A Policy Statement Goals Strategies Objectives And Tactics

Operationalize a Policy Statement: Goals Strategies Objectives and Tactics The purpose of program goals for school system is to develop a school-community relations policy that emphasizes the development and continuous partnership between the school and the community (Bargin, at. el., 2012). Upon analysis of New Jersey School Boards Association’s Critical Policy Reference Manual: Community Relations policy statement it became evident that while the policy contained key elements, it lacked in the logical sequence and manageability. Existing policies targeting schools and be re-envisioned to link children, schools, and communities in ways that are beneficial to individuals and their communities (Casto, at. el., 2016). Long term and†¦show more content†¦el., 2012).. †¢ Decision to Take Action: Promote public interest and participation in the operation of the school system. †¢ Means to be Employed Develop the most effective means of communication with the school system’s public use of available media as appropriate by using the information and public opinions about the school system and its programs gathered from Element Cluster Teams 1 and 3. Short-Term Goal: Gain information about public attitudes toward the school system and its programs ïÆ'Ëœ Objective Provide an honest, continuous, comprehensive flow of information about the policies, problems and progress of the school system to the school community †¢ Authority: The School District †¢ Reason: Day-to-day decisions impact policy implementation, and traditional engagement behaviors impact policy creation and transformation (Hinnant-Crawford, 2016). †¢ Decision to Take Action: Develop and maintain the confidence of the community in the school board and school staff †¢ Means to be Employed: Public polls, surveys and interviews of school community members and analysis of past procedures and data. Written Policy Statement The board of education believes its school community relations program should; A. Promote public interest and participation in the operation of the school system. B. 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Financial Management and Control †Kingspan Free Essays

Financial Management and Control Kingspan Assignment 6th December 2012 Contents Introduction4 1. Profitability Ratios4 1. 1Gross Profit Ratio4 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Financial Management and Control – Kingspan or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2Net Profit Ratio4 1. 3Return on Capital Employed (ROCE)4 2. Liquidity Ratios5 2. 1Current Ratio5 2. 2Quick Ratio/Acid Test Ratio5 3. Efficiency Ratios6 3. 1Debtors Days6 3. 2Creditors Days6 3. 3Inventory Turnover Days6 4. Gearing Ratios7 4. 1Gearing Ratio7 4. 2Debt to Equity Ratio7 4. 3Interest Cover7 5. Investment Ratios8 5. 1Earnings per Share8 5. 2Price Earnings Ratio8 5. 3Dividend Cover8 6. Sources of Finance9 6. 1Debt capital:9 6. 2Lease and Hire Purchase9 . 3Share Capital9 6. 4Creditor Debtors10 6. 5Reducing stock levels10 7. Conclusion10 7. Appendices11 7. 1Appendix 111 7. 2Appendix 212 Introduction Below are the ratio findings based on Kingspan PLC’s annual report year ended 31st December 2010. The ratios are calculated for both 2010 and 2009. The ratios are as follows: 1. Profitability Ratios 1. 1Gross Profit Ratio 20102009 Gross Profit333,694Ãâ€"100%=27. 96%308,913Ãâ€"100%=27. 45% Sales Revenue1,193,2151,125,523 There is a slightly higher Gross Profit in 2010. K ingspan are now holding onto . 51% more of each euro of sales then they were in 2009. This is due to the increase in sales. 1. 2Net Profit Ratio 20102009 Net Profit (before Int Tax)67,405Ãâ€"100%=5. 65%62,659Ãâ€"100%=5. 57% Sales Revenue1,193,2151,125,523 There is a slight increase of. 08% in 2010 compared to 2009. If going by the gross profit ratio this should have been higher; this indicates that they need to manage their expenses more efficiently thus increasing their net profit. 1. 3Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) 20102009 Net Profit (before Int Tax)67,405Ãâ€"100%=7. 65%62,659Ãâ€"100%=7. 97% Capital Employed (W1)880,616786,676 Kingspan has been less efficient in using their capital in 2010; they are down by . 2% from 2009. Although there was an increase in sales in 2010 the decrease in ROCE is due to the higher borrowings in 2010. If in following years they continue this trend investors could start to worry and sell shares. 2. Liquidity Ratios 2. 1Current Ratio 20102009 Current Assets471,193=1. 55:1398,212=1. 31:1 Current Liabilities304,922303,529 The curr ent ratio in 2010 shows that kingspan are managing their short term debt more efficiently than in 2009; this is due to increasing their current assets and managing to keep their currents liabilities relativity steady. They need to manage their debtors and stock better to further increase the ratio which will entice potential investors. 2. 2Quick Ratio/Acid Test Ratio 20102009 Current Assets less Closing Inventory (W2)342,158=1. 12:1287,391=0. 95:1 Current liabilities304,922 303,529 In 2009 Kingspan may have had difficulty in paying their short term creditors but they have managed to increase it in 2010. Given the ideal ratio of 1:1 they could look at investing the surplus assets for a return. ? 3. Efficiency Ratios 3. 1Debtors Days 20102009 Debtors218,047Ãâ€"365=66. 70Days181,071Ãâ€"365=58. 72Days Credit Sales1,193,2151,125,523 Kingspan were managing their debtors better in 2009. There is an increase of 8 days in 2010; this could potentially lead to bad debt. Collecting their debt earlier will increase the liquidity of the business. They could offer discounts on early payment or offer a cash price. 3. 2Creditors Days 20102009 Creditors93,024Ãâ€"365=38. 68Days85,228Ãâ€"365=40. 42Days Credit Purchases (W3)877,735769,671 Kingspans creditors days have decreased by 2 days meaning they are paying off their debts 2 days earlier than in 2009. This shows that Kingspan are managing their debt more efficiently and may interest potential investors. 3. Inventory Turnover Days 20102009 Average Inventory (W4)119,928Ãâ€"365=50. 93Days134,291Ãâ€"365=60. 02Days Cost of Sales859,521816,610 Kingspan has managed their stock more efficiently in 2010; by doing so they have increased their cash flow and reduced their holding costs. ? 4. Gearing Ratios 4. 1Gearing Ratio 20102009 Long Term Borrowing213,671Ãâ€"100%=24. 26%201,14 1Ãâ€"100%=25. 57% Total Capital (W1)880,616786,676 By decreasing the level of gearing they have decreased the level of financial risk, although they have increased their borrowing the increase in capital is greater meaning that they are using less debt to make their profit. . 2Debt to Equity Ratio 20102009 Long Term Borrowing213,671Ãâ€"100%=32. 04%201,141Ãâ€"100%=34. 35% Shareholders Funds666,945585,535 Debt to equity has decreased by almost 2% in 2010 showing that there are more shareholders funds to borrowings. This shows that Kingspan can manage to pay their debts which is important for future borrowings and investors. 4. 3Interest Cover Interest Cover 20102009 Profit before Interest Tax67,405=5. 3562,659=4. 91 Loan Interest12,59412,750 There are higher interest rates associated with short term borrowings than there are with long term borrowings. By reducing their short term and increasing their long term borrowings Kingspan has reduced their finance costs in 2010. They have also increased their sales giving a better interest cover. It shows that in 2010 Kingspan would be able to pay their interest 5. 35 times compared to 4. 91 times in 2009. Bank and investors would look at this ratio to see how they cover their loans. 5. Investment Ratios 5. 1Earnings per Share 20102009 Profit after Interest and Tax48,657,000= â‚ ¬ 0. 28 47,658,000= â‚ ¬ 0. 28 Number of ordinary shares171,755,762171,503,951 Earnings per share in 2010 have remained almost the same as 2009. It is displayed here rounded but 2010 has a slight increase. It shows the profitability of Kingspan and the consistency of the EPS shows security. Shareholders are receiving a slightly higher return in 2010. 5. 2Price Earnings Ratio 20102009 Price per share7. 49=â‚ ¬ 26. 956. 05 =â‚ ¬ 21. 32 Earnings per Share0. 280. 28 It is more expensive to buy Kingspan shares in 2010 than compared to 2009; this shows confidence in future earning power. 5. 3Dividend Cover 20102009 Profit after Int tax Pref Div48,657=7. 0NIL Earnings per Share6,661 Kingspan can pay their shareholders 7. 3 times from their available profits. They did not pay any dividend in 2009; this could have been a strategic move to increase cash flow. ? 6. Sources of Finance Kingspan operate a number of different finance sources, such as: 6. 1Debt capital: Kingspan have both long and short term borrowings. With short term borrowings such as overdrafts and hire purchase kingspan will pay a high interest rate on their 2009 borrowings of â‚ ¬31,863mn but they have managed to reduce that by over half to â‚ ¬14,259mn. This will reduce the financial costs. The interest rate for long term borrowings is generally a lot lower than that of short term loans; although Kingspan increased there long term borrowings in 2010 by â‚ ¬12,529mn they will be paying a lower interest rate, again saving on finance costs. By reducing their short term borrowings and increasing their long term borrowings in 2010, Kingspan have managed to reduce their overall finance cost to â‚ ¬156mn in 2010. The long term borrowings of â‚ ¬213,671mn have been scheduled for staggered repayments over 5 years, this ill allow kingspan to meet their liabilities when due. Interest rates for loans over â‚ ¬300,000 can be discussed with individual financial institutions. Kingspan’s interest rate for both long and short term loans will depend on their credit rating. They will have to be able to produce cash flow forecasts or provide security for the loan. 6. 2Lease and Hire Purchase This form of finance allows Kingspan to ob tain the use of an asset without a large initial cost. It is beneficial as the risk remains with the owner and as technology changes they can upgrade the equipment with minimal cost. Kingspan have increased their lease/hire purchase costs by â‚ ¬7mn in 2010. 6. 3Share Capital The core funding in Kingspan is provided by shareholders; this increased by â‚ ¬81,410mn in 2010. Although there is risk involved and there may be a high return expected by using this form of financing there is no requirement to pay dividends even if profits exist. As Kingspan do not have preferred shareholders they did not pay out dividends in 2009 and allowed them to retain their profit and improve sales. 6. 4Creditor Debtors Kingspan’s creditors days decreased by 2 days in 2010; depending on the agreement they may have been able to receive a discount for early payment. However agreeing longer credit terms with their suppliers would allow them more flexibility with cash flow. In 2009 Kingspan were also managing their debtors days more efficiently than that of 2010. This may be due to the down turn in the economy and to make sales they could have offered longer repayment options. If needed Kingspan could renegotiate the terms or offer discounts for early payment. 6. 5Reducing stock levels By reducing the number of days stock is held will save on holding costs such as security, light, heat, warehousing and staff it will also reduce the risk of spoiling or obsolete goods. Kingspan have managed to reduce their stock turnover days to 51 days compared to 60 days the previous year. 7. Conclusion Overall Kingspan is performing better in 2010 than compared to 2009. The sources of finance are working well for the company, they have a low gearing ratio and have moved funds between long and short term borrowing taking advantage of a lower interest rate. They are managing their creditor, debtor and stock turnover days more efficiently than in 2009. They are leasing or using hire purchase to obtain assets this giving Kingspan the use of equipment without a large initial cost. Given the industry and the economic climate in 2010 Kingspan shows to be a liquid company and shows confidence in future earnings. ? 7. Appendices 7. 1Appendix 1 Workings (W1)Capital Employed20102009 Share Capital Reserves666,945585,535 Long Term Debt213,671201,141 882,626786,676 (W2)20102009 Current Assets471,193398,212 Closing Inventory-129,035-110,821 342,158287,391 (W3) Credit Purchases20102009 Closing Stock129,035816,610 Cost of Sales859,521110,821 Opening Stock-110,821-157,760 Purchases877,735769,671 (W4)Average Inventory20102009 Opening Stock110,821157,760 Closing Stock129,035110,821 Total Stock239,856268,581 ? 2119,928134,291 ? 7. 2Appendix 2 Share prices for Kingspan Fig 1. 2009 share price as of 31/12/2009 Fig2. 2010 share price as of 31/12/2010 http://www. kingspan. com/kingspangroup/investors/share_info/share_chart/ How to cite Financial Management and Control – Kingspan, Essay examples

Challenging My Beliefs Essay Example For Students

Challenging My Beliefs Essay I am not a competition dancer. They spend at least fifteen hours a week in the studio pushing to do five pirouettes into a back illusion into a tilt, all perfectly in sync. The focus is winning, and they strive to learn combinations as quickly as possible. At my studio, we study the art of dance. While we learn the same tricks as competition dancers, impressive leaps and turns arent the focuses of our end-of-year performance pieces. Even in my advanced jazz class, there is no requirement to master tricks. It is an individual learning process and everyone has their own limits. Our teachers emphasize dance as a storytelling medium, to engage audience members and affect them in deeply personal ways. When I attended the 2013 Maryland Council for Dance, I took a class called Jumps Trix and Turns taught by a petite dancer with unbelievable core control. I grimaced at the combination she gave us, knowing from past experience that I could not do a triple pirouette turning three times in a row on one set of toes with the other leg bent at the knee. I had been trying to master it for several years and every time, I had fallen off my leg before finishing. I sighed and told myself to try my best, but I knew I wouldnt be able to pull it off. The competition dancers, on the other hand, nodded confidently as though they had been doing triples since they could walk. As the other dancers lined up in the front and took their turns, they displayed horribly flexed feet and warped alignment even as they were inexplicably turning beyond triples. These were the flaws that I had worked for years to fix. Everything that would prevent me from turning ran through my head at once leaning back, the pass at the ankle instead of at the knee, flimsy arms, poor spotting all things that I knew I had problems with, and could fix. Wow, I thought. They can pull off those turns without technique on their side. What could I, with my strong foundation, do? I had never done more than a double pirouette in jazz class, but I realized that fear of failure may have been the only thing holding me back. With technique, it was not impossible for me; it just had never been done. It was time to challenge my own irrational conviction that my skill had plateaued. When it was my turn, I carefully set up my preparation: feet pointed, legs straight, arms stable, and torso stacked. I took a deep breath, remembered all my fixable technique problems, did a pas de bourre to prepare, and despite the unforgiving high school gym floor, I pulled off my very first triple pirouette. I smiled, nodding confidently as though I had been doing triples since I could walk. When I attended modern class a few days later, the fear was gone, and dedication had taken its place. The week before, I didnt know if I could pull off the combinations harder sections, so I played it safe and didnt put all my effort into it. But the Wednesday after Maryland Council, as I was performing in a group for the class, I remembered conquering my triple pirouette and the six years of technique ingrained in my body, and I shot energy out of every extended limb and finger to perfectly suspend a perpendicular Horton tilt.

Virtu And Fortuna Essay Example For Students

Virtu And Fortuna Essay Virtu and FortunaUnder close scrutiny, The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli is seen to be a mind-baffling construct of many levels of meaning, and, many might say, enigmatically so. It is hard to determine where Machiavelli is writing in earnest and where in sarcasm or self-condemnation. As John Plamenatz says, the perverse Machiavelli likes to make himself out worse than he is. He likes at times to shock his contemporaries No doubt he succeeds. The important message here, though, is that the reader can never be positive of Machiavellis real views. The same is true in considering the significance of the terms virtu and fortuna (and their several translations), so often used by Machiavelli to drive home his points. But by looking at many possibilities for their frequent and seemingly suggestive usages, and at some of the ancient thought with which Machiavelli was supremely familiar, we can arrive at a satisfactory speculation, we can discuss the web weaved by Machiavelli in his profes!si ons. We will write a custom essay on Virtu And Fortuna specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The first, most obvious purpose of The Prince is stated by the author himself, addressing Lorenzo de Medici:If you will read over and study it carefully, you will recognize in it my most earnest desire that you may achieve that summit of grandeur to which your happy destiny and your other capacities predestine you. And if from that summit Your Magnificence will occasionally glance down at these humble places, you will recognize how unjustly I suffer the bitter and sustained malignity of fortune. Clearly there is a sizeable amount of cajolery occurring here (and also foreshadows the following discussion of fortune and virtue), and this same stroking of Lorenzos ego continues through the book, with slight references to how fit to rule this prince is, how virtuous, how fated to be the incredible Prince for whom Machiavelli writes. It could easily be said that with this book the author may have trying to ingratiate himself to all the local nobility; on the other hand, knowing what follows might also suggest that Machiavelli was really attempting to play off the nobilitys fears of chaos and insecurity, guaranteeing safety if they read his short piece. The second possible purposedefinitely an outcomeis the creation of a learned historical discourse. I will leave out examples; it suffices to say that The Prince encompasses many centuries of human history, many deeply researched examples of politico-military events, and so on. True, they serve enforce his ideas on virtuous government, but they also seve the modern historian in his search for original sources. A third possible purpose of The Prince might be to outline the ideal government or, if not the ideal, the most virtuous or the best possible. It is in this purpose, the same goal pursued by countless political thinkers in history, that we extract much of what the current age considers Machiavellian. The lord most would consider ruthless and cold, but whom Machiavelli names a virtuoso, is but one (probably Cesare Borgia, son of Sixtus IV) character in the book. The authors supposedly cruel way of equating bad with good is traditionally what has gotten him into hot water. The fact is, however, that Machiavelli never truly addresses the issues of bad and good, right and wrong, these absolute judgments most people would, I think, claim him to make. Machiavelli, in laying out the best government, does so from a completely political and pragmatic point of view, by what works, what is possible, and, really, what for his prince results in the most power and security. The auth!or carries out this investigation using two parameters in particular, the Italian virtu and fortuna. They can be translated in many ways (Robert M. Adams has done it very nicley so I shall not repeat them here) which is part of what gives the book its depth. In general, though, the spirit Machiavelli attaches to these two crucial words resembles the following. Virtu embodies a paragon or paradigm; the virtuous man takes action, he anticipates and exhibits resolve, shrewdness and aptitude. Above all, he commits himself to politically sound, whole-hearted efforts. Politics here reign supreme; while he does acknowledge that there are ideals in the world, he asserts that it is futile to discuss them because in real-world situations they are never applied. Only what is practical, what is tangible and realthese are his subjects. .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e , .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e .postImageUrl , .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e , .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e:hover , .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e:visited , .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e:active { border:0!important; } .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e:active , .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u157ead4eca3b09b8ca1a62256d36711e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Diabetes EssayVirtuous action, Machiavelli implies, is directly opposed to fortuna, which can be translated as luck, destiny and of course fortune. To Machiavelli, fortuna always exists in our lives as a constant yet changing force. It governs our actionslest we apply virtu. The influence of fortuna comes through passivity, like the current in a river. It is surmountable, but can always affect us. The meat of Machiavellis ideas arise from a number of ideas about government. The application of virtu by any leaderany princepresents the road to political health; a strong active ruler who is deft and crafty will probably, according to Machiavelli, always gain a respectable amount of power. And by doing so will be circumventing fortuna as well. Other virtuous actions include obtaining the support of the people, but perhaps through swift brutality, raising a military to defend oneself and live in whatever land you have conquered. It is germaine here to bring up the ancient thinker Plato. In the Republic, Plato outlines many ideas which parallel Machiavellis. Both support this converted form of fascism, a celebration of governing power. Plato advocates a true aristocracy, or rule by the best philosopher-kings, and Machiavelli essentially advocates rule by the best manbest as evidenced by who can get to the top. Both agreee on the idea of the Noble Lie, or lie told by the leader to the believing masses for their own good. As there is a definite separation in Platos thought between the classes of society, so does Machiavelli advocate a definite division. And as Plato asserts the tripartite soul with distinct separations (both in the individual and the society), so does Machiavelli assert, in my own words, the separation of the prince into three certain realms: the person (of the prince), his persona, and his policy. (The first holds the actual character, personality, beliefs of the prince;!the second, how his su bjects see him as; the third, what is accepted to be his official consequences for certain bad acts performed.)These latter points bring up the fact that virtu and fortuna can certainly apply to Man in general. One of Machiavellis ultimate statements thus is that men and women are inherently political animals, not necessarily adhering to standards of good and evil, right and wrong, but apparently doing so because it is convenient. When, say in the case of a prince, it becomes necessary to step outside the regular life of Man functioning and into the unusual life of Man governing, these standards become truly meaningless, and only practicalities and realities remain; all idealized systems become burdensome at best. It might be good to note the slightly chauvanistic temper to The Prince. It appeals to the male; it definitely would have appealed to Lorenzo, who may have been anxious to posit his masculinity. So Machiavelli equates his prescriptions with such. First, in Italian, virtu is masculine and fortuna is feminine. Thus opportunities are represented as female, and action as male. Aditionally (and this comes straight from the Republic; the idea of a coupling, a marriage, inherent both in Platos words and his way of presenting the ideal society, which exits between the governor and the governed), there are the gender assignments female and male to the people and prince, respectively. As well, Machiavelli presents the people waiting to be ruled as material, and the rule spread by the prince as structure; in Renaissance Italy, material and structure possessed traditional gender traits. What we get from all of this is that, to Lorenzo, in order to assert his masculinity and se!ize fate (fortuna) by the throat (we are reminded of Machiavellis comment that, since it is a Woman, Fortune must be beaten into submissionshe will appreciate the one beats her all the more!), he must obey Machiavelli. .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af , .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af .postImageUrl , .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af , .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af:hover , .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af:visited , .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af:active { border:0!important; } .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af:active , .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ude8c3b1a2d7c5848eaa98ed84c4806af:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Reconstruction EssayNow, historically, Machiavelli lived in and lived for his beloved republic of Florence his whole life. It was only in 1512 when France, to whom Florence had professed the traditional allegiance, left Italy and Spain reentered that the republic was totally lost, and Machiavelli expelled to the country by the incoming Medici, and Machiavelli wrote The Prince while in exile. I believe that he really wished Lorenzo to treat Florence with great carehis dear homeand wrote his book to persuade Lorenzo to do just that. We are reminded of Machiavellis frequent comment that the prince MUST gain the favor of the people, that he should raise an army of those he jus t conquered to induce the feeling of membership in a group, that he should entertain the people and reward them for good things done, that a new prince should not touch the women or any property or local customs. And, of course, most frequent of all was Machiavellis emphatic comment that a new prince could only manage !to survive in a newly conquered republic by living in it, among his new subjects. This is so importantand virtuousbecause it would keep the prince from fouling his residence (and thus from fouling Florence) and it would tend to make him a Florentine, the best thing for a prince of Florence to be. In the final analysis, virtu and fortuna come screaming out from the pages of The Prince itself. Indeed, Machiavelli is subscribing to his own prescription. It is finally Machiavelli who is being political with Lorenzo, it is Machiavelli who is taking action and trying to influence both his new prince AND fortuna. He is taking a stand against destiny by manipulating the world, by trying to convince Lorenzofor the sake of both masculinity and personal virtuethat the best, the cruelest prince is the kindest one. Machiavellis own virtu clashing with his fortuna are what have produced the immortal Prince; it is only fitting that these ideas also fill its pages.

Oedipus Tyrannus

Oedipus Tyrannus Introduction Oedipus Tyrannus is one of Sophocles’ masterpieces. This play brings into action different historical issues that are pertinent in contemporary world. Written between 428 and 425 B.C, Oedipus Tyrannus remains all time favorite play. Sophocles explores â€Å"how it is to be a human and live in a world that does not bend itself to support humanity† (Meineck Woodruff 10). Sophocles addresses historical issues like oracles and divination and Greek religion among others.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Oedipus Tyrannus specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These plays were part of Greek religion; actually, it was a form of worship where they worshiped, Dionysus, a seditious revelry god who lived in the wilderness. According to Meineck and Woodruff, amongst Greek people, divination and oracles served as the only form of revelation, no priesthood, sacred books, theology, or founders, only seers and or acles (13). Delphi; being the most sanctimonious place in Greece, gave the final word on every matter and all people had to respect its oracle. Oedipus Tyrannus expounds on these works in a colorful event dealing with society issues like murder, rape, marriage, family, leadership, and divinity among others. Importance of the Story Though written many years ago, Oedipus Tyrannus addresses important issues that affected people during those times. Interestingly, the same issues appear to be affecting people in the contemporary world. This fact solidifies the common adage that, ‘the more things change, the more they remain the same.’ It is amazing that the issues that rocked the newly civilized society are still pertinent in a fast moving world where civilization has hit climax. The main character here, Oedipus, is acting like most of our leaders in modern times, confident, heroic, saying one thing and doing the other coupled with deliberate denial of the truth even when al l evidence is available. This play is important because it handles issues that are happening in our society today. Oedipus appears as a hero especially at the beginning of the play where he solves the Sphinx’s enigma. It takes a lot of confidence to engage in a dangerous activity that Oedipus engages in. He offers to give Sphinx an answer although he knows a wrong answer would lead to death. After this incidence of freeing people from the wrath of Sphinx, Oedipus becomes popular and garners massive following due to his intelligence and bravery. This phenomenon is common in modern world where a single act of boldness and bravery will lift someone to stardom.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The first person to hail Oedipus is a temple priest who says, â€Å"You freed us from the Sphinx, you came to Thebes and cut us loose from the bloody tribute we had paid that h arsh, brutal singer.   We taught you nothing, no skill, no extra knowledge, still you triumphed (Sophocles 44-47). According to the people of this city, nothing short of god’s gift would deliver them from the hands of Sphinx. This blessing came through Oedipus. Unfortunately, once the Thebans start to idolize Oedipus, he assumes powers that are not his. It is interesting how people are hungry for power and recognition, and the things they will do once they gain all that they have been wanting all along. Oedipus assumes powers of gods. Instead of people praying to their gods, he offers to answer their prayers. He says, â€Å"You pray to the gods? Let me grant your prayers† (Sophocles 245). This is ridiculous. Maybe out of gullibility and hypnotization, people start offering their prayers to Oedipus. This is because their gods does not seem to answer their prayers anymore. It is easy for people to be lured away from what they believe and what they have cherished for lo ng. As aforementioned, though written in many years ago, this play is of great significance in the contemporary world. Day after the other, people are becoming followers of new sects that they do not really understand. Not because they did not have beliefs and religions hitherto, they are simply hypnotized. Nevertheless, Oedipus’ popularity begins to take a nosedive as the reality of Laius’ death starts to set in. At this point, the vehement denial of truth sets in. leadership without honesty cannot stand. Oedipus becomes a tyrant for he cannot swallow the truth that he killed Laius. As Locasta recounts the events that preceded her husband’s murder, it becomes clear to Oedipus that he is the subject in this case. Suspicion plunges him and absentmindedly says, â€Å"Strange, hearing you just now . my mind wandered, my thoughts racing back and forth (Sophocles 800-02). People cannot just accept the truth; however, they will always look for scapegoats and point fi ngers to others. What happened to owning up mistakes and taking responsibility? Oedipus is not different, despite the mounting pressure he continues to carry out investigations to what he already know. In a typical way of people in modern world, Oedipus goes on to question the credibility of the Oracle. Just like people nowadays, they want to challenge every ruling to satiate their selfish ambitions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Oedipus Tyrannus specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More After Tiresias implicates Oedipus in the murder of Laius, Oedipus becomes offensive and he actually infers that Tiresias is the murderer. He says, â€Å"You helped hatch the plot; you did the work, yes, short of killing him with your own hands . (Sophocles 394-96). Dying of suppressed guilt, he extends the blame to Creon and accuses him of treason and conspiracy. He says, â€Å"I see it all, the marauding thief himself scheming to steal my crown and power! (Sophocles 597-98). Talk of assassinating the messenger with a complete disregard of the message. Man is known to deny the facts. This paper aforementioned that, interestingly, the things that were pertinent in society many years ago, they remain the same even to date. Citizens and leaders alike do not want to come out and accept the truth. Selfish ambitions are the rule of the day and no one is ready to take responsibility of his or her actions. It appears that Oedipus set the pace, and we have followed his footsteps so faithfully. At this point Oedipus cannot be contained. He acts with complete disregard of divinity, by spiting a prophet and even igniting the ire of gods. This wrath is inevitable as we find out in the chorus that, â€Å"But if any man comes striding, high and mighty, in all he says and does, no fear of justice, no reverence for the temples of the gods-let a rough doom tear him down, repay his pride, breakneck, ruinous pride! (Sophocles 972-77) . This tyrant behavior is typical in modern society. People choose leaders to be a blessing to them only to be a curse. Our leaders go to the people, beg for votes, and get that highest seat in the land, and turn out to be tyrants once seated in the throne of powers. Think of Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. The only thing the people of Thebes could show after Oedipus reign is wrath from their gods. Similarly, the only thing the people of Zimbabwe can show after many years of poor governance by one of their elected leaders is a wretched economy. Lastly comes the payday. Oedipus has to pay for all his sins and face humiliation in front of the very people he ignored with contempt. He admits his mistakes by saying, â€Å"I stand revealed at last-cursed in my birth, cursed in marriage, cursed in the lives I cut down with these hands! (Sophocles 1309-11).Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On top of this, he gouges out his eyes but moves quickly to justify his actions, â€Å"What good were eyes to me? Nothing I could see could bring me joy (Sophocles 1473-74). Truth has a way of finding ‘her’ way home. No matter how hard we try to cover the truth, nature has a way of bringing our deeds to light. This is a fact that Oedipus came to learn, unfortunately, it was a belated bitter lesson. When people reach this point of life where they realize everything is vanity, they become remorseful. Oedipus did not miss in this common arena and he concludes by saying, â€Å"Oh no, what can I say to him? How can I ever hope to win his trust? I wronged him so, just now, in every way. You must see that-I was so wrong, so wrong (Sophocles 1554-57). He regrets how contemptuous he acted towards Creon. This is a typical ending of many people in our times. People have risen to stardom only to come down crumpling as we watch. Apart from the significance of this play in contempo rary world, it plays a crucial role in Greece’s history. This play reflects greatly the character of Athenians rulers; who were diligent, brave, and daring on one side, while arrogant and contemptuous on the other side (Silverman para. 6). These leaders defended their territories but they could not defend themselves as individuals, just like Oedipus. Moreover, Athenians struggled with religious issues and this play highlights all these. Lastly, this play expounds on human suffering that, sometimes people get what they deserve while at other times they endure the most of fate. Conclusion Sophocles knew exactly what he was writing when he compiled the play Oedipus Tyrannus. This play is a true reflection of what people go through. Oedipus is an epitome of modern day leaders who start their leadership reigns in style only to turn tyrannies and come to humbling ends. The place of this play in today’s society is important and it is amazing how humanity has not changed afte r many years of civilization. Issues to do with divinity were critical in Greece during the times of Oedipus and they still weigh heavily on society today. There has been a deliberate shying away from and denial of the truth; a fact highlighted strongly in this play. People have continually neglected the truth, choosing to pursue what seems right in their own eyes regardless of criticism that may be surrounding them. Finally, this play emphasizes on historical issues in Greece’s history like nature of leaders, religion, and human suffering. Oedipus Tyrannus is an educative and entertaining masterpiece that cannot afford to take a backseat in today’s literature. Meineck, Peter, Woodruff, Peter. â€Å"Oedipus Tyrannus.† Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Company, Inc. 2000. Silverman, David. â€Å"Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus.† 1995. Web. Sophocles. â€Å"The Oedipus Tyrannus with English Notes.† Crosby, Howard. Ed. New York: D. Appleton Company. 18 57

Accounting for Charitable Contributions

A look at the financial structure of charity organizations and to what extent these are effective in supporting intended objectives. This paper takes a look at the financial structure of charity organizations and at what extent these are effective in supporting intended objectives. The author argues that often charities spend donations not in connection to their stated mission, and in many cases the money goes not where it is most needed. Americans are a very generous people, reaching into their pockets again and again to provide their personal and corporate dollars to support what they believe to be worthy causes they may not have the time to personally volunteer, but most are willing, at least occasionally, to write a check to support those that do.The U.S. has 1.4 million tax-exempt organizations. Its probably a safe bet that most are well-intentioned and honest. But a lot of them are simply inefficient they spend donations meant to help people in need on staff salaries or direct-mail marketing. Some do not even put donations to use toward their stated mission (Forbes, 1999).

(adults with schizoaffective disorder) Term Paper

(adults with schizoaffective disorder) - Term Paper Example The second and third aspects of the paper will also discuss how a family member saw this spectrum and how it is affects African-Americans. The theoretical orientation that has been chosen for this report is the cognitive theories. According to the Better Health Channel (2011) schizo-affective disorder is a combination of â€Å"schizophrenia and a mood disorder† (par. 1). There are two sub-types that have been identified: Schizo-affective bipolar type and schizo-affective depression type. The symptoms of schizo-affective disorder can include three types: Psychotic symptoms include losing touch with reality, chaotic speech, blank facial expression, hallucinations, disorganized thoughts and the inability to move. Manic symptoms can include rapid thoughts and/or speech, quick changes in mood, impulsive behaviors and exaggerated self-esteem. Depressive symptoms that can include low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, loss of motivation and/or loss of interest, difficulty concentrating, insomnia and loss of appetite. Unfortunately, the causes of schizo-affective disorder is not known (Better Health Channel, 2011). Also, s chizo-affective disorder is difficult to diagnose because clients are usually having the same challenges when they are diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Generally, the diagnosis of schizo-affective disorder will be used if the individual has both schizophrenia and a mood disorder that is present for at least two weeks (Better Health Channel, 2011). This is one of the reasons that many researchers state that socio-affective disorder is part of a schizophrenia spectrum. The cognitive theories are important to this disorder because there are several areas of cognitive dysfunction. Green (2006) identified several key concepts in cognitive functioning. These concepts include: â€Å"speed of processing, attention/vigilance, working memory, visual learning and memory, reasoning and problem solving, and social

Importance of Crisis Management Plan in Organizations Research Paper

Importance of Crisis Management Plan in Organizations - Research Paper Example Some common examples are threat of bankruptcy, computer system failure, a big industrial accident, defect of a manufactured product and its recall, sudden fall in the sales and so on. In fact, the senior management of an organization is the most affected when there is a crisis. It is for the management to ensure that suitable people are arranged in a proper fashion to deal with major problems that could affect the organization. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that even the crisis management plan reflects the company’s core values. Also, there should be properly defined methods to communicate with various stakeholders including clients and shareholders during a crisis. Admittedly, organizations can considerably improve their readiness to face crises by testing the methodologies they have developed. First of all, a suitable crisis management plan can make an organization strong enough to withstand potential threats and secondly, awareness about possible threats makes the organization able to take early action, thus resulting in reduced damages. Also, the development of a suitable crisis management plan will give the organization an upper hand over other poorly-prepared competitors. Moreover, effective communication at the time of crisis will make the public realize how the core values and beliefs helped the organization overcome the challenges, thus giving it a better public image. Some other benefits are that the plan restores critical business processes and systems in less time, reduces the length of the interruption process, minimizes reputation damage, maintains customer relations, protects assets, saves lives and reduces the chances for further injuries. The Action Checklist of Crisis Management The first step in crisis management involves developing an overall crisis management plan that does not significantly vary from the organization’s core values and beliefs. Thereafter, it is necessary to develop a crisis management team structure and define the roles and responsibilities of each personnel. In addition, it is necessary to define the lines of authority as absence of this may result in communication anarchies. Also, it is vital to ensure that during a crisis, appropriate action is taken to communicate with stakeholders. Lastly, it is vital to connect the crisis management with business recovery program. The purpose of crisis management Effective management of a crisis involves prevention, planning, testing, evaluation and maintenance. However, when a crisis management plan is developed, it is necessary to ensure that the plan restores critical business processes and systems, reduces the length of the interruption process, minimizes reputation damage, maintains customer relations, protects assets, saves lives and reduces the chances for further injuries. The planning process Successful crisis management involves planning, testing, evaluation and maintenance. In fact, successful risk management is a mix of sound organizational practices and the use of basic safety-related technology. So, the first stage is enhancing security to avoid the possibility of unintentional events. In order to identify the possible crises, it is necessary for organizations to develop a vulnerability assessment process. This will help the organization identify the probable threats and the need to make necessary changes. When assessment is conducted, it is necessary to include warning signs because before certain crisis, there is the possibility of certain warning signs. For example, erratic employee behavior can be the indication of a

Zeigarnik Effect Essay Example for Free

Zeigarnik Effect Essay The Zeigarnik Effect is named after the Russian psychologist, Bluma Zeigarnik (1926), who noticed an odd thing while sitting in a restaurant in Vienna. The waiters seemed only to remember orders which were in the process of being served, but little recollection of the completed orders. Zeigarnik went back to her lab to test out a theory about what was going on with the waiter. More than fifty years after the Bluma Zeigarnik study, Kenneth McGraw and his team returned to conduct the same study. The conclusion in both studies was that once people start something, they are more inclined to finish it. There is, however, one exception to the Zeigarnik Effect; it won’t work unless you are actually motivated to complete the task or achieve the goal. The Zeigarnik Effect says our brains hold-on to unfinished tasks; in other words, we like to finish what we start. The Zeigarnik Effect is about the human tendency to remember uncompleted tasks more than the tasks already completed. When people manage to start something they’re more inclined to finish it. What the Zeigarnik Effect teaches is that one weapon for beating procrastination is starting– something, sometime, somewhere†¦ anything. Don’t start with the hard task, try something easy first. Once you’ve made a start, however trivial, there’s something drawing you on to complete the task. Zeigarnik ascribed their results to a ‘state of tension’, akin to a cliffhanger ending: Your mind wants to know what comes next. It wants to finish. In conclusion, memory is a good indicator as to whether people continue to be interrupted by thoughts of incomplete tasks. Constant thoughts of incomplete task components cause it to be retained in memory better. Interruptions that cause a person to fall behind in their objective also cause anxiety that brings about constant thoughts of unfinished business.

Greek Actors :: essays research papers

GREEK DRAMA: the actors The actors in ancient tragedies were hired and paid by the state and assigned to the tragic poets probably by lot. By the middle of the fifth century three actors were required for the performance of a tragedy. In descending order of importance of the roles they assumed they were called protagonist ‘first actor’ (a term also applied in modern literary criticism to the central character of a play), Dueteragonist ‘second actor’ and tritagonist “third actor’. The protagonist took the tile of the most important character in the play while the other two actors played the lesser roles. Since most plays have more than two or three characters (although never more than three speaking actors in the same seen), all three actors played multiple roles. In modern literary criticism, the term protagonist refers to the central character of the play, not the actor. Since women were not allowed to take part in dramatic productions, male actors has to play female roles. The playing of multiple roles, both male and female, was made possible by the use of masks, which prevented the audience from identifying the face of any actor with one specific character in the play and helped eliminate the physical incongruity of men impersonating women. The masks with subtle variations also helped the audience identify the sex age and social rank of the characters. The fact that the chorus remained in the orchestra throughout the play, and sang and danced choral songs between the episodes. Allowed the actors to exit after an episode in order to change mask and costume and assume a new role in the next episode without any illusion-destroying interruption in the play.

Demographic Segmentation

Study of a demographic segment and its sub segment falling in the age group 18 year to 25 years Saneel Gaonkar IBS Gurgaon Study of a demographic segment and its sub segment falling in the age group 18 year to 25 years Introduction Different kinds of people display different buying patterns even in a segment of age group 18 years to 25 years. This truth is well understood by those people who are responsible for market research, product development, pricing, sales and strategy. Market segmentation is the identification of portions of market that are different from one another. Every individual falls under one or other demographic segment of the society ‘Mr. Philip Kotler has defined a market segment as a group of customers who share a similar set of needs and wants (Philip Kotler, 2009). ’ A market segment is a sub-set of a market made up of people or organizations with one or more characteristics that cause them to demand similar product and/or services based on qualities of those products such as price or function. The criteria that a true market segment should meet are as follows: distinct from other segments, homogenous within the segment, it responds similarly to market stimulus and it can be reached through market intervention. Researchers try to define segments by looking at descriptive characteristics: geographic, demographic and psychographic. Then they examine whether these customer segments exhibit different needs or product responses. Few other researchers have tried to define segments looking at behavioral consideration such as consumer responses to benefits, use occasions or brands. Researchers than see whether different characteristics are associated with each consumer response segment. (Philip Kotler, 2009). The key here is to identify customer differences. The major segmentation variables are Geographic, demographic, psychographic, and behavioral segmentation. Living in metropolitan city like Mumbai exposes you to a wide competitive market in all sectors. Segmenting Consumers in Mumbai by using these segmenting techniques gives a thorough idea of the consumers in Mumbai Geographic Geographic segment calls for division of the market into different geographical units such as nation, states, region, countries, cities or neighborhoods. In India geographic segmentation assumes importance due to variation in consumer preferences and purchase habits across different regions, and across different states. In India rural and urban markets differ on number of different essential parameters like literacy levels, income, spending power. There is a vast difference in infrastructure such as electricity, telephone network and roads. The need to segment the market geographically becomes clearer when we look at some of the characteristics of the market. In India there are 5000 towns and over 6, 38,000 villages (Pradeep Kashyap, 2003-04) (Philip Kotler, 2009) Region Mumbai falls in Western region of India. There are few significances of this region that needs attention, Maharashtra the state with Mumbai as its capital derives its culture from Indo – Aryan Vedic culture influenced by the Maratha Empire and the British Empire. City of Mumbai According to 2011 census, the population of Mumbai was 12,478,447 (The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, 2011). (censusindia. gov. in) According to extrapolations carried out by the World Gazetteer in 2010, Mumbai has a population of 13,830,884 and the Mumbai Metropolitan Area has a population of 21,347,412. The population density is estimated to be about 20,482persons per square kilometer. The sex ratio was 838 (females per 1,000 males) in the island city, 857 in the suburbs, and 848 as a whole in Greater Mumbai, all numbers lower than the national average of 914 females per 1,000 males. PopulationIndia. com, 2011) The low sex ratio is partly because of the large number of male migrants who come to the city to work (â€Å"Parsis top literacy, sex-ratio charts in city†, 2004) As Per 2011 census, Greater Mumbai, the area under the administration of the BMC, has a literacy rate of 94. 7 %, higher than the national average of 86. 7%. (The Registrar General & Census Commiss ioner, 2011)Sixteen major languages of India are also spoken in Mumbai, most common being Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati and English. The religions followed in Mumbai include Hindus (67. 39) , Muslims (18. 56%), Buddhists (5. 22%), Jain (3. 99%), Christians (4. 2%), Sikhs (0. 58%), Parsis and Jews making the rest of the population. (Mehta, 2004) Mumbai is also home to the largest population of Parsi Zoroastrians in the world, with about 80,000 Parsis in Mumbai. (â€Å"The world's successful diasporas†) Looking at the data it is clear fact that Mumbai is a large market with intelligent customer. Amount of exposure to brands and products a person goes through in Mumbai is vast. Culture This Research also includes finding new potential markets in the age group of 18 to 25 years, for this purpose knowing the culture of Mumbai is also essential. The culture of any place is always determined from its people, cuisine, religion, language and festivals. Mumbai has a mixture of people from various communities and subsequently they follow different religions. The metropolitan observes modern trends; here people enjoy participating in all festivals irrespective of caste, creed and color. Mumbai is the birthplace of Indian cinema. The influence of the Bollywood in the cities culture is observed. The cultural heritage of Mumbai presents a combination of old and new. The ‘bindaas' or carefree approach of the Mumbaikars comes alive in their dialect of Mumbaiya Hindi too. (Principal Cities) Economy Mumbai is the financial and commercial capital of India. It generates 6. 16% of the total GDP. It is the economic hub of India, contributing 10% to factory employment 25% of industrial output, 33% of income tax collection, 60% of custom duty collection, 20% central excise duty collection ,40% of India’s foreign trade , Rs 4000 crore in corporate taxes. â€Å"The world's successful diasporas†) In April 2008, Mumbai was ranked seventh in the list of â€Å"Top Ten Cities for Billionaires† by Forbes magazine, (Forbes Magzine) Demographic In demographic segmentation, the market is divided into groups on the basis of variables such as age, family size, family lifecycle, gender, income, occupation, education, religion, race, generation, nationality, and social clas s. Demographic variables are very popular among marketers as they are often associated with consumer needs and wants; another is that they are easy to measure. (Philip Kotler, 2009) Age and Lifecycle Age and Lifecycle are important variables to define segments as the needs and wants of the consumer change with age. Johnson & Johnson’s baby oil which is popular in India is a classic example of product of infants. (Philip Kotler, 2009) This research is focused on the market segment which falls in the age group of 18 years – 25 years. Consumers falling into this age group may have the falling into this group may be college going students, working, pursuing higher education, married and working, having their own business . Their wants and needs differ from each other. College going students will have their own wants and needs, what a college student would need is education, books, clothes, food his wants are a cricket bat, mobile, bike etc, he may desire to get education in a higher graded college, a car, Touch screen mobile etc. Working consumers have different needs compared to students. Working consumers may need a mobile, laptop, bike, blazers; he automatically becomes a prospective customer to housing development companies, car companies, furniture companies, aviation companies, Food chains, financial service companies, holiday tours and travel package companies etc. Consumer who I married and working may need jewelry for his wife, furniture for his house and other consumer durable and non durable products, prospective customers for car manufacturers, Insurance companies etc. Consumers having their own business may need, a working space, desks, electricity, ac’s, he may become prospective customer for insurance companies, luxury car companies, High end products etc. So Consumer pursuing higher education falls between these four sub-segments, His needs are all a mixture of all three, he will be getting married so all the needs and wants of a married working is a part of this consumer group. So by this we can infer that this wants and needs of this group is a mixture of all the other sub- segments. Slicing this segment further by Gender we find Men and women are different in their behavior, Research shows that women are likely to pick up the product without prompting while men often like to read product information before buying. (Philip Kotler, 2009) Income Income segmentation is a long standing practice in variety of products and services. Income determines the ability of consumers to participate in the market exchange and hence this is a basic segmentation variable (Philip Kotler, 2009) Slicing the segment on the base of income we may see college going student, Students pursuing higher education are dependent on their family’s income , while other sub- segment are earning consumers who control their consumption pattern through their own pocket. Psychographic Segmentation Psychographic Segmentation is the process of using psychology and demographics to better understand consumers. In psychographic segmentation, buyers are divided into different group based on psychological / personality traits, lifestyle or values. People within the same demographic group can exhibit very different psychographic profile. (Philip Kotler, 2009) VALS (â€Å"Values, Attitudes and Lifestyles†) (Philip Kotler, 2009)is a research methodology used for psychographic market segmentation. VALS was developed in 1978 by Arnold Mitchell and his subordinated at SRI International VALS Framework and Segment Innovator: These Consumers have the highest incomes, and such high self-esteem and abundant resources that they can indulge in any or all self-orientations and are on the leading edge of change, Image is important to them as an expression of taste, independence, and character. Their consumer choices are directed toward the â€Å"finer things in life. † ? Thinkers: These consumers are the high-resource group of those who are motivated by ideals. Their characteristics are mature , responsible, well-educated professionals. They have high incomes but are practical consumers and rational decision makers. Believers: These consumers are the low-resource group of those who are motivated by ideals. They are predictable and conservative consumers who favor established brands. They have modest incomes. ?Achievers. These consumers are the high-resource group, motivated by achievement. Work-oriented people who get their satisfaction from their jobs and families fall under this category. They are politically conservative and respect authority and the status quo. They favor established products and services that show off their success to their peers. ?Strivers. These consumers are the low-resource group who are motivated by achievements. They have values very similar to achievers but have fewer economic, social, and psychological resources. Style is extremely important to them as they strive to emulate people they admire. ?Experiencers: These consumers are the high-resource group of those who are motivated by self-expression. They are the youngest and energetic of all the segments, . They have a lot of energy, which they pour into physical exercise and social activities. They are avid consumers, spending heavily on clothing, fast-foods, music, and other youthful favorites, with particular emphasis on new products and services. Makers: These consumers with low-resource group of those who are motivated by self-expression. They are practical people with value self-sufficiency. They are focused on the familiar-family, work, and physical recreation-and have little interest in the broader world. As consumers, they appreciate practical and functional products. ?Survivors. These consumers are with lowest incomes. They have t oo few resources to be included in any consumer self-orientation and are thus located below the rectangle. Oldest of all the segments, with a median age of 61. They tend to be brand-loyal consumers. The age group taken into consideration here is 18 to 25 year. Some of them may fall into Experiencers segment who are young and energetic and who are motivated by self expression. Some of them are thinkers, i. e. Smart buyers. Behavioral Segmentation Behavioral segmentation divides a population based on their behavior, the way the population respond to, use or know of a product. Consumer behavior is a subject studied in depth over time in marketing management. This is mainly because there are several factors which a consumer takes into consideration before taking a decision. Thus consumer decision making is affected by his behavior and that is exactly how the behavioral segments are targeted. (Philip Kotler, 2009) Forms of Behavioral segmentation Buying on occasions: Buying on occasions is the first form of behavioral segmentation. Products such as chocolates and premium foods will sell on festivals. Similarly, confectioneries will sell when there is a party. Thus these products are generally targeted by behavioral segmentation. Benefits sought – Several products are targeted towards the benefits sought by the customer. Recently, there has been a war between Colgate and sensodyne to target the people who have sensitive teeth. Similarly, there are other toothpastes which are targeted towards whitening of teeth. Hair shampoos are targeted towards split ends, anti dandruff or others. Loyalty – There are two ways to grow a business. First is to acquire new customers and second is to retain your existing customers. The more loyal your customer is to you, the more your customer base will increase. That’s one more kind of behavior which marketers target. The strategy for brand loyal customers is very different from that used for acquiring new customers. Usage rate – In residential or commercial segment, the usage can be demonstrated in the form of heavy usage, moderate usage or lesser usage. Taking the example of beauty parlors or personal care. There are some customers who use a lot of personal care products whereas others do not use personal care products much. Thus depending on their usage the customers can be targeted. Among the age group that we are focused on one may find all such behavioral buying patterns. A person can be loyal to one brand for one product , but for other product he may switch brand as he is getting discounts. Research Methodology Data Gathering and Analysis To have a clear perception of the term research one should know the meaning of scientific methods. The two main terms, research and scientific method, are closely related. Research as we have already stated can be termed as â€Å" an inquiry into the nature of, reason for and the consequences of any particular set of the circumstances, whether these circumstances are experimentally controlled or recorded just as they occur. Here the researcher is interested more than particular results; he is interested in the repeatability of the results and in their extension to more complicated and general situation. Research in common refers to a search for knowledge. Research can also be defined as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic. It is usually an art of scientific investigation. The purpose of research is to discover answer to question through the application of scientific procedures. The main aim of research is find out the truth which is hidden and which has not been discovered as yet. Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem. It may be understood as science of studying how research is done systematically. It has many dimensions and research methods do constitute a part of Research Methodology. The scope of Research methodology is wider than that of research method. 1. Why a research study has been undertaken? 2. How the research problem has been defined? 3. In what way and why the hypothesis has been formed? Are usually answered when we talk of research methodology concerning a research problem or study. Whatever may be the types of research works and studies, one thing i. e. important is that they all meet on the common ground of scientific method employed by them. The research methodology can be defined as a way systematically solves the research problem along with the logic behind them. Researchers not only need to how to develop certain indices, how to calculate mean, mode, median and how to apply particular research technique and what would they mean and indicate and why? All this means that it is necessary for the researchers to design his methodology for his problem. The scope of Research methodology is wider than that of research methods. Thus research methodology deals itself not only with research method but also in considering the logic behind the methods used in the research study. Research Design: The research design is the conceptual structure within which research is conducted. It is a plan of action, a plan of collecting and analyzing data in economic, efficient and relevant be manner. It contains the blue print for the collection, measurement & analysis of data. The proposed study is an exploratory cum descriptive. The purpose of preparing research design could be either to test a hypothesis or to give a cause effect relationship to the given situation. The design provides answers for questions such as: â€Å"What techniques will be used to gather data? † â€Å"What kind of sampling will use? † As in this case research is to be a quantitative research. We are dealing with 12,478,447 population of Mumbai and slicing it to different segments. The data that has to be collected should be from an authentic source as the research is based on authentic facts of the region. Quantitative research Systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships. Asking a narrow question and collecting numerical data to analyze utilizing statistical methods. The quantitative research designs are experimental, correlation, and survey (or descriptive). ] Statistics derived from quantitative research can be used to establish the existence of associative or causal relationships between variables. SOURCES OF DATA: The data that has to be collected has to be authentic, so it should be collected from authentic source like government websites, this type of research require authentic quantitative data. Data collection from primary sources is not a option here. So data has to be collected from secondary sources. Secondary Data: Information regarding the project, secondary data was also required. These data were collected from various past studies and other sources like magazines, newspapers, and websites which qualified as reliable. Limitations of the study †¢Limited Access to Secondary data †¢Lack of time Conclusion Mumbai is a large consumer base, the youth population following in the age group of 18 to 25 years itself is diverse in their own ways, each of them have different wants , needs and desires. All of their wants and needs are not always satisfied. Markets are oversaturated with products at claim to fulfill their needs; some fulfill the needs some partially. Buying decision of the consumer in this age depends upon what he thinks about the product and the brand and the amount of exposure he has gone through for that brand. As we are saying the needs of the consumers may be partially filled, so automatically there is a consumer base who wants something that will fulfill their needs in totality, this brings about a market opportunity for the companies which can be targeted by them, i. . slicing into that segment of Mumbai consumers. Many of the consumers are unaware of their needs as well, Example, Including the use of day today technology in household activities etc, there are many untapped markets in Mumbai that has to be exploited by the companies, Consumers of this age group are attracted to new technology and feature, they want to stay ahead of their generation, these wan ts and desires should be tapped upon by the companies. Bibliography â€Å"Parsis top literacy, sex-ratio charts in city†. (2004, september 8). Times OF India . The world's successful diasporas†. (n. d. ). Retrieved from Managementtoday. co. uk. censusindia. gov. in. (n. d. ). â€Å"Ranking of districts of Maharashtra by population size 2011†. Retrieved from censusindia. gov. in. Forbes Magzine. (n. d. ). Mehta, S. (2004). Maximum City Bombay Lost and found. Philip Kotler. (2009). Marketing Manager- A South Asian Perspective. Dorling Kindersley. PopulationIndia. com, â€Å". . (2011, June 1). Populationindia. wordpress. com. Pradeep Kashyap. (2003-04). â€Å"Selling to the Hinterland†. Business World , 88-91. Principal Cities. Government of Maharashtra.

Formative Essay-Employment At Will Essay

1. How is employment-at-will applied in your organization or in one with which you are familiar? To what extent do the exceptions to employment-at-will limit its application in the organization? How might managers in the organization use knowledge of employment-at-will and its exceptions to protect the interests of the organization? An employment-at-will relationship where there is no contractual obligation to remain in the relationship; either party may terminate the relationship at any time, for any reason, as long as the reason is not prohibited by law (Bennett-Alexander & Hartman (2007)) The company I work at talks about how they reserve the right to terminate your employment without notice and without receipt of any Corrective Action Agreement, for any reason during the first 90 days of employment and beyond. It goes on to give a list of actions or attempt of actions that will result in the company using the Corrective Action Agreement. 2. What are specific examples of roles that are filled by employees and others that are filled by independent contractors? Use examples from your employer, industry, or an employer or industry with which you are familiar. What do the employees and independent contractors have in common and how do they differ in dealing with employers? How might temporary employees be characterized in the organization or industry you select? Within the company there are several departments: break-n-shear, welding, upholstery, sewing, cutting, electrical, wood shop, and shipping. The departments that do not use temporary workers are break-n-shear, electrical, welding, and since accident on friday cutting will no longer employee temporary employees. During our busy season (four months a year) the company hires temporary workers for sewing, upholstery, assembly, and shipping. The main difference is filings with IRS, benefits, and places to go, such as department of labor to file grievances. The subcontractor receives no benefits, less of a liability, and nowhere to file a grievance except small claims court. When I first started working at the company, I was hired as an employee; with full benefits as benefits became available. The owner came to where I was working as a head sewer and told me that if I came to work with him that his intent was to make me manager of the sewing department. As the company grew, so did the subordinates underneath me. I started getting sick. Owner wanted to keep me and make adjustments. I went out on medical leave and quit because I can no longer do the job. Owner talked me into coming back as subcontractor. I asked for written definition and term. The only people I answer to are the foreman, HR, and owner. Depending on subcontractor hired to do will determine who the subcontractor answers to; not all mangers’ have that concept at work but will after the training. When the job I was hired for is done my work at company is done. I receive no benefits the tax forms are different; I am responsible for taking taxes and FICA out (paying). I am less of a liability than a regular employee. I am also paid a percentage not hourly pay. Other subcontractors are hired through temporary employment agencies. The company pays the agency based on an hourly scale for each temporary employee and the agency in turn pays the subcontractor. At the end of the busy season if a position opens up then one of the subcontractors would be offered a positioned. Subcontractors are not trained and employees are cross trained is the major difference besides what was previously mentioned. The company has a policy that anyone who gets hurt on premises the company pays the medical; for everyone including employees, subcontractors, and guests. The company views it as responsible and less of a liability (proactive approach). References Bennett-Alexander, D.D., & Hartman, P.L. (2007). Employment law for business (5th Ed). New York: McGraw-Hill.

How to Write a Great Essay Step by Step †Pro-Academic-Writers.com

How to Write a Great Essay Step by Step Since you become a high school student, you start receiving various writing homework assignments such as essays or research papers. Well, some teachers assign this sort of job in middle and even elementary school, but only high school, college, and university academic papers have strict requirements. By learning how to write essay step by step beginning with an introduction and ending up with the conclusion, one will have all chances to become a successful author or journalist one day. At least, successful completion of such tasks guarantees you high grades and in-depth knowledge of different subjects. Besides, it is a good way to learn how to write and communicate your information to any audience. Guide to Writing Any Type of Essay Research process We would like to begin with the very first step to success known as in-depth research. You may wonder, but it comes before the first paragraph called introduction or even before the cover page. Research, in fact, takes the most of your time. The point is to find related and up-to-date information which will be useful for your entire paper. The sources have to be no older than five years. Besides, a good research may provide you with an idea for your entire paper in case the topic is not assigned by your teacher. In addition, you may find a useful example of the essay when searching for relevant information. You may use the sources you have found for your further projects. The main idea is to provide credible evidence such as statistics and facts and insert in-text citations when composing an essay. One more thing to persuade you of the importance of the task: a personal statement or scholarship essay is a great example of academic writing assignment that guarantees you a place in the best university or some financial rewards during your higher education. But even these basically reflective genres require in-depth research. E.g., the applicant has to look for a good example of a personal statement to know what they are expecting to read in Harvard or Stanford. Choosing essay topic It’s one of the most responsible steps so far. No example would help you. The name of your paper should be based on your original idea. You may take one of the most discussed topics in the modern world. You may write about the role of educational apps in the life of contemporary students, but stress your own point of view based on the facts that you have collected using one of the research techniques. Support your choice by pointing to the importance of the discussed issue and add some statistics to get higher credibility. Selecting essay topic is a huge responsibility. Use essay writing service to help you with both interesting idea and the rest of the process for fair prices. Writing Process Itself Essay introduction The first paragraph of any academic paper is known as an introduction. The first sentence should catch the attention of your reader so that he or she will read the piece to the end. It’s not that easy as you think. First of all, the first paragraph should present the main idea of the entire essay so that the audience understands what the paper is definitely about. You may begin to write your essay with a brief but meaningful quotation. But it has to be related to the entire text. Also, you may support your introduction to statistics received from some credible sources. Include a fact or a short story of why given topic was chosen. You must show that provided subject is important for many people, not just you care about it. If you want to find out the rest of the true writer’s features, you may read this article. The introduction should end up with so called thesis statement which has to be both persuasive and engaging. It must stimulate your audience to read the entire text paragraph by paragraph. In other words, it is better to conclude your introduction with a strong argument that will give the overall idea of further paper and conclusion. It may end up with the question, but when we speak about academic writing, one has to think about a strong argument to discuss. Body paragraphs There is one part which looks pretty much the similar in all sort of college tasks: Essays Research papers Book/movie reviews Lab reports Case studies Business plans PowerPoint presentations This part is called a body. The body of any essay consists of 3-5 paragraphs with strong arguments developed to support your main idea (thesis) mentioned in the introduction and repeated in conclusion. On the whole, the body part is usually the longest and most boring one, but you have to write even these paragraphs with love and passion to provide the best example of the excellent essay to your teacher and classmates. Student should follow: writing style guidelines generally accepted grammar spelling punctuation English vocabulary various online templates/samples Only then his entire work will look engaging and interesting. Here are some other advice to use within your essay structure†¦ Write the body paragraphs without making them too long. Many students make a huge mistake when they create a small introduction and conclusion by overwhelming body paragraphs. Your essay still should not be longer than 500-1500 words. In depends on the task and specific requirements of your tutor. In fact, admission essay cannot be longer than 275-300 words as they are checking how concise you can be. Thus, it does not always matter only how you write or how great your idea is. You should write a body so that it might serve as a perfect example for future generations. Look at a good example as a key from time to time, but do not copy-paste a word! On the whole, follow the simple body outline: Argument 1 Argument 2 Argument 3 With the support of each added in every last conclusion sentence. At last (and the rule suits all types of academic essays and research papers (except for the personal statements)), it is better to avoid the first person. Consider writing from the third person. In other words, do not use words like "we," "my," "your" or "our" in your essay. Conclusion The purpose of the whole essay is to come up with the nice conclusion which restates your thesis sentence and lists all arguments recalled throughout the text once again. Do not forget to include reference page just after your conclusion on a separate page. The best online writers should serve as both authors and educators. Counsel them on any issue during the writing process. You have to discover the following advantages: Acceptable prices Loyal terms conditions 24/7 live support Many great examples of written essays And we have just the right company to help those students who are in trouble here. Make your order now and be the winner tomorrow!

Business economics (for firm) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business economics (for firm) - Essay Example The traditional theory of firm states that the same principles underlie each decision taken within a firm and that the decision is influenced by who takes it, thus the theory abstracts from the peculiarities of the persons taking the decisions and from the organizational structure in which they were. Therefore according to the traditional theory of firm whenever a firm manager or board of directors of the firm, then as far as the theory takes decisions is concerned that person is the firm for the purposes of that decision. According to devine1985 he reinstated the traditional theory of firm, he viewed participatory economy system as a process in which the value and interest of people in a process of decision making through negotiation and cooperation. Extra-firm firm is concerned with the implication of generalized participation outside the firm for the process and criteria that determine which of the entrepreneurial or innovation output of firms are successful. Baumol's sales revenue maximizing model. Williasm Baumol developed the sales maximizing model he argues that firms attempts to maximize the revenue obtained from sales with or without a profit constraint. This is motivated by managers in a firm belief that their salaries are related to the size of the firm. This approach was developed by cyert and March in 1963. ... with the implication of generalized participation outside the firm for the process and criteria that determine which of the entrepreneurial or innovation output of firms are successful. Question 3 Baumol's sales revenue maximizing model. Williasm Baumol developed the sales maximizing model he argues that firms attempts to maximize the revenue obtained from sales with or without a profit constraint. This is motivated by managers in a firm belief that their salaries are related to the size of the firm. The diagram below demonstrates a firm's total cost curve. Total revenue curve and the profit curve. Total revenue curve and the profit curve. Cost & Revenue Total Revenue At point 'P' where total cost curve intersect total revenue curve. The profit value is zero. Where TC = TR then profits are equal to zero. Managers of a firm may be interest in maximizing variables other than profits. The diagram below shows a firms attempts to maximize sales revenue subject to a minimum profit and a firm not subjected to a profit constrain. A firm producing at point Qo maximizes profit this is the point where the profit curve is at it maximum. A firm that has no profit constraint in its production will produce at pointy Q3. A firm with a minimum profit constraint will produce at point Q2, where the minimum profit line interest the profit curve. Section B Behavioural Approach of a Firm This approach was developed by cyert and March in 1963. It emphasizes on explaining how decisions are taken within a firm. This approach is an alternative of the -profit maximization theory. According to Baumol (1959), he suggests that managers would seek to maximize their own utility, managers interests are served by maximizing sales after achieving a

Environmental History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Environmental History - Essay Example The major cause of air pollutant in urban areas is transportation. The continuous increase in the number of vehicles leads to an increase in the quantity of petroleum usage resulting to production of high quantity of fumes. Among the gases produced, carbon dioxide stands out as major environmental pollutant. The high concentration of CO2 has been mainly attributed to deforestation and burning of fossil fuels in the industries. Smog has been another notable form of air pollution in the history of environmental pollution. It may be defined as the fog which is generated when nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons undergo a photochemical reaction with the sunlight. This kind of pollution usually intensifies when abundant smoke particles are released into the atmosphere. During industrial revolution, a lot of smoke was produced leading to immense air pollution. So far, the worst kind of air pollution in the entire environmental history is the global warming. It may be described as the rise in the average temperature of the air on the oceans and on the surface near the earth. The rise in temperature has been observed from about 1950BC and is believed to be caused by human activity like deforestation and combustion of the fossil fuel. Its effects are devastating including changes in precipitation patterns, rise in sea level, glaciers retreat, and extinctions of species among others. To manage this menace, measures have stepped up to ensure that the concentration of the greenhouse gas is stabilized.

Labor Law DB 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Labor Law DB 4 - Essay Example If the employer does not comply with this law and goes ahead to employ an alien, the employer may face both civil and criminal liability. This comes with the imposition of huge fines ranging from $100 to $1000 for each hire. They could as well face imprisonment for a pattern or practice of non-compliance (Aguilera & Michael p 240-1). I highly agree with these consequences. This is because the IRCA is enacted to help solve the problem of the massive illegal immigration into the country. This is together with all the policies behind this law, which are imposed by the federal government for the sake of greater control and stronger enforcement mechanisms. Therefore to support the federal government create conducive environment for the citizen, the employers must adhere to these laws (Pan, Ying p 18-23). Patricia can employ a variety of policies and procedures to ensure that they comply with this law. Their recruitment procedures must therefore be open, transparent and in line with the laws. This means they simply need to align their company policies to the laws of the land for smooth

SHORT LISTENING ASSIGNMENT FORMAT Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SHORT LISTENING FORMAT - Assignment Example Instruments clearly heard from the song include trumpets, reeds, bass, piano, drums, and trombones (Ellington, 1932). The sounding of these instruments blends to produces the desired jazz music impression. The drums in this case serve to establish the acts as the metronome to the band. The bass clearly sets the style of the song as well as the progression. It makes the foundation of the root note. Notably, these two, drums and the bass, play a significant role in setting the qualities of progression throughout the song. The melody is in the sax section where it goes back and forth between the Saxes and trumpets (Ellington, 1932). Bones get the melody occasionally although not more than the Saxes, trumpets and trombones that are the basic harmony instruments in this song. From listening to the song, it is clear that the piano provides the bridge linking the bass and higher pitched instruments (Ellington, 1932). The piano helps to create space for the vocals in the song. Probably, this is because the piano has the entire scale of notes and natural concert signature and hence is the teacher of the notes (Keith, 2004). From a personal perspective, this selected solo is successful because the written arrangement of the various sections merges effectively into a Swing Jazz song. The call and response between sections makes the song progressive and hence interesting to listeners (Typical Jazz Instruments, 2009). However, the solo is successful largely because it is easy to dance to the music. The musicians, actually, seem to enjoy the music. Their dancing makes them look more of entertainers than musicians (Keith, 2004). From a personal view, these qualities of Swing Jazz would not be achieved with an unsuccessful solo. In fact, this song aroused my emotions that I yearned to have lived during the era of Swing Jazz to have a real life experience with the initial

Satire In The Musical Urinetown

Satire In The Musical Urinetown The musical Urinetown, by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, falls in the class of the modern anti-musical with its untraditional structure and content, not only breaking the mold of what makes musical theatre, but making satire of itself and its relatives in the process. This essay will investigate how Urinetown uses satire to create a new, participatory role for audience unimplemented by its predecessors. This is relevant theatrical topic as it suggests a contrast from musical theatres historical structure, as well as changing social roles in the theatrical culture. To approach this proposition, I will investigate by researching the creation of Urinetown, as well as traditional musicals to serve as a comparative structure. I will use this research to draw conclusions about Urinetowns satirical nature and the role it creates for the audience. Introduction My interest for Urinetown came with the announcement of a local high schools theatrical season, which included the musical. Having heard the name but being unfamiliar with the show, I began to research the plot and was enthralled by the story. As wacky as it is, Urinetown has contemplative themes with social commentary. The musical tells the story of citizens in a town where all restrooms are government operated. As crude as it is, much of the focus of the musical is on having to pay to pee. While Hollmann and Kotis take a humorous approach, the show does embody the peoples oppression by their own government, a theme all too familiar in a historical and current context. Urinetown creates a culture of desperation, the frequent consequence of unequal wealth distribution. Corrupt members of the Urine Good Company, or UGC, live in lavishness while average citizens cannot even afford to fulfill their most basic needs. Essential to the plot are the characters which embody theatrical archet ypes. These archetypes will be included in my scope of investigation along with Hollmann and Kotis creation of the musical. My interest in audience role came with my attendance of the North Carolina Governors School in the area of theatre. During our five weeks, we created a show which challenged traditional audience roles. The expectation of a theatre patron is to sit and be entertained, perhaps laugh and cry, and then go home. This actor-audience relationship has been upheld majorly through Vaudeville, opera, dramas, comedies, and most theatre imaginable. My investigation intends to prove that Urinetown does not adhere to these traditional audience roles, and instead uses satire to challenge its viewers, making them uncomfortable and offering a more participatory, engaging theatre experience. My methodology for this essay will primarily be analysis of research regarding record of Urinetown and its formation, and traditional musical theatre structure and the satirical comparison of it. Investigation Urinetown was inspired by the works of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, specifically Threepenny Opera. Threepenny Opera, which transformed old-fashioned opera and operetta forms, incorporated a sharp political perspective, and the sound of 1920s Berlin dance bands and cabaret, is most strikingly similar to Urinetown. From the shows opening number, the audience is introduced to an oppressed society run by a corrupt government, shown through operatic chorus chords and lyrics. The show mimics others through its number, Too Much Exposition , poking fun at the notion of an excess of background knowledge to ruin a show, taking stabs at Threepenny Opera and other musicals such as Les Miserables. Dark and dramatic with crude humor laced on top, Threepenny Opera certainly bears a resemblance to Urinetown. Urinetown is a prime example of ironic detachment, but it wasnt the first musical to use this perspective. Though this approach has not been standard practice for most of the history of musical theatre, it has appeared in Of Thee I Sing (1931), The Cradle Will Rock (1937), Guys and Dolls (1950), The Threepenny Opera (1954),How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1961), Hair (1968), Company (1970), Grease (1972), Chicago(1975), 42nd Street (1980), Assassins (1990), Bat Boy (1997), and others. These shows broke the traditional role of musical comedy. Urinetown strays from self-importance in favor of self-deprecation. John Bush Jones writes in his book Our Musicals, Ourselves, It seems no accident that a cluster of solemn musicals came right at the end of the century. Among serious and thoughtful creative people, the ends of centuries have often provoked a lot of serious and thoughtful thinking, and the production of works of literature, art, or in our case, musical theatre of especially unsmiling seriousness. Urinetown rebels against this seriousness, even mocking it. This show acknowledges its own art form, but is also part of what it mocks, taking on issues such as corporate corruption, environmentalism, civil liberties, class warfare. Ironic detachment has now become so present in television and modern culture that it no longer packs the same artistic or political punch. As our culture evolves, so must storytelling. Rodgers and Hammerstein were groundbreaking in 1943, but times have changed. Contracting to their elaborate storytelling , new musicals are more honest, breaking the fourth wall, that barrier of lies between actor and audience. Urinetown, first opening in New York in the summer of 1999, referenced dozens of movies and other bits of American pop culture, including The Wizard of Oz. Contrasting though, where Dorothys selflessness and bravery saved the day in Oz, the traits result in hopelessness in Urinetown. Even though both stories take place in an era of depression, they have separate audiences. Referenced in the musical is a response to Thomas Robert Malthus Essay on the Principles of Population (1798), which discusses the tendency of human beings to outstrip their resources. This heavy and dark allusion contrasts to the traditional musical, even in Urinetown with its light potty-humor. Urinetown breaks the mold of the traditional musical and yet, in certain ways, is true to conventional musical theatre, the shows structure taking after a Rodgers and Hammerstein model. The score ranges from direct homages to Threepenny Opera to traditional ballads to hymns, gospel, Bach, and the B-52s. The work, Urinetown, though it seems shallow and crude, is carefully constructed theatre, presented by outrageous circumstances. Urinetown registered with audiences on many levels, like any good fairy tale, providing for each audience member a slightly different message, question, or experience. The show received ten Tony nominations, winning for best score, best book, and best director. Bruce Weber in The New York Times called it a sensational piece of performance art, one that acknowledges theatre tradition and pushes it forward as well. Linda Winer inNewsday called it elevated silliness of the highest order that makes a gratifying case for the restorative return to knowing foolishness and the smartly absurd. Rex Reed in The New York Observer wrote, What kind of musical is this? A fresh, unique, original, impudent, colorful, exciting, irreverent, surprising and wonderful musical, thats all. Clive Barnes of the New York Post called it a wild and happy mix of biting satire and loving parody. Urinetown is both a satire of American political and social forces, and also a parody of musical theatre as an art form, both aspects equally well crafted. The show ran 965 performances, more than two years, a run that might have lasted far longer if not for September 11 and its crippling of Broadway. Unlike traditional musicals, Urinetowns extreme emotionalism is followed by cynicism. When a metaphor pops up, it is promptly diffused by literalism, such as the gazes to the distance. Even the resolution of the plot contrasts idealism with tragedy and harsh reality. Literalism is present throughout the show, from the conversations between Lockstock and Little Sally about the show itself, to the opening number that tells the audience where the bathroom is and what should be on their tickets. Of the two love songs, one focuses less on emotion and more on the literal body, and the other is relayed through Little Sally, as one of the lovers is already dead. Urinetown is satirical, laughing at the sappy old-fashioned musical comedy, but also laughing at shows like Les Miz or Passion which reject those conventions and perhaps go too far the other way. Urinetown raises questions about what we expect from musicals, whether or not musicals confronting an issue are satisfying entertainment, why certain stories or topics are musicalized, whether or not serious musicals are too serious. Hollmann and Kotis use musical theatre clichà ©s ironically throughout the show, using traditional musical comedy and making it more cruel, dark, and modern. Each time Officer Lockstock and Little Sally talk about what musicals shouldnt do, theyre also talking about devices certain musicals have used traditionally. When Urinetown kills off its hero, the joke is on Carousel. The violent-rage dance number, Snuff That Girl, consciously parodies Cool in West Side Story, right down to the finger snaps. Cladwells self-justification songs comically mirror Javerts Stars in Les Misà ©rables. In the original Broadway production ofUrinetown, one bit of choreography even invoked the now famous Les Miserables March. The scene in which Cladwell bribes Bobby mirrors the same scene in The Cradle Will Rock. And of course, Urinetown both uses and abuses the devices of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill and their Threepenny Opera. The song Mr. Cladwell is a stab at traditional musicals which laud over the lead, like Hello, Dolly, Mame, and others, but instead of celebrating love for the leading lady and her optimistic spunk, here the adoring chorus is celebrating murderous, unchecked capitalism. The Cop Song is both a tribute to Threepenny but also an ironic nod to hip-hop culture. While hip-hop music has historically taken violence against the poor and turned it back on the police, here the violent imagery usually used for anti-police rhetoric is given to the police themselves, with the violence now turned back on the poor again. Other names in the show follow the Dick Tracy, with Robbie the Stockfish, Billy Boy Bill, Soupy Sue, Little Becky Two Shoes, Tiny Tom, and Hot Blades Harry. Sallys description of why Urinetown isnt a good musical is funny precisely because the aspects she thinks are missing are no longer essential aspects to musical theatre. She thinks all musicals are 1920s musical comedies, but one of the central jokes of this show is that almost no musicals are like that anymore. Urinetown takes musical comedies, serious book musicals, political musicals, and concept musicals and takes them at extremes, showing us exactly how far we have strayed from the 1920s. Its very existence mocks anyone in the audience who still holds those mindsets about musicals in this age of Rent, Assassins, Passion, Bat Boy, Reefer Madness, Chicago, Floyd Collins, A New Brain, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Urinetown demonstrates that at conventional musical is no longer the convention. Bobby Strong is the archetypal American musical comedy lead being charming, cocky, and heroic. This traditional character extends back to George M. Cohan in his 1904 musical Little Johnny Jones, Billy in Anything Goes, Joey in Pal Joey, Larry Foreman in The Cradle Will Rock, Billy in Carousel, Woody in Finians Rainbow, Harold Hill in The Music Man, Nathan in Guys and Dolls, and Ponty in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Ms. Pennywise is another archetypal musical theatre character, the immoral but realistic older woman that Bertolt Brecht seems to have invented with Threepenny Opera, and well as in other musicals such as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret, and Joanne in Company. Josephine Strong is the archetypal older wise woman, joining Aunt Eller in Oklahoma!, Nettie in Carousel, Lady Thiang in The King and I, the Mother Abbess inThe Sound of Music. But here, the older woman does not have much to offer in the way of wisdom. Urinetown also takes much inspiration from Marc Blitzsteins 1937 political musical The Cradle Will Rock, which was itself heavily influenced by Brecht and composer Kurt Weill. The Cradle Will Rock label names like Mr. Mister, Editor Daily, Dr. Specialist, Reverend Salvation, Harry Druggist, and Larry Foreman. Greg Kotis did the same thing in Urinetown, with the heroic Bobby Strong, the well dressed Mr. Cladwell, the optimistic and rich Hope Cladwell, the amoral but practical Ms. Pennywise, and the cops Lockstock and Barrel. The cops names are funny in relation the literal meanings of the phrase. But its also why the original staging of The Cop Song was ill-conceived; if Lockstock and Barrel are the only two cops on the force, if they are the whole police force, lock, stock, and barrel. Urinetown is created with the spirit of Bertolt Brecht, particularly his Threepenny Opera and other political theatre. Brecht aimed to engage the audience through their brains instead of their hearts, to get them to think about the issues and questions put before them on stage and constantly reminding them of the over the top nature of storytelling while maintaining levels of wonder and self-criticism. The set projected an environment rather than representing it; the small chorus, songs to the audience, and elegance with which even the most serious scenes are performed commented on the fable nature of the show and the actions shown on stage. Reflecting the mindset of his work, Brecht once wrote, Nothing is more revolting than when an actor pretends not to notice that he has left the level of plain speech and started to sing. Its a bold statement, but not an unfair one. Brecht wanted truthfulness and realism on stage, not the performance. He rejected the ignoring of the Fourth Wall and thought that the Rodgers and Hammerstein naturalistic acting isnt actually the least bit naturalistic since most people in the real world dont break into four-part harmony. To Brecht, the act of singing onstage is more honest, more real, and connects the actor to the audience more fully because hes not trying to fool them. This isnt an approach that works with shows such as Brigadoon, but is almost necessary for Urinetown. Urinetown uses all of these ideas presented by Brecht. Urinetown is satirical in its theme, plot, characters, and music numbers, parodying traditional musicals as well as modern anti-musicals. Urinetown particularly gains influence through the satirical principles of Berlolt Brecht.