Comparing Literary Works Themes' Research Paper

Comparing Literary Works Themes' - Research Paper Example These articles are How I Met My Husband and The Gift of the Magi by Alice Munro and Henry O respectively. How I Met My Husband is a short story that was written by Alice Munro. Having being published in, the story covers the theme of marriage. As one of the most valued aspects of life, marriage has been extensively covered by many authors who are focused at providing the manner in which a strong family is formed based on the right choice during marriage. How I Met My Husband is a story that involves Edie, a young girl who was employed as a house help for Dr Peebles and his family. The story indicates how Edie meets a pilot known as Chris Watters. Immediately, the two falls in love. As a young girl who is looking for love, Edie first encounter with romance is when she comes close to an airplane view. One of the key aspects that the story is based on is the innocent nature about romance that Edie exhibits. Additionally, the story indicate how despite her younger age, she is significantly proud and is aware of her blossoming womanhood that she aim to use together with Mrs. Peebles’s make ups to attract the attention of Chris Watters. One of the afternoons while Mrs. Peebles is away, Edie plans on how to dress herself and become a sophisticated beauty that Chris could not avoid. Chris on his part notices the beautiful Edie while he was looking for cool water to drink. On the other hand The Gift of the Magi is a romance story which is written by O. Henry. The story is concerned about marriage between Mr. James Dillingham (Jim) and Della who is Jim’s wife. Marriage needs commitments and love and thus it is termed as tricky. Love is tricky and thus the young couples want to buy each other gifts but have little money since it is on Christmas Eve. Gift to make each other happy and strengthen their love and thus each and every individual has to play his or her role to make sure that the lover will appreciate the gift. One

Misconceptions in Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Misconceptions in Science - Essay Example Most cardboard boxes would start out floating, but the porous nature of the cardboard would allow the water to swamp the voids, changing the density of the overall structure. The cardboard would become waterlogged and sink. A marble would sink because the density of the marble relative to the amount of displaced water would be too great. The surface area of the marble and the surface tension of the water would not create a ratio conducive to buoyancy. An orange is able to float because the orange rind is a low-density material. The makeup of an orange rind provides buoyancy for the orange. It is interesting to note that if an orange is pealed from the rind and placed in a bucket of water, it will not flood because the removal of the orange rind has altered the overall density of the object. One common misconception children have about objects sinking or floating is inked to the weight of the object. Many children think that heavy things sink and light things float. We know that this is not true. The density of the object relative to the density of the water is the determining factor in whether something sinks or floats. A misunderstanding of force also causes this misconception. Students reason that something heavy pushed down on the water harder than something light. If it floats, the water is pushing up hard enough to support it, but if it sinks the water is not strong enough to support it. Students need to understand the water doesn’t push up against the object. The determining factor is the relationship between water density and object density. Another misconception many students have is that small items will float more easily than large items. This is closely related to the idea of weight being a determining factor and shows a misunderstanding of density as well. Many young elementary children do not understand the differences between density and weight. For example,

Kellers Model Of Customer Based Brand Equity Marketing Essay

Kellers Model Of Customer Based Brand Equity Marketing Essay How do consumers evaluate service brands: An investigation of the performance of Harrods as a service brand to get their brand image Background of the Research Branding has been one the most exciting yet phenomenal marketing concept of the 21st century. A brand can be viewed as a promise made with consumers, the promise of providing consistent quality and satisfaction (Balmer Greyser, 2003). Therefore the term brand can be defined as a name, symbol, design or a combination of these to identify a product in the marketplace (Keller, 2006). Brands have become very important in recent years and are part of our everyday life and with so much choice available it becomes difficult to choose a particular branded product. Usually consumers tend to select products that are familiar to them, products that tend to have a clear meaningful set of values, attributes and brand names that are trusted (Keller, 2006). Both physical goods and services can be branded, however there has been a vast focus towards the branding of physical goods and very little work carried out on the branding of services (OCass Grace, 2004). The growth of services has been rapid across the world and it has become important to understand the tools that can be used to brand a service to initiate differentiation. Branding of physical products tends to be simpler because the consumer is able to hold, touch and feel the end product. Branding a service is slightly more complicated due to its intangible nature, because youre not going home with an item but more of an experience that occurs with services. Many scholars such as de Chernatony and DallOlmo Riley (1999), Berry (2000), McDonald, de Chernatony and Harris (2001) and OCass and Grace (2003, 2004) have taken an approach to create a framework that can be used towards branding a service. Most of these frameworks are created to measure services that are intangible such as banks, hotels, airline, financial and consultant services. This study will be focusing on the branding of Harrods services. The study has been motivated by the nature of service branding and the frameworks that have been created by scholars previously mentioned. However not all of these frameworks are applicable for this study and therefore will be concentrating only on the framework created by OCass and Grace (2004). The main reason being the framework created by OCass and Grace (2004) is the only one that measures service brands from the consumers point of view. The service brand model by OCass and Grace (2004) will be used against services being offered by Harrods. Harrods is basically famous for the luxury and high class products it offers, however this research emphasises on the services it offers. The main services Harrods offers are as follows: Karim Fayed hearing centre Beauty Sports Fitness Financial and property services Home lifestyle The studio Interior Design Innovation Furniture and interior design Food Fashion and accessories Fine Jewellery Weddings Occasions Corporate gifting services Healthcare Airport Services This research is not particularly focusing on one service it provides, rather it takes all these services in general and the respondents would be the customers of Harrods who have used any of its services. Aims and Objectives The main aim of this project is as followed. What are the service branding factors taken into consideration by consumers when selecting a luxury brand service provider; Harrods? The following objectives have been suggested and need be reached for a successful achievement of the project aim a) To identify, examine and discuss the relevant service branding associations consumers hold towards service brands b) To identify and discuss all the relevant service branding associations directly linked towards Harrods Services c) To examine how important are the service brand association for Harrods service consumers d) To evaluate the influence these associations have on the purchase of services from Harrods Literature Review Overview What is Brand? A brand is basically a trademark or a distinctive name of a product or manufacturer, it conveys and portrays the image of the product; word brand refers to a name, term, symbol, sign or design used by a firm to differentiate its offerings from those of its competitors, to identify a product with a particular seller, Kotler, (1999) stated. Developing a good brand has become a major task for many organizations today because it provides a number of advantages. Strong brands help the firm establish an identity in the market place (Aaker, 1991). A successful brand has a recognizable name which provides specific attributes to the consumer (i.e. quality, elegance, value). According to The Economist (1988) the basic purpose of branding is to build the products image, this image will influence the perceived worth of the product and will increase the brands value to the customer, leading to brand loyalty. From the marketing perspective, Kotler (1994) believes brands convey a few meanings to th e consumers like: Benefit: The help and benefit sought provided by the firm to its consumers, which is transformed by its attributes Culture: The brand reflects an organizations image and equity Personality: The brand is regarded with certain characteristics Users self-image: The brand reflects or consistent with consumers self-image Brand Value: Both physical and mental values provided by the brand to its customers Attribute: The functions of the product brand provide Companies normally develop brands as a source or mode to attract and keep customers by promoting value, image, prestige, or lifestyle. Hence, a brand is not just a symbol but comprises of core product, packaging and marketing communication, which includes many important meanings and values of a firm; the objective of brand building is to develop more valuable profits and benefits to the company. Relationship of Brands and Their Equity According to Motameni and Shahrokhi (1998) today brands play an important part in marketing strategy because it has become an important marketing component for the company and a source of information for the consumers. Branding and brand equity has been a key topic of interest to the researchers of marketing for many years. The term brand can be explained as a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combinations of them which is intended to identify the goods and the services of a seller or a group of sellers to differentiate them from those of competitors (Kotler, 2005. pp 42). This topic of branding and brand equity has been a detailed research topic in the marketing literature. Aaker (1991) and Keller (1993) have gave some thorough insight into brand equity, and both have provided theoretical schemes that link brand equity with various consumer response variables. Brand equity has emerged as a marketing imperative, so too has the need to fully understand and manage brand associations (OCass Grace, 2003). Aaker (1996) has defined brand equity as a set of assets (and liabilities) linked to a brands name and symbol that adds to (or subtract from) the value provided by a product or service to a firm and/or that firms customers. Aaker has also identified five assets of brand equity: brand awareness, brand loyalty, perceived quality, brand associations and other proprietary brand assets. Aaker (1996) also presented brand isentity model which is very important in elaborating the concept of brand identity. Fig. 2.1 Source (Aaker 1996) The brand is a very important tool for marketers as consumers use it as a reminder to conclude certain product attributes such as quality (Krishnan Hartline, 2001). Lim OCass (2000) stated that brands are seen to be valuable assets and sources of differentiation that plays a vital role in marketing strategy. Branded goods make it simpler for consumers to identify the product in the marketplace (Lassar et al, 1995), brands also reduce the consumers search costs, perceived risk and signals the quality of the product (Keller, 2006). Kellers Model of Customer Based Brand Equity On the hand Keller (1993, 1998) has proposed a knowledge based framework which is a customer based brand equity model. The framework consists of two dimensions commonly known as brand awareness and brand image. The model consists of product related and non product related attributes (OCass Grace, 2003; Keller, 2003). The product related attributes are explained as the components of the core product or service wanted by consumers (Keller, 1993). The related attributes of service can be described as the process that takes place before, during or after receiving the service. For example when a customer uses a dry cleaning service they are paying for getting their clothing cleaned and the price charged is usually for the unseen elements such as the use of premises, detergent, cleaning equipment and employee expertise (OCass Grace, 2003). The non product related attributes refers to all other attributes that are external to the function or the process of the service offering (Keller, 1993). The four non product related categories are: price, user and usage imagery, brand personality and feelings and experiences. Price is considered a non product related attribute as it remains external to the purchase or consumption of a service (Keller, 1993, 1998). In terms of branding the price does not directly reflect the service or performance. Moreover price is established as an important association in brand image evaluation and a strong quality indicator (OCass Grace, 2004, Keller, 1998). User imagery is related to the type of person who is going to use the product or service (Keller, 1998). The attributes are usually formed by the consumers own experience via contact of brand users or by the image represented by marketing communications. On the other hand usage imagery illustrates the situational factors in which the brand is used (Keller, 1998). For example time of day, week or year, location, or type of activity. The user and usage imagery typically reflects the conventional users of a product or service in the context within which it is used. Brand personality has been defined as set of human characteristics or traits that consumers attribute to a brand (Keller, 2006, p.369). In simpler terms brand personality can be expressed by both demographic and psychographic characteristics, providing a concept upon which the brand can be positioned in the consumers mind. Brand personality or personality characteristics are used to target consumers, hence attracting that particular market where the people can relate themselves to how they see their ideal self (Keller, 2006, p.66). A well established brand personality has the ability to increase emotional ties with the brand along with developing trust and loyalty. According to Keller (1998) feelings and experiences which are also non product related attributes, have become important in terms of consumer evaluations of brands, often occurring through the evaluation of advertising. In the context of services, it is important to evaluate the feelings and experiences of service brands. For the reason that production and consumption occur simultaneously in services, the service experience is the active structure of meanings associated with the behaviours, thoughts and feelings that occur during consumption, which directly impacts on the consumers perceived brand image (Keller, 1998, 2006). The measurement of brand equity has also been a high interest area of study. There are direct and indirect measures for brand equity. The direct approach is an attempt made to assess the value added by the brand to the product (Keller, 1993). The indirect approach focuses on the identification of the potential sources of brand equity (Aaker, 1991; Keller, 1993). Both these approach can be given a merit, however Keller (1993) argues that direct and indirect approach to measuring brand equity are complementary and should be used together. Concept of Service Branding in the Marketing Literature Basically branding is basically an effective marketing strategy, tool and technique which have been utilized with great results for organizations and enormous success in the past (Rooney 1995). Nowadays, branding is facing a new popularity due to new and innovative applications. Though there have been times when branding was less than successful. Now marketers are working to get the appropriate applications in the given settings. All the problems regarding branding strategy in current time include the selection of a proper brand name. Coonan (1993) stated that this fundamental issue will impact on the success of a branding strategy. Marketers have to choose the advertising strategy to support and communicate the name, once a name is selected. Hence keeping the brand in a strong position is a critical concern. New areas of branding include corporate, industrial, and service branding. These non-traditional branding environments are becoming the future for marketers using branding strategy. To add to the new branding areas, there are new branding techniques. These techniques include brand extensions and ingredient branding. New strategies, techniques, and arenas for branding have to be managed. The organization must support and identify with the strategy. The goals, objectives, and mission of any organization should be in line with the branding strategy employed. There has been a lot of work carried out on branding and brand equity by academic researchers like Keller (1993, 1998) and Aaker (1991, 1996), but majority of their work has been focused on physical goods branding. In the last decade there has been many frameworks created to assist marketers to realise how consumers think about, and respond to brands, as a result enabling marketers to implement effective consumer centred marketing activities. Turley and Moore (1995) have stated that there is an increased growth of service economies throughout the world, but the branding literature has mainly explored branding in terms of physical goods, whereas the branding of services has been minimal and left out of the picture. Several researches have been done on services marketing that has focused on topics such as measuring service quality, service failure to service switching but the examination into branding of services has not been undertaken (OCass Grace, 2004). Keller (1993, 1998) and Aaker (1996) have suggested branding frameworks that can be applied to measure brand equity, however these frameworks are excellent when used towards physical goods but are not fully adaptable for service brands as some attributes need to be taken out or completely adjusted. Keller (1993, 1998) has created a construct known as dimensions of brand knowledge which is an in-depth analytical view of the brand from the perspective of the consumer. The model has been criticised because only a small section of the model has been empirically tested to date and the model overlooks the variations found in the area of consumer evaluation concerning goods and services (OCass Grace, 2003). Keller (1998) has however argued that hi s model can be applied to both branding of goods and services. With respect Berry (2000) has criticised that these models by Keller (1993, 1998) and Aaker (1996) have some aspects in common across the two domains of goods and services, but the application of these models can be questioned. The reason being the marketing principles of goods and services are inconsistent because the difference between the two domains. The core offering of goods is different from the offerings of a service, because core service offering of a service is more complex and largely compromises of elements such as processes, people and physical facilities (Tax Stuart, 1997 cited in OCass Grace, 2004). As a result the evaluation of service brands by consumers maybe different as there maybe the need for more or newer attributes required in examining service brands than physical goods brands, hence the models by Keller (1993, 1998) and Aaker (1996) are inconsistent and cannot be completely relied on when eval uating consumer perceptions of service brands. Service When exploring the concept of service Youngs contribution is very important. Youngs (2000: P 43) says, A service, combined with goods products, is experienced and evaluated by customers who have particular goals and motivations for consuming the service. Gronroos (1990) stated that service is an activity or series of activities of more or less intangible nature. He also stated that service normally, but not necessarily, takes place in interactions between the customers and the service employees and/ or physical resources of goods and/or systems of the service provider, which are provided as solutions to customers problems. Young (2000) has mentioned three areas of service, to elaborate it in much better way. First is that service takes place via interaction of consumers and the service provider, it can be a company or an individual. The other factors are the physical resources or the environments playing a vital medium role in the process of service production and consumption. Third service is needed by consumers to provide certain functions such as problem-solving. Boone and Kurtz (1994) have worked on services and according to them each of service characteristics is as follows: 1. Intangibility: Customer cannot sample a service before purchasing it that appealing to customers sense of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. 2. Inseparability: Customer perceptions of the service provider become their perceptions of the service itself. Often Customers are unable to judge the quality of a service before purchase. 3. Perish-ability: The organization cannot put an unsold service into storage. 4. Difficult to Standardizes: It is mostly impossible to standardize offerings among sellers of the same service or even to standardize the service of a single seller. 5. Buyer Involvement: It is very important that buyers are often involved in the development and distribution of services. 6. Service quality is actually high variable in all aspects. When goods and services are compared on the grounds of their characteristics following table can be helpful in doing comparison. Fig. 2.2 Comparison of products and services and service branding implications (Source Grace and OCass 2003) Kristen (2008) stated that when its about providing service, knowing the expectation of customers and the customers perception of the service encounter is a vital component to delivering superior service. Delivering superior service, especially in the hospitality industry creates a myriad of opportunities for the service organization to surpass the competitive and become a recognized leader in the service industry. It only stands to rationalize that the concept of the service encounter directly affects satisfaction, loyalty and future behavioural intensions; which in turn, has a direct affect on the organizations success and financial stability. There are four basic unique features of services: intangibility, inseparability of production and consumption, heterogeneity and perishability. Heterogeneity of Service Brands The advertising that positions the brand should be met by frontline staff as if imitating the brand. Regular planning, control, automation and regular reviews of performance improvement and consumer reaction should be made use of to overcome heterogeneity and quality control difficulties of service brands (Chernatony Riley, 1999). The human element in service condition cannot be subjected to quality control measures as a product from a factory, thus each service experience is potentially distinctive, where consistency can prove difficult to achieve on a regular basis (Berry, 2000). Berry (2000) believes the concurrent product and consumption of services can enable to customise the service brand to serve the needs of particular consumers better, thereby making the practice of marketing the responsibility of every employee. The previous branding strategy is unlikely to accommodate differing consumer needs because of the rigid structure and almost inflexible approach. By making brandin g an internal as well as external activity, may help ensure consistency across time and differing situations (Chernatony Segal-Horn, 2003). Internal branding also known as internal marketing, has received great deal of attention and an area of vast interest, which has created a consistent organisational culture revolving around the brand concept. Within the service company the brand concept needs to be understood, which allows the brand to become an internal cohesive device, enabling employees to retain flexibility to deal with different people and situations, while conforming to the brand concept. As a consequence employee relations and internal communications are essential means to motivate and retain consumer conscious employees and ensure greater consistency in service quality (Chernatony Riley, 1999). Employees with positive attitudes and behaviour can increase consumer satisfaction with the service brand, which results in increased market share and sales. Intangibility of Service Brands The factor of intangibility of the services of the organization makes it hard for customers to identify and assess the quality of a service and differentiating between other competing brands. There is also a concern to firms as they find it difficult to set accurate prices for services. To overcome this problem number of branding strategies can be implemented. It has been suggested the size and reputation of companies, which are perceived associations of the firms brand name, that are used by consumers as an indicator to measure the quality when selecting between very intangible services (Chernatony Riley, 1999). It has also been noted by Balmer and Greyser (2003) that consumers are willing to pay higher premiums for services of a company with a strong reputation. Moreover firms that recognise the company name as the brand name, categorised by a distinctive corporate identity, personality and image is considered an important service branding strategy, providing endorsements recognit ion and acceptance as well as making the service more meaningful hence tangible (Balmer Greyser, 2003; Berry, 2000). Another service branding strategy that has been encouraged is the use of unique logos or physical facilities that consumers can immediately associate with specific service providers by offering relevant tangible clues (Chernatony Riley, 1999). Many researchers have considered the branding of goods and services have their similarities; however specific nature of services requires tailored approaches (McDonald, de Chernatony and Harris 2001). Since every service is based on series of performances, service brands become a target of being perceived as commodities. To overcome this problem McDonald, de Chernatony and Harris (2001) have taken a different approach and recommended to make service brands more tangible to provide consumers with favourable set of perceptions. The authors have distinguished an effective way to carry this out is by using physical components associated with the service. For example making changes to the physical elements associated with the brand such as staff uniform, consistent office decorations to the type music played in store. However making these changes doesnt assure that consumers will have a positive view when assessing the service, because the actual service the company provides cannot be imp roved due to these changes being made. Inseparability of Service Brands As consumers are involved in services production, their expectation usually differ between encounters, mainly due to the fact how they interact with different service providers. The main influence of satisfaction with a service brand is caused by the similarity between expected and perceived behaviour, making it complex to control service quality (Summers, 1996 cited in Chernatony Riley, 1999). Moreover there is an increased emphasis towards selecting and training staff to provide a service that is consistent, however it has been argued firms should emphasis the use of corporate branding to establish a favourable consumer nature towards the company (Balmer, 1995). According to this perspective, the company brand provides consistency to the employees behaviour while maintaining consumers expectations. On the other hand it has been stated that by involving consumers in the production process, firms are better able to adapt services to individual needs. Perishability of Service Brands Service brands face a great challenge not only does the firm have to build a strong image and reputation to attract consumers (Balmer Greyser, 2003), but also preventing competitors from making promises that attract consumers away, even before the service brand has been experienced. Services cannot be stored and the service encounter often does not involve any transfer of ownership. In services such as life insurance or pensions the service is purchased long before the benefits have been received and evaluated. To overcome these difficulties it has been suggested the company should build strong brand image and reputation as one of the branding options available. Another problem arising from the characteristic of perishability is the difficulty in synchronising supply and demand. Service firms need to formulate strategies either to cope with fluctuating demand or make adjustments to match capacity and demand more closely, or they will not only face financial problems but branding iss ues as well (Chernatony Riley, 1999). The brand as recognised by consumers, encapsulates both the quality of the service and the efficiency with which the service is provided. Chernatony Riley (1999) have provided an example that the brand image of a supermarket chain depends not only on the price and the product they stock , but also how quickly and efficiently customers can pay for the good and exit the store. Long waits at queues can adversely affect the image, unless ways are found to speed up the queues or persuade consumers to shop outside peak times. Therefore organisation systems become part of the branding process that enable the delivery of promises with regards to service quality, speed and efficiency. Frameworks of Branding of Services Because of the unique features of services, consumers have a complex time evaluating the content and quality of a service prior to, during and after the usage of the service. It has been stated by Krishnan and Hartline (2001) branding is more important in services due to the complexity faced by consumers in assessing the purchase of a service. Branding of services is critical for the reason that consumers view services as a commodity. Branding of services has not been a well researched area; hence the literature is slow in development and primarily basic in nature (de Chernatony Segal-Horn, 2003; Grace OCass, 2002). Berry (2000) has suggested service brands should be distinctive, relevant, memorable and flexible and should be named same as the company rather than another name. The intangibility of services makes it difficult for consumers to evaluate the quality of the service. Regarding the growth of services across the world and the incompatibility of brand equity frameworks used for services, academics such as Berry (2000) Chernatony and Riley (1999) McDonald, Chernatony and Harris (2001) have tried to resolve this issue by creating a framework that can be examined towards consumer service branding. Chernatony and Rileys model Chernatony and Riley (1999) have carried out research with brand consultants about what they thought the difference is between goods and service brands and how they address this issue and in doing so they have come up with the double vortex brand model. The study was implemented using qualitative approach consisting of semi structured in-depth interviews with selected brand consultants in the UK. The purpose of the interview was to find out how brand consultants make sense of brands and do consultants have similar views regarding the components of the brand. The aim of this model is to find out can branding be equally used towards goods and services, and consultants perceptions towards the principle of branding a service is similar to branding for goods. In order to describe in simple terms the complex nature of brands the authors Chernatony and Riley (1999) had discovered that all participants had adopted a mental model of some description. Brand elements such as functional capabili ties, symbolic features, signs of ownership, distinctive name, service, shorthand notation and legal protection were all referred by consultants that were interviewed and these elements are used to make the double vortex model. Service Branding of Service Brand Equity Berry (2000) has taken a different approach by analysing strategies of 14 mature service companies and has created the service branding model of service brand equity. Berry (2000) believes that brand equity is made up of two components: brand awareness and brand meaning (brand image). The following has also been argued by Berry (2000) that the most important source of brand awareness is the companys presented brand, being the companys controlled communications. The controlled communications typically consists of advertising, service facilities, the appearance of service providers, the company name and logo (Brassington Pettitt, 2006). The secondary impact on brand awareness is the external communications, which is usually information consumers receive about the service that are uncontrolled by the company. Brand meaning on the other hand is said to be mainly influenced by customers experience with a particular service company (Berry, 2000). The reason being service businesses are sa id to be labour intensive, consisting of human interactions and performance, rather than machinery. Berry (2000) has emphasised that this construct plays a critical role in building the brand. The secondary influence on brand meaning is said to be the companys presented brand and the external communications. The service brand model by Berry (2000) has introduced new conceptual elements such as servicescapes, controlled and uncontrolled communications, which are significant towards branding of services. These are the typical elements which are missing from the brand knowledge model constructed by Keller (1998). Service Brand Model In response OCass and Grace (2003, 2004) have created their own version of the service brand model. This model has been constructed by adopting various measures from other branding models and potential branding dimensions applicable for services to create an integrated approach to resolve issues in consumer service branding. The authors believe by identifying the dimensions within the consumers consciousness they can gain greater knowledge of what brands mean to consumers as well as begin to understand to what extent such dimensions impact on the brand attitudes and purchase intentions of service consumers. This construct specifically gathers first hand responses of consumers evaluation of service brands in terms of how they see the brand, what expectations they have and overall feelings attitudes towards the service brand. This model by OCass and Grace (2004) includes the following dimensions: core service, interpersonal service, perceived values, se

Heroes and Heroines :: Fiction Comics Papers

Heroes and Heroines "Who the heck are you?" Victor Frankenstein cried. "What the heck are you?" "I am the wretch created by your beloved Elizabeth," cried the vaguely female wretch. "Elizabeth has passed the limits of the human realm and in her feverish pursuit of the essential knowledge of the world she has spawned the being that you now see before you!" "And what do you want from me, you frightening monstrosity whom my innocent and sheltered eyes should never have been made to look upon?" The wretch snickered. "I am a monstrous version of Elizabeth, her child, brought forth by her own hand. She has forsaken me, cast me aside and thus made me miserable! Therefore I have vowed to destroy everything she loves, even sweet and mild Victor, just as she destroyed all happiness for me. Rrrrr!" "Oh, help me! Help me!" Victor Frankenstein cried. "Oh! Oh!" Now wait just one second. Very funny, but that's not how the story goes. For one thing, Victor Frankenstein does not squeal like a-girl? Victor Frankenstein created the monster. Victor Frankenstein was the ambitious one who took his experiments too far. A monstrous version of Victor destroyed everything he loved. Elizabeth was sweet and mild. Elizabeth was the innocent who died because of Victor's work gone wrong. Frankenstein would have been a remarkable book if Elizabeth had taken on Victor's part, if Victor had taken on Elizabeth's part, and if the wretch had been female. Imagine Victor staying at home and being the best example of the sweetest nature anyone ever did see. Imagine Elizabeth storming acros the icy mountains after the wretch, and imagine the wretch demanding a husband to be a boon to her, sweet and supportive company when she became tired of the world. Switching the gender roles in such a way would be comical because that's not the way it's done. When we read about, watch, or listen to our fictional heroes and heroines, we expect certain behaviors from them. We have a set of rules by which we define male and female characters, and characters that don't adhere to the general rules are anomalies and misfits.

Book of Negroes Essay

As an old woman, Aminata Diallo is brought to London, England, in 1802, by abolitionists who are petitioning to end the slave trade. As she awaits an audience with King George, she recounts her remarkable life on paper, beginning with her life in Bayo, in western Africa, prior to being abducted from her family at age 11, seeing the death of her mother and father, and being marched in a coffle of captives to the coast along with others from her village. Chekura, a boy of similar age who assists the slave catchers, is at the last minute abducted himself and forced to join Aminata on the slave ship. Despite suffering humiliation, witnessing atrocities, enduring squalor and languishing in starvation, Aminata survives the passage to America because she is able to apply the knowledge and skills passed on to her by her parents, especially the ability to â€Å"catch† babies and to understand some African languages. In South Carolina, Aminata is auctioned off to an indigo plantation, along with a man from her village who has lost his senses during the ocean crossing. She learns the language of the â€Å"buckra† through the teachings of Georgia, an American-born slave, as well as from Mamed, the overseer of the plantation. Daily, Aminata must navigate the new dangers of disease and the eye of the plantation master while she searches for a way to return to her homeland. As she carries Chekura’s child, she is warned that Master Appleby could take it away at any time. Sure enough, at ten months, Aminata’s son, Mamadu, is sold by Appleby and Chekura also disappears. Stricken with grief, Aminata falls into a depression and refuses to work on the plantation. Appleby sells her to Solomon Lindo, the indigo inspector of the region, and she departs for a new life in Charles Town where Lindo promises to treat her as a â€Å"servant† rather than as a â€Å"slave† in that she works for wage and pays rent to Lindo. During rioting in New York City that coincides with the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, Aminata is presented with an opportunity to escape and does so, while Lindo is forced to flee back to the Carolinas. Aminata quickly makes new friends and connections and supports herself by catching babies and working at a tavern, all the while helping others by teaching them how to read and write. Following the surrender of the British, former slaves who have worked for one year or more behind the lines for the British are offered asylum in Nova Scotia. These people’s names are recorded in a ledger called The Book of Negroes, penned in part by Aminata because of her knowledge of many languages. Aminata and Chekura reunite and are given passage aboard the ship Joseph, but Appleby returns for one final act of vengeance against Aminata: he makes a claim to her, separating her from Chekura once more. While Chekura continues to Nova Scotia, Aminata must stand trial, and it is Solomon Lindo who ends up setting her free. Aminata lands in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, on the last Loyalist ship, and she has to use her talents as a baby catcher, reader and teacher once again to survive, for the sake of herself and her unborn child, as she prepares for the journey to reunite with Chekura in Annapolis Royal. However, her inquiries come up empty. May, their three-year-old child, is abducted by the Witherspoons, a white couple who had befriended Aminata, and Aminata returns to a life without hope. When the opportunity arises for Aminata to cross the ocean again to begin a colony in Sierra Leone, Africa, she is shocked to learn of Chekura’s death and decides to make the journey to her homeland. The struggle to maintain the colony of Freetown under the control of the Sierra Leone Company is complicated by its proximity to Bance Island and the slave trade. Relations with the local Temne are strained, and tempers flare when slave coffles are marched directly in front of Freetown. Longing to see her beloved Bayo village, Aminata agrees to travel back to Bance Island to secure passage into the interior. However, one month into her journey inland, she learns of the betrayal that she is to be sold back into slavery; she flees for days until she finds sanctuary in a village. Realizing that she will never return to her true home, she leaves for London to join the abolitionists to end slavery. She writes an account of her life that is shared in Parliament, and she meets with King George III and Queen Charlotte Sophia. Because of the attention from the newspapers, Aminata’s long-lost daughter, May, finds her after an eighteen-year separation and takes care of her in her old age as the struggle to end slavery continues in Parliament.

Ethics system table Essay

This ethics is also referred to as teleological ethics. This refers to the end results or the outcomes of certain decisions. The acts determine what is ethical. What is viewed to be ethical is the action most likely to result to in the best good or the action with the most significance. This action usually gives the best consequence. Rights-Based Ethics This is the ethics that outlines the privileges that an individual is entitled to. This is based on the ground of categorical imperative which views a person as a moral agent in relation to other people. The rights are treated to be true and correct as they are approved by many people. However, it is difficult to determine which rights should be approved and which ones should be discarded. Human Nature Ethics Also referred to as humanistic ethics. These ethics emphasis on doing what is right and best for the society as a whole. This ethic which mainly dominates ethical theory is a more clearly altruistic. The ethics aims at virtue as well as having social improvement rather than having personal success. The ethics is concerned about everybody in the society. People should not be afraid to lend a helping hand or to receive one Relativistic Ethics This ethics is viewed as an inquiry to what is right or wrong through a critical review of the people’s beliefs and practices. The ethic however fails to recognize that some societies have better reasons of holding tom their views than others. The ethic raises important issues in that different cultural societies have different beliefs and are greatly influenced by culture. The ethics challenges people to explore on the belief systems that differ their own and to find an explanation why people hold their belief system. Entitlement-Based Ethics This is an ethic that views that you owe me because it’s my right to have everything that you have. Virtue-Based ethical This ethic places less emphasis on the rules that people should follow and instead tries to find of teaching people good virtues such as generosity and kindness. These traits later help the person to make better decisions in life. They also emphasis that people should know how to avoid bad virtues such as greed and hatred. These are viewed as hindrances of becoming a good person. Ethical Theory or System Brief Definition Other Names for Theory Real-world Example Workplace Example Duty-based Ethics Regardless of consequences, certain moral principles are binding, focusing on duty rather than results or moral obligation over what the individual would prefer to do (Trevino and Nelson, 2007, Ch. 4). Deontology, pluralism, moral rights, rights-based Categorical imperative Golden rule I believe people should be able to eat sand because it is the right thing to do. It is my duty to follow through with instructions my boss gives me, even if I do not agree with the concept. It is my moral obligation to respect authority figures. Consequence-based Ethics What is viewed to be ethical is the action most likely to result to in the best good or the action with the most significance. teleological ethics I believe people should be able to eat sand because it is good for one’s health. We ignore the consequence of telling the truth to the police as it may lead to the imprisonment and detention of another person. Rights-based Ethics the privileges that an individual is entitled to Society norms I believe people should be able to eat sand if they want to because they are free to make the decision themselves. In America it is so clear on the right of the people to choose their faith; therefore people in the USA have a right to choose their religion. Human Nature Ethics emphasis on doing what ibis right and best for the society as a whole Humanistic ethics. I believe that if sand is going to be eaten, it should be available for everyone to eat. In an organization people should encourage teamwork as much as possible in order for it to run successfully. Relativistic Ethics Viewed as an inquiry to what is right or wrong through a critical review of the people’s beliefs and practices. Ethnocentric ethic I believe I will eat sand because it is the standard meal for my community. Every organization should be viewed as unique and different from others as it has its own practices and code of conduct. Entitlement-based Ethics Views that you owe me because it’s my right to have everything that you have. I believe people should be able to eat sand if they decide they want to, regardless of whether it is someone else’s sand. A person may claim to be paid his salary by the company at the end of the month. Virtue-based ethics places less emphasis on the rules that people should follow and instead tries to find of teaching people good virtues such as generosity and kindness Character based ethic I believe people should be able to eat sand if they like the taste of it. The organization should teach people what is right or wrong and leave them to make good decisions later. Reference Trevino, L. , and Nelson, K. (2007). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right. Hoboken: Wiley.

buy custom Classification Systems essay

buy custom Classification Systems essay The main significant for undertaking this research is to make a contribution to the scholarly understanding by coming up with a new model and introducing innovative interpretations to this model so as to present a fast and reliable means of data storage and retrieval. The research will not only contribute to the scholars but to business organizations as well. This is because this is the most affected sector since most businesses handle lots of data for their clients and products and services they offer. While most of this data is in unstructured state, most organizations feel that it is not well protected. A lot of this data is sensitive and confidential thus it must be protected using apposite measures. In addition to this, the data should support numerous distribution needs since it is shared across several platforms and between partners and entities as well. The handling and management of unstructured data is documented as one of the chief unsettled problems in the information technology industry (9). This is because; the techniques and equipment that proved successful in handling structured data have proved to be useless when dealing with unstructured data since it is bulky and sophisticated (9). This has consequently created an equally need for equipment and techniques for managing unstructured data that not all governments can afford. Inefficient and irrelevance in search; one of the basic requirements for unstructured data is that it should be searchable. Blumberg Atre (9) argues that before the web came into use, files and documents would be searched using full-text and other search systems. Conversely, with the rapid increase in the use of internet, these searching tools became inefficient enough to serve the highdemand (9). Several research studies have discovered that the standard size for search phrases that are used on communa l webs is only about 1.5-2.5 words. Research has also shown that the standard search contains very few competent Boolean operators, actually less than ten percent of the actual time. With such undersized phrases and very little application of sophisticated search techniques, it is clear evidence that the results are poor or irrelevant. In addition to these, the search machines treat every search application separately. This therefore means that same results are given for a particular search phrase even if the context is different (9). According to Blumberg Atre (9), the inconsistency in methodologies, frameworks and the taxonomies used in organization and classification of data shows that there is no suitable approach for interpreting and modeling unstructured data. Instead on there being one reliable and efficient standard, several models are coming up and each model has its own values and insights. This divergence therefore poses a major problem in the future since it is not certain which model will actual be able to effectively handle the unstructured data. Duplicating computing displays the use of internet and other data extraction systems so as to achieve reliable standards (9). Raghavan (16) classifies data using a two-class classification system using standard queries; the filtering and routing. He asserts that classification is usually general focused and the process with which such classification is performed is called text classification (15). According to Mena (10), unstructured data can best be managed when organized in hierarchical systems commonly referred to as taxonomies. Taxonomy can bee described as a hierarchical structure of classification whereby it moves down from extensive to explicit. This structure acts as a directory on a PC in the sense that it provides an expedient and instinctive way to maneuver and acquire information easily. This therefore means that; instead of formulating a query and then evaluate the results, one can directly access the relevant information by simply formulating queries on the appropriate classes and subclasses. Another advantage with these taxonomies is that they limit the queries to specific classes and sub cla sses (10). A well organized taxonomy may comprise of eighty to ten levels with hundreds or even thousands of classes. The Confidentiality Integrity Availability (CIA) Assurance Model is a commonly used model which recognizes the Confidentiality Integrity and Availability of data as the elementary safety characteristics of information particularly the unstructured data (11). Confidentiality is described as the guarantee of data discretion, the purpose of which is to ensure that only authorized and the intended processes, people or devices can have access to the data (9). This is only achievable when cryptography is implemented. Integrity is the assurance once data is stored, it can not be altered in transition; and the dispatcher of the data must be the person intended to be. To ensure that data is not altered or corrupted on transition, hash algorithms and digital signatures are used (14). Availability is the assurance that data can be accessed by the user in a reliable and timely manner. This guarantees a fast availability of data on request (9). While integrity and availability are maintained, in vaders may cause such information to become less accessible or completely unavailable. Buy custom Classification Systems essay

Norma Rea essays

Norma Rea essays Norma Rae was seen in many different ways by people. In the beginning Norma's qualities were different than those at the end. Norma Rae changes and it is for the better. One of Norma's bad qualities is that she is dependent on men. As for seen with George. He treats he like a hoe and, gives her no respect. He is very abusive towards her, like when they were in the hotel room and he slapped her across the face. Her father treats her as a little girl. He is always in her business, he is always wanting to know where she is going, when she is coming home and who she is seeing. Norma has some good qualities; she is a very hard worker. She works at a textile factory for many hours and then she goes home and cleans and takes care of the house. She is also a very outspoken women. If she doesn't like someone or something they say, she lets them know how she feels about it. Her boss is a major jerk. He doesn't care about their health or feelings. To give an example, when her and mother went to him because her mother couldn't hear, he was not interested, and he just brushed them off. Norma is a strong woman, but people just take advantage of her. Changes. Norma Rae definitely went through many changes. Ruben I think was her first change. Ruben was the young man from the union. I think she made her first change when he told her "your too smart for what's happing to you." I believe this is when she gave her self more respect. Ruben got her to also join the union. She than starts getting relay involved in it and during all this she meets a man named sonny. Sonny and her become very close and fall in love and end up marring. She persuades her other co-workers to also join the union. One day her father dies. This was a major change in Normas life. She loved her father dearly. If things couldn't get better, she is fired from her job. Norma was outraged by this, and caused a scene. She stood on a machine and held ...

Barn Burning An Endless Circle Essay Research

Barn Burning: An Endless Circle Essay, Research Paper Barn Burning: An Endless Circle William Faulkner? s short narrative? Barn Burning? is the narrative of a southern adult male forced into a function by society. ? Barn Burning? takes topographic point in the station Civil War South where a mans topographic point in society is derived by their actions during the war. Ab Snopse, a adult male who served both the North and the South, is plagued with his non-allegiance and failure to accept authorization. When Ab comes into struggle with his employer, he finds himself taking control from the authorization figure, and returning back to his materialistic ways. Having no commitment, Ab makes the move from assisting manus to the enemy by firing down barns. Along with many of Faulkner? s short narratives, ? Barn Burning? is set in the fanciful Mississippi county of Yoknapatawpha. During the Restoration of the South, the clip period following the Civil War, the lone thing that kept the South alive and running where the memories of fallen heroes and the belief that the South would someday recover the position that it had one time held. Families like the Sartorises and the de Spains were glorified and praised for awards that their household members had achieved during conflict. The award that households like these were granted placed them in public offices, and gave them chances to thrive where others could merely woolgather approximately. This same award seemed to transport on to those who shared the names of the great war heroes. ? ? Hey? , the Justice said. ? Talk louder. Colonel Sartoris? I reckon anybody named for Colonel Sartoris in this county can? t aid but state the truth, can they? ? ? ( Kennedy 163 ) . On the other manus, the Snopses are viewed as dishonourable. During the war, Ab Snopse was considered a soldier of fortune for functioning both sides of Thursday e manner. ? †¦nights passed during those four old ages in the forests concealing from all work forces, blue and grey, with his strings of Equus caballuss ( captured Equus caballuss, he called them ) ? ( 165 ) . Ab stole Equus caballuss from the North and the South, to gain a life. He was even shot by a Confederate soldier, ? His male parent turned, and he followed the stiff black coat, the stringy figure walking a small stiffly from where a Confederate provost? s adult male? s musket ball had taken him in the heel on a stolen Equus caballus 30 old ages ago†¦ ? ( 164 ) . Actions like these caused the community to look down upon the Snopses, which in bend caused Ab to raise retaliation upon his antagonists. When Ab comes into struggle with an employer, he reverts to his old Civil War ways of non commitment to profit himself. Mayor de Spain accuses Ab of deliberately destructing his carpet. After Ab? s efforts to repair the carpet fail, de Spain charges him 20 bushels of maize for the amendss. Ab, experiencing that 20 bushels are excessively steep a monetary value for the amendss, takes de Spain to tribunal and sues him. The Justice of the Peace lowers the mulct for the amendss, but Ab is still non satisfied. Feeling unjustly punished, Ab does the lone thing that he knows, he burns down de Spains barn, and is shot and killed in the procedure. Ab has neer held an commitment to any adult male or thing. His life is one of self-preservation. During the war he worked for both sides without commitment, bound merely by who was paying. In life after the war he has non changed one spot. He travels from farm to farm, sharecropping to supply for his household. When he feels force per unit area from an authorization he takes the power off from them by firing what they own. His commitment to an employer lasts merely every bit long as he retains the power. Once that is gone, he merely takes it back by force, and moves on.

ECON Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ECON - Assignment Example Before purchasing goods using GBP, the consumers must exchange the dollars for pounds hence increased demand for pounds. The increase in demand for pounds will lead to an increased in the quantity of US dollars supplied to the foreign country and a decrease in the supply of pounds. The branded-drug maker offered to pay the generic entrant an amount of $10 million as a way of reducing inter-product cannibalization that would have ensued if the generic drug entered the market/industry. Paying off the generic entrant was a way of ensuring the generic drug stays far away from the branded drugs. With the generic drugs being much cheaper than the branded drugs, the branded drug maker was sure that consumers would go the generic brands and his chances of earning profit would be slim. Paying off the generic drug maker acted as a way of acquiring the substitute good and this means he would increase his profits. In this case, the firm should follow the strategy of inter temporal price discrimination where the price of the product varies with the time the product is bought. Therefore, the firm should sell the iPhone to technophiles at $400 now and sell it to normal people at $250 later. The technophiles are high value consumers in this case while the others are low value consumers. The normal people or low value customers will not purchase the iPhone unless the price is reduced and so the optimal pricing scheme is for the firm to first concentrate on the technophiles. The optimal pricing scheme will also include the production of two versions of iPhone so that the high value customers can get the expensive and high quality one while the low value customers will purchase the low quality depending on the price. There is dominant strategy portrayed by either player. Therefore, the equilibrium will be a mixed nash. If any of the players randomizes their selection of action by going 50% one way, then the other player will

Food Cultures and Consumption Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Food Cultures and Consumption - Research Paper Example This food culture is considered a part of the social identity of these people and is a part of their tradition and heritage. Hence, it is important to study the food culture and consumption habits of people while making studies on the human consumption behavior. Symbolic association between food and culture There is a symbolic association between different preparations of food and the consumption habits of people in different cultural background. One more aspect of food is defined by beverages. Beverages form an important part of food in every culture. In many communities, such as in European countries, China and Japan, consumption of wine resembles their cultural heritage of brewing high quality of wine. Wine consumption is itself identified as a separate field of study and scores of researchers have conducted specific research works on wine consumption habits of people. Research works in psychology, sociology as well as anthropology has evidences of mention of wine consumption habi ts of the population. It is deeply instilled within the cultural connotation of the community (Goodman, 2009). Research shows that in almost all communities around the world, traditional meetings, festivals and cultural gatherings reflect the presence of food as a part of festivity or occasion. Food is a key factor in social interactions and acts as an important mechanism for determining relationships among community members (Rijswijk & Frewer, 2008). Often varied communication channels are discovered among nonmembers during discussion over food during snacks breaks, lunch or dinner. However, according to some researchers claim that the food habits of people, although closely associated with their traditional background, are highly affected by the changing nature of the countries under effect of globalization. Irrespective of the current food consumption pattern of the people, it is claimed by researchers that food habit of the population is representative of the population group an d changing food habits are symbolic of the evolving cultures of these communities. New horizons in marketing opportunities In this era of globalization, the effect of the culture and practices of the western society has spread to almost all the countries. In developing countries of Asia and Africa, westernization has affected the growth pattern of these countries. This shows that the growth process embraces the practices of the western countries of the USA and the countries of the European continent. This implicates that there is a strong relation between the growth of a society and their food habits. Companies all around the globe are utilizing this opportunity to expand their services, add new products to their portfolios and capture new markets within the country as well as internationally. In social functions or business meetings, people often discuss and sort out business issues or even establish new contracts. In this scenario, food habits play a major role in developing and a ugmenting contacts. Marketers can enhance the business activities of their companies by intervening into the food consumption pattern of people. Two distinct cultures are visible in this context, association of food and wine and between food and beer. Research works show that the food and beer are not as popular among different communities as food and wine. There is a perceived

Strategic Marketing Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic Marketing Case Study - Essay Example On the other hand, IBM realized that customer-centric and service-centric products have a high-profit margin and investments  in products such as software would ensure that company’s profit margin remained high. Hence, divesting from the low-profit margin products was the first step towards investing in service-centric products. Secondly, the company invested in making the company investing in developing services and software with an emphasis on meeting the specific needs of some industries. In this case, the company’s investment in this line ensured that it de-emphasized on creating and producing hardware and focused its attention towards producing services and software tailored to meet the needs of specific industries. Finally, IBM invested in the application of the technology that it manufactured to market its products and reach out to its customers. In this case, the company had realized that it was making technology that it never exploited, whose implications whe n selling products to customers were evident since customer failed to identify IBM's application of technology. Qn. 2 Description of Louis Gerstner’s Strategy Implementation Style First, it is important to point out that Gerstner was in charge for the turn-around witnessed at IBM. In effect, he was responsible for implementing the competitive strategy that enhanced profitability at the company. In line with this, the case study implies that he single-handedly brought momentous changes to the organization by designing the competitive strategy and overseeing its full implementation. Importantly, the case study does not provide evidence that Gerstner used a team to arrive at the competitive strategy and neither does the case study provide evidence regarding the use of a team to implement the strategy. Hence, the implementation style that Gerstner used to implement the competitive style can be summed up as the commander approach style. In this regard, Gerstner focused on formulat ing an approach to enhance the company’s competitive advantage. In addition, he applied a rigorous analysis to develop a logical strategy whose implementation changed the course of IBM. Gerstner’s implementation style was important since he was new in the company, which ensured his insulation from any prior personal biases or political influences. In effect, this might be one of the reasons that contributed to the success of the strategy. Qn. 3 Implications of the Globally Integrated Enterprise Model for Marketing Managers in the Australia and New Zealand Subsidiary of IBM At the beginning, it is important to point out that the model for operation in IBM used to be a country-based model prior to the global integrated approach. In effect, the company designed the global integrated enterprise model for all its marketing managers in all the countries of the company’s operations. In effect, IBM marketing managers in a country like South Africa use a similar model to the one used by marketing managers in IBM’s Australia and New Zealand subsidiary. The integration of this model in the IBM subsidiary may have different implications. First, it reduces the duplication of roles in the approach that guided the company’s delivery of specific internal services, which reduces a subsidiary’s costs of operations. In this case, the subsidiary may have global procurement done in a different part of the world while paying of accounts and expenses on human

Industrialization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Industrialization - Essay Example They could not meet all their needs. The standards of living remained low, especially the areas of residents that were mere shelters. The workers remained at work for long hours and were exposed to workplace injuries since they were not provided with protective clothing. Accidents could occur and many of them succumbed to injuries. There was no compensation for injuries in the workplace. However, a worker could sue the employer, an action that many avoided since the chances of winning such law suits were slim. The workers usually took with them their children to work, and child labor was pronounced in the turn of the 20th century. Due to the law wages, they would combine their earnings with that of their children for them to meet their family needs. Even with the long hours of work that used to be as many as 53 hours per week, there was no assurance that the workers could remain in employment for many days. There was no continuity of employment throughout the year and therefore they could move from one industry to the other. The industrial revolution largely affected the average American worker’s leisure time especially as most of the time was spent try to meet high output. They had little control of their time as the employers are the ones who controlled the number of hours to be worked per day. This largely affected the work-life balance of the workers as they could not have enough time for their families. In general, the industrial revolution in the turn of the 20th century had a negative impact on the lives of the average American workers. Many changes were involved in moving from an agricultural to an industrial economy. Many of the people were farmers, which was the major economic activity. The major change that occurred was to transform the population from farming activities to workers in the upcoming industries. This was accomplished by mechanizing agriculture and

Legal Personality and Limited Liability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Legal Personality and Limited Liability - Essay Example The law is prepared sometimes to examine the company faade and this process is described as piercing or lifting the corporate veil. The fact that a company is a unit that is thought as legal and free from its owners can sometimes produce undesirable results. For instance, shareholders can obtain funds illegally and then be regarded as not liable to repay or in a case where the directors are liable of fraudulent activities. The courts have been forced to intervene in some circumstances and disregard the doctrine of limited liability and corporate personality especially the case of group companies and their subsidiaries where the entity form is being manipulated as a tool to commit fraud. The case of Salomon Vs Salomon & Co. Ltd in 1987 established the irrevocability position in common law of legal personality and limited liability of companies (Butterworth, 1960, p.6). Some of the circumstances that lead to court intervention include the following: trading with an enemy, the case for sham companies, failure to comply with the legislation laws, fraudulent and wrongful trading, disqualified director's actions and statutory power abuse. For instance if a company is a sham one i.e. formed to enable one avoid obligations such as tax, the court may act to ignore the company's existence. In case the court discovers that a fraud is committed, it is prep... The fraud will notably be a case where a company owner used the company intentionally to deny his creditors their legal rights. It discourages Solomon principle to act as a vehicle of fraud. The exemption which illustrates fraud are found in Gilford Motor Ltd Vs Jones Lipman. In this case, Mr. Horne who was as ex -employee of the company incorporated another limited company in his spouse's name. In so doing, he solicited the clients of Gilford Motor ltd as his employment contract held it clear that he cannot solicit customers of the organization. The court held that the company's idea behind its formation was to commit fraud and to mask Mr. Hornes' effective continuation of the business. The court held that it was a sham to mask his wrongdoings as it was very clear that the objective of incorporating that company was to commit fraud. The court at it discretion may impose liability on people liable for carrying out the business with an intention of defrauding the creditors at the wind ing up of the business. The directors are also liable if they sign a cherub or a bill of exchange on company's behalf and fail to include the company's name, omits a word or writes it incomplete (Oliver, 1971, p.66). Common law provides for separate legal entity of a company and the court disregarded this legal personality and instead has investigated the shareholders personal quality or those who usually controls the company. The reason behind this is because it is the public interest to make sure that the company is not run by an undesirable person and that it is not under any criminal element. Trading with an enemy especially during the time of war is another instance that leads to lifting of the veil of incorporation. In Daimler Company

Strategic Marketing Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic Marketing Case Study - Essay Example On the other hand, IBM realized that customer-centric and service-centric products have a high-profit margin and investments  in products such as software would ensure that company’s profit margin remained high. Hence, divesting from the low-profit margin products was the first step towards investing in service-centric products. Secondly, the company invested in making the company investing in developing services and software with an emphasis on meeting the specific needs of some industries. In this case, the company’s investment in this line ensured that it de-emphasized on creating and producing hardware and focused its attention towards producing services and software tailored to meet the needs of specific industries. Finally, IBM invested in the application of the technology that it manufactured to market its products and reach out to its customers. In this case, the company had realized that it was making technology that it never exploited, whose implications whe n selling products to customers were evident since customer failed to identify IBM's application of technology. Qn. 2 Description of Louis Gerstner’s Strategy Implementation Style First, it is important to point out that Gerstner was in charge for the turn-around witnessed at IBM. In effect, he was responsible for implementing the competitive strategy that enhanced profitability at the company. In line with this, the case study implies that he single-handedly brought momentous changes to the organization by designing the competitive strategy and overseeing its full implementation. Importantly, the case study does not provide evidence that Gerstner used a team to arrive at the competitive strategy and neither does the case study provide evidence regarding the use of a team to implement the strategy. Hence, the implementation style that Gerstner used to implement the competitive style can be summed up as the commander approach style. In this regard, Gerstner focused on formulat ing an approach to enhance the company’s competitive advantage. In addition, he applied a rigorous analysis to develop a logical strategy whose implementation changed the course of IBM. Gerstner’s implementation style was important since he was new in the company, which ensured his insulation from any prior personal biases or political influences. In effect, this might be one of the reasons that contributed to the success of the strategy. Qn. 3 Implications of the Globally Integrated Enterprise Model for Marketing Managers in the Australia and New Zealand Subsidiary of IBM At the beginning, it is important to point out that the model for operation in IBM used to be a country-based model prior to the global integrated approach. In effect, the company designed the global integrated enterprise model for all its marketing managers in all the countries of the company’s operations. In effect, IBM marketing managers in a country like South Africa use a similar model to the one used by marketing managers in IBM’s Australia and New Zealand subsidiary. The integration of this model in the IBM subsidiary may have different implications. First, it reduces the duplication of roles in the approach that guided the company’s delivery of specific internal services, which reduces a subsidiary’s costs of operations. In this case, the subsidiary may have global procurement done in a different part of the world while paying of accounts and expenses on human

Legal Personality and Limited Liability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Legal Personality and Limited Liability - Essay Example The law is prepared sometimes to examine the company faade and this process is described as piercing or lifting the corporate veil. The fact that a company is a unit that is thought as legal and free from its owners can sometimes produce undesirable results. For instance, shareholders can obtain funds illegally and then be regarded as not liable to repay or in a case where the directors are liable of fraudulent activities. The courts have been forced to intervene in some circumstances and disregard the doctrine of limited liability and corporate personality especially the case of group companies and their subsidiaries where the entity form is being manipulated as a tool to commit fraud. The case of Salomon Vs Salomon & Co. Ltd in 1987 established the irrevocability position in common law of legal personality and limited liability of companies (Butterworth, 1960, p.6). Some of the circumstances that lead to court intervention include the following: trading with an enemy, the case for sham companies, failure to comply with the legislation laws, fraudulent and wrongful trading, disqualified director's actions and statutory power abuse. For instance if a company is a sham one i.e. formed to enable one avoid obligations such as tax, the court may act to ignore the company's existence. In case the court discovers that a fraud is committed, it is prep... The fraud will notably be a case where a company owner used the company intentionally to deny his creditors their legal rights. It discourages Solomon principle to act as a vehicle of fraud. The exemption which illustrates fraud are found in Gilford Motor Ltd Vs Jones Lipman. In this case, Mr. Horne who was as ex -employee of the company incorporated another limited company in his spouse's name. In so doing, he solicited the clients of Gilford Motor ltd as his employment contract held it clear that he cannot solicit customers of the organization. The court held that the company's idea behind its formation was to commit fraud and to mask Mr. Hornes' effective continuation of the business. The court held that it was a sham to mask his wrongdoings as it was very clear that the objective of incorporating that company was to commit fraud. The court at it discretion may impose liability on people liable for carrying out the business with an intention of defrauding the creditors at the wind ing up of the business. The directors are also liable if they sign a cherub or a bill of exchange on company's behalf and fail to include the company's name, omits a word or writes it incomplete (Oliver, 1971, p.66). Common law provides for separate legal entity of a company and the court disregarded this legal personality and instead has investigated the shareholders personal quality or those who usually controls the company. The reason behind this is because it is the public interest to make sure that the company is not run by an undesirable person and that it is not under any criminal element. Trading with an enemy especially during the time of war is another instance that leads to lifting of the veil of incorporation. In Daimler Company

Modernization Essay Example for Free

Modernization Essay As we begin to ponder the future of modernization, and the possible consequences that are apt to occur, perhaps we should first revisit the definition of modernization. To this end we can start by saying that modernization is thought of as a concept that states that the development of societies can be considered as a standard evolutionary pattern that has a tendency to stimulate growth. It can also be considered as the concept that refers to the process where society goes through several stages, including industrialization, urbanization, and various other social changes, that tend to completely transform the lives of individuals. One must first take into consideration that modernization, taken in-and-of- itself, should not be considered either good or bad. Modernization is not limited to the geographical bounds of the United States but actually affects people worldwide, and has wide ranging effects including politically, socially, economically, and environmentally throughout the entire populated world. Of course, as in most things, there are positive aspects of modernization as well as several consequences. Perhaps it could be posited that Industrialization began the social changes in the United States society that could be referred to as the modernization of the United States. Although there were many changes before industrialization they were perhaps not as wide-ranging or as monumental. For the purposes of this discussion we can say that modernization refers to the changes of social patterns since the time of the industrial revolution (Macionis, J. J. , 2011). These changes are going to continue, so that we can have better and more efficient technology. Our buildings are even being built to endure certain circumstance based on location. We have advanced so much there would be no reason to take a step back now. We are finding more and better ways to improve our everyday lives and makes things easier for an everyday commute. We have changed the way we think and treat people as well. Since we are a more diverse society people don’t judge each other based on their race, gender, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. The way we treat others in the workplace and sexual harassment has changed also sexual harassment is now a serious crime and has consequences. Modernization is a world-wide trend. We often use conference calling for business meetings in foreign countries. Most countries now have access to the World Wide Web as well. Countries are looking for ways to modernize and adapt to the new technology we have available. There are societies and religions that do not believe in modernization such as the Amish. In some societies socialization has become closer among residents while others societies have grown further apart. Schools are adapting to other cultures and standards. Education is changing as well as work ethics and duties. Countries want to find new ways to expand and progress. Japan and China are two countries that have shown major modernization in the last few decades. All countries can benefit from the progression of modernization. Modernization helps to societies as well as has its negative aspects. We will discuss the negative effects later. Technology blends with our society and traditions are often lost. With more technology we find less need for backbreaking labor and many jobs are replaced with machines. Modernization has even affected our environment with pollution. There are positive aspects to modernization as well. As mentioned before the technology helps in the workplace by making things more efficient, faster, and less costly. Modernization has also change the way be build. Many of our buildings are now modernized and more appealing to onlookers. We can now see other parts of the world just by searching the internet. We can socialize with others that are across the globe without leaving our homes. Modernization has led to social, political, economical, cultural changes, and more. We have brought change in society in numerous ways. Modernization has helped to legalize same-sex marriages, abortions and other things that were considered forbidden before. Some fear with the advance in modernization that we may lose sight in religious values. The great thing about modernization is more people are thinking for themselves, and fighting for what they believe in. A study done in china had found that people in underdeveloped areas where more likely to get lung cancer because of smoking in their homes and using solid heat to cook and heat. The study found it was better on their health to live in a more modernized society. The wood and coal used to make their heat and warm their food was also a cause of lung cancer. So modernization, even though it has also caused pollution in the past, can also help us to become more environmentally friendly. This study shows that we are learning from our mistakes and making better choices to make a better future. Modernization has its good qualities as well as its bad. Technology will continue to advance and societies will continue to adapt. We will continue our want and need for something faster, better, and more efficient than the technology we already have. Countries will continue to compete with each other to come out with the latest technology and best advancements. We will continue to accept new trends, ideas, and values. Some traditions will diminish though we will have new advancements to take their place. The U. S. alone has grown to accept new things such as same sex marriage, rights to vote and more. With as advance as we have become worldwide there is no reason for modernization to stop where it is. We can always learn new things, make new things and come together as better communities. We can also learn to adapt and make better choices for our environment to ensure a healthier world for generations to come.

Impact of Recession on Movie Industry

Impact of Recession on Movie Industry Foreword Writing this dissertation was a long and exhausting process which included many setbacks and failures. Nevertheless it also was fulfilling and exciting as I was driven by my passion and interest in movies and cinemas in general. I always intended to work for the movie industry one day and hold well- grounded hopes of achieving this goal in the near future. Maybe this dissertation will help to convince the studios of my passion and capabilities. My thanks go to Mr Nick Bowen, who was an outstanding tutor and helped me through rough and inconvenient times with his competence and great sense of humour. I also would like to thank me interviewees Mr Arwed Fischer and Mr Jan Fantl, who provided me with many important information and an inside into the industry. Without them, a big part of the report would not have reached the standard it has now. Finally, I am very grateful for the help of my parents who made it possible for me to go to London and provided me with everything I needed in order to be successful and happy in the future. I do not want to forget to thank everybody else who supported me during this tough time and cheered me up after one of the occasional setbacks. Executive Summary Recently the film studios are experiencing a boost of attendances and ticket sales despite the financial crisis. This already happened in past recessions and therefore will be analysed in this report. One reason for that economical immunity seems to be the technological development such as sound and colour in the past or 3D cinema nowadays. Nevertheless there are some issues the industry has to deal with at the moment, e.g. piracy or substitution goods like videogames. Although 3D movies did fail continuously in the past in terms of economical success, the studios tried it again with an advanced technology and exceeded all expectations when Avatar was released. In this context factors such as rising ticket prices or the limited number of 3D capable cinemas play a big role as well in order to determine the future potential the 3D technology. A few companies already started to produce and sell 3D capable TVs which are supposed to the next economical success the movie landscape. IMAX cinemas suffered a long period of very low attendances and decreasing ticket sales until advanced 3D technology has been used to produce movies. Since then the IMAX group notes record breaking attendances and boosting profits. Two surveys have been analyzed and compared to each other. One, published in 2005 by Opinion Dynamics Corporation alre ady showed some curious facts on 3D cinema and its likely success in the future. The second one has been generated online by the author of this report in 2010 amongst a group of people from 10 countries. In terms of forecasting a success of 3D movies it is very hard for the studios to forecast the success of a single movie or even a whole new technology. They mostly try to find what is most appealing to the audience (unlike independent productions) and therefore have their analysts forecasting risks and returns. Nevertheless DisplaySearch 3D Display Technology conducted a forecast which is quite optimistic and expects increases in every sector of the movie industry (cinemas, home cinemas etc). The recommendations include the authors personal opinion of how the 3D technology will influence the cinema landscape and the options studios have to market it properly. By interviewing people from the movie industry the author gathered some inside knowledge which he tried to apply to his recommendations. Therefore it is expected that the boom of 3D movies will slow down slightly but continue to strengthen again. In the long term it is expected that the new technology will have a positive impac t on the movie industry. 1. Introduction According to Dreamworks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, the upcoming 3D movie technology is the greatest innovation to occur in the movie business in 70 years. (CNN Online, 2008) This statement shows the hope of the whole industry for more attendances and a revolution in the movie market. An increasing amount of movie studios shift their productions towards the new technology. As a result this is discussed in a rising number of TV-shows, magazines and newspapers. Despite the fact that videogames are becoming more popular and the financial credit crisis has reduced average income, going to the movies still seems to be a big part of daily life all over the world. This happens even though the whole film industry seems to be in a crisis, as will be explained below. Initially 3D movies were produced using 2 separate projectors to produce one double image and running two separate rolls of film. Nowadays the technology is far more advanced which means that digital projectors are installed in cinemas producing sharper and steadier images. There also is a difference in production between real movies and animated ones. Animated movies are not produced with real cameras but use computers to create and render every single shot from two angles. Live action movies on the other hand are filmed by new dual lens digital cameras that are able to capture two points of view. (BBC news, 2009) Movie attendances in the United States decreased by 2, 6 %, falling to its lowest level since 1997, whereas revenues fell from $1,484 billion in 2004 to $1,364 billion in 2008. In the same period the amount of screens jumped from 35,993 to 39,476. To be able to show 3D movies, it is necessary to upgrade to digital screens; here the number increased from only 138 in 2004 to 4,576 in 2008, a rising trend. (Marche du film, 2009) Linking these data leads to the conclusion that the movie industry is keen to establish and invest in a new technology in order to make going to the cinema more attractive to its customers and increase attendances in the short and long-term. The following report analyses the current status of the movie industry and shows the likely economic impact in times of recession on the worldwide market. The industries main current issues and a forecast based on trends and profound market research are also examined. 2. Literature Review This chapter summarises and evaluates the related research of what has been written about the research topic. Opinions and data from many different people, working for the movie industry or being close enough to venture a forecast, have been taken into account and evaluated objectively. The chapter also defines and explains the new 3D movie technology, its history and its characteristics from different perspectives. Furthermore it covers several models and theories and talks about reports and how to estimate their importance. This is followed by an evaluation to point out weaknesses or gaps in the literature. The final part will consist of a link to the initial research question and what the plan for proceeding is. Overall, there are 3 main questions to be covered in this chapter: 1. How did big studios fight back in past recessions? 2. How have technical developments influenced business in the past in different markets? 3. What are current issues in the industry? It also is evident that due to the newness of the topic chosen, there are certain constraints in terms of what kind of literature is currently available. Therefore the main sources cited are websites as well as primary research. 2.1 Comebacks of the Studios in Past Recessions After the first big Wall Street Crash in 1929, admissions rose by 58% compared to the previous year. (Entertainment times online, 2008) According to John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners in America, this means that â€Å"In the past four decades there have been seven recession years in this country, and the box office has climbed strongly in five of those years,† (Entertainment times online, 2008) According to the Academy of Management Journal (1996), between 1936 -1950 property based resources such as long-term contracts with stars and theatres helped financial performance to stabilize. Contrary to the period of 1951-65, when knowledge- based resources such as coordination and production talent and budgets increased financial performance. (Academy of Management Journal, 1996, pp. 519-543) Asking some of the most important and powerful people in the U.S. and UK movie industry shows that the majority believes that the current recession either is an opportunity or even a reason for rising sales. But what is the reason for that surprising success in economic downturns? Besides new technologies, which unfortunately are not always released at the right time, the studios decide to publish more comedies and action movies, to help the audience to escape from their monetary problems. In the USA, three of the top-five movies in terms of gross profit of 2009 are comedies: Mall Cop, Hes Just Not That into You and Bride Wars. (CNN movies, 2009) This permits us to draw the conclusion that a recession does not necessarily lead to a break-down of sales in the movie industry. But did past recessions really have no impact or even a positive impact on the movie industry? Not everyone agrees with the theory of increasing sales in recessions though. Gerald Peary, a documentary filmmaker and critic in Boston, Massachusetts, believes that the market will be flooded with intellectually less challenging movies since they are the ones that are more likely to succeed on the audience with smaller budget. In his opinion The dumber the movie is, sometimes, the more money it makes, which states that Those movies are somehow both critic proof and depression proof. (CNN movies, 2009) Another point of view is represented by Basinger, the film historian who assumes that it is still too soon to predict any trends concerning the recession and movies. She points out that recessions leads to faster changes in the movie scene. Also for her, going to the movies is not highly affected by the crisis, as it still is [] the cheapest and fullest way to abandon your troubles and lose yourself in a story. (CNN movies, 2009) Even in some of the worst recessions, economy ever has experienced, the movie industry mostly has been of the few sectors that was able to maintain its position in the market or even increase admissions. This is due to peoples not changing consumer behaviour. Even though they got affected by economic downturns, most of them still wanted to escape from their misery for a few hours. It also is an opportunity for independent film makers to realize low-budget productions, as movie studios get more cost- conscious when their stocks fall during a crisis. Henceforth studios prefer to invest little money in innovative productions and directors hoping for a reasonable return of investment. 2.2 Technological influence on Business in the past Around 120 years ago, films were little more than drawings that seemed to come alive with motion. Then, in 1877 Emile Reynaud had patented a machine, the ‘Praxinoscope, which projected seemingly moving paintings onto a screen. An upgrade of his invention, the Projection Praxinoscope, which was a large-scale Praxinoscope, got patented in 1888 and was used for public projection. Reynaud started to screen his films, accompanied by music on a regular base. Yet that early atmosphere and technology were very similar to today screenings. (Kinogeschichte, 2009) Using spools to feed and take-up the extended picture band, sequences were no longer limited to short cyclic movements. This was the first and important step for commercial use which has been so essential for successful cinematography. (Exeter, 2000) Nevertheless, there were still many issues concerning films, amongst other things the length of them or the lack of sound. To compensate this problem, it was tried to create a more realistic, narrative and psychological atmosphere using on-screen text and a pianist accompanying the film. Back in 1927, after the introduction of movies with full sound, cinema attendances jumped up from 57 million to 90 million in 1930 (Shmoop statistics, 2009) and made them even more popular. This demonstrates that introducing a revolutionary technology can lead to soaring attendances and higher box office sales for the studios. Also the lack of colour on screen was tried to be compensated to improve the movie experience. One of the first ideas was to tint the film reels but later prising companies such as ‘Technicolor and ‘Eastmancolor, made it possible to use new ways of colouring and achieved the objective of a deeper and more intense atmosphere. (Inventors library) Nowadays black/white movies disappeared almost completely from the world of movies. Although, the success of films like ‘Schindlers List (Steven Spielberg, 1993) and ‘Clerks (Kevin Smith, 1994) shows that it is still possible to achieve commercial and critical success with monochrome. (David Parkinson 1995, pg 112) After releasing the first full-colour, La Cucaracha (1934), coloured movies became more and more popular. In the late 1930s, the films,Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937, Disney), were a huge success. Last one still is considered a milestone as it was thefirstfeature-length animated film. (Filmsite, 2007) Introducing new, revolutionary technologies and giving them the chance to go to maturity stage of the product lifecycle always has been very profitable for movie studios. Be it the implementation of sound or the introduction of colour, people loved to spend their money on being amused in cinemas. 2.3. Current issues in the industry There are more problems and issues the movie industry has to deal with besides the current substantial crisis and recessions. These will be examined in the following sections. 2.3.1 Videogames as substitution goods Amongst many threats for the movie industry such as the highly developed internet, DVDs and an increasing amount of home activities, one of the main problems for the movie theatres and studios is the rising and durable success of videogames. First released in the 1980s, videogames have been designed for a significantly smaller target audience. This was attributed to the fact computers were still in the early stage of their product life cycle and thus the presence of computers in the average household was a much less common occurrence. The commercial use of computers was much more prominent during this period, than their household residential usage. Even with the introduction of platforms such as the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) in the 1990s, the Videogame industry was still viewed as a niche market. It was never anticipated to develop into a competitor of the movie industry as it is nowadays. Currently, the profit generated from videogames equates to that of their movie counterparts. Current trends indicate that consumers have a tendency to spend more on buying videogames as opposed to going to the movies which has been identified as a huge threat for the studios. Just recently, in the beginning of November 2009, Activision Blizzard Incs released Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and anticipated more than $660 million in sales from 11-13 million sold units by the end of 2009. Also previous games were big hits in terms of sales as the table below shows. Top video games sales on their first day ( Reuters, 2009) Figure 1 These data can be compared to Top Hollywood worldwide opening weekends: ( Reuters, 2009) Figure 2 As aforementioned and illustrated by the tables (Figure 1 Figure 2) above, it is evident that data solidifies the trend that an increasing number of consumers are changing their consumer behaviour and purchasing videogames which they may enjoy at home. Another possibility for the rising success of videogames could be the fact of potential consumers rather staying home than spending money on transport for getting there and quite expensive snacks and drinks in the cinema. This data backs up the trend that more and more consumers tend to shift from going to the movies to buying videogames which they can enjoy at home. Even if they are more expensive (around $50/ unit depending on the platform) the duration of playing them is far higher than only two hours. This makes them a substitution good with which the studios have to deal with now and most likely even more in the future. On the other hand this also creates new opportunities for the movie and the game industry to work together and create profits by co-operating. This is already working in terms of converting movies to videogames but also the other way around. 2.3.2 Piracy Another very recent issue and problem for the movie industry is the rapid spread of illegal movie copies, also known as pirate copy. In 2007, downloads of movies rose by 50 % in Germany, mostly saved as digital copies. ( Welt online, 2009) According to The Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI), the cost of motion picture piracy is significant high and an essential threat to the studios and the whole industry. The loss for the movie industry was $6, 1 billion in 2006. Taking all industries into account that are related to the movies that number would add up to $20.5 billion annually. This means that not only the studios and related companies lose money. It also means that people are losing jobs. Piracy being absent, 141,030 new jobs would have been added to the U.S. economy in 2006 (IPI, 2006) Henceforth the studios are in an on-going war with the movie pirates trying to reduce losses. The enormous impact on U.S. and worldwide economy forced the industry to consider distinct strategie s to decrease or even stop piracy. Besides Ads, showing movie pirates chased by police and going to prison as for every other federal crime, the industry also adopted a hard line by suing them for compensation. This found its peak in sending four men to prison for one year and ordering them to pay $3.6 million of compensation to major film companies such as Warner Brothers, Columbia, Twentieth Century Fox, Sony BMG and EMI. (CNN Piracy, 2009) They operated a Swedish movie pirate website which has been judged of being illegal. In total, piracy and the recession have reduced DVD sales in the UK by around 10 % and in the US by even 13 %. The problem for the studios is that DVD sales are responsible for half a titles long-term profits and more than double the revenue than from tickets sold. (Independent Online 3D Revolution, 2010) Hence Hollywood always tries to find new ways of protecting their movies and anticipate copyright theft. Consequently they always need new technologies which cannot be hacked but according to Arwed Fischer (Fischer, 2010), it is almost impossible to find the perfect safety. Hackers are able to break any copy protection within days or hours. In fact, this made him quit the job as resources seem to be wasted on nothing. Critics on the other hand state that the way of how to calculate losses for the movie industry is neither transparent nor comprehensible. The studios claim that each single pirate copy is the same as one loss of attendance. This is one of the reasons why mentioned losses are extraordinary high. People that just downloaded the movie and never considered going to the cinema or buying it on DVD are not included in these statistics which makes them quite subjective. On the other hand, the new 3D technology makes studios feel quite safe at the moment as it yet is impossible to pirate 3D featured movies. Hence people who want to experience this new way of cinema must go to the m ovies and pay for their tickets. James Cameron also is aware of this unique selling point when he says: You can pirate a 3D movie but you cant pirate it in 3D, so you cant bottle that 3D experience. (New Yorker Online, 2009) Although this is a justifiable and legitimate objection, piracy remains one of the industries biggest problems. Even if not each ‘pirate can be considered a loss of attendance and ticket sales, it remains an act of stealing. The studios spend millions of Dollars to produce profitable movies which are linked to many jobs. That should not be undermined by downloading movies instead of going to see them in the cinemas and pay the entrance fee. 3. Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction This chapter explains the approaches used to facilitate a precise and specific answer to the initial research question. In order to gather relevant and accurate information both, quantitative and qualitative data will be used. However the authors focus will be on qualitative data collection. The potential bias of primary is quite low due to a wide range of interview partners, all from different sides. Secondary data has been gathered under same criteria in order to minimise the risk of potential bias. Where, if possible, the author tried to look for alternative explanations and to show that he was aware of any potential bias. 3.2 Justification of Research Perspective Every research requires distinct methods recommended for structuring research programs. In this dissertation, it has been chosen to base all outcomes and results on actual data or professional forecasts like interviews, surveys and questionnaires. Copies of them can be found in the appendix. A high level of discipline was necessary and essential at the beginning of the research. Even though it got disappointing at some points, as the researcher took a wrong path, objectives from books by Mark Saunders (2009) helped the author to keep focused and motivated. According to Saunders * â€Å"Data are collected systematically * Data are interpreted systematically * There is a clear purpose; to find things out† (Saunders et al, 2009) 3.3 Primary Data Collection The author attempted to use all the important primary data collection methods such as interviews, networking and surveys in order to analyse the data objectively. This leads towards an accurate answer to the initial research question. Interviews with people from the movie industry such as former employees of copyright companies and cinema owners have given a deep insight into the topic. Interviewees are: * Arwed Fischer, former employee of X-Protect GmbH in Munich * Representative of the Kinopolis group, one of the biggest German cinema chains, who wants to stay anonymous. * Jan Fantl, producer, production manager and former director Several approaches for the interview structure have been considered and led to the following conclusion: Although unstructured interviews have the advantage of complete freedom in terms of content and structure ( Kumar R, 2005), the author of this report decided to mostly use structured or hybrid interviews for his research purposes. This represents a spot in-between the unstructured and structured interviews in Figure 3. That was given due to the fact that face-to face interview were not possible for a number of reasons such as travelling cost or lack of time of the interviewees. Nevertheless personal interviews would have given the author some advantages such as observing his interviewee as well as listening to him or the chance to gather the data more efficiently. (Hollwitz, J. Wilson, C.E. 41-52) Therefore it has been decided to make use of telephone interviews, which are far less costly than personal ones, and mail questionnaires which require accurate question design to match reading comprehension of the interviewees. (Using Structured Interviewing Techniques, 1991) Especially mail interviews have been proofed to be quite efficient because interviewees took their time to think about the questions before answering them. An online survey has been generated and distributed by the author of this report. 47 people aged 22- 50 and from 10 countries filled out this online survey which has been piloted before with 5 people in order to make it more precise and accurate for a wider audience. It was created on the 07.April 2010 and has been closed on the 07.May 2010 .To generate it the online platform www.surveymonkey.com has been used. The complete survey can be found in the appendix of this report. Due to easier access given times and resources it was not possible to have interviews in other countries like the USA or India. At a later point in this report it has been compared to another survey taken by Opinion Dynamics Corporation in 2005 before the 3D technology boomed yet. This will show the process and change of customers opinion on 3D movies. Also a questionnaire has been conducted by the author. It has been sent via to several people of the movie industry. The response rate was rather poor as asked peo ple seemed to be busy. Standard questions have been used in order to facilitate the collection of data and due to limitations in terms of time and resources. The questionnaire can be found in the appendices in section 8.1 As aforementioned, the potential bias has been considered in the evaluation process. Another option to be deemed is the use of a supervisor or mentor. He made sure that collected data was rather objective than subjective and could provide the author with constructive criticism. 3.4 Secondary Data Collection Thanks to a wider range of secondary data available, the author collected a lot of relevant information on the topic. He did this through a critical evaluation of literature, not only from the USA but also from Europe to accomplish a fair and accurate picture of the industry and its potential in the future. Parts of the research were also based on past and current trends and forecasts that justify arguments and recommendations. In order to sufficiently cut down the total amount of data, the author interpreted data sourced mainly from smaller subgroups rather than â€Å"all possible groups† (Saunders et al 2009, p 150 152)This method saves the author valuable time and also makes research and evaluation of data more efficient by using a smaller pool of information. As every other method, this one also has disadvantages, such as gathering the wrong kind of data or using irrelevant data which cannot answer the initial research question accurately. Also some academic literature such as the The Academy of Management Journal has been used to provide a different angle of the research question. A SWOT analysis on the current situation of the 3D Technology and outline possible threats and opportunities for the whole movie industry has been carried out. As a planning tool a SWOT analysis has many benefits like the simplicity of taking one. Nevertheless this can lead to problems like underestimating the value of a SWOT analysis or to an imprecise and weakly conducted analysis. (Ferrel Hardline, 2007, p. 119-120) More benefits can be seen in Figure 4: (Ferrel Hardline, 2007) Figure 4 3.5 Conclusion of Methodology Using all the aforementioned methods and approaches, the author attempted to find an accurate answer to the research question. Giving the reader a deep insight into the topic and a widespread view of the 3D Technology opportunities and risks has lead to a complete understanding of the subject. All data has been analyzed and evaluated neutrally so a conclusion has been objectively drawn. 4. Findings and Analysis This chapter starts with an explanation of the technical side of 3D technology used today followed by an overview of the history of 3D movies and a SWOT analysis. After that, the role of 3D movies in general and in combination with IMAX cinemas as well as the importance of Avatar will be discussed. The chapter will concluded with the comparison of two surveys (for further information please see research methodology) and a forecast. 4.1. How does 3D technology exactly work? First of all, the binocular vision system is based on the fact that the eyes of a human being are spaced 5 cm apart. Consequently each eye sees the picture from a different angle. At the same time the binocular vision system in a brain is using the difference to calculate the distance. The brain also has the ability to show a relationship between those images even though they are slightly different. The brain can choose objects in the two scenes and work out how far an object is between those images. (How Stuff works 3D glasses, 2010) The reason for wearing 3d glasses is to provide different images into your eyes. The movie screen in fact shows two different images and the glasses cause one of the images to go into one eye and the other one to enter the second eye. There are two widespread systems of doing it * Polarization: The majority of the big studios such as Disney or Universal the first choice are polarized lenses for the glasses because they allow colour viewing. Two synchronized projectors project two individual views onto the screen, each with a diverse polarization. The glasses only let one of the images to enter each eye because they hold lenses that are polarized as well. This is comparable with the polarization of sunglasses. (Filmindustry, 2009) * Red/Green or Red/ Blue. Since polarization cannot be used on a traditional TV screen (unlike on upcoming 3D TVs which will be dealt with later on in section 4.7) the red/green system is used. Again 2 images are displayed on the screen, one in red and one in blue/green. The filters of the glasses only allow one picture to enter each eye. The brain has to correlate those pictures as aforementioned. It is not really possible to use a nor