Men At Forty

â€Å"Men at Forty† is a very well written poem so clearly the diction was chosen well. There are so many things that can be considered diction when writing like if you want to be more sensuous which means you write to appeal to the senses or you have the choice to make it emotional of even esoteric so only the few amount of people who have the proper knowledge to understand it do. A couple of words that describe how this poem was written are precise, emotional, abstruse and esoteric could even tie in with that.Precise writing is marked by exactness or accuracy and â€Å"Men at Forty† in my eyes is very accurate. I do believe that what Donald writes about is exactly what happens once a man gets to forty. In the first stanza it says â€Å"Men at Forty Learn to close softly The doors to rooms they will not be Coming back to. † This is a metaphor about how since he is older he must come to terms with the fact that he might never reach some of his goals in life. Emot ion is a big part of writing because what's the point in writing if there is no emotion.No one will even want to read your writing because they get bored easily with it. In stanza 3 it states â€Å"And deep in mirrors They rediscover The face of the boy as he practices tying His father's tie there in secret† this is very emotional because the man Is looking in the mirror and he still feels young but that is on the inside the outside shows he is growing old, and no one likes growing old because it's a sad reality that we are getting closer and closer to death. This poem can be very abstruse because It could go over some peoples' head.

Autism Psa

National Autism Association â€Å"One in 88 children and 1 out of 54 boys are born with ASD† (National Autism Association, 2012), autism spectrum disorder. Many people have heard of the disability called autism, but many do not know what it is exactly or the struggles it can bring. National Autism Association is an organization that provides knowledge to the community about autism, while providing help and hope so that all affected children can reach their full potential.NAA provides many programs to help support individual with ASD as well as his or her family, including the Helping Hand Program, Big Red Safety, and Progress Research. NAA strives to help the autistic community while offering opportunities to support this cause. Before knowing what NAA is, it is important to have a better understanding of the disability called autism. Autism is a bio-neurological development disability which impacts development of the brain and areas of social interaction, communication skills , and cognitive function.Individuals with autism often have physical limitations such as allergies, asthma, epilepsy, digestive disorders, persistent viral infections, feeding disorders, sensory integration dysfunction, sleeping disorders, difficulties with verbal and non-verbal communications, social interactions, and much more. ASD is not just autism it includes other disorders such as â€Å"autistic disorder, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome† (Autism Speaks, 2012).There is much controversy as to why people have autism. The biggest argument is that autism is due to vaccinations because of the chemical exposure. Other exposures to the environment can cause autism if the immune system has certain conditions. Another argument is genetics, but the rate of increase of autism today makes genetics an unlikely reason. It was once believed the way a child is raised by their pare nts has an influence on autism. A few other arguments include: pesticide exposure, parental age, pharmaceuticals, freeway proximity, and limited prenatal vitamin intake.NAA suggests to families that if they have a child with autism, they should research various causes to become more aware and have a better understanding as to why a child might have autism. NAA has a mission statement that includes: â€Å"The mission of the National Autism Association is to respond to the most urgent needs of the autism community, providing real help and hope so that all affected can reach their full potential. † (National Autism Association, 2012) Having an autistic family member can be a challenge; NAA can help the family members as well as the person with autism in many different ways.NAA helps parents to understand â€Å"You’re Not Alone,† after explaining that they will help you find a support group close to you. This can be through the Yellow Pages or by going online to fin d a NAA chapter in your area. They also provide some links for support and discussions where you can ask questions, state concerns, or simply talk to others who may be in the same situation. In addition to providing sources to help families find support, NAA has many programs to help afflicted families.Through these programs, NAA’s goals are to strengthen autism families by providing support, giving them up-to-date information on research, funding research, and raising awareness. NAA provides support through the Helping Hand Program, Big Red Safety Box, and Progress Research. The Helping Hand Program is a program that helps families who cannot afford the medical expenses related to their family member with autism. NAA reaches out to families who make less than $50,000 a year by providing financial aid.This can be used for specialized medicines and therapy services for the treatment of autism. The Big Red Safety Box program, when funded, provides a life-saving tool kit at no c ost to families with a member with autism. A donor can pay $35 to have a Box provided to a family. The Box provides tools to help keep a person with autism safe in their home. Some items include: education materials and tools, two door/window alarms with batteries, personalized engraved shoe ID tag, five stop signs for doors and windows, safety alert window clings, and a safety alert wristband.NAA supports research for ASD because they believe that one day a cure will be found. NAA’s research fund supports studies which show promise for children suffering now. Research seeks cures, discovers new treatments, answers questions, and promotes progress. Among the many challenges of having a child with autism is keeping the child out of harms way is one of the most difficult. The Big Red Safety Box mentioned earlier provides tools to equip the home with safety accommodations, but there are other dangers to a child with autism.NAA provides information on how to keep the child from w andering, gives advice on how to respond to bullying, and suggests methods for suicide prevention. A California research team showed that mortality of people with autism has high numbers in drowning as a result of wandering; in addition, there are other wandering factors that are the cause of death. NAA provides twelve ways to prevent ASD wandering. First, the caregiver should understand wandering patterns and prevent anything that would cause the person to wander.Second, teach the child about safety by showing pictures or use simple explanations familiar to the child. Third, secure the home with door and window alarms or even fencing in the yard. Fourth, have the child wear a wrist band or anklet with a tracking device in case of emergency. Fifth, have the child wear a medical ID bracelet with his or her name and telephone number and other important information. Sixth, enroll the child in swimming lessons. NAA provides a list of YMCAs that are available for special needs swimming l essons.Seventh, alert neighbors that the child may wander, and who should be notified when they see this. Eighth, alert first responders, so that if something may happen, they can improve response with the information given to them. Ninth, have a â€Å"tag, you’re it† strategy, where the child tags the closest adult who then becomes the person watching the child closely. Tenth, secure external settings such as school or camp know policies and inform teachers about wandering. Eleventh, learn from others by researching or asking people who also have children with autism.Twelfth, never have s false sense; as the child grows up, he or she will learn new things and have more abilities, so be sure to make changes as they grow and learn. These twelve steps can help prevent ASD wandering, and keep the child safe. Bullying is a serious issue in schools, especially in relation to students with autism. Children with disabilities are two to three times more likely to be bullied. T here are multiple forms of bullying, and each one can be detrimental to a child’s learning and future. NAA has resources and provides information about bullying for parents of a bullied child and the student who is being bullied.NAA also provides information on suicide prevention and gives help via sources such as suicidepreventionlifeline. org. Whether a person has a family member with a form of ASD or ASD touches the heart, help can be provided in various ways. NAA helps the autistic community but they need donations and support to continue to do so. NAA provides a venue to collect donations. This can be done in honor of someone. The donor may choose to purchase items at NAA’s â€Å"Little Shop of Hope,† where the proceeds benefit NAA. It is possible to start an online fundraising site or choose rom other methods of raising funds. ASD affects more children than any other childhood disorder, yet it is the least funded disorder. Helping raise awareness of NAA ca n provide more resources for research to assist members of the autistic community. NAA is an organization that provides assistance to those in the ASD community. Because of NAA’s many ways of support, the autistic community is progressing to becoming more informed and supported. Autism is a large part of the world, and until there is a cure it will continue to be.It is important to remember that NAA needs the communities support to continue on in their Mission â€Å"to respond to the most urgent needs of the autism community, providing real help and hope so that all affected can reach their full potential† (National Autism Association, 2012). Works Cited â€Å"National Autism Association. † National Autism Association. N. p. , 2012. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Autism Speaks. † Autism Speaks. N. p. , 2012. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. .

Be An Anthropologist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Be An Anthropologist - Essay Example This may have resulted from the existence of independent sub-fields within the subject. This paper will, therefore, investigate anthropology from a physical anthropologist perspective. The paper will also examine evolution based on cultural anthropology. The discussion within this paper seeks to establish the relationship between the two different points of view and its implications towards the subject. Physical anthropology is both a social science as well as a biological science. Physical anthropology deals with adaptations and variations in the human species as implied by biological principles and theories. The social aspect of physical anthropology seeks to establish the implications of human variations and adaptations on human behavior and culture. Human evolution stands out as a major subject within physical anthropology since it determines human developments and relations. Physical anthropologists consider evolution as accumulation of changes within consecutive generations. Th is implies that evolution results from the heritage of inheritable factors from successive generations. Although there are several inheritable characteristics within the human species, not all potential characteristics contribute to evolution. The desirable character within a population dominates the undesirable characteristics within a successive generation in a given population. ... Physical anthropologists analyze DNA to study human evolution, and this indicates the importance of biology in the subject. DNA is a substance contained in all living cells of an organism. Biologists claim that this substance contains or carries hereditary materials (gene) from parents to their offspring. Studying the DNA enables anthropologists to define the relationship between people. DNA analysis enables physical anthropologists to study successive changes within humanity that constitute evolution. The analysis, therefore, enables a physical anthropologist to validate the existence of evolution. Differences within humanity resulting from geographical disparities can also be explained through DNA analysis. DNA analysis is important to a physical anthropologist; however, it does not sufficiently explain the origin and evolution of the human race. Physical anthropologists also consider cultural analysis to be an important aspect of the discipline. To study evolution, physical anthro pologists study the relationships between culture and biological characteristics of humanity and rely on knowledge and theories developed by other academic discipline. Biological theories and principles on DNA enable physical anthropologists to study human evolution and evolutionary differences. Studying different languages among different communities also contributes to evolution knowledge among physical anthropologists. The book Man, Mind and Science by Leaf is a very useful resource in anthropology. The resource contains relevant information on physical anthropology. According to the resource, evolution is a continuous process that depends on various aspect of humanity. The source proves that evolution theories can only be validated through a

Intro to religious studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Intro to religious studies - Essay Example He gave himself the biggest position within his new found movement labeling himself; Pastor, Reverend, Prophet and Founder. His strict leadership style and disciplinary record set him apart from those who aspired to head the movement after his death in Nigeria, 1985 (Adogame). Celestial Church of Christ has continued to develop since the death of its founder Oshoffa. His death created an avenue for severe setbacks relating to the issues of succession especially after the demise of his successor Alexander Obiodun Adebayor Bada in 8th September 2000. Philip Honsu Ajose succeeded Bada, but a dispute came up after his death in March 2001. Son of Oshoffa, Reverend Emmanuel Oshoffa was caught up in a dispute with Gilbert Oluwatosin Jesse over succession. Jesse later passed away, and his faction supported Paul Suru Maforikan as their spiritual leader. Celestial Church of Christ was formally recognized and authorized in the year 1965 in Dahomey (now known as Benin). The movement recruited many followers in 1976 after kick-starting an evangelistic campaign in areas of French West Africa. CCC has embraced the use of technology, importantly the internet enabling them to be constantly in contact with their African-Diaspora branches. They have successfully linked Nige ria where the movement is most popular with countries such as France, Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, and the USA (Adogame). The Olowun religion is mainly found in the central parts of Africa among small groups of the society mainly found in the deep forests of Central Africa, the founder is unknown since Olowun does not have sacred texts. It is quite similar to most religions that surround this area mainly the West-Africa vodun. Worshippers of the Olowun religion carry out ancestral worship and believe that spirits of those who passed away live among us. These spirits are referred to as washins, and

MARKETING - FINAL CHAPTER PROBLEMS Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MARKETING - FINAL CHAPTER PROBLEMS - Article Example In this case, Eric (2010) showcases constructs of relationship marketing as it identifies with health care customers and practitioners. With regards to the website refreshing after every ten minutes to keep track of appointments, it is a strategy that aims at developing long-term, cost-effective link for a mutual benefit between the organization and the customer. While focusing on the relationship marketing, organizations shift their focus from individual transactions such as convincing a customer to make use of the clinic services, â€Å"to a long-term loyalty – identifying the institution as a regular health care provider† (Eric, 2010). Customers require high-quality services and retaining a customer requires strategy. Delayed, canceled, or unplanned appointment visits are areas that have, for a long time, been haunting customers and health care institutions as the result of these variables is loss of customers or flawed customer service. However, the invention of a s ervice that enables tracking, observation, and keeping of appointments adapts the contemporary notion of shifting from the individual transaction (patient visit, referral, and sale) to the establishment of a longer-term relationship. The refreshing website is a marketing tool that specifically addresses customer satisfaction, service quality, time and resource management, and accomplishment of customer retention (Eric, 2010). Question 2: Chapter 8 â€Å"I’ve sold products all my life and have been successful. Marketing a food product is no different from marketing a hotel, airline, or hospital.† The above point is naive in all aspects. Firstly, marketing is a process through which a seller of a product or provider of a service uses promotional means and integrated marketing communication to convince customers into buying or using a product or a service. As pointed by the above quotation, the term sold is past tense for sell and means the ability to complete a single tr ansaction by offering a product or service in exchange for money. The naivety of the above point starts with the confusion of selling and marketing. In addition, neither marketing nor selling is a skill (with regards to the question posed, the board expects understanding of selling and marketing concepts but the interviewee portrays selling as an event based on sheer luck) and neither can be measured through the consideration of periodic success. Moving on to the second part of the quotation; products differ from one another and comparing food products to hotels, airlines, or an hospital shows a high degree of naivety. Food products are mostly sold in food shops, restaurants, and/or grocery stores and capturing a market for these products depends on fewer variables than providing services in the health care sector (Berkowitz, 2010). Food products appeal to various people all the time and this industry does not necessarily require loyalty like the health care sector. Health care prod ucts depend on variables such as product positioning (drugs, machines), branding (machines, e.g. in radiology), and diffusion of innovation (rate of adoption of a product). Diffusion of innovation is determined by relative advantage (advantage of new product over existing ones), compatibility (compatibility with existing values and customs creates adoptability), complexity (affects adoption of products), divisibility (trial on a limited basis), and communicability (easy communication of benefits). Reflecting on the

Reading response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Reading response - Essay Example In my opinion, the text reveals a number interesting religious notions that were commonplace at that time in the society. The text reveals that the established religious norms of the society were close or similar to the protestant faith. It was for this reason that Mrs. Hutchinson was repeatedly asked about this aspect. As was common in most of the older societies, opposing or questioning religious beliefs was not an option for the ordinary people. The religion appears to be the property of Church or the ruling class and it was molded as and when needed. I strongly feel that Mrs. Hutchinson’s stand against the status quo was itself sufficient to stand apart; since no one in the society was willing to accept or talk about the reality. Mrs. Hutchinson’s ideology can be equated to antinomianism – an idea that was unacceptable for the ruling class. The primary reason for unacceptability appears to be the control that this class intended to exert on the other classes of the society. I feel that religion and justice have always been used as tools to control the masses; religion acted by manipulating the people emotionally and by taking control of their belief system, whereas judicial system provided the authority that was required to control those who failed to align with the religious teachings or controls. I am forced to think critically about the role of judicial system that was functioning at the time of Mrs. Hutchinson. At various points in the text, it appears that there is a single person in the court who is defending her case; there is no attorney to assist her about the legalities of her case or to assist her in taking a solid defense. Instead, it appears that a couple of men, who are inclined towards taking punitive action against the lady are surrounding her from all sides and as soon as she leaves one of them ‘answerless’, the other jumps in, to divert her attention or to

Aztec Indians Religion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Aztec Indians Religion - Research Paper Example It is because of this mixed ethnicities and population that in the Aztec culture a lot of creativity is seen in the form of their art, poetry and music. It was through their art that they expressed religion and warfare which was portrayed in the form of paintings, sculptures and temples. In addition the Aztec Indians had a very structured society that was based on agriculture, and religion served as a guide that pervaded their every aspect of life. As religion served to be their guiding principles, the Aztecs took their religion very seriously. They worshiped different Gods that were meant to represent different natural forces that according to their belief were important for their agriculture-based economy. Some of the important deities of the Aztecs were the god of rain: Tlaloc, the patron god of Aztec tribe: Huitzilopochtli, the god of civilization and culture hero: Quetzalcoatl and the god of fortune and destiny Tezcatlipoca who was also responsible for the war and sorcery. In th e Aztec Capital – Tenochtitlan, each of these gods had their own temples where the Aztecs performed their religious practices and rituals (Wikipedia). These deities were mostly represented in human form however they were given different forms too where the face was given of an animal and the body of a human. At times the same deity was given different representations as well. Each of the Aztec cities had a giant stone pyramid on which the temples were made. The most important feature of the Aztec religion has been the Human Sacrifice (Schmal). This attempt of human sacrifice was practiced in order to please the Gods in situations where it was expected that they are angry, whereas it was also believed by the priests that it gave the Gods human sustenance and is requirement to fulfill the needs of their supernatural deities (Unknown, Aztec Indians). It was also a common belief that without sacrificing humans, the world would end and so will their lives. The common practice foll owed by the Aztecs on sacrificing an individual was to climb to the top of the pyramid wearing a mask, the person was then made to stretch out over a convex stone, and then in this position using a knife the priest would cut out the heart. According to the Aztec myths this practice was carried out because it was believed that the gods themselves sacrificed themselves in order to create the world, moon, sun and the people therefore by sacrificing themselves the people were repaying the god. Other than this offering food, other goods and incense were also very common (Smith). The Aztecs took this practice to an unprecedented level, however the number of sacrifices were dependent upon the crisis situation faced especially in the event of a drought. Because the Aztec economy was agriculture based, therefore in the season of good harvesting the number of sacrifices was low, however in a drought situation this number could increase to hundreds. This was also common among warriors for whom the two most honorable ways to die were to be slain in battle or by presenting themselves to be sacrificed at some important ceremony. Human sacrifice was also varied depending upon the social position of a person for example the sacrifice of a warrior was done on important ceremonies whereas in less important sacrifices, the prisoners were presented to the gods. There were also certain conditions applied to the individuals who were to be sacrificed, these included abstaining from any sexual activity, eating only one unseasoned meal a day for four days until the day of the event. This practice of

Government in Preventing Environmental Crime Essay

Government in Preventing Environmental Crime - Essay Example South & Brisman (2013) state that some of the environmental protocols set by the international bodies include the banning of wildlife trade in endangered species under the CITES stipulations. It has been an instrumental international law that did shape the UK Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 amendments. Secondly, the illegal logging Act that protects forests from unthoughtful exploitation. Besides, the international protocols on the environment include banning of dumping hazardous wastes in water as provided in the Basel Convention on the Control of Tran boundary Act 1989. Committing any of the above crimes is liable to prosecution in accordance to international law; this should be seen being enforced by the individual government. Overview of UK Environmental Act Today, United Kingdom is among the countries that have signed several environmental and wildlife conventions are a renewed commitment to protect the environment from crime. Some of the provisions in the Countryside and Wildlife Act 1981 include banning of poaching, illegalizing unplanned logging and prevention of endangered species as provided in the CITES 1975 international protocol (Reins 2012). Since the Committee inquiry of 2004, the government commitment to protect the wildlife increased substantially, this was seen when the house of common began to deliberate on numerous amendments of the Countryside and Wildlife Act 1981, resulting in the more recent Wildlife Act 2012 Amendment. However, wildlife has been amended many times to respond to new crime threats that has become complex to non-specialist police. The year 2006 saw the enactment of law that prohibits the poisoning of birds because there were increased threats posed by poaching through poisoning. Moreover, the formation of the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) is a living testimony of the framework created by the government to enforce and repeal numerous Acts of the wildlife (Stewart 2012). However, some critics argue that wildlife crime enforcement has been greatly undermined by lack of definite sentencing guidelines for wildlife judges.

Commedia DelArte Essay Example for Free

Commedia DelArte Essay Columbina is the perky maid of the Old Man, Pantalone. She is better dressed than the male servants as she is also a ladys maid. She usually wears a knee length dress and an apron. The colouring of her clothes can be different in different acts, depending on her relationships with the characters and the scenario. She can be in a similar scheme to Arlecchino (where she is sometimes known as Arlecchina with similar diamonds and triangles), or if she is assigned to a rival family of Arlecchinos, she can be in that scheme. In cases where she is an independent character, she can be in blacks and whites in the spirit of a French Maid. Columbina does not usually wear a mask but sometimes wears one covering only her eyes. Her signature props are a tambourine and a basket. Her physical appearance is attractive, perky and petite with a tiny waist, wide hips and lots of cleavage. She walks as if she is skipping on air with a little flick of the foot at the end of each step. All her posses are usually seductive and accentuate her cleavage. Her movement continues during speaking, shifting balance from one foot to the other and moving her head sharply as if searching for someone other than the person being addressed. Shes fast and nimble in order to escape unwanted attentions or to butt in, and can escape from a situation. She is happy and carefree, yet when assigned a task moves with speed and efficiency. This is one of her strongest traits in being a good servant. Her speech is sharp and gossipy with frequent variations of pitch. She Loves Arlecchino, but sees through him. She therefore scolds him, punishes him, deserts him, takes him back, but in the end he does not change and she has to accept him for what he is, which is still more lovable than Il Dottore, Pantalone and Il Capitano. She can be very affectionate to other characters as well, and her affections seem to flow through her physically, but she always holds something back. As a result she is pestered by other men, especially Il Capitano and Pantalone. She is always ready to help the Lovers, perhaps through natural sympathy with their plight. She is a spectator herself. She has a very strong relationship with the audience, almost confidential in the sense that she too can see what fools the rest of them are. She also often flirts with the spectators. She appears almost if not before her name is called, always being on step ahead of her master and finishes sentences for her master too, which she sometimes uses in her favour. When a situation gets out of control, she becomes the dominant voice to put everyone and everything back in its place. She even beats the male characters in strength and intelligence, sometimes even her master. ISABELLA Isabella is the daughter of Pantalone, the old man. Because of her fathers status she had the newest fashion, and usually showed off her wardrobe, wigs and shoes often. She wore stunning silk dresses, often in antique Renaissance style with necklaces of gold and pearls. She is young and attractive and modest but at times can be selfish. Isabella did not usually wear a mask but did sometimes wear a small mask that covered only her eyes. Her signature props are a handkerchief, book and a fan. She has a lack of firm contact with the earth. Her chest and heart appear heavy. They are full of breath, but then take little pants on top. Her posture is correct and tall and is always very proud. Her walk is small as her steps are little. Isabellas posses are of an innocent and happy nature; leaning to one side with one leg pointed outwards, and hands in praying position touching cheek as if sleeping. Another is the back of her hand on her forehead, tilted back as if in agony as well as her chin resting on hands laying on top of each other or fingers interlocked and the head slightly tilted. Her movements are exaggerated, especially her hands and arms, which are like  feathers flapping in the wind. She often manipulates her hankie and frequently looks in a hand mirror. Any imperfection can spell disaster. Her speech is refined, however lacking pretentiousness and is never lost for the correct phrase. The lovers are in love with themselves being in love. They love each other, but are more preoccupied with being seen as lovers. They often feign mild hatred. She is extremely aware of being watched and plays with the audience for sympathy in their plight and ccasionally flirts with spectators. She is flirtatious, headstrong, has dramatic intensity and feigned madness due to passionate love and can be prudish. She can be hot and cold. i.e. prone to mood swings and is a tease with an independent will. She is vain, petulant, spoilt, full of doubt and have very little patience. She has a masochistic enjoyment of enforced separation because it enables her to dramatize their situation, lament, moan, send messages, etc. When her and Lelio do meet they are almost always tongue-tied and need interpreters who proceed to misinterpret their statements, either through stupidity (Zanni), malicious desire for revenge (Brighella) or calculated self-interest (Columbina). Isabellas attention span is short like a young childs and her fear that she might be a nobody keeps her hyper-animated. ARLECCHINO Arlecchino has an enduring magical power, a testimony perhaps to the mystery of it origin. He is a servant and jester, usually to Pantalone, but also frequently IlCapitano, or Il Dottore. He wears a tight-fitting long jacket and trousers, sewn over with random, odd-shapen patches of green, yellow, red and brown possibly remnants of leaves The jacket is laced down the front with a thong and caught by a black belt worn very low on the hips. The shoes are flat and black. He wears a beret, or later a malleable felt hat with a narrow brim, with a feather or tail of a fox, apparently this was a sign of the wearer being a butt of ridicule. Coloured in deep earth tones with warm coloured diamond shaped patches, Arlecchino is always ready to spring into action in a clumsy yet graceful manner. He is ragged, yet sleek. His wears a mask that gives him a low forehead with a wart and has small round eyes. Arlecchinos signature props included his batocchio, meaning in Italian clapper inside the bell, which he always carries. He is continuously in a lowered position, with his hands on his hips with his thumbs in his belt. He walks in sly and comical way by taking a couple steps followed by a quick tip toe. This walk shows alacrity; he also uses it to show off in front of Columbina. His joints are often loose and floppy. When Arlecchino spots someone, the mask moves first; he then hops round and into the gesture of greeting. He is physically quick and slow mentally, in contrast with Brighella (who can, however, be fast physically when he needs to be). His gestures extend to the fingertips with each digit having a separate articulation. His speech is guttural and hoarse from street hawking and the are no pauses or silences for the sake of effect he either speaks continuously or doesnt speak at all. Arlecchino is in love with Columbina, but his sexual appetite is immediate in terms of any passing woman. He is occasionally aware the audience is there and can make asides during which he gives his full attention to the spectators before returning to complete absorption in the action. His character is a mixture of ignorance, naivete, wit, stupidity and grace. He is both a rake and an overgrown boy with occasional gleams of intelligence, and his mistakes and clumsiness often have wayward charm. His acting is patterned on the lithe, agile grace of a young cat, and he has a superficial coarseness which makes his performances all the more amusing. He plays the role of a faithful valet, always patient, credulous, and greedy. He is enternally amorous, and is constantly in difficulties either on his own or on his masters account. He is hurt and confronted in turn as easily as a child, and his grief is almost as comic as his joy. Lelio Lelio is one of the lovers (Isabellas partner) and is usually the son of Il Dottore or has no relations. He is high in stature, but is usually brought low by the hopelessness of his infatuation. He wears the latest fashion, which at that time was to be dresses as a young soldier or cadet. Sometimes he dressed in an over fashionable colour scheme that was very feminine with a great deal of flair. Lelio is young, attractive, modest, courteous and gallant. He occasionally wears a mask that covers only his eyes but often went unmasked. His signature prop is a handkerchief. His feet have a lack of firm contact with the earth, making his stance and walk air like. His chest and heart appear heavy and full of breath. His legs are usually tightly together, with only one foot firmly planted on the ground, and the other crawling upward like he has to go to the loo. He does not walk as much as tweeter, due to the instability of his base. First the head leans the other way to the body sway. Then the arms have to be used, one above the other, as a counterweight like and off balance tip toe. His pose can be anything that might look Vogue and whenever he is sitting, his legs are crossed in a feminine matter. Lelios movements are well-to-do but ridiculously exaggerated. His movement comes at the point of overbalance, leading to a sideways rush towards a new focus, with his arms left trailing behind. When stopping at the new point (usually the beloved or some token thereof) before almost touching it. The Lovers (he and Isabella) have little or no physical contact. When there is any, the minimum has maximum effect. Lelio is often holding a handkerchief or flower, etc. in his leading hand. His arms never make identical shapes and because of his vanity, he  frequently looks in a hand mirror, only to become upset by any minor imperfection that is discovered. He is always looking to see if a ribbon or sequin is out of place. A button found on the floor or a blemish in the coiffure equals disaster. His speech makes great display of courtly words and baroque metaphors, also knowing large extracts of poems by heart. He speaks softly in musical sentences which are often flamboyant, hyperbolical and full of amorous rhetoric. When it comes to women, his words are the only thing that shows that he might have any interest. His body language, actions, tone, all contradict any infatuation he may have with a female. The only reason why he would express an interest in a female is because he loves the idea of love. However he seems genuinely more in love with himself and other male characters before he is in love with a woman. He relate exclusively to himself he is in love with himself being in love. The last person he actually relates to in the course of the action is often Isabella. When he and she do meet they have great difficulty in communicating with each other (usually because of the nerves). And they relate to their servants only in terms of pleading for help. The Lovers love each other, yet are more preoccupied with being seen as lovers, undergoing all the hardships of being in such a plight, than with actual fulfilment. Consequently they frequently scorn each other and feign mild hatred; they rebut, despair, reconcile, but eventually end up marrying in the way of true love when the game is up and they know they cannot play any more. Lelio is extremely aware of being watched. He plays with the audience for sympathy in their plight and occasionally flirts with spectators. Lelio is indispensable. Without him and his inability to resolve problems with Isabella, there would be no struggle between the ineffectuality of youth and the implacability of age. The lovers are never alone on stage   they always have someone with them or spying on them.

English Literature Essays Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing

English Literature Essays Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing Explore the different types of love presented in Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing, considering how our views of love differ from those of an Elizabethan audience. Refer to at least two extracts in your answer. Love is a common theme in Shakespeares comedies, with the action of the play often following a similar pattern: love is declared, is challenged in some way and is finally reasserted in the act of marriage. Much Ado About Nothing is no exception and presents this plot structure through the pairings of Claudio and Hero, and Benedick and Beatrice. These couples illustrate two different types of love, and their portrayed experiences are revealing of Elizabethan attitudes and beliefs regarding love. Claudio and Hero provide us with an example of a swiftly progressing love which culminates in marriage little more than a few weeks after they have first met. For an Elizabethan audience the concept of love at first sight would have been widely regarded as a valid possibility in life. The speed with which the two young characters move from strangers to husband and wife allows Shakespeare to present the courting process within the society of nobility. Such a rapid progression is commented on by Claudio as he explains his newfound love I would have salvd it with a longer treatise (I.i.289). However, it seems that once the first pangs of love occur, the action moves onto the next stage in the process. There are many rules and regulations when it comes to expressing love for another. This can be seen in Claudios consequent actions; rather than approach Hero himself, it is preferable for his friend to woo her on his behalf, in the words of Don Pedro, I will break with her and with her fa ther (I.i.283). In todays society the procedure of asking permission from the father of a prospective wife is often seen as old-fashioned and is nowhere near as common a practice as in Shakespeares day. Through speech an Elizabethan nobleman would be expected to demonstrate intelligence and wit with the impression of spontaneity. In the same way, when attracting a woman he would be expected to impress with lavish and clever language. Much importance is placed on the language of love expected from a suitor within the play. Shakespeares narration reflects the qualities of such language by switching from prose to iambic pentameter, a rhythmical form more fitting for descriptions of love. Don Pedro reminds Claudio of the power of a lovers words as they discuss his intentions towards Hero, Thou wilt be like a lover presently, / And tire the hearer with a book of words (I.i.280-1). As a young, inexperienced man, Claudio clearly needs the help of his friend and is naturally grateful to have gained an ally in his endeavours. Don Pedros role in the relationship of Claudio and Hero brings attention to the importance placed on the intervention of a third person. Again, this is a practice not p articularly common in modern society, at least not with any successful results. Benedick and Beatrices relationship differs from that of Claudio and Hero in the history the two have between them. There is a reference to a previous courtship in which Beatrice feels she was treated badly. This history between them results in the portrayal of a more mature relationship and a love that is formed through similarities in characters and mutual beliefs. Before the two characters fall in love they share the attitude of adversity towards the idea of marriage and falling in love, Beatrice claims that she would rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me'(I.i.107-108). As a result they are constantly rebuked and made fun of for holding such a low opinion of marriage. The reaction of other characters towards the two cynics suggests that marriage is the ultimate symbol of love and should be the goal to which all aspire to, a belief that is reinforced when Benedick and Beatrice are eventually proved wrong and succumb to the powers of love themselves. In Shak espeares time marriage would have been the only way for women to better themselves financially and socially. Men would also have gained status by marrying and thus providing heirs to any property and wealth. With this in mind, there seems less emphasis on the love aspect of marriage than the idealistic impressions of marriage in the play would have us believe. To return to the relation of Shakespeares portrayal of love to a modern society, marriage as a representation of love no longer has such significance, with equal respect given to single and married individuals. The power of Cupid is frequently referred to in relation to both couples. This power is often transferred to a third party that intervenes to aid the progression of love. Don Pedro is at the forefront of this matchmaking when he decides to bring together Benedick and Beatrice, If we can do this, Cupid is no longer an archer; his glory shall be ours, for we are the only love-gods (II.i.355-357). By tricking each character with lies about the other, they are manipulated into falling in love. Far from the natural concept of falling in love uncontrollably, Don Pedro and Hero command the feelings of Benedick and Beatrice through created scenarios. It is the power of calculated words that actually take effect, as noted by Hero as she discusses the plot with Ursula, Of this matter / Is Cupids crafty arrow made, / That only wounds by hearsay (III.i.21-23). This level of secrecy seems characteristic of court society at the time, a level of intervention which ultimately helps or hinders. The reactions and descriptions of people in love within the play suggest a darker side of love, often characterised by physical symptoms. For example, Hero collapses at the very thought of being accused of infidelity. Also, Don Pedro and Hero both refer to the supposed noticeable difference in appearance of their lovesick friends. On proposing not to tell Beatrice of Benedicks love for her, she concludes that he will consume away in sighs, waste inwardly (III.i.78). Strangely, Benedick and Beatrice seem drawn to the idea of the other suffering from the pain of an unrequited love. The image of Benedick wasting away clearly has a powerful impression on Beatrice who almost immediately falls in love with him. Having overheard talk of Benedicks anguish (as well as his excellent qualities as a gentleman and soldier) she begins to think of marriage, To bind our loves up in a holy band (III.i.114). She also mentions the taming of her wild heart (III.i.112) as a result of Benedicks love, a ph rase that brings to mind the later play of The Taming of the Shrew. In both plays, it seems that the love of a man is able to tame an outspoken shrewish character, a belief that many in an Elizabethan audience would have shared. Much Ado About Nothing presents us with two pairings of lover that demonstrate two different experiences of love, both governed by societal codes of conduct that no longer have significance in modern society. In contrast, Claudio and Hero show a speedy, formal process of courting, while Benedick and Beatrice represent a more drawn out, resisting relationship. While both couplings suffer the consequences of intervention of others, the latter marry purely as a result of meddling friends. It seems that love in the play is concerned more with superficial appearances and falsely created scenarios than actual feelings. Views of love in the play clearly differ from modern day opinion, but this is not to say that we cannot relate to the play because we are not part of an Elizabethan audience; our codes of conduct in dating and matchmaking have merely evolved to suit todays society. Bibliography The Norton Shakespeare, Stephen Greenblatt (Oxford University Press, 1997) Extracts I.i.271-302 III.i.72-116

Strategic Positioning Of The Ryanair Airline Commerce Essay

Strategic Positioning Of The Ryanair Airline Commerce Essay Ryanair is a leading no frill airline in Europe and across the globe, it has managed to outperform all other airlines and in 2006, it carried over 34.8 million passengers. Ryanair is targeting low income earners and cost conscience customers 1. 2.1 PESTEL Analysis: (See appendix 7.5) PESTEL analysis is a useful strategic tool for understanding market growth or decline, business position, potential and direction for operations. It is a framework for reviewing a situation and can be applied by Ryanair to review strategic direction as well as marketing intention 4. When one aspect in the PESTEL analysis is affected, the rest will also be affected for example if the political situation of Ireland changes then the economical, technological, social, legal, economical and even environmental aspects will change 4. Ryanair is not in good terms with some governments in the European Union as well as airline industry authorities and airport regulatory bodies due to the rules and regulations they set. The EU wanted to charge tax on aviation fuel due to carbon emissions generated by the airline industries before 2010, Ryanair argued that any environmental taxations scheme should be to the benefit of more efficient carriers, so airlines with low load factors that generate high fuel consumption and emission per passenger and airline that offer connecting rather than point to point flights should be penalised thus excluding itself 5. Secondly, Ryanair protested against charges and conditions on some airports such as Stansted and Dublin. Economical conditions also affect both capital availability and cost, as well as demand 4. If demand is high and the capital is low, it will be attractive for Ryanair to invest and grow with expectations of being profitable. To influence demand Ryanair must continue to use its current strategy and improve its services and upgrade its customer care policies. The currency exchange rates affect Ryanair as they may determine whether customers will book a flight or not. If the exchange rate is high, customers will opt to use other means of transport such as the EURO express. To avoid this situation, customers can use the Euro to book flights 1. Moreover, jet fuel prices are dominated in US dollars and therefore Ryanair will have to risk paying more or less for fuel as it will include the exchange rate. The opportunity to exploit a particular strategy successfully may depend on demand which exists in growth conditions and does not in recession. Although a depressed economy will generally be a treat which results in a number of organizations going out of business, it can provide opportunities for some4. The recession decreased the number of competitors in the industry as well as weakening the remaining competition. In and after recession, customers are more willing to fly with a no frill or low cost carriers rather than a differentiated or hybrid carrier. Therefore, to certain extent the recession has had a positive impact Ryanair. The socio or cultural environment involves demand and tastes, which vary with fashion and disposable income, and general changes, can provide both opportunities and threats for Ryanair 4. Ryanair should be aware of demographics changes as the structure of the population by ages, affluence, regions, number working and so on so as to be able to take advantage when an opportunity occurs. Technological breakthroughs affect the airline industry the most. If the organization can adapt to the technological change then it will be able to overcome competition and increase its market share. The global focus in the 21st century is environmental protection. Ryanair has been able to meet the demand and standards of the world market by offering eco friendly airlines. The aircrafts produce 50% less emissions, 45% lower noise emissions per seat. A winglet modification programme on the fleet is providing better aircraft performance and a 2% reduction in fleet fuel consumption, a saving which Ryanair hopes to improve in the coming years 1. Ryanair has been using one type of airline, Boeing 737 to save cost on training staff. As Ryanair cannot dump expenses on its customers it should look for ways to reduce costs and the author believes that this is one of it 1. Legal factors affecting Ryanair is that of labour unions. Ryanair does not have a good relationship with its employees as it has refused to acknowledge unions. Secondly it is providing poor working conditions and low salaries. Although Ryanair has argued that its pilots are the best paid short haul pilots in Europe. In the autumn 2006 pilots in Ryanair lodge a complaint with the Irish Labour Relations Commission on the basis that there were significant in net salary between Ryanair and Aer Lingus pilots. 2.2 Michael Porters 5 Forces Analysis: (see appendix 7.8) The threat of substitutes in the airline industry is high as there are other means of transport to and from Europe as well as within Europe. Customers are opting to use the Euro Express (train) rather than using an airplane as it is cheaper and offers extra benefits. The Euro Express enables its customers to enjoy the scenario while offering more or less the same services as the airplane. Rivalry amongst existing firms; there are a number of competitors within the market and when the European Union commenced even more competitors entered the market. The industry is competitive and is becoming saturated. Each competitor is using a strategy to get a foot hold in the industry. Although some of the airlines are using the no frill strategy, Ryanair has been able to best them by creating a strong brand offering the lowest price fare. Bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of suppliers is low as there are many suppliers in the industry. The suppliers of the airline industry are those who supply the airline with parts such as the blades and engines, food, uniforms for the air hostess and so on. They are easily replaceable as Ryanair can get these services from any country within and outside of Europe. Ryanair as a supplier has a high bargaining power as it offers services that are unique in the market (it is the only no frill airline in the United Kingdom). Bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of buyers is very high as there are a lot of substitutes and competitors in the market. The customer can easily use his/her car to go Dublin rather than take an airplane. Secondly, as there are a number of competitors in the market, the airlines will offer discounts and promotions to attract customers and therefore customers can easily switch from one airline to another. Threats of new entrants; the biggest barrier to entering the airline industry is capital but nowadays entrepreneurs can take a loan with the bank or form an alliance such as a joint venture to overcome this barrier. The industry regulations can help decrease the number of new entrants and reduce competition within the market. There is no union among the existing firm to keep new entrants out, in other industries the existing firm come together to keep new entrants out of the industry as they would saturate the market even more. 2.3 Ratios Analysis: Ryanairs financial performance is positive, although there is still room for improvement (see appendix 7.9). The net profit margin in 2006 was lower than 2005 but Ryanair managed to increase it in the second half of 2006. The return on capital employee has been constant from 2005 to 2006. 3.0 STRATEGY CHOICES: 3.1 Strategy: Ryanairs objective is to firmly establish itself as Europes leading low-fares scheduled passenger airline through continued improvements and expanded offerings of its low-fares service. Ryanair aims to offer low fares that generate increased passenger traffic while maintaining a continuous focus on cost-containment and operating efficiencies 1. Ryanair was initially a hybrid (see appendix 7.4) as it was a full service conventional airline, in the early 1990s it become a no frill carrier under the management of Michael O Leary 1. The author believe that this move by the Chief Executive Officer has enable Ryanair to create a market peak for itself and gain market share and therefore I would not suggest a change in strategy. The industry is very competitive and is becoming saturated thus if Ryanair decides to change its strategy it will have to design and implement a new strategy that is not being used by its competitor or that has never been used in the industry. This is next to impossible as all of the strategies i.e. differentiation, cost leadership are already being used. Secondly, Ryanair would lose the foothold it has in the industry and its market share and it would have to start from scratch, which will mean more capital will have to be invested into the new strategy. Although Ryanair is using the no frill strategy1 they must be careful to not devalue the company. Currently, it has a large customer base but most of which have a very low opinion of the airline 6. Moreover, Ryanair should increase more benefits to its customers for example they should remove the 50 cent wheelchair levy that was impose on every passenger ticket 6. These small charges are making customers opt to fly with a different airline. The airline offers point to point flight 1. Ryanair uses secondary terminals to avoid crowding in the terminals as well as to decrease its turnaround time. The turnaround time is also kept to a minimum by the flight attendants cleaning the airplane instead of outsourcing professionals. Building on its success in the Ireland-U.K. market and its expansion of service to continental Europe, Ryanair intends to follow a manageable growth plan targeting specific markets to gain an advantage over its competitors. Ryanair believes it will have opportunities for continued growth by 1: Initiating additional routes from the U.K. or Ireland to other locations in continental Europe that are currently served by higher-cost, higher-fare carriers Increasing the frequency of service on its existing routes Starting new domestic routes within EU countries Considering possible acquisitions that may become available in the future Connecting airports within its existing route network (triangulation) 3.2 Competitive Advantage Analysis: Ryanair has many competitive advantages (See appendix 7.7). According to Ryanairs official website the following are some of its competitive advantage; 3.2.1 Low Fares: Ryanair sets fares on the basis of demand for particular flights and by reference to the period remaining to the date of departure of the flight, with higher fares charged on flights with higher levels of demand for bookings made nearer to the date of departure. The airline sells seats on a one-way basis, thus eliminating minimum stay requirements from all travel on Ryanair scheduled services, regardless of fare. Ryanairs competitors generally do not operate a one-way pricing policy, so direct comparison is not possible, but current round-trip fares on Aer Lingus, Ryanairs largest competitor on the London- Dublin route, for travel in September 2004 were 82.27 Euro for economy restricted return tickets, 218.27 Euro for economy flexible return and 353.75 pounds for business class tickets. 3.2.2 Customer Service: Ryanair delivers the best customer service performance in its peer group. According to reports by the Association of European Airlines and the airlines own published statistics, Ryanair has achieved better punctuality, fewer lost bags and fewer cancellations than all of the rest of its peer grouping in Europe. Ryanair achieves this by focusing strongly on the execution of these services and by operating from uncongested airports. 3.2.3 Frequent Point-to-Point Flights on Short-Haul Routes: Ryanair provides frequent point-to-point service on short-haul routes to secondary and regional airports in and around major population centres and travel destinations. Short-haul routes allow Ryanair to offer frequent service, while eliminating the necessity to provide frill services otherwise expected by customers on longer flights. Point-to-point flying allows Ryanair to offer direct, non-stop routes and avoid the costs of providing through service for connecting passengers, including baggage transfer and transit passenger assistance costs. In choosing its routes, Ryanair favours secondary airports with convenient transportation to major population centres and regional airports. Secondary and regional airports are generally less congested than major airports and, as a result, can be expected to provide higher rates of onetime departures, faster turnaround times, fewer terminal delays and more competitive airport access an d handling costs. Faster turnaround times are a key element in Ryanairs efforts to maximize aircraft utilization. Ryanairs average scheduled turnaround time for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004 was approximately 25 minutes. Secondary and regional airports also generally do not maintain slot requirements or other operating restrictions that can increase operating expenses and limit the number of allowed take-offs and landings. 3.2.4 Low Operating Costs: Management believes that Ryanairs operating costs are among the lowest of any European scheduled passenger airline thus being advantageous to the airline. Ryanair strives to reduce or control four of the primary expenses involved in running a major scheduled airline: Aircraft equipment costs Personnel productivity Customer service costs Airport access and handling costs 3.2.5 Aircraft Equipment Costs: Ryanairs initial strategy for controlling aircraft acquisition costs was to purchase used aircraft of a single type Boeing 737, there was a significant reduction in the number of such used aircraft available for purchase in the market. The 737-800s represent the latest generation of Boeings 737 aircraft and share certain basic attributes in common with Ryanairs current fleet. Although Ryanairs acquisition of the 737-800s has already, and will continue to significantly increase the size of its fleet from that in 1998 and thus significantly increase its aircraft equipment and related costs, the purchase of aircraft from a single manufacturer enables it to limit the costs associated with personnel training, maintenance and the purchase and storage of spare parts, as well as affording greater flexibility in the scheduling of crews and equipment. 3.2.6 Personnel Productivity: Ryanair endeavours to control its labour costs by continually improving the productivity of its already highly-productive work force. Compensation for employees emphasizes productivity-based pay incentives, including commissions for on-board sales of products for flight attendants and payments based on the number of hours or sectors flown by pilots and cabin crew personnel within limits set by industry standards or regulations fixing maximum working hours, as well as participation in Ryanairs stock option programs. 3.2.7 Customer Service: Ryanair has entered into agreements on competitive terms with third party contractors at certain airports for passenger and aircraft handling, ticketing and other services that management believes can be more cost efficiently provided by third parties. Management attempts to obtain competitive rates for such services by negotiating multi-year contracts at prices that are fixed or subject only to periodic increases linked to inflation. The development of its own internet booking facility and reservations centre has advantaged Ryanair to eliminate travel agent commissions. 3.2.8 Airport Access Fees: Ryanair attempts to control airport access and service charges by focusing on airports that offer competitive cost terms. Management believes that Ryanairs record of delivering a consistently high volume of passenger traffic growth at many of these airports has allowed it to negotiate favourable contracts with such airports for access to their facilities. Ryanair further endeavours to reduce its airport charges by opting, when practicable, for less expensive gate locations as well as outdoor boarding stairs rather than more expensive jet ways. 3.2.9 Ecommerce: During January 2000, Ryanair converted its host reservation system from the BABS (British Airways Booking System) to a new system called Flight speed, which it operates under a 10 year hosting agreement with Accenture Open Skies (Open Skies). As part of the implementation of the new reservation system, Open Skies developed an internet booking facility called Skylights. The Skylights system allows internet users to access Ryanairs host reservation system and to make and pay for confirmed reservations in real time through Ryanairs website which accounts for a 96% reservation of all flights. 3.2.10 Safety: Ryanairs commitment to safety is a primary priority of the Company and its management. This commitment begins with the hiring and training of Ryanairs pilots, cabin crews and maintenance personnel and includes a policy of maintaining its aircraft in accordance with the highest European airline industry standards. Ryanair has not had a single incident involving major injury to passengers or flight crew in its 20 year operating history. Although Ryanair seeks to maintain its fleet in a cost-effective manner, management does not seek to extend Ryanairs low cost operating strategy to the areas of safety, maintenance, training or quality assurance. Routine aircraft maintenance and repair services are performed at Dublin, London (Stansted), Glasgow (Prestwick), Shannon and Milan (Bergamo) by Ryanair and, at other airports maintenance contractors. 4.0 STRATEGY IN ACTION: According to Ryanairs website the company plans to initiate new services and improve existing ones and therefore the author will suggest ways the company can do so. The first is initiating additional routes from the U.K. or Ireland to other locations in continental Europe that are currently served by higher-cost and higher-fare carriers. As economies have just emerge from a recession, customers are more cost conscience and therefore if Ryanair continues to use its no frill strategy it will be able to quickly gain market share and dominance. Increasing the frequency of service on its existing routes, as seen in appendix 13 the most used route is from Dublin to London, therefore Ryanair should increase flights from Dublin to London and vice versa. Starting new domestic routes within EU countries, as the EU Union continues to grow, more markets will open up. Ryanair should try to enter these markets the first so as to gain the first mover advantage such as being the first to exploit the market thus gaining more knowledge about the market. Considering possible acquisitions that may become available in the future. Ryanair acquired a small Dutch budget, short haul, carrier buzz and wanted to acquire Aer Lingus its Irish rival and long haul airline. Although the acquisition failed at the time, Ryanair can still try again but using a different strategy. In the future the airline should appoint a stockbroker to purchase Aer Lingus as it did when its stockbroker Davy purchased the Aer Lingus shares. Secondly, Ryanair should negotiate behind closed doors, the first attempt failed because of media interference. Ryanair should state that it will bring in an expert to handle the organizational structure so that the 2 organizations can be able to work together and allow trade unions so as to win over the trust of the government and the Aer Lingus board. Connecting airports within its existing route network, currently Ryanair is using secondary terminals to avoid traffic and increase its turnaround time. But most customers prefer to use the main terminals and therefore if Ryanair uses both the main and secondary terminals it will be able to increase its customer base. 5.0 CONCLUSION: As seen in section 3.2 Ryanair is using the no frill strategy, the company has positioned itself well in the market and has manage under the leadership of the Chief Executive Officer and shareholder Michael O Leary to become a household name. Although Ryanair is targeting a niche in the market where its customers are willing to forgo extra benefits for the low fare, the company should try to add value for its customers where ever it can and when ever it can to increase brand loyalty and ultimately sales. 6.0 REFERENCE: Ryanairs official website, http://www.ryanair.com obtained on 21st November 2009 at 12:11 P.M G. Johnson, k. Scholes, R. Whittington 2008, Exploring Corporate Culture, 8th Edition, Prentice Hall Ryanairs history 2009 obtained from http://en.Wikipedia.org/Ryanair on 19th November 2009 at 11:23 A.M PESTEL Analysis, obtained from http://university-essays.tripod.com on 19th November 2009 at 12:00 P.M S. Cairns and C. Newson, predict and decide: Aviation, climate change and UK policy, ECI Research Report 33, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford 2006 D. Milmo, Ryanair the world least favorite airline, Guardian 26 October 2006 Center for Asia Pacific Aviation 2009, obtained from http://www.cntreforpacificaviation.com on 15th November 2009 at 2:12 P.M BBC WORL NEWS, fast track, interview with Michael OLeary time 11:55 28th December 2009 Ryanairs marketing mix 2009 obtained from http://www.marketingteacher.com on the 27th of November 2009 at 12:06 P.M. Ryanairs competitive advantage obtained from http://www.slideshare.net/puya455/newanalysis-of-ryanairs on the 27th November 2009 at 1:00 P.M Ryanairs value chain analysis obtained from http://www.peerpapers.com/essays/Ryanair-Value-Chain-Analysis/171123.html?topic

Vanderbilt Admission :: essays research papers

â€Å"Matt, don’t you play in band?† There was a time in my life when I was afraid to admit it being in band. Maybe it was the lack of tackles and slap shots, or possibly I was embarrassed because the players were not as cool as football or hockey players. Then again, it might have been the strange combination of athletics, music, and academics that I carried through high school. What is it like playing varsity hockey, and playing flute and piccolo in the symphony band? I am used to this question by now. The answer is simple: it is like me. Both activities are enjoyable and come with different benefits. It was not helpful that my hockey teammates were less than supportive about my playing with the band. But, I do what I want for me and not for anyone else. This is a value that my mother instilled in me at a young age. I never really fit into any crowd in high school. So, I just hung out with everyone and came and went as I pleased. While it sounds easy, it can sometimes get a little interesting. Coming right from hockey to a band practice was always fun. Walking into the room 5 minutes with hair still dripping from the shower was common. Is it raining out there? Was the question my director would often ask me. Although there is one time I remember renouncing band and all of the things that I had done with the band. After a long talk with my mother I realized what was truly important to me: me. I am a musician, a student, and an athlete. If you lose one of the three it is no longer me. No matter how much I renounced the music, I could not deny the rush of playing my solo at concerts where everyone was concentrated on me.

Cesorship of the Works of William Shakespeare Essay -- Exploratory Ess

Cesorship of the Works of William Shakespeare Why have the works of Shakespeare been censored? William Shakespeare is arguably the most famous and respected author ever to write in the English language. His plays have been read by millions and watched, both on stage and on screen, by billions of people worldwide. Yet, his works have provoked censorship ever since their writing--even before their first performance on stage. Why? The reasons for censorship are nearly as varied as the works themselves; however, unlike Shakespeare's works, the reasons for their censorship have changed significantly over time. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed., defines censorship as "the institution, system, or practice of censoring" (185). The same dictionary defines "censor" as "to examine in order to suppress or delete anything considered objectionable." In this paper, I will generally use the above definition of censorship. The "works of Shakespeare" I will deal with will be the plays of the First Folio, as well as Pericles, and the Sonnets. This is the standard used in most modern Shakespeare compilations. Censorship Pre-1660: Politics and Profanity While modern-day censorship of Shakespeare's works seems shocking, Shakespeare was just another playwright to the Elizabethan government censor. Even though Shakespeare's theater company was "of all companies, in the closest relation to the court through their patrons, and the least likely to run counter to authority, except by inadvertence" (Chambers 1: 237), his plays did not escape censorship, although much more of Shakespeare's work might have never seen the light of day had he been with a lesser company. The best-known case of political censorship is that ... ...Norrie. The Friendly Shakespeare. New York: Viking, 1993. Fowell, Frank, and Frank Palmer. Censorship in England. 1913. New York: Burt Franklin, 1970. Gustafson, Patrick. "Books That Have Been Challenged." Christian Science Monitor. 18 May 1998. http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/1998/05/19/fp55s2-csm.htm (5 Dec. 1994). Haight, Anne Lyon, and Chandler B. Grannis. Banned Books: 387 B.C. to 1978 A.D. New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1978. Ockerbloom, John Mark. "Banned Books On-Line." http://www.cs.cmu.edu/People/spok/banned-books.html (19 Mar. 1999). Perrin, Noel. Dr. Bowdler's Legacy: A History of Expurgated Books in England and America. Rev. ed. Boston: Godine, 1992. "The Bonfire of Liberties." http://www.humanities-interactive.org/exhibit1.html (19 Mar. 1999). "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare." http://www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/

Language and Power

Language is the medium of expression of human beings. Animals may have their own charter of language, but we hardly know about any, that too authorized. Even in our dreams we need the help of language to muse or soliloquize or interact with others. Language, of course, varies with situations and contexts. It goes without saying that language has tremendous power to fit and necessarily mould itself according to the requirements of the given situation. At the dawn of civilization when man had yet to discover a language to communicate among themselves, the exchange of ideas and feelings hardly remained withdrawn. The sign language born out of gestures came to fill in the hiatus for a given period of time. Yet, the communication without language was lacking in that particular power. Thereafter with the invention of language, man felt comfortable to express his ideas, feelings, sentiments, emotions more effectively. Along with the advancement of language, man now knows the varied forms of its use in different contexts. Mostly, this exercise is not deliberate, but spontaneous. Language sometimes becomes extraneous in some relationships. It is learnt from authoritative sources that whenever Beckett used to meet Joyce at his residence the duo hardly talked to each other, rather felt the need of feeling each other silently. It is also known that sometimes Joyce spoke up breaking the ice, â€Å"How could the idealist Hume write a history?† Beckett’s reply used to come pat and dry, â€Å"A history of representation.† Such dry conversation can hardly certify any relationship   with deep roots. But in such cases silence has a tongue of its own. Language, no doubt, changes along with the context. Why not take a specific case of a man who has to play several roles at the same time? While, as a caring husband he coos sweet nothings into the ears of his once-upon-a time-lover wife, his language is driven by true heartfelt emotion, and naturally tends to be poetic. When the same man takes his subordinate in the office to task, he has the most harsh language that he hardly desists to utter and again when he is a loving ‘dad’ at home, the sweetness of his language can win any heart, can pacify the umbrage of any irate tiny tot! See him again as a responsible son of an incapacitated, wizened father and his soothing, caressing words will assuage any wound his once-doting father might have nursed! This is to show how a person automatically responds to a certain situation with his dynamic, protean language.   Language is like a river, it has ripples, it can change its course as and when required, topping all, it has tremendous power to influence, to move, to mesmerize. Are we not reminded of Milton’s Paradise Lost Book One, where infuriated, adamant Satan utters five powerful speeches to rouse the fallen angels in the Lake of Fire, in this context? How is the language of Satan here? Rabble-rousing, inspiring, fiery demagoguery! If Satan spoke in ordinary language asking them formally to get to their feet to wage war against God, would they be so surcharged with the fiery enthusiasm? As Satan thunders, â€Å" What though the field be lost All is not lost-the unconquerable will,/And study of revenge, immortal hate,/And courage never to submit or yield:/And what else not to be overcome?† When a political leader delivers a harangue, effective in rabble-rousing, it goes without saying that the speech is fiery, that is to say, imbued with an unseen force, that works wonder on the public, by and large. The effect ,otherwise, would have been drab, run-of –the-mill! Language has its own power to fit into any given situation successfully. If it had not been so, the volatility of language would stand questioned. That is why, it is rightly said that the situation moulds and demands the language. Take the case of the Professor in J.M.Coetzee’s Disgrace. After having emotional and physical relation with the girl, good enough to be   his own daughter, he feels remorseful, his words fail him. He is so repentant that he pays a visit to the girl’s family. He is such guilty in his own eyes that he does not defend himself when an Enquiry Commission is run in order to give him a chance to defend himself and absolve himself subsequently. He has no power or zeal to speak out in his own defense. Language has tremendous power to change the mind of a convict as we have seen in The Bishop’s Candlesticks. Bishop with his enthusing, assuaging, unctuous speech can dissuade the convict from pilfering the gold candlesticks. The words of the Christian Father are replete with affection, warmth. Such is the force of language that even an incorrigible convict can be brought to the path of virtues from that of vices and knavery. A doctor has the power of boosting up the mental strength of an ailing patient by his soothing, encouraging and positive words, a reassuring pat on the back and in most cases supported by proper treatment ,this contributes a lot in coming round of the patient. Kiran Bedi, the Indian I.P.S Officer has already proved that if the prisoners in a jail are given humane, compassionate treatment   they can easily and obviously change into better leaves. She experimented with the recidivists in Tihar jail, New Delhi, India, and reported of   favorable   results in almost cent percent cases. In lieu of harsh language they were treated with soft, friendly words. And, it brought back their lost self-respect and they began to teem with a new-found energy and confidence in themselves and their stigmatized lives. A successful lawyer with the force of language along with proper witness and evidence can make his client win the case. A teacher can hold the attention of the students day after day with his power of words, and of course, the content catered   interestingly.. The man who can fit his language into the demands of the situation successfully hardly loses the love of anybody. He is considered to be the ‘witty’ person around. Shakespeare’s Othello was an honest lover, an emotionally surcharged person, but his Iago was an ‘artist in crime’ not just for his sinister actions but for his witty, deliberately-contrived language that enabled himself to achieve his objective. In Macbeth, the three witches’ equivocal language veers the direction of the play, quite considerably. In King Lear ,too, Cordelia’s plain , un-ornamental, unexaggerated language did not go well with situation. The situation demanded a little more adulation from Cordelia. Only because of the lack of filigree in the language, she suffered throughout her life till she breathed her last! Thus,language has several shades of its own. Hundreds of situations demand hundreds of treatments and responses. When the subordinate employee approaches his boss for a leave of a couple of days for an immediate assignment, can he talk rudely? No, never. He has to keep his boss in good humor, so that his request may not be turned down in a jiffy. Man has to remain cautious about the use of language. Even a slip of tongue can end a husband-wife-bond of warmth and togetherness .Similarly a word of pride can trigger off an internecine war between two nations over years. No doubt, language can make or mar anything and everything. It is absolutely true!!         

David Berman Essay

David Berman reviewed the macroeconomic numbers on inventory turns as he prepared for his regular appearance on CNBC’s â€Å"Squawk Box† as a morning co-host. A leading expert on â€Å"consumer related† stocks, Berman and his colleagues including portfolio manager Steve Kernkraut, a seasoned retail executive and analyst, were frequent contributors to various TV shows. On April 4th 2005, Fortune magazine ran a story on Berman called â€Å"King of the Retail Jungle†, and on December 13th, 2004, Barron’s ran a story called â€Å"Smart Shopper† where Berman’s four stock picks as identified, appreciated 30% on average over the next quarter. â€Å"Off air† he was a fund manager as well as founder and president of Berman Capital (which managed proprietary funds) and founder of and general partner in New York-based Durban Capital, L.P. (which managed outside and proprietary capital). Glancing at his notes on macro trends in retail inven tory turns, Berman wondered if he should talk about his impressions on the show. Berman held a bachelors degree in finance and masters equivalency in accountancy from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He had also passed the South African chartered accountant and the United States CPA examinations. Berman obtained his CPA qualification in California while an auditor for Arthur Andersen and Company where he examined the financial statements and operations of a number of retail clients. He had been the auditor of Bijan, the notable men’s upscale clothing store on Rodeo Drive and 5th Avenue. Prior to starting his own funds Berman worked as a portfolio manager and analyst primarily at two Wall Street firms. He evolved his investment style under the tutelage of Michael Steinhardt of Steinhardt Partners, which he joined shortly after graduating with distinction from Harvard Business School in 1991. From 1994 to 1997 Berman worked in consumer-related stocks at another large hedge fund. He subsequently launched Berman Capital in 1997 and Durban Capital i n 2001. Professor Ananth Raman of Harvard Business School, Professor Vishal Gaur of the Stern School of Business at New York University, and Harvard Business School Doctoral Candidate Saravanan Kesavan prepared this case. Certain details have been disguised. HBS cases are developed solely as the basis for class discussion. Cases are not intended to serve as endorsements, sources of primary data, or illustrations of effective or ineffective management. Copyright  © 2005 President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. Permissions@hbsp.harvard.edu or 617-783-7860. 605-081David Berman Berman believed that his training as an accountant together with his MBA and practices he developed over the years to refine accounting estimates enabled him to notice aspects of retail accounts that would be missed by most investors. The relationship between inventory and earnings and therefore share price, for example, while obvious to a retailer, was seldom recognized by analysts or investors. â€Å"This relationship,† Berman observed, â€Å"is ASTOUNDINGLY powerful, but surprisingly few understand why. Most think it’s just a function of inventory risk. It’s not. It’s primarily a function of how the operating margins can be manipulated by management in the short term by playing around with inventories†. â€Å"For example,† said Berman, â€Å"if a retailer’s inventories are growing much faster than sales, then gross margins would be higher than they ordinarily should be, as the retailer has not taken the mark-downs that a solid disc iplined retailer should take.† â€Å"Interestingly,† Berman beamed, â€Å"there is no law in GAAP that limits the number of days’ inventory to any â€Å"norm,† and as such, the practice of increasing inventories beyond any â€Å"norm† goes unfettered.† Berman continued â€Å"managements sign-off on the inventories as being fairly valued, and the auditors pretty much rely on their word.† Berman believed that â€Å"from an investor’s perspective, it’s a game of musical chairs; you don’t want to be the last person standing. In other words, you don’t want to be an investor when sales slow and when mark-downs of the bloated inventory finally need to be taken to move the goods†. The relationship of inventories to sales was also an important one that Berman focused on. â€Å"In a period of rising inventories on a square foot basis†, Berman says â€Å"it is quite obvious that same store sales should rise as the offering to the customer is that much greater. Simply put, the more offerings you put in a store, ceteris paribus, the bigger sales should be.† â€Å"It is at this time,† Berman argued, â€Å"that the stock price rises, as investors place higher valuations on retailers with higher sales, despite that this higher valuation is achieved primarily due to the higher inventories†. An excellent example of the inventory to sales relationship was Home Depot: In 2001 and 2002 Home Depot’s new CEO, Bob Nardelli1, seemed to struggle in managing the transition from a cash-flow GE-type philosophy to a retailer Home Depot-type philosophy. In his DeeBee Report2 dated June 10th 2003, Berman stated: â€Å"Bob Nardelli learned the power of inventory the hard way. In focusing on cash flow improvement, he dramatically lowered inventories – and yes, increased cash balances – only to see a huge decline in same store sales, and in its stock price {the stock went from around $40 to $22}. And so, under immense pressure, Nardelli reversed course and focused intensely on increasing inventories. Since Q2 of last year, inventories had been building until they were up 25% year over year. And yes, same store sales did improve, as did the stock price.† Recognizing this as potentially a short-fix, Berman continued â€Å"Now the cynical would view this increase in sales with skepticism, noting that it wasn’t of â€Å"high quality† as it was due, in part, to the massive inventory build. It is, however, pleasing to note that Home Depot simply got inventories back to â€Å"normal†, in that it now has turns similar to its’ competitors†. The stock, following the same store sales and earnings increases, which in essence followed the inventories increase, rose from $22 at the start of 2003 to $36 by the end of 2003. When asked about this â€Å"fix†, Berman responded â€Å"it will be more challenging for Nardelli to increase same store sales and margins going forward because his increasing inventories and therefore same store sales is arguably a one-time benefit and is essentially what caused the â€Å"fix†. Berman concluded by 1 Nardelli had worked at General Electric (GE) before taking over as CEO of the Home Depot. 2 A periodic report where Berman discusses his thoughts on retail, focusing on inventories. Given his insights as articulated, Berman believed his fund could value firms more accurately through better valuation of inventory. This was pivotal to his investment strategy. â€Å"You see,† Berman elaborated, â€Å"Wall Street basically ignores inventory. It’s actually quite amazing to me! This gives us one of our edges.† Comparing recently gathered retailer numbers that examined total sales in the U.S. economy to total inventory, for almost 300 retailers, Berman remarked: â€Å"The total sales to total inventory numbers is also a crucial relationship over time, and it gives us a macro edge, if that’s possible to believe. Indeed, at the end of Q2, 2003 I knew there would be serious inventory rebuilding in the economy going forward, as overall sales had grown at a faster rate than inventories. Indeed, in Q3, 2003 we saw a rapid and unexpected increase in GDP from 2.3% to 3.5% thanks in part to inventory rebuilding. This increase continued through Q1, 2 004 when GDP growth reached 5%.† Berman loved to discuss investment opportunities he had spotted by looking carefully at firm inventory: One of the clearest examples was Saucony (Nasdaq: SCNYA), a shoe company based near Boston, MA. Berman identified this company as a strong buy when he noticed in 2003 that even though sales were flattish, inventories had declined about 20% year over year. To Berman, this bode well for future gross margins. He started buying the stock at $14 in late 2003 due primarily to these lean inventories, despite that the stock was illiquid thus presenting greater risk, and despite that management was remarkably coy about sharing information. A year later, the stock had doubled. During this time period, sales rose, as did inventories, and of course, the gross margin expanded significantly, as expected. Earnings per share rose from $0.85 in 2002 to $1.29 in 2004. Berman’s selling, which came shortly after management asked him to ring the Nasdaq bell with them, was again based on a function  of his inventory analysis. This time it was the opposite scenario – inventories were now growing at the same pace as sales, so the trend of sales to inventories had deteriorated – and Berman was worried. To make matters worse, calls to management were not being returned. Sure enough, in March 2005, before Berman had gotten out of this illiquid position, Saucony announced it would miss earnings estimates and the stock cratered 20%. Yet another clear example was Bombay (NYSE: BBA). In November 2003, Bombay Company, a fashionable home accessories, wall dà ©cor, and furniture retailer, announced that sales were up 19% with inventories up 50% year over year. While the retailer beat earnings estimates, the company spoke of early November sales weakness, and the stock declined 20% that day to $10. Despite the decline, and noticing that inventories were up way too much, Berman felt the â€Å"music had stopped.† â€Å"Going into Q4 it was clear they would have to miss numbers again unless the consumer saved them, which would be a shocker†, he said. Just over two weeks later they lowered earnings again and the stock crated another 20% to $8. Remarkably, just four weeks later, after Christmas, management lowered earnings yet again, and the stock declined yet another 20%. â€Å"It was so sweet† exclaimed Berman, â€Å"to see the classic inventory / earnings relationship at work so quickly.† In just one and a half months, the stock declined 50% primarily because of inventory mismanagement along with weaker sales. As Berman prepared to leave for the studio, Christina Zinn, a young apprentice he had just hired from Harvard Business School, walked in and presented him with a stack of papers containing the valuation of John B. River (John B. River Clothiers, Inc. NASDAQ: JONR). â€Å"JONR is undervalued,† Zinn remarked, â€Å"and I think we should invest in this stock. Sales were up 24% in 2004 over the previous year, and gross margins, having risen for four straight years, seem to have peaked at 60% (one of the highest gross margins in all of US retail). 2005, the company’s price/earnings ratio is less than that of its primary competitor, Men’s Wearhouse, which is at 17.5 times estimated earnings. This is particularly strange given that John B. River has been growing faster than Men’s Wearhouse during the last few years.† Inventory Productivity in the Retail Sector Inventory turnover, the ratio of cost of goods sold to average inventory level, was commonly used to measure the performance of inventory managers, compare inventory productivity across retailers, and assess performance improvements over time.3 But wide variations in the annual inventory turnover of U.S. retailers year to year not only across, but also within, firms made it difficult to assess inventory productivity in practice, as evidenced by the following example and questions. Between 1987 and 2000 annual inventory turnover at Best Buy Stores, Inc. (Best Buy), a consumer electronics retailer, ranged from 2.85 to 8.53. Annual inventory turnover at three peer retailers during the same period exhibited similar variation: at Circuit City Stores, Inc. from 3.97 to 5.60; at Radio Shack Corporation from 1.45 to 3.05; and at CompUSA, Inc. from 6.20 to 8.65. Given such variation how could inventory turnover be used to assess these retailers’ inventory productivity? Could these variations be correlated with better or worse performance? Could it be reasonably concluded from this example that Best Buy managed its inventory better than Radio Shack? Inventory turnover could be correlated with other performance measures. Strong correlations, as between inventory turnover and gross margin, might have implications for the assessment of retailers’ inventory turnover performance. (Figure 1 plots the four consumer electronics retailers’ annual inventory turnover against their gross margins (the ratio of gross profit net of markdowns to net sales) for the period 1987-2000.) Relationships among Management Measures Relationships among inventory turns, gross margins, and capital intensity were central to deriving suitable benchmarks for assessing corporate performance. (Figure 2 presents a simplified view of an income statement and balance sheet. Table 1 presents mathematical definitions for inventory turnover, gross margin, capital intensity, return on assets, sales growth, and other management measures based on Figure 2 .) Whereas return on assets, sales growth, return on equity, and financial leverage tended not to vary systematically from one retail segment to another, variation in the components of return on assets was observed between and within industry segments. (Table 2 lists retail segments4 and examples of firms.) Table 3 presents gross margins, inventory turns, GMROI5, and asset turns for supermarkets, drugstores, convenience stores, apparel retailers, jewelry retailers, and toy stores.) Retailers with stable, predictable demand and long product lifecycles such as grocery, drug, and convenience stores tended to have better â€Å"efficiency ratios† (asset turns and inventory turns) than other retailers, retailers of short lifecycle products such as apparel, shoes, electronics, jewelry, and An alternative measure of inventory productivity, days of inventory, could be substituted for inventory turnover for the present analysis. Classification of segments is based on S&P’s Compustat database. GMROI is defined as gross margin return on inventory investment. Variation in gross margins, inventory turns, and SG&A expenses within and between segments ROE could be decomposed into gross margin and inventory turns, and further into the relationship between capital intensity and inventory turns (see below).Anticipating roughly similar ROE measures for different retailers, all else remaining equal, a change in any of the component metrics on the right side of the equation would be expected to result in a compensating change in some other component metric. For example, for ROE among retailers to be equivalent a retailer with higher gross margins would need to experience a compensating change in some other component, such as inventory turns. Gross margin and inventory turns: Gross margin and inventory turns were expected to be negatively correlated, that is, an increase in gross margin was expected to be accompanied by a decrease in inventory turnover. A retailer that carried a unit of product longer before selling it (i.e., a retailer with slower inventory turns) would expect to earn substantially more on its inventory investment than a retailer that carried the inventory item for a shorter period. For example, Radio Shack, which turned its inventory less frequently than twice a year,  was expected to realize higher gross margins on each sale than retailers such as CompUSA, which turned its inventory more than eight times per year. Retailers such as Radio Shack were said to be following the â€Å"profit path† (i.e., earning high profit with each sale), retailers such as CompUSA the â€Å"turnover path† (i.e., earning quickly after making an inventory investment small profits with each sale). Retailers within the same segment were expected to achieve equivalent inventory productivity. Inventory productivity could be estimated as the product of a firm’s gross margins and inventory turns, termed gross margin return on inventory investment or GMROI (pronounced â€Å"JIMROY†). If GMROI remained stable within a segment an inverse relationship between gross margin and inventory turns would be observed. (Figure 3 depicts the expected relationship.) A correlation between gross margin and inventory turns, although expected, did not, however, imply a causal relationship between the two variables. That is, a firm that increased its gross margin by better managing its inventory turns would not necessarily decline commensurately. The correlation between gross margin and inventory turns could instead reflect mutual dependence on the characteristics of a retailer’s business. Capital intensity and inventory turns: Investments in warehouses, information technology, and inventory and logistics management systems involved capital investment, which, being accounted for as fixed assets, was measured by an increase in capital intensity. Firms that made such capital investments often enjoyed higher inventory turns. Hence, inventory turns could be positively correlated with capital intensity. That an increase in inventory turnover and concurrent decrease in gross margin was not necessarily indicative of improved inventory management capability suggested limits to the use of inventory turnover in performance analysis. If, however, two firms had similar inventory turnover and gross margin values but different capital intensities the firm with the lower capital intensity might possibly have better inventory management capability. It was thus desirable to incorporate changes in gross margin and capital intensity into evaluations of inventory productivity. Zinn’s Analysis of John B. River Berman fidgeted in his chair. He enjoyed opportunities to evangelize to and educate television audiences, but found the wait in the studio tedious. Until called to hold forth on various aspects of managerial performance and investment strategy he would, he decided, wade through the report Zinn had prepared for him. Company Background On November 8, 2004 John B. River Clothiers, Inc., a leading U.S. retailer of men’s tailored and casual clothing and accessories, opened its 250th store. The retailer employed, in addition to the physical store format, two other channels: catalogs, and the Internet. Production of John B. River’s designs according to its specifications was contracted to third party vendors and suppliers. John B. River’s product suite, intended to dress a male career professional from head to toe, was identified with high quality and value. Its upscale, classic product offerings included tuxedos, blazers, shirts, ties, vests, pants, and sports wear. Excepting branded shoes from other vendors, all products were marketed under the John B. River brand. Trends in workplace clothing were an important determinant of John B. River sales growth. Thus, the early 1990s trend towards acceptability of informal clothing in the workplace was cause for concern to a retailer that emphasized men’s formal suits. But in the early 2000’s the pendulum seemed to swing back, with increasing numbers of employees preferring to dress more formally for the workplace. The material in this section is from John B. River Clothiers, Inc’s 2004 10-K Statement Retail stores were John B. River’s primary sales channel. Eighty percent of store space was dedicated to selling activities, the remaining 20% allocated to stockroom and tailoring and other support activities. Tailoring was a differentiating service highly valued by the retailer’s clientele. John B. River catered to high-end customers and so located its retail stores in areas with appropriate demographics. Its seven outlet stores provided a channel for liquidating excess merchandise. John B. River’s catalog and Internet channels accounted for approximately 11% of net sales in fiscal 2003 and 12% of net sales in fiscal 2002. Approximately eight million catalogs were distributed over these two years. Catalog sales were supported by a toll-free number that provided access to sales associates. The primary competitors of John B. River were Men’s Wearhouse Inc. (Ticker: MW) and Brooks Brothers (privately held). Apart from competing with these  specialty retailers, John B. River competed with large department stores such as Macy’s and Filenes, which enjoyed substantially greater financial and marketing resources. Supply Chain John B. River’s merchandise buying and planning staff used sophisticated information systems to convey product designs and specifications to suppliers and third party contract manufacturers and manage the production process worldwide. Approximately 24% of product purchases in fiscal 2003 were sourced from U.S. suppliers. Mexico accounted for 15% and none of the other countries from which products were sourced accounted for more than 10% of purchases. An agent was employed to source products from countries located in or near Asia. All inventory was received at a centralized distribution center (CDC), from which it was redistributed to warehouses or directly to stores. Store inventory was tracked using point-of-sale information and stock was replenished as necessary. John B. River expected to spend between $3 and $4 million in fiscal 2004 to increase the capacity of its CDC to accommodate 500 stores nationwide. Growth Strategy and Risks John B. River had developed a five-pronged strategy for achieving growth. First, it planned to further enhance product quality by elevating standards for design and manufacture. Second, it planned to expand catalog and internet operations. Third, it intended to introduce new products. Fourth, it was moving towards eliminating middlemen from the sourcing of products Fifth, it was committed to providing consistently high service levels by maintaining high inventory levels. Anticipating that growth relied on opening new stores, John B. River planned to expand to 500 stores. Approximately 60 stores were opened in fiscal 2004, increasing store count to 273, and about 75 to 100 stores were planned from  2005-08. Upfront costs associated with opening a new store included approximately $225,000 for leasehold improvements, fixtures, point-of-sale equipment, and so forth and an inventory investment of approximately $350,000, with higher inventory levels during peak periods. John B. River’s growth strategy was sensitive to consumer spending. John B. River relied on its emphasis on classic styles to retain a niche in men’s suits, a strategy that rendered it less vulnerable to changes in fashions but dependent on continued demand for classic styles. Zinn’s Analysis of John B. River’s Financial Statements Inventory: John B. River used the first-in-first out method to value inventory. During price increases FIFO valuation generated higher net income than LIFO valuation. John B. River’s inventory had been growing rapidly over the past four years. Zinn was surprised by the inventory growth, especially that inventory had grown faster than sales. Although inventory grew by 54% in 2003, corresponding sales growth was only 23%. In 2004 however, sales grew 24% while inventory grew by only 4%. Inventory at the end of 2004 however continued to be high at 303 days. Further the days’ payables increased from 54 days in 1998 to 82 days in 2004. Payables as a percentage of inventory however had declined from roughly 33% in 1998 to roughly 27% in 2004. But Zinn was not sure these concerns had much impact on her valuation of the company. Financial ratios: Current ratio and quick ratio had been hovering around 2 and 0.2, respectively.10,11 The large difference between these two ratios reflected the fact that most of John B. River’s current assets were inventory. Obsolescence costs would consequently be fairly high and could place the retailer in financial distress. The other financial ratios were indicative of a healthy company. ROE had increased from 15% to 27% since fiscal 2000. This increase had been largely fueled by an increasing profit margin (0.7% to 5.5% over the same period). John B. River had enjoyed rapid growth in sales over the last few years. Annual Sales growth had increased from 9% in 1998 to 24% in 2004, fueled by sales growth in existing stores (approximately 8% per year) as well as the opening of new stores and increased sales from the retailer’s catalog and internet channels. John B. River enjoyed a healthy increase in gross margins from 51% to 60% over the same period. Tables 4 and 5 provide key operational metrics for John B. River and Men’s Wearhouse. Prospective Analysis: Zinn had taken the Business Analysis and Valuation (BAV) class at HBS and discovered the â€Å"BAV tool.†12 She had used this tool to create a simpler model (used in the present analysis) to capture key aspects of valuation. Table 6 provides some key historical operational metrics for John B. River that Zinn used for her prospective analysis. Current ratio, defined as the ratio of current assets to current liabilities, was an indicator of a company’s ability to meet short-term debt obligations; the higher the ratio the more liquid the company. Quick ratio (or acid-test ratio), defined as the ratio of (cash + accounts receivable) to current liabilities, measured a company’s liquidity. The BAV tool was an Excel-based model developed by Harvard Business School faculty for valuing companies. Key assumptions made by Zinn in performing the prospective analysis of John B. River included the following. 1) Time horizon: Zinn chose a five year time horizon from 2005 to 2009 based on expected sales growth (derived from management projections). Beyond 2009 Zinn assumed the company to have reached a steady state defined by terminal values. 2) Sales growth: Zinn assumed that management’s projections for new stores were reasonable and that the new stores would be equivalent in size and productivity with the retailer’s existing stores. Using growth assumptions about stores and same store sales, Zinn computed sales growth for fiscal years 2005-2008 to be 18% (based on 15% square footage growth and 3% same store sale growth), and 10% for 2009. Sales after 2010 in Zinn’s analysis were expected to grow at the 4% industry standard for retail apparel stores13. 3) Gross margin: Gross margin had been steadily increasing; Zinn expected it to hover around 60% for the next five years and then assumed gross margin to reach its terminal value to reflect increased competition. 4) Other assumptions about the income statement: Zinn assumed that SG&A to sales and other operating expenses to sales would continue at the 2004 levels for the near term (till 2008). 5) Assumptions about the balance sheet: Zinn assumed that current assets to sales, current liabilities to sales, and long term assets to sales would continue at their 2004 levels, that is, the company would maintain a similar capital structure and remain as productive with its long term assets as in 2003. Zinn obtained terminal values from industry norms for â€Å"Men’s and boys’ clothing stores†14. The market risk premium was assumed to be 5%, risk free rate 4.3%, marginal tax rate 42%, and cost of debt 4.5%. Based on these assumptions, the value of a JONR share was estimated to be $43.58. Given the current (April 11th, 2005) closing price of $34.37 (see Figure 4 for historical stock prices of JONR), Zinn rated the stock a â€Å"strong buy.† You’re On the Air in Five Minutes! Berman knew he had to return to thinking about the bigger questions that would be posed by the host of the TV show. Yet he could not take his mind off of Zinn’s analysis. Berman smiled, knowing that his apprentice’s results were diametrically opposed to his own intuition. He recollected his conversation with the CEO and CFO of John B. River during one of the quarterly earnings calls when he was trying to learn about the retailer. When questioned about the steep increase in inventory, the CEO had mentioned that John B. River was planning to grow inventory in certain basic items like white shirts, khaki pants etc. as well as increase product variety to enhance service levels to its customers. Berman was not sure about this strategy of John B. River and wondered if the company’s gross margins were temporarily inflated based on increased inventories over the years. On the other hand, inventory management had improved of late. As reported on the 4th April 2005, Q4, 20 04 sales had increased 24% while inventories were up only 4% year over year.