Kamikaze, Japan’s Suicide Gods Essay

Kamikaze is a Japanese word meaning â€Å"divine wind†. ‘Kami’ means ‘divine’ and ‘kaze’ ‘wind’. Kamikaze owes its origins to the 1274 and 1281 typhoons which wrought havoc on invasion forces from Mongolia. A Japanese World War II pilot specially trained to destroy an enemy ship by crashing on it was referred to as kamikaze. The plane to be used for such an attack, usually laden with explosives also bore the same name. Special air suicide attack units were given this name in World War II in 1944-45. The kamikaze concept originated from lower ranks officers in the field when they reported that pilots and crew were experiencing accidental crashes. Captain Motoharu first brought up the subject and led to the launch of initial investigations on the feasibility and modes of executing deliberate assaults. The Thunder Gods project was initiated soon afterwards in 1944 (Axell, 2002, p. 13) The first formal mention of kamikaze missions was in august 1944 when the Domei News Agency reported that Takeo Tagata, A flight instructor, was training pilots for suicide attacks in Taiwan. It is also claimed that the first kamikaze mission was carried out on September 13th 1944 after which the 31st Fighter Squadron of the army based on Negros Island imitated the following day. Takeshi Kosai, First Lieutenant and a sergeant, destined to crash into carriers, took off in separate fighter planes each loaded with 100 kilogram bombs. Other sources assert that the US cruiser, USS Reno CL96 was suicide bombed on October 14th 1944. It is also claimed that the commander of the 26th Air Flotilla, Captain Masafumi Arima, developed the kamikaze concept. He led 100 Yokosuka D4Y dive bombers to attack Franklin, an aircraft carrier on October 15th 1944. Arima got killed in the assault and was rewarded with the post of Admiral posthumously. Top ranking Japanese military officials embraced Arima’s example as a source of military propaganda. The attack of Suluan Island by Allied forces set off the battle of Leyte Gulf. The responsibility of destroying the Allied forces in Leyte Gulf lay with the 1st Air Fleet of the Japanese Navy. The 1st Air Fleet had the limitation of having only 40 planes: 3 Nakajima B6N Tenzan Torpedo bombers, 34 Mitsubishi zero fighters, 1 Mitsubishi G4M and 2 Yokosuka P1Y Ginga land bombers. This made the task ahead appear impossible and prompted Vice Admiral Takijiro Onishi, the 1st Air Fleet commandant to constitute the Special Attack Unit. Onishi told the 201st flying group pilots of the plan on October 19th at a meeting at Mabalacat airfield near Manila. The assault would involve crashing a zero bomber with 250 kilogram bomb and ramming it into a US carrier with a view of grounding all American carriers. The initial plan was to only involve volunteers in such attacks. Onishi lied to the pilots that their commander, Captain Sakai Yamamoto, already knew of the plan when the pilots requested for an approval from their own boss. Yamamoto was, however, in hospital after a motor vehicle accident and thus he was not privy to Onishi’s plans. The 23 pilots in attendance volunteered and hence the first anti-Allied forces suicide strikes at Leyte were executed in a few days time (Astor, 1999, 32). The impact of the kamikaze strikes was momentous, damage greater than any preceding one was inflicted on the allied forces ships. The Japanese military top officials decided to have humans man rocket-propelled bombs, an operation they called Thunder Gods. The task of designing the flying bomb was signed to the Japan Aeronautical Research Laboratory. This was to counter the problems experienced in the remote guidance of German rockets and the threat of the advancing Allied forces. The Thunder Gods project initially had 100 volunteers whose training was parallel to the construction of the pioneer 150 Ohka rocket bombs. Japan’s strategy was the stationing of Thunder Gods in Formosa and the Philippines. American submarines and carrier ships didn’t allow maneuvering south from Japan. The November 27th 1944 sinking of Shinano, Japan’s carrier ship, by Archerfish, the American submarine, proved that America had firmly held its base in the region. Shinano held the first batch of 50 Ohkas. Unryu, a Japanese carrier loaded with the next 30 Ohkas was also sunk a few weeks later while traveling to the Philippines. It then became clear that Thunder Gods project would be fail. Students were mandated to recite the oath of the Imperial Rescript on Education as a ritual after the decree was passed in 1890. The oath stated that individuals would offer themselves, including sacrificing their lives, to the state as well as protect the Imperial family. Under the oath, dying for the emperor or for Japan was honorable. The Meiji restoration saw the establishment of Shinto as a state religion. Shinto doctrines were rampant in Japan in 1944 to 1945 and they were instrumental in the promotion of nationalism. Many Japanese were of the view that to be honored at the Yasukumi shrine, which the Emperor visited twice yearly, was a great honor. Many sailors, pilots and soldiers were thus mentally prepared to die and become eirei, ‘guardian spirits’ of the country (Axel, Kase, 2002, p. 35). Books and newspapers published stories, articles and advertisements about the suicide bombers after the kamikaze strategy was adopted. A case in point is the Nippon Times October 1944 issue which ran an article with the view of aiding the recruitment of the special attack corps. The propaganda that kamikaze were enshrined at Yasukumi from publishers and exaggerated stories of the kamikaze added to the Japanese ideology that kamikaze were divine people. Peer pressure also had a hand in popularizing the kamikaze. The Japanese government also had its share in the fanning of the kamikaze spirit by falsely declaring victories (Axell, Kase, 2002, p. 38). Ancient folklore also helped in the recruitment of volunteers into the suicide missions. For instance, it was widely believed that the bonds connecting an individual to his family were similar to the ones that joined him to his nation. The Japanese so valued their close relationship with both the emperor and the nation that they were convinced that it would be useless to be Japanese if one didn’t have this links. Spiritistic ceremonies were held to bid kamikaze farewell before they departed to their assignments. The Japanese flag or the Japanese naval flag with spiritually inspirational words written on it were given to the kamikaze. The soldiers also drank sake; a-rice based alcoholic drink, before leaving. A headband with the rising sun and sennibari, a belt with a thousand stitches each made by a single woman were also among the kamikaze insignia. The kamikaze were also supposed to compose a death poem and read it. This feat borrows heavily from the samurai, a pre-industrial Japan military nobility. Samurai also composed and read a death poem before undertaking seppuku, a Japanese disembowelment ritual. It is alleged that the kamikaze pilots flew southwest over mount Kaimon. The pilots then looked back to face the mountain, said farewell to Japan and saluted the mountain. This is an indication that some spiritism was associated with the kamikaze missions (Astor, 1998, p. 47). The 1281 AD invasion of Japan by Mongols prompted the emperor to pray for divine salvation. A huge typhoon came up and drowned the enemy by sinking their ships. The typhoon was called kamikaze or the ‘divine wind’. This episode was one inspiration of the kamikaze suicide missions in World War II. The pilots had the divine mission of destroying their enemy. Suicide pilot manuals instructed pilots to obtain a high level of spiritual training, be always pure-hearted and cheerful and to maintain perfect health conditions. This instructions were found in a book ‘Transcend life and death’ which were given to each pilot. Pilots were supposed to loudly yell ‘Hissatsu’ translated ‘sink without fail’ moments before crashing into a target. Many kamikaze had the conviction that by crashing into a target, they would pay the debts they owed their friends’ families and the Emperor. The heavy sanctions imposed on Japan by the United States and Washington’s order for Japan to vacate China precipitated the Pacific war in which kamikaze were utilized (Astor, 1998, p. 54). References Astor, G. (1999). The greatest war: Americans in combat, 1944-1945. California, United States. Presidio Press, pp. 32, 47, 54 Axell, A. & Kase, H. (2002). Kamikaze: Japan’s suicide gods. London, United Kingdom. Longman Publishers, Pp. 13, 35, 38

Determination of Quinine in Tonic Water Essay

i. The selectivity of fluorimetry is greater than that of absorption spectrophotometry as it depends on excitation, absorption and emission spectra. As for fluorimetry, when molecule absorbs radiation and become excited, fluorimetry detects the intensity of light emitted from the molecule returns to ground state from excited state. Fluorescence is good at rigid molecules as it absorbs UV radiation. When two compounds are excited at the same wavelength radiation, they would emit different wavelength radiation as different compound has its unique spectrum. ii. Second, the sensitivity of fluorescence is greater than absorption spectrophotometry. As for absorption spectrophotometry, the concentration is directly proportional to the absorbance. However, in fluorimetry, concentration is directly related to the luminescent radiant power which is measured against a very small background. Moreover, flourimetry is easier to measure the small difference. Disadvantages: i. Quenching is resulted in a variety of processes such as excited state reactions, energy transfer, complex formation and collisional quenching occur. This will decreases the fluorescence intensity of a given substance and affects the experimental result. ii. Standard solutions or the fluorescent cells may be contaminated, leading to absorption some energy of the incident radiation and transmitted radiation. It will interfere the experimental results. iii. The reflection or scattering of the incident or transmitted radiation in the fluorescent cell may influence the accuracy of the intensity of the fluorescent. iv. Fluorescent substance will undergo decomposition in fluorimetry which is related to the solvent which control the pH, temperature and pressure interfering the excitation-relaxation fluorescence process. The line will be broadened and fused together to give a less structured spectrum in the presence of solvent. 2. Define the term â€Å"quantum efficiency† for fluorescence processes. How does temperature affect quantum efficiency? â€Å"Quantum efficiency† for fluorescence processes is the ratio of the number of molecules that luminescence to the total number of excited molecules. For some species which do not have propriety of fluorescent, the quantum efficiency will approach to zero. The quantum efficiency of a highly fluorescent molecule may approach unity under certain conditions. The quantum efficiency of fluorescence in a lot of molecules will decrease with increasing temperature. It is because the kinetic energy of the molecules and hence the frequency of collisions will be increased with increasing temperature. Some molecules will convert the excitation energy to heat instead of emitting light. So the number of molecules emits fluorescence and hence the fluorescence intensity will be decreased. Result: A calibration curve with fluorescent intensity against concentration of quinine hydrochloride in ppm was plotted by using least square method. The least square equation of the calibration curve is y = 3629. 7x – 12. 157. From this equation, the amount of quinine hydrochloride in the sample was calculated to be 78. 645 ppm. Conclusion: The least square equation of the calibration curve was y = y = 3629. 7x – 12. 157 and by calculation, the amount of quinine hydrochloride in Schweppes tonic water was 78. 645 ppm. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the limit of quinine content in tonic water is 83 ppm. The quinine concentration in Schweppes has not exceeded the limit.

Blockbuster History Films

The film also accurately depicts the reason why the American Revolution began in the beginning of the movie; this is a rebellion against British taxation without any American representatives. Fundamentally, the American Revolution appeared in 1763, as the British community on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean matures to their interests and goals different from the dominant ruling class. But this movie depicts Various inaccurate features such as African-American freedom who engaged in war for three years in several countries. This common fear of black people is deeply rooted in our history, Du says. Partial reason the birth of the country is a very harmful fact that it is actually the country's first heavyweight movie. Given this history, Hollywood certainly has special ability and responsibility to eradicate inequality and obstacle pockets. And fly to the forefront of a new story and change. She is also studying black horror aesthetics in literature.The first meeting set up a tone for collective viewing on the go , she is called the student The Comet I asked you to read the unknown Web Du Bois SF short story. This story, written several years after the announcement of the birth of the country in 1920, is about two survivors - black men and white women - that look like an apocalypse. Dubois represented this biggest taboo as a dramatic effect and expressed it alternately from the perspective of the two people. Now thought to be an important turning point in the history of Hollywood's big hits, the movie was announced globally on July 3, 1996, but due to the height of the film viewers July 2 I started broadcasting. I am looking forward to it. The box office revenue of this movie world exceeded 817.7 million dollars, becoming the best movie in 1996. In other words, since 1993, it was the world's second largest entertainment income. It is currently ranked 72nd in the most selling movie list, and it leads the revival of large-scale disaster movies and science fiction movies from the mid-1990s to the latter half. The movie won Oscar for best visual effect and was nominated for Oscar for the best mix. The sequel's Independence Day: Renaissance is released on June 24, 2016 in 20 years and constitutes the first part of the planned three movies. It is regarded as one of the best movies ever, the white shark is a typical summer big hit, its release is seen as a moment in the watershed in the history of the movie, received a number of awards for its music and editing It is. Until 1977 Star Wars was released, it became the most viewed movie ever. Both movies are the key to building a modern Hollywood business model that evolves around high-box office action returns and adventure photos, and a simple concept venue is screened at thousands of theaters during the summer and advertised It will be. Next is three sequels, not all Spielberg and Belgium, there are many imitation thrillers. In 2001, the Congressional Library elected to keep it in the National F ilm Register, which was considered culturally, historically, or aesthetically.

The process of economic development and its effects in China in 1950s Research Proposal

The process of economic development and its effects in China in 1950s - Research Proposal Example e considerable damaged after the war, which became the reason that the food production reduced to approximately 30% lower than the peak level, which was achieved before the war. All these factors lead the Chinese economy in crises and the country had to face the hyperinflationary environment. The Chinese Govt aimed to restore the economy to its normal level within the time span of 3 years. In order to achieve the goal of economic recovery, the Govt started working with full devotion to recover all the losses. The recovery phase began with the reconstruction of the transportation system along with the recovery of other losses such as loss of communication system and invests on farming to recover the natural resources. The central bank of China, which is named as Peoples bank of China, was established in the year 1948 with the responsibility of maintaining the monetary control along with the regulation of all the financial institutions within the jurisdiction of China. During the estab lishment of Peoples Bank of China, the banking system was neither nationalized nor centralized. During the economic recovery phase of China, all the financial institutions were nationalized and centralized. The regulating authority of the banking system remained the Peoples Bank of China. In order to control the high inflation, which was generated due to the effects of the World War II, the Govt of China decided to synchronize the economic structure of China by centralizing the financial market of China (Mark 2013). The purpose of centralizing the banking system was that the monetary system could be unified. The Govt initiated the decisions to control the economy which includes monetary policy and extremely restricted credit facility. Another reason behind such restricted economic policies during the period of 1949 to 1952 was that the Govt had very restricted budget to recover the economy. In addition to this, during the same period Govt was compelled to also manage the

Two reading reports Wawasan2020and The Case for conta mination Essay

Two reading reports Wawasan2020and The Case for conta mination - Essay Example Malaysia is a country that competes with other countries like the Philippines and Singapore in terms of grabbing more foreign semiconductor projects. For the Malaysia to be able to win semiconductors contracts, Malaysian government is challenged not only to improve the technical know-how of the Malays in terms of manufacturing high-quality semiconductors but also provide the foreign investors with special government protection that could make the business and political environment attractive to foreign investors (Greider, p. 162). Since Malaysia needs to increase technology transfer, Malaysia government protects and makes the export of semi-conductors attractive by offering the semiconductor industry with lengthy holidays from paying taxes, strictly prohibits the formation of independent unions, and maintaining low employee wages (Greider, pp. 164 – 165). This strategy will encourage technology transfer by inviting more foreign investors with more sophisticated technologies to invest in Malaysia. I strongly agree that the use of good government intervention could enable each country to remain competitive in the global markets. By attracting more foreign investors, the socio-economic problems such as the high unemployment rate in developed and developing countries can be easily solved. â€Å"The Case for Contamination† is an article that focused on discussing the potential impact of globalization over the culture and beliefs of the Ghanaians. Because of globalization and improvements in communication technology, it is so much easier for a person to travel to other countries and adapt the culture of another nation. In line with this, the president of Ghana has travelled to different places including Oxford University in the United States and London in the United Kingdom where he became one of the Inns of Court (Appaih a). Promoting the importance of cultural diversity between developed and

Managment Issues in the Global Family Business Essay

Managment Issues in the Global Family Business - Essay Example It has been said that most family businesses do not last more than two generations and that wealth barely lasts more than three generations (Lee 2008, p.8; Paisner 2007, p.7). Paisner (2007) notes that less than thirty percent of family-owned businesses have sustained their activities for more than two generations before shifting management, and even fewer businesses have managed to maintain their activity to the third generation. This implies that thousands of family businesses wrestle with myriad issues. Successor development, management transition, ownership transfer, creativity, and future focus are some of the issues that becloud the success of family businesses. Italian Family Business presents some of the key characteristics that determine the success or failure of family ventures all over the world. Multi, the owner of the restaurant, has to grapple with management issues and fights tooth and nail to prevent Guido from taking away the family business, something that many othe r similar businesses are grappling with. A look at the major characteristics of entrepreneurial businesses illuminates some of the gaps that might have landed Multi and his family into trouble. There is an unspoken misconception that creativity is only reserved for musicians and writers. This belief is commonplace in most family businesses. In others, there is an underlying conception regarding the usual manner of conducting business. Both mindsets can stifle business creativity, which is an antecedent to innovation, making it hard for family businesses to survive beyond two generations.

Discuss the evolution of style in Greek sculpture, naming and Essay

Discuss the evolution of style in Greek sculpture, naming and describing specific works that illustrate each of the stages you mention - Essay Example For instance, one of the major statues from this period includes the Karditsa warrior, which was found in Athens; another prominent statue was the mythological Mantiklos ‘Apollo’ found in Thebes (Boardman). The next prominent Greek stylistic era is referred to as the classical period. The classical period is recognized as extending between 500 to 400 BC (Stewart). The classical period was ushered in after the Greeks ended the Persian invasion at Marathon in 490 (Stewart). This optimism is reflected in the style, as Greek artists strove towards a new sense of realism. Among the prominent statues of this period includes Discobolos created by the artist Myron; this statue depicts a man in the process of a discus throw (Stewart). The final recognized Greek stylistic period is the Hellenistic period. This era is recognized as lasting from the late 4th to the 1st century BC. (Stewart) This period witnessed greater sculptural detail, as well as an attempt to demonstrate dynamic motion. The most seminal statue of this period is the Nike of Samthrace Statue, as it expertly demonstrates dynamic movement of wind flowing through the

Operations Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Operations Management - Assignment Example For this purpose, two different case studies have been analyzed. It is important for the organizations to come up with proper quality management and production management strategies, in order to make sure that the organization is able to meet the overall objectives and show high growth and increasing profits (Charvet, Cooper, & Gardner, 2008; Dahlgaard and Dahlgaard-Park, 2006). CASE STUDY: THE REALCO BREADMASTER Master Product Schedule for the Bread maker       Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Forecasted demand    20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 Booked orders    23,500 23,500 21,500 15,050 13,600 11,500 5,400 1,800 Projected ending inventory    7,000 27,000 47,000 67,000 87,000 107,000 127,000 147,000 Master production Schedule    40,000 40,000 40,000 40,000 40,000 40,000 40,000 40,000 Available to promise    16,500 16,500 18,500 24,950 26,400 28,500 34,600 38,200 The projected ending inventory gives a clear notification o f extra production by production department. The amount or units of projected ending inventory is increasing with the passage of weeks and increasing the inventory holding or maintenance cost for the company. Available-to-promise inventory number tells that the rate of holding inventory is increasing week-by-week and which causes the increment in ware house cost and inventory management cost. Realco already have excess production and has a capacity of producing more than the demand so the Realco can make promises with the customers to meet the demand with its available projected ending inventories. Realco should improve the production level by analyzing an accurate demand from the market. Realco needs to analyze and determine the gap between the demand and supply to understand the market variations then produce according to the market requirements. This practice will reduce the cost of holding inventory and contain the organization with the balance figure of demand and supply which gives handsome profits in short term period (Barlow, 2005). Jack’s Approach to Order Promising: Jack does not have a formal production plan and he has not analyzed the demand and supply on the basis of any formulated schedule or any economic analysis. Jack’s forecasting strategy is based on analogy which means future expectation is completely rely on past experiences, with this approach Jack make assumptions for meeting the demand. It has a benefit of availability of inventory because of excess amount of production. Benefit in a way that the ending inventory is utilizing by the Jack’s promises. On the other hand this unformulated and informal strategic planning has a dark side too which can cause a big down fall in company’s financial position. If the demand would exceed from the production then it will be difficult for the company to meet the demand of people which will directly affect the brand loyalty and at that point competitor will fill the gap of d emand and get the competitive advantage. And if the demand gets decreased with the passage of time and production level is same then the company will bear a high holding inventory cost. The formal master scheduling will design the balance structure of demand and supply by analyzing the market trends. It will reduce the c

Crafting and Executing Strategy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Crafting and Executing Strategy - Research Paper Example In other words, strategic planning is a tool that defines the routes that businesses will take in the effort to get from the current position to where owners want it to go. In fact, it is argued that strategic planning is a procedure that fulfils the mission and vision of a company (Andersen, 2004). In order to be effective, strategic plan considers the internal and external environment surrounding the business. In this regard, it is true to argue that as a company grows and intends to achieve its strategic goals, the need for strategic planning becomes greater (Goodstein, Nolan & Pfeiffer, 1993). However, strategic planning does not just become effective without considering some factors. It is necessary for all stakeholders in the organization to clearly understand the direction and mission of the organization. Nevertheless, the mission and direction of the business should go hand in hand with market changes, which call for a business to strategically prepare for different market se gments. In regard to Fed-EX Corp as a key player in the logistics industry, strategic planning would lead to more cost reduction as well as maintaining best prices (Long, 2004). It can also be argued that strategic planning in logistics business can act as a roadmap for economic and operational success. Additionally, strategic planning would act as a facilitator of efficient, flow of goods and information from company’s premise to consumption points (Moradi, 2012). This has an advantage of conforming to customers’ needs and satisfaction. Mission statement â€Å"Fed-EX Corp offers top quality logistic solutions to our customers based on expertise. Customers prefer our services based on quality and reliability† A company can not operate without a mission statement and expect to go far. A mission statement is vital in ensuring the success of a business. It not only set targets for businesses to attain its financial goals, but also enables businesses to build their corporate brand as they win the loyalty of customers through the provision of quality products and services (Goodstein, Nolan & Pfeiffer, 1993). For example, Fed-EX Corp mission statement would act as a corporate vision drive, motivate, unify and excite business into superior performance (Long, 2004). In order to offer top quality solutions to its customers, Fed-EX Corp would be motivated to work extra hard and work in unity in order to keep the fire burning. In fact, a mission statement provides a lighthouse that a company can look at whenever it looses track of itself. This is true because when a company looses sight, a mission statement can be referred to provide an insight of the company’s core competencies. In logistics business, Rushton, (2010) argued that a mission statement can facilitate greater returns on investment. Additionally, a measure of return on equity is argued to be more than double in companies that have written mission statement. Although it is hard to i ndicate the part of mission statement that brings success to a company, a combination of parts of a the mission statement can help a company prosper in different ways. For example, the statement should clearly establish the line of business the company is engaged in. This helps the company focus its efforts towards succeeding in that line of business. Vision statement â€Å"To build greater global logistic solutions through quality, integrity and profitability†

Logistics 490 - Mod 5 SLP - Logistics Planning and System Design Coursework

Logistics 490 - Mod 5 SLP - Logistics Planning and System Design - Coursework Example n already be combined into one or even abolished due to duties and responsibilities that I sense are already redundant in the function of the logistics group duties. Comprehensive logistics planning will remarkably improved within the organization of my choice by first establishing proper communication and operational frameworks. These can help to ensure effectiveness and efficiency within all of the logistic operations. Removal of redundant procedures will also be a great deal of help towards more comprehensively accomplishing logistics planning. It would be advisable for the organization to utilize modern technology by integrating all the functional units within an organization under the same department. The cross functioning teams will provide cohesiveness within the organization and ensure that somehow will be held accountable for the implementation of organization

Film and Photographic Equipment Essay Example for Free

Film and Photographic Equipment Essay As of the time of the case, 2007, although IMAX was involved in three different industries, the case suggests that it was primarily in Photographic Equipment and Supplier industry primarily because about 51 per cent of its total revenue of IMAX was system sale. Therefore, the following analysis will focus on that industry. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Major suppliers of photographic equipment and supplier industry may include manufacturers producing relevant components of any kind of equipment, contractors making the complete equipment, and so forth. From my viewpoint, the suppliers’ bargaining power is low because of several reasons. First, along with the development of photographically relevant equipment, although the products firms provide are technically concentrated, there are certain standards recognized and adopted, such as film size of 35 mm or certain sizes of lens filter, in the industry. Therefore, the switching cost for their buyers is low. Second, photographic equipment and supplier industry is an important customer to its supplier group. Specifically, the usage of the products that the supplier group provides is limited to machinery or equipment in other industries. Besides, although there are few substitute products, which situation generally increases supplier group’s bargaining power, firms in photographic equipment and supplier industry still can easily find other manufacturers with lower cost. Bargaining Power of Buyers The buyer group of photographic equipment and supplier industry is enormous, ranging from B2B buyers like motion picture production firms to B2C buyers like customers who purchase digital single lens cameras. Considering the difference of consuming difference of buyers and following reasons, the bargaining power of buyers is medium. First, sales volume varies among different segments. For example, motion movie production studios or chain multiplexes may have high bargaining power because of high purchasing volumes; on the other hand, customers who go to Staple to purchase a copy machine have little or no bargaining power. Second, the products in photographic equipment and supplier industry are generally undifferentiated because of aforementioned regular standard existing, and therefore bargaining power increases. However, exception could be that once new products are launched with attracting feature and highly accepted by buyers, such as IMAX format, the bargaining power decreases. Moreover, because of the great scope of photographic equipment, switching cost varies extremely, taking the difference between cameras shooting in IMAX digital format and little digital cameras from all brands in the market as example. Besides, backward integrations are less likely to happen compared to forward integrations from supplier group. Threat of Substitute Products In photographic equipment and supplier industry, treat of substitute is low primarily because products from this industry has been evolving for decades and has become essential goods. For instance, copy machine, also provided from the industry, has become essential equipment in firms and institutions. Although the substitute products to this example could be pens and paper, few people really would do that for efficiency concern, and therefore the switching cost is high. Intensity of Rivalry Competition in photographic equipment and supplier industry is intense for reasons. Because of the specialized nature of the products, generally exist barrier is high for big companies like Cannon, Nikon, and Xerox, and those major competitors are highly committed to the industry by providing products with advanced technology and competing against each other intensively. Although some products in the industry can differentiate themselves from others and protected by patents for a period of time, new film format from IMAX for example, once competitors foresee the great potential profitability, it is not difficult for them to produce products with similar features to split the market share. Threat of Entry From my viewpoint, the threat of entry in the industry is medium. Take multi-business electronics suppliers such as Sony and Samsung as example, they supply various lines of products and compete against each other. Even photographic equipment is not their primary selling product, supported by strong capital and experienced RD departments, those companies are able to enter photographic equipment and supplier industry and split a piece of market share, primarily because of their existing reputation from relevant electronics industry. To deal with new coming competitors, current suppliers are less likely to have continuous price cutting battles because of high fixed costs; instead, it is more likely to increase investments, like RD, and product lines to keep market share in every targeted segment. An obvious example is that when Sony entered digital single lens camera market with cheaper price, other major suppliers like Nikon and Cannon did not cut price on existing premium products but expanded product lines to launch cheaper products competing directly to Sony. In short, the barrier is not so high for certain new competitors to come into the industry, but because of the intense reaction from existing players, the impact and threat new comings bring in is moderate. Competitive Advantages Advanced Technology One of the competitive advantages of IMAX and the most distinguishing characteristics that differentiate the company from its competitors is its advanced and unique technology that brings new formats, and other associated system equipment like screen and projector into the industry. The key element contributes to this advantage is that the company was committed to invest in RD. In return, the company was granted many patents that would keep the company in a unique position and from direct competition in the industry. Products Quality Control and Relationship Another IMAX’s competitive advantage is its quality control of products and system implementation. With its distinguishing technology, IMAX had been implementing the system into multiple locations, including multiplexes and education institutions, and because of its strict quality control and maintenance service, the company could maintain good relationship with diverse customers. The agreement of theatrical system implementation and service is an advantage for IMX to generate revenue not only from one-time transactions but long term profit splitting. Brand image and Product Distribution Diversity IMAX has built a unique brand image both from hardware and software perspectives and that also remains the company competitive. First, people would recognize IMAX as a prestigious theatrical system supplier based on their experience from multiple locations. Especially when major multiplex brands and education institutions carry its system, it’s very likely that people would naturally feel IMAX credible. The consequence is beneficial for IMX to expand business later, such as entering home theater system market. From the software perspective, especially the company’s educational entertainment production, not only create revenue other than just from commercial production but catch the trend of increased consumption of educational entertainment. The situation help IMAX build up a unique brand image that its production is not only commercial but educational so that people would have more trust in the company’s future motion picture production. To sum up, although IMAX has several competitive advantages, not all of them will last for too long. For instance, competitors could match up with its advances technology by inventing other formats and once they are accepted by end consumers, it will become a big threat for the company; On the other hand, some advantages could last for a long time once IMAX take good care of them. For example, the brand image being as a well motion picture production supplier is one that can remain in consumers’ minds for a long time and that’s not what new competitors can achieve in a short time. Corporate Advantages From my viewpoint, IMAX has corporate advantages because of its diverse productions from equipment supplier, motion picture production, and distribution industry. However, the most important issue is how to leverage those segments to increase the company’s growth. Business Resources  IMAX’s core business, photographic equipment and supplier, provides capabilities to enhance all its business. The company has created competitive advantages as mentioned and those advantages enhance the company’s business across industries. For instance, for its motion picture production business, all the films are shot in new IMAX formats, film or digital, by the equipment its own supplier segment produces, it reduce huge cost for format conversion compared to other films shot in different formats y other studios. Organization Because of the narrow scope of the business, coordination among different sectors in the organization is critical for IMX. For instance, the vertical integration of the business allows the company to share resources such as instant feedbacks for its RD department from motion picture production sector. By sharing these experience and information, the company will have the ability to forecast and adapt to new opportunities sh ortly in the future for every sectors in its value chain. In short, IMAX’s corporate advantages come from its competitive advantages and vertical integration. Because its business is based on unique technology and coordinated the whole value chain, it is not easy for competitors to imitate and therefore time for its corporate advantages is expected to last. Recommendations Keep Diversity of Production To answer the question that if IMAX would lose its differentiation because of numerous Hollywood films, my recommendation is that IMAX should keep doing converting Hollywood films and at the same time producing educational films. One reason is that format conversion brings good revenue for IMAX and people would be able to tell the difference between Hollywood movies in IMAX format and its own production. On the other hand, IMAX should keep catching on the trend of the increasing consumption of educational entertainment, because the company has been building up a good image distributing films in educational institutions and such would also prevent the erosion of its brand image. Not Sold to Larger Studios  Another recommendation for IMAX is that it should not be sold to a larger studio, and the main reason is that IMAX has already created its own competitive and corporate advantages and they are not easy to imitate. What IMAX should do is properly exploiting its assets, both tangible and intangible. Although the company in motion picture production industry is small and face competitors like Pixar, it should still stay on the track catching the trend by coordination and support from its other business ectors. Expanding Market Production Diversity IMAX’s new technology is standing in a niche market without sustainable growth. Even though the company is able to keep generate great revenue from equipment sales, saturation in USA will become an issue someday. To deal with that, IMAX has to make a short term strategy doing business in USA and expand to global market, because from Exhibit 11, we can see that films generated revenue approximately two time s overseas more as those in USA. However, for long term strategy, IMAX has to find a way to expand its business in a slow-growing market. For instance, the company can expand its product lines into home theater system because the case indicates a high usage rate of DVD, and the system is still highly relevant equipment to the current product lines. By doing so, IMAX can benefit from creating potential revenue from new sources and from keeping its brand image as a innovating company in the equipment supplier industry.

In class essay about play Antigone Essay Example for Free

In class essay about play Antigone Essay Creon, the king of Thebes, is one of the major characters. The author utilized several characters/ foils in order to build up the king’s image, the pride, cruel, stubborn and superior ruler. Through those conflicts, arguments and persuations, the king’s figure was gradually set up and was foreshadowing the tragic ending of his own life. The conflict between Antigone and Creon in the play is very outstanding and intense. Creon commanded that Eteocles would be buried in formal way, meanwhile, Creon also made laws to prevent people from burying Polynices. Let his corpse rot and be eaten by animals. Antigone buried the body without any hesitation that she was violating the laws. Because Antigone believed there is nothing can be superior to the gods, the gods would agree with her action. She argued that Creon, a mere mortal, did not have the power to override the gods, which enraged Creon. The things Antigone believed utterly subverted Creon’s value. In contrast, Creon thought the king’s power overtopped any other thing, all the laws he made should be obeyed no matter they were right or wrong. He also believed once the king made the decision, there is no way that the king was about to make mistake. Nobody should doubt the power of the king. Compare to Antigone, Creon was too pride of being a king, he wallowed in dominant power, forgot and betrayed the traditions of gods. The closed bonding between Antigone and Polynices also urged Antigone to decide to bury his body. Antigone said, once father, mother and brothers passed away, there would never be another one. Antigone treated the dead fairly because she knew let the body of her family rot in the desolate place was cruel, just like killing the person twice. Creon never regard Polynices was his family but a bastard traitor. He did not want to forgive his sin even though he had already received deserved punishment. Creon ignored Antigone’s argument and sentenced her to death. Once again he thought he was doing the right thing, he did not consider about the impact that would fall on Antigone’s fiancà ©, his son Haemon. Creon was cold inside his stone-like heart, which is a great contrast to Antigone’s selfless and devoted characteristic. Heamon was judicious and sensibl, not like his father Creon. Knowing Antigone sentenced to death, Haemon tried to persuade his father in a rational and  peaceful way. He brought up the general opinion from the citizens that Antigone did not deserve death. He pointed out Creon’s mistake and he would admire his father more if he could fix the situation. But Creon did not take in Haemon’s advise. Creon analysed things with a fixed perpective that he was always right. He was pride and irrational. There is no need to consider advises from lower class people, in this case, his son and his citizens. It was conventional that father gave lessons to son. Though Haemon came to argue with a positive and irenic attitude, not to pick up a fight, Cremon distorted his meaning with the assumption he was on Antigone’s side and called his son the woman’s slave. Readers would conclude Cremon was bad at controling his sentiment and was very easy to get maddened. Tiresias, the prophet also came to persuaded Creon. Tiresias encountered strange phenomenon that indicated the gods was angry about the decision Creon had made. He told Creon to change his mind. Creon found his speech so harsh and dreadful. Once again he felt his power was being challenged by other ordinary people, he doubt Tiresias’s purpose and wondered if he came for his own profit. Creon showed no repects for the messenger of gods, Tiresias, same as the gods themselves. This instance lead to the climax of the play, the gods were enraged and Creon was punished for his mistakes. The above three charaters, as the major foils for Creon, their contrasting traits exposed Creon’s peremptory ruling and cruel father image. The intense conflicts also add more tension and help with the development of the plot.

Development And Implementation Of Business Strategy Marketing Essay

Development And Implementation Of Business Strategy Marketing Essay The purpose of this paper is to critically discuss the strategic methods Bavarian Motor Works (BMW Group) applied to become one of the major leading automobile brand today. With reference of BMW automobiles Case Study by Mr. Valeriano Lencioni, I will further examine what happened with the company, what are the different business strategy approaches the company could use to overpower the high competition in the automobile industry, and what is in the future for the company. Like any other business companies, BMW went through rough time when they continuously keep on losing their market share and with the presence of tight competition, everything would have been unsuccessful. With the use of business strategies, BMW was able to determine what went wrong and what they could do to survive the pressure in the industry. Organisations in a similar environment are not identical but have different capabilities. BMW has strategic advantages that sets them apart from its competitors. BMWs resources and competences developed over years for the company to survive and grow. Every company needs a foundation to continuously keep up with its changing environment and with competition. Presently, BMW is a multi-billion company that manufactures several of the best-known cars in the market. BMW has gone way far ahead from its competitors even with the pressure from competition and still manage to survive and even growing and expanding globally. What are these business strategies BMW applied all these years to get there on top? How did the company even manage to be one of the biggest car manufacturers in the present time knowing the company went bankrupt in the year 1961? What is happening in the automobile industry and what is the position of BMW in the competition? Will it still manage to survive in the future? What are the challenges in store for the company for the next 10 years? BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT AND MAIN TRENDS IN 2004 The global car market started decline in 2003, led by the drop in the market in North America and Western Europe. Other regions of the world led by East Asia are seeing further car market expansion in 2003. In 2004, projections for livelier economic growth strengthen the continuation of car market growth in Western Europe and North America. Although how laws can get stricter and how badly it can affect the companies earnings, it also develop new technologies and markets. Another major external factor affecting the current situation of BMW is that industry structure is becoming more intense. BMW is a business which could face problems in the future if it doesnt take into consideration strategic alliances. Although, the problem was that the economy in North America and Western Europe has been affected by the overcapacity in the automobile industry. It became a global economic instability as consumers from the said part of the world decided to reduce spending on non essential goods. There was lower car demand and so, sales was automatically affected. The automobile industry is becoming more and more competitive, with 6 major groups which have recently formed. Car manufacturing presently is largely affected by external social and environmental pressures, which influence both current production practices and the development of future products and technologies. Environmental standards are mostly set by government regulation and even associations within the automobile industry. These acts aim to as anti-emission laws get stricter every year, and companies look to double or triple their fuel efficiency, alternative technologies are being developed to replace the traditional gasoline engines, and have started to hit the market. Increased fuel-economy and decreasing vehicle weight are gradual changes that slowly improve automobile performance; disruptive technologies include new fuel sources such as electricity, solar energy, and fuel cells. Please refer to Appendix III: UK car production in Year 2003. Within the automobile industry, it had too many difficulties and the players in this field have experienced the troubles of surviving. The change is needed as equity prices drops and geopolitical tensions arised, including the related threat to oil prices, all having a negative impact on the economy. Increasing the safety standards for automobiles also mean that nowadays cars take longer time to be developed and manufacturers should now focus on pre-marketing activities, making cars look more desirable to consumers due to their safety. Competitive forces determine the market power of competitors, the kind of competition they engage in, the factors that give some of them a competitive advantage, and the attractiveness of that market compared to others. BMW GROUP Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft (BMW) or Bavarian Motor Works is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1917. The BMW Group is now one of the ten largest car manufacturers in the world and, with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands, possesses three of the strongest premium brands in the car industry. The group also has a strong market position in the motorcycle sector and operates a successful financial services business. The company aims to generate profitable growth and above-average returns by focusing on the premium segments of the international automobile markets. With this in mind, a wide-ranging product and market offensive was initiated in 2001, which has resulted in the BMW Group expanding its product range considerably and strengthening its worldwide market position. The companys brand is extremely strong and is associated with high performance, engineering excellence and innovation. Indeed, the BMW brand is often cited as on e of the best in the world, and the company continues to launch a stream of innovative products as part of its battle with German peer Mercedes to be the worlds largest luxury car maker. II. PESTEL Analysis for BMW; its impact and how these influenced its strategy Organisations, such as BMW, need to look into the macro environment in which they exist, as these factors will have an impact and influence upon their industry. The macro environment is broken up into six main categories forming the PESTEL analysis. Automobile manufacturers must identify and select the issues which are most important to their industry in order to conduct a valid external analysis. Political/ Legal Factors Trade barriers and restrictions, import tariffs and tax policies are critical factors to consider especially for global manufacturers as they can influence the pricing levels of their products in each market and affect the profitability of a company. Also, Environmental protection laws regarding the CO2 emissions; In 2007 the European Commission proposed binding rules to cut CO2 emissions on new cars to 130 gms/km and it shows Porsche whose cars have highest CO2 output fell 2% as a result and average BMW emissions drop to 170g/km. With the threat of legislation looming BMW has shown that even premium car makers can seriously reduce CO2, stated by Jos Dings, Transport and Environment Director. Please refer to Appendix IV: CO2 Emissions by Car Brand Economic Factors The overall economic health of the car industry will have a great effect on each of the industry players. Interest rates, exchange rates and the level of unemployment can also depress demand. Most importantly the level of consumers disposable income is a critical issue particularly for manufacturers such as BMW and Jaguar, who compete in the luxury car market, as an economic downturn can seriously damage sales and revenues. Socio-cultural Factors This is an important factor to consider especially with regard to the luxury car market such as BMW. The particular lifestyles of consumers determine which strategy the organisation should pursue in order to capture the needs of its market effectively. Levels of education also affect the industry, as a highly skilled labour force is required in order to produce high performance and excellently engineered cars. Other factors are the Population demographics, Income distribution, Social mobility, Attitudes to work and leisure and Environmental concern of the market. Technological With many organisations competing with one another innovation and technological developments can help differentiate the companys product. Years ago the level of technology that was available, limited and restricted the models and designs car manufacturers could produce. Nowadays, technology has significantly moved on and companies can deliver more and more to their customers resulting in fierce competition amongst industry players to stay ahead of the market and be the best. By incorporating the latest technology advancements, car producers can lead the market in this field and achieve a competitive advantage. Environmental Although not a major driving force, manufacturers must be aware of the advantages in producing cleaner cars as there is now greater emphasis on protecting the environment. BMW have taken this into consideration and launched their Hybrid model. The result is a reduction in fuel consumption by up to 20 per cent compared with a comparable BMW running on a combustion engine alone or it could be driven by electric power only, on the combustion engine alone, or with a combination of both power units. III. BMWs competitive advantage According to Mr Lencioni, the car market was already full of good quality cars and consumers found very few ways to distinguish between many of the available brands and models. Quality was no longer an issue in the industry since most models were well built and reliable. Design and Brand Appeal became the distinguishing elements and customers choice factors. Companies that had given attention to the look of their automobiles, even this strategy can only make small gains, rather than losing market share. With this realisation, Design became the biggest factor in the fight for market share, as this feature grabbed customers attention. And with this action, automobile companies had to hire the most talented car designers which leads to massive costs for the company as well as the car prices. Pursuing quality and appeal in design was putting pressure on companies resources, so was brand building and management. It had become clear that a brand identity was one of the most effective ways to be more competitive in an industry where more and more products came to the market. BMW brand which is the circular blue and white logo represents an aircraft propeller. As company grew, the emblem evolved as the white and blue colours of the flag of Bavaria. The logo has made it easier for people to remember and has given the company more recognition. The BMW logo represents power, stylish and elegance, thus making BMW much more competitive in the market. Please refer to Appendix V: BMW logo. Apart from brand and design, BMW has able to survive through developing strong customer knowledge, special levels of service and access to distribution channels. Another method we could clearly understand the competitive advantage of BMW is through its strength of five forces. Please refer to Appendix VI: The Five Forces that Shape Industry Competition. Threat of new entrants Analyse shows that threat for new entrants is low mainly due to huge capital and cutting-edge technology. Car industry is highly depended on their suppliers, because of advancement of technology and materials needed to build car. Even though all firms produce cars, no two firms are totally different and no two firms are exactly the same. Strategic group maps display different competitive positions that rival firms occupy. Based on Information contained in perceptual map it is easy to notice that more and more firms are going into all sort of alliances which help to offer more and more cheap cars. Additionally, there are many substitutes, but these decrease if the special features of material increase. Bargaining power of suppliers and buyers Overall suppliers are weak because they are spread all over the world and cannot easily integrate forward, however more and more companies move into close partnerships with suppliers, even by acquiring them in order to reduce costs and exclusivity. The buyer concentration ratio and information availability is high as well as ratio of firms producing cars, on the other hand the power of buyers is weak due to low demand for non-consumer goods- automobile, high switching costs and low ability to backward integrate. The threats of substitutes are moderately strong because there are many different and less expensive transportation facilities. On the other hand, intense rivalry is strong because the major players are dominant in the market by nearly same technology and manufacturing processes, suppliers relationship and distribution systems. The ease of differentiating cars and price based competition. BMW is looking at entering into alliances, joint ventures, partnerships as it is the safest way of securing a market share, product attractiveness and competitive prices. In a decision to purchase a BMW product or that of the competitor, an individual will be influenced by a group of people that he or she wants to join; people in a certain social class or in a certain income level. There are also three factors that affect the buyer behaviour that a marketer must consider; they are social, personal and psychological. It will therefore be highlighted how these factors affect the consumer behaviour and in turn how the consumer behaviour affects the buying decisions. Competitive rivalry within industry BMWs attractive product variations were a very good source of strength. BMW is having a repetition of building a driving machine that respond really good and enjoyably to their drivers commands whilst also providing the safety, style, quality, reliability, and durability that help make long term ownership. On the other hand BMWs factories are measured very supple and most dynamic in Germany utilising the latest technology in each phase of its value chain. All the above strengths and many others has places BMW in a good position with respect to the main strong competitors in terms of performance, features, dealer networks , foreign markets, for example Lexus, Mercedes-Benz or Cadillac where rivalry among these competitors increases when they compete globally in US car market, Europe and Eastern Europe and South-east Asia, but BMW strong brand is more costly to be switched especially for quality conscious customers which makes strong competitors. Please refer to Appendix VII: Global ve hicle production and financial performance 2005-2006. Threat of substitute products The global marketplace is in jeopardy by lower car demand in North America and Western Europe, both comparatively established car markets that have been badly impacted by high-energy prices and very less consumer response. The global automotive market is extremely competitive. Many large businesses operate on a worldwide scale. Competitors are constantly trying to find new technologies and markets to increase global market share. Recent years have seen globalisation and consolidation strategies increase by competitors resulting in competition intensifying. BMW faces strong competition worldwide in the luxury saloon market. Traditional competition, which has always been strong from Mercedes and Audi, has intensified with the emergence of Lexus as a major player, along came Fords new model, Lincoln. IV. The future challenges for BMW BMW has modernised model almost after every few months that might shift emphasis on getting a new model to market rather than focusing on issues that may develop with existing models, issues such as software, and mechanical problems. Reflecting this possibility, BMW stock shares have dropped 41% in year 2002 as it was relying too heavily on one model, the 1 Series to uphold its high edge. BMW also earning profits due to the strong sales of the loaded models of the Mini but need to diversify, or in other words not keep all their eggs in one basket. Although this can also be identified as strength it can also be a true weakness. Strong competition with the major players that BMW needs to look out for, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and even Cadillac. As an example, the Lexus RX300 SUV rivals the BMW X5; the Mercedes E-Class still outsells the BMW 5 Series worldwide; Audi 3, 6 and 8 Series compete directly with BMWs 3, 5 and 7 Series; Cadillac which has a whole new generation of models, leaving buyers with strong power in building preferences. The 1 series may weaken the BMW trademark with comparison to 7 Series buyers, the 1 Series models may be viewed as cheaper cars with less quality. It could also be viewed as a tactic for BMW to obtain higher sales volumes. V. The Global Business Environment A combination of strategic models and frameworks will be used to critically evaluate the competitive landscape of the car industry in order to identify the prevailing conditions in the wider environment and the dynamics of the industry that can ultimately impact and influence HONDA and BMW car manufacturers. Car industry represents oligopolistic type of market with differentiated product features, unrestricted but hard to force entry barriers, strong competition and few dominant firms that hold most of market share. Governments rely on the car sector as well as related suppliers and services in terms of employment, taxation, GDP and balance of payments. Demand fluctuations are appearing between country markets. Increase in taxations of production which represents significant government revenue. In 1980 there were thirty car manufactures, by 2000 this had fallen to thirteen where smaller manufactures (Saab, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, and Volvo) were bought by larger companies (General Motors, BMW, Ford) Changing the upstream supply chain as component suppliers split into layers and become total solution providers. Full cell technology will replace safety as the number one technology issue. The volume of traffic in many cities around the world is forcing governments to consider a range of road pricing, congestion charging, and car and petrol taxation measures to encourage more use of public transport, potentially reducing demand for cars. High competition encourages manufacturers to locate plants in low-wage countries (Hungary, Brazil, Romania) generating job loss and resentment in traditional car manufacturing countries (Britain, America) Global demand has also emerged extensively. Please refer to Appendix VIII: Development in global demand in from the year 2004 to 2012. VI. Development and implementation of Business Strategy The automotive industry is always seeing new legislation appearing on matters such as safety and the environment. For example legislation on end of life of vehicles changed practices of many car manufacturers in 2002 and 2003 regarding materials used in car manufacture and other factors. BMW successful competitive strategies are grounded on the brand representation of BMW as a constructive and powerful; BMW reflects typically style, high value, up-to-date manufacturing and good performance to an object audience. Customer Feelings BMW is perceived as Quality Company and therefore seen as producing quality products. As a result, it is accepted among customers that BMW might charge higher prices. The BMW Group stays in fifth place amongst the worlds car manufacturers. Based on the external challenges, opportunities and potential future trends in the industry BMW should consider technological innovations looking at government policies concerning environmental issues. BMW should consider product innovation to reduce toxic emissions and to develop more efficient engines such as full cell technology which will replace standard car engines. BMW should consider all opportunities and take advantage of its strengths. Looking at the macro environment BMW should carefully examine world sales of cars, customers behaviour and shift in economy such as interest rates. For BMW to stay ahead in terms of competition and remain gaining market share, the company should understand the increasing weight in the global automotive market in developing countries and emerging markets. Collaboration between companies should be maximised in order for BMW to remain competitive and create strong links with suppliers due to soaring prices for steel, aluminium, precious metals and plastic. Cross boarder alliances and mergers should be considered by BMW in order to draw near to the Asian car manufacturers. BMW has noted that sales of its 7-Series model are up in the US, the product has been met with less enthusiasm in Europe. As Germany remains the companys most important market, this may be classed as a risk. A commonly held view is the radical restyling of the 7-Series has failed to excite the traditional BMW driver. This may be especially worrying given the releases of the new 5- and 6-Series models, as they are believed to have undergone restyling as well. If the designs prove to be too innovative or radical, the companys short-term growth could be seriously impacted. The risks associated with the introduction of a number of new models into an underperforming segment are only likely to increase the threat of failure within the segment. Competitive Strategy fitting with the Maturing Automotive industry Looking on the Automotive Industry in general we can see that it is in a maturing life cycle, where nearly all potential buyers are already users of the industry products, demand consists mainly of replacement, with growth totally depends on the competing firms abilities to attract new buyers and convince existing buyers to upgrade their usage, also the critical success factor (CSF) is mainly the cost efficiency. Throughout the firms Industry Life Cycles (ILC) many challenges faces the BMW corporate managers that needs to tailor BMW strategy , these changes on the strategy called the Strategy Fit , essentially managers will depend on certain input factors which are weighted when choosing the best strategy to fit the current ILC, these factors that affects managers decisions in choosing the company strategy depends on the industry life cycle phase introduction, growth, mature, decline, focusing on maturing and growth ILC phases as they are related to the selected companies. Maturing i ndustries challenges are mainly the slow growth in demand which generates more head to head competition, buyer become more sophisticated more familiar with competing brands with hard bargaining due to repeated purchases, for BMW more focus is on service and price combination competition, challenge of innovating new product feature of find further use of the product current features to keep attracting buyers attention. VII. BMW Strategic Effectiveness in the Market BMW took good steps in driving the costs down by focusing on the design and production, it activates Operation activity in the value chain, although the shared component is a good idea for cost reduction, but also BMW high different in the prices of its product series could be an important factor in customer perception to the concept of the product features and design, perhaps focusing more on other cost reduction areas and avoid disturbance to customer perception can be a recommended option . Based on the research it is possible to distinguish customers who follow standard patterns; buying affordable but comfortable medium size cars, are those aged between 20 and 40 years old, regardless of the sex but dependant on income and household status. These clients tend to have more urbanised and settled lifestyle. On the other hand those at middle age, male with high income and preferences tend to pay fortunes regardless comfort, fuel usage or environment issues. With regards to a variety of car models it is impossible to aim at mass market just with standard type of car. More applicable is a differentiated marketing strategy like those developed by GM, Ford and Daimler Chrysler which target clients at high and low income and offers cars with separate marketing and mixed variables. This strategy favours merger and acquisitions to overcome mobility barriers and gain presence also in luxury car segment. Strategic success for BMW in maturing industries by introducing a wide selection of features in the products, enhancing the industry value chain for example increase use of advanced technology, integrate the suppliers by internet to streamline various value chain activities, drive down unit cost, developing more economical product design, increasing sales to present customers using promotions or more services, acquiring rival firms at bargain price, expanding internationally, adapting core competency according to customer requirements and expectations and pushing it towards distinctive competency where the firm better then rivals . As part of BMW strategy tailoring by developing more economical product design, and focusing more on the technology innovation that reduces the cost in the overall value chain, for example BMW has been using new technology called RoDip-3, it is a new method for pre-treatment of the electro coating vehicle bodies that provides many enhancements and reduce cost to this process as explained by Christoph Klocke from BMW group. The first of these new pre-treatment and electro coating plants to be installed anywhere in the world is now operating in BMW group. Being one of the market leaders, BMW was very successful in adapting its Sales strategy with customer new needs and new preferences, BMW offered the BMW financial service to facilitate the customer financial payments utilising the Internet technology and many payments facilities. VIII. Conclusion In order for BMW to compete effectively within their industry, they must first identify which issues are critical in achieving successful competitive strategies. Decisions concerning the direction and development of the company must take into consideration the whole range of external issues, which have been covered throughout this report. The significant factors affecting BMW have been raised and are summarised below. These issues are critical to BMWs success. Size of organisation There are many acquisitions and mergers between industry players and so a small sized companies such as BMW must understand their vulnerability have merged with other companies to fight off industry giants. Mass market organisations also need to achieve economies of scale to remain profitable, whereas for manufacturers in the luxury niche markets this is not as vital as they charge premium prices and achieve very high profit margins. Quality of resources High quality of resources can help companies achieve a competitive advantage over others. Quality is seen as a key success factors to becoming successful within the market. Technology and Innovation Customers are demanding newer products and developments in technology and innovation can achieve this. Using the latest technology will once again strengthen the companys competitive position in the marketplace. Strong Brand image BMW has and can continue to build up a strong brand image through high quality resources. This is essential in the automobile industry as it creates a unique position in the marketplace and builds up customer loyalty making it difficult for other competitors to steal market share. Differentiation This is the key to survival. Companies can either differentiate themselves on price or through their unique characteristics of their products. Differentiating themselves from competitors gives the company a strong competitive advantage as they offer customers something exclusive, which competitors do not already provide. IX. References Ahlstrom, J. and E. Sjostrom. (2005). CSOs and Business Partnerships: Strategies for interaction, Business Strategy and the Environment 14(4), 230240. Balogun, J., and G. Johnson. (2005) From intended strategies to unintended outcomes: The impact of change recipient sensemaking. Organisation Studies 26/11: 15731601. Blank, H. D. and Carty, C. M. (2005) The Eco-Efficiency Anomaly, Journal of Investing (in press) Chow I, Holbert N, Kelley L and Yu J, (2004), Business Strategy An Asia Pacific Focus, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall Clark, E. (2004) Power, action and constraint in strategic management: Explaining enterprise restructuring in the Czech republic. Organisation Studies 25/4: 607627. Coe, N.; Hess, M.;Yeung, H.W.-c.; Dicken, P.; and Henderson, J. (2004). Globalizing regional development: A global production networks perspective. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 29:468-84. Floricel, S., and A. Langley (2004) Strategy as dynamic leverage. Conference of the European Group of Organisation Science, Ljubljana, May. Gereffi, G., Humphrey, J., and Sturgeon, T. (2004), The Governance of Global Value Chains, Review of International Political Economy, 12, 1, 78104. Gertler, M. S. (2004). Manufacturing culture: The institutional geography of industrial practice. New York: Oxford University Press. Gharib, M. and E. Wahlqvist (2004) A standardisation Story and its Paradox: Creating Credibility for the Business Social Compliance Initiative. Goetschalckx, Mark, Bernhard Fleischmann. (2005). Strategic network planning. H. Stadtler, C. Kilger, eds. Supply Chain Management and Advanced Planning, 3rd ed. Springer, BerlinHeidelberg, Germany, 117-137. Hart, S. L. and S. Sharma. (2004) Engaging Fringe Stakeholders for Competitive Imagination, Academy of Management Executive 18(1), 7-1. Holmstrom, J. and D. Robey. (2005). Understanding its Organizational Consequences: An Actor Network Theory Approach, in B. Czarniawska and T. Hernes (eds.), Actor Network Theory and Organizing (Copenhagen Business School Press, Copenhagen), pp. 165187. Jarzabkowski, P. (2004) Strategy as practice: recursiveness, adaptation, and practices-in-use. Organisation Studies 25/4: 529560. Johnson G, Scholes K and Whittington R (2008), Exploring Corporate Strategy Text and Cases, 8th Edition, FT Prentice Hall. Johnson G. Scholes K. and Whittington R. (2005) Strategic analysis of BMW Exploring Corporate Strategy. By signing this page I am stating that the work contained in this report is my own work and has not been plagiarised from other sources. I understand that my work will not be marked if more than 15% of the content is found to be plagiarised. Name: Date: Signature:

Those Winter Sundays Essay -- essays research papers

Knowing Your Father Being a child is one of the hardest stages in a person’s life. They go through doing all the wrong things in order to learn how to do the right things, and then they socially develop into a sensible mature adult. During this stage of a young child's life, the roles of parenting are absolutely crucial and determine a child’s role that he/she is going to play in society in the future. This is a crucial part of everyone’s life, they need to learn what they are good at and what they are not good at. In the poem "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden, there is a sense that the narrator does not have a special bond with his father when he was a young boy, and that there is a sense of fear toward his father. I feel that in order to grow up and be a morally strong-stable person, you need a well-built relationship with at least one of your parents, if not both. Which was more common back then than now. Growing up in a very suburban town taught me many things about being a boy and even further into my life as then becoming a young man. I spent most of my childhood days running around the desert with my motorcycle, riding in the dirt track I had, or helping my father with some project that he had around the house or in the garage with the cars. I used to always come back to him with everything for help and the support that I needed. I would run up to the house, break his concentration, and he would come help me with whatever I needed help with. He al...

Letter to Complain to the Creator of the Simpsons Matt Groening :: essays research papers

To Matt Groening (Creator of the Simpsons), I am writing to you regarding a particularly concerning episode of the Simpsons. I am a big fan of the simpsons and have enjoyed watching it for years, and until this day have never had to complain about it. I am shocked, furious and appalled about the way you, in the episode blood feud, represented the elderly in a very stereotypical way, the use of inappropriate language, the showing of death also the disgusting display of nudity. I am aware that many people find these things funny, you may well be one of them, but I am not, neither are the hundreds and thousands of parents who have had to punish their children because they have imitated the simpsons and consequently hurt themselves or some other innocent person. Firstly I would like to inform you, because you obviously you do not already know, that in our modern society it is up to us to teach our children respect for the elderly, it is already hard enough with out you showing the elderly to be cruel, greedy and in homers fathers case boring. I understand that a lot of characters are stereotypical in your show to make it funny, but I advise you in future to make the characters less offending. Secondly the amount of unnecessary violence is not funny, Is not attracting more viewers and is not good for children to see. It is teaching children :?if some body annoys me I can only make the situation better by strangling him or her.? Thirdly I must express my concern for the sickening display of nudity. I must say Mr.Burns?s bottom is not a very pleasant sight. I would appreciate it if you thought long and hard if this high level of nudity is necessary. my forth point I would like you to take into consideration is the scene which shows Mr.

The Arguments For and Against Coastal Protection Schemes :: Papers

The Arguments For and Against Coastal Protection Schemes The sea is constantly eroding the coastline. This destroys property, and people living nearby have reduced value on their houses. Natural beauty spots and walks are lost, reducing tourism in seaside towns. Solutions to this are coastal protection schemes that slow the waves down and delay the process of erosion on the cliffs. The arguments for sea defence schemes are as followsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Sea protection plans help to prevent further loss of economy caused by coastal erosion, for example; reduced property prices in 'at-risk' areas, less tourism due to destruction of tourist spots (which results in less money), and the replacement of important sites e.g.: industrial areas, ports and places of historical and geological interest would be expensive. Coastal protection schemes protect the habitats of plant and wildlife, which cannot be replaced. The arguments against sea defence schemes areà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Most sea defence schemes are expensive to build and maintain, and this money is taken from taxpayers. Some people say their money is wasted, because the coastal defences themselves will eventually be eroded away. Coastal defences create visual pollution, and ruin the natural atmosphere of the beach. Also, if they are poorly maintained, they may pose a hazard to swimmers and sunbathers. Methods of protecting the coast are: Sea wall. This is a barrier that reflects the waves and withstands storms, completely protecting the cliff. Although they effectively reduce erosion, they are costly at  £6000 per metre, and spoil the natural view of the coast. Beach Re-building. The sand on a beach inhibits the sea from eroding the coast as much, by absorbing some energy from the waves as they hit the shore and slows them down as they go up the slope to the cliff. This costs  £3 per cubic metre. Groynes are small walls that jut out into the sea to stop the sand (that protects the cliff) being washed away. These cost  £10000 each. But as groynes collect sand to stop it from being carried away, the amount of sand on the other side of the

I am malala

Independent Reading l. Cultural Connections Mall Housefly is the protagonist, narrator, and author of I Am Mall. She is born into a religious Pakistan family in Swat during a time of women oppression. Housefly makes a point to write about her happiness and freedom before Taliban took over. Her Pakistan heritage encourages many cultural traditions including dressing conservatively. Women are instructed to show respect by wearing bursas, which covered their face and body. The role of women is to cook and care for their families, â€Å"We'd [women] be expected to cook and serve our brothers and fathers.While boys and men could roam freely about town, my mother and I could not go out without a male relative to accompany us, even if it was a five-year-old boy! This was the tradition† (26). Mall is a smart girl who had correct morals and beliefs. Her two priorities are religion and education. Mall does not agree with Taliban laws, including the emphasis of education only available f or men. Mammal's father, too, believes that such a thing was wrong. Her father and the holy Quern support her to stick up for what she believed in.She speaks on behalf of the community and those ho were afraid to speak up, â€Å"The more interviews I gave, the stronger I felt and more support we received† (141). This courage leads her to win the Noble Peace Prize. Written in her perspective, Mall uses many of her own experiences throughout the novel. â€Å"She [Amoeba] always says, ‘l have four brothers, and if I do even the slightest thing wrong they can stop me from going to school† (77). Mall explains both the history of women oppression and her own personal experiences to depict the horrible conditions in Pakistan.II. Vocabulary in Context Charisma: compelling charm that can inspire devotion in others; â€Å"Even today people elk of Mr.. Bout as a man of great charisma† (20). This word attracted me because it is in 100 Words to Make You Sound Smart. It promotes Mr.. Bathtub's character. Chapatti: unleavened flattered made from flour and water; â€Å"My mother made our usual breakfast of sugary tea, chapattis, and fried egg† (118). This word attracted me because I was unfamiliar with it. It describes the food Mammal's culture ate on a normal day.Martyr: a person who is killed because of their religious beliefs; â€Å"Some of the girls refused, saying that their teachers had taught them that to become a martyr s a glorious thing† (66). This word attracted me because I was unfamiliar with it. It encourages religion as the number one priority in their culture. Unexamined: Islamic soldiers; â€Å"The unexamined will find you wherever you go' (105). I chose this word because it is an Urdu term. It describes the threat to Mammal's father, telling him to shut down his school.Blasphemous: profound; â€Å"Muslims widely considered it blasphemous and it provoked so much outrage that it seemed people were talking of little el se† (27). I chose this word because it reminded me of ‘lurid' from 100 Words to Make You Sound Smart. It describes how angry Muslims were about the book published that was considered a parody of the Prophet's life. Burma: a long garment that covers everything from head to toe that Muslim women wear in public; â€Å"Wearing a Burma is like walking inside big fabric shuttlecock with only a grille to see through and on hot days it's like an oven† (37).This word attracted me because it was surrounded by similes. It describes the clothing women had to wear, supporting the idea that women do not have it easy. Aba: affectionate Urdu term meaning â€Å"father†; â€Å"Aba, I am confused. ‘ I told my father† (101). This word attracted me because ABA means father in Hebrew, too. This word describes how Mall was bilingual as sometimes she refers to her father in Urdu. Barbaric: exceedingly brutal; â€Å"If anything the Taliban became even more barbaricâ⠂¬  (86). This word attracted me because my brother used to use it frequently in his vocabulary.This word describes how cruel and powerful the Taliban became. Commiserated: express sympathy or pity; â€Å"When I was born, people in our village commiserated with my mother and nobody congratulated my father† (1). This word attracted me because I was unfamiliar with it. It describes the tragedy that it was to be a girl at the time. Autonomous: having self- government; â€Å"†¦ We went with the newly created Pakistan but stayed autonomous† (13). This word attracted me because I was unfamiliar with it.It is used to describe the independence once Britain divided from India. Ill. Writers' reflection: Throughout the novel, despite all of her misfortunes, Mall manages to keep a strong and optimistic attitude. Even in the hospital while she was struggling to survive, Mall does not want to seek revenge on the people that hurt her, â€Å"I didn't even think a single bad tho ught about the man who shot me-?I had no thoughts of revenge-?I Just wanted to go back to Swat. I wanted to go home† (282). This quotation shows how Mall never had bad intentions.She believes that if one takes revenge for wrongdoings done to them, the fighting would go on and on, â€Å"There is no time limit† (39). Mammal's writing is consistent in that she effectively delivered personal and emotional stories. She uses figurative language including imagery and similes to create a picture in readers' minds to help them further understand her perspective, Our words were like the eucalyptus blossoms of spring tossed away on the wind† (142). This quotation explains how her voice was not heard right away.It took time and effort, and so will most things people speak up for. She teaches readers not to give up on what matters to them. She uses a metaphor to describe the relationship between her and her father . â€Å"†¦ L was his universe† (246). Together, the y worked to get their voices heard. The diction throughout the novel is mostly informal. However, towards the end when she wins the award and meets highly respected officials, her beech becomes more formal, â€Å"l will request you all, and I will request that if you can help us in our education, so please help us† (184).Overall, I enjoyed Houseboat's story. I think that she shared many important lessons. Reading the book in her perspective opened my eyes and made me grateful to have as much freedom as I do. It amazes me that I am the same age as Mall, for she has accomplished so much in her life. Mall Yugoslavia is an inspiration to me and an inspiration to all. I am malala Independent Reading l. Cultural Connections Mall Housefly is the protagonist, narrator, and author of I Am Mall. She is born into a religious Pakistan family in Swat during a time of women oppression. Housefly makes a point to write about her happiness and freedom before Taliban took over. Her Pakistan heritage encourages many cultural traditions including dressing conservatively. Women are instructed to show respect by wearing bursas, which covered their face and body. The role of women is to cook and care for their families, â€Å"We'd [women] be expected to cook and serve our brothers and fathers.While boys and men could roam freely about town, my mother and I could not go out without a male relative to accompany us, even if it was a five-year-old boy! This was the tradition† (26). Mall is a smart girl who had correct morals and beliefs. Her two priorities are religion and education. Mall does not agree with Taliban laws, including the emphasis of education only available f or men. Mammal's father, too, believes that such a thing was wrong. Her father and the holy Quern support her to stick up for what she believed in.She speaks on behalf of the community and those ho were afraid to speak up, â€Å"The more interviews I gave, the stronger I felt and more support we received† (141). This courage leads her to win the Noble Peace Prize. Written in her perspective, Mall uses many of her own experiences throughout the novel. â€Å"She [Amoeba] always says, ‘l have four brothers, and if I do even the slightest thing wrong they can stop me from going to school† (77). Mall explains both the history of women oppression and her own personal experiences to depict the horrible conditions in Pakistan.II. Vocabulary in Context Charisma: compelling charm that can inspire devotion in others; â€Å"Even today people elk of Mr.. Bout as a man of great charisma† (20). This word attracted me because it is in 100 Words to Make You Sound Smart. It promotes Mr.. Bathtub's character. Chapatti: unleavened flattered made from flour and water; â€Å"My mother made our usual breakfast of sugary tea, chapattis, and fried egg† (118). This word attracted me because I was unfamiliar with it. It describes the food Mammal's culture ate on a normal day.Martyr: a person who is killed because of their religious beliefs; â€Å"Some of the girls refused, saying that their teachers had taught them that to become a martyr s a glorious thing† (66). This word attracted me because I was unfamiliar with it. It encourages religion as the number one priority in their culture. Unexamined: Islamic soldiers; â€Å"The unexamined will find you wherever you go' (105). I chose this word because it is an Urdu term. It describes the threat to Mammal's father, telling him to shut down his school.Blasphemous: profound; â€Å"Muslims widely considered it blasphemous and it provoked so much outrage that it seemed people were talking of little el se† (27). I chose this word because it reminded me of ‘lurid' from 100 Words to Make You Sound Smart. It describes how angry Muslims were about the book published that was considered a parody of the Prophet's life. Burma: a long garment that covers everything from head to toe that Muslim women wear in public; â€Å"Wearing a Burma is like walking inside big fabric shuttlecock with only a grille to see through and on hot days it's like an oven† (37).This word attracted me because it was surrounded by similes. It describes the clothing women had to wear, supporting the idea that women do not have it easy. Aba: affectionate Urdu term meaning â€Å"father†; â€Å"Aba, I am confused. ‘ I told my father† (101). This word attracted me because ABA means father in Hebrew, too. This word describes how Mall was bilingual as sometimes she refers to her father in Urdu. Barbaric: exceedingly brutal; â€Å"If anything the Taliban became even more barbaricâ⠂¬  (86). This word attracted me because my brother used to use it frequently in his vocabulary.This word describes how cruel and powerful the Taliban became. Commiserated: express sympathy or pity; â€Å"When I was born, people in our village commiserated with my mother and nobody congratulated my father† (1). This word attracted me because I was unfamiliar with it. It describes the tragedy that it was to be a girl at the time. Autonomous: having self- government; â€Å"†¦ We went with the newly created Pakistan but stayed autonomous† (13). This word attracted me because I was unfamiliar with it.It is used to describe the independence once Britain divided from India. Ill. Writers' reflection: Throughout the novel, despite all of her misfortunes, Mall manages to keep a strong and optimistic attitude. Even in the hospital while she was struggling to survive, Mall does not want to seek revenge on the people that hurt her, â€Å"I didn't even think a single bad tho ught about the man who shot me-?I had no thoughts of revenge-?I Just wanted to go back to Swat. I wanted to go home† (282). This quotation shows how Mall never had bad intentions.She believes that if one takes revenge for wrongdoings done to them, the fighting would go on and on, â€Å"There is no time limit† (39). Mammal's writing is consistent in that she effectively delivered personal and emotional stories. She uses figurative language including imagery and similes to create a picture in readers' minds to help them further understand her perspective, Our words were like the eucalyptus blossoms of spring tossed away on the wind† (142). This quotation explains how her voice was not heard right away.It took time and effort, and so will most things people speak up for. She teaches readers not to give up on what matters to them. She uses a metaphor to describe the relationship between her and her father . â€Å"†¦ L was his universe† (246). Together, the y worked to get their voices heard. The diction throughout the novel is mostly informal. However, towards the end when she wins the award and meets highly respected officials, her beech becomes more formal, â€Å"l will request you all, and I will request that if you can help us in our education, so please help us† (184).Overall, I enjoyed Houseboat's story. I think that she shared many important lessons. Reading the book in her perspective opened my eyes and made me grateful to have as much freedom as I do. It amazes me that I am the same age as Mall, for she has accomplished so much in her life. Mall Yugoslavia is an inspiration to me and an inspiration to all.

Discuss the Importance of Dreams in Of Mice and Men Essay

The book ‘Of Mice and Men’ was published in September, 1937 and was set in the depression of the 1930s in California at the location of Soledad. Steinbeck uses ‘Soledad’ because it translates as loneliness which arises the point that the time in which this book was set was a time of loneliness where it was very unusual to have a companion or family with you which led to the existence of dreams; to look forward to more pleasant and happier times. At this time: 1930s America, most Americans had the so-called American Dream. This was to own their own piece of land as well as being the boss of it. This was the common dream amongst ranch workers to have something to live for and aid them with their loneliness. The dream came into existence in the 1800s when land was more readily available. By the 1930s, when this novella was set, it was almost impossible to make their dreams a reality due to the 1929 Wall Street stock market collapse which had resulted in prices increasing drastically, and more importantly; there was a desperate act of poverty making people sell what they had and live on the streets. This is what led to the rugged individualism of each person. As well as this, it was made even more difficult as most land had been bought beforehand. It is due to the Wall Street Crash that many went to California for work. President Roosevelt at that time had the job of directing workers such as George and Lennie to ranches or farms where there was work. Steinbeck uses Lennie and George to personify the dream of the migrant worker; own their own land along with giving the opportunity to settle in the ‘promised land (California)’. Migrant workers are labourers who work on ranches as harvesters involving lifting heavy materials; hard work for little wages. They have no family or friends as they continuously travel to different ranches in California in order to keep work. This is how workers had to get jobs and was the way of life for migrant workers. In relation to this, work card were important as it gave them a work permit which ranch owners required when recruiting. In comparison to modern day working conditions, workers such as George and Lennie would not receive holidays, sickness payments or old age pensions from their ranch. Therefore, futures for most men looked bleak. Without dreams, no-one would have reason to keep going. An example of this is Lennie wanting his own animals in the future to ‘pet.’ There is symbolism within the book that refers to the Garden of Eden. He sets the scene of this by using description such as â€Å"Willows fresh and green with every spring† which could be interpreted as referring to the Garden of Eden. I believe Steinbeck is trying to put across the imperfectness of humans along with temptation and results of doing a â€Å"bad thing† (said by Lennie). Lennie shows that temptation causes him to lose his way and represents the imperfection of humans. His desire to pet soft objects without foreseeing the consequences puts him on a collision course with others. Also, the girl in Weed and Curley’s wife are both temptations that made his curiosity grow and he could not resist. Curley’s wife could be seen as the serpent in the garden; a liar, a temptation, a manipulator of men to get her way. Like Eve, she is curious, in this case about Lennie. Her actions are innocent but the outcomes are bad, (telling Lennie to touch her soft hair in the barn which leads to her death) just as Eve’s actions caused them and human beings to be sent of the ‘perfect place.’ Curley’s wife’s actions tempt Lennie whose actions cause him along with the others to lose their dream of a little farm. Lastly, Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden for going against God; therefore mankind is in loneliness and wandering. Steinbeck shows this when George asks who used to live on his bunk with Candy replying that he had just left: â€Å"gimme my time one might like any guy would.† After this, George then brings Lennie along which creates suspicion because two men didn’t travel together; â€Å"Hardly none of the guys ever travel together.† There was a big contrast in the timeless rural vision of America and what was to all but end this: the 1930s Depression. The vision was that workers will move up the ranks of working to eventually own their individual land; however this would never be when the 1930s Depression occurred. There was a big drop in every economic growth along with very high unemployment. It also resulted in countries leaving the gold standard in order to recover. These reasons helped the American Dream to not be a successful one for so many. Steinbeck is effective and does well to imply that there is another world other then the perfect one that was envisaged by everyone by saying: â€Å"beaten hard by the boys coming down from the ranches† and â€Å"beaten hard by tramps who come wearily down from the highway.† Words such as â€Å"beaten hard† and â€Å"tramps† suggest this other world and show the stark contrast between dreams and reality. The main characters include George, who is a small, quick man with well-defined features. He is a migrant ranch worker who dreams of one day saving enough money to buy his own place and being his own boss, many men in the Depression dreamed of this. His only set back is his mentally handicapped friend Lennie whom he travels with and has been since he promised Lennie’s Aunt Clara he would look after him after she died. Looking after Lennie stops George from working towards his dream and even prevent him from having a normal life of a rancher, because of this, George and Lennie regularly fight. George yearns for companionship as can be told by the metaphor of him playing solitaire. The tension of having to look after Lennie and himself shows in George and he shows a wide variety of emotions during the novella, from anger to patience to sadness. Lennie is mentally slow, he’s enormous. He is George’s companion and he is the source of the all the novel’s conflict. He is George’s opposite both mentally and physically. Lennie’s innocence and helplessness, his childish actions, such is his desire to pet soft things makes him likeable to the readers of the novella. George and Lennie’s dream is more materialistic than to just own land and be their own boss, as they envision a place where â€Å"nobody gona get hurt nor steal from them.† The friendship between the two is firmly rooted in their dream. Candy and Crooks along with others are also caught up in the dream. Curly’s wife also had a dream which was to become a movie star. But in one way or another, all the dreams of these workers are smashed.