The Literature of Exile and Imaginary Homelands Essay

The Literature of Exile and Imaginary Homelands - Essay Example This dissertation traces the movement of this dialectic between people and places and draws from that movement conclusions about the political and ethical stance of the novels' authors. Chapter 1 introduces the study and the novels, in an attempt to find the places where the three novelists' concerns intersect or diverge. In Chapter 2, I look at Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses and Midnight's Children, novels that create a fantastical and magical landscape against which post-colonial questions and problems are addressed. My study elucidates the cultural codes at work in these novels and reveals that the singularity and stability of these cultural codes are eventually denied. Chapter 3 focuses on Jasmine and The Holder of the World by Bharati Mukherjee and investigates the characters' perspectives of their own exile; Mukherjee's characters suggest that individuals can ethically engage with the world despite the alienation of the post-colonial condition. V. S.

Strategy for British American Tobacco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategy for British American Tobacco - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the level of productivity of British American Tobacco is supported by the fact that it is the leading tobacco producer in about sixty of the one hundred and eighty markets within which it operates. In as much as it functions in different nations, some of its brands like Dunhill, Pall Mall, and Kent appeal to consumers throughout the world. Being a structured multinational as it is, BAT currently derives its strategy from its organizational vision. Its current strategy revolves around delivering growth today and at the same time, laying a foundation that is suitable for future investments. Similarly, the current BAT strategy aims at exploring its wings and grasping new opportunities within and outside the tobacco industry. The exceptional growth that BAT has exhibited since its establishment in 1902 to date has majorly been funded by productivity and delivered by its winning and thriving workforce, which is well-appointed to handle all the emerging market i ssues responsibly. This report sheds light on some of the relative merits that BAT would register, in case it opted to embrace an alternative organizational strategy. The evaluation of strategies is of great significance to any business majorly because it provides an opportunity for the management and all the parties involved in a project to gauge both the efficacy and the inefficiency of its plans as an organization. In like manner, it is far-reaching because it enables the organization understands the dynamism demonstrated by the extent to which socio-economic, political as well as technological issues affect the market. The suitability of a strategy refers to a theory that helps to provide reassurance on whether a specific strategy is ideal in finding a solution to a given business issue. Suitability looks into a how fit a strategy may be as well as whether it provides prospects that an organization may exploit with the aim of enhancing productivity.

The Introduction To Cyber Bullying Media Essay

The Introduction To Cyber Bullying Media Essay Young people today are using the internet more than ever. They view the internet and even more so the mobile phones as positive aspects of our society. The internet and mobile phones systems are the two biggest systems of communication which play a crucial role in our daily activities and development of identities. On the other hand, these same technologies are also often used negatively. Many children are the targets of bullying via the internet or mobile phones resulting in total confusion on the part of the target. Very often, children are not able to understand that what they are going through is a form of bullying. As a result the previously safe environment of the internet is now becoming a source of confusion and anxiety. As a teenager myself, I am not immune to factors that influence everybody else in our society. I am very concerned about what is happening so I therefore wanted to look into the reasons behind cyber-bullying and who should be blamed for it. Is there any way for cyber-bullying to be stopped? The internet holds many dangers such as viruses and programming faults that could be dangerous for people but also two of the most menacing problems for young people today; child pornography and cyber-bullying. I decided to focus on the issue that tends to influence a large portion of teenagers and not solely, cyber-bullying. It seems that, now, in 2010 cyber-bullying is increasing dramatically as more and more children are becoming victims of this type of bullying, though not only children. I will research this problem in detail as it is saddening me that a system that makes information flow and communication easy, is turning into a dangerous place to be. I cant understand why such a useful system is used in so negative a way where one can cause psychological harm to others. Although cyberbullying does not pertain to the USA alone, I chose to focus on the USA is because it seems to have more documented incidents which apparently make it one of the countries with a higher percentage of cyber-bullies and victims of cyber-bullying. In fact, there has been a number of shocking incidents that caught my attention, some of which I will report in the main body. There are many countries that do deal with cyber-bullying but not to the point that the USA does. I strongly believe that if cyber-bullying reaches an end one day it will certainly start from the U.S.A. I deem that the USA covers all aspects that I am looking into so this is the reason why I chose it. In recent years many US states have started to impose laws specifically regarding cyber-bullying. Some other states support that laws imposed for traditional bullying also cover cyber-bullying. The internet provides anonymity and the chance to create a profile with a hidden identity; so how possible is it for cyber-bullying to be stopped? The truth is that this question cannot be answered easily as it is not something so simple. Being already concerned about it and seeing that more and more cyber-bullies are getting away with it, I will attempt to investigate how possible can this be. The research question which I will develop is the following: Can cyber-bullying and bullying through the internet and mobile phone systems stop? In this essay, I will look into cyber-bullying by defining what it is, report incidents and show statistics of how bad the situation in the U.S.A. is. I will also examine if blame can be attributed. Through my research I hope to reach a conclusion on whether there is a chance for cyber-bullying to be stopped. What is Cyber-Bullying Cyber-bullying has more than one definition, cyber-bullying can be defined as when the Internet, cell phones or other devices are used to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person  [1]  or as a situation when a child or teen is repeatedly tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child or teenager using text messaging, e-mail, instant messaging or any other type of digital technology.  [2]  The last definition I gave refers only to teens or children because bullying through the internet or cell-phones from adults to adults can be referred to as cyber-stalking which due to word limitation I will not go into. A cyber-bullying situation can be as simple as sending e-mails to someone that wants no further contact with you but it can also be very serious when it includes threats or sexual bullying or when a forum is created and that person is ridiculed. Cyber-bullies may post personal data of their victims at websites or forums or even pretend to be someone else in order to publish different material to the victims name that diminishes or humiliates him. The biggest percentage of the bullies use pretty much the same tactic as they send threatening messages to their victim or call them mean names. Who is a Cyber-Bully A cyber-bully is generally more of a product of his environment in which he too is abused in many ways, verbally or physically or he might even be cyber-bullied. Perhaps however, they are simple bored or completely rotten to make everyone elses life messy. Many times cyber-bullies work in groups because in that way they feel stronger but they inwardly, sometimes, do not enjoy their actions. Their main problem is that they cannot move away from their team because they feel unsafe and they have the fear that they will get cyber-bullied themselves. As it is identified by researchers, tormentors are sometimes likely to be more depressed than their victims. What should be worrying us is that cyber-bullies get a false feeling of satisfaction when they send threatening and flame e-mails to their victims because that means that they amuse themselves. The number one objective of cyber-bullies but also traditional bullies is to have power. They want to have the control of each situation. They want to be dominators and subjugate everyone. Effects of Cyber-Bullying In my mind, cyber-bullying shows the ugly face of the internet. Victims of cyber-bullying can become depressed and in extreme cases even commit suicide. We can therefore understand that the internet is dangerous and unknown to most people, capable of hurting them if they are not aware of the internet as a whole. Cyber-bullying has several negative effects on individuals or groups of people. Usually, it starts with a confused feeling on the part of the victim, feeling hurt because a person or a group of people has targeted them and insulted them for no other reason than simply to be mean. Most would ask why they are the target but perhaps even cyber-bullies do not know why. They gradually get feelings of fear or of loneliness, fear of leaving their home or fear of going to school. If the victim is being bullied continuously, his grades may drop or even show symptoms of paranoia that would make it difficult for him to communicate with people of his age or make new friends. Depression can be one of the symptoms of cyber-bullying, and I am calling them symptoms because it seems that cyber-bullying is now a disease for our society. A feeling of helplessness occurs as the victim does not know where to turn to for help. It is of course true that in serious cases of constant bullying, suicide may be part of the story. Cyber-bullying should be stopped but the question still exists, can it be stopped? Proper individual reaction I believe that the reason why the U.S.A. is more concerned about cyber-bullying is the big amount of their population that is affected and the relatively big number of incidents reported that has prompted them to impose laws against it. What should the average person suggest? Ignore the bully, do not take him seriously, not answer to him and if he is at your school just ignore him once more. It is suggested that you report it to your counselor or your parents so they get the chance to help you. It is possible that cyber-bullies will be discouraged if you do not answer to them and they will move on to their next victim. Nevertheless, these suggestions would only help an individual to be saved from cyber-bullying. Furthermore, cyber-bullying will not stop but it is a good start for individuals to save themselves from resulting victims. Significance of Cyber-Bullying How real is the threat of cyber-bullying? Is it such a big issue? Opinions seem to vary. Adults mostly support the opinion that cyber-bullying, along with regular bullying, is responsible for many of the social, anxiety and depression problems kids live with since this situation mostly influences them. On the other hand, many teenagers do not agree with this claim, they support the idea that cyber-bullying is not such a problem because nothing is real on the internet and things said or done should not be taken into consideration so much. In my mind, we, teens, understand better the evolution of technology than adults and so we are not tricked by the media as their role is always to report every situation in its most dramatic way but that cannot explain the rising number of suicides among young people. I believe that anyone who claims being bullied knows nearly nothing about how to protect themselves in the digital world, even when it comes to simple computer problems. It is true that the internet does not show its real face immediately and cyber-bullying is not the only internet issue that should be worrying us. Internet is full of dark pits, full of lies that could trick anyone into confusion. My opinion is that cyber-bullying is a very big issue that is shocking our society every day but I also believe and agree that cyber-bullying is not the last thing that we should consider as a problem. People need to be educated on how to be immune to internet dangers and of how to avoid being mocked or cheated through the internet. Proof of the significance An example of a severe case of cyber-bullying took place in 2008, it shocked most people in the U.S.A. into understanding what cyber-bullying is when Megan Meier, a 13-year old girl from Missouri, committed suicide in her room. Investigators found that Megans death was the result of constant stress caused by relentless and cruel cyber-bullying. A group of people that lived in Megans neighborhood, including adults such as Lori Drews, the father of a friend of Megans who she had a fight with, and an 18-year old officer who worked for M. Drews, pretended to be a new boy in the area where Megan lived and developed a relationship with her through Myspace (a social networking site). The group had created a hoax in order to make Megan believe that she had a growing relationship with the boy. When the hoax was revealed, Megan did not have enough mental strength to deal with the humiliation of being mocked and she decided to take her life. Back then, Missouri did not have any laws against cyb er-bullying so they were not able to prosecute any of the members of the group.  [3]  Having taken this incident into consideration, Missouri has now imposed laws against cyber-bullying which I will report on next in my extended essay. Another suicide took place in Massachusetts. Phoebe Prince was a 15-year old Irish immigrant who was harassed both at school, web sites and over her cell phone. For fear of losing her few friends, she refused to change her Facebook settings or cell number. Unfortunately, the idea of her being a loser led her to kill herself.  [4]   The statistics are as shocking as the incidents. A Cyber-bullying research survey in 2008 of 2.000 middle-school students shows that around 43% of them have been victims of situations that can be defined as cyber-bullying: > Receiving an instant message that made them upset (15.8%) Having something posted on their MySpace that made them upset (14.1%). Even more alarming, a Survey of AM/MTV in September 2009 of 1,247 young people, aged 14-24, found that: 50% of youngsters in this age group have experienced digitally abusive behavior, with older teens aged 18-24 (52% vs. 47%) and females more likely to be targeted (53% vs. 42%) 45% of young people report that they see people being mean to each other on social networking sites.  [5]   The relation ship with traditional bullying There is a phrase that says: Sticks and stones can break your bones but names will never hurt you Personally, I cannot agree with that claim. Although cyber-bullying is less physical than traditional forms of bullying, it has very destructive and longer-lasting effects on individuals. It is very easy to access a computer and ruin someones mental state. Something that people ignore is that online everyone can be a bully, even a small, physically weak child that was a victim of traditional bullying. However the difference being that someone is now in the position to cause even greater damage than a big brute can cause. As British bullying victim, Emily Moor said, The internet is a sinister, silent enemy: you simply dont know where to start to tackle the problem. But faceless as a computer may be, it is every bit as threatening as a physical bully, if not more so because the audience reading these horrible messages can be enormous.  [6]  It is true that if you are bullied at school then you can just go home and end it, if you are cyber-bullied you have nowhere to go. Laws against Cyber-Bullying It is now well known that with the existence of fake profiles or profiles with hidden identities, the guilty party is hard to be traced. Lawmakers are seeking to pass new legislations on cyber-bullying because it seems that there are currently no specific laws on the books that deal directly with it. They want to address cyber-bullying with laws that would call the action of intimidation, bullying or any other actions that cause severe emotional distress illegal. Nevertheless, I was not able to find lots of information on laws against hidden identity or fake profiles but only from states like Texas and Georgia which have passed laws that deal directly against posing as someone else on the internet. What is important is that people who post fake profiles in social network sites could be charged for their unsocial behaviour.  [7]   In a respected number of U.S. states including New York, Missouri, Rhode Island and Maryland, legislation geared at penalizing cyber-bullying and digital bullying has been introduced. In 2007, at least seven states passed specific laws against bullying through the internet. For example, Dardenne Prairie of Springfield, Missouri passed a city law making online bullying a misdemeanor. Another city of Missouri, the city of St. Charles has passed a similar law. Furthermore, in Jefferson City of Missouri, state lawmakers gave final approval to a bill making cyber-bullying illegal in 2008.  [8]  It is believed by supporters that this bill will cover bullying from computers, text messages and other electronic devices. In August 2008, the California state legislature passed the first law to deal directly with cyber-bullying. The legislation was named Assembly Bill 86 2008 and the idea was that it would add provisions related to bullying committed through an electronic communication device or system and a definition of electronic communication was added for this purpose to the School/Law Enforcement Partnership program. Eventually, this law took place at January 1 of 2009. Even if it is due to the following changed that many schools are now able to confront cyberbullying, I will keep the following information in the Laws against Cyber-Bullying section. In Arkansas in 2007, they passed a law that would allow school officials to deal with cyber bullies even if a persons bullying did not take place or start on school property. After the law was imposed, the result was that school administrators gained more freedom to punish individuals that were the bullies. In Iowa, several laws have been passed that forced schools to adopt anti-cyber bullying policies which cover bullying in the school or in school property or generally at a school function or activity sponsored by the school. In New Jersey the Garden State has always maintained tough legislation against bullying, but until 2007 there werent any laws enforced which included cyber-bullying. Once again, the law gives the power to the school staff to punish people related with bullying against their fellow students. In Idaho, in 2006, its lawmakers passed a law that allowed staff of the school, especially officials, to suspend students that were using a computer or another electronic device to harass specific students. At Oregon state, they decided to look in detail at cyber-bullying and broadened its definition. Recently, the governor of Rhode Island tried to pass a bill which would take cyber-bullying offenders to court with the charge of being illegal against the states laws. Vermont, had already very strict laws against bullying and cyber-bullying but its lawmakers recently added a fine of 500 dollars for those who where offensive to other people on the internet. Vermont is considered as one of the states with the strictest legislation against this type of bullying.  [9]   School action It is important to mention that many schools are adopting policies to address cyber-bullying and that is something really important. Since cyber-bullying is mostly a problem because of the existence of the internet, many schools reduced their internet sites range so as to protect children from entering sites that could lead them to becoming the victim of a cyber-bully. Also, many schools have passed anti-bullying rules and policies which address cyber-bullying. They closely monitor students use of computers at school and have bought tracking software but without relying solely on it in order to screen out problematic online behaviors and bullying. Many educators try to educate students, teachers and different staff members about the dangers of cyber-bullying and about what should be done in order to avoid it Who should be blamed? Despite attempts at changing laws and policies and trying to implement them, what is worrying, is the fact that no law can really stop cyber-bullying while communication through the internet or cell phones provides anonymity, many fake profiles are created in order to tease or bully people in social sites like Facebook and Myspace. Really, is there anybody we can accuse or blame for this mess? Is there any way to identify the extinction of a fake profile? Our society promotes violence and that does not help to overcome this problem. Video games, television and all mass media mostly project violent incidents. Because of this children and teens become familiar with the idea of violence and they think of it as the normal. Parents on the whole are not familiar with the idea of cyber-bullying and they are not able to protect their children from being cyber-bullied. It is not really their fault as technology is developing very fast and many of them cannot keep up with it. Teens do not usua lly talk to their parents about their problems and that makes it very difficult for the parents to help their children. Many schools make the mistake of not informing students enough about it or showing them how to protect themselves. Children should have some knowledge about cyber-bullying so as to get through it without any wounds. I believe that the society as a whole is the only that can be blamed for this issue. Conclusion In conclusion although the internet and mobile phones communication systems make our lives easier and play a very important role in our activities, it is unfortunate that they have been poisoned and destroyed by being used to abuse others. The positive aspects of the internet and mobile phones cannot be questioned or enumerated however what I am mostly certain of is that the negative aspects are just as great in number and in seriousness. As a Kevin Brennan said: Cyberbullying is the unacceptable face of new technology, and we need concerted action across society to address it. Schools must play a key role, and this new guidance will help them to identify and tackle instances of cyberbullying more effectively, as well as providing practical advice and information on how to prevent it.  [10]   Cyber-bullying is on the rise and it affects almost anyone that possesses and uses a computer or a cell-phone but the idea of stopping or obstructing cyber-bullying seems to be very far. Cyber-bullying exists in schools, out of schools and everywhere and since parents are not totally controlling their childs actions in and out of school, it is very hard to follow the plans of bullies. While school violence as a whole is declining, bullying behaviors have increased by 5%.Furthermore, the last months of 2010; there were multiple suicide deaths as a result of cyber-bullying.  [11]  There are lots of reasons that could lead a person to bully another and there are even more sources of traps that could lead the bullied person to remain silent and contribute in this way to the growing problem. After much research, I no longer wonder if this whole situation could be stopped but whether it can at least decrease. It seems that there is no way for it to be stopped since most states of the U.S.A. do not have any legislations that deal directly with cyber-bullying. Even where legislation does exist it does not have the power to reduce cyber-bullying to any great amount because of the anonymity or the hidden identity that the internet provides. This could even be a great research question for another extended essay. Should the internet provide anonymity and the choice to retain your identity hidden? Existing legislation in states of the U.S. which I have mentioned have only worked in very few situations where the bully has not hidden his identity. What could make us think that legislation could stop anonymous bullies? What will always be needed to overcome such a situation is the support of adults towards children and young people that have fallen victims to the dark pits of the internet. Parents especially must not forget that. Since bullying through internet and mobile phones cannot really be stopped then the next best way to deal with it, is to make children immune to it. Children should be taught to avoid it and go on with their lives. They should be taught how to prevent bullies from using them as victims. Parents should help them build a strong personality.

Goodman’s Countering the Culture of Sex :: Rhetorical Analysis Pregnancy Essays

Goodman’s Countering the Culture of Sex In this essay I will discuss the effectiveness of Goodman’s Countering the Culture of Sex. I will argue Goodman’s beliefs on sex and cautions she mentions through the text on underage/unprotected sex, the experiences I have witnessed and been through; and how that effects my beliefs, and suggest some things that could have made this argument more convincing to the intended audience. Countering the Culture of Sex convinces one to change his or her beliefs on pre-marital sex and unprotected sex because the arguments made are based upon fact and other opinions and realities. Goodman makes many effective points. She has evidence to back up her opinions. Bringing in the Madonna song â€Å"Papa Don’t Preach† and relating it to real situations and how the music can be an influence to its listeners. Madonna’s lyrics to the song, â€Å"The one you warned me all about, the one you said I could do without, we're in an awful mess, and I don't mean maybe – please†, make you think about the things that can happen. Maybe one should listen to his or her parents, rather than think if Madonna can get through it, maybe I can too. The author is trying to convince people that young Americans are faced daily with sexual connotations, that it’s almost impossible to prevent teen-age pregnancies in our day. Sex is an always presented problem in the media, in music, and in personal relationships. Goodman blames the media for unplanned pregnancies happening in these relationships. There are so many go-for-sex hidden slogans†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Just Do It† –the well known Nike slogan. Goodman brings up â€Å"Papa Don’t Preach†, a song by Madonna in the 80’s which is a â€Å"paean to teen-age motherhood.† Music is some people’s solitude; they go to it to understand life and what they should do with their own. It seems there isn’t enough that can be done to prevent and advertise preventing unprotected sex. Goodman makes convincing points with media and music, for I know many people who live their lives off music and television. It can be very convincing to many people. A friend of mine, whom I will not name, called me yesterday afternoon and told me she made a big mistake and needed my help.

A Comparative Study of Retailing in India Essay

BACKGROUND: According to AT Kearney, India’s retail industry comprises US$ 435 billion. It entails only 6 per cent of itself as organised retail segment as of 2010, according to Booz and Co (India) Pvt Ltd. Hence, there is a great potential to be explored by domestic and international players, especially after Cabinet’s decision to allow up to 51% foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail sector and 100% FDI in single-brand retail. (Why India is a big market: refer page 23, Annexure) The Business Monitor International (BMI) India Retail Report for the fourth-quarter of 2011 forecasts that the total retail sales will grow from US$ 411.28 billion in 2011 to US$ 804.06 billion by 2015. The report has underlined factors like economic growth, population expansion, increasing wealth of individuals and rapid construction of organized retail infrastructure as major drivers for the optimistic forecast figures. (Refer Annexure, fig 2) According to a research report named ‘R etail Sector in India’ by Research and Markets, Indian retail sector accounts for 22 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and contributes to 8 per cent of the total employment. FDI in single-brand retail currently is 0.03% of cumulative FDI of around $149 billion from April 2000 to September 2011. The announcement is expected to generate 10 million jobs over three years, without impacting smaller and domestic retailers. FDI in retail will provide the farming community a new support by investing in good farming practices and providing them with better prices. The international players will bring a sophisticated front-end that will boost investment in infrastructure by retail players, third-party supply-chain companies and the government. This will improve efficiencies in the supply chain, cut wastage, increase efficiency and bring down consumer prices. India has been ranked as the fourth most attractive nation for retail investment among 30 emerging markets by the US-based global management consulting firm, A T Kearney, in its Global Retail  Development Index (GRDI) 2011. India’s MGR (Mass Grocery Retail) sector remains dominated by small-scale traditional retail outlets. All four key modern formats (supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience and discount stores) are already present within India’s MGR market but these stores are largely operated by a handful of local retailers. Structure of India’s MGR market till 2010 (Estimated number of Outlets: fig3, Sales by Format: fig4) is given in Annexure. Collaborative model for international products — Joint ventures (JVs) are emerging as the preferred model for new entrants, wherein foreign players leverage the knowledge of the local player and focus on key issues such as quality, pricing, promotions and brand management. Key examples include the Bharti Groupà ¢â‚¬Ëœs JV with Wal-Mart for retail in the Indian market. MGR sales growth for 2011 = +19.7%; compound annual average growth rate to 2015 = +17.6% (Refer Annexure Fig 5) Increased exposure to Western consumption habits has fuelled consumerism in developed and emerging Asia. Wealthy consumers in major towns and cities turn to modern formats in search of the convenience and quality that they now desire and can increasingly afford. A lot of international retailers are planning to enter and expand their operations in India after the reforms introduced in the FDI policy in retail sector, like Walmart, United Colors of Benetton (UCB), Da Milano. According to a report by research firm CB Richard Ellis India, over 6 million square feet of retail mall space was added across India in the first six months of 2011 (Refer Annexure Fig 6); primarily due to aggressive expansion by organized retailers. The potential cities which are good for entering are given in Annexure Fig 7. Cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in single-brand retail trading during April 2000 to June 2011 stood at US$ 69.26 million, according to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). There are a lot of entry modes to enter a country, here India. (Refer Annexure Fig 8) And also refer to the growth trend that was observed quarterly in India, last year. (Refer Annexure Fig 13) BHARTI-WALMART â€Å"India is a price sensitive market and therefore we will be devising our  strategy for her very carefully†¦Retailing is like a game of three dimensional chess where we operate as a local, regional and global player, so depending on the needs of the market we shall change our format and adapt.† – John B Menzer, President and CEO, Wal-Mart International. 50:50 joint venture: In India, Wal-Mart has a 50:50 joint venture with Bharti Enterprises in the wholesale cash-and-carry segment, since 2007, under the brand Best Price Modern Wholesale. Total retail units as of October 31, 2011: 9 Best Price Modern Wholesale 9 Associates: 3,372 These stores have been opened in Amritsar, Zirakpur (Near Chandigarh), Jalandhar, Kota, Bhopal, Ludhiana, Raipur and Indore. The JV in India expects to open 10 to 12 new Best Price Modern Wholesale stores and employ approximately 3,000 – 4,000 people by end of 2011. On 16 Sept’11, it opened its first Best Price Modern Wholesale cash-and-carry store at Nidamanuru, National Highway-5 in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. New outlet will also have a â€Å"Mera Kirana† program sharing best practices such as various aspects of using low-cost modern techniques and processes such as assortment planning, layout and fixtures, displays, backroom, licenses, safe food handling, customer retention and value added services with small and medium retailers. On 30 Sept’11, it opened a new store format, â€Å"Easyday Hyper†, at Magnet Malls, Bhandup, Mumbai. Currently, the company has 140 ‘easyday’ stores, 13 ‘easyday Market’ outlets and 1 ‘easyday Hyper’ store. Advantage of Wholesale Cash-and-Carry: These benefit retailers as it is a is a one-stop shop that meets the day-to-day needs of restaurant owners, hoteliers, caterers, fruit and vegetable resellers, kiranas, other retail store owners, offices and institutions. More than 90 percent of these goods and services are being sourced locally; thereby helping keep costs to a minimum, adding to the growth of the local economy and creating job opportunities, with the cash and carry store directly employing more than 200 local people. A typical wholesale cash-and carry facility will stand between 50,000 and 100,000 square feet. The joint venture works with the existing supply chain infrastructure to help make it more efficient, thereby maximizing value for  farmers and manufacturers and retailers. The supply chain operation supports farmers and small manufacturers who have limited infrastructure and distribution strength and help minimize wastage, particularly of fresh foods and vegetables. An efficient supply chain can play an important role in transforming farmers and small manufacturers into successful entrepreneurs. Technical Collaboration: Walmart provides certain technical support to Bharti Retail for its front-end retail venture where Bharti Retail requires critical retail technology and technical know-how. Walmart’s Direct Farm Program: Multinational retail giant, Wal-Mart’s Direct Farm Program in India is a partnership with 110 small and marginal farmers near Ludhiana in Punjab where it en courages cultivation of safe, high-quality, seasonal vegetables. Farmers are advised at every stage of cultivation by field agronomists. Farmers learn about nursery management, transplanting, nutrient management, as well as harvest and post-harvest practices. Sourcing from India: Walmart has been sourcing a variety of products from suppliers in India for more than 20 years. Walmart’s office in Bangalore serves as Walmart’s Global Procurement (GP) hub for the sourcing of merchandise from India and Sri Lanka to Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs globally. GP India also manages Global Procurement from Sri Lanka. Major categories sourced from India include home textiles (including towels, shower curtains, bath mats, etc.), apparel (including woven, knitwear and leather footwear), leather accessories, fine jewelry and house wares (like fine dining ware, home dà ©cor, etc). The main categories sourced from Sri Lanka are apparel, textiles and gifts. Launch of its 1st store in India, 2009: The reason for Wal-Mart’s entry in India was clear – The Indian middle class, on which it had been working for around two years. Mom-and-pop stores (or the Kiryana stores) and traditional distribution networks dominated the Indian retail market. Wal-Mart’s first outlet was set to launch in the city of Amritsar, Punjab in North India. The first store air-conditioned and built over 50,000 sq. ft. was on the outskirts of the city, Amritsar. The store employed 200 locals and was likely create 500 indirect jobs. In the first few weeks itself, the company had managed to sign on close to 35,000 members. Training Center: Bharti Wal-Mart has opened a training centre in Delhi to bridge the gap between demand and supply of skilled manpower in modern retail. It will provide free retail sector-focussed vocational training to candidates. A  memorandum of agreement (MoA) was signed in this regard on July 22’11 between Bharti Wal-Mart and the Delhi government’s Department of Training and Technical Education. Bharti-Walmart plans to invest over USD 15 mn in Andhra Pradesh this year and impact lives of 25,000 women through multiple initiatives by 2016, it has already created more than 2,000 job-ready women in 3 years through Bharti Walmart Training Centres. Walmart Labs in Bangalore: In addition to its R&D centre in the Silicon Valley, Wal-Mart plans to set up another facility in Bangalore, India (expected to be set up by Dec 2011) with about 100 developers to work on technologies and solutions for Wal-Mart’s global e-commerce business. UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON The Benetton Group, with brands such as UCB, Sisley and Playlife, has a presence in 120 countries. It has network of around 6,000 stores. India has a local production of their collection too. Almost 100 per cent of the products are sourced from India. The product line remains uniform geographically. At present Benetton has over 425 franchised stores in India (since 1991) and the number is likely to double in five years. Now it is also focusing on smaller cities and towns given the growth in brand awareness and disposable income levels. â€Å"Even if FDI in single brand retail is opened up, we will continue to operate like a wholesaler and follow the franchise route,† Mr Mohanty (Benetton India MD) said. It has launched its first Concept store in Connaught Place. Stores are an important communication platform for Benetton as it is here that we showcase the depth of our brand offering to the customers. The launch of the new store strengthens Benetton’s presence in the Indian market. Global brands work everywhere. Consumers currently are very global as they are accepting products that have global appeal. In fact, it has always positioned itself as a colorful brand which has worked wonders for the Indian market. Also it focuses more on consumer experience like store ambience and window merchandising rather than advertising. Almost 40% of our budget is spent on that. However, it is now looking at in-film placements as the next branding strategy. (It has already tied up with an upcoming John Abraham movie 1-800-Love.) It is looking forward to being clothing partners of programmes  or events, which are true to their product. Recently, this Italian casual wear brand opened an outlet at Magneto Mall, Raipur. Spread over an area of 1,000 sq ft, the store stocks a range of clothes and accessories for men and women. The retailer has a revenue-sharing model with the mall. DA MILANO Da Milano, the international luxury brand with its range of premium leather goods and accessories is synonymous to precision, craftsmanship and exclusivity. Da Milano imports 70% of its leather and accessories from Italy for its leather goods retailed in India. It has 2 state of the art company owned manufacturing units at Nalagarh in Himachal Pradesh equipped with the latest and most advanced machinery. They have a highly skilled workforce operating under the guidance of Italian technicians. They also have an exclusive tannery near Chennai in TN where leather produced is benchmarked to the latest process technology. By September’11, it has 32 signature Da Milano stores across the country. It recently opened 5 flagship stores in Maharashtra. The brand’s presence can be seen in 10 cities – Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata. Recently it opened its showroom at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The store is sprawled over 850sq.ft and is embellished with all-glass frontage. The appealing visual merchandising of the store also includes an off white backdrop, wooden shelves, soft green wall paper, illuminating marble flooring etc, and is done to entice passers-by and draw footfall. The luxury brand could soon be seen announcing the launch of two of its sub brands Rosso Brunello and Da Milano Home. While the former will offer premium hi fashion foot wears for men and women, the latter will be offering leather accessories for home and office. Rosso Brunello foot wears will be made available at select Da Milano exclusive stores, while Da Milano Home and Office accessories would be retailed at Da Milano stores. Well, a lot of scope is there in India as compared to other countries in the world as the organized retail penetration level is only around 5% as compared to 85% in USA, 80% in France and 20% in China. (Refer Annexure Fig 9) PROBLEMATIC SITUATION/DIFFICULTY FACED IN INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Price issue: In India the majority of retail outlets sell products at maximum retail price (MRP), which are administered by the government and printed on each item by manufacturers. Thus, there is minimal price competition among the various store formats. The arrival of International retailers, with vast sourcing networks, may eradicate the importance of government-imposed MRP, as these are likely to focus strongly on low prices as a competitive tool and as a means of encouraging new consumers to try the modern concept. Poor Infrastructure: The road infrastructure is poor and federal and state tax laws are complex, which make cross-state transportation difficult. India’s transport networks/highways, rural infrastructure certainly need investment. Bharti has announced to invest INR 125bn in agriculture and supply chain. It will also invest on specific distribution and transportation storage solutions (ie refrigerated trucks and logistical initiatives, such as electronic product tracking). The relatively slow pace of MGR growth in India can be largely attributed to two key factors: (1) massive income inequalities and (2) tough FDI regulations Labour displacement issue in India: The entry of International retailers with efficient systems will destroy the traditional retail sector, making people’s requirement at minimum in these new retail stores. JOB losing fear: If we assume 40 mn adults in the retail sector, it would translate into around 160 mn dependents using a 1:4 dependency ratio. These people are unlikely suitable for other areas of work either. Thus, there is a need to enact new laws to check the prolific expansion of the new foreign malls and hypermarkets, like China, Malaysia and Thailand. (Refer Annexure Fig 12 to see the Asia Pacific Retail Sales by % share) Change in Retail FDI policy: On November 24th the coalition government, led by the Congress party, said that in cities of over 1m folk, foreign firms could now own 51% of â€Å"multi-brand† retailers, such as supermarkets (up from zero), and 100% of single-brand chains (up from 51%). Multi-brand foreign chains, such as Walmart and Tesco, must operate as joint ventures, of which they may now own up to 51%, and may operate only in cities of 1m people or more. The new reform is timely. Growth has dipped below 7%. The rupee is weak, investors are nervous. But still, the  government needs to lift confidence, and organized retail could work. (Refer to Annexure Fig 10 to see the Indian economic activity showing the nominal GDP and GDP per capita.) Political issues: The FDI reform is too controversial to be enacted. The main opposition party, the BJP, which enjoys the support of millions of stallholders, is doing its best to whip up anger. Many Indians feel an emotional attachment to little kirana stores, and fret that foreign invaders will destroy them. Indian states are not obliged to follow the FDI reform. Many may refuse to liberalize foreign ownership on their territory. Standard Chartered Bank, reckons that of 53 cities with over 1m people, 28 are run by politicians who say they will block the reform. India’s leftist parties had called for a nationwide strike on Dec. 1 in solidarity with the Confederation of All India Traders, who are among the most vocal opponents of full FDI in retail. The BJP leader Uma Bharti publicly threatened to set fire to any Walmart that opens. Fragmented Market: The retail shops are very fragmented with only very few supermarkets and no dominant chain. Farming is also fragmented. A rickety legal system makes it hard to enforce contracts. Under the latest FDI reform, foreign-controlled shops will have to buy a chunk of their processed and manufactured goods from small firms, which may add to their costs. High Land prices in India: Foreign retailers will have to find affordable land in packed an d expensive cities. Western luxury-goods firms may be able to tolerate extortionate rents for central locations. Some may prosper with a few out-of-town stores that people visit infrequently, spending lots. But general retailers need both cheap land and proximity to their customers—not an easy mix. People’s habits: Indians are in the habit of shopping for their fruits and vegetables almost every day which get the customer into the shop every day, and chances are she’ll buy something extra. Building a Walmart-style supply chain of fruits and vegetables requires a lot of investment in improving the productivity and quality of farmers. E.g. showing a tomato farmer how to improve his yields by using wooden stakes for his plants. That farmer doesn’t have to sell his tomatoes to Walmart, but when he sees that he can get a better price, he often does. To woo farmers away from the system they are used to — selling produce at the local mandi, or market, at a price dictated by traders — Walmart has set itself a target of increasing farmers’ incomes by 20% over five years. Farmer’s Income: By  law, farmers are required to sell their produce only to approved mandis and have to pay the mandi taxes. (Walmart has to pay the mandi tax even when farmers sell to them.) They travel for hours to get here, and then take whatever price the wholesale buyer is willing to give. The buyers don’t inspect the produce and offer better prices for better quality; they just sell the 100-kg sacks of vegetables to another set of middlemen, who break it into smaller lots that eventually find their way to vegetable vendors and small retailers. By the time it reaches the consumer, that produce will have been marked up by three to four times or more, but nearly all of that goes to the middlemen, not the farmer. Meanwhile, about 30% of the produce also spoils along the way for lack of cold storage, contributing to India’s soaring food inflation. Distribution issue: remains a major challenge to retail expansion. India’s infrastructure is a lot inadequ ate. A 500km road journey can take as much as 24 hours, owing to poor road conditions, congestion and toll booths. Preference for Kirana/local retailers (cheap price offered): According to ASSOCHAM’s survey 2010, in which it interviewed 5000 shoppers in various cities in India, kirana stores (mom and pop stores) and local retailers were the preferred destination for shoppers as compared to shopping malls. The survey found that goods were less expensive (as much as 25%) in local kirana stores as compared to big shopping malls with more variety and affordable options with sustainable quality at a negotiable price (reduced margins) Walmart’s strict union policy: The company’s clearly defined anti-union policy aiming at preventing its work force from gaining collective bargaining power can result in increased wages. Low overhead costs: Small retailers in India already operate with such low overhead costs (by relying on informal labor and making minimal investment in any technology, even refrigeration) that it’s hard for Walmart to compete with them. (India’s traders have, however, invested in their relationships with state and local politicians, who count on their support around election time.) Elsewhere, Walmart may have pioneered the use of low-cost retail labor; in India, the cost of labor in retail is already about as low as it can get. STRATEGY ADOPTED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE Issuing Loyalty cards: Keeping customers loyal is a problem retailers often grapple with. Over the last decade, Indian companies that are focusing on acquiring and retaining customers have become aggressive about giving out loyalty cards. As a result, 42 percent of Indians in the SEC A, B and C categories are now part of at least one loyalty program in India’s $4 billion-a-year loyalty market. (This figure includes the market for gifts, which a lot of companies use as a surrogate for loyalty programs.) Loyalty is seen as the number one tool that allows retailers to access data on customer tastes and preferences. Pearson: conducted an extensive customer research through Colloquy, its research arm: only 20 percent of Indians in the SEC A, B and C categories are loyal to a particular brand. Offer a better deal and they are more than willing to shift. Improving Infrastructure: Tesco is planning to work with Tata’s Star Bazaar hypermarket business on a franchise basis, providing expertise and technical support in return for a fee to the fast-expanding network. Star Bazaar stores, potentially meaning that Tesco-branded private-label goods could appear in consumer retail outlets in India. It provides employment for some 3,000 local workers at its global service centre in Bangalore. More Partnership: Wal-Mart is also considering a partnership with Indian counterpart Future Group to strengthen its presence in India. Also, Walmart is on an expanding spree in India and wants to cover maximum areas in India, even the interior regions. Recently, it opened a new store format, easyday Hyper, at Magnet Malls, Bhandup, Mumbai. This is Bharti Retail’s first store in West India. Spread over 60,000 sq.ft., the outlet stocks over 20,000 products displaying 475 new items, including personal care products, stationery, household articles, hosiery items and daily-need groceries. Introduction of Innovative ideas: Walmart is also introducing innovating ideas to differentiate it from other retailers, like the recently opened store also has a section called ‘Baby World.’ Currently, the company has 140 ‘easyday’ stores, 13 ‘easyday Market’ outlets and 1 ‘easyday Hyper’ store. Cluster approach strategy: Walmart follows a cluster approach strategy and initially largely focused on Punjab, although it opened stores in other places also. It has covered the four big markets (in Punjab) already. Price  settling: Government of India should introduce the concept for the organized retail by setting a minimum price for a commodity, below which a retail store cannot sale the product. This should be done to avoid the occurrence of monopoly of a retailer in the country. Personalized Offer to Customer: The current retailers in India should take an advantage of the prior knowledge of the customer requirement and customer nature in India. They should provide customized deals and service to them, so that they may retain the old customers even on the opening up of new international retail stores whose service is not personalized. LESSONS LEARNT Clearly, once the equity caps on foreign investment are lifted, the India MGR sector will witness tremendous flows of investment from global retailers, which leads to our projection of 155.6% in MGR sales to 2015. Its retail market is forecast to nearly double to $850 billion by 2020. (Refer to Annexure Fig 11 to see the forecast for 2020 in terms of sales in organized and unorganized retail market.) Also, when a retailer (say Walmart) enters a new market, a lot depends on the kind of a partner it has. As Bharti itself has ambitions to be a major retail powerhouse in India, thus there is a strategic conflict between their interests. As, sooner or later India will permit foreign retailers to have direct equity ownership in India, then what will Walmart be left holding? Bharti has retail ambitions, thus it will want to buy Walmart’s shares, rather than sell. Bharti-Walmart stores are branded BestPrice, and not with Walmart’s name. Thus, Walmart could have thought of India as a portfolio of regional markets and work with smaller regional partners. It’s hard for the local kiryana stores, etc. to have much bargaining power or have national ambitions. They would have been happy to brand them as Walmart and when regulations change, Walmart would be able to buy them out. Walmart India probably will invest in a joint venture with Kishore Biyani-led Future Group soon. The report is not confirmed yet. On Tuesday (March 29’11), a leading business daily in India reported that senior executives of Future Group and Walmart had met at least five times in four months, raising possibilities of an alliance. More important, the debate over Walmart’s effect on retail employment misses a larger point. In India, the majority of the population is employed in agriculture, and Indian farmers stand to gain a lot from greater investment by anyone — foreign or  domestic — in the supply chain that bri ngs food from the field to the consumer. CRISIL, a research firm, reckons the reform could attract up to $3 billion of foreign investment over five years—welcome, but not nearly enough to fund India’s current-account deficit or transform the industry. India’s consumer-goods firms, among its most profitable, have thrived in the era of backward retailing and supply chains, but are betting on gradual change. The biggest, Hindustan Unilever, has seconded staff to stores in America and Britain to learn how they work. In an interview earlier this year its boss, Nitin Paranjpe, said he was â€Å"absolutely certain† that rganized retail would take off. But he reckoned it would take a decade to capture a quarter of the market. Entering a market as big and complex as India’s is a big bet, even for experienced international retailers. Success is by no means guaranteed: citing example of China, where Tesco’s Chinese operations are only breaking even though they have been in the country for seven years. Walmart is doing better, but this was helped by its takeover of Trustmart, a Taiwanese supermarket. Carrefour and Auchan, two French supermarket chains, are doing best, because they adapted more than their rivals to the taste of the Chinese and their shopping preferences, says Ben Cavender at China Market Research in Shanghai. Carrefour, for instance, introduced what is known as â€Å"wet markets† in most of its outlets: open food markets that sell live animals. To be successful in India, Walmart, Carrefour and Tesco will need to give their local managers a lot of autonomy to adapt their stores. India boasts more than 20 official languages, three major religions and many, very different culinary traditions. Big Bazaar, one of the few Indian hypermarket chains, shows how far such adaptation will have to go. Instead of copying the narrow aisles in Western stores, designed for individual shoppers with carts, the firm has packed its stores with clusters through which shoppers have to navigate. This recreates the organised chaos Indians know from shopping in real bazaars: bumping into people, chatting and eating. All these international retail shops offer a wider variety and larger quantity of some items, but lacked the personal touch. They do not have the quality of personalized touch that a normal Kiryana store offers to its customers, thus it will take a long way to establish the retail market in India, but the wait is for the final say by the government of India. REFERENCE www.walmartstores.com http://www.ey.com/IN/en/Newsroom/News-releases/Published-editorial—FDI-in-retail—MNC-retailers-to-select-partners-with-suitable-capabilities FDI in India’s Retail Sector More Bad than Good? – By Mohan Guruswamy, Kamal Sharma, Jeevan Prakash Mohanty, Thomas J. Korah http://business.in.com/article/magazine-extra/walmarts-strategy-through-the-world/6042/1#ixzz1fpdJwzyd www.indiaretailing.com http://business.in.com/article/web-special/loyalty-networks-poised-to-enter-indian-market/30972/1#ixzz1fpikaw00 http://www.ibef.org/download/Retail_270111.pdf http://retail.franchiseindia.com/interviews/Debutant/Bagging-profits-59/ Issue 37 September 2011: http://www.dnb.co.in/Ind_cursorpdf/Industry_Cursor_September_2011.pdf http://www.ramms.co.in/admin/application/source/files/news/39_RRN-Sept%202011.pdf FDI in retail: MNC retailers to select partners with suitable capabilities: Economic Times By Paresh Parekh, Tax Partner, Ernst & Young

Reflection in Nursing Essay

This assignment is a reflective account of events that arose for a nursing student during their first clinical placement in a community hospital. A brief definition of reflection will be given, with emphasis placed on communication. This reflection has been chosen to highlight the need for nurses to have therapeutic communication skills, to provide holistic care for those diagnosed with dysphasia or speech loss and the scope of learning opportunities it has provided to improve practice in this area. All names in this text have been changed, to respect the confidentiality of the patient and other healthcare professionals (NMC 2002). Reflection, in this instance, is a way of analysing past incidents to promote learning and improve safety, in the delivery of health care in practice. The Gibbs reflective cycle has been chosen as a framework for reflection (see appendix 1). Mr. Comer was admitted to his local community hospital for respite care. He has suffered multiple, acute strokes in the past, which has left him with severe disabilities. These include paralysis rendering him immobile, aphasia (speech loss) and dysphagia (swallowing difficulties). He relies on carers for all normal activities required for daily living (Roper et al 1996) and is advised to have a pureed diet and thickened fluids. My mentor asked me to observe her feeding Mr Comer. She had prepared my learning the week previously by providing literature on the subject of feeding elderly patients and discussion on safe practice for feeding patients with dysphagia. I was alarmed and unprepared for the physical sight of this patient, who was coughing noisily and laboriously and a thick, green stream of mucus was exuding from his mouth. I observed Mr. Comer being fed and noticed he was coughing more than normal during his meal, but was informed that this was quite normal for him. I was asked to feed him the next day. When I uncovered Mr Comer’s meal he started to cough in the same manner that I had witnessed before, but this time he evaded all eye contact. I was feeling extremely anxious, but proceeded to load a spoon with his meal. His coughing increased in intensity accompanied by rapid eye blinking, turning his head away from me and throaty groans that I can only describe as distressed vocal growling. I was terrified at this point and called for assistance, thinking Mr. Comer was having some kind of seizure. I discovered very quickly from another health carer who knew Mr. Comer well, that he was protesting profusely about the pureed dinner I was going to give him which he dislikes immensely. On the previous day, he had received an ordinary meal, mashed to a smooth consistency, which is what his carers provided for him at home. This experience left me feeling very uncomfortable and inadequate in my role. I tried to understand why he reacted so alarmingly by putting myself in his position. I felt anger and frustration, but more importantly the feeling of helplessness. Not being able to voice my dislike to the meal offered exacerbated the urgency of hunger or thirst. Although this experience was very frightening for me and frustrating for the patient, it has highlighted the need for me to improve my communication skills. NMC (2002) outlines that we must not add extra stress or discomfort to a patient by our actions and we must use our professional skills to identify patient’s â€Å"preferences regarding care†¦and the goals of the therapeutic relationshipâ€Å". Severtseen (1990) cited by Duxbury (2000) applies the term ‘therapeutic communication’ as the dialogue between nurse and patient to achieve goals tailored exclusively to the patients needs. In this case dialogue is used by Mr. Comer in the form of body language and noise to communicate his needs because of speech loss. Nelson-Jones (1990) states that facial expressions are an intrinsic way to express emotions and eye contact is one way to show interest. The avoidance in eye contact displayed by Mr. Comer showed his distinct lack of interest. Compounding these factors was his facial paralysis, which made it especially difficult for me to ascertain the exact nature of his feelings. The nurse must be the sender and more importantly the receiver of clear information. Patients with speech impairment or loss have a more difficult task sending the messages they want and are sometimes unsuccessful in making themselves understood. (Arnold & Boggs 1995). It appeared to me that Mr. Comer’s cough was not only a physiological disorder caused by his condition, but a way for him to communicate, in this case, his displeasure. Critical analysis of this experience has pointed to the fact that I have inadequacies in my skills, to identify covert and overt clues provided by Mr. Comer to his needs. I had focussed too much on the presenting task to feed him, with my mind occupied on his safety due to the nature of his swallowing problems. I had not considered his other needs like his wishes or desires and I had not gathered enough personal information about him beforehand to know this (Davis & Fallowfield 1991). I had been unsure about what to say or do to alleviate Mr. Comer’s apparent anxieties and had adopted what Watson & Wilkinson (2001) describe as the blocking technique. By continuing my actions to carry on with the meal, I was cutting short the patients need to communicate a problem. I was influenced in this decision because I felt obliged to be seen to reduce his anxieties, knowing my actions would be judged by an audience of other care workers and patients on the ward. I did not respond efficiently to reduce his distress and this pressure led me to deal with the situation inadequately and for that I felt guilty (Nichols 1993). I should have allowed more time to understand what Mr. Comer was thinking and feeling by putting words to his vocal sounds and actions. I could have shown more empathy in the form of my own body language to promote active listening (Egan 2002) and not worried about other peoples views on my decisions and beliefs to act in a way I felt comfortable with and thought was best for my patient. Gould (1990) cited by Chauhan & Long (2000) have suggested that â€Å"many of the non verbal behaviours we use to reassure patients, such as close proximity, prolonged eye contact, clarification, validation, touch, a calm and soothing voice, the effective use of questions, paraphrasing and reflecting thoughts and feelings and summarising are all sub skills with the totality of empathy†. There is an abundance of information about communication, especially for nurses because it is considered by many as the core component to all nursing actions and interventions. Lack of effective communication is a problem that still exists because the learning process that leads to a skilled level of ability may take years of experience to develop (Watson and Wilkinson 2001). It has been quite difficult for me to admit my inadequacies in communication, but Rowe (1999) explains that a person must identify their weaknesses as an initiative for becoming self-aware. Only with acceptance of ones self, can a person begin to acknowledge another persons uniqueness and build upon this to provide holistic care.

Should You Start Your Job Hunt in the Summer

Should You Start Your Job Hunt in the Summer Although the long days of summer often mean the hiring process can be slower than usual, that doesn’t mean you should put your job search on hold until the leaves start to change color. Summer is as good a time as any to sharpen your resume and put yourself out on the job market. Even if you are a seasoned employee and not interested in an entry-level position, you can ride the wave of positions opening up for newly graduated seniors. Companies account for an influx of grads when they plan out their year, so take advantage of new job openings, especially if you are making a lateral move or a career change.The season is also often a time of turnover. People have already received their bonuses, and with the end of a school year often comes changes for many families.  Since most office-based jobs are slower-paced due to vacations and long weekends, current employees have more time to job hunt, which ideally will leave open positions for new hires.Don’t use the excuse of lazy summer days to take a break in your job quest! Summer is a fine to to begin your hunt as long as you realize response times from recruiters will be a bit slower than usual. Use the extra time to perfect your resume, hunt for open positions, and make job searching your priority.

Primarks Entry into the Brazilian Apparel Market

Primarks Entry into the Brazilian Apparel Market Executive Summary Since the establishment of Primark in 1969, the company has grown from a local outfit to a global entity. Over the past four decades, the company has expanded its operations from Ireland to over ten nations across Europe.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on Primark’s Entry into the Brazilian Apparel Market specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a result, Primark has emerged as one of the most reputable retailers in the European apparel industry. Investing in offshore markets is proposed as one of the ways to further the growth and success of the entity. Italy and Brazil were the two suggested markets where the company wanted to invest. Following a thorough market analysis, Brazil was selected as the desired new market for Primark. The reason why Brazil was considered as the country of choice is that it is experiencing a rapid growth in its apparel industry. The cost of establishing presence in the country is considerably low. Licensing is the preferred market entry strategy. The approach is less risky and requires little capital and engagement compared to other approaches. Brief Synopsis of the Issue Primark should enter into the Brazilian market to remain competitive and to increase its revenues. Recommendations Primark is one of the most successful retailers in the European apparel industry. As a result, it can succeed in the Brazilian market Licensing is the preferred market entry strategy since it involves minimal risks and involvement. Brazil is the market of choice since it has a rapidly growing apparel industry. Following the licensing process, it is important to monitor the activities of the licensee to safeguard the company’s interests. Background Primark is a British clothing retailer based in Ireland (Jones, Temperley Lima 2009). Since its inception in 1969, the company has continued to expand its market by opening stores across Ireland and other part s of the world, such as Germany, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Austria, Hungary, Spain, and Belgium (Jones et al. 2009). The organisation made the decision to expand after the realisation that firms have to move from local to global by entering into new markets. Entry into new frontiers is often referred to as globalisation. However, the strategy is characterised by a number of challenges.Advertising Looking for coursework on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Competition is one of the major issues impeding expansion to new markets by a business. As a result, a firm wishing to expand its operations to a foreign country must carry out a market study to determine the opportunities available. The research also highlights the factors that promote business and the entry strategy to be used. Primark’s entry into the Brazilian market will be an important undertaking for the comp any. While there are great opportunities in the country, the apparel industry is also associated with stiff competition (Pinto Souza 2013). The country has a large population of over 190 million people that provides a wide market for the goods. Over the past few years, the country’s apparel industry has continually grown and is currently valued at $50 billion. Analysis of Market Opportunities in Brazil The Porter’s Five Forces driving competition framework is used to analyse the country. Some of the forces involve buyer and supplier power. Others are threat of new entrants, risk of substitute products, and degree of rivalry (Porter 1990). Brazil controls over 11.5 percent of the total retail industry value in America. The apparel industry is one of the best performing sectors in this market. The excellent performance owes to the fact that the industry is experiencing a high growth rate. As a result, competition is low. The situation decreases rivalry among key market players. Reduced rivalry encourages other companies to invest in the market since the industry is viewed as having more room to accommodate additional players. The country’s large population also encourages the entry of new players into Brazil’s apparel industry (MarketLine 2013). Today, the Brazilian fashion industry is controlled by a number of local and multinational companies (Utton 2006). As such, it is characterised by a large number of fashion retail stores. However, it is important to note that Brazilians do not have a lot of disposable income.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on Primark’s Entry into the Brazilian Apparel Market specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As such, a new entrant may opt to target the low end market. The presence of many retailers in the market is an indication that threats to entrants is significantly low compared to other countries. Reduced product differentiation is also of great importance in promoting the entry of new firms into the Brazilian market. Low product differentiation encourages companies to invest in the industry (Utton 2006). The lack of substitutes for apparel products makes it easy for a business to compete favourably with other firms in the sector. New players face few hurdles when investing in the Brazilian apparel industry. For instance, the capital requirement to establish a business in this sector is low compared to other industries, such as construction. There also exists a large number of wholesalers and manufacturers of fashion products. Brazil’s Attractiveness As stated earlier, the Brazilian apparel industry has been experiencing a sharp growth over the past few years. Currently, the growth rate is estimated to be at 6.5 percent annually (Nakanishi 2007). The development reveals that the current market players are strong and reap benefits from their participation in the sector. As a result, any new business wishing to invest in the Brazilian apparel industry must be prepared to face stiff competition and rivalry from existing companies. It is also important to observe that the industry is currently experiencing a rise in online sale of products. Such businesses have reduced the market for retail stores, such as Primark. As such, new entrants are likely to invest in a market that is shrinking. An increase in the demand for custom made goods is reducing the opportunities for retailers in Brazil. Most of these operators stock ready-made products. Companies venturing into the Brazilian fashion industry are likely to enjoy some benefits. Switching costs in the sector are generally low. The factor reduces the cost incurred by new firms intending to invest in the market. Product differentiation is also generally low. The situation allows new entrants to compete favourably with the existing firms.Advertising Looking for coursework on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As such, companies venturing into the country stand to benefit from the opportunities available. The low differentiation in products owes to the fact that most retailers in the apparel industry obtain goods from global manufacturers and wholesalers (MarketLine 2012). New businesses are also required to observe few legal requirements. The most significant cost to be incurred by new entrants into the Brazilian apparel industry involves the acquisition of stock. Most of the retail stores operating in the country depend on wholesalers for the supply of products. Some retailers opt to obtain their merchandise direct from the manufacturers. As a result of the fragmented nature of the supply chain in the industry, suppliers have reduced power over the market (Babu 2012). Market liberalisation in the country also cushions the retail stores against exploitation by the suppliers. As already indicated in this paper, barriers to entry are limited. The reduction in barriers lowers the cost of do ing business in Brazil. The capital requirements for a new retail store in the apparel industry are also considerably low (Belussi Sammarra 2010). Company Situation Analysis The SWOT analysis framework is used for the purposes of reviewing Primark’s situation with regards to its intentions to enter into the Brazilian market. The analysis explores the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with Primark (Porter 2004). It is important to examine the company in order to determine the factors that may affect its establishment in the new market. The analysis will highlight the improvements that need to be made to enhance Primark’s competitiveness. The external factors that may impede the success of the company are also identified (Bravo 2008). Primark’s strengths are likely to promote its success in the Brazilian market. The company has a strong brand name and a good reputation. As a result, the company stands a chance to succeed in the new mark et in spite of competition from a number of both local and multinational establishments (Porter 2004). The company is also well established, especially in the European market. It is expected that the business will record similar success in Brazil based on the fact that the country is experiencing sharp growth in the apparel industry, which is encouraging to new entrants. In addition, the company has a strong supply chain management system that is technologically advanced. Just like any other business, Primark has a number of weaknesses (Porter 2004). To begin with, the firm has been reported to earn low profits in some of the regions where it has previously launched its operations in the world. Such areas include France. Activities, such as online sale of products, have in the past eaten into the market previously controlled by retail stores in Brazil. The profitability of retailers in the country’s apparel industry is therefore expected to lower in the coming years. Customer power at Primark is high owing to the fact that most Brazilians purchase goods as individuals. For instance, the shift in the preference of some of the customers in the country from ready-made goods to custom made products has reduced the market previously controlled by retail stores. Primark can exploit a number of opportunities in the Brazilian market. To begin with, there are few barriers to entry (Bravo 2008). Businesses wishing to invest in the industry are not required to fulfil many legal requirements. Liberalisation of trade in the country has been achieved by removing barriers that would hinder investment from foreign firms. Technological advancement in Brazil also presents Primark with an opportunity to successfully enter into the new market (MarketLine 2013). Through technology, the company can be in a position to make improvements on their supply chains. The Brazilian apparel market is also experiencing a rapid growth. As a result, it is expected that there is a conside rably large number of Insatiable consumers customers. The Brazilian market also poses a number of threats to Primark and other similar firms. To begin with, environmental, global, and social regulations are on the rise (MarketLine 2013). Companies are now expected to exhibit corporate social responsibility. Compliance to such regulations increases the cost of doing business in the country. The global economic slowdown also exposes firms in the apparel industry to the risk of earning reduced profits. A decrease in the disposable income held by customers is also a threat to the entry of Primark into the Brazilian market. The development is likely to reduce the sales volume of company resulting to low profitability (Cattaneo 2010). The preference of the customers is also changing from ready to custom-made products. Readiness to go Overseas Primark is one of the leading retail stores dealing with the sales of clothes, shoes, accessories, and beauty products in Europe. Having started in Ireland in 1969, the company has over the past four decades widened its operations across Europe opening stores in over ten countries. The company has been successful in entering these European markets and has emerged as one of the most reputable brands in the apparel industry. To be able to remain competitive in the global market, Primark needs to extend its operations globally. As a result, they need to carry out market studies on potential countries in order to be able to come up with the most appropriate choice. Primark’s entry into the Brazilian apparel market is likely to be eventful. The country offers Primark a unique investment opportunity in that it is experiencing rapid growth in the apparel industry. Rivalry in the market is also considerably low, which offers an environment that is conducive for a young business to thrive (Petrou 2009). Reduced product differentiation is also likely to be beneficial to Primark since competitors will have no added advantage theref ore offering a level ground for all players in the industry. There are also limited barriers into entry. With the country being a liberal economy, the Brazilian government attempts as much as possible to encourage foreign investment. Although Brazil is associated with great opportunities for businesses in the apparel industry, a number of factors would deter Primark from entering the market. For example, there are several similar local and multinational stores in the country (Jones et al. 2009). As a result, the company will take a long time to out-do such well established businesses. Online sales also threaten the entry of Primark in the Brazilian apparel industry. Despite all these challenges facing Primark’s proposed entry into the Brazilian market, the opportunities that the investment presents outweigh the challenges. The company has also been successfully built its reputation in the global market by providing quality goods to their customers (Jones et al. 2009). For ove r three decades now, the company has successfully entered the major markets in Europe. As a result, the management is capable of overseeing the entry into the Brazilian market effectively. Global Sourcing and Production Global sourcing is the term used to describe the process of obtaining goods and services from foreign markets across political and geographical borders (Manuj 2013). The reason behind the practice is to promote efficiency in the delivery of goods and services. Many companies today use the practice to obtain low cost products from foreign countries. The motive behind this is to cut on the cost incurred when obtaining goods and services. Global production on the other hand refers to producing on a global scale. Such manufactures enjoy a wide range of economies of scale and are in a position to rationalise costs. The two concepts are important for persons wishing to understand international trade. Retail stores across the world source their products from global supplier s and manufactures (Jin 2005). Similarly, Primark has to carefully consider the preferred source for their products. Usually, the company buys its goods from manufactures and suppliers across the globe. The proposal for the firm to move into overseas markets will require that they look for the most efficient means of obtaining goods. It is obvious that Primark cannot continue relying on its previous sources of their products owing to the fact that they will be required to incur huge transportation costs. However, it is important to ensure that the source of the products selected does not affect the quality of the goods and services offered (Jin 2005). Market Entry Strategy The term market entry strategy refers to a carefully pre-planned means of delivering goods and services to a newly targeted market and their distribution. The process of developing an effective market entry strategy requires a firm to carry out a thorough search on potential customers and competitors (Ross Harrad ine 2010). One must also put into consideration possible trade barriers. The firm wishing to invest overseas must therefore have a clearly defined plan on the source of the goods. Proximity of the source of goods to the market is one of the key factors to consider. The cost of obtaining and having the goods delivered to the business should also be considered. Primark must be keen to ensure that the costs incurred in obtaining the goods and delivering them to the market does not exceed the expected gains following the sales of the products. There are a number of market entry strategies that can be used by Primark. The strategies include licensing, turnkey project exporting, joint venture, outsourcing, Greenfield project, Export Processing Zones (EPZs), franchising, alliances, as well as the use of wholly owned ventures (Collins, Kamel Miller 2006). Licensing is the recommended entry strategy for Primark. It requires little involvement and expenses. The strategy is almost similar to franchising. Primark will need to sign an agreement with another firm allowing them to operate under their brand name. However, Primark will be required to closely monitor the firm that they have licensed in order to ensure that the terms of the agreement are being adhered to, as well as to offer technical support to the new business. The strategy is associated with a number of advantages and disadvantages. Merits associated with the strategy include low risk to the parent firm. The licensee contributes capital and sells goods under the licensor’s brand name (Collins et al. 2006). Both parties are also involved in marketing. As a result, the sales volumes go up. Primark may encounter a number of challenges following its move to license another firm to carry out its foreign operations. It will only enjoy limited participation from the agreement. The company may lose control over its brand. Potential returns to Primark from marketing activities are lost to the licensee. There i s also fear that the licensee may develop know-how and become a competitor. Implementation of the Market Entry Strategy Before licensing, it is important that Primark thoroughly investigates the licensee. Having determined the trustworthiness of the licensee, Primark will enter into an agreement with the other firm allowing them to use their brand name for Brazilian operations. Primark will however be required to carefully monitor the activities of licensee in order to secure their own interests (Kilduff Chi 2006). Once the licensor is fully established, employees from Primark will be sent to offer assistance to the licensee. References Babu, V 2012, Industrial engineering in apparel production, Woodhead Pub. India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. Belussi, F Sammarra, A 2010, Business networks in clusters and industrial districts: the governance of the global value chain, Routledge, London. Bravo, L 2008, ‘The devil wears Primark’, British Journalism Review, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 63-68. Cattaneo, O 2010, Global value chains in a post-crisis world: a development perspective, World Bank, Washington, D.C. Collins, M, Kamel, M Miller, K 2006, ‘Beyond the core in retail’, Strategy and Leadership, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 14-18. Jin, B 2005, ‘Global sourcing versus domestic sourcing: implementation of technology, competitive advantage, and performance’, Journal of the Textile Institute, vol. 96, no. 5, pp. 277-286. Jones, B, Temperley, J Lima, A 2009, ‘Corporate reputation in the era of Web 2.0: the case of Primark’, Journal of Marketing Management, vol. 25, no. 10, pp. 927-939. Kilduff, P Chi, T 2006, ‘Longitudinal patterns of comparative advantage in the textile complex’, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 134-149. Manuj, I 2013, ‘Risk management in global sourcing: comparing the business world and the academic world’, Transportation Journal, vol. 52, no. 1, pp. 80-107. MarketLine 2012, MarketLine industry profile: apparel retail in Italy. Web. MarketLine 2013, MarketLine industry profile: apparel retail in Brazil. Web. Nakanishi, N 2007, ‘Free entry, market size, and the optimistic stability’, International Game Theory Review, vol. 9, no. 2, p. 243. Petrou, A 2009, ‘Foreign market entry strategies in retail banking: choosing an entry mode in a landscape of constraints’, Long Range Planning, vol. 42, no. 6, pp. 614-632. Pinto, M Souza, Y 2013, ‘From garment to fashion production: an analysis of the evolution of the apparel industry in Brazil’, BAR Brazilian Administration Review, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 304-322. Porter, M 1990, The competitive advantage of nations, Harvard Business Review, London. Porter, M 2004, Global competitiveness report 2004-2005, Macmillan, Palgrave. Ross, J Harradine, R 2010, ‘Value brands: cheap or trendy?: an investigation into young consumers and supermarket clothing’, J ournal of Fashion Marketing and Management, vol. 14, no. 3, pp.350-366. Utton, M 2006, International competition policy maintaining open markets in the global economy, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham.

A Study Regarding Barro and Romers Analysis of the Entry Fee Pricing Used by Amusement Parks

A Study Regarding Barro and Romer's Analysis of the Entry Fee Pricing Used by Amusement Parks Introduction Amusement parks and ski resorts typically charge a one-time entry fee to use as many rides or ski-lifts as people can in a day. They do not charge a fee for every individual ride that a person takes. Barro and Romer analyze why amusement parks and ski resorts use this type of entry fee pricing. In this paper, Barro and Romer discuss how during peak seasons, amusement parks (ski-lift services, etc.) are very crowded and have long lines. If an amusement park is crowded, and has â€Å"chronic queuing,† economists would suggest that the park would be better off if they raised prices. Traditionally raising prices when demand is high will bring the park to an efficient equilibrium where supply is equal to demand. Economist would also suggest that if the price were too low, there would be other inefficiencies that would occur in the park. Parks that have long lines continue to thrive, even though economists say they should not be. The authors argue that amusement parks and ski-lift services that set prices so that lines are longer during peak times are not being inefficient. They are maximizing profits in equilibrium by setting prices for all-day use subject to a downward-sloping demand curve. As demand increases, it may not even cause the park to increase prices, as prices are sticky. The authors analyze different conditions such as park congestion, transportation ability, park quality, and how those factors affect pricing. Model Summary There are two types of agents in this economy: Individuals and amusement park (ski-lift service, etc.) firms. Each individual’s objective is to maximize their utility. They want to get the most out of their experience at the amusement park. If a park is charging for each individual ride, the individual tries to maximize utility: Ui=Ui(qi,zi), where qi is the number of rides, and zi is goods other than rides. The individual chooses qi to maximize the utility subject to Yi=Pqi+zi+ci, where Yi is the real income, ci is the entry fee, and P is the price per ride. The individual is maximizing their utility subject to a budget constraint. There is no entry fee, but there is a price per ride with ride tickets. For an individual that is being charged an entry fee with no extra price per ride, they are also attempting to maximize utility subject to their budget constraint. Price per ride is equal to zero, but there is an entry fee.Individuals are also constrained by preferences, transportation costs, and congestion aversion. The individual can also choose other ski areas or amusement parks. The firm’s objective is to maximize profits. They can choose what price to charge, and if they want to charge an entry fee or charge for individual rides. They are constrainedby a production function (capacity for the ski area or amusement park). Equilibrium This model assumes that ski lifts and amusement parks are competitive. Under a competitive equilibrium each agent will maximize their objective. The park will maximize their profits and the individual will maximize their utility. All markets will need to clear. For ride ticket pricing, â€Å"equilibrium requires that the total capacity of rides, Jx, equal the total number demanded, qN – that is, Jx = D(P) Ãâ€" N(P,s).† The price is determined by a given value of Jx. Total capacity increases, price will fall. If demand increases, prices will rise. For entry fee equilibrium there are several equations that need to be satisfied. In this model, each individual’s preferences are the same. This model means that parks and ski resorts set their prices to maximize profits, given the demand of the individuals. Individuals are attempting to maximize their utility, given the prices the ski resorts and amusement parks set. Results The equilibrium conditions for single-ride tickets and all day entry fees initially provide the same result. Each firm will be able to maximize their profit and each individual will be able to maximize their utility. Barro and Romer account for a few more factors that could impact the results. The factors that were not included initially were costs incurred to avoid theft of rides, the heterogeneity of rides (not every ride will be the same depending on time of day, breakdown of equipment, congestion, etc.), and time spent waiting in line, which will have a positive opportunity cost. If parks charged for each ride, there would also be higher costs associated with collecting money. The park would have to have a cashier (or another way of collecting money/tickets) at every ride. This would increase the cost for the park. The model predicts that charging a one-time entry fee will be more efficient for both the individual and for the firm. Real World Context The authors suggest that that this model can be used for fishing. If there is a price per fish for the fisherman, it will be less effective than a fishing license where a fisherman can catch as many fish as he wants in a given period of time. This model can also be used when thinking of a gym. When you go to they gym you pay for a specific amount of time you are able to use the gym. Most people pay per month, and they have unlimited access after the initial payment. The gym does not charge for every machine that you use or every weight that you lift. This would fit with the model because it is more efficient to charge a one-time fee for a certain amount of time. When applying the gym to this model, each individual’s objective is still to maximize their utility subject to a budget constraint. The gym is trying to maximize their profits subject to a production constraint (gym capacity). Conclusion This paper helped me understand why certain types of industries charge a one-time fee instead of a per-use charge. The main reason for using this type of pricing seems to be because it costs less to both the firm (costs less money), and to the consumer (costs less time). This will increase the firm’s profits and the consumer’s utility. This model will be useful for many industries to determine the most efficient form of pricing.

Ethical Steps in Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethical Steps in Decision Making - Essay Example As a psychiatric nurse, I work in the therapy section and yesterday while on duty, I was faced with a dilemma. I received young male patient, who had on several occasions attempted suicide. On checking his report, there was a record of symptoms pointing to severe depression. I thus consulted with the mental health nurse, who affirmed that indeed the patient had shown signs of depression during examination, moreover that the psychotherapist in charge was aware of the mild symptoms, but had advised against any further follow-up on the patient, who, he considered was experiencing a post-traumatic stress disorder. Confronted with a dilemma, I utilized the five steps involved in the ethical decision making process, so as to come up with a solution. The first step I took, as set forth by Aiken (104) was to analyze the data I had, in order to come up with relevant information concerning the situation. Thus, after an interpretation of the data I had, I noticed that the patient had displayed several suicidal attempts in the past single month. I therefore concluded that, the physician had let the symptom pass. I thus went on to take the second step, which involves spelling out the dilemma at hand, as suggested by Aiken (104). I was torn between administering therapeutic treatment meant for depressed patients in order to prevent possible harm after discharge, or discharge the patient after slight recovery, as ordered by the doctor, since the mild symptoms had been treated. I was thus left with the option of moving on to the third step. This involved the identification of all the causes of action that can be taken, without emphasizing on the possible results (Aiken 104). I thus followed my judgment, in line with the best interest of the patient. Considering that the psychotherapist had chosen not to order a therapy meant for depressive patients, I went to the chief physician and made known my findings. Thereafter, I examined the merits and demerits that

Examine how nirvana might be said to be the goal of Buddhist mysticism Essay

Examine how nirvana might be said to be the goal of Buddhist mysticism - Essay Example It is mainly an enlightenment state, meaning that an individual who gets what he or she desires with no suffering. As scholars of religion would have it, Buddhism may not merely be a pact of religious doctrines, but also is seen as a pact expounding on the best of life. In this pact, it is seen as a whole civilization concerning its historical background in tandem with its literature, philosophy, and the art. The religion of Buddhism explores all the facets of human life3. To understand humanity, and the aspects of his socialization, his ethics, his intellectual, his spiritual and economic status as well as mental development, Buddhism religion seem to provide a promising state. The ultimate result of Buddhism leads to an enlightenment of the being and this is the core in experiencing the state of nirvana. The goal of Buddhism is the aspect and practice of nirvana. Everyone who understands Buddhism well, he, or she can agree that nirvana is one of the goals of the religion. According to how Buddha preached about nirvana in India, the human being comes to life from nowhere. This is due to a combination of elements and things. Human beings have no creator and most of Buddhism followers believe that. They believe that human beings just fall from nowhere to earth through a mysterious process and they find themselves in phenomenal universe that is full of inanimate and animate objects. Therefore, personality, beingness, and existence all manifest from an emptiness (sunya) state or nothingness or non-existence through an aggregation process. In its simplest terms, nirvana is the state of perfect peace and happiness that a follower of the religion actualizes as th e long-term goal. Nothing is above its experience. This noble realization of nirvana, makes the religion seem practical. As a result, many would agree that the Buddhism religion is more likely alive in understanding the complex nature of humanity. It helps humanity become more deeply

Exploring Song Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Exploring Song - Essay Example This paper is an analysis of the poem, â€Å"Dear March, Come In!† in a musical setting. It will explain the choices made in order to place the song in a musical setting. It will then compare the poem with a recorded version of the song, â€Å"Dream Variations† and finally draw conclusions on whether there were any effects of the recorded version of the song to the poem. Part I: Poem Analysis in a Musical Setting The poem, â€Å"Dear March, Come In!† is a cheerful song, one in which the author expresses joy and happiness in the arrival of the month of March. In the poem, the speaker, while expressing his joy to the arrival of March, uses different expressions and words to explain his feelings. In a musical setting, I would use the through-composed form of music in order to express these feelings of the speaker. Since through-composed form contains different music for every stanza, and the poem has different ideas and mixed feelings in the various stanzas, then, t his would be the best way to go about the song. In a musical setting, using the correct singers, combined with the right instruments is the best way of creating the best record song. In a musical setting, due to the high range of the poem, I would use singers with a high range of voice, signifying the mood of the song, which is cheerful. As the song starts, I would use baritone, which is the voice falling between tenor and bass. Coupling this with tenor, which is the highest male voice, I would get a good combination expressing the speaker’s feelings in the song. The entire sing would then have a rich tenor. However, there would be the harmony in the singer’s voices in the last stanza. These, combined with the piano, a saxophone and a violin would blend well enough to make a great piece. While creating a musical setting of the poem, I would use a number of musical elements in order to get the right combination and come up with a great piece. Texture in a song, often re garded as the density, thickness, range, or width between the lowest and the highest pitches, determines the relationship between the various voices in a particular song (Stein 64). A song texture comprises of the monophony, homophony or polyphony. While monophony describes a clear text setting, polyphony describes a less clear setting. Since the poem, â€Å"Dear March, Come In!† has a clear text setting, I would use monophony in the first and second stanzas, but later switch briefly to homophony at the beginning of the third stanza to the line, â€Å"As soon as you have come†, but pick up homophony from the line, â€Å"That blame is just as dear as praise.† Tone in a song describes the system or the language of music, describing the hierarchical relationship between the pitch, based on the key centre. Tone in a song could be either happy or sad (Rumery web). In a musical setting of the poem, â€Å"Dear March, Come In†, there are tonal variations in the v erses, as the singer expresses his emotions to March. At the beginning, the author indicates a cheerful tone, one that shows delight and the happiness of the singer, in celebration of March. However, after the stay and April knocks on the door, the author shows reluctance in opening the door. This shows some of sadness, after realizing that match is about to leave. Analysis and Comparison After listening to the recorded version of the song, it is possible to draw a number of conclusions.