Euro Disney Intercultural Management

Disney Corporation faced lots of problems when launching Euro Disneyland in Paris. Most of them were caused by poor research of the European market, European people’s traits and habits. Question 1: What could have been the reason why guests were spending less and leaving sooner? Disney Corporation expected that people will spend a lot of time and money in Euro Disney Park, however in reality they leave sooner and spend less money than was expected, and it causes big losses.The main reason of it can be explained by Geert Hofstede?s dimension about time-orientation which is very similar to Fons Trompenaar?s time-orientation dimension. As USA is considered to be short-term-oriented country, while European countries are long-term-oriented people spend money differently. Europeans are likely to save money, save it for the future, not to spend big sums of money in short period, but US citizens can often spend a lot easily, and they are not likely to save money. Additionally, America ns did not count with the importance of culture for the average European citizen.When visiting Paris, thousand years of history surrounds you. To the American, whose country is only a few hundred years old, the perception of spending your holiday does not likely include sightseeing. But when a European visits Paris, they will surely spend part of their holiday to discover one of the most famous and historical cities in Europe. Evidently they will spend less time in Disneyland, there is much else to see. Question 2: When reading the description of some of the critical aspects, what could have been the major problems and how could they be solved?From the beginning Disney Corporation applied universalistic approach. As Disney’s community relation manager said: â€Å"we knew it would work because it had worked everywhere else†. They wanted that everything in this new Disney Park in Paris was as it is in USA because they already had experience of applying the same method in Japan. And in Japan it was successful; however it didn’t work in Europe. Probably, it was not a good idea for European Disneyland, since French and all Europeans are different from U. S. people by mentality; they have other habits, which effect European customers’ behavior.To solve this problem Fons Trompenaar’s dimension about universalistic and particularistic approach can be used. As it was necessary from Disney Corporation to apply particularistic approach instead of universalistic, so they could make research before launching the park. Disney Corporation made all the same settings as they open new Disneyland in U. S. , so French citizens considered it as Americans’ desire to create a piece of USA on their land. In order not to have this problem Disney Corporation could know just one most wide-spread stereotype about France that French are proud people.They are a nation that works hard to preserve their culture. Tourists often complain that they donà ¢â‚¬â„¢t speak English with them even if they know the language. They actively discourage the Anglicization of the French language, the primary objective of L'Academie francaise is to preserve the language. So it was obvious that French people will not welcome freely Americanization of their holidays on their land. If Disney Corporation just showed respect and add a bit of French traditional, cultural features, then French people would not perceive Disney as threat.Moreover, it could attract more customers exactly to Paris Euro Disneyland, as they can find here some special things which they were not able to find in other Disneyland. One more major reason of Disney Corporation failure in France can be explained by Fons Trompenaar’s Nature Orientation dimension. As U. S. A. is rather internal country the corporation could believe that everything depends on them, they thought they could force Europeans to spend money. It can be prove by Disney’s community relations manag er: â€Å"We are so good, nothing can stop us†.Disney Corporation staff believed that if they create proper conditions, if they find, train good personnel – European customers will increase their expenditures and will stay late in the park. However, there are things which were not under Corporation control, for example, habit of Europeans to economize money is stronger than desire to spend more money in short-period. There is only one way to solve these kinds of problems, just to pay attention to them, be careful to consumers’ behavior, to be really customer-driven company.Question 3: What assumptions did Disney make about the French and Europeans (as guests and consumers)? How might Disney have had a more favorable initial experience in France? The Disney Corporation assumed that all Europeans, as a â€Å"civilized West† are very similar to Americans, that European customers will behave the same way as Americans. And even if they have different way of va cations, they assumed that Disney will be able to Americanize Europeans’ vacation habits, what could entertain American families would satisfy European families as well.Disney Corporation thought that what they created in Paris is something immortal and has enough to keep families happily there for a week. But thanks to Europeans’ cultural features, it is a safe bet that what American culture could offer would not be enough for them in many aspects. A civilization so deeply affected by their thousand year culture has different expectations. In addition chicken nuggets, hot dogs and fries might be somewhat standard fair in America but in Europe food is to be enjoyed and savored and one tends to linger over a meal as opposed to eat as quickly as possible.Disney could have had a more favorable initial experience had they have prepared some market research. They would have found that the country has very different working standards. France has a lot smaller Power Distance than that in USA, additionally they are proud people, they must have taken it really bad when everything was prescribed to the last detail and they secretly kept a close watch over their work. In order to operate such a large and prestigious theme park with thousands of employees and millions of visitors, it’s inevitable to find out the expectations by both labor and customer side.Strategies to transfer a successful business concept from one culture to another An important lesson to be learned is to always take cultural features into consideration. It is the base of good cross-cultural relationships both inside and outside of the corporation. Our success greatly relies on our customers’ judgement and our employees’ loyalty, which depend on managing cultural differences. It can be done in several ways, but the first step is always to examine and evaluate the country’s cultural dimensions.Then we can move on to the next step: If it suits the country of dest ination (=CoD), leadership and most decisions can be defined by the country of origin (=CoO) (if the CoD has high PDI and UAI, Communitarianist and Specific, Achievement oriented†¦), or CoO has to let local leadership make short- and medium-term decisions (low PDI, high Masculinity, Individualist and Emotional†¦) Same market/customer approach can be applied if the CoD’s cultural dimension indexes are about the same as the CoO’s – translation check must be done.There is no point in changing the image if our brand is already widely known and accepted, but needs a new type of approach if the CoO’s cultural values don’t match the CoD’s values. Generally neighbour countries are likely to share the same values because they root from a mutual history. Product placement – we have to find out about the CoD’s Time Orientation and Nature Orientation in order to get a correct picture: what do our employees and customers expect of our product?What alteration must be done to keep our employees and customers satisfied and our business profitable? The answer is simple – if the CoD has high Long-Term Orientation and Nature Orientation, then we must plan our product to be economical, nature-friendly and our company will produce lower but more sustainable profit. If it’s indexes are low, we are facing a short but rapid profit attainment, and our products â€Å"go out of fashion† quickly.

Appreciating Visual Art forms through Fashion

Art can be defined as the product or process of deliberate arrangement of elements in a manner to affect the emotion or senses of a viewer (Tolstoy, pp.28). A diverse range of human activities, forms of expression and creations encompass art. These would include visual and the performing arts that entail music, sculpture, paintings, literature and film among others.Visual art is the form of art that mainly produce works that can be appreciated visually (Bell, pp. 17). These include paintings, drawings, videos and films, fashion, photographs, graffiti, tattoos and even crafts.   Visual art can also be broken down to performing arts (plays, drama and other human performances), textile arts (fashion and fabric work), and conceptual art (artistic manipulation and representation of concepts).According to Bell, visual art is not only used for its aesthetic value but also for its practical application in industrial design, decorative art, fashion design, graphic design and also interior d esign. He adds that the aesthetic value of a piece of work may differ with its use among different users (pp. 19).Tolstoy adds that art has been seen to adhere to certain principles and elements that complete the different forms we have. Principles and elements of art include visual elements that are used to produce different works of art. These include line, shape and color with an addition of space, balance and movement.The use of color line and space has the capability of creating movement balance and space in a peace of art. Artists use these principles and elements of art to create works that send a message, affect emotion or are for aesthetic value (pp, 28).Visual art utilizes the elements and principles of art in that artists use color to make paintings, lines for drawings and also paintings, space in their drawings and paintings and also the creation of balance space and movement through the use of line color in their pieces of work.Different forms of visual art are products of different artists being inspired by personal preferences, different people, events, emotional experiences and/or other factors in creating different forms of visual art (Tolstoy, pp. 28).Visual art and fine art are closely interrelated. Fine art utilizes the elements and principles of art and takes a wide range of scope from paintings, to calligraphy, music and dance among others. The difference between fine art and visual art is that fine art is purely for aesthetic value unlike visual art that can be used in industrial application such as sculptures. Fine art can be termed as visual art is it is appreciated though seeing.This essay will concentrate on the appreciation of visual art in the fashion industry. Different visual art forms have been used in the fashion industry based on the preference of the artist, collector or the designer. Designers may choose to produce various visual works of art or even collect them. Collectors of visual works of art include photographers and c ollectors of antiques, paintings and other visual works who range from individual designers to museum employees (Abbott, pp. 22).Their work involves the collection and arrangement of these works of art in a manner that will affect the emotion or sense of the viewer in the message it conveys. The works of such an artist may also be for aesthetic value if not both to convey a message and for beauty. These artists also serve the function of storing history and events (Fashion Projects, para 1).The photographs and items collected act as a preservation of the information or art work conveyed therein which can be reviewed in future. In fashion, these collections (photographs and other items) are used for beauty as well as different functional uses. An example would be the imprints of iconic figures’ pictures on fabric such as bags, t-shirts, pendants and even shoes (Abbott, pp. 36).

Pros of Electronic Communication

Electronic communication was discovered in 1998. Electronic communication is used for the transfer of data, images, signals, signs, etc. through wire, electromagnetic, radio, photoelectronic or photo-optical system. With its growing popularity people have started communicating via email. Electronic communication is not only a new tool but also a new way of communication. This has led to a change in the culture. Below mentioned are advantages and disadvantages of electronic communication. Pros of Electronic Communication The benefits of electronic communication is that people across the world can share televised pictures, conversations, graphics, circuits and interactive softwares. The interaction between people residing in different geographical locations have increased and have become promiscuous. The conversations are more visual and textual. This is helpful mainly for hearing impaired people. With electronic communication, the recipient receives the message within a few seconds of the sender sending it. The recipient can read the message anytime, anywhere according to his convenience. The speed of conversation has increased and this has resulted in faster processing of important matters related to business, finance, trade, etc. For example, you can instantly access the information present in your computer. As there are no restrictions about time and place, people can sit at home and do their office work if the required resources are available. This work arrangement is termed as telecommuting. The communicated messages can be stored permanently or temporarily on disks or tapes for years or can even be printed and stored in files. The process of learning has become simple and efficient as the information can be archived and retrieved according to the requirement. Since the communication does not take place via hard copies, money spent for paper, printing and postal deliveries is saved. After the mail is delivered to the receiver, it is placed safely in the hard disk of the receiver's computer. After the receiver retrieves the mail, it is his responsibility to keep it safely. Cons of Electronic Communication The main issue with electronic communication is security. Your computer can be hacked and affected with computer virus. This can have an adverse effect on the computer system and the network. The volume of transmitted data is large and the transmission is fast. Hence, it becomes difficult for employers and managers to absorb, process and understand it and provide proper feedbacks to their employees. The speed with which the messages are transmitted often changes the structure of the messages, which at times can be misinterpreted. Electronic data can be duplicated identically without any proof of duplication. These messages can also be modified. At times, people can intentionally send malicious programs like viruses, worms and Trojans through emails, which is difficult to detect. Another disadvantage of electronic communication is email privacy issues. An email is sent in the form of data packets via computer network. These data packets have to pass through a number of routers (a computer device used for forwarding packets in the computer network) and computers before it reaches its destination. So, there are chances of an individual tampering the emails before it reaches its recipient. While the data packets are transferred from one computer system to another, they can be lost when one router transfers it to another. If the router is bombarded with more number of data packets than its carrying capacity, the receiver can experience a delay in receiving it. The ‘from message header' of a message can be modified, which hampers the authenticity. Almost all technologies in this world have their pros and cons. Similarly, there exist advantages and disadvantages of electronic communication as well. In-spite of its disadvantages, most of us depend on electronic communication for our everyday work as it has become an integral part of our lives.

Traveling Matte Techniques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Traveling Matte Techniques - Essay Example Traveling mattes modify figure from frame to frame in order to correspond to the movement of the picture or a subject within the picture. Matte effects are typically designed digitally. For using special effects in filmmaking and photography, matters are applied to make an image by combining two and more images. In the film industry, matters are typically applied for mixing a foreground image. For example characters of the film on a set with a background image are seen as a single image. If an actor is seen jumping from a plane, matte is the background painting, showings clouds, mountains, etc. In filmmaking the use of SPFX or SFX is common. These techniques are used for giving special effects to images. The principle of a matte needs covering some areas of the film mixing to control by selection the areas which needed to be exposed. In the process, a lot of separate images are used to make a complex special-effect scene. (Benedetti 1-7) In a simple definition, traveling matte techniques refer to the mixing of moving images in filmmaking. The background pictures are characteristically hand-painted or digitally designed images characterizing make-believe sites. Different images are classically mixed based on a lot of traveling matte images. The traditional filmmaking procedures begin by filming an actor or a model as a foreground subject in front of a squarely lit pure blue or green screen, which will be removed afterward in post-production. Filmmakers use blue or green since they are slightest likely to be color components of the foreground subjects and consequently will not leave holes in them when that color is detached. (Harrison 3-5) Most popular traveling matte techniques comprise the use of blue screens or green screens. These techniques are used to describe and outline areas in matte images that define foreground or background images.

Under the economic globalization, who should take the responsibility Essay

Under the economic globalization, who should take the responsibility to make the music education actually valuable for Chinese p - Essay Example Music in Confucianism was regarded as one of the means of governance, as well as a significant factor in educating people and in achieving social harmony. But the situation has changed since 1912, when music education moved into the category of compulsory subjects. Under the economic behavior, also all the parents want their children have a bright future; therefore lots of music teachers became ‘money makers’ because of this policy. The music as a creative art should give more space to students. Nowadays National Entrance Exam forced some of Chinese students study music no longer as an creative arts, they are practicing it for pass the exam with high mark, and they are passing it because of the music skill can give them more 20 credits compare with the others who can’t study music or know music skills as good as they are. Students suffer in the classroom, because music education is not enjoyable anymore. Nowadays students are seeking for material well-being; they do not actually care about arts and music, in particular. Even in an era of globalization such widespread phrase as â€Å"Europe is not America, America - not Asia† is relevant. Especially it seems strange that under the comprehensive globalization, China preserves its national identity. Suffice it to mention the peculiarities of the Chinese mentality, Chinese economy, developing rapidly after the Communist, unique educational system; but the Chinese musical art deserves paying special attention. Besides, the purposes of music education, according to the Ministry of Education in China, are directly connected with the fact that Chinese society still can not reject the idea of communism building. So, the tendency â€Å"Art for Art sake† is obvious. ... It also absorbed elements of the music of people that were part of the Chinese empire (the Uighurs, Tibetans, Mongols, Manchu, etc.), and, in turn, greatly influenced the music of Korea, Japan and some nations of Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Chinese music has evolved since ancient times under the influence of religious, philosophical and ideological doctrines (Reimer, 1989). In Confucian treatises the concept of cosmological nature of music was developed, its social and political role was highlighted. Music in Confucianism was regarded as one of the means of governance, as well as a significant factor in educating people and in achieving social harmony. According to the ideas of Taoism, the music was to facilitate the natural expression of psycho-emotional reactions of man, its fusion with nature. 2. The Consequences of the New Education Policy The school music education, which was developed during one of the most complex, saturated with global cataclysms, period in the history of the country, gradually became a public system, marked by both significant achievements and serious shortcomings. Nowadays the assessments of achievements of challenges facing China’s school education are prerequisites for successful reform. Music became a compulsory subject in secondary schools of China in 1912. In accordance with the suggestions for the educational course of the country, made by Education Minister Tsai Yuanpey (1912), the role of artistic education plays the significant role in shaping the personality, thus, particular attention should be paid to music teaching in secondary schools. This document determined a new status of the given

Reflecting the films you have watched (The Social Network and Wall Essay

Reflecting the films you have watched (The Social Network and Wall Street 2), and citing a minimum of 3 journal articles, discus - Essay Example Each factor played a pivotal role in the development of the story line in each movie. While some factors were more important than others, it is important to go through all of the factors associated with the PESTLE analysis. In terms of the Political environment, Wall St. 2 starts with the release of Gordon Gekko from prison as a result of insider trading. This set the environment for his alienation from the finance industry. He leverages his relationship with his future son-in-law Jake, for access to his daughters’ money. As a political outcast, Gordon was forced to make back door deals in order to start his offshore finance company. The situation was similar in the Social Network. Mark began the movie sitting at a table deliberating over his actions that led to the ensuing lawsuit. Intellectual property rights are a growing body of legal work that has yet to be developed into an exact science. Hence, the political environment for his actions was ripe, in so far as he may not be able to get away with the same actions years down the road. The Facebook is seemingly a compilation of the ideas of other individuals, while he did not draft the entire concept of others ideas, he took bits and pieces of their information. Fortunately, our nation was at a point where we wanted something new and were willing to stand behind it. The economic environment actually has a close link to the political environment. Both movies were based in the modern era which means that they both shared the same economic environment, yet there were two completely different outcomes. While Jake suffered massive losses as of the change in the economy, that very same transition offered opportunity to Mark. Specifically, in 2007 there was a massive financial failure within the stock market. The bottom fell out of the housing market and banking institutions were merely trading with fiat cash that wasn’t there to begin with. This forced financial executives to pass on the losses to the individuals within the market. As a natural consequence, there was a panic and everyone with money in stocks headed towards the quickest exits. Mark had a different experience with the creation of his internet giant. Just when people assumed that the internet had reached its maximum functionality, he was able to innovate and create a new method through which consumers could interact. In fact, he was able to generate an entirely new stream of revenue that relied on a non-traditional market. The social environment for both of the movies seemed to be equal. The main character in each movie seemed to either be accepted by those who are closest and misunderstood by those who watched from a distance. Specifically in Wall St.2, Jake was accepted by those who worked within his financial firm and even the alternative energy business. While at the same time, his competitor merely wanted to use him in order to protect their own business. Additionally, Mark was viewed as an investment by his à ¢â‚¬Å"best friend†. Mark felt as if he was under appreciated for doing all of the work within the company and since he was responsible for making the right business decisions, he felt as if he was entitled to greater representation in terms of shares. The changing technological environment played a pivotal role in the development of each story line. Specifically, the role of the alternative e

Stock Market Index in China Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 15000 words

Stock Market Index in China - Dissertation Example Shanghai exchange will be positioned as China’s New York Stock Exchange (main board) while Shen Zhen exchange will act as China’s NASDAQ devoted to the growth or secondary market.   In essence, China’s securities market is still an immature one with few sophisticated financial instruments such as stock options, interest swaps, commodity futures, financial futures and derivatives.   Government is researching the advanced tools while most local securities firms are still inexperienced.   Supporting the program to nurture the growth of the stock market is China’s $622 billion securities market and its $900 billion savings, which makes China attractive to foreign investors even at this early stage.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Surprisingly, the economic growth has been achieved against a backdrop of inadequate legal and regulatory infrastructure and barriers that inhibit market entry and competition. However, Chinese government has promised improve legal and regul atory framework in order to meet several economic development goals.   The problems on bad bank loans and inefficient state-owned companies still intimidate foreign investors but many believe China can make its financial market more attractive by creating a better regulatory environment and more complete market structure.Price liberalization, downsizing state-run industry and making way for a vibrant private sector were the touchstones of China’s efforts to open up its trade and investment arena to the world (Schlotthauer, N., 1999).  Ã‚   To further expand domestic demand, a series of moves were taken in 2003.

The pathology of Parkinson's disease, and how to counteract it Essay

The pathology of Parkinson's disease, and how to counteract it - Essay Example This research will begin with the definition of Parkinson’s disease commonly referred to as PD as one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases. PD affects mostly the neurons located in the nervous system. The affected neurons located in the basal ganglia cavity get deteriorated affecting the normal functions of the nervous system resulting in rigidity, tremor, and bradykinesia. The resulting PD conditions get worse with age making it complicated to treat and control. More studies have to be conducted in an effort to come up with better strategies to counteract the disease. In order to identify different treatment methods, the pathology of the disease has to be understood which has also proved to be a complex process. Studies conducted earlier have failed to identify the main factors behind PD irregular form making it almost impossible to come up with a single method of treating the disease. Parkinson’s condition normally affects the dopaminergic cells located in th e substantial nigra region by altering their normal activity of secreting dopamine. Dopaminergic cells form part of the neural circuits and once the circuit inside the basal ganglia is affected, the process of regulating movement will be inhibited.   The movement regulation process involves both the indirect and direct pathways which are responsible for inhibiting and facilitating movement respectively. This implies that when the dopaminergic cells are lost, the disease condition will result in a movement disorder. PD results to the loss of more the 70% of the dopamine cells at its onset which is later followed by dopamine terminals asymmetric loss taking place in the striatum. When a patient is affected by PD, his or her circuitry balance in normally lost. Such loss comes about as a result of dopamine depletion. The parts that are affected in this case are the indirect and direct pathways whose nuclei are responsible for inhibiting the thalamus. When the activities of these nuclei found in the pathways increase, the inhibition process is consequently increased reducing the normal movement of a person. Another conditions resulting to the disease is the degeneration process that takes place in the presence of proteinaceous inclusions, which include; intracytoplasmic and Lewy bodies (LBs) (Blandini 1). The Lewy bodies are located in the brain cells and consist of different types of proteins which after degenerating they give rise to the PD conditions affecting the brain and the nervous system. The LBs can be easily identified when they affect the brain cells as they are spherical in shape with a core that is central and granular with a fibrillary halo surrounding it as shown in figure 1 bellow. The SNC activities are responsible for some of the PD symptoms including movement execution, tremors and muscle rigidity (Blandini 6). Figure 1 showing a Lewy body located in the brain cell (Cuerda 102). The death of Nigral cells is normally facilitated by the presence environmental toxins and the reduced number of Nigral cells consequently results in protein aggregation and mitochondrial defects (Blandini 1). The death of nigral cell is thus one of the main causes of neuron degeneration. Some of the factors leading to nigral cell death through abnormal apoptosis regulation include; impaired mitochondrial activities, proteasomal impairment or glutamate receptors excessive stimulation (Cuerda 102). Several methods of treating and controlling PD have been proposed. Among the many strategies is the L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) which is the oldest and the mostly commonly used (Schapira 102). L-DOPA treatment targets nervous system barrier between the brain and blood forming a reduced section of the brain as shown in the figure bellow. Once in the brain, L-DOPA is converted to the dopamine where it is broken down to form various systems of enzymes in the brain.

Old Spice case studey Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Old Spice studey - Case Study Example h of â€Å"The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ campaign which involved a former NFL player whose role was to convince women to buy the products so that their partners would be like him or smell like him (Rowe, n.d). Although this advertisement was a success after realizing more than 26 million views on YouTube, the company devised the most successful advert incorporating social media so as to make the brand more successful. Through â€Å"the Response Campaign†, the organization was able to engage with the potential customers on a more personal level (Rowe, n.d). In this campaign, the organization made a post on the two main social media websites, Facebook and Twitter, which sparked responses and questions that were answered through videos. Creativity was used in response videos that were at least 180. Between these alternatives, the â€Å"the Response Campaign† would still have been the best. This is because of the strategies involved in its creation and communication to the potential customers. The aspect of being personal contributed to its success, as the customers require prompt reply. This was fulfilled by the many short videos released in a span of two days answering the questions and replying to the comments from the customers. In addition, the extensive usage of the social media was a way of boosting the campaign because social media comprises the group of the population that the company was targeting; the young generation. Furthermore, active involvement was a key aspect towards the success of the campaign. This is because it got the customers invested in the brand while not including direct advertising to the customers. Such strategies made sure that the campaign was a success leading to increase in sales and the brand name was saved. From a personal perspective, I would have taken a similar approach in the implementation of the solution. As a golden rule, a company should ensure that customer involvement is taken seriously for a brand name to remain

Sexual Harassment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sexual Harassment - Research Paper Example It was also clear that the policy on sexual harassment in the University was not effective due to inaccessibility and ignorance on the content of the policy. The findings faulted the university unpreparedness to deal with the aftermath of sexual harassment and also the inadequacy that was noted in terms of practices and the resourcefulness of the university to deal with sexual harassment. The research recommended the increase avenues of accessing the policy documents, the creation of awareness and major changes like including gender studies as a common unit in the university. The study also recommended that the university to improve the quality of the reporting of sexual harassment to the form that could be easily accessed by the victimized students. Increase in the intelligence was also recommended by the study among other recommendations. This section is an introduction of factors affecting Sexual Harassment directed on students in the University. It contains background of the study, problem statement, as well as objectives of the study. It also consists of significance of the study. Throughout the theoretical history of sexual harassment, scholars from multiple disciplines in the social sciences have grappled with a diverse set of interpretation of the definitions to conceptualize this abstract idea. According to Kenyatta University Sexual Harassment policy; (2010), sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that tends to create a hostile or offensive work environment. Bingham, S and Scherer, L. (2001) defines sexual harassment to include some specific range of offensive behaviors. In his argument, he suggested that the behavior is always repetitive and intended to present some disturbance and also to upset. He underscores this definition by saying that sexual harassment could refer

The California Gold Rush Essay Example for Free

The California Gold Rush Essay Before the Gold Rush of 1849, California was a sparsely populated, unimportant territory of the United States mostly inhabited by the people of Mexico. However, that all changed when on January 24, 1848; carpenter and small time sawmill operator James W. Marshall discovered a gold nugget in the American River that would forever change the history of California and America1. Not only did the Gold Rush lead to California’s admittance into the Union in 1850, it also rekindled the idea of the American Dream. Hundred’s of thousands of people poured into the state by the lure of quick and infinite riches. As a result of the Gold Rush, California eventually became an advanced technologic, and agrarian state, which would help pave the roads to urban development and a very capitalistic economy. The California Gold Rush jump-started the development of California as a state, and ignited the belief of the American Dream once again. In a year’s time of the discovery of gold in the American River, the provincial Gold Rush of 1848 transformed into the global Gold Rush of 1849 making national headlines across the world. Historian Hubert Howe Bancroft best described the Gold Rush as; â€Å"a rapid, monstrous maturity† which propelled the population so progressively that on September 9th, 1850 California became the thirty-first state admitted into the Union2. By the year 1851, over 255,000 people had immigrated to the Golden State spurred on by the hopes of finding gold and achieving the American Dream3. From these hundreds of thousands of aliens that flocked to California during the Gold Rush most were young men eager to risk their lives venturing to the Mother Lode in hopes of becoming miners and starting a new life. These men, called the â€Å"49ers†, would play a vital role in the transformation of the state, as they would soon become the pillar for the powerful mining economy in California4. In addition, the ban of slavery in California opened up a window of opportunity to those from other continents. Soon ships from Asia, Australia, Europe and South America were left stranded in the San Francisco Bay as everyone sought to achieve their own version of the American Dream in the Gold Rush as well. In the early stages of California’s state hood, gold mining was the keystone of the Californian economy. Originally, many gold miners who came to California were apart of larger mining companies that at first brought organization to the gold fields5. Nonetheless, as the pressure to find gold mounted each day with the number of people coming to California increasing, it soon became every man for himself; and as a result many of these organizations failed. However, the mining process was complex, required lots of man power, and as gold was becoming harder and harder to find; the introduction to certain technological advances revitalized the Gold Rush and California as a state. The introduction of Hydraulic mining by French Canadian, Anton Chabot in 1850 and later perfected by Edward Matteson a 49er from Connecticut, had everlasting effects on the mining industry as well as the environment6. By damming river and streams miners were now able to use the newly created waterbeds for their industrial hoses, which would spray water furiously onto the riverbanks eroding the ground until gold was spotted7. As a result of Hydraulic mining, mining organizations became powerful again and a sense of unity and prosperity was restored to the gold fields. The Gold Rush also started a new market for technology as now more people stopped mining, and thought of other ways they could make a living. Worker unions began to form, as mining companies needed laborers to maintain and manufacture new machines as wells as divert and dam rivers8. However, not everyone made their fortune in the mining industry. In 1853 Levi Strauss, a German immigrant came to California with aspirations of striking it rich in the gold fields. After a year of no luck, Levi and his family decided to open a general goods store in San Francisco that would sell dry goods and clothing to the miners. His store was a hit, as miners poured in to buy tents and other necessities for mining. One item in particular, denim pants known today as â€Å"jeans† sold like wild fire amongst the 49ers, as they were durable and did not rip. By the end of the Gold Rush, nearly 594 $ million in gold ingots (estimated around 10 $ billion in 2001 dollars) would be shipped out from California towards the east coast alone9. Not only did the Gold Rush create a prosperous mining climate, it also indirectly lead to an even more booming agrarian economy; that in 1869 surpassed mining in employment and then later in 1879 became the leading element to the California economy10. By the late 1870’s, there was nearly 600,000 thousand people living in the Golden State11. In order to feed so many mouths so quick, many people that could not make it as a miner or in the now blooming cities decided to settle on plots of land and become farmers. Most preferred the farming lifestyle opposed to a miner’s life because it was safer. In addition, due to California’s vast natural resources, fertile abundant land and great weather, growing food and raising livestock was easy compared to the eastern United States and other parts of the world. The Gold Rush also permitted the cattle industry to once again flourish in the west as a cattle boom from the north was guided to California for sale to the miners12. Soon afterwards, cattle ranches were set up in Southern California and provided an economic boost to the rest of the state13. In addition to the cattle industry doing well, by 1880 great wheat ranches had expanded throughout Colusa County and produced nearly half a mission bushels of wheat a year14. As a result of the wheat industry expanding, in the 1880’s and 1890’s irrigation districts had been introduced to California along with newly refrigerated railroad cars, which perhaps did the most to advance California towards becoming an agrarian powerhouse in the United States15. With a lucrative economy that was producing food and money, the urbanization of California happened much earlier than intended. With the mass migrations of workers pouring into mining towns and cities, the ones with the best strategic position ended up becoming the most successful. As a result, San Francisco, Sacramento and Las Angeles became the most powerful cities on the west coast because of the Gold Rush16. However, with the establishment of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869, California now had a direct contact with the rest of the United States and as a result every town in California economically and socially prospered17. With the advanced development of technology, an interstate road system was built which helped distribute the urbanization of California more thoroughly18. In addition to roads, the technology that was invented in the Gold Rush now could be applied to the development of the advancement of irrigation. In 1900, San Francisco and Los Angeles built a system of dams and aqueducts that would bring running water to their respective cities19. The result of this project would for years to come stabilize the infrastructure of these two cities20. Soon, markets, architecture and literature would flourish in cities across the state as California transformed from a rural state, to one of the most powerful states in America. As time progressed, cities in California were now looking to export their goods to the rest of the world. Banks had already been established in California during the 1850’s as a place for miners to store their gold and by 1855 Wells Fargo Bank controlled about ninety percent of the transporting of gold in the state21. California possessed a highly successful banking system, but now with the help of the transcontinental railroad and the port cities, the Californian economy was now turning towards capitalism22. With a well-organized society and economy in California, industries were booming. Cities like San Francisco led the way with the exportation of goods to other countries and the eastern part of the United States23. California soon started to enter trade relationships with Asia, Europe and other continents as it exported gold, fine goods and food at a rapid rate24. As trade blossomed, so did education and literature. Soon, schools, churches, universities and newspaper companies were sprouting up all along California. This all in term led to California becoming a melting pot of different cultures just like other great states in the U. S. The Gold Rush of 1849 directly led to California’s admittance and prestige as the thirty-first state admitted into the Union. Not only did the Gold Rush bring hundreds of thousands of people to the Golden State, it also kept them there. With advancements through technology, the mining industry in California would become the strongest in the world at its time25. Also, as the mining economy grew strong, the agricultural economy grew even stronger because of the Gold Rush. With these advancements, people were able to build permanent empires through the urban development of California. As cities prospered at the benefit of the Gold Rush, California was able to grow stronger and smarter as a state through capitalism and trade with foreign countries. The Gold Rush of 1849 jump started the development of California as a state and achieved people’s goals of the American Dream. Bibliography: Gibbs, William. California Gold Rush (1848–1858). Open Collections Program: Immigration to the US, California Gold Rush, 1848-1858. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 May 2013. Ketchum, Liza. The Gold Rush. Boston: Little, Brown, 1996. Print. Lloyd, J. D. The Gold Rush. San Diego: Greenhaven, 2002. Print. Martinez, Lionel. The Gold Rushes. The Gold Rushes. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 May 2013. Starr, Kevin. California: A History. New York: Modern Library, 2005. Print.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol Essay Example for Free

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol Essay This paper is a research on different aspects of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). The introduction provides background information on TCP/IP protocol suite and the need for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). This is followed by a section that defines and discusses Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). Technical aspects of DHCP are also discussed in the paper as well as the kind of information provided by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server. The methods used by Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server to allocate IP addresses are discussed, followed by a conclusion that sums up the entire paper. Introduction The current growth of the need for communication and information sharing has led to the increase in networking. This is what has led to the reception of the TCP/IP protocol suite into organizational networks. TCP/IP protocol suite is the fundamental communication standard of the internet. Prior to the introduction of TCP/IP protocol suite, organizations utilized different protocols and standards. TCP/IP protocol suite has become the commonly used internet protocol in organizations as it makes it easy for them to communicate and share information effectively and utilize internet equipment for higher efficiency (Davis, 2006). The design of this suite needs that every network utilizing the protocol has a distinctive address that suits into the addressing system within the company. This means that all the addresses need to be members within a subnet. This subnet need to be developed from a group of logically connected computers. One means of achieving this is moving the management of the IP addresses from the client networks to a central server. It was in response to this need that the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) developed DHCP (Droms and Lemon, 2002). Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) refers to a standardized communication protocol that is defined by RFC 1541. This is a networking protocol that permits dynamic distribution of IP addresses and configuration information from servers to clients (Mitchell, 2010). With the use of the concept of dynamic addressing, a machine can have a new IP address every instant it joins the network. In some networks, the addresses can change even with the device still connected to the network. This is the protocol that allows network administrators efficiency in central management and automation in the assignment of IP addresses in a network. The work of the administrator is made easier since the software tracks the addresses rather than having the administrator manage the operation. Its main purpose is to lessen the work of the network administrator particularly for large IP networks (Davis, 2006). By utilizing this protocol, any computer that requires to be connected to the internet, requires a distinctive IP address whose assigning is done when the connection is developed for a particular machine. This means that with the use of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, a machine can connect to an IP-based internet connection without the need for pre-configured IP address (Mitchell, 2010). This is because Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol assigns distinctive IP addresses to machines, afterwards releasing and renewing the addresses as machine disconnect and re-connect the connection. This protocol is commonly used by internet service providers to make it easy for consumers to join the internet with minimal efforts. This is commonly used for dial-up users (Droms and Lemon, 1999). Technical aspects of DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol utilizes a client/server relationship to assign addresses, keep track of their utilization, and retrieve a prearranged list of IP addresses and other configuration data within a system. Every organization possesses one or more Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol servers which have a range of programmed IP addresses, as well as some other start-up information or supplementary parameters. When the client system is booted, the system transmits a call for a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server to provide it with an IP address. In most ordinary cases, the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server provides the client system with an IP address and a specific length of time for which the device may utilize the address. This specific period of time is usually referred to as a lease. The lease varies depending on the length of time the client may require the internet connection. This is mostly crucial in education and other locations where users keep on changing (Droms and Lemon, 2002). Use of short leases, can allow Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol to dynamically configure connections where the number of devices to be connected is greater than the existing IP addresses. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol can also provide support for static IP addresses for devices that require a fixed IP address, for example the web servers. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol utilizes the ports allocated by Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and Bootstrap Protocol or BOOTP; 67/udp is for conveying information to the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server while 68/udp is for relaying information to the client system. The working of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server is in four main stages: IP discovery, IP lease offer, IP request, and IP lease acknowledgement (Davis, 2006). Information provided by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server Commonly, the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server provides the client system with at least this fundamental information: IP address; Subnet mask and Default Gateway. There are other information that can be provided including Domain Name Service (DNS) server addresses and Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) server addresses. The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server is configured by the network administrator with the choices that are parsed out to the requesting system (Davis, 2006). Methods of assigning IP addresses There are three common methods used by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server to allocate IP addresses. The first method is dynamic allocation. This is the assigning of a range of IP addresses to Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol by an administrator. In this kind of allocation, every client system has its IP software design in such a way that it can call for an IP address from the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server when the connection is initialized. The requesting and granting process utilizes the concept of lease with a controllable duration (Droms and Lemon, 2002). This makes it possible for the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server to retrieve and then reallocate the addresses that are not reused. The second method is automatic allocation. In this method, there is permanent allocation of a free IP address by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server to a client system that sends a request. The range of allocation in this method is defined by the network administrator (Davis, 2006). This method is similar to dynamic allocation only that in this case, the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server retains a table of IP addresses that have been assigned. The purpose of this table is to as much as possible assign the same address that a machine previously had. The last method is static allocation. The allocation of addresses by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server is based on a table that has MAC address/IP address pairs. The allocations are carried out only for client systems that have MAC address in the table (Droms and Lemon, 1999). Conclusion From the research, it is evident that Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is useful in moving the management of Internet Protocol addresses from distributed client networks to centrally controlled servers. The centrally controlled servers retain important information eliminating the requirement for the client systems to retain static network information. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol has saved administrators a lot of efforts and time in configuring and managing the networks. There is also reduction in the cost of ownership and operation of client systems. This has led to reduction of costs for organizations by moving management of network configuration from clients systems to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server. The organizations are also allowed better control of their computing environment. References: Davis, J. (2006). Telecommute Safely: Use Internet Technology to Keep Cost Down, Journal of Accountancy, Vol. 202. Droms, R. Lemon, T. (1999). The DHCP Handbook: Understanding, Deploying, and Managing Automated Configuration Services. London: Macmillan Publishing Company. Droms, R. Lemon, T. (2002). DHCP Handbook, The (2nd Edition), Atlanta, GA: Sams Mitchell, B. (2010). DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. Retrieved on July 6, 2010 from http://compnetworking. about. com/cs/protocolsdhcp/g/bldef_dhcp. htm

Levi Strauss Case Study Marketing Essay

Levi Strauss Case Study Marketing Essay Levi Strauss is the worlds best-known jeans brand, but its hard to see much chance of the company regaining its former glory without a substantial overhaul. Iconic or not, what kind of future lies in store for a company which derives around 85% of its annual revenues from selling pants? And only really two sorts of pants at that, which are also sold by just about every other clothing manufacturer on the planet. Either Levi Strauss needs to diversify substantially, and bolt on other brands or more likely needs to sacrifice its long cherished but out-of-date independence and become part of someone elses larger multi-brand portfolio. These years of struggle against a vast array of competitors have merely added to the gradual erosion of the brand. The development of value line Signature has helped, but despite doubling in size during 2004, its contribution has steadily decreased ever since. In the late 1990s, Levis became a victim of their own success. Too involved in corporate restructuring, the company effectively ignore a seismic shift in the youth market. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Levis 501 jeans had managed to dominate the market for everyday clothing as a result of high quality manufacturing and smart marketing. There were many kinds of jeans, went the general perception, but Levis was the brand to which all others aspired. A brilliant marketing campaign, especially in Europe, reinforced the brands hip status. But in the late 1990s, Levis jeans suddenly became a victim of its own success. They were seen by the new generation of teenagers as the jeans my Dad wears, and that put them completely out of fashion. Fashions in cut came and went but Levis failed to respond, leaving the market wide open for competitors The companys biggest mistake, arguably, was to ignore the baggy cut, which rode in on the back of the mid-1990s grunge movement, and remained the leading fashion style for the rest of that decade. While Levis stuck rigidly with the 16-inch straight-leg cut that appealed to the now ageing market who had rediscovered the brand in the 1980s, even the least hip of US retailers began selling extreme-cut. Millers Outpost, Tommy Jeans, JNCO and even JC Penney and Sears were selling jeans with legs as wide as 23 or 40-inches. The fashion-conscious teenage market began buying their jeans from other manufacturers, while a new breed of retailers, led by The Gap, captured the middle ground. Protecting their premium status, Levis refused to chase the market and strictly adhered to their long-established policy of only selling through specialist outlets and avoiding discount stores including Wal-Mart. Although this held the brands perceived value it also restricted sales to only around half of the US retail market. Worse still, later that decade the market as a whole began moving away from denim altogether as combat and cargo pants became the new fashion Question 2) How could a sensitive and informative Marketing Information System (MIS) have helped Levis to identify these environmental variable and form future strategies ? THE NEED FOR MARKETING SUPPORT In 1986, Levis relaunched the 501 with the Launderette and Bath commercials. The tremendous success of these executions and the campaign that developed from them has been well documented. All of the commercials featured the 501 jean and most stated 501 specifically in the end frame. The advertising success was not restricted to the 501 alone. There was a halo effect on the whole Levis range. But naturally the 501 took on a dominant share of Levis business. This dominance was intended. The 501 was positioned as definitive. It is an anti-fit jean which is right for most people, and, in a sense, 501 for most people took fit out of the purchasing equation. Despite this, there were (and still are) a significant number of people who, for reasons of personal physique or style, did not consider the 501 as the right fit for them. For this significant minority Levis developed a range of other Red Tab fits. The range includes: Historically the strategy had been to sell these non-501 Red Tab fits in-store, via POS and retailer advice. Levis own retailer and consumer research indicated, however, that the non-501 Red Tab fits had been underperforming in the market. There were a number of reasons. l Many consumers were under the impression that Levis was really just about 501. They were unaware of the availability of other Red Tab fits. So if they tried on 501 and were not completely happy, they would try on another brand, rather than another Levis fit. Or if they knew from the start that they wanted a fit other than 501, they would go directly to another brand. 517: Regular Fit 518: Loose Fit 511: Zip Fly 536: Girls Fit l Many retailers were not directing failed 501 traffic onto other Red Tab fits. l Some retailers, in the absence of specific consumer demand for non-501 Red Tab fits, were deciding not to stock these fits at all. The above factors created a problem that reproduced itself Levis was losing out to competitive brands in this significant minority of the premium jeans market. And there was a risk that if no action was taken, the scale of the problem would spiral. Clearly the Red Tab range required marketing support, and advertising was deemed necessary. THE BRIEF We determined that there was a very specific role for advertising: to raise awareness of the multiplicity of Levis Red Tab fits. Advertising should make people understand that if they want something other than 501, it will be there in the store for them. They can discover exactly the right fit in-store. And we drafted a very simple proposition to address this task: Levis Red Tab jeans come in as many different styles as the people that wear them. THE ADVERTISING MINEFIELD This seems relatively straightforward. But in fact, in identifying these as the role for advertising and proposition, we had also identified what advertising could not do or say. Examination of previous competitive advertising relating to product ranges and fits indicated to us a series of problems and misconceptions both strategically and creatively. It was important that we map out for the creative team where these perils and pitfalls lay, in order that they could steer a clear path through the minefield. The 501 issue We were concerned that above-the-line support for fit numbers other than 501 would confuse people and dilute the definitive status of 501. We realised that we could not expect people to memorise a series of fit numbers and their definitions. It had taken a great deal of time and money to establish one fit number in public consciousness. Indeed, we did not want non-501 fit numbers to develop their own identify to the extent that they became sub-brands. The non-501 Red Tab fits could not approach the wealth of heritage and associated imagery commanded by 501. They could not really aspire to being brands in the same sense. More importantly we did not want to compromise in any way the definitive status of 501. Thus we specified in the brief that executions should avoid discussion of or comparison with 501s. Moreover, we determined that we could keep the Red Tab communication separate from 501 communication by adopting an entirely new medium for Levis: posters. More specifically, Adshels offered a street level impact, in keeping with our youthful target and within sight of most retailers. Since advertisings role was not to raise awareness of individual fit numbers, we decided its effectiveness should not be judged by peoples ability to recollect specific numbers, but by their awareness that Levis have a range of Red Tab fits. Range advertising Advertising a range of products is often strategically unsound and creatively uninspiring. People generally do not buy ranges; they buy individual products. A range campaign tends to proclaim the benefits of the range as a whole, or to highlight the differences within the range. But if people are interested in individual products, all they really want to know is what is good about that product. Moreover, a brief for range advertising can often lead to creative cul-de-sacs: a row of products and an invitation to the consumer to make his or her own choice etc. Consequently, although the objective of the advertising was not to establish individual fit identities, we did specify that each execution should feature one fit only and would talk about the benefits of that fit. Across a range of executions we aimed to establish a sense of the multiplicity of the fits, thereby addressing the key objective. Fit adverting Fit messages also pose a strategic and creative challenge. People choose different jeans fits for reasons both of personal physique and current fashion. If advertising addresses one motivation, it struggles to communicate the other. And the more obvious creative solutions tend not to be challenging or motivating. For example, a tight fit can be communicated by showing a thin person and a loose fit by showing a fatter person. But the latter expression clearly does little for loose fit. And what of the people who wear loose fit for style rather than physical reasons? Alternatively, a fit message can be conveyed by showing the overall style or fashion of the wearers of different fits. For example, a punk in tight jeans and a hip-hop fan in loose jeans. But youth fashion cannot easily be compartmentalised into discrete tribes with conveniently different jeans fits. Moreover, young people quite naturally recoil from any cynical attempt by advertisers to mirror their own street-level cultures. And, as with the above, what of the people who do not choose fits for fashion reasons? We concluded that these more literal expressions of fit were not worth exploring and we directed the team to seek out more lateral solutions. THE CREATIVE SOLUTION The creative team, conscious of the objectives of the advertising and the strategic and executional minefields to be avoided, came up with an innovative solution to the brief. They developed a range of executions each employing a black and white still from the respected photographer Bill Brandt to deal with one Red Tab fit message. They did not talk about fit in a literal way. Rather they implied the various fit messages. Moreover the images employed were not completely unrelated to fit. (They were not vegetables or fruit!) Rather all the executions focused on the human form, which is after all the basis of any fit choice. ADVERTISING EFFECT The poster campaign ran nationally for four weeks only in April 1993. Millward Brown tracking showed very high advertising recognition: over 40% of a sample of 17 to 29-year-olds recognised the posters. More importantly, spontaneous and prompted awareness of Red Tab rose from 35% to 45% and from 57% to 75% respectively. The percentage of respondents able to quote any non-501 fit number rose from 50% to 60%. We are unable to divulge actual sales data. SUMMARY The planners role does not only entail pointing the creative team in one particular direction; it can also involve illustrating to them the strategically unsound and creatively fruitless routes. In advertising non-501 Red Tab fits for the first time, Levi Strauss were entering a minefield. By identifying the best role for advertising and mapping out the geography of that minefield, the planner was able to play a part in the development of advertising which maintained Levis best standards of creativity and effectiveness. CREATIVE BRIEF Why are we advertising? To raise awareness of the range of Levis Red Tab jeans by demonstrating that Levis produce different fits to compliment different body shapes and personal styles. Who are we talking to? Boys and girls, 15 to 19 years old. They are aware of Levis advertising and recognise that 501s are the original, definitive jeans. In fact, they may already own a pair of 501s, but find certain aspects of 501s either inconvenient (ie button fly) or uncomfortable. They are at the middle end of the market (early/late adopters) and are often insecure and lack confidence. They therefore need to be reassured that they can buy into the imagery associated with 501s, while having a pair of jeans that fits comfortably and flatters their individual shape. What must the advertising say? Levis Red Tab jeans come in as many different styles as the people who wear them. And why should the consumer believe it? Levis make a range of different fits to suit your shape and tastes. What tone of voice? Confident, classic (ie timeless), cool and sexy. What practical considerations? The campaign must work as both posters and press. The campaign should avoid discussion of, or comparison with, 501s. This is not an opinion leader campaign, and is aimed at a younger, more mass-market consumer. Question 3) Analyse the importance of the various marketing mix elements in the success :failure of Levi, how important is design? Levis share of the denim market plummeted. In 1990, according to Tactical Retail Monitor, more than 48% of men chose Levis as their preferred choice of jeans. By 1998, this had tumbled to 25%, while Lee and Wrangler had risen from 22% to 32%, and private label brands including Gap from 3% to more than 20%. In sales terms the brand slipped from a 30% US market share to 14%. (Upmarket designer labels such as Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein got a great deal of publicity but never achieved more than around 7% of the market). The percentage of teenage boys who thought Levis was a really cool brand had dropped from 21% in 1994 to just 7% by 1998. Levis position has, for the most part stabilised since then, but competition remains intense The Levis brand now houses several sub-brands. Chief amongst these is Levis Red Tab, which includes the legendary 501 button-fly design. (The number 501 was originally the products stock number, first adopted in 1890; the red fabric tab was first used in the back pocket from 1936). Levis Vintage features a broader range of classic retro designs. In pursuit of the youth market, the company has tried to turn back the tide with more extreme cuts, such as Levis Engineered Jeans, introduced in 2000 and supposedly designed ergonomically to fit the bodys contours. Some cuts are even pre-stained with oil. Another stylised new design launched in early 2003 as Levis Type One. These offered exaggerated versions of traditional features such as rivets, stitching and the tab, blown up in size. However sales were slow to take off, especially in the US, despite high profile marketing, including a Super Bowl ad (which the company later claimed admitted was unsatisfactory). They, along with another st ylised line known as Silvertab, were replaced by the Levis Capital E line. Levis ICD, a partnership with Philips to market workwear with integrated electronic devices such as mobile phones, MP3 players etc, was withdrawn in 2002. The group also licenses out the Levis brand to other manufacturers for branded T-shirts and accessories. Combined sales of the core brand improved in 2007, reaching almost $3.2bn. Levis is primarily a menswear brand, with just under three quarters of all pairs sold bought by men. After its many attempts to introduce more stylized or fashion-oriented designs had failed, the company agreed to abandon its premium positioning and chase the mass-market as well. A new design, Levi Strauss Signature, launched in July 2003, initially available exclusively through Wal-Mart. By the end of the year it had become apparent that the new line was the much-needed hit for which the company had been searching. The group rebranded the range as Signature by Levi Strauss, extended distribution to Target Stores and Kmart in 2004, and also introduced the range into selected mass-marketers in Australia (including Coles Myers Target and Kmart), Japan and other Asian markets. It was also launched in the UK (through Asda), France (through Carrefour), Germany (through Wal-Mart) and Switzerland (through Migros), but performed poorly and was withdrawn in 2007. Yet after a strong start, sales of the Signature line have fallen steadily since 2005, declining from a peak of around $410m that year to $260m in 2007. Dockers, first launched in the US in 1986, is the companys khaki-based casualwear line. It was launched as something of a reaction to inroads into the market by Gap and others, serving as a halfway point between jeans and smarter dress pants. Dockers Slates, a sub-brand of dressier and more expensive trousers, was discontinued in 2004. Although it has been generally successful, Dockers remains very much the second string in the groups portfolio behind its jeans line. In 2004, Levi Strauss put the Dockers brand up for sale in order to concentrate on its still struggling core business, but failed to attract a suitable buyer. Sales of the brand were reported at $1bn for 2003, but had fallen to around $775m by 2005, with sales concentrated in the US. Since then it has repositioned itself as a wider casualwear brand, diversifying into shirts, sweaters and blazers, as well as a line of womens clothing. The unit was rewarded with an increase in revenues for 2006, its first for several years . For 2007, it generated sales were around $915m. The group also generates significant income from royalties on Dockers belts, footwear and other accessories manufactured by other companies under license. Levi Strauss has production facilities and customer service centres throughout the world. Until comparatively recently the company maintained a policy of manufacturing its goods in the regions in which they are sold, but rising labour costs and declining sales made this increasingly unfeasible. Production in the US and Europe began to be farmed out to cheaper regions in the late 1990s. Having already closed six of its US factories by 2003, the group announced that the remaining four in North America would also be shuttered by early 2004. The group supplies its products to around 60,000 retail outlets worldwide. It owns and operates around 200 of its own Levis or Dockers branded stores, and franchises around another 1,300. More than half of these stores are located in the Asia Pacific region. Otherwise sales are through department stores and national chains. There are three regional business units: Levi Strauss North America operates local subsidiaries in the US, Canada and Mexico, and accounts for almost 60% of revenues, or $2.5bn in 2007 (compared to a peak of $4.8bn in 1996). Levi Strauss EMEA is the second biggest market, but performance there took longer to recover than in other markets. Sales rose in 2007 for the first time in several years, finally returning above the $1.0bn barrier. Asia Pacific remains the smallest market for now, but has been the companys strongest performing region for several years. Sales rose by a further 6% in 2007 to $805m, with Japan contributing a little under half of all sales. Question 4) As a strategic marketing consultant, advise Levi about what now it should now do ? It is every businesss objective to maximize their profits and lessen their expenses. Levis has invested on one of the most important resource that a company could have its employees. Their corporate strategy has now been aligned with their human resource management which is valuing their employees due to high costs of recruiting and training new staff. It must be noted that losing an employee can be very expensive and high staff turnover can eventually ruin a business. The last thing that businesses need is for its competitors to benefit from the training, knowledge and experience that it has built within its workforce. It is suggested that employers give their people the opportunity to make their own benefits decisions. This way, employees will take a keener interest in their benefits. The traditional company benefits package often has a rigid one size fits all approach; it fails to consider the varying needs of individual employees. In addition, the traditional company benefits package may sometimes be complicated and difficult to manage. Thus, it is greatly recommended that companies like Levi Strauss and Co. implement a flexible benefits package to help reduce costs and provide a greater choice for their workforce. Furthermore, flexible benefits provide additional lifestyle choices along with traditional company benefits such as private healthcare and the company pension scheme which will allow employees to choose the benefits that they want which in turn will motivate them and make them more productive. It is also important that companies like Levi Strauss and Co. consider some of the following pointers: (1) the main goals of the companys employee benefits programme, the last time that the company last reviewed their benefits scheme, steps or initiatives undertaken to ensure that the companys benefits programme underpins their business strategy, knowledge of employees regarding the benefits that the company offers and how they benefits from it, issues like sickness and absence, healthcare and dental care, and (6) the extent of the relevance and significance of the recruitment and key staff in employers business and their industry.

The Irony of William Shakespeares Othello Essay -- William Shakespear

The Irony of William Shakespeare's Othello Irony plays a great role in ?The Tragedy of Othello?. The villain, Iago, plans from the very beginning of the play to ruin Othello?s life. All the major characters in the play believe that Iago is an honest and trustworthy person. The tragic irony is that Iago fools them all. Throughout the whole play Iago manipulates the people around him and lies to them. Iago is very distressed, because Michael Cassio was promoted to Othello?s lieutenant instead of himself. This is Iago?s main reason for revenge against Othello. Iago?s plan is to manipulate Cassio and Desdemona, so that it would appear that they are having an affair; which would break Othello?s heart. Iago does succeed in his plan, because, ironically, everyone in the play believes all his actions and advisements are just, true, and from the heart. Irony, thus, plays a role in the deception of Othello by Iago and in the tragedy of Othello?s response. The irony of the play is demonstrated through situational, verbal, and dramatic i rony. There are many cases of these three types of irony in the play. When situational, verbal, and dramatic irony are used in conjunction; the effect is one of great tragedy and loss. Situational irony is when ?the result of an action is the reverse of what the actor expected?(Literary Terms, e-text). There are several cases of situational irony in ?The Tragedy of Othello.? The first case is in Act I Scene III. Brabantio warns Othello of Desdemona?s deceptiveness. Othello says to this, ?my life upon her faith?(1. 3. 293). This statement means that Othello believes in Desdemona?s honesty and loyalty so much that he would give up his life if she were untrue. This is ironic, because later on in the play... ...nation of situational, verbal, and dramatic irony is very useful in creating an overall feeling of loss and catastrophe in the play. The role of irony in the play is to create the loss of a great potential in the play. The audience can see that because of Othello?s tragic trust in Iago, miscommunication occurs and disaster follows. The characters, Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, Emilia, and Roderigo are all intimately close to Iago, and are all manipulated by him. Because of Iago?s reputation of being trustworthy and honest, the characters believe in him without doubt, and that brings about the destruction of Othello and on a greater level; the disintegration of social order. Bibliography: Shakespeare, William. ?The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice?. The Riverside Anthology of Literature. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1997, 1102-1195.

Ancient Greece :: Ancient Greece Greek History

Ancient Greece This paper tells you about the Golden Age of Greece, which is from 500 to 350 BC. It tells about what Greeks did, who they worshipped, and other important things. The thing the Greeks are best known for, is their gods, and stories about them. The stories explained how things became. For instance, one story said that before the earth was made, there was a fight between a god, and a giant. The god killed the giant, and the parts of the giant became the earth. His teeth became the rocks, and his hair became the grass. His hands and feet became mountains, and his toes and fingers became trees. Some of the gods were Zeus, who was the ruler of all the gods, Hera was his wife, and Hermes was his messenger. Artemis was the goddess of the moon, and Apollo was the god of the sun. Poseidon was the god of the sea, Loki, the god of mischief, and, Dionysus, the god of wine. The Greeks, made sacrifices to the gods, so that the gods would honor them, and help them in times of trouble. They sacrificed animals, and other things that were special to them. The Greeks built temples, where they worshipped the gods. Each city had several temples, because each temple was used to worship one god. In each temple, there was a statue of a god that they worshipped. They had an extra big temple, and statue for the god that guarded their city. The Greeks had lots of heroes, who were like role models for their children. Hercules was the strongest man ever, and destroyed many monsters with his strength. Perseus had killed a monster called the Medusa. If someone looked at it, they would immediately turn to stone. Oddysseus beat the Trojans in the Trojan war, and on his way home, with his cunning, tricked, and killed many monsters. The Greeks are also known for their creativity, and knowledge in arts, such as making sculptures, music, and paintings. They made statues out of clay, gold, silver, and bronze. For instruments, they used harps and flutes. The Greeks had houses like us. All the houses had a kitchen, an eating nook, and a bedroom. The richer families had rugs, and decorations, such as vases, paintings, and tapestries. They also had a courtyard in the middle of the house, and in the courtyard was a well.

Appearances - A Universal Concern :: essays research papers fc

Appearances - A Universal Concern   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A desire to appear attractive is universal; it permeates all cultures and peoples, and stretches from the past to the present. Throughout history, both men and women have gone to great lengths to become more attractive. In all parts of the world, people take many different measures to beautify themselves. Even move, the animal world also exhibits the desire to be attractive. Male birds of paradise, with their brilliant hues, contrast sharply with the females. Male peacocks have stunning tail-feathers that are obviously used to attract females as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although it is true that a subgroup of all peoples have expended great sums of money and energy to put themselves through a great deal of usually self- imposed tribulation and suffering, it is easy to discern the different perceptions of beauty held by various groups. These perceptions vary greatly abetween groups, which are demarcated by class, cultural, geographical, chronological, and religious borders, to name a few. What may be considered very attractive by one group may even be seen as repulsive in another. The gangster with tattoos all over his body, clothed in attire that is much too large, with rings in all the most unexpected places, and sporting an outrageous hairdo, considers himself very attractive indeed. Yet, so do the tall, smartly dressed businesspersons with their suit, tie, and white handkerchief. Men and women of the Victorian era, when women's ankles were not even permitted to be exposed, would surely be shocked at the revealing outfits that have been donned by members of today's society. In other words, one's perception of beauty is greatly influenced by the surrounding environment and the social groups to which he belongs. Yet, whatever one's perception of beauty, one thing is the same. This is that all have taken great pains about their appearance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why are good appearances so important to people?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People tend to make initial judgments by first impressions that are usually based on appearances to a great extent. These initial judgments are doubtlessly very important in many types of social, business, and other relationships. Moreover, it is much easier for an attractive person to be socially active. He or she is usually perceived as more pleasant, which makes it easier for him or her to approach others. Besides, some careers, such as models, actors or actresses, television anchors, and salespersons rely to a significant extent on their outward appearances. They must do their best to please the audience, draw attention, or make a sale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The following three experiments done by the television news magazine 20/20 illustrate the difference that appearances can have in one's everyday life, Appearances - A Universal Concern :: essays research papers fc Appearances - A Universal Concern   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A desire to appear attractive is universal; it permeates all cultures and peoples, and stretches from the past to the present. Throughout history, both men and women have gone to great lengths to become more attractive. In all parts of the world, people take many different measures to beautify themselves. Even move, the animal world also exhibits the desire to be attractive. Male birds of paradise, with their brilliant hues, contrast sharply with the females. Male peacocks have stunning tail-feathers that are obviously used to attract females as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although it is true that a subgroup of all peoples have expended great sums of money and energy to put themselves through a great deal of usually self- imposed tribulation and suffering, it is easy to discern the different perceptions of beauty held by various groups. These perceptions vary greatly abetween groups, which are demarcated by class, cultural, geographical, chronological, and religious borders, to name a few. What may be considered very attractive by one group may even be seen as repulsive in another. The gangster with tattoos all over his body, clothed in attire that is much too large, with rings in all the most unexpected places, and sporting an outrageous hairdo, considers himself very attractive indeed. Yet, so do the tall, smartly dressed businesspersons with their suit, tie, and white handkerchief. Men and women of the Victorian era, when women's ankles were not even permitted to be exposed, would surely be shocked at the revealing outfits that have been donned by members of today's society. In other words, one's perception of beauty is greatly influenced by the surrounding environment and the social groups to which he belongs. Yet, whatever one's perception of beauty, one thing is the same. This is that all have taken great pains about their appearance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why are good appearances so important to people?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People tend to make initial judgments by first impressions that are usually based on appearances to a great extent. These initial judgments are doubtlessly very important in many types of social, business, and other relationships. Moreover, it is much easier for an attractive person to be socially active. He or she is usually perceived as more pleasant, which makes it easier for him or her to approach others. Besides, some careers, such as models, actors or actresses, television anchors, and salespersons rely to a significant extent on their outward appearances. They must do their best to please the audience, draw attention, or make a sale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The following three experiments done by the television news magazine 20/20 illustrate the difference that appearances can have in one's everyday life,

Interpretations of our Culture and gender Essay

Culture is a representation of many aspects ranging from indigenous practices, eating habits and even clothing, thus culture is expressed all the way through many and various ways, customs, habits and behaviors. Nevertheless culture is also identified through language. Culture and language are so intertwined and in that complexity, culture can neither be separated from language nor can language be separated from culture. The way people choose to use language in various phases of life affiliates them to a one specific culture from the other. In this context, cultures are very different from one another, for instance in some cultures women have no voice in society and there are roles that they are not allowed to play. However, (Embers 2007) note that, â€Å"it must not be forgotten that some people can create a class through stratification or class which may end in discrimination or segregation†. In this case there is class of the poor and another of the rich and through these classes; people develop a culture befitting them. In matters of sex or gender, some ethnic groups are very discriminative towards women and the class of women has been given lesser roles in society than men. Women do not make decisions or are not involved in decision making processes or procedures. However, it has dawned in many cultures that women play vital roles for the survival of many societies. Many rigid cultures that have rendered women voiceless have realized women at many a times make brilliant decisions than expected. So, what have they done? Women have been listened to and many have been given powerful leadership positions in such cultures to make impacting decisions. Currently, in many cultures women are leaders and they have performed. So far so good, there is no major disagreement and the way forward for many cultures is not to use gender or sex as a whip, but to be specific let girls and boys in any cultural setting get equal education, position and or all other favors, then give them equal opportunities. Reference: Ember, C. & Ember, M. (2007). Cultural Anthropology, 12th Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

While a Kestrel for a Knave Begins with a Sense of Hope

While A Kestrel for a Knave begins with a sense of hope, it soon becomes clear that the novel and film are both ultimately about Billy’s defeat. To what extent do you agree with this statement? The statement â€Å"While A Kestrel for a Knave begins with a sense of hope, it soon becomes clear that the novel and film are both ultimately about Billy’s defeat. † is one that I wholeheartedly concur with.A Kestrel for a Knave is a brilliantly written novel by Barry Hines that was successful in overcoming the issues of transference to film presented in From Page to Screen, and, though they are separate art forms, both adaptations (page and screen) capture superbly the bleak existence of Billy Casper, the initial hope and companionship brought by his pet Kestrel hawk but most of all his tragic defeat. As the novel progresses, his hope diminishes and is eventually extinguished in the final moments of both book and film.The film, in my opinion, through what is possible vis ually through the screen and the accompanying soundtrack amplifies the harsh reality of Billy’s life that the book simply cannot, also increasing the sense of hope that Kes brings. Unfortunately for readers it becomes apparent that the novel and film is about Billy’s inevitable defeat and the tragedy of this is increased by the fact that both page and screen adaptations of A Kestrel for a Knave undeniably begin with a sense of hope which is seen when Billy speaks to Mr Farthing’s class about how he trained Kes.In both the novel and film Billy is treated as a failure at school and unhappy at home; however he discovers a new passion in life when he finds Kes, a kestrel hawk. Billy identifies with her â€Å"silent strength† and she inspires and instils in him the trust and love that no-one else, not even his family can provide. Kes gives Billy a sense of satisfaction, achievement and the will to live another day while others is Billy’s position would have given up on life long ago.Kes is effectively Billy’s best friend and whom he spends most of his spare time with and as Billy has trained the hawk himself he feels a great sense of pride when speaking of Kes in Mr Farthing’s class. In the novel Mr Farthing coaxes Billy into speaking about the hawk, and when Billy begins his story he immediately changes. Though Billy lives with his mother and Jud his true closest companion is Kes, and whilst speaking about Kes his whole â€Å"school persona† of one word answers and mumbling disappears. For the first time at school, Billy is engaged as he is discussing his one true passion, the hawk.He sheds his lonely, independent shell and really opens up to the class. In the novel Hines changes his writing style to enhance the sense of emotion and attach the reader to Billy. In the film and novel we (like Mr Farthing) see in this scene Billy’s full potential, what person he could be if given the attention and care he deserves. Billy (vividly in the novel and expertly acted in the film) re-enacts Kes’ flights and states that â€Å"that’s it. I’d done it. I’d trained her. It’s a smashing feeling; you can’t believe that you’ll be able to do it but I did! † and is met with applause from his peers.In this we see that there is hope for Billy; that he will not have to â€Å"go down t’pit† as he states in the first scene with Jud and that his passion for life, his everything, is Kes. Kes is what is keeping him from defeat and against the odds he has found, in his circumstances, something to live for. Unfortunately following this scene where there is a sense hope are scenes where, as readers (and viewers) we realise the tragic situation that Billy is in and the story begins to become one of defeat. Billy is tasked to write a â€Å"tall story† by Mr Farthing; an â€Å"imaginary story† that â€Å"really get his imaginatio n going† (pg. 87).Billy writes what is in reality what we would consider to be an average day. His interpretation of â€Å"something that is unbelievable and far-fetched† (pg. 88) is what we accept every day without a second thought: Mrs Casper has no time for Billy: â€Å"Oh stop pestering me! I'm late enough as it is! † She finds her social life and nights out more important than listening to what Billy has to say, yet in his Tall Story Billy’s mother makes him breakfast in bed and she does not have to work and will be at home for her family. Hines makes effective use of detail as Billy observes the carpet, the radiator and the vase of fresh daffodils.We take these for granted now and they would not have been rare when the novel was written, but they sadly are not part of Billy’s life. The Tall Story tells us of Billy’s longing; not for just a normal home but for his mother to show some affection towards him (she makes him breakfast in bed) , Jud to go away (he joins the Army), his Dad to return, the teachers to be nice to him and for school to be interesting. Billy’s dire circumstances are amplified after reading the Tall Story as we realise that none of what Billy desperately longs and yearns for is going to occur and the sense of defeat becomes more apparent and prevalent in the story.This scene is omitted during the film but, as mentioned in the article From Page to Screen: â€Å"Given the inherent differences in the ways novels and films work to make their meanings and to engage their audiences, and given the different conventions governing the production, distribution and reception of each, it is scarcely surprising that the process of transposition from one medium to the other should be fraught with difficulties (omission of scenes being one of them)† including Billy’s Tall Story in the film would have been highly difficult.The film is not at a loss however as scenes such as the one where Bi lly visits the Youth Employment Office fully capture the sense of defeat and all but extinguish the sense of dwindling sense of hope remaining: Beautifully written by Hines and equally so captured on film, the Youth Employment Office scene is one where Billy, desperate to hide from Jud enters the room only to be met with a harsher reality than Jud’s impending physical retaliation for not placing the bet: his future will be one working in the dreaded mines.The employment officer asks of what Billy is good at and is met with no response. Consulting Billy’s report card the officer prints MANUAL as Billy’s type of employment and when mentioning mining is met with this response: â€Å"I’m not goin’ down t’pit† â€Å"Conditions have improved tremendously†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I wouldn’ t be seen dead down t’pit† â€Å"Well there doesn’t seem to be any job in England for you then†.The employment officer inqu ires of Billy’s hobbies but, preoccupied with his thoughts, Billy neglects to mention his one true passion, his one chance to escape his depressing future; Kes. Billy gets up and leaves, not knowing the gravity of what he has just done. The ensuing scene is incredibly sad; Billy sprinting home from school asking all whom he meets â€Å"have you seen our Jud? † and calling out â€Å"Kes! Kes! † As he becomes more and more frantic we and Billy realise something has happened to his beloved kestrel.In the film the shot of Billy alone in the field, swinging his creance and screaming for Kes is incredibly powerful as details such as Billy’s slowly changing facial expression as he becomes more desperate and the sad, slow music that begins to play amplify the sense of defeat that he feels and the realisation from a viewer’s perspective that he has most certainly lost everything, including hope. Billy enters his house and exclaims â€Å"what’s tha d one wi’ it!? † and his mother responds â€Å"Where have you been? Your tea’s getting’ cold! †. Jud throws Billy to the ground when he confronts him and all Mrs Casper can muster is a light slap to his arm.Billy gets up and says to his mother â€Å"he’s gone and killed me hawk† Jud, nonchalantly whilst broddling the fire states â€Å"so what if I have? What are you going to do about it? † In the novel Billy attempts to bury his head into his mother’s skirt and is pushed away out of embarrassment and met with the blow of his mother’s words â€Å"don’t be so daft† however the defeat and despair in Billy’s mind after hearing Jud’s comment is, in my opinion far better expressed in the film; Billy throws himself down onto the couch and buries his in the pillow as his worst fear in the world has now been confirmed.Billy lifts his head to yell repeatedly, through tears â€Å"you’re a bas tard! A big rotten bastard! †. Billy then, to the shock of Mrs Casper yells â€Å"you bastard! You fucking bastard! † The sad notion here is that the swear word that Billy has just used is the worst he can do, his attempt at a â€Å"knockout blow† to Jud as he cannot (nor his mother) physically intimidate; he instead unleashes the largest weapon in his arsenal; language. It is met with this comment from his mother: â€Å"Shut up Billy I’m not having that kind of language in my house! † Billy yells â€Å"well do summat to him then! , begging his mother to understand what Jud has done but she simply disregards this and asks Jud â€Å"what’s tha’ done wi’ it? †. The line that solidifies in viewers and reader’s minds that all is lost for Billy escapes Jud’s lips; â€Å"it’s in t’bin†. We now know that the novel is ultimately about Billy’s defeat as his closest companion in the world, Kes, is dead and in the rubbish bin. Kes, deceased and in the bin is symbolising the sliver of hope that we as readers and viewers had at the beginning of A Kestrel for a Knave; the hope that is now dead.In possibly the most compelling scene in both film and novel Billy grabs Kes from the bin and runs back inside, dangling the bird in front of his mother’s face with tears streaming down his own, desperately yearning for some comfort, some love, affection and understanding. He receives none and Mrs Casper pushes the bird aside. Billy asks his mother to â€Å"give Jud a hidin! † to which she asks â€Å"how? † and Jud snorts in amusement. â€Å"You’ve cried about it long enough now Billy, you can get another can’t you? † Billy cannot take any more of this and lunges at Jud one last time before leaving the house yelling â€Å"You’ll never catch me! , Kes lifeless in his hand. In the film he goes to the wood, stroking his dead feathered hopes and dreams and buries Kes, defeated, however I do believe that the novel’s ending, though difficult to transfer to film is far more apt: Billy returns to the theatre and relives the traumatic experiences of the day his father left home; a combination of his tall story and tragic past. In a dreamlike sequence, Billy imagines himself on the screen, starring in a film with Kes, triumphing over Jud – but he realises this will never happen.The suggestion is that things just won't get any better, that hope is lost and that he has been defeated. Hines has shown a distinct change in his writing here however I believe that his credibility is still intact as the highly staccato surreal sequence expresses Billy’s despair, distress and ultimate defeat; seeing his past and dead hopes for a life with Kes. Billy returns home, and the novel finishes bluntly with him burying Kes and going to bed. The unexpected and unsatisfying ending maintains the harsh, lonely and bitter note of the novel, emphasising ultimately Billy’s defeat.Though A Kestrel for a Knave begins with a sense of hope with the arrival of Kes it becomes apparent from the Tall Story onwards that it will be about Billy’s defeat, something we see from scenes such as the Youth Employment Office and the tragic, highly sad ending where Billy is doomed to work in the pit and has lost the one thing he cared about and cared for him. The day, novel and film ends how it started; with Billy returning to bed with Jud; however he now has no Kes, no hope, and is completely and utterly defeated.