Research Paper on Entrepreneurs

Research Paper on Entrepreneurs Sample Research Paper on Entrepreneurs Abstract The paper is a case study analysis of Jurys Inn Hotel and Ryanair Ltd. The research offers a business overview of the companies, their formation and their organizational structure. The analysis examines the management philosophy of innovation and the reasons why the companies have become so successful. The study investigates the innovations introduced by the management of Jurys Inn hotel so as to make it efficient and competitive within the industry. It also looks at the innovations implemented by the management of Ryanair so as to create a competitive advantage for the airline. The case study explains the role of entrepreneurship in the development of both companies and the fundamental reasons behind their success. The model concepts of both the airline and the hotel are also examined and explained in the endeavor to relate them to the success of both organizations. Jurys Inn Hotel William Jury-Entrepreneur The founder of the Jurys Doyle Hotel Group was a commercial traveler who identified an opportunity and established an inn that was aimed at serving the sector in which he was working. In 1839 the commercial traveler ventured into the entrepreneurial world by opening an Inn at Dublin College green which was later named the Commercial and Family Hotel. William Jury was an ambitious entrepreneur who constantly identified new opportunities, a fact that led to a partnership that led to the building of a new hotel known as the Shelbourne hotel. William sold the original inn at Dublin’s green college to his cousin Henry who was also a gifted entrepreneur. Henry Jury worked hard and the Commercial and Family Hotel grew significantly during his time leading to the name change to Jurys hotel. After the Second World War the Hotel which had been requisitioned by the British military was now vacant and deserted until some Irish entrepreneurs invested in the business and kept the Jury name. The businessmen invested in more hotel properties in Dublin and the tourist boom at the time encouraged them to invest in other areas such as Westport in 1970 and Sligo in the following year (Creaton, 2004). In the mid to the late seventies the tourist boom came to an end just at the time the company was making huge investments into an expansion plan and in addition the company was facing a high degree of competition from the Doyle group and it faced a uncertain future. This resulted in a complete disbandment of the organization through a sale of assets and the formulation of a new Jurys hotel group with additional investors. The new strategy of the new organization was based on the acquisition of three lucrative properties from the Intercontinental Hotels group based in the Cork, Limerick and Ballsbridge (Bergsman, 2006). Hotel Chain Overview Currently the chain of hotels is owned by Quinlan Private Venture Capital Company owned by Derek Quinlan who bought in 2007 from the Jurys Doyle Hotel Group. The hotel group was founded in Dublin Ireland back in 1881 by William Jury who initially set out to start a boarding house. The first major investment in the hotel chain was made in 1964 by PV Doyle and was named the Montrose and is located in Stillorgan in the city of Dublin. The Doyle group in Dublin, Washington DC and London hotel were consolidated in 1999 to form the now enlarged the Jurys Doyle Hotel Group. The hotel chain is known for its unique Jurys Inn concept which has seen the opening of hotels in the following areas: Jurys Inn Cork Jurys Inn Manchester Jurys Inn Limerick Jurys Inn London Jurys Inn Custom House Jurys Inn Edinburgh Jurys Inn Belfast The company also has invested in conventional hotels as part of its expansion strategy within the United Kingdom from 2001and they include: In 2001 the group acquired the Birmingham based Chamberlain hotels The hotel chain opened the Jurys Inn in Newcastle The Jurys Inn Croydon was opened in 2002 Jurys Inn in Leeds was opened in 2004 Jurys Inn in Glasgow was opened Jurys Inn Chelsea Jurys Inn Southampton Jurys Inn Heathrow-2004 Jurys Inn Parnell Street-2004 Jurys Inn Liverpool-2008 Jurys Inn Plymouth-2008 Jurys Inn Nottingham-2005 Jurys Inn Brighton-2009 Jurys Inn Swindon-2008 Jurys Inn Derby-2009 The hotel chain is one the leading hotel groups within the republic of Ireland and has an ambitious international expansion strategy. The Jurys Doyle Hotel Group has thirty hotels in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States. The major part of the revenues earned by the hotel comes from the home base of Ireland. In the market, the fastest developing segment is that of the United Kingdom where the hotel has opened fifteen hotels since 1990.Withinn the United States the hotel chain has three investments and is conducting market surveys with a view of expanding in the region. The hotel chain has come with new strategies that involve a shift in portfolio from the three star Inn concept to the higher market segment of four star and five star hotels. The Jurys Doyle Hotel Group has categorized its services under two core brands, the inn brand concept which is mid priced and the four star concept which targets a higher end market (Clark, Andrew.2006). The company has also managed to acquire several five star properties which include: The Towers in Dublin The Berkeley Court The Westbury After acquisition by the private capital venture group the hotel chain has an ambitious development program that involves more expansion in the United States and the addition of 1500 rooms. The Jurys Doyle Hotel Group is a registered company in the London and Irish stock exchanges and abides by the regulations that control publicly listed companies. The hotel chain had 8000 rooms by the financial year ending 2011 and is continuously expanding its operations. It offers a wide variety of services which include: Conference facilities Business centers Bed and breakfast accommodation, Mobile phone network High Speed internet access Currency exchange Baby Sitting services Car rental 24 hour reception, Parking facilities Flexible check in/out services Room service The Jury Inn Model Concept: The Budget Hotel Approach The hotel chain still follows the concept applied by William Jury even after changing ownership hands severally. Jury wanted to satisfy a market need and used his entrepreneurial skills to satisfy this need. The hotel was established to serve the needs of commercial travelers. This involved giving the customers value for money by offering clean and comfortable rooms at a price that is affordable. In addition the Inns are located at strategic points that are near major transportation systems such as airports, bus and train terminus. This was a meant to tap into this target market by incorporating a high level of convenience (Creaton, 2004). The hotel has targeted the three star hotel customer base since its inception and this has led to the current success being experienced by the Jurys Doyle Hotel Group. The three star hotel brand is a concept that heavily relies on central convenient locations and value based services that are flexible in nature. The hotel chain has managed to align its brand portfolio with the expectations of the customer. For over a hundred years the hotel chain has been synonymous with affordable excellent service to the business traveler. The management has been able to apply the appropriate entrepreneurial skills necessary to sustain the business model even through difficult and trying times. The Jurys hotel brand has been based on a budget hotel concept and has managed to offer professional but limited services to travelers and other customers for over a hundred year. Studies have shown that the budget model is now very popular in the hospitality industry especially during the global economic sl owdown that has seen problems in both the United States and in Europe (Walsh, 2004). The current statistics show that in both the united and in Europe, budget hotels make up seventy percent of hotels. The Jurys Inn model was a pioneer in conceptualizing this model and serving a niche market at the time which has now become the main market. Management Innovation Managerial entrepreneurship has been a key component of the success seen at the Jurys Doyle Hotel Group. The management has been able to adapt to the business environment by applying the right expansion and acquisition strategies at the right time and in the right manner. The budget hotel in concept has been implemented and managed effectively leading to the stable growth of the company in the last four decades. The management at Jurys has been able to offer innovative services based on the service concept within the hospitality industry. In essence the service concept incorporates the â€Å"what† and â€Å"how† of service design and at the same time aligns the strategies of the organization and the needs of the customer. The management of the hotel chain has been able to use innovative pricing to attract different market segments based on a flexible system that is season and service oriented (Chitium, 2004) The hotel chain offers no frills in its establishments and thi s enables it to lower rates for its customers. The business traveler has become the main customer for the Jurys Inn and prices are set according to the services and the needs of a particular customer. Only the in accommodation does the hotel have a standard standing charge, because all the other services are optional depending on the wishes of the customer. Another value added innovation is the location of the hotels in the most convenient place for both business travelers and tourists. The hotel is has Inns in Heathrow airport and the hotels at Glasgow and Birmingham are suitably located near big near public transport systems and international convention centers (Braiden, 2009). By these actions the management has ensured that the hotel chain has tapped into the tourist and business traveler market. Those attending international conferences in Glasgow can seek accommodation at the Jurys Inn in the area and enjoy the competitive prices offered at the establishment. The management ha s innovatively used information technology to make it convenient for customers to make reservations and make inquiries about the services offered by hotel chain. The use of technology has been an important service based innovation for the hotel chain and offers: Customized and automatic wake up systems In room pay per view television Personal computers Electronic door locks Modem computer connection Video check out services It based business centre It must be noted that all these services are offered at different Jurys Inn establishments depending on the needs of the customers. The rooms have been modernized to include high speed internet access as a value added service in line with five star industry standards. The rooms have customized dà ©cor for those couples who are on their honey moon or on romantic holidays who select to stay in budget hotels for financial reasons. The management has also implemented flexible check in and checkout policies that are convenient and which accommodate the needs of both tourists and travelers. The managers at the hotel chain have instituted these innovations through the use of customer surveys and research that indicates the reasons why customers select to stay at Jurys Inn. This enables the management to come up with a service design for particular establishments where they note unique customer trends and behavior. Studies show that organizations that are successful must be fully aware of t he preferences of their customers and consequently develop their services according to the targets of the market. Due to its long history in the sector the management has had used the experience to add only those innovations that reflect on the bottom line. Research has shown that service innovation is an essential component of market differentiation and can be a distinct competitive advantage in the hospitality industry (Schall, 2003). The company has implemented business centers in some of the Inns within London to cater for the small scale business traveler. The management has innovatively used training to ensure that the staff is an additional value to the services of the hotel. The staff is taught crucial interpersonal skills that cater to the needs of the customers. The management has instituted a Jurys reward system that benefits frequent travelers who stay at the Inns. This is meant to reward loyal customers and to build lasting relationships with them. They earn points depe nding on the number of visits to the hotel and they can exchange this points for free nights or high street vouchers that can be used in high end shops and restaurants within London. The role of entrepreneurship in the Development of Jurys Doyle Hotel Group The hotel industry has been characterized by intense competition after the Second World War and the stabilization of the global economy. Changing customer preferences and the rapid advances in technology have seen hospitality organizations apply entrepreneurial concepts to develop their establishments and remain competitive in the long term. The issue of success by the Jurys hotel chain group is tied to service innovation where the hotel chain used new ideas and concepts to target a niche market. The founder of the hotels saw an opportunity to serve business travelers by giving them affordable services in a comfortable, convenient and safe environment. This ensured that the hotel chain created a niche for itself within the market in Ireland. William Jury was an entrepreneur who conceived an idea and worked towards its implementation. The founder of the hotel chain had an entrepreneurial self employment mind set which helped develop the small bed and breakfast at Dublin green college to a reputable budget hotel. The hotel was designed according to the owner’s vision, which was to build an establishment that would efficiently cater to the needs of the commercial traveler. The Jurys hotel faced collapse during the Second World War when the British army had taken over the premises. A group of Irish entrepreneurs then saw the potential of the Inns and invested in the business once more, because they identified the opportunities provided by the low cost traveler. This entrepreneurial spirit was the catalyst that led to the development and success of the hotel chain since its inception. The concept of entrepreneurial leadership provided by management has led to the high level of service innovation seen in the hotel chain. The leadership of the hotel chain noted earlier on that the differences between low budget hotels and their more high end counterparts was becoming narrower as the big players employed competitive strategies that lowered prices significantly. The hotel chain was struggling to differentiate itself as budget hotel, because of the price strategy of four and five star establishments and the management implemented a service concept strategy that was characterized by an increase in services offered so that in the end it ended up as a mid market establishment with the competitive pricing of a low end budget hotel. Entrepreneurship requires the taking of risks which is also evident in Jurys Inn’s ambitious expansion strategy that has seen the chain grow to thirty hotels within two decades. Organizations that are led by entrepreneurs are constantly looking to break new ground in their quest to dominate the market and offer first class services to their customers. Ryan Air: Budget Airline Case Study Analysis The low budget airline was formed in 1985 and has its headquarters at Dublin airport. The airline has a strategy that involves the use of the Boeing 737-800 model in all its flights. One of the objectives of the airline was to increase the number of tourists visiting Ireland. The company has had an ambitious expansion strategy in its quest to attain a larger market share and to improve on its capabilities. The expansion plans are also meant to satisfy the target market which requires an investment into more routes. The company began its operations by flying from Waterford to London. In 1997 the company went public and used the new financing to expand into the European market. The profit revenue has risen from 231 million dollars in 1998 to 339 million Euros in 2010. Tony Ryan, Christopher Ryan and Liam Lonergan formed the airline in order to satisfy a market need and to break the duopoly of Aer Lingus and British airways (Riegel, 2010). After the deregulation of the airline industry the company added a new route in 1986 and begun to compete directly with British airways by flying from Dublin to Luton. The company had been able to meet the industry standards and was allowed by the British government to fly across Europe. The airline did well for the next four years but by 19991 it was in trouble and needed restructuring. An innovative manager known as Michael O’Leary was given the task of turning around the fortunes of the airline. He came up with a new strategy of combining low fares with quick around times as a way of reducing costs and increasing revenue. This was a critical time for the company as the new CEO discovered that the company could effectively compete within the European air market by offering cheap frills and low cost fares. The company used regional airports that were less expensive and this allowed it to charge low fares that attracted the budget traveler. By the year 1995 Ryan air had carried 2.5 million passengers and was on its way to becoming the largest low budget carrier in Europe. Ryan air used only one model of Boeing 737-800 aircraft to expand into Europe in the most effective low cost strategy possible. The company operated roots near Paris, Stockholm and near Brussels as it penetrated the European market. In its expansion plans the company ordered a record 155 Boeing planes which were to be delivered in eight years from 2002. In 2003 the company demonstrated a great deal of confidence in its business model by ordering 100 more planes in line with its vision of low budget market dominance. In the same year the company acquired a low budget competitor Buzz which added to its flight capabilities and added sixty new routes to its portfolio. The 2004 season also saw trying times for the airline industry and Ryanair posted a loss of three million Euros. After this turbulent time only two major European players remained Ryanair and Easy jet. The stock of the company has grown by over fifty percent and in 2009 t he CEO Michael O’Leary announced that the company was moving into the long haul flight sector .They strategy involved charging low fares and the addition of a business class category of passengers who were going to pay a higher premium for the extra comfort and services. This was meant to enable the airline to compete effectively with carriers such as Virgin Atlantic. Ryan Air: Low Budget Concept One of the reasons why the low budget carrier has been so successful is due to the reason that the management has been very good at negotiating with airport authorities. This enabled the company to lower the cost of doing business and made it competitive when it came to charging low fares. The model involves the use of fewer crew members so as to reduce the costs in a flight. The Ryan air business model involves the use of one type of aircraft in all flights. This reduces the cost of maintenance and ensures maximum efficiency as pilots and crews get used to the mechanism of the model. The use of one model also reduces staff training costs and the cost of obtaining spares. The Ryan business model is based on a cost reduction strategy so as to remain competitive within the industry. One of the strategies that the company uses is outsourcing whereby it engages the services of other companies in activities that are not part of its core business. As mentioned the company negotiated for low airport charges and flexible route policies that give it leverage when it comes to operational agility. The cost strategy also involves the hiring of only essential staff and the managing of any other staff costs (Bamber et al., 2009). The company pays low wages but has a pay structure that is performance related which acts as a motivation. The CEO of Ryan air came up with a strategy that enhances the turnaround time making the company more efficient in its flights. The company utilizes regional airports where it can use its bargaining power to negotiate favorable deals with regard to airport charges. The airline operates from point to point and does not incur costs when it comes to connecting passengers. The company has been able to effectively keep its marketing costs down by using the internet and utilizing the most effective magazines and electronic media. The company has used a no frills strategy as a way for improving the productivity and efficiency of the airline. This involves the streamlining of in flight services such as food and drinks and the seat allocation method. Customers are charged for those in flight services that they utilize and employees are paid for the amount of sales that they make while on board. This enhances the efficiency of the company in terms of efficiency. The low costs strategy gives the company the opportunity to concentrate its efforts in adding the volume of customers and not the passenger margins. This approach then transcends to a customer oriented strategy that ensures that the company focuses on meeting their needs. The Ryan air business model has been characterized by high service performance which is marked by high rates of flight completion, a high rate of punctuality and a low rate of baggage loss (Hensdill, 2002). This performance levels enable the company to have a highs level of adaptability and agility when it comes to operating in a highly competitive environment. The model has been characterized by the efficient utilization of planes which has resulted in longer aircraft use, which has led to a lowering of costs when it comes to the purchase of new planes. In other words the company optimizes the use of the aircraft. Ryan air also engages in fuel hedging so as to shield its operations from the constant fluctuation in global oil prices. Aer Lingus Tony Ryan was an entrepreneur who worked for the Aer Lingus Group Plc but then moved on to start Ryanair. Aer Lingus airline is one of the major rivals of Ryanair and was the training ground for Tony Ryan who had risen to be an executive in Ireland’s oldest extant airline. The entrepreneur used the knowledge and contacts he had gained at Aer Lingus to start a low budget carrier that became a direct competitor at Dublin airport. One of Tony Ryan’s objectives in starting Ryanair was to end the dominance of Aer Lingus in the Waterford-Dublin route. The competition between Aer Lingus and Ryanair was fierce as the young airline attempted to increase its market share through a pricing strategy. Ryanair eventually dominated the low cost carrier and owns a 29.4% stake in its rival Aer Lingus. Aer Lingus gave Tony Ryan the experience he needed to make Ryanair a success. Negative Publicity The company has also receives negative media press, because of some of its policies and attitudes. It constantly gets into disputes with airports over terminal charges because of unreasonable demands from its officials. The company has faced costly route battles with its main rival Easy Jet. The CEO has also been accused of arrogance and courting negative publicity as a tool of promotion. The company constantly makes wilds proposals like charging for toilet use or charging more for overweight people only to claim it was a joke. Management Innovation Innovation management in the Ryanair model has been characterized by an emphasis on the systematic processes used to develop the services offered by the airline. This involved a high degree of creativity that is in line with the needs of the customer and which matches the business strategies of the airline. The management of Ryanair has a strong history of using innovation to create a competitive advantage. As a matter of fact the whole Ryanair concept is founded on an innovative business model that made it possible for more people to afford flying. According to the CEO, Michael O’Leary the innovative strategy of Ryan is based on a notion of looking at business process and eliminating those things that increase costs and complicate operations. This essentially involves dissecting processes into components that are measurable and assessing their value to the customer in order to eliminate those that are not geared towards meeting the needs of the customers. Fundamentally this h as made Ryan Air one of the most cost effective businesses in the world. The basic idea is to concentrate on the core function of flying passengers from point A to point B. Before the company brought down the costs of traveling by air, flying was a preserve of those with means. This new model introduced by Ryan Air was based on taking the concept of flying to its bare essentials. The company begun by operating with two planes on two routes and used the lessons learnt to identify a market need and to innovatively address the practical challenges raised by the strategy. The use of the Boeing 737 is an innovative strategy that was pioneered by Ryan Air as part of its cost reduction strategy. The management was able to institute a single passenger class which is flexible and allows passengers to sit wherever they prefer (Riegel, 2010). Another noted innovative strategy is the use of direct ticket sales by the airline as a way of cutting out middle men and reducing the costs. This involves the use of the internet and the staff to sell the tickets to customers and this enables the company to charge very competitive fares, because it does not have to pay commissions to ticketing agents. The budget airline has also innovatively used information technology as a value added service on its flights. This is meant to support the business traveler to communicate and work while on board. The net revenue of in-flight internet use has increased by 472% since its implementation in 2001.The management at Ryanair have applied the concept of low budget transportation and reducing the services to the barest minimum as a way of enhancing their competitive advantage a small airline within Europe. The innovation strategy at the budget airline was heavily influenced by the changing needs of the customer, because of their increased sensitivity to pricing. Every cost reductive strategy found at Ryan Air is customer oriented and is meant to increase the volume of passengers by offering quick and affordable services. The role of entrepreneurship in the Development of Ryan Air The company was founded by the Irish businessmen Tony Ryan, Christopher Ryan and Liam Lonergan were entrepreneurs who saw an opportunity to serve a market need and looked for ways to get the resources required to fill this gap. One of the major characteristics of entrepreneurs is the fact that they take risks so as to achieve their goal. The two founders invested in a risky business that required a lot of capital and was under strict European regulation. The industry was also dominated by big airlines such as British airways that had the resources to stifle any competition. Entrepreneurship requires the use of innovation to come up with a product or service that is unique and which gives the organization a competitive advantage over others (Ruddock, 2007). The two founders practiced disruptive innovation which improved the access to flying within the European market after offering prices that could be afforded by a larger market. One of the major components of entrepreneurship is cha nge which the company has pursued and exploited. Entrepreneurs are able to take advantage of situations as was demonstrated when they European air market was deregulated and Ryanair positioned itself to expand its services by offering a product that was different from its competitors. Entrepreneurship at Ryanair has been characterized by the repositioning of an existing service in order to reach a new market segment. The company has had to make continuous innovations to its services and business model due to the challenges that exist within the industry. The company has had entrepreneurial leadership in the CEO. Michael OLeary has demonstrated skills that have seen the company expand into new markets and emerge from difficult times to experience success. When the company underwent challenges in the early nineties the CEO was able to change strategies and improve on existing services which made Ryanair more productive and efficient. One of the dimensions of entrepreneurship is proact iveness which in the business realm means being action oriented. Ryan Air is a company that operates in a highly competitive industry and it has had to continuously improve its services so as to remain competitive. The company is currently targeting the business traveler by offering a new business class service. This is because the business class target market has changed trends and the customers want more services at an affordable price. Ryanair is continuously looking for more opportunities that would add value to its services and which would increase its ability to compete. It seeks to introduce new services ahead of its rivals as has been illustrated by the introduction of business oriented long haul flights. It constantly applies strategies that remove operations that are declining as a way of reducing costs and in this regard the company only flies in strategic routes so as to maximize on profits and efficiency. Studies have shown that organizations with strong entrepreneurial orientations perform better, because they are able to deal with the challenges that face them in as more proactive manner. The leadership is not afraid to take calculated risks that are aimed at giving the company a competitive edge within the industry. Ryanair is a company that has survived and succeeded by competently and effectively studying the market and industry. The airline industry continuously analyzes the trends in the industry and the market so as to identify any notable changes that might require a change of strategy. After a critical analysis of the routes the company which enjoys a high level of flexibility can quickly negotiate with authorities for terminus expansion or can withdraw depending on its best interests. In its entrepreneurial nature the company has been able to expand into more tourist destinations since this is a lucrative market for budget airlines which have greatly benefitted from budget hotels. In its expansion plans in the past the company has appli ed an international strategy as part of its overall corporate strategy. Budget Airlines and Budget Hotels Jurys Inn and Ryanair Changing customer trends and a slowdown in the global economy has resulted in the development and expansion of low cost hotels and airlines. The two service industries have come together to serve a growing market need. Both industries are heavily associated with the tourism and travel sector and depend on low pricing and efficient services as key components of attracting and retaining customers. The Jurys Inn business model was created in order to serve the commercial traveler by offering lean comfortable and affordable accommodation. The low cost carriers also target the business traveler by offering quick, efficient and affordable flight services to this market. The philosophy behind low cost carriers like Ryan Air and low budget hotels like Jurys Inn is the emphasis on reducing the costs of doing business therefore allowing the organization to offer competitive prices. Market research has shown that the hospitality and airline industries are characterized by customers who are pric e sensitive. Both organizations were founded to satisfy a market need by making the travel experience of both tourists and business travelers more affordable. In the current business environment typified by intense competition, cost cutting strategies have become as important as other competitive strategies because only lean and efficient organizations are successful. The Jurys Inn business model is aimed at targeting the low cost traveler who is also the target for low cost carriers (Schall, 2003). The hotel chain allows customers to pay only for those services they want or need. The concept is marked by a high level of flexibility whereby the customer can pay for rooms in an hourly rate depending on their travel arrangements. This is very attractive to those business travelers and tourists who make stop-over’s that require only a few hours stay in a hotel. If they wish for more services like the use of the internet, food and drinks or room service then they pay for them directly. The Ryanair model also has a similar concept where passengers only pay those services that they prefer. When one pays for a flight, it is not inclusive of any other service, which then requires that that if they need extra services like food and drinks then they can pay for them on board. This concept allows both the airline and the hotel to charge competitive ra tes by offering the most basic services in a safe accommodative environment. One of the advantages of low-cost carriers and budget hotels is their ability to compete effectively with traditional rivals my minimizing the cost of doing business and raising capabilities in such a way that attracts the customer to prefer their services. The Ryan air concept is simply based on cheap efficient travel and it is meant for people whose main aim is to move from point A to B. The Jurys in model is directed at those customers whose main aim is comfortable and clean accommodation and not luxury. The two organizations have experienced their level of success due to the entrepreneurial spirit of their founders and subsequent management. The hotel chain has implemented a risky expansion strategy in the nineties that saw successful growth within the market segment. Ryanair at the same time was also implementing its international strategy and ordering over two hundred Boeing 737 planes to be delivered within the same decade. Entrepreneurship drove both organizations to apply innovative concepts that became a competitive advantage which led to sustainable growth. Innovation of services is the fundamental driver of both low cost airlines and budget hotels. The Jurys hotel business model was innovatively designed to serve tourists and business travelers from a convenient location near major transport systems like airports, train stations and bus terminus. This ensures that the hotel chain effectively taps into the travel and tourism market through convenience and competitive pricing. The Ryan Air concept has also used innovative strategies such as the quick turnaround policy to ensure that they have a higher level of efficiency that their competitors.

Ethopoeia Definition and Examples in Rhetoric

Ethopoeia Definition and Examples in Rhetoric In classical rhetoric, ethopoeia means to put  oneself in the place of another so as to both understand and express his or her feelings more vividly. Ethopoeia is one  of the rhetorical exercises known as the  progymnasmata. Also called impersonation. Adjective: ethopoetic. From the point of view of a speechwriter, says  James J. Murphy, [e]thopoeia  is the ability to capture the ideas, words, and style of delivery suited to the person for whom the address is written. Even more so,  ethopoeia  involves adapting the speech to the exact conditions under which it is to be spoken (A Synoptic History of Classical Rhetoric, 2014). Commentary Ethopoeia was one of the earliest rhetorical techniques that the Greeks named; it denoted the constructionor simulationof character in discourse, and was particularly apparent in the art of logographers, or speechwriters, who worked usually for those who had to defend themselves in court. A successful logographer, like Lysias, could create in a prepared speech an effective character for the accused, who would actually speak the words (Kennedy 1963, pp. 92, 136) . . .. Isocrates, the great teacher of rhetoric, noted that a speakers character was an important contribution to the persuasive effect of the speech. (Carolyn R. Miller, Writing in a Culture of Simulation. Towards a Rhetoric of Everyday Life, ed. by M. Nystrand and J. Duffy. University of Wisconsin Press, 2003) Two Kinds ofEthopoeia There are two kinds of  ethopoeia. One is a description of a characters moral and psychological characteristics; in this sense, it is a characteristic feature of portrait writing. . . . It can also be used as an argumentational strategy. In this sense ethopoeia involves putting oneself into someone elses shoes and imagining the feelings of the other person. (Michael Hawcroft,  Rhetoric: Readings in French Literature. Oxford University Press, 1999)   Ethopoeia in ShakespearesHenry IV, Part 1 Do thou stand for me, and Ill play my father... [T]here is a devil haunts thee, in the likeness of a fat old man; a tun of man is thy companion. Why dost thou converse with that trunk of humours, that bolting hutch of beastliness, that swolln parcel of dropsies, that huge bombard of sack, that stuffed cloak-bag of guts, that roasted Manningtree ox with the pudding in his belly, that reverend Vice, that grey Iniquity, that father Ruffian, that Vanity in years? Wherein is he good, but to taste sack and drink it? (Prince Hal impersonating his father, the king, while Falstaffthe fat old manassumes the role of Prince Hal in Act II, Scene iv, of Henry IV, Part 1 by William Shakespeare)   Ethopoeia in Film By leaving out of the frame what a person cannot or does not see, and including only what he can or does, we are putting ourselves in his placethe figure ethopoeia. It is, when seen in another way, an ellipsis, the one that always lurks behind our backs... Philip Marlowe is sitting in his office, looking out of the window. The camera retreats from his back to bring in a shoulder, head, and hat of Moose Malloy, and as it does, something prompts Marlowe to turn his head. He and we become aware of Moose at the same time (Murder My Sweet, Edward Dmytryk)...The leaving out of the frame something expected in the normal course of events, or conversely, including the unusual, is a sign that what we are seeing may only exist in the awareness of one of the characters, projected into the world outside. (​N. Roy Clifton, The Figure in Film. Associated University Presses, 1983) Further Reading Ethopoeia in George Orwells A HangingProsopopoeiaCharacterEkphrasisIdentificationMimesisPersonaPersonificationWhat Are the Progymnasmata?

Conflict, decision making, organizational design Research Paper

Conflict, decision making, organizational design - Research Paper Example The magnitude of decision making is underscored by the fact that it produces the ultimate choice, with its output taking the form of an action or just an opinion of choice. In turn, the import of conflict management is that it encompasses the other two roles which are conflict management and decision making. Strayer University serves as the epitome of constructive use of proper conflict, decision making and organizational design. Although it was only in 1986 when Strayer’s Business College was accorded full university status, yet its accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the large pool of the students’ body numbering 51,000 confirm the dynamism it enjoys. Above all, that Strayer University attributes its success to proper application of decision making, conflict management and organizational design is a matter that underscores the importance of these features in organizational management. How One Can Apply Negotiation Strategies to Addres s Potential Conflicts in the Workplace In order to address potential conflicts in the workplace, it is highly needful that the potential or actual negotiators or the leadership of the organization takes time and effort to understand the opportunity to negotiate. This will portend, the stakeholders taking an effort to understand the nature and magnitude of conflict that is in the offing. It is also through the understanding of the opportunity to negotiate that every individual must have a clear goal in kind and appreciate the oncoming negotiations as having the key to the realization of a sustainable solution. The import of this stage is that it helps in differentiating negotiable conflicts from the nonnegotiable ones. Similarly, it is the understanding of the opportunity to negotiate that efforts can be concerted to annul the conflict peacefully without the convention of the negotiations. Buono (2007) recommends that it is also imperative that the party in charge also identifies the goals of the negotiation, should it become obvious that the conflict will progress to the negotiation stage. Nevertheless, at this stage, the main goal will be to stave off the looming conflict. This stage will still be important since effective negotiators must be able to visualize the best and viable outcome and work diligently to achieve it. There will also be the need to define the maximum and minimum limits of expectations, in this light. In this case, staving off this possible workplace conflict is the maximum limit of expectation. In the event that the threat of the possible workplace conflict persists, so that negotiations become inevitable, it will be expedient that the concerned party chooses the most suitable negotiation strategy. The options that may be available for consideration may be the cooperative strategy, analytical and competitive strategy. From the juncture above, it will be important that the party or the organization seeking to arbitrate the conflict creates a climate that will be positive for the talks. This measure cannot be sidestepped, given that in the presence of conflicts, the planning team must designate a place where talks can take place openly, productively and without any element that would cause duress. While at it, it will be necessary that the concerned

Worship and Ritual in Christianity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Worship and Ritual in Christianity - Essay Example The Bible is the Holy Book Christians use to worship and has been used as the guide to everyday life. There are rituals and festivals that mark the manner in which Christians praise God (Pecklers 65). These rituals trade back to the festivities that are seen in the Bible, and to this day, many individuals still uphold the practices. However, not many people view these rituals as a way of worship. They see it is primitive and empty. Some go as far as suggesting that there is no Supreme Being to worship. This paper, however, will examine worship and rituals that mark the Christian faith, and why it is vital to live believing in something. Empty ritualism is the process of undergoing, or performing a ritual while there is the absence of sincerity or genuine meaning. A lot of this happens in many areas as individuals believe that they are doing this to fall in God’s favour. This, to a large number of people, is what is called ritualism (White 61). It is usually done to recover som e sense of religious feeling that was once lost. This is not condoned in modern Christian settings as it gives off a feeling of worship being violated. Whenever the pattern of worship is violated, people know that the design meant for ritual is not being followed. This gives the religion a terrible reputation among other religions that exist. Christians pride themselves with the thought of their religion being superior to other existent religions. They, therefore, follow most of the rituals in the Bible strictly so as to abide by the ways of truth. In the Holy Book, the New Testament ways are chosen over the Old Testament ways. This shows that some of the rituals that were once carried out; need no longer be carried out after the coming of Christ. He came to shed light on how Christians could live without some of the old traditions that ruled their lives (White 64). As such, modern day Christians follow the New Testament to guide them in everyday life. That is why; sacrifices and bu rnt offerings are not part of the rituals Christians carry out in modern time. They, however, still observe some of the rituals in the Bible. As with any religion, there are bound to be groups that choose to do things differently. This is according to how they view and comprehend the Bible. This is probably why there are diverse groups of the Christian religion, which choose to be different from others. This is through the way and manner of worship, and conducting of their rituals. All these groups view the other as a pervasion of the real Christian religion. What they do not seem to realise is that all these groups serve the same purpose, and the same God (White 76). Christians worship throughout the week, and the year. Even though, the styles of worship differ in all the denominations present, the services, worship ceremonies, and rituals, hold extraordinary meaning to Christians. Christians believe that the church is the dwelling place of God. This is where they conduct their ser vices. Many of the believers worship on Sunday as they believe it is the Sabbath, the day that Jesus rested. Others, for example, the Seventh Day Adventist, believe that Saturday is the blessed day. This does not make them any less Christian than the Catholics, who are considered the foundation on which Christianity is built. There is the use of art and decoration in these diverse denominations (White 76). The use of arts and decorations vary as they stand for different meaning and symbolism in these places of worship. They, however, serve the purpose of praising and worshiping God wherever they are used. Some of the ancient customs and traditions that are connected to Jesus are still practiced in

Impact of New Deal on Maerican Government and Society Essay Example for Free

Impact of New Deal on Maerican Government and Society Essay FDR’s New Deal changed the face of American government. Never before and no one since has implemented so many government programs and agencies. FDR’s New Deal helped the US get out of the Great Depression. The new deal expanded the federal government’s power like never before and was designed to help Americans who were suffering. FDRs new deal can be broken down into two categories: The first New Deal and the Second New Deal When FDR took office, he and his advisors did not have an exact plan or initial philosophy drawn up, but rather, they made it up as they went along. They were willing to do anything and everything to help bring the country out of the great depression, especially through the work of capitalism. To get his plan rolling, the first thing FDR needed to do was to restore confidence in the American people and get them on his side. He did so he went on the radio many times out of the year and told them what he was working on and what he had done that week which became known as â€Å"fireside chats. † The first thing FDR did in the first new deal was restore faith in financial institutions, and more so in capitalism. One thing FDR tries to do is have the public confident in banking system so that people would invest and could later have a healthy stock market. Immediately, he declared a bank holiday, and all banks had to close for a number of days. While the banks were closed, he sent in teams of financial investigators to determine which banks were viable and which were deemed unreliable. If deemed unviable, it could not reopen until it fixed its problems. Next, FDR created the SEC. The SEC was created to regulate the stock market, so the faulty trading that caused the crash could not occur again. The SEC also required companies who traded stock to make their financial books made public, and was ultimately designed to get people to invest in stock market again. Later, FDR created the FDIC. The FDIC was a government agency that was to ensure bank deposits as long as the bank met certain criteria. These 3 are careful steps of the gov’t working within the established system and basically put gov’t regulation in place to make sure the economy worked correctly. The second entity in the first new deal was an attempt to end the economic downturn. To do this, FDR needed to create jobs and help the economic markets. First, FDR created the NRA. The NRA set up a voluntary committee consisting of workers, business owners, and gov’t officials for every industry in the country. These committees would discuss production limits (which FDR believed overproduction was the cause of the GD), minimum prices, and wages. This did not work well because it was voluntary and businesses would usually break their part of the agreement. Next, FDR created AAA. This set up a government agency to pay farmers to produce less. FDR believed crop prices fell due to overproduction and that the AAA would solve this in two ways: 1, farmers would produce less therefore increasing crop prices and 2: by giving farmers much needed cash in return for not producing. Lastly, FDR created the TVA. This government agency created jobs by going into valleys to build hydroelectric dams that not only stop flooding, but create electricity. The AAA and TVA are considered very bold moves by the president because it allowed gov’t to interfere with private industry, and can even be argued as socialism. The last thing FDR wanted to do with the first new deal was provide direct relief to individuals. First, FDR gave states federal grants to buy food for those who needed it. Second, he created the CCC. This government agency gave men whose parents were unemployed jobs in the federal park/forest system. This program paid men around 30$ a month, of which 25$ would go to their parents, but it also clothed and fed them. This agency created jobs by having these men plant trees, build roads, trails, and bridges. Even though we did not need these things, the government was basically saying they would be the employer of last resort if the private sector was not supplying jobs. Third, FDR created FHA. This government agency was created to ensure home loans, so banks would again give out to potential home buyers. This was important because it put an influx of capital into the system. The characteristic of these three agencies was that the gov’t is beginning to say that everyone should have basic standards of living and that if they are ot there, the gov’t will be able to provide them, and even goes much further later on. After the first new deal, FDR received criticism from both from the left and the right political spectrums. Those on the right would say that the New Deal was â€Å"gov’t expansion gone crazy† and a radical departure from the past. They would also argue that it was dangerous gov’t intervention putting US on path of socialism. The Supreme Court, which was very conservative at the time, saw this as a dangerous expansion of federal government power and struck down the AAA and NRA as unconstitutional. FDR got most criticism from right from a popular radio speaker named Charles Coughlin who believed the GD/New deal was part of a Jewish conspiracy. On the left side of the spectrum, one would say that the New Deal did very little and not enough. FDR was criticized by the left primarily by Huey Long. He claimed wealthy Americans controlled all wealth and the only way to fix that was to give it back to common people. It was by far the most radical offer, and although Long was murdered, FDR believed left critique could still resonate and created the second new deal. Because of these criticisms, FDR unrolls the second new deal to answer those on the left. The second new deal had all the same goals as the first, but was much more radical. First, he created the REA. This government agency loaned to local communities that did not have electricity so that they could create their own power companies and run electricity to those who didn’t have it because private companies were only willing to supply to heavily populated areas. Here, the government is saying they will help provide a basis of living. Next, FDR created the WPA. This program was designed to put people to work since the private sector was not providing any jobs. It created construction jobs, employed painters to decorate buildings, hired actors and writers to put on play, etc. Third, FDR created the largest program of the new dealsocial security. It was divided into 3 categories: retirement (which took a portion of your paycheck and saved it), unemployment (which gave you a check for the first 6 months unemployed), and money for single mothers. The characteristic of SS was that it insured basic standards of living. Lastly, FDR created the NLRB, which forever changed the ov’ts relationship with unions. It made unions legal and made it illegal to fire someone for being in a union. The new deal was the largest expansion of government in history and had three basic characteristics: new role of organized labor, government ensuring basic standards, and government intervention in the economy. However, it did not end the Great depression. Despite this, it made the great depression tolerable, restored middle class belief in capitalism, put in place a â€Å"safety system† for capitalism that essentially made capitalism work better (sec, nrwb), and we continue to live with many of these programs today.

The Cause of the Potato Famine Essay -- Irish History, Starvation, Dis

During the Irish Potato Famine between 1845 to 1849 (McCarthy 88), one million people died within five years and an additional two million emigrated to other countries (â€Å"Ireland†). Even today Ireland has not completely recovered from this sudden loss in population (â€Å"Potatoes†). Although many blame this horrendous event on the government’s use of Laissez Faire Economics, the real cause of disaster was the people. The population loss, starvation, and diseases that resulted from the Irish Potato Famine were self- inflicted by the Irish peoples’ upcoming decisions to the event.  ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ireland was not of any interest to other countries, and in response these countries did not aid Ireland in its time of dire need. Countries had no concern in Ireland because it was an area of minimal development for industrialism (McCarthy 87). Also, Ireland had an absence of protection from invasions from other countries (McCarthy 87); one reason for this being that it is an island. Moreover, Ireland had an undeveloped amount of raw materials (McCarthy 87), which did not spark interest of speculation from others countries. Due to these two main factors, there was no investment in Ireland (McCarthy 87), which made the country isolated and unattended ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬  ¬Ã‚ ¬ when help was needed. When the Potato Famine attacked Ireland, it mainly affected the western countries (McCarthy 88). The majority of the starvation was from the less wealthy regions of the country, such as Bonegal down to Cork (McCarthy 88).These areas main food source was only potatoes because they were a cheap and easily grown crop. In other parts of Ireland, where the land was mostly pastures or a planted with a different variety of crops, hunger did not affect the people as intensely... ...t. Therefore, the government gave help to its people, so the blame should not be on the government for eventually putting forth an effort to help the situation. They had the right to see if the free market would work itself out, because according to the philosophies of Adam Smith, that would have been the expected result. Ireland’s poor planning in creating their lives around one crop economically and politically resulted in a much larger downfall than what could have occurred. Previously, in 1741 Ireland had a blight killing 250,000 people (â€Å"Irish Potato Famine†, Barnhill), only further proving how unprepared they were when the 1845 blight attacked; even with the knowledge that something like the famine would occur. In all, Ireland’s forthcoming decisions in how to economically run their country, was the primary reason the Irish Potato Famine hit them so hard.

Poverty in the United States and in India Essay

Poverty is the inability to meet basic needs of life and to some extent the inability to meet essential material needs that ensure a safe and secure livelihood. The United States measures poverty using government’s set poverty line. In rough estimate around 12% to 16% in the United States live below the poverty line. When statistics were done in the year 2006, people under the 18 were the ones highly affected by poverty. A research that was done recently by Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire, the rate of children who are poor is relatively higher in the rural parts than in the suburban areas. The US government and other nongovernmental organizations have been trying to reduce the level of poverty in the country. They have tried to educate as well as initiating campaigns that focus on poverty eradication. With this they place their focus especially on the homeless, people faced by atrocities like earthquakes, immigrants and others. The government has tried to build up charity programs and social workings based on improving the nature of the impoverished people. Faced with the heated up issue on poverty the Government has come up with 2017 poverty eradication plan, that is based on lowering or bringing to an end the poverty that faces some parts in the country. The Government embarks on raising the low- income workers’ minimum wage to 50 percent unlike the 30 percent that they earn. The Government also in tends to raise the Earned Income tax Credit and Child Tax Credit; the former enables people to invest on assets and the latter provides the child with a tax credit of $1000 per child. The Government wants to establish a policy that looks after the rights of employees, leading to better jobs and good salaries. It will also embark on child care help to those families that have got a low income and promote education for all. It will also create be able to place youths that are disadvantaged to schools and work so they are able to earn a living. They also want to make sure that they make it possible for higher education to be available in every state. These among many other solutions are being looked at by the US government in order to reduce the rate of poverty. Factors that result to poverty in the US include; parents not being married and raising children out of wedlock, Great amounts of taxes imposed even to the low income earning people, Public schools are run poorly, in addition to being funded heavily such that some people do not afford them. , children score very low in marks. Diseases like mental disabilities, abuse of drugs, domestic abuse and also natural disasters are other causes of poverty in the United States. INDIA India is one of the poorest countries in the world, unlike the US which is a world class country. Its most people live below the poverty line that is one third of the population. According to World Bank; 2005, â€Å"India has 456 million people, 46% of its population lives below the poverty line, it also has 828 million people, or 75. 6% living below $2 a day† Some of the causes of India’s poverty are the meager daily wages that employees receive. Most people in India live in rural India. They get very low of what they earn which is basically not possible to live a comfortable life with. There is also unequal distribution of wealth with very less people earning 33% of the income while most people in the country earn less than what is expected by the Government and that is $0. 40 per day. Others of those people work in informal job sectors that have got no job or social security hence leading them to extreme poverty. As a result of the income inequality, most children in India are affected by food, surviving rarely on very little. A high percentage of those children are suffering from malnutrition, than has been witnessed in other countries. The major causes of poverty in India are derived from two schools of thought. The first being the Developmental view which states, that India’s economy was completely deindustrialized. This resulted to all goods and services turning out to be very expensive and the India man could barely afford. As a result of the tremendous increase in prices and a decline in terms of trade, a massive hunger struck and resulted to many Indians dying. The land where the people grew food crops was all destroyed and cash crops such as cotton, opium, tea and grain for export and more so for animal feeds were planted. With this, it is evident that the colonial governments were part to blame for the impoverished country. The other school of thought; Neoliberal view states that both unemployment and underemployment were also a cause towards poor India. Farmers in India too over rely much on Agriculture products without looking for other investment areas. In other words the people of India have got great food security but low economic growth. Agriculture, unfortunately contributes to economy growth only 18% whereas 60% of the population depend on it. India too has got a high population growth that has immensely led to poverty since agriculture is their main source of income and the people are too many to be assisted by agriculture only. The â€Å"caste system† in India has also been blamed as a cause of poverty, since most people were left out in employment opportunities, education and other essentials. In conclusion, both India and the US have been faced with poverty issues; however, we cannot equate poverty in US to that in India. India’s economic growth is very low, the US are a bit privileged, since they are one of the most powerful countries economically. India might take a long time to recover but US is able to make sure that their goals towards curbing poverty are initiated and bring forth fruits.

Appearance vs. Reality Essay

Reality and appearances, or if you prefer, being and acting, are important themes for both Machiavelli and Shakespeare. Why? How do their perspectives on this subject agree or differ? One of the most fundamental questions in philosophy is the appearance vs. reality. We find ourselves asking the question of what is genuinely â€Å"real,† and what is viewed merely as just an â€Å"appearance,† and not real? It becomes difficult when we assume there is a difference in the two to determine which is which. Generally, what we label as â€Å"real† is regarded as external and eternal. What we refer to as just an appearance is regarded as temporary and internal. Many early as well as modern day authors use the theme of appearance vs. reality to portray a character in a certain way. One of the most appreciated one of these authors is William Shakespeare. The theme of Appearance vs. Reality is extremely noted in Williams Shakespeare’s â€Å"Hamlet†. Also, the Italian political theorist Niccolo Machiavelli is the other one who examines the issues of reality and appearance. Similarly, William Shakespeare and Machiavelli tell us about ‘princes’. Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Hamlet† can be summarized as a young prince’s journey in life to discover the truth of his father’s death. Machiavelli’s â€Å"The Prince† is a kind of ‘training guide’ for leaders, or in other words it is a kind of description of what a leader should do in order to effectively lead his country. The common subject of these works is reality vs. appearance therefore in this paper the theme of appearance vs. reality will be explored by closely analyzing both of these texts of Machiavelli and Shakespeare. Additionally their perspectives will be compared and contrasted in order to understand that whether they have the same point of view or not. Throughout the Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Hamlet†, the deceitfulness of some main characters is portrayed. The most significant one of these is Claudius, who is Hamlet’s uncle as well as the king’s brother; he deceitfully marries the recently widowed queen, and takes the throne. Many of the characters in the story are viewed as being honest and innocent characters, but in reality  they are evil in their actions as well as in their speeches. There are really four dishonest characters that could be the perfect examples for the theme of appearance vs. reality, and they are Polonius, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and the newly crowned king Claudius. When these characters are first introduced in this story, they tend to come across as being truthful and honorable, but in reality they have many evil sides that show when they play their deceitful roles against Hamlet as well as against the people of Denmark. Their innocent appearances become difficult obstacles for Hamlet as he struggles and trying to find the truth behind his father’s death, for he is unsure of whom he can trust. This is a question that Hamlet has on his mind throughout the play. The events and characters within the play appear to be true and honest but in reality they are infested with evil. Many of the characters within the play hide behind a mask of falseness. From behind this mask they give the impression of a person, who is sincere and genuine, in reality they are plagued with lies and malice. There appearance will make it very difficult for Hamlet to uncover the truth because the characters conceal their real intentions with a mask. Polonius, the king’s royal assistant has a preoccupation with appearance; he always wants to keep up the appearance of a loving and a caring person. Polonius appears like a man who loves and cares about his son, Laertes. He really does an excellent job trying to make others believe that he is a loving father who is only interested in helping his son to grow up in the right way and become prosperous in life. His speeches can be described as sounding the way the speeches of a politician would. They are blunt, well written, and directly to the point, but are never meant to be sincere. He gives his son Laertes his blessing to go away, but he sends a spy to follow him and keep an eye on him. Although he appears to be a confident father he does not trust his son to go away on his own. Furthermore, Polonius adds to the theme of appearance versus reality by ordering Ophelia to stop seeing Hamlet. He lies to her by telling her that Hamlet does not love her, he only lusts for her. Two of Hamlet’s closest friends from his childhood Rosencrantz and Guildenstern can as well be viewed as liars who become very  deceitful to Hamlet. After being asked by the king to find out what is bothering Hamlet, the two go to Hamlet pretending to see him as a friend, but are in reality just obeying the king’s orders. When they ask what is troubling Hamlet, they become insincere, and almost sound as though they had rehearsed what it was they were going to say. Hamlet noticed that the boys were told to do this and states, â€Å"A dream itself is but a shadow† (Hamlet 73). Hamlet then realized that his own friend were not in reality any friends at all. The king again sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to apologize for their behavior but Hamlet noticed their intentions yet again and simply insulted them. Hamlet’s supposed friends greatly add to the theme of appearance vs . reality. The last character is Claudius, the brother of the deceased king, who was crowned the new king of Denmark is viewed as an honest and honorable man. As seen in a speech given by Claudius in the presence of the council in Act One Scene Two, he demonstrates his excellent public speaking skills: â€Å"Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother’s death The memory be green, and that it us befitted To bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom To be contracted in one brow of woe† (Hamlet 33). Although Claudius seems sincere in his words, he cares so little about his brother’s death and only cares about himself. He is just living the life that once belonged to his brother as the king of Denmark and is extremely happy to be at the head of the thrown; something he had previously longed for. His speeches are given with respect for himself, his country and others. In Act One, you see that Hamlet directly insults Claudius, but the king continues to behave as if he is a loving and a caring uncle and step-father towards his nephew. In Machiavellian sense, all of these characters are using their appearances to their benefits, strategically they are using them to gain power or for their own benefits. In Niccolo Machiavelli’s â€Å"The Prince† he suggests, â€Å"Everyone sees what you appear to be, few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many, who have the majesty of the state to defend them.† (Machiavelli, 58) In short, he says that the strongest leaders are the ones who are able to carefully balance appearance to his benefits. According to Machiavelli’s statement, Claudius starts off as an ideal Machiavellian  prince. At the beginning of the play, Claudius appears to have complete control over Elsinore, as evidenced by his imposing speech to the court; â€Å"Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen, The imperial jointress to this warlike state, Have we (as it were a defeated joy, With an auspicious and a dropping eye, With mirth in funeral and dirge in marriage, in equal scale weighing delight and dole) Taken to wife†¦(1.2: 8-14) In this scene, Claudius, who has only recently taken the throne after the death of his brother, addresses some pressing issues. Seeking to create a strong early impression, Claudius uses his words very carefully. Furthermore with the words â€Å"imperial jointress to this warlike state† he justifies the potentially controversial union by making it appear like a benefit to the entire kingdom. The phrases which are chosen by Claudius, â€Å"mirth in funeral† and â€Å"dirge in marriage† recall Machiavelli’s words, for Claudius demonstrating his ability to express whatever emotions make him look wise and just, showing that he is in command of Denmark, despite his limited experience as a king. Consequently, as the play develops, Claudius loses his immovable command and composure, largely due to his concern over the potential threat posed by his stepson, Hamlet. According to Machiavelli there are ways of becoming a prince. Claudius becomes a king by killing his own brother, in Machiavellian sense; he is â€Å"a man who becomes a prince by some criminal and nefarious method†. (Machiavelli, 28) Claudius’ method is presented in Machiavelli’s book and from his perspective it is not a wrong method. However, one can acquire â€Å"prince power by this way but not glory†. (Machiavelli, 29) Therefore, Claudius has taken the throne but he was not glorious and has not glory. Actually, he is not virtuous. At the end of the play we see the gradual fall of Claudius, although he has a confident appearance and succeeds in becoming a strong leader, it is unable to heal the deep wounds in his soul. It is impossible not to feel sorry for him as he struggles with the task of balancing his outward appearance with his interior thought. Therefore, Shakespeare shows his inner conflict and dilemmas. Machiavelli seems to be unaware of these facts, feeling of regret and repentance. Claudius above every other character in the play shows how the theme of reality versus appearance is relevant to the great play written by Williams  Shakespeare, known as â€Å"Hamlet†.

Review of the film Eat a bowl of teiasa

Review of the film Eat a bowl of teiasa Introduction Eat a Bowl of Tea is a 1989 film directed by Wayne Wang in a Chinese America setting. It was crafted from a novel by Louis Chu, the novel was by the same name and had been published in 1961. The work is a depiction of the clashes between Chinese culture and way of life and the American ideas existing at the time in Chinatown of the City of New York in the period after the Second World War (Xiangyang, 2004, p. 215). The US immigration laws had been relaxed at the time. It has gained recognition over the years as a significant study in Asian American studies. The focus is on four main characters. They constitute a newly married couple, Ben Loy and Mei Oi, and their respective fathers, Wah Gay and Lee Gong. Russell Wong acted as Ben Loy, Cora Miao as Mei Oi, Victor Wong as Wah Gay and Lau Siu-Ming as Lee Gong. The film’s main comic is the impotence of a bridegroom after tying the knot. He finds himself in conflict with his community’s culture since his ideas don’t match with the community’s way of life. Issues of ethnic identity are brought out while at the same time bringing up light moments (Shu-yan, 1993, p. 99).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Review of the film Eat a bowl of teiasa specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Review The film begins with a Greek chorus, and a noticeably 40s setting. The newly-weds, Ben Loy and Mei Oi are peacefully sleeping when their sleep gets interrupted by the doorbell (Shih, 2001, p.45). It is a prostitute at the door and Loy lies still in bed to conceal his past way of life from his new wife. The story is then taken back, the scene is a gambling joint where Wah Gay and Lee Gong, who are Chinese immigrants and close friends find out that Wah has a son who should settle down and Lee has a marriageable daughter. Both these men’s wives and the daughter, Mei Oi, are in China. These men decide to send Ben back home to marr y Mei. Ben is at first reluctant and sees no sense in this because he’s gotten used to flings with the white prostitutes of New York (Shih, 2001, p.46). He eventually decides to move to China and there he marries Mei and takes her back to New York so they can start a family. All these movements, unfortunately, end up making the young man impotent. Though they made love at the initial times, Mei becomes increasingly frustrated because her conjugal needs are not taken care of. As time goes by, a visitor, Ah Song calls at the couple’s. He flirts with Mei and she gives in. Later, she discovers she is pregnant and knows not who between Ah Song and Ben is responsible; at one time Ben had successfully made love with her. Due to neighborhood embarrassment, the couple moves to Stanton. Even there, however, Mei can’t keep off the urge to see Ah Song and eventually convinces Ben that they move back to New York. The affair between Mei and Ah Song again goes on. Ben decides to retaliate and slices off Ah Song’s ear (Jinqi, 1995, p. 35). Wah Gay and Lee Gong decide to leave that community due to shame. The young couple decides to start anew and move to San Francisco. There Mei gives birth and the new setting enables them to get back on the right track. The film title comes into place here when Ben visits a Chinese herbalist, Dr. Suey, to cure his impotence. Dr. Suey advises him to eat a bowl of tea. Advertising Looking for report on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Even though the tea is thick, black, pungent and hard to ingest, Ben keeps going back (Shih, 2001, p.49). He eventually regained his masculinity, though it is not clear if it is the tea that helped him or it was his change in way of life. Major themes in the film One of the themes coming out is appearance versus reality. At face value, Ben looks like an innocent and righteous man, however, he is concealin g a dented past in the form of promiscuity. The young Mei from China is expected to be faithful to her husband but she does the opposite (Jinqi, 1995, p. 47). Another theme focuses on strains between the old generation and the new generation of the time. The young couple is living in modern-day America but is still under pressure to conform to Chinese traditions. The family and its continuity were still highly regarded at the time. This theme clearly comes out when the two friends Wah Gay and Lee Gong make an arrangement for their children to get married (Jinqi, 1995, p. 48). Conclusion This film is rich in representations whereby Chinese and American cultures clash with one another. For example, the couple’s first time alone in China on screen is against a background of an outdoor illustration of Lost Horizon, a well renowned American film (Shu-yan, 1993, p. 105). When the couple moves to San Francisco to escape embarrassment, well known sights are spread over the surface wi th Chinese music. Eating tea is an illustration of Ben going against the culture and way of life of the Chinese (Xiangyang, 2004, p. 224). It shows Ben’s urge for independence and moving away from his father’s control. Ben’s impotence and inability to continue his lineage is an indication of the inability to bring together Chinese and American ideologies at that time. These include societal expectations, personal wishes and business issues.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Review of the film Eat a bowl of teiasa specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reference List Jinqi L. (1995). Reading for Historical Specificities: Gender Negotiations in Louis Chus Eat a Bowl of Tea. p.35-51. Shih, D. (2001) â€Å"A Resource Guide to Asian American Literature.† New York: Modern Language Association of America, 45–53. Shu-yan, L. (1993). Otherness and Transformation in Eat a Bowl of Tea and Crossings. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 99-110. Xiangyang, C. (2004) Constructions of Chinese Identity in Eat a Bowl of Tea and Chinese Box. Re-Reading America: Changes and Challenges. Cheltenham: Reardon, 215–26.

Mahdist War and the Siege of Khartoum

Mahdist War and the Siege of Khartoum Siege of Khartoum - Conflict Dates: The Siege of Khartoum lasted from March 13, 1884 to January 26, 1885, and took place during the Mahdist War (1881-1899). Armies Commanders British Egyptians Major General Charles Gordon7,000 men, 9 gunboats Mahdists Muhammad Ahmadapprox. 50,000 men Siege of Khartoum - Background: In the wake of 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War, British troops remained in Egypt to protect British interests. Though occupying the country, they allowed the Khedive to continue overseeing domestic affairs. This included dealing with the Mahdist Revolt which had commenced in Sudan. Though technically under Egyptian rule, large parts of Sudan had fallen to Mahdist forces led by Muhammad Ahmad. Considering himself the Mahdi (the redeemer of Islam), Ahmad defeated Egyptian forces at El Obeid in November 1883 and overran Kordofan and Darfur. This defeat and the deteriorating situation led to Sudan being discussed in Parliament. Assessing the problem and wishing to avoid the cost of intervention, Prime Minister William Gladstone and his cabinet were unwilling to commit forces to the conflict. As a result, their representative in Cairo, Sir Evelyn Baring, directed the Khedive to order the garrisons in Sudan to evacuate back into Egypt. To oversee this operation, London requested that Major General Charles Chinese Gordon be placed in command. A veteran officer and former governor-general of Sudan, Gordon was familiar with the region and its peoples. Leaving in early 1884, he was also tasked with reporting on the best means for extracting the Egyptians from the conflict. Arriving in Cairo, he was re-appointed Governor-General of Sudan with full executive powers. Sailing up the Nile, he arrived at Khartoum on February 18. Directing his limited forces against the advancing Mahdists, Gordon began evacuating women and children north to Egypt. Siege of Khartoum - Gordon Digs In: Though London desired to abandon Sudan, Gordon firmly believed the Mahdists needed to be defeated or they could overrun Egypt. Citing a lack of boats and transport, he ignored his orders to evacuate and began organizing a defense of Khartoum. In an effort to win over the citys residents, he improved the justice system and remitted taxes. Recognizing that Khartoums economy rested on the slave trade, he re-legalized slavery despite the fact that he had originally abolished it during his earlier term as governor-general. While unpopular at home, this move increased Gordons support in the city. As he moved forward, he began requesting reinforcements to defend the city. An initial request for a regiment of Turkish troops was denied as was a later call for a force of Indian Muslims. Increasingly agitated by Gladstones lack of support, Gordon began sending a series of angry telegrams to London. These soon became public and led to a vote of no confidence against Gladstones government. Though he survived, Gladstone steadfastly refused to become committed to a war in Sudan. Left on his own, Gordon began enhancing Khartoums defenses. Protected to the north and west by the White and Blue Niles, he saw that fortifications and trenches were constructed to the south and east. Facing the desert, these were supported by land mines and wire barriers. To defend the rivers, Gordon retrofitted several steamers into gunboats which were protected by metal plates. Attempting an offensive near Halfaya on March 16, Gordons troops faltered and took 200 casualties. In the wake of the setback, he concluded that he should remain on the defensive. Siege of Khartoum - The Siege Begins: Later that month, Mahdist forces began to near Khartoum and skirmishing commenced. With Mahdist forces closing in, Gordon telegraphed London on April 19 that he had provisions for five months. He also requested two to three thousand Turkish troops as his men were increasingly unreliable. Gordon believed that with such a force, he could drive off the enemy. As the month ended, the tribes to the north elected to join with the Mahdi and cut off Gordons lines of communication to Egypt. While runners were able to make the journey, the Nile and telegraph were severed. As enemy forces surrounded the city, Gordon attempted to convince the Mahdi to make peace but with no success. Siege of Khartoum - Fall of Khartoum: Holding the city, Gordon was able to somewhat replenish his supplies by raiding with his gunboats. In London, his plight was played up in the press and eventually, Queen Victoria directed Gladstone to send aid to the beleaguered garrison. Acquiescing in July 1884, Gladstone ordered General Sir Garnet Wolseley to form an expedition for the relief of Khartoum. Despite this, it took a substantial amount of time to organize the needed men and supplies. As the fall progressed, Gordons position became increasingly tenuous as supplies dwindled and many of his more capable officers were killed. Shortening his line, he constructed a new wall inside the city and tower from which to observe the enemy. Though communications remained spotty, Gordon did receive word that a relief expedition was en route. Despite this news, Gordon greatly feared for the city. A letter that arrived in Cairo on December 14 informed a friend, Farewell. You will never hear from me again. I fear that there will be treachery in the garrison, and all will be over by Christmas. Two days later, Gordon was forced to destroy his outpost across the White Nile at Omdurman. Made aware of Gordons concerns, Wolseley began pressing south. Defeating the Mahdists at Abu Klea on January 17, 1885, the men met the enemy again two days later. With the relief force approaching, the Mahdi began planning to storm Khartoum. Possessing around 50,000 men, he ordered one column to wade across the White Nile to attack the citys walls while another assaulted the Massalamieh Gate. Moving forward on the night of January 25-26, both columns quickly overwhelmed the exhausted defenders. Swarming through the city, the Mahdists massacred the garrison and around 4,000 of Khartoums residents. Though the Mahdi had expressly ordered that Gordon be taken alive, he was struck down in the fighting. Accounts of his death vary with some reports stating he was killed at the governors palace, while others claim he was shot in the street while trying to escape to the Austrian consulate. In either case, Gordons body was decapitated and taken to the Mahdi on a pike. Siege of Khartoum - Aftermath: In the fighting at Khartoum, Gordons entire 7,000-man garrison was killed. Mahdist casualties are not known. Driving south, Wolseleys relief force reached Khartoum two days after the citys fall. With no reason to remain, he ordered his men to return to Egypt, leaving Sudan to the Mahdi. It remained under Mahdist control until 1898 when Major General Herbert Kitchener defeated them at the Battle of Omdurman. Though a search was made for Gordons remains after Khartoum was retaken, they were never found. Acclaimed by the public, Gordons death was blamed on Gladstone who delayed forming a relief expedition. The resulting outcry led his government to fall in March 1885 and he was formally rebuked by Queen Victoria. Sources: BBC. General Charles Gordon. Fordham University.  Islamic History Sourcebook: Death of General Gordon at Khartoum. Sandrock, John.  Windows to the Past: Siege of Khartoum.

Developing security policy (Security, Ethics and Electronic Commerce Essay

Developing security policy (Security, Ethics and Electronic Commerce Systems) - Essay Example A security policy specifically is the imperative foundation on which a valuable and complete security program can be developed. This significant constituent of the overall security architecture is usually ignored. A security policy is the most important way in which management’s decision for security is converted into specific, measurable, and testable goals and objectives. It is essential to take a top down approach (defining the policy and then roles and responsibilities to enact it properly) based on a well-stated policy in order to make an effective security architecture. On the other hand, if there is an absence of a security policy guiding the decision makers, then decisions will be made on ad-hoc bases, by the individuals developing, installing, and maintaining computer systems, and this will result in a disparate and less than optimal security architecture being used or implemented (Weise & Martin, 2001). The structure of this report is as follows: next section describ es the components necessary for developing and defining the policy then a policy is developed to govern the transaction management system of an organization. It characterizes the challenge or issue that management is dealing with. It might include regulatory restrictions, security of highly significant data, or the appropriate utilization of certain technologies. Sometimes, it may be needed to describe terms. It is also vital that everyone involved in the policy, must understands its content. Moreover, the conditions must also be stated under which policy is applicable (Olzak, 2010; Patrick, 2001). Objectives are usually specified within the scope definition and may take in actions and configurations forbidden or restricted. In addition, these are also normally defined outside a policy, conditions and organizational practices may necessitate placing certain standards and