Kraft Foods Group Strategies

Executive summary In the increasingly competitive food industry, it is imperative for companies to be alive to the changing markets. In order to meet this objective, it is important for companies to review their strategies regularly to align them with strategic choices.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Kraft Foods Group Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In some cases, the companies need to review the strategic choices to leverage on strengths and take advantage of the environmental advantages to gain competitive advantage. This paper explores the case of Kraft Foods with regard to its strategies. Introduction In any competitive market, companies that are almost certainly to achieve organizational goals are the ones with the capability to lead as opposed to trailing vicissitudes within the market. The managers of such companies require building an enterprise capable of reacting rapidly to variations in both customer needs and the enterprise environment. This demands for constant development of innovations, possess the capacity to launch them and developing strategies that will enable the business to effectively meet its organizational objectives. Businesses that succeed in the market are composed of different individuals united in a collective purpose through corporate vision, mission and goals. In any business organization, the essential component in ensuring that individuals are focused on the goal is an organizational strategy that develops the organization so that it adapts to changes and advance with time. This case study examines the strategies employed by Kraft Foods Group. It will propose ways in which the company may leverage its strengths and reinforce its weaknesses to gain competitive advantage. In order to achieve this, the study explores the company’s generic strategies and strategic choices.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Le t's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Main Body Product variety Kraft Foods engages in the development and selling of packed food and beverages. It operates in the increasingly competitive North American, European, Asian Pacific and Latin American markets. Over the years, it has managed to create a niche in the food and beverage industry thus ranking second in the world behind Nestle (Marketline, 2012). The company has a wide range of products including opportune meals, coffee and grocery products. It has an assortment of globally recognized brands. The food and beverage classes include breakfast, lunch and dinner. The products can be consumed in the food service outlets or at home. This caters for the wide range of customers with diverse preferences of consumption location. The brand portfolio includes nine strong brands ensuring that customers have a wide variety to choose from. In the fast changing market, having varieties of products w ithin the core brands ensure that the company enjoys a huge market share as all customers have their needs met. The number of products had initially reached twenty. An overhaul in strategy led to the reduction with the company adopting ‘fewer, bigger, and better’ approach (Watrous, 2013). Kraft Corporate Strategies In 2011, the company revealed organizational strategies aimed at driving the growth of the company during the yearly Consumer Analyst Group conference (Shah, 2014). The strategies include delighting its global consumers with unique snacks. The company would also release the power of its iconic brands through vigorous marketing and promotions. The company planned to create a performance-focused and principle-led organizational environment. These strategies would result in organic revenue growth of 5 percent. In devising these strategies, the company viewed itself in an apt position to achieve growth considering its worthy cycle. The main features of the worthy cycle were envisaged to accelerate growth at a higher rate than competitors and categories include renewing the power brands.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Kraft Foods Group Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is to be achieved through investment in research and development for innovation and advertising of the power brands. Additionally, the company would utilize its business management policies to enhance local brands. Another feature is the increment in the sales and marketing brilliance. It would also develop end-to-end cost control to attain record savings. This will be achieved through streamlining the supply chain and endeavor negative overhead development. The emphasis on the general organizational strategy is hence divided in two categories namely brand building (focus strategies) and cost reduction (cost leadership). The company is no longer developing new brands but is vigorously advertising and marketing the existing brands to create brand awareness among its customers. Subsequently, it will create brand loyalty to its products. The cost reduction strategy will help the company to increase the profit margin. The company is making efforts to ensure that the supply chain is aligned to the mission and vision of the company. By delivering the products to the consumer in a timely manner, the company will be viewed as the unquestionable leader in the food market. The customers will view the company as a requisite partner (Hill, 1988). Generic Strategy Kraft foods started with few product brands. As business increased due to vigorous marketing by the company staff, the number of products was increased. The company has developed sufficient brands and is no longer focused on developing beyond that. It is concentrating on ‘focus strategies’ to create strong position for the existing brands. It has developed a set of ‘fundamental values’ that assist in guiding employees. Among them is promoting teamwork and creating room for innovation among employees. There is unrelenting emphasis on the need for the staff from all backgrounds and expertise levels to work in unison in supporting the company’s core brands.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In order to attain this goal and eventually the company’s mission, the company structures its business in ‘Category Teams’. This is focused on ensuring a cross-operational tactic to decision making. Strategic Choices For any company that seeks to integrate its innovations for growth, it must first plan on how it will integrate the innovations with the corporate vision and mission. Kraft’s mission is to gain recognition as the unquestionable leader in the world food market. In order to attain this vision, the company needs to ensure that the quality of foods and beverages it offers are healthy for the consumers. In the contemporary market, consumers are increasingly becoming health-sensitive regarding what they consume. The company is financially endowed. Its revenues exceed $1 billion (Noria, 2014). This is considered as the strength for this company. It is vigorously advertising and marketing its power brands globally particularly in highly competitive ma rkets to gain competitive advantage over market rivals and increase its market share. However, this does not completely align with the company’s generic strategy of cost leadership. The cost of advertising and marketing the brands are increasingly becoming higher. Additionally, the cost of supplying the products to markets outside the United States is higher. This means that the price of the products is still high. Furthermore, the delivery of products to these locations is not timely. The company may require setting up plants in these markets to ensure timely delivery for customer convenience and reduction of supply costs. Leveraging strengths Kraft Foods has a unique combination of refreshments and legacy brands. The company is financially stable. It should use this strength to market the power brands in the emerging markets. In order to reduce the supply costs, it should set up manufacturing plants near these markets. The marketing, advertising and promotions will help in creating the ‘perceived value’ by customers. It should endeavor to create a niche among consumers by selling directly to them as opposed to the current approach where it sells to retailers. The elimination of distributors and retailers will help streamline the supply chain and effectively lower the costs (Meeta, 2012). By entering new markets, the company will take advantage of the environmental opportunities. There are fewer competitors in the emerging markets. This will allow the company to create customer loyalty for its unique products. In most of the emerging markets, there is relative political stability with less favorable conditions for foreign investors as the countries seek to globalize and attract investors. The company should take advantage of incentives offered in such markets to grow its profitability. The company should alter its strategic choice of vigorously marketing in the existing competitive markets and concentrate on the emerging markets. Reconfirm ation of Kraft Foods vision and mission Kraft Foods’ mission of gaining recognition as the unquestionable leader in the world food market is enhanced by the fact that it engages expertise from diverse professional fields. This ensures that the company offers its consumers high quality and healthy assortments of foods and beverages. In pursuing this mission, the management creates an environment that enables a strong connection between the organizational strategies and the performance of its brands. The company builds its market performance through the engagement of competent managers and field personnel. The employees function within vividly defined strategies that are carefully designed by professionals. By creating a performance-focused and principle-led organizational environment, the company is able to deliver to its customers the services and products envisaged in the company’s strategic plan. The management structure of the company replicates the strong point of the management team. The team is able to positively influence the employees to devote to the achievement of the company objectives through meeting the expectations of the customers. In order to achieve cost leadership in the food industry, the company encourages the employees to participate in decision making. It encourages innovation among the employees through shared expertise. The creation of category teams enables the involvement of planning experts who take an active part in decision making. They help the employees to concentrate on adding value for the clients in an approach that progresses the competitiveness of the entire company. Conversely, to achieve the vision and mission of the company, the management has divided the entire organization into three key teams namely business divisions, collective services and the corporate core. Nevertheless, the corporate core is responsible for deciding on the overall strategy of Kraft Foods. It sets standards and manages talent as well as composing the business portfolio. This way, the company is able to remain focused on its mission. The corporate strategies and strategic choices require realigning instead of altering the mission statement. Conclusion Kraft Foods corporate strategy has been effective for years. However, the increasingly competitive food and beverage industry requires realignment of the company’s strategic choices to reflect on the delivery of the corporate mission. The company’s mission and objectives require no alteration. Instead, there is need for reviewing the generic strategy to enable the company to adapt to the changing market and create a niche in the food industry. The company should leverage its financial endowment and strong brand to gain competitive advantage. References Hill, C. (1988). Differentiation versus low-cost leadership or differentiation and low-cost: A contingency framework. Academy of Management Review, 13(1), 401-412. Meeta, I. (2012). Application of bowma n’s clock to Kraft foods ltd. Web. Noria, C. (2014). Kraft foods lay out new global growth strategy. Web. Shah, V. (2014). Kraft foods. Web. Watrous, M. (2013). Product development overhaul at heart of Kraft foods strategy. Web. This assessment on Kraft Foods Group Strategies was written and submitted by user Cuck00 to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Analysis of The School by Donald Barthelme

Analysis of 'The School' by Donald Barthelme Donald Barthelme (1931- 1989) was an American writer known for his postmodern, surrealistic style. He published more than 100 stories in his lifetime, many of which were quite compact, making him an important influence on contemporary flash fiction. The School was originally published in 1974 in The New Yorker, where it is available to subscribers. You can also get a  free copy of the story at National Public Radio (NPR).  Ã‚   Spoiler Alert Barthelmes story is  short- only about 1,200 words- and really funny and darkly funny, so its worth reading on your own. Humor and Escalation The story achieves much of its humor through escalation. It begins with an ordinary situation everyone can recognize –  a failed classroom gardening project. But then it piles on so many other recognizable classroom failures that the sheer accumulation becomes preposterous. That the narrators understated, conversational tone never rises to the same fever pitch of preposterousness makes the story even funnier. His delivery continues as if these events arent really so unusual –  just a run of bad luck. Tone Shifts There are two separate and significant tone changes in the story. The first occurs with the phrase, And then there was this Korean orphan [†¦] Until this point, the story has been  amusing. But the phrase about the Korean orphan is the first mention of human victims. It lands like a punch to the gut, and it heralds an extensive list of human fatalities. What was funny when it was just herbs and gerbils isnt so funny when were talking about human beings. And while the sheer magnitude of the escalating calamities does retain a humorous edge, the story is undeniably in more serious territory from this point forward. The second tone shift occurs when the children ask, [I]s death that which gives meaning to life? Until then, the children have sounded more or less like children, and not even the narrator has raised any existential questions. But then the children suddenly voice questions like: [I]snt death, considered as a fundamental datum, the means by which the taken-for-granted mundanity of the everyday may be transcended in the direction of   The story takes a surreal turn at this point, no longer trying to offer a narrative that could be grounded in reality but instead addressing larger philosophical questions. The exaggerated formality of the childrens speech only serves to emphasize the difficulty of articulating such questions in real life – the gap between the experience of death and our  ability to make sense of it. The Folly of Protection One of the reasons the story is funny is discomfort. The children are repeatedly faced with death the one experience from which adults would like to protect them. It makes a reader squirm. Yet after the first tone shift, the reader becomes like the children, confronting the inescapability and inevitability of death. Were all in school, and school is all around us. And sometimes, like the children, we might begin to feel that maybe there [i]s something wrong with the school. But the story seems to be pointing out that there is no other school. (If youre familiar with Margaret Atwoods short story Happy Endings, youll recognize thematic similarities here.) The request from the now-surreal children for the teacher to make love with the teaching assistant seems to be a quest for the opposite of death an attempt to find that which gives meaning to life. Now that the children are no longer protected from death, they dont want to be protected from its opposite, either. They seem to be searching for balance. It is only when the teacher asserts that there is value everywhere that the teaching assistant approaches him. Their embrace demonstrates a tender human connection that doesnt seem particularly sexualized. And thats when the new gerbil walks in, in all its surreal, anthropomorphized glory. Life continues. The responsibility of caring for a living being continues even if that living being, like all living beings, is doomed to eventual death. The children cheer, because their response to death is to continue engaging in the activities of life.

Rhinoceros Facts

Rhinoceros Facts There are five species of Rhinoceroses- Ceratotherium simum, Diceros bicornis, Rhinoceros unicornis, R. sondaicos, Dicerorhinus sumatrensis- and for the most part, they live in widely separated ranges. By most counts, there are less than 30,000 rhinoceroses alive today, a steep plunge in population for a mammal that has existed on the earth, in one form or another, for 50 million years. Fast Facts: Rhinoceros Scientific Name: Five species are Ceratotherium simum, Diceros bicornis, Rhinoceros unicornis, R. sondaicos, Dicerorhinus sumatrensisCommon Name: White, Black, Indian, Javan, SumatranBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 4–15 feet tall, 7–15 feet long, depending on speciesWeight: 1,000–5,000 poundsLifespan: 10–45 yearsDiet:  HerbivoreHabitat: Subharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Indian subcontinentPopulation: 30,000Conservation Status: Three species are Critically Endangered (Javan, Sumatran, black), one is Vulnerable (Indian), one is Near Threatened (white) Description Rhinoceroses are perissodactyls, or odd-toed ungulates, a family of mammals characterized by their herbivorous diets, relatively simple stomachs, and ​an odd number of toes on their feet (one or three). The only other perissodactyls on earth today are horses, zebras, and donkeys (all belonging to genus Equus), and the strange, pig-like mammals known as tapirs.  Rhinoceroses are characterized by their large sizes, quadrupedal postures, and single or double  horns on the ends of their snouts- the name rhinoceros is Greek for nose horn. These horns probably evolved as a sexually selected characteristic- that is, males with bigger, more prominent horns were more successful with females during mating season. Considering how big they are, rhinoceroses have unusually small brains- no more than a pound and a half in the largest individuals, and about five times smaller than a comparably sized elephant. That is a common attribute in animals which have elaborate anti-predator defenses like body armor: their encephalization quotient (the relative size of an animals brain compared to the rest of its body) is low. WLDavies/Getty Images   Species There are five extant rhino species- the white rhinoceros, black rhinoceros, Indian rhinoceros, Javan rhinoceros, and Sumatran rhinoceros. The largest rhinoceros species, the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) consists of two subspecies- the southern white rhinoceros, which lives in the southernmost regions of Africa, and the northern white rhinoceros of central Africa. There are about 20,000 southern white rhinoceroses in the wild, the males of which weigh over two tons, but the northern white rhinoceros is on the brink of extinction, with a mere handful of individuals surviving in zoos and nature reserves. No one is quite sure why C. simum is called white- this may be a corruption of the Dutch word wijd, which means wide (as in widespread), or because its horn is lighter than that of other rhinoceros species. Actually brown or grey in color, the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) used to be widespread across southern and central Africa, but today its numbers have dwindled to about half those of the southern white rhinoceros. (In Greek, bicornis means two-horned; an adult black rhinoceros has a larger horn toward the front of its snout, and a narrower one directly behind.) Black rhinoceros adults rarely exceed two tons in weight, and they browse on shrubs rather than grazing on grass like their white cousins. There used to be a bewildering number of black rhinoceros subspecies, but today the International Union for the Conservation of Nature recognizes only three, all of them seriously endangered. The Indian or greater one-horned rhinoceros, Rhinoceros unicornis, used to be thick on the ground in India and Pakistan until a combination of hunting and habitat destruction restricted its numbers to the puny 4,000 or so individuals alive today. Full-grown Indian rhinos weigh between three and four tons and are characterized by their long, thick, black horns, which are prized by unscrupulous poachers. On a historical note, the Indian rhinoceros was the first rhino to be seen in Europe, a single individual shipped to Lisbon in 1515. Plucked from its natural habitat, this unfortunate rhino quickly died, but not before it had been immortalized in a woodcut by Albrecht Durer, the sole reference point for European  enthusiasts until another Indian rhino arrived in England in 1683. One of the rarest mammals in the entire world, the Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicos) consists of a few dozen individuals living on the western edge of Java (the largest island in the Indonesian archipelago). This cousin of the Indian rhinoceros (same genus, different species) is slightly smaller, with a comparably smaller horn, which has not, sadly, prevented it from being hunted to near-extinction by poachers. The Javan rhinoceros used to be widespread across Indonesia and southeast Asia; one of the key factors in its decline was the Vietnam War, in which millions of acres of habitat were destroyed by incendiary bombing and poisoning of vegetation by the herbicide called Agent Orange. Also known as the hairy rhinoceros, the Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is almost as endangered as the Javan rhinoceros, with which it once shared the same territory of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Adults of this species rarely exceed 2,000 pounds in weight, making it the smallest living rhinoceros. Unfortunately, as with the Javan rhinoceros, the relatively short horn of the Sumatran rhinoceros hasnt spared it from the depredations of poachers: The powdered horn of a Sumatran rhino commands over $30,000 per kilogram on the black market. Not only is D. sumatrensis the smallest rhino, but its also the most mysterious. This is by far the most vocal rhino species and herd members communicate with one another via yelps, moans, and whistles. Habitat and Range Rhinoceroses are native to Subharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Indian subcontinent, depending on their species. They live in a variety of habitats, including tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas and shrublands, tropical moist forests, and deserts and xeric shrublands. Diet Rhinos are all herbivores, but their diets depend on their habitat: Sumatran and Javan rhinos feed on tropical vegetation, including some fruits, while black rhinoceros are primarily browsers that feed on herbs and shrubs, and Indian rhinos feed on both grasses and aquatic plants. They require a great deal of time to forage and spend most of their active time doing that. Rhinos can be active day or night and generally regulate their activity depending on the weather. If its too hot or too cold, they will stay near water. Behavior If theres one place the average person does not want to be, its in the path of a stampeding rhino. When startled, this animal can hit top speeds of 30 miles per hour, and its not exactly equipped to stop on a dime (which may be one reason rhinos evolved their nasal horns as they can absorb unexpected impacts with stationary trees). Because rhinos are basically solitary animals, and because they have become so thin on the ground, its rare to see a true crash (as a group of rhinos is called), but this phenomenon has been known to occur around watering holes. Rhinos also have poorer eyesight than most animals, another reason not to linger in the path of a four-ton male on your next African safari. The closest rhinoceros bond is between a mother and her offspring. Bachelor rhinos congregate in small crashes of three to five, and sometimes as many as 10, to cooperate against predators. Rhinos may also gather around limited resources, water pools, wallows, feeding areas, and salt licks, always staying one body length apart. Reproduction and Offspring All rhinoceroses are polygamous and polyandrous- both sexes seek multiple mates. Courting and mating can occur at any time during the day. During courtship, males engage in mate-guarding behavior until the female is in full estrus and will permit males to approach her. Indian male rhinos whistle loudly to announce reproductive condition and location, six to 10 hours before breeding activity. Gestation takes 15–16 months, and by two months of age, calves are weaned and may be left alone while the female forager a few feet away. When separated temporarily, the female and her calves stay in contact through vocalizations. Calves suckle until the calf is two or the mother conceives again; they become completely independent at three years. Females become sexually mature at 5–7, and males at 10 years. Rhinos typically live between 10 and 45 years, depending on the species.   mantaphoto/Getty Images Evolutionary History Researchers trace the evolutionary lineage of modern rhinoceroses back 50 million years, to small, pig-sized ancestors that originated in Eurasia and later spread to North America. A good example is Menoceras, a tiny, four-footed plant-eater that sported a pair of small horns. The North American branch of this family went extinct about five million years ago, but rhinos continued to live in Europe until the end of the last Ice Age (at which point Coelodonta, also known as the woolly rhino, went extinct along with its fellow mammalian megafaunas like the woolly mammoth and the saber-toothed tiger). One recent rhinoceros ancestor, Elasmotherium, may even have inspired the unicorn myth, as its single, prominent horn struck awe in early human populations. Daniel Eskridge/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images Conservation Status All of the five species of rhinoceroses are listed as endangered or vulnerable ty the IUCN. Three are listed as Critically Endangered (Javan, Sumatran, and black rhinos); one is Vulnerable (Indian), and one is Near Threatened (white).   Ã‚  Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images Threats Rhinoceroses have been continually driven relentlessly to the brink of extinction by human poachers. What these hunters are after is rhino horns, which, when ground up into powder, are valued in the east as aphrodisiacs (today, the largest market for powdered rhino horn is in Vietnam, as Chinese authorities have recently cracked down on this illicit trade). Whats ironic is that the horn of a rhinoceros is composed entirely of keratin, the same substance that makes up human hair and fingernails. Rather than continuing to drive these majestic animals into extinction, perhaps poachers can be convinced to grind up their toenail clippings and see if anyone notices the difference! Sources Emslie, R. Ceratotherium simum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T4185A16980466, 2012.-. Diceros bicornis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T6557A16980917, 2012.  Hutchins, M., and M. D. Kreger. Rhinoceros Behaviour: Implications for Captive Management and Conservation. International Zoo Yearbook 40.1 (2006): 150-73. Print.Talukdar, B.K. et al. Rhinoceros unicornis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T19496A8928657, 2008.  van Strien, N.J. et al. Rhinoceros sondaicus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T19495A8925965, 2008.van Strien, N.J., et al. Dicerorhinus sumatrensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T6553A12787457, 2008.

Turning Passion into a Career Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Turning Passion into a Career - Essay Example This paper tells that as with all careers that constantly undergo advancement and changes, the field of medicine is such that an individual needs to keep themselves abreast of the times. You have to keep learning new things and incorporate new developments and techniques in your day to day working. So the learning phase never actually ends. One can choose to shift it from the more informal ‘learning on the job’ level to a more formal ‘guided study’ one. My working environment is ideal to allow me the opportunity to further enhance my career and take it to the next level. I am planning on doing a Master’s Degree in Nursing to combine two of my passions together: teaching and nursing. Knowledge spreads through sharing and teaching a subject that you really love enhances the overall experience. A bit like sharing a hobby with the rest of the world. It adds to the pleasure. I would love to share my knowledge and experience in my field with others and faci litate new students as much as I can to help them become good nurses. It is not arrogance to believe that I would prove to be a good teacher. I have always found it to be a better experience learning from teachers whom I felt had a genuine passion for the subject. That passion and the joy of sharing makes you sincere with what you do. While working, I have picked up a few best practices here and there that help me tremendously with my tasks. I am sure more people can and will benefit from these. I know I would have if someone had offered me these bits of advice instead of me having to learn the hard way! I am at a point in my career where I can choose the path ahead for myself, both in terms of which route to take and also as far as workloads are concerned. It is of the paramount importance for me to choose my path with care. I currently have the option to take up a managerial role in our expanding laboratory or become a divisional leader. To take on new responsibilities in a new ro le, I feel it is important for me to augment my education by enrolling in a Master’s program. After giving it much thought, I have chosen to go with the clinical track since apart from helping me out in a new role, it will help me fulfill my dream of teaching nursing at college- or university level. When I was considering my options and planning for the future, I extensively searched through institutions and courses that suited me, browsing the web extensively as well as going through every prospectus I could get my hands on. I went through Norwich University’s website and liked it. I read through course-lists and any pertinent information on offer. Particularly, after watching the webinar, I was convinced that Norwich University would be the perfect place for me to embark on the next phase of my professional journey. As I have previously mentioned, right now is the ideal time for me for this undertaking: I have full support of my family and coworkers; I have been work ing long enough to be very comfortable with time management, prioritizing work and meeting deadlines; and I have no other obligations, commitments or hurdles that would keep me from devoting ample time to my studies. My working environment is conducive to learning as I am well-liked by my colleagues. Since I am always willing to pitch in and help out a colleague wherever I can, I get the same treatment in return.

The Rise and Influence of Nationalism in Japan around WWII Essay

The Rise and Influence of Nationalism in Japan around WWII - Essay Example WWII strengthened such ideologies as Bushido (the way of the warrior) and religious ideology of Shinto, ideas of the "New Structure’ and "Consensus State†. These different forms of nationalism were mutually acceptable. The â€Å"New Structure† was a necessary component of nationalism, and new institutions had to be imported as a means of linking all Japanese to one national bureaucracy for political and economic centralization. The very act of importing these institutions, the values upon which they were based on a direct support to the social and cultural traditions formed the essence of the Japanese nation. In contrast to other states preached individualism, Japanese nationalism was based on the idea of collective identity and objectives which helped to unite the nation against ‘outside’ world. The emperor did not play a dominant role in political and social life. Critics suppose that control over the countries and its political strategies were esta blished by the military, formed by the Emperor and Government. During the WWII, Japanese practiced kamikaze as one of the main national traditions. They had special kamikaze units in the Japanese Fleet who made a great damage to enemies. Because Japanese believe that the world in which they lived and the political world were two separate entities, it was difficult to get the public to identify with the state and political institutions. The social system had a higher importance in Japan than the political system, and political institutions had very little cultural meaning to Japanese. As occurred in the Meiji period, Japan's defeat led to a wholesale rejection of prewar institutions and a wholehearted adoption of most of the occupation reforms as a means of ridding Japan of its inferior status.

Shakespeares & Romeo and Juliet Essay Example for Free

Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay The two films are very different from each other even though they are based on the same play written by William Shakespeare  From the beginning, the settings differ from each other. The Zeffirelli film, which was filmed in 1968 starts in a courtyard there is a market place, which looks like it represents Verona. The style is set between the 12th and 13th century, medieval and renaissance period. It also a lot more conventional to the Shakespeare play. The surrounding area is a walled town with narrow streets and high buildings, which creates tension. There is also a scene, which is on a beach; there is a proscenium arch. This is where Benvolio gets shot and dies; Benvolio was Romeos friend The Luhrman film, which was filmed in 1997, was set in an American Coastal city, it had a statue of Jesus Christ between two skyscrapers, a lot of traffic, hustle and bustle and skyscrapers around. One of the settings in the film was in a petrol station, which is busy and noisy; it is called Phoenix Gas. This has a symbolic meaning to it, which is Rise from the ashes. This is ironic as the station is about to be set alight. At the beginning of the films you can see that the two films contrast with each other by the opening music, sounds, and images. The Luhrmans opening is Loud, and Zeffirellis is quite and peaceful. The first we see of the two families in the Luhrman film is when the Montague Boys arrive in an open top car and the Capulets arrive in a gangster looking car. Abra Capulet has metal caps on his teeth with the word Sin engraved on them this is to create a gangster image. The market place in Zeffirellis film was much calmer than the petrol station in the Luhrman film. Luhrman used the petrol station because this is where people may encounter each other and it is part of a modern life. The Zeffirelli film was made in 1968 in a time where Hippies, love and peace, was around. You can see that this is reflected in this film because it does not seem as violent as the 1997 version. In the Luhrman film there was a lot more violence, the film was faster, louder, livelier because that was how peoples lives were at the time the film was made which is reflected in the film. Also people were used to action films and Luhrman wanted to make it relevant for a modern audience. As soon as both films begin there is immediate tension between the two different families. In the Luhrman film there is a news report, which explains what is happening between the two families. There were several different newspapers, which come up, Capulet Vs Montagues, and In Fair Verona. These headings reflect the lines from the prologue, which are being read as the news. This gives the first impression that the two families are feuding with each other. In both films religion plays a part in the films In the Luhrman film Tybalt has a picture of Jesus on his waistcoat. Throughout the film there is religious images. For example in the montage at he beginning there are religious images flashed. Also there is a scene, which in which you see two skyscrapers one which is the Montagues and the other is the Capulets in between there is a statue of Jesus Christ. This shows that they think they are bigger than God and more important than religion, however religion still plays a part in their lives. In both of the films the main characters are Romeo and Juliet. The actors give the impression that their characters are natural, young and in love. In both of the films there are also two main families that are feuding with each other, the Montagues, which is Romeos family, and the Capulets, which is Juliets family.

Essay --

I am going into event planning, in the sector of the hospitality industry. Event planning industry is on the rise and is not glued to one specific genre, hence, there are several to choose from. Event planning is needed for all sorts of occasions such as, birthday parties, weddings, fundraisers, product launches, concerts, anniversaries, fashion shows, conferences, graduations, business meetings, and much more! It is an industry that will never stop growing and improving. Specifically, an event planner job includes working with clients, creating a positive self-image, networking with clients, and personal and financial gain. The job of an event planner is much more than hanging up streamers, laying table clothes down and checking the quality of the lights. Event planning requires tedious work and strenuous planning. Also called meeting and convention planners, they do everything involved with making sure these events go as anticipated. This includes, working with the client to choose a fabulous and affordable location, hiring quality caterers, selecting perfect entertainment, and even arranging lodging and transportation for attendees who are visiting from afar (McKay). The goal of an event planner is to make sure the event runs very much as anticipated, which includes multiple plans to combat what-if scenario, because no event will ever run exactly as planned. Event planning is a very personally rewarding career. Not only is it personally rewarding, but it also offers benefits such as gaining public recognition, and financial rewards. Besides that, event planning offers the individual flexibility, and independence (being able to start your own event planning business). Even though this job seems ideally easy and person... ...one’s business, but should also be included with the basic necessities like business cards and portfolios. From business conferences to weddings, there are events going on all around us, and where there are events there are event planners constructing it, putting it all together, while making everything run effectively. Event planning is always unpredictable and you need to be always ready for any problematic situation that may occur. When starting out there is a great chance that problems will occur that one will not prepared to face, but this is all a part of the improvement process. These situations should be looked at as a learning experience and should give you some ideas of how to improve one’s event planning skills and one’s own business. Because of all the hospitality, craziness, and personal gratification, I have chosen to become an event planner.

The bard by john martin

History paintings ere then considered as the grand style of painting even though these paintings never really caught on in the British market, mainly due to their huge dimensions. On the contrary, landscape was considered a low genre. Despite these impediments, both of them had successful careers and raised landscape to the height of historical paintings. Another characteristic both painters shared was the inclusion of the Sublime in their art, which was very popular at the time. According to E. Burke's definition, the Sublime focuses on darkness, vastness, magnificence, loudness and denseness.I will analyze how when commenting on the painting The Bard. Turner's paintings had greatly Impressed Martin but their approach to historical paintings was quite different. They both portrayed grandiose representations of history and told stories about the Immensity of nature compared with the smallness of men. But when Turner was more interested in fate and how men were powerless in the immens ity of nature,John Martin oriented his works towards the Divine and the representation of grand biblical themes inspired by the Old Testament.John Martin's paintings were mainly based on religious and fantastic subjects. His most celebrated works were â€Å"Pallbearer's Feast†, â€Å"The Great day of his Wrath†, the â€Å"Destruction of Stood and Sonogram† or the Seven Plagues of Egypt†, amongst others. The Bard does not belong to this category but is still one representation of his conception of his art. It Is based on ancient British history. Martin's Bard was first exhibited In 1817 and Is an Illustration off poem, the Bard, written In 1757 by Thomas Gray.The mom tells the story of the last surviving bard In Wales who climbed above a swirling river after Edward I and the English troops defeated the country. Martin Is telling us almost word for word the same story. This is both a poetical painting as the bard was the official poet of the ruler and his co urt and a political painting portraying the king and his troops. This painting is huge in size (it is over 2 meters high). The story told is divided by the river which creates a chasm between the two halves of the minting, one with its chiaroscuro side with the bard overcoming the other side with the military.In the left foreground the dwarfed figures of the king and his soldiers overpowered by the castle which despite the defeat still stands erect. On the right- hand side, there are rocky cliffs, on top of which the bard stands erect immobile on his two feet, proudly holding his harp. His also being In the foreground but so much higher conveys the moral disparity between the two parties. His left hand points towards the sky, the bard Is the prophet who he Is telling the king that punishment ill come, not through human hands but through the Delve.There are hardly any warm tones, only some dark red on the figures, linking them, there is no doubt that atmosphere and adds to the traged y of the story told. Although the figures are important in order to tell the story, the landscape is the focus of the story, it is the drama that overpowers all other impressions. The wild, chaotic landscape with its spectacular effects, the vastness of the scale and the power of the noble bard give a full representation of the sublime.Also, we, as risers, are safe but, like the soldiers, we are compelled to look up at the Bard and the Divine could also destroy us. We have great admiration for the Bard who, we know, will commit suicide, but we also fear what fate has in store for us. Although John Martin's paintings gradually fell into oblivion after his death, his paintings have recently been exhibited and commented upon. His works have inspired many film makers and he is now considered a cinematic painter. One example is C. B. De Mille, Moses in his film â€Å"the Ten Commandments† has a striking resemblance with the Bard.

Prayer in School Essay

John Knox Press, 1996. 45-218. In this book the author gives an epic description of the controversy surrounding the debate on prayer in public schools. It touches on the legal aspects as well as the interpretation of among other articles the first amendment. Alley uses history and preceding events to bring out his argument against prayer in public schools terming the practice as an abuse and harassment of the minority by the majority who are keen on imposing their own definition of faith. He asserts that the law on first amendment religion issues has adequately and consistently clarified the differences that exist between church and state. He cited some cases such as Barnette, McCollum, Everson, Engel and Schempp to mention but a few as having set precedence thus preventing future conflict. However, one reads anti Christianity overtones which bring up the question of objectivity due to his obvious bias. He has successfully presented one side of the debate with a personal tone. The book strongly opines that any form of religious inclinations in public schools is incompatible with the constitution as well as with the principle of democracy. Murray, J. William. Let us pray: A plea for prayer in our school. New York: William Morrow & Co, 1995. 11-97. In the first pages of his interesting book, Murray tells of his atheist past that was directed by his mother Madalyn Murray and how he, as a 14 year old was a plaintiff against the Baltimore School system. The suit led to the Supreme Court’s decision that outlawed public school prayer and bible reading. Murray later converts to Christianity and embarks on a mission aimed at undoing the ‘damage’ done by his past. He becomes a strong proponent of prayer in Schools arguing that this is the one way of rooting out the moral decay in the society. Among other arguments, he presents the debate as conflicting discomforts. ‘The discomfort of minority faiths or nonbelievers at hearing prayer in school versus the discomfort of Protestant Christians at being prohibited from public prayer’. He allows that the drafters of the constitution are misinterpreted by those who claim that they intended to eradicate prayer from public institutions. Rather, he cites influential figures such as John Locke and Tocqueville as strong believers in the value of prayer in providing positive guidance to the society. His recommendations are however weak since the freedom he seeks could be confused with what is provided for in the constitution. Again the founding fathers he cites are understood to have given us the current laws and so his enlisting them undermines his very argument. Cookson, Catharine. Regulating Religion: The Courts and the Free Exercise Clause. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. 54, 67-75. In this book, Catherine Cookson delves into the issues of the law and the authority of state as laid down in the constitution on one hand and the obligations of conscience on the other. She embarks on a project to provide the solution for a recurrent problem. She examines the history of the Christian tradition as well as more contemporary political development of religious freedom (186). Her argument on the free exercise clause is vivid and thought provoking as she seeks the balance between the majority’s right to religious expression and public prayer and the minority’s discomfort arising from that kind of expression. U. S Department of Education. Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools. Available on-line at: http://www. ed. gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance. html Accessed on 12. 04. 07. This article deals with the legal aspect of the debate on prayer in schools. The article endeavors to provide information on the current state of the law concerning constitutionally protected prayer in the public schools, and therefore spell out the extent to which prayer in public schools is lawfully protected. The Case against School Prayer. Available online at: http://209. 85. 135. 104/search? q=cache:RTckL_PUwSEJ:ffrf. org/nontracts/schoolprayer. php+prayers+in+school&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=ke. Accessed on 12. 04. 07. In this article the author delves into the arguments against school prayer. The author advances the argument that prayers are private and yet there is nothing private about a public school. Therefore the two are incompatible and should not mix. He/She asserts that public schools cater for students with varying backgrounds and religious inclinations and they should not be subjected to rules that promote one form of religious expression. According to the author of the article, Public prayer leads to discrimination of the minority and a denial of their right to worship. The article refutes the claim that prayer in school has any value in checking societal excesses. The conclusion calls for total separation of church and state arguing that this is one way of preventing divisiveness in the society. Works Cited Campbell, Ted A. Christian Confessions: A Historical Introduction. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996. Questia. 12 Apr. 2007 . Cookson, Catharine. Regulating Religion: The Courts and the Free Exercise Clause. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Questia. 12 Apr. 2007 . Murray, J. William. Let us pray: A plea for prayer in our school. New York: William Morrow & Co, 1995. U. S Department of Education. Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools. Available on-line at: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html Accessed on 12.04.07

Should the US remain a Nation essays

Should the US remain a Nation essays This issue is clearly polemical, because of the fact that our country was based off immigration, but some take it for granted. Even myself until up recent, found myself favoring a balance of immigration, because I wouldnt be here if that wasnt true. Now a new semblance for my country has changed my mind, because of recent attacks of terrorism attacked upon it. To me, it has shown that we should now control all immigration far better than we have before. Some say that immigration is good, and we should keep it the same, because it supports our economy for new employees, homes, and consumption. This idea of that our economy is better with immigration can be shown to be inadequate, because this can lead to over-population, health concerns, and recession. Our country has had a free-flowing pace of immigrants, since the birth of our country, and it has shown to be good and bad. Many immigrants who came to this country were discriminated against throughout the last century. Many say it is about acceptance or its our rights as Americans to accept all people. On April 20, 1921, there was a meeting among the house of representatives, which states It is time that we act now, because within a few short years the damage will have been done. The endless tide of immigration will have filled our country with a foreign and unsympathetic element. This basically states that if you do not control immigration, then over time we will loose our patriotism and love for the country, because of a domination of immigrants. I chose this issue, because not that it was one of the last ones on the paper, but that it is important issue that our country faces everyday. Immigration is important to this country, but it needs to be more restricted and thought through. I believe that our nation of immigrants should be restricted by certain countries or numbers, but not to...

Advice I Often Receive From Parents Essays - Chitto Harjo

Advice I Often Receive From Parents A piece of advice that I often receive is "as long as you do your best." This refers to success in everything from school to careers. I believe that this is good advice because it tells me that they trust my judgment and will respect my decisions, even if they are the wrong ones. This helps to take pressure off of me when I am going to school because I don't have to live up to certain standards and try to accomplish goals that are unattainable. Instead, I can just worry about doing the best I can. It is possible that I may have a career that is not the highest paying or the most prestigious. But as long as I am happy, and I do the job to the best of my ability, I will feel like I have accomplished something. This is good because many kids have to live up to expectations that they can't attain, or do something that they don't really enjoy in order to make their parents proud. The problem with saying "as long as you do you best" is that when I know I could have done a better job, I have a sort of guilty feeling. I hate it when I get a mediocre mark or fail in something and my parents say "as long as you tried your hardest." It gets quite annoying when I second guess myself about what I could have done. However, when I know I did the work as well as I could and it isn't a good mark, I don't worry about it as much as some people might. In conclusion, the piece of advice that I receive most often from my parents is basically a good one, and often it keeps me motivated in the things I do. It also shows me that my parents will support most of my decisions and treat me like a responsible person. I believe that somewhere along the line I will probably pass along the advice "as long as you did your best" to my children.

Sustainable Living and Sustainable Construction Essay

Sustainable Living and Sustainable Construction - Essay Example Consequently, the existing infrastructure, water supplies and transport systems are strained by the new housing. Therefore, there is very little difference between this housing scheme and the ones carried out in the past. For many years now, anti-road building lobbies have been arguing that governments should cease building new roads because this will just encourage more people to travel by car, resulting in increased harmful exhaust gas emission. â€Å"Governments are taking advantage of this lobbying to cut back on spending on roads leading to deterioration of the road network† (Bleischwitz, 29). Critics are also arguing that the same logic is not applied by the government to new housing because it results in the generation of new taxes. The government simply overlooks the fact that increased housing units lead to increased road traffic in the localities concerned. These practices are understandable since many authorities, institutions, and even individuals tend to focus on reducing costs while simultaneously maximizing benefits. Unfortunately, this is often undertaken at the expense of maximizing positive impact on the environment, and often leads to environmental degradation, and wastage of natural resources. Opponents of sustainable living and sustainable construction indeed have strong arguments against the suitability of this practice for conservation of the environment. However, they overlook many crucial factors regarding this issue which make their arguments irrelevant. First of all, sustainable living and construction can only achieve their aims when they are fully adopted and implemented. Partial adoption and implementation does not meet... The researcher of this essay states that despite the obvious benefits that sustainable living and sustainable construction, that was discussed in the essay and have positive impact on the lives of human beings and the environment in general, criticism has emerged from several quarters challenging the usefulness of these two practices. A number of well-known scholars in the field of sustainable development have raised concerns that sustainable growth is, in fact, an irreconcilable paradox, whose overall effects on the environment are largely harmful. Opponents of sustainable living and sustainable construction indeed have strong arguments against the suitability of this practice for conservation of the environment. The researcher also uses Stapleton neighborhood in Denver, Colorado as an example of a community built almost entirely using sustainable development. It occupies the site previously occupied by the Stapleton International Airport, and was built using recycled materials. The case of Stapleton serves as proof to critics of sustainable development that an initiative of such a large magnitude can be successfully initiated with 100% benefits, and no negative impacts. The planning stage should be given strong emphasis to ensure that all aspects of the project comply with sustainability standards. Sustainable living and construction has to be fully compliant with ‘green’ standards in order for it to achieve its aims of conserving energy, reducing waste and preventing pollution of the environment.