The Concept of Metadata

The concept of metadata has gained popularity. Creation of videos and photography make use of metadata. It is also used in web pages and in a library to archive information. The metadata must always meet worldwide standards. Metadata is well structured using  established  schemes like models and standards of metadata. It has three categories.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Concept of Metadata specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They  include  descriptive, structural, and administrative  type  of metadata.  Metadata  mean  different things. Some say it is a  device  that understands information while others use it as a record. Main uses include data recovery,  framework  of electronic resources and digital documents. Metadata is also used in the  extraction  and  maintenance  of information. 99% of the information is digitally created while only 0.1%  is written  on the pape r. About seventy percent of the created data is never printed and, only 20% may be printed. This has seen metadata gaining popularity. The term metadata simply refers to any amount of information providing in depth information on one  material  or other  multiple. It provides insight on the ways of creating data, the reasons for the data and the date of creation. It also captures the data author, where on network the data is and standards which  were used. The concept of metadata applies to electronically stored data and its  use. It describes the structure,  meaning  and how the files  are administered. Its main rationale is to make it effortless to repossess,  handle  or use as a resource. The web page usually displays metadata in Meta tags  form  (NICO, 2004). Metadata can be related to some discussions I experienced. The discussion was about state of art  in Sub-Saharan Africa. Internet acted as a major source of information to the discussion. The Unite d Nations website and other  principal  sources provided detailed information on the topic. Several sites gave insight to every situation under discussion. There were linkages to other websites with detailed information, which made the  discussion  easier than books. The sites spelled out clearly the dates of publications and places of publications. Some websites required authentication. An article  was written  after the discussion. It came out with information art in Sub-Saharan Africa to back up other previous findings. The report contained the list of participants. It spelled out the place of  discussion  and soft copies given to the relevant authorities.  A copy will be posted on the Internet.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A good example of metadata is an  image. It may  comprise  of metadata which specifies its size. The size may include  side  dimensions and units of measurements. The color  aspect  may also be depicted. This may  entail  contrast, colors used and the extent of the colors. Metadata specifies the  resolution  of the image. The date of creation and who created the image are also shown in the metadata. Related information like the links to the image and where it  is found  in the metadata. Electronic discovery is cheaper than the discovery of paper-based information. Large corporations and societies and states have an easy time going through the information. This has increased overall  production. The Collection, storage and  evaluation  of information act as evidence (Michele Nimsger, 2009). It has improved academics and made work easier than before. Metadata has improved the photography and video sector. The rules and regulations that govern metadata prevent piracy and  preserve  the integrity of the author. Any information required is just a click away in the digital world. Ref erences Michele C. Nimsger, K. (2009).  Electronic evidence and discovery (2nd Ed). Chicago: American Bar Association   NISO (2004).  Understanding metadata. NISO. Retrieved from https://www.niso.org/ This essay on The Concept of Metadata was written and submitted by user Caylee Lindsay to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Salary Negotiation Skills for Women Close the Pay Gap! Part 2

Salary Negotiation Skills for Women Close the Pay Gap! Part 2 Salary Negotiation Skills for Women: Close the Pay Gap! Part 2 Last week, I wrote about the importance of salary negotiation skills for women in my article, Salary Negotiation for Women. In it, I drew from information presented in a webinar by Professor Deborah Ellis that emphasized how salary negotiation skills can help close the gender pay gap. I promised last week to share more about specific salary negotiation skills. Following are some of the issues you might run into and how salary negotiation skills can help you address them. What if you’re asked about your prior salary or salary expectations at any point in your job search? Some employers try to get you to state a number before they do, which is in no way a good thing for you. A low number sets you up to be underpaid by some organizations, and a high number sets you up to be eliminated from consideration. Knowing how to answer the salary expectation question is hugely important for women so that they get paid fairly, not based on a previously too-low salary. Here’s how Professor Ellis recommends responding if you’re asked about your salary expectations or previous salary: If you’re in California, Massachusetts, Delaware, or Oregon, or in the cities of New York City and Philadelphia, you can explain that there are laws stating you are not required to answer it. These laws are a great step toward ending pay discrimination. For instance, say, â€Å"I’m sure that if you decide I’m the best candidate for the job, we can agree on an appropriate salary for the position.† Or ask them â€Å"What is the range that you’re thinking of for the position?† Show them you’ve done your research. Say, â€Å"I’ve done some research and understand that the range for this position is $X to $Y. I trust you will offer a fair salary based on industry standards.† If you must state a number, state a range. Or ask for a number at the top of the range you’ve researched, and explain you’re hoping for that salary but are willing to negotiate. Once you get an offer, here are Professor Ellis’s tips on how to negotiate effectively: Do not initiate a salary negotiation conversation before you get a job offer. Do not ask in your initial phone interview about salary, benefits, or working from home. Wait until you’ve been offered a position before you bring up any of these issues. Otherwise you will be seen as immature at best, and greedy at worst. You won’t get a second interview. Be prepared. Before you step into a negotiation, calculate your target, your ask, and your bottom line. Gather as many objective facts as possible, including the salaries of others. There are two main ways to do your research: Surf the web. Use salary.com, glassdoor.com, and industry-specific websites. Ask your networks (including LinkedIn!). If you’re a woman, ask your colleagues what a man would ask to be paid for this job. If you want to work from home, find out ahead of time whether other people in similar positions have worked from home. Ask for up to 20% over your target. And don’t accept anything below your bottom line. Negotiate the total package just salary–keep salary and benefits, title, scope of responsibility, travel, flexibility, and resources to accomplish your job on the table. Asking for more than one thing allows you to trade off. Keep in mind that some benefits might be non-negotiable, and do not push on those. Note: If you’re asking for multiple things, let the employer know at the beginning of the conversation- and ask them in what order they would like to address those things. Understand and leverage the concept of anchoring. Here’s how anchoring works: The first number anyone says is the number that everyone will remember. So don’t say a low number first or you’ll be stuck with a low number! Start with a high number and then anything else will sound smaller. If you have another offer, that’s a great benchmark and bargaining point. Always be conversational and pleasant while you’re advising a potential employer of other offers! Identify employer’s interests. For more good advice on this strategy, read Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, by Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton. Ask for time to consider an offer if you need it. If a company wants you, they’ll be willing to wait- whether that’s overnight or even a week or two, depending on the situation. Practice with peers or a professional interview coach- and then go negotiate! How can I learn more about salary negotiation and salary negotiation for women? Here are some great resources suggested by Professor Ellis: AAUW, American Association of University Women Babcock Laschever, Ask For It: How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Really Want (2009) Babcock Laschever, Women Don’t Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiation- and Positive Strategies for Change (2007) Roger Fisher, William Ury, Bruce Patton, Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In (1991) If you are a woman (or a man) with an upcoming interview, try using some of these salary negotiation skills, strategies and tactics. I’d love to hear the results!

Nissan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nissan - Essay Example It seemed like no one would be able to revive the company. In 1999 Renault has bought a 37% share of Nissan and announced the merger between two companies. Investing $5,4 billion in Japanese manufacturer falling quickly into the abyss was taken as more than just unwise by skeptics. Nevertheless, executives of Renault were optimistic about the deal. Carlos Ghosn was sent to head the restructuring of Nissan by Renault in June 1999. "Ghosn slashed costs and laid off employees, but also instituted a sweeping reorganization of the entire company, announced an ambitious slate of new vehicles and promised that if Nissan was not profitable in 2000, he and his entire managerial staff would quit"2. Eventually Ghosn has kept his promise and became a CEO of Nissan in 2000. Nissan had lost Japanese market share for 27 years in a row, and was operating at 50% capacity, with far too many suppliers, constant goal changes, poor accounting data regarding product line profitability (later found only 4 of 43 models were making a profit), and goals generally lacked quantitative specificity on amount (eg. "Build a quality product"), timing, or priority.3 The company was dying under the traditional Japanese management. ... innovative and motivating technique; statistical quality control as the key to productive effectiveness; a long planning horizon; and consensus decision making, as a form of participative management4. The Japanese style of management is all about quality. Due to the fact that a lot of American and European companies have successfully implemented Japanese strategies it should be noted that quality is really important when it comes to competitive advantage. Nevertheless, the mistake of Nissan was behind the belief that quality is the only important factor. This mistake was uncovered by Carlos Ghosn. Traditional Japanese management is based on the collective mentality. Individualism is valued less in Japanese companies than in European. Nissan needed drastic changes and cost reduction above all, however the Japanese mentality interdicted the implementation of extreme methods used by Ghosn. Additionally, overlapping net of distributors, which is also a typical feature of the Japanese management strategies, has played a mean joke to Nissan, forcing its distributors to compete with each other. Resuming the subsection, it can be concluded that traditional style of management was ineffective in Nissan. It was like dozens of feuding board members were not able to make an agreement. Changes made by Ghosn The impact made by Carlos Ghosn on the performance of Nissan was great. This Brazilian manager of Lebanese origin used a simple philosophy: "Be transparent and explain yourself in clear, lucid terms. Do as you say you are going to do. Listen first; then think".5 It may seem really simple, however it helped Ghosn to perform greatly in South and North American divisions of Michelin, and then in Renault and Nissan. According to Magee, he "may be the only person to have four

George Washington's Farewell Address Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

George Washington's Farewell Address - Essay Example From the essay "Farewell Address" it is clear that in the beginning section of the letter he addressed his concerns of the various security threats that the nationals of America might face in different sects of life. He stated and believed that the American population was secure all over the world including the United States itself if the various states of the country stay united and left peacefully with each other. He added that the constitution that created all the states of USA is experiencing and was going to experience continuous threat from enemies located both locally and internationally. He advised the American people that they should not support those who were looking forward to breaking the union and they should give importance to the unity of the United States over all other factors such as religion, culture and behavior. In his address, he even gave supports to the new government that will be taking over and emphasized the importance of constitution whenever the people of America wish to change the government. He even stated that the government should operate in accordance with the constitution and any changes to the constitution should only be made if the majority of the population of America votes in the favor of the change. Another warning given by Washington through his address was that there are certain political elements that will become an obstacle in the governemnt’s right to use their power and make the decision. These elements will try to persuade the citizens that such activities are in the best interest of the American’s.... These elements will try to persuade the citizens that such activities are in the best interest of the American’s, but the rel intention of these elements is to take power from the hands of the government and transfer this power in the hands of the unfair individuals (Hargrove, 2000, p.14). Washington warned the American people about the creation of political parties as political parties devide the population into groups by saveguarding and represnting the interest of a small portion of the entire population. He even pointed out that the activities of these parties face various obstacles from the government as government beilieves that these parties are their enemies. On the other hand these parties even try to crfeate differences and break governments that have been elected by the majority vote. Washington states that the constitution is very important to keep a track of changes in parties and to ensure that parties that are working for the interest of only one group do not se ek governmental powers. He even states that if certain authority that the government has is unjust, then changes can be made through constitution and not force. Through his letter, he even gave imporftance to religion and morality anad stated that religion is very important to live morally. Washinton supported the creation of balanced federal budget through his letter and stated that government credit should be used wisely, all debts acccumulated during the time of war should be repaid immediately to ensure that the burden of these debts do not fall on the shoulders of the generations that have yet to come. He even emphazied that in certain scanrios such as while safeguarding United States more expenditure needs to

The Making of The Modern World Economy Coursework

The Making of The Modern World Economy - Coursework Example Commerce was revived with the expansion of specialization between its countryside’s and towns. Commerce and trade sprung in most parts of Western Europe especially in Venice and the Northern cities. During the time of exploration, the navigators discovered new paths to explore Asia and America. Commerce grew in these nations due to the establishment of financial companies and the merging of companies (Pomeranz, 2011). There was also the difference in coal availability between China and Europe. China had plenty of coal deposits which made it a huge potential to the West. During the industrial period, coke and coal were frequently used in the transportation. Coal was used to fire steam engines which turned out to be both cheaper and efficient in terms of use, as compared to charcoal. Even though China had used coal during the Ming and Song period, China later abandoned its use due to the Chinese industry shifting to the South. The shift caused the deposits to be far away due to the destructions of Jurchen and Mongol. The technological advancements made Europe to succeed in agriculture, trading, fuel and other resources (Pomeranz, 2011). Labor migration from the Chinese led to improved Agricultural systems in Europe. Most of the European land was idle and underdevelopment as compared with the Asian counterparts. Instead of Europe engaging in the expensive improvement of soil fertility, it embarked on the labor productivity. However due to the increased migration of people to the European nations, it caused food shortages. The problem was easily counteracted through the importation of fertilizers and appetite suppressants foods from America (Pomeranz, 2011). Europe’s success can also be contributed by aggressive persuasion of the imperialist and the mercantilist policies through which Europe used the military and protective methods to safeguard its industrialists based in China. The rise of Europe can

Four Functions of Business: Case Study of Asda and Kwik-Fit

Four Functions of Business: Case Study of Asda and Kwik-Fit Functional areas of business operation Introduction This paper studies four distinct functions of business and how they interrelate. The chosen areas are human resources, distribution, marketing and customer services. Human Resources The function of human resources is to provide a focus and strategy for the efficient management of business employees. Employee management is a primary task of modern corporations. If not dealt with appropriately, employees can have an adverse effect upon the success of the business (Alan Price 2003). Employee satisfaction affects all areas of the business. For example, if an employee is happy at work it will show in the customer service they provide. It also helps promote the business, justify the marketing and promotion message and ensure the smooth running of the distribution function. Distribution Distribution is the function by which the product or service is moved from the manufacturer to the end user (P. Kolter 1991), ultimately the consumer. This can be represented by physical methods, such as transportation and storage or, in a service industry, the method by which that service is packaged and delivered. A breakdown in the distribution process affects customer services, as the business may not be able to deliver the product or service required. The marketing function would be undermined, as promises made cannot be kept. Ultimately, this situation would de-motivate employees, as they are the ones receiving consumer complaints. Marketing Effective marketing and promotion is essential as a method of ensuring the message regarding products or services attracts the attention of the consumer. (George Belch 2004). The marketing function is to deliver a message that is seen, believed and remembered. A successful marketing campaign is heavily reliant upon the efficiency of other business functions. If the business cannot deliver the goods, customers will stop listening to the promotional message. Similarly, if the employees have not received training in customer care, a marketing campaign suggesting consumer care is paramount will not be believed. Customer Services Delivery of customer services is probably the most crucial function. The consumer adds value to the success of the business by purchasing their product or service (Sean Kelly 2005). Therefore, every business has to build and maintain a close relationship with consumers. They have to deliver what the customer needs at a quality and price that meets their requirements. In a competitive marketplace, the correct level of customer service is essential if a business is to achieve a growth in market share. Two organisations, Asda Plc., and Kwik-Fit Insurance Services have been chosen to demonstrate how these functions work in practice. Asda The Asda supermarket chain is a subsidiary of the American Wal-Mart retailer, one of the UK’s leading supermarket chains, with over 150,000 employees. Human Resources Asda’s HR strategy is built on the basis that every employee (All about Asda, 2006) â€Å"plays a part in making the business a success.† To achieve employee satisfaction, retention and succession, Asda runs a programme that provides training covering every area of the business, including in-store and external processes, as well as company policy and customer care. The business is committed to achieving in house succession and to promote this aim, it includes management training as part of its HR programme (See Asda Website Training page). Understanding the need for employees to feel an affinity with the business, Asda encourages staff to take an active part in work meetings, which take place in-store, regionally and nationally, where views can be expressed and discussed. The core of its HR function is to gain the best from employees by encouraging involvement with the business at all levels. Distribution Asda works closely with suppliers to maintain efficient distribution services. This ensures levels of goods required are fed through warehousing centres and to individual stores in a manner that maintains consistent product availability for customers. To allow for regional variances, the business delegates an element of the distribution decision-making process to local store management. Marketing Faced with changing consumer demands (Sean Kelly 2005), Asda now focuses its marketing and promotion on the dual aspect of quality at the right price. This has enabled the business to achieve second position within the grocery industry. Customer Services Asda has consistently sought to improve its customer services. In addition to staff customer care training Asda has expanded the product range throughout its stores. Internet shopping and expansion of till services, including self-service options, are other areas of the business where customer service improvements have been introduced. Kwik-Fit Insurance Services KFIS is an insurance call centre based in Glasgow. Although it was founded with the view to concentrating on the motor industry insurance, the business has expanded into more general areas of insurance. Human Resources To compete with other local call-centre operations, KFIS had to completely revise its HR strategy. This was partially achieved through improving the working environment. Like Asda it introduced training programmes to improve employee standards and encourage involvement. In addition, KFIS operates a â€Å"guardian angel† scheme (Jill Boulton, 2004), where existing staff act as mentors to new recruits. It also appointed a â€Å"minister of fun,† to organise staff social activities. The success of these measures has been reflected in business results. Distribution Unlike Asda, KFIS does not have a need for a physical distribution function. The distribution element here is to ensure the insurance products offered are designed to match consumer requirements. As the service KFIS offers is distributed through call centre operators, the importance of staff and producer knowledge levels is essential in distributing the correct range of products to the end user. Marketing Whilst much of its marketing is directed through Kwik-Fit auto centres, and dependent upon the quality of their service, a significant proportion of promotion is undertaken through advertising and the call centre operators. For example, when engaging with a customer an operator may attract them to other insurance products. In this business the interaction between employee and customer is an integral part of the marketing process (George Belch 2004). Customer Services The customer service aspect of KFIS is more directly linked to the reaction of the employee than with Asda. In a call centre situation consumers instantly judge the services they are receiving by their perception of the operator. The operator’s reaction, explanation and provision of the most appropriate product, and efficiency of service, will determine whether the customer is satisfied and will remain loyal to the business. HR director (Keren Edwards 2006) believes that the strategy in place in the business is contributing to the success in terms of customer retention. Conclusion From the information within this paper it is clear that every function described is dependent upon, and influenced either positively or adversely by the others. If one function, for instance, customer services, does not perform at its most efficient, the result will affect the other functions. Customers will stop believing the marketing, resulting in fewer products sold, parts of the distribution function becoming redundant and a reduction in employee moral and efficiency. References All about Asda (2006). Asda People. Asda Plc. Retreived 19 January from http://asdacares.gpalm.co.uk/people/people_load.html Armstrong, Michael (2006). A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. Kogan Page. UK. Price, Alan (2003). Human Resource Management in a Business Context. Thomson Learning, UK. Kotler, P. (1991). Marketing Management. FT Prentice Hall, 7th Ed. UK Belch, George. E (2004) Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective. McGraw-Hill Inc. U.S. Kelly, Sean. (2005) Customer intelligence From Data to Dialogue. John Wiley Sons Ltd., UK Boulton, Jill (2004). Kwik-Fit hires fun guy to keep staff smiling. The Scotsman, Friday 21 May 2004. Edwards, Keren (2006). Keep Fit Scheme. People Management Scheme. UK. 6th April 2006. Caffà ¨ Nero: Strategy and Balanced Scorecard Caffà ¨ Nero: Strategy and Balanced Scorecard Introduction The aim of this essay is to design a strategy and two balanced scorecards for a coffee shop company called Caffà © Nero to compliment their mission statement. This will be done after conducting extensive secondary research to gain a clear insight into what a balanced scorecard involves as well as looking into how Caffà © Nero operates. This will hopefully provide knowledge of potential benefits and difficulties to consider when attempting to successfully implement scorecards for both Headquarter and Store Levels for Caffà © Nero. In addition to this, for each scorecard, a strategy map is used to demonstrate how each key performance indicator (KPI) contributes to the overall vision of the company. Finally both levels are then assessed on its contributions to Cafà © Neros strategy and a conclusion is drawn on the main points outlined throughout the essay. What is the Balanced Scorecard? Kaplan introduced the balanced scorecard in 1992 with the aim to translate strategy into action, he stated, The balanced scorecard translates an organisations mission into a comprehensive set of performance measures that provides the framework for implementing its strategy. (Kaplan Norton, 1996: p88). Having understood an organisations vision and strategy, the balanced scorecard aids to develop creative objectives to help measure performance. These objectives can be split into four main perspectives: Financial, Customer, Internal Business Process and Learning and Growth all of which link together to form a strategy map. Implementation of the Balanced Scorecard Benefits and difficulties Bourne Bourne (2007) presents reasons to why once implemented the balanced scorecard can fail. It is beneficial for Caffà © Nero to be conscious of potential problems that may arise in the near future when implementing their balanced scorecards. Looking at the difficulties and problems portrayed by theorists and other organisations experiences should present Caffà © Nero with a competitive advantage. The opportunity of being able to use other organisations failures and theorists advice to overcome the issues presented is valuable. It is particularly important as large amounts of time and money from the company are being invested into this performance management tool. One potential problem is the complexity of the system, resulting in unachieved objectives which will affect the overall vision and strategy of Caffà © Nero. Organisations are faced with de-motivated staff as they steer away from the main objectives that are originally assigned. Although, this is a common problem for the majority of companies when introducing the scorecards, Caffà © Nero is aware of this problem and can therefore take this into consideration throughout the design stage. In particular consideration would be beneficial, in terms of the strategy map when linking the objectives together, so that they are easy to follow and comprehensive for the whole company. As for overcoming the complexity issue, Caffà © Nero can focus on their employees with training, conferences, group and one to one meetings to ensure that every employee within the organisation fully understands what a balanced scorecard is. Their objectives and how they are being measured as well as how each pers pective interlinks in achieving Caffà © Neros strategy. Drury (2004) suggests another difficulty with the scorecard, he identifies that the assumptions of the cause and effect relationships are being excessively vague as well as lacking empirical support. Further research has concluded that is it difficult to link non financial data with future financial performance if at all. Caffà © Nero needs to consider this, as their main objective is to achieve future revenue growth both within the UK and internationally. So perhaps with measures and objectives that are assigned, should be more focused around revenue and financial aspects where possible. An additional difficulty concerning the perspectives shown within the management tool is that it does not factor in other aspects of the business to incorporate customers, employees, suppliers and other environment perspectives. Although Caffà © Nero is not restricted to adding additional perspectives, it could complicate the scorecard further making it difficult to achieve all objectives assigned and some may overlap with existing objectives. Traditionally, when implementing a scorecard the assumption is, the decisions sit with the senior management throughout the design stage as they fully understand the ins and outs of the organisation. Although this may be the case, it is not always in the best interest of the organisation to design a scorecard that only looks at all levels of the business from a top heavy approach. To overcome this Caffà © Nero can be smart and ensure that all functional representatives of their hierarchy from store-level to headquarter level are included within the design. This in turn will show teamwork in working together to understand where each individual fits in to the overall strategy in order to meet the companys objectives. Although the scorecard demonstrates various difficulties that Caffà © Nero should be aware of. Not all is bad; the on-going popularity of the balanced scorecard from other organisations makes it extremely hard to not notice some of the benefits of this management tool. One important trait of the scorecard is its use of effectively combining all the separate elements of the company into one simple model, with help from the strategy map. The tool is also able to help employees and the company to understand how everything interlinks and contributes to the overall strategy. For example, looking at how employees from Caffà © Nero store-level are able to contribute and work with headquarters objectives by improving customer service at store-level in aid to reduce customer complaints for headquarter level at the other end. This management tool is also enabling managers to consider all objectives and measures together as a whole by looking at the bigger picture. Therefore Caffà © Nero can take advantage of these benefits and make necessary improvements to the costs of the company with cost reductions at headquarter level. Lynch (2009) comments that the real benefit of the scorecard is the linkage between strategy and implementation. Most theorists argue that the main goal of the majority of organisations is a form of shareholder value added. Caffà © Nero should consider this when implementing both scorecards. By looking into both quantitative and qualitative measures within the strategy, they should hopefully determine the expectations of their shareholders within performance measures in their strategy and scorecards to achieve growth in shareholder value. Caffà © Nero Strategy Grant (2008) outlines various strategies an organisation can adopt when trying to achieve growth. Having viewed this, Caffà © Nero is more geared towards a business strategy, as it concerns the company with competing within a particular coffee shop market. To prosper within this market it is important to concentrate on establishing a competitive advantage over rivals. To support this Caffà © Nero should base their strategy around product differentiation, by providing customers with quality ranges of espresso that is exclusive to Caffà © Nero stores, will only contribute to concreting a competitive advantage for the company. It also works on shielding Caffà © Nero from their prices being levelled down to the bottom part of the price spectrum, due to potential competitive price wars of the same product between their competitors. This is an important strategy to implement as due to the increase of popularity of coffee shops it is likely for these price wars to occur. As a result, Caffà © Nero can look to improve further, with the quality of their products as well as launching new products in the future as part of their strategy. This can be achieved with product innovation to cater to larger consumer base within the market, hopefully contributing to the growth in both revenue and size within the UK and internationally. Cafà © Nero is well known for its acquisition of Aroma which increased the amount of sites they owned to 106 by 2002; this made them the largest independent owned coffee shop. The company now has 400 stores operating in various locations within the UK, Turkey and the Middle East. Caffà © Nero should now look towards the future of the company, by expanding the number of sites owned. Therefore it is important that part of the strategy should reflect in achieving expansion both internationally and UK based. Caffà © Nero will incorporate this in the scorecard within the financial perspective at headquarter level, as Kaplan and Norton (1996) states that the designing of the strategy of the company is combined with the process of the balanced scorecard. However Caffà © Nero may be faced with great difficulty with trying to implement their strategy due to the diversity of locations they operate in. As it is harder to standardise a scorecard for all site levels throughout the business internationally, as culture and expectations of customers and employees may be different throughout locations. This can be said the same about different locations within the UK. For example Londons objectives may incorporate a faster pace of service to compliment their busy, on the go customers in comparison to another site in a quieter location that may prefer much more of a mellow approach, at a slower pace and friendlier atmosphere where everyone is a community. Caffà © Nero tries to incorporate all of these elements within the overall strategy. Balanced Scorecard Strategy Map The following models demonstrate Caffà © Neros scorecards for both headquarter level and store-level. As well as strategy maps to illustrate how each objective will link together. It is important to note that although the scorecards produced are for the same company, they may differ in objectives for each level, to incorporate all personnel throughout the company. Objectives of headquarter level will focus more on the overall performance of the company, in terms of how they can grow in revenue, size and customers. The model will also focus on innovating products and retention rates of employees and customers. Where as, with the store-level objectives will be more centred around individual stores in terms of customer service, delivery times and empowering and motivating staff with training and incentive programmes. Once the following scorecards have been implemented for Caffà © Nero, it is then important to ensure that everyone throughout the company understands the balanced scoreca rd and where they are contributing to achieving Caffà © Neros vision. As well as considering how all of the objectives from each level will interlink between the two scorecards. This can be done through training centres, conferences and meetings. Scorecard Evaluation Having designed both scorecards (Figure 1 and 2) an evaluation will be conducted to explore both the similarities and differences presented within each models. Additional to this, supporting evidence will add weight to justify reasons for selecting objectives and indicator to contribute to Caffà © Neros overall strategy. Financial Perspective The first objective shown in the financial perspective (figure 1 2) is revenue growth this relates to achieving an increase in growth in some form or another. To drive revenue growth Caffà © Nero objectives concentrate on diversifying into new markets internationally and within UK. As well as branching out into new customer markets and increasing the number of stores owned by Caffà © Nero. Each of these objectives chosen all tie in with Caffà © Neros overall strategy of expansion of the business in the near future. The key performance indicators incorporated into this perspective help to measure each objective for the company. The main similar measure here is (F1 F4) percentage of increase in revenue growth in the overall company and individual store-level (F5). To achieve these objectives they would have to be based upon implementing bonus and incentive schemes for employees so that they are motivated to achieve targets set. They would also need to target larger segments of new customer markets by advertising in new locations such as near to universities to appeal to students or offices to appeal to the working customers. However a drawback of this measure is due to the population suffering from the effects of the recession and the economy resulting to a decrease in disposal income. Meaning growth in revenue for Caffà © Nero will be delicate as new potential customers may not be as opened to trying new coffee shops then their norm as well as lifestyle changes that will affect the amount of r evenue that each store generates. This is why a mark up % was not included in aid to limit other problems such as the affect on shareholder value, as incorporating percentages would put further pressure on the company in case they were unable to achieve resulting to shareholders expectations to decline. Another important objective within the financial section is (F6) improve operational efficiency, which is reducing wastage costs for the business. It is important to achieve this objective as it saves the company money and better for the environment. This can be done by providing more awareness of how to reduce wastage i.e. not leaving taps of water on just for the convenience element for coffee shops. Being aware of waste problems presents benefits as in turn this will maintain the companies overall brand image, which links in will the customer perspective (C3 figure 1) of maintaining brand image. Customer Perspective It is important to measure this objective (C3), as it involves the public with collating feedback and results in reference to how the general public perceive Caffà © Nero as a company. This objective also gives the company an opportunity with participating in charity and environmental work that will help several organisations as well as portraying a better image for the company. This is with the intention to increase in revenue and customer satisfaction, as customers like to be involved in supporting good causes. This is why it was important to incorporate this within the headquarter scorecard. Figure 2 also looks at customer retention (C5), customer satisfaction (C6) and customer profitability (C4) as main objectives to achieve. Each of these objectives link with each other, for example if the customers are satisfied with the service and products offered by staff then they are likely to come back time after time. Creating customer loyal will result in increasing customer retention rates hopefully leading to customer profitability. Therefore ensuring customers are provided with great customer service and high standards of quality products will cement this relationship with customers and employees. Where the employees are concerned this is incorporated into the internal process and learning and growth perspectives. It is significant to note that both levels differ in objectives as the store-level is more involved with direct customer improvement as they adopt a more personal approach with more of a face to face relationship. Therefore objectives will be focused around the service element. In comparison to the headquarters that will look more to indirectly improving service by site quality, reducing complaints and activities involving improving brand image. However one similarity between them is that they are measured by customer feedback in one form or another. Internal Business Processes Perspective The first objective presented in figure 1 is (IP1) innovating products involved, this objective is important for businesses to maintain as their strategy and brand image pride themselves on producing unique high quality products in espresso and food. Therefore it is important for Caffà © Nero to innovate new products in order to compete within such a popular market. To measure this objective Caffà © Nero will look at increase in sales from new products in order to measure if they are successful or not. For that reason employee should be aware of the new products that are available by offering them at pay out areas in order to advertise new products, which links into objective (IP4) developing internal product knowledge. This will be achieved by daily staff meeting and work booklets to test staffs knowledge. Again, this perspective demonstrates some similarities between figures 1 2. Objectives are set to improve on delivery times for customers (IP2 IP5), this is aid of achieving h igh quality of service to link to customer satisfaction (C6), retention (IP3) and profitability (C4). If customers are dissatisfied they will go elsewhere which will affect growth in revenue (F1). To measure delivery times, focus as obtain comparing where Caffà © Nero are in terms of the market, as customers will have a certain level of expectations. However if Caffà © Nero are able to excel over this, it will create customer satisfaction which in theory will lead to more business from that customer. Also by ensuring there is a balanced customer to employee ratio in each site helps to improve delivery and customer service for customers as waiting times will decrease. Learning and Growth Perspective This area focuses on employees in terms of creating objectives to maintain training, in aid of retaining employee loyalty (LG1), improving both job and employee satisfaction (LG2), increasing employees capabilities in skills (LG4) as well as motivating and empowering employees (LG5). In theory these objectives should participate to maintaining a customer centric focus (LG3). Within this perspective, there are many differences between the scorecards as store-level focus on individual needs of employees to drive employee satisfaction. In comparison to headquarters which looks at overall achieving programmes to assist employee satisfaction, presenting a common objective in both scorecards. To measure these objectives appraisal and one to one meetings are used to assess their performance and how to improve in growth in revenue for the business. Each level is assessed by individual employees at store-level and individuals stores for headquarter level. Olve (2003) looked into how incentive and reward programmes can be aligned with scorecards in order to promote realization of intended strategy. This has been incorporated into the learning and growth stage of the scorecards. In aid to attract employees attention, to perform well at store level, contributing to the overall objective of increasing revenue growth for the company. Although there are many differences between the models as each scorecard targets a different audience, it is important to note that they both interlink to together to achieve Cafà © Neros objectives. As store-level focuses on direct customer service it is important that they get it right to achieve sales, retention as well as maintain a happy working environment for staff as getting these objective help to achieve objectives set for headquarter level. In terms of employee retention, training programmes, customer profitability and satisfaction as well as product innovation Conclusion To summarise the main points of this essay, it is essential to consider the information available in order to successfully design and implement a scorecard for a company. As statics show that 70% of balanced scorecards fail due to lack of research within their own individual company and the scorecard. The second point was to fully understand what Caffà © Nero wanted to achieve in regards to their strategy, as it is vital to not incorporate everything as this will only present more problems then benefits. Thirdly, when designing the scorecards for Caffà © Nero, it was crucial to ensure that they were easy to follow for all members of the organisation, as every objective interlinks and filters up the model in a form of a chain. If one objective is not met then this will affect the rest of the model creating a cause and affect relationship throughout the scorecard. For example consequences may lead to losing customers due to bad customer service, lack of high quality products and product knowledge due to limited training. As to measurements within the scorecards Caffà © Nero tried to be realistic so that they are able achieve their strategy as unrealistic measurements can disadvantage a business, as the costs of implementing balanced scorecards is a large investment to make as large amounts of money and time is needed. It is also important that Caffà © Nero adopted a trial and error approach so they could keep reviewing their scorecards to ensure they were aligned with their strategy. Overall a balanced scorecard is an affective management tool to translate strategy into a vision. Word Count: 3299

Galileos Life :: essays research papers

Galileo was born on the 15th of February, 1564 in Pisa. His parents were Vincenzo Galilei and Guilia Ammannati. Vincenzo, who was born in Florence in 1520, was a teacher of music and a fine lute player. Guilia, who was born in Pescia, married Vincenzo in 1563 and they made their home in the countryside near Pisa. Galileo was their first child and spent his early years with his family in Pisa. In 1572, when Galileo was eight years old, his family returned to Florence, his father's home town. However, Galileo remained in Pisa and lived for two years with Muzio Tided who was related to Galileo's mother by marriage. When he reached the age of ten, Galileo left Pisa to join his family in Florence and there he was tutored by Jacopo Borghini.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Galileo began teaching private mathematics in Florence, and then during 1585-86 at Siena where he held a public appointment. During the summer of 1586 he wrote his first scientific book The Little Balance (La Balancitta) which described Archimedes' method of finding the relative densities of substances using a balance. In the following year he traveled to Rome to visit Clavius who was professor of mathematics there. A topic which was very popular with mathematicians at this time was centers of gravity and Galileo brought with him some results which he had discovered on this topic. But even though he impressed Clavius with his knowledge on various subjects, Galileo failed to gain a job to teach mathematics at the University of Bologna. When Fantoni left the chair of mathematics at the University of Pisa in 1589, Galileo was appointed to fill the post. Not only did he receive strong recommendations from Clavius, but he also had acquired an excellent reputation through his lectures at the Florence Academy in the previous year. The young mathematician had rapidly acquired the reputation that was necessary to gain such a position, but there were still higher positions he could aim for. Galileo spent three years holding this post at the University of Pisa. During this time he wrote De Motu, a series of essays on the theory of motion which he never published. It is likely that he never published this material because he was less than satisfied with it, and this is fair for despite containing some important steps forward, it also contained some incorrect ideas. Perhaps the most important new ideas which De Motu contains is that one can test theories by conducting experiments.

High School and Different Political Changes Essay

In chapter 9 of Assault on Paradise Kottak discusses the different political changes that Arembepe went through as well as how it affected the villager’s everyday life, and how it could possibly change the way Arembepeiros live in the future and effect their future generations. Throughout the chapter Kottak discusses many things, but he hits on about 4 main topics, Welfare and Education, Public Health, Marriage and the State, and the sex Ratio and Female status. In the beginning of the Chapter Kottak describes that the Arembepian government lowered the age that people needed to be to be eligible for government pensions. They lowered the age from 65 to 60. This may seem like a small change but it actually can have a large effect on the government’s ability to pay for it. When looked at in comparison to the United States’ social security, one could see that 5 years could add a large amount of people taking away from the â€Å"pot† essentially. This could cause serious problems in the United States, so this is surprising to see this type of change in such a small and not so wealthy ethnic group. This is an example of Arembepe becoming a larger, more contributing society, or it even becoming a state of its own. The second political change that Arembepe went through was a national census. This was something that was very big for Arembepe; this pretty much solidified it as a state. Kottak explained that â€Å"the head of statistical services for the municipality told [him] about the plans for the national census. Scheduled to begin in September 1980.† (Kottak 130) In the early 1960s Arembepe was just a small tribe it seemed like, they had come so far. They now had town centers, one-way and two-way streets, supermarkets, a commercial center, several pharmacies, doctors’ offices, labs, and even other medical services! This was a completely different place than it had been just a few decades earlier. Another politic al change that occurred was that people now had to pay licensing fees to the municipality for their stores, bars, and restaurants. This was also a big deal, it seemed that all of the things Kottak states in the chapter up to this point all solidify the validity of Arembepe as a state, and even a nation. This new licensing was also a big contrast from the 1960s when only the owners of the two largest stores had to pay those fees. â€Å"Municipal officials inspected weights and measures, and there was regular mail delivery. The streets had formal names, street signs, and house numbers.† (Kottak 131) All of these are examples of just how much Arembepe had grown and how legitimized it was becoming. Now the rest of Brazil was seeing it in a different light. They were â€Å"pulling their own weight† now, essentially. They were being a contributing member, or a contributing band, to a much larger state. Documents that were never required before were, and are not required. â€Å"Full names were used in legal documents, and people were more familiar with the last names of fellow villagers. Most adults now had identity papers.† (Kottak 131) They were becoming a much more organized and legitimate society. Kottak even explained in the chapter that once they started using these documents that you could in fact be penalized, and even jailed if they were stopped by police and did not have a valid ID. Another pattern that the Arembepe people were doing was joining the armed forces. It was almost like â€Å"the thing to do,† or at least it was becoming that. Kottak explained that â€Å"after junior high school, many local boys now presented themselves to the army, air force, or navy.† (Kottak 131) He also explained that joining the military was almost something that was just done, almost an unsaid thing. Like getting married, or wearing socks. You just do it because your parents did it, and your friends do it. It is just part of their culture. It is almost like a diffusion of American culture. Or at least how American culture used to be. Kottak also explains that when you do join the armed forces in Arembepe and you are released, or leave. You have a better chance of getting a job, sometimes even a better job than those who weren’t in the armed forces. The fourth, and possibly the most important political change Arembepe went through was the Basic Education Reform Law of 1971. This law was extremely important to Arembepe because it mandated 8 years of education (in primary and junior high school). â€Å"The new law also set a national core curriculum of general studies, including practical courses to determine vocational aptitudes in grades five through eight,† Kottak explained on page 131. Kottak also describes that the main reason that they instituted this because they wanted to prepare these children, or young adults, for the workforce and employment. They had a new junior high school and two elementary schools, which had five competent teachers. By 1980, Arembepe had really buckled down on education. It was taken much more seriously and was given much more money. By this time they had to wear uniforms, pay fees, and buy books and supplies. Public health is the fifth political change Arembepe went through. They had improved a little bit but not by much. There was a clinic that was set up in Arembepe but the practicing doctor was only there 2 days a week. There were 2 nurses that were staffed. If there was an emergency the Arembepe people had to go to the Tibras, the city hospital. Sanitation problems still existed although they were trying to make it better. Arembepe was just very far behind in many things, but still had come a long way. Overall they were becoming a much more valid city, and state. From reading the beginning chapters to what they had changed they have been successful in many things. Although they still had a long way to go, they had come a long way from where they had started. When the government became more involved in Arembepe it really did a lot for the people there.

Chinas Market Size essays

China's Market Size essays China's attractive market size and the economic advantages of opening factories there raise a host of controversial issues. Without even touching upon human rights issues, it is easy to see the problems inherent in China's demands that multi-national corporations transfer modern management skills and technology. Ideally, the relationship would be reciprocal: if companies choose to locate production facilities in China then they should be willing to share valuable information such as technological and managerial expertise. However, doing business in or with China is more complicated and tricky than this. Boeing and other companies would indeed risk losing sales if they transferred technology and/or managerial knowledge. Chinese companies that capitalize on this knowledge and technology would create an incredibly competitive market that would drive prices down and would also probably lower standards of quality. The repercussions for the environment as well as for human rights could be potentially devastating, as Chinese companies could operate with fewer restrictions and regulations in these areas. Because production costs would be potentially much lower for Chinese companies than for multi-nationals, it would be nearly impossible to compete with Chinese companies on the However, it is possible to strike a balance. If Chinese companies glean knowledge from the multi-nationals that locate there, such as Volkswagen, Isuzu, and Boeing, then perhaps import taxes could be levied on Chinese goods; that would at least ensure a fairer market. Transferring technology could benefit industries that might benefit from further innovativeness; if Chinese companies are taught the fundamentals of an industry it is likely that the industry as a whole could benefit from added Because the bottom line is the most important thing for such corporations, however, the most likely outcome of ...

Symbolization in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay Example

Symbolization in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay Example Symbolization in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Paper Symbolization in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Paper Essay Topic: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Symbolization in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Symbolism is a literary technique used in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to give a deeper significance to the plot. The poem is littered with symbolisms. The symbols juxtapose one another and provide structure and symmetry within the story. The symbolisms also have specific historical context that adds to the story line and influences how the reader interprets the poem. Sir Gawain’s pentangle on his shield and the acceptance of the girdle from Lord Bertilak’s lady are two of the most prominent symbols presented to us in this authors tale. The pentangle painted in pure gold on Sir Gawain’s shield and embroidered on his shawl can be seen as a symbol of Gawain’s perfection and power over evil. According to Garald Morgan, â€Å"Gawain’s courtesy is associated with his virtue in the symbolic device of the pentangle in his shield. † (Morgan 770) The poet uses 46 lines to describe the meaning of the pentangle. No other symbol in the poem is described in such detail. Such a long explanation seems out of place in a poem full of fast-paced action, beheadings and temptations. The narrator acknowledges this but proceeds to delve into his description after establishing a disclaimer: â€Å"And why the pentangle was appropriate to that prince I intend now to say, though it will stall our story. † (Armitage 623-4) This passage alerts the reader to pay attention; the symbolic meaning of the pentangle is important to a proper understanding of the narrators message. The poet illustrates the pentangle as a symbol of faithfulness and an â€Å"endless knot† saying, â€Å"It suits this soldier in his spotless armor/fully faithful in five ways five times over. (Armitage 631) The five points of the pentangle represent five virtues attributed to Gawain. Gawains life at this point is the perfect application of the virtues the pentangle signifies. The poet states, â€Å"the figure is a five-pointed star and each line overlaps and links with the last so it is ever eternal,† (Armitage 627) and then goes on to say, â€Å"So these five sets of five were fixed in this knight, each linked to the last through the endless line† The pentangle is a unity in which all parts are interrelated just as the spiritual, moral and social qualities are united in Gawain. In the poet’s account of the â€Å"five sets of five† he specifies the spiritual, moral and social virtues that constitute the pentangle by including religious faith in lines 642-643 and the operation of the senses in line 640. The first attributes mentioned in the â€Å"five sets of five† is being flawless in the five senses and his five fingers never being at fault. According to Morgan’s interpretation of the poem he states, â€Å"From the poet’s attribution to his hero of perfection in the five senses it would seem that we are to understand that Gawain does not sin through mere sensual gratification† (Morgan 774). What he is saying is, Gawain is able to appropriately control his sensitive desires by reason. Next, the five wounds of Christ and the five joys of Mary specify religious dimension. This appeal to faith symbolized by the pentangle is not at all out of the ordinary as we can see from other works of this time; â€Å"the appeal of metaphor and symbol was especially strong in a time that not only drew on the treasuries of the Christian tradition and classical literature and mythology, but invented the new â€Å"sign- language† which was one of its real innovations. † (Bruce 15) These aspects of Gawain’s chivalry are the source of his courage. A lot of attention is given to this, suggesting that, â€Å"courage is a significant element in the moral scheme of the poem† (Morgan 775). The fifth set of five presents five virtues: fraunchyse or friendship, felawshyp or fraternity, clannes or purity, cortaysye or politeness and pite or pity; all of which have a specific social extension in the poem. That is to say, the five qualities are relevant to the subsequent events of the poem. Following the beheading test at the Green Chapel, Gawain accuses himself of â€Å"cortayse† and â€Å"cowarddyse† for his acceptance of the girdle. As translated by Simon Armitage, he says, â€Å"A curse upon cowardice and covetousness† (Armitage 2374). He claims the girdle as his downfall stating, â€Å"I gave into greed, and in doing so forgot the fidelity and kindness which every knight knows† (2380-1). We see Gawain’s failing in friendship and fraternity with his failed loyalty to Bertilak by accepting the girdle. According to Conor McCarthy’s interpretation, fraunchyse and felawshyp are linked on the pentangle because â€Å"it is in these two senses that Gawain will fail in his quest. (McCarthy 299) In this context then, it could be said that clannes and cortaysye are paired together because Gawain succeeds in preserving both qualities, despite temptation. The final quality attributed to Gawain is pite, translated as pity by Armitage. The word pite is rather ambiguous, and although Armitage translates it as pity, meaning compassion (an important attribute for a chivalric knight), it seams as a w hole that piety, meaning moral virtue or faithfulness, is a better fit for the poem. Piety draws us back to Gawain’s religious faith which in a sense links the other four qualities. Not only is the pentangle a symbol in itself clearly described by the poet, it is also often times linked as a symbol to magical traditions. The Gawain poet states, â€Å"It is a symbol that Solomon once set in place† (Armitage 625). Some scholars claim that the pentangle had magical defense against evil spirits. This could be supported by the inclusion of Solomon in the poem. Solomon, the third king of Isreal, in 10th century BC, was said to have the mark of the pentagram on his ring, which he received from Archangel Michael. The ring was said to give Solomon power over demons. The reason why the pentangle, in popular superstitions, has come to be adopted as a mystical symbol to ward off evil is not hard to see when we consider other medieval symbolism. The number five itself is deeply significant in medieval numerology. V. F. Hopper points out how important numbers were in medieval thought. He states that numbers were deeply rooted in medieval thought â€Å"not as mathematical tools, nor as the counters in a game, but as fundamental realities, alive with memories and eloquent with meaning† (Hopper viii). According to Hopper, the most potent numbers in magic appear to have been three, four, five seven and nine. Of the number â€Å"five† he states as a â€Å"holy† number in the east. The number five was also said to be â€Å"incorruptible by virtue of its reoccurrence in multiplication† (Kitely 45). The question of how the magical side of the pentangle affects one’s reading of the poem is important to look at. Also important to question is why the poet focuses on the moral aspects of the pentangle and not the magical ones. Kitely notes, â€Å"Gawain sets out to meet a magical creature of unknown power†¦he is a creature of malignant magic. What more suitable device could Gawain, therefore, bear than the five pointed pentangle†¦Gawain therefore leaves with the dual moral-magical defense of the pentangle. Superstition and philosophy are equally satisfied† (Kitely 47). The poet reveals through the poem that magic of itself is insufficient to combat against another species of magic. Kitely says, â€Å"Paradoxally, the poet has revealed that he was after all, correct to focus on the moral and religious side of the pentangle. (Kitely 49) If Gawain had placed total reliance on this thought, then he would have been unscathed. The pentangle might have seemed like a dual symbol of defense, but it is ultimately only reliable in its moral defense. Medieval audiences who knew of the magical association might have been left feeling that only total reliance on Christian virtue would help when faced with uncertainty in medieval times. Kitely affirms saying, â€Å"In the poem, as it stands, the magical side of the pentangle serves to underline the basic moral themes. (Kitely 50) It seems that rather than clashing with the moral side, the magical aspect emphasizes the poet’s attitude towards superstition and a reliance on aids other than Christian virtue, as we see costly toward Gawain. There is an ingenious symmetry in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and can be seen prominently between the pentangle and the green girdle. The poet spends 46 lines carefully, and almost laboriously, expounding the symbolism of the pentang le and yet he says nothing explicitly about the girdle. Its symbolic value is simply what Gawain assigns it and what the reader believes it to be. Jan Solomon calls the girdle â€Å"the thematic and symbolic nexus of the poem† (Solomon 274). The girdle is a tangible object upon which the climax of the poem focuses. The girdle unites two major plot lines, the temptation and the beheading game, and yet the girdle remains somewhat of a debated mystery. The anonymity of the author has allowed more latitude for scholars to make it what they will. Some scholars such as Roger Loomis (pg. 154) and Larry Benson (pg. 40) believe the girdle to be a â€Å"love token†. Martin Stevens however, contests references to the girdle as a â€Å"sexual symbol† or â€Å"sexual trophy† (Stevens 77). He believes such descriptions arise from confusing the medieval girdle with the modern undergarment. According to the medieval dictionary, a girdle is â€Å"a belt worn around the waist, used for fastening clothes or for carrying a sword, purse, etc. † Considering the girdles importance in the poem it is a good idea to fully understand the nature and meaning of the girdle more precisely. This will provide a better conception of what the girdle really was and what it symbolized and should affect how one reads the poem. We can all concede that the girdle is a belt of some sort. We see it then as an accessory. Originally, however, the girdle was not worn for warmth or ornament but as a magical binding either as a protective amulet or sign of the individual’s mystical incorporation into a social group. Later leaves or cloth panels were attached for modesty’s sake. Wilhelm Wundt states, â€Å"the celtic use of champion belts among the Greeks and Semites, even the Church’s corona of tonsure, derive from the principle of binding or encircling as magically promoting divine protection and positive good fortune† (Wundt 86) This is true in other parts of the ancient world as well. The wrapping of the toga by the Romans can also be seen as a species of engirdling magic. Zoroastrians had a similar custom; at the initiation rite by which a Cathar became a perfectus, the initiate was â€Å"girt† about the body with a thread, which was called his garment. (Onians 453) The girdles magic can even be seen in the Bible when God has Jeremiah carry out with his linen girdle to demonstrate that â€Å"as the girdle clingeth to the loins of men, so have I cause to cleave unto the house of Judah† (XIII 1-11) and in Isaiah’s prediction â€Å"And the Righteous shall be the girdle of his loins and faithfulness the girdle of his reins† (XI. ). These passages have been analyzed by Onians: â€Å"God and medicine man use the same means and no less in blessing than in cursing† (Onians 367). The girdle, as one can see, in some form or another is littered throughout pre medieval history and literature. The archaic magical force of girdling continued then into the Middle Ages. Male girdles began to represent sovereignty, authority and power. Freidman and Osberg state, â€Å"To get someone’s head under your girdle meant to conquer him† (Freidman and Osberg 304). A vassal, or one who entered into mutual obligations with a monarch, was supposed to take off his belt in the presence of his suzerain, or superior. From Roman times to medieval romances foot soldiers surrendered by unfastening the cords around their hips which held up their undergarments. The woman’s girdles on the other hand, involve somewhat different magical and symbolic associations. The girdle of Ishtar, the goddess of fertility, love, war and sex, became a girdle of fertility. When she unfastened it in the underworld, the earth became infertile. The most famous of all girdles, the cestus of Aphrodite-Urania, became as early as Homer a â€Å"gurdel of lecherie†, excluding all enticements of lust. (Freidman and Osberg 304) It also is seen frequently in medieval and Renaissance poetry. The proponent girdle was the maiden’s sash or belt. According to Freidman and Osberg, it was â€Å"an amulet to preserve by advertising the virginity of the wearer, it was credited with, among other things, holding wolves at bay† (Freidman and Osberg). Another instance of the girdle can be found in religious legends as such: the maiden rescued by Lydgate’s St. George was able to lead the dragon into the city by her girdle. The girdle was also seen as a husband’s trophy, suggestive of the sexual act and fertility and a pledge of marital chastity. Interestingly enough, in medieval England prostitutes were forbidden to wear girdles of any sorts. Now, with all of that history at the forefront we have to ask; what fashion of girdle was the one Gawain received from Bertilak’s lady and what did it symbolize? Can this question even be answered or is it to be left to the readers’ interpretation? The connotations of the girdle explain why the lady wanted Gawain to conceal it from her husband and why Gawain finds her request completely legitimate. Gawain felt justified in concealing it for upon showing it to Bertilak, he would surely think things that never were. Gawain’s overriding reason for keeping the girdle was to preserve his own life and to level the playing ground with the Green Knight. The magical connotations of the girdle strengthen his rationalizations. By an understandably devious process, the girdle becomes exclusively associated in Gawain’s mind with the adventure of the Green Chapel, not as a relevant item in the exchange agreement, which is just a game. The girdle complicates the motivating impulses and refracts the lines of moral action. With the acceptance and concealment of the girdle Gawain is removed from the unnatural category of systematic perfection, as symbolized by the pentangle, and brought into the reach of human relatability. According to Friedman and Osberg, â€Å"his final succumbing to the lady’s wiles to the extent of accepting the girdle, retrospectively soils the resolute but polite skill with which he had parried her onslaught up to that event† (Friedman and Osberg 312). The possession of the girdle, even though it is left ambiguous how much Gawain really trusts the magic of it, could be seen to undercut his bravery. Although it could also be said that it is no more cowardly than relying on the pentangle to give him strength. Aside from the connotations associated with the girdle, the fashion in which Gawain wears it is also important to discuss. It is easy to fall into the error of believing that the girdle is concealed under his armor when he leaves the castle. We are deceived by the fact that Gawain initially conceals it from Bertilak. Gawain, in fact, wears it on the outside. The poet explains that he wraps himself with the girdle after he clothes himself with his coat which was emblazed with the pentangle. He wraps it over his coat, which is a symbol of his parting from the virtues of the pentangle. Spiritually and physically the girdle superseded the pentangle. Gawain wearing it in sight also shows his reliance on the magical symbol of the girdle. As Gawain sets out for the Chapel he notably displays is to bring the magical influence into play. This indicates that he does have some faith in the girdle’s magical implications, though these implications prove to be trumped in the end just like those of the pentangle. There is symbolic polarity between the image of the pentangle and the image of the girdle given to Gawain by Bertilak’s wife in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The pentangle or â€Å"endless knot† illustrates Gawain’s virtuous perfection and the girdle becomes an indication of the knight’s lapse of perfection. There is however a significant link between the two symbols. Both of the figures’ definitions change by the end of the poem. The shield and the girdle are real objects and function in the poem as living articulate symbols dynamically paired. The pentangle evokes the chivalric ideal. In the beginning, when Gawain sets out on his quest, the pentangle is emblematic of his knightly virtue. He is seen as a flawless knight. Gawain embarks on his adventure and along the way deviously accepts a girdle from Lord Bertilak’s lady. Upon his meeting with the Green Knight at the Chapel, his blunder is revealed and the girdle becomes emblematic of his fault. The whole movement of the story hangs upon his yielding to temptation, accepting the girdle, and having his failing revealed to him. When we reach this point the poem is shifted and the meaning behind the two symbols is altered. The pentangles â€Å"endless knot† is seemingly broken. In desperation to save his own life, we see Gawain fail in friendship and fraternity, two parts of the pentangle that are placed together. The pentangle, which once symbolized his faithfulness and honor, is broken and morphed into a reminder of his shortcomings. The girdle, on the other hand, starts out as a symbol of Gawain’s imperfection and fault. When Bertilak reveals himself as the Green Knight and confronts Gawain for the acceptance of his wife’s girdle, Gawain says, â€Å"My downfall and undoing; let the devil take it† about the girdle. The girdle is a sign of Gawain’s sin. On his homeward journey Gawain wears the girdle across his chest and knotted at the hip. When he arrives back in Camelot he recounts his trip to the Green Chapel and describes the girdle as a band of shame. King Arthur and the rest of the court laughs and provides comfort to lift their noble knight. The girdle changes to a symbol of honor. It is redefined by the collective as a symbol of greatness. Collectively the brotherhood had the power to bear the shame and wear the girdle as a symbol of nobility. Sir Gawain’s pentangle on his shield and the girdle given to him by Bertilak’s wife are two of the most prominent symbols presented to us in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The pentangle’s appropriateness to Gawain is outlined in an explanation of its fivefold symbolism. The author goes to great lengths to illustrate the importance of the pentangle. The pentangle in its self is a symbol of Christian perfection. Also, it would have magical implications to the readers familiar with medieval superstition. Knowing the â€Å"other† characterization of the pentangle can change how the reader perceives the text. The girdle also has magical and historical connotations that affect the way the poem is read; proving that the history behind certain aspects of the poem was important to the poet’s overall moral of the story. The one question that remains is; if the girdle is so important to the poem, then why does the poet go to the painstaking lengths to lay out the symbol of the pentangle, but leave the meaning of the girdle open to our interpretation? The symbol of the pentangle is artificial and therefore must be meticulously defined, whereas the meaning of the girdle defines itself in the eyes of the reader. The two symbols are juxtaposed throughout the poem and their meanings oppose each other to provide a symbolic representation of the moral of the story. That is, human reality is not pure Christian perfection, neither is it absolute shame on those who sin, but it is found somewhere in between.

Strategic Management Decision Making Term Paper

Strategic Management Decision Making - Term Paper Example There have been many avenues for a company to expand its business. Sometimes the reasons for expansion include moving into other industry, expanding in the same industry and expanding in foreign countries. In each of the cases, the company has the choice of setting up business on its own or else going through mergers, acquisitions or any other consolidation processes. In this case, both companies are from the same country. The acquirer company, Games Workshop, would like to expand its business to some other areas which are quite related to what they are into right now. Setting up is the costliest process to come up with. For this reason, the company has decided to go with either merger or acquisition. Valuation is quite an important fact in the whole process. The positive value of the acquired firm is very much desirable. Valuation and other financials have been discussed in a later topic. Later on, it is time to think whether the acquirer would like to go for merger or acquisition. A comparative and tactical study has been done to choose the best way among these two. While the firm and the process have been chosen to be appropriate to carry on the acquisition process, it is of much importance to zero down on the tactical funding strategy. For this economic gain has been taken into account to have an idea about the proper funding strategy which is also in accordance with the financial structure of the Games Workshop. One of the main aims to go for expansion is adding shareholders’ value, which is of quite an importance to a business entity. The calculation has been done to calculate the shareholders’ value addition for each of the companies so that shareholders can have a much better idea about the situation and the added shareholders’ value after the transformation.

African Americans and the Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

African Americans and the Law - Research Paper Example The discrimination of the African Americans began several centuries ago. As immigrants, they were initially deprived of nearly all rights since they were perceived as underprivileged human beings who should only b enslaved and mistreated. Hence, they could not enjoy rights such as voting, housing, education, assembly and speech because these were exclusively reserved for the whites. As time went by, several efforts were made through constitutional amendments to eliminate any form of racisms in the country. Even though the tireless efforts of the civil rights movements yielded some fruits, discrimination did not completely end. In fact, it still remains a menace up to the present times. Inequality still persists in the country because of the skewness of the law. As it today, the US constitution does not entirely fight racism. The domination of the whites has greatly influenced the formulation and enforcement of policies and laws that are highly selective in nature. Whenever such legis lations are made, focus is always put on the whites who still hold the view that they should be enjoying more privileges than their black counterparts. This has made it possible for the blacks to be mistreated in the country. The ineffectiveness of the anti-racial laws and policies has been evidenced in many situations. It is what has promoted the discrimination of the African Americans across the country. Racial profiling still remains a major challenge in the fight against inequality between the whites and blacks.