Coming to America, Scarface, and Borat Essay

Motion pictures due to its nature, creates somehow a subliminal effect on its viewers. Certain dialogue and inherent acting can leave an impression to anyone who may watch it. These impressions have a large probability that what people see on screen could actually be real. Filmmakers on the other hand, know this effect on its viewers and create movies based on their own intention. For some filmmakers the purpose could be is to simply entertain, for others to educate. But even with this purpose in mind, some films made even though most likely unintentional, can cause a variety of reactions depending on the viewers perspective and comprehension of a specific film. A lot of these kinds of reactions may come from a twisting plot or a thought provoking characterization of its actors. The latter proves to have more reactions generated due to its social relevance, the characterization in films by the minorities of society. Since the inception of including minorities in film, a lot of criticisms were raised due to what others may deem offensive for the part of how the minorities are at times being falsely stereotyped and while others will consider it socially acceptable when analyzing it in a larger context (Sienkiewicz & Marx, 2009). The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze three films namely Scarface, Coming to America, and Borat. The study will discuss the roles portrayed by the lead actors in which they are also considered as part of the social minorities. This paper will break down the stereotypes or negative images in which the film may convey and how does these films contribute to oppression of one group or another. Data Analysis Coming to America In this film, Eddie Murphy plays the role of Prince Akeem a soon to be King of his wealthy country Zamunda. The plot revolves around Prince Akeem’s motivation to find his bride, since the type of wives being offered to him by the current king his Father, seems to be like Prince Akeem’s soon to be slaves, due to their nature to obey and please whatever the Prince will desire. That part alone shows the characters of women, (in this movie majority of the women are black) especially growing out from poverty will do anything just to get married to a Prince. Although women here is not considered minority but the negative image conveyed by the film of their characters, except for the main lady Lisa McDowell (in which Prince Akeem soon married due to her distinct quality), are basically like Gold diggers and will do absolutely anything just to get rich. Another incident, in which the film portrays and intentionally to be funny, was when Akeem and his cousin went to America to find the bride of his dreams, they encountered deceit and theft mainly from black people living in the impoverished area of Queens New York. Criticisms here depends on the type of viewer perception, some may react that not all Black people are like that, and they might even add that they just did those crimes due to poverty, but others will just look at it as unintentional and as a way to create a joke, but based on a study social and political themes the proportion of blacks who resort to violence has risen substantially over the last decade (Powers, Rothman & Rothman, 1996, p. 179). Also a scene worth noting, was when it showed the future Father in-law of Akeem, Cleo McDowell (played by John Amos) running his business, which have almost the perfect resemblance of McDonalds due to its signature usage of the Golden Arches, in which he calls the McDowell’s. This scene portrays another character of the black people engaged in playful deceit for the purpose of comedy, although ugh the scene naturally funny but again may create a message that in general black people are simply like that. Even on the way Cleo treats his daughter on finding the right man, he always preferred a wealthy young man to be his future son in law, thus Akeem here for his purpose to be loved by the way he is and not for money he assumed the role of a poor man, in which his Cleo totally disliked and preferred the more well off son of a rich family Daryl. Deceit lies and the motivation for money seems to be the underlying themes of this movie, although created as a comedy to somehow cover these types of elements, it was really shown clearly when the stereotyping ended on the scene when Akeem’s father the King went to New York to find his son and stop the potential marriage of him and Lisa, offered a significant amount of money to Cleo for his troubles, Cleo then stood up for his hidden principles and reacted as if it was an insult to treat her daughter like that. This could a positive affirmation and probably the filmmakers created this scene for viewers not to generalize and jump into conclusions on the nature of the black people in this film. Scarface On the movie Scarface, Al Pacino plays the role of a Cuban refugee named Tony Montana. As an immigrant Tony was depicted as a very strong character incapable of fear especially driven by his goal of making it big on a different country like America. This characterization of Al Pacino explains the American immigrant experience suggesting that crime which is the centerpiece of which is drugs cannot be disconnected from the American Dream (Sharret, 2001). After him and his best friend Manolo (played by Steven Bauer) went out the refugee camp after a tumultuous rebellion, they found themselves on having a job as dishwashers. This shows that in America most of the jobs for immigrants with little education end up as blue collared workers doing hard work and long hours. This kind of work only made Tony feels that it was nothing different from back home in which he tried anything possible to get away of the communism grip. He decided to results into what he feels he can do best. Violence and drug dealing, this has made the movie somehow more dangerous in respect to all immigrants trying to live an honest hardworking life in America, as viewers may perceive that this is the way immigrants are, due to their background on either poverty or a tough government from their own countries. Thus stereotyping again may exists, however this film offered much more than just the immigrant experience, from that foundation it went to describe the both the horrific image of drugs in the contemporary world and the violence and corruption attached to it (same as Sharret, 2001). It was not long when Tony Montana thought he had achieved the American Dream, he killed his former boss, took away his business and his wife and even his own bodyguard to work for him. This happened as portrayed, that tension occurs when minorities (like Tony the immigrant from Cuba) and his White boss tried; but failed to resolve issues and misunderstandings (Powers, Rothman & Rothman, 1996, p. 180). Tony knows he cannot do it alone without the help of corrupt bureaucrats who actually assist drug traffic as part of the realpolitik of post-war foreign policy (same as Sharret, 2001). Those scenes have a tremendous negative effect on not only to the violence by an immigrant but on his ability to utilize the system of the society in America that seems to support the idea of competition and acquisition as hallmarks of success and accomplishment (same as Sharret, 2001). There was what it seems as turning point in the film, in which Tony, His Wife Elvira (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) and Manolo went to a fine dining restaurant. In this particular scene Tony now considered rich and powerful, went beyond as he insulted his wife for being a drug addict, and made a scene with the whole considered to be the elite class of the society. The film conveys the message that this kind of society only knows where to point fingers when it comes to trouble and it a lot of times it goes to the immigrants whom they perceived are the bad guys and specializes on dealing drugs and partaking in violence. This explains that those other diners may have no idea what an immigrant experience could be and possibly do not care except if it affects them directly, in this particular scene it did. A lot of people considered Scarface as an epic gangster film, due to its themes of the capitalist lifestyle (in contrast to communism) violence and effects of drugs. Borat Borat is a film, that is supposed to comedic in nature, turned out as a heavy racist context, full of offensive themes for both the Kazakhstan people and the Americans as well according to its critics. But is it really? again depending on the type of viewers’ point of view. The film portrayed the country of Kazakhstan as a medieval society in which rape and incest are cheerfully accepted, and sometimes combined, some audiences knows that this kind of joke is not on the country itself, but on the western perception that foreign cultures are backward (Ryan, 2006). The ploy is centered on the character Borat Sagdiyev, (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) Kazakhstan’s second-best reporter, going to America to analyze the attitude and nature of the American people. In his travel accompanied by his producer Azamat Bagatov (played by Ken Davitian), Borat tries to learn the American sense of humor by interviewing an American coach, this scene conveys that the joke in which adding the word and exclamation Not! At the end of every sentence is proudly of American Origin ( same as Ryan, 2006). The other particular scene in which Borat interviewed the Veteran Feminists of America, can be considered nothing more sophisticated than a prank at the expense of those who don’t know what the joke is, or even that there is a joke (same as Ryan, 2006). But this scene in particular portrayed the seriousness of the Veteran Feminists which either way doesn’t want to be stereotyped as Borat would prefer. This somewhat immigrant experience of Borat has also led him to his infatuation to television personality Pamela Anderson. Borat then meet with a group of drunken friends ( which this scene is not scripted) and these guy showed Borat a videotape of Pamela Anderson having sex with his then boyfriend Tommy Lee, having seen this Borat feels very depressed, since in his country the belief of virginity is very important, and before he have seen the video he thought that Pamela is still a virgin, this again portrays that Kazakhstan people are primitive as well as naive. The guys who showed Borat the video claimed (since this was an actual shot) that they are unfairly represented in the film as sexist louts because of their drunken state, but during that scene their celebratory screening of the tape reveals their sexism indisputably (Metz, 2007). There a lot of scenes in the film in which can be easily concluded as racist tags or false stereotyping, but as some of the scenes which are shot are not scripted like, the scene discussed earlier, explains some of the actual nature of the Americans on how they sometimes treat an immigrant especially if they don’t have any background of a specific immigrant. The immigrant experience here shows that people in whom he interacts can be well perceived as if they are trying to understand the minority, but at the same time holding their ground if they see something is not just normal by their standards. Conclusion The influence of film on audience perception can really be significant. Especially when dealing with the social order of the society. In this study we analyzed three films on which the corresponding focal point is the immigrant experience by the main characters. They all seemed reacting on what the new society already has in place for them. For us viewers, we see these types of minorities and a lot of times we simply cannot enjoy a film as it is, due to the disturbance of the negative messages of violence, offensive jokes, racism, drugs, sexism and lot of subliminal messages the film itself conveys to us. The problem with this is clear from this study, that it indeed has an effect that can possibly create oppression for a particular group, and in this case the immigrant minorities of our society. Reference List Charles, L. (2006). Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. United States:Four by Two. De Palma, B. (1983). Scarface. United States:Universal Pictures Landis, J. (1988). Coming to America. United States:Eddie Murphy Productions Metz, W. (2007) Shark Porn: Film Genre, Reception Studies, and Chris Kentis’ Open Water. Film Criticism 31. 1 Powers, S. , Rothman, D. , and Rothman, S. (1996). Hollywood’s America: Social and Political Themes in Motion Pictures. Boulder. CO: Westview Press. Sharrett, C. (2001). Cinematic Drug Wars. USA Today, Society for the Advancement of Education. Sienkiewicz, M. & Marx, N. (2009). Beyond a Cutout World: Ethnic Humor and Discursive Integration in South Park. Journal of film and video 61. 2 Ryan, G (2006). Thongs of Freedom: The Kazakh Ace Reporter Uncovers Uncomfortable Truths about the US. New Statesman

Cost Leadership Essay

Any organization in order to survive in a highly competitive market should be able to achieve sustainable growth and profitability. Companies that have managed to reduce costs and understand the cost technology can obtain sustainable advantage as a cost leader. In order for any company to become a cost leader is important that the cost technology is understood and the five constituent steps are implemented and followed by the management. The five steps towards obtaining a cost leader advantage are: (1) Distinguish between economies of scale, size and scope, (2) Increase average productivity of labour, (3) Normalize wage structure, (4) Control more of the production costs, (5) Demarcate between excess and reserve capacity. Implementing those steps can take several years (even decades) e.g Canon. A company has achieved economies of scale when the average cost (AC) declines as output increases meaning that the marginal cost of the last unit produced must be less than the average cost. In cases that capacity is constrain then AC cost curves are U shaped and cost reduces up to the Minimum efficient scale (MES). This is indicated in FIGURE 1. On the other hand when capacity does not prove to be constrain and each facility operates efficient then average costs curves can be L shaped. Even beyond MES average costs will not raise. FIGURE 2. So it is essential that companies build up their capacity, expand their plants or build new ones. A company has achieved economies of scope when savings are achieved as it increases the variety of products so the total cost of a company producing both products x and y is less than two companies producing products x and y or : TC(Qx,Qy) < TC(Qx,0) + TC(0,Qy). Is essential for a company to keep variable costs constant and at the same time try to achieve economies of scope. Keeping costs constant and having economies of scope can lead a company of becoming the cost leader. Steps 2,3,and 4 as mentioned above is very important for any company that wishes to reduce costs. Step 2 is focusing in increasing average productivity of the labour e.g. by keeping in the company the most productive personnel while encouraging the least productive to leave the company, while step 3 is focusing in wage normalization e.g. fixed monthly salaries and bonus payments only related to increasing productivity. Average variable costs (AVC) has an inverse relation to average productivity (AVC=w/APL) where w is the wage proxy. By increasing productivity and normalizing wages (w=1) a company will eventually reduce average variable costs. Step 4 is among the most important in order a company to become a cost leader. This step is focusing in controlling and reducing production costs. Reducing production costs is a complicated function and many parameters should be taken under consideration form the management of any company. Among others, management should consider the complete supply chain process, the degree of vertical integration and define their vertical boundaries, decide what products and services will produce in house or subcontract to a supplier, find ways to reduce transactional costs, hedge positions on raw materials, establish long term relations and long term contracts with suppliers. Contracts with sub-suppliers supplies should be written in detail and be as accurate as possible including clauses for as many as possible eventualities may occur. Also establishing strategic alliances and join ventures can reduce transaction cost and eventually production costs. Reducing production costs is also related on running the plants as efficient as possible. Reduce inventories to minimum, optimize production lines, improve or even ‘automate’ communications between departments, suppliers and distributors, automating production lines, and reduce fixed costs. Actually reduction of production costs can be done in every step of the production from purchasing raw materials to final shipment of goods. Detail analysis and planning of all production steps will provide management with the right information and solutions on how production can be optimized and costs can be reduced. Finally in step 5 companies can have the production determine the demand. In this step size is not a constraint, companies have already reserve capacity and operate at the MES point or even on the right side of the MES.. (FIGURE 3) By having reserve capacity and being able to have production determine the demand companies can influence the demand curve of their products towards being inelastic. Any company that has managed to become the cost leader in its industry will have the ability and should be prepared to allow production determine the demand and have reserve capacity. This will prevent lagging sales and reduce carrying inventory to minimum. Over the last years more and more companies are focusing on costs, how those can be controlled and what measures should be taken in order costs to be reduced. Being able to reduce costs and in combination with economies in scale (neo classical model) and economies of scope (game theory) a company can become the cost leader in its industry. It is very important that a company can be the cost leaser in a game and in many cases companies camouflage this advantage so it is not revealed to competitors. Being a cost leader a company can obtain sustainable advantage, will have the capacity to ‘play the game’ longer and be able to determine the demand curves of their products.

Fra Lippo Lippi: Argument About Art

Then, you'll take Your hand away that's fiddling on my throat†¦ † (12-13). Why then Is the monologue delivered? It might be regarded as a sort of apologia , as his captors are not a little surprised by discovering their prisoners membership of a monastic order: â€Å"Though your eye twinkles still, you shake your head – Mine's shaved -? a monk. You say -? the sting's in that! If Master Cosmic announced himself, Mum's the word naturally; but a monk! † (76-79). However, beginning as such, Far Lollipop Lippies speech turns Into an emotional outpouring of his ideas regarding art and Its nature.He seems to find It easier to share his independent opinions with the guards, who are socially closer to him than either his Prior or his influential patron. It is a monologue of an artist hindered in his work by his customers, as he has to adapt his paintings to their tastes, however distasteful he finds it. By and by he expresses his views on the nature of art, it connect ion with religion and Its mission. His views defer significantly from the Church's doctrine that the truthful depiction of human body Is unnecessary and harmful, as art is to elevate human soul. Ding it to forget the earthly. For Prior the artist's truthful depiction of human body is â€Å"devil's game† (172). His main objection is that Lollipop's paintings â€Å"do to so instigate to prayer† (316), which should be the chief objective of art. The art should deal with the spiritual world, using material things as far as they reflect the spiritual categories: his demand to the artist can be reduced to â€Å"Give us no more of body than shows the soul† (188). Lollipop successfully builds his own philosophy of art, refuting the Prior's arguments.While the Prior Is hypocritical In his despise of body, Lollipop's art Is sincere In Its praise of God's creation. He supposes that there is nothing sinful in representing things as they are, eliciting in his viewers a thril l of recognition in something that is to be called realism centuries later. â€Å"The shapes of things, their colors, lights and shades, Changes, surprises, -? and God made it all! † (284-285) Thus it is no pointless imitation of nature, it helps viewers to see nature as created by God anew. Furthermore, it revives the soul and calls It towards God, helping to see HIS work In everyday things.The artist works ad ma]room del Gloria and tries to use his talent to help people in their search of God. Far Lollipop Lippies conception of art differs widely from that which is expressed by the Church in the person of the Prior. He insists that his art does serve God – better than it would if he conformed to the Prior's demands. Firstly, he feels that art, as the Prior sees it, is hypocritical. As it is, You tell too many lies and hurt yourself: You don't Like what you only Like too much, You ah Like want, IT glen you at your word, You find abundantly detestable. 261-264) But is does not he lead a hypocritical life either? Remember, he is a monk – and he is caught â€Å"at an alley's end Where sportive ladies leave their doors ajar? † (5-6) Even rough watchmen look disapproving and shocked. Lollipop Justifies himself. He points UT that he was an eight-year-old child when he was forced to take monastic vows by extreme hunger. He had to renounce either the world with its temptations or a piece of bread, and certainly he chose the former. I'm grown a man no doubt, I've broken bounds: You should not take a fellow eight years old And make him swear to never kiss the girls. 223-225) Secondly, Lollipop insists that his art does serve the Church. His opponents would like his paintings to set the objectives rather than reflect the current state of things, but the artist answers: †¦ Don't you mark? We're made so that we love hen we see them painted, things we have passed Perhaps a hundred times nor cared to see; And so they are better, painted -? b etter to us, Which is the same thing. Art was given for that; God uses us to help each other so, Lending our minds out. (300-306) First He points out that his works are not a mere meaningless imitation of life.They help people to understand, evaluate and appreciate things around them anew, to see them with other eyes, or Just to see what they have been blind to. As he sees it, such use of art comes directly from God, and he obeys Him and serves Him with his gift as well as he is able to. Next, he presents an apologia of the body. It cannot be detached from soul, as it is also a part of a human being. The world as a whole unites both the spiritual and the material, the heavenly and the earthly – it was so created by God.For me, I think I speak as I was taught; I always see the garden and God there A-making man's wife: and, my lesson learned, The value and significance of flesh, I can't unlearn ten minutes afterwards (265-269) The flesh is an integral part of a human being, it cannot and must not be ignored as God's creation. Thus Lollipop and the Prior's argument extends beyond the subject of art into a potentially dangerous area, broaching the subject of mandatory celibacy for clergymen. Lollipop doubts its Justice and expresses ideas which are to appear a few centuries later.He supposes that God's gifts should inspire Joy and gratitude rather than be rejected – and he expresses this in his paintings: Do you feel thankful, ay or For this fair town's face, yonder river's line, The mountain round it and the sky above, Much more the figures of man, woman, child, These are the frame to? What's it all about? Dwelt upon, To be passed over, despised? Or Wondered at? Oh, this last of course! -? you say. (286-292) He highlights the great alee AT a person, an Uninominal, as a material Ana spiritual wangle. Nature Is only a frame for a human being.Human body is made by God, and as such it is worth admiring and painting in all its perfection. It is Prior's d isdainful and pejorative attitude towards it that is sinful, as it is disdain towards God's own creation. Once again, Browning puts into Lipids mind the ideas of the following generations. Lastly, according to the artist, beauty itself does not wake only worldly feelings – it inspires people and awakens the soul: If you get simple beauty and naught else, You get about the best thing God invents: That's somewhat: and you'll find the soul you have missed, Within yourself, when you return him thanks. 217-220) Thus it serves both God and people. Thus it provides the victory of the spiritual over the material – the Church teaches us to aspire to. This conception is akin to Dostoevsky â€Å"Beauty will save the world†. Beauty is endowed by the artist with a power to revive the human soul – and what higher mission could art have? Here is its ultimate aim. It appears symbolic that Lollipop is caught at the alleys end. His own life look a blind alley: both in his life and in his art he is cannot follow his liberal ideas. In life, he is forced to do it secretly.In art, being extremely sensitive to criticism, he frequently has to conform, to adapt, to paint what is expected of him: So, I swallow my rage, Clench my teeth, suck my lips in tight, and paint To please them -? sometimes do and sometimes don't†¦ (242-244) But his masterpieces live and, having inspired Robert Browning to write the poem, continue to be wondered at and admired, which speaks for itself. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume E: The Victorian Age. 8th De. W. W. Norton & Company, 2005. Print.

Business operational Essay Example for Free

Business operational Essay To provide learners with an understanding of the role and importance of operations management (OM) in the efficient and effective production of goods and services. Scenario: WH Smith is a major, well-known and publically-quoted book retailer and newsagent in the UK. Recently it was reported how Kate Swann, the former CEO for the last 10 years, has turned the company around from ? 135m losses to ? 106m profit in a decade. (source: www. theguardian. com/business/blog/2013/jan/23/wh-smith-kate-swann-profit, accessed 1 October 2013) (Also see copy attached) This is an example of how the principles of operations management can be used to reactivate a firm. How did she do it? Using the above as a starting point, together with other information sources, which you should research yourself, on WH Smith, you are asked to address the Tasks below regarding operations management. Task 1 (this meets LO 1, ACs 1. 1, 1. 2 and 1. 3) Based on the Scenario, produce a document explaining the nature and importance of Operation Management and its key elements. Your document for this Task must include the following elements (among others as you wish): I. A definition of OM and an explanation of its importance; II. The key elements of OM; III. The need to produce goods or services on time and to cost, with the right quality and within the law; IV. The role of OM in achieving strategic objectives; and V. Produce systems and sub-systems diagrams for any WH Smith operations processes, including a brief explanation of your diagrams. Task 2 (this meets LO 2 ACs 2. 1, 2. 2 and 2. 3) Based on the Scenario, produce a document explaining the relationship between OM and strategic planning. Your document for this Task must include the following elements (among others as you wish): I. II. III. Explain the implementation of the â€Å"3Es† in WH Smith; Critically review the tension between cost minimisation and quality maximisation in the context of WH Smith; and Assess the importance of the five performance objectives that underpin operations management. Task 3 (this meets LOs 3 and 4 in full) Base on the Scenario, produce a document explaining how to organise and apply relevant techniques in a typical production process. Your document for this Task must include the following elements (among others as you wish): I. II. III. IV. Comment briefly on the importance of operational planning and control. Explain what linear programming is, and give an example in relation to any part of the operations of WH Smith; Produce a network plan and indicate the resultant critical path for any operation in WH Smith. (for this task, you should include a set of operational outcomes, which are clearly defined). Explain how quality can be defined and maintained. Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria In order to Pass this unit, the evidence that the learner presents for assessment needs to demonstrate that they can meet all the Learning Outcomes for the unit. The Assessment Criteria determine the standard required to Pass this unit. The Assessment Criteria will act as a guide to help you put into context your answers to fulfill the Learning Outcomes. Learning Outcome Assessment Criteria 1. 1 explain the importance of operational management 1. 2 explain the need to produce safely; on time; to cost; to LO 1Understand the quality and within the law nature and importance 1. 3 explain the link between operations management and of operational strategic planning management 1. 4 produce a systems diagram to illustrate a typical business 2. 1 explain the ‘Three Es’ (economy, efficiency and effectiveness) LO2 Understand the link between operations 2. 2 explain the tension between cost minimisation and management and quality maximisation strategic planning 2. 3 evaluate the significance of the five performance objectives that underpin operations management 3. 1 explain linear programming LO3 Understand how 3. 2 evaluate critical path analysis and network planning to organise a typical 3. 3 explain the need for operational planning and control production process LO4 Be able to apply relevant techniques to the production of an operational plan for a typical business 4. 1 produce a set of clearly defined operational outcomes 4. 2 produce a network plan and indicate the resultant critical path 4. 3 explain how quality could be defined and maintained. INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION FOR LEARNERS This assessment and the Tasks above are designed to assess your achievement of all four of the Learning Outcomes and associated Assessment Criteria for a Pass in the ‘Employability Skills’ unit of the qualification you are undertaking. Your tutor/ deliverer will advise you when you should start work on the assignment, the date when you must hand in your completed work and when you can expect to get your mark and feedback on your work. Guidance on this subject is provided on page 1 of this assignment brief. You should make sure that you plan your work carefully, to ensure that you cover all four learning outcomes of the assignment, and complete it within the time limit specified. There is no official guideline wordcount or percentage marking (other than Pass/ Merit/ Distinction/ Refer). By way of guidance only for this particular assignment, it is recommended that you write a minimum of 2000-2500 words total and match the weighting of your efforts to the wordcount indicated. Your statements in answer to the Learning Outcomes need to be prefixed with the specific Learning Outcome title or at least the Learning Outcome number. This will help you keep on track and should ensure you address the details. You must make sure that you acknowledge any sources you have used to complete this assignment, listing reference material and web sites used. The assignment result will be published on BITE’s Moodle online education materials platform, normally within 6 weeks of the submission date. If your assignment is assessed as referred, you will be notified with an indication of the areas to be addressed. You may resubmit an assignment, or submit a new assignment, on a further two occasions during your period of registration as an Institute learner with Edexcel. If there is anything in these instructions or in the assignment itself which you do not understand, please seek guidance from your tutor/ deliverer. Merit grade Descriptors For learners to achieve a Merit they must: Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions Indicative characteristics Learners must demonstrate that: An effective approach to assignment planning, study and research is in evidence Evaluations and judgements, using evidence, have been made Problems with a number of variables have been considered Select/design and apply appropriate methods/techniques A range of relevant theories have been included Relevant theories and techniques have been applied to the case study A range of different sources of information have been used The selection of methods/techniques of analysis and use of source material have been justified Information/ data has been synthesised and processed Present and communicate appropriate findings The written assessment is coherent, shows logical development and a sound understanding of theories, concepts and research evidence The written assessment demonstrates that an appropriate structure and approach has been used The written assignment demonstrates a writing style appropriate for audiences both familiar and unfamiliar with the subject. The written work is clearly written and technical language has been accurately used Distinction grade Distinction descriptors For learners to achieve a Distinction they must: Indicative characteristics Learners must demonstrate that: Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions. Conclusions have been arrived at through synthesis of ideas and evaluation of research evidence and have been justified The validity of results has been evaluated using defined criteria Realistic and informed recommendations have been proposed against defined characteristics for success Take responsibility for managing and organising activities. The written assignment shows excellent planning, is organised coherently and is clearly expressed Independence of thought and gathering of research material has been demonstrated Material used has been clearly understood and well organised The importance of individual and group behaviour in organisations and its management has been recognised and addressed Demonstrate convergent/lateral/creative thinking. There is evidence of self-generated ideas with evaluation Convergent and lateral thinking are evident in the written assignment Creative thinking is evidenced with unfamiliar material. Problem-solving is in evidence Innovation and creative thought are in evidence Receptiveness to new ideas is evident Ideas have been generated, evaluated and informed decisions/ recommendations are made. Case Study: WHSmith †¢ WH Smith: Kate Swann turns ? 135m losses into ? 106m profit in a decade One of the UK’s most highly regarded – and highly paid – retailers achieved success by going against the grain WH Smith chief executive Kate Swann favours the old retail adage: sales are vanity, profits are sanity. Photograph: PA When Kate Swann arrived at WH Smith in 2003, there was a widely held view that the chain’s days were numbered. A decade on, she has turned losses of ? 135m into a profit of probably ? 106m this year, and shares that were languishing at 250p are now changing hands at 650p. Swann is now one of the UK’s most highly regarded – and highly paid – retailers. Yet she has achieved this remarkable feat by breaking many of the â€Å"rules† of running a successful high street retail business. When Swann announced she was pulling out of selling music and DVDs because the profit margins were thin and getting thinner, rivals thought she had taken leave of her senses – she was instantly kissing goodbye to about 30% of Smith’s turnover. On a same-store basis on the high street, WHS now sells roughly ? 65 of goods for every ? 100 of custom seven years ago. The demise of Zavvi and HMV in the face of online competition shows it was a brave – and correct – decision. Swann favours the old retail adage: sales are vanity, profits are sanity. By focusing on profitable sales and cutting costs relentlessly, she has boosted profit margins – according to analyst Nick Bubb by an almost incredible 15 percentage points. While other retailers have been pouring resources into the digital world, Smith’s big online strategy is its Funky Pigeon card site. Instead, Swann plans to open more shops, even though they are, to be frank, deeply unpleasant places to shop, stuffed with stock and screaming promotional banners. While the supermarkets have to tread carefully in the products they offer and have been targeted for displaying sweets at the checkout, Smith’s has sold stationery aimed at teenagers and young women adorned with the Playboy bunny motif and Swann’s checkout assistants attempt to force-feed the nation giant bars of Galaxy and chocolate oranges. Her secret? Maybe it’s the low profile. While many rivals enjoy the limelight, holding forth on the woes of the economy, the lack of women in the boardroom and political issues such as the in-out debate, Swann says nothing. She doesn’t give interviews. On Wednesday, at Smith’s AGM, a shareholder stood to offer thanks for her transformation. Asked to respond, she merely said: â€Å"Thank you, let’s move on. † No doubt she will. There will be a queue for her services. Business operational. (2018, Oct 18).

Duration estimation a new approach in Critical chain scheduling Essay

Duration estimation a new approach in Critical chain scheduling - Essay Example estimation of activities through estimating the level of uncertainty buried in each activity duration and after that taking out of safety periods related to this uncertainty. The validity or soundness of this proposed method, according to the authors, is measured by carrying out a computer simulation on a number of the test problems. Simulation analysis proves that the suggested technique yields schedules that are more dependable than the schedules established by first CCPM technique of duration estimation. Some of the crucial key terms discussed in this article include critical chain, theory of constraint, duration estimation and project scheduling. Critical chain, according to Rezaie, Manouchehrabadi & Shirkouhi (481) is the longest series of events through the project network following the resource contentions. Critical chain, in other words, is a group of tasks through which the project general duration is decided. The authors also discuss how time/duration estimation is a crucia l matter of the critical chain. The authors discuss how Goldratt dedicated a substantial part of this research trying to explain the cause why safety periods cannot safeguard the projects intended dates against the doubt embedded in projects. Rezaie, Manouchehrabadi & Shirkouhi (482) give numerical facts, which were not broadly discussed in Goldratt’s original work. They argue that Goldratt did not exactly specify any numerical distribution function, but assumed a right distorted distribution for every activity duration whereby there was a significant distance between 50% quantile and 90% quantile. They further talked about the propensity among individuals involved in time estimation to overrate the required time so that adequate safety period is put into the measures. The third section of the article, Investigating of Time Estimation Methods, analyzes the method proposed by the authors. The authors go deep into the explanation giving both quantitative and qualitative facts.

Video games conquering new markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Video games conquering new markets - Essay Example The first primitive computer and video games were developed in the 1950s and 60's and ran on platforms such as oscilloscopes, university mainframes and EDSAC computers. The earliest computer game was created in 1947 by Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_and_video_games) Other than conventional media sector, the digital technologies have given new spurt to a most exciting entertainment industry- video gaming industry. There is lot of reasons which helped the video gaming industry. The fast growth of technology, globalization and liberalization of market, increasing level of stress in life and working conditions, self imposed house arrest life style, weakening social relations, increasing individuality and privacy consciousness are all helped the emergence of gaming industry in the world. People, especially children have been looking of new means spend their leisure time. Technology has offered them lot of comfort in their homes. At the same time, gaming provides more possibilities to enjoy the pace of the moving world. They have been longing for a long time a channel to link their imaginations, dreams, passions and story tales with reality. The emergence of video gaming offered them an opportunity to realise this dream with technological support. Als o emergence of other digital enterprises such as broadband, telecommunication, internet and cables has also worked as a catalyst for the gaming industry. With markets grown beyond nationalities, gaming has also got a global look. The gaming industry is now looking forward lot of market potential in emerging economies such as India, China and Brazil. The emergence of internet and networking into a global platform offers considerable prospect for gaming industry....There has been demands for censorship in video games. Video and computer games are periodically criticized in the media by some parents' groups, psychologists, religious organizations, and politicians for the level of violence, cruelty, and crime that some games allow players to act out, and often glorify. Examples are common, including Mortal Kombat and its sequels, a series of fighting games by Midway. Since 1992 the series has rewarded players for beating up an opponent with martial arts moves, and then for executing a graphic "Fatality" move. Considering the fears of these groups video game industry have started voluntary rating systems, such as the ESRB rating system in the United States and the PEGI rating system in Europe, that are aimed at educating parents about the types of games their children are playing, or wish to play. Some games such as the Grand Theft Auto series are rated as "Mature" or "Adults Only" in the US, or given a "Certificate 18" rating in the UK. There would be notes in the packaging that these games should not be sold to children. If a parent or legal guardian buys a mature game for a child and the parent/legal guardian gives permission to a child to play said mature game, it is by the parents' choice and is not considered an offence.

707 week 12 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

707 week 12 - Assignment Example I would contact my employer for submission of the EBP project because the corporate body authored the work and claiming individual authorship would be a breach of honesty and integrity (Macfarlane, 2010). Conducting an independent research and submitting its report would however be moral, because no other party’s intellectual property rights would be infringed. Such an independent study would also be necessary to validate deviation from expected results from the initial EBP project that could have resulted from changes in the healthcare environment. Findings of the EBP project should be disseminated despite realization of contrary results to the hypothesis. This is because a hypothesis is an indicator of expectations but not a criterion for validity or reliability. The results could further be indicators of emergent factors that shift outcomes from previous observation and dissemination is likely to inform relevant stakeholders of the possible shifts and facilitate further results for validation. Dissemination should however be done under authorship of the