Compensation and benefit programs Essay

Compensation and benefit programs for employees need to be an exceptional offer that is developed to attract and retain the best and talented employees. A merit pay compensation strategy is used for an incentive pay based on goals and achievements set by the employer. Compensations that are recommended for this company is a health benefit package that is managed by the employees. This package consists of medical, vision, and dental coverage. The medical insurance is PPO and HMO of choice. Dental coverage has a limit per person of $1500 of service a year. Vision has free yearly eye exam and discount cost on eyewear. This will make the employees feel proud and valued to work for this organization. Conclusion The fundamental purpose and the objective of the organization compensation are to provide equitable rewards that are appropriate for employees that highlight from their abilities, skills, and the contributions to the company. Employee compensation has key factors and strategies would help this company maintain satisfactory of the employees and the organization as a whole. A compensation structure and benefit strategy is analyzed for a medium size organization and market evaluation and position. The company strategy consists of cost, ability to pay, legal requirements, which motivate and maintain skilled employees. The plan has provided performance incentives and merit pay for the employees that are suitable for their employees. The laws of benefits and pay programs are provided so that the organization has proper and informed choices that would benefit the employer and employees. The compensation and benefit program is essential to new hires decision to remain employed for the company.

Inclusive Learning Essay

We cannot assume that just because a teacher teaches, a learner learns. The process is far more complex than one of received input and intended outcome. This is because teachers, when engaging with learners, are not involved in programming machines; the learning process involves humans who are diverse in their needs, development, attitudes, values and beliefs.  (O’Brien & Guiney, 2001, p. 2) Whilst studying inclusion for this assignment, I have learned much about the ways in which children learn. Yandell (2011) argues a similar point to O’Brien and Guiney (2001), which is that for pupils to learn, the learning needs to be more than a teacher giving mountains of information. Both in researching and in teaching a scheme of inclusive lessons, I have learned that teaching needs to be differentiated for the variety of children in each class. In my own experience, having taught a class consisting of thirty pupils, two of whom are hearing impaired children and seventeen pupils for whom English is an addition language, â€Å"reasonable adjustments† (Rieser, 2002, p. 259) made to make the curriculum accessible for one pupil can be greatly beneficial for others in the class also. Anything the teacher does in the classroom whilst focussing on one group will impact on the others. It is these reasonable adjustments which form the basis of inclusive learning, as the need s of each pupil will vary depending on anything from preferred learning styles to whether the child has a profound barrier to learning. Reddy (2004) writes about the needs of pupils with hearing impairments, and relates these to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. He also provides some teaching strategies to ensure these needs are met in order to allow a hearing impaired pupil to inclusively take part in the lesson. The lowest sections on the hierarchy are the physiological needs and the safety needs (Maslow, 1970, p. 22). In terms of planning inclusively for hearing impaired pupils, the reasonable adjustments should be to ensure the safety and physiological needs of all pupils are met. This influenced the lessons I have taught, as I have been sure to include a variety of visual, auditory, kinaesthetic and tactile learning episodes. When straining hearing and lip reading for a long period of time in discussion, the eyes and ears can become sore and in need  of rest. It is important therefore, that I provide pupils with a list of key objectives and a plan prior to the lesson so that they are able to know exactly whe n it is necessary to listen hard and to ensure they are lip reading. The variety of tasks also allows for rest breaks for the senses which have been used earlier in the lesson, so that pupils do not experience pain and become frustrated and irritable. To help support this physiological need for comfort, I also ensure that background noise is at a minimum during learning segments when concentration is necessary, as without this it can be painful for a student wearing a hearing aid (Reddy, 2004, p. 178). Butt too, agrees that learning is a more social experience than a teacher transmitting knowledge to students. He states that â€Å"simply listening to the teacher will rarely constitute effective learning for most students. The teacher has to plan and prepare for all the students in the class – an act of differentiation† (Butt, 2006, p. 39). He continues, [as a teacher,] â€Å"your aim should be to keep all students engaged and interested in the learning that you are planning† (Butt, p. 40). He also discusses the reasons why this is difficult; there are an infinite amount of learning styles and educational demands in any one group of children. By changing the task and keeping a quick paced classroom for the hearing impaired pupils, each of their classmates are experiencing a variety of learning styles also. This is beneficial for keeping all my pupils engaged and interested in the learning. Likewise, in order for pupils to concentrate, silence can be beneficial more many more pupils than those who are hearing impaired for their physiological needs to be met. Also, providing all pupils with the same plan and key objectives prior to the lesson not only allows for the hearing impaired pupils to feel as though they are being given the same instruction as their classmates, but also provides all pupils with a prior knowledge of what is most important to listen explicitly to and to makes notes on, meaning more effective learning can take place. Therefore, I have come to understand this differentiation strategy as simply being best practice for all learners in an inclusive classroom. A number of researchers have argued that explicitly teaching the big ideas of a discipline is crucial for students with disabilities. Motivation is ensured when we continuously return to a small number of known big ideas (Gore, 2010, 76). If pupils are given a lesson plan and a very short amount of key objectives, they can see that their  learning is contributing practically towards something. â€Å"Motivation is an essential factor for learning to take place; it is considered to be the driving force behind learning† (Reddy, p. 178). Aware of pupils’ history Establish good relationships and trustEstablishing Lessons contain explicit valuemotivation Listen to all pupils patiently Accept all feelings, frustrations and fears (Reddy, p. 178) In terms of Maslow’s hierarchy, in order for pupils to feel comfortable they must feel some element of success in order to be motivated. Often, hearing impaired pupils show signs of difficulties throughout their academic career and this may become a reason for de-motivation. There are a huge number of inclusion strategies which can aid motivation, and thus maintain an inclusive classroom. OFSTED regularly report a lack of differentiation, appropriate challenge, insufficient motivation and poor pacing (Butt, p. 41). In a recent report, OFSTED wrote about motivation being the; â€Å"inspiring of young people, building their self-esteem and helping them to progress† (Ofsted, 7th Nov 2011). Learned helplessness is what Seligman (1975) calls low achievement motivation. In general, adolescents with learning difficulties demonstrate lower achievement motivation towards school work, except for in areas where they experience success. After repeated failures students quickly learn that they cannot succeed in school and become de-motivated and frustrated (Gore, p. 21). Frustration is reduced when students understand what they are supposed to do. Inclusive teachers communicate to pupils exactly what is expected to be learned. By providing both written and oral instruction sequencing is facilitated (Gore, p. 30). As all children have the right to learn, it is inclusive practice to ensure that all pupils know exactly what the instruction is. In my classroom, it is imperative that I repeat instructions as with seventeen students for whom English is an additional language and two hearing impaired pupils, there is a good chance that instruction can be misheard or misunderstood. Paiv io’s dual coding theory (1990) refers to teaching visually and auditory at the same time. It posits that the more neural paths that a memory involves, the  more likely it is to be accessed at a later date (Gore, p. 25). With my class, I have found that providing both oral and written instruction reduces frustration and increases motivation. The instructions given must follow three rules; â€Å"explicitness, structure and repetition† (Gore, p. 23). Even classroom rules can be displayed obviously in the classroom and referred to whenever they are broken by bad behaviour. Research has been done to show that students with learning difficulties are more likely to notice salient information than the critical information that teachers direct them to observe, as they have difficulty discriminating between the critical and the irrelevant (Gore, p 15). By reading and hearing a small number of bullet pointed instructions, confusion is eliminated and attention is captured, ensuring all pupils can understand exactly what is necessary for a task to be undertaken correctly. These instructions are given orally, shown on the interactive whiteboard and a copy given on work sheets to provide ample repetition. This allows for a much bigger chance of success and thus motivation for all pupils. Another way to ensure inclusion is the way in which you use room layout. In the class I picked for this assignment, I have chosen to seat both the hearing impaired students at the front of the class next to each other. This way I can oversee the work they are doing without causing embarrassment, and I can subtly ensure they are completing the correct task. I can also make sure that when I have finished explaining, they are the first pupils I go to when circulating the room. On either side of them I have picked a student from their friendship group who copes well with work. I think this works well, as when working in pairs, the hearing impaired pupils are less uncomfortable when talking either to each other or to their friends than they would be someone who they were nervous or shy about their impairment around. I can then have these pairs of friends be reading partners, whereby fluent readers help the other pupils who are less advanced in their reading skills (Fleming, 2000, p. 59). Pupils with hearing impairment often struggle with grammar and cohesion in writing; they â€Å"exhibit linguistic difficulties† (Reddy, p. 165). In order to combat this, schemes need to be planned with modifications not only to what we teach, but how we teach it in order to make the curriculum accessible for all the pupils in the class, for example as suggested by Purdie (2000), by teaching phonics (Clough, 2002, p. 165). Although planning has to be done primarily  on the class level, consideration of the need for differentiation in the case of particular individuals is suitable. Getting to know your students as individuals is therefore an important first step (Butt, p. 45). As writing can be a very solitary experience, this may not be the preferred learning style of the class. Writing needs to be scaffolded when this is the case, as it is for my class. When writing creatively, for example in the lesson where my students write a diary entry on a gas attack, we first looked at real gas masks, followed by real gas attack posters, and then created sentence starters together on the board. This scaffolded the writing process by providing opportunities for the auditory, kinaesthetic and tactile learners to learn at their fullest potential also. Reading makes up a large part of the national curriculum, and is something which the hearing impaired pupil can be given opportunities to succeed with. â€Å"Modelling and imitation are important learning processes† (Reddy, p. 167) and this is something which I carry out daily in the classroom, particularly when reading a text. I will model the most important sections of each chapter and invite other readers to read aloud other more descriptive sections. Although not always available, I would also aim to use a loop system which would enable pupils to hear the other, perhaps quieter pupils reading, more effectively. This ensures that I am able to assess how pupils can read aloud whilst allowing those who struggle hearing to understand the text thoroughly. However, in my class, for hearing impaired pupils and those for whom English is an additional language, reading aloud can be feared greatly. In order to provide inclusion for these pupils, it is possible for them to have prepared passages beforehand (Fleming, p. 59) by allocating sections to be read aloud the following week or lesson. For one of my hearing impaired pupils and for a couple of EAL pupils I selected, this worked extremely well, as the child was prepared for reading aloud and could practice the section in advance knowing that they would have to read aloud. I chose to not ask the other hearing impaired pupil to read out in front of her classmates, as her impairment is mor e profound and if affects her speech. She is very withdrawn and shy around most people in the class and I thought that it would be unwise to ask her and risk her embarrassment and further de-motivation. Instead, she is seated next to a friend for peer tutoring. This term refers to reciprocal tutoring of students with similar achievement which is  relevant here; the pupil does not struggle with reading alone as shown in comprehension tasks, but with reading aloud. Peer tutoring can increase pupils’ motivation and persistence because of the adolescents’ social drive (Gore, p. 64-65). It is for these reasons that peer tutoring not only benefits the pupil with a barrier to learning, but the ‘tutor’ in the pair also. I have therefore arranged the seating plan for all pupils to be seated next to someone with a similar ability, so that all pupils can benefit from peer tutoring. As learners handle content differently, they should be given opportunities to be more active than passive; understanding, processing, applying, storing and passing on information in peer tutoring is a good way to ensure all pupils have consolidated learning (Butt, p. 39). Becoming an inclusive teacher is particularly difficult when a trainee, as it is imperative that you know your pupils. Inclusion can be as simple as having a pupil’s favourite cartoon character appear on a presentation to increase interest and motivation, or needing to know their exact reading and writing ages or ability, so as not to de-motivate them with work which is impossible for them to complete. A competent and inclusive teacher will say, â€Å"this may be tough† instead of â€Å"this will be easy† to give room for students to feel inflated when they are successful (Reddy, 169). Once the teacher knows their pupils, work can be differentiated so that each and every one of the class has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. This could be in the form of preferred learning style, tailored resources, lots of formative assessment, higher/lower order questions, use of a teaching assistant and various other teaching strategies. It is important to remember when planning a scheme, that pupils may struggle and become de-motivated with one aspect of learning and thrive in another, and so therefore it is necessary that the teacher is a learner also. The most important lesson I have learned during my time with this class, is that successful inclusion strategies are not only for those pupils who you think may need it the most, but are beneficial for all pupils in the classroom. My idea of inclusive learning has altered hugely whilst researching for this assignment, as has my idea of what the role of a teacher is. The teacher’s main role is to ensure that all pupils learn, and that is simply impossible without inclusive teaching strategies being employed.

A Literature Analysis Of Tom Tykwers Movie Run Lola Run

A Literature Analysis Of Tom Tykwer's Movie Run Lola Run Run Lola Run, a German film directed by Tom Tykwer, is a thriller that talks about a woman named Lola trying to obtain enough money in twenty minutes to save her boyfriend. The film follows Lola’s sequential journey showing three different scenarios of her rescuing plans. While Lola changes her paths and plans each time, people she encounters also receive distinct consecutive consequences resulted either from time or behavioral differences. Although the rescues are motivated by a strong sense of love, the film does not solely center on the love-bond between Lola and Manni. The life-changing twists of those who meet with and pass by Lola in the film show the interrelationship and importance of time, decision and fate. In this paper, I will discuss how the film deals with realism in an unrealistic setting. Having the restart button is never a concrete case, but the lessons of making decisions, learning from mistakes, living with surprises and running against time are genuine. Life comes with many crucial moments. With one decision has been made, it will lead to a different life path. Tom Tykwer deals with the significance of decision making in the film. Within the limited time frame, he chooses to use several photomontages to portray different fates. For instance, the old lady with a stroller who gets her own baby taken away decides to steal another person’s baby in the first scenario. The photomontages show her love for the kid, her frustration after baby is taken away and her sickened excitement seeing another baby. In the second scenario, the montages again indicate moments with strong emotions like showing off the lottery ticket, overloaded happiness after winning the lottery and clams and satisfaction after owning the sudden wealth. The same montage technique applies to the biker and the hallway lady as well, showing their love stories or suicides in different scenarios. Whatever their destinies are, the photomontages catch the key moments, th e moments with strong emotions that reflect how they perceive their decisions. Happy or sad or hopeful or disappointed, the moments are their turning points of life just like the old lady decides to live in an unhealthy relationship or deciding to buy a lottery. She lives with the same man and the same kid in two scenarios, but her decisions make a huge difference. The technique cuts straight to the points in fleeting speed where it conveys that sometimes it is just a matter of a fleeting moment that will ultimately determine a life path. The setting of three scenarios is already exceed the conventional expectation of a film, but the unexpected factors that happen each time make the film even more complex and interesting. For instance, the first time when Lola encounters with the ferocious dog, she gets scared. When she is well-prepared in the second time, the dog owner unexpectedly trips Lola and makes her fall off downstairs. Similarly, after Lola fails to get money from her dad, she robs the bank instead. When she finally meets with Manni with the money, the scene almost makes viewers believe it is the end. However, an ambulance runs over Manni and leads everything to the third sequence. Even tough Lola has previous experience and memory, she still unable to avoid the unexpected events and people. Indeed, life is unpredictable and full of surprises. People seemingly feel confident about their doings based on their experiences, like Lola knows the dog will be there and viewers know Lola is prepared. However, the ans wer to who would expect the dog owner would get involved is absolutely no one. There is no guarantee that a similar experience will doom a success, but it definitely helps with better preparation in the future. The mistakes Lola learned from the first and second sequences lead her to decide to jump over the dog in the third time, but again, winning the jackpot and even successfully meeting with Manni with the extra money on hands are also surprises. Besides Lola is the main character, time is another main matter that simultaneously exists. The film gives several close-ups to clocks and watches that symbolize the time. On one hand, it always reminds Lola and viewers of the limited twenty minutes. On the other hand, it indicates the crucial fact that you have to catch up with time rather than another way around. In an unrealistic setting that lives can be given a second chance and time can be reversed, the time runs at the same pace each time. Regardless what happens, it cannot prevent time from running. For instance, in the opening scene when Lola going over who can help in her head, the arc shot moves in circle like how clock runs. With Lola stands still in the circle, it forms strong contrast that the time does not wait as you stop. Additionally, when Lola screams in her dad’s office, the clock is broken to pieces. Though the physical object is broken and paused at eleven fifty, the rule of time can be resisted. When Lol a asks the old lady for time, it already passed eleven fifty. Thus, the time is always running and Lola is just running out of time. People in real life race against time too, but without having the chance to reverse it. It is a race, an unfair one, that people have to adjust plans or speed up in order to be efficient enough in twenty-four hours. In conclusion, Run Lola Run is a love story, yet reveals many philosophies that deal with life. Three scenarios prove that each person has a different fate and a fleeting moment and a decision can be crucial to determine a life path. Whether the life path moves toward a positive or negative direction, people can never predict the future because life may not go smoothly as expected. Though people can change their plans to pursue a better future, but time cannot be reversed or paused, people have to chase the time.

Shostakovich 8th String Quartet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Shostakovich 8th String Quartet - Essay Example Born on September 25, 1906, into the family of an engineer, in St Petersburg, Shostakovich didn't appear to be, in his first years of childhood, as talented as he proved to be later on. But as his parents loved music very much and considered that it was necessary in the process of a child's education, Shostakovich the child received musical lessons. The young Shostakovich showed great interest in music and began studying it seriously, and more than just interpreting other composer's music, he started composing his own pieces of work. As most of the great composers, Shostakovich spoke through his music. As for his personal life, he didn't like to show too much of it. "He was an intensely private person who guarded his personal life and feelings jealously. What all but a very few close friends and family members were permitted to experience of the man was the stiff faade of a civic-minded public servant and consummate music professional." (Fay, 2000 p.2) It's only after his death that the publication of memoirs, diaries, letters, revealed facts about him and his life, some of them controversial. Christopher Norris (1984) shows that Shostakovich's performances of his own music reveal a great flexibility of tempi and the tendency to exaggerate the extremes of his metronome marks. The same source reveals the fact that the members of the Beethoven String Quartet were life-long friends of Shostakovich and this is what gives flexibility to their interpretation. Norris emphasizes on the fact that there are many examples in Shostakovich's chamber music, of movements of unrelenting loudness. And he presents some of these examples: the second movements of the eighth and Tenth Quartets and the Violin Sonata, and most of the third movement of the Third Quartet. Norris analyses in detail the String Quartets. When dealing with the eighth, he begins by showing that the composer is careful about the placing of accents and stresses. And he gives an example: "when the lower three instruments are intoning the revolutionary song "Tormented by the weight of bondage" fortissimo espressivo in octaves, the first violin's independent part has accents on every note to help the balance."(Norris, 1984 p.23) The composer's commentator also remarks the conflict between dissonance and consonance and the task of the performer who must interpret the music using "the appropriate fingering, stress, balance, rubato and vibrato, to highlight the patterns of tension and release." (Norris, 1984 p.23) Norris admits that sometimes the consonance and dissonance are no more than the result of purely horizontal lineality, but he considers that most of the times, the context is deliberately tonal. About Shostakovich's musical style, Martynov says: "AT A FIRST HEARING of Shostakovich's music one is struck by the remarkable facility of his style. So effortless is his manner of solving the most complex problems of composition that it would seem nothing is impossible to him. Few of his contemporaries can compare with him in this. Such creative ease, moreover, is a sure sign of great talent and consummate skill." (1947 p.154). He points out the fact that the Russian composer "worked with extraordinary facility and speed": "his String Quartet was written

Feature Writing and Journalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Feature Writing and Journalism - Essay Example At one home, she was even denied the right to study. She had early realized that education is very important to earn money. After she had run away from her second foster home at thirteen years of age, she had ensured that till sixteen years she would remain at the orphanage and study. Thereafter, she would move to a new place and pursue higher study while working. She had left Dakota when she was sixteen. She is a very determined young lady who is not only smart but also very intelligent and focused. She does part time cleaning job at the IT firm and works late night shift at the local bar as waitress. As jobs are scarce, she believes that any work would do so far as it is able to pay her college fee. Her black belt in Judo has helped her to ward off the attention of street Romeos and drunkards while working later night shifts or attending night classes of management. She shares her accommodation with two other girls who have now become her best friends and family. While this may not give her the requisite privacy, it nevertheless has helped her to survive in new place Her short term goal is to get management degree and later do apprenticeship in some established company. She has already talked to her supervisor at the IT firm who has assured her that once she gets the management degree, she would be considered. The firm employs young talents and gives them huge opportunities for growth. She had also made friends with many people at the firm who also help her in gaining computer skills. She also believes that campus interview would also help her in getting a job. She therefore has kept her options open. I really liked her focused approach to dealing things and issues. She has her priority well defined and works towards it with utmost seriousness. She tells me that she has already passed three semesters and after fourth one, she would be eligible to apply for junior management position. This is a great achievement, especially considering her

The Analysis of a Joke Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Analysis of a Joke - Essay Example Although we think of the joke as a cultural constant, it is a form of humor that comes and goes with the rise and fall of civilizations.†1 The joke that was chosen was the following: A doctor walked into a bank. Preparing to endorse a check, he pulled a rectal thermometer out of his shirt pocket and tried to write with it. Realizing his mistake, he looked at the thermometer with annoyance and said, ‘Well thats great, just great... some asshole’s got my pen.’2 The category that this particular joke probably belongs in is the scatological category, because it deals with a reference to the rectum. It’s unsure why, but these types of jokes can be particularly compelling—because excrement seems to be something that humans find very funny. Of course, a simpler way to say that is to just say, â€Å"Poo is funny.† But why? What is so funny about our own feces? Fundamentally, excrement is elemental. If we didn’t have it, there would be no jokes. But why is humor about feces, farts, and, in fact—the entire range of human bodily functions, fodder for jokes? One must wonder. What makes this particular joke funny is that, through a play on words, we imagine the pen being stuck in some patient’s behind. That seems pretty funny that there would be a mix-up like that. Thus, there is a play on words and we find this joke, for the most part, funny—if not at least a bit crude. ... Now, it’s not using very polite language either. This is where the aggressive element demonstrates itself. It’s not a polite joke, and it probably wouldn’t be polite to share in mixed company, unless the mixed company were to be as foul-mouthed as the language used in the joke. Although the joke’s language is not overly offensive, it does say something about the medical profession as well. Doctors are sometimes inept, and it’s easy to make jokes about doctors and lawyers because they both have high-stress professions. Humor can be a wonderful way to deflect problems, as well as provide a platform for expressing one’s personality. This is why comedians like Jerry Seinfeld did especially well with his show Seinfeld, and why, subsequently, comedians like Larry David did so well with his show Curb Your Enthusiasm. Many times, these humorous shows have something in common—they use real-life situations as fodder for something called situatio nal comedy (or a sitcom). Situational comedies bring real-life problems to light. Who could ever forget the following bits: â€Å"Are you sponge-worthy?† â€Å"She’s got man hands!† Pig Man. The Soup Nazi. â€Å"You double-dipped the chip.† â€Å"Serenity now!† â€Å"Give me that, you old bag!† Who will ever forget these classic moments in Seinfeld history? These, and a series of other vignettes in his subsequent spin-off hit HBO comedy series--Curb Your Enthusiasm--were brought to you by none other than comedian, writer, actor, and executive producer Larry David. Larry David was the head writer and executive producer of Seinfeld, winning him a Primetime Emmy Award for Best Outstanding comedy series in the run of the show’s fourth year. Seinfeld made

Discussion Compilation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discussion Compilation - Assignment Example The age of enlightenment denoted the epoch of an intellectual movement back then in the 18th century. This took place in zones of central Europe and North America. The end of the thirty years of war in 1648 sparked this era and the French Revolution in 1989 marked its end. The 20th century has carried the label of the tag the age of anxiety (Eder, James and Seth 70). In this notion, the dominant perception is the idea of one using technology to obtain power over the citizens. At this level, one can easily realize the span of time since the 16th century to 20th century digital era took many ideological perceptions and inclinations by different personality who helped shape the history of philosophy, politics, and leadership. In the discernment of Freud, his contribution got right the making of history. According to Freud, the development of civilization with age would definitely bear a striking similarity with the development of the individual. In this realm, what Freud insinuated was that the society would one way or the other grow. The growth, be it social, political or religious perspective, it is borne by individual actions within the society (Eder, James and Seth 84). ... His philosophical inclination stems out from the fact that he was a child of enlightenment. What one would require an insight from Freud and Karl Max, if they were around is their belief and concentration on the power and influence of non-rational drives and impulses as guiding human thinking and his behaviour? For Karl, the human capacities have an insinuation of freedom of their thinking. He might have got this perception wrong since he relates to every human achievement as the outcome of false consciousness (Eder, James and Seth 70). The fact is that even since the age of enlightenment, much development in human capacity and their ideas do not entirely subscribe to the ideas of the ruling class. If Karl were alive today, he would have risen to the fact that conscious thought, as Freud sides with it, has played a big role towards linking these two ages, the age of enlightenment and the age of anxiety. During the age of enlightenment, as the world of civilization drifted onto the un known future of the age of anxiety, nature was put at a distance so as to rationally observe and classify. According to Locke, there was an erosion of the hierarchical great chain of being and the development of science of government, which sprouted the aspect of egalitarianism. This path seemed to bear the theory of natural light to equality and the security of self and the body of self (Eder, James and Seth 65). These extensions by Locke help to link the two ages together. He comes out as the first ideologue for capitalism. The contribution of personalities as from Locke to Equiano, one can see the emergency of possessive selfhood. The philosophers of this time assumed an amazing intellectual turn toward the end of 18th century.

Organization Development and Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organization Development and Change - Essay Example There is a marketing office which is tasked to employ marketing techniques to get people to enroll in a class or classes. Courses offered varied from Basic English to special-type classes like IELTS or TOEIC. Teaching positions are open to anyone who can speak English fluently, has stable Internet connection and can work within the offered class hours. Weekly, teachers would plot their own schedules; that is, select the times they can be online and provide classes. I did not work for the company for a long time because the teaching hours took its toll on me. Although I only worked whenever a student would book a lesson with me, the knowledge that someone was waiting for me at a set time became a source of stress because when something came up at school or at home, I would worry about my online class. Also, there were instances when I would adjust my other tasks around my online class but then the class would be cancelled at the last minute. This left me disappointed since if I had known earlier about having no class, I could have scheduled other tasks during those hours. Overall, the experience was a good one though as, through my students I learned tidbits about the culture and life in Korea and China. I can say the company has a few problems. Based on the Weisbord Six-Box Model, (Weisbord, M., 1976), my previous employer’s problems had to do with Structure, Leadership and Rewards. As per Structure, there were really just one or two persons who interacted with the online teachers and these were not the ones with authority to make decisions. So, whenever I had problems with, for example, students or schedules the resolution would take a while and then it was only temporary because when the same thing happens again, there would be a different solution. The next problem would be in Rewards. There was really no such thing as rewards in the organization, I believe. Teachers were only given their compensation. There was no bonus

Individual Reflective Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Individual Reflective Report - Essay Example The company will also create an online meeting place for the players to play against each other or just participate in different tournaments depending on their ranking. A Fair Play policy will be enacted and implemented in order to ensure all customers are satisfied with the gaming experience and receive the games in a fair manner (Minniti, 2007). Some of the benefits of the game prepaid card include the convenience for the Chinese customers who do not have bank accounts or credit cards such as VISA. The card will also allow the redeem gifts such as energy packs, air travel tickets and household equipments thus enhancing the customer experience. The game prepaid card will ensure customer privacy and reduce the chances of online fraud since customers will not necessarily need a credit card in order to subscribe to the games (Minniti, 2007). The players will have the opportunity to select their own gaming mode. For instance, there will be an option of tutorials, custom games, ranked ga mes and normal games. The ranking will be done according to individual player’s performance whereby highly ranked players will have an opportunity to play for a $ 1,000,000 global final. Idea generation Business idea generation entails the process of generation, developing and communicating new business ideasThe business idea generation process was the most challenging for the team. However, we maintained a clear focus and creativity through reviewing different ideas. Accordingly, our idea generation approach followed a entrepreneurial approach since we were interested in coming up with new and innovative ideas that could meet the needs of Chinese game players with no access to domestic online gaming products. As a group, each individual was tasked with doing a market research on the gaps in consumer needs in the online gaming industry (Minniti, 2007). We held several brainstorming sessions whereby each member was supposed to provide numerous suggestions on business opportuni ties that could be viable within our budget. For instance, several methods recommended establishment of online ticketing business while other preferred the establishment of food chain restaurants. However, our criteria in reviewing the several ideas was aimed at ensuring the viability of the business, minimal capital infrastructure and innovative idea that is exciting to the customers in order to ensure quick market penetration. The team considered the several strengths and weaknesses of each business idea including the consumer market trends and demand. The idea generation process also considered the competitors products and human capital requirements for the prospective business. The second phase of idea generation was screening the benefits that the targeted market would receive from the business and the growth prospect of the business idea. Other issues that were considered include the technology requirements and legal framework surrounding the business idea (Minniti, 2007). The next step involved product development and testing in the market. This involves understanding the consumer purchasing behaviour for the game prepaid card and costs of marketing the prepaid game card. In this stage, we outlined several perceived benefits that could be used in the

International Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Strategic Management - Essay Example On the other hand, firms of each particular industrial sector have to align their marketing strategies in accordance with the characteristics of the specific sector but also the position of their competitors. Specifically referring to firms operating in the pharmaceutical industry White (2006, 175) noticed that ‘the pharmaceutical sector regularly forms alliances, partnerships, and joint ventures with kindred industries such as biotechnology, diagnostics, health care, and information services’. In other words, firms operating within the pharmaceutical industry should carefully review their marketing strategy as the qualities, the effectiveness and the safety claimed (through the relevant marketing messages) can have a significant effect on consumers (patients) around the world. The development of consumer-directed advertising has helped towards the improvement of the marketing campaigns of pharmaceutical firms around the world (referring not only to the qualities of the products advertised but also to the effectiveness of these products). Moreover, consumers can be better informed on the solutions available for the treatment of a specific disease. Regarding the specific issue it is noticed by Holtz (1998, 199) that ‘the increase in consumer-directed advertising has helped to foster a health care atmosphere in which it is the patient, and not the medical practitioner, who initiates a discussion regarding possible drug therapy’. The importance of consumer-directed advertising in the pharmaceutical industry has been also highlighted by Wang et al. (2004). The above researchers referred to a specific form of advertising, the 4-C model which has been found to refer mainly to the following issues: ‘First, what the customer want should be sold; second, enterprise should take every efforts to decrease the cost of fulfilling the customers demand; third, enterprise should take every efforts to give

Effects of monopolies in the Usa economy Essay Example for Free

Effects of monopolies in the Usa economy Essay The concept of a monopoly is largely misunderstood and the mere mention of the term evokes lots of emotions that make clear judgment almost impossible. The standard economic and social case for or against monopolistic businesses is no longer straightforward. According to Mankiw (2009) a monopoly is defined as a market structure characterized by a single seller of a unique product with no close substitutes[1]. When a business dominates a market, it becomes a monopoly by virtue of its power. A company (or a group of affiliated companies) is considered to have a dominant position in a particular market if it exerts a decisive influence over the general conditions of trade in that market or can restrict access to that market for other businesses. Markets keep changing with the times and so are the conditions in which businesses must operate regardless of whether they have any noticeable market power. [2] Monopolies have contributed significantly in transforming the US economy to be the leading economy worldwide. This is largely due to the benefits arising from legal monopolies created by the Patent and copyrights law. Monopolies are in effect powerful tools of spurring economic growth in the US. How do monopolies arise? Two major conditions contribute to formation of a monopolistic trade environment. A product which has no close substitutes faces no competition thus its producer becomes a monopolist. Exclusive ownership of a key resource may lead to creation of a monopoly. A classical case is exemplified by the control of the computer hardware, market by International Business Machines (IBM) for nearly forty years. Due to its market dominance over the hardware, institutions that intended to initiate a project had to do so with IBM. (Rise in Monopolies, n. d. ) Monopolies also develop where there are barriers to market entry. These barriers are obstacles that make it difficult or impossible for any potential competitors to penetrate a particular market. Such barriers could either be natural or legal constraints that protect a firm from competitors. A natural monopoly arises when technology for producing a product enables one firm to meet the entire market demand at a lower price than two or more firms could. Legal monopolies develop in a market in which competition and entry are restricted by the concentration of ownership of a natural resource or by the granting of a public franchise, government license, patent, or copyright. When Microsoft licensed an operating system from Seattle Computer Company in 1981 their explosion into dominance began. Microsoft’s dominance over the operating systems enabled it to diversify into producing spreadsheets and word processors. These new software were made such that they worked best with its operating system hence tightening Microsoft’s grip of the market. (Mises,1981, p. 86). Certain circumstances do lead to creation of near monopolies or oligopolies. An oligopoly arises when a small number of firms have relatively large market shares. Though each firm is independent, interdependence may arise whereby one firm’s actions influence the profits of the other firms. In addition, when a small number of firms share a market, they can collude to increase their profits by forming a cartel and acting like a monopoly. Default monopolies may arise when there is lack of sufficient knowledge or interest on a particular subject[3]. A firm may end up being a small monopoly by having an upper hand when it comes to accessing knowledge on a particular trade. A case in point is the sole garbage collecting company in Taos. Are monopolies beneficial or detrimental to the US economy? Monopolies have been in existence throughout business history and several corporations have achieved complete dominance over a wide array of industries. The monopolies have been accused of charging exorbitant prices to earn super profits with little regard to consumer welfare . A fundamental question is; Are these business practices ethical? (Haas, 2006) Citizens of The United States value competition in their market system. Competition not only keeps prices low and encourages production of new products to the market place but also fosters innovations that help to bring down the cost of doing business. Contrary to popular belief, monopolies are not illegal in the United States . Indeed a government-created monopoly is exemplified by the patent and copyright law. This is a law that governs intellectual property. A pharmaceutical company that develops an original drug can patent it for several years during which it enjoys exclusive production rights. Such a patent offers the producer monopoly status where the producer can charge higher prices and earn greater profits. On the other hand, such a law is beneficial because it encourages innovation and continuous research within pharmaceutical companies to develop new and more superior products. Moreover only big monopolies with significant market power have the capacity to carry out research and development on their products. This leads to innovation since new knowledge is applied to the production process. The nearly twenty year monopoly enjoyed by Microsoft in manufacturing of its computer software has not only ensured harmony and uniformity in computer software but also facilitated accessibility of computers by the greater population. Consequently, this has lead to the information technology revolution characterized by easier access to information by US citizens and thus the US economy remains to be the world’s superpower. It is through such innovations that new channels of business for example e-commerce have sprung up . Citizens can now buy items and find good deals through iPods and other innovative devices arising from research and development by giant firms. From a different perspective, in the absence of real competition a monopolist may lack an incentive to invest in new ideas or consider consumer welfare. Monopolies may in certain instances offer inferior services or products. Amtrak enjoys a monopoly status in the passenger rail system. It has been criticized severally for failing to develop hybrid high-speed locomotives that save on energy consumption as well as failing to service some of its tracks that remain to be under- par conditions. Donald,D (1997) suggests that monopolization can be advantageous to the consumers by enabling cheaper production due to economies of scale. A monopolist may manage to maintain lower marginal costs due to economies of scale and the advantages of division of labor . Consequently; this translates into higher output at lower prices than would have been possible under competitive conditions. Such economies of scale also tend to guarantee uniform output and harmony in product characteristics. The benefits arising from economies of scale may be eroded due to X inefficiencies[4]. Monopolistic organizations cut on expenses that would have been wrought about by competition and by so doing they deny business opportunities to various support organizations like advertising and public relations firms. This has the net effect of creating unequal wealth distribution since vast wealth ends up in the hands of a few individuals. Another issue to ponder over is what to make of those monopolies that have come into existence simply by being better than all the rest. A case in point is the Wal-Mart stores which has been accused of running small shop-owners out of business in locations where it opened stores due to its retailing efficiency. Sometimes a market dominated by few firms/sellers does not always indicate the absence of competition, it can reflect the success of leading firms in providing better quality products, more efficiently, than their smaller rivals. Some monopolies throttle the creativity of enterprises and are a detriment in certain sectors. A classical example is the United States Postal Service that has continuously offered US citizens poor quality services at the expense of taxpayers. This sector needs to undergo restructuring in order to give market access to potential investors and thus improve on service delivery to the citizens. Inefficient production firms that enjoy monopoly status in essence fail to make optimal use of their scarce resources and in such circumstances, government intervention may be warranted through application of competition policy of market liberalization. A major preposition that makes monopoly undesirable is that monopoly leads to a failure in the market mechanism because the monopoly price is generally higher than both the marginal and average costs. This in turn results in the monopolist offering an exploitative price to the consumer since this price is above the cost of resources used to make the product. Such actions restrict free trade and consequently the consumers’ needs and wants are not properly satisfied because the product is being under-consumed. Some monopolies especially in the pharmaceutical industry have been criticized for monopolizing drugs for certain ailments like cancer and Aids though the patent laws. Such giant pharmaceutical companies have been accused of engaging in profiteering schemes at the detriment of the welfare of the American citizens. The higher average cost of production that may arise if there are inefficiencies in production also means that the firm is not making optimum use of its scarce resources. This may necessitate some form of government intervention for example by market liberalization in order scale down the monopoly dominance. Government created monopolies in sectors that require enormous capital outlays have ensured consumers have access to certain crucial services which would not have been possible were such ventures to be entrust solely to private investors. These state-run monopolies are service providers whose main motivation is not profit but to cater for the welfare of the citizens[5]. Their services are crucial in providing enabling environments for the citizens to explore and achieve their goals in life. Monopolies arising from merges and restructuring can operate more efficiently and thus provide better quality services to the citizens. The mergers eliminate several layers of bureaucracy and create efficient standardized processes. [6]However it is worth noting that some mergers may deprive consumers the benefit of choice. Conclusion Monopolies apparently exist because the quantity demanded in the market is completely satisfied by the monopoly (Peter 2003). The widespread view that the monopolist can fix prices at will is erroneous because the laws determining monopoly prices are the same as those which determine other prices. A monopolist can best serve its interests by separating consumers into classes based on their purchasing power. A company that controls all aspects of a field can ensure harmony and uniformity. Microsoft offers an outstanding example on this front whereby the greatest proportion of computers run on their software thus enhancing compatibility. Monopolies have resulted in great innovations and immense growth in several sectors of the economy while in others they have been detrimental for example through collapse of small enterprises or delivery of poor quality services. Monopolies are both beneficial and detrimental to the economy and a cost benefit analysis needs to be done to ascertain the role played by individual monopolies in any particular market. This demands a precise definition of what actually constitutes a market because in almost every industry, the market is highly segmented into different products. Globalization has made it very difficult to ascertain the real effects of monopoly power in any particular market more so due to the effects of the rapidly increasing competition. With proper regulation, monopolies have not only positively contributed towards economic progress but they also provided a stimulus for liberalization of major market segments. Liberalization in return has opened up many channels of investment and the net effect has been a great expansion in available business opportunities on a global scale. References Donald,D. (1997). Microeconomics: The Analysis of Prices and Markets . New York, Oxford University Press. Haas,W. (2009) Microeconomics : The Effects of Monopolies . Retrieved Nov. 17, 2009, from http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/85453/microeconomics_the_effect_of_monopolies_pg3_pg3. html? cat=3, Mankiw,N. G(2009). Principles of Microeconomics: South Western Cengage Learning Mises,V. L. (1981). Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis Indianapolis: Liberty Fund. Peter,P. (2003)†Bullying the Monopoly Arflington VA: Security Management. .47, 12; Rise of monopolies. Retrieved Nov. 17, 2009, from http://cse. stanford. edu/class/cs201/projects-95-96/corporate-monopolies/development. html [1] This applies largely to pure monopoly where by the monopoly has total control over output and prices within a free and fair market with near perfect competition. [2] A common assumption is that a company is said to dominate a market if it controls over 65% of that market. As a rule of thumb, if a company gains control of 30 % of a market, it poses the risk of acquiring monopoly status but this depends on the size of other competitors in the market. [3] Default monopoly is in reference to a hypothesis advanced by Mankiw in an effort to explain how some non-convectional monopolies come into existence. [4] X inefficiency is a term first coined by Harvey Libenstein. It refers to the production losses incurred by monopolies arising from economies of scale and lack of incentives to be innovative. [5] The services of some of the state run monopolies are crucial in supporting the American citizens carry out their daily duties and thus their output in all spheres of their lives is thought to be enhanced by such ‘enabling environments’ [6] Mergers create more stable organizations that can guarantee continuous output of quality services and for an extended period of time unlike smaller companies that can be under constant threat by negative market threats.

Presenting Reality In Documentaries

Presenting Reality In Documentaries The term documentary stems from the verb to document to convey information on the basis of proof and evidence to support it, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. In the realm of films and cinema, a documentary is a film that is an attempt, in one fashion or another, to show reality as it really is. In this essay, we shall be concentrating on the documentary by American filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. By the end of this essay we should hopefully reach to a conclusion whether Morgan Spurlock used the medium of documentary film effectively in order to represent the truth. The latter will need an in depth analysis n observation of the style of documentary Super Size me is and how it has been treated and presented by the filmmaker. The ultimate aim of documentary is to find the perfect way of representing the real is what Stella Bruzzi believes is the function of a documentary. As she states it herself, the aim is to find the perfect way of representing reality. The three underlined words are themselves hypothetical terms that are not certain, hence this is the first indication that documentary might not necessarily achieve its aim. Documentary style of films are still under debate as to how real can they be, this probably why Stella Bruzzi uses the word find instead of a more commanding and certain word. Therefore, what is really a documentary according to different theorists? John Grierson, the first writer to use documentary as a term in his review of Robert Flahertys Moana, came up with his famous dictum that documentary is the creative interpretation of actuality. Griersons essay First Principles of Documentary argued that documentary was cinemas potential for observing life could be exploited in a new art form; that the original actor and original scene are better guides than their fiction counterparts to interpreting the modern world; and that materials thus taken from the raw can be more real than the acted article. Contrary to Bruzzis idea of representing reality, Grierson believes in interpreting it. Interpretation can be in form of re-enactment. So the question that arises is how realistic is a documentary that has actors and scenes guiding the flow of the film? Any re-enactment or borrowed situations can be manipulated to reflect the directors idea, which leaves hardly any space for 100% reality. In addition to John Griersons explanation about documentary, Bill Nichols (2001:165) suggests that documentaries have a sense of realism which other genre of films lack as the realism in documentaries represent what the eyes and ears experience in everyday life. Morgan Spurlock achieves the degree of realism and transparency explained by Bill Nichols in realism in documentary film. Morgan Spurlock presents his point against fast food by living, observing and literally eating it. He documents his 30 days Mc Diet effectively that the audience has little or no hesitation to question the transparency and authenticity (Bill Nichols:165). Morgan Sprulocks objectives for making Super Size Me were to investigate the reasons and claims about USA having an epidemic of obesity. As he sarcastically says in the beginning of his documentary; The biggest people, America has now become the fattest nation in the world, CONGRATULATIONS! This statement by the filmmaker suggests that in teh documentary, the audience will be seeing and hearing the reality that Morgan Spurlock chooses to show them and he has already taken the liberty to express his personal emotions towards the theme of the documentary. Another driving force that led Spurlock to make this documentary was the lawsuit brought against McDonalds on behalf of two overweight girls, who, it was alleged, became obese as a result of eating McDonalds food (Pelman v. McDonalds Corp) in 2003. Spurlock argues that this case against fast food joints is as significant as the criticism faced by tobacco companies. A brief summary of the documentary is that Morgan Spurlock makes himself a test subject of this documentary about the commercial food industry. Rigorously eating a diet of McDonalds fast food, three times a day for a month straight and restricts himself to only 5000 steps a day. Therefore, he lives the life of most American who eat fast food regularly and also hard burn it out in terms of physical exercise. Spurlock is out to prove the physical and mental effects of consuming fast food. While doing this, Spurlock also provides a look at the food culture in America through its schools, corporations, and politics as seen through the eyes of regular people and health advocates. Super Size Me is a movie that sheds a new light on what has become one of our nations biggest health problems: obesity. Critics of the film, including McDonalds, argue that the author intentionally consumed an average of 5,000 calories per day and did not exercise, and that the results would have been the same regardless of the source of overeating. He was eating solely McDonalds food in keeping with the terms of a potential judgment against McDonalds in court documents highlighted at the beginning of the film. The film addresses such objections by highlighting that a part of the reason for Spurlocks deteriorating health was not just the high calorie intake but also the high quantity of fat relative to vitamins and minerals in the McDonalds menu, which is similar in that regard to the nutritional content of the menus of most other U.S. fast-food chains. About 1/3 of Spurlocks calories came from sugar. His nutritionist, Bridget Bennett RD, cited him about his excess intake of sugar from milkshakes and cokes. It is revealed toward the end of the movie that over the course of the diet, he consumed over 30 pounds of sugar, and over 12 lbs. of fat from their food. The nutritional side of the diet was not fully explored in the film because of the closure of the clinic which monitored this aspect during the filming of the movie. Spurlock claimed he was trying to imitate what an average diet for a regular eater at McDonalds-a person who would get little to no exercise-would do to them. Spurlocks intake of 5,000 calories per day was well over twice the recommended daily intake for a sedentary adult male, which would amount to only about 2,300 calories. A typical man consuming as many calories as Spurlock did would gain nearly a pound a day (which is roughly how much Spurlock gained), a rate of weight gain that could not be sustained for long periods. Additionally, Spurlock did not demonstrate or claim that anyone, let alone a substantial number of people, eats at McDonalds three times per day. In fact McDonalds is mentioned during the movie to have two classes of users of their restaurants: There are the Heavy Users, (about 72% of the customers, who eat at their restaurants once or twice a week), and the SUPER Heavy Users (about 22% of the customers, who eat McDonalds 3 or more times a week). But no one was fo und who ate at McDonalds three times a day. This brings out the fact that maybe Morgan was exactly as objective as he should have been. There is a clear exaggeration of his Mc Diet as no one was found to be eating as much fast food as he did. However, the counter argue this claim one can say that maybe not every day but like a few participants in the documentary said the eat fast food up to 3 times a week. So if one spreads those continuous 30 days over couple of months the result might be the same. The only difference left will be that Morgans body and health showed accelerated reaction to the fast food intake because he did it at an extreme level. According to Bill Nichols in Introduction to Documentary (2001:163): Social issue documentaries are usually in expository mode. However, Morgan Spurlock contradicts this statement by making a social issue documentary in a participatory mode making it more a personal portraiture documentary. If super Size Me was to be categorised in the b asic six mode of documentary according to Bill Nichols, it would be a participatory documentary. In the latter, investigation takes a step back to make way for a more responsive and reflective relationship in unfolding the events by the filmmaker (Bill Nichols 2001:119). Super size Me is a personal testimonial where Morgan Spurlocks voice is prominent throughout the overall structure of the film and this is what hold the audiences attention. It will be appropriate at this point to go deeper into the documentary Super Size Me and analyse it in order to understand the objectives and mode of the documentary. Firstly, Super size Me is the idea of an ordinary American filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. This is an important fact to be taken into consideration because eventually the ideology and aim intended by Morgan Spurlock is what will direct the ideas reflected in the documentary, hence, objectivity can be compromised. For reality to be completely present in order to have a real documentary there should be ideally, no draw backs on objectivity in the portrayal of ideas. Secondly, Super size Me is more to do with creating awareness amongst people. Creating awareness is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events. In this level of consciousness, sense data can be confirmed by an observer without necessarily implying understanding. This suggests that Spurlock was not aiming at influencing people to completely revolt against fast food but at least beware and conscious of the harmful effects of it. He leaves it upon the audience to make their choice without brainwashing them. Thirdly, Super Size me is what Grierson would categorize under participatory mode, in which filmmakers move from behind the camera and appear as subjects in their own work like Spurlock carries out his experiment himself and becomes the main subject of the documentary. He is the director, producer and writer of the documentary. So much control over a project does make it a very passionate and well organised piece of work; however, with so much power and control over a project, the audience might be getting the side of story which the director has in mind. Hence, can the audience be completely dependent on what is being shown to them and believe that Spurlock was being completely objective? The audience plays a great role in what and how the director delivers the documentary. Super Size Me was released in 2004, mainly for the American audience as he directs his attention to Americans by repeatedly saying WE are The taste of what the audience want now is different from what was expected in earlier years when illiteracy levels were at their highest. The audience want something more intellectually stimulating and not propaganda. Moreover, reality and truth in the form of controversy is what really gets peoples attention. This probably the deciding factor when it comes to Spurlock putting together eye catching facts and shocking moments like his depression, or his girlfriend admitting to him being not as good as before during sexual intercourse. Such facts can be hidden or edited out, but the director keeps it, to show his transparency but also to add the elements that sell in todays world. In addition, editing plays a big role in representing reality. The camera can capture all the truth there is to be captured, but the audience eventually see what is presented to them after much chopping done in the editing room. Directors choice of scenes, images and music is what is eventually reflected in the documentary. In other words, only one or a few peoples choice or ideology is selected and presented to the audience. The directors selection does not necessarily have to reflect the reality. Therefore, how is reality ever represented in documentaries? Triumph of The Will (1935) is not only a masterpiece entirely on its own, divorced from political or propagandist considerations, but in its emotional manipulation of the audience represents the very heart of what propaganda is all about. (Barsam, 1992, 130) Riefenstahl is able to create a glorified representation of the NSDAP, or Nazi party, with the use of a music score that invents Hitler as heroic. Her ability to represent a political party so triumphantly is noted in the moving and chilling pieces of cinematography when Hitler gives his final speech and compares his party to a holy order. She captures an essence far purer than the NSDAP, and in a way does more than justice to the partys attempts of propaganda. On the other hand, her achievements in portraying the NSDAP as glamorous can be seen as misrepresenting and a line can be drawn between fact and fiction as to, whether her glorifications are unjust and morally wrong. For the Nazis, the euphoria of a perfect Germany according to them can be portrayed with proper film aesthetics but without directly referring to the contemporary society of the 1930s. The what it would be like if Nazis ruled agenda can be portrayed with the use of abstract visuals and other techniques as long as the real is not referred to, as societies in Germany were not of pure race. The idea of creating a pure race and portraying this in a film is almost mythical, yet alone absurd. In order to portray an Aryan world blatant lies and imaginative discourse would be called for. The ethical implications behind this, is that the people themselves must change in order to create this ideal society. The overly repeated Flag Bearer image depicts symbolism connected to Nazism; the inclusion of a flag bearing the Nazi Swastika symbol represents the militarized power of the party. As a trend in Nazi propaganda, there is enormous emphasis on military symbols in Triumph of the will, triggered deeply felt emotions associated with Germanys former military might. Leni Riefenstahls editing provides an insight into the status of Triumph of the Will as Nazi propaganda. For example, one sequence during Hitlers arrival in Nuremburg is composed of four shots; the first two shots show the old buildings of the city and then a German flag therefore representing the old, traditional Germany. The following two shots depict Hitler and then a Swastika. This sequence typifies how Riefenstahl has represented the Nazi ideology of a return to a mythical epoch by linking the ideals of the traditional dogma with a visionary future. Similarly, before the scene of the city awakening Riefenstahl links a shot of an old church to represent Volakis thought, with the rally camp site to signify the new Germany. Incidentally Hinton suggests that as result of these sequences, Triumph of the Will is more than a document of the 1934 Nazi Party Rally; it is a document of the city of Nuremburg where the viewer gains a sense of the beauty and history of the medieval centre. F urthermore, the use of German and Nazi flags ties in with the use of military symbols inherent in the propaganda of the Third Reich. She also states that; In my cutting room, it was the most difficult work of my life describing the task that took at least five months to fulfil. She explained that she did not care much about chronological accuracy on the screen and that she intuitively tried to find a unifying way to edit the film in a way which would progressively take the viewer from act to act and from impression to impression. With political pressure, adoration for Adolf Hitler, and clearly a propaganda film, Triumph of the will does portray reality in terms of the images used; they are all live and not re-enacted by Riefenstahl. However, it is a biased documentation of the reality. I believe it would have been a real documentary if only there was not so much of glamour shown about the Nazi rallies, and the darker side such as the Holocaust and ghettos were also covered. The latter would have made it a more objective piece of work, making it more of a documentary instead of a propaganda tool. From the information given above about the documentaries in question the first thing that is important to note is the fact that Triumph of the Will was an idea suggested by Adolf Hitler whereas, Super size Me was the idea of an ordinary American filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. This is an important fact to be taken into consideration because eventually the ideology and aim intended by Adolf Hitler and Morgan Spurlock is what will direct the ideas reflected in the documentary, hence, objectivity can be compromised. For reality to be completely present in order to have a real documentary there should be ideally, no draw backs on objectivity in the portrayal of ideas. Adolf Hitler was a Nazi dictator ruling over a powerful country like Germany, his influence and power to pressurise Leni Riefenstahl was unquestionable. On the contrary, Morgan Spurlock was just an independent director. What kind of objectivity and impartiality (two very important subjects to reflect reality) can one expect from a director working under a dictator who controlled the population through fear? The purposes of both documentaries are extreme opposites. Triumph of the Will was intended to be a propaganda political film. Propaganda is after all; a form of communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience. Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus possibly lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda. In comparison to this, Super size Me was more to do with creating awareness amongst people. Creating awareness is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events. In this level of consciousness, sense data can be confirmed by an obser ver without necessarily implying understanding. This suggests that Spurlock was not aiming at influencing people to completely revolt against fast food but at least beware and conscious of the harmful effects of it. He leaves it upon the audience to make their choice without brainwashing them. The presentation of Triumph of the Will is what documentary forefather, John Grierson would categorise under Poetic mode. Such documentary thrive on a filmmakers aesthetic and subjective visual interpretation of a subject, in addition to it different music is selected for different scenes, just like in the Triumph of Will. By contrast, Super Size me is what Grierson would categorize under participatory mode, in which filmmakers move from behind the camera and appear as subjects in their own work like Spurlock carries out his experiment himself and becomes the main subject of the documentary. The time period in which both documentaries are set in are also crucial points to be noted. Triumph of the Will was set in 1935 in Germany, where people were in the middle of Nazi revolution and political chaos. In contrary to 2004 America where Super Size Me is shot, the taste of the audience has changed dramatically. Audiences of Super Size Me are not only in America but world around, which wasnt the target audience of Triumph of the Will, the latter was meant for only the Germans. To add to this, Germans in 1934 were comparably less educated than the audience of 2004, because one of Germanys major issues at that time was low education. Hence, propaganda movies worked to its full potential as people would not question or form their own opinions; however, the same cannot be expected from liberal thinking people in 2004. The taste of what audience around the world want now is completely different from what was expected in 1930s. Nowadays, reality and truth in the form of controversy is what really gets peoples attention. One may wonder if 1930s audience would have liked to watch real documentary, what if Triumph of the Will was to include scenes from the concentration camps, how would have the audience responded to the documentary? Lastly, editing plays a big role in representing reality. The camera can capture all the truth there is to be captured, but the audience eventually see what is presented to them after much chopping done in the editing room. Directors choice of scenes, images and music is what is eventually reflected in the documentary. In other words, only one or a few peoples choice or ideology is selected and presented to the audience. The directors selection does not necessarily have to reflect the reality. Therefore, how is reality ever represented in documentaries? Returning to Stella Bruzzis statement, the aim of documentary is to represent the truth. According to her, the way of doing is still being found. Truth can be the body of real things, events, actuality, or fidelity to an original or to a standard. Super Size Me does get close to Stellas definition of documentary. It represents what happens with Americans being addicted to fast food and barely exercising. What makes this documentary a real representation of reality is the presence of objectivity. If Spurlock enjoyed something it was showed and when he was not at his best (scenes of vomiting and depression) that was also shown, to portray both sides of the reality. On one hand, Triumph of the Will with the use or real images and not actors and fabricated scenes, is a way of showing the truth, however, the sincerity lacks because it is a highly biased propaganda. Moreover, with political pressure at that time, there was no freedom of showing a balanced truth, which is supposed to be the real essence of a documentary. To sum up about Triumph of the Will, it is right to say that it does actually document the events such as Nazi rallies and political speeches, but the immense lack of objectivity does not make the propaganda film a real representation of the truth (according to the quote of Stella Bruzzi). On the other hand, Super Size Me does get close to Stellas definition of documentary. It represents what happens with Americans being addicted to fast food and barely exercising. What makes this documentary a real representation of reality is the presence of objectivity. If Spurlock enjoyed something it was showed and when he was not at his best (scenes of vomiting and depression) that was also shown, to portray both sides of the reality. The documentary is also very credible because of all the science backing that it has thanks to the doctors Spurlock had on board for the film. The latter brings a logical reasoning to what is being shown in the documentary, unlike the Triumph of the Will where no space is giving to the audience to make their own opinion. The documentary is also very credible because of all the science backing that it has thanks to the doctors Spurlock had on board for the film. The latter brings a logical reasoning to what is being shown in the documentary. To conclude, Super Size Me is definitely closer to Bruzzis definition of documentary because of the unbiased representation of truth. Nevertheless, in Super Size Me, the experiment is itself not true or completely reliable, as no one eats fast food three times a day for a whole month with only 5,000 steps as exercise. Moreover, Spurlock is a bit too aggressive in trying to bring down one specific chain of fast food joints which is Mc Donalds. He bases his whole experiment solely on Mc Donalds. What about the other fast food companies? Arent their menus as harmful as or worse than Mc Donalds? This makes the documentary a little less objective than what the audience want to believe in because it is after all biased towards giving bad publicity to mostly Mc Donalds. It is however commendable that Spurlock wisely made science the back bone of the experiment. By doing so he bought the logic to the arguments he had against the unhealthy life style of Americans. The realism that Spurlock ex plores in his documentary is the psychological realism which conveys the sense of a plausible, believable and accurate representation of human perception and emotion.'(Bill Nichols 2001:171) Spurlock achieves this realism but making the audience relate themselves to characters and situations which are life like in a universalizing way. After watching Super Size Me, one can either feel more knowledgeable about the dangers of excessive fast food eating or because they have been exposed to constant images of Mc Donalds, actually crave for a meal at Mc Donalds. This goes to emphasize that visual images is what is mostly kept in the audiences minds. On a final note, it seems that the perfect way of representing the truth is yet to be found, till then individual prejudice and biasness will always somehow continue to influence the truth in documentaries however transparent one is, there is always somehow a loophole which will lead to documentaries truthfulness being questioned.

Santa Fe School District v. Doe Analysis

Santa Fe School District v. Doe Analysis Oscar Martinez The Santa Fe Independent School District promoted the dominant Baptist Religion, and just imagine how it would feel to go to class and out of nowhere hear your teacher say okay class, we will begin class today by giving a small prayer would that make you feel uncomfortable? Would you stop your professor from moving forward with the prayer? Students within the school were facing something similar. The Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe case came to the supreme court when the school elected a student as the schools student council chaplain, and then that elected student would deliver a prayer over the PA system at every home game that the varsity football team would have. Prayers were not only offered in football games, but also at graduation ceremonies. It wasnt until two students and their mothers (one Mormon and one Catholic) file a suit against the school district. They argued that these practices were against the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. As the suit was pending the school district then decided to take action by making a different policy. In the new policy there were going to be two student elections. The first was to determine whether prayers should be deliver at games, and the second, a student was to be elected as the spokesman. After changing and modifying the policy, The Fifth Circuit held that even do the policy has been changed, the prayers at the football games were still invalid. Then the big question rose even more, whether does the Santa Fe Independent School District policy permitting student-led, student-initiated prayer at football games violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment? Then the Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe case officially came to the supreme court in the year 2000. The case was indeed an establishment case, and the case was argued on March 29, 2000 and was decided on June 19, 2000. In the oral argument the petitioner was the Santa Fe Independent School District and Doe was the respondent. Jay Alan Sekulow argued the cause for the petitioner. Hes main argument was that There, in concluding that a prayer delivered by a rabbi at a graduation ceremony violated the Establishment Clause, the Court held that, at a minimum, the Constitution guarantees that government may not coerce anyone to support or participate in religion or its exercise, or otherwise act in a way that establishes a state religion or religious faith, or tends to do so. Anthony P. Griffin argued the caused for the respondent. He had two main arguments, his first The District argues unpersuasively that these principles are inapplicable because the policys messages are private student speech, not public speech. The delivery of a message such as the invocation here on school property, at school-sponsored events, over the schools public address system, by a speaker representing the student body, under t he supervision of school faculty, and pursuant to a school policy that explicitly and implicitly encourages public prayer is not properly characterized as private speech. The second main argument he had was While the suit was pending, the District adopted a new policy, which permitted, but did not require, student-initiated and student-led prayer at all the home games and which authorized two student elections, the first to determine whether invocations should be delivered at games, and the second to select the spokesperson to deliver them. The policy involves both perceived and actual endorsement of religion, declaring that the student elections take place because the District has chosen to permit student-delivered invocations, that the invocation shall be conducted by the high school student council. At the end, the decision was a yes, delivering prayers over the PA system is a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. It was a 6-3 opinion delivered by Justice John Paul Stevens. The Court concluded that the football game prayers were public speech authorized by a government policy and taking place on government property at govern ment-sponsored school-related events and that the Districts policy involved both perceived and actual government endorsement of the delivery of prayer at important school events. Such speech is not properly characterized as private and this was writing majority by Justice Stevens. In Corbett, there is a similar case that is very similar to Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe case. Corbett states The Court has also held, in Lee v. Weisman (505 U.S. 577, 1992), that the practice of asking clergy to offer prayers of invocation and benediction at the beginning and end of public high school graduation ceremonies is unconstitutional, as is the practice of offering prayers before public school sporting events (Corbett 138). In this case the big question Does the inclusion of clergy who offer prayers at official public school ceremonies violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment? It was also a decided as a yes. In a 5-to-4 decision, the Court held that government involvement in this case creates a state-sponsored and state-directed religious exercise in a public school. Such conduct conflicts with settled rules proscribing prayer for students. The schools rule creates subtle and indirect coercion (students must stand respectfully and silently), fo rcing students to act in ways which establish a state religion. The cornerstone principle of the Establishment Clause is that government may not compose official prayers to recite as part of a religious program carried on by government. Both cases are very similar and both have to do with prayers at school events. Bringing prayers into graduation ceremonies and school sport games is basically forcing students to do something and its very uncomfortable. Besides also bringing prayer into schools is like saying theres a specific religion in this state or school therefore if you want to attend here, you will be doing these specific practices. Works Cited Corbett, Michael, and Julia Corbett Hemeyer. Politics and Religion in the United States 2nd edition. New York: Routledge Pub, 2014. Print. Lee v. Weisman. 505 U.S 577. Supreme Court of the US. 1992. Oyez. Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Tech, n.d. Dec 14, 2016. Rodman, Rosamond. Ever the Twain Shall Meet: Religion Politics in the U.S. San Diego: Cognella Academic Publishing, 2015. Print Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe. 530 U.S 290. Supreme Court of the US. 2000. Oyez. Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Tech, n.d. Dec 14, 2016

Study Abroad :: essays research papers

Going on this fourteen day Caribbean Cruise was the best time of my life! It was so much fun socially and it was extremely educational. This trip gave me the opportunity to experience things I never would have imagined. Touring the hotels and resorts made me want to pursue this major even more than I previously had. Now that I have had the behind-the-scenes and up close look at the career I am positive I made the right career decision.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whether it be swimming with Sting Rays, snorkeling with exotic fish, or even just staring off into the endless ocean, each and every one thing I received the opportunity to do on this trip I am thankful for. All are things I have not really previously experienced and really did not even expect to. Not only were these experiences incredible but witnessing first hand $125,000 dollar a night hotel rooms and touring the most luxurious resorts in the world are all experiences that not many people get to do. Those that do get to do these amazing things are very lucky. Only seeing and learning half of what we did on this study abroad would have made me content. I honestly do not think I could have asked for a more educational yet extremely great and fun experience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The one day that specifically sticks out in my head was the day in Atlantis when we toured several hotels and resorts. I enjoyed this because it was such a learning experience. Comparing all of the different resorts really helped me to pinpoint what it is exactly I want to do in the industry. This tour consisted of four tours through some of the most popular hotels and resorts in the Bahamas. Actually, some of the most respected hotel resorts in the world. The hotel resorts that we explored were the, Radisson Cable Beach and Golf Resort, The Nassau Beach Hotel, The Wyndham Nassau Resort and Sandals Resort.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Nassau Beach Hotel seemed to be geared more toward teens and college students. There were a lot of younger people there and there were even some other college groups there. Also the hotel had brochures and signs about Spring Break and group packages for students. Wyndham Nassau Resort I feel directed a lot of attention toward their convention area and their conference areas, so that makes me think they target some company and group markets.

Conquering the Texas Frontier :: essays research papers

Conquering the Texas Frontier When looking at the vast lands of Texas after the Civil War, many different people came to the lands in search for new opportunities and new wealth. Many were lured by the large area that Texas occupied for they wanted to become ranchers and cattle herders, of which there was great need for due to the large population of cows and horses. In this essay there are three different people with three different goals in the adventures on the frontier lands of Texas in its earliest days. Here we have a woman's story as she travels from Austin to Fort Davis as we see the first impressions of West Texas. Secondly, there is a very young African American who is trying his hand at being a horse rancher, which he learned from his father. Lastly we have a Mexican cowboy who tries to fight his way at being a ranch hand of a large ranching outfit. Emily K. Andrews, wife of Col. George Andrews of Fort Davis, starts her journey in mid summer around the Austin area. She travels with others as they make their way East. Through her journal entries to her father, we can see that this was no easy trip. She seems to be used to a solid roof over her head, as well as a non-dirt floor. She tells that on many occasions of the threat of Indians, and how ruthless they are, keeping her distance and even sleeping "with one eye open" while in the camps along the way. Being a woman out on the frontier she does not seemed to be scared yet comes off as being rather brave and very smart. Her descriptions of the land and the towns they encountered along the way are very precise and if it had been possible for other females to read would have set their minds at ease. In her journal she talks about how inviting the other frontier people are and how reassuring that is to help keep her mind off the ever threatening Indian attacks. On the other hand there were people trying to settle and make a living for themselves, especially after the freeing of all the slaves. Will Crittenden is one of those people. He was born in Texas after his father moved here from Alabama. Will had been taught about being a horse rancher at the age of 5 from his father and now at the age of 15 was ready to go out on his own.

Google vs. Msn Essay example -- Computers Internet Web Essays

Google vs. Msn One of the wonderful things about the internet is how it makes life much easier if the information can be found in the convenience of the home instead of going to a library and making a day out of it. This is especially true if the internet offers updated information as soon as it happens were as a library may only update a few things every week or month at a time. It is truly remarkable how much information can be found and because of this it isn’t unbelievable that more and more people are using the internet instead of going to a library or using another service the internet can offer them. However, without organization and direction information is useless. Search engines offer this stepping stone by storing all the data in a manor that is searchable. Two of the major search engines are Google.com and Msn.com. Both offer great search engines and services, but have different styles and appeal to different audiences looking for different things. At first glance it may appear Msn is better than Google because it offers much more links than Google does. However, a text box and a button is basically all the user needs to search for what s/he is looking for, everything else is extra. Therefore Google has the right idea; short and sweet. If the page is any more complicated then the user may not be good enough at a computer to figure out what to do, and a good computer user can certainly use it as well. Another thing that is very important about this is the more detail and pictures on a web page makes the web page take longer to load. Because of this users with a slow connection to the internet may have trouble getting around the web site if it takes them a minute or more to load each web page... ...e, so a search result with the same key words could return different results every time the user attempts to find the same thing. To make matters worst LookSmart isn’t the only search engine they use either. They use Teoma, Inktomi, and Overture as well, which have other ways of charging the web masters. Looking back, it seems Google has a simple search engine, but a much more effective one than Msn. Although Google offers a nice search engine it doesn’t have as many services as Msn and so the user may not come to the site because they can get more done on Msn without moving around much. It is clear Msn and Google use very different styles to present different users with what they are looking for and do a very good job of pulling it off. With Google and Msn at the user’s finger tips there is no longer need for a libraries or newspapers, to name a few.

Vacant Chapter 5 Payment

We spend a quiet, comfortable evening and I can't help watching Emily for most of it. It's obvious she hasn't seen television in a while because she's mesmerized. We are watching some Cajun cooking show on public access, but to see it through her eyes, it's like we are watching the most fascinating show known to man. â€Å"I put a little mo' wine in here, maybe a little mo' wine fo' me,† the host says in a Creole southern drawl. â€Å"Oh my gosh! Ethan, he is so funny! ‘I gar-un-tee'!† she laughs as she mimics the chef, and I can't help the smile that cracks across my face. She could let the world swallow her whole with the weight of her situation, but she doesn't. Instead she carries on, seemingly carefree, laughing at the talkative old cook with the gift of gab. â€Å"Emily?† She glances over at me, still laughing at the TV. It's the moment I know I'm making the right decision. I take a deep breath, ready to lay things on the line. â€Å"Hang on! He's going to tell a story about squirrel hunting! This'll be good!† Emily says with enthusiasm. While I really need to get my thoughts out, I can't deny her this moment. It's so pure, so I decide to indulge her for the final five minutes of the show. As the Cookin' Cajun finishes, Emily focuses her attention on me. â€Å"You wanted to talk about something?† The light and sparkle in her eyes is amazing. She looks happy and carefree instead of nervous. She seems to assume the best of every situation. Given the circumstances, you'd think she would be nervous, but instead, she acts as though we're going to talk about whether she'll make oatmeal or chocolate chips cookies next. I suddenly feel something I haven't felt in a very long time: content. â€Å"Yeah,† I begin, though I'm not sure why I'm nervous, other than the fact she may say no. She may refuse my help. She may tell me to mind my own business, that she doesn't need anyone to look after her, but I have to try. â€Å"I want you to stay here.† Her mouth drops open, but no sound comes out. â€Å"With me,† I finish. I'm not sure whether her speechlessness is a result of shock or horror. I decide to play it safe with more justification. â€Å"You can't squat next door. It's not safe, it's illegal, and you don't need any hassles from the cops.† She sits for a moment with her eyes trained on her hands while her fingers twist with each other on her lap. Her hair is frizzy from the humidity, and despite having it pulled back, there are tiny tendrils sticking up forming an angelic halo around her face. After a few moments, she finally speaks. â€Å"So, what do you want in return?† What? I'm fully aware she has no money, so why would she think I would want her to pay- I'm not even finished with my own thought when I realize she's not talking about monetary payment. Nothing is ever free, and she thinks I want her in return for providing food and shelter. The thought strips me down to the core. â€Å"No!† I shout unnecessarily, but I can't help it. I do not want that! She's hiding her face, but I can see her scrunching her eyes closed. I take a breath to calm down and explain myself. â€Å"No,† I start again, much calmer than before. â€Å"I don't want anything from you, Emily. I want to help you. I know how†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stop and take a deep breath. I need her to understand where I'm coming from. â€Å"I know how hard this situation can be.† She flinches and snaps her head up to look me in the eye. â€Å"You don't want†¦you know, then?† She gestures between us to further her point. Lie. â€Å"No. The last thing I want is for you to be taken advantage of.† While the thought of being with her physically is an attractive offer, I would never want it under that set of circumstances. I know how easy it is to become a target when you're young and in need. â€Å"But, why? Everyone wants something, Ethan. There has to be something you want from me. I mean, it's okay if you want†¦ you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her cheeks flame red as she says this. God, she's so naive she can't even say the word â€Å"sex.† It only solidifies my decision that I'm doing the right thing, but she's right. People always want something in return, so I will have to give her a reason why I don't want anything from her. I have to be honest with her and let her know that I'm all too familiar with her situation.

Gatorade †Marketing Project Essay

The Gatorade Company makes the world’s leading sports drink. In part, this is due to its ubiquitous marketing strategies that can be seen almost everywhere. Gatorade is the official sports drink of the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL and MLS. It is also the official sports drink of the NFL and has become part of a famous tradition, the â€Å"Gatorade Dunk† where the winning athletes of the Super Bowl empty the Gatorade cooler over the coach. Gatorade has also been advertised by some of the greatest athletes in history; from Serena Williams, to Peyton Manning, to Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt, to probably the most famous endorser in NBA great Michael Jordan. Gatorade makes several products including the G series which consists of pre-game, thirst quencher and post-game beverages. There is also the G Series Pro which consists mainly of sports nutrition products. Then there is G Natural which contains more natural ingredients. The Gatorade Company also makes Propel Fitness Water. The Gatorade Company was not always such a large company nor was it created by an existing beverage corporation. It was created as a necessity by the team in which it’s named after: The University of Florida Gators. Gatorade was created in 1965 by a team of five scientists led by Dr. Robert Cade. The beverage was created to improve the athletic performance of the university’s football team. When more than a dozen of the players had fallen sick due to dehydration from the intense heat and training, the scientists researched dehydration and what the body loses during immense activity. They found out that sugars, salts and minerals were required to hydrate the human body after immense physical activity; water alone was not enough. They created an electrolyte-carbohydrate drink and supplied it to the athletes. The results were phenomenal. The Gators were able to outperform their rivals, especially in the latter half of the game where exhaustion seemed to cripple their opponents. The Gators went on to win their first Champion ship and soon after Gatorade was adopted by other sports teams. Supplying the beverage became more and more difficult for the scientists as demand increased, and after failed attempts to commercialize it, Stokely-Van Camp acquired U. S. rights to the drink and Gatorade Inc. was incorporated in Florida in 1967. After much success, the coach of the Florida Gators suggested the winning formula to the coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs were impressed and used throughout the entire season culminating with a Super Bowl victory. Much of the growth of the Gatorade Company occurred when it was acquired by Quaker Oats, which bought Stokely-Van Camp for $220 million in 1983. It was under Quaker Oats that Michael Jordan, who was arguably the most famous and fast rising athlete at the time, became the celebrity spokesperson for the company. Sales skyrocketed and Gatorade was once again the leader as the sports drink market grew to $1 billion by 1994. Also during its ownership by Quaker Oats, the product went global. It was and continues to be sold in numerous countries and several continents successfully. It also expanded its product line to include more flavor varieties. Towards the end of the 1990’s the sports drink market grew to $2 billion. With its consistent success, Gatorade continued to launch new products including Propel Fitness Water. In 2000, PepsiCo, a multinational corporation focusing on beverages and snacks, acquired Quaker Oats for $13 billion. It bought over Quaker Oats primarily for the Gatorade brand, which is still one of the corporation’s largest and most successful divisions. Gatorade continued to grow because it renewed its contract with Michael Jordan, campaigned its â€Å"Is it n you? † ad, and also signed a host of new celebrity athletes. Today, Gatorade has over a dozen plants where it manufactures the products it sells and is still the leader in today’s $3 billion dollar sports drink market. Target Market Description The original target market for Gatorade was sports teams. In fact, it was originally only sold to sports teams. It spread from the Gators football team to other Gators teams such as basketball. It then spread to other college sports teams until finally it reached professional teams in the NFL. It spread team to team until it became the official sports drink of the NFL in 1983 and was used by over 70 divisions and college teams. Sales trends increased with the same rapid pace. In the early 1980’s Gatorade led the $200 million sports drink market. Net sales were recorded at $90 million in 1982 and grew exponentially in the following years. By the mid 1980’s net sales were recorded at $170 million. During the latter half of the 1980’s Gatorade marketed its famous â€Å"Gatorade is Thirst Aid for that deep down body thirst,† this along with televised adds, strategic placing of the product on sidelines during big games and a growing sports drink market raised net sales to nearly $900 million by the end of the decade. The demographics of the Gatorade G Series target market: * Traditionally active males, aged 18 to 25. They can be students, just starting their careers, or well established. * They grew up idolizing many different sports athletes and teams, which still have an influence. * They make a very wide variety of incomes because Gatorade is inexpensive. It could be anywhere from $10,000 to $60,000. * Education could vary also, most have at least high school level education and some have college or above experiences. * These types of consumers may also be interested in other sport-related clothing and accessories. They may be interested in terms such as jerseys, hats, shoes or anything that will show off their allegiance to a team, sport or player. * The G Series’ core target is the 13- to 17-year-old high-school athlete, while G Series Pro’s target is the 16- to 24-year-old who is in the business of being athletic, whether as an elite athlete or personal trainer. A more detailed look at the MRI report gives a great glimpse into the target market for the sports drink industry. As highlighted in the index, 18-24 year olds are the core target market. With an index of 174, that means 74% of that age range are more likely to drink sports drinks. Moving further up the age range, 18-49 year adults provide a tremendous opportunity for this market. As highlighted by their percent down (which indicates the percent of those persons out of everyone that consumes a variable), 78. 2% of the total population that drank sports drinks were of that age group. Capturing the teen consumer has been identified as a priority for the brand, with the CMO of Gatorade, Ms. Robb-O’Hagan, conceding that teens thought the brand was dated. Last year’s shift to G was meant to grab their attention. With that accomplished, she said, the brand has been working with teens to test and promote the new products. Through May, a mobile locker room is making its way to high schools, showcasing the G Series products. â€Å"What we’re focusing on this year, from a marketing standpoint, is making sure that the high-school athlete understands the G Series, understands the three-part series,† Mrs. Robb-O’Hagan said. â€Å"If we land that strongly with the teen consumers, we have a lot of opportunity. A Reporter Report is complete with explanations of key numbers. Please note that all the numbers are based on the 2009 Fall MRI study, and that the projected numbers (000) are expressed in thousands. (Appendix A). Market Trends and Macro Forces According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, the sports drink industry has actually shrunk in sales by 12. 3% from 2009. Considering that Gatorade holds over a 70% market share of the entire sports drink market, they saw losses in gallons produced by 15. 5% in that same year. In a more local look at the market, from 1986 to 2009, the geometric growth of the industry in America has been 11. 62%. However, considering the great growth for the first 19 years of its existence from 1986 to 2005 of 14. 3%, this number might be misleading. A more accurate picture can be painted by using the last 5 years, letting the state of the economy be fully reflected in growth. In this new scenario, the growth is at -. 27%. Gatorade markets not only to the athlete, but to the casual drinker as well: construction workers, restaurants, and families for dinnertime. Sales records for the sports drink brands for the year 2009 and 2010 are available in the Appendix B. Market Trends Changing Needs Gatorade being a sports drink primarily focuses on the needs of the athletes. The researchers believe that the athletes are looking for pre and post workout drinks. â€Å"The average consumer is already consuming during the before-and-after occasion,† said Sarah Robb-O’Hagan, chief marketing officer at Gatorade. â€Å"Different consumers have different nutritional needs on game day vs. training days. What we’ve seen as we’ve developed these products is different consumers mixing and matching their own regime to meet their needs. † In addition, in order to build long term brand loyalty Gatorade is focusing on target high school students between the ages of 13-17 years. â€Å"What we’re focusing on this year, from a marketing standpoint, is making sure that the high-school athlete understands the G Series, understands the three-part series,† she said. â€Å"If we land that strongly with the teen consumers, we have a lot of opportunity. What are also sparking the changing needs in this market trend are consumers increasingly focusing on their health. They are conscious about the effects of beverages on their own bodies. According to Mintel, a consumer packaged goods monitoring service, some of the product areas with the highest growth were in the sports and meal replacement categories, which place a greater emphasis on nutrition. More beverage companies are focusing their attention on adding new nutritional benefits to their new products, promoting a product’s ability to enhance sports performance. As the consumers are growing increasingly conscious about the contents of the sports drinks and the needs of the athletes are changing, so is the change in formulations of sports drinks. It is getting even more complicated. Sports nutrition companies are looking at low glycemic sugars as functional sugar systems to enhance endurance in certain products. These include newer functional sweeteners, such as isomaltulose and trehalose. Gatorade has risen to this challenge of balancing innovation with market needs. Beverage World selected Gatorade as the Winner for Brand Reinvention when it released the G-Series which includes the three products: Prime, Perform and Recover for before, during and after work out respectively. Macro Forces There are many macro forces that affect the sports drink industry. Among the most toxic is the current state of the economy. As we have discussed earlier, the poor spending power of consumers has shifted demand to less expensive alternatives, such as water or vitamin infused drinks. As the recession begins to lag into the next year, the sports drink industry can expect sales volume to remain at current levels. Given that the U6 rate (the most comprehensive form of unemployment that combines both unemployed and underemployed) is at 17%, discretionary income will continue to be a hindrance on this industry. While our competitor analysis is fully developed in the coming sections, it should be pointed out now that competition plays a significant role in this industry’s macro forces. Currently, there are two main competitors, Gatorade and Powerade, or Pepsi and Coke, respectively. Unfortunately there is no room for consolidation in this domestic saturated market, so the competitive battles that spur between the two eat away at costs and sales. A recent example comes from a lawsuit between these two companies. An article in the Beverage Industry relating to the industry issues reported a clash between Coca-Cola’s Powerade and Pepsi-Cola’s Gatorade on a lawsuit over brand advertising. At issue was a Powerade Option ad that featured a â€Å"drag race† between horse-drawn carts, one of which was carrying 10 bales of hay and the other 50. The message was that 10-calorie Option allowed the 10-bale horse to win the race over the 50-calorie competitor. The lawsuit argued the ad sent the message that Powerade was more effective as a sports drink, as well as containing fewer calories. The matter was resolved in a matter of days, with Coca-Cola agreeing to modify the ad. Such trivial pursuits between the two are costly to the industry and companies themselves. In addition to the direct competitors, sports drinks are facing increased competition from bottled water like Vitamin Water and coconut water and nutritional drinks like skimmed milk and chocolate milk for hydration and nutrition. Coconut water, skimmed milk and chocolate milk are easy to produce and provide natural health benefits compared to the artificial electrolytes in popular sports drinks like Gatorade. While health concerns have had positive effects on the industry, there are also some negatives as well. A new study done by researchers at The University of Iowa suggests that the sports drink Gatorade erodes teeth faster than a carbonated soft drink. â€Å"I don’t think everybody realizes how erosive these things are, especially Gatorade and Red Bull,† Leslie A. Ehlen, a student at the University of Iowa – School of Dentistry tells WebMD. â€Å"People need to be aware that all sorts of beverages can be causing dental erosion. † Of course, this leads right back to another macro force in regulator procedures. Although in know will health issues like this loom over the industry’s ability to sell their products, the F. D. A (food and drug administration) can certainly dampen sales volumes if need be. The F. D. A has recently banned production of Four Loko as it the combination of caffeine and alcohol mix is extremely dangerous.