Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Higgins, Pygmalion essays
Higgins, Pygmalion essays Professor Higgins is seen throughout Pygmalion as a very rude man. While one may expect a well educated man, such as Higgins, to be a gentleman, he is far from it. Higgins believes that how you treated someone is not important, as long as you treat everyone equally. The great secret, Eliza, is not having bad manners or good manners or any other particular sort of manners, but having the same manner for all human souls: in short, behaving as if you were in Heaven, where there are no third- class carriages, and one soul is as good as another. -Higgins, Act V Pygmalion. Higgins presents this theory to Eliza, in hope of justifying his treatment of her. This theory would be fine IF Higgins himself lived by it. Henry Higgins, however, lives by a variety of variations of this philosophy. It is easily seen how Higgins follows this theory. He is consistently rude towards Eliza, Mrs. Pearce, and his mother. His manner is the same to each of them, in accordance to his philosophy. However the Higgins we see at the parties and in good times with Pickering is well mannered. This apparent discrepancy between Higgins' actions and his word, may not exist, depending on There are two possible translations of Higgins' philosophy. It can be viewed as treating everyone the same all of the time or treating everyone It is obvious that Higgins does not treat everyone equally all of the time, as witnessed by his actions when he is in "one of his states" (as Mrs. Higgins' parlor maid calls it). The Higgins that we see in Mrs. Higgins' parlor is not the same Higgins we see at the parties. When in "the state" Henry Higgins wanders aimlessly around the parlor, irrationally moving from chair to chair, highly unlike the calm Professor Higgins we see at the ball. Higgins does not believe that a person should have the same manner tow ...
Friday, November 22, 2019
12 French Verbs You Might Not Be Using
12 French Verbs You Might Not Be Using Even after nearly a decade of French classes and numerous visits to France, there were some verbs that I didnt use until I moved here and was immersed in the language and culture. Some I had never learned, while others just seemed unusual or unnecessary. In case youre in the same boat, here are a dozen French verbs that I find essential in France, even if my French teachers didnt seem to think so.AssumerTo be fair, assumer is not a verb that I use every day, but I sure hear it a lot, especially in movies and TV shows. It doesnt mean to assume as in to take something for granted (the French translation of that meaning is prà ©sumer), but rather to assume / take on responsbility for something. So its very common in dramatic scenarios, like when one character does something wrong and another character tells him to accept the consequences.   Aprà ¨s son accident, jai dà » assumer le rà ´le de mon collà ¨gue.   After his accident, I had to take on / assume my collea gues role.   Cest toi qui las fait, alors assume !    You did it, so accept the consequences!Conjugating assumer | Using assumerSe dà ©brouillerIts funny that I only learned this verb after Id been studying French for many years, because se dà ©brouiller is perfect for describing less than perfect language skills. Possible translations include to get by, to manage, to cope. Se dà ©brouiller can also refer to getting by in non-language situations, and the non-reflexive dà ©brouiller means to untangle, to sort out.   Il se dà ©brouille bien en franà §ais.   He gets by fairly well in French, He speaks fairly good French.   Tu te dà ©brouilles trà ¨s bien.   You do very well for yourself, You make a good living.Conjugating dà ©brouiller | Using dà ©brouillerFaillirI love the verb faillir, partly because its not equivalent to a verb in English, but rather an adverb: to almost (do something).   Jai failli manquer lautobus.   I almost missed the bus.   Elle a failli tomber ce matin.   She nearly fell this morning.Conjugating faillir | Using faillirFicherFicher has a number of different meanings and uses. In the normal register, ficher means to file or to stick/drive (something) into (something). Informally, ficher means to do, to give, to put, and more.   Il a dà ©j fichà © les documents.   He already filed the documents.   Mais quest-ce que tu fiches, l ?   What the heck are you doing?Conjugating ficher | Using ficherIgnorerIgnorer is another great French verb that needs an adverb in the English translation: to not know. Sure, you can also say ne pas savoir, but ignorer is shorter and somehow more elegant.   Jignore comment elle la fait.   I dont know how she did it.   Il prà ©tend ignorer pourquoi.   He claims not to know why.Conjugating ignorer | Using ignorerInstallerYou know installer means to install, put in, set up, but it has additional meanings: to put up (e.g., curtains) and to furnish (a room). Sinstaller means to settle (into a lodging), to set oneself up, to sit down, or to take hold.Â Â à ‚ Tu as bien installà © ton appartement.   Youve furnished your apartment nicely.    Nous nous sommes enfin installà ©s dans la nouvelle maison.   Were finally settled in the new home.Conjugating installer | Using installerRangerRanger means to arrange, tidy, put away - any sort of action related to putting things where they belong. (Please, no comments on why I didnt know this verb.)   Peux-tu maider ranger la cuisine ?   Could you help me tidy up the kitchen?   Il a rangà © les documents dans le tiroir.   He put the documents away in the drawer.Conjugating ranger | Using rangerSe rà ©galerIts not surprising that the French have a verb, se rà ©galer, for talking about how delicious something is, but what is unusual is that the subject of the verb in the English translation can be different. Note that se rà ©galer can also mean to have a good time, and that rà ©galer means either to treat someone to a meal or to regale someone with a story.   Je me suis rà ©galà © !   It was delici ous! I had a delicious meal!   On sest bien rà ©galà © la fà ªte.   We had a great time at the party. Conjugating rà ©galer | Using rà ©galerRisquerYou likely use risquer to talk about risks, but what you might not know is that it can also be used for positive possibilities.   Attention, tu risques de tomber.   Careful, you might fall.   Je pense vraiment que notre à ©quipe risque de gagner.   I really think our team might win.Conjugating risquer | Using risquerTenirTenir is another verb with a whole host of meanings that you might not be aware of: to hold, keep, run (a business), take up (space), and more.   Peux-tu tenir mon sac ?   Can you hold my bag?   Ses affaires tiennent pas mal de place.   His things take up a fair amount of space.Conjugating tenir | Using tenirTrierThe verb trier is used to talk about sorting everything from recyclables to baskets of fruit.   Il faut trier avant de recycler.   You have to sort (your garbage) before recycling (it).   Beaucoup de ces frambois es sont pourries - aide-moi les trier.   A lot of these raspberries are rotten - help me sort them (separate the good and bad ones). Conjugating trier | Using trierTutoyerThe quintessential French verb, you can use tutoyer only when you think its time to take your relationships to the next level: switching from vous to tu. (And dont forget about its antonym vouvoyer.)   On peut se tutoyer ?   Can we use tu?   Normalement, on tutoie ses parents.   Normally, people use tu with their parents.Conjugating tutoyer | Using tutoyerRelated lessons:   Top 10 verbs   5 verbs you might be overusing
Thursday, November 21, 2019
The role of play in the curriculm for young children with special Term Paper
The role of play in the curriculm for young children with special needs - Term Paper Example It is believed that such pedagogy enables young children to begin the process of early learning (Open University, 2009). During play, â€Å"children demonstrate improved verbal communications, high levels of social and interaction skills, creative use of play materials, imaginative and divergent thinking skills and problem-solving capabilities†(Wood, 2004, p. 21). Play offers many benefits. It engages the mind to actively imagine various scenarios for fun or for problem-solving. Babies and toddlers display play in motion and we observe that they do it to get to know their world – how things work, how people react, etc. They get to explore and discover things that otherwise they will not learn about if they do not actively engage in play. Free exploration is considered Heuristic play by Holland (2003). It is encouraged without adult intervention. Adults simply provide simple materials and allow the child to just be and let his imagination take off . â€Å"The child lea rns from observing directly what these objects will ‘do’ or ‘not do’, in sharp contrast to much of the ‘educational’ equipment which has a result predetermined by the design which has been devised by the adult maker (Holland, 2003, p. 142). Heuristic play will not only stimulate a child’s thinking, but it also develops his creativity as he will see in his mind endless possibilities in imaginatively transforming ordinary objects into various things with various functions. Play has value in all the developmental areas of children (Macintyre, 2003). Unwittingly, children delight in games that stimulate thinking. Such cognitive benefits extend to their real lives as they make decisions, compare and contrast things, use their imaginations and thinking critically and creatively. Play also engages the body. Certain games involve gross and fine motor coordination. It also helps to expend the stored energy within them, willing to be set free. Run ning around, jumping, tumbling and other physical activities help them be physically fit as well as release tension. Active play develops their muscles, agility, flexibility and endurance. It is the foundation of one’s potential for certain sports. Socially, play coaxes a shy child outside his shell. Play fosters the development of friendships. As children play with other children or adults, they get to know about how other people behave, think and feel. They also get to learn socially acceptable behavior like not hurting others and playing fair. Most importantly, they get to know themselves better- how they react to certain situations in the play setting. Vygotsky (1978) believed that children’s intellectual development is influenced more by social context than by individual experiences. His theory places a great deal of emphasis on effective social interaction. Bingham (2008) cites Vygotsky (1978) as he writes: â€Å"Play creates a zone of proximal development of th e child. In play the child always behaves beyond his average age, above his daily behavior; in play it is as though he were a head taller than himself." He defined the ZPD as the distance between a child’s independent problem-solving level and that obtained under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers (Wertsch, 1985). A young learner’s exposure to peers, teachers and other adults and learning materials greatly influences his development. â€Å"Such cognitive apprenticeships are, of course, inherently reliant on a
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Greek Periods of Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Greek Periods of Art - Essay Example The Archaic Greek Period The era assigned to the archaic Greek period of art is 800 to 500 BC. Greek art was very naturalistic in the archaic period. The sculptures created by the artists of that time represented males and females in a somewhat inflexible pose. Artists used to create statues of men and in different poses. Some artists used to create heads of warriors whereas some used to represent their gods in different forms of statues. If we take a closer look at the human sculptures of the archaic period, we come to know that the characteristic archaic smile and the human body’s anatomy are prominent in almost all sculptures. The Archaic phase is best known for the realistic representation of humans and stone sculptures. In the archaic period, the development of the Kouros and Kore statues were the focus of most of the artists. The statues of men represented warriors and gods whether statues of women representing women in the forms of goddesses, nymphs, and the other pries tesses. Standing and seated girls and nude bodies of men and women are some of the most prominent artworks of the archaic period. Artists of the archaic period used to achieve realistic likeliness in picturing the human figure and representing them in the form of abstract figures of the geometric style (Hill). The stiffness, solidity, and gracefulness represent the influence of Egyptian art on the artists of that time. Neutralism was not the expertise of the artists of the archaic period. The artists used to cover their inability to achieve neutralism by giving archaic smile, clenched fists, and outstretched palm style to the sculptures. In all of the three periods of Greek art, which the h include archaic, classical, and Hellenistic periods, there were early, high, and later phases which show the emergence, peak, and ending signs of those periods. The Classical Greek Period The era assigned to the classical Greek period of art is 480 to 323 BC. This era is known as the golden age t hat starts from the time the Athens rose to the prominence and ends with the death of Alexander the Great. Human statues were very heroically proportioned in that age reflecting the Greek humanistic belief in man’s nobility and the desire to look like gods (Esaak). In the classical Greek period, artists were greatly involved in creating human statues of different styles. One thing, which is similar in the archaic period and the classical period, is that the artists from both periods focused on the development of the human statues.
Sunday, November 17, 2019
The election of Federico Peña Essay Example for Free
The election of Federico Peà ±a Essay Both the election of Federico Peà ±a as Denver City Mayor in 1983 and the campaign of Victor Morales for US Senate in 1996 were considered as historic firsts: Peà ±a was among the first Hispanics to be elected as mayor of a major US city; while it was also the first time that the senatorial candidate of a major political party in Texas was of Hispanic origin, in the case of Morales. Apparently, these two cases have given renewed interest on the study of participation of minorities in a pluralist democracy, such as in this case, the Hispanics in the US electoral exercises. Not only that Hispanics seldom ran for elected office, it was also the general observation that they were less politically active and were also reluctant to exercise their rights to vote as seen in the pattern of low voter turnouts across the US.            However, the case of Peà ±a was historic not only because it was the first time that Denver had a Mexican American mayor, but also because of the record turnout in 1983. Peà ±a, as well as Morales, actively attempted to increase minority, particularly Hispanic voter turnout. To his credit, the high turnout which favored Peà ±a’s campaign did not consist solely of Mexican Americans, because he was able to build a liberal coalition of minorities which did not only include the ethnic and racial minorities but also cut across different socio-economic classes and interest groups. Morales, on the other hand relied heavily on the large Hispanic population in Texas. Even if the Morales campaign was able to encourage Hispanics to register – also at a record-high – only 45.4% of the registered Hispanic voters actually voted. Morales’ failure to lure more Hispanics to vote, compounded by his lack of appeal to the Anglo voters due to his disparaging racial remarks, resulted in his loss, albeit with a slim margin, to the incumbent re-electionist senator. On his part, Peà ±a was able to avoid a campaign divided on racial lines because his being active in Mexican American civic organizations and his stint as a legislator helped him project support to minority concerns without necessarily delving on racial issues.            As such, experience had increased the quality of Peà ±a as a candidate, in contrast to Morales. Peà ±a is a lawyer and was a member of the state House of Representatives before he ran for the mayoralty race; while Morales, who is a public school teacher, only had his formal political experience when he became city councilman and a Democratic Party precinct chairman. Political experience had also tremendous impact on their organizational and coalition-building skills. Although they both operated their campaigns on relatively limited funds, Peà ±a in 1983, was able to use his strong ties with the labor sector, neighborhood organizations, environmentalists, young professionals and other sectors, and was able to come-up with a dynamic, well-organized campaign supported by endorsements of important societal groups, his clear positions on issues, and a large number of able volunteers. Wide knowledge on different issues also worked to Peà ±a’s advantage; while the lack of it had been a discredit to Morales, especially as it was also one of the reasons why he was not able to establish sustainable rapport with the free media. Moreover, Morales had not been a member of any local Mexican American organization which could have provided him with the necessary grassroots or volunteer support and fund-raising skills. Morales even shunned the Hispanic political elites when he missed a meeting of state Hispanic elected officials a very influential group who could have given him all-out support only because he is Hispanic. Morales also had poor organizational skills as his campaign was described to be supported by inexperienced and underfinanced staff that could not even return calls or answer simple questions about their candidate’s campaign, mainly due to insistence of Morales to decide on almost every matter. The lack of funds had also wasted a lot of campaign time for Morales who insisted on traveling in his truck instead of by plane to his campaign appearances in different locations in Texas. This and his reliance on volunteers, made him resort to the inexpensive but time- and energy-consuming â€Å"block walking†in his campaigns. The ordeal of walking or traveling on truck around a large US State, however, was not present in Peà ±a’s bid for city mayor; although like Morales, Peà ±a also preferred open and face-to-face interaction, as in the latter’s â€Å"town meetings†, which he often held when he was elected as mayor of Denver City. Morales’ difficulty in funding could also be attributed to his fund-raising principles. For one, he did not accept contributions from business political action committees or entities associated with the tobacco companies. He also believed that his amazing win in the Democratic primaries, wherein he spent only $15,000, would carry him through the state elections. He also probably expected the Democratic Party to fund his campaign, which in turn, did not support him because it did not believe that he stood a chance against the incumbent Senator who had been in the position for 12 years and was supported by a campaign machinery that was at least six times bigger than his. Morales should have accepted the importance of money in a state-wide campaign and realized that he could not run a city campaign headquarters with just $200 (his monthly budget allocation for his Houston office). Lastly, even if the Democratic Party did not support Morales’ campaign financially, his nomination helped him obtain the Democratic votes, which contributed to his close bid in the senatorial race, despite the apparent Republican character of the Texas state at that time. Denver’s mayoralty race in 1983, was however, nonpartisan because Peà ±a’s strong contenders were also democrats, His party membership only mattered in 1987 when he ran for re-election against a Republican candidate, to which he almost lost because many of his constituents were already disappointed for his failure to make Denver a â€Å"great city†after his first term, and because Peà ±a could not focus on specific minority concerns since he was constrained to form effective governing coalitions. Ironically, Morales’ campaign became a legacy not only because of his unquestioned status as an outsider in the political game, but also because he was overcame only by a slight majority even if he had to battle all the odds during his unusual campaign.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
I am a Child of the World :: Law College Admissions Essays
I am a Child of the World One of the questions I was asked most frequently when I arrived at college was "where are you from?" Unlike most students, I could not quickly answer this question. Whereas many students have spent most of their lives in one or two areas, my feeling of "home" was not that simple. I was born in Canada and lived there until I was seven; then my family moved to Belgium. After five years in Belgium, we moved to Minnesota, where I spent my high school years. As I left for college, my parents moved to Switzerland and have since divorced. Currently, my mom lives in Minnesota, and my dad resides in Liechtenstein. I am still a Canadian citizen, but have permanent residency status in the United States. While these events could have led to a confused identity and feeling of homelessness, I believe that my experiences have given me a unique perspective on the world and an ability to feel "at home" wherever I may be. The experience of living in Europe was one of the most important aspects of my personal development, as exposure to different at a young age gave me a broad worldview that I would not have gained by staying in one place. Daily life in a foreign country teaches one to have patience, respect, and tolerance for people who speak a different language and have different customs. Cultural differences can make simple tasks such as going to the grocery store difficult at first, but over time my family adapted to the norms of Belgian culture. The opportunity to travel throughout Europe also gave me a unique set of experiences that have stayed with me. After all, how many ten-year-olds from Canada have stood in awe of the Acropolis or felt the somberness of the war cemeteries at Normandy? These experiences, combined with my Canadian heritage, have provided an important backdrop for developing a sense of respect for those who are different, a sense that I have found lacking in American society. While my experiences abroad have contributed a great deal to my personal growth, they have also made it difficult to identify with one place as home. Minnesota became the closest thing to home after spending my teenage years there, but my parents' divorce during my sophomore year of college further tested my ability to maintain a sense of identity.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Blue Nile and Diamond Retailing Essay
1.What are some key success factors in diamond retailing? How do Blue Nile, Zales, and Tiffany compare on those dimensions? Key drivers of customer purchases in diamond retailing include quality and range of products offered, reputation, professional advice offered, and customer perception and emotional bonds, including a positive buying experience and customer service. Success is also dependent upon obtaining economies of scale through such avenues as preferential access to resources, an effective supply chain and marketing strategy, as well as an ability to control facilities and operating costs and manage inventory effectively. Blue Nile’s, Zales’, and Tiffany’s key success factors in dealing with customers are related to the characteristics of their individual target markets. Blue Nile, for example, offers high quality diamonds and fine jewelry online that are comparable to Tiffany’s but with markups that are lower than Tiffany’s and Zales’. Blue Nile, which was founded in 1999, focuses on customers who want good value and who prefer to shop conveniently from home and without incurring high pressure sales tactics. They also provide customers with easy-to-understand jewelry education, as well as the ability to design custom jewelry. However, its customers must forego a hands-on purchasing experience as well as the instant delivery offered by Tiffany’s and Zales’ retail locations. Tiffany, which opened in 1834, is an independent, specialty jeweler that offers premium-priced diamond rings, gemstone and fine jewelry, watches, and crystal and sterling silver serving pieces. Tiffany’s exclusivity and prestigious brand image, extensive service, and fashionable locations allow it to maintain and gain luxury market share domestically and globally. In contrast, Zales, a specialty retailer of diamond fashion jewelry and diamond rings in the U.S. since 1924, has high name-brand recognition and appeal to value-conscious shoppers. Zales’ chain of retail venues for its middle-class target customers includes Zales Jewelers, Gordon’s, and Piercing Pagoda’s mall-based kiosks that appeal to teenagers. Zales offers more moderately priced and promotion-driven products compared to Blue Nile and Tiffany. It also competes with discounters such as Costco. Economies of scale and sourcing are achieved differently by each company. Blue Nile has the most cost-effective business model because of exclusive supplier relationships that allow the online retailer to offer a manufacturer’s diamond inventory without purchasing it until needed. In addition to low warehouse and inventory costs, Blue Nile avoids the facilities investment expense and operating costs of the bricks-and-mortar retailers. U.S. retailer Zales is able to obtain economies of scale because of its large number of stores, but high inventory costs due to extreme changes in product offerings and marketing strategy in 2006-2007 confused its traditional customers and severely hurt its bottom line. Tiffany sustains high profit margins through its globally dispersed locations and online presence, established third- party sourcing as well as in-house manufacturing which provided 60 percent of its products, and by utilizing centralized inventory management to maintain tight con trol over its supply chain and reduce operational risk. 2.What do you think of the fact that Blue Nile carries over 30,000 stones priced at $2,500 or higher while almost 60 percent of the products sold from the Tiffany Website are priced at around $200? Which of the two product categories is better suited to the strengths of the online channel? Blue Nile is able to successfully offer diamonds priced up to $1 million or more online by emphasizing the large variety of certified high-quality stones available and a markup that is significantly lower than that of its store-front competitors. The main source of Blue Nile’s competitive advantage over traditional, store-based retail jewelers is that it has lower facilities cost and inventory expense. Only one central warehouse is needed to stock its entire inventory although outbound transportation costs are high because it provides customers free overnight shipping. Additionally, through exclusive supply relationships, the firm is allowed to display for sale the inventory of some of the world’s largest diamond manufacturers/wholesalers. Selling high-priced diamonds online works for Blue Nile because its competitive strategy is based on the priorities of its target market customers. These online customers want high-quality diamonds, but place strong emphasis on receiv ing good value for the cost and on product variety, are willing to wait for their jewelry, and often prefer to customize their purchases. In comparison, Tiffany successfully uses a combination of over 180 exclusive worldwide retail stores and an online channel to benefit from the strengths of both channels. Approximately 48 percent of the company’s net sales come from products containing diamonds, with more than half of retail sales coming from high-end jewelry with an average sale price of over $3,000. Its online offerings, however, focus on non-gemstone, sterling silver jewelry with an average price of $200. The company offers a wide variety of these low demand items with high demand uncertainty, and they account for more than half of its online sales. Online sales are facilitated by Tiffany’s already-in-place centralized inventory management system, in-house manufacturing, and strong supply chain and information infrastructure. These lower-priced products increase the firm’s potential customer base and improve margins by reducing operating costs. Tiffany’s sales of sterling silver jewelry priced around $200 are more suited for the strengths of the online channel than are Blue Nile’s thousands of stones priced at $2,500 and above. With the growing popularity of e-business, competition with Blue Nile’s sole business model is increasing. In addition, with its well-to-do but price-conscious customer base, the company is more affected by the effects on difficult economic times on purchasing behavior than is Tiffany with its less price-sensitive global customers who demand luxury goods at any price. Blue Nile is also more susceptible to the rising costs of diamonds and of labor because it does not purchase the majority of its diamonds until a customer decides on a purchase. 3.Given that Tiffany stores have thrived with their focus on selling high-end jewelry, what do you think of the failure of Zales with its upscale strategy in 2006? Tiffany’s upscale strategy, affluent customer base, and business model evolved over a period of more than 100 years, and changes such as adding an online distribution channel were made gradually and as an extension of Tiffany’s current business practices. Zales, on the other hand, handled a strategic shift to upscale retailing within a time period of one year and failed drastically as shown by the following chain of events. Feeling the pressure from discounters Wal-Mart and Costco, Zales decided to give up its long-time strategy of selling promotion-driven diamond fashion jewelry and diamond rings in order to pursue high-end customers. In this 2005 ambitious move to become more upscale, Zales invested heavily in higher-priced diamond and gold jewelry with higher margins and dumped its inventory of lower-value pieces. Led by an ambitious CEO, this new strategy initially sounded as if it would work. However, trying abruptly to undo an 81-year-old strategy and brand reputation for selling moderately-priced items was doomed to fail. The company lost many of its traditional customers who were put off by the suddenly higher prices, and it did not win the new ones it had targeted. As a result, Zales abandoned its new strategy in 2006, hired a new CEO, and began transitioning a return to its traditional strategy of attracting the value-oriented customer. This change involved selling off nearly $50 million in discontinued upscale inventory and spending nearly $120 million on new moderately-priced inventory. The actions severely affected Zales’ bottom line for at least the next two years, not to mention alienating its middle-class customer base. The situation was further compounded by rising fuel prices and falling home prices in 2007 which caused a decrease in consumer discretionary spending. 4.What do you think of Tiffany’s decision to open smaller retail outlets, focusing on high-end products, to reach smaller affluent areas in the United States? Opening small, fashionable retail outlets in smaller affluent cities is a good move for Tiffany. Doing so provides the company a quicker, more cost-effective way to expand its store base and its target-market reach in the United States. A smaller store format offers lower operating costs and a shorter payback period on capital investment, both of which help increase margins and returns. With it strong brand equity attracting well-to-do customers and with efficiencies in terms of a high ¬Ã‚ ¬-margin product mix, lower inventories are required, faster turnover results, sales per square foot are higher, and overall store productivity is increased. 5.Which of the three companies do you think was best structured to deal with the downturn in 2009? Zales was most affected by the 2009 economic downturn in the U.S. which severely damaged the country’s retail jewelry industry. The Texas-based company, with retail stores located only in North America, was more vulnerable to adverse U.S. market conditions than the geographically-dispersed Tiffany and Blue Nile. The company was still trying to regain market share among its middle-class customers and handle merchandising issues in light of its failed strategy begun several years earlier to go upscale. Additionally, a new CEO in 2006 who began the company’s return to its traditional strategy based on diamond fashion jewelry and moderately-priced diamond rings, had not been able to restore the company to profitability. Blue Nile, with its already low operating costs and small inventory holdings, was in a better position than Zales to weather the economic downtown. Because Blue Nile does not purchase the majority of its diamonds until a customer places an order, its bottom line was not as severely impacted by customers who began purchasing less expensive jewelry and by those who stopped buying completely because of strong price-sensitivity. Before the downturn, the company had already increased its international Web site presence by launching sites in Canada and the United Kingdom and opened an office in Dublin. The Dublin office offered free shipping to several western European nations, while the U.S. office handled shipping to Asian-Pacific countries. In spite of the above, Blue Nile saw its first decline in sales in the third quarter of 2008. Tiffany, as a jeweler and specialty retailer, was the best structured of the three companies to deal with the 2009 U.S. economic downtown. There is not as strong a correlation between its sales and consumer confidence levels as there is with Blue Nile’s customers. With over 100 stores in international markets, Tiffany’s operations are much more globally diversified than Blue Nile’s. In addition to its extensive global and domestic retail outlets, Tiffany also has the benefit of its e-business distribution channel and of catalog sales. With its strong business model and high margins on a broad range of offerings, tightly controlled supply chain, and the exceptional power of its brand image, Tiffany fared better than Zales and Blue Nile during the economic downturn. 6.What advice would you give to each of the three companies regarding their strategy and structure? In light of the previous answers, I would recommend the following: 1) Zales needs to expand to markets in other than North America to lessen the severity of the effects of future economic downturns in the U.S. With its longstanding presence in the U.S. retail jewelry industry, it should also focus on reinforcing the value of its brand with consumers in its target market. Zales should increase its marketing efforts and continue to expand its e-commerce business. This will generate revenue and improve its margins by lowering operating costs. 2) Blue Nile should continue focusing on its low price for high-quality diamonds and on its unique online customer experience to further differentiate itself from Tiffany’s and other retail jewelry competitors. It definitely needs to expand its international presence by launching more country-specific Web sites, as well as continue enhancing its current Web site. Just as importantly, it needs to diversify its marketing efforts to online communities and to the public in general to increase its brand name recognition and appeal. 3) Tiffany should continue to increase its small-store formats in the U.S. and develop a stronger presence in its direct selling channel. It needs to grow its sizable international operations, particularly the fast-growing Asian luxury market, in addition to entering untapped emerging markets. With the increasing cost of diamonds and gold, it might assess the advisability of participating in sales promotions which it has never before done. Most importantly, Tiffany should continue increasing its supply chain efficiency and protecting its brand equity at call costs.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Improving Organizational Performance Essay
Celsey Evans, of Airdevils, has hired Peter Mallow, of Dream Teamworks, to address the problems currently existing in and affecting the Airdevils Company. These problems consist of dissatisfaction among customers, less wins at award ceremonies, a high turnover rate, and low job satisfaction among employees. Surveys, amongst other factors, determined that job dissatisfaction is particularly high among the stunt performers. With the stunt performers as the target group of the study, Celsey and Peter will identify the reasons for psychological underpinnings of low job satisfaction in the company. Using motivational and behavioral approaches and making adjustments to the core reasons for employee dissatisfaction will help Airdevils attain the status that they seem to have lost. Determining the underlying causes, implementing interventions, creating a team for preparing innovating stunts, and reducing stress among employees are the keys to catapulting Airdevils back to the status it deser ves. According to the JDI and JIG (survey) scores for Airdevils’ employees the stunt performers are the least satisfied in general, but all of the employees are dissatisfied below acceptable levels in Promotion (infrequencies) and Pay (too low). Supervision and Work are also low with stunt performers but higher than â€Å"good†among other employees. If one were to rely on this information alone, one would determine that pay and promotion needs to be examined and adjusted. Further information provided, blogs and profiles, show that there are issues with ‘holier than thou’ attitudes among E8’s, less time at home with family members, low salaries, and drudge routines. After examining these factors one can determine generally that the main cause of low job satisfaction among stunt performers at Airdevils is that the stunts lack exciting challenges. Because the members of Airdevils performing teams were put into hierarchal positions, they were placed into spe cialized stunt routines. This created a more rigid organizational structure. * Though the budget does not allow a perfect overhaul to Celsey’s organization, many interventions can be chosen to be simply delayed. Recommended for the Airdevils immediately are allow participation in open competitions, entering in a new line of stunts, rotation in industry meets, and offering performance-based incentives in salaries. Allowing performers to perform outside work and cross-training are factors that should be considered quickly. After implementation of these interventions there proves to be a marked increase in the company’s performance and there is an improvement in job satisfaction. * In the next phase of the reorganization, Celsey wants to create a group of three people to begin preparing innovative stunts for the regular customers of the Airdevils. Should this idea work well, the customers will like the plans and will want to spend extra money for stunts consultation. In this case, the Airdevils will form a stunts consultancy division. Given seven excellent candidates for this three person team the three chosen by Dream Teamwork’s for Celsey’s team are Cari, Charlie, and Alverta because of their combined work experience, enthusiasm for the job, personalities, and high probability of achievement. Applying this decision is successful. The mixture of experience, high skill levels, and high emotional stability prove to be an excellent combination to make a powerful team for the Airdevils. * In the next phase, Dream Teamworks helps Celsey choose what measures should be taken by the Airdevils to reduce stress among the support crewmembers. After considerations of the measures available to the Airdevils those that would most benefit the company and its staff are relaxation training, stress-inoculation training, software training, modifying team structure, offering transportation services, establishing a code of conduct, and allowing a flexi ble work schedule. These are the best measure possible to reduce stress levels among crewmembers. The results are lower absenteeism, less stress, more teamwork, more personal time with family, and a better ability to cope with stressors from work (Britt & Jex, 2008). Absenteeism, turnover, job performance, and counter-productive behavior can be addressed through motivation. Based on the situation illustrated in the simulation the theories of employee motivation that could be used by Celsey and the management team of the Airdevils team to tackle issues are need-based theories, cognitive process theories, self-determination theory, and job-based theories. A need-based theory such as need for achievement would be an effective place to start. Need-based theories propose that achievement and power are needs evoked by different stimuli in the environment (Britt & Jex, 2008). Maslow’s need hierarchy does explain that the higher one gets on their hierarchy pyramid, from physiological to self-actualization, the more content a person becomes. This could explain why Airdevils has a need to reorganize their corporation. Making employees content in more factions of their lives makes more productive employees. ERG is another needs-based theory that could be considered. ERG allows for the possibility that the stunt performers in the Airdevils may be regressing because their needs at the most basic level of their work are not satisfied. They are too concerned with the issues that the they may have with the redundancy of the routines and personality issues. Also, they are not allowed to experiment and show their own individuality and true colors and feel as thpugh they are failing to live up to their potential. Need for achievement theory is another that could be considered for this situation. Those who have consistent distinguishing characteristics of perso ns who have a high need for achievement can describe many of the stunt performers at Airdevils. These characteristics include the tendency to set moderately difficult performance goals, seek feedback, and work long hours because they absorb themselves in work (Britt & Jex, 2008). Goal-setting, Control, and Equity theories and behavioral approaches are just some examples of further applications that can be studied for this case. Many theories could be applied to the Airdevils’ situation. Should Celsey and Peter go through each of the theories that could be applied to their situation, they may find that each theory will touch on a subject currently adversely affecting the company and its profits. Through examining them all, they could reach conclusions on correcting behaviors throughout the company. Knowledge of human behavior, cognition, and affect can be used to enhance relationships in the workplace. Understanding how people interact with each other and why can help management can place people together in teams accordingly. It can also prepare the company for behavioral changes among the employees. This knowledge can help solve problems, create stress free workplace environments, and create productive and powerful teams. Employee workplace stressors can be reduced by organizations. By paying attention to the results of surveys, blogs written by employees, and general complaints throughout the company any organization can come to understand what particular stressors affect their particular employees. Clear definitions of job titles and descriptions of jobs would assist an organization from having role stressors. Workloads should be studied and divided amongst employees according to ability and pay to alleviate workload stressors. Independent control over their own workloads could be considered. For example, in regard to Airdevils, allowing more team members freedom to decide on adjustments to routines could reduce stress levels there. Alleviating interpersonal conflict by teaming like members together is one way that companies like the Airdevils can control stressors. Reducing organizational constraints is another example. In the case of the Airdevils’ organizational constraints, they do not allow their employees to participate in open competitions or rotate in industry meets. Releasing these constraints could strengthen the organizations relationships with their employees as well as relieve some of the stressors they face. Perceived control and work-family conflict are further stressors that should be examined. Making adjustments to schedules, pay, and employees behaviors will relieve many organizational conflicts and stressors and benefit the company greatly. Job security, layoffs, mergers and acquisitions are not currently affecting Airdevils but do affect other organizations. Stress management training, adjusting work schedules, providing telecommuting options, offering family-friendly benefits, and offering health and fitness programs are further ways that an organization can combat stress among its employees (Britt & Jex, 2008). Careful consideration of each aspect by the organization will ensure that they can make informed decisions regarding each stressor. After analysis of survey, employee blogs, and paying attention to the behaviors of its employees, Celsey and Peter can make the changes that Airdevils desperately needs to survive and grow. The company has a superb foundation and understands that changes must be made to achieve success. By applying studying and understanding employees’ behaviors, cognition, and applying relevant theories Dream Teamworks and Airdevils can create a prospering work environment for Airdevils’ employees and will find more satisfied employees, be subject to less turnover, win more awards, and satisfy customers better than they ever have. Reference Britt, T. W., & Jex, S. M. (2008). Organizational psychology: A scientist-practitioner approach. (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Free Essays on Mosaic-2000
â€Å"Computer Project Seeks to Avert Youth Violence†Ever since the columbine high school shooting in Littleton, Colorado there has been hysteria of sorts. People are so worried about drugs and weapons in school. For this reason â€Å"the federal bureau of Alcohol, tobacco and firearms is working with an outside threat evaluation company to put together a computer program to help school officials spot troubled students who might be on the brink of violence.†this is the basis to Francis X. Clines essay â€Å"computer project seeks to avert youth violence†The computer program that had been being developed is called the â€Å"Mosaic-2000†. The program he states will rate potentially violent students on a 1-10 scale 1 being least violent and 10 being on the brink. Clines quotes the principal of Reynoldsburg high school as saying â€Å"columbine forever changed things for all of us,†this threat of violence at school is now a â€Å"very real†threat and parents want to see something done about it. But also parents don’t want their children being labeled as clines quotes a parent in the Reynoldsburg school district as saying â€Å"It sounds ok as long as you don’t start labeling kids†¦There’s kind of scary stuff out there†¦but there can be a fine line between a kid out to get attention and a really troubled kid.†Her concerns are true but they would not be using this for every kid in school it would be used primarily as an aid to school officials on cases that kids had made t hreats or had brought weapons to school so they say. The Ohio chapter of the A.C.L.U. is quoted calling it a â€Å"technological band-aid.†But as I feel and Francis clines says that it would not be the answer but it would be and aid to school officials in circumstances of high danger. As Clines quotes Betty Montgomery the Ohio attorney general as saying â€Å"It brings together the shared experiences of many experts plus an evaluative piece.†â€Å"The Mos... Free Essays on Mosaic-2000 Free Essays on Mosaic-2000 â€Å"Computer Project Seeks to Avert Youth Violence†Ever since the columbine high school shooting in Littleton, Colorado there has been hysteria of sorts. People are so worried about drugs and weapons in school. For this reason â€Å"the federal bureau of Alcohol, tobacco and firearms is working with an outside threat evaluation company to put together a computer program to help school officials spot troubled students who might be on the brink of violence.†this is the basis to Francis X. Clines essay â€Å"computer project seeks to avert youth violence†The computer program that had been being developed is called the â€Å"Mosaic-2000†. The program he states will rate potentially violent students on a 1-10 scale 1 being least violent and 10 being on the brink. Clines quotes the principal of Reynoldsburg high school as saying â€Å"columbine forever changed things for all of us,†this threat of violence at school is now a â€Å"very real†threat and parents want to see something done about it. But also parents don’t want their children being labeled as clines quotes a parent in the Reynoldsburg school district as saying â€Å"It sounds ok as long as you don’t start labeling kids†¦There’s kind of scary stuff out there†¦but there can be a fine line between a kid out to get attention and a really troubled kid.†Her concerns are true but they would not be using this for every kid in school it would be used primarily as an aid to school officials on cases that kids had made t hreats or had brought weapons to school so they say. The Ohio chapter of the A.C.L.U. is quoted calling it a â€Å"technological band-aid.†But as I feel and Francis clines says that it would not be the answer but it would be and aid to school officials in circumstances of high danger. As Clines quotes Betty Montgomery the Ohio attorney general as saying â€Å"It brings together the shared experiences of many experts plus an evaluative piece.†â€Å"The Mos...
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Cross-cultural Marriages Contribute to Racial Tolerance
Cross-cultural Marriages Contribute to Racial Tolerance CROSS-CULTURAL MARRIAGES CONTRIBUTE TO RACIAL TOLERANCE According to the Pew Research Center, 15 percent of U.S. newlyweds in 2010 were in marriages to people of another race or ethnic group and eight percent of all married people were in these cross-cultural marriages. This is up significantly from four percent in 1986. The growth in the number of these marriages contributes to racial tolerance. Intermarriage strengthens tolerance for reasons related to family, age, and mass media and social platforms. Familial Ties Influence Tolerance of Interracial Marriage One reason cross-cultural marriages contribute to tolerance is because of family bonds. Thirty-five percent of Americans report that someone in their family married outside their race, according to a 2010 Pew Research Center study. Sixty-three percent of the respondents said they would be comfortable if someone in their family married someone from another race or ethnic group.Some people who have a hard-hearted attitude about cross-cultural marriage softened their views when they realize acceptance is the only way to maintain a good relationship with their child, sibling, relative or friend who has entered into one of these marriages. And even though people over 65 are less accepting of these marriages than younger people, not too many are willing to cut off a good relationship with their child because he or she entered into such a marriage. Certainly, most grandparents will want to stay connected with grandchildren who are th e offspring of these relationships. Young People Are More Likely To Accept Cross-Cultural Marriages Age is a factor in who is more tolerant and accepting of intermarriage. While a Pew Research Center study about Millennials- defined by Pew as people ages 18 to 29- found that people over 65 were less accepting of cross-cultural marriages, it reported that large numbers of African-American, white and Hispanic Millennials would accept someone in their family marrying a person of another race or ethnic group. The study, Almost All Millennials Accept Interracial Dating and Marriage, also reported that 93 percent of the respondents said they would be okay with a family member marrying an Asian-American, 92 percent with a white American, 91 percent with a Hispanic-American and 88 percent with an African-American. Eighty-five percent said they would be okay with a marriage to any other group. Millennials are now the largest population by age in the U.S. At 75.4 million, they outnumber Baby Boomers (people ages 51 to 59) whose number is 74.9 million. For these reasons, more cross-cultural relationships can be expected. Talk in Communication Outlets Influences Tolerance The medias focus on celebrity couples is another reason tolerance moves forward. In bombarding people with images of famous people and their marriages, some of which are cross-cultural, mass media and chatter on social platforms foster acceptance. This coverage of celebrity couples is akin to advertising these marriages. The more people see celebrities in cross-cultural relationships, the more likely they are to accept them. In additional to some professional athletes, other famous people who have intermarried include Robert De Niro and Grace Hightower, George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, Audra McDonald and Will Swenson and Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan. In conclusion, tolerance is fostered by intermarriage. Since the 1980s, the percentage of cross-cultural marriages has risen. Many younger people and people who have family and friends in these marriages accept them. Discussion about intermarriage in all forms of communication also contributes to the acceptance of these relationships. Within 30 years, nonwhites will outnumber whites, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. To avoid debilitating conflict within this country and to get along better with other nations, it is good for U.S. residents to look to successful cross-cultural marriages for inspiration about harmony and facing and overcoming the challenges of peoples differences.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Art class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2
Art class - Essay Example During an occasion, â€Å"Picasso met Matisse†while Picasso was in his latter Rose Period (Matisse-picasso.org). However, the two were known to be rivals, as well. In 1907, Picasso’s Les Demoiselles DiAvignon was a â€Å"visual attack†to Matisse’s Le Bonheur de Vivre (Matisse-picasso.org). But this ignited the ingenuity of Matisse. This adversarial obstacle also strengthens the two to incorporate â€Å"those visual memories in their own art†(Matisse-picasso.org). Finally, the two was known to be together in public, sharing their artworks. Picasso’s series The Studio at La Californie, â€Å"pays homage to his relationship with Matisse†(Matisse-picasso.org). Their Own Ideas If one explores the ideas between Picasso’s and Matisse’s artworks, one can discover this through looking at the difference between the more allegorical works of Picasso and the still-life works of Matisse. Any observer figures out that Picasso has d elved on social and political matters which eventually made him a public figure through his artworks. It is very clear that his ideas are the prevalent and occurring issues–such as poverty, fascism, war, and agony–of the time during his development of the art pieces. Picasso’s works are more than mere artistic pieces. The pieces could qualify as subjects for studying the past during the World War I and the 20th century Europe. On the other hand, the works of Matisse has delved more on aesthetics and nature. His emotion and perception, to some extent, had deviated from the universal theme of art. He defied convention and has able to make his own eventually earning him the acclamations for his movement of Modernism along with Fauvism. It can be derived that Matisse is a bit apolitical in his approach to the society. He would wish not to intervene in the affairs of the government and of the state. This distinctly distinguished him from Picasso. Similarly, the two s toke the same chord towards one another. Their ideas complemented their artworks with emphasis on balance and color. The two had adroitly rendered life and color to their works. With this, one can assume that they hold the same idea in the same personal level. Whatever could be their emotions as of the moment are embellished into their artworks. Thus, we can see gloom, cheer, bright and fear–their ideas brought by personal or social issue–in their works. The Different Methods Picasso and Matisse had their own methods in the development of their pieces. They had utilized their imagination and their craftsmanship which has eventually improved the art scene. Along with other artisans during their time, Picasso and Matisse had raised the bar in painting and draftsmanship. Many patrons and avid collectors across the world have admired their existing works. Picasso, in his own light, has employed the brush and its different strokes in whipping up abstract pieces like the cub ist Portrait of Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler. Due to his tolerance to vision and imagination, he has the tendency to whip up abstract portraits with a myriad of undertones. Moreover, he employs a limited range of colors with only four colors in a piece as maximum. He had the tendency to utilize uniform colors especially during his two periods known as the Blue and Rose Periods. It is said in the Blue Period that Picasso had emphasized â€Å"blue palette and melancholy themes†in his series of artworks. In his Rose Period, he emphasized a â€Å"
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