Kubrick, Eisenhart, And Stuff About Conforming Essays -

Kubrick, Eisenhart, And Stuff About Conforming Stanley Kubrick uses his film, Full Metal Jacket to say that people today are brainwashed products of decades of conditioning. Kubrick strongly encourages us to relish individual thought. He expresses that societys ideology encourages conformity, which can eventually cause fatality. Also the article You Cant Hack It Little Girl: A Discussion Of The Covert Psychological Agenda of Modern Combat Training by R Wayne Eisenhart realizes the extreme repression on individuality in the Marines. We all like to think of ourselves as individuals. However, in truth, we all live in a mass denial created be ourselves to feel less guilty about instituting severe pressure to, and the consequences if one does not, conform. The way one learns about oneself is often through others words and actions. This outside feedback creates a role for a person that he/she accepts as who he/she is. Therefore, it is the words and actions of another that forms the self-identity of a person, and ad this relationship develops, positive, reinforcing words and actions become necessary for ones healthy existence. Of course, there are varying degrees of conformity, and in most people there is the struggle to hold on to their individuality. This struggle is apparent in the scene in Full Metal Jacket when Gomer Pyle is beaten with soaps in towels. The other members of the troop become upset at Pyles nonconformity, and their negative feelings eventually reached the point of violence. Then Pyles struggle was ended and he became like the others, a killing machine. In his article, Eisenhart recognizes that the training process created intense emotional conflicts generated by the formation of a male role, and that there was a continual structured effort to degrade and shape the individuals self-image. (32) Because all throughout history conformity was a necessary way of life, one may see society now as completely brainwashed. Kubrick depicts the longstanding tradition of the US Marines as a kind of cult where everyone is uniformly behaved and not one thought is individual. Even Joker, who has an image of originality in the film, eventually gives in to the group. First in the scene where he is cajoled in to hitting Pyle with the soap, and second when he struggles with himself, but ultimately conforms by killing the Vietnamese sniper at the encouragement of his peers. In the beginning of Full Metal Jacket, the head shaving, which has been a part of military orientation for ages, is symbolic of the men leaving behind their personalities and individuality in order to be accepted into a group. The music playing in this scene further emphasizes the loss with the repeated goodbye, and the new prefabricated self-image with hello Vietnam. Eisenhart further describes this military brainwashing a s a certain blank look in his eyes signifying the achievement of psychological control. (29) One can easily see the parallel between military uniformity, and everyday civilian life. Even such an accepted institution as education is really an attempt at creating identical model citizens. For example, in high school, a student is rewarded for complying with the rules, joining clubs, participating in class and doing well (according to an appointed figure) academically. However a student is severely punished for failing, or being antisocial and even further excommunicated from the society. Another method society uses to force conformity upon people is the consumerism ideology in America. Money is taught to people from birth to be one of the most important aspects of life, through the media, personal accounts and just about everything. One eventually believes that they must have a lot of money in order to have an enjoyable, successful life. To get money, one conforms to be the person who is awarded a well paying position. If one does not conform to the standard they will not be p aid well, will not be able to buy things media tells them they need, and therefore be different and unwanted. In both situations, such harsh labels as excommunicated or unwanted, the individual may become depressed and ultimately suicidal. Kubrick blatantly makes a connection between nonconformity and death in Full Metal Jacket. Pyle, the most unique of the troop, murders both the Drill Instructor and himself in the second

Facebook Company

Facebook Company Introduction Facebook Corporation was established by the current chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg in 2004. In its inception days, the Facebook Corporation membership was limited to Harvard students though it was later expanded to other institutions in the city of Boston (Veer, 2011, p.271). The company operates as a social networking site connecting users with friends who work, live and study around them.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Facebook Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More People use Facebook to keep up with others, upload photos, share videos and links as well as understand the situation about people they meet. Of all social networking sites Facebook has the widest regional coverage with over 700 million active users (Facebook Inc, 2011, p.36). PESTEL analysis Since the establishment of Facebook Inc, the company has been facing legal proceeding in regard to the use of the social networking idea. The company has been accused of interfering with the privacy of the users. This resulted in declining traffic in key markets until the company introduced powerful controls for sharing personal information. Although they claim to reinforce the law on users, case of hacking confidential information still affect the company’s business (Facebook, 2009, pp.1-11). Another political factor could be the copyright policies. Considering the scattered nature of Facebook users, most of them are not aware of these policies and end up violating them. The social network site is also affected by bans in certain countries. For instance, the company had been banned operating in China since 2009 (Facebook, 2011, p.36). Children welfare associations affect the company as a result of exposing detrimental materials to children. Indeed, the office of the New York Attorney General stepped up warnings against the company saying that Facebook might face a consumer fraud indict for misrepresenting how the site is safe for children. The growing of Asian and Latin America economies is an economic factor that has the highest leverage on the business. In fact, the company fiscal 2011 plan is to expand to the Asian countries such as China.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company plans to launch in China and abide by the laws of the corporation by partnering with the Chinese search engine Baidu. These growing economies increase the income of the people and are able to access computers more. The rising literacy level especially in the developing nations is a factor influencing the business. The number of people who can use computers effectively is growing dramatically. For example, statistics indicate that 60% of the Indians are computer literate and 90% of them have daily access to the computer. This is the very reason why India has the highest number of people so cializing through Facebook and other social sites. The other economic factor is employment which is associated with internet accessibility. People working tend to have ample access to computers and are able to socialize more through the social sites. Facebook is ranked at the top when considering the preference of the working community to social networking sites. Like other internet sites, age demographic is the major influencing factor of Facebook business (Taylor et al., 2003, p.237). Youths tend to be the major users of the site when connecting with their peers. The minors are increasingly using Facebook to socialize posing risks to the business. In reality, the company has not devised effective measure to filter underage uses out of the site. Religion is also a factor that is affecting the company’s business especially in the Arab countries. Facebook has been unable to penetrate many of the Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan due to religion restrictions. In addition to these, gender and marital status could leverage the networking business. Males have been the dominant users of the social networking sites though females have picked the same pace. Unmarried individuals tend to use Facebook more than married individuals perhaps due to time limitations or benefits sort.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Facebook Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Technological factors affecting Facebook business include mobile growth. Nearly 35% of the total Facebookers access the social site from a mobile device. This trend has even moved the mobile market for products like Apple’s iPad and iPhone. New software technologies have enabled the company to add new features on their site which are attracting more consumers (Kwon, 2010, p.257). In terms of these features, the chat option is the biggest attraction to the site followed by the sharing option. Advancement in space techno logy is also expanding the market for the business. Many remote areas have accessibility to information technology through the use of space equipment. Furthermore, connectivity speed has improved very much and people can socialize fast and effectively. Some new technologies such as third-party medial plug-ins have expanded the use of Facebook credits thus enhancing e-commerce. Besides, technology allows for business transactions to be conducted through Facebook site and therefore attract a new segment of consumers. Undeniably, technological advancement is the key enabler of Facebook business. TOWS analysis SWOT Matrix Strengths Global popularity Easy user interface Wide applications Weaknesses Advertisement effectiveness Frequent litigations and lawsuits Opportunities Rising internet usage Need of social engagement Threats Customer privacy issues Intense competition Regulations by various countries TOWSÂ  Alternative Matrix External opportunities (O) Rising internet usage Need of social engagement External threats (T) Customer privacy issues Intense competition Regulations by various countries Internal strengths (S) Global popularity Easy user interface Wide applications SO Use the wide applications to meet the needs for social engagement Use global popularity to attract the increasing number of users ST Utilize the wide applications to counteract customer privacy issues Utilize mergers to counteract regulations Use the easy interface to differentiate in the completion Internal weaknesses (W) Advertisement effectiveness Frequent litigations and lawsuits WO Strengthen objectives to curbthe effect of advertising effectiveness Enforce laws to avoid frequent litigations and lawsuits WT Maintain customer privacy toavoid lawsuits and litigations Differentiate in the competition and enhance competitive advantage Weaknesses and threats (WT) A company with great weaknesses has to route to a survival strategy (Stokes Wilson, 2010, p.225). Faceboo k should consider the option of joint operation with Baidu and other search engines in difficult markets. Another alternative would be to withdraw from the challenging markets altogether.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More But, the challenges of the company must not have to route to a survival strategy due to the company’s strengths. Consequently, better strategy would be to attempt to develop weaknesses into strengths. Weaknesses and opportunities (WO) The rising internet usage has resulted in using more the social network sites. Yet Facebook essentially follows a one-model policy which presents a problem if other designs of site features become obsolete. The company has to introduce new features to reach a wider spectrum of users. This will allow using the same site for a range of needs ranging from business to dating. Strengths and threats (ST) One of the biggest threats to Facebook is the customer privacy issues. There has been continued criticism that the company does not offer the standard confidentiality demanded in a social networking environment. The company should reduce such issues using the many applications available that can ensure maximum confidentiality. Another strategy for avo iding competitive pressure is to differentiate the site through easy user interface. Strengths and opportunities (SO) Generally, Facebook can build on their strengths by taking the advantage of the opportunities. The company’s strength in global coverage and popularity becomes evident. This strength can enable the company to develop a consumer relationship that attracts regulatory restricted environments. Eventually, the strength will enable the company to open operation in China and Arab countries. Thus Facebook can benefit from considerable concessions offered by the governments to attract the company. Conclusions Facebook Company is certainly operating in a tricky environment due to the changing nature of communication and networking environment. The environment is tricky because there in increasing preference for social networks yet the technology responsible cannot meet the intrinsic demand of the consumers. Policies regulating social medial works have requirements beyon d the ability of technology. This attracts other groups of interests while regulations in some countries cannot be fully satisfied. However, the growing economy and advancement in technology promise a brighter future for the company. If Facebook can exploit the opportunity of rising usage of the internet through its global coverage, there is a chance of attracting policy makers in other countries and maybe adjust regulations. There is a chance to develop the weaknesses into new strengths once the company is better positioned in the market. Since the market of social media environment is quite demanding, Facebook must focus on its core resources and competencies. In this case, integration of features and ease of use are distinctive resources that can enable effective differentiation in the competition. When combined with the threshold resource of regional coverage, the competencies can leverage the brand name in the face of consumers as well as policy makers. It is therefore recommen ded that the company should: Use the status updates to provide targeted adverts Focus on monetization to improve valuations Provide local advertising based on customer location Enable controlled application Improve in storage and archival Engage in mergers with search engines Solve the problem of privacy References Facebok Inc. 2009. Facebook law enforcement guidelines. Web. Facebook Inc 2011. Private Company financial report. Web. Kwon, O. Wen, Y. 2010. An empirical study of the factors affecting social network service use. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(2), pp.254-263. Stokes, D. Wilson, N. 2010. Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship. Florence, KY: Cengage Learning EMEA. Taylor, W. J., Zhu, G. X., Dekkers, J. Marshall, S. 2003. Socio-economic factors affecting home internet usage patterns in Central Queensland. Information Science Journal, 6, pp.233-244.

(i) Conduct a literature review and summarize the historical

(i) Conduct a and summarize the historical development of the equations used for the design of cfa piles in gr - Literature review Example It is highly important to note that the estimated static CFA capacity is achieved through methods that are developed for specific objects such as drilled shafts and driven piles, mainly because the behavior of CFA piles’ load-settlement are same. During the installation process, there is the establishment of end bearing and side shear resistance with pile displacement has similar features with other kinds of deep foundations (O'Conner & Robertson, 1997). During the process, total axial comprehension resistance of located CFA pile is attained via calculation of both the end bearing and side shear resistance (RT=RS+RB). In order to calculate the side shears resistance, it is significant to have a division of the length of the pile to N pile sectors. After this calculation, the side resistance of a particular pile segment is attained by multiplying the shear resistance of the part or segment. This is attained by the surface area of the segment or part of the pile (RS = ?iN fs,i ? Di Li). However, some calculation methods use the average segment of side shear to get the length of the pile. The overall side shear resistance of the pile is achieved by RS = fs-ave ? D L in that D represents the average diameter of the pile while L represents overall embedment length of the pile. The total end resistance of the pile is attained by RB=qp[?DB2. ... It is confirmed that increase in pile capacity is out of the utilization of high-displacement auger cast or shed piles and the use of amelioration. The additional recommendations on design procedures are hereby organized broadly by the type of soil as either cohesive or non-cohesive in the subdivisions that follow thereafter. It clear to understand that silty soils require judgment on the side of the evaluation of the most reasonable approaches usable by the engineer. Generally, Soils should be categorized in relation to the anticipated characteristics under the load being put in to consideration that is as whether the soil is prone to un-drainage or full drainage. Techniques of either cohesive or non-cohesive soils must be employed depending on this classification and hence further categorized by the availability of in-situ and or laboratory test data. The recommended method of technique of end shear and side shear estimates using un-drained shear potency is the FHWA1999 method. It is mainly for drilled in CFA piles found in granular soils and cohesive materials. For an unknown pile unit, the final shear resistance (fs) is formulated as fs=a Su. In this formula, the Su represents the un-drained shear potency or strength of granular soil at the pile unit location. In addition, a represents the reduction or decreasing factor that is not constant as ? = 0.55 for Su / Pa ? 1.5. In this case, PA represents the average atmospheric pressure for a formula 1.5

The Local Rivals of Endeavour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Local Rivals of Endeavour - Essay Example The culture of the Chinese companies may significantly be different from the national culture of the country where Endeavour is located. Aside from Mikes obvious egotistic attitude, some factors may have been part of the conflict between Mikes coordination with the senior personnel among the Chinese contractors. Dealing with Asian companies requires certain people skills that know how the differences in the culture and these differences in the international socio-cultural environment can also play a part in Mikes offenses that have caused the conflicts, then the delays. The theories relating to judgment suggest that when there is a certain standard, a person is being compared to that standard which influences the judgment. Mike is a star engineering student. With the owners being engineers themselves, they know the standards that Mikes talents meet which has affected their judgment. With this standard, they thought, being a star engineering student will transform into a very much valued employee - one that contributes a lot of value to the company. Mike lives up to a certain degree of very high standards. However, not knowing that such standards in the university will not transform into standards of being a great manager. There is also a point that because one of the owners view Mike as himself, the standards are further distorted. The team fails to work well because the group dynamics have been distorted by Mikes attitudes. In order for a team to function well, there should be some harmony among the members in the form of good communication and the huge variance of personality between Mike and the other team members. However, Mikes attitudes especially when he has been consulted for some technical things has made communication worse - when the other members bring up a legitimate problem such as in the case of the Chinese contractors, Mike becomes defensive.  

Robert Rauschenberg's tactics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Robert Rauschenberg's tactics - Essay Example Abstract expressionism refers to the art movement that emerged and gained impetus after the Second World War. It was considered as the first most important US movement towards the achievement of a global influence and power. The movement was aimed at positioning New York at the heart of the western world art; a position that was previously held by Paris. At the time that Abstract expressionism was gaining popularity in the 1950s, art in the form of combined manufactured goods was also on the rise. Artists had started to bring about changes in their art, inculcating household items and items of daily use into artwork. This type of art is seen in the works of Robert Rauschenberg, more specifically in his combines. His combines were the classic precursors of the Pop Art movement that Rauschenberg became interested in after the 1950s. Rauschenberg was an artist who entered art at the time Abstract expressionism was in its heyday after the Second World War. However, he came to reject that form of art. Leo Steinberg refers to Rauschenberg's art as a flatbed image surface since his art came to compromise of ethnic and cultural pictorial representations and related objects. Such a form of imagery and art were in an open conflict with the previous forms of art practiced earlier which fell under the category of modernism and modernism. Rauschenberg was known for making use of found pictures in his work but he juxtaposed these images with real objects. His artwork is regarded as Neo-Dada.... His combines were the classic precursors of the Pop Art movement that Rauschenberg became interested in after the 1950s. Rauschenberg was an artist who entered art at the time Abstract expressionism was in its heyday after the Second World War. However he came to reject that form of art. Leo Steinberg refers to Rauschenberg's art as a flatbed image surface since his art came to compromise of ethnic and cultural pictorial representations and related objects. Such a form of imagery and art were in an open conflict with the previous forms of art practiced earlier which fell under the category of modernism and premodernism. Rauschenberg was known for making use of found pictures in his work but he juxtaposed these images with real objects. His artwork is regarded as Neo-Dada since it incorporates found elements as well as real objects. The found elements were initially used by artists such as Marcel Duchamp and Kurt Schwitters. Rauschenberg was motivated by the works of Schwitters and it was this inspiration that drove him to walk around neighborhoods, looking for objects to incorporate into his paintings. He was of the point of view that his combines should at least be as attention-grabbing as events occurring outside the window are. The reason for such an assertion was that he felt that since he was making use of real objects in his paintings and collages, the artwork would resemble the real world more once it is completed. Rauschenberg worked with collages extensively and he built upon them and diversified the elements that could be incorporated into them by the process of silkscreening photographs.3 This opened a vista of opportunities and choices for him. He used pictures

Brand Impact On Consumer Buying Behavior

Brand Impact On Consumer Buying Behavior Branding psychologyConsumer driven approaches is widely adopted by the companies in order to enhance countless emerging needs of modern customers. Branding becomes a crucial activities of consumer driven approach and its aim to build a loyal customer base and creation of an effective brand image. In this document, the author presents a research report complied after analyzing the effects of branding on the consumer purchase decision. The research had been carried at the shopping centre called Shoppers Stop in India. The research had attempted to find whether there is positive relation between the positive effect of the brand and the consumer purchase decision. There are so many parity products out there that the only way to differentiate yourself from the others is to create an aura, an image, around your brand. Consumers need a road map; they need to find a way to get from their need to a product purchase thats simple, easy, not full of a lot of noise, and most brands get lost somewhere between the shelf and the consumer mindset. -Karen Benezra, editor of Brandweek The paper also discusses the literature the importance of branding and the consumer purchase decision. It details the research rationale along with the research philosophy, the approach used, the context, sample and procedure. As well as It discussed the significance of the proposed research along with its limitation. A provisional work schedule is also provided. Aims The aim is to determine the extent of the correlation between the activities of branding and consumer purchasing as well as put into perspective the main functions and values branding can offer companies in term guiding valued customers through the often complex process of purchase decision-making. Thus the basic research question would be, how does branding affect the consumer purchase decision? Objectives This research will have the following objectives: To assess whether positive feelings towards a brand will translate into a consumer purchase decision. To establish the changes in the relationship between branding and consumers purchasing decision when other factors such as price are introduced. To examine the consumers tendency to recommend brands and its effect on purchasing decisions of their friends and family. Chapter 2: Literature Review Origin of Branding in Market. After the First World War, the whole world economy was under Great Depression during 1930s and also gives rise to socio-economy problems because of impact of war wages on the people and hence left a dent in peoples pockets and curbed the desire of society to spend and consume. Strangely, the Second World War and the period after the war had seen a different pattern in manufacturing industries that a increased capacity to produce goods whereas the society was left with an ingrained desire to be frugal. Bass Company, the British brewery, claims their red triangle brand was the worlds first trademark. Lyles Golden Syrup makes a similar claim, having been named as Britains oldest brand, with its green and gold packaging having remained almost unchanged since 1885. Source: http://www.quaffale.org.uk/php/brewery/578 What is Branding? The word Brand the Germanic root meaning is burn. In commercial market branding is all about the product attributes that make a lasting impression in a customers mind. As per Karl Marx, people make their own decisions about who to be, how to live, and what to buy, but under circumstances shaped by brands advertising, marketing and publicity. Thus a brand exploits the underlying attribute that is storytelling and emotions which are the buying behaviour. James Walter Thompson published a house ad explaining trademark advertising, in 1900. Thus Branding was coined for the first time with commercial explanation. Mr. Thompson appeared as the philosopher of Branding by drawing a straight line between the manufacturer and the consumer. Source: http://library.duke.edu/specialcollections/hartman/guides/jwt-history.html Human civilization is dependent upon signs and systems of signs, and the human mind is inseparable from the functioning of signs-if indeed mentality is not to be identified with such functioning. Apple Logo Design Apple was selected as main form of branding depending upon the company name. Initially, the logo depicted a small apple shape sitting under a tree with Apple Computer Co set into the frame of the picture. It is this apple that has continued to be used. The first logo design was perceived to be a bit too complex and hard to view, so Regis McKenna worked on the logo some years later and added a bite mark to symbolize the concept of seduction of the customers and the marketplace in general. Next, the monochrome version was replaced with the rainbow-colored logo as a reference to the Biblical story of Adam and Eve in which the apple represents the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. It brings to mind that people must pursue their dreams. While this was not initially a deliberate goal, it did encourage business and consumers to consider the Apple brand for the first time and was successful in generating increased profits.Source: Charles Morris, Foundations of the Theory of Signs. Source: http://www.logoorange.com/logodesign-A.php A brand is an end result. Branding is the process by which a brand comes to be. A brand is many, many things, but it is never an accident. Present Day Branding. A branding provides a platform for consumer choice process. Todays market offer different products among thousand for similar offerings, this complexity makes the users to follow their choice that have satisfied already in past. The pattern of this consumer behaviour was also supported by Assael in 1993 with a concept that in a situation of low-involvement of consumer, the consumers completely rely on past consuming experience; hence it provides a clue that consumers with minimum purchasing areas could be targeted by advertisement campaigns. Thus consumer plays a key important role product branding process in current market. Even nowadays a good number of consumer emotionally attach with the brand that helps to understand the impact of image among consumers. With this a natural differentiation concept was introduced by Adcock in 1998, with differentiation process , the company start developing a set of unique differences that help to provide a distinctive identity among other products in market. Hence, differentiation provides a cutting edge for the branding of product in present competitive market. As per Prof. Kevin Lane Keller, author of Strategic Brand Management: The trend in marketing of brand depends upon the changes in the environments around the consumers. A social, cultural, political, economic and technological environment changes the life of human and with this the branding need to adopt the trend for example Online Marketing Social Networking Online-Media such as Face book, MySpace, Google. A corporate social responsibility and sustainability impacting the product image. Philip Kotler in 1999, a brand captures consumers attention through a Six Dimensions of Brand: Attributes A brand will communicate specific attributes, such as prestige. Benefits A brand strengthens a products attributes by communicating a set of benefits that makes it more attractive. Values A brand represents a companys core value and belief system. Culture A brand is representative or targets a target audiences socio-cultural characteristic. Personality A Brand Project behavioural personality patterns of targeted consumers. User A brand can emulate the end user. Identification of Branding Differences step by step Difference 1: A Visual difference, Symbols and logotype. In the seventies, when the phrase generation was being coined and used in any number of contexts such as in movies, music, technology etc, Pepsi annex the beverage style of young adult segment of the inhabitants and dubbed them the Pepsi Generation, in an endeavour to make Coca-Cola seem old and staid. In the 1980s, Coca-Cola executed what was perhaps the most celebrated marketing mistake in history, discontinuing production on its core product, the most recognizable brand name in the world; in favour of a more Pepsi-like formula it dubbed New Coke. This Grand Canyon-size blunder eventually worked in the companys favour when consumers revolted with startling vehemence and Coca-Cola quickly announced it would bring back its revered product, now under the name Coca-Cola Classic. Sales rebounded, and more media attention was lavished on the Cola Wars. The campaign also managed to underline the loyalty and affection so many consumers had for original Coca-Cola-which might very well have been the goal of the company to begin with. Coca Cola eventually dropped the word Classic from its name, and remains the most widely recognized brand in the world to the present. Difference 2: Culture (Hofstedes onion) Difference 3: Personality (Aaker) Difference 4: Identity and positioning (Kapferer) Brand Equity and Brand Loyalty. Consumer Buying Behaviour : Branding a influencing factor What influences consumers to purchase products or services? The consumer buying process is a complex matter as many internal and external factors have an impact on the buying decisions of the consumer. When purchasing a product there several processes, which consumers go through? These will be discussed below. 3- COMPONENTS OF BRANDING Branding is a process of creating a product or company identity a personality creation and development by a number of differential professionals with same objective or goal. 1. Advertising. Its a wonderful thing to create a unique, user-friendly brand that the public is sure to embrace. However, if the public doesnt find out about the brand-and much of the public will find out through advertising-all that effort, time, and money will go to waste. The look and attitude of the advertising also help define the brand in the publics mind. Nike is well known for spending millions on celebrity endorsements for advertising. Its ads are legendary, and its swoosh logo is known the world over without a word being said. 2. Marketing. In devising the personality of the brand and determining how it will be presented to the public, marketing, which is usually done in-house and through consultants, helps to create the entity that the brand will become. Its a fine thing to own the recipe for Oreo cookies, but if you decided to sell the recipe and not the cookies, you would be making a very large marketing mistake. Marketing is not just selling; it knows what to sell and how to sell it as part of a larger plan. What marketing does is to determine the proper audience for a product, and then deliver to that audience what it wants. The target demographic can be as narrow as 15-year-old boys living in the suburbs, or it can be literally anybody. That will depend on the product. But once the demographic is identified, marketing professionals analyze it, make sure the characteristics of that demographic are compatible with the product, and then emphasize the strengths of the product. The strengths of the product here are very specific: They are the strengths that will best convey the personality the demographic wants to see in it. For example, if Philips had tried to market its flat-screen TV to an audience over 65, which traditionally is not warm to change, it might not have been successful, no matter how innovative the product may have been. Instead, the company aimed its ads at people in their twenties and thirties, emphasized the newness and difference of the product, and had a great success. 3. Public relations. If advertising is the juggernaut of public attention, public relations is the stealth bomber. PR generates publicity for the brand, helps solidify the publics opinion of the brand, and defines the brand-all without being perceived by the public A lot of clients dont understand the difference between Branding, PR, advertising and marketing, says Rob Frankel, author of Revenge of Brand X. Personally, I prefer PR to advertising. I like PR because a lot of my Branding program is based on third-party endorsement. Its way more credible and fast-acting than when you pay for ads. Problem/Need Recognition for Future Branding How do you decide you want to buy a particular product or service? It could be that your DVD player stops working and you now have to look for a new one, all those DVD films you purchased you can no longer play! So you have a problem or a new need. For high value items like a DVD player or a car or other low frequency purchased products this is the process we would take. However, for impulse low frequency purchases e.g. confectionery the process is different. Q. What are the new branding challenges and opportunities especially nowadays with the global economic crisis? The current economic crisis presents many challenges but also much opportunity for brand marketers at the same time. Research has show that in past recessions those firms that have been willing to invest in their marketing have emerged in a stronger position than those firms that have cut back spending and reduced their marketing investments. Obviously those marketing investments must be wise ones. Perhaps the most important branding consideration in tough economic times is to establish perceptions of good value. Being seen as low priced or less expensive is not necessarily the answer, the more important consideration is that consumers feel that they are getting appropriate value from a product or service. Value is basically all the benefits the consumer realizes versus all the costs that he or she incurs. It is important to view and these benefits and costs broadly. Benefits include the perceived monetary value of all the bundle of economic, functional, and psychological benefits th at customers expect from a product. Similarly, costs are not restricted to the actual monetary price but may reflect opportunity costs of time, energy, and any psychological involvement in the decision that consumers might have. Top marketers in a recession will be sure to develop marketing programs and activities that optimally balance that equation so that consumers feel the collective benefits outweigh the collective costs as much as possible. That my involve framing the brands costs and benefits so that they are seen in the most positive light possible. Q. What would you single out as the most important message out of your extensive experience in studying brands? The most important message for marketers these days is to make sure they have a deep, rich understanding of consumers and how they think and feel about brands and their products and services. It is so fundamental and may seem obvious, but unfortunately many marketers still fall way short on that score. Consumer Buying Behaviour Q. What is the future of branding? Brands will always be important given their fundamental purpose to identify and differentiate products and services. A good brand makes peoples lives a little easier and better. People are loyal to brands that satisfy their expectations and deliver on its brand promise. In an increasingly complex and busy world, the ability of a brand to simplify consumer decision-making is powerful. The predictably good performance of a strong brand is something that consumers will always value. What will change, however, is the means by which firms will build those brands. Marketers must always be adopting state-of-the-art branding practices to ensure that their marketing programs and activities reflect the always changing economic, cultural, technological, social, and legal environments. There are 4-Types of consumer buying behaviour: Assael 1987 Purchasing Experiences High Involvement Low Involvement Significant differences between brands Complex buying behavior Variety-seeking buying behavior Few differences between brands Dissonance-reducing buying behavior Habitual buying behavior Source: Assael 1987, Consumer Behaviour and Marketing Action, 6th edition, p. 67 There are four types of consumer depending upon the degrees of involvement and degree of differentiation amongst the brands as per Assael. A displaying Complex Buying Behaviour Pattern is a group of consumer who prefer to expand their beliefs regarding a particular product as a primary step and hence this process will lead them to develop positive attitudes regarding the product. Dissonance-Reducing Behaviour of consumer is classified as the trend in which consumers are highly involved in the purchasing experience but unable to compare among the brand of products offering similar services or features. Thus differentiation becomes the key point as consumers asks for the features or functionalities or price comparison among the brand but in a market which display low differentiation of brands, the consumer purchasing behaviour is influenced by convenience. Displaying Habitual Buying Behaviour is a behavioural pattern as a result of consumers condition where the consumer buying decision depends on the product information acquired passively or the information embedded in their mind via review electronic media or promotional efforts, also the user shows low-level of involvement products. Variety Seeker Buying Behaviour, the consumer buying reaction occurs because of low-involvement in a market that displays high levels of product differentiation , thus they prefer to follow Brand Switching , in order to satisfy their need for diversification. Chapter 4: Survey, Analysis and Findings Introduction The survey was performed in India at Shoppers Stop Mall (New Delhi Ansal Plaza Branch), which has many branches across the country at major cities and in United Kingdom, at St. Anns Shopping Centre (Harrow, London). The survey template was design to understand the relation between a product brand and consumer, in a sense that how much they trust or rely on the brand that they go for the product, in short the impact of branding on consumer purchasing decision. The research was to understand the influence of Brand in a developing and developed country. As the one could easily conclude that the consumer in developed country focus on more on brand image as the brand image define the quality of product whereas consumer in developing focus more on the need rather than quality for example a consumer in India purchasing a television will first look for the price and then maximum features within the price also the product should belong to reliable brand this is one of the key reason that even though India has certain level of free trade open market relation with china , still the Chinese cheap product unable to penetrate the Indian market. Questionnaires There are 150 and 180 interviews have performed in India and UK respectively, the pie chart display the same. The Number of interviews conducted with respect to different age group, the column chart below represent about the survey conduct in India at shoppers stop mall. The below graph display the number of interviews conducted, focusing the age group in UK at St. Anns Shopping Centre. In our survey we have put more focus on the young generation and middle-age group to understand their psychology while purchasing a product and how its being influences by the brand of the product. We also get to know the preference made by female and male group in India and UK. The female group in India and UK both spend their most of their shopping time in costumes and they prefer detail analysis or observation between different brands and they could easily compromise on the brand. Which brand do you use? Brand P Brand Q Brand R Brand S In case of others, please specifyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Age group? 16- 24 24 35 35- 50 50-70 What to you perceive to be the key attributes of a brand and what do you associate it with? Quality Price Status Personality Aesthetics To what extent brands are important to you? Very Important Important Neither Important nor Unimportant Not Very important Not at all Important 5. How does the Made in trademark influence your buying? Very Much Not much Doesnt Matters Matters Strongly Matters What is the key difference between International and Domestic brands? Quality Price Variety Services Does Culture difference play an important role in regards to your buying decision? Agree Strongly Agree Depends Disagree Strongly Disagree Do you agree shopping is different in abroad then in India? Yes No Do you feel changing market of fashion and technology plays an important role in your buying decision? Yes No What product of that particular brand do you use? Product 1 Product 2 Product 3 Product 4 In case of others, please specifyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. How long have you been using this product? 1 year 2 year 3 year 4 year 5 year In case of others please specifyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ How did you first chance upon the product? Advertising Word of mouth Display In case of others, please specifyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Please suggest, if you want to make any changes to the product and why? Are you satisfied with this brand? Extremely satisfied Satisfied Fairly Satisfied Not at all Satisfied Which Cosmetic product brand you prefer? Olay Dove Grainier A combination of mixed product brand. How long have you been using the product XYZ? First Time Regular user Never. What made you use the Product XYZ the very first time? Advertising Word of Mouth Display at shop If anything else, please specifyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Have you ever used competitors product? Yes No. If you have used competitors product, then please confirm which product is better in the following terms: Quality Quantity Brand Name Are you: Male Female How did you receive this product? Gift Purchase If other, please specify? How did hear about the sale of this product? Advertising-Newspaper, radio, TV Friend / family Article / magazine Store Others, specify__________________________________ From which store did you made the purchase of this product? Specify. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How many different brands did you look out for this product? Specify. ___________________________________________________________ Findings In developing nations such as European countries, a different trend has been seen because of globalisation and free trade, the market is flooded with many products offering similar features and because of competition, the price of the product has fallen down, European industries has to reduce their cost of goods sales by compromising with the quality of materials or setting up manufacturing industries in developing or poor nation where the quality of production much more oriented towards manufacturing the product instead of manufacture quality product , for example Automobile industries , the number of automobile industries has gone down significantly in past 50 years. As per the research performed by KPMG for Automobile industries, the future of automobile industries will not only be characterized by origin of OEMs. Recommendations Convergence: A Business Concept The concept convergence has already entered into the market with innovation ideas of doing business, in automobile industries; e-Mobility and Car-sharing business are the best example the convergence of brand and business ideas, e-mobility provides convergence between Fiat OEMs and Power Suppliers and Car-Sharing e.g Deutsche Bahan is the convergence between OEMs and mobility providers. From this we could able to figure out that convergence and innovative business ideas not only helps the Brand Convergence A New Business Player Convergence example: E-Mobility and Car-Sharing Assembled Product: Combination of Branded Products In coming future, one could imagine of a product developed like an IT product, for example an IT product such as cloud computing systems , IT for green , Client computing , Advance Analytics (Business Intelligence software) is a combination of many software product provided by different brand leaders. This could be a future business concept across all products , one could think of his own car made up of worlds different brand leaders. Conclusions Recommendations Personnel Reflections

Slaughterhouse Industry Essay -- essays research papers

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Industry Study Project Description A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Basic Project Information B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Project Location C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Project Rationale D.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alternative E.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Description of Project Phases F.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Baseline Environment Condition G.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Impact Assessment and Mitigation H.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Environment Management Plan I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Proposal for an Environmental Monitoring and Guarantee Fund Attachment of Annexes A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Photos or Plates of Proposed Project B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Impact Areas, Affected and Communities C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maps of the following Scale D.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Permit to Operate Certificate E.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  E. Result of Physical and Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastewater PROJECT DESCRIPTION Davao City slaughterhouse is located at Ma-a, Davao City. The operations are limited to the night shift. The delivery of animals will start at 1:00 to 4:30 in the afternoon. The whole morning will be utilized for cleaning the area. The 2nd shift will start at 9:00 in the evening up to 5:30 in the morning. It employs 48 workers of which 25 are regulars and 23 are contractual. This contractual will do the maintenance and the manual slaughtering of animals. Currently the number of hogs, cattles and other animals slaughtered are as follows Hogs   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   200 to 250 heads Cattle  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   30 to 40 heads Chicken  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   none ( chicken slaughterhouse is out of order) Goat  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   20 to 25 heads The number of heads slaughtered everyday does not level of with the number of kilos meat sold in the public market. In short there are hogs and cattle slaughtered privately. The following are the charges per head for the service rendered: Hogs  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  P91.11 per head Cattle&nbs... ...ication Plan †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Organize and conduct information, education and communication ( IEC ) activities on integrated Solid Waste Management Program such as recycling, Re-use, composting, sanitation, proper collection and disposal of solid. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Properly brief or orient the Project Administrator and beneficiaries about the EEC conditions, commitment and agreements made about the project. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Support continuing government efforts to promote environmental sound Slaughter House project. I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Proposal for an Environmental Monitoring and Guarantee Fund A slaughterhouse of this size requires regular environmental monitoring. To do this, it has to undergo environmental impact assessment to determine whether there is violation of the mitigating measures. To achieve this, a respectable budget should be included in the maintenance and operating cost to answer for many defects that may result to environmental disaster, this budget should be on regular basis to include hiring in contractual basis environmental engineer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Describe The theme of oppression Essay

The theme of oppression is examined when comparing the literary devices in the poem â€Å"As I Grew Older† by Langston Hughes and the story â€Å"The Loophole Of Retreat† by Harriet A. Jacobs. It is through the use of personification and symbolism that the theme is reflected. The oppression is in just use of authority or power. In the poem â€Å"As I Grew Older† by Langston Hughes describes about a black girl that had a dream, but this dream was slowly disappearing from her. She didn’t have enough freedom and she always wants it to through. The author in the poem is hiding from oppression by hiding in the attic. Also Hughes uses some literary devices such as symbolism and personification. By saying the words the â€Å"wall rose† Langston Hughes showing personification because the wall can’t grow. Then in the second paragraph the â€Å"wall† is represent symbolism. It is symbolizes her dream with a wall because this wall is blocking her happiness and future. In the story â€Å"Loophole Of Retreat† by Harriet A. Jacobs shows the oppression as darkness. He lived in the small garret that he called it as â€Å"den†. It was very dark didn’t have enough air in it and was not for a cold weather. A. Jacobs uses some conflict in the story by saying the words â€Å"I suffered for air even more than for light. It shows us that he wanted to have more freedom and not to depend on anybody. In the poem â€Å"As I Grew Older† by Langston Hughes and the story â€Å"Loophole Of Retreat† by Harriet A. Jacobs use the same theme and the both have oppression. The authors both deal with oppression by breaking through it. Also the both poem and the story have the same ideas and feelings about their problems.

Organisational Issues at Lufthansa Airlines

Organisational Issues at Lufthansa Airlines Introduction and Background With increased oil prices, airlines all over the world have found themselves in a position where reducing their operation costs seem the only viable way of remaining profitable. The situation in the industry is so bad that British entrepreneur Richard Branson, in his characteristic jest, once said that becoming a millionaire is easy if one was to start as a billionaire and venture into the airline industry.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Organisational Issues at Lufthansa Airlines specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Branson was referring to the loss-making potential that airlines are exposed to in current operating environment different factors are seemingly conspiring to reduce the profit-making potential of airlines. Such include rising oil prices and increased pressure from competitors (most especially low-cost airlines). Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Lufthansa Airlines), like other air lines across the world has opted to cut its costs in a bid to remain profitable. Unlike some of its competitors however, Lufthansa is also facing extra challenges brought about by its workers. Represented by their labour unions, Lufthansa workers have been on and off strike action since 2008. As recently as March 2013, the airline was insistent that it would continue with its austerity plans, which seeks to cut 3,500 employees and ‘force’ its employees to take longer work days (an extra hour per week), in addition to having no pay rise within a two-year period (Redl 2013). Lufthansa’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Simone Menne has been quoted saying that the company is â€Å"ready for new strikes, if necessary also by the pilots† as it pursues its long-term goals of cutting costs and enhancing its profit-making (Redl 2013, para. 6). Adamant that the cost-cutting measures were necessary to protect the company’s long-term growth, Menne stated that the management would not address employees because by so doing, the company would be compromising the airline’s future for the sake of short-term harmony. But what long-term growth was Menne referring to one may ask. Well, according to Redl (2013, para.4), â€Å"Lufthansa is trying to bolster its finances so it can avoid jeopardizing a planned multibillion-euro investment in new, more fuel efficient aircraft†. The main employees’ issues that Lufthansa is grappling with include a 5.2 percent wage increase demand, enhanced job security demands, and improved trainee conditions demands (The Hindu Business Line 2013). The employees are represented by two unions, namely Ver.di, and Unabhangige Flugbegleiter Organisation (UFO). The former is a large union representing a large number of employees at Lufthansa, while the latter is a niche union representing two-third of the flight attendants in the company (Lindsey 2012).Advertising Looking for research paper on bus iness economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Statement of the problem Considering that Lufthansa Airline employees may have an inkling of the financial status of their employer, this research paper seeks to find out some of the reasons why employees still demand wage increments. Additionally, the paper seeks to find out if the management at Lufthansa has behaved in a manner that has prompted employees to feels as if the organisation does not value their input into the company. Drawing from organisational behaviour theories, the paper will also find out if the behaviours exhibited by the employees should be interpreted as an indication of their dissatisfaction with the management. The paper will also investigate some of the viable solutions that Lufthansa can use to end the labour relations stalemate. Methodology This paper uses a review of literature as the main research method. Primarily, the researcher has used academ ic articles as the basis of theory, but has also used online newspapers articles and commentaries to understand the situation in Lufthansa. The researcher used keywords such as ‘managing labour disputes’, ‘managing strikes’, ‘labour disputes and organisational behaviour’ among others when searching various databases for academic articles for use in the literature review. The writer further obtained information about Lufthansa’s strike from online sources, but had to pay particular attention to the use of credible websites such as BBC, the Telegraph among others. The methodology was intentionally meant to help the researcher find, evaluate and synthesise information that would correspond with the task of statement of the problem as described above. Literature review According to Darlington (2012), employees do not always strike because their employers fail to grant them promotions, improved wages, or improved work environments. In some ca ses, the indifferent attitude displayed by the employer is enough to make workers down their tools. In an age where disagreements are bound to occur, Darlington (2012) observes it is how the organisation deals with employees who go on strike that really matters. For starters, Darlington (2012) argues that organisations must be willing to find out what caused the strike, take measures to resolve the strike, and control the consequences of the strike. Most notably, lean organisations are becoming an everyday occurrence in the workplace, and so are changing employee expectations and loyalties. Competition on the other hand, is forcing organisation to rethink and design strategies to improve productivity. According to Darlington (2012), the aforementioned factors present challenges and opportunities, which modern organisations must confront and/or gain meaningful insights from.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Organisational Issues at Lufthansa Airlines specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Writing specifically about the airline industry, Hirsch and Macpherson (2000) observe that though unlikely, labour strikes in the airlines industry can occur, especially if negotiations between airlines and labour unions stall. The labour unions in the airlines industry have substantial bargaining powers (Hirsch Macpherson 2000). Since it is not in the interest of labour unions and the employees they represent to bankrupt their employers, Hirsch and Macpherson (2000) observe that the airline industry (especially in the United States) has developed a compensation plan that enable unionised workers to earn more as the profits increase, and moderate pay increases when airlines are experiencing tight profit margins. For the aforementioned to happen, unions must be able to appropriate company profits, but the company must also embrace innovation in order to develop products and services that generate profits. In novation often comes from the human resource, and this means that increased profits (and the consequent improvement in wages) are a product of good management that encourages good organisational behaviour. The appropriation of company profits by unions also requires good sharing of information between the two parties. Information sharing between union and employers on the other hand requires a good working relationship between the two. According to Bryson (2001), the nature of relationships that exist between unions and employers depends on the efforts and motivation that each side applies towards creating a good working arrangement. According to Bryson (2001) persistent work stoppages through strike actions are a manifestation of the collective distrust and resentment that labour unions (and the employees they represent) have towards the employers. The main prerogative of creating a good relationship between the two parties however appear to remain with the employer; Bryson (2001, p. 91) for example observes, management can â€Å"foster a high trust relationship with employees by ensuring that unions have sufficient power to make a positive contribution to the running of the workplace†. Bryson (2001) further observes that adversarial relationships are also an indicator of the bad faith motives and questionable endgames between employers and employees (represented by labour unions). In some cases for example, disrespect of unions by employers motivate strike actions.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Bryson (2001) however indicates that unions also (sometimes) play a part in creating bad relationships with employers. An example is when union’s bargaining is informed by politicised values, without paying particular attention to the employer’s ability to meet their demands. In a different study, Bryson (2005) observe that unions can also approach bargaining with doctrinaire views with the intention of establishing or enhancing their reputations among workers. In some cases, unions might even have the intention of solidifying their ranks as negotiators by assuming hard-line positions. Considering that strike actions (and the subsequent work stoppages) have greater negative consequences on the employer, Bryson (2005) argues that they (employers) should focus more on interest-based and integrative bargaining as a way of reducing the risks of work stoppages. Specifically, Bryson (2005) observes that negotiations should ideally emphasize commonalities between workers and their employers in order to attain goals and objectives that cater for the interests of both parties. By so doing, the parties would facilitate decision-making that is based on well thought-out assessments of the situation. The decision about work stoppages usually involves both parties making specific considerations. The employees for example judge the costs versus the benefits of such a strike by considering the anticipated price in lost wages, lost goodwill and a loss of concessions that the employer may have pledged against the predicted work stoppage outcome (Gunderson 2001). If the latter is more than the former, employees would no doubt opt to go on strike. The employers on the other hand contrast costs incurred during work stoppages against expected cost of increasing wages, and if the former is greater than the latter, Gunderson (2001) observes that employers usually agree to increase the wages. Through wage increment, the management of a company facing strike threats saves the company from absorbing work stoppage-related costs. Gunderson (2001, p. 444) further notes that unionised employees are â€Å"relatively protected from layoffs, and hence have little incentive to engage in concession bargaining unless a credible threat of a plant closing is imminent†. In some cases, employees may even want to extract high wages from firms that are near bankruptcy. Gunderson (2001) argues that while the intention of employees is to bankrupt a business, the management has a prerogative to protect the interests of the investors. Gunderson (2001) further observes that work stoppages/strikes occur as a result of erroneous outcome assessments by either the employer or the employees and their representative unions. This line of thinking suggests that strikes are mistakes, which result from imperfect information about the economic flexibility of either the employer or the unions. Gunderson (2001) further argues that if union members are well informed about their employer’s ability to tolerate production losses, and if employers are well informed about the union members’ capacity to go without remuneration, strikes would not occur. Drawing information form asymmetric information theories, Tracy (1987) supports the foregoing argument by observing that strikes are sometimes motivated by the union member’s attempt to extract information about the economic condition of the organisation from the employer. In other words, the limited information leads employees to distrust their employers, making strikes the only viable way of extracting information from them. The probability of strikes increases if either parties base their perceptions, demands and/or offers on the opponent’s current position (Darlington 2012). Relying on prevailing indicators (e.g. increased short-term profits and higher costs of living), may lead employees to ask for wage increments. However, if they would consider other leading indicators such as s ecurity of contracts, the threat of business failures, and the competitive environment, perhaps employees would be more considerate when placing their wage increment and other demands. Again, Darlington (2012) indicates that conflicting expectations can be corrected through effective information sharing, which would ideally enable parties to assess the cost and benefits of strike actions from a knowledge-based angle. In a different approach from Darlington (2012), Godard (1992, p. 162) argues that â€Å"strikes should be viewed primarily as expressions of worker discontent rather than a result of imperfect or asymmetrical information†. In a different article (Godard 1998, p.3) observes that the conventional employment relation places workers at a subordinate position to their employers, because, it is generally accepted that â€Å"capital hires labour†. Authority in the workplaces is hence exercised in a manner that places the interests of the owners above those of wor kers. Consequently, workers encounter difficulties related with trust, legitimacy and fairness. Godard (1998, p.3) therefore argues that strikes are largely a manifestation of the aforementioned difficulties, and should therefore be perceived as a â€Å"primary means through which workers are able to collectively voice discontent and distrust, either with the exercise of managerial authority in general, or with management’s position on a particular issue†. Apart from the economic consequences, Godard (1998) observes that strikes can also remodel how parties perceive themselves and each other. The changes in perceptions have implications on employees’ orientations towards work, unions, and their employer. Godard (1998) however observes that strikes are a reflection of the interactions between employers and employees, and the choices they make. Both the interactions and choices are shaped by variables in convention industrial relations, which may include among oth er things, social variables (trust, job satisfaction and effective communication), economic variables (profitability vs. Employee wages), and law variables (the consistency or lack thereof of labour laws with economic models) (Godard 1998). The literature sources reviewed herein reveal that employees chose to go on strike for different reasons. Key among such reasons is distrust in their employers. Such distrust can be triggered by ineffective flow of information between the employees and their employers among other things. The emergent theme from the literature review segment is that strikes are a medium through which employees communicate their dissatisfaction and distrust towards the management. From an organisational behaviour perspective, factors such as fear, moral concerns, affective concerns, and distrust among employees, and the management’s/employer’s inability to array such factors appear to be the underlying causes of strikes. Findings The first major strik e in Lufthansa was in September 2012 involving flight attendants. The strike occasioned some estimated â‚ ¬5-10 million losses to the company (BBC News 2012). The strike did not come as a surprise to analysts, who argued that it (the strike) was the culmination of negotiations which had taken more than a year and eventually stalled. Additionally, the management had deployed temporary workers on some routes despite resistance from unions representing the permanent employees. The deployment of such workers was interpreted to mean that the organisation did not mind what the employees (and their unions) thought. More exasperation on the employee’s side was triggered by a threat by Lufthansa Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Carsten Spohr, who prior to the September 2012 flight attendants strike, had said that the company would hire temporary workers to replace anyone who went on strike. Lindsey (2012) observes that the threat by Spohr triggered even more resistance from workers wh o were daring him to make good his threat. Welt (cited by Lindsey 2012) observes that even if such a threat would have worked to discourage employees from going on strike, it would have compromised the service provision by the same employees to customers. Welt (cited by Lindsey 2012) noted that in addition to Lufthansa being a transportation provider, it is the in-flight services that attract customers (especially considering that ticket prices is no longer a point of competition); as such, grumbling workers would likely offer poor in-flight services to customers and this would have inevitably reduce the airline’s ability to attract customers. Problem Analysis From a sociological approach, there are four interrelated issues that the management at Lufthansa failed to address, and which can be said to have led to increased dissatisfaction by the employees represented by the labour union. The first was the question of hiring temporary workers. At the time, every indication from the management showed that they were being hired to take up the jobs of permanent employees who chose to go on strike. Smith et al. (1993) observes that fear is an emotional result of a perceived threat or danger. It occurs in sudden or unexpected situations where it is believed that rewards or punishment are present (Smith et al. 1993). Fear also occurs when one perceive their control or ability to cope with a situation as being low. Ideally, people respond to fear by seeking support, confronting the situation, avoiding the situation, or practising self-control. In Lufthansa’s case, it would appear that employees responded to fear by confronting the situation and seeking support from the unions. Yet, the continued disregard of conditions set up by the union (e.g. the condition requiring Lufthansa to stop further recruitment of temporarily staff) was not headed by the airline. This could thus mean that the distrust between the two parties worsened. The second issue that the m anagement at Lufthansa failed to address appears to be affective; specifically, it would appear that a significant number of employees represented by both the UFO and Ver.di unions were demoralised by the management’s decision not to increase wages within a two-year period, while increasing the work periods by an hour. While the aforementioned measures were meant to be the employees’ contribution to the airline during the hard economic times, it seems the decision to implement them was not discussed and agreed upon by a majority of the employees. As such, a significant percentage of them felt that the management decision was imposed on them. The strikes, which the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) at Lufthansa Stefan Lauer says are occurring at a three-months frequency, can thus be interpreted to be an indication that the management have been unsuccessful in convincing employees why the austerity measures are beneficial for both the airline and its employees in the long-te rm. The third factor which Lufthansa failed to address is related the morality of the strikes. According to CPO Stefan Lauer (cited by the Associated Press 2013), the union (ver.di and UFO) that have been pushing for increased wages for their members are motivated by a desire to improve their positions in the fragmented union landscape. In other words, Lauer is arguing that the unions understand quite clearly the reasons why wage increments and other demands placed on the airline cannot be met in the short-term, but their desire to gain credence among the employees they represent is blinding them. While Lufthansa may argue about the morality or lack thereof of the strike organised by unions, it would appear that the management has been adamant in its non-recognition that employees may have genuine issues that need to be addressed. The fourth and perhaps the most important factor that Lufthansa failed to deal with is distrust. Media is awash with news about the tough times faced by a irlines. This means that Lufthansa workers had an understanding of the economic pressures that their employer was facing. The fact that some employees are still clamouring for wage increments is an indicator that perhaps they do not believe that their employer’s financial situation is dire. As indicated elsewhere in this paper, it is not the intention of the employee to bankrupt their employers; after all, most employees understand that their job security is related to continued profitability of the firm. Notably, Lufthansa has indicated that wage increments would jeopardise its future plans to invest more fuel efficient aircrafts (Redl 2013). The question therefore begs, do the employees understand that fuel efficient aircrafts would benefit them, or do they perceive the short-term austerity measures as strategies to benefit their employer in future at their short-term expense? Clearly, such is a question that would clear the air of distrust that exists between Lufthansa and its employees. Possible solutions/ discussion The first possible solution involves Lufthansa compromising its current position and agreeing to the wage increment and working conditions improvements as demanded by the unions. Such an action would correspond to Gunderson’s (2001) views that in some cases, employers cannot concede to wage concessions, and even prefer layoffs, because they have information regarding their ability to pay, that the unions and the employees may not have. Again, such an argument refers to the asymmetric information argument, which Gunderson (2001) observes is a product of the principle-agent framework. The second possible solution involves Lufthansa upholding its stance and using legal means (as it has already indicated) to resolve the dispute. In the meantime, the airline would have to brace itself for occasional disruption to operations and consequent losses whenever the unions call for a strike. As indicated by Gunderson (2001), pleading inabilit y to pay is one way that employers can refuse to meet the high wage demands, and justify layoffs. Considering how costly strikes are, it would be generally understandable that employers would meet the pay demands (and other conditions) if its finances were in good shape; However, the fact that the organisation is absorbing costs occasioned by frequently strikes could arguably mean that the firm is honest in its inability to pay. The third solution would be negotiating for a new deal, which meets the employees in the middle (i.e. agree to some wage increments (ideally the amount should be less than the 5.2% demand by the unions). Already, Lufthansa has offered a 1.2 % wage increase offer with no job guarantees, but it would appear that the Ver.di union is not content with the offer’s contents. If negotiations fail, Lufthansa can table its final offer or state its final conditions, in which case the unions would either have to take or refuse the same. The fourth solution would probably follow British Airways (BA) response to the cabin crew strike led by the Unite Union. BA had responded by removing travel concessions from its cabin crew members who had participated in the strike, and subjecting some of them to disciplinary action. Additionally, the airline used volunteer crew, borrowed some from other airlines and chartered jets (BBC News 2011). During the 7-day strike in 2011, BA reportedly operated 58 percent of its short-haul flights and 79% of its long-haul flights (BBC News 2011). Although it operated below capacity during the seven days, it managed to send a clear message that no one is indispensable. As a result, some workers chose to work during the strike and by so doing, BA succeeded (albeit to a minor degree) in weakening the support that the union enjoyed from employees. Solution and implementation Considering the tough stance taken by both Lufthansa and Ver.di, it would appear that the third solution above (i.e. negotiating) a new deal is the most viable way of resolving the dispute. Before commencing the negotiations however, it would be advisable for Lufthansa to verify whether the strike by workers is as a result of information asymmetry or just a frantic measure by the employees to communicate their discontent and distrust towards the management. Lufthansa must also look into the possibility that Ver.di (and other unions) is using the strikes to remain relevant in a fragmented labour union environment. Whatever the case, Lufthansa must be willing to improve its communication with employees in order to make them willing to support the firm in its long-term strategies. For example, the firm must be willing to explain why the freezes on wage increments were necessary during the two-year period, and must also engage employees the decision to either scrap or uphold the one-hour-per-week work extension. Additionally, the management must specifically pay attention to work councils, because as Europa (2011, p. 8) indicates, they â€Å"are the main form of employee representation at the establishment level†. Engagement with the councils would thus provide a platform from where Lufthansa can address employee concerns in a manner that improves information sharing and trust levels. Through the councils, the management can attempt to appeal to personalities, while reiterating the need to develop citizenship behaviours. According to Ilies et al. (2009), employees who feel valued by the employer are more likely to exhibit good citizenship behaviours, and are even more likely to be satisfied in their jobs even when wages increments are not forthcoming. Ilies et al. (2009) observe that agreeableness and conscientiousness is more evident in organisations with high rates of job satisfaction. Notably, however, job satisfaction is the result of careful development of a deliberate organisational culture, which in addition to enhancing satisfaction, improves other employee dimensions such as performance, comm itment, strategy implementation and cohesion (Lund 2003). Justification It is widely agreeable among scholars that there are no final or definitive solution to the challenges and problems that organisations face. However, Lund (2003) indicates that the dynamics of organisational behaviour requires managers to recognise and separate the bad ideas from the good. Additionally, Lund (2003) observes that managers need to know when to be artful and when to be scientific. In Lufthansa, it would appear that the scientific approach to handling and appealing to employees to support the firm during the tough economic times is not working. Threats do not seem to be working. As such, perhaps it is time that Lufthansa tried to be artful. Effective communication and convincing employees that their future in the company depends on the short-term austerity measures is an ideal way to start. Adopting a cooperative approach towards resolving disputes would also be a wise idea for adoption by the Lufth ansa management. Notably, Lufthansa is not lacking lessons from its past, which it can learn from. In 1999 for example, the airline signed a pay agreement with its employees, which indicated the commencement of wage increments after years of stagnation following its 1991/1992 operational crisis. The years between 1992 and 1999 were termed as â€Å"years of sacrifice† since the firm had to restructure for purposes of enhancing its profit-making potential (EuroFound 2002, p. 13). The eight-year period portrayed that successful labour relations are possible if both parties (employees and employers) understand each other, and share similar goals (at least in helping the organisation to regain its footing in the market). Of special interest to the current management at Lufthansa would probably be the combined use of labour relations, personnel policy and management strategy in the restructuring years as indicated by EuroFound (2002). The smooth relations between the management and the employees (despite heavy union presence at the time) was according to EuroFound (2002, p. 13), a product of the â€Å"traditionally co-operative, consensual and relatively peaceful labour relations at Lufthansa†. The use of the word ‘traditionally’ in the foregoing quote creates the impression that labour relations at Lufthansa have not always been confrontational as witnessed since 2008. Ideally, such information should provide the current management with thought-provoking lesson. Ideally, the management should find out when and why labour relations changed from being â€Å"cooperative, consensual and relatively peaceful† as indicated by EuroFound (2002, p.13), to the current approach where work stoppages have become a regular occurrence. Conclusion From the literature review, and the findings of this research, it is clear that both Lufthansa and employees have valid reasons to their divergent views and positions. On one hand, the management at Lufth ansa has the right to protect the investors’ interests by upholding a wage bill that is within its ability to pay. Employees on the other hand have a right to petition their employer for wage increments and improved working conditions. Both parties are aware of the tough operating environment that airlines face, but it would appear that the employees do not believe their employer’s claim about inability to pay. As indicated herein, it could also be that employees are out to bankrupt the employer, or the unions are just using the strikes to remain relevant. Whatever the case, it would appear that the relationship between Lufthansa and its employees is fraught with distrust. Notably and as indicated in the discussion section, Lufthansa has several approaches with which it can resolve the labour relations problems it is currently facing. The approach Lufthansa takes must be based on the recognition of the important role that its human resource function plays. However, it must also balance the needs and wants of its human resource with the business objectives of the company. In other words, the company needs to embrace a solution that will guarantee its sustainability. One such approach is negotiating a new deal, whose main premise will be founded on trust and transparent sharing of information. References Associated Press 2013, ‘Lufthansa cancels about 1,700 flights amid strike’, The Montana Standard. Web. BBC News 2011, ‘QA: What’s the BA dispute about?’ BBC News Business. Web. BBC News 2012, ‘Lufthansa cancels flights as crew stage second strike’, BBC News Business. Web. Bryson, A. 2001, ‘The foundation of ‘partnership’? Union effects on employee trust in management’, National Institute Economic Review, vol.176, no.1, pp. 91-104. Bryson, A. 2005, ‘Union effects on employee relations in Britain’, Human Relations, vol.58, no.9, pp. 1111-1139. Darlington, R. 2012, à ¢â‚¬ËœThe interplay of structure and agency dynamics in strike activity’, Employee Relations, vol.34, no.5, pp. 518-533. EuroFound 2002, ‘Pacts for employment and competitiveness: case studies Lufthansa AG’, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Web. Europa 2011, Germany: industrial relations profile- facts and figures. Web. Godard, J. 1992, ‘Strikes as collective voice: a behavioural analysis of strike activity’, Industrial and labour relations review, vol.46, no. 1, pp. 161-175. Godard, J. 1998, ‘strikes and the law: a critical analysis’, Industrial Relations, vol. 53, no.2, pp. 258-277. Gunderson, M. 2001, ‘Economics of personnel and human resource management’, Human Resource Management Review, vol. 11, pp. 431-452. Hirsch, B. T. Macpherson, D. A. 2000, ‘Earnings, rents and competition in the airline labour market’, Journal of Labor economics, vol.18, no.1, pp. 125-155. Il ies, R., Spitzmuller, M., Fulmer, I. Johnson, M. 2009, ‘Personality and citizenship behaviour: the mediating role of job satisfaction’, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 94, no.4, pp. 945-959. Lindsey, D. 2012, ‘The world from Berlin: ‘A question of Lufthansa’s very future’’, Spiegel Online. Web. Lund, D. B. 2003, ‘Organisational culture and job satisfaction’, Journal of Business Industrial Marketing, vol. 18, no.3, pp. 219-236. Redl, N. 2013, ‘Lufthansa cancels 690 flights as workers strike’, The Wall Street Journal (US Edition). Web. Smith, C., Haynes, K., Lazarus, R. Pope, L. 1993, ‘In search of the â€Å"hot† cognitions: attributions, appraisal and their relation to emotion’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 65, no. 5, pp. 916-929. The Hindu Business Line 2013, We will not risk long-term growth for short-term harmony: Lufthansa finance chief. Web. Tracy, J. S. 1987 , ‘An empirical test of an asymmetric information model of strikes’, Journal of Labour Economic, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 149-173.

Leadership Style of Jack Welch Essays

Leadership Style of Jack Welch Essays Leadership Style of Jack Welch Essay Leadership Style of Jack Welch Essay If leadership is an art, then surely Welch has proved himself a master painter. Business Week, May 28, 1998. The two greatest corporate leaders of this century are Alfred Sloan of General Motors and jack Welch of GE. And Welch would be the greater of the two because he set a new, contemporary paradigm for the corporation that is the model of the 21st Century. Noel Tichy, Professor of Management, University of Michigan, and a longtime GE observer. Introduction |On September 6, 2001, John Francis Welch Jr. (Jack Welch), Chairman and |[pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] | |Chief Executive Officer of General Electric Co. (GE),1 retired after | | |spending 41 years with GE. During the period, he made GE the most | | |valuable company in the world. Analysts felt that, with his innovative, | | |breakthrough leadership style as CEO, Jack Welch transformed GE into a | | |highly productive and efficient company. During Jack Welchs two decades| | |as CEO, GE had grown from a US$13 billion manufacturer of light bulbs | | |and appliances in 1981, into a US$480 billion industrial conglomerate by| | |2000. Analysts felt that Jack Welch had become a deal-making machine, | | |supervising 993 acquisitions worth US$13 billion and selling 408 | | |businesses for a total of about US$10. 6 billion. | | Jack Welch was infact described as the most important and influential business leaders of the 20th Century by some Wall Street analysts and academics alike. [pic][pic][pic] |Management experts felt that Jack Welchs reputation as a leader could | | |be attributed to four key qualities: he was an intuitive strategist; he | | |was willing to change the rules if necessary; he was highly competitive;| | |and he was a great communicator | |The Making of a CEO | | |Jack Welch graduated in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts | | |and in 1959 got a Ph. D in chemical engineering from the University of | | |Illinois. In 1960, he started his career at GE as a Junior Engineer | The Making of a CEO Contd |However, in 1961, Jack Welch decided to quit the US$10,500 job as he was|[pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] | |unhappy with the companys bureaucracy. He was offended that he was | | |given a raise of only US$1000, the same amount given to all his | | |colleagues. He had even accepted a job offer from International Minerals| | |and Chemicals in Skokie, Ill. However, Reuben Gutoff, an executive at GE| | |convinced Jack Welch to stay back. Reuben Gutoff promised that he would | | |prevent him from getting entangled in GE red tape and would create a | | |small-company environment with big-company resources for him. This theme| | |of small-company environment with big-company resources came to | | |dominate Jack Welchs own thinking as the leader of GE. | Jack Welch quickly rose to become the head of the plastics division in 1968. He became a group executive for the US$1. 5 billion components and materials group in 1973. This included plastics and GE Medical Systems. |[pic][pic][pic] |In 1981, Jack Welch became GEs youngest CEO ever (Refer Exhibits I | | |II). His predecessor, Reg Jones said, We need entrepreneurs who are | | |willing to take well-considered business risks and at the same time | | |know how to work in harmony with a larger business entity†¦The | | |intellectual requirements are light-years beyond the requirements of | | |less complex organizations. | | |The Welch Era at GE: 1981-2001 | | |During the first five years as CEO, Jack Welch emphasized that GE should| | |be No. 1 or No. 2 in all businesses or get out of them. | He disposed off the businesses with low-growth prospects, like TVs and toaster ovens. He expanded the financial-service provider GE Capital into a powerhouse. He also entered the broadcasting industry with the acquisition of RCA Corp. , the owner of NBC TV network Jack Welchs Leadership Style |Analysts felt that Jack Welchs profound grasp on GE stemmed from |[pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] | |knowing the company and those who worked for it. More than half of his | | |time was devoted to people issues. Most importantly, he had created | | |something unique at a big company Informality. The hierarchy that Jack| | |Welch inherited with 29 layers of management was completely changed | | |during his tenure. Everyone, from secretaries, to chauffeurs to factory | | |workers, called him Jack. Everyone could expect at one time or | | |another to see him. Analysts felt that Jack Welch gave employees a | | |sense that he knew them. Commenting on the informality at GE, Jack Welch| | |said, The story about GE that hasnt been told is the value of an | | |informal place. I think its a big thought | | Jack Welch The Strategist Analysts felt that Jack Welch was focused and analytical. He restructured GEs portfolio from 350 businesses during 1980s down to two-dozen core activities by late 1990s. During his initial years as CEO, he either expanded internally or made acquisitions to position all GEs businesses as either number one or number two in their fields. The planned acquisition of Honeywell, Inc. , which didnt materialize, was expected to redefine GE for the years to come |[pic][pic][pic] |Jack Welch The Leadership Guru | | |After stepping down as the CEO, Jack Welch became an advisor to William | | |Harrison, CEO, JP Morgan Chase. He also entered into an agreement to | | |become a leadership guru to several other clients. He was also named the| | |special partner at New York investment firm, Clayton, Dubilier Rice. | |Jack Welch also authored his autobiography, Jack: Straight from the | | |Gut, which was at the top of the best-sellers list in 2001. Analysts | | |felt that Jack Welchs influence did not end at GE. Many executives who | | |had worked under Jack Welch went on to head more than a dozen U. S. | | |companies |

Open Source Software Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Open Source Software - Essay Example (Wheeler) Several peer-reviewed literatures suggest that using the OSS programs in many cases offers superior user interface and approach in contrast to their proprietary competitors. (Wheeler) Even with the above background review, many software users still are unaware of the very many user options that this utility presents. It is against this information that this paper examines two open source software (Neo Office 3.0 and Open Office) solutions as an alternative to Microsoft office 2010 applications. The paper examines the Open Source Software. The discussion compares the Open Source Software on grounds of the platform on which they are available, their affordability, available technical support, major features to meet the standards of a commercial product and arguments for and against the Open Source Software as a Commercial alternative to Microsoft Office 2010. Wheeler suggests that whatever the program, there are universal procedures for their evaluation. These steps are; iden tification of the candidates, examining existing literature reviews, applicability of the desired program to one’s personal needs, and analysis of the top candidates. Wheeler sums up the four sequential steps as â€Å"IRCA†; identify, review, compare and analyze. (Wheeler) Review of Microsoft Office 2010 Microsoft Office is a commercial workplace utility quite popular with most workplaces. The Office 2010 has a ribbon interface modification different from the traditional Office 2003 interface, additionally it has a file menu back into the tool bar making it easier to save and open files. Minimal system requirements for the program include 700MHz and a 512MB RAM with windows 7, XP or vista to be fully functional. Microsoft Office enjoys unlimited technical support: Microsoft Company, people with licenses from Microsoft, professional call centers and numerous books and websites that offer on time assistance to users with tips on configuration, modification and using Micr osoft Office with free resources especially for non-profit uses. Document sharing is simplified for this program because Microsoft has created standard file formats such as .doc, .docx. (For word) and .xls (for excel files). Microsoft also has enabled easier remote access using â€Å"Skydive† with standard file security if procedures adhered through allowing users to install Microsoft updates; firewalls, antivirus management and antispyware (Bonfield and Quinn). Equally, through the utilization of Microsoft outlook users are able to receive and send emails from Microsoft office. Other in built features includes; grammar checking, view document options, and pre-posted document formatting. (Bonfield and Quinn) Review of alternative Open Source Software to Microsoft Office 2010 OpenOffice.org OpenOfice.org 3.1 is the latest version of OpenOfice.org with the former being 3.0. The OpenOfice.org is versatile with Windows, Mac, Linux, and free suite being a preferred alternative to Microsoft Office suite. Additionally it is able to read and write to Microsoft Office supported formats and supports the Open Document Format (ODF) 1.2 standard. The suite is inbuilt with a word processing application, spreadsheet, presentations,

Bodyritualnacirema Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bodyritualnacirema - Assignment Example General George Washington led the American revolution in 1776, and became the first American president. For more than half of Americans, he is much more than a cultural hero. The article goes further to note that Nacirema’s culture is characterized by a well developed market economy which delivers financial benefits to the majority of the Nacirema people. The Nacirema people use up most of their time in pursuing in tending their bodies in ritualistic ways that have cultural approval (Miner, 1956). The author is obviously alluding to the preoccupation that many Americans have with ensuring that their bodies are in the best physical shape. The ‘shrine’ that the author alludes to, which exists in many houses for the purposes of ritualistically attending the body is probably a reference to gymnasiums, or exercise rooms, which many Americans have created within their houses. This shrine could also be an allusion to the medicine box. The author states that within their shrines, the Nacirema usually include a chest like box that is built into the wall. This chest is said to hold magical portions which have been given to the people by specialized practitioners. The people cannot really tell what the portions are made up of, as the practitioners write what they are in a supposedly secret language that can only be deciphered by other practitioners. From the way the author describes these portions, it is evident that he is speaking about medicinal prescriptions, as well as nutritional supplements such as vitamins and minerals which can be found today in almost every American home. The author then goes on to stop that the Nacirema culture is obsessed with the human mouth. He satirically states that the Nacirema believe so much in the power of their mouths, that they are certain that if they do not perform certain rituals on a daily basis, their teeth would fall out, and their social and personal relationships