Mark Antony: Loyal Friend or Cunning Politician Essay

Mark Antony was a cunning, strong-willed, and loyal Roman. He was a devoted friend to Caesar. He looked at life as a game in which he had a significant part to play, and played that part with excellent refinement and skill. Antony was a devoted follower of Julius Caesar. Because he was a good friend, he was willing to be second hand to Caesar, the new king. Whilst Caesar would become the king, the most valuable but least powerful piece in chess, he would become the rook, a semi-valuable, very important piece. He wanted the crown to be given to Caesar so that the political vacuum would be filled and no conflicts would occur. Antony was unsettled by Caesar’s death but mainly sought to use this to his advantage and gain power. He showed how clever and cunning he could be when he convinced the crowd at Caesar’s funeral ceremony to side with him and not with the murderers. The people became excited and rowdy when he teased them about the will, waving it in the air and pretending as if he was not going to read it. Antony took advantage of the public idiocy when he first pretended to respect the conspirators calling them honorable men, and then slowly proving that they were not. He spoke out against them because he wanted power for himself, and unlike Brutus, he was politically ambitious and so believed that if he could take control while the state was in turmoil, he will remain in power. He was alone in making this oration, showing he had the confidence and courage needed to take charge. Rome began to collapse once Caesar was killed, so Antony joined the new government in order to lead the Roman people into a new age of prosperity. He did this partly due to a feeling of responsibility as Caesar’s friend, and also from his own ambitions. Antony was viewed as a threat by all of the conspirators but Brutus. They wanted to kill Antony as well as Caesar because they feared that he would become as powerful as Caesar and possibly a dictator. Brutus persuaded the others not to add to the assassination by saying, â€Å"And for Mark Antony, think not of him: for he can do no more than Caesar’s arm when Caesar’s head is off†(2.1). Brutus underestimated Antony and perceived him as a person who didn’t always take life seriously, couldn’t have a serious nature and  therefore, not a thinker. Brutus continued to argue with Cassius who did not believe him. â€Å"Alas, good Cassius, do not think of him. If he loves Caesar, all that he can do is to himself — take thought and die for Caesar. And that were much he should, for he is given to sports, to wildness, and much company† (2.1). Brutus judged him as being frivolous, and simply liking sport and partying, with a reputation for womanizing. This caused Brutus to see Antony as a pushover and a force that could be molded to their uses. Unfortunately for Brutus and the conspirators he turned out to be quite the orator and the people immediately loved him. Antony’s character was slow to emerge, and it wasn’t until he was forced to show his true potential, that he could he really be judged. He was a character with many hidden traits until he was forced to show his genuine character while trying to take the throne after Caesar’s death. Once he became a leader of Rome, his true character was uncovered.

Evidence based practice Essay

INTRODUCTION: Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is a thoughtful integration of the best available evidence, coupled with clinical expertise. As such it enables health practitioners of all varieties to address healthcare questions with an evaluative and qualitative approach. EBP allows the practitioner to assess current and past research, clinical guidelines, and other information resources in order to identify relevant literature while differentiating between high-quality and low-quality findings. UNIT BACKGROUND: Evidence based practices was founded by Dr.Ardice Cochrane , a British epidemiologist.Cochrane was a strong proponent using evidence from randomized clinical trials because he believed that this was the strongest evidence on which clinical practice division is to be based.Evidence based health care practices are available for a number of conditions such as asthma,smoking cessation,heart failure and others.However these practices are not be implemented in care delivery and variation of practices[CMS,2008;Institute of medicine ,2001].Recent findings in the united states and Netherlands suggest that 30% to 40 % of patients are not receiving evidence based care,and 20% to30% of patients are receiving unneeded or potentially harmful care. DEFINITION: The most common definition of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is from Dr. David Sackett. EBP is â€Å"the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of the individual patient. It means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research.† (Sackett D, 1996) Muir Gray suggests that evidence based health care is: â€Å"an approach to decision making in which the clinician uses the best evidence available, in consultation with the patient, to decide upon the option which suits the patient best†(Muir Gray, 1997) PURPOSES 1. Evidence based practice is an approach which tries to specify the way in which professionals or other decision mkers should make decisions by identifying such evidence that there may be for a practice and rating it according to how scientifically sound it may be. 2. Its goal is to eliminate unsound or excessively risky practices in favour of those that have better outcomes. 3. Evidence based practices has contributed a lot towards better patient outcomes. 4. The ultimate goal of evidenced based nursing is to provide the highest quality and most cost-efficient nursing care possible. 5. The purpose of evidence based practice in nursing is mainly to improve the quality of nursing care. For example: If you are caring for a child who was in a motor vehicle accident and sustained a severe head injury, would you want to know and use the effective ,empirically supported treatment established from randomized controlled trials to decrease his or her intracranial pressure? If the answer is â€Å"yesâ€Å",the empirical evidences are essentially very important in most of the clinical decision-making situations. The goal of EBP is the integration of: (a) clinical expertise/expert opinion, (b) external scientific evidence, and (c) client/patient/caregiver values to provide high-quality services reflecting the interests, values, needs, and choices of the individuals we serve. Conceptually, the trilateral principles forming the bases for EBP can be represented through a simple figure: STEPS OF EVIDENCED BASED PRACTICE : Evidence based practice process involves 5 steps as: 1. Formulating a clear question based on a clinical problem  2. Literture review to search for the best available evidences 3. Evaluating and analyzing the strengths and weaknessof that evidence in terms of validity and genelisability 4. Implementing useful findings in clinical practice based lon valid evidence 5. Evaluating efficacy and performance of evidences through a process of self reflection , audit, or peer aseessment 1.Formulating a clear question based on a clinical problem:[ ASK the question ] The first step is to formulate a clear question based on clinical problems.Ideas come from different sources but are categorized in  two areas: Problem focused triggers and Knowledgee focused triggers. Problem focused triggers are identified by healthcare staff through quality improvement,risk surveillance,benchmarking data,financial data, or recurrent clinical problems.Problem focused triggers could be clinical problems,or risk management issues. Example:Increased incidence of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli in trauma and neurosurgical patients.Diagnosis and proper treatment of a DVT is a very important task for health care professionals and is meant to prevent pulmonary embolism.This is an example of an important re tht more research can be conducted to add into evidence –based practice. Knowledge focused triggers are created when health care staff read research, listen to scientific papers at research conferences.Knowledge based triggers could be new research findings that further enhance nursing ,or new practice guidelines. Example: Pain management .,prevention of skin breakdown , assessing placement of nasogastric tubes, and use of saline to maintain patency of arterial lines. When selecting a question ,nurses should formulate questions that are likely to gain support from people within the organization.The priority of the question should be considered as well as the sevearity of the problem.Nurses should consider whether the topic would apply to many or few clinical areas.Also,the availability of the solid evidence should be considered.This will increase the staff willingness to implement into nursing practice. When forming a clinical question the following should be considered:the disorder or disease of the patient, the intervention or finding being reviewed, possibly a comparison intervention and the outcome.An acronym used to remember this is called the PICO model.: P-Who is the patient population? I-What is the potential intervention or area of interest? C-Is there a a comparison intervention or control group? O-What is the desired outcome? 2.Literature review to search for the best available evidence :[ ACQUIRE the evidence ] Once the topic is selected ,the research relevant to the topic must be reviewed . It is important that clinical studies , integrative literature reviewes , meta analysis, and well known and reliable existing evidence based practices guidelines are accessed in the literature retrieval process .The article can be loaded with optionated nd or biased statements that would clearly taint the findings, thus lowering the credibility and quality of article.Time management is crucial to information retrieval.To maintain high standards for evidence based practice implementation, education in research review is necessary to distinguish good research from poorly conducted research.it is important to review the current materials.Once the literature is located, it is helpful to classify the articles either conceptual or data-based.Before reading and critiquing the research ,it is useful to read theoretical and clinical articles to have a broad view of the nature of the topic and related concepts , and to then review existing evidence based practice guidelines. 3. Evaluating and analyzing the strengths and weakness of that evidence in terms of validity and generalisability: [APPRAISE the evidence] Use of rating systems to determine the quality of the research is crucial to the development of evidence based practice. Once you have found some potentially useful evidence it must be critically appraised to determine its validity and find out whether it will indeed answer your question. When appraising the evidence the main questions to ask, therefore, are: Can the evidence (e.g. the results of the research study) be trusted? What does the evidence mean? Does this answer my question? Is it relevant to my practice? Different appraisal and interpreting skills must be used depending on the kind of evidence being considered. Additionally, guidance and training on appraising different types of evidence are available from some of the websites listed on the Useful Internet Resources. 4.Implimenting useful findings in clinical practice based on valid evidence :Evidence is used alongside clinical expertise and the patient’s perspectives to plan care:[ APPLY:talk with the patient ] After determining the internal and external validity of the study ,a decisions is arrived at whether the information gathered does apply to your initial question.It is important to address questions related to diagnosis ,therpy ,harm, and prognosis. Once you have concluded that the evidence is of sound quality, you will need to draw on your own expertise, experience and knowledge of your unique patient and clinical setting. This will help you to decide whether the evidence should be incorporated into your clinical practice. You must consider both the benefits and risks of implementing the change, as well as the benefits and risks of excluding any alternatives. This decision should be made in collaboration with your patient, and in consultation with your manager or multidisciplinary team where appropriate.The information gathered should be interpreted according to many criteria and should always be shared with other nurses . 5.Evaluating efficacy and performance of evidences through a process of self reflection ,audit , or peer assessment: [self-evaluation ] Finally after implementation of the useful findings for the clinical practices;efficacy and performance is evaluated through process of self reflection ,internal or external audit or peer assessment.Part of the evaluation process involves following upto determine if your actions or decisions achieved the desired outcome. The Steps in the EBP Process: ASSESS the patient 1. Start with the patient — a clinical problem or question arises from the care of the patient ASK the question 2. Construct a well built clinical question derived from the case ACQUIRE the evidence 3. Select the appropriate resource(s) and conduct a search APPRAISE the evidence 4. Appraise that evidence for its validity (closeness to the truth) and applicability (usefulness in clinical practice) APPLY: talk with the patient 5. Return to the patient — integrate that evidence with clinical expertise, patient preferences and apply it to practice Self-evaluation 6. Evaluate your performance with this patient BARRIERS IN EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE There are many barriers to promoting evidence based practices such as: Lack of professional ability to critically appraise research.this includes having a considerable amount of research evaluation skills ,access to journals ,nd hospital support to spend time are limited to the nurses. Lack of time workload pressure ,and competing priorities of patient care can impede use of evidence based practice. Lack of knowledge of research methods Lack of support from the professional colleges and organizations , and lack of confidence nd authority in the research area Practice environment can be resistant to changing tried and true conventional methods of practice.It is important to show nurses who may be resistant to changes the nursing practice the benefits that nurses, their patients and their institutions can reap from the implementation of evidence base nursing practices which is to provide better nursing care. Values ,resources and evidence are the three factors that influence decision making with regard to health care.In adition the nurses need to be more aware of how to assess the information and determine its applicability to the practice. Lack of continuing educational programs . Practices donot give have the means to provide workshops to teach new skills due to lack of funding, staff and time ;therefore research may be tossed dismissed.if this will occur valuable treatment may never be utilized in the practice. Another barrier is introducing newly learned method for improving the treatments or patients.New nurses might feel it is not their place to suggest oreven tell a superior nurse that newer , more efficient methods and practices are available. The perceived threat to clinical freedom offered by evidence – based practice is neither logical nor surprising.When we make decisions based upon good quality information we are inconsistent and biased. MODELS OF THE EVIDENCE – BASED PRACTICE PROCESS A number of different models and theories of evidence based practice has been developed and are important resources.These models offer frameworks for understanding the evidence based practice process and for implementing an evidence based practice project in a practice setting.Models that offer a framework for guiding an evidence based practice include the following : Advancing research and clinical practice through close collaboration(ARCC) model [Melynk and fineout-overholt ,2005] Diffusion of innovations theory [Rogers , 1995] Framework for adopting an evidence –based innovation [DiCenso et.al.,2005] Iowa model of research in practice [titler et al ,2001] Johns Hopkins nursing evidence based practice models [Newhouse et.al, 2005] Ottawa model of research use [Logan and Graham ,1998] Promoting action on research implementation in health services (PARIHS] model-,[Rycroft – Malone et.al2002 ,2007] Stetler model of research utilization.[Stetler ,2001] Although each model offers different perspectives on how to translate research findings into practice .It provides an overview of key activities and processes in evidence based practice efforts ,based on a a distillation of common elements from the various models.The most prominent models are Stetler model of research utilization and Iowa model of research in practice. Stetler model of research utilization: The Stetler model of evidence-based practice would help individual public health practitioners to use evidence in daily practice to inform program planning and implementation. The Stetler model of research utilization helps practitioners assess how research findings and other relevent evidence can be applied in practice. This model examines how to use evidence to create formal change within organizations, as well how individual practitioners can use research on an informal basis as part of critical thinking and reflective practice. Research use occurs in three forms Instrumental use refers to the concrete, direct application of knowledge. Conceptual use occurs when using research changes the understanding or the  way one thinks about an issue. Symbolic use or political/strategic use happens when information is used to justify or legitimate a policy or decision, or otherwise influence the thinking and behaviour of others. The Stetler model of evidence-based practice based on the following assumptions 1. The formal organization may or may not be involved in an individual’s use of research or other evidence. 2. Use may be instrumental, conceptual and/or symbolic/strategic. 3. Other types of evidence and/or non-research-related information are likely to be combined with research findings to facilitate decision making or problem solving. 4. Internal or external factors can influence an individual’s or group’s review and use of evidence. 5. Research and evaluation provide probabilistic information, not absolutes. 6. Lack of knowledge and skills pertaining to research use and evidence-informed practice can inhibit appropriate and effective use Phase I: Preparation—Purpose, Context and Sources of Research Evidence Identify the purpose of consulting evidence and relevant related sources. Recognize the need to consider important contextual factors that could influence implementation. Note that the reasons for using evidence will also identify measurable outcomes for Phase V (Evaluation). Phase II: Validation—Credibility of Findings and Potential for/Detailed Qualifiers of Application Assess each source of the evidence for its level of overall credibility, applicability and operational details, with the assumption .Determine whether a given source has no credibility or fit and thus whether to accept or reject it for synthesis with other evidence .Summarize relevant details regarding each source in an ‘applicable statement of findings’ to look at the implications for practice in Phase III. A summary of findings should: reflect the meaning of study findings reflect studied variables or relationships in ways that could be practically used Phase III: Comparative Evaluation/Decision Making—Synthesis and Decisions/Recommendations per Criteria of Applicability Logically organize and display the summarized findings from across all  validated sources in terms of their similarities and differences. Determine whether it is desirable or feasible to apply these summarized findings in practice others involved). Based on the comparative evaluation, the user makes one of four choices: Decide to use the research findings by putting knowledge into effect Consider use by gathering additional internal information before acting broadly on the evidence. Delay use since more research is required which you may decide to conduct based on local need Reject or not use . Phase IV: Translation/Application—Operational Definition of Use/Actions for Change Write generalizations that logically take research findings and form action terms Identify type of research use (cognitive, symbolic and instrumental). Identify method of use (informal/formal, direct/indirect). Identify level of use (individual, group, organization). Assess whether translation or use goes beyond actual findings/evidence. Consider the need for appropriate, reasoned variation in certain cases. Plan formal dissemination and change strategies. Phase V: Evaluation Clarify expected outcomes relative to purpose of seeking evidence Differentiate formal and informal evaluation of applying findings in practice. Consider cost-benefit of various evaluation efforts. Use Research Utilization as a process to enhance the credibility of evaluation data. Include two types of evaluation data: formative and outcome CONCLUSION Evidence based practices as using the best evidence available to guide clinical decision making.Evidence based practice in nursing is a pocess of locating ,appraising and applying the best evidence from the nursing and medical literature to improve the quality of clinical nursing practices. Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is a thoughtful integration of the best  available evidence, coupled with clinical expertise. As such it enables health practitioners of all varieties to address healthcare questions with an evaluative and qualitative approach. EBP allows the practitioner to assess current and past research, clinical guidelines, and other information resources in order to identify relevant literature while differentiating between high-quality and low-quality findings.Evidence based practice involves making clinical division on the basis of the best possible evidence ,usually best evidence come from the rigrous research. REFERENCE 1. Anne M Barker. Advanced Practice Nursing-Essentials of knowledge for the profession. United States of America: Jons and Batlett publishers; 2009. P.337-338 . 2. Suresh k Sharma. Nursing research and statistics. Haryana: Elsevier; 2011. P. 22-27. 3. Dennise F Polit ,Cheryl Tatano Beck. Essentials of nursing research-Appraising evidence for nursing practice. 7th ed. Noida: Lippincot Willaims and Wilkins; 2009. P. 25-47. 4. Potter Perry. Basic Nursing. 7th ed. Haryana: Rajkamal Electric Press; 2009. P. 54-57. 5. Dr.R.Bincy. Nursing Research-Building Evidence for Practice. NewDelhi: Viva Books; 2013. P. 286-297. 6. Judith Habour. Nursing Research. 5th ed. United States of America: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. P. 386-427. 7. Neelam Makhija. A practice based on evidence based practice. Nightingale Nursing Times-A window for health. 2007 September; Vol 3: 18-21. 8. Models of evidence based practice. www.nccmt.ca/registry/view/eng/83-html. Accesed october 15, 2013.

Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood-Free-Samples for Students

Emerging adulthood has been reckoned as a phase in an individual’s life spanning from age 18 to 25 years that falls within the period encompassing late adolescence and early adulthood.   It has been designated as the age of identity exploration characterized by vital attributes such as instability, self-focus, sense of plethora of possibilities for the future alongside feeling in between adolescence and adulthood. This proposed distinctive stage has been found to vary significantly between developed and developing nations (Arnett, 2014). The normative social in addition to the psychological conditions are depicted by virtue of this stage that may be further equated and corroborated with the Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development which aims to emphasize on personality build up from childhood to adulthood through consideration of the external factors, society and parents (Syed, 2015). As per Erikson’s theory, a person’s life cycle is divisible into e ight interrelated stages that a person must pass through during his or her lifetime. The age group for emerging adulthood may be related to the young adulthood phase as described by Erikson. In this age group of young adulthood, people tend to seek companionship and love whereby psychological strengths rest on these virtues primarily. A crisis for intimacy over isolation often engulfs this vulnerable group. They are on the lookout for satisfying relationships and deep intimacy at this phase and in case of non-conformance to such ambitions, isolation might occur. Associations and bonding tend to be stronger with the marital partner and friends through nurturing (Dunkel & Harbke, 2017). Thus, it may be said that emerging adulthood and Erikson’s stage of young adult is essentially interrelated. Arnett, J. J. (2014).  Adolescence and emerging adulthood. Boston, MA: Pearson. Dunkel, C. S., & Harbke, C. (2017). A review of measures of Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development: Evidence for a general factor.  Journal of Adult Development,  24(1), 58-76. Syed, M. (2015). Emerging adulthood: Developmental stage, theory, or nonsense.  The Oxford handbook of emerging adulthood, 11-25.

Sugar Industry Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sugar Industry - Research Paper Example The U.S. sugar industry saved the domestic players from the changing world prices of sugars. For importing sugar, the U.S. has to pay an import price which also includes import duties. However, it has been found that there occurs a significant gap between the import prices and the market prices. The reasons of the volatility of the market prices could be the unbalanced supply which may result from high costs of production, implying that small changes in the supply may have significant price effects. (Agricultural trade policies in the new millennium) (Kennedy & Koo 156) The U.S. followed a sugar system which was meant to protect the domestic sugar producers from the volatile and high global market prices. This system led to almost double prices for sugar than the market prices. However, in the year 1989, the traditional quotas were changed and a new tariff quota was being followed which led to paying an extra duty, thereby allowing imports to respond to greater demands. From the 1990 s, there was demand for change in policies, when the World Trade Organization, came into being (Vaughan, & France 25-29).The sugar program in the U.S. helps the domestic producers through a loan program which guarantees the producers a minimum market price for the sugar they produce. However, this has to operate without any cost to the government. In order to prevent losses, the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) has to keep the prices up, and the import quota plays a crucial role in this. The tariff rate quota allows a lower level of imports at a low tariff level, that is, restrictions are made to the foreign supply of sugars. (The U.S. Sugar Program, 18-19). As per researches, the U.S. sugar program increases costs to the U.S. sweetener users. The government, not paying directly to the producers, lists the costs to the users of sweeteners. As a result there is a gap between the import prices and the prevailing market prices. Thus the users pay more which benefits the producers. Keeping the prices high, protection is obtained against forfeiture or loss in terms of loans or other factors, and helps the producers to recover loan rates, and other costs like transportation. (The U.S. Sugar Program, 24-25). Manufacturers who produce substitutes for sugar also benefit from the sugar program. However, the benefits from the sugar program are not always profits. Profits are dependent on production and efficiency of the producer. (The U.S. Sugar Program, 33-35). Consumers and taxpayers enjoy several benefits from the U.S. sugar program. The American economy benefits from the policies by

Artificial Intelligence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Artificial Intelligence - Research Paper Example This study seeks to understand the behaviour in humans and animals, and the hope to reproduce it after extensive analysis. As such, AI has become a significant subject in computer science owing to numerous studies on intelligent behaviour through computer simulation. The simulations are geared towards influencing similar intelligent traits on to agents that perceive their environment and takes appropriate action to ensure success. The discipline is subdivided into various fields depending on their area of study and application of their product. These fields include statistical analysis, psychology, cognition, biology among others. However, the different fields often fail to communicate with each other owing to social, cultural and ethical factors, which limit the success of artificial intelligence. Although AI research does not aim at wholly imitating human intelligence, evidence exists that suggests human intelligence is a key tacit heuristic to AI researchers and strongly affects A I studies (Prudkov, 2010). In this regard, intelligence is described as a set of properties of mind, which include the ability to plan, solve problems and reason out depending on the presented stimuli. The replication of intelligence based on human and animal behaviour produces intelligent agents, which have the capacity to respond to the environment in natural way. For instance, artificial intelligence in machines coupled with algorithms, enables them to solve complex problems in humanistic fashion. In essence, AI seeks to produce useful machines that are guided by human-like intelligence and behavioural traits. The history of artificial intelligence dates back to mid-1950s where researchers wrote programs that allowed computers to solve algebraic expressions, confirming logical theorems as well as speak English. This application AI holds similar characteristics with the methods used to study cognition in experimental psychology. These methods include the measurement of IQ levels, which requires that the thinking, reasoning and learning skills be gauged to establish the level of perceptual skills.AI and psychology disciplines have naturally interacted with each other to borrow concepts while criticising the weaknesses of the other. However, it is important that psychologist and AI researchers work together as cognitive scientists in order to understand the human cognition and its incorporation into intelligent agents. The success of such research has seen the development of advanced and highly effective technological systems with industrial and social application. These technologies have illustrated the potential within AI research by developing sophisticated methods of solving problems through robust diagnostic and planning systems. Artificial intelligence is housed in sophisticated hardware systems that have evolved over time based on technological advances. Historically, the hardware system was based on vacuum tubes as established with the production of th e first generation computers. Over the years, technological advance have seen the vacuum tubes replaced by microchips to build smaller and faster hardware components for artificial intelligence. The hardware is controlled be a set of instruction in the form of software and applications, which perform designated tasks and yield results. The interaction between the hardware and software

Issus on Populr Journlism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Issus on Populr Journlism - Essay Example In rÐ µcÐ µnt timÐ µs Ð ° numbÐ µr of issuÐ µs Ð °nd notions hÐ °vÐ µ Ð °ppÐ µÃ °rÐ µd in thÐ µ fiÐ µld of journÐ °lism Ð °s its dÐ µvÐ µlopmÐ µnt hÐ °vÐ µ broÐ °dÐ µn Ð °nd gÐ °inÐ µd morÐ µ Ð °rÐ µÃ °s to discovÐ µr. OnÐ µ of such issuÐ µs rÐ µfÐ µrs to tÐ °bloidisÐ °tion which is Ð ° tÐ µrm frÐ µquÐ µntly usÐ µd in journÐ °lism Ð µnvironmÐ µnt. JournÐ °lists, mÐ µdiÐ ° critics Ð °nd Ð °cÐ °dÐ µmics Ð °pply this tÐ µrm to chÐ °rÐ °ctÐ µrizÐ µ rÐ µcÐ µnt trÐ µsnds in thÐ µ mÐ °ss mÐ µdiÐ °. Ð ° shift to nÐ µw Ð °nd morÐ µ Ð µntÐ µrtÐ °ining kinds of journÐ °listic contÐ µnt with thÐ µ dominÐ °ncÐ µ of visuÐ °l prioritiÐ µs ovÐ µr thÐ µ vÐ µrbÐ °l tÐ µstifiÐ µs thÐ µ involvÐ µmÐ µnt of tÐ °bloidisÐ °tion. ThÐ µ shift in thÐ µ kind of lÐ °nguÐ °gÐ µ usÐ µd, Ð °nd thÐ µ strÐ µss upon thÐ µ sÐ µnsÐ °tionÐ °l Ð °nd thÐ µ Ð µmotivÐ µ, Ð °nd thÐ µ incrÐ µÃ °sing dominÐ °tion of visuÐ °lly dÐ µtÐ µrminÐ µd discoursÐ µ, undÐ µrminÐ µ thÐ µ plÐ °cÐ µ of rÐ µÃ °son. Ð °t thÐ µir most Ð µxtrÐ µmÐ µ, critics of tÐ °bloidisÐ °tion sÐ µÃ µ it Ð °s onÐ µ mÐ °jor Ð µlÐ µmÐ µnt provoking Ð ° crisis of public lifÐ µ thÐ °t is Ð µroding thÐ µ bÐ °sis of dÐ µmocrÐ °cy. On thÐ µ othÐ µr hÐ °nd, thÐ µrÐ µ Ð °rÐ µ thosÐ µ who Ð °rguÐ µ thÐ °t thÐ µrÐ µ is littlÐ µ or no Ð µvidÐ µncÐ µ for growing tÐ °bloidisÐ °tion, Ð °nd thÐ °t thÐ µ trÐ °ditionÐ °l functions of thÐ µ mÐ °ss mÐ µdiÐ ° continuÐ µ to bÐ µ dischÐ °rgÐ µd Ð °t lÐ µÃ °st Ð °s wÐ µll Ð °s thÐ µy hÐ °vÐ µ bÐ µÃ µn in thÐ µ pÐ °st. OthÐ µrs wÐ µlcomÐ µ thÐ µ sprÐ µÃ °d of tÐ °bloidisÐ °tion, which thÐ µy sÐ µÃ µ Ð °s broÐ °dÐ µning Ð °nd dÐ µmocrÐ °tizing thÐ µ contÐ µnt of thÐ µ mÐ °ss mÐ µdiÐ °. ThÐ µ old wÐ °ys of thÐ µ mÐ µdiÐ ° wÐ µrÐ µ thÐ µ prÐ µsÐ µrvÐ µ of Ð °n Ð µlitÐ µ minority.

Financial Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Financial Resource Management - Essay Example Headquartered at Hertfordshire, Tesco plc is the grocery market leader of UK with over 30 % of the total market share. The company is also having its presence at Malaysia, Republic of Ireland and at Thailand. With around 2318 stores worldwide Tesco operates in 1878 stores within UK. Tesco was established with the amalgamation of T. E. Stockwell and Cohen with the success of the self-service grocery store and then it started expanding its business from small stores to large supermarkets. At a very fast pace it became a popular name on the mind of the households with the launch of the household goods and apparels. Then Tesco entered into the business of petrol stations selling fuels for competitive prices. With gradual revenue earning the company expanded even bigger with various other sectors like in Banking, Financial products and services (Data monitor, 2004, p.4). With the belief of a sustainable growth and well governed business the investors of the Tesco plc wants competitive ret urns of their investments or shareholdings. Transparency of the company’s operation plays a vital role in gaining the trust of the stakeholders and they expect the implementation of the robust strategies of the firm for a long-term progress. The major share holders of the company are Blackrock Inc who own 5.48% of the issued share capital and few others like Legal & General Investment Management Limited who owns 3.99 % and Berkshire Hathaway with 3.02 % of the total issued share capital of Tesco (Tesco Annual Report and Financial Statements 2011, 2011, p. 58). With the rapid growth of the company the company need to build its brand value by benefiting the stakeholders which includes its customers, staffs and shareholders. Tesco believe in maintaining its sustainable position in the market with quality service and increased customer value. The strong product line and the pillar brand name is the key to the success of the firm which help the company to differentiate itself with the competitors and helps the firm to meet the demand of the growing need of the customers. The gained trust by the company helps to understand the values of the firm by the customers which in turn help the company to diversify into new areas of services. The company is also involved in different benefiting community programs to attract more and more stakeholders being a responsible retailer. Tesco with a very responsible track record for its great values and customer services acts as the catalyst for the growth of the company. The brand building capability of and its increased emotional as well as the functional loyalty from the customers, staffs and shareholders contributed to a great extent for the profitability and the sustainable growth of the firm in the long run. The investments of the shareholders and other peoples provide a lot of support for building the opportunities and develop the brand which in turn allows the company to diversify for the benefits of the stakeholders (Tesco Annual Report and Financial Statements 2011, 2011, p. 40). Managing the stakeholders is one of the vital activities of the company that should be carried out to maintain a strong relation with the customers and other shareholders of the organization. Survey of the market situation and the present position of the firm are required to be carried out by the company for the sustainable growth of the firm. Engagement with the stakeholder helps the firm to identify the risk and opportunities that the firm could face in future.

Redesign project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Redesign project - Essay Example Mixing such pertinent equipment as nails and reverting materials among others may compromise the safety of the installation process. For a safer installation process, only an experienced professional and not any other person who may obtain the manual must do the installation. Warning/ Caution Never, stand or walk on the glass panel. Such actions may result in the instantaneous breakage of the panel thereby jeopardizing the equipment besides potential risk it presents to the installer. Protect the sheathing from any source of wetness at all costs. Failure of such during the installation process may cause leaks therefore do not work during stormy weather. Do not cut or attempt to modify the mounting systems. Ensure the use of the equipment provided by the company and replacing damaged equipment. The modification of such important equipment may compromise the safety of the work environment. Points to consider when selecting the installation position The point of location is one of the m ost critical contributors to the effectiveness of the solar system. The installer must therefore consider several factors that contribute to both the effectiveness and the safety of the installation process as listed below: Do not locate the systems near salt-water locations. The installer must maintain a 0.3 meters radius from such locations. Salt water corrodes the surface thus reducing the use of the systems. Inspection of the roof support system is vital and the installer must ensure that the roof is strong enough to endure the weight of the panel. In inspecting the roof support system, the installer must check to ensure that the support is durable and will therefore last as long as the panel lasts. Inspection of the roof is equally important and the installer must ensure that the roof is capable not only of supporting the panel but also expose the panel to adequate sunlight. The condition of the roof should promise the longevity of the panel any repairs to the roof must take pl ace before the installation as subsequent repairs may disrupt the use of the panel. More importantly, the roof must prove the ability to support the weight of the panel and provide ease of wiring. Please note: Install the panels at approximately twelve inches from the ridges of the roof. Additionally to ensure the effective usability of the panels, do not install the solar panels in either windy or stormy regions as such are not the best weather conditions for the use of the panels and may also pose serious risks during the installation process. PV Modules Wiring is essential during the installation process and presents potential risks to both the installer and the users of the solar panels. The installer must therefore ensure that: The wiring process is in accordance to the dictates of the National Electrical Code. In this, the government outlines the quality of wires to use and the equipment to use during wiring. Failure to comply with the provisions is a criminal offense. Note th at the solar panels produce electric current with any minimal exposure to direct sunlight at any time and thus presents potential shock risks to both the installer and anybody else. The installer must prevent any contact with naked wires during the wiring process and discourage the presence of anybody not

Global Management and Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Global Management and Leadership - Essay Example There are various functional departments such as finance, operations, Human Resources, Wholesale, Direct Sales, Information Technology, Marketing, Merchandise, Property, Sales, Supply Chain and Design. The heads of all these departments report to the CEO. The CEO along with other directors forms the board of directors which takes crucial organizational decisions. Such an organizational structure suits a company like Pumpkin Patch whose lines of business are quite few. This organizational structure enables appropriate designation of responsibilities (Organizational Chart Pumpkin patch, 2010). Pumpkin patch has been following an aggressive growth strategy which is not constrained by geographical boundaries. The company has retail stores in 4 countries as well as wholesale association in 16 countries. 80% of company’s revenues come from outside New Zealand. The company is listed on the New Zealand stock exchange and has more than 200 stores worldwide. It has strong financial stat ements and cash flows. A large part of the company’s sales comes through online sales. This indicates its adaptability to modern technologies, tastes and lifestyles. 2. Weaknesses As Pumpkin Patch grows, relying on a simple organizational structure as present could be risky. There would be a need to include structural components based on geography and lines of business. For example, there could be geographical heads for 4 prime geographical regions the company caters to (Organizational Chart Pumpkin patch, 2010). Pumpkin Patch’s turnover is still a fraction of the top retailers in United States and has a long way to go in spite of its recent scalability. 3. Opportunities Pumpkin Patch has a number of opportunities in all 3 channels of sales it uses i.e. Retail, Wholesale and Direct (Internet). In retail segment, the company has been relying solely on margins rather than volumes. Pumpkin Patch needs to scale up even faster to gain a significant market share in the crowd ed U.S. market. For this, the company can make use of franchise model. In the wholesale segment, the company needs to have strategic collaborations with top multi-brand retail chains such as Spencer’s and Wal-mart. Internet market is the best opportunity Pumpkin Patch can make use of. This is a relatively new sales channel and Pumpkin already has a significant presence there. It has not been exploited to its potential by competitors. This should be treated as a priority. The aim should be to generate at least half of the sales from this channel in coming years (Pumpkin patch Limited, 2007). 4. Threats Pumpkin has a significant mind space among the customers. However, U.S. children’s clothing market is highly crowded. There are well known reputed brands such as Gap, Next, Mango, Zara, Billabong, Gymboore and others (Pumpkin patch Limited, 2007). Scaling up in wake of this intense competition would be a difficult task and involve marketing and infrastructure spends. With huge store opening costs, the company may not be able to realize economies of scale with small stores. References Organizational Chart Pumpkin patch. (2010). Retrieved online January 18, 2012 from Pumpkin patch Limited. (2007). Macquarie Securities Data Related Information from PART 2 Relevance of Core Competencies Core competency is the unique capability of a firm that cannot be easily imitated and provides it a unique competitive edge. Core competencies

Not Your Dream Team Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Not Your Dream Team - Assignment Example The first stage is formation where the team members will come together with the aim of fulfilling a goal. The second is the storming stage where each member is struggling for his or her ideas to be heard and therefore marked by chaos and conflicts. The third stage is the norming stage where now the members come to know each other and start accepting each other’s ideas. The next is the performing stage where the group now focuses on achieving the goal and hence no conflict at this stage. Finally, having achieved its purpose, the group adjourns. 2. Mallory joined Think Link as assistant marketing manager for new products; two software programs were being designed to help high school students learn algebra and geometry. Murray’s manager is Lin Chen (marketing manager). Other members on the cross-functional development team with her are Todd Schlotsky (senior programmer); Sean Traynor (vice-president for marketing); Joyce Rothman (a former high school teacher who co-founded Think Link; she works only part-time in the company); and Harlow Gray (educational consultant). In this paragraph, the bases of power are mentioned and this will determine the decisions made in the organization. Sean for example is the Vice president and he has therefore the most authority in the company based on the positional power he is holding. The decisions Sean will make will therefore not be contested or argued with as a result of his prestigious position in the organization. Sean holds legitimate power due to his position as the vice-president, Lin and Todd and Mallory hold expert power as a result of their knowledge in their different fields. Mallory, Joyce and Harlow also hold referent power due to their ability to be consulted by others in different places. Sean also holds coercive power which is portrayed later when he fires Lin. The above team also hold reward power which they use to give bonus on software. 3. After her first week on the job, Mallory was considering qu itting. â€Å"These people are so opinionated and competitive,† she complained. Sean, Joyce and Harlow, in Mallory’s opinion, don’t listen to anyone’s ideas at team meetings; they only talk about their concerns. â€Å"Sean thinks his rank entitles him to make all the decisions in the team. Joyce thinks her opinions should carry more weight because she was instrumental in creating the company. And Harlow views everyone as less knowledgeable than he is and discounts their information as â€Å"out-of-date†, because he consults with the â€Å"outside† – other software firms and school districts. Lin, who is supposed to have the leadership role in this team, is passive and quiet. While he sends out agendas, and organizes meetings, people ignore him at the meeting; when he is speaking, people interrupt him or talk over him. He appears to avoid all the conflict and lack of progress by rushing off to another meeting. The team didn’t a ccomplish any agenda items at the first meeting I was at.† When a group is forming, it undergoes several stages and the hardest and most challenging one is the storming stage where every member wants his or her opinion to be taken into consideration. This is exactly the stage this group is in where the members are not willing to listen to each other’

Experiments in Art and Technology Essay Example for Free

Experiments in Art and Technology Essay The new interface I will define is one in which the artist makes active use of the inventiveness and skills of an engineer to achieve his purpose. The artist could not complete his intentions without the help of an engineer. The artist incorporates the work of the engineer in the painting or the sculpture or the performance. what a perfect synergy! Introduction ‘Experiments in Art and technology’ (E. A. T. ) is an aged non profit making and tax exempted organization instituted as far back as 1966 by renounced engineers and artists. The engineers included the persons of Billy Kluver and Fred Waldhauer, while the artists, the persons of Robert Rauschenberg and Robert Whitman. Experiments in Art and Technology was pioneered from the experience of a popular work titled – ‘9 Evenings: Theatre and Engineering’. The notable event was of the 69th ‘Regiment Armory in new York City, United State of America† (October 1966). About 40 engineers and 10 popular artists symbiotically worked together to put up an engineered and equally artistic performances. With the works of E. A. T. , artists and engineers’ relationships have received huge boost, thereby stimulating the willingness and participation of industries in artistic events. Companies’ cooperation through sponsorship is one of the achievements of E. A. T. There was fast expression of interest in the group over the space of time. Three years after the inauguration of Experiments in Art and Technology, the organization recorded over 4,200 memberships of diversified artists and engineers all around the United States of America, South America, Japan, Canada and every other interested industry all over the world. Through the process towards achieving the aim of E. A. T. , there was a local program within the group named the Technical Services Program. This program enhanced the effective collaboration of artists working hand-in-hand with engineers on a specific assignment/project. This was made possible by a deliberate effort at pinning suitable artists with appropriate engineers for synergic results. The program also assisted the collaborators in reaching out to industries and corporate-business communities in meeting the needs to accomplish outstanding project. Furthermore, E. A. T. commissioned inter-field projects and events which were anchored by artists involving the use of new technological woks. Some of the projects included the earlier mentioned ‘9 Evenings: Theatre and Engineering† in 1966’, ‘Some More Beginning in 1968’ – the later happened to mark the start of ‘exhibition of art and technology. The exhibition was held at a museum in Brooklyn. Included in the list of the project was the â€Å"artist-engineer collaborations to design and program the Pepsi Pavilion at Expo 70 in Osaka, Japan. † Picture showing First meeting of E. A. T. in November 1966 The Story of Experiments in Art and Technology When Andy Warhol was trying to create floating light bulbs, he asked Billy Kluver for his kind assistance. Kluver, who was an engineer working at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, rejected the plea but instead promised to offer him a wrapper usually use to wrap sandwiches, the material is silvery. Warhol fashioned the material into a rectangular object called Mylar today. Injecting Helium into this Mylar created a floating funhouse mirrors in 1966. This example of collaboration between artists and scientists was a motivation to forming Experiments in Art and Technology (E. A. T. ). The artist-engineer collaboration in E. A. T. was formalized at the event of â€Å"9 Evenings; Theatre and Engineering†, (Oct. 1966, in New York). The program exposed audience to â€Å"state-of-the-art performances and music† from about 50 artists and engineers. Technology electrified things in an appreciable ways, e. g. â€Å"Dancers tripped light switches by moving their legs past photo-cells, and a tennis game was amplified through microphones in the rackets. The compliment received was overwhelming reflecting the need for engineers in artistic works. E. A. T. was then established in November, and by the early 70s it had already absorbed networks of over 6,000 members. â€Å"Throughout the lifespan of E. A. T. , affiliated groups produced over 500 artworks; most common was the body-oriented performance or supercharged minimalist sculpture. One of the most memorable projects commissioned was the Pepsi Pavilion of Expo 1970 Osaka. There, over 60 artists and engineers contributed to the interactive exhibits inside the futuristic dome† The Pepsi Pavilion at Expo 70 Osaka with Fujiko Nakayas mist shroud Aims and objectives of E. A. T. The non profit making organization was vibrant primarily within the two decades of its institution in 1966 by Billy Kluver, Fred waldhauer, Robert Rauschenberg and Robert Whitman. It was carved out of the need to ‘mobilize the ingredients of arts, industry and science around collective projects, calling the participation from different disciplines. E. A. T. also aimed at encouraging the technical harmony towards the realization of new means of expressing arts using modern technological equipment such as computer-made images, sounds, video, (audiovisual), manufacturing materials and robotics. To start with, ‘Experiments in Art and Technology’ brought artists and engineers together to enlighten the participants in order to accustom them with â€Å"tele-writing and satellite transmission using telecommunication technology†. In addition, E. A. T. aimed at giving the developing countries around an ease of Communication Bridge through certain project assignments. In pursuance of these goals, E. A. T. began opening annexes in the US, Canada and Japan. Other Projects Projects realized at the advent of interdisciplinary included: The Anand Project of 1969, this project aided educational television whereby public spaces were linked together to facilitate interactions irrespective of the distance apart. Through this, different countries all around the world can exchange disturbing questions even about a common uncertainty. For example, â€Å"Anand Dairy Cooperative in Baroda (India); Telex: QA (1971), which linked public spaces in New York (U. S. ), Ahmadabad (India), Tokyo (Japan) and Stockholm (Sweden) by telex† Still among the projects is the ‘Children and Communication in 1972’this particular project piloted the enabling of children within the suburb of New York City, to exchange conversation with telex, telephone and fax machine. Also, in El Salvador is a project to fashion out methods for storing culture and tradition in the region (1973). Collection of E. A. T. ’s Published Documents Detailing the activities of Experiments in Art and Technology in 1980; over 400 documents were stored in archive ranging from information bulletins, exhibition catalogues, periodicals, photocopies of press clippings, proposals, lectures, announcements newsletters reprints of major articles, among others. The archive was deposited at major libraries in New York, Moscow of Russia, Washington in U. S., Paris in France et cetera. The archive was aimed at monument the reflection of E. A. T. ’s wide geographical tentacle with technical and artistic diversity. Technical Service Program (1966-1973) Technical service program (TSP), founded as a subgroup in mid 60s, permits specialist in art and engineering to collaborate with the aim of meeting the artist’s technological needs without interruption in the team projected design and developmental stages. Highly technical projects were accomplished with this partnership. This collaboration was publicized when E. A. T. group came up with EAT News that announced projects at different stages of completion. Still, was the periodic public forum held on upcoming technologies such as ‘lasers and holography. ’ The TSP came to an end in 1973 Technical Information (1966) This program provided consulting services for artists. The service provisions included ‘technical libraries’ for artists in New York and telephone assistance line operated by engineers from E. A. T. offices. The library collection features documented activities of EAT from ‘60s to ‘80s. More on â€Å"9 Evenings: Theatre and Engineering† (1966-2005) These were series of events that catapulted performances of artists and engineers working in unison as an E. A. T. group. The performances broke down inter-relationship barrier. It went does: Billy kluver and Robert Rauschenberg requested the working relation of 30-man engineer at Bell Laboratories, seeking their involvement in an inter-disciplinary project where avant-garde theatre, dance and new technologies were blended together. The artists involved were John Cage, Lucinda Childs, Oyvind Fahlstrom, Alex Hay, Deborah Hay, Steve Paxton, Yvonne Rainer, Robert Rauschenberg, David Tudor and Robert Whitman. These artists were paired with engineers to produce technical components on the podium used by the participants. It was indeed a break through adventure in the field of Art and technology. Billy Kluver, farther of ‘Experiments in Art and technology’ Reference http://www. fondation-langlois. org/html/e/page. php? NumPage=306 The Man Who Made a Match of Technology and Art

Frankenstein Essay Example for Free

Frankenstein Essay Within the story of Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein, we meet a character who comes head on with the advancements of science and the evolution of man. Victor Frankenstein is obsessed with the idea of creating life. He struggles with his own intelligence and the morality of the society around him. He is continuously bothered by the accepted laws of nature. The significance of his statement, â€Å"Destiny was too potent, and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction† he finally realizes that his efforts to create and sustain life were no match for the powers of nature. It is upon returning to school after the near death of Elizabeth and the death of his mother that he becomes obsessed with creating life. Victor makes the statement â€Å"I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation†. (pg 33) This after hearing a lecture of modern chemistry by Professor M. Waldman. Over a period of time Victor collected a series of body parts from graveyards to assemble in a new human form. With his knowledge of chemistry, biology and anatomy he reanimated his creation into an eight- foot monster. After bringing life to his eight foot creation, Victor realizes he should not have gone against the laws of nature. Victor is horrified to realize his creation has murdered his brother William. Victor cannot explain his creation and its evilness to his family without them thinking he is mentally ill. Victor nearly goes mad with the realization that because of his creature, his brother is killed. Falsely accused of Williams’s murder, Justine is executed after hard evidence unfolds upon her. Because of his obsession of creating life, he has taken life away. In his depression, Victor decides that his creature must be found and destroyed. Natures Laws should not have been toyed with. Victor sets out on an expedition in the mountains and finds the monster. To his surprise the monster seems to be intelligent and refined, but the monster has resentment of Victor for having been sent out on his own with no one to teach or nurture him. It was because of the monsters resentment that ultimately William and Justine were killed. Victor’s scientific ambition consumed his life. To go against the Law of Nature to prove that man can create life. Mental and physical setbacks plagued Victor while dealing with the reality of his creation. He suffers because his passion for creating life has taken away those around him that he loved. The significance of his statement, â€Å"Destiny was too potent, and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction† he finally realizes that his efforts to create and sustain life were no match for the powers of nature.

Importance of Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Importance of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Abstract: Purpose The primary goal of this paper is to review the literature that critically addresses the importance, application, influence on business and quality service of CRM and impact of CRM application on customer satisfaction and loyalty which consequently affects profitability and performance. Specifically, this paper seeks to present shifting view from transactional business to relational business, which shows significant importance of relationship marketing. Managers knowing the importance of customer focus business should act on time to retain customers, and fulfill their needs and wants in current competitive business environment analyzing and capturing valuable information regarding their customers for better forecasting of future. Design/methodology/approach This paper critically reviews the literature, with regard to importance, views, business application and overtime shifting from transactional marketing to relational one and application of CRM in businesses in the academic literature over the past years. Findings CRM is a new choice for business performers through which they can reach customer satisfaction and loyalty and they can improve profitability and performance of the company. CRM is a business strategy and philosophy that fulfills customers changing expectations and needs and provides individualized and customized service to customers. CRM improves pricing strategy and enhances decision-making. CRM enables better allocation of resources across the customer portfolio. Research Limitations/implications According to vast amount of literature that is published by different experts in this area it is difficult to provide brief review regarding CRM, besides CRM it self is a very wide topic including managerial perspective and technological side. However the researchers have done their best for such an ambitious undertaking. Obviously there is a need for more detailed studies of each and every elements of CRM. Keywords- CRM (Customer Relationship Management), loyalty, Customer satisfaction, retention Paper type- literature review 1. Introduction The way companies do business has changed tremendously during the last fifty years, changing from a product-oriented industry to a more market-oriented where the customer is in the center. This has increased the competition between the companies on the market, where each company has to work out a strong updated competitive strategy if they want to stay in the business because they can not rely on old competitive advantages any more, as for example technology. (Lindbom Jonsson, 1992). Besides, a key driver of this change is the advent of CRM which is underpinned by information and communication technologies (Ryals Knox, 2001). Globalization, increasing competition and advances in information and communication technology has forced companies to focus on managing customer relationships in order to efficiently maximize revenues. Customer relationship management (CRM) is the key competitive strategy businesses need to stay focused on the needs of the customers and to integrate a customer- facing approach throughout the organization. By using information and communication technology, businesses are trying to get closer to the customer so that they can create long-term relationships. Thus, deploying CRM initiatives has become very common (Sevki and Rifat, 2005). Firms are embracing CRM as a major element of business strategy, because technological applications permit a precise segmentation, profiling and targeting of customers and competitive pressures require a customer-centric culture (Gurau, Ranchhod, Hackney, 2003).It is known and as many experts believe, it takes up to five times more money to acquire a new customer than to get an existing customer to make a new purchase. Hence, customer retention is in particular important to every business because of their resources and competition. Moreover, a dissatisfied customer causes market damage because they are more likely to defect to competition and more likely to persuade others to defect. It is therefore no surprise that CRM is an important topic of conversation in business world (Feinberg, Kadam, Hokam, Kim,2002), so firms have to look at CRM as comprehensive business strategy for fulfilling the needs of customers and differentiating their service for different customers, besides concerning CRM as a key tool for reaching customer satisfaction and loyalty in a mutual beneficial relationship. 2. Evolution of Relationship The evolution of relationship management is described by different stages by different scholars (Bauer, Gottgens, Grether, 2001). Several different process models of relationship development have been proposed. In a widely cited article, Dwyer, Schurr, and Oh (1987) distinguish between five general phases in a dynamic model of relationship marketing: awareness, exploration, expansion, commitment, and dissolution. Broadly speaking, their framework suggests that, after becoming aware of the company for the first time, customers search for exchange benefits and perform trial purchases. There is an increase in the benefits obtained from the relationship once transactions have been evaluated positively, and a commitment towards the relationship develops. Finally, as relationships rarely last forever, the customer eventually withdraws from the relationship for whatever reason and switches to another supplier. Other authors have taken closely-related approaches, using lifecycle theory to mo del the dynamics of relationship marketing, sometimes varying the number of relationship stages (e.g. Diller 1995b). 3. Emergence and Evolution of CRM The discipline of marketing grew out of economics, and the growth was motivated by a lack of interest among economists in the details of market behavior and functions of middlemen (Bartels 1976; Sheth, Gardener, and Garrett 1988). Marketings early bias for distribution activities is evident as the first marketing courses (at Michigan and Ohio) were focused on effectively performing the distributive task (Bartels1976). Early marketing thinking centered on efficiency of marketing channels (Cherrington 1920; Shaw 1912; Weld 1916, 1917). Later the institutional marketing thinkers, because of their grounding in institutional economic theory, viewed the phenomena of value determination as fundamentally linked to exchange (Alderson 1954; Duddy and Revzan1947). Although institutional thought of marketing was later modified by the organizational dynamics viewpoint and marketing thinking was influenced by other social sciences, exchange remained the central tenet of marketing (Alderson 1965; Bagozzi 1974, 1978, 1979; Kotler 1972). The demise of the distributive theory of marketing began after World War II as marketing focus began to shift from distributive functions to other aspects of marketing. With the advent of market research, producers, in an attempt to influence end consumers, began to direct and control the distributors regarding product merchandising, sales promotion, pricing, etc. Thus repeat purchase and brand loyalty gained prominence in the marketing literature (Barton 1946; Churchill 1942; Howard and Sheth 1969; Sheth 1973; Womer 1944). The marketing concept evolved and consumer, became the focus of marketing attention (Kotler 1972). However, marketing orientation was still transactional as its success was measured in such transactional terms as sales volume and market share. Only in the 80s, marketers began to emphasize customer satisfaction measures to ensure that they were not purely evaluated on the basis of transactional aspects of marketing and that sale wasnot considered as the culmination of all marketing efforts. Several ideas of relationship marketing emerged much before Berry (1983) who introduced the term relationship marketing into the literature. For instance, McGarry (1950, 1951, 1953, and 1958) included contractual function among the six activities in his formal list of marketing functions. The contractual function falling within the main task of marketing supported McGarrys relational orientation and his emphasis on developing cooperation and mutual interdependency among marketing actors. He stated contractual function as is the a structured cooperative action focusing on the long-run welfare of business with continuous business relationship developing a two-way communication for mutual interdependence attitude knowing that cost of dealing with continuous contact is much less than casual contacts; by selling only to regular and consistent customers costs can be reduced by 10-20% (Schwartz 1963). Wroe Alderson (1965) focused on inter and intra-channel cooperation, and many relationship marketing scholars have emerged from the tradition of channel cooperation research (Anderson and Narus 1990; Stern and El-Ansary 1992; Weitz and Jap 1995). They supported development of relationship marketing knowledge. In USA, several scholars began examining long-term inter-organizational relationships in business-to-business markets, while in Europe, the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) Group laid emphasis on business relationships and networks (e.g., Anderson, Hakansson and Johanson 1994; Dwyer, Schurr and Oh 1987; Hakansson 1982; Halen, Johanson and Seyed-Mohamed 1991; Jackson 1985). As relationship marketing grew in 1980s and 1990s, several perspectives emerged. One perspective of integrating quality, logistics, customer services, and marketing is found in the works of Christopher, Payne, and Ballantyne (1992) and in the works of Crosby, Evans, and Cowles (1987). Another approach of studying partnering relationships and alliances as forms of relationship marketing are observed in the works of Morgan and Hunt (1994), Heide (1994), and Vardarajan and Cunningham (1995). Similarly, conceptual and empirical papers have appeared on relationship-oriented communication strategies (Mohr and Nevin 1990; Owen 1984; Schultz, Tannenbaum, and Lauterborn 1992); supply chain integration (Christopher 1994; Payne et. al. 1994); legal aspects of relationship marketing (Gundlach and Murphy 1993); and consumer motivations for engaging in relationship marketing (Sheth and Parvatiyar 1995a). As observed by Sheth and Parvatiyar (1995b), relationship marketing has historical antecedents going back into the pre-industrial era. Much of it was due to direct interaction between producers of agricultural products and their consumers. In recent years however, several factors like de-intermediation and computer and telecommunication technologies have contributed to the rapid development and evolution of relationship marketing. A greater emotional bond between the service provider and the service user also develops the need for maintaining and enhancing the relationship. It is therefore not difficult to see that relationship marketing is important for scholars and practitioners of services marketing (Berry and Parsuraman 1991; Bitner 1995; Crosby and Stephens 1987; Crosby, et. al. 1990; Gronroos 1995). Furthermore, Key account management programs led to the foundation of strategic partnering relationship programs within the domain of relationship marketing (Anderson and Narus 1991; Shapiro 1988). In the current era of hyper-competition, marketers are forced to be more con cerned with customer retention and loyalty (Dick and Basu 1994; Reicheld 1996). As several studies have indicated, retaining customers is less expensive and perhaps a more sustainable competitive advantage than acquiring new ones. Marketers are realizing that it costs less to retain customers than to compete for new ones (Rosenberg and Czepiel 1984). On the supply side it pays more to develop closer relationships with a few suppliers than to develop more vendors (Hayes et. al. 1988; Spekman 1988). In addition, several marketers are also concerned with keeping customers for life, rather than making a one-time sale (Cannie and Caplin 1991). Therefore, concerning evolution steps of CRM, obviously its application affects different aspects of business on top of all profitability for both parties, better supply chain management and marketing channel management, customer satisfaction and loyalty, higher retention rate in lower cost and sustainable relationship could be mentioned. 4. The definition and scope of CRM Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has become a leading business strategy in highly competitive business environment. CRM can be viewed as managerial efforts to manage business interactions with customers by combining business processes and technologies that seek to understand a companys customers (Kim, Suh, Hwang, 2003). Companies are becoming increasingly aware of the many potential benefits provided by CRM. Some potential benefits of CRM are as follows: (1) Increased customer retention and loyalty, (2) Higher customer profitability, (3) Creation value for the customer, (4) Customization of products and services, (5) Lower process, higher quality products and services (Jutla, Craig, Bodorik, 2001). CRM is fundamentally an improved tool in marketing and branding practice (Brunt, 2001; Chablo, 2001; Fournier et al., 2001; Wang, 1998). Others present it as a sophisticated information technology project, if not only that and usually with the caveat that it should not be framed as such (Gentle, 2004; Sharp, 2003; Davis Joyner, 2001; SAS Institute, 2001). Still others see it primarily as a toolkit for developing service management processes (Buttle, 2005; Peelen, 2005), or argue that it is fundamental to the extended enterprise which requires integrating supply chain management with customer relationship management (Kracklauer et al., 2004; Piller et al., 2004). Most by now agree that CRM is about growing customer equity and frame it in profit-driven terms (Gupta Lehmann, 2005; Blattberg et al., 2001). But some disagree, arguing that the final result will be higher profits but the foundation is relationship development to grow loyalty and strengthen barriers against customer defect ion (Peppers Rogers, 2005; Prahalad Ramaswamy, 2001). A narrow perspective of customer relationship management is data base marketing emphasizing the promotional aspects of marketing linked to database efforts (Bickert1992). However, this doesnt mean that CRM is database marketing. Customer information and knowledge is used in CRM to better understand and serve customers. Based on customer knowledge the right value should be selected, created and communicated to customer to reach customer satisfaction and loyalty. CRM is based on the ability to facilitate communication and decision-making to provide consistent, high-quality, and cost-effective services to all stakeholders (Andrade, 2003). Attract, retain and develop customer relationship where the main purpose is to create faithful customers, who are pleased with their choice of supplier and who think that they get value for their money (Berry and Parasuraman, 1991). CRM is an active, participatory and interactive relationship between business and customer. The objective is to achieve a comprehensive view of customers, and be able to consistently anticipate and react to their needs with targeted and effective activities at every customer touch point (Piccoli, OConnor, Capaccioli, Alvarez, 2003). Relationship marketing is to identify and establish, maintain and enhance and when necessary terminate relationships with customers and other stakeholders, at a profit, so that the objects of all parties involved are met, and that is done by mutual exchange and fulfillment of promises (Gronroos, 1996).) Relationship marketing is marketing based on interaction within networks of relationships (Gummesson, 1993). A relation means that there are at least two parties who are in contact with each other, networks contain of several complex relationships and interaction means that the parties perform activities and work together (Gummesson, 2002). Similarly, Morgan and Hunt (1994), draw upon the distinction made between transactional exchanges and relational exchanges by Dwyer, Schurr, and Oh (1987), to suggest that relationship marketing refers to all marketing activities directed toward establishing, developing, and maintaining successful relationships. Consider the following summary from Peelen (2005: 3-5) supplemented by other sources as noted. CRM is: A comprehensive development process Customer differentiation Data warehousing and mining The core business strategy Integrated collaboration Empowering the customer (Newell, 2003) A total company reorientation (Buttle, 2005) Customization in products or services (Sharp, 2003) Building mutual value (Peele, 2005; Targetbase, 2001) Building customer equity (Gupta and Lehman, 2005; Shaw, 2001) CRM is a set of business processes and overall policies designed to capture, retain and provide service to customers (Scott, 2001), or a coherent and complete set of processes and technologies for managing relationships with current and potential customers and associates of the company, using the marketing, sales and service departments, regardless of the channel of communication(Injazz and Karen, 2004). CRM is a process designed to collect data related to customers, to grasp features of customers, and to apply those qualities in specific marketing activities (Swift, 2001). So in a single view, CRM is a business strategy enabled by managerial philosophy and technology which applies customer knowledge and database to deliver the quality product and service to provide the best value to customers looking at each customers different needs and wants by customized and individualized service or product to reach customer satisfaction and loyalty in current competitive market. 4.1. CRM; Retention and Loyalty Some experts consider CRM only as customer retention in which a variety of after marketing tactics is used for customer bonding or staying in touch after the sale is made (Vavra, 1992). A more popular approach with recent application of information technology is to focus on individual or one-to-one relationship with customers that integrate database knowledge with a long-term customer retention and growth strategy (Peppers and Rogres 1993). Similarly, CRM goals are to symbiosis and fulfillment of promises (Rapp and Collins, 1990, Ndubisi, 2003). In other words, a key objective is to foster customer loyalty_ a deeply held commitment to re-buy or re-patronize a preferred product or service in the future despite there are situational influence and marketing efforts having the potential to cause switching behavior (Oliver, 1999). CRM requires organizations to lay more emphasis on retaining existing customers rather than on creating new ones (Clark and Payne, 1997). And in a very close definition, the shift in emphasis from customer acquisition to customer retention has been at the heart of relationship marketing (Payne, 1995). While retaining customer loyalty has been a sales principle for a very long time, CRM is actually a tremendous step forward in creating a system that can provide a means for retaining individual loyalty in a world of nearly 6 billion souls (Croteau Li, 2001). In order to understand CRM, you must also understand the changing nature of the customer because customers are not what they used to be (Greenberg, 2001).CRM is a combination of people, process and technology that seeks to understand a companys customers. It is an integrated approach to manage relationships by focusing on customer retention and relationship development (Chen, 2003). It is the number one focus when todays competiti ve market has become more saturated and competitive (Xu, 2002), and it is to turn customers into partners (Arun Balakrishnan, 2003) or to turn current and new customers into regularly purchasing clients, and then to progressively move them through being strong supporters of the company and its products, to finally being active and vocal advocates for the company (Christopher, 2003). Acquiring a better understanding of existing customers allows companies to interact, respond, and communicate more effectively to significantly improve retention rates (Chen Popovich, 2003).Therefore, customer retention depends on the relationship substance built up due to interaction between the parties (Eriksson and Là ¶fmarck, 2000). In summary, CRM struggles to build the relationship with customers and retain them to profit the company in long-term and reduce the cost of attracting new customers. 4.2. CRM; Customization and Individualization CRM is an integrated effort to identify, maintain, and build up a network with individual consumers and to continuously strengthen the network for the mutual benefit of both sides, through interactive, individualized and value-added contacts over a long period of time (Shani and Chalasani, 1992), it is about managing data to better understand and serve customers (Arun Balakrishnan, 2003). Jackson (1985) applies the individual account concept in industrial markets to suggest CRM to mean, Marketing oriented toward strong, lasting relationships with individual accounts. In other business contexts, Doyle and Roth (1992), ONeal (1989) and Paul (1988) have proposed similar views of CRM. CRM is a concept that enables an organization to tailor specific products or services to each individual customer. In the most advanced scenario, CRM may be used to create a personalized, one-to-one experience that will give the individual customer a sense of being cared for, thus opening up new marketing opportunities based on the preferences and history of the customer (Wilson, 2002). CRM is also a costumer-focused business strategy that aims to increase customer satisfaction and customer loyalty by offering a more responsive and customized service to each customer (Fayerman, 2002). So value-laden relationship supported by data management for individual accounts offering personalized service or product is in heart of CRM, that results in customers unique experience of being with the company and makes barriers in front of brand switch, and this is the step forward to customer satisfaction and loyalty. 4.3. CRM; Value Creation CRM is the process of creating, maintaining and enhancing strong value-laden relationships with customers and other stakeholders (Kotler, 1998; Payne, 2004). It is ongoing collaborative business activities between the supplier and a customer on one-to-one basis for the purpose of growing the total market by creating better end user value at a reduced cost (Sheth, 1998). CRM is the infrastructure that enables the delineation of and increase in customer value, and the correct means by which to motivate valuable customers to remain loyal; indeed, to buy again (Dychà ©, 2001). 4.4. CRM; Customer Knowledge Management CRM is about managing customer knowledge to better understand and serve them. Meaningful customer relationships are those characterized by high level of emotional value, which is created by more than functional and instrumental components; the company and the customer should share something in common, it can be background, interests, values and beliefs. This can be attained by gaining knowledge about the customers, what role the brand plays in the customers life, now and in the future, as well as being aware of the expectations of the customers. Real meaning derives from anticipation and a company addressing issues that the customer does not expect them to address (Barnes, 2003). The company should keep track of everything they buy and ask them if they were satisfied with their last purchase. The customers should bee seen as the most valuable assets of the service company because they do not only pay for the service, if the company listens to them they will tell the company how it ca n get them to spend even more (Geller, 1997). Organizations and their staff need not only to empathize with the customer, but they need to respond appropriately to his/her needs. Once that is apparent, they need to respond by providing what is necessary on time and at the expected cost. This can be much more difficult than meets the eye, since customers do not always have a clear idea of what they want and sometimes require the vendor or service provider to simulate their imaginations (Solomon, 1999). The goal of CRM is to create as effective customer relationships as possible and during that time also develop future competences within the company. Although satisfied customers opinions make it easier to continuously improve the competences of the company, these are not enough. The company needs to detect the customers unexpressed needs, and primarily the customers future needs. The worst scenario that might occur for the company, when using these types of customer feedback activitie s, is that the company realizes that it needs to bring new innovations into their customer relationships (Storbacka Lehtinen, 2000). So, innovation and creativity besides better understanding of customers present and future needs and changes in customers tastes and values lies under better relational factor that gathers valuable knowledge for the company. 4.5. CRM; Information Technology Some scholars have applied the importance of information technology to define CRM. CRM unites the potential of IT and relationship marketing strategies to deliver profitable, long-trade relationship (Simon Knox, Stan Maklan, Adrian Payne, Joe Peppard and Lynette Ryals). CRM is not a technology, though. Technology is a CRM enabler (Greenberg, 2001). CRM technology applications link front office (e.g. sales, marketing and customer service) and back office (e.g. financial, operations, logistics and human resources) functions with the companys customers touch points (Fickel, 1999). A companys touch points can include the Internet, e-mail, sales, direct mail, telemarketing operations, call centers, advertising, fax, pagers, stores, and kiosks. Often, these touch points are controlled by separate information systems. CRM integrates touch points around a common view of the customer (Eckerson and Watson, 2001). As stated previously, CRM is a technology based business strategy that manages cu stomer data through data collection and data mining systems and data warehousing and transforms the customer data to valuable managerial supporting knowledge. Technology supports better marketing channel and customers touch points management. 4.6 CRM; Organizational Strategy Today, customers are more highly educated, under higher stress, more specialized, living longer, and more influenced by global culture than those of the 60s and 70s when our view of marketing was formed (Wilson, Daniel, McDonald, 2002). This as well as the emergence of e-Business, organizational dynamics, and cultural change issues has dramatically shifted organizations ´ functional units to focus on the customer. Consequently, organizations have recognized the need to develop customer-centered orientations (Romano, 2003). Organizations are learning more about their customers and their preferences, needs, and expectations (Jukic, Jukic, Meamber, Nezlek, 2003) According to Schultz (2000) the practice of planning, creating, and managing customer relationships has nowadays become the heart of organizational strategy and the key to customer retention. Similarly, CRM is the core business strategy that integrated internal processes and functions, and external networks, to create a nd deliver value to targeted customers at a profit (Francis Buttle, 2004). 4.7 CRM; Profitability It is shown that the large impact on profitability of small increases in customer retention rates, was the start out, making the marketing community more conscious of the need to manage customer relationships in the long term as well as prior to the first sale (Wilson, 2002; Reichheld and Sasser, 1990). Similarly, CRM can help businesses enhance their customer relationships by attracting more profitable customers and establishing stronger and more durable customer relationships (Falk, 2004). Blomqvist (1993) proposed the following key characteristics of relationship marketing: every customer is considered an individual person or unit; activities of the firm are predominantly directed towards existing customers; implementation is based on interactions and dialogues; and the firm is trying to achieve profitability through the decrease of customer turnover and the strengthening of customer relationships. The long-term orientation is often being emphasized because it is believed that marketing actors will not engage in opportunistic behavior if they have a long-term orientation and that such relationships will be anchored on mutual gains and cooperation (Ganesan 1994). CRM is the set of methodologies and tools that help an enterprise manage customer relationships in an organized way (Lawson-Body Limayem, 2004). In other words, CRM can be defined as an interactive process achieving the optimum balance between corporate investments and the satisfaction of customer needs to ge nerate the maximum profit. It involves (Gebert, Geib, Kolbe, Riempp, 2002): Measuring both inputs across all functions including marketing, sales and service costs and outputs in terms of customer revenue, profit and value. Acquiring and continuously updating knowledge about customer needs, motivations and behavior over the lifetime of the relationship. Applying customer knowledge to continuously improve performance through a process of learning from successes and failures. Integrating the activities of marketing, sales and service to achieve a common goal. Implementing appropriate systems to support customer knowledge acquisition, sharing and measuring CRM effectiveness. Constantly flexing the balance between marketing, sales and service inputs against changing customer needs to maximize profit. There for, customization and individualization besides long-term relationships aiming to build loyal customers and increase retention rate will directly profit the company. 4.8. CRM , LTV and Customer Selectivity CRM is business philosophy and set of strategies, programs, and systems that focuses on identifying and building loyalty with a firms most valued customers (Michael Leavy and Barton Weitz, 2004), it is a cross-functional process for achieving a continuing dialogue with customers, across all their contact and access points, with personalized treatment of the most valuable customers, to increase customer retention and the effectiveness of marketing initiatives (Day and Van Den Bulte, 2002) CRM is a management approach that enables organizations to identify, attract and increase retention of profitable customers, by managing relationships with them (Bradshaw and Brash, 2001; Hawkes, 2000). When evaluating customer profitability, marketers are often reminded of the 80/20 rule (Gloy, Akridge, Preckel, 1997). Similarly, companies have come to realize that in order to develop long-term, successful relationships with their customers they need to focus on economically valuable customers while eliminating economically valueless ones, instead of treating all customers equally, it is better to develop customer-oriented strategies (Verhoef Donkers, 2001). To cultivate the full profit potentials of customers, many companies already try to measure and use customer value in their management activities (Rosset, Neumann, Eick, Vatnik, Idan, 2002). Therefore, many firms are needed to assess their customers value and build strategies to retain profitable customers. As several researc h studies have shown not all customers are equally profitable for an individual company (Storbacka2000).Customer relationship management is a comprehensive strategy and process of acquiring, retaining, and partnering with selective customers to create superior value for the company and the customer (Sheth2001). Furthermore, Diller (2000) has id

Review Of Three Movies: Trainspotting, Ferris Buellers Day Off And Ju :: essays research papers

Review Of Three Movies: Trainspotting, Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Jurassic Park Trainspotting Trainspotting is a drop-dead look at a dead-end lifestyle. Set among the junkies and thugs of Edinburgh's slums and made by (director Danny Boyle, writer John Hodge, producer Andrew Macdonald) that created "Shallow Grave," "Trainspotting" caused a sensation in Britain, where it took in more money than any U.K. film except "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and ignited strong controversy over its attitude toward heroin. Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor), the film's narrator, unleashes an overpowering verbal torrent that gets things off to an aggressive start. "Choose life," Renton insists in voice-over as store detectives chase after him for shoplifting. "Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a [beep] big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-income mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. . . . "But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life: I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?" It is very difficult to resist the film's great energy. "Trainspotting's" subject matter is raw and raunchy, including AIDS, overdoses and violence as well as obscene situations described in unprintable language. This is a film that makes you laugh of things that can in no way be described as funny. How is this possible? In the film's signature scene, where Renton, in search of some lost opium suppositories, dives head-first into "the filthiest toilet in Scotland" and emerges in a sublime and spacious undersea world. And despite Renton's celebrated saying on the pleasures of heroin, boasting, "Take the best orgasm you ever had, multiply it by a thousand and you're still nowhere near it," "Trainspotting" is only interested in drugs because its characters are. Most feeble of the characters is the glasses-wearing Spud (Ewen Bremner). Most devious is Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), who knows all there is to know about Sean Connery. Most innocent is Tommy (Kevin McKidd), whose insistence on telling the truth no matter what is viewed as a fatal weakness. And most dangerous is the beer-drinking, heroin-hating psychopath Begbie (Robert Carlyle).. Some of the funniest parts include Renton's sudden passion for the mysterious Diane (Kelly Macdonald) and Tommy's attempt to get the boys interested in the outdoors, which leads to Renton's "I hate being Scottish" tirade, which ends: "Some people hate the English, but I don't. They're just wankers. We, on the other hand, are colonized by wankers.

Hamlet :: essays research papers

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a play full of sorrow and excitement, its full of gore and incest. The play has a large amount of betrayal and the person supplying most of that is Claudius, the king and Hamlets uncle. Claudius is cold-hearted, full of hate, and a coward. He is the king but, the ironic thing about that is he should not be and as Hamlet is the prince, the death of his father should put him at the throne.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The play starts off with a tense setting, as the guards have seen a ghost that looks like the old king or Hamlets father who they believed had died of a snake bite. This is the showing of the first cruel deed Claudius has done, the reader does not know yet but Claudius is the reason that King Hamlet dies. The reader knows that it is Claudius when Hamlet encounters the ghost and the ghost tells Hamlet, “Thus I was sleeping, by a brothers hand, of life, at crown, of queen, at once dispatch’d.';(1) The meaning of the ghost’s quote is that he is telling Hamlet that Claudius killed him when he was asleep and that he took his crown and his queen. This is the first time the reader really knows that Claudius is cold-hearted and ruthless.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After Hamlet heard this, he held a play where the murder of his father is reacted in a scene, that Hamlet himself designed. The purpose of this was to see Claudius’s reaction to the scene to prove if Claudius is the real murderer or not. After Claudius sees the play he storms out of the stage scared and surprised. Claudius then prays to heaven for forgiveness of his sins since he knows that Hamlet has figured out what he has done, he does this so he will not get sent to hell. Claudius says, “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go.';(2) He is praying for forgiveness but he is not sorry, he just doesn’t want to get sent to hell and that is what the quote is saying, since he is not sorry his words remain below, or on Earth. This further proves how cold-hearted Claudius is, he has killed his brother, taken his crown, taken his wife, has been discovered, and he still does not feel guilty at all about what he has done.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Claudius now knows that Hamlet has figured him out and what he has done, so Claudius plans to send Hamlet away to England with a note for the king of England to have Hamlet killed.

The Selfishness of Oedipus in Oedipus the King :: Oedipus Rex, Sophocles

"Selfishness is the greatest curse of the human race,† as quoted by William E. Gladstone, supports my thought that selfishness is what causes most of our problems in the modern world. Currently, we are living in an era that is filled with much gluttony and selfishness. However, selfishness is a trait that all of us possess, but the amount of selfishness that we have can determine the type of person we are. For instance, parents should always put their children’s needs before their own. Selfish parents would rather buy materialistic items for themselves than anything useful for their children. In Sophocles’s â€Å"Oedipus Rex,† the protagonist is literally blinded by his own arrogance. This attitude begins before he even travels to Thebes, and that is apparent due to the circumstances of his father’s death. Oedipus seals his own fate with his egotistical attitude and he cannot change his destiny after everything is set into motion. During his jo urney on the road to enlightenment, Oedipus’s selfishness causes him to transcend from being completely ignorant of his fate to holding on to the last shreds of denial to having an overwhelming sense of realization. The selfishness that Oedipus possesses causes him to have abundance of ignorance. This combination is what leads to his father’s death. After fleeing Corinth and his foster family, Oedipus gets into a skirmish with an older man. The reason for the fight was because, â€Å"The groom leading the horses forced me off the road at his lord’s command† (1336). Oedipus is filled with a rage after being insulted by the lord and feels the need to act. The two men fight, but Oedipus ends up being too much for the older man, and he kills him. What Oedipus is unaware of is that the man was actually his birth father and by killing him, Oedipus has started on the path of his own destruction. Not only does Oedipus kill his father, but also everyone else, â€Å"I killed them all† (1336). The other men had no part in the scuffle, but in his rage, he did not care who he was killing. As Oedipus becomes king, his selfishness only grows, as does his denial. As the king, he gained the burden of Thebes whenever a problem arose. To find a way to rid his city of the plague, he sent Kreon so that he would have some answers and be able to place the blame on something or someone.