Benziger Family Winery Essay

In the case of the Benziger Family Winery, is being faced with the decision of whether or not Chris Benziger should invest in an ISO 14000 certification. The answer is yes, he should pursue the certification in an attempt to strengthen his knowledge that his company already has about being environmentally friendly. This will strengthen his position on the market as a leader in wine industry. In pursuing the certification, he will also educate other growers on the importance of a strong environmental management system. This will make them want to take those same steps to help promote their business to be more like him. By getting the ISO this will further support his environmental policy that he strongly applies to the daily routines for helping the company conserve resources and prevent pollution. He is already certified by the Sonoma County Green Business Program (SCGBP) and is in full environmental compliance. As part of this compliance, the winery has saved over 2 million gallons of water per year through recycling all wastewater. They reduced solid wastes as well as energy cost due to the construction of a wine cave built in the hillside which maintained temperature cool enough to prevent them from using electricity to cool. The Gap Analysis is the formal study behind what the business is currently doing and where they want to be in the future. This means the need for continuous improvement is necessary in promoting the best possible outcomes for the company goals. The gap analysis identifies the gaps from what the company is doing now to what they would be doing should they utilize additional resources to help improve the company’s outputs. By documenting what they have done in the past, this will show what other requirements are necessary to be put in place in an attempt to maximize the company’s capabilities. This may involve benchmarking as well. In this case the winery currently has annual revenues of about 15 million. They are striving to launch a new brand, Tribute that would be selling in the $50-$60 range at about 4000 cases per year. They would also like their exports to increase from about 10% of sales to 20%. For Benziger, this analysis can be done at an operational level since all of his employees are well-trained on the company’s environmentally friendly efforts and are shared with guests of the winery to promote the business. This is an opportunity for Benziger to bring his reputation to a high point and work towards his goal for being a world-class leader in the wine industry. Since the U.S. market is very competitive this would make him stand out since very few U.S. wineries have their ISO 14000 certification. He could enter more markets that its consumers are sensitive to environmental products and continue expanding his business to other countries. It is stated that becoming certified with the ISO 14000 is expensive. This is an investment that will pay for itself in the future. There will be revenue increases by becoming more attractive to consumers who support the environmentally safe production process. The ISO 14000 is an attempt to develop a widely accepted, uniform approach to certify that Benziger’s EMS is the best way to run a business for long term savings and making a positive contribution to the environment. In exhibit 40.4 it shows the EMS Gap Analysis and explains what policies and procedures the Benziger may or may not have in place. It explains that he does have an environmental policy in place and that he has conducted an analysis of the impact that it has on the environment. When it comes to legal requirements, they do not have a procedure in place. This is the responsibility of the Ranch manager and it has not been done yet. He has covered all of his objectives and has established a well-written program to achieve those objectives. He has very good structured within the winery and has delegated responsibilities to each of the family members as well as their other employees. However no roles have been defined and documented yet. It is also noted that there is need for additional training on EMS aspects. The Ranch manager seems to need assistance with organization of training and documentation as well. Although they are on the right track he needs to ensure that they are taking all the necessary steps to continue the company professionally and in an organized fashion. Once the ranch manager has assigned specific roles and tasks to certain team members it will not be all on him to keep the EMS running properly it will become a part of the way they do business. The last part of the Exhibit 40.4 shows some things that they need to improve on. There is no documentation for anything the company does. He needs to be able to show records of his work to be environmentally sensitive. Several of the drafts have been started but none have been completed. It also states that there needs to be a regular review ensuring that the EMS is suitable and effective. Exhibit 40.5 is the Benziger Family Winery Environmental Policy. In comparison to Exhibit 40.4, the policy states the steps they are willing to take to make sure the winery is an environmentally safe and sustainable business. However, when each of the bullets are broken down into a series of questions as they are in Exhibit 40.4, they are not satisfying all of their own expectations. It seems as though they have a few small improvements to make that seem as though are they are not too time consuming. Once each of these steps has been achieved, they are well on their way to being more successful and more organized. If the proper steps are taken to correct the small issues on-hand, the next step for the Benziger Winery is to pursue the ISO 14000 certification. This will set the bar for how other wineries should be run and help the company become one of the top U.S. wine distributors.

Christian environment Essay

â€Å"Today’s Stock market dropped 5%, unemployment rate reaching 10%, Gross Domestic Products dropped for the sixth month in a row. † This economic crisis happened in South Korea in 1999. For sure it was a big trouble for those who lost the job they thought will be their permanent job, like a government owned financial company which I worked for. I witnessed many employees laid off and they were unable to find a new job for a long time due to the lack of technical skills. This event got me thinking of changing my career. My job as an investment bank teller, was very simple and was being replaced by machine. I quit my banking job and started to study in America in 2000. Everything from language to culture was hard for me to adapt but the dream of finding a meaningful career for the rest of my life was a motivation enough to keep me going. Fortunately, I met a good Christian family who introduced me to nursing and it was so attractive to me. First it is its need to solve common societal issues as caring for aging population and Second I thought nursing always needed human touch. One of the new cultures I have observed while living in America is the stress on personal right. Most of the time I hear how important it is to speak up for your own right or people will intimidate or rip you off. I might be wrong because I am an immigrant as I don’t fully understand American society, but can you imagine I never used to speak up for my own interest in a group of people working together? I had to leave my own interest and think about others and the whole organizations. That is how I was taught at home and school in Korea and I learned that practicing these values, altruism and respecting wholeness, brings more joy than loss to my life. Moral Re Armament; was a name of group activity that I was involved in high school. From this group activity,I found myself volunteering for the community. We learned dancing and songs and performed at elderly care centers and orphanages. We visited them with food, helped them clean and played with them regularly. For me it was heart breaking to see how people could be lonely and living in a poor condition. However, these experiences opened my eyes to the world surrounding me as I had thought that I was the poor and the unfortunate one by not having both parents. I started to appreciate the little things such as living in a home, seeing my family each day and laughing with my friends. Most important of all that I learned was extending my hands to those who need help and knowing that there are people in need of help. The reason I chose Loma Linda University Nursing School is because of its Christian environment. I used to believe there was some power handling world beyond human’ limitation, I learned it was God’s hands. Nine years ago when I arrived in America , I needed help desperately, I went to a Korean church. In there I found God’s existence and saw people living as Christians. For me becoming a nurse wouldn’t be possible if there’s no God’s intervention. I have now decided to step towards new nursing knowledge. I believe a good nurse needs to have humbleness, compassion and caring mind for the sick like what we were taught by Jesus. These Christian perspectives in nursing education at Loma Linda University will play an important role in my career to become a good nurse caring for aging population.

Hcs 465 Week 1

Literature Review in Research: An Annotated Bibliography University of Phoenix, HCS 465 March 4, 2013 Strunk, J. (2008). The effect of school-based health clinics on teenage pregnancy and parenting outcomes: An integrated literature review. The Journal of School Nursing, 24(1), Retrieved from: http://dx. doi. org. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/10. 1177/10598405080240010301 This research study was conducted to determine if school-based health clinics in the United States can provide effective support and guidance needed to avoid negative outcomes of pregnancy (such as low birth weight) and parenting (such as poor academic performance).Data for this research were based from five studies, which had suggested that school-based clinics had a positive effect on the pregnancy outcomes for teenagers for both pregnancy as well as parenting. According to EBSCO Host, this is a peer-reviewed article. Whitehead, E. (2008). Exploring relationships in teenage pregnancy. International Journal Of Nursi ng Practice, 14(4), 292-295. Retrieved from: http://web. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? id=17602d6e-13b6-4776-8cc8-48f3b164c515%40sessionmgr113&vid=4&hid=127 This research study was used to explore relationships of teenage pregnant women and father’s of the unborn child in the United Kingdom to determine if they maintain the relationship they had after the pregnancy. 47 teenage pregnant women were interviewed, ages 16-19 years old over a period of 15 months, with focus on the age of the baby’s father, education and employment of the baby’s father and the ability for the baby’s father to provide financial support.According to EBSCO Host, this is a peer-reviewed article. Tabi, M. (2002). Community perspective on a model to reduce teenage pregnancy. The Journal of Advanced Nursing, 40(3), 275-284. Retrieved from http://web. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/ehost/detail? vid=5&sid=17602d6e-13b6-4776-8cc8-48f3 b164c515%40sessionmgr113&hid=127&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=rzh&AN=2003014853 This

Competitive Advantages Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Competitive Advantages - Research Paper Example Therefore, Riordan will have to produce highly standardized products so that it can compete with other producers of plastic products. It will have to adopt a global or a multi-domestic outlook, where it will either compete globally or compete at different national markets in a manner differentiated from that at other national markets. In the case of Riordan, it will have to adopt a global strategy at the target global markets, and a multi-local strategy at markets that are principally multi-domestic. The market drivers of its strategy will include customer needs uniformity, developing global networks of distribution, and ensuring that its marketing is transferable. The cost drivers to guide Riordan include those of transport, economies of scale, economies of scope, and product development. The government drivers to guide the business strategy include segmenting markets on the basis of the favorability of trade policies, the compatibility of technical standards, universal marketing control, as well as privatization. The global business strategy will be focused around increasing sales levels to existing customers, expanding sales to emerging markets and new customer groups, and the development of value-added services, which can compete globally. The company can maintain its cost-plus pricing strategy while at the same time increase segmentation on the basis of customer regions and locations. Riordan is a plastic manufacturer operating at different countries around the globe. The global market will affect the business strategy of Riordan in a number of ways. These ways include expanding economies of scale and scope, adopting a global and a multi-domestic market outlook, developing global distribution networks, and cultivating strategy drivers like product

Objects and Non-Traditional Media in Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Objects and Non-Traditional Media in Art - Essay Example This trend continued into the 19th century as Vincent Van Gogh experimented with impression, and well into the 20th century, as artists such as Pablo Picasso and later Jackson Pollock revolutionized the medium through increasing forays into abstract modes of expression (Gombrich, 1994). While the subject matter of these visual works greatly changed over time, their overriding medium remained largely constant. Through conceptual and minimalist movements, art in the second half of the 20th century began to step outside the canvas-painting trend (Osbourne 2011). Today artists regularly use or manipulate objects and non-traditional media in creating art. Through a consideration of intentions and methods, this essay examines artists’ implementations of such objects and non-traditional media. Perhaps the 20th century’s most prominent non-traditional medium is assemblage art. This specific art form establishes two or three-dimensional art forms by combining found objects (Lock hart 2010). In better understanding the structural nature of this art, one considers that its parallel in literature is stories or novels formed from already existing texts (Lockhart 2010). While assemblage art forms date to as early as Picasso’s early 20th century cubist constructions, the term was first articulated in the 1950s after Jean Dubuffet’s work ‘assemblages d'empreintes’ (Lockhart 2010). ... While assemblage art refers to a specific type of non-traditional production, one also considers the implications of transcending mainstream modes of artistic expression. In gaining interpretive insight into such an event, it is necessary to step outside traditional art criticism into perspectives that analyze the broader media. One of the most seminal such perspectives in this arena is that of Marshall McLuhan. McLuhan (1964) argued that the medium is the message. While such a statement makes a variety of complex arguments, one element is that the very nature of the medium necessitates shifts in meaning. When such a perspective is extended to artists working in non-traditional mediums, one comes to recognize that such expression not only functions as a means of the artist creating a unique work, but is necessary to capture the increasingly complex cultural signs operating within modern social contexts. It will be seen that the central thorough-put in assemblage and non-traditional a rt is an effort to codify and comment on this complexity. When considering the use of non-traditional forms of expression one of the seminal early assemblage artists is Joseph Cornell. Cornell’s work largely was created around the mid-20th century, paving the way for future forays into assemblage (Soloman 1996). While the Cornell’s exact motivation for venturing into non-traditional mediums is unknown, today his work carries with it a haunting, yet characteristic aesthetic (Soloman 1996). Cornell’s work mainly centered on small boxes that he would meticulously fill and arrange with objects. Fig. 1 below is an image of Cornell’s 1950 work ‘Planet Set.’ From observation one recognizes the highly uncharacteristic and unique assemblage of

Quistclose trust and the requirements for its creation Essay

Quistclose trust and the requirements for its creation - Essay Example It is whether his conduct renders him liable for having assisted in a breach of trust.† Lord Millett in Twinsectra Ltd v Yardley and Others [2002] 2 AC 164 at paragraph 52. Definition of a Quistclose trust A Quistclose trust is created when a creditor extends a loan to a debtor with the condition that the money lent should be used for a particular purpose. In commercial parlance, a Quistclose trust is â€Å"a means by which a lender of money can retain a ‘security interest’ in loan moneys only for specified purposes†.1 If the money is used by the borrower for a purpose other than that specified in the loan agreement, a trust is then imposed on the money in favour of the lender. How this works in the lender’s favour is best appreciated at such instance that the borrower is rendered insolvent. During insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings, the insolvent borrower’s estate is distributed according to the procedure specified by law. If a trust were no t created on the loan amount, then the creditor who extends such loan is an unsecured creditor, and his claim on the borrower’s assets will be included and classified among the other claims from other creditors. It shall therefore be settled pursuant to the hierarchy of claims, of which such unsecured loans have a low priority and may remain unsatisfied due to insufficiency of the estate.2 On the other hand, the Quistclose trust creates a security interest on the loan, meaning that such may not be distributed in the insolvency proceedings from the borrower’s remaining estate. Even if the borrower is not rendered insolvent after the loan is contracted, the lender retains the right to recover the loan amount, even to trace the loan money into the hands of third parties to whom it was given in breach of the loan contract.3 First Issue: Nature of the Quistclose trust and the requirements for its creation The Quistclose trust (from the judgement rendered in Barclays Bank Lt d v Quistclose Investments, Ltd. in 1970) gives rise to several legal requisites: (1) It is important to precisely identify the sort of â€Å"security interest† the lender acquires. (2) It is important to know whether the lender â€Å"retains† a right in the original loan moneys throughout the life of the loan contract, or whether the right is created for the first time only at such time the borrower disobeys the terms of the loan contract, or whether the right comes into existence in some other ways. (3) It is important to categorize which kind of trust the Quistclose trust is – whether it is an express trust, resulting trust, constructive trust, or another type of construct. (4) It is important to consider how the precise terms of any loan contract alter the appropriate analysis on the facts of any given case.4 The difficulty with defining Quistclose trusts in terms of the foregoing is that Quistclose trusts are created by operation of law, arising out of any situation involving a loan where the creditor insists that the borrower use the money only for a stated purposes, in a manner which seems to imply that the borrowed sum is not at the borrower’s free disposal. If this were the case, then the determination of the three certainties of express trust (intention, subject matter and objects) which would normally justify a finding that a trust existed, would have to be proved. As it is, in finding that a Quitclose trust existed from the mere intention

Ottoman Empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ottoman Empire - Essay Example The Empire was a strong force in the Middle East and it had extended its territories to all the sides. The Byzantine capital, Constantinople fell in the hands of the Ottoman ruler, Mehmed II thus making an end to the Roman Empire. After the fall of Roman Empire in 1453 the Ottoman Empire witnessed a fast extension to far and wide. In the 15th and 16th century the Empire was extended to Europe, Africa, and Asia. It was during the period of the emperor, Suleiman the Magnificent who ruled during the 16th century witnessed the golden age of the Empire. He had made use the agencies like military and government efficiently and further through magnificent administration of both economy and military he could capture many of the places on all sides of his boundary. The Ottoman Empire’s contribution to the world is immense in the fields of art and architect, military, economic measures and administrative reforms. It can be witnessed that the dominance of the Empire in the golden age tur ned to be a defect in the decline period. So, in the present essay, an attempt is made to analyze the areas as, government and administration, military strength and economic power of the Ottoman Empire in golden age and in decline period. ... The sultans ruled the empire by the help of the imperial council headed by the Prime Minister (New Challenges for Africa and the Islamic World 1450-1750, p.476). But, towards the 17th and 18th centuries political changes caused for the decline of the empire. â€Å"The practice of raising the ruler’s sons as indulged prisoners in the palace to prevent rebellions contributed to a long series of uninformed, inexperienced, and often debauched sultans and shahs† (Africa, Southwest Asia, and India in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, Ch.6 p.189-190). The emperor governed the country through different religious communities but these communities later became powerful and so the emperor’s control over them was weakened (Africa, Southwest Asia, and India in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, p.479). Moreover, the Ottoman state was not centralized and so the control of the imperial was difficult. All these factors of loose administration and changes contribut ed for its decline which came in the 18th century. Military Strength: Military strength was the once the major domain of the Ottoman Empire. Until 1600 the weapons used by the Ottomans were the supreme in Europe. â€Å"The Ottomans adopted gunpowder weapons, especially cannons, which were often built and operated by mercenary Hungarian Christians in Ottoman service† (New Challenges for Africa and the Islamic World 1450-1750, p.476). Until 1600 the weapons used by the Ottomans were the supreme in Europe. The navy of the Ottoman led by the Muslim refugees from Spain was very excellent (New Challenges for Africa and the Islamic World 1450-1750, p.476). The Ottoman military during its golden age was very

Strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Strategic management - Essay Example In general, a case study on a particular business organization provides an in-depth analysis on its operation, structure, and situation. However, a study accomplishes more than just that by giving us a view of a company copes with the internal pressures and the external trends, challenges, and opportunity. This paper will focus on the case study entitled South African Beverages (SAB): Achieving Growth in the Global market. The main focus is to expose the central issues on the business organization’s alternative strategic directions. The case lays out the significant information that SAB needs to consider before it can make any strategically efficient choice. Looking closely, this wealth of information can either be classified as products of internal or environmental scanning. Internal scanning essentially looks at the vision, mission, objectives, structure, strategy, core competence, strengths and weaknesses of a company while environmental scanning refers to the analysis of t he external factors which affects the business organization such as opportunities, threats, trends, changes, and developments. Any strategic direction taken by SAB should always be in line with how it wants to see itself in the future and its strategic goals. The company’s vision is to be one of the top five brewers in the world. In terms of organizational structure, it is apparent that SAB is employing a decentralized strategy in managing its human resource.

The Effects of Baby Boomers Retiring Will Have on the Economy Research Paper

The Effects of Baby Boomers Retiring Will Have on the Economy - Research Paper Example At each stage, of its life cycle, the baby boom generation has changed the market for many products, altered the demand for public services, as well as the nature of the labor force. This paper delves into the effects the baby boomers’ retiring will have on the economy of the United States over the next 20 years. Introduction In the world’s history, baby boomers (who represent 28% of all the United States’ adult population) have been one of the most productive generations. This generation took advantage of subsidized scholarships and school loans from the government, which enabled them to get proper education, which in turn helped them to secure high paying jobs in all sectors of the US economy with tremendous added gains from globalization and newer technologies (Talbott, 2010). Social scientists, analysts, and policymakers have developed a great interest regarding the effects of the retirement of baby boomers on the economy of the US and the nation at large. Th e year 2005 marked the commencement of the exodus of baby boomers from the labor force. Since then, every seven seconds, a baby boomer attains the retirement age of sixty years, and this process will continue for the next twenty years. These retirements foreshadow a diminution of workplace knowledge as well as knowledge-based experience at a time when such experience and knowledge are more and more vital to the economy of the US as well as to the organizations that comprise it (Beazley, Boenich, and Harden, 2002). Estimates by the Employment Policy Foundation indicate that with baby boomers reaching the age of retirement, by the year 2012, businesses will experience a severe shortage of six million employees, and this number will increase to thirty-five million employees by the year 2030. Slower workforce growth implies that there will be slower rate of growth of the economy, and consequently, the living standards of everybody in the nation will be lower. Essentially, the baby boom generation’s retirement threatens to limit the potential of the economy of the United States, reducing the speed limit on how fast it can grow. Economists projects a considerable decline in the growth of the US economy to 2.2% by the year 2015, compared with a typical growth of about 3.2% during the last forty years (The special committee on aging, 2007). According to Gordon (2005), over the next next twenty years, a great number of baby boomers, roughly seventy million baby boomers, some highly skilled, will start leaving the job market of the United States of America gradually, with only forty million employees coming in. Following this retirement, skill shortages throughout the whole economy will get to critical levels. Woodruff (2011) points out that reports from the Pew Research Center indicate that for the next twenty years, over ten thousand baby boomers will be retiring daily. This retirement will have a remarkable effect on everybody and on all measures of the United States’ economic output (Talbott, 2010). For instance, it will lead to a slowdown of about 0.5% in the growth rate of in the workforce every year from its average 1.6% per annum since 1950-2007. The decline in the growth of the workforce in the United States is an indication that the nation’s labor supply may be inadequate to sustain the standards of living (Jarvik, 1980). The special committee on aging (2007) reports the fact that the aging and retirement of baby boomers will have potential impacts on the economy of th

Week9 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Week9 - Assignment Example In Communist Russia, with the new policy of Dictator Stalin to abolish religion in state, people faced a similar scenario when all of their religious landmarks and praying centres were destroyed. Similarly, in terms of political aspects, there are divisions found in societies because of a difference of opinion and support over a matter of support of political party and even on formats of governance. Social aspects such as the difference of interactions and sharing of opinions also cause cornering of families and selected people among societies (Rees, 2004). Economic statures also have had impact on social gatherings of societies, as a rift is created among individuals of societies who belong to a separate economic standard. Lastly, cultural aspects also create hostile situations, as people of different backgrounds interact with only each other and are subject to racial stereotypes, which cause aggressive behaviour at an individual level. With these aspects, societies are subject to hostile rifts that result in dangerous outcomes at times, which must be controlled by government policy

Institutional Racism and Racial Discrimination in the U.S. Health Care System Essay Example for Free

Institutional Racism and Racial Discrimination in the U.S. Health Care System Essay Institutional racism and racial discrimination in the U.S. health care system has been part of a long continuum dating back over 400 years. After hundreds of years of active discrimination, efforts were made to admit minorities into the mainstream health system but these efforts were flawed. Colin Gordon in his book Dead on Arrival portrays a very strong stance towards this issue when he states, â€Å"The American welfare state has always been, at root, a Jim Crow welfare state – disdainful of citizenship claims of racial minorities, deferential to a southern-controlled Congress, and leery of the racial implications of universal social programs† (172). It is evident that throughout the history of U.S. health care that race has shaped health provisions in a number of ways, most noticeably in private and public health care institutions. Gordon throughout his books discusses the ways in which institutional racism, specifically in the field of healthcare, has manifested itself throughout history. One of the most prominent manifestations of institutional racism in the healthcare field comes to light when examining past (and sometimes present) policies regarding admission (to healthcare facilities) and discrimination of minorities. It is evident when observing the adoption, administration, and implementation of these policies in the past that they were purposefully constructed to be exclusive of minority citizens (specifically African Americans and Latinos). Gordon gives an example of such policies in 1939 under the Social Security reforms. In the formative years of the New Deal southerners in Congress pushed for and won for the exclusion of agricultural and domestic labor from coverage under the National Recovery, Agricultural Adjustment, Social Security, National Labor Relations, and Fair Labor Standards act, this affectively excluded 90 percent of the southern black workforce (185). The implications of this act of agricultural exclusion are most clearly evident in the South and Southwest—regions whose economies were dominated by agriculture, who agriculture systems were peculiarly labor intensive, and whose agricultural labor markets were organized around low wages, tenancy, harsh legal controls, and violence. Gordon argues that segregation  persisted in medicine and hospitals longer than in any other public institution or facility partly due to the fact that Southern Congressmen pushed for local control of any federal expenditure; and later on this pushed Southern and Southwestern leaders into a partnership with doctors, employers, and insurers to keep racial minorities excluded from the health system. Southern interests led to a push for job-based private insurance, locally administered subsidies for hospital construction, and penurious charitable programs for those left behind, â€Å"southerners persistently worked to exclude African Americans from coverage, tap into federal funds without sacrificing local practices, and ensure that charity programs remained under local control† (174). Employment-based benefits, initially developed as a surrogate for national policy, was successful in leaving behind the majority of African Americans and Latinos due to the fact that they were grossly underrepresented in the unionized industrial economy, and in part because benefits such as these did not extend to casual or domestic or agricultural workers. Private health benefits came to be looked upon by many Americans as a â€Å"wage of white-ness† (176). Federal agencies, both out of practical and political necessity, consistently surrendered control over federal funds and standards over to state and local administration, â€Å"states set their own standards for care and eligibility and controlled the pace and scope of federal matching funds. Local political and medical authorities wielded considerable informal power and discretion† (187). In 1948 the Brookings Institution published a book-length assault on health reform. The conclusion of this publication was that higher black mortality rates are â€Å"predominately the result of economic, cultural and social differences† although, the research for this publication based cost estimates off of the ordinary expenditures of white families and confined comparative mortality rates to the white population, this led to them to conclude that the United States was among one of the most healthful nations in the world (188). Seconding this conclusion and also asserting that higher rates of non-white mortality were due to such things as poor sanitation, housing, education, and the lack of ordinary individual and community common sense was the AMA. The partnership between these two organizations is evident. At the root of the hospital issue in the South was not only professional and patient segregation but also the way in which it was countenanced by federal efforts  to address the region’s dearth of facilities. What is shown here is the long-standing political strategy to try and appease reformers by granting federal funds but to simultaneously placate opponents by relinquishing control to local or private interests; federal aid to hospitals both in 1940 and under the 1946 Hill-Burton Act â€Å"avoided any commitment to maintenance: once built, hospitals would reflect local control and local custom† (193). This however did nothing to prevent segregation seeing as in order to be considered nondiscriminatory a hospital was only required to grant equal access to the portion of the hospital that was built with federal funds. Perhaps the most compelling public health issue during the formative years of the American welfare state was the dismal status of rural services. In places in the South and Southwest and the nation’s inner cities basic services such as a hospital, public health clinic, and a doctor accepting Medicaid patients did not even exist. Gordon offers the example in Mississippi in 1948, there were only five general hospital beds for every 100,000 blacks in the state—at a time when four beds for every 1,000 citizens was considered adequate (175). It is evident that health care in the twentieth century has been shaped by a myriad of â€Å"direct and indirect discrimination, strong southern interests and local administration, the uneasy intersection of public and private (job-based) benefits, and the sharp political distinctions routinely drawn between contributory and charitable programs† (209). According to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Despite the existence of civil rights legislation equal treatment and equal access are not a reality for racial/ethnic minorities and women in the current climate of the health care industry. Many barriers limit both the quality of health care and utilization for these groups, including discrimination. Importance of Health Care Access to comprehensive, quality health care services is important for the achievement of health equity and for increasing the quality of a healthy life for everyone. Access to health services entails the timely utilization of personal health services in an effort to achieve the best possible health outcomes. The utilization of and access to health care has many substantial impacts on a person’s life. A person’s overall physical, social and mental health statuses are all impacted by the ability to be examined and treated by a medical professional. Health care also plays a significant role in the prevention of disease and disability, the detection and treatment of health conditions and a person’s quality of life. A structured healthcare system assists in providing a foundation for a healthy lifestyle for both individuals and their families. Without access to healthcare, minor health issues have the potential to escalate either permanently affecting living standards or worse resulting in death. The health care sector also has an impact on the local economy. Health care facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes provide jobs and income to people in the community. As these employees spend their income in the community, a ripple spreads throughout the economy, creating additional jobs and income in other economic sectors. Also, providing healthcare may also be a business incentive to companies. Healthy employees can mean a healthier, happier, more productive workplace. A company’s decision to invest in and offer health care to their employees not only filters back into the economy but also may help them to recruit and retain quality employees, improve employee satisfaction, and reduce absenteeism due to sickness. Business that offer health insurance as part of their employee benefits package are probably better able to attract more qualified applicants than those who dont. Also, offering health insurance coverage is a way of keeping operating costs low, because employees are generally more apt to take a position at a lower salary when health insurance benefits are provided. This is because it generally costs more for someone to obtain an individual or family health insurance policy than to get employer-sponsored coverage, making the difference of a lower salary negotiable. Businesses offering health insurance can deduct their portion of the contribution toward their employee plan as a business expense and get a tax advantage. If the business is incorporated, the business owners insurance and the coverage paid for employees are deductible. Access to health care services and insurance plays a vital role in individual and families lives along side society as a whole.

Achieving the Goal Essay Example for Free

Achieving the Goal Essay How will I achieve the goal? There are many things going through my head when I think about the question, but there are only a few important ones that stick out the most. Achieving the goal would be for me to do everything in my power to do the very best I can in college so when I do finish I can become a physical therapist. For me to achieve my goal, I’m going to have to work hard and study even harder so I can get the very best grades while going to Victoria College. I know that college isn’t easy and sometimes it is going to be difficult, but I will not let that stop me from getting my goal. I also know that college is very different from high school. So that means that I’m going to need to work ten times harder than I did back then. I believe that by studying and giving my very best at everything I do in college, I will achieve my goal. I just have to remember that I can’t give up even when it gets hard because that will get me nowhere. Besides doing my best in college, I’m going to need to balance my job as a mother of three and the duties of a house wife. Balancing kids and keeping up with everything that comes with the responsibilities of a wife, home, and family is just another step on the path to achieving my goals. Having a family while also going to school full time can be tough. Sometimes when I get home I’m tired and really don’t feel like doing any homework, but I know that I have to. This sometimes can lead to procrastinating. I’ve gone to school before while having one child and managed just fine with school and work, so I know that I can do it again this go around of college too. Time management is the key though. Having a social life is something else I have to balance with college I believe that I can do all the things I want to with my friends and family and still be able to succeed in college. All I have to do is manage my time and keep my priorities straight. I have to think which is more important, hanging out and watching the football game with friends and family or studying for an upcoming test. Studying of course. I can do all the things I want to do with my family and friends as long as I don’t let it affect my school work. So when I finish my time at Victoria College, I want to transfer to University Houston-Victoria. It has always been my dream to go to a University and make my kids proud. It’s just another step in  achieving my goal. While I am at UHV, I want to succeed at everything I do so I can graduate with a Bachelor’s degree and then even go on to getting a Master’s degree as well. So hopefully when my time is done at UHV, I will have become a physical therapist. Something I have wanted to be for a while now. When it is all said and done with college and I do become a physical therapist, then I know that I have finally reached my goal for myself, my kids, and my husband. All I have to remember is that I can’t lose focus of my goals and dreams, because if I do then I will never achieve true happiness†¦my goal!

The Ice Cream Analysis Dippin Dots

The Ice Cream Analysis Dippin Dots Despite having operation in the global market, the company was not much affected politically. There exists federal regulations on the frozen desserts, which include a minimum of 10% of butterfat, and the ice cream must weigh a minimum of 4.5 pounds to the gallon. This is to ensure manufacturers do not produce sub standard qualities of ice cream ECONOMIC FACTORS Their core U.S.A market is a strong economy with a very high GDP, which has not been, affected much over the years of varying economic conditions. The growth of the Asian market in terms of wealth is also a factor, which may have led to growth in demand. SOCIOCULTURAL FACTORS The most important element is the demography of the market for ice cream. The ice cream was initially targeting the kids and teenagers (aged 8-18 years) even though the company foresees a growing demand in future from older people. The trend to consume more healthy treats made firms develop ice cream with less fat but similar taste and texture. TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS The company has its foundation from the technology of micro encapsulation. Flash freezing the ice cream using liquid nitrogen at -325 degrees and collecting the bead/dot to produce a special flavour, texture and shape was a remarkable idea by the microbiologist. This idea was to avoid crystals of air and ice in the dessert. It was named theicecream of the future due to its uniqueness whose formula was continuously perfected by Jones. Over time technology also led to the development of various ways of making different types of frozen desserts like Novelties, Frozen custard, Sherbets, Frozen yoghurt and others. LEGAL FACTORS Patenting the idea of flash freezing was a factor that made the company keep away strong competition through copying. Franchising and making contracts was also necessary as it maintained a legal relationship of distribution and royalty payment. 2) PORTERS FIVE FORCES MODEL POTENTIAL ENTRANTS The Ice cream market had been segmented and dominated by 2 major companies Nestle and Unilever. This was a challenge to keep away the Giants from eating into the flash frozen ice cream segment. Some of the competitors with similar business were Breyers, Dreyers/ Edy Grand, Blue bell and others. Dippins with its experience and knowledge kept away the competitors through differentiating their ice cream and creating a vast network of distribution through franchising. SUBSTITUTES Other types of frozen foods like the novelties and the ice cream/sherbet brands are a substitute for the flash frozen ice cream due to the similar satisfaction they give to the customer. Because of the segmented market, the product could be differentiated which led to the survival and growth of dippins. BUYERS The buyer power of this industry is high due to the large number of ice cream producers and varieties. There are many substitutes for this product as mentioned hence the customer is likely to move if not satisfied with quality and taste. SUPPLIERS The power of suppliers is high since most have quality products with loyal customers and new entrants pose a threat due to the way they copy the idea. Many new producers were former employees or franchise distributors of dippins who knew the strategy of operations. COMPETITIVE RIVALY Due to globalisation, dippins face stiff competition from U.S companies like Breyers and other European companies. This makes it necessary to differentiate the product since other companies can copy the ideas. The cost of operation also plays a role since it requires huge capital investments in technology. ANALYSIS OF INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT VALUE CHAIN The firms operations are global and hence its primary factors affecting the internal environment are operations management, logistics, sales and marketing. The firm operates from U.S.A with over 448 franchises in 2006. These franchises distribute the product while paying royalties and some fees to dippins. The firm experiences logistical problems since transporting the product at sub zero temperatures require special equipment, containers and freezers. Mc Donalds rolled out a marketing campaign with dippins in 2002 spending $1.2 million in San Francisco to boost sales of both companies. The firm got recognition and value by appearing on top ranks in magazines like Entrepreneur. This also gave them a chance to be present in celebrity shows. The secondary factors, which affected the internal environment, include the procurement policies, technology and infrastructure. Jones initially hired his friends to manage the company with family members and later got professional staff. They faced a huge problem of financing and getting a suitable location making them move to locations. The technology they were using was being copied by rivals hence Jones continuously refined and perfected it. The firm later had a good infrastructure with sitting capacity and transport network was well developed. Value system of Dippins was efficient enough to reach the market and retail outlets but lacked the ability to enable the ice cream reach homes. They later introduced brands which could be consumed at home. VRIO ANALYISIS. The firms products have had a loyal customer base for a long time due to the quality. The value is due to the quality and the taste the frozen ice cream gives to its customers. The distribution also has had an impact in the value of firm since having a higher number of franchises gives them a greater market share. Despite having a high relative price they have had increased sales over the years. Celebrity appeal has also increased their value. The idea in a whole of having ice cream without crystals of air and ice is the biggest asset of the firm. The Dippin dots ice cream is a rare product to find because of the originality and the quality it gives. There are firms who produce similar products but cannot match the quality of dippins due to the unique technology they use. The firm has a many franchises (448) which gives them a competitive advantage. The rarity is due to the experience and knowledge they have. The firms operations and the product strategy are imitable in a way since the operations are global but the quality cannot be matched to that of dippins. Some former franchisers came up with similar products as dippin The organisation has adequate capacity and resources which can allow the firm to achieve more competitive advantage and get the most benefits through product diversification, increasing franchises, increasing the support to retail outlets. BALANCED SCORECARD. The strategies the company used to achieve the goals have been wise as their growth was rapid enabling them to scoop many awards and get highlighted in magazines for their good performance. The strategies they used were customer satisfaction in terms of quality and taste. Continuous improvement in the operations of making the ice cream. Their financial objectives can be getting the highest return on capital and maximum profits. They provided value for the price customer paid for the ice cream. Their price was high but relatively competitive. Their customers were differentiated in terms of the physical nature of the ice cream. Their internal objectives were quality of service and maintaining the quality during distribution and effective management of logistics. Their growth was substantial in terms of sales and number of franchises. They were given recognition through getting awards because of the fast growth and quality standards of ice cream and packaging by the international dairy association. They are innovative since they have launched a product, which can be now consumed at home.

An Inspector Calls - J. B. Priestley :: English Literature

An Inspector Calls - J. B. Priestley Introduction My aim is to explain a key scene from the play ‘An Inspector Calls’, how it might be staged and to explain the role of my chosen character Mr Birling in this part of the play. This is the key scene: Birling (solemnly) But this is point. I don’t want to lecture you two young fellows again. But what so many of you don’t seem to understand now, when things are so much easier, is that a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself – and his family too, of course, when he has one – and so long as he does that he won’t come to much harm. But the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think that everyone has to look after everyone else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive – community and all that nonsense. But take my word for it, you youngsters –and I’ve learned in the good hard school of experience – that a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own – and – (We hear the sharp ring of the front door bell. Birling stops to listen.) Eric Somebody at the front door. Birling Edna’ll answer it. Well, have another glass of port, Gerald – and then we’ll join the ladies. That’ll stop me giving you good advice. Eric Yes, you’ve piled it on a bit tonight Father. Birling Special occasion. And feeling contented, for once, I wanted you to have the benefit of my experience. (EDNA enters.) Edna Please, sir, an inspector’s called. Birling An inspector? What kind of inspector? Edna A police inspector. He says his name’s Inspector Goole. Birling Don’t know him. Does he want to see me? Edna Yes, sir. He says it’s important. Birling All right, Edna. Show him in here. Give us some more light. (EDNA does, then goes out.) I’m still on the Bench. It may be something about a warrant. Gerald (lightly) Sure to be. Unless Eric’s been up to something. (Nodding confidentially to Birling) And that would be awkward, wouldn’t it? Birling (humorously) Very. Eric (who is uneasy, sharply) Here, what do you mean? Birling (lightly) Only something we were talking about when you were out. A joke really. Eric (still uneasy) Well, I don’t think it’s very funny. Birling (sharply, staring at him) What’s the matter with you? Eric (defiantly) Nothing. Edna (opening door, and announcing) Inspector Goole. (The INSPECTOR enters, and Edna goes, closing the door after her. The INSPECTOR need not be a big man but he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness. He is a man in his fifties, dressed in a plain darkish suit of the period. An Inspector Calls - J. B. Priestley :: English Literature An Inspector Calls - J. B. Priestley Introduction My aim is to explain a key scene from the play ‘An Inspector Calls’, how it might be staged and to explain the role of my chosen character Mr Birling in this part of the play. This is the key scene: Birling (solemnly) But this is point. I don’t want to lecture you two young fellows again. But what so many of you don’t seem to understand now, when things are so much easier, is that a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself – and his family too, of course, when he has one – and so long as he does that he won’t come to much harm. But the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think that everyone has to look after everyone else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive – community and all that nonsense. But take my word for it, you youngsters –and I’ve learned in the good hard school of experience – that a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own – and – (We hear the sharp ring of the front door bell. Birling stops to listen.) Eric Somebody at the front door. Birling Edna’ll answer it. Well, have another glass of port, Gerald – and then we’ll join the ladies. That’ll stop me giving you good advice. Eric Yes, you’ve piled it on a bit tonight Father. Birling Special occasion. And feeling contented, for once, I wanted you to have the benefit of my experience. (EDNA enters.) Edna Please, sir, an inspector’s called. Birling An inspector? What kind of inspector? Edna A police inspector. He says his name’s Inspector Goole. Birling Don’t know him. Does he want to see me? Edna Yes, sir. He says it’s important. Birling All right, Edna. Show him in here. Give us some more light. (EDNA does, then goes out.) I’m still on the Bench. It may be something about a warrant. Gerald (lightly) Sure to be. Unless Eric’s been up to something. (Nodding confidentially to Birling) And that would be awkward, wouldn’t it? Birling (humorously) Very. Eric (who is uneasy, sharply) Here, what do you mean? Birling (lightly) Only something we were talking about when you were out. A joke really. Eric (still uneasy) Well, I don’t think it’s very funny. Birling (sharply, staring at him) What’s the matter with you? Eric (defiantly) Nothing. Edna (opening door, and announcing) Inspector Goole. (The INSPECTOR enters, and Edna goes, closing the door after her. The INSPECTOR need not be a big man but he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness. He is a man in his fifties, dressed in a plain darkish suit of the period.

Post 1900 War Poetry :: Wilfred Owen Alfred Tennyson War Poems Essays

Post 1900 War Poetry By looking at several war poems written before and after 1900, I can see that many elements of the types of poetry change greatly in several ways. I will be looking at a selection of war poems written by three different poets, in chronological order, so as to see if the attitudes to war and writing styles change over time or during various stages of the war. Firstly I will be looking at a poem written by Alfred Tennyson about the charge against the Russian gunners in 1854. The poem is called "The Charge of the Light Brigade" as it is exactly what happened. The information that Tennyson used to write the poem came from a newspaper article from the Times. Tennyson has used the information very well to give an accurate and informative, yet poetic description of the charge. Although Tennyson is writing from secondary information, he has still incorporated poetic and rhythmic effects to make the poem follow a rhythm similar to that of a galloping horse. 'Half a league, Half a league, Half a league onward', the distance of the charge is stated at the beginning of the poem as it starts straight into the charge. Although in the article written in the newspaper it states 'At a distance of 1,200 yards', Tennyson has edited it within similar distance whilst making the information poetic to read. By starting the charge at the beginning of the poem, Tennyson has instantly caught the reader's attention whilst still providing the relevant information for the poem to tell the story of what happened. Tennyson glorifies the soldiers greatly by using strong dramatic language and graphic images that can be vividly formed in the reader's minds. "All in the valley of Death, rode the six hundred." The dramatic language here makes it seem like just the unusually small amount of horsemen used in such a charge would be charging at hell itself. Tennyson continues to glorify the bravery of the soldiers throughout the whole poem, 'Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of death', yet the emphasis that he uses on death makes the charge seem futile and that the men are charging towards their own deaths. Verses 3 and 5 seem very similar when reading the poem, however in contrast the charge is towards the gunners in Verse 3 whereas it is the retreat in Verse 5. Yet Tennyson always keeps the repetition of 600 throughout the poem, even when they are retreating and many of them have already been killed he continues to refer to them as one group of six hundred that make up the Light Brigade.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Are you ready for the real world? Will I am ready, and I want to help you out. ... I want to pump you up! Tonight marks a turning point in our lives as young adults. This milestone of graduating with a high school education has come at last. And yet, knowledge does not exist solely in scholarly facts, but more so in the relationships and friendships that we have forged along the way. Albert Schweitzer once said, "At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." As I look at the graduating class of 2012 I am reminded of the unique gifts each one of us has to offer the world. We are artists, poets, playwrights, comedians, singers, musicians and athletes. We are dreamers, believers, thinkers and doers. We are strong-minded, determined, truth-seeking, hardworking and compassionate. But who showed us the way along our journey, and how do we know if we are stayi ng the course? Family has and always will be one of the most important things in our lives. Look around this gymnasium and take in the love and support that our parents, friends, teachers and administrators are showing for us by sharing with us this special night. Here at Young, parents and teachers have had an unspoken agreement of joint custody for years. Whether that be tucking us into our bed at night or tucking us into our desk in the morning. We will never forget the words of encouragement. I will always remember Mr. Gann's "You miss school, you miss out," or Mr. Fellows' "Lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part." I don't have to think hard to remember the smell of freshly baked hoagie bread on Wednes... ...ge. Do you know that you are very strong? The next page is the end of this book, and there is a Monster at the end of this book. Oh, I am so scared! Please do not turn the page. Please, please, please. Well look at that! This is the end of the book, and the only one here is . . . me. I, lovable, furry old Grover, am the Monster at the end of this book. And you were so scared! I told you and told you there was nothing to be afraid of. Oh, I am so embarrassed ..." All of us are like Grover, in that we could let our fears take hold to inhibit us and keep us from getting what we truly want. But it isn't until we truly realize that sometimes, in order to face our fears, it can be as easy as turning a page. Having the courage to be the person you are and want to be. And so I would like to congratulate the graduating class of 2003, and I thank you for all the memories.

The Relationship Between Journalism and Public Relations

The relationship between journalism and public relations has been described as tumultuous. Hitchcock (2012) says there is a shifting dynamic between the two and has found that journalists are starting to become more and more reliant on public relations ‘(PR)’, while Jackson (2009) says that up to 80% of media content has come from a public relations source. In this instance, Evans (2010) says, â€Å"it is time to admit that the two disciplines of journalism and PR are two sides of the same coin and that there is now complete freedom of movement between them† (p? ). FIND PAGE NUMBERThis essay will discuss the role of both public relations and journalism in the media, followed by an examination of the symbiotic relationship these two professions share. Differing views and issues surrounding the relationship will also be considered. Furthermore, media relations and new media technology will be examined regarding the tension between PR and journalism. A conclusion wil l then be summarized to support the idea that the relationship between public relations and journalism is symbiotic to an extent, however there are other factors also to consider when making such a statement.The Oxford Dictionary (2012) defines the term symbiosis as ‘a mutually beneficial relationship between different people or groups’. In this case we are examining the relationship between PR and journalism and how they mutually benefit from their day-to-day dealings with each other. According to Tench (2009), PR plays an important role in shaping the news by persuading other people to convey important messages to the organisations publics. This is done with support from media outputs and can also be described as ‘endorsement’.Furthermore, the PR practitioner should use sound media relations to gain editorial coverage in appropriate media channels. By doing this, Comrie (2007) elaborates that the organization’s reputation will impact positively by integrating a strategic plan in line with the company’s mission. Journalists in the media are wary of public relations practitioners, regardless of the fact that they deal with them daily. According to White and Hobsbawn (2007) they view PR practitioners as ambiguous sources to deal with and are often cautious and wary of whether the information given could be misleading or deceptive.Furthermore, Callad (2007) says that journalist’s gut reactions to ‘PR’ in general are almost immediately related to specific PR people in which they may have had a bad experience with, instead of the response to the profession its self. This type of stereotyping is a typical occurrence in their professional relationship. The relationship between PR and journalism is seen to mutually benefit both parties. Edward Bernays (in Evans, 2010) talks of the crucial importance of the press. This is because newspaper coverage can translate social ideas into facts, which in turn can infl uence the target publics of an organisation.Jackson (2009) also supports the idea that there is a symbiotic relationship of some kind existing between PR and journalism by saying â€Å"PR is a fact of life. Journalists should recognize it as an important channel† (p2). Jackson then elaborates on the role of PR by stating that there is a very significant amount of PR material in the media and that therefore plays an important role in news making. Furthermore, Grunig and Hunt (in Tench, 2009) underwent a survey in 2000 that indicated PR sources are responsible for around half of the news printed in newspapers.Press releases sent out by the Press Association are likely to include contribution from practitioners. (Mersham et al,. 2009) says that both sport and not for profit charities use emotional content in the promotion of their organisation, which in turn appeals to media outlets. These situations support the idea of symbiosis between PR and journalism, as journalists like to run stories with high emotional content, which will then in turn generate positive publicity for the organisation.Many journalists don’t like to admit that they do rely on PR in one way or another and unfortunately in this day and time, journalists are pushed for time as media channels have rapidly increased and budgets have been tightened. Because of this, little time is left for journalists to investigate stories independently. (Lewis et,. al 2008) found that up to 60% of stories coming from either articles or broadcast news contained elements of ‘pre packaging’. This can be described as a press release being regurgitated by a journalist into a news story, with very few facts missing.Callard (2011) further describes the symbiotic relationship that is evident between PR and journalism. These two professions interact with each other daily for the production of news. PR practitioners provide journalists with a suggested story and information shaped in the way the y would like it to be publicized in a specific media channel. Moreover, journalists then request information and sources from PR practitioners that may aid them in developing a story for the public. Although this seems both parties mutually benefit from each other’s presence, it doesn’t come without its controversies.Issues with credibility of both PR practitioners and journalists are said to always exist. Journalists should only post stories of interest to the audience, while PR practitioners should use media relations to get print or broadcast coverage without interference from the owners of the publication. (Tench, 2009) agrees with this by saying that these current priorities of confliction are said to describe the tension that exists between the agenda’s of these two competitors. Similar views are expressed such as (Mersham et al. 2009) with some journalists and PR practitioners seeing each other as allies, but are more frequently seen by each other as the enemy or people that they cannot trust. In saying this, PR practitioners are also wary of journalists. Gregory (2002) says that PR practitioners have a responsibility to keep a considerate distance between themselves and journalists but continue to provide them with material that reflects the truth. Moreover, we see that they continue to hold a symbiotic relationship in relation to the work they do, but whether they value each other on a personal level is very much debatable.According to (Davis, 2007) journalism traditionally was seen to hold power over PR as they had control over what was to be published. Due to cutbacks in resources and the continuing change in media channels, PR material and sources have developed which is resulting in a change over who holds that power. Moreover, Greenslade (2003) argues that this causes tension in the relationship as journalists like to think they are more powerful and rather believing that PR can benefit them, they feel conflicted to use posit ive, helpful sources of materials that PR practitioners provide them (Haller, 2007; Tilley & Hollings, 2008).Media relations must be understood as less about breaking news, and more about tactical work that is going to target the key stakeholders of your organisation. Gonring (in Comrie, 2007) suggests that it is also about â€Å"learning to strategize and manage press coverage to shape the opinions of important constituents† (p63). To put more simply, Tench (2009) mentions that we can view media relations as a relationship between an organisation and the press. The skilled practitioner needs to make sure they form sufficient relationships with journalists so that accurate, effective stories can be produced.This is important for both parties as White and Hobsbawm (2007) say â€Å"mutual exchange of information between these two groups of information gathers and providers is necessary, and not a matter for disapproval† (p290). New media developments are having an impact on both professions and the symbiotic relationship they share. White and Hobsbawm (2007) mention that journalism is heavily dependant on PR sources regardless of their personal relations and therefore more demands are needed to produce new and exciting material for new channels of media. The phenomenon of social media is changing the way we communicate.Because of the social aspect of new media, practitioners can present information that individuals can talk directly to each other and find truth themselves. There needs to be a more realistic approach to the relations between PR and journalism, as they may not possess the same interests, but they face the same threats and the context in which they operate is the same. The main points outlined above demonstrate that a symbiotic relationship between PR and journalism does exist. It is evident that both professions require some kind of reliance on each other.In saying this however it must be considered that although some symbiosis occur s, it doesn’t come with out scrutiny from both professions. White and Howsbawm (2007) elaborate by saying journalists are heavily dependant on PR practice in spite of the fact the views they hold of them. Media relations also contribute to the love-hate relationship in which they share, but also the need of each other for the growing world of technology. The above views suggest that although the relationship between PR and journalism is symbiotic, it is also seen as unstable, and that is not likely to change in the near future.References: Bailey, R. (2009). Media Relations. Harlow, England; New York: FT Prentice Hall Callard, H. (2011) Attitudes and perceptions of newspaper journalists towards public relations practitioners in New Zealand. Retrieved from http://scholar. google. co. nz/scholar? hl=en&lr=&q=related:Bcq7pKS7k_QJ:scholar. google. com/&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&ei=1cAwULHIMo2WiQf87oCoDw&ved=0CD0QzwIwAA Comrie, M. (2007, October 29). Media relations: From tactics to strat egy. Retrieved from  http://publicrelations4u. blogspot. co. z/2007/10/media-relations-from-tactics-to. html Davis, A. (2000). Public relations, news production and changing patterns of source access in British National Media. Media, Culture and Society, 22(1), 39-59. Evans, T. (2010). We are all in PR now. British Journalism Review  2010 21: 31 DOI: 10. 1177/0956474810374531 http://bjr. sagepub. com/content/21/2/31 Gower, K. (2007). Public relations and the press: The troubled embrace. Evanston, IL:Northwestern University Press. Greenslade, R. (2003) Press Gang: how newspapers make profits rom Propaganda, Basingstoke:Macmillan. Gregory, A. (2002). To Spin or Not to Spin? – The Ethics of Public Relations  [Lecture]. Retrieved from Leeds Metropolitan University. Grunig, J. E. , & Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Haller, M. (2007). Symbiosis or antagonism: The neurotic double bind. In Merkel, B. , Russ-Mohl, S. , & Zavaritt, G. (Eds. ). A complicated, antagonistic and symbiotic affair: Journalism, public relations and their struggle for public attention (pp. 95-99). Lugano, Switzerland: European Journalism Observatory.Hitchcock, S. (2012, February 18). Tumultuous relationship between journalism and PR thawing says Waikato researcher. The University of Waikato. Retrieved August 19th, 2012, from http://www. waikato. ac. nz/news-events/media/2012/02tumultuous-relationship-between-journalism-and-pr-thawing-says-waikato-researcher. shtml Hollings, J. , Lealand, G. , Samson, A. , & Tilley, E. (2007). The big NZ journalism survey: Underpaid, under-trained, under-resourced, unsure about the future – but still idealistic.Pacific Journalism Review, 13(2), 175–197. Jackson, S. (2009, May 4). PR driving up to 80pc of content. The Australian. Retrieved August 19th, 2012, from  http://www. theaustralian. com. au Lewis, J. , A. Williams. , B. Franklin. , J. Thomas. , and N. Mosdell (2008). â€Å"The Quality a nd Independence of British Journalism’, Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies. Report found at http://www. cardiff. ac. uk/jomec/research/researchgroups/journalismstudies/fundedprojects/qualitypress. html Mersham, G. M. , Theunissen, P. , & Peart, J. G. M. (2009). Public

Management: Hamburger and Traditional Dishes Essay

Questions 1. What opportunities and threats did McDonald’s face? How did it handle them? What alternatives could it have chosen? Ans: Opportunities: This wonderful phrase echoes around the world 50 million times a day, in 30,000 locations, in multitude of languages, in more than 120 countries around the globe. And this simple thought sums up the reason McDonald’s has become the best known and most popular quick service restaurant around the world, quite a tribute to Ray Kroc, who founded this company nearly 50 years ago with the simple vision expressed by his phrase ‘Take good care of those who work for you, and you will float to greatness on their achievements’ Threats: The threats to McDonald’s domestically are the lack of growth opportunities. The market is well saturated, and it would difficult to achieve double-digit growth. Other concerns are a newfound emphasis on healthier eating. But I feel the key threat to McDonald’s continued success. Because McDonald’s are everywhere, the dining experience is never special. And as Baby Boomers age and become more affluent, it is likely that they will leave behind their fast-food ways, if only to step up to moderately priced restaurants like Olive Garden, KFC and Pizzeria Uno. These chains have the added advantage of serving higher-margin alcoholic drinks. McDonald’s, meanwhile, has to continually battle Burger King and Wendy’s, which leads to an erosion of margins for everyone. Even alliances with toy manufacturers, while popular with consumers, do little for the bottom line because the cost to run these promotions can be quite expensive. How to handle them: McDonald’s faces some difficult challenges, the best solutions for them are: * Key to its future success will be maintaining its core strengths. * Unwavering focus on quality and consistency. * McDonald’s management organized a successful plan and also implement the plan. * McDonalds should provide traditional dishes. * The company could also look into expanding more aggressively abroad where the prospects for significant growth are greater. * McDonalds should distribute free sample in different offices and colleges. Alternatives: * McDonald’s is actively trying to reduce their negative impact on the environment by altering their company policies. * They have the ability to add healthier lines of food. * McDonalds should provide bonus to his employees for better performance. * McDonalds should decrease its prices in that country where per capita is very low. * McDonalds provide traditional dishes to their customers. 3. What is McDonald’s basic philosophy? How does it enforce this philosophy and adapt to different environments? Ans: McDonald’s main philosophy is to be the major player in the food services around the world. It achieves this philosophy by its highly professional management which keeps an eye on everything. Their planning and strategies are more customer driven then advertisement and moreover their food is what gives them edge over others. The management provides food according to the demand of its customer and its environment. For example: for Muslim countries their menu is according to their religious laws, for Japan where burgers are a snack, McDonald’s provide them accordingly. 4. Should McDonald’s expand its menu? If you say no, then why not? If you say yes, what kinds of products should it add? Ans: Yes, According to my view, McDonald’s satisfies the whole concept of fast food. It provides a vast range of edibles starting from different sort of burgers, snacks, different coffees, milkshakes, ice creams, pastas and even pizzas but it also provide some type of traditional dishes so that the people which do not likes these things will enjoy the traditional ones. 5. Why is McDonald’s successful in many countries around the world? Ans: In the present day – we all lead a very hectic lifestyle cramping our lives with endless things to do and accomplish. Gone are the days when meals were cooked and served in households three times a day, instead, the youth live on pre-cooked micro waved meals and fast food. We want food and we want it fast. This was essence for the rise of McDonald’s. Another reason is that McDonald’s management contributed for this huge success. It perform all five managerial skills very well and efficiently. They started from scratch but they are now a great player in food services. Their food, management , advertisement, pucks, highly equipped franchises(having sofas, chairs, Wi-Fi connections, etc) all make them best in the market and they stand out by giving edge now to its competitors in every respect.

200 Million Girls: Female Infanticide in China and India Takes Many Lives Essay

It is a girl. The four deadliest words in Asia. In the past 5 decades 200 million girls went ‘missing’ in India and China. In Asia the horrible phenomenon female infanticide occurs on a large scale. According to M. P. , â€Å"Female infanticide is the intentional killing of baby girls due to the preference for male babies and from the low value associated with the birth of females†. Research shows that female infanticide happens all over the world, but especially in Asia. Girls are being aborted, killed or abandoned. China and India are the two most populous countries in the world where female infanticide is a very big issue. These two countries have similar but also different reasons for female infanticide and these reasons will not cease to exist soon. In 1978 China introduced the one-child policy. The Chinese population was growing too fast and already was enormous. The government introduced this policy to slow down the growth of the population of China. This encouraged female infanticide even more. Before the introduction of the one-child policy female infanticide already existed. According to Ansley J.  Coale and Judith Banister, a missionary (and naturalist) observer in China in the late nineteenth century who interviewed 40 women over age 50, who reported to have given birth to 183 sons and 175 daughters, of whom 126 sons but only 53 daughters survived to age 10. By their account, the women had destroyed 78 of their daughters. To Chinese families the son is the most important child. They believe that the son can work, carry the family name and look after elderly parents. Only after the desire of having a son or two has been met, do Chinese families prefer having a girl. The question that needs to be answered is whether this preference for sons is caused by culture or economics. According to Confucius there are some rituals that can only be performed by boys. But this is not the major reason for female infanticide. â€Å"The major factor is patrilocality, which refers to the firmly entrenched cultural norm for elderly parents to co-reside with their adult children, and for the son to have a woman â€Å"marry in† and assist him in this function. Patrilocality is an economic factor affecting almost every country that participates in sex-selective abortion. (Avraham Ebenstein) Due to the one-child policy and the son preference population, statistics suggest there are 118 boys born for every 100 girls. (Sherry Karabin) In India there is also an unbalanced sex ratio. In India female infanticide is also a big issue. India and China do have similarities as to why families prefer boys. To Indian families, the son is also the most important child. In India sons have long been prized over daughters. Sons preserve the family name and traditionally look after elderly parents. Daughters are often seen as an expensive burden. Parents are faced to pay a costly wedding dowry when they get married; this amount is equivalent to three years of earnings. If they have a daughter and do not have the money to pay the dowry they would also lose pride. Most interviewed Indian women have a similar reason of why they abort, kill or abandon their daughters. They rather abort, kill or abandon them than let them suffer. (Ashok Prasad) In China the groom will give the bride’s family betrothal gifts and a sum of money. In return the parents of the bride will deliver the bride’s dowry to the groom’s family. If one of the families cannot offer gift or the dowry, they would also lose pride. But for Chinese families this is not a reason for not having a girl. Not only poor families have a preference for boys but even educated middle class women face pressure to produce sons. Indian people feel that they will need a son for everything. Indian women call this â€Å"the son obsession†. Due to the son preference in India, population statistics suggest there are 940 girls per 1000 males in rural areas, whereas in urban areas there are 900 girls per 1000 males. Samar Halankar) Unfortunately this horrible phenomenon will not end soon. Both countries have a strong and long history, which means an old tradition. Their preferences for sons will not change soon. In both China and India the government tries to prevent female infanticide by taking certain measures. In China the government tries to ban sex-selective abortion but at the same time they declare that the care of old people is the task of the family and not the state. In India the government has banned dowries under the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961; still few get married without the dowry. Female infanticide in India and China) Despite of this government interference, female infanticide has not stopped. Statistics show that over 200 million girls went ‘missing’ in the past fifty years. Research shows that the number of girls is still declining. (Ashok Prasad) Not only the government tries to stop this, also people who got aware of this fact are trying to stop female infanticide. In 2006 Rita Banerji founded The 50 Million Missing Campaign in order to raise awareness of the phenomenon in India. Although female infanticide has a long history, a lot of people over the world are not aware of this fact. In September 2012 a new documentary film It’s a girl will be released. This documentary film explores female infanticide in India and China. It tells the stories of abandoned girls, of brave mothers trying to save their daughters, of mothers who would kill for a son and women who suffer extreme violence. Global experts and grassroots activists put the stories in context and advocate different paths towards change, while collectively lamenting the lack of any truly effective action against this injustice. Marie Vlachova) To conclude, female infanticide in China and India is still a serious issue and will not end soon. In both countries the preference for sons has similar but also different reasons. This son preference will not change soon due to the old family tradition. They truly believe that sons can bring prosperity, continuity and valuable support and care. Which means that female infanticide will not end soon. Statistics support this fact by showing that the number of girls is still declining and will keep declining.

Research Ethics Stanford Prison Experiment Summary Essay

The Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE) was conducted in 1971 at Stanford University in the basement of the psychology building. Philip Zimbardo as lead researcher headed the research team to study the impact of situational variables on human behaviour. Zimbardo and his team advertised for volunteers to a social experiment offering $15 in payment per day. Wanting to examine the â€Å"dark side† of human nature, applicants were required to have no criminal record, no psychological issues and no major medical conditions. Each of the 70 applicants were psychologically tested and the 24 most â€Å"normal† were selected to take part in the SPE. The 24 selected participants were then divided into two groups randomly, with one half being prisoners and the other half being guards. The guards were taken to the mock prison before the prisoners arrived to help in the final stages of the prison’s construction and to help select their military style uniforms, this was to give the guards a sense of ownership over the prison environment. Alternatively the prisoners were surprised with real police and authentic processing before being incarcerated into the prison. Despite it being an artificially created environment the guards and prisoners quickly altered their behaviour in response to the situational variables of the experiment. Prisoners were dehumanized and their individuality stripped away, while the guards became increasingly more sadistic and degrading towards the prisoners. After the guards crushed an early attempted rebellion by the prisoners, one prisoner was released for acting irrationally to a point that seemed pathological. After this some of the prisoners became super-conformist, following rules to the letter. While other prisoners began to act crazy in an effort to passively escape like the first released prisoner. The guards fell into three categories with some acting sadistically and degrading towards the prisoners, others going completely by the book and some guards acting kindly and doing small favours for the prisoners. None of guards ever intervened or questioned the actions of other guards however no matter what kind of guard they were. The experiment was terminated early after just six days when an outsider, a recent PhD graduate came in from the outside and saw how out of control the experiment had become. Ethical issues that arose during the SPE were the harm done to the participants. Guards were allowed to inflict real pain and humiliation on the prisoners over an extended period of time. The experiment was allowed to continue for longer than it should have because the participants and observers fell too deeply into their roles. There was also little or no regard for the participants’ confidentiality during the SPE.

Fairy Tales Final Exam Short Answers Essay

1. The Idea of Naming Unique names and titles contribute greatly to the success of fairytales. In classic fairytales, readers identify the protagonist as an icon, rather than a requisite to push the plot. Timeless â€Å"appellations,† such as â€Å"Cinderella,† â€Å"The Little Red Ridinghood,† â€Å"Snow White,† â€Å"Blue Beard,† etc. inheritably connect to public impression. Nowadays, every name has a story behind it, and the name itself is a story. In general, classical fairytale names feature descriptive adjectives, especially colors, which directly refer to the protagonist’s physical characteristic. As a result, names sound both natural and indigenous that readers can easily remember. Thanks to the widely recognized popularity, these vivid appellations now become universal symbols. For example, â€Å"Snow White† denotes unsurpassable beauty rather than a beautiful child â€Å"as white as snow.† In addition, â€Å"Cinderella† literally addresses to a maiden who works all day long in â€Å"cinder,† while nowadays the appellation represents any girl who successfully achieves materialistic progress through marriage, such as Princess Kate. Furthermore, these lively descriptive dictions greatly impact fashion and entertainment industry nowadays; Recently, Christian Louboutin, the famous shoe designer known for his trademark red soles, announced his latest challenge: to design a pair of modern glass slippers since woman has been longing for centuries to find a perfect fit. Names in classic fairytales serve more than a reference to the character, but an idol to carry the timeless stories forward. However, compared to the straightforward names in classics, modern fairytale names feature simplicity and artificial symbolization. For more recent days, fairytale writers tend to simplify the names but focus more on the storylines themselves. Hans Christian Anderson, the celebrated fairytales authors in 19th century, emphasizes on the character’s identity such as â€Å"the little Mermaid, † â€Å"The little match girl,† â€Å"Princess on the peas† instead of detailed physical descriptions. Another 19th century writer, Oscar Wilde also adopts straightforward appellations such as â€Å"the Giant,† â€Å"The happy prince† that inevitably weaken the visual impact on readers. However, the simplicity contributes greatly to the story telling itself, since readers now pay more attention to the plot. People memorize the happy princess as a selfless donor rather than a beautiful, grandeur statue. Also, the â€Å"little match girl† from Anderson wins worldwide sympathy not for the fact she sells matches, but for the suffering. Thus, during the 19th to 20th century, fairytale names move toward simplification and frankness. Furthermore, in contemporary works such as Judy Budnitz’s Flying Leap and Donald Barthelme’s Snow White, writers either artificially embody names with symbolization, or utilize names as agent numbers. For example, in Judy Budnitz’s Hershel, readers intuitively connect the protagonist Hershel, who sells baby as a product through baking them in the oven, to the Hershey chocolate factory. What would happen if technologies allow human to reproduce as baking chocolates? On the other hand, names do not necessarily convey any information of the character. Barthelme assigns random names to the seven dwarfs such as Kevin, Edward, Huburt, etc. in Snow White that carry few significant annotations but effectively smooth the story telling. Thus, in modern days, authors add an artificial flavor to fairytale names that either designed for clarification purposes or for intentional symbolization. As a result, the impact of names gradually deceases from classics to modern works, since modern writers tend to focus more on the ideas rather than to establish a universally recognized icon. 5. Fairytale Family Tree Although most fairytales initially contain violence, cruelty, and sexual descriptions, modern readers intuitively associate fairytales with a perfect heaven-like world. Why? Throughout the past three hundred years, writers, producers, and scholars gradually collaborate to not only remove the dark side of fairytales, but also invest heavily on comic elements to win popularity. As a result, from traditional Perrault to innovative Shrek, modern fairytale reinterpretations celebrate laughter, humor, and optimism to a dramatic extent. As the first person to mark fairytales as a new genre, Perrault maintains most of the violence, sexual inference, and tragic endings in Tale of Mother Goose. However, he attempts to draw a moral lesson from each story, especially those with a sad ending. As a result, these comments provide valuable relief to readers. For example, in Little Red Ridinghood, Perrault warns children against the danger of â€Å"talking to strangers.† Thanks to the warning, children would fear less of the unpredictable death− swallowed by a wolf, but behave cautiously in real life. Obviously, although pessimistic elements inevitably accompany some fairytales, storytellers endeavor to restore the belief of ultimate truth, happiness, and beauty in the end. Following Perrault’s trend, Grimm Brothers deliberately minimizes the number of gloomy fairytale endings. Despite the remaining violence, almost all the princes and princesses symbolically â€Å"live happily ever after.† Since Grimm brothers target children as the major readers, they offer immediate satisfaction to intensify the optimism−originated from Perrault’s moral lessons. As a result, in Grimm Brother’s version, little red ridinghood successfully rescues her grandma as well as defeats the wolf through the hunter’s assistance. Along with Grimm Brother’s efforts, modern movie productions, especially the Walt Disney productions, further strengthen the delightful side in fairytales that elevate the genre as a symbolization of the ideal world. Thanks to the overwhelming influence of Disney productions, fairytales win the favor of children and parents from all walks of life. In addition to the ultimate happy ending, Disney eliminates most of the bloody scenes in movies. For example, in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the evil queen falls off the cliff instead of dancing until death on iron slippers. Thanks to Disney’s emphasis on the bright side, most antagonists receive reduced punishments. Moreover, Disney introduces music, funny appellations, and humanlike animal figures to promote the comical atmosphere. For the first time, producers assign distinguishable names, such as â€Å"Sleepy,† â€Å"Happy,† to the seven dwarfs in the Snow White movie. As a result, Disney movies root deeply in children’s hearts with a perfectly moral kingdom. Furthermore, modern artists seek innovations to alleviate the struggle on the protagonists’ quest in Disney movies; indeed, every moment should bring laughter instead of nervousness to the audience. In addition to the removal of violence, films and productions such as Shrek and Into the woods totally renovate the storyline. No longer serving as the puppets under writers’ manipulation, fairytale characters start to reflect, comment, and even tease each other in a good nature. Undeniably, worldwide audience celebrates the humor when the green ogre Shrek awkwardly kisses the green princess Fiona, proven by Shrek’s commercial and critical success. Based on Disney’s illusion of a perfect world, modern producers further reduce the struggles but laugh at the hardship into lighthearted humor. Overall, through Perrault, Grimm Brother, Disney and contemporary producers’ efforts, worldwide children and parents regard fairytales as the ultimate relief of the real world. Gradually moving away from the dark sides, fairytale nowadays celebrate love, trust, truth and most importantly, humor. 6. Dorian Gray and Budnitz’s stories, fairytales or not? According to Bruno Bettelheim’s definition, Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde hardly meets the qualifications of fairytales. For Bettelheim, fairytale must provide security to readers by directly addressing to the â€Å"existential anxieties and dilemmas,† while Dorian Gray fails to offer such assurance. Instead, Wilde industriously portrays the dark side of human psyche. Also, Bettelheim regards fairytale as a reflection of growth and maturity. However, Dorian Gray obviously never grows up but dies of self-obsession. In fact, Oscar Wilde focuses on Dorian’s struggle to fight against the physical aging process rather than addresses to spiritual awakening. Although Dorian sacrifices his soul in exchange of forever youth and beauty, the eventual punishment fails to show any lessons of struggle. Dorian not only fails to achieve salvation through good deeds, but also shows no regrets of the evil trade. Thus, Bettelheim would very likely dismiss the proposal of categorizing Dorian Gray as a fairytale. In addition, Bettelheim’s theory states that fairytales respond to â€Å"the desperate feelings of loneliness and isolation† rather than narcissism or hedonism. As an aristocrat, Dorian Gray enjoys both materialistic affluence and spiritual fulfillment. Physical beauty effortlessly wins Dorian the love from the upper class under the setting of Victorian London. Especially the appreciation from Lord Henry greatly satisfies Dorian’s self-pride. Thus, Dorian suffers from neither loneliness nor isolation as Bettelheim highlighted but self-obsession. Moreover, Dorian lacks adventures into the world since he mostly struggles against internal human greed, violating Bettelheim’s belief of â€Å"only by going out into the cord†¦can find himself†¦and others live happily ever after.† Furthermore, Dorian Gray’s interaction with the outside world only intensifies his self-obsession, as the crowd incessantly celebrating his beauty. As a result, Dorian Gray only portrays the dark side of human psyche without suggesting any lessons about maturity and growth. On the other hand, Budnitz’s short stories satisfy partially Bettelheim’s expectation of fairytales, but still fail to generate a valuable lesson for adult to learn and grow. For example, Barren directly addresses to the insecurity of adult world: what would happen if human suddenly lose the capability to raise children? However, the story itself fails to provide assurance and relief. In Barren, despite countless endeavor to make babies, humans achieve no progress. The protagonists â€Å"go out into the world† for solutions, for example adopting babies in China and Indian and orphans and sex. However, they return with disappointment and panic. Babies eventually re-appear not because of human’s efforts, but of the invisible hands of fate. Under Bettelheim’s theory, fairytales suppose to show children that â€Å"if one does not shy away from severe difficulties†¦but steadfastly meets unexpected†¦masters all obstacles and emerges victorious†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Unfortunately, Budnitz not only rings the alert of the danger of generation gaps, but also eliminates the optimism. Compared to fate, human efforts appear so fragile that even the most fundamental ability of reproduction faces the danger. As a result, at the end of the story, readers close the book with unprecedented fear rather than relief. Furthermore, even happy endings do not fully represent fairytales under Bettelheim’s theory. Although stories such as Direction provide a happy reunion, the story itself fails to articulate how to achieve such success. Even old magic provides the readers something to believe, instead of the absolute randomness. Compared to traditional fairytales, Budnitz’s stories leave the readers with too many concerns shadowing the satisfaction. Obviously, Bettelheim would not agree with such incompleteness. Instead, he would probably classify Budnitz’s stories as modern fables since they do teach a meaningful lesson to the readers. 7. Ownership of fairytales As fairytales evolve throughout history, every generation has a unique interpretation. Obviously, Disney productions dominate the modern fairytale interpretation, for children recognize the little mermaid as â€Å"Ariel† and Beauty as â€Å"Bella.† Understandably, critics such as Jack Zipes express blatant jealousy towards Disney’s success by charging that the animation giant â€Å"has attempted to fix them in our minds.† However, in the modern era, Disney movies achieve unprecedented popularity only because they capture the value of modern audience most successfully. Through animations, pillow books, toys, and Disneyland, Disney creates a universal fairytale kingdom with followers in every age group. Although Disney heavily emphasizes on American dream such as affluence, humor, endeavor, and perseverance, the cartoons cross the culture boundary and win recognition all over the world. After all, if Disney does own a monopoly, it is the readers themselves that voluntarily allow Disney characters to root in their minds as fairytale stereotypes. In addition, Disney domination not necessarily sentences the death of other fairytale interpretations. Beyond the Disney stereotypes, Anne Sexton’s Transformation and Bruno Bettelheim’s The Enchant of Fairytales revolutionize my impression of fairytales in the semester, especially the brilliant comments by Sexton. As a huge Disney lover, I never doubt the beauty of fairytale imaginaries. However, lines such as â€Å"The two sisters came to curry favor/and the white dove pecked their eyes out/two hollow spots were left/like soup spoons/† and â€Å"like two dolls in a museum case/never bothered by diapers or dust† in Cinderella add an intrinsic flavor of the real world imperfection into the Disney kingdom. Too many marriages end up with arguments. Maybe the relationship was as perfect as Cinderella and the Prince’s, but what daily arguments actually ruin the sweetness? Or perfect marriage only lasts in the museum case? Although readers frequently seek an idealistic escape in fairytales, such sarcastic comments actually provide an insightful reflection over the real life conflicts. Compared to Sexton’s abrupt commentary, Bettelheim explores the symbolic interpretation of fairytales under logics. In the past, fairytales bring nothing more than happiness, spiritual fulfillment, and moments of relaxation. However, Bettelheim’s The Enchant of Fairytales connects the most straightforward stories to the sophistication of literature. Every character symbolizes a group of children; every adventure teaches a lesson; every journey leads to growth. Most importantly, through Bettelheim’s psychological analysis, the seemingly artificial explanation indeed collaborates into a well-developed theory. For example, Bettelheim interprets the deprivation of the cow as a turning point for Jack to â€Å"encounter the world† and â€Å"do it by himself.† Also, the symbolization â€Å"gold† as pure wealth, â€Å"golden eggs† as the importance of producing wealth, and â€Å"golden harp† as â€Å"beauty,† or â€Å"higher things in life† totally fascinate me. As a result, Bettelheim’s logical analysis overrides my impression from Disney; for the first time that I realize that fairytales can suggest more than dream, but the complete process of growth and maturity as well. In addition, Bettelheim’s theory about the quest into the woods in pursuit of success arouses my personal memory. As an international student, studying abroad itself simulates the adventure. Maybe I am the Hansel or Gretal who fights for survival? Or maybe I am the Jack who climbs into the sky for wealth, recognition, and maturity? Fairytales serve as a reminder of the dream. Undeniably, audience cherishes Disney stories for the vivid visualization of fairytale characters, the celebration of success, or a moment of relief. However, insightful comments in Sexton and Bettelheim also provide an alternative view: rather than stories for entertainment, fairytales open an encyclopedia that guides the path to maturity.