Tesco Case Analysis Essay Example for Free

Tesco Case Analysis Essay The rise of Tesco, from a mediocre supermarket company into an outstanding, world-class, multi-faceted organization, has been a remarkable one. Since 1929, when Jack Cohen opened the 1st Tesco store, the company has seen tremendous growth and success. Customer centric approach, which has been adopted by the company since its very inception, along with strategic vision and innovation under the leadership of CEO Terry Leahy has been some of the underlying factors of Tesco’s sustained success. Leahy was the architect of the idea â€Å"The Tesco Way†, which included the company’s core values, principals and goals among other things and which aimed to establish Tesco as a â€Å"Value retailer†. Right from the concept of store formats to the investment in information technology to the diversification of products and services, Leahy emphasized on innovation in all aspects of business. The Tesco Clubcard, which was first launched in 1995 to analyze consumer purchase data and target appropriate promotional offers, increased customer loyalty by leaps and bounds. Tesco created different formats of stores to cater to the different segments and different needs of its customers. Tesco’s strategy to gain international presence through expansion has been one of the cornerstones of their success. The company expanded in countries of Eastern European and in emerging economies of Asia and in all these countries it aimed for market leadership ahead of profitability and based their strategy into such distinct elements which led to sustained growth. Being flexible and unique to each market, acting local, maintaining focus, using multiple formats, developing capabilities and building brands were some of the strategies used to form a long lasting relationship with customers. The fact that Tesco strategically added new products and services in its portfolio worked to its advantage. In addition to its popular in store food and beverage selection, Tesco diversified into financial services, telecommunication services and travel services. The launch of Tesco’s online grocery store made the company, Britain’s largest online store. So to summarize strategic vision, innovation and lasting customer relationship has helped Tesco to become the most dominant UK retailer and the third largest retailer in the world. Tesco had all the technical know-how, expertise and experience needed to succeed in US retail market. The strategy the company adopted while expanding in international markets is very much applicable to the US retail market as well. Tesco’s policies of acting local and catering to local customers and cultures along with leveraging the brand value of the company to attract customers are of prime importance if it has to succeed in US. Tesco’s decision to enter the U.S. market as Fresh and Easy was very feasible and based on sound theory, research, and projections. However, the company’s expectations did not translate into similar performance. Based on prior research, the company had identified a geographic niche market in California, Arizona, and Nevada where there was no dominant player. Tesco had even sent employees to live with 50 families and conducted 200 focus groups at one of the company’s facilities. Despite prior unsuccessful attempts by other British companies to enter the U.S. market, Tesco presented a compelling case regarding its ability to penetrate the U.S. market in California, Arizona and Nevada. Overall, Tesco did not enjoy the success it had anticipated because it did not account for cultural and perceptual differences between the U.S and Europe. Although Fresh and Easy was right to include a higher percentage of produce in its stores, many other strategies found in Exhibit 12 from the case, likely prevented additional sales and growth. For example, presenting a merchandise mix comprised largely of store-label brands combined with an everyday low pricing strategy likely caused American consumers to perceive Fresh and Easy as lower in quality and overall value. The consumer could go to a competitor and purchase a more familiar name brand on-sale from a larger selection of items. Other strategies for which success did not translate from the U.K. to the U.S. were the overnight inventory stocking plan and the carrying of fewer items than traditional grocery stores. As seen in Exhibit 12 from the case, typical American consumers make fewer visits to the grocery store per year than do their counterparts in the U.K and Europe. If an item is out-of-stock one day, the American consumer is much more likely to visit a competitor than come back the next morning as is customary in the U.K. Fresh and Easy’s value proposition was the sale of fresh, healthy food that the majority of people could afford and catering to an â€Å"increasing consumer interest in wellness, in health-conscious food choices and a continuing trend towards on-the-go consumption.† Also of value was the feel of a â€Å"neighborhood market† where customer service was superior and employees genuinely enjoyed their work. These elements are very appealing to consumers in Arizona, Nevada, and especially California, where healthy, green living is a growing trend and the average commute time spent in a car is much greater than in other parts of the country. The move to open stores in the United States was a promising plan on paper. Tesco also had the financial resources to build a successful operation in their new target market. Their actual performance, however, either fell below the expected performance or was of negative value in almost every metric (Exhibit 1). The main areas in which Tesco’s financial performance were evaluated were number of new stores opened, revenue, and profitability. The number of Fresh and Easy stores opened in the US was 145 at the end of 2010. The expectation was to open 200 stores by February 2009. Fresh and Easy had only generated $30 million in targeted sales versus the expected $100 million in the spring of 2008. In the year 2008, Fresh and Easy had a loss of  £62 million and it yielded a profit margin of -308%. Even though the profit margin increased the following years, 2009 and 2010, it was still a negative profit margin. The cause of Fresh and Easy’s poor financial performance had to do with a slow growth of the operation. An operation is only able to grow from the sales that it generates, especially in the introductory phase. The only way that Fresh and Easy would be able to meet its objective of opening 200 new stores by February 2009 would be to have almost all stores in the existing operation be profitable. This was not the case as profit margin was -308% in 2008. Fresh and Easy also faced high fixed costs by maintaining their distribution center, which has the capacity to service 500 stores. This resulted in excess capacity. The cause of their poor sales numbers was the fact that they were pricing too low. The average Fresh and Easy customer spends only $15 per visit versus $41 for the customer of an average supermarket. To be profitable, Fresh and Easy stores need to get at least three times the volume of an average supermarket. Both of these factors were drivers for Fresh and Easy’s negative profit margin in all three years of its operation in the United States. We have identified some of the causes that Tesco could control regarding its financial performance. They began their operation, however, in the midst of an economic recession. There is no doubt that any economic recession would decrease overall demand. Food items, however, are a necessity regardless of the economic state of the nation. Tesco should have been more proactive during these times by expanding store locations and being more accessible to consumers. The lease costs and new store construction tend to be lower during these periods of economic hardship. More Fresh and Easy locations would result in increased accessibility and ultimately more sales. Their low prices during times of economic hardship would drive more customers into Fresh and Easy locations as they would stray away from their pricier existing supermarket and perceived quality becomes slightly less of an issue. Tesco has a great product line with the Fresh Easy chain opening in the US. This chain caters to the healthy food trend emerging in the US and is in direct competition to Whole Foods, the more expensive alternative. Perception is reality. To the consumer, Fresh Easy has not lived up to its name. Tesco should make the stores â€Å"greener† so that the look of the stores’ interior matches the brand image. Consumers who purchase healthy organic food want to feel like they are shopping in an environmentally conscious store. In addition, Fresh Easy offers a limited assortment of goods that are unfamiliar with US consumers. In exhibit 12 from the case, data shows that consumers visit Fresh Easy stores less frequently than its competitors. This is because competitors have weekly sales on familiar brands that US consumers want. Fresh Easy should stock familiar brands to get US consumers in the door. Once the consumer is in the Fresh Easy store, free samples and direct price comparison with well-known US brands should give Fresh Easy brands an advantage.

Analysis Of The Apple Logo

Analysis Of The Apple Logo Conduct an analysis of the organizations logo from the following perspectives: Design Color Message Context and use Source: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.switched.com/media/2008/02/apple-logo-128.png The Apple Logo, designed by Rob Janoff is very much in vogue and needs no glorious introduction whatsoever. The logo is virtually everywhere; on our iPhones, the beloved iPod, MACS, iPad and even subtle product placements in our favorite movies or shows. Not only is Apple technologically forward, but its logo is also the epitome of innovation. The design is simple, minimal and easily readable which makes it uncomplicated; categorically, it succeeds in grabbing the audiences attention. The logo hones a visually appealing apple with a considerable chunk of its right side bitten off. It is platonic on face value, yet mysterious and seductive on the inside. The bite is what adds character to the logo and makes it all the more alluring. Since the last 30 years the conceptualization and design, of the logo remains largely unchanged except variations in its color and just a few alterations per say. The Apple logo is easily the most recognized corporate symbol in the world, chances are there wont be drastic changes any time soon. Jean Louis Gassà ©e, executive at Apple Computer from 1981 to 1990 divulges more on the subject, One of the deep mysteries to me is our logo, the symbol of lust and knowledge, bitten into, all crossed with the colors of the rainbow in the wrong order. You couldnt dream of a more appropriate logo: lust, knowledge, hope, and anarchy. (Quote: Linzmayer, Owen W 2004, Apple confidential 2.0: the definitive history of the worlds most colorful company, 2nd Edition, no. 1, pp. 12) The original Apple logo was designed by Jobs and Wayne in 1976, showing Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree. It was inspired by the following quotation, Newton A Mind Forever Voyaging Through Strange Seas of Thought Alone. The organizations name was also incorporated into the original logo. Later it was redesigned in 1977 and if one may say so, immortalized by Janoff with the newer version that we are familiar with today. We have seen numerous variations of the logo in the last years namely the rainbow apple, the aqua colored range and the contemporary metallic-chrome version. There have been a myriad of interpretations and myths as far as the color scheme of the logo is concerned. The rainbow colored apple has been rumored to represent a hippie influence in tandem with the fact that Apple has always branded itself as a cool and hip company that caters to the young and savvy. Designer Rob Janoff explains that the real solid reason for the colored stripes was that the Apple II wa s the first home or personal computer that could reproduce images on the monitor in color. So it represents color bars on the screen. (Raszl, 2009, Interview with Rob Janoff- designer of the Apple logo, Creative Bits, http://creativebits.org/interview/interview_rob_janoff_designer_apple_logo) Other urban legends also conclude that the Apple logo is essentially seen as homage to Alan Turning, the forefather of modern computing, who committed suicide using a cyanide-laced apple. Alan Turning was a homosexual and the rainbow colored stripes was seen as a tribute to gay pride. Some even view the bitten apple as a biblical reference to when Eve bit into the forbidden apple or perhaps even the proverbial bite of knowledge. However, these widely distributed apprehensions are sheer myths and have been romanticized because of the logos appeal. Rob Janoff sets the record straight, When I explain the real reason why I did the bite its kind of a letdown. But Ill tell you. I designed it with a b ite for scale, so people get that it was an apple not a cherry. Also it was kind of iconic about taking a bite out of an apple. Something that everyone can experience. It goes across cultures. If anybody ever had an apple he probably bitten into it and thats what you get. It was after I designed it, that my creative director told me: Well you know, there is a computer term called byte. And I was like: Youre kidding! So, it was like perfect, but it was coincidental that it was also a computer term. (Raszl, 2009, Interview with Rob Janoff- designer of the Apple logo, Creative Bits) A noticeable feature about the logo in terms of proportion and texture is its solid shape and a clearly differentiated outline which exudes power. In short, the apple means business and demands to be taken seriously! Close attention has been paid to detail and there is no textual clutter. Its easy on the eye and does not give way to any visual dirt or jargon so to speak. It is interesting to note that the Apple Company does not use its name in its logo and this unconventional approach actually works for them. A logo sans the brand name is much bolder and continues to have a strong presence in a plethora of other rival companies. Furthermore, the apple on a plain white background adds an element of distinctiveness and the contrast speaks volume in terms of shape-recognition. The graphics have witnessed a few changes here and there by making the logo more symmetrical and yet never losing its essence. There are no visible fonts in the official Apple logo and there seems no particular ne ed for one either because of its mass popularity. Apple boasts massive brand awareness without even using the company name in its logo and has dominated the international market with the aid of this cutting-edge design alone. Recently, Apple has opted for white and raw-aluminum color schemes. The revamped glass-themed logo that first appeared on the Mac OS X Panther in 2003 and later on the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPod Nano, Video iPod etc is revolutionary and refreshing. It has no rainbow colors in its new design, is elegant and poised in stature. These tweaks have managed to sustain Apples position as a frontrunner and keeping up-to-date with the consumers tastes and preferences. Apple Computers brand image transcends cultures and continents. The Apple is considered an elite yet attainable product. We all wanted to get our hands on the iPhone when it first came out irrespective of our geographical constraints and earlier the iPod was on everyones wish-list. Thats the beauty of Apple. Their marketing strategy and creative approach is almost impeccable. The Apple logo is not just a corporate identity anymore; but it has also hinged its way well into global popular culture. Why else would it be considered fashionable to wear the bitten apple on their daily apparel by loyal customers and going to extreme lengths by endorsing the logo by having it tattooed on their bodies? The Apple logo appears on all Apple products including computers, laptops, iPods, Macintosh, QuickTime etc. Apple products have unexpectedly popped up innumerable times on media channels as an ideal trick for product placements. The edible apple has been a regular on popular shows like Sex and t he City, Heroes, The Office, Entourage, CSI NY, House, 24 and The O.C to name a few. Apple has however repeatedly denied any claims that they pay for product placements which could only mean that Apple gives away its products for usage to certain production houses. Similar patterns of supporting shiny MacBooks and iPods can be viewed on the big screen including new releases like Wall-E, Toy Story 3, Wall Street 2, Kick Ass and Book of Eli. Hence, Hollywoods growing relationship with Apple is headed towards a lifetime romance and is one the reasons why the logo is so popular and inadvertently the products deemed as chic. Examples of Product Placements. The intimacy between Apple and its logo is legendary. Despite its humble beginnings, Apple has materialized as quite the sensation ever since its inception. Avant garde campaigns like Think Different and out of the box creativity have made the infamous gnawed apple timeless for all times to come. Apple understands its consumers needs and the universally recognizable logo is the perfect testament to what the company has achieved over the years after its initial years as a failing company to being the big gun it is today. No company vouches such hearty endorsements and positive responses by consumers like Apple does. The chucked fruit is here to stay and then some!

The Democracy And Non Democracy Politics Essay

The Democracy And Non Democracy Politics Essay This paper gives brief ideas about democratic and non-democratic systems in modern world. The definitions of democracies and non-democracies vary from person to person. Furthermore, there are variety of explanations and democratic models, such as direct democracy and representative democracy (Heywood, 2007). Just the term of democracy can change into diverse ideas. For the term of non-democracy, it may be easier for people to understand, but in fact it has indistinct divisions between some non-democratic regimes. Besides the definitions of these two terms, this paper will explores the dissimilitude between democracies and non-democracies. And it includes necessary examples for the comparison. Introduction Nowadays, democratic system is popular around the world. No matter Western or Asian countries, people praise democratic systems highly and believe this is nearly the perfect political system in the world. But there still have non-democratic systems in the world. What is non-democracy? And what are differences between democracies and non-democracies? Different political scientists have different explanations for the meanings of democracies and non-democracies. Moreover, non-democracies are different from democracies in theories and practices. This paper aims at introducing the ideas about the definition of non-democratic systems and focuses on three dissimilarities between democracies and non-democracies. Definition of democracies and non-democracies Before comparing democratic and non-democratic systems, we first need to define the terms democracy and non-democracy. Democracy has a wide range of meanings and applications. Heywood (2007) defined democracy as rule by people; democracy implies both popular participation and government in the public interest, and can take a wide variety of forms (p.448). According to McLean and McMillan (2012), democracy as a descriptive term is synonymous with majority rule (democracy). In the democratic systems, election or voting is the way to apply the principle of majority. Simply speaking, democracy is a political system that enables ordinary citizens to participate and influence in the politics. In this paper, democracy is referred to the liberal democracy which is the broadest accepted form of democracy (Heywood, 2007). Liberal democracy is a form of indirect, representative democracy and is based on competitive election. It also divides the state and social community clearly (Heywood, 2007) . The term of non-democracy is rarely seen in political dictionaries, but it can be easily understood by just reversing its meaning with democracy. Non-democracy is a system of rule by individual or a small group of people, not all people. Contrary to democracy, people are ruled by minority in non-democracies. Totalitarianism, dictatorship, authoritarianism, Fascism and other political systems are all included in non-democratic systems. Modern people view non-democracies as autocracy, savageness and cruelty (Ezrow and Frantz, 2011). Some non-democratic countries, like Singapore and Malaysia, seem like democracy (Ezrow and Frantz, 2011). So, a well-defined definition is important. In this paper, non-democracy is defined as the system of rule by a person, a party or a small group of people which means non-democracies imply that little mass mobilization and limited pluralism (Ezrow and Frantz, 2011). And Sliwinski (2012a) suggested that there are three types of non-democratic regimes: dic tatorship, authoritarianism and totalitarianism. In order to simplify the situation, this paper mainly focuses on these three kinds of non-democratic systems. Robertson (2004) gave a clear definition to dictatorship is a form of government in which one person has sole and complete political power (p.145). McLean and McMillan pointed out totalitarianism (2012) regulates every aspect of state and private behavior (totalitarianism) and Robertson said that how to decide totalitarianism is the way to use the powers. Robertson shared the same idea with McLean and McMillan in the concept of authoritarianism, he pointed out that authoritarian ignores public opinion and uses forceful ways to rule over the country. McLean and McMillan even pointed out that the existence of dictators is one of the main elements for totalitarian regimes in the twentieth century (dictatorship), like Stalins Russia and Hitlers Germany. However, Robertsons view (2004) is differed from that of McLean and McMillan. He stated that dictatorship, authoritarianism and totalitarianism do not have required relationship, Authoritarianism needs not, strictly speaking, be a dictatorship and well not be totalitarian (p.33). Although Robertson disagreed with the idea that dictatorship, authoritarianism and totalitarianism have some kind of connections, we cannot deny that these three political systems are, in some extent, similar to each other. Authoritarianism and totalitarianism also limit peoples political rights, but the latter one even control the private lives of its people. Moreover, as these three kinds of political regimes restrict peoples political rights, sometimes it is difficult to distinguish them. But anyhow the comparison in this paper is: the comparison between liberal democracy and dictatorship, authoritarianism and totalitarianism. Comparison between democracies and non-democracies Separation of powers V.S. Domination of powers One of the main differences between democracy and non-democracy is the control of power. The democratic regimes separate the government powers; divide it into legislation, execution and adjudication. However, for the non-democratic regimes, the powers are only held by the ruler which means the ruler is the legislator, the executive and the judge of the state. The democratic system needs checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power, so it makes use of the separation of powers. The legislature controls the legislative power, the administrative holds the executive power and the judiciary controls the jurisdiction. These three powers are to make and change laws, to put laws into action and to make judgments on laws respectively (Sliwinski, 2012b, slide 22). These three political institutions can then mutually supervise and contain each other which can efficiently limit the power of the government. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, if one holds all the powers in his own hands, he will use the power to maximize his interests and ignore others interests and rights. The modern political thinkers John Locke and Montesquieu then believed that the power of the government should be restricted in order to avoid the appearance of tyranny and the corruption of powers. Locke suggested in order to protect peoples rights, there should be checks and balances. And Montesquieu was the first political thinker suggesting the idea of separation of powers. He believed that every government should divide its powers into three and this is largely influenced the American constitution and the Western political systems (Gingell, Little Winch, 2000). For the non-democratic regimes, they centralize the powers in their own hands. Non-democracies dominate the powers and through the monopolistic power, they fully exercise their authorities without limitations. Even though some of the regimes establish some resembling institutions to create an illusion of the separation of powers, the powers are actually combined in the regimes hands. The most efficient way to fulfill their aim -stabilizing the regimes status and power is to monopolize the powers. In The Prince, Machiavelli suggested the rulers should hold the absolute power with any way to preserve his power and regime (Gingell, Little Winch; Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2009). Thus, non-democracies can be seen as the embodiment of Machiavellis idea the use of absolute power. However, we should be aware that the maximization of powers is for the safe of the state, not for the ruler. And the non-democratic systems are contorting this point: they abuse the power just for the ir own interests, but not for their states and people. Here are some examples. The best model for the separation of powers in modern democracies is the system in United States. The separation of powers is clearly stated in the United States Constitution. The Congress only has the legislative power; the President of the United States holds the executive power and the Supreme Court enforces the judicial power. They are divisible and their powers do not overlap the power of one another. This practices the idea of mutual restraint on power. Therefore, the American political system embodies the idea of the checks and balances (Heywood, 2007). For the non-democracies, Soviet Union is a good instance. It was established in 1922 and ended in 1991. Soviet Union did not separate the powers, so that there were no limitations of powers for the party and the state. The Communist Party of the Soviet Union centralized three powers together and controlled the society and state tightly. Political equality V.S. Political inequality In the democratic countries, people have the chance to participate in the politics, this mainly presents by votes and elections. But for the non-democracies, they have lots of limitations in political participation which their people cannot actually involve in the political activities. The elections represent the political equality between people. From the view of liberal democracy, this means that the value of everyones vote is equal; no one will have a higher value of vote then the others (Heywood, 2007). Through the elections, it embodies the idea of political equality because the citizens do have the chance to express their views to the government by their own votes. It has no doubt that elections are important. According to Heywood, elections give the public the opportunity to affect the political process and decisions. In liberal democratic system, there is regular election within several years. People can take this chance to show their satisfaction towards the governments administration in past few years and also influence the political scene in the next several years. The most significant thing is that all the citizens do have the vote in their hands; no matter they are males or females, wealth or poverty or they are blacks or whites. From this perspective, people are equal politically and even socially (Heywood, 2007). Democratic countries, like the United States, the United Kingdom and France, have regular election system for their citizens to involve in politics and to express their political aspects. Therefore, the political equality also implies the widespread political participation. However, in the non-democratic regimes, it is usual to apply political inequalities. Not all the people in the regime can get the right to vote and only a small group of people control the political powers. This means some people are more influential in politics than the others. Even the non-democracies introduce elections to their citizens, the regimes secretly manipulate the elections in order to repress the opposition parties. For example, in Egypt, the economic elites are more political influential after 1984. Egypt is a single-party regime which is ruled under the National Democratic Party (NDP). In 1984, the businessmen supported the NDP and the ruler Mubarak; since then, they gain more political power by joining the party (King, 2009). The poverty, who is mainly the Egyptian workers and peasants, lost the opportunity to participate in the political activities (King, 2009). Even though Egypt has the electoral system, it still regards as non-democracy because the electoral syste m is dominated by the NDP (King, 2009; Ezrow Frantz, 2011). According to King, the NDP do not let the opposition parties to grow in strength and most important is that the party is able to allot the votes of labors and peasants. Not only in Egypt, other non-democracies, like China, Burma and Iran, do not have political equality and wide political participation. Freedom V.S. Constraint Another main difference between the democracies and non-democracies is the freedom of the citizens. In a democratic society, people enjoy the freedoms under the laws which mean their freedoms are protected by laws. Nevertheless, the non-democratic regimes usually restrict the freedoms of the people. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) regulates all people in the world have the rights to enjoy their freedoms. Freedom House, which is non-governmental organization, conducts researches on the countries degree of freedom and its annual report can be deemed as democratic report. Many political scientists use the report as the ratings of democracy. This implies that freedom is one of the fundamental elements in modern democracy. Most of the democratic countries have high rates of freedom, according to the Freedom in the World in 2012, like the countries in the Western Europe, which adopt the electoral democracies, all enjoy the rating of Free in the report. People in democratic countries enjoy their freedoms and rights because democracy is to protect all peoples interests both majority and minority. However, it is wrong to say that there is freedom, then there is democracy. Undoubtedly, it needs a certain degree of freedoms to form democracy. As the participation in polit ics do implies the freedoms of opinion and expression, speech and assembly, it is impossible for a democratic country works without the enjoyment of freedoms (Hovde, 1949). On the contrary, people under the non-democratic regimes normally do not enjoy most of the freedoms because the regimes disregard peoples rights and freedoms. Most of the regimes repress the freedom of speech, assembly and freedom of the press. Why do non-democracies constrain these freedoms? It is because they need to unite their peoples thought and ideology together with the regimes in order to prevent rebellion. North Korea, the totalitarian regime nowadays, is the best-suited example. The mass media in North Korea is fully controlled by the government and the media compliment blindly on the regime and the Kim family. The thought and daily lives of North Koreans are strictly controlled by the government. The North Koreans cannot leave the country; otherwise they will be regarded as traitors. Therefore, they do not enjoy any freedoms at all. Another Asian country Singapore also restrains citizens freedoms (Burton, 2010). The Singaporean government repressed the freedom of the pres s in the country by enforcing the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (the Press Act) in 1974 (Rajah, 2012). And in the recent Press Freedom Index, Singapore was ranked a very low score 135 out of 179 countries. According to Rajah, the Singaporean government also carried out the Religious Harmony Act and the Public Order Act in order to restrict the freedom of religion and freedom of assembly of its citizens. Conclusion The definitions of democracies and non-democracies are wide and diversified, by narrowing their definitions, we can explore some main differences with them. There are three main differences between democratic and non-democratic regimes include: the control of power, the degree of participation in politics and the rate of freedom. The democracies separate its power into three (legislation, execution and adjudication), achieve political equality and carry out broad political participation, and let their citizens enjoy freedoms. On the contrary, the non-democracies monopolize the powers, limit the political participation within their supporters and imply political inequality, and repress the freedoms of their people. The studies about democratic and non-democratic regimes need to continue from time to time, in order to explore more possibility and rationality about them.

Tough Love in Mel Gibsons Hamlet and Branaghs Hamlet Essay -- Essays

Tough Love in Mel Gibson's Hamlet and Branagh's Hamlet      Ã‚   One of the most emotional and moving scenes in William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet is in Act III, Scene I lines 90-155 in which the title character becomes somewhat abusive toward his once loved girlfriend Ophelia. It is interesting to examine the possible motives behind Hamlet's blatant harshness in this "Get the to a nunnery" scene toward the easily manipulated and mild mannered girl. While watching Kenneth Branagh and Mel Gibson's film adaptations of the play, the audience may recognize two possibilities of the many that may exist which may explain the Prince's contemptible behavior; Kenneth Branaugh seems to suggest that this display of animosity will help the troubled man convince his enemies that he is in fact demented, whereas the Mel Gibson work may infer that Hamlet's repressed anger toward his mother causes him to "vent" his frustrations upon Ophelia, the other female of importance in his life.    Though the reader realizes Hamlet's extreme anger and brooding throughout the entire play, he has no actual confrontation with another character until the aforementioned lines in Act III Scene I. One may notice the Prince's biting tone aimed at Claudius, Polonius or even Gertrude, but until his "Get the to a nunnery!" speech, no outbursts of pure rage in the presence of others can be found. This harshness in relation to Ophelia may be one of Hamlet's first moments of "action." The Prince seems reluctant to act upon any of his emotions toward anyone, though he often does give off an aura of discontentment and sorrow over his father's death. However, in these specific lines the audience sees Hamlet take an active stance in purging this young lady's once p... ...he primary cause of the violent reaction to Ophelia.    Living in an environment of deception and hostility, the reader can easily identify with Hamlet's anger. Most all compassionate audiences will be sympathetic to his plight. However, the origins of Hamlet's vehement actions toward his once beloved Ophelia can be debated from several different points of view. Whatever his reasoning may be, it is probably correct to assume that he regrets deeply every harsh world spoken toward Ophelia. He only realizes again what a beautiful and kind person she was- after her death.    Works Cited Hamlet. Dir. Franco Zeffirelli. Perf. Mel Gibson and Glenn Close. Videocassette. Warner Home Video, 1990. William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Dir. Kenneth Branagh. Perf. Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, and Kate Winslet. Videocassette. Castle Rock Entertainment, 1996.   

Migraine Headaches: Probable Causes and Effective Treatments :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Migraine Headaches: Probable Causes and Effective Treatments During my first year of High School, I began getting frequent headaches, about three or four each week, which included symptoms of nausea, increased sensitivity to light and an intense throbbing pain localized to one side of my head. Immediately, my parents and friends noticed a change in my behavior. Shortly after the onset of these headaches, my academic performance suffered as the intense symptoms became debilitating. With their enduring persistence, I visited a neurologist who diagnosed me as suffering from migraine headaches. The symptoms were clearly indicative of classic migraines, which the neurologist informed me were usually genetic. Therefore, upon questioning me about my family history of neurological disorders, he did not find it surprising that my maternal grandmother had been plagued with severe headaches since her early twenties. Later, he explained to me that the precise cause of migraines was yet unknown but that there were some very effective treatments available t hat would prevent the onset of the migraines. After trying several different medications, we found a successful preventative drug, called Norpramine. Six years later, still on the medication, I only suffer from an intense migraine about two or three times per month. However, searching for the correct medication was the most painful and helpless process of my life, an experience that I would never care to relive. Before I had settled on Norpramine, I was using medications that were only effective in relieving the symptoms after the onset of a headache, one of which was a painful injection that had a variety of uncomfortable side effects. Over the years, I have done some superficial research on migraines, finding it perplexing that a disorder that affects millions of individuals is so difficult for scientists to pinpoint. Thus, I decided to focus this paper on the probable causes of migraine headaches and examine some of the possible treatments that work well for many individuals, including me. Migraine headaches affect an estimated 11 to 23 million Americans, women more commonly than men, and include symptoms like throbbing or pulsating pain and nausea (1). The first documented records of migraines originate from 3,000 B.C, when a popular treatment involved drilling holes in the skull to release evil spirits (1). Several scientifically based theories about the cause of migraines have recently developed, although the exact mechanism is still unknown. One of the current, highly supported theories suggests that migraines occur when there is a specific chemical imbalance in the brain, which in turn results in changes in the blood vessels (2).

Finance Minicase Essay

MINI CASE For your job as the business reporter for a local newspaper, you are asked to put together a series of articles on multinational finance and the international currency markets for your readers. Much recent local press coverage has been given to losses in the foreign exchange markets by JGAR, a local firm that is the subsidiary of Daedlufetarg, a large German manufacturing firm. Your editor would like you to address several specific questions dealing with multinational finance. Prepare a response to the following memorandum from your editor: To: Business Reporter From: Perry White, Editor, Daily Planet Re: Upcoming Series on Multinational Finance In your upcoming series on multinational finance, I would like to make sure you cover several specific points. Before you begin this assignment, I want to make sure we are all reading from the same script because accuracy has always been the cornerstone of the Daily Planet. I’d like a response to the following questions before we proceed: a. What new problems and factors are encountered in international, as opposed to domestic, financial management? When getting into international finance some problems and factors are added to the ones experienced within domestic finance. These problems come from exchange rate, cross border barriers and financing opportunities in the global market but they do not get rid of the typical Business and Financial Risks. Business Risks can be identified as the ones that come out with competition from other companies, reduction in sales or any other factor that may affect the activities of the MNC, and Financial Risk is related with the firm’s financial structure. The international trade and investment of a MNC requires the handling of foreign currencies which is sometimes translated as an Exchange Rate risk due to the volatility of the exchange rate. Added to this exchange risk, Multinational Companies deals with Political Risks due to the changing political systems of different nations among their legal resolutions, taxation procedures of movements in policies. b. What does the term arbitrage profit mean? Arbitrage profit means riskless profit, this is possible thanks to arbitrageurs who are individuals involved in the process of buying and selling in more than one country to achieve this riskless profit. c. What can a firm do to reduce exchange risk? In order for a firm to reduce its exchange risk some firms use forward-market and money-market hedges, nonetheless when these tools are not available MNC apply leading and lagging strategies which are practiced to defer income and thereby delay paying taxes and to create unhedged positions in order to speculate; cash managers may delay paying out currencies they expect to appreciate and accelerate paying out currencies they expect to depreciate. d. What are the differences among a forward contract, a futures contract, and options? ââ€" ª Forward contracts are agreements between two parties where the buyer agrees to purchase an asset (the foreign currency) and the seller agrees to sell the asset at a specific date at a price agreed upon now. ââ€" ª Futures contracts are similar but are standardized and traded on an organized exchange. ââ€" ª Options offer the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an underlying asset (the foreign currency) at a fixed price up to or on a specific date. Use the following data in your responses to the remaining questions: Selling Quotes for Foreign Currencies in New York |COUNTRY-CURRENCY |CONTRACT |S/FOREIGN | |Canada-dollar |Spot |.8450 | | |30-day |.8415 | | |90-day |.8390 | |Japan-yen |Spot |.004700 | | |30-day |.004750 | | |90-day |.004820 | |Switzerland-franc |Spot |.5150 | | |30-day |.5182 | | |90-day |.5328 | e. An American business needs to pay (a) 15,000 Canadian dollars, (b) 1.5 million yen, and (c) 55,000 Swiss francs to businesses abroad. What are the dollar payments to the respective countries? We will use spot rates for calculations since time of payment is not specified. Canadian-dollar 15,000 = $12,675 USD = 15000 x0.845 Japan-yen 1,500,000 = $7,050 USD = 1500000 x0.0047 Swiss francs 55,000 = $28,325 USD = 55000 x0.515 f. An American business pays $20,000, $5,000, and $15,000 to suppliers in, respectively, Japan, Switzerland, and Canada. How much, in local currencies, do the suppliers receive? Japan = $20,000/0.0047 = $4,255,319 Yen Switzerland= $5,000/0.515 = $9,709 Swiss francs Canada= $15,000 /0.845 = $17,751 Canadian dollars g. Compute the indirect quote for the spot and forward Canadian dollar contract. The indirect quote indicates the number of units of a foreign currency that can be bought for one unit of the home currency. Indirect quote = foreign currency / home currency |Contract |S/ foreign | |Spot |.8450 | |30 days |.8415 | |90 days |.8390 | |Indirect quote |[pic] |$ | |Spot |[pic] = |1.1834 | |Forward | | | |30 days |[pic] = |1.1883 | |90 days |[pic]= |1.1918 | h. You own $10,000. The dollar rate in Tokyo is 216.6752. The yen rate in New York is given in the preceding table. Are arbitrage profits possible? Set up an arbitrage scheme with your capital. What is the gain (loss) in dollars? Data ââ€" ª $10,000 dollars ââ€" ª Dollar rate in Tokyo is $216.6752 yen per dollar ââ€" ª Yen rate in New York according to table: 1 yen /0.004700 dollar ââ€" ª Actual Yen rate in Tokyo: 1 yen/ 0.004615 dollar Arbitrage profits will be possible because the indirect rates are out of line (they are different). This is possible assuming no transaction cost. $10,000 dollars X 216.6752 = 2,166,752 Arbitrage scheme |Amount of money in yens = $2,166,752 | | |Table rate |Actual Rate | |0.004700 |0.004615 | |Amount dollars= $10,183.7344 |Amount dollars= $10,000 | |Difference= $183.7344 |Difference= $0.00 | (2,166,752 yen ) X (0.004700) = $10,183.7344 dollars (2,166,752 yen) X (0.004615) = $10,000.00 dollars Profit gain= $10,183.7344 dollars – $10,000.00 dollars= 183.7344 Profit gain= $ 183.7344 dollars i. Compute the Canadian dollar/yen spot rate from the data in the preceding table. Canadian Dollar/ U.S. Dollar Rate: 1 / .8450 = 1.1834 Yen/ U.S. Dollar Rate: 1 / .004700= 179.78 As we can see 1.1834 Canadian Dollar is equal to 1 American Dollar; meanwhile 212.76 Yen is the same that 1 American Dollar, it means that for each 212.76 Yen you have 1 American Dollar.

Analysis of the Movie “Jose Rizal” Essay

A three-hour epic on the life and struggles of poet and patriot Jose Rizal, the national hero and martyr of the Philippines, this film was commissioned to mark the 1998 centennial of the country’s independence from Spanish colonial rule. Rizal was a remarkably educated man; not only was he a writer, but he was also a painter, sculptor, doctor and surgeon, teacher, natural scientist, economist, engineer and theologian. He was an excellent fencer and marksman; he studied at colleges in Europe, America and Asia, traveled to many different nations and could speak twenty-two languages. He was a champion of his country’s independence, a Filipino Gandhi who faced the firing squad at the age of thirty-five for inciting rebellion. He was the instigator of the Philippine revolution of 1896-98, the first national uprising against a colonial power in Asia. He also wrote two books, Noli me tangere and El Filibusterismo, which sought to increase his people’s political awarenes s. Director Marilou Diaz-Abaya deliberately avoids a historical lesson. The Rizal of her story Cesar Montano is thinking back on his life and writings from his prison cell in the fortress of Santiago; the characters that appear are a blend of the real people, friends and enemies as well as those he created in his books. The script is solid, with a contribution by Diaz-Abaya’s long time collaborator, Ricky Lee; the soft tones of the cinematography helps to create an atmosphere of magic appropriate to the story of a legendary hero, and the acting by Cesar Montano is quite remarkable. The movie begins in 1891 with Jose Rizal, played by Cesar Montano, as an established author and linguist who speaks more than 20 languages. He vows to write about the sufferings of the Filipino people under the tyranny of Spanish rule, and about their abuse by corrupt priests. Rizal’s writings galvanize the Filipino people but earn the scorn of the Spanish government, which vows to crush the reb ellion of the Filipinos. The Spanish military capture and torture Jose’s brother Paciano, played by Pen Medina, to determine Jose’s role in the rebellion. During a flashback, Jose says Paciano greatly influenced him by exposing him to the injustice going on in the Philippines. Paciano is released after his interrogation and returns to Manila, where the family plans to go on the run. An order is given to arrest Jose Rizal on sight. The movie cuts back to Jose’s childhood, when he was called Pepe. When he is a child, his mother is falsely arrested for attempted murder and jailed for two years. He gets attention from educators early on for his intelligence and writing prowess. As a young man, he criticizes a college professor for stating that Spaniards are superior to Filipinos. Filipino students start fighting Spanish students after Jose starts raising the issue of Filipino independence. Cutting back to 1896, Jose is captured and put on trial, and his books are banned. The film then cuts back and forth between Jose’s rise as a revolutionary and his fall from grace during his trial. As a student, Rizal spent significant time in Madrid but then became disgusted with Spain’s occupation of Filipino land and Spanish treatment of Filipino citizens. The mayor of Madrid is arrested and discredited for having a Rizal book. A violent revolt breaks out in 1896, which Jose does not support because he sees it as mass suicide. Going back to the trial, enormous pressure is put upon Jose’s defense attorneys, with critics branding them as traitors for defending the rebel. It is revealed in a flashback that Jose had fathered a child that had died soon after birth, adding to his inner turmoil as he buried his only son. In the trial, his books are examined and criticized for their pro-Filipino stance against Spanish imperialists. He is found guilty of staging a rebellion through his speaking and writing, and he’s condemned to death by firing squad. He sneaks a poem to his family before his execution, and he yells â€Å"It is done!† A full-blown rebellion is soon under way. Two years later, in 1898, the Filipino flag is lifted triumphantly as the citizens celebrate their independence.