a result of the following three factors : sector specific, macro and operational. Increased regulation requirements outsourcing, globalisation, new distribution channels, more modern IT systems and climate change are adding to the increased volatility in the insurance industry today and they are now positioning themselves to be successful in the future that requires many changes in the way they do their business. China is one of the fastest growing insurance industries in the globe. â€Å"China Insurance sector forecast 2013† is the outcome of much research and in – depth study of the insurance market in China. Between 2009 and 2013 it is expected to grow CAGR of 28% – 30%. Chinas insurance industry is already out of the financial crisis and is expected to make great headway in the coming years. In 2008, the industry grew in the fastest pace since 2002, due to the rising insurance awareness level and government support. Insurance products which include life, health, and personal accidents accounts for the majority of growth. Property insurance products are also growing rapidly and are basically divided into two segments â€Å"motor and commercial property insurance†. Non life insurance products i. e. that is product liability, credit and marine insurance etc. These will decide the long term viability of the non- life insurance market. 2. 1 Disaster Modelling The tragic impact of the Asian Tsunami, as well as the worst Japanese typoon in 2004 was the year of improbable disasters. As a result, this forces us to look at how we prepare for such risks. Hurricane forecasting began in the 1980's, forecasters have tried for many decades despite being unsuccessful to deliver accurate predictions, and landfall activities. Scientists of tropical storm risk in London announced that they had developed a new model which represents a major step forward.. (www. lloyds. om) Insurers also use models developed by companies e. g. Air Worldwide Corporation to predict the damages caused by storms so that insurers can forecast the payouts to be made. (www. informationweek. com). This reminds us of the importance of investing in scientific research to help our understanding of risk and its impact 2. 2 Disaster Planning Insurance and disaster planning are closely related as they both deal with the risk of the disaster happening and the after math. Due to the upward trend of catastrophe events we see the need for robust and effective disaster planning for the future. Part of the solution must be insurance markets and their regulators working together sharing their respective knowledge and expertise. By doing this, we can be sure that response procedures are well tested and run as smooth as possible for when the next disaster strikes. In terms of claim handling, lessons can be learnt. The shortage of adjustors on the ground and the mishandling of claims by some shows how important the relationship between the insurer, the adjustor and the regulator is. As the frequency and cost of disasters goes upwards it will be very important to have a relationship based on trust and flexibility. (www. lloyds. om) 2. 3 Managing the Industry's reputation Improving transparency and disclosure are two issues which are needed to manage and improve the industries reputation that has been rocked by high profile developments. For instance in the USA the New York State Attorney Generals investigation sparked very close scrutiny of the commercial insurance market. In th e minds of customers, commentators and regulators the financial service industry has been left with a very poor image, after the recent investigations. These investigations highlighted the lack of transparency and accountability that are expected of a 21st century business environment. These issues can no longer be ignored. In a survey, by Lloyds of a hundred underwriters, one third admitted that the industries reputation is tarnished. Transparency and disclosure as well as good communication appears to be the answer to those outside the industry globally. Basically more time communicating and building bridges with consumers, economic leaders and world politicians initially means less problems down the line. (www. lloyds. com) 2. 4 Grow Globally Sales in new markets or by new acquisitions insurance companies need to grow globally more than ever before. Growth in the European and American market is slowing down while growth in India and China is increasing. The aging population presents insurers with a dilemma. The industry has great difficulty in attracting and retaining talent than other sectors of the financial services industry.. This situation is going to get worse as there are more retirees and fewer graduates moving into the top jobs. There is also a loss of graduates to banking and other financial institutions. Concern is expressed about the career path from insurance company hire to insurance agent. If this problem is not addressed the industry’s sale force would diminish. By moving into the European and American markets, insurers can grow a less risky strategy rather than expanding into new product lines. Those who do go overseas have to look at the various business lines in different markets. Chinas middle class and aging population with long term care and security needed make it a very viable option for foreign insurance companies. By 2010 China will be a major player on the insurance market. The same is also said of India. (www. rmislab. com) 2. 5 Innovate Products and delivery Innovation is seen as the main driver of profit over the next three and five years both in delivery and product innovation. By building relationships with customers moving them for example form car insurance to other insurances as they become asset rich. By providing better service and delivery insurers can strengthen their customer base. Technology can strengthen relationships with intermediaries which helps them run more efficiently and reduce their running costs. Insurers must look to cut cost they can do this by cost reduction initiatives like outsourcing and use of shared services, rationalizing product portfolios . Companies need original approaches and to continue to invest in this very complicated environment. (www. rmislab. com). â€Å"In 2007, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co introduced a variety of enhancements to its variable annuities including an expanded choice of â€Å"living benefits† and the upbundling of optional income and death benefits† (www. deloitte. com) 2. 6 Focus on readdressing product and Distribution Strategies As the economy continues to even out, insurers need to evaluate their decisions and distribution channels. These decisions are vital in assisting insurers rebuild capital as well as positioning themselves for future growth. (www. ey. com). Insurance companies that sell directly through call centres, internet and direct mail have been performing better and this is due to lower costs because of their economies of scale and strong internet capabilities. Compared to independent insurance agents who lack these advantages have been put under pressure they require support and further development. Insurers need to find ways to work more effectively across product lines e. . give a customer packages that reward him/her for being a good driver. (www. deloitte. com) Conclusion In my findings I have found that the insurance industry has survived the financial crisis much better in comparison to the banking sector. This is due to its strong focus on risk management and long term prospects. Even though capital markets have decreased downwards their insurance assets, insurers are optimistic about the fu ture and some are expecting an improvement in prospects in mergers and acquisition over the next twelve to twenty – four months. The global insurance industry faces many challenges but despite these that they are being faced with the majority of insurers must move into fast growing markets i. e. India and China or find new innovative ways to get more businesses out of slower growing developed markets. China with its huge population is an obvious choice while the latter options include diversification, new products and speciality products. Insurers need to improve their risk management especially in the areas of disaster modelling and managing the industries reputation as it is vital to have a tarnished free reputation. Finally insurers need to work effectively and efficiently to develop and market a range of products aimed at older customers. In this intensely competitive market, employers will need to develop an excellent human resource management capable of responding to business needs and the workforce expectations. They will need to be able to identify and realise opportunities for career development prospects and other key areas of their employment. (www. pwc. com) With this knowledge insurers will be able to position their business models to optimize investment returns and control operations using the most effective and efficient methods available.

Free Essays on Election

This year’s election was the first election that I participated in. I watched the debates (or at least read the transcript from them), and I also voted. I have mixed feelings about how the election turned out. Being a Democrat, I did not vote for George W. Bush, however, he was elected to serve his last four years in office. I am concerned for our economy. Before Bush was elected, our stock market was performing the best it ever has, jobs weren’t scarce, and we certainly were not about to go to war. Bush has put so much money into this war with Iraq, and not enough has gone to things a little more close to home, for example, the issue concerning Social Security. When I retire, there may be no Social Security left but all Bush cares about is the â€Å"War on Terrorism†. Another thing that concerns me has to do with the whole gay rights and pro-choice issue. Bush is against gay marriages and a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion. I am a pro-choice advocate, and I think it is important to have the right to choose. There are situations where a female should have that right. I’m not suggesting that Bush should support abortions, but he shouldn’t try and do away with them completely. I don’t think that abortions should be used as a method of birth control, but if a female doesn’t feel that having the baby would be in the best interest for her and the unborn child, she deserves the right to choose what to do with her body, so long as it is within the first trimester. Regarding gay marriages, I just don’t see the big deal with letting gay people get married. I would say that I do not necessarily agree with letting them marry in a church, but if two people love each other and want to get married, then they should certainly have the right to do that. The bible says the sacrament of marriage is intended for procreation, and therefore same-sex marriage would go against what the bible says. But many gay pe... Free Essays on Election Free Essays on Election This year’s election was the first election that I participated in. I watched the debates (or at least read the transcript from them), and I also voted. I have mixed feelings about how the election turned out. Being a Democrat, I did not vote for George W. Bush, however, he was elected to serve his last four years in office. I am concerned for our economy. Before Bush was elected, our stock market was performing the best it ever has, jobs weren’t scarce, and we certainly were not about to go to war. Bush has put so much money into this war with Iraq, and not enough has gone to things a little more close to home, for example, the issue concerning Social Security. When I retire, there may be no Social Security left but all Bush cares about is the â€Å"War on Terrorism†. Another thing that concerns me has to do with the whole gay rights and pro-choice issue. Bush is against gay marriages and a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion. I am a pro-choice advocate, and I think it is important to have the right to choose. There are situations where a female should have that right. I’m not suggesting that Bush should support abortions, but he shouldn’t try and do away with them completely. I don’t think that abortions should be used as a method of birth control, but if a female doesn’t feel that having the baby would be in the best interest for her and the unborn child, she deserves the right to choose what to do with her body, so long as it is within the first trimester. Regarding gay marriages, I just don’t see the big deal with letting gay people get married. I would say that I do not necessarily agree with letting them marry in a church, but if two people love each other and want to get married, then they should certainly have the right to do that. The bible says the sacrament of marriage is intended for procreation, and therefore same-sex marriage would go against what the bible says. But many gay pe...

Battle of Cold Harbor - Civil War

Battle of Cold Harbor - Civil War Battle of Cold Harbor - Conflict Dates: The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought May 31-June 12, 1864, and was part of the American Civil War (1861-1865). Armies Commanders: Union Lieutenant General Ulysses S. GrantMajor General George G. Meade108,000 men Confederate General Robert E. Lee62,000 men Battle of Cold Harbor - Background: Pressing on with his Overland Campaign after confrontations at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and North Anna, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant again moved around Confederate General Robert E. Lees right in an effort to capture Richmond. Crossing the Pamunkey River, Grants men fought skirmishes at Haws Shop, Totopotomoy Creek, and Old Church. Pushing his cavalry forward towards the crossroads at Old Cold Harbor, Grant also ordered Major General William Baldy Smiths XVIII Corps to move from Bermuda Hundred to join the main army. Recently reinforced, Lee anticipated Grants designs on Old Cold Harbor and dispatched cavalry under Brigadier Generals Matthew Butler and Fitzhugh Lee to the scene. Arriving they encountered elements of Major General Philip H. Sheridans cavalry corps. As the two forces skirmished on May 31, Lee sent Major General Robert Hokes division as well as Major General Richard Andersons First Corps to Old Cold Harbor. Around 4:00 PM, Union cavalry under Brigadier General Alfred Torbert and David Gregg succeeded in driving the Confederates from the crossroads. Battle of Cold Harbor - Early Fighting: As the Confederate infantry began arrive late in the day, Sheridan, concerned about his advanced position, withdrew back towards Old Church. Wishing to exploit the advantage gained at Old Cold Harbor, Grant ordered Major General Horatio Wrights VI Corps to the area from Totopotomoy Creek and ordered Sheridan to hold the crossroads at all costs. Moving back to Old Cold Harbor around 1:00 AM on June 1, Sheridans horsemen were able to reoccupy their old position as the Confederates had failed to notice their early withdrawal. In an effort to re-take the crossroads, Lee ordered Anderson and Hoke to attack the Union lines early on June 1. Anderson failed to relay this order to Hoke and the resulting attack consisted only of First Corps troops. Moving forward, troops from Kershaws Brigade led the assault and were met with savage fire from Brigadier General Wesley Merritts entrenched cavalry. Using seven-shot Spencer carbines, Merritts men quickly beat back the Confederates. Around 9:00 AM, the lead elements of Wrights corps began arriving on the field and moved into the cavalrys lines. Battle of Cold Harbor - Union Movements: Though Grant had wished IV Corps to attack immediately, it was exhausted from marching most of the night and Wright elected to delay until Smiths men arrived. Reaching Old Cold Harbor in early afternoon, XVIII Corps began entrenching on Wrights right as the cavalry retired east. Around 6:30 PM, with minimal scouting of the Confederate lines, both corps moved to the attack. Storming forward over unfamiliar ground they were met by heavy fire from Anderson and Hokes men. Though a gap in the Confederate line was found, it was quickly closed by Anderson and the Union troops were forced to retire to their lines. While the assault had failed, Grants chief subordinate, Major General George G. Meade, commander of the Army of the Potomac, believed an attack the next day could be successful if enough force was brought against the Confederate line. To achieve this, Major General Winfield S. Hancocks II Corps was shifted from Totopotomoy and placed on Wrights left. Once Hancock was in position, Meade intended to move forward with three corps before Lee could prepare substancial defenses. Arriving early on June 2, II Corp was tired from their march and Grant agreed to delay the attack until 5:00 PM to allow them to rest. Battle of Cold Harobr - Regrettable Assaults: The assault was again delayed that afternoon until 4:30 AM on June 3. In planning for the attack, both Grant and Meade failed to issue specific instructions for the assaults target and trusted their corps commanders to reconnoiter the ground on their own. Though unhappy at the lack of direction from above, the Union corps commanders failed to take the initiative by scouting their lines of advance. For those in the ranks who had survived frontal assaults at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania, a degree of fatalism took hold and many pinned paper containing their name to their uniforms to aid in identifying their body. While Union forces delayed on June 2, Lees engineers and troops were busy constructing an elaborate system of fortifications containing pre-ranged artillery, converging fields of fire, and various obstacles. To support the assault, Major General Ambrose Burnsides IX Corps and Major General Gouverneur K. Warrens V Corps were formed at the north end of the field with orders to attack Lieutenant General Jubal Earlys corps on Lees left. Moving forward through the early morning fog, XVIII, VI, and II Corps quickly encountered heavy fire from the Confederate lines. Attacking, Smiths men were channeled into two ravines where they were cut down in large numbers halting their advance. In the center, Wrights men, still bloodied from June 1, were quickly pinned down and made little effort to renew the attack. The only success came on Hancocks front where troops from Major General Francis Barlows division succeeded in breaking through the Confederate lines. Recognizing the danger, the breach was quickly sealed by the Confederates who then proceeded to throw back the Union attackers. In the north, Burnside launched a sizable attack on Early, but halted to regroup after mistakenly thinking he had shattered the enemy lines. As the assault was failing, Grant and Meade pressed their commanders to push forward with little success. By 12:30 PM, Grant conceded that the assault had failed and Union troops began digging in until they could withdraw under the cover of darkness. Battle of Cold Harbor - Aftermath: In the fighting, Grants army had sustained 1,844 killed, 9,077 wounded, and 1,816 captured/missing. For Lee, the losses were a relatively light 83 killed, 3,380 wounded, and 1,132 captured/missing. Lees final major victory, Cold Harbor led to an increase in anti-war sentiment in the North and criticisms of Grants leadership. With the failure of the assault, Grant remained in place at Cold Harbor until June 12 when he moved the army away and succeeded in crossing the James River. Of the battle, Grant stated in his memoirs: I have always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was ever made. I might say the same thing of the assault of the 22d of May, 1863, at Vicksburg. At Cold Harbor no advantage whatever was gained to compensate for the heavy loss we sustained.

Robert Altman ; The Director, and a close analysis of The GingerBread Essay

Robert Altman ; The Director, and a close analysis of The GingerBread Man - Essay Example Serving as a B-24 copilot in the United States Air Force, Altman took the next baby steps toward his future career when he began writing short stories and screenplay drafts at the age of 20 (â€Å"Robert Altman†, 2005). As soon as he was discharged from the military at the end of the World War II, Altman made a bid for his Hollywood dreams by following the path of many who had gone before him and trying to become an actor. He even landed a spot as an extra in â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,† then wrote an unaccredited screenplay for United Artists’ â€Å"Christmas Eve† and sold a script he co-wrote with Richard Fleischer to RKO for the 1948 version of â€Å"The Bodyguard† (â€Å"Robert Altman†, 2005). Despite this early promise, Altman eventually went bankrupt in Hollywood and was forced to return home to Kansas City, but he hadn’t given up on his dreams. He began working for the Calvin Company and was given the opportunity to direct his first film, although it was a short one and meant for industrial purposes. Through the Calvin Company, Altman learned valuable filmmaking lessons such as how to shoot rapidly, stay on schedule, work within the confines of both big and low budgets, how to use the camera, the boom mike, the lights, and more technical aspects of the art (â€Å"Robert Altman†, 2005). His first feature film came in the form of a teenage gang drama entitled â€Å"The Delinquents† filmed in Kansas City, edited in Hollywood and sold to United Artists. With this film, Altman was able to catch the eye of Alfred Hitchcock, for whom he began directing a series of television shows. Altman worked in the television arena until 1964, working on shows such as â€Å"Bonanza,† â€Å"The Millionaire† and the â€Å"Kraft Suspense Theatre.† One of the shows he directed for the latter was expanded into a feature length movie and helped pave the way for Altman to break into that genre.