With Reference to Bp Plc’s free essay sample

I will illustrate this discussion with an analysis of the strategies employed by the multinational energy company BP plc (formally British Petroleum). Firstly I shall introduce a tool by which cultural attributes and values pertinent to business can be measured and compared through the study of Geert Hofstede. Then I will introduce the firm BP plc, discussing the firm’s history and current competitive environment. BP plc’s recent and current strategic management actions will be outlined and I will analyse any correspondence between the firm’s strategy and cultural biases as revealed by Hofstede. When considering the effect a firm’s home culture may have upon those firms’ operations we must first find a standard methodology that can be applied to measure the value of said culture or indeed all cultures because without comparison with another culture’s values then our measure becomes arbitrary. Measuring Cultural Values Fortunately the work of Hofstede has provided us with such a measure. We will write a custom essay sample on With Reference to Bp Plc’s or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He drew on analysis of data gathered from employees of one of the largest multinational companies at the time, IBM (1967 to 1973) these results have since been supported by several more independent studies. Hofstede produced results that showed different culture’s values in the workplace in terms of four (initially) ‘cultural dimensions’ which was extended to five after a further study designed by Chinese academics: Power Distance Index (PDI) is the extent to which it is accepted in a society that there is an uneven spread of power distribution. Specifically as viewed by those with the least power in any given society. A culture with a high PDI shows that it is an accepted and even expected element of that society that a very few people will retain a large proportion of power influence and wealth. Individualism (IDV) which can be contrasted with collectivism. The inference being that individualistic societies have a less integrated group dynamics, the emphasis on looking after oneself and perhaps your own nuclear family. Whilst collectivist societies tend to be viewed as having tight group cohesion with the emphasis on the ties between members of extended families and those in one’s community. Masculinity (MAS) opposed to femininity. Best described as behavioural opposites, a masculine culture will be more assertive and domineering, a feminine culture more inclined to progression through discussion and mutual cooperation. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) refers to a society’s ability to withstand levels of uncertainty and risk. A society with a low tolerance to uncertainty is more likely to favour structured situations with known and accepted boundaries. It is also less likely to be accepting of new ideas and methods, as these again may constitute an unknown risk. Long-Term Orientation (LTO) is the additional dimension. It refers to values derived from culture’s time perspective. Those with a long term orientation i. e. those who value perseverance and those with short term orientation who value more immediate results. Viewing the combined results of these dimensions for each country goes towards establishing that there are indeed very different cultural biases in each society concerning attitudes in the workplace and in business. When the relative scores are viewed side by side we have a powerful visual tool for exploring how cultural biases may manifest themselves in firms and organisations based in those cultures. In Fig. 1 we see the results for the United Kingdom which can be contrasted against the average results fro all countries in the study. We can observe that British cultural dimensions reflect low power distance tolerance, high individuality, high masculinity, low tolerance to uncertainty and a short term orientation. BP plc. (British Petroleum) When considering which international firm to use as a case study I was curious to apply this discussion to an industry and firm which is a product of the greatest possible degree of globalisation. In a world society with a hydrocarbon economy I find it hard to conceive of an industry more global than that of energy production and thus a multinational oil company. BP plc, unsurprisingly, is a British company. It was founded in 1908 and owes its early prosperity to exploitation of Iranian (formally Persian) oilfields, where it continued to operate until the revolution in Iran in 1979. Although having lost access to the Iranian oilfields, BP plc had expanded operations to the North Sea and Alaska during the 1960s and 1970s. During the 1980s the British government sold off its holdings in the company under the privatization drive. At the end of the decade the company underwent severe corporate restructuring and downsizing. In the 1990s BP plc undertook several corporate acquisitions which resulted in BP becoming the second largest oil company at that time. Moving forward to the present day, according to the Forbes Global 2000 ranking of leading public companies in the world BP plc is ranked seventh as of 2008. It is one of the six ‘supermajor’ oil companies. This title referring to the six biggest energy companies in the world, these firms developed after oil companies began to merge in the 1990s following a period of low oil prices. The intent being to take advantage of the economies of scale such mergers would offer. Anon, 2008) This behavior is typical of the pressures created by increasing globalization; ‘Globalization, the internationalization of markets and corporations, has changed the way modern corporations do business. To reach the economies of scale necessary to achieve the low costs, and thus the new prices, needed to be competitive, companies are now thinking of a global (worldwide) market instead of a national market. ’ (Wheelen et al. 2002) Moving into this decade there have been several events in recent years that have had the potential for large scale negative effects on the firm. In March of 2005, a large explosion hit BPs Texas City Refinery in the United States. Many people were injured in the accident some fatally. BP has admitted full liability for the accident. The following year, in March 2006, a leak in one of BPs pipelines in Alaska caused a spill of oil onto the local environment. BP had to replace a large section of this pipeline. A few months later in July 2006, BP announced closure of its remaining oil wells in Alaska due to leaks into the local environment. Additional leaks in Alaska occurred at various facilities in August 2006 and October 2007. (Anon, 2008) In terms of recent expansion of operations BP has pursued opportunities in Asia Pacific gas, Azerbaijan, Algeria, Angola, Trinidad, deepwater Gulf of Mexico and Russia. Whilst also managing the decline of their established oil developments Alaska, Egypt, Latin America, the Middle East, North America gas and the North Sea, by using new recovery techniques and technologies to improve the recovery from those developments. (BP Company Website www. bp. com 2008) BP Alternative Energy was set up in 2005 to confirm BP’s commitment to alternative energy production; ‘In a short time, we’ve made a real difference – and over the next 10 years we aim to invest $8bn in solar, wind, hydrogen and natural gas power technology and projects that will help reduce carbon dioxide further’ (BP Company Website www. bp. com 2008) Eight billion dollars is a huge investment, and arguable has the dual purpose of improving BP’s public image in the short term and improving its long term competitive advantage as would occur if BP can become a market leader in hese emerging new technologies. Strategy What is strategy? In terms relative to our discussion, strategy and strategic management may be viewed a three part process for the firm in which strategic analysis is required to understand the current position of the firm, strategic choice is require to formulate and choose between of plans of action and strategic implementation is concerned with how strategic choices are delivered (Johnson et al 1989). Failure in realising any part of this strategic process will result in inefficient strategy for the firm. The importance of strategy in the increasingly globalised industries is explained by Wheelen et al; ‘As more industries become global, strategic management is becoming an increasingly important way to keep track of international developments and position the company for long-term competitive advantage. ’ (Wheelen et al. 2002) Essentially, intelligent and appropriate strategic decisions in response to internationally influentially events are necessary in order for a firm to position itself in the market and achieve long term competitive advantage. A concept further emphasised by Porter; A global industry is one in which the strategic positions of competitors in major geographic or national markets are fundamentally affected by their overall global positions. ’ (Porter 2004) Having established what ‘strategy’ entails for a multinational company in a competitive environment of globalisation we should examine Bp’s future strategy. BP’s Annua l Review for 2007 contains the following statement about its strategic intent; ‘BP’s strategy for the future is robust. We have great positions in many of the major hydrocarbon basins of the world. We also have great market positions in the key economies and are preparing for the future by building a new low-carbon energy business. Executing our strategy is where we must improve. In safety, we are significantly lowering the risk profile of our operations. We are working hard to ensure that we have the right people with the right skills in the right places. And we are addressing performance by reducing organizational complexity, improving operational consistency and changing individual behaviours. On the front lines of our business, we are moving this agenda forward. (BP Company Website www. bp. com 2008) Analysis of this statement, along with the information outlined in the previous section regarding recent activities and events in the past decade at BP reveals several key elements of strategy aimed at establishing competitive advantage; BP has identified which area of strategy it must improve upon, that of strategic implementation, as mentioned earlier. BP wishes to reduce the risk associated with their operations. BP is aggressively pursuing new opportunities to ensure its long term viability as an oil producer. BP’s strategy regarding performance includes changing individual behaviours and selecting the best individuals for the business. BP is investing in new and alternative sources of energy to ensure its long term viability as a energy producer and improve its public image BP had a strategy of acquisition and takeover in the late 1990s in order to improve its competitive advantage through economies of scale and also enter new markets. Does Home Culture Matter? Do BP plc’s strategic decisions reflect the cultural dimensions revealed by Hofstede’s study? Reviewing again the British cultural dimensions, we find a culture of low power distance tolerance, high individuality, high masculinity, low tolerance to uncertainty and a short term orientation. Looking at the strategic points above, can be associate any of them with Hofstede’s cultural dimensions? BP wishes to reduce the risk associated with their operations, which would certainly fit the model of a culture of low uncertainty tolerance. BP’s emphasis on the value of the skilled individual and on individual behaviours reflects on this British cultural value of high individuality. BP’s strategy of acquisition reflects the assertive qualities associated with high masculinity, as does the aggressive exploitation of new opportunities. However, when considering the cultural dimension of long-term orientation versus short-term orientation, one must conclude that BP adheres to strategy that suggest a very high long term orientation; its attention to strategic implementation as a means to improve market positioning and competitive advantage, heavy investment in oil exploration and development but also, and perhaps more importantly, heavy investment in the energy producing technologies of the long term future. Both as a means to secure competitive advantage at that time and also to improve its public image. The latter reason suggests a commitment to relational sales strategies, a long term orientation strategy. Perhaps this is not especially surprising given the amount of negative press that was created by several oil spills and a huge industrial accident. BP of course displays many aspects of short term orientation, a drive for performance enhancement and maximisation of profits for example. However the predilection for long-term orientation is not described as being part of British culture by Hofstede’s study. Conclusion In considering the possibility that it is in some way old fashioned to consider the influence of the firm’s home country’s institutions and culture given globalisation’s supposedly homogenising effects we must first acknowledge that the use of one example to illustrate our discussion is hardly likely to be conclusive. With reference to BP plc’s strategic decisions and use of Hofstede’s cultural study I would conclude that in the main part, yes, there is a correlation and thus a suggestion of home culture influence. I believe that the one anomalous result, that of evidence of a strong long-term orientation in BP’s strategy can be explained by the process of globalisation itself and the industry of the firm involved. A multinational firm dealing in a huge and vital industry as oil and energy production could simply not have survived without a tendency for long term orientation in strategy; it would have been consumed by another company by now, very much as BP and the other ‘supermajors’ consumed or merged with smaller companies in the 1990s. Long-term competitive advantage and the necessity of achieving those economies of scale demanded it. In essence, short-term orientation in business strategy cannot endure on the scale that globalisation exists in. In conclusion, no, I do not believe it is old fashioned to consider the influence of the firm’s home country’s institutions and culture, but it must be acknowledged that globalisation itself creates its own normative values in the dimension of long term orientation.

The Next essays

The Next essays Global warming has made the probability of abrupt climate change a real threat to the future. The countries that surround the North Atlantic should expect, and prepare for a very cold future. While global warming has become a problem that no one can deny the evidence of, people overlook some of the consequences that such warming of the planet can cause. As awareness of global warming grows, many fail to be informed about the possibilities and probabilities of abrupt climate change. Although the world is warming up, some areas of the planet may be approaching another "Little Ice Age." Overwhelming facts indicate that global warming is occurring, and that it is becoming a serious issue that should be addressed by all nations around the globe. However, some of the effects and consequences of this growing problem are easily overlooked, or ignored. Opposition and contesting theories abound. Yet, ignoring and debating will not prepare for the probabilities that lay ahead. The planet is warming. The evidence of global warming is irrefutable. The worst part is that the warming is proceeding on an accelerating scale. Many factors contribute to the warming. Human factors cannot be denied when investigating the heating-up of the planet. The Earth's average temperature has been rising for at least 100 years, but in recent decades the rate of increase has itself been increasing. Eleven of the hottest years ever recorded have occurred since 1990, and the top five warmest years on record have all been in the last seven years. The polar regions are heating up much more rapidly than average. Alaska is now as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius) warmer than it was 35 years ago. Average summertime temperatures in Antarctica have risen 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit (2.5 degrees Celsius) since the 1940's. The Greenland Ice Sheet, the worl's largest glacier, is growing thinner at a rate of about a meter (39 inches) per year. ...

Biography of Betty Friedan, Feminist, Writer, Activist

Biography of Betty Friedan, Feminist, Writer, Activist Betty Friedan (February 4, 1921–February 4, 2006) was an author and activist whose seminal 1963 book The Feminine Mystique is credited with helping spark the modern feminist movement in the United States. Among her other accomplishments, Friedan was the founder and first president of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Fast Facts: Betty Friedan Known For: Helping spark the modern feminist movement; founder and first president of the National Organization of WomenAlso Known As: Betty Naomi GoldsteinBorn: February 4, 1921 in Peoria, IllinoisParents: Harry M. Goldstein, Miriam Goldstein  Horwitz OberndorfDied: February 4, 2006 in Washington, D.C.Education: Smith College  (BA), University of California, Berkeley (M.A.)Published Works: The Feminine Mystique (1963), The Second Stage (1981), Life so Far (2000)Awards and Honors: Humanist of the Year from the American Humanist Association (1975), Mort Weisinger Award from the American Society of Journalists and Authors (1979), Induction into the National Womens Hall of Fame (1993)Spouse: Carl Friedan (m. 1947–1969)Children: Daniel, Emily, JonathanNotable Quote:  A woman is handicapped by her sex, and handicaps society, either by slavishly copying the pattern of mans advance in the professions or by refusing to compete with man at all. Early Years Friedan was born on February 4, 1921, in Peoria, Illinois as Betty Naomi Goldstein. Her parents were immigrant Jews. Her father was a jeweler and her mother, who had been an editor of the womens pages of a newspaper, left her job to become a homemaker. Bettys mother was unhappy in that choice, and she pushed Betty to get a college education and pursue a career. Betty later dropped out of her doctoral program at the University of California at Berkeley, where she was studying group dynamics, and moved to New York to pursue a career. During World War II, she worked as a reporter for a labor service, and had to give up her job to a veteran who returned at the end of the war. She worked as a clinical psychologist and social researcher along with being a writer. She met and married theatrical producer Carl Friedan, and they moved to Greenwich Village. She took a maternity leave from her job for their first child; she was fired when she asked for maternity leave for her second child in 1949. The union gave her no help in fighting this firing, and so she became a housewife and mother, living in the suburbs. She also wrote freelance magazine articles, many for magazines directed at the middle-class housewife. Survey of Smith Graduates In 1957, for the 15th reunion of her graduating class at Smith, Friedan was asked to survey her classmates on how theyd used their education. She found that 89% were not using their education. Most were unhappy in their roles. Friedan analyzed the results and consulted experts. She found that both women and men were trapped in limiting roles. Friedan wrote up her results and tried to sell the article to magazines but could find no buyers. So she turned her work into a book, which was published in 1963 as The Feminine Mystique. It became a best-seller, eventually translated into 13 languages. Celebrity and Involvement Friedan also became a celebrity as a result of the book. She moved with her family back to the city and she became involved in the growing womens movement. In June 1966, she attended a Washington meeting of state commissions on the status of women. Friedan was among those present who decided that the meeting was unsatisfying, as it didnt generate any actions to implement the findings on the inequality of women. So in 1966, Friedan joined other women in founding the National Organization for Women (NOW). Friedan served as its first president for three years. In 1967, the first NOW convention took on the Equal Rights Amendment and abortion, though NOW viewed the abortion issue as highly controversial and focused more on political and employment equality. In 1969, Friedan helped found the National Conference for the Repeal of Abortion Laws to focus more on the abortion issue; this organization changed its name after the Roe v. Wade decision to become the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL). In that same year, she stepped down as NOW president. In 1970, Friedan led in organizing the Womens Strike for Equality on the 50th anniversary of winning the vote for women. The turnout was beyond expectations; 50,000 women participated in New York alone. In 1971, Friedan helped form the National Womens Political Caucus for feminists who wanted to work through the traditional political structure, including political parties, and running or supporting women candidates. She was less active in NOW, which became more concerned with revolutionary action and sexual politics; Friedan was among those who wanted more focus on political and economic equality. Lavender Menace Friedan also took a controversial stand on lesbians in the movement. NOW activists and others in the womens movement struggled over how much to take on issues of lesbian rights and how welcoming to be of movement participation and leadership by lesbians. For Friedan, lesbianism was not a womens rights or equality issue but a matter of private life, and she warned the issue might diminish support for womens rights, using the term lavender menace. Later Years and Death In 1976, Friedan published It Changed My Life, with her thoughts on the womens movement. She urged the movement to avoid acting in ways that made it difficult for mainstream men and women to identify with feminism. By the 1980s, she was more critical of the focus on sexual politics among feminists. She published The Second Stage in 1981. In her 1963 book, Friedan wrote of the feminine mystique and the housewifes question, Is this all? Now Friedan wrote of the feminist mystique and the difficulties of trying to be Superwoman, doing it all. She was criticized by many feminists as abandoning the feminist critique of traditional womens roles, while Friedan credited the rise of Reagan and rightwing conservatism and various Neanderthal forces to the failure of feminism to value family life and children. In 1983, Friedan began to focus on researching fulfillment in the older years, and in 1993 published her findings as The Fountain of Age. In 1997, she published Beyond Gender: The New Politics of Work and Family Friedans writings, from The Feminine Mystique through Beyond Gender, were also criticized for representing the viewpoint of white, middle-class, educated women and for ignoring other womens voices. Among her other activities, Friedan often lectured and taught at colleges, wrote for many magazines, and was an organizer and director of the First Womens Bank and Trust. Friedan died on February 4, 2006, in Washington, D.C. Legacy Despite all of her later work and activism, it was the The Feminine Mystique that truly launched the second-wave feminist movement. It has sold several million copies and been translated into multiple languages. It is a key text in Women’s Studies and U.S. history classes. For years, Friedan toured the United States speaking about The Feminine Mystique and introducing audiences to her groundbreaking work and to feminism. Women have repeatedly described how they felt when reading the book: They realized they were not alone and that they could aspire to something more than the life they were being encouraged or even forced to lead. The idea Friedan expresses is that if women escaped the confines of â€Å"traditional† notions of femininity, they could then truly enjoy being women. Sources Friedan, Betty.  The Feminine Mystique. W.W. Norton Company, 2013.â€Å"Betty Friedan.†Ã‚  National Womens History MuseumFindagrave.com. Find a Grave.

A High School Teacher Proffesion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

A High School Teacher Proffesion - Essay Example Basically, a high school teacher works school hours (commonly spanning from 8 am to 5 pm) which varies depending on the school regulations or state laws. However, some high school teachers can, at their own leisure, work in the evenings, or weekends, to grade (mark) papers and prepare lessons (Maloy and Irving, 24). Most high school teachers do not, however, teach during summer, on public holidays and when schools close on April, August, and December. Judging from the nature of work of a high school teacher, and the amount of free time in a year compared to other demanding, all year round professions such as those of doctors, I think their median annual wage of USD 55,050 is fair. However, there is still room for improvement on this figure and more motivation because teachers are responsible for the important task of shaping the destiny of a nation by modeling students into better citizens, relatives, friends, leaders and employees/ employers (professionals) in all fields (Maloy and Irving, 43). High school teaching can come with its own fair share of challenges and stress. Teachers can often be at the end of unfair criticism from both their superiors, supervisors and students’ parents because of the students’ poor performances while they could have actually tried their best, or while the problem lies elsewhere (either in the school, at home or in the communities in which the students live). Moreover, teachers have too high school teachers have to accept that they will occasionally encounter utter disrespect and lack of motivation from students. Furthermore, high school teachers can find work difficult in schools with very large classes and an absence of critical learning/ teaching tools such as updated textbooks and computers (Haugen, 78).     

10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

10 - Essay Example There are two groups of software professionals; one is the production part of software development and the other one is service part of IT providers. The reason for making two groups is that, the profession is more or less of the same, design and development. The second group is also doing the same but for public service. The responsibility of a software engineer is to design and implement a variety of software solutions. They may be occupied in the design and testing of various applications like computer game, some business applications, operating system or various superior software programmes for extreme hardware and equipment. Once the system is completely designed, the testing team will test and debug the system and after that the maintenance team maintain the system. The software engineers normally work in a complicated and highly technical environment. The application engages computer science as well as mathematics. They should know programming languages and applications because they will be involved in a variety of works. After a university or high school degree, most of the students select the career as IT professional or in software services. The path from university to a company is very straight. According to the recruitment policy; they recruit some experienced candidate. Companies prefer managerial skills as well as technical skills. The demand of IT jobs is extremely high as it provides a better economical potential, better salary scales, and job security. In the United Kingdom those who move to the IT sector from municipal administration won’t get enough job satisfaction. On the basis of their experience; It professionals are classified as a Software Programmer, Analyst, Project Leader and so on. In spite of an enormous reforms relying on outsourcing and transfer of personal, the interviewees assemble all their resources to carry on in the private company the organisational profession that they underway in public administration they

The Count of Monte Cristo Essay Example for Free

The Count of Monte Cristo Essay The novels of Alexander Dumas are favorites of many generations of readers because of his fascinating characters, tangled stories and dynamic plots. One of them, â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† was finished in 1844. Given its brilliant storyline about love and revenge in the 18th century, the novel was brought to life for the first time in 1934 by director Rowland V Lee and skillful actors Robert Donat, Elissa Landi and Sidney Blackmer. However, would it be worth it to do second film based on the same novel? Joe Leydon from Variety believes so. He states his certainty in the director of the remake, Kevin Reynolds who â€Å"proves to be fully on top of his game, infusing the grandly melodramatic permutations of the plot with firm conviction and stylish gusto† (Leydon). The old film from 1934 was given a fresh, new, compelling production in 2003 filled with a lot of breathtaking, uniquely visualized action scenes. The plot in both films is naturally no different. The tranquil life of Edmond Dantes, a 20 years old sailor on the â€Å"Pharaoh† ship, who plans to marry the beautiful Mercedes, is shattered when his friend Fernand wishes the lovely Mercedes for himself. Three other people wish to harm Dantes for different reasons. Danglars is an accountant of the Pharaoh and fears that if Dantes becomes Capitan, he will lose his job because Dantes notices his abuses; young assistant prosecutor De Villefort is afraid that his father’s connections with the dethroned Napoleon might be revealed, and the neighbor of Edmond’s father is jealous of his success. On the eve of Mercedes’s and Edmond’s wedding, Dantes is slandered and accused of being a Bonapartist. He is sent to the d’If castle, a prison fortress not far from Marseilles, without an opportunity to object his sentence. Dantes is informed that he will remain forever in prison. He attempts suicide, but he is unexpectedly saved by the appearance of anothe r prisoner Abbe Faria, who for years has dug tunnels and attempted to escape, but due to erroneous calculations has ended up in Dantes’s cell. The two misfortunates quickly become friends. Abbe Faria is a highly educated individual and discovers who sent Edmond into d’If castle and what their motives were. At that moment, he unwittingly sowed the seeds of revenge in Dantes. For six months, Abbe helps  to educate Edmond in English, German and Spanish and introduces him to math, physics, history and philosophy. After a year of planning their escape, Dantes and Abbe began to dig the tunnel to freedom. Sadly, incurable illness stalls Abbe from fulfilling their plan. Foreseeing his death, the abbot reveals to Edmond his secret treasure hidden on the island of Monte Cristo. When the abbot dies, Dantes takes his place in a body bag and is thrown into the sea instead of the dead Abbe Faria. It is unbelievable he survived. After miraculously managing to escape, he becomes the very wealthy and mysterious Count of Monte Cristo, establishes himself among the French nobility and skillful plans his revenge on everyone who stabbed him in the back. He is overwhelmed by the desire to find and assassinate his enemies, especially Fernand Mondego who married his fiancà ©e and had a child with her. The story of revenge is long, full of action and unexpected plot turns. The Count sneaks past the enemies and discovers their devastating secrets which aid him in devising their suffering deaths. The Count of Monte Cristo first wins the trust of his nemesis’s and manages to get close to them to learn their weaknesses, which will be the cause of their eventual death. Until the last minute of their life none of them realizes the source of their troubles. The transformation of the uneducated, naà ¯ve and kind sailor Edmont Dantes into the wise, aristocrat with a desire for revenge is fascinating. The actor, Jim Caviezel, uses all aspects of acting – mimics, gesture, voice, eyes to describe the transformation. His eyes seem to be the most influential quality of his character. The performance of Jim Caviezel is so capturing it resembles one of the most famous characters in the history of film – Al Pacino in â€Å"The Godfather†. As hard as someone tries to find flaws in the film, they cannot. The direction of Kevin Reynolds is at a very high level without having to use flashy or cheap effects. He knows where to stop a scene, what to do with it, and always picks the most appropriate angle in order to engage viewers in the moment. An example of this is the very first scene in the movie. Second mate Dantes and ship representative Mondego are aboard a sloop to Elba, the island to which Napoleon was banished and guarded. Edmont and Fernand get on shore to seek medical supplies for their dying captain. Upon seeing them, the British horsemen first assume Edmont a nd Fernand are here to free Napoleon. An action scene commences as the British open fire at the two sailors from the â€Å"Pharaoh† ship. The guards  have no intention of listening to or believing what Edmont tries to tell them (that they only seek medical assistance). The unique aspect in â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† is the camera position and rotation which is utilized in the very first scene. The filming is done from above, thus exposing the viewer to entire field on which Edmont and Fernand battle the British troops. The camera rotates around the actors and zooms in on their faces to display the facial expressions as they fight. Dim light from the moon reflects in their sweaty faces. Before we know it, the camera takes us back in the air again, and we can see more British troops quickly approaching in the far distance. Besides from above, cameras are also filming from below (the moment when Napoleon appears). This constant rotation from above to below involves the viewers in the scene. We are completely aware of the location of each character in the moment. After Napoleon â€Å"saves† our brave character seeking help for their dying captain, the former Emperor of France escorts them to the physician. At which point they enter his cabin and we notice the second unique aesthetic element in the movie – darkness. Almost half of the movie is filmed in the dark and usually the only light provided is by the Moon’s reflection (outdoor scenes) and candles (indoor scenes). This aesthetic element helps the viewer experience what lighting might have been like during the Renaissance period. About one fourth of the film takes place in the ghastly chateau d’If which is the absolute perfect example of how to use virtual darkness in scenes. With Dantes’s arrival in d’If castle, we are teleported to his new â€Å"home† for the next 16 years, filled only with darkness and horrid beatings. What do we think of when we hear the word â€Å"darkness†? Fear, death, misery? This is exactly what the director wants us to feel when we are seeing scenes from d’If castle. Fear – from the annual beating they give all innocent prisoners. Death that eventually comes either from starvation or suicide. Misery – being exposed to only a small window of light and one meal a day. Another noticeable visual element in â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† is the use of the blur effect. The director often blurs the background to set more focus on what’s happening in the scene. We see this aesthetic element throughout the entire film, mostly during dialog accompanied with a close up on the characters faces for example, the scene of Mercedes and Edmont speaking by the rocks. The camera is focused on their faces when we see Fernand approaching from the distance.  Seconds later, the focus is changed to Fernand as Mercedes and Edmont are blurred to the viewers. When Edmont shares the news of his promotion we can see the jealousy and frustration on Fernand’s face. Speaking of characters faces, the movie also focuses on the representatio n of characters’ eyes. The clearest example of this would be the dinner scene at Fernand and Mercedes’s mansion for their son Albert’s birthday. After saving the youngsters life, Count Monte Cristo was invited to the Mondego residence for Albert’s birthday party. Throughout the entire evening, Monte Cristo and Mercedes exchange looks as the Countess Montego starts recognizing the love of her life, Edmont Dantes, in the new French aristocrat. They exchange expressions, looks, smiles which reveal to us what the characters are thinking. Such details make â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† a â€Å"lavishly mounted and appealingly old-fashioned swashbuckler† (Leydon). The reviewer of â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† on Variety – John Leydon provides a fantastic summary of the movie. He writes about the actors, plot and direction without going in depth on a particular subject or praising / criticizing the movie in excess. Those are the exact qualities of a good fil m review. This brings up a burning question who can write a film review? In the article â€Å"Film criticism in the age of the Internet† the editors of Cineaste suggest it often seems that everyone is a critic (Cineaste), and we can all agree with that. Nowadays, people can view, comment and write anything on the Web. Anyone can register on a blog or forum and begin writing reviews of movies. It doesn’t even matter how good their writing is or what position they takes because today â€Å"everyone’s a critic† (Cineaste). The expression â€Å"quality over quantity† can quite correctly apply here. There are more and more film reviewers on the Internet, to whom Cineaste refers to as â€Å"amateurs† (Cineaste), â€Å"demented teenagers† (Cineaste) or generally modern film critics. Tobias Grey’s thoughts on this new age of criticism in his article â€Å"Debating film criticism† is that â€Å"modern film criticism is far too subjective and not nearly analytical enough† (Grey) in addition â€Å"criticism is reputed to be dead, film criticism especially so.† (Jesse Walker). While this may seem bad, I like the fact that if you don’t enjoy a certain film, you’re not necessarily a bad reviewer or a person with no taste in film because â€Å"you have a soulmate in cyberspace, and he posted his thoughts (which are identical to yours) on a now-defunct interactive Web site†Ã‚  (Walker). So, what does all of this tell us? The large amount of film criticism on the Internet kills the real meaning of quality level film criticism, however it exposes us to more writers’ thoughts and opinions. The editors in Cineaste express their hope that â€Å"good criticism will predominate over bad in both magazines and the Internetand that increased bids for corporate and government control of cyberspace will not drown out, or silence, the many lively online voices (some of whom are represented in our symposium) that have already changed the face of contemporary film criticism.† â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† is a capturing and fascinating film. The classical love story in the 1800’s intrigues the viewer and the action grabs your attention. It is a favorite film for people of all ages because it shows human qualities that last forever such as greed, desire for revenge, love and more. Analyzing the motion picture as art I paid more attention to the camera movement and lens zoom which made me realize how great the movie actually is. The director communicates with us through visual language and the characters reveal their thoughts through their facial expressions. A close up on the main character’s troubled face or shaking eyeballs can tell us a lot more than dialog. I like â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† for the special attention to details. They connect us with to film and we experience it in a different way. Such minor details may seem like not a big deal if you watch the film for its story, but if you focus and view the film as art you’d see there is much more than dialog and action scenes to â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo†. Bibliography Film criticism in the age of the Internet. Cineaste Fall 2008: 1. General Reference Center GOLD. Web. 6 Dec. 2011. Grey, Tobias. Debating film criticism: Europeans share opinions on the pics they review and also on the qualifications for being a well-rounded critic. Variety 29 Oct. 2007: A2+. General Reference Center GOLD. Web. 6 Dec. 2011. Leydon, Joe. â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo.† Variety. n. pag. Web. 24 Jan 2002. Walker, Jesse. Everyones a critic: Dont shed any tears for cinephilia. Reason June 2002: 62. General Reference Center GOLD. Web. 6 Dec. 2011.

The Mass Shooting Epidemic in America Essay -- Americas Gun Violence

Nine students were killed at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. A man opened fire in a church, in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine people, including the pastor. Twenty-seven were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. Twelve were killed in the Washington Navy Yard. This is only a few examples from a very long list. The grim truth is that mass shootings are becoming the new normal. Every few months, another mass shooting occurs and the public goes through the same routine of mourning, honoring, and ultimately debating. What causes these manic episodes of multiple, indiscriminate gun deaths? Some push for more gun control, others argue that the U.S. mental health system is a failure. Controversy aside, mass shootings are on the rise, and it is imperative that the factors leading to these outbursts are accurately identified and appropriately addressed. As defined by Mother Jones Magazine, a mass shooting is when four or more people (not including the gunman himself) are killed in a single, typically public location (Follman et al.). Since 2006, 32 such incidents have occurred in the United States, with 10 occurring since the beginning of 2012 (Thomassie et al.). In addition to being more frequent, the incidents also seem to be getting more deadly. In fact, of the 12 deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history (each of which killed 12 or more), seven have occurred since 2007 (â€Å"Deadliest U.S. Shootings†). Indeed, if their entire recorded history is taken into account, the recent numbers certainly show a sharp spike in number of incidents and deaths, as only 21 total shootings occurred between 1900 and 1966 (Duwe). When further investigating these numerous shootings, one can discern several... .... "U.S. Has More Guns – And Gun Deaths – Than Any Other Country, Study Finds." ABC News. ABC News Network, 19 Sept. 2013. Web. 9 Oct. 2015. Mesoudi, Alex, PhD. "Mass Shooting and Mass Media: Does Media Coverage of Mass Shootings Inspire Copycat Crimes?" International Human Press. N.p., 11 Feb. 2013. Web. 8 Oct. 2015. "Module 2: A Brief History of Mental Illness and the U.S. Mental Health Care System." Unite for Sight. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Oct. 2015. Perlstein, Rick. "Thinking Like a Conservative (Part One): Mass Shootings and Gun Control." The Nation. N.p., 25 Sept. 2013. Web. 7 Oct. 2015. "Seung-Hui Cho." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 01 Feb. 2014. Web. 7 Oct. 2015. Thomassie, Juan, Destin Frasier, Anthony DeBarros, Andrea Fuller, and Shayli Jimenez. "Explore the Data on U.S. Mass Killings since 2006." USA Today. Gannett, 2 Dec. 2013. Web. 9 Oct. 2015.

Uses of Computer in Field of Business Essay

Computer in business: Information Technology (IT) has played a very significant role in taking business to new height. Before computers, the time taken to complete a task was more and however as computer started to be used in business establishments, the processing of work got more stabilized. Some of its uses in the field of business are given below: Keeping records: Computer programs such as QuickBooks and other accounting programs to allow business to keep detailed records. These programs track accounts payable, accounts receivable and sales. They also provide a easy and quick way for a business to send invoices to customers and handle payroll functions. Back office productivity and accuracy can increase greatly when using an accounting program. Budgeting and Forecasting : Computers can be used to prepare budgets and corporate forecasts, inexpensive accounting programs allow even people with limited computer knowledge to develop detailed budgets that will help to keep the company on track. They can also be used to forecasts future sales and business expansions. Spreadsheet program such as excel can also be used for budgeting and forecasting. Inventory Control and Management: Inventory control and management Is a crucial process , especially in establishments related to retail and production, such as details of good, goods coming in distribution of stock and storage details. Preparing Marketing Documents: There are wide varieties of programs that allow businesses to easily prepare dynamic marketing documents. Word for documentation, Spreadsheets for storing large data, Adobe Photoshop provides eye catching customs. E- Commerce: E commerce(electronic commerce) describes the buying, selling and exchanging of products services and information via computer networks there are many applications of e commerce such as: Electronic mail: A service of transporting text messages, videos and audios from one computer to another via internet. Electronic shopping: it allows businesses and internet users to buy goods and services at home, form work and from anywhere in the world. Electronic banking: it helps businesses for transmission of cash from home or on the road using online banking instead of physical bank location Research: The business can use the internet to search its competitors, products and prices by studying their websites. they can also get glimpse on how costumers view their own products by reading their costumer reviews on different websites. Communication: Communication is key when gaining and maintaining clients and other important contacts. Computers give businesses access to email, instant messaging and custom customer contact systems. Computerized phone systems allow for automated support during off hours and a virtual operator can quickly direct callers to the correct department for faster support. Marketing : Computers allow businesses to create websites, stunning ads and complete marketing campaigns. Marketing videos can be edited and custom ads created in-house with the use of specialized software. Businesses can completely develop and manage websites with their own servers or connect remotely to a third-party business to upload their latest content such as articles, product images and blog posts. Storage: Instead of filing cabinets, businesses are able to store millions of files using computers and servers. Data can be stored centrally for easy access from multiple computers or stored locally for individual use. Computerized storage saves space and provides a far more efficient organization strategy. With encryption, passwords and replace keys, data  remains secure. Social issues with the use of computer Computer technology has made several important impacts on our society. Today computer is playing very important role in every field of life. But with thos rapid increase the social issues arising from it are also increasing day by day. Some of its positive issues are given below: Use of computer in a positive way : Business: Today, in global markets, it is impossible to run the business without the use of computer technology.  Many business activities are performed very quickly and  efficiently by using computers. The administrative  paperwork is also reduced by using computers. Many  business use websites to sell their products and contact  their customers. Education: Computers are used in teaching and research. The students can solve different kinds of problems quickly and efficiently by using computers. They can also collect different information on the Internet. Bank: Computers are widely used in banks. They are used in banks for record keeping and maintaining accounts of customers. Most of the banks provide the facility of ATMs. The customers can draw money through ATM card from any branch of that bank (or another bank) at any time of a day. Entertainment: Computers are also playing very important role for the entertainment of human beings. Nowadays, computer can be used to watch television programs on the Internet. People can also watch movies, listen music, and play games on the computer. Many computer games and other entertainment materials of different kinds are available on the Internet. Medical: Nearly every area of the medical field uses computers. For example, computers are used for maintaining patient history & other records. They are also used for patient monitoring and diagnosis of diseases etc. Using Computers In negative Ways: New technology brings with it new opportunities for crime, but in many ways, computers and computer networks have left many open doors for criminal to enter. Some of them are given below: Software theft Software theft costs the software industry an estimated $12 billion a year. Users have an opinion on the ethics of copying software that does not match the publishers and it is not always certain where the law stands on this around the world. Companies are not sure whether copyrights or patents is the best way to protect intellectual property and several look and feel cases have left the issues unresolved.The large question is how to protect intellectual property right without stifling creativity overall. Hacking: Attacks by hackers and computer viruses have cost computer operators a great deal of time and money. Hackers have: broken into computer systems to change exam results (and sometimes grades), disrupted 911 systems, hacked into US military computers sold stolen data to the KGB and blackmailed London banks into hiring them as â€Å"security consultants.† Viruses: Viruses have erased file, damaged disks, and shut down computer systems. The most infamous virus is the Internet worm started by Robert Morris in 1998, tying up 6000 computer systems nationwide. While some people think that hackers are guardians of civil liberties, most legal systems view them as trespassers and vandals. Privacy: Safeguarding privacy in a modern society where so much information about us is public is extremely difficult if not impossible. There have been data disasters involving mistaken identities, data mix-ups, and doctored data which adversely affect people’s lives, including driving and credit records. Aggravating the problem are the issues of calling number identification (CNID or Caller ID) monitoring of e-mail, and data marketing.

Irish

Irish BY nckyb23 Irish Influencing America Ways The Irish traditions influence many things in American that we Americans really barely even realize The annual celebration of Saint Patrick's Day is a generally known as a sign of the Irish existence in America. One of the largest celebrations of the Irish holiday takes place in New York, where the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade draws anywhere to two million people. The second-largest celebration is held in Boston at the South Boston Parade. It's one the nation's oldest dating back to 1737. On day like St.Patrick's Day Irish music is played everywhere the same Irish song that date back o the 1700s Irish traditional music in the United States has its own history, both in recording culture and by live performances. Emigrants from Ireland brought their instruments and traditions to the United States since the earliest days of European colonization of the New World. The learning and playing of Irish music by first and second generation Iri sh-Americans helped the spread of Irish music. And then yet another is the widespread interest in the music.In the 1890s, Irish music entered a â€Å"golden age† centered on the lively scene in New York City. Though the golden age nded by the Great Depression, the 1950s saw a highpoint of Irish music, added by the foundation of the City Center Ballroom in New York where Irish gatherings are held. In the Depression and World War, Irish traditional music in New York was belittled by showband culture. Performers like Jack Coen, Paddy O'Brien, Larry Redican, and Paddy Reynolds kept the tradition alive in the United States, and were teachers of the music to Irish Americans.Many of the great Irish American performers like Andy McGann, Brian Conway, Joannie Madden, Jerry O'Sullivan, Liz Carroll and Billy McComiskey would achieve many accomplishments in the traditional usic usually associated with native Irish. Later Irish emigration to New York and beyond by James Keane, Mick Molone y, Paddy Keenan, and others through the 1960s, 1970s and 80s, ensured the music performed in America stayed The Irish music was such a big influence that it had people making collections like Francis O'Neill.He was a Chicago police chief who collected the single largest collection of Irish traditional music ever published. He was a flautist and piper who was part of a vibrant Irish community in Chicago at the time, one that included some forty thousand people, ncluding musicians from â€Å"all thirty-two counties of Ireland†, according to Nicholas Carolan, who referred to O'Neill as â€Å"the greatest individual influence on the evolution of Irish traditional dance music in the twentieth century† connected to Ireland.The Irish population didn't only Just influence Americans to like there music they also had their influence in other positions in society. The Boston Celtics is a prime example of this. Many Irish immigrants came to Boston, New York, and Philadelphia ports on ships from Ireland. By the time the Boston Celtics basketball team started, Boston had a large Irish ethnic population. Celtic is another name for Irish, and these names are used often. Today Boston has the largest Irish population of any American city.The person who chose the name had an Irish friend named McHugh and decided to name the team Celtics. The Irish are known for green, and the Celtics uniforms are green. You can't say Irish in American without pub behind it A pub is very important to the Irish people. It's where they could sit back, relax, enjoy a few good stories, and share a goodtime with others. American-Irish people have made Pubs very popular simply for the aspect of the alcohol and traditional sing alongs. The two aspects have attracted more than Just Irish people.Folks of all ethnicities go to Irish pubs for a drink and have a good time. As you can see Irish Americans have been in America changing culture for many years and for those many year contributed to U. S. culture in a wide variety of fields: I only explained a few that really interest myself the most but they have influenced many other Aspects of Untied States culture like the fine and performing arts, film, literature, politics, and religion. Irish people have done a great deal of influencing American culture.

Irish Colonization essays

Irish Colonization essays Since the 16th century, the British colonization of Ireland has been a central problem in Irish history. Colonialism has been defined as the direct polical control of one country or society by another country. COlonialism, religion are the life forces of Irish history. Colonialism is a system of domination. According to Frantz Fanon's writing the culture and nation they depend on each other. Everybody should be proud of their culture and do not look up another country as an exampleIn Frantz Fanon's opinion when you change your culture you give up everything in what you believe and this is an example of colonialism when the nation losses its culture and rules. If people want to have a freedom in their country they have to fight to get it by fighting for their nation's culture " A national culture under colonial domination is a contested culture whose destruction is sought in systematic fashion. It very quickly becomes a culture condemned to secrecy...". Northern Ireland has been the source and site of the most devastating and prolonged social conflicts within the EU and the United Kingdom; as such, the future of Northern Ireland remains one of the most critical issues within British and European politics. In some mother's son, we see the Irish troubles through the eyes of mothers whose sons participate in the 1981. There were 21 prisoners participating in hunger's strike.The inmates sought to have the British government recognize them as political prisoners, and not common criminals. From the strike emerged one of the modern martyrs of the IRA Bobby Sands. In Some Mother's Son, Mirren is a school teacher who has no idea her adolescent son has become an IRA soldier. IRA is the political group which fights for Irish Independence. Their military wing is the Irish Republican Brotherhood (later the IRA) . Unlike the Home Rule supporters they are not satisfied with home rule, they want complete independence from Britain and ...

Action Plan

Ymere is one of the largest housing corporations in the Netherlands, active in the Northern Randstad. The organization manages about 82,500 houses, shops and commercial business accommodations, and develops new houses and social property on a large scale. This project, which they are working on, is created to improve the red light district and eventually eliminate any illegal prostitution and drug barons from the area. The idea is to achieve a structural change in this area, the image must change into a high quality and attractive entrance area that reflects the ambitions that Amsterdam has. The municipality of Amsterdam is working on putting the red light district in a different light and therefore is engaging and encouraging other companies that are situated in the area, to do so as well. The commissioning client is the Ymere housing corporation and they are responsible for managing a big building located on the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal in the Amsterdam city centre. The project group is assigned to create a new concept for an ultimate club experience and because this area is an entertainment centre, Ymere wants to use this building to accommodate a very trendy club where visitors can gain a new and special experience. The concept for this club has to differ from the other clubs located in the area, so no more sex theatres such as â€Å"Casa Rosso† or â€Å"Yab Yum†, but more clubs which offers the visitors a high quality experience such as â€Å"The Supperclub† offers to their guests or â€Å"The (old) Roxy† used to. Knowing more about the assignment and the background of the project means that the project group can focus on the process that follows. We will be brainstorming for a new concept, participating in desk research and participating in field research by visiting two clubs in the Netherlands and two clubs virtually abroad. When the research is done the project group will document everything in a written advisory report for the commissioning client. In this report we will advise the commissioning client on an innovative concept for The Ultimate Club Experience. The advisory report will consist of several parts: 1. The professional supply and demand analysis 2. The observation assignment 3. Development of the concept (the brainstorming stage) 4. Development of the concept 5. English summary The advisory report will be presented and explained to the commissioning client, the consultant and tutor by the members of the project group, in a presentation. Project Objective On Friday 23 December the project group will have produced an Advisory Report consisting of a professional supply and demand analysis, the observation assignment, development of the concept including the brainstorming stage and a summary. These products are based on the creation of The Ultimate Club experience that will be located on the Niewezijds Voorburgwal. In week 2 of the year 2012 we will present our concept clearly and concisely to the commissioning client and give an advice on the realization of the club experience based on our research outcomes and arguments. Project Delineation The project group will prepare an extensive analysis on the supply and demand side of club experiences in Amsterdam and come up with ideas that fill the gap in the supply. The project group will do desk research and also field research regarding the same matter by making research observations on the consumers (gender statistics, the degree of satisfaction, etc. ) and set up interviews with club managers in order to get a better insight into the supply. The project group will not make contact with the consumers, for example through surveys or questionnaires.

What It Means To Be A Coast Guard Wife Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What It Means To Be A Coast Guard Wife - Essay Example In grasping the idea of protection as the chief aim of a coast guard on duty, a wife must instill in herself a gentle but firm heart at thoughtfulness when peril strikes and the better half guards someone else's life at the expense of his. More than awareness of how significant the profession is in times of real coastal emergencies, lifetime partnership with a man of the coast entails aligning thoughts, goals, and actions with the professional objectives of the latter. It means exhibiting a profound level of support to his cause that extends to getting involved in strengthening the man's faith in himself both emotionally and psychologically. Taking part in a routinary mission to prevent smuggling or intercept contraband trading is truly a tough work to accomplish so a coast guard's wife must possess the courage to accept any unforeseen circumstances especially the worst. She must not be susceptible to easily losing heart when her husband experiences distressing situations in the cour se of providing intense security in aiding vessels or merchant sailors for instance.