Cathedral Essay

El Ikor Professor Ravita English 1102 February 21, 2013 Cathedral Essay Don’t judge a book by its cover. Judge not, lest ye be judged. Two’s company and three’s a crowd. These are all well- known cliches that Raymond Carver was able to incorporate into his short story Cathedral. These cliches were able to take form as the story’s theme. The narrator (Bub) had a noticeable and open prejudice towards blind people. Carver was able to grasp how a person with a physical disability is coddled by society instead of being treated like an equal being.Bub’s anxiety and lack of enthusiasm was apparent when his wife invited her blind friend, Robert over for a visit. In the text Bub stated that he was not looking forward to having a blind man in his home. Within the story the narrator shows his ignorance and lack of factual knowledge of blind people. The narrator needed a personal experience with a disabled person before being able to comprehend the degree of hi s ignorance. His experience with a blind man taught him more than he was expecting to learn. Bub was able to discard his pre conceptions of Robert through interaction and surveillance with and of him.There was not an open welcoming of Robert’s visit from the narrator. Bub’s displeasure for having a blind person in his home originated from uneducated and ignorant beliefs. He truly believed that blind people were never happy and always moved slow. In the story, the narrator is shocked that Robert is able to easily feed himself. Bub’s stereotypical thoughts are evidence of the first cliche, â€Å"Don’t judge a book by its cover. † In the text Bub stated that he’d seen movies of blind people but he never truly interacted with a blind person before. He was very judgmental of Robert before even meeting him.From the moment Robert arrived, the narrator began to realize that his pre conceptions of the blind were fallacies. Carver’s use of this cliche conveys one of the underlying themes in the story. Carver’s use of the second cliche â€Å"Judge not, lest ye be judged,’ is evident throughout the entire story. Not only did Bub pre judge Robert before meeting him, but also he pre judged all blind people by grouping them into one helpless category. Robert continued to surprise Bub with his normalcy and similarities. Bub assumed that Robert was going to be helpless and in need of constant care.His assumptions towards blind people were unwarranted and derived from a superabundant intake of television. The fact that something as simple as a beard on a blind man surprised him is evidence that Bub’s ignorance was out of control. Bub was not able to differentiate between fact and fiction therefore he judged without plausible cause. After just a short time with Robert, Bub understood that his previous judgments and assumptions were incorrect. Bub saw that Robert, a blind man, was not as helpless as television would convey him as. Bub’s anxiety about Robert’s visit stemmed from more than him being a blind man.Bub also felt uncomfortable with the relationship Robert had with his wife. Robert and the narrator’s wife were able to keep a healthy friendship for a decade without seeing each other. Bub and his wife’s relationship lacked communication. In the text it is apparent that the narrator and his wife have constant small tiffs with each other. Robert and Bub’s wife sent each other tapes for years telling stories and keeping touch. Carver used the cliche, â€Å"Two’s company and three is a crowd,† as another theme for the story. Robert did not want to feel like the third wheel in his own home.Bub was jealous of the relationship Robert and his wife shared. The fact that Robert was a blind man connecting with his wife on this level did not make Bub welcome him into his home any more. Carver’s insertions of these latent cliches were fun damental to the story and the growth of Robert’s mental character. All of the cliches ultimately incorporated into the theme of the story. The stories most pre dominant or all powerful cliche was most certainly don’t judge a book by its cover. The narrator was completely insensitive to having a blind man in his home because of his pre conceived ideas.Bub was able to discard his pre notions of Robert through interaction and surveillance. After spending time with a person that he had these predetermined judgments of, he was able to willing open his mind and see that he was wrong. Bub was able to see more similarities than differences a blind person has with himself. Bub is able to grasp the concept that Robert’s lack of sight does not define him as an individual. He was able to learn valuable lessons from Robert. The underlying cliches without a doubt played there role throughout the story to teach Bub these lessons.

Risk of infectious diseases at a rise due to incessant rain

A few days after ceaseless rain lashed the regions in Thane and stranded some localities, the risk of infectious diseases stares large at the residents. With a massive dumping ground right in front of the railways station at Vithalwadi and a sewer flowing in the rear, it seems like an open invitation to the various diseases, which increases manifold during monsoon. Khadegolwadi, which saw knee- deep waters on Friday could not unclog, though the water receded by a few centimetres.As it is a fully grown residential area, people spent their entire day cleaning their homes. Chocked drains, sewers and dumping grounds caused problems in the area. â€Å"Each time it rains, garbage along with diseases come to our house,† said Aarti Bhagwat, a resident. Her neighbour Preeti Pandey added,† We all know what sewers and dumping grounds in the vicinity means, malaria, dengue and other water borne diseases.†It may be noted that the Thane Municipal Corporation suspended an officer and recommended departmental enquiry against the other finding them a prima facia guilty of the problem. Complaining over that, another resident Sarita Kolhapure said,† suspending officials is of no use to us, it does not solve our problem. These past few days were pathetic for us, what will happen if such rain continues for next couple of months. † Similar problems persisted in different localities around the dumping site.â€Å"Garbage that flew with the rain got scattered all around as the potholed road was filled with dirty water,† said Karishma Tiwari, a housewife. City-based doctors warned against the risk of diseases in the rainy season. â€Å"People with a weak immune system fall prey to microbes that roam freely in the air during monsoon,† said Dr Kishor Gandecha. He added that garbage heaps rot more than usual in rains, which catalyses growth of disease causing virus and bacteria.â€Å"The best way to avoid disease is to wash hands with soap and drink boiled water,† he said. Suggesting other ways to keep diseases at bay, the doctors said, â€Å"People should avoid intake of stale or cut food, don't let water stagnate inside or near the homes and stay away from public places if one is suffering with viral fever of disease. They also enumerated signs of disease which include body ache, vomiting, pain in abdomen and loose motions are the first signs of the monsoon maladies. But, there are a number of measures that people can resort to†.

Communication Skills Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Communication Skills - Article Example The tone of the teachers displays concern for the students and their futures. The teachers have made a clear attempt to try and find out solutions, tactics, and techniques to help the students develop better manners and display courtesy. There is a clear tone of personal interest in the work they do and an urge to learn newer techniques. The teachers display how well they lead by example and how their style of talking and teaching can affect the learning process of the children as well. There is a clear sense of responsibility, and active listening among all the members in the video. The body language and the non – verbal communication displayed shows a genuine interest in the discussions and is portrayed by taking notes of essential parts of the discussion. All the participants have been very alert throughout the discussion and have displayed all the basic skills of active listening. The teachers also display understanding and empathy with the fellow teachers and acknowledge the issues that they go through each day at work. This has been done in very simple actions like nodding their heads and taking notes of essential elements of the conversation and allowing the other to finish their statements rather than cutting the co – teachers off between sentences. Active listening allows a person to listen intently to what is being said, either in groups or even one on one. A person who actively listens should be able to restate in their own words, what the speaker has spoken. This displays understanding of the topic of discussion. The major skills that are involved in effective active listening include (StudyGS, 2009): a) To be ‘other – directed’: It is essential for a listener to focus on what the speaker is communicating and to follow and understand the speaker’s point of view (StudyGS, 2009). It is essential to not only listen to what is being said but to also study body language and other senses to recognise the

Meter and Rhythm in the Poem Garden Of Love by William Blake Essay

Meter and Rhythm in the Poem Garden Of Love by William Blake - Essay Example At the age of 25 Blake married Catherine Boucher, and in 1785 he opened a print shop that failed and left him to eke out a miserable living with inadequate numbers of orders for designs and engravings. During the Napoleonic Wars not many people in England could afford the high cost of contracting the work of an engraver. In 1804 Blake was charged with sedition but was acquitted, because a drunk had wrongly accused him. In 1809 his single art exhibition of sixteen works went unnoticed by everyone except a lone critic who criticized it fiercely. Blake's literary work was so highly influenced by the politics of his time that it most likely hurt his success as an engraver. In the last years of his life, Blake met a group of young artists whose appreciation for his work eased his growing destitution. William Blake died on August 12, 1827.2 The poem is found in the anthology Songs of Innocence and of Experience. William Blake was so little recognized in his lifetime that the author only managed to write and sell his poetry intermittently over his professional career, and his poetic work was essentially little known or regarded by his contemporaries. Blake at first only wrote poetry in his spare time. Though Blake acquired some repute as an engraver and an artist, those who recognized his genius still commonly believed him to be somewhat eccentric in his own time.4 The Garden of Love, speaks fr... etime that the author only managed to write and sell his poetry intermittently over his professional career, and his poetic work was essentially little known or regarded by his contemporaries. Blake at first only wrote poetry in his spare time. Though Blake acquired some repute as an engraver and an artist, those who recognized his genius still commonly believed him to be somewhat eccentric in his own time.4 The Garden of Love, speaks from a first person viewpoint to set the individual's early experience of the spiritual loveliness of the natural world in stilted contrast with the intrusion of the unforgiving man-made constructs of religious observance. The narrator returns to the lost innocence of childhood, once experienced in its natural ambience, to revive the uplifting memory of the long-forgotten bliss of a Garden sanctuary, only to find it pointlessly spoiled by a man-made Chapel - metaphorically representing the imposition of the censorious rules and strictures of an adult religious life - overwhelming the once-healthy lighthearted and carefree ambience of his youth.5 The carefully chosen imagery of the garden and youth characterize the early experience of creation in its pristine state as the natural ambience for the exuberant child in the unaffected transparency and original innocence reminiscent of the Biblical Garden of Eden.6 The incursion of the Chapel erected in the midst of the Garden, which the narrator "never had seen" as a youth, imposes the unnatural structure of organized religion whose detrimental influence begins to escalate as the poem communicates more of its closed and censorious nature in the following stanzas. The inert stone edifice of the Chapel supplanting the promise and freedom of the green - a conventional metonymy for promise and

The Presidency of The United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Presidency of The United States - Essay Example The Commander-in-chief of the US military forces is responsible for deploying, supervising and increasing the number of America’s defense forces (White House Correspondent, 2012). The other roles that President Obama has for formulating policies and obtaining his goals include negotiating treaties with other foreign dignitaries acting as the chief of state in presenting medals to military heroes and hosting formal dinners for foreign leaders to further economic and global security relationships. He is the chief diplomat who appoints competent leaders as Ambassadors to the United Nations (UN). The UN Ambassador works under the guidance and supervision of the US, and acting as a source of influence to the rest of the world. Obama travels to foreign nations to create trade relationships, and affirm the US ideologically concerning foreign affairs (White House Correspondent, 2012). ... In his leadership, President Obama has encountered hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, Japan’s and Haiti’s devastating earthquake, inflation in oil prices and a nuclear threat from Iran, and the aftermath of Japan’s earthquake. In all these devastations, Obama has made sound decisions for the greater good of humanity. During and after the great recession that began after the real estate boom in 2008, President Obama worked hard with his economic and political advisors to improve the living standards of American consumers as well as those of the rest of the essential economies that were greatly affected. He improved financial markets, passed healthcare reforms to benefit even the low income earners and proposed a tax and economic reform to increase employment, increase total revenue and improve the living standards of the US consumers.ii President Obama’s leadership style positively affects how he governs the US. During the economic crisis, many US consumers w ere in panic-mode because of home foreclosures, rise of unemployment rates and mass layoffs. Obama’s calm and assertive leadership style encouraged many Americans to hope and strive for the best in their lives because measures were being taken to improve the economy that was spiraling. President Obama avoided making hasty decisions that would put the US primacy and global economy in jeopardy. The Federal Reserve issued loans to the government to provide temporary money infusions that would jump-start the economy. People with bad credit history were given loans to repay debts such as home mortgages and credit card debts. The adjustment interest rate was lowered for debtors to repay their loans within the time stipulated when their incomes were increased. Current Economy Situation

Nikolay Gogols The Overcoat. The Conclusion Essay

Nikolay Gogols The Overcoat. The Conclusion - Essay Example In fact, the supernatural addition to the story gives it more power as we digest the entire meaning of the story. Without the supernatural ending, we are left with the notion that world is a bleak place to live. With the inclusion of Akaky's ghost exacting revenge upon the Person of Consequence, we see that there is justice in the world and that the world is guided by forces that lurk beyond the human realm. Gogol's fantastic ending is surprising and delightful and this adds to the depth of the story because it offers hope. "The Overcoat" makes more sense when it is considered in the way it is presented - a tale of truth. The story is often discarded when readers reach the conclusion because they feel that it remove any substantial meaning. The way to read the story, however, is to take it at face value. Gogol wanted this ending to his rather realistic tale for a reason. He wanted readers to stop and consider supernatural occurrences in this tangible world in which we live. Victor Peppard observes that there are two ways that the story can be interpreted and maintains that "The Overcoat" has a "definite and tremendously significant relationship to the genre of the supernatural tale, particularly those tales about corpses and ghosts who have, or seem to have, returned from the dead" (Peppard). He believes that the story is meant to be "instructive" (Peppard) because of Gogol's literary predecessors. He also adds that it is "helpful to establish to what extent Gogol models his story on the generic require ments of the supernatural tale and to what extent he modifies them for his own purposes" (Peppard). Either way, "The Overcoat" plays out to be a supernatural story with a very moral message. This interpretation allows the ghost that appears at the end of the to be "even more persuasive than the guilty conscience of the significant personage" (Peppard). It must also be noted that the guilty conscious of the Person of Consequence is secondary to his conversion at the conclusion of the story. When we consider the ghost as a real character, the story not only makes sense, but it serves a real purpose. The supernatural ending of the story is also intended to make the reader relate to Akaky's experience and rejoice with him that he did receive justice in the end. This is the only way that the story can end without the tale being a complete tale of travesty for the "little guy." Akaky is, in fact, the Person of Consequence's victim for a very long time. Gogol has spent much of the story allowing us to see Akaky's life and how he lives it. There can be no doubt that he is a simple man living a simple life. There can also be no doubt that he is a bit quirky and, as such, is the butt of many jokes. It is also important to notice that Akaky lives his life quiet peacefully. He does not impose upon anyone else and it appears that his only sin is the lust he develops for the new overcoat. From this perspective, we can determine that Akaky needs the supernatural ending as much as anybody does because that is the only way that he will see justice. We are forewarned of this when the narrator s tates that no one could have "imagined that this was not there was to tell" (Gogol 245) about Akaky. Then we are told that the story does have a "fantastic ending" (245). From this we can gather that Gogol wanted us to believe in the supernatural aspects of this tale and not only believe but take issues to heart. In short, there is justice in the world. In addition, the conclusion of "The Overcoat" is significant because it is unique when it is examined against the rest of the tale. The supernatural ending to the story is actually the only fantastical element in "The Overcoat." Because the rest of the story is realistic,

Global warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Global warming - Essay Example Secondly, there is a worldwide ice melting more so at the earth poles. Thirdly, many butterflies as well as alpine plants are now quickly moving to the north where it is cooler. Fourthly, is the increase of precipitation across to globe. Fifthly, is the decline of the Adelie penguins on Antarctica where for instance their numbers have dropped significantly from 32000 breeding pairs to 11000 within the last thirty years. However, the most significant consequences are firstly, the booming of spruce bark beetles, which have chewed up to four million acres of spruce trees in Alaska. Firstly, the Ecosystem will change in that some species will end up moving to the north in order to survive. On the other hand, those species that would not be successful in moving to the north could become extinct because of the unfavorable living environments. Secondly, sea levels would rise between seven, twenty-three inches towards the end of the century, and if the trend continues at the poles, it could add four and eight inches. Thirdly, species that depend on one another could become discordant. For instance, plants could bloom a bit earlier that their pollinating insects’ active season. Conversely, the most significant consequences would be first, the increase of the hurricanes and other storms that would in turn become stronger. Secondly, there could be a spread of dangerous diseases such malaria that is carried by mosquitoes. Thirdly, there would be less fresh water available.

Biology question to be answered Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Biology question to be answered - Coursework Example a situation in which organisms from different species compete for the same shared limited resources like food, water and space in which the less fit organism loses. This is a -/+ relationships. Predation, on the other hand, is whereby the predator kills then feeds on the prey while herbivory involves the herbivores feeding on the primary producer.(+/- relationship). Parasitism is a relationship in which one species benefits at the expense of the other but they do not kill the host. Only 10% of energy is transferred to the next trophic level. Most is used in metabolism, and the rest lost through excretion, hence making the successive level be smaller (Townsend et al., 2000). Ecosystems obtain all its energy from the sun that is transformed into chemical energy through photosynthesis in primary producers (plants) and moves up the trophic levels. It is converted to other forms like heat. Matter cycles through the ecosystem in various stages. For example, plants use carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere together with sunlight to make food. Primary consumers consume this food like human beings. Once these consumers die, carbon is stored in fossil fuel that may be mined in future and burned releasing

Organizational Behaviour Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organizational Behaviour - Case Study Example t in the case study as Gupta’s project was terminated prematurely leaving her with no work or being idle until another project was sought (Ivey, 2014). Additionally, the main goal of Xciting Company is centred towards client satisfaction. The culture of the organization therefore focuses towards client satisfaction while the needs of the employees are neglected. This is evident in the case study whereby the new entrants are not assisted in any way by the company to effectively settle within the company’s working environment. In the case study Gupta and other new employees face a lot of difficulty in settling within their new working environment. Xciting Company is a well renowned Indian information technology that engages in hiring a large number of fresh graduates. The main aim of the induction process involves impacting organizational behaviour and culture on the fresh employees. An effective induction process should therefore involve the objectives and goals of the company. In this case Xciting Company should involve training of fresh employees in specific requirements of the company. This will ensure that the fresh employees are able to meet the goals of the company and ensure a productive workforce after the induction process. Furthermore, Xciting Company should be both employee and client centred. The organizational behaviour should be geared with the aim of satisfaction of clients while meeting the needs of the employees. New entrants within the company should be inducted into the organizational culture that will effectively meet their needs as employees. This will ensure that the new entrants are able to adjust well within the company’s working environment. Productivity among the fresh employees will also be maintained (Jennifer & Gareth 2005). Xciting Company as a large company that engages in employing fresh graduates should engage in some form of action plan that will ensure that various organizational behaviour issues are resolved. The

Operation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Operation Management - Essay Example 55% were satisfied and 10% were dissatisfied. Operations management of the hotel should focus on improving the quality of service so that the proportion of dissatisfied customers is reduced. The objective of operations management is to create 99.99996% customer satisfaction. This objective is not being currently achieved by the operations management. If service quality is improved, then it will increase the room occupancy (currently at 75%) and profitability further. Table of contents: 1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 2. Research Methodology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.4 3. Brief description of the specific features of the hotel which had a bearing on my analysis and were not included in the description provided†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 4. General Analysis of the hotel†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..5 4.1 Design†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 4.2 Planning in operations management of the hotel†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 4.3 Supply chain management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..6 4.4 Shop-floor control†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.6 4.5 Environmental best practices in the hotel†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.7 4.6 Technological issues in operations management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 4.7 Quality management as part of operations management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.8 4.8 Benchmarking†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..9 4.9 The use of the philosophy of ‘ lean’†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.9 4.10 Business process Re-engineering in the operations management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.11\ 5. Analysis of one area of special focus†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.13 6. ... This is followed by qualitative and quantitative analysis. There is a general analysis of the operations management of the hotel. This is followed by the analysis of the quality of service of the hotel. The aim of this study is to understand in-depth the operations management of the five star hotel and to make appropriate recommendations. 2. Research Methodology: The research methodology includes both primary and secondary research. The primary research was conducted by visiting the premises of the hotel and directly observing the operations management at the hotel. It also included a survey of about 20 guests of the hotel. The secondary research was done by delving into books, academic sources and other reports concerning the hospitality sector and operations management. The data and information collected were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. 3. Brief description of specific features of the hotel which have a bearing on my analysis and were not included in the description given: The areas of service quality, costs and room occupancy were not mentioned in the description provided. There was also no mention of the supplies used by the hotel. These areas have a special bearing on my analysis. A customer survey was also undertaken. The recommendations are based on this survey. 4. General Analysis of the hotel: 4.1 Design (product and facility): Product design is one of the critical issues of operations management. It is product design that determines the characteristics and features of a product and how well the product functions (Dyson, Robert G, 2000). Facility design determines the capacity, location and layout of the production or service facility (Krajewski, L.J., and L.P. Ritzman, 1993). The five star hotel is located in

Reflection Journal Essay Example for Free

Reflection Journal Essay This is the first time I have had the opportunity to study this subject. Being a science student, I have a very basic understanding on the different aspects of Organisational behaviour. I am interested in learning the different theories, concepts and practises that are a part of this course and relating the same with experiences I have had in the past at my previous workplace. This course would also benefit me at my future workplace by honing my job-related and inter-personal skills. Management is an art of getting things done through and with the people in formally organized groups. The five major functions of management are planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling. Planning refers to the process of setting goals and how best to achieve them, organising refers to evenly distributing resources so that the plans can be carried out successfully, Staffing pertains to recruitment, selection, development and compensation of subordinates aiming to place right people in the right job, directing refers to the process in which the managers instruct, guide and oversee the performance of the workers to achieve predetermined goals and controlling refers to the process of regulating organisational activities so that actual performance conforms to expected organisational standards and goals. Organisational behaviour can be assessed at three major levels At the individual level, of analysis, At the group level and At the organization level. Even though the basic skills required for a manager are networking skills, traditional management skills, HRM skills and communication skills, the focused skillset is different for different management levels.There are five basic trends in managing contemporary organisations. Globalization refers to the company’s desire to be a part of the global market. Changing workforce implies increased diversity among the working population, primarily more women being part of it. Employment relationship refers to the flexibility and ease of work schedule and culture. Information technology refers to the increased ease with which employees interact and how organisations are configured. Values and ethics refer to important long-lasting beliefs and moral principles for the benefit of the company. Based on these trends, there are many challenges and opportunities for organisational behaviour.An organisation’s Intellectual capital is of three types – human capital, structural capital and relationship capital.The process of knowledge management can be broadly classified into acquisition (learning and experimenting), sharing (communicating) and use (application). In my last workplace, My organisation overcame many challenges related to various aspects of organisational behaviour. Emphasizing on the final result, they allowed the employees to have a flexible work schedule and/or to work from home. This made it very convenient for the employee. We also used trends in Information Technology and scheduled a Video call between a particular project team and our most potential clients once a month. This improved communication and strengthened our relationship with the client.My previous company had its major clientele in the US but it made a lot of attempts to go global. They were trying to pursue projects in the Middle East, UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and India and succeeded establishing a clientele in the Middle East. This was an advantage for the employees as it gave us opportunities to experience the work culture in different markets.| 11/12/2012| Unit 2:Individual Behavior, Personality, and Values| There are various factors that influenced my behaviour at my workplace. I can particularly relate to the MARS model in this instance. Positive and negative (that I would look at from a positive angle) motivation from others throughout the tenure of my work has help me become more passionate about my career. Early on in my career, I had not defined my set of goals properly. As a result, the amount of time and effort invested into achieving those unstable goals was wasted. It is very important to have a sound understanding of our work tasks from every angle. During the last few months of my work, I was simultaneously allocated to three projects. I was not able to concentrate on any project properly as my roles and tasks were not clearly defined. Now, after having a clear, sound understanding of the MARS model, I have realized the importance of clearly defining my goals to get self-motivated and my tasks to increase productivity. With respect to my personality, I am responsible for things that happen to me. I am a little low on self-esteem but realizing that future failures will decrease it all the more, I will take considerable steps to improve the same. I am more of a Type-B person by nature and will take that as an advantage in my life as I love setting aside time for leisure and moving at a normal pace. With respect to the CANOE personality model, I am a combination of the Agreeableness and the Extraversion type. With every company trying to become a part of the global market, it is good for everyone to be able to adapt to all cultures. In my previous workplace, I was deployed in the US on a short-term assignment. It would have been great if someone had emphasized the importance of globalization so that I would have mentally prepared myself to adapt to the culture there instead of going there and taking time to get adjusted. Cross cultural issues are predominant in every workplace though a lot of companies are striving hard to get rid of the same. My company has recently acquired a clientele in the Middle East. A few of my colleagues who were deployed on projects there were not aware of the work culture and practises there. They took a while to get used to the culture there. It would have helped them a lot had they had been given a nugget on the importance of being open-minded and flexible.| 17/12/2012| Unit 3: Perception| Perception is an apprehension or intuition that a person has about somebody or something. The world plays a major role in influencing perception. Perceptions in most cases are superficial and far from reality. Perceptions are generally a result of trends, emotions and trying to fill in missing information. Stereotyping is also a kind of perception that and it refers to assigning traits to people based on their social category. It is possible to minimize the trait of stereotyping but is difficult to prevent it. Stereotyping causes unnecessary discrimination and generalization. Perceptions can be more accurate by being wary of perceptual biases, improving self-awareness and increasing meaningful interactions. The self-fulfilling prophecy cycle refers to the way an employee reacts to his leader’s expectations and the way the leader reacts back to the employee’s performance. Leaders should maintain realistic positive expectations towards their employees. A person is an achiever if he does a particular task differently, better than others and maintains his performance consistently. The Johari window improves self-awareness and understanding between colleagues. It asks an individual to be more expressive and also be open to feedback from others so that people are aware of the individual’s level of perception.A global mindset refers to a person’s ability to perceive, interact and get along with people from other cultures. We can cultivate a global mindset by getting to know about other cultures, cross-cultural trainings and understanding oneself and comparing the mindset of people from different cultures. Emotional intelligence refers to a person using his emotions intelligently while dealing with other people. It can be used to motivate oneself and work well with others. Consequences refer to results of a particular behaviour. If the consequence is positive, a reinforcement strategy is applied and if the same is negative a punishment strategy is applied. Perceptions demotivate leaders and the people working with them. In my previous workplace, I had a perception that freshers did not have sufficient technical knowledge to play a major role in challenging projects. But many freshers working with me excelled their tasks well within their deadlines. Therefore, perception is not reality but what we see of reality.Emotional intelligence is an important leadership quality. The project manager at my previous workplace never motivated any of her subordinates and we always had a very negative view of her managerial skills. Now, since I have a fair idea about how to motivate my peers and subordinates using Emotional Intelligence and setting realistic goals, I will learn from my ex-project manager’s mistakes and do the right thing when I become a future leader. | 18/12/2012| Unit 4:Motivation| Motivation refers to the processes that arouse and sustain a person’s desire to attain a particular goal. The main reasons for a person being motivated in a workplace are money, opportunity, belonging, involvement and satisfaction. There are many theories related to what motivates a person. Taking an example of the Maslow’s theory, it applies when one wants to be motivated to succeed in his job and further, but the same does not apply when one wants to be motivated to play a role in Social Responsibility. The other theories are ERG theory where the main reasons for motivation are existence, belonging and growth and McClelland’s theory where the main reasons for motivation are the need for affiliation, power and achievement and Herzberg’s theory where the reasons for motivation are the factors involved in performing a job that lead to satisfaction. All the above content motivation theories confirm that rewards are what play an important role in motivating a person. There are process theories that emphasize on why and how a person gets motivated in the workplace. These theories emphasize on factors that managers have more influence over. If managers get their employees to love their jobs by clearly defining their roles and setting their goals to give them a strong support system and encouraging them, that will be the best form of motivation. Goal setting plays a major role in motivating an employee. A manager and employee should work together and set the employee’s goals. A goal that is moderate to challenging will generally result in a higher employee performance. An employee will also perform better in his job if he is trusted by his manager, given the right level of independence, allocated well-defined tasks and exposed to increased client interaction. The other aspects that motivate an employee are providing them with options like telecommuting, flexible timing and job sharing. Remuneration and rewards do motivate people to a great extent. But that form of motivation does come with a few disadvantages as well.My first team lead at my previous workplace was very stringent with respect to us putting in long hours of work. That demotivated the entire team and decreased our work productivity in the long run. Had he not insisted on long work hours, the team would have achieved its required targets much faster. Opportunity is a key motivation factor as well. One year into my job, my manager promoted me and gave me the opportunity to interact directly with my client. Interacting with the client directly for the first time, I took it up as a challenge and was determined to perform well. The client was very happy with me and gave me a very positive feedback at the end of the project. Unnecessary pressure from the senior management is not a motivating factor. When my project was going through very tight deadlines, the senior management would never be satisfied with our work. Lack of satisfaction and appreciation from our leads made us very disinterested in our work. Had they understood the amount of pressure we were going through and motivated us the right way, We could have gotten through that rough phase a lot more easily. | 7/1/2013| Unit 5:Team Dynamics| Team work is one of the most important aspects of corporate culture. A team is a group of people who are together to achieve a common goal. Teams motivate employees, increase the ease of information sharing and increase work productivity. The major disadvantage of a team is social loafing. In order to minimize social loafing, smaller teams should be formed and individual performance needs to be measured. It is a good idea to plaster the walls of a team space with key issues. This will give instant access to information to quickly resolve issues. Teams are better at complex, structured issues that require a lot of co-ordination. Good team members must be able co-operate, resolve conflict, co-ordinate, comfort and communicate. There are four stages of team development – forming, storming, norming and performing. The better performing team is always a cohesive one. Virtual teams are teams that operate across time, space and organisational boundaries. These teams are more necessary because of factors like globalisation. Brainstorming is a practise that is followed amongst the world’s most creative firms.Team work has always played an important role in my work life. I am a very strong team player. I was working with this client called Toyota and we were a sixteen member team. Though we completed our project successfully at the end, there were many cases of dismal individual performance. People took advantage of the fact that they were part of a team. Had I known then that smaller teams were more productive, I could have suggested to my manager to split us into sub-teams and designate individual tasks at that level. I have been part of a brain storming session many times. Those sessions would have been much more valuable and productive had we defined a set of rules that needed to be followed while brainstorming.| 8/1/2013| Unit 6:Power and Politics| Power is the ability of a person, team or organization to influence others. Power can be legitimate or otherwise. An example of legitimate power would be Obama. An example of misuse of power would be historic Adolf Hitler. The other types of power are reward, coercive, expert and referent power. Reward power is when someone has the power to control rewards and remove negative sanctions. Coercive power is power that can be used to punish. Expert power is power resulting from possessing valuable knowledge or skills. Referent power is power that arises out of respect. Non-substitutability refers to power that comes out of being unique in an environment or industry. Centrality refers to the interdependence between the power holders and others. Centrality is a phenomenon that will strengthen the spirit of a team to a large extent. Influence refers to any behaviour that alters someone else’s behaviour. A person can influence or get influenced positively or negatively. The person can resist, comply or commit to influence. Politics exists at every level of the organisation. Politics increases as management hierarchy increases. It exists at the upper management level the most. People trigger politics to make things easier for themselves. It disturbs the peace and cohesion in a team. Politics cannot be abolished but depending on the individuals in the organisation, it can definitely be minimized and controlled. As with any other organisation, abusive power and politics existed at my previous workplace as well. It existed at a more intense level as we were a very small organisation. We were terribly understaffed when compared to the amount of projects that needed to be completed. Managers used their power and over worked the employees to get work done. Had they been taught to use their authority and power properly they would could have used their power in the right way and implemented long term solutions to the understaffing problems. Politics probably brought individual gain to the person responsible for it but brought about a very negative atmosphere in the team. | 14/1/2013| Unit 7:Leadership| Leadership refers to the process of guiding someone in a work environment to achieve organisational objectives. Followership refers to the process of following a leader. A leader need s to have the drive to lead, integrity, motivation, self-confidence, emotional intelligence, intelligence and a sound knowledge of the business. A leader’s style can be rigid (autocratic), understanding (democratic) or unsuccessful (Laissez-Faire). A leader can be production-oriented or employee-oriented. Though the former will ultimately get the work done, the latter will get the work done bearing in mind the needs and concerns of the employee. For a manager to be successful, It is very important for him to have leadership qualities. He will be able to inspire and drive the team towards reaching its necessary targets. There was gender discrimination with respect to leadership. But now, female leaders have been rated more favourably than male leaders. There have been very few leaders in my previous workplace who have had the right leadership traits. Most of the others were very bossy and managerial by nature. They did not have the right Emotional Intelligence to understand their employees, nor did they have any integrity and did not have the leadership drive in them. It would have been easier for us to complete our tasks without them interfering and troubling us.| 15/1/2013| Unit 8:Change| Change is the only thing that does not change. Change in an organisation is inevitable and is intended for the betterment of the organisation. In the conventional perspective, change had three stages recognizing the need for change and fighting those resisting it, making the change and finally confirming the change. But this model does not promote continuous change. Lewin’s force field analysis model classifies two forces with respect to change – there are restraining forces that oppose change and driving forces that encourage change. People resist change due to fear of the unknown, saving face, breaking routines and loss in current perks. We can minimize the resistance to change by communicating the change well in advance, implementing the change over a stretched period of time and involving everyone necessary to be a part of the change. Change can also be made through social networking. Change agents refer to anyone who can facilitate the change correctly. Typically, change agents are consultants from outside the company who diagnose the change, introduce it, stabilize it and finally collect feedback. Change in an organisation will take its employees some time getting used to. Initially, my company had an attendance register that we used to sign every time we got into the office. Then, the management implemented a policy asking us to swipe our access cards insisting on us clocking a minimum of eight hours in our office. A lot of people suffered salary cuts because of forgetting to swipe in or swipe out. This change was sudden and took us quite a while to get used to. | 16/1/2013| Unit 9:Organisational Culture| Organisational culture is the backbone of every organisation. It is the company’s DNA, invisible but the most important part of the organisation. It is important for an employee to be comfortable and adapt to the company’s culture. A strong organizational culture involves innovation, stability, respect for people, outcome orientation, attention to detail, team orientation and positive aggression. Culture can be defined at the organisational, local, regional and national level. The basic artefacts of organisational culture comprise of rituals, ceremonies, language and physical structures/symbols. A company with a strong culture has better performance. When one company acquires another company or merges with another company, the cultures of both the companies are usually combined into one corporate culture. An organisation’s culture becomes stronger by attracting applicants, selecting applicants to become company employees and the employees finally quitting the company. Socializing refers to learning and adjusting to strategic and cultural dynamics of an organisation. An employee goes through three general stages of socialization first being an outsider, then a newcomer and finally an insider (employee) of the organisation. | | Overview Summary| This course has stressed on the significance of various concepts that are a vital part of organisational behaviour. I have realised the significance of motivation, managerial leadership, minimizing workplace politics, team building and cohesion, knowledge management, change management, efficient use of authority, perception evading, emotional intelligence, modern organisational trends and overcoming of cross cultural issues amongst others. In my previous workplace, I was deployed on an onsite assignment in the US to work at Twentieth Century Fox. There, I was allocated to work for two projects at the same time, all of which involved getting work done from my inexperienced subordinates in India. I can relate to a lot of OB concepts that could have helped me manage my all aspects of my work better. The work culture in the US differed a lot from that in India. It took me some time to adjust to the differences. At Fox, My challenge was to interact with people from all cultures at a global level. Also, my senior management had not defined my roles in both the projects properly. Since I had freshers working with me from India, I perceived them to not be capable of working in such critical projects and hence did not motivate them. That did not spread any team spirit among our project members. If I had been enlightened with the importance of workplace motivation, it would have been easier for us to complete the project tasks. I have also understood the pertinence of positive leadership. I lacked the leadership qualities to drive the project in a positive manner even though I had a sound understanding of the business. In the future, I will motivate my subordinates and address all their concerns so that they contribute better to the project. My company did not have a knowledge management process in place. When I was leaving the company, since there was nobody else competent enough to replace me, we lost one project to a competitor. This loss could have been avoided if there had been an efficient knowledge management and succession planning strategy in place. In future, as a leader, I am very sure all the concepts learnt as part of this course will help me overcome a lot of organisational level obstacles at my workplaces and make my road to success a lot easier.

The Role Of Gender In Leadership Management Essay

The Role Of Gender In Leadership Management Essay As women rise to the top of the organization or management, they encounter a problem with almost half the employees regardless of their temperament, skills or leadership qualities-they are not men. Its often touted that a big percentage of employees loathe working in an environment where the top commander is a woman, however qualified, due to their poor leadership styles. Though the attitudes towards the role of women in society may have changed dramatically, and thanks too to the affirmative action as buttressed by the events of the World Conference on Women 1985 as well as the Beljing Platform for Action; women are still perceived as being less suited than men for managerial and leadership positions. Many local Recruitment Agencies source employees for various organizations in the public and private sector note that some companies prefer men for managerial and executive positions because men are perceived as more confident, dominating, competitive, aggressive and independent compared to women. There is a general perception that women even in leadership are susceptible to being emotional, overly sensitive, moody, easily threatened with a tendency to play favorites and personalize matters no matter their rung or hierarchy in an organization. This trait gives their male counterparts an edge, as being more confident and emotionally balanced. In Kenya the majority of key executives in the private and public sector are held by men. There are a handful of women in key positions such as Supreme Court judges, University Chancellor, the Cabinet, Parastatals Heads and the private sector. The widely accepted explanation for the small percentage of women holding top executive positions globally is the negative stereotyping of women as less able leaders. There are many differing findings from sociologist, management and leadership theories and gender studies on this issue. BACKGROUND As women increasingly take up leadership positions, prevailing leadership styles of women and men continue to attract attention. Historically, gender, precluded most females from becoming leaders and as a result, the assumption was that men were better suited than women for leadership, since the existing models were primarily developed to accommodate men. The Kenyan constitution (Section 27(8)) prominently recognizes that the State shall take proactive measures to implement the principle that not more than two thirds of the members of elective bodies or appointive bodies shall be of the same gender. This is to enhance women participation in leadership and nation affairs that prior to the new constitution were hitherto dominated by their male counterparts. Emanating from this constitutional endorsement, and recent affirmative action, women will actively participate in managerial and leadership matters but it could be an upstream swim in the face of the existing perception that despite being qualified women are perceived as less able leaders. 2.1 Definitions of Leadership Leadership according to Roach and Behling (1984) is the process of influencing an organized group towards accomplishing a goal. On the other hand, C.A Gibb (2000) extends the definition of leadership and states that leadership is a concept applied to the structure of a group to describe the situation when some personalities are so placed in the group that their will, feeling and insight are perceived to direct and control others in the pursuit of common ends. Leaders are those people in groups who are perceived most frequently to perform roles that initiate or direct the behavior of other towards the attainment of their goals. It is the role of a leader to obtain the commitment of individuals to achieving the set goals. However, leadership and management are usually confused and used interchangeably. Management is concerned with planning, organizing, directing, coordinating and controlling the work processes and practices including what the individuals do within the organizational set up. On the other hand leadership is about how one person can influence others to do what is required for the achievement of goals. Nonetheless not all managers are leaders. Leadership itself may have nothing to do with management, it exists in groups rather organizational structures and therefore will certainly also exists in the informal organization where in management terms it may create problems in controlling workers whose influence comes from elsewhere, consequently not all leaders are managers. A manager from a chief executive, director, section head and supervisor has inherent authority to direct the works and behavior of others by virtue of rank, job description and authority. Leadership thrives both in formal and informal settings. The source of power can be based on appointment or on personality. While power in formal leadership emanates from the appointing authority and rank, personal leadership is where power derives from personal qualities of the persona concerned based on charisma, temperament. Personal leadership is conspicuous among entrepreneurs and empire builders such as Richard Branson of Virgin Atlantic, James Mwangi of Equity Bank Limited. 2.2 The Interplay of Gender and Leadership According to existing research on gender and leadership, leadership styles can be categorized either as masculine and feminine, (Eagly et al., and 2000). Although there is general agreement that women face more barriers to becoming leaders than men do, especially for leader roles that are male-dominated ( Eagly Karau, 2001), there is much less agreement about the behavior of women and men once they attain such roles. According to Jennifer L. Bendahl (1996), masculinity and agenticism relates to traits associated with male leadership such as being assertive, controlling, aggressive, ambitious, dominant, forceful, independent, self confident, and competitive. Agentic characteristics are ascribed more strongly to men than women. On the other hand feminine or Communal characteristics are ascribed more strongly to women than men and describe primarily a concern of the leader with the welfare of other people-for example, affectionate, helpful, kind, sympathetic, interpersonally sensitive, nurturing, and gentle. Another theory that distinguishes leadership methods is the traits theory, where leadership is centered on the personal traits and characteristics thought to be essential to direct or influence people. The theory propounds that leaders were born and not made. Hence the behavior exhibited by leaders can be traced to their personality and since women are deemed to be more subtle and gentle against the aggressive, dominant male, there is an assumption of male or female leadership approaches to leadership. This theory lends credence to the gender leadership based on character traits. Another leadership theory distinguishes between democratic versus autocratic leadership (or the similar dimension of participative versus directive leadership), (Lewin Lippitt, 1938 and, Vroom Yetton, 1973). Although democratic versus autocratic style is a narrower aspect of leader behavior than task-oriented and interpersonally oriented styles (see Bass, 1990), the democratic-autocratic dimension also relates to gender roles because one component of the agentic norms associated with these roles is that men are relatively more dominant and controlling in other words, more autocratic and directive than women are. In the 1980s and 1990s, many researchers turned their attention to other types of leadership styles by distinguishing between leaders who are transformational and those who are transactional (Bass, 1998). Such leaders set especially high standards for behavior and establish themselves as role models by gaining the trust and confidence of their followers. They state future goals and develop plans to achieve them. The existing concepts and theories of leadership styles to wit: democratic vs. autocratic; participative vs. directive, transformational vs. transactional and laissez faire can be explained along styles that conforms to the gender construct of being male or female oriented. Female leaders exhibit more democratic and participative leadership styles, while men are credited with autocratic behavior perceived as negative when applied by females. That transformational leadership in contrast to transactional leadership is held as a superior form of leadership. Unlike task and relationship oriented leadership, transformational and transactional leadership are view along a continuum allowing individuals to employ both transformational and transactional qualities at one and the same time. A transformational leader is one who provides visions and a sense of mission, instills pride and inspires and excites subordinates and highly motivates them to became better and do better. On the other hand transactional leadership is based on rewards for achieving specified goals and is largely based on directing desired performance and deviations and the need for corrective action. Organizational experiences vary with experiences and it is the ability to be flexible in particular settings that makes one leader better than other not the gender divide. Against this background of different leadership styles, it is observed that men and women exhibit different styles of leading. However it is been stated that cultural conditioning and religion plays a role in elaborating the different perceptions of women and men in leadership. RESEARCH PROBLEM Women face a problem with almost half the employees regardless of their temperament, skills or leadership qualities, when they make it to the top or take up management. They are not a man. According to a survey conducted by the American Management Association, three quarters of men say they would rather work for a man than a woman, while a quarter of women also prefer to work for a man than a woman given a choice. German researchers have also reported a down side from women bosses with employees reporting higher cases of heartburn, depression, headaches and insomnia. Women have been criticized as being easily threatened or intimidated, emotionally unpredictable, indecisive, irritable, moody sharp tongued vain and playing favoritism within cliques. An experiment was conducted at the university of Pennsylvania and tested 50 women in delivering a sad statement and found that all of them experienced pain, however when men were given the same statement they revealed less emotion with 12 not showing any emotion at all. On the other hand it is reported that women make better leaders on the basis of their attention to detail, they are considerate and make good mentors for their employees. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The main objective is to establish whether women make poor bosses and as a result whether employees loathe having women as bosses. The study will also have these other objectives; To find out the qualities that are associated with a good leader To establish what amounts to poor or bad leadership To establish whether employees prefer to work and report to a male or female boss To determine what challenges women face as leaders To find out whether women make poor leaders To determine the preferred gender to head public and private organizations To determine the perception of Kenyans regarding voting for a female presidential candidate RESEARCH QUESTIONS What are the qualities of a good leader? What are the attributes of a poor leader? Between male and female bosses, who is the employees preference as a boss? What attributes of leadership do women lack? Which gender is better at running public and private organizations Would you vote for a female presidential candidate in any presidential elections SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY With more and more women now taking elective and appointive posts its paramount to ascertain whether there are any valid stereotyping that will prohibit their ascension of the corporate ladder as able leaders by merit. More and more local and foreign universities are opening their doors to admit a higher number of female students taking up management oriented courses fondly referred to as masters in business administration (MBA). It is important to understand the existing perception and stereotypes leveled against women as commanders of their organization so that it can inform the relevant stakeholders like recruiting agents and human resource departments, the government as well institutions of learning. Furthermore this is an area that would require extensive research to demystify and develop lasting mitigating measures. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY The study shall involve descriptive research design. Descriptive research will facilitate the collection of data relating to the issues under study and the nature of the relations and perceptions of employees regarding their bosses. The target population in this study shall be bank employees. For purposes of the study, most banks have a hierarchical structure with defined reporting lines as below. The unit of analysis will be junior employees (such as tellers, clerks and officer) and their immediate supervisors that report to the branch manager as their boss. Chief Executive Officer /Managing Director Directors and General Managers (oversee head Human Resource, Finance, Credit, IT depts.) Branch Manager ( over see branch activities, policy, performance and employees) Supervisors ( over see and supervise junior staff and report to branch managers) Junior employees-(Clerks, Tellers, Officers that report to and are accountable to both the supervisor and branch managers) c. The study will sample junior employees and their immediate supervisors that report to branch managers through stratified probability sampling

The Global Business Strategy Of Bmw Group Marketing Essay

The Global Business Strategy Of Bmw Group Marketing Essay The motor industry always is the most famous industry in the worldwide, because the development of global economy increasingly lead to human cannot live without cars. As a result, the demand of the market brings more intense competition in the industry. Meanwhile, the Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft (BMW AG) is a renowned motorcar and motorcycle company in the world. The major products positioning of BMW is premium segments of cars in the global motor market. Its main competitor is Daimler Motor Company with the famous brand called Mercedes-Benz which also concentrates on the same market segment. The overview of BMW Group The origin of BMW Group Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft (BMW) is a German motorcar, motorcycle and engine manufacturer which was founded in 1917 by the first chairman Franz Josef Popp. It is headquartered in Munich, Germany. BMWs history can trace its roots back to 1916. Gustav Otto established the Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke AG (BFW) which was the Predecessor of BMW in 1916. In 1917, BFW renamed to BMW and also converted into a public limited company (AG) in next year 1918. During the First World War, as a quartermaster supply manufacturer, BMW established a large factory, which near the military airport in the outskirts of Munich. It continued to manufacture military aircraft engines for the military until 1918. In 1922, BMW merged BFW and became the BMW AG which we are familiar with today. However, when people trace the history of the company, the companys official statement is based on the founding data of BFW factory 7, March, 1916, as the birthday of BMW. In the start-up phase, BMW has focused on the development and production of aircraft engines. BMWs blue and white flag is a symbol of the rotation of the propeller, the portrayal of this is the companys early history. In 1923, the advent of the first BMW motorcycle has been produced by the company. Five years later, in 1928, BMW acquired the Eisenach car factory began producing cars. After integration of resources, BMW AG launched the first car which named Dixi 3/15. At the same time, BMW started its own legendary in the automotive industry and created several masterpieces in the history of its car manufacturers which appeared to the market. These products continue to inspire strong feelings and peoples desire to create an excellence reputation of BMW AG as a car manufacturer. From 1916 to 2013 by the first day of an aircraft engine manufacturer developed into a company of premium motorcar and motorcycle-oriented, that BMW was ranked the top twenty motor company of the world. Its pro cess of development is similar to Japanese Daihatsu Motor Company. The current status of the BMW Group Nowadays, BMW Group not only produce its own brand BMWs motor car, but also owns and produces the brand of MINI and owns a subsidiary which named Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. In the aspect of motorcycle production, there is a motorcycle brand is now known as BMW Motorrad which continue to produce the High performance motorcycle for BMW group. What is more, it also provides financial services, include the relationship of customer and supply chain management. BMW has always been based on a premium brand which is the foundation of business success. There are three brands in BMW Group including BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce. These brands aim at the premium market in each segment from small cars to top luxury sedans. BMW Group has become the only manufacturer which focuses on high-end cars and motorcycles in the world. In present, BMW Group which has 24 production facilities and assembly plants in 14 countries and its business network across 120 countries around the world. Meanwhile, there are 12 Research and Development (RD) plants in 5 countries around the world by BMW. On the one hand, there are several series under the brand of BMW, such as 1, 3, 5, 7, Z and M series. It also has productions of MINI and Rolls-Royce. On the other hand, there are having C, F and R Series under the BMW Motorrad in terms of motorcycle production. Currently, BMW AG continues to thrive, but not without setbacks. BMW AG has always been known for its emphasis on technological innovation and continues to set new standards for high-performance luxury car. At the same time, BMW Group company attaches great importance to the safety and environmental issues. The company has earned a reputation for its performance of active safety and passive safety; include Fully Integrated Road Safety Technology (F.I.R.S.T.). The global business strategy of BMW Group Mercedes-Benzs success factors are based on its history and accumulation of experience. Audis success is because the classic brand revival. Compare  with  other  brands, the brand strategy is the key point to the success of BMW. BMW gives a special significance for its own brand through the implementation of brand strategy. Unlike Mercedes-Benz has a long history, BMW been originally a manufacture aircraft engine for the German air force. In the 1960s, it was the smallest car company in Germany. BMW rose in the world since the 1980s. But at that time, Mercedes-Benz as the market leader of the traditional premium luxury motorcar stick to the luxury car market in the world with the accumulation of traditional brand image and market advantages, which pose some significant obstacles to the market penetration of BMW luxury car series. Deeply influenced by the high technology of German, the manufactured technology of BMW can also compete with Mercedes-Benz. But, more efforts need to be spared to its value and brands compared with Benz. There are some negative effects to BMWs brand. At that time, forming a good brand image is a big challenge for BMW. The global marketing strategies of BMW Group The BMW Group is committed to produce the outstanding and distinctive products. It also tries to gain the maximum market share in the luxury car market around the world. Through unremitting efforts for years, BMW Group has created an excellent international brand image in the world. However, the creation of a well-known brand image of the world does not mean that it can be marketed in some particular market successfully. In order to satisfy the different requirements of the different local markets, BMW Group decided to adopt a centralized and unified brand strategy which be carried out by different country. It is the marketing strategy system which called global branding and localised marketing. The following are the different marketing strategies taken by BMW Group in three major markets, including European, American and Asian markets. Localised marketing in the European market BMW AG is an export-oriented motor company in German. There are 70% of its production is exported. The orders of exports mainly concentrated in the highly industrialized countries, such as the European Union countries, Japan and the United States. 1st January, 1993 is the date which marked the formation of European market integration. After that, most of car manufacturers have adjusted their sales network of the European Economic Community (EEC) market. On the surface, the description of the companys customer structure information seems to indicate that the companys target groups are similar. Those customers who choose BMW are basically with higher education. They are either in high positions or free professional. Both of them are the high-income people. However, these things are not as simple as this situation. Although the existing target markets of BMW Group concentrated in the industrialized countries, there also are a number of European countries with relatively developed agriculture industry in its target market. In these countries, peoples lifestyles are different with the disparity of living standards. In terms of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, the difference between the rich and poor regions is more than five times. Thus, there is no same preferences and purchasing power of consumers in Europe. The Management Act of EEC integration came into effect on 1st January, 1993, but the personality characteristics of the p eople will not be erased, it also will not let the different nationalities eliminate the difference in spirit. In view of this, BMW Group should implement the marketing strategy which can be adapted to the local market. The demand of European customers The first step in the formation of the marketing strategy is Conducting market research. Market research task is to determine the ideal positioning of BMW in Europe. The ultimate aim of the in-depth study of the differences between the different countries is to identify the language issues and acceptable brand features from these countries by organizing a series of group discussions. Finally, BMW Group found out that some important situation would not be understood without these problems happened. For instance, some purchasers who are from Dutch and Italy expect cars have its own special factors, but they hold totally different opinions about those factors. There are several requirements all over the Europe when customers consider to purchase a car, such as reliability, safety, quality and advanced technology. BMW Group refer to these requirements as the basic requirements of company. On the one hand, in the initial stages of the purchase decision, those motorcar products that be deemed to inconformity with above requirements will be eliminated from the list of purchasers option. On the other hand, it is considered to be an excellent car if comply with above requirements in all European countries. After the above-mentioned basic research, the next step is to choose the type of car for the special requirements of the country, also the countrys climatic conditions should be considered together. In the Netherlands, the attractiveness of the car depends on the quality of its internal, such as excellent internal configuration. In contrast, due to the concept of Austrian Drivers are stronger than any other country, Austrians prefer to drive a car which can show their self-confidence. In Italy, people hope that the vehicles are able to comply with the personal style of the driver. Italian have high requirements for their cars which including its design, aesthetics standard and the engine performance. Therefore it can shows that the Italians car pursuit are totally different from other countries. In view of the basic requirements is coincident when people purchasing a car in all European countries. Take some European countries for example, if a car be approved is excellent by French, it also have same opinion from Austrian and Dutch. Obviously, there is just a little difference that is the specific expectations of the car due to the different point of view from different countries. Therefore, BMW Group believe that it is a problem of communication ultimately if the motor products to be successfully marketed in many European countries. BMW Group deeply know that it need to pay more attention to the customers rather than the vehicles. Even though these customers might have some common view of the motorcar in terms of the same nation. But for individually, every customer wants to show their personal style is totally different. It is in this sense, these people are constituted the target audiences in the market segment of BMW who are from different countries and hold the similar requirements. The scale and characteristics of the various types of customers have been mastered by BMW Group. Also, on the core target market of the BMWs brand which can be determined according to the blueprint of enterprise strategy. BMW Group are most interested in different types of its products could be sold in some particular countries. On the one hand, there are some types of motorcar and motorcycle enthusiasts has a large proportion in each country, such as it has a large proportion of the sporty performance car drivers and normal car lovers in Italy, France, the Netherlands and Austria. Thus, the strategy of global branding have the direct attractiveness for above two types of enthusiasts. On the other hand, according to the composition of different motorists from different countries. There are many motorists who come from different countries support a certain conception in the different thought. Such as there about seventy percent of traditional drivers in France currently, but only ten percent in Italy in this situation. Obviously, the important thing is the marketing strategy which called localised marketing. The research by BMW Group found out that the drivers of BMWs products are always have several same requirements, including the superior design, excellent driving performance, modern technology and unique personality. These BMWs drivers from different countries have views in common that is the original idea for BMW Groups global strategy. Application of the results of market research in Europe The result of market research provide a strong basis for the marketing strategy which called global branding and localised marketing. In addition, BMW Group Company could find the best strategic direction through the organic combination of positioning criteria. The positioning principles and the research result are essential when BMW use a modern way to rebuild its international positioning. The previous method was unilateral consider the characteristics of technical capability and the advancement. The new method is extend to embrace some personal characteristics such as emotional factors, aesthetic value, sophisticated ideas and distinctive personality. It is broke through the emphasis on technology and sporty style, as the BMW traditional image. Thereby it is greatly increasing the pathway of expansion its brand. The formation and implementation of BMWs new brand strategy is built on the basis of the scientific market research. The results of market research provide a solid foundation for the relationships between the brand and products, brand and communication as well as products and environment. Meanwhile, it also solve the marketing problems between the BMW Groups headquarter and local branch companies. Thus, the strategy of global branding and localised marketing as a best method which can improve the strategic position of the brand and strengthen the companys competitiveness greatly. In addition to the European market, BMW Group has achieved considerable success in which this method is used in North American market and Japanese market. To gain the US market by innovation advertising The progress of BMW Group was not smooth when it enter the American market. Early as 1974 years ago, the first BMW branch company has been established in the United States. But its popularity has been low, even many local consumers mistakenly believe that BMW is the product of the United Kingdom at that moment. However, during 1974 to 1978, BMW cars has become the famous brand cars which could represent the customers identity and social status through its smart advertising campaign in United States. In the late 1980s, United States appeared a new marketing environment of low-price revolution, at the same time the Japanese premium motorcar brand was began to seize the American market share with BMW. BMW maintained and enhanced its brand position through its advertising strategy. Therefore, the advertising of BMW is smart method in the marketing warfare of expansion international emerging market. Advertising positioning: from comfortable to driving In 1974, in order to expand the potential market of BMW cars in the United States, BMW Company has invested heavily in United States to establish their own sales channels, and carried out a large number of advertising campaigns simultaneously. In the same year, Ammirati Puris Lintas advertising company won the contracts worth of nine hundred thousand States dollars when it participated in the BMW advertising bidding. At that time, there are a large number of competitors in the North American motor market, such as Cadillac b brand car with the sales of over one millions, 90000 vehicles sales of the Lincoln Motor Company as well as Mercedes-Benz with sales of 40000 vehicles. If BMW want to be successful in the North American market, it must seize the market share from these competitors. In order to test the brand image of BMW in the minds of consumers, Ammirati Puris Lintas advertising company conducted a survey in the western United States. It is a picture shows that a BMW car was parked with a Cadillac car and a Lincoln car together by Ammirati Puris Lintas to test the people reaction in the survey. The survey results shows that almost all of them had no favourable impression for the brand of BMW because their own car have some advanced equipment which does not provide in BMWs cars, such as power windows, leather seat and chrome-plated body. Due to BMW did not have a successful strategy of brand promotion, the excellent driving performance and elaborate interior design of BMW didnt attract the attention of people. Faced with above situation, the Ammirati Puris Lintas is decided that positioned the target market for the post-war new young generation. Compared with those old people who got used to buy Cadillac, the new generation desire a new brand to show their values. The values are including their personality, pursuits and preferences. BMWs excellent driving performance and elaborate interior design coincided with the consumer psychology of the post-war new generation, who have the enthusiasm and pursuit of stimulate. Therefore, BMW competed with other motorcar companies through taken the advantages of its driving performance rather than simply in the power windows, leather seats and chrome car body in the new market. Tagline The Ultimate Driving Machine. In 1970s, BMW of North America start used the tagline The Ultimate Driving Machine which created by Ammirati Puris Lintas advertising agency company. This tagline shows that being a real premium car must have excellent driving performance and also emphasizes the unique selling point of BMW. The advertising theme and positioning achieved great success because the tagline highlights the differences and advantages of the BMW and attracted the new generation with the extremely vitality. à ©Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚ °Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ Ã‚ ®: http://www.bmwhk.com/com/en/news/news-201201-02.html Swot: http://www.wikiwealth.com/swot-analysis:bmw English essay: http://www.ukessays.com/essays/marketing/company-overview-and-market-analysis-of-bmw-marketing-essay.php à ¥Ã‚ ¾Ã‚ ·Ãƒ §Ã‚ ³Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ¢â‚¬Å¾: http://www.autohome.com.cn/news/201301/462629-3.html Ammirati Puris Avrutick Inc.: http://adage.com/article/adage-encyclopedia/ammirati-puris-lintas/98315/

Essay on the Ibos Sacred Relationship in Chinua Achebes Things Fall A

The Ibo's Sacred Relationship in Things Fall Apart The Ibo people had a very sacred relationship with their landscape. Their entire existence depended on their environment and nature was sacred to them. This is unlike the English who came to the lower Niger with imperialistic goals of "civilizing" these "primitive" people. The Europeans were more technologically advanced, but in this progression they lost touch with nature and the spiritual connection with this significant aspect of the world. The Ibo on the other hand personified nature and turned to deities as well as ancestral spirits for guidance in their survival against unexplainable and often uncontrollable forces. When hardships arise they attempt to appease their gods and their spirits through sacrifice and ritual. Nature is a major theme of the religion of the Ibo and spirituality is very closely associated with the earth. Nature was also consulted in times of conflict between tribesmen. When Uzowulu was accused of beating his wife excessively her family took the case to the egwugwu, or the spirits of the nine sons, of the original father of the clan, which gave rise to the nine villages in the clan. These spirits were in reality men in the tribe wearing masks, but all of the villagers put their faith in the idea that these bodies are in fact occupied by spirits of ancestors who will offer advise in a time of hardship. With the commencement of the hearing of Uzowulu before these masked spirits he touches the ground as a sign of submission to the higher powers. While Uzowulu will only listen to the decision of the egwugwu because they are beyond any mortal, he overlooks the fact that these decision-makers are really his fellow villagers. This fai... ...landscape in which these people live. To kill a royal python is such an unfathomable crime, that there is not even a punishment prescribed for the act, and when the convert kills the python the people do not even think that it could have possible been done intentionally. This reveals the significance of nature as sacred. All aspects of the landscape were made sacred because these people greatly depended on nature for survival and many aspects were inexplicable, so they were given supernatural explanations to aid in an otherwise unattainable resolution. This people were greatly misunderstood by colonialists who sought to "civilize" them and attempted to thrust Christianity upon an uninterested audience to aid in the control and "pacification" of a people that apparently already had a worthy explanation and understanding of the world in which they lived.

The History of the Rise Essay -- American History, Slavery, Clarkson

In 1808, Thomas Clarkson published his two-volume text, The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave Trade by the British Parliament, after the prolonged campaign to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire. Within this text, Clarkson inserted his own map of the path to abolition, consisting of the efforts by prominent intellectuals, politicians, and religious organizations. This essay will argue that Clarkson’s map neglects the informal abolition activities that coincided with the official abolition campaign both within and outside the map’s timeframe; it in fact ends twenty years before the passage of abolition legislation in 1807. This argument will also examine the role of marginalized groups, including women, blacks, and public opinion, in the non-informal activities involved in the crusade to abolish slavery. Recent scholarship and some primary texts will be utilized to posit that various informal activities are absent from Clarkson’s map and need to be examined for their contributions to the crusade. The map examines the activities and individuals missing from the current timeframe, ending in the year 1787, and so this study will explore the post-1787 activities that should have been included on the map. A point of conflict on the map is the twenty year gap between 1787 and 1807, arguably a critical period on the eve of abolition. The map fails to display the contributions that finally provoked Parliament to pass legislation to abolish the slave trade. Within this gap, Clarkson additionally neglects the important contributions made by marginalized groups to abolition. Historians have steered away from traditional scholarship of the abolition of the Trade to focus ... ...de. They served as a device to generate popular sentiment against the slave trade. Drescher argues this media was significant in the first national mobilization. For example, organizers of the Manchester petition advertised for the abolition of the slave trade by submitting their petition to all major newspapers in England to promote the creation of other petitions by readers (Drescher, 49). The Manchester Committee disseminated the info from their petition to others. Advertised to all major English newspapers to promote readers to submit/ organize similar petition (Drescher, 49). Manchester serves as a model petition. The published Manchester petition was critical to the public agitation of the slave trade. Ten days after newspapers first reported of the Manchester petition in the General post, public agitation/ attack of the slave trade (Drescher, 49).

Ozone Season Just Ahead :: essays research papers

With ozone season just around the corner, big cities everywhere are getting worried about low visibility and magnified allergies. The season begins Monday, May 1st and extends through September 30th. Jilayne Jordan, Spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Transportation says that, Elderly people, kids with asthma or allergies and people who exercise outdoors that when there’s a smog alert day, it’s extremely hard on the lungs. Mark Ressler, Senior Meteorologist at The Weather Channel, says weather can worsen the problem. The stagnant conditions of summer can make it worse. You get into the same pattern where the air mass isn’t changing. You build up air matter day to day. You get those steely-gray skies and visibility goes down,† he said. That means large cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Atlanta are prime targets. Atlanta, in particular, is facing a backlash not just from the environment but from the government as well. According to Jo rdan, the Federal government has frozen transportation funds because the southern city is not in compliance with current air quality standards, set by the Environmental Protection Agency. We didn’t address it when we first realized and now we’re paying the price,† said Jordan. The reason, big cities are so vulnerable to ozone season is a simple matter of numbers. Jordan says that It’s becoming a problem where there are a lot of people and a lot of cars. Industries are a problem to. With so many residents suffering from allergies, the conditions can be very uncomfortable. Strategies designed to improve the atmosphere by reducing emissions include carpooling, traveling at non-peak hours, combining trips, biking or walking, and topping off gas tanks after dark. One of the biggest contributors to poor air quality is the building of roads and the use of cars. So if an area cannot comply with the health-based air quality regulations, the government isn’t going to provide funds to continue to build roads that will just worsen the problem,† said Beth Osborne, Policy Analyst for the Southern Governors’ Association.

The Lord of the Rings in the 21st Century

Films or movies are representative of cultures and the nature of the generation from which it is spun. Films or movies seem to represent a piece of reality within them that seeks to inform its viewers, transform thoughts and ideals of its audience, influence change, and such. However, in this case, the role of the film or movie is to represent our society as it is now in the 21st century.  The Lord of the Rings trilogy, adapted from the books written by J. R. R. Tolkien, represents our generation in the 21st century as it illustrates the war between good and evil that we are battling at present. We exist in a world in chaos, where nations battle for peace and harmony amidst a war-stricken world, and yet like the purpose driven by the Fellowship of the Ring, the people struggle and hope that we may be able to withstand the turmoil to reach tranquility.The Lord of the Rings Trilogy follows the structure of a typical â€Å"good versus evil† movie. The theme was instigated by en compassing feelings of fear – fear from being corrupted and restricted by the malevolent and iniquitous nature of man. Moreover, the vulnerability of man to be seduced by power and authority establishes the central theme of the trilogy.The evil that entices man will lead him to destroy the peace and goodness that exists on earth and seek to annihilate everyone who dares to oppose him in his quest for supremacy. This poses the thought that man is feeble, unable to resist his surrender to wickedness for his personal vested interests.Sauron, the antagonist in the film trilogy, represents the greed for power. The ring, which Sauron seeks, is the symbolism of power, and with this power, the ability to rule all of earth according to his desires. Perhaps this builds on one cultural myth that illustrates the growing need of man to earn power or a valuable position in society. As the world grows and deteriorates into a society that nurtures unfairness, inequality, deceit, war, value f or money and status rather than life, the mind set of people grows and changes along with it.This kind of society builds on competition, such that the more power you have, the more authority you gain to obtain what you want and need. Moreover, this kind of society has instilled in the minds of the people that they need to struggle and compete with other people no matter the cost, just to obtain power. Sauron is greed that grows inside every human being, always in search for that ring of power, believing it to be their saving grace to survive in the mess of the world.On a more practical or technical perspective, the society that we live in at present is more of a capitalist society. The foundation of capitalism is built on the kind of competition already discussed in the previous paragraph. People compete for ownership and profit, without being controlled or restricted, which will lead them to occupy a highly revered position.Under the context of business, capitalists manipulate the people into purchasing what they sell in order to earn profit and obtain ownership over the majority. Moreover, capitalists compete among themselves and will do everything at all costs to obtain an advantage over competitors.Like the characters of Isildur and Smeagol (Gollum) in the trilogy, capitalists have been corrupted by the greed for power (Sauron and the ring).Isildur was a great king and Smeagol was an innocent hobbit, however, their brief possession of the one ring has corrupted them. Isildur chose not to destroy the ring but keep it for himself in order to maintain his position as king, while Smeagol became fixated on the ring which hindered him from having a good and happy life.This is similar with what is happening now. Capitalists have built a world according to their terms where people are urged to earn more money in order to spend it on what capitalism has dictated as their wants and needs – and this is all motivated by greed.Instead of thinking about equality and justice, capitalists chose to be in power and from there obtain more of it by relying on the weaknesses of the people who are at a disadvantage. The people too, who submit to the deceit that capitalists impose on them, are being tempted like Smeagol.People nowadays are never happy about earning a regular salary – they have to earn more. People are not contented with having a roof above them – it has to be a big house with large windows, a pool, overlooking the mountains, etc. The discontentment is caused by the influence of capitalists for people to have more, and by having more, they mean having more from them.

Are You Sure It’s Fat Free

Introduction: Food industry misleads us by calculating the fat content in packaged food on â€Å"weight basis† whereas the fat content (having to do more with the calorific value of a food item and not its weight) actually has to be calculated on the basis of the calorie value of the food item. So, the â€Å"calorie basis† is what has to be applied to know how much fat our food items actually carry. Here are three interesting eye-openers!! Breakfast: Oatmeal (Single serving = 45 g) Calories in a single serving = 160 Fat content is 2 g 1 g of fat has 9 calories 2 g of fat = 2 * 9 = 18 calories. The fat content is (18/160) * 100 = 11. 25 % Protein content is 1. 8 g 1 g of protein has 4 calories 1. 8 g of protein = 1. 8 * 4 = 7. 2 calories The protein content is (7. 2/160) * 100 = 4. 5% Lunch: Raisin Bran Crunch (Single serving = 60 g) Calories in a single serving = 190 Fat content is 1 g 1 g of fat has 9 calories The fat content is (9/190) * 100 = 4. 74 % Protein content is 3 g 1 g of protein has 4 calories 3 g of protein = 3 * 4 = 12 calories The protein content is (12/190) * 100 = 6. 32% Dinner: Vanilla Yogurt (Single serving = 225 g) Calories in a single serving = 110 Fat content is 2 g g of fat has 9 calories 2 g of fat = 2 * 9 = 18 calories The fat content is (18/110) * 100 = 16. 36 % Protein content is 5 g 1 g of protein has 4 calories 5 g of protein = 5 * 4 = 20 calories The protein content is (20/110) * 100 = 18. 18% Now, see what the food industry calculations would have been †¦ Breakfast: Oatmeal (Single serving = 45 g) Fat content is 2 g The fat content is (2 /45) * 100 = 4. 44 % Protein content is 1. 8 g The protein content is (1. 8/45) * 100 = 4% Lunch: Raisin Bran Crunch (Single serving = 60 g) Calories in a single serving = 190 Fat content is 1 g The fat content is (1/60) * 100 = 1. 7 % Protein content is 3 g The protein content is (3/60) * 100 = 5% Dinner: Vanilla Yogurt (Single serving = 225 g) Calories in a single serving = 110 Fat content is 2 g The fat content is (2/225) * 100 = 0. 89 % Protein content is 5 g The protein content is (5/225) * 100 = 2. 22% Conclusion: The above calculations speak for themselves. The actual fat/protein contents in packaged food stuffs are much more than what the food industry claims. This is misleading. The nutrition experts must enlighten the general public about this distorted information and help all towards better health.

Nature of Public Administration Essay

Before we discuss about the meaning, definition, nature, scope and importance of public administration we will try to know what is administration, organisation and management. As these terms are often used interchangeably and synonymously, it is pertinent to know the differences and distinctions between these three terms. According to William Schulze Administration is the force, which lays down the object for which an organisation and its management are to strive and the broad policies under which they are to operate. An Organisation is a combination of the necessary human beings, materials, tools, equipment and working space, appurtenances brought together in systematic and effective co-relation to accomplish some desired object. Management is that which leads guides and directs an organisation for the accomplishment of pre-determined object. To put the above in simple terms, administration sets the goal, management strives to attain it and organisation is the machine of the management for the attainment of the ends determined by the administration. Some scholars have a different view about the administration and management. According to Peter Drucker management is associated with the business activity, which has to show economic performance, whereas administration is associated with the non business activities like activities of the Government. The other view is that administration is associated with performing routine things in known settings in accordance with certain procedures, rules, and regulations. The Management is associated with performing functions like risk taking, dynamic, creative and innovative functions. Some scholars of Public Administration are closely associated with the first view that is, administration is a determinative function. Management, on other hand is an executive function that is primarily concerned with carrying out the broad policies laid down by the administration.

10 Ways How Photoshop Changed History of Photography

10 Ways How Photoshop Changed the History Of Photography by Steven Campbell on Apr. 2nd, 2010 In the past, you had to be very patient as a digital photographer. If you wanted to catch something spectacular you had to carry your camera with you everywhere until you saw something special. To capture a sunrise you had to get up at the crack of dawn. Models had to spend hours in the makeup room and studios had to be well lit. Everything I just mentioned changed instantly with the invention of Photoshop.Photoshop has changed the history of digital photography. Nowadays, when you look at an amazing photo or image your first impression is still â€Å"wow† but your immediate second thought is â€Å"that has to be photoshopped†. When you think of the history of Photoshop and everything Photoshop did to change the game, it’s pretty insane. In this article, I’m going to cover some of the ways how Photoshop has changed digital photography forever. How We See the World [pic] The most significant effect Photoshop has had on us is how we see our world.Digital artists and manipulators know how to take an ordinary photograph and turn it into something completely different and extraordinary. [pic] Images that are photoshopped really have me doubting reality sometimes. Whether they have to do with people, places, or things, you can’t argue with the creativity and time that goes into some of these images. They give you a new perspective on the world. How We View History [pic] Aside from the historical significance of digital photography, Photoshop has changed the way we view history in general.Historical photographs can be photo shopped just as easily as any other image, which leaves you wondering if you are viewing a historical painting or a modern piece of Photoshop art. How We Advertise I bet you were wondering when I was going to get to this part. Advertising has changed forever due to image manipulation. You can’t look through a magaz ine without seeing dozens of photo shopped ads (I dare you to try). [pic] Think about what this means. To me, this says that companies that used to run text ads or had to hire a photographer to take their photos can now just pay someone to make their ad on a Mac or PC.Photoshop has changed advertising and business as a whole. How We View the Human Form [pic]Photoshop has also changed our image of what the perfect person looks like. With models and celebrities – most notably – we have seen Photoshop go into every magazine cover and spread in modern existence. Allow me to touch on a few examples of this. Erasing Blemishes Ever wonder how your favorite actor looks so perfect all the time? Well, they don’t. Image editing has led us to believe that some people are actually perfect in appearance, when in reality these photos have been doctored.You want to look perfect in all of your photos? Start learning Photoshop. Adding Style [pic]You can do anything you want to a person on Photoshop. Hair color, eye color, fashion, you name it – you can change everything. Age Progression Want to see what Katie Holmes might look like in a few dozen years? Someone’s already thought of that. Thought of that. [pic] You can use Photoshop for practical means like predicting age progression. It takes a bit of talent, but nonetheless it’s a possibility.How We Witness Nature [pic] If you’ve ever seen Planet Earth on the Discovery Channel you know that there are some beautiful places on this planet with some crazy looking creatures living there. Photoshop has allowed artists to get even more creative with nature and create their own species and landscapes. See the skull in that tree? What We Find Humorous [pic]A lot of photo shopped images are meant to be funny. Creators use irony and humor to adapt digital photos to make us laugh. To Make Fantasy Reality pic]Aside from all the real world examples of Photoshop history, images are constantly created to invoke our imagination. When you look at one of these pieces of art you are able to visualize the artist’s dreams and fantasies. What did we do before this? Conclusion These are the 10 ways I’ve noticed that Photoshop has changed the history of the digital photograph. There’s got to be more but these things just don’t jump out at me anymore due to the norms I’m accustomed to in the Photoshop era. What do you think about Photoshop? Has it affected your life in some way?