Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis Essay Essay Essay Example

Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis Essay Essay Paper After analysing the characters in William Golding’s novel. Lord of the Flies. one can acknowledge that many of the characters embody the subject of the novel. One of the outstanding subjects in Lord of the Flies is man’s interior barbarian ; man’s inhumaneness to others. and Golding manages explore and capture this subject in a manner that is gratifying to read. Three characters in the book who genuinely illustrate the subject of man’s interior barbarian ; man’s inhumaneness to others are Jack. Ralph. and Simon. The subject of the novel. man’s interior barbarian ; man’s inhumaneness to others is most evident in Jack Merridew’s character. Our first true glance into Jack’s interior monster occurs after he kills his first hog: His head was crowded with memories ; memories of the cognition that had come to them when they closed in on the fighting hog. cognition that they had outwitted a living thing. imposed their will upon it. taken away its life like a long satisfying drink ( Golding. 81 ) . Jack’s excitement stems from holding â€Å"outwitted† a living thing. and holding â€Å"imposed† his will on it. which he subsequently does with Simon. and Piggy. Jack truly has no ground for killing demoing that. â€Å"Perhaps the most distressing motivations for killing is merely for the bang of it. † ( Ramsland. 3 ) . Throughout the book. Jack is driven by his thirst for power. and is willing to travel to any lengths to acquire what he wants. which includes killing anybody that steps in his manner. He easy begins to lose his scruples. as shown by the fact that he feels no compunction. guilt. or repent after take parting in the barbarous slayings of both Simon. and Piggy. The fact that Ja ck could turn from a proper. English male child to a liquidator who can kill and experience no compunction. shows that Jack does harbor a monster inside of him. is a barbarian. and he is really capable of being inhumane to others. therefore. exemplifying the subject of the novel. We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis Essay Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis Essay Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis Essay Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Another character who briefly illustrates the subject of the novel is Ralph. Ralph shouldered the duty of delivering all the male childs. turn outing him to be the leader that the male childs on the island needed. but even so. Ralph senses himself falling into the same savageness as the other male childs at times during the book. On the Hunt that Ralph participates in. Ralph’s interior barbarian has one of its lone chances to uncover itself. â€Å"Ralph excessively was contending to acquire nigh. to acquire a smattering of that brown. vulnerable flesh. The desire to squash and ache was over-mastering† ( Golding. 164 ) . This Hunt proved that even Ralph. the reasonable. responsible. and rational leader who represented the battle for order. civilisation. and democracy on the island. has an interior barbarian. merely waiting to acquire out. Near the terminal of the book. Ralph was close to falling victim to the other boy’s savageness as they were trailing him through the island. ready to kill him. He trips and falls at the pess of an officer. and begins to shout. â€Å"Ralph wept for the terminal of artlessness. the darkness of man’s bosom. and the autumn through the air of a true. wise friend called Piggy† ( Golding. 290 ) . Ralph calls for all that he has lost. and at that minute. he realizes that he will neer be the same since he has learned about the immorality that lurks within all worlds. exemplifying the subject of man’s interior barbarian ; man’s inhumaneness to others. Man’s interior barbarian ; man’s inhumaneness to others is first recognized by the character. Simon. in the novel. Lord of the Flies. When the male childs discuss the possibility of there being a animal on the island. Simon steps frontward and says. â€Å"Maybe it’s merely us. † ( Golding. 126 ) implying that it was the boys themselves who were the â€Å"beast† . capable of aching. of killing. and of perpetrating other Acts of the Apostless of immorality. This subject is explored prior to the violent death of Simon. the other male childs chant. â€Å"Kill the animal! Cut his pharynx! Spill his blood! Do him in! † ( Golding. 219 ) and when Simon is being murdered. Golding describes it in barbarous item to stress the inhumaneness shown by the other male childs. and to demo how barbarian they have become: The sticks fell and the oral cavity of the new circle crunched and screamed. The animal was on its articulatio genuss in the centre. its weaponries folded over its face. It was shouting out against the detestable noise something about a organic structure on the hill. The animal struggled frontward. broke the ring and fell over the steep border of the stone to the sand by the H2O. At one time the crowd surged after it. poured down the stone. leapt on to the animal. screamed. struck. spot. torus. There were no words. and no motions but the lacrimation of dentitions and claws ( Golding. 219 ) . On the island. Simon was the lone character to stand for hope. and artlessness. but in the terminal. he was a direct consequence of the other boy’s savageness. and inhumaneness. His decease signified the terminal of artlessness. and goodness on the island. In William Golding’s book. Lord of the Flies. the subject of man’s interior barbarian ; man’s inhumaneness to others is explored in many ways. one of them being through the characters Jack. Ralph. and Simon. Jack embodies this subject the most. since he is the first to turn barbarian. and enforce his will on the other male childs. Ralph comes near to going a barbarian at times throughout the book. and Simon is one of the lone characters who manages to maintain his artlessness. but is a direct consequence of the savageness shown by the other male childs on the island in the terminal. William Golding managed to research and capture the subject of man’s interior barbarian ; man’s inhumaneness to others absolutely in his book. Lord of the Flies in a manner that is gratifying for all to read. Plants Cited Golding. William. Lord of the flies. New York: Coward-McCann. 1962. Print. Ramsland. Katherine. â€Å"The Unthinkable — Children Who Kill and What Motivates Them† Retrieved December 2. 2012. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. trutv. com/library/crime/serial_killers/weird/kids2/index_1. hypertext markup language

Googles strategic initiatives Essay Example

Googles strategic initiatives Essay Example Googles strategic initiatives Essay Googles strategic initiatives Essay As Google gets bigger, it is going to be difficult to manage and keep up the innovation culture as it keeps marching on its path to success. Schmidt once described small innovative technical teams as the source of virtually all Googles strategic initiatives. Google tries to maintain an entrepreneurial culture by forming small teams that act like individual startups. The founders believed that the groups tend to become more traditional as they grow larger. Google has 17,000 employees with about 40% based outside the US. The workforce is multicultural, diverse and spread across the globe. Continuous Innovation has been the motto of Google and that has permeated across all divisions at Google. Google has a flat management structure but structured processes, managed bottom-up for innovation, culture of consensus, tolerance for haos, and committees to approve projects, free food and best perks in the industry. Google has been successful in attracting great talent with Googler qualities self- managed, self-motivated, risk-taking, highly passionate and creative minds with a tenacity to adapt to failures. I believe that this culture can be sustained but may suffer if the management becomes rigid and prioritizes profits over innovation for the long-term. : As evident from the case, Google is able to maintain coordination and teamwork across multiple functional groups online sales and operations, product management, marketing and engineering divisions. There is no hierarchy, but as the headcount increased Google started hiring managers at middle level and there was growing fear of more bureaucracy, slow decision making, lack of visibility and loss of international consistency. Bureaucracy With the enormous growth happening, Google may impose new policies and guidelines to actively manage the workforce and this may curtail the pace of innovation. Increased bureaucracy may be mandated since the diverse worktorce may not be compliant with the Google vision and mission. It may need to reign in some of such elements through new procedures and policies thereby affecting the gility of majority of the other groups. Internal tools and the so called Dilbertville meeting may be impossible to do in geographically diverse locations and in some ways be not feasible. managedecisions. com/blogncat=7 Pagel of 18 Slow Decision making The culture of open discussion, consensus based decision making may not be feasible with large numbers of employees. The ability to critique, take risks and openly oppose decision making may not be entertained. Cross-functional decisions will be difficult to achieve and the innovative mechanisms may be stalled. Ensuring Visibility With employees spending 20% of their time on idea projects may lead to duplication. Since visibility is difficult to main across a multi-cultural workforce, there may be replication of effort, loss of productive time and the risk of reinventing the wheel. Establishing visibility may be difficult with an expanding workforce. Guaranteeing International Consistency Google may find it hard to attract the same Googler talent at global locations and inculcate the Google culture in the new recruits. Implanting or exporting the true Google culture may cause conflict with local cultures, tastes and perceptions. Finding balance between cultural diversity and cultural homogeneity is difficult in an international context. Apart from these there are other challenges such as censorship, trade restrictions and country policies which may dampen the entrepreneurial culture for offshore employees. Inability to hire and retain key people, and scale operational processes are some additional concerns worth noting. Strategic Diversification Driver for future growth As Google branches out into new arenas, there is possibility of getting in conflict with the companys founding mission, to organize the worlds information and make it niversally accessible and useful. I think the current culture is well suited for innovation to generate one idea after another. The founders have a commitment to ensure the innovation culture is fostered and promoted within the organization. The creative corporate culture is excellent for attracting bright minds but will be difficult to pursue subject to market dynamics of supply and demand. Googler culture has been attributed to risk taking/experimentation, design for the world, engage beginners and attract experts, focus on human touch, flexibility and pragmatism. As long as Google can maintain control, competence, collaboration and cultivation of customer enrichment values, the diversification of businesses may not attect the reputation and the innovation culture as it exists now. Retaining rigor and discipline, leading from top and embracing the spirit of venture capitalist are very critical to Google. As long as Google has enough revenue streams flowing through Ad sales and other profitable business units, it can take risks and diversify into areas of advanced technology such as renewable energy, mobile computing, cloud computing, internet security and virtualization. But the approach is not void of risks and Google could face major challenges in years ahead -Antitrust suits against Google, copyright infringement, acquisition difficulties, disruptive innovations, privacy concerns etc. The current governance structure, leadership, innovation culture and organizational processes will need to be diffused into new acquisition areas which will be challenging. The business model needs to adapt to the changing dimensions of the markets and consumer behavior. There has to be synergies and congruence of similar cultures to achieve profitability. nagedecisions. com/blogncat=7 Page 2 of 18 Google will have to think further about how to both maximize ad revenue and provide useful experiences that change the way people use computers and mobiles Google was founded on very non-corporate principles such as democracy on the web and making money without doing evil. As long as Google stays this path, it can sustain its innovation culture and emerge successful in an y strategic business diversification. Tags: -rue 26 oct 2010 Kodak A Case of Triumph Failure Posted by anil under Academic, Business Management, Innovation, MBA, Strategic Management No Comments Kodak the Digital Revolution Kodak was founded by an energetic and visionary entrepreneur, and created Joy and memories for millions of people. Kodaks guiding principles were, mass production at low cost, international distribution, extensive advertising, and customer focus, and growth through continuous research. Photography was made available, usable and affordable to everyone. Kodaks response to Sonys introduction of the Mavica in 1981 Kodaks business model was to sell cameras at low prices and profit from consumable products such as film. When Sony launched Mavica, a camera that used floppy discs instead of film, it signaled the imminent death of analog photography. Kodak refused to acknowledge that print photography was a dying business largely because margins for print (film, chemicals, and processing) were high as 60% versus for digital products Kodak recognized the threat and invested in digital imaging in the 1980s and 1990s but the move wasnt fast enough. The Management launched some research into digital photography, but at that time believed the technology was not feasible and will not be affordable. They did not make a big move into the space until early 2000s Kodak responded to competition threats (from Fuji and Polaroid) by diversifying throughout the 1980s. It got into medical imaging, mass memory, bioscience and lab research firms, pharmaceuticals, batteries and even digital imaging. Chandler abandoned the policy of vertical integration, funded extensive research and established centers to develop image acquisition, storage systems, software and printer products. Film-based digital imaging also took hold. Kodak executives blatantly stayed the course (sticking to current film strategy) in spite f detailed analysis of threats posed by digital photography. They found it hard to ignore the fact that film and traditional processing provided for majority of the revenue stream. They underestimated the significance of market changes and the disruption that was coming. Digital technology also eliminated the huge recurring revenue stream that came from film and reprints. The economics of the new model dont measure up to the economics of the old. It was hard for Kodak executives to believe the end of print technology. The digital transition had huge implications for Kodak since all its revenues were erived from film managedecisions. com/blogncat=7 Page 3 of 18 technology. The value of vertical integration would be lost and the competence base will be rendered obsolete. The response of the management to the looming threat of digital photography was not appropriate. Kodak was so deep rooted in the old film technology that they never saw any imminent threat from digital imaging. Kodaks competencies were in precise mechanics, chemistry, manufacturing, and consumer marketing. There was fear that Kodaks existing competencies in the areas of traditional film photography would be endered insignificant in light of the new technology. But eventually Kodak lost the race in the digital supremacy and cost it dearly in terms of stock value and workforce reductions. Fishers attempt to transform Kodak In 1990s the company focused on core business and divested many business units. Fisher formulated and implemented a digital strategy. He tried to brand Kodak as an imaging company and few ideas that emerged included a) greater coherence focus the digital efforts and coordinate them in a better way. b) incrementality shift will be the consequence of many small efforts. Kodak did everything possible to enter digital imaging consumer cameras, storage, software, printing paper etc. He separated the digital business from film and consolidated efforts to build capabilities in imaging technology. He was instrumental in introducing digital print stations, new models of digital cameras and focused on operational effectiveness Kodak was integrated vertically owning the entire value chain from basic research to photo finishing. The digital value chain was different, different vendors had different niches for which they developed products. So under Fisher, Kodak launched Joint entures and released cameras by teaming with Microsoft, HP and 18M. They developed the business both in-house and through collaborations and partnerships. Manufacturing was outsourced to china to fight off Fuji competition and introduced the network and consumables based business model. Fishers efforts to capture digital market share faced many challenges. Fisher was able to bring organizational change only at high level, but the mid level management never understood the push towards digital imaging. They still perceived Kodaks future in film, Just followed the higher management initiatives. The culture of onsensus and open discussions was not there. Kodak still believed in film based digital imaging and was too late to actively compete with new emerging competition from other new players. While managers were reluctant to invest in products that would have lower profit margins than traditional film, they lost sight of the fact that the competitive landscape was changing rapidly. Fisher had segmented his product development and sales over many divisions. There was poor communication and sharing of information. By late 1997, 60% of Kodaks losses were due to costs of digital cameras, writeable CDs and other product developments. Fisher tried to transform the company too fast and that created resistance to his initiatives. Eventually Kodak ended up running losses due to failure of such late strategies. Evaluation of Kodaks strategy and current position in digital imaging Kodak could have sold itself in the 1980s or 1990s at a higher valuation that what it now has or it could have moved faster into the digital technology, capturing a greater share of market and, perhaps, the revenue from cell phone cameras. During 1980s and 1990s, Kodak believed that: the digital revolution was not going to happen (genuine ncertainty) any strategy shift will allow cannibalization of their current film offerings current customers dont demand it (shifts in customer base) and http:// www. anagedecisions. com/blogncat=7 Page 4 of 18 there will be margin erosion In 1993 Kodak was struggling for survival owing to lethargic matrix management, huge debt, few new products, shaky morale and cut-throat competition. Efforts were in progress from Fisher to eliminate debt, fast track products, reinvent corporate culture, increase profitability and introduce organizational changes. Kodak was late o the game in the ir shift to digital and has been playing catch-up. Even though they embraced digital imaging from early 1980s and stopped marketing film cameras in 004, the company could not compete and retain the market snare they dominated for such a long time. After consumers stopped buying the film most of the Kodaks key resources and capabilities became useless, the global distribution lost its value and people started using PCs instead of photo finishing labs. Kodaks competitiveness as a vertically integrated company diminished and the business model of making money on film did not fit with digital photography. The supplier network was rendered obsolete, knowledge assets in chemistry and manufacturing became obsolete. No management strategy would have changed that. The digital revenues could not compensate for the loss in film revenue; instead digital camera prices declined rapidly reducing marginal profits. Consumer electronics giants such as Sony, Nikon, and HP developed resource bases that were much better than that of Kodak. The company has strong brand and global presence, was technologically superior with engineers and scientists, invested millions in research, but the threat from Fuji led to downsizing. Kodak entered emerging markets such as china and kept delivering new digital cameras, digital consumer products and services. It recognized the threat and pioneered digital imaging and pushed it even though it rendered film obsolete. Kodak tried to embrace, develop and commercialize digital imaging. The advent of mobile cameras further crippled the recovery for Kodak. Dynamics of competition has changed in the digital world. It is no longer precision mechanics but electronics which is in demand now. Digital printing business had moderate success, but more and more people are printing at home and this success may not last long. Online picture sharing services is facing stiff completion from Google, Flickr and others. Disruptive innovation has destroyed the value of Kodaks resources, its global position and its capabilities. The very fact that Kodak is still doing business shows that Kodak is a success story. Its competitors during the film era Agfa, Konica, Polaroid have all disappeared. I believe that Kodak had a success story since it survived the significant innovative disruption that happened in film photography. What made Kodak survive? Recognized the threat early on and developed in-house knowledge and competencies Showed willingness to cannibalize its own film business Mon 24 May 2010 Profiling Successful Leaders in Healthcare Initiatives -Jim Hagedorn, CEO, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. Posted by anil under Academic, Leadership, MBA, Strategic Management http:// Page 5 of 18 No Comments Jim Hagedorn Chairman and CEO The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company Jim Hagedorn, CEO of Scotts Miracle-Gro Co served as president from May 2001 to December 2005 and from November 2006 to October 2008. At Miracle-Gro, Jim had served as executive vice president and was a major architect of Miracle-Gros success oth in the U. S. and in the I-JK. Following the merger, he was instrumental in the effective integration of the two businesses and served as head of the Companys North America business. Additionally, he served in the United States Air Force for seven years, where he was a captain and an accomplished F-16 fghter pilot. The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company has a long history dating back to 1868 when it first got started as a grass seed company. Now it is the worlds largest marketer of branded consumer lawn and garden products and has a culture that values honesty, integrity and transparency. The company cares deeply about the health and well- being of its 8000 strong associates and their families, and ensures that they lead long, healthy and happy lives. The corporate culture highly values innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, flexibility, collaboration, accountability and moral conduct. Jim Hagedorn has shown remarkable leadership and passion in his attack on health-care costs. After seeing health insurance costs continually rising seemingly out-of- control and realizing the lack of efforts from the government and health-care industry to fix the current system, Jim decided to act. He felt its up to employers ? who foot the bill ? to make changes. He made valiant efforts to not only get its employees to eat and live well but also makes them accountable for their actions. The primary motivation for doing was to control escalating health care costs while improving the long-term quality of life of employees. Jim Hagedorn is known for his determination and commonsense policies incentivizing his employees. Jims decisions are based on the harsh reality that our workforce apparently lacks the basic self-discipline to control its caloric intake and exercise every week. Scott made significant investment in improving employee health. These include free doctor care, access to a low cost fitness facility, access to dieticians, free generic prescription drugs, and of course, free smoking cessation programs. Scotts Miracle-Gro is a great example of a company that has gotten workplace-wellness programs right. Jim is also credited with some controversial initiatives, like asking for detailed medical histories of employees, and potentially firing an employee who failed to stop smoking. Scotts is in the vanguard of companies seeking to monitor and change employee behavior. Jim was able to motivate and influence employee behaviors at Scotts and demonstrated true emotional intelligence He had the right mix of all the El components selfawareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, social awareness and managing relationships. He was self-aware of the potential health dangers from obesity, smoking and diabetes. He lost his mother to lung cancer and instantly gave up smoking after realizing the grave consequences of smoking. He was able to cut medical costs, persuade employees to take better care of themselves without killing morale and spawning lawsuits. Jim employed various El styles as he tried to change employee behaviors. He underst the reasons behind rising health care costs and took the bold step ot dictating the personal habits of those lesser than himself. Jim knew the complexity of the issue and he was always probing, sensing and responding to build the dynamic capabilities amongst employees. In relation complexity leadership theory, I see adaptive, administrative and enabling functions on the part of Jim to introduce this disruptive innovation of employee wellness program, a business model innovation to lower healthcare costs. When Scotts doubled what workers paid for health insurance. Morale plummeted, and Hagedorn knew he had to do a better Job selling the hike. He applied affiliative style and held straight talk sessions with employees to heal the rift and explain them what he was up against the rising health costs climbing at a double-digit rate. He laces his sermons with salty language and unvarnished commentary. Jim sought legal and HR expertise when he wanted to ban smoking and go after obesity. To achieve these aims, he proposed launching the kind of companywide intervention that families use to help an addicted relative. His wellness programs had Big Brother overtones. But he was adamant about bringing down health costs? even if it means being authoritarian. If people managedecisions. com/ blogncat=7 Page 6 of 18 understand the facts and still choose to smoke, its suicidal, he says. And we cant encourage suicidal behavior. He acted as a commanding leader to enforce new policies and fire people who did not give up smoking. His instructed key executives to sell his initiatives and ready the employees for desired outcome. His visionary style coupled with coaching restored integrity, confidence and trust with employees. To motivate people, he incentivized employees for healthy outcomes and emerged as a pace-setting leader. As a democratic leader, Jim valued inputs and commitment through employee participation at quarterly meetings. Jim has been highly successful in Getting employees involved Scotts wellness program began with CEO Jim Hagedorns honest and straight-forward approach with his employees. Hagedorn wanted employees to know what he was up against. Using a PowerPoint presentation, he showed that his annual health-care bill had soared 42% since 1999, to $20 million, which amounted to 20% of the companys net profits n 2003. Getting employees policed Enforcing workplace programs especially related to such personal matters as smoking and eating is always a tricky issue, but Hagedorn, a former F-16 pilot was not one to be discouraged. Hiring a third-party firm to prevent managers from discriminating against subordinates, he managed to institute a smoking ban with the understanding that If people understand the facts and still choose to smoke, its suicidal, he says. And we cant encourage suicidal behavior. choose to smoke, its suicidal, ne says. And we cant encourage suicidal behavior. Getting employees the resources Well, talk about fitness is cheap, but Hagedorn puts his money where his health is: During one of Hagedorns straight-talk sessions, workers told him a company gym would make wellness easier to swallow. Done, Hagedorn s aid. But his vision went far beyond installing some StairMasters and throwing up health pointers on the Scotts intranet. Hagedorn built a soup-to-nuts medical and fitness center across the street from headquarters. Operated by Whole Health, the 24,000-square-foot facility cost $5 million and can meet pretty much any health-related need an employee ight have, including a drive-thru for free prescription drugs. When employers dont stop at Just making recommendations, but go that extra step to actually provide a convenient, usable service, everyone benefits. Get employees accountable Of course, you can provide the world of benefits to employees, but that benefit is only going to be as good as its usage. This is why: Scotts employees are now urged to take exhaustive health-risk assessments. Those who balk pay $40 a month more in premiums. Using data-mining software, Whole Health analysts scour the physical, mental, and family health histories of nearly every mployee and cross-reference that information with insurance-claims data. Health coaches identify which employees are at moderate to high risk. All of them are assigned a health coach who draws up an action plan. Those who dont comply pay $67 a month on top of the $40. We tried carrots, says Benefits Chief Pam Kuryla. Carrots didnt work. Its time people realize that their habits dont affect Just themselves but others too. Getting employees motivated (and rewarded! ) Often Hagedorn will walk around motivating people and making sure people are on the right track. He walks around campus Joking, slapping guts, and exhorting people o work out. And with rewards aplenty for good behavior general wellness at Scotts is only going one way up: Page 7 of 18 The nudging begets peer pressure. Gym rats earn special pins they display on ID badge lanyards; these have become a coveted status object. Competition for trips to Hawaii, free massages and facials, and other cash and prizes is fierce. One group of employees started having lunch together every day to keep each other from peeling out of the parking lot for a smoke. Doughnuts have disappeared. The message is: If youre not trying to do something to make yourself better, then youre going to pay ore, Getting employees results The best part of any program is seeing the results right before your eyes and employees ot Scotts are luck to be able to do so: So tar, the company says, more than 70% of headquarters staff belongs to the fitness center. The smoking-cessation program has already had a 30% success rate. The wellness program, which costs $4 million a year to run, is a financial drain. But the company expects it to pay for itself in three to four years. The Challenges from Tough Decisions The wellness initiatives raise some controversial questions One is that people could tart blaming unhealthy colleagues for helping push up premiums. Then there are the privacy and discrimination issues: How far should managers intrude into employees lives? Scotts has so far been able to avoid getting entangled in any legal issues and employees have whole heartedly supported the medical assessments keeping in faith the privacy safeguards. Some of the initiatives he introduced include: Opening a $5 million fitness and medical center at companys Marysville headquarters. The clinic employs two full-time doctors, five nurses, a dietician, counselor, and two physical therapists. Mandatory health assessment, have it evaluated by medical professionals and then follow recommendations to improve their health. Enforce higher premiums on employees who choose not to take the survey and those who dont follow the recommendations Force employees not to smoke ? even off the clock. Access to medical center for doctor consultation, personal and prescription drugs. Offer discounts on health-care premiums, free weight-loss and smoking-cessation programs, gratis gym memberships, counseling for emotional problems, and prizes like vacations or points that can be redeemed for gift cards. Use data-mining oftware, Whole Health analysts scour the physical, mental, and family health histories of nearly every employee and cross-reference that information with insurance-claims data. The wellness efforts of Jim Hagedorn have paid off, employees fiercely compete for corporate rewards instituted for following healthy habits. So far, the company says, more than 70% of headquarters staff belongs to the fitness center. The smoking-cessation program has already had a 30% success rate. The wellness program, which costs $4 million a year to run, is a financial drain. But the company expects it to pay for itself in three to four years. Other large companies have seen a 3-to-l return on investment in their wellness programs. The workplace is an ideal place to have a great impact on healthcare costs. First, they become aware of their personal physical problems, learn how to improve those problems and have support during their personal program. Then, the fiscal health of the company is improved when the health of each employee is improved; thus, the company is enabled to continue providing Jobs for its employees. Wellness programs are a win-win solution for employees, employers and our countrys economy. Thu 22 Apr 2010

American History - 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American History - 8 - Essay Example ____ Bruce Baston ______ †¢ Development of a new national culture †¢ Advertisement needs increased †¢ Son of Protestant Clergyman worked voluntarily for the American army †¢ Love for Jesus – made Sunday a â€Å"Jesus day† †¢ First cargo started and completed its journey †¢ Religious activities increased †¢ Drinkers said to be bad people of the society †¢ ‘Do the right’ was a motive †¢ Would be the cause of future border disputes †¢ Twelve failed businessmen made best organizations and conquered the world of business 3. ____ The Long Plan ______ †¢ Senator, Huey P. Long presented Long Plan. †¢ A limited amount of wealth should be allocated to people. †¢ Excessive amount of wealth, which a person has in addition to the wealth limit, should go to government for public usage. †¢ Capital levy tax should be there and with increasing wealth, tax rate should be increased. †¢ Inheritance tax should be imposed so that people receiving inheritance wealth should be restricted to its usage and extra amount should go to government. †¢ Restrictive imcome tax for those earning more than 1,000,000 per year. †¢ All taxes should be paid by fortune holders and not common people. †¢ Limits for better survival of everyone. †¢ Wealth of the land belongs to people of the land. †¢ The powerful should work for the well being of all by bordering their fortune. 4. _____ Cultural conflicts between Black and White ________ †¢ US companies started trading with Negros in Africa, West Indies, South and Central America †¢ Universal Negro Improvement Association was established to discourage race †¢ Rubber and Tire companies established in Liberia by White †¢ Writers and great thinkers played a major role in the culture change of America †¢ A majority of Negros started migrating in New York cause a dominant cultural change in America †¢ Conf licts arise between white and black due to bias publications †¢ Idea of merging culture failed and white and black become enemy †¢ England and France were the only countries considered to keep Liberia †¢ Writers started preaching black separatism, rather than a continued quest for racial Integration. †¢ Negro’s Association becomes difficult to destroy 5. _ The Ku Klux Klan 1924__ †¢ Klan uses Print Media to deliver its message to white supremacy †¢ The Klan published The Good Citizen and The Klan’s fight for American †¢ A woman published America for Americans from Ku Klux Klan †¢ â€Å"Hail Mary, Mother of God,† was on everyone’s lips †¢ Privilege given to Ku Klux Klan under the Constitution of the United States of America †¢ Individualism cannot be maintained as the foundation of society †¢ Christians tried to grab the society †¢ Laissez Faire abandoned †¢ Inequality of tyrannies, dominatio ns and injustice spread in the country †¢ This lead American Individualism in the state. Part Two: Essays After reading the chapters, write three essays/discussion questions: 1. Explain the significance of American Individualism. 2. What effects did the Red Cross services have in the United States? 3. Explore the impact of the cabinet meeting. Was it a success or foolish act? Why? From the above list, respond to one of the above questions: 1. American call themselves the

Short Answers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Short Answers - Assignment Example Between kazuo’s camera andKurosawa’s intuitive directions, there is hardly any words needed to be used. The inconsistency is evident from this point where the camera accounts for the gesture, passes a forest’s breeze rush. The truth showed twenty four frames for each second, a bit different every time. Outstanding in the stellar cast is Toshiro’s bug-bitten outlaw, his antics surprise and even confuse into depths. Inconsistency is a cyclic technique employed in films to inspire the audience and make it interesting. A film may have a flow but at some point it makes a new turn and then it takes the pattern. The pattern is crucial in movies for capturing the audience and breaking boredom. Inconsistency captures senses of the audience as they are left with a range of conclusion on how the film is flowing and its conclusion. It is also vital in capture of emotions of the audience in different ways. Lastly, inconsistency is meant to disapprove the expectation of the audience there by making them attentive. Question two From time immemorial, film buffs, film critics and filmmakers will refer to a film period by the name the French new wave. To other people the term is to be thrown out to sound impressive. For some other people it carries significance and inspiration that represents a defining moment in cinematic innovation and individuality. It is very vital to note that while cahiers critics talked about their views, there was variation and diversity within the groups. This ranged from cinematic aesthetic to age. It was by diversifying their thoughts that they were able to challenge their views and engage in debates. The French new wave from their debates and diversification made films that shared variety aspects of filming in Europe making it unique. The French new wave created films in various genres deviating from the usual narrative conventions. The use of held cameras, natural lighting, real locations and improvised scripts formulated a feeling of realism. These techniques were different from the ones other movements employed. One of the directors’ aims was to have the audience know that they are watching a film. This was done through the medium employed. The directors had a character talk to the audience face to face hence having a break on the fourth wall. At that time it was a unique, surprising and new technique which today is employed in present cinemas. This movement also employed a film that maximized memory as a subject, showing a changing mentality that is modern in the history of film making. The technique the movement used was unusual as it influence other movements as they adopted it. Question three Third Cinema is known to be credited to two filmmakers, Octavio Getino and Fernando Solanas. Following a film completion in 1968, the two drafted a manifesto. The manifesto had a laid down structure on the classification of cinemas: the first cinema, second cinema and the third cinema. First cinema is a Hollywood production model. It also applies to other cinema production of in other countries that is done in large scale like Bollywood. A very vital factor for the two, the production mode represents an ideology that there exists a specific relationship between the spectator and film where cinema is taken as a spectacle (Chanan, pp.375). The cinema relays the messages of an overwhelming ideology through its content, its production

Africa Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Africa - Article Example In order to loot the wealth of Africa, politicians encouraged the internal wars in Africa. As a result of that no economic developments or infrastructure development took place in Africa. Even though globalization brought huge opportunities to the poor countries, because of internal agitation and poor infrastructure facilities, Africa failed to exploit it. African people knew only to fight irrespective of the age differences. In other words, wars were in their blood at the time of birth itself. Africa needs to learn from these mistakes and concentrate more on the development aspect of the continent rather than the military and political aspects. For the time being, internal wars were stopped up to certain extent and the killing of innocent people is only a rare incident now in Africa. It should be noted that more than seven million people were killed in the recent past in Africa due to internal wars. Countries like Angola, Congo, Sudan etc where internal wars were severe in the past, killing incidents are reported rarely now. Now, it is time to concentrate more on the rebuilding processes of Africa. The comfortable signs of peace are visible everywhere in Africa at present. The presence of foreign military armies to ensure peace is not necessary in Africa at present. African people realised the mistakes they committed in the past and they are slowly constructing a normal life as that of the people in the external world. They realised that wars are not answers to any of their basic problems and peace is necessary to solve all of their basic problems. It should be noted that peace processes are now developing internally even though it was developed because of the external pressure in the past. Moreover, African countries, which were engaged in fierce battle earlier, started to help each other in the peace building process now. Majority of the internal wars in Africa were caused by the external forces in order to

Daimler Chrysler Customer Service Review

Daimler Chrysler Customer Service Review How Effective Customer Services  Are Provided at DaimlerChrysler Customer Service We have all heard, demanded, used and complained about customer service at some point in our lives as consumers. And depending upon what the issue was, the term ‘customer service’ differed based upon whatever it was we received, did not received, or thought we should have received. The preceding is exactly the point. Customer service seemingly differs depending upon the industry as well as the segment within the particular company that the public deals with. And while the corporations we deal with are huge organizations, our conception of customer service comes down to those individuals within the company with whom we come in contact, as well as those we do not. Blacharski (2006, p. 17) in his book â€Å"Superior Customer Service: How to Keep Customers Racing Back to Your Business – Time Tested Examples from Leading Companies â€Å" tells us that â€Å"Customer service is not just the responsibility of the service center or call center †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , it represents â€Å"†¦ a comprehensive, integrated strategy that involves every single area of the company†. In today’s highly competitive environment, customers have the information as well as option to pick and choose from any number of competing products which aside from elements of style, manufacturing processes and some features, are basically highly similar. Lilien’s (1974, pp. 279-285) examination of why consumers buy as contained in his work â€Å"An Application of a Modified Linear Learning Model of Buyer Behavior† found that consumer learn on a continual basis of the quality as well as characteristics of the brands they purchased, as well as those of friends and associates. And therein lies the point, a brand represents a certain image it conveys, and we expect that image to deliver in real terms when and after we purchase. Mention a brand, is if the company has successfully cultivated its image, that brand will conjure up certain thoughts and a stance regarding the company in our minds. Mention Microsoft, Coca-Cola, IBM, BMW or DaimlerChrysler and you probably form some sort of opinion or image just from hearing the names, either from personal experience, those of associates, friends or the company’s advertising and or market reputation . The preceding companies are recognized as the top most respected companies according to surveys and studies by the Financial Times PriceWaterhouse Coopers in 2005 (FinFacts Ireland, 2005). The foregoing is integral to what is termed branding, as well as customer service, as these images or expectations are what we are lead to believe we are buying, in addition to the actual product, the company behind it! The foregoing leads us to an examination of how effective customer service is provided, utilizing DaimlerChrysler as the example, compared against the next best or best company in this area in the automotive industry. We will look at what makes these companies revered, and why, and how they stack up against the industry as well as each other. In order to equate customer service as it applies to the automotive industry, we will need a standard of measurement as well as some baseline areas from which to make an assessment. To do so, we will utilize the ranking and rating system employed by JD Power and Associates (2006a) who are recognized as the foremost independent authority in this area. According to the JD Power and Associates ‘2006 Customer Service Index (CSI) Study’ in the United States conducted among â€Å"†¦ 79,580 owners and lessees of 2003 to 2005 model year †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (JD Power and Associates, 2006b) automobiles. Lexus, a Toyota Motor Corporation (Wikipedia, 2006) ranked as the number one company in customer service with a ‘Customer Service Index Ranking’ of 912 out of a possible 1,000, with Mercedes ranked at number 22 with a ranking of 872 (JD Power and Associates, 2006b). Surprised? This means that there are 21 companies rated ahead of Mercedes in terms of customer service satisfaction, yet mention Mercedes and it still conjures up images of superior craftsmanship and quality. So, what exactly were the determining factors in arriving at the preceding rankings and what were the reasons? According to JD Power and Associates, customer satisfaction is the overall experience one has with the dealership, and particularly the service department, whereby they interface with the personnel regarding routine as well as other vehicle service needs during ownership (JD Power and Associates, 2006b). The importance of the preceding is that those customers who are satisfied with service as well as their experience with the dealership, which represents their point of contact with the automobile company, will be likely to not only return for service, they will likely purchase their next vehicle from the company as well. And the preceding 22nd ranking has not been lost on the executives at Mercedes. The company has announced they are focusing upon a new image that â€Å"†¦ emphasizes service †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Crain Communications, Inc., 2006), with the label for this new direction termed as â€Å"Appreciation†. The foundational pillars of Mercedes strategy are centered upon service, value, comfort and safety in a push to win back buyers who have been put off by a decline in quality, the centerpieces of success which Lexus has focused on. The company’s group vice president, Bob Carter, stated that the goal of Lexus â€Å"†¦ is to deliver 100% customer satisfaction† (PR News Today, 2006). To understand the success of Lexus, and the repositioning of Mercedes, one needs to understand that customer service means (Carlaw and Deming, 1998, p. 4): â€Å" Doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. Going beyond what’s expected. Adding value and integrity to every interaction. Being at your best with every customer. Discovering new ways to delight those you serve. Surprising yourself with how much you can do. Taking care of the customer like you would take care of your grandmother.† Introduced as an automotive brand seventeen years ago (1989), Lexus has captured the number one spot in this category eleven times (PR News Today, 2006). Effective customer service is not what the company thinks it is, it is what the customer thinks it is, and this is the important distinction in understanding effective customer service. The measurements entailing the rating of customer service include (USA Today, 2004): obtaining a service appointment at a convenient time, having the maintenance and or repair work performed correctly the first time the quality of work performed user friendliness pertaining to the service the overall customer service experience fairness of charges for service and repairs speed in completing the service appointment A big aspect of customer service rankings lies in the initial vehicle quality, meaning the improved quality of new vehicles thus necessitating the need for repair visits (USA Today, 2004). The preceding aspects represents one of the most important facets in garnering high levels of customer service satisfaction in that the lower the need for the customer to contact the company regarding things that need fixing, the higher their satisfaction will thus be. The foregoing has been consistently mentioned in customer service rating comments regarding the surveys conducted by JD Power and Associates which stated that brands have moved up in their customer service rating through â€Å"†¦ improving the quality of new vehicles †¦Ã¢â‚¬  with this aspect thus resulting in â€Å"†¦ fewer repair visits† (USA Today, 2004). With this in mind, along with the other customer service points, lets look at the reasons behind Lexus high rated performance versus Mercedes 2006 Vehicle Brand Ratings 5 Star Rating Points (With 5 representing the highest) (JD Power and Associates, 2006c) The preceding, as pointed out by JD Power and Associates provides a strong correlation between the high customer service ratings achieved by Lexus, and the lag Mercedes has felt in this quarter, and the resulting lower customer service satisfaction scores. Conclusion As stating in the beginning of this presentation, consumer perceptions regarding the aspects of customer service varying according to what they individually find and deem as important to them. A long wait on the telephone, a missed service appointment call back, an out of stock part, an automotive rattle, a mechanical breakdown, warranty areas for areas that might be borderline in terms of coverage are all facets that figure into the broad world of customer service. Thus, an automotive manufacturer’s best defense against all of these variables is the building of a quality product that results in fewer potential problem areas for their customers. This has been the approach of Lexus, Lincoln BMW and other brands, and now this mantra has been taken up by Mercedes as well. And while the best customer service is a result of not needing to contact the company at all, as a result of a worry and defect free product, the fact is that taking care of customer needs in every contact represents the opportunity to build upon their purchase experience and gain their loyalty. Mercedes has this lesson to build upon. Bibliography Blacharski. D. (2006) Superior Customer Service: How to Keep Customers Racing Back to Your Business – Time Tested Examples from Leading Companies. Atlantic Publishing Company. ISBN: 0910627525 Crain Communications, Inc. (2006) Mercedes’ new image emphasizes service; Sporty is downplayed, brand focus returns to value, comfort, safety. Retrieved on 20 October 2006 from http://www.accessmylibrary.com/comsite5/bin/pdinventory.pl?pdlanding=1referid=2930purchase_type=ITMitem_id=0286-15953710 FinFacts Ireland (2005) World’s Most Respected Companies 2005. Retrieved on 20 October 2006 from http://www.finfacts.com/biz10/worldsmostrespectedcompanies.htm JD Power and Associates (2006a) Autos. Retrieved on 20 October 2006 from http://www.jdpower.com/autos JD Power and Associates (2006c) JD Power Consumer Center. Retrieved on October 21 2006 from http://www.jdpower.com/autos/brand-ratings/ JD Power and Associates (2006b) Lexus Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Dealer Service. Retrieved on 20 October 2006 from http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.asp?ID=2006119 Lilien, G. (1974) An Application of a Modified Linear Learning Model of Buyer Behavior. Vol. 11. August 1974. Journal of Marketing Research PR News Today (2006) Lexus Reclaims Top Spot in JD Power and Associates Customer Service Index Study. Retrieved on 20 October 2006 from http://www.prnewstoday.com/release.htm?cat=autodat=20060720rl=LATH10120072006-1 USA Today (2004) Lincoln owners rate service best. Retrieved on October 20 2006 from http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2004-07-20-dealer_x.htm Wikipedia (2006) Toyota Motor Corporation. Retrieved on October 20 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Motor_Corporation

The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

People judge others they encounter based upon their own values. These values are acquired through experiences in the home, school, at work, and with friends. A person is taught from their parents at a very young age what is right and wrong, but they may fail to realize that the values they are taught are filtered through the minds of those who teach. Therefore one is a product of their previous generation adding our his or her judgement to the values that we will pass on.Hawthorne judges the characters in The Scarlet Letter by using his own values. These values were drastically different from other Puritans. Instead of the stern, harsh values of the Puritans, Hawthorne sees life through the eyes of a Romantic. He judges each person accordingly, characterizing each person's sin as the pardonable sin of nature or the unpardonable sin of the human soul. One can infer, by the writing style, that Hawthorne is most forgiving to Hester. He writes about Hester with a feeling of compassion that the descriptions of the other characters lack. Hawthorne approves of Hetser's feeling, vitality, and thirst to overcome the iron shackles of binding society. He shows us that although Hester is not permitted to express her feelings verbally because of social persecution, there is no one that can restrain the thoughts of the human mind. Hawthorne, being a romantic and man of nature himself, can relate to the this. - If you were to look up the human mating characteristics in a science book you may surprise yourself. The human instinct is to have more than one partner not to stay loyal to one partner- In fact Hester is often contrasted with the Puritan laws and rules, especially when Hawthorne states: "The world's law was no law for her mind." (70) Roger Chillingworth's personality is one of intelligence and knowledge but no feeling. Hawthorne considers Roger Chilingworth's sin the worst in the book. In one of his journal entrees he labels it the "unpardonable sin." Hawthorne describes him as very cold and Puritan-like, an educated man that looked very scholarly. As stated here:There was a remarkable intelligence in his features, as a person who had so cultivated his mental part that it could not fail to mould to physical to itself, and become manifest by unmistakable tokens. (67)Hawthorne frequently refers to Chillingworth's genius and diction, but purposely fails to have Chillingworth show any slight sign of compassion.