Franz Boas On Fashion Deviation Essays - Formal Wear, Franz Boas

Franz Boas On Fashion Deviation Franz Boas on Fashion Deviation Franz Boas accepts that, ?any activity that contrasts from those performed by us routinely strikes us promptly as crazy or shocking (Jacobus, 606).? This is valid, especially with regards to deviations from the inferred clothing standard of society. Boas utilizes models, for example, formal dress worn in easygoing spots, and ?unfashionable? garments from past hundreds of years worn today. At the point when we see this, we naturally think the individual wearing these things is freakish. Culture in San Antonio, Texas is assorted and there are a wide range of assessments of what is worthy to wear and what is unsuitable. In certain networks, individuals are wearing exceedingly loose jeans and shirts. In different territories the dress is progressively conventional: decent jeans, shirts and tasteful dresses. In every locale, on the off chance that somebody strays from these rules, they are promptly thought to be irregular. Dress isn't a sign of rational soundness, yet individuals regularly treat it as is it. They mark the individuals who dress contrastingly as ?strange? also, treat them roughly, outlandishly. As a rule, when somebody strays from the ordinary code of dress, the individual is essentially attempting to communicate him/herself. They want to be free and individual, so they accomplish something other than what's expected from what every other person fits in with. They like and acknowledge what their identity is, and they show it through their apparel. They aren't attempting to cause a ruckus, or create a scene, they do it for themselves. Sometimes, in any case, the non-traditionalists are attempting to stimulate responses from everyone around them. They are looking for consideration, and by wearing bizarre apparel they typically get it. Your eye is normally attracted to something strange. On the off chance that in an ocean of individuals wearing dark there is a man wearing splendid orange, who is your consideration centered upon? The orange person, obviously! Nowadays, there are increasingly more orange folks out there. Individuals need to be seen, so they accomplish something like wear offbeat apparel to get acknowledgment. It has nearly gotten popular to be unfashionably dressed. Responses to extraordinary dress fluctuate from individual to individual, contingent on what he is utilized to. For somebody who experienced childhood previously, in a lovely town where all the young men dress in pleasant pants and caught shirts, seeing a little fellow stroll over the road wearing loose pants and a wrinkled shirt is uncanny. They consequently generalization that kid as being unkempt and rebellious on the grounds that they have consistently been encouraged that the conventional method to dress is the correct method to dress. Those living in a major city, where there are on the whole various types of individuals, are accustomed to seeing individuals wearing different ways. There would scarcely be a response to seeing the equivalent ?unkempt? kid in such a general public. Boas indicated that each culture is particular, and culture depends on custom. ?Today, changes in our way of life are quick, perpetual, and now and again horrible (Jacobus, 600).? Societies are getting flimsy, and individuals' perspectives are getting progressively capricious. Individuals are floating from their customary culture and are feeling more opportunity. One of the manners in which they exploit this freshly discovered opportunity, is by going astray from the ordinary code of dress. Deviations from the standard are frequently unequivocally disdained, and judgment is set upon individuals essentially on account of what they are wearing. Albeit a few people see the individuals who are individualistic to be odd, the assessment of the overall population is getting progressively responsive. Individuals are getting additionally tolerating and ready to look past appearances and see the individual inside. Social Issues Essays

Different attitudes to war Essay

Rupert Brooke and Wilfred Owen are artists who battled for England in the First World War. The two artists delineate a similar subject of war, yet through various perspectives and feelings. Notwithstanding them relating to the comparatively themed subject, their language and tone summon differentiating emotions in perusers and influences their impression of war in inverse manners. Instances of these distinctions can be found in the two sonnets by Rupert Brook ‘The Dead (iii) and ‘The Soldier’ and two by Wilfred Owen ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’ and ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’. Rupert Brooke composes ‘The Dead (iii)’ in a very loose and sentimental mind-set. Brooke had not experienced war, so considering this the sonnet appears to be exceptionally clear and succinct. Brooke plans to show us the greatness that is realized by kicking the bucket for your nation. He imagines that war is a straightforward and honorable motivation. He plans to make us increasingly devoted and persuade us to kick the bucket for our nation in war. The principal line is vivacious and upbeat for a loathsome subject, for example, war. This may imply that Brooke attempts to represent eagerness and wonder. Since trumpets are utilized at a terrific event, yet in addition militarily charges and withdraws he might be attempting to show that withering for your nation is a magnificent method to take your life. â€Å"Blow out, you trumpets, over the rich Dead!† As he says, it has made them ‘rich’. This likely implies they are well off with greatness, recognition and appreciation. He makes no notice of the torment and enduring in war. The third line clarifies that perishing has again made them significant. However, passing on has made us rarer endowments than gold. Gold is uncommon, so by kicking the bucket they have been them important and one of a kind. Brooke is attempting to connote that very few individuals penance their lives along these lines. This in Brooke’s conviction is an entirely respectable and wonderful practice. The sestet discloses to us how the troopers kicking the bucket present to England a great deal of respect and believability. Respect has returned, as a ruler, to earth, Furthermore, paid his subjects with an illustrious pay; The harmony that has been available for such a long time has made her powerless. ‘Heritage’ is use to plainly interface with the general topic of ‘payment and reward’. It suggests ‘that which is legitimately theirs’, has been effectively actualized. What's more, we have come into our legacy. In ‘The Soldier’, Brooke feels substance to bite the dust for his homeland to ensure the individuals abandoned. The title passes on a feeling of pride and dedication to the peruser. Albeit completely mindful of the chance of death, showed by the line ‘If I ought to die’, think just this of me:’ Regardless of whether his remains, his ‘richer earth’, were to lie in a land far off from England, his adoration would even now be ‘forever’. This is additionally pushed when his relationship is contrasted with the bond among mother and kid. ‘A dust whom England bore, formed, made aware,’ His motivation of battling for his nation is to secure England, showed by the words, ‘Gave, once, her blossoms to cherish, her approaches to roam,’ His feeling of pride and respect is solid to the point that he doesn't harp on the unhappiness and hopelessness that is related with war, rather sees it as though through rose-tinted glasses. Regardless of whether his commitments were minute, appeared by the examination of, ‘A beat in the interminable mind’ ‘Give some place back the musings England given’, He is glad to reimburse England and wishes to protect her ‘laughter’ and ‘gentleness’ for what's to come. This satisfaction and joy is plainly appeared by the words ‘peace’ and ‘heaven’, regardless of whether he is dead, he can find happiness in the hereafter as he has faithfully served his nation. This enthusiasm is much of the time carried to consideration with the rehashed utilization of the word ‘England’ and ‘English’ all through the sonnet. The Soldier gives out an idealistic tone, portraying war as a tranquil and chivalrous act. It is written as a Petrarchan poem, which is generally used to communicate individual considerations and sentiments. This could have been the motivation behind why Rupert Brooke decided to write in this structure. It is additionally a self-portraying sonnet in which the creator communicates an individual perspective on war and his affection for his nation. Rupert Brooke additionally utilizes rhyming pentameters, which is a line containing five anxieties. It gives his composed words authority by utilizing this old style section. It additionally gives a musicality, which helps the peruser to remember a heartbeat or a ‘pulse’. This aides in making his contention additionally persuading. The refrains are isolated into two. The octave discusses the chance of death while the sestet discusses demise itself and what his penance will mean for England. It gives the conventional, guileless and one-sided perspective on war. It likewise gives a peaceful depiction yet a one-sided perspective on England as he explicitly disregards the negative side of England just referencing its best side. He utilizes a strict phrasing, for instance the last line peruses, ‘In hearts settled, under an English heaven’. ‘ This uncovers Brooke’s confidence in God and Heaven. This is the thing that makes the sonnet sound fairly like a lesson. Rupert Brooke communicates enthusiasm and his conviction that England merits battling for as he additionally asserts that God is on England’s side by saying ‘blest by the suns of home’. By accepting inâ this, Rupert Brooke causes himself to accept that he should forfeit his own life for England and by doing so he would be giving back in kind of being brought into the world British thus trusts it is a respect to do battle, and a much more prominent respect to pass on fighting for one’s nation and consequently, depicts in his sonnet a picture of one biting the dust an easy demise. Such a view is in the Victorian convention of war which saw it as a heavenly and respectable venture, with so much sonnets as Tennyson’s ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’. This enthusiastic fever was basically carried on by Brooke who despite everything saw fighting as far as duels and respect. By taking a gander at these works, we can arrive at the conspicuous resolution that Brooke was optimistic about war and had no clue about the repulsiveness and enduring included. Anyway Wilfred Owen’s ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’ accomplishes an entirely unexpected impact on the peruser, as it is totally without any undeniable feeling of national pride, and rather questions the very motivation behind war. His utilization of incongruities all through produces a ridiculing tone, which serves to underline his perspective on the pointlessness of war. This is uncovered in the title, where the impact of the word ‘Doomed’ proposes that the troopers are bound to pass on and are with no expectation. Nonetheless, ironicly it is utilized with the word ‘Anthem’, a word held for acclaim. ‘What passing-ringers for these who bite the dust as dairy cattle? ‘ The fighters are contrasted with ‘cattle’ that are butchered, demonstrating that they have no other reason than to kick the bucket. The correlation additionally proposes that the warriors were slaughtered variously, barbarously and efficiently. He utilizes rough words to pass on the total nonappearance of adoration or respect on the front line and various inconsistencies to summon the sentiments of pity in the peruser; rather than ‘passing-bells’ there are just ‘guns’ and ‘stuttering rifles’. The words ‘monstrous anger’ alludes to the furiousness and savagery of war. ‘Only the huge outrage of the firearms. Just the stammering rifles’ quick rattle’ The word ‘monstrous’ additionally recommends that the soldier’s task is gigantic, practically difficult to do, which underlines the sentiment of misery of war. This is again featured when the artist alludes to the discharges as ‘stuttering’. This implies there are projectiles zooming all over the place, and chances are the vast majority of the men would have been hit. The similar sounding word usage of the ‘R’s in rifles quick clatter show the hints of shots; again speaking to the reader’s faculties to feature the dreary conditions in the front line which are awful and terrible. Owen is fixated on the cold-bloodedness, insult and silly squandering of their lives. The utilization of the word ‘patter’ alludes to the shots hitting a soldier’s body. It gives the impact of raindrops hitting a window, which when used to depict how a body is dispensed with slugs paints a merciless and unfeeling picture. At the point when he composes, ‘No jokes now for them; no supplications nor bells’ He says that the dead are overlooked; they are neither grieved nor appealed to God for. This is on the grounds that the dead are numerous to the point that it would require an excess of exertion to try to keep an eye on them. The main things to check their demises are the ‘choirs’, yet there are not common ensembles but rather, ‘The piercing, maniacal ensembles of howling shells’. It seems as though passing has become the standard for them; it doesn't get a lot of consideration or compassion. The words ‘shrill and wailing’ imply that even in their deathbeds, there is no harmony. The ‘bugles calling for them from miserable shires’ appear to bring futile, on the grounds that the troopers are on the whole dead. In the event that anything, the soldier’s passings are undignified and not in any way shape or form fair. There is no legend love and the dead are disregarded. There is no pride, no respect and still the war proceeds. Owen expounds on the impacts of such a large number of losses of war and how it unexpectedly pulverizes the homes the officers kicked the bucket to ensure. The various passings brought about by warâ ravages even the more youthful ages abandoned, appeared by the ‘candles’, ‘What candles might be held to speed them all? Not in the hands of young men, however in their eyes Will sparkle the sacred gleams of farewells. ‘ This

Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in

Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in Well, Im back home in the great state of Ohio, getting ready for Christmas with my fam. I went out last night with two of my high school friends, and went last-minute shopping this afternoon with my little brother (who is suddenly not so little he can drive! weird). Soon my family will pile in the Family Vehicle and drive past several cow farms (but not over the river and through the woods) to my grandmothers house for the Traditional Christmas Eve Dinner of beef and noodles. Then we will go to church, following which we will drive around the Columbus area and look at Christmas lights (and point and laugh at blowup Christmas lawn ornaments). Its good to be home for the first time in six months, and Im looking forward to a week of wireless internet in the bathtub and reading by the fireplace. My actual purpose today is to talk a little bit about selecting a major, for any interested parties and maybe for Laura too. ;) As you may or may not be aware, the major you write down on your MIT application does not have to be what you actually major in there are no quotas for any major. A list of degree programs is here (I find this list SUPER annoying, because its alphabetical by school rather than what is to me the logical order: numerical by course.) All freshmen are considered Undeclared, and do not have to choose a major until the middle of their second term. (Strictly speaking, they dont even have to declare then; its possible to be an undesignated sophomore, although few people choose this option.) To aid freshmen in their choice, the Academic Resource Center has a great choosing a major section on their website. Additionally, all of the departments hold open house socials in February-March. Most of them have free cookies; all of them have helpful information from professors and current students in the department. Theres also an annual Choice of Major fair with booths for each department and free stuff for freshmen (biology department pencils, mechE stress balls, etc). My personal story is, as usual, an object lesson in what not to do. As Ive said before, I had decided to apply to MIT because of the Brain and Cognitive Sciences department. When I visited MIT in the spring of my senior year, I picked up a paper copy of the course catalogue and circled all the classes I was interested in taking. I knew I was also interested in biology, but I thought Id rather just pick up a minor. At the time, I was only interested in cognitive science. So I attended the BCS open house and ate some cookies (and talked to a professor who later became one of my favorite mentors and grad school letter of rec writers!), but it was largely a formality. I filled out the choice of major form and turned it in at the Student Services Center and continued on my merry way. It wasnt until IAP of my sophomore year, after working at the NIH and getting my UROP in Morgans lab, that I realized I could (and wanted to) realistically complete a double-major in biology and BCS. Over the last two years, Ive gravitated more and more to biology, and I think if I could go back, I probably just would have done one major in biology. Ive enjoyed my BCS classes, and its great to be in such a small department and get personal attention, but I think ultimately Im interested in cell biology, whether its of neurons or not. Ah well, theres always grad school. (Got my first interview invitation, btw yay!) Just as a probably unnecessary warning, I feel I should mention that lots of people come to MIT undecided as in I like mechE, but I also like EECS and I think aero/astro is cool, and, hey, management or biology! and BCS! and chemistry! and ahhhh, but not so many people come to MIT having absolutely no idea what they want to study. This is a good thing, because while MIT is a very wonderful place, if you have no idea if want to major in science, engineering, or business, you are probably a little bit SOL. You can always cross-register at Harvard or Wellesley for those esoteric art classes, but youre going to want a major at MIT that youre psyched about completing.

Unethical Conduct And Its Effects On The Workplace

With the recent cases of unethical conduct in media, there seems to be few models of businesses and leaders operating on ethical principles. It is believed that because of the low ethical standards of leaders that employees feel justified to respond in kind, by increased absenteeism, petty theft, indifference, and poor job performance (Gini). The ethics of leadership has a direct impact on the workplace and affects the ethical choices and decisions that workers make in the workplace. It trickles down through top management and flows through supervisory leaders who influence the behavior or employees by way of direct, day-to-day interaction. B. F. Skinner (1904-1990) believed that through modeling and reinforcement, the individual’s actions are affected, which signifies that the mentor has successfully reproduced the sort after or desired behavior. Unethical behaviors by leaders cause people to be disillusioned about leadership. It often causes people to question the integrity, honesty, and fair play of every leader they are in contact with or come to know. It leaves a lasting negative impression on those affected by the unethical decision, on the organization where the leader is employed, and not to mention on the future credibility and employability of the leader. Literature Review Ethics is the way of understanding and examining the moral or the good life (Altekruse, 2004). It is the assessment and evaluation of values. Ethical leadership is the use of sociallyShow MoreRelatedEthical Issues Of The Workplace1494 Words   |  6 Pages Ethical Issues in the Workplace Student’s Name Task 1 Helen is facing a big problem and challenge as well. This ethical concern can be termed as a challenge rather than a problem since it has not taken a side that can be considered as a problem. The challenge is evident and if the alteration of the financial statement to suit the demands of the customers. In the case Helen changes the document then she will have gone against accounting ethical codes. If she fails to adjust the financialRead MoreEthical Issues in Human Resource Management Strategies936 Words   |  4 Pagesthe future. In business practices, the level of honesty and transparency is referred to as ethics. HRM strategies should guide employees on their workplace behavior. These strategies show the organizations expectations of its employees in regards to ethical issues. Some of the ethical issues are discrimination, harassment, conflict of interest, workplace diversity, and privacy. Discrimination An organization should make sure that its HRM strategy does not discriminate against one because of theirRead MorePros And Cons Of Having A Professional Code Of Ethics1683 Words   |  7 PagesA professional code of ethics acts as a guide concerning ethical conduct in a given profession. However, over time, it has been termed as an impediment to intellectual and moral developments. This way or another, there are advantages as well as disadvantages that emanate from applying the professional code of ethics depending on the context of practices. For this reason, this paper discusses both sides: positive and negative effects of adopting professional standards. For the purpose of this assignmentRead MoreThe Rights and Ethics of Employees with Respect to Privacy at Work788 Words   |  4 Pagesmonitoring—and even recording—employees’ personal phone calls, e-mails, and workplace conversations. Video cameras are trained on employee parking lots, break areas, and other parts of the workplace. Today’s employers have the legal right to conduct search and seizure of employees’ personal property; monitor the employee’s telephone calls, workplace computer, Internet, fax use, and e-mail; perform employee drug testing; and conduct investigation and surveillance of employees. Electronic Surveillance TheRead MoreEst1 Task21159 Words   |  5 PagesWGU EST1 Task 2 Company X Ethics Program Standards and Procedures: Company X expects all employees to conduct themselves with integrity, professional and responsible actions at all times. An employee’s actions in both personal life and professional life should avoid any situations that (A) could be construed as harmful to the company or its employees or (B) cause negative public reactions that could impact Company X customers or customer relations in adverse ways. You are a Company X representativeRead MoreEthical Law Essay740 Words   |  3 Pagesagreement or a duty. It is a failure to act in a required or desired way. This means that breaches occur when legislative requirements are not complied with.  © TAFE WSI - OTEN Examples of breaches of legislation and standard procedures in the workplace may include the following: 1. accessing and reading unnecessary patients medical history and records 2. accessing information that is not required and needed to their job 3. accessing information on family, friends stored in electronic or hard copyRead MoreCode Of Conduct Review And Suggestions1278 Words   |  6 Pageswhistleblower_hotline@can.salvationarmy.org From: Jalenne Olmstead Date: 2/17/2016 Re: Code of Conduct Review and Suggestions In reviewing the code of conduct of Salvation Army, there are many strengths that promote the honesty and integrity of the business. However, there are some weaknesses that as an employee, the Board of Directors could expand and clarify. The policies of Salvation Army, behavior in the workplace, and violations are explicit by definition and support the best interest of the companyRead MoreOrganizational Misbehaviour Is Important For Modern Day Managers1487 Words   |  6 Pagesdescribes organisational misbehaviour as any intentional action by a member or groups of members of an organisation that defines and violates shared organisational norms and expectations, and the core societal values, mores and standards of proper conduct. Misbehaviour is commonly associated with the deliberate errant actions of the organisation’s employees. However in recent works, which indicated that organisational behaviour theorists are starting to view misbehaviour differently, and (GalperinRead M oreStudying Right and Wrong Behavior in Society1385 Words   |  5 Pagesbehavior in a society. In every professional field, there are codes of conduct that govern the actions of those in the field. It is a noble idea to police and oversee codes of ethics. The crisis lies with the individual who chooses not to pursue the code. There are people who are careless about the consequences of their actions by purely living for the moment, and if jail time cannot discourage them from their deed, a code of conduct will be deemed useless. In our day to day life, there is a blatantRead MoreUnethical Behavior Has A Negative Impact On The Public, Economy And Work Environment Essay910 Words   |  4 PagesMerriam-Webster dictionary is â€Å"the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group† (Ethic, 2015). As public administration professionals, we have a duty to make ethical decisions and always put the general public’s interest before our interest. Repeatedly, the gen eral public is being confronted with unethical behavior. Unethical behavior continues to be a persistent problem in the public, nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Some recent unethical behavior includes military sex crime cover-ups

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer - Discussion Questions

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer was published in April 2013Publisher: Riverhead468 pages may seem like a simple story of how friendships formed as teenagers during summer camp evolve over the years with the characters. In fact, the novel has many threads that book clubs might choose to discuss -- dreams expectations, secrets, relationships and marriage are just a few. If your group is in New York City, there is also a lot about life there over the decades. These questions are designed to spark conversation and help your group go deeper into Wolitzers novel. Spoiler Warning: These questions reveal details of the story. Finish the book before reading on. There are several secrets in the novel. The next few questions will explore some of these, but feel free to bring up others and to discuss the overall role of secrets in the novel with your book club. The Interestings is divided into three parts: Part I - Moments of Strangeness, Part II - Figland, and Part III - The Drama of the Gifted Child. Do you think these titles or divisions are particularly meaningful to the story?Jules is one of the main characters in the novel, and one of her biggest struggles is contentment and envy. Early in the novel, Wolitzer writes of Jules, What if shed said no? she liked to wonder afterward in a kind of strangely pleasurable, baroque horror. What if shed turned down the lightly flung invitation and went about her life, thudding obliviously along like a drunk person, a blind person, a moron, someone who thinks that the small packet of happiness she carries is enough (3).Then later, when Jules is reading Ethan and Ashs Christmas letter, she says, Their lives were much too different now for Jules to have kept up a sustained level of envy. Mostly, she had given up her envy, had let it recede or dissipate so that she wasnt chronically plagued by it (48 ).Do you think Jules ever conquers her envy? Do you think her experiences at Spirit in the Woods and friendships with the Interestings actually made her happier? Why or why not?What did you think of Dennis and of his relationship with Jules? Was it good? Did you sympathize more with him or with her?Did you sympathize with the ways the characters had to adjust their expectations about life, love, and greatness?What did you think of Ethans giving financial help to Jules and Dennis? Was that an appropriate expression of friendship? How can friends navigate very different financial realities?Did you have any camp or teenage experiences that were as forming as Spirit in the Woods?The biggest secret in The Interestings is that Goodman is still alive and in contact with his family. Why do you think Ash never told Ethan? Do you think he would have reacted differently to finding out if Ash had been honest with him?Do you think Goodman raped Cathy? Why or why not?Jonah also holds on to a secr et from his childhood for most of his life -- that he was drugged and his music stolen. Why dont you think Jonah ever told anyone? How did this secret change the course of his life?Ethan secretly loves Jules his whole life. Do you think he also truly loves Ash? What do you think about his other secrets -- contacting Cathy, doubting his love for his son? Are they as big as the secret Ash keeps from him? Why or why not?Were you satisfied with the end of the novel?Rate The Interestings on a scale of 1 to 5.

My Favourite Writer Free Essays

My Favorite Writer Robert Lynn Asprin, living in New Orleans, was born in 1946. He grew up in campus Ann-Arbor, in environment of book shops, museums and libraries. Since childhood he has got used to appreciate a variety in everything, study at Michigan University and services in army during the Vietnamese war have only strengthened this habit. We will write a custom essay sample on My Favourite Writer or any similar topic only for you Order Now Definitively Asprin’s outlook as a writer was generated 12 years which he has worked in accounts department of small firm – one of the American branches of corporation â€Å"Copier†. Interests and hobbies of the author are extremely various – from fencing and music to fishing and sewing. By own recognition of the writer whom he only was not – the teacher of fencing, the Mongolian commander, the bookkeeper etc. Asprin begins from science fiction novels – more precisely, from science fiction action, sound, but quite traditional, like â€Å"Cold War of Money† (1977), his popularity was brought to him by cycle of novels â€Å"World of thieves†; he is till now the editor-in-chief of this cycle together with his wife Lynn Ebby. Since â€Å"the World of thieves† Asprin becomes that Asprin which is read by millions, – the magnificent master of a comic science fiction and fantasy. After â€Å"The World of thieves† have followed â€Å"Ful’s Company† and well-known â€Å"Mythical Cycle†. In my opinion â€Å"Mythical Cycle† is so good that you can read it in one breath. However if in â€Å"Myth† except humor would be nothing, he wouldn’t receive that popularity what deservedly uses. Asprin’s books are distinguished by that, that you can see our daily life. Asprin’s heroes are real as we and relations between them are not less real, that certainly is a sign of the big literature. They love each other, scoff one at another, support and reject as well as we. How to cite My Favourite Writer, Essay examples

My Favourite Writer Free Essays

My Favorite Writer Robert Lynn Asprin, living in New Orleans, was born in 1946. He grew up in campus Ann-Arbor, in environment of book shops, museums and libraries. Since childhood he has got used to appreciate a variety in everything, study at Michigan University and services in army during the Vietnamese war have only strengthened this habit. We will write a custom essay sample on My Favourite Writer or any similar topic only for you Order Now Definitively Asprin’s outlook as a writer was generated 12 years which he has worked in accounts department of small firm – one of the American branches of corporation â€Å"Copier†. Interests and hobbies of the author are extremely various – from fencing and music to fishing and sewing. By own recognition of the writer whom he only was not – the teacher of fencing, the Mongolian commander, the bookkeeper etc. Asprin begins from science fiction novels – more precisely, from science fiction action, sound, but quite traditional, like â€Å"Cold War of Money† (1977), his popularity was brought to him by cycle of novels â€Å"World of thieves†; he is till now the editor-in-chief of this cycle together with his wife Lynn Ebby. Since â€Å"the World of thieves† Asprin becomes that Asprin which is read by millions, – the magnificent master of a comic science fiction and fantasy. After â€Å"The World of thieves† have followed â€Å"Ful’s Company† and well-known â€Å"Mythical Cycle†. In my opinion â€Å"Mythical Cycle† is so good that you can read it in one breath. However if in â€Å"Myth† except humor would be nothing, he wouldn’t receive that popularity what deservedly uses. Asprin’s books are distinguished by that, that you can see our daily life. Asprin’s heroes are real as we and relations between them are not less real, that certainly is a sign of the big literature. They love each other, scoff one at another, support and reject as well as we. How to cite My Favourite Writer, Essay examples

Bronze Age Essay Example For Students

Bronze Age Essay THE BRONZE AGE The Bronze Age began in 2800 and lasted till 1050BC. This was almost 2000 years ago. This time period started to replace the use of stone and iron with bronze. The development of trading began with the Aegean and Mediterranean regions. Crete was responsible for major development during the Bronze Age. Their society was based on structures of extravagant places. The Minoans for the next 500 years had had the power in the Aegean but by 1450BC they were over run by the Mycenaean’s which was an important place of the time. They ruled for 500 more years. THE TROJAN LEGENDS Homer is the first and greatest writer of all Greek literary form known as the Epic. People referred to his works for information and about this specific form. Homer’s name will always be linked with the Trojan War because Homer wrote about the conflict between the Trojans and the return vogues of the Greek leaders. He is known for telling us the whole story of the Trojan War but that’s not true. There are plenty of other writers of what’s called the epic cycle who also wrote about the Trojan War which is not noted in Homer’s writing. The epic cycle is a series of stories from ancient Greece. The epic cycle focuses on the Trojan War. Besides the illade and the odyssey, the Trojan War stories include * Kypria * Aithiopus * Little illiad * The sack of illion * The return of reigns Heros; and * Telegony All the stories combined, contribute to the story of the Trojan War. DISCOVERY OF TROY There have been many people that have had a part in the discovery of the city of Troy. Some include, Frank Calvert, Heinrich Schliemann, William Dorpfield, Carl Belgen and Manfred Korfman. Frank Calvert was a British archeologist. He started his work in the town of Hissarlik in Turkey. He was positive the city of Troy was located beneath the city. Seven yeas later after Frank Calvert’s arrival, the German archeologist, Heinrich Schliemann commenced his own excavation. He was a wealthy man and was able to organize his own digs. He first started at the city of Hissarlik. This was a long and stressful process. He hired 160 workers. They removed over 325,000 cubic yards of soil. For all this excavation there were some rewards. Heinrich found several cities on top of each other, but one of them had evidence of burning and destruction. He came to the conclusion that he did find the Troy of Homer’s stories. However, Heinrich also managed to destroy some city remains in the process. Heinrich also had his sets on the Treasure of Prim. This was a room which consisted of all sorts of jewellery. Some included earrings, bracelets, rings and much more. It was estimated that there was up to 8,700 pieces of treasure. It can be said that although Heinrich destroyed many findings, he also uncovered a large part of the city of Troy. William Dorpfield was next on the scene. He ended up discovering 2 more cities. He also found large houses, defensive walls and watch towers. Carl Belgan was able to dig in areas where it had been untouched by previous excavators. He ended up discovering that Troy VI was destroyed by earthquakes and that the houses were poorly built. He also learnt that the city was burnt after 30 years of inhabitance. Manfred Korfman was the most recent person to conduct his excavation of the area. This was in 1988. He too, managed to excavate areas that had been untouched. Heinrich started to excavate at Mycenae as well. This was according to him, the home of Agamemnon the leader of the Greeks. .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569 , .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569 .postImageUrl , .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569 , .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569:hover , .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569:visited , .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569:active { border:0!important; } .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569:active , .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569 .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u918385c8262fbd2e30a9a8ebbd95c569:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: David hume 2 EssayHomer had described this city as the ‘rich in gold’. He uncovered a circle of shaft graves. This was found with 15 skeletons covered in gold. Heinrich thought that there were kings and at the bottom was a gold mask on a skeleton which was thought to be Agamemnon’s. However evidence proved this was not the case. The Linear 13 tablets came about by accident. The inscriptions on them were preserved due to natural disasters. They have been dated to the Mycenaean period of 1600-1200BC. The inscription describes such things like economy – in particular wheat and barley. The tablets of Pylos however, mention things such as ‘men watching the coastline’, as well as reference to military equipment and chariots. Some tablets mentioned officials. These gave us clues regarding the Trojan War. According to Homer’s Iliad, the Trojan War began because of Helen’s abduction. The llliad mentions a heroic age and the need for the army to defend enemies. This was an age where the men fought and the women married to have more babies. After the destruction of Troy, the remaining women and children were sold into slavery and the men killed. However, if you were from a powerful family, there were political, military and economical advantages. The Hittites were a fierce civilization. Their time period was in the late Bronze Age, this means they existed in the same time period as the Mycenaean’s. Their scripture were also preserved on clay tablets, they were called cuneiform. HELEN OF TROY Helen of Troy maybe the most famous Greek woman in history. It was her abduction by the Trojan, Paris that began the war of Troy. Helen was a demi-god. A female hero worshiped at shrines in the regions of the Mediterranean. Helen is sometimes not considered human by some scholars. She is described as a mortal with a natural-goddess face. FUNCTION OF MYTH Like most other mythological traditions, Greek myths served several purposes. First, Greek myths explained the world. Second, they acted as a means of exploration. Third, they provided authority and legitimacy. Finally, they provided entertainment. Greek myths lent structure and order to the world and explained how the current state of things had come about. Myths helped worshipers make sense of a religious practice by telling how the practice originated. Myths were used through difficult territory, examining contradictions and ambiguities. For instance, Homer’s Iliad explores the consequences during the Trojan War of the Greek leader Agamemnon’s decision to deprive one of the warrior’s prizes of a female slave. This warrior feels that Agamemnon has assailed his honor but wonders how far he should go in getting back at him. One of t his poem’s themes explores the limits of this. TROJAN WAR – FACT OR FICTION Because of all the past discoveries, I believe it is now more likely than not that there were several armed conflicts in and around Troy at the end of the Late Bronze Age. We do not know whether all or some of these conflicts were collected in later memory into the Trojan War or whether there was an especially memorable, single Trojan War. Whatever the case, everything currently points that Homer should be taken seriously, that his story of a military conflict between Greeks and the people of Troy is based on a memory of historical events whatever these may have been. In conclusion, if someone came up to me and asked if the Trojan War DID happen, my response, after studying the material would be: why not?

When Was Do It free essay sample

Is an admired aesthetic of attitude, behavior, comportment, appearance and style, influenced by and a product of the Zeitgeist. Because of the varied and changing connotations of cool, as well its subjective nature, the word has no single meaning. It has associations of composure and self-control (CB. The Definition) and often Is used as an expression of admiration or approval. Although commonly regarded as slang, it is widely used among disparate social groups, and has endured in usage for generations. There is no single concept of cool. One of the essential heartsickness of cool is its mutability-?what is considered cool changes over time and varies among cultures and generations. [l] Nick Southeast writes that, although some notions of cool can be traced back to Aristotle, whose notion of cool Is to be found in his ethical writings, most particularly the Mechanical it is not confined to one particular ethnic group or gender. We will write a custom essay sample on When Was Do It or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Although there is no single concept of cool, its definitions fall into a few broad categories.Cool as a behavioral characteristic The sum and substance of cool is a self-conscious aplomb in overall behavior, which entails a set of specific behavioralcharacteristics that is firmly anchored in cosmology, a set of discernible bodily movements, postures, facial expressions and voluptuousness that are acquired and take on strategic social value within the peer context. [3] Cool was once an attitude fostered by rebels and underdogs, such as slaves, prisoners, bikers and political dissidents, etc. For whom open rebellion invited punishment, so it hid defiance behind a wall of ironic detachment, distancing Itself from the source of authority rather than directly confronting let. [4] cool as a state of being Cool has been used to describe a general state of well-being, a transcendent, internal peace and serenity. [5] It can also refer to an absence of conflict, a state of harmony and balance as in, The land Is cool, or as In a cool [spiritual] heart. Such meanings, according to Thompson, are African In origin.Cool Is related In this sense to both social control and transcendental balance. [5] Cool can similarly be used to describe composure and absence of excitement in a person-?especially in times of stress-?as expressed in the idiom to keep your cool. In a related way, the word can be seed to express agreement or assent. As In the phrase Im cool with that. Cool as aesthetic appeal Cool is also an attitude widely adopted by artists and intellectuals, who thereby aided its infiltration into popular culture.Sought by product marketing firms, idealized by teenagers, a shield against racial oppression or political persecution and source of constant cultural innovation, cool has become a global phenomenon that has spread to every corner of the earth. [2] According to Dick Fountain and David Robins, concepts of cool have existed for centuries in several cultures. [l] Cool as an epithet While slang terms are usually short-lived coinages and figures of speech, cool Is an especially ubiquitous slang word, most notably among young people.As well as being understood throughout the English-speaking world, the word has even entered the general positive epithet or interjection, which can have a range of related adjectival meanings. Regions Africa and the African Diaspora Your bronze head sculpture from the city of Fife, Nigeria c. 12th century A. D Author Robert Affair Thompson, professor of art history at Yale University, suggests that tutu, which he translates as mystic coolness,'[6] is one of three pillars of a elisions philosophy created in the 1 5th century[7] by Your and Gobo civilizations of West Africa.Cool, or tutu, contained meanings of conciliation and gentleness of character, of generosity and grace, and the ability to defuse fights and disputes. It also was associated with physical beauty. In Your culture, tutu is connected to water, because to the Your the concept of coolness retained its physical connotation of temperature. [8] He cites a definition of cool from the Goal people flabbier, who define it as the ability to be mentally calm or detached, in an other- orally fashion, from ones circumstances, to be nonchalant in situations where emotionalism or eagerness would be natural and expected. [5] Joseph M.Murphy writes that cool is also closely associated with the deity Sun of the Your religion. [9] Although Thompson acknowledges similarities between African and European cool in shared notions of self-control and imperturbability,[8] he finds the cultural value of cool in Africa which influenced the African Diaspora to be different from that held by Europeans, who use the term primarily as the ability to remain calm under stress. According to Thompson, there is significant weight, meaning and spirituality attached to cool in traditional African cultures, something which, Thompson argues, is absent from the idea in a Western context. Control, stability, and composure under the African rubric of the cool seem to constitute elements of an all-embracing aesthetic attitude. African cool, writes Thompson, is more complicated and more variously expressed than Western notions of sang- frond (literally, cold blood), cooling off, or even icy determination. (Thompson, African Arts) The telling point is that the mask of lowness is worn not only in time of stress, but also of pleasure , in fields of expressive performance and the dance.Struck by the re-occurrence of this vital notion elsewhere in tropical Africa and in the Black Americas, I have come to term the attitude an aesthetic of the cool in the sense of a deeply and completely motivated, consciously artistic, interweaving of elements serious and pleasurable, of responsibility and play. [10] African Americans Ronald Perry writes that many words and expressions have passed from African American Vernacular English into Standard English slang including the contemporary meaning of the word cool. [11] The definition, as something fashionable, is said to have been popularized in Jazz circles by tenor saxophonist Lester Young. [12] This predominantly black Jazz scene in the U. S. And among expatriate musicians unpartisan helped popularize notions of cool in the U. S. In the sass, giving birth to Bohemian, or beatnik, culture. [2] Shortly thereafter, a style of Jazz called cool jazz appeared on the music scene, emphasizing a restrained, laid-back solo style. And self-possession, of an absence of conflict are commonly understood in both African and African American contexts well.Expressions such as, Dont let it blow your cool, later, chill out, and the use of chill as a characterization of inner contentment or restful repose all have their origins infract American Vernacular English. [14] When the air in the smoke-filled nightclubs of that era became unbeatable, windows and doors were opened to allow some cool air in from the outside to help clear away the suffocating air. By analogy, the slow and smooth Jazz style that was typical for that late-night scene came to be called 5] Marlene Kim Connors connects cool and the post-war African-American experience in her kook What is Cool? Understanding Black Manhood in America. Connors writes that cool is the silent and knowing rejection of racist oppression, a self-dignified expression of masculinity developed by black men denied mainstream expressions of manhood. She writes that mainstream per ception of cool is narrow and distorted, with cool often perceived merely as style or arrogance, rather than a way to achieve respect. [16] Designer Christian Laconic has said that . .. The history of cool in America is the history of African-American culture . 17] Cool pose Malcolm X embodied essential elements of cool . [18] Cool, though an amorphous quality-?more mystique than material-?is a pervasive element in urban black male culture. [18] Majors and Billion address what they term cool pose in their study and argue that it helps Black men counter stress caused by social oppression, rejection and racism. They also contend that it furnishes the black male with a sense of control, strength, confidence and stability and helps him deal with the closed doors and negative messages of the generalized other. They also believe that attaining black manhood is filled with pitfalls of discrimination, negative self-image, guilt, shame and fear. 19] Cool pose may be a factor in discrimination in education contributing to the achievement gaps in test scores. In a 2004 study, researchers found that teachers perceived students with African American culture- related movement styles, referred to as the cool pose, as lower in achievement, higher in aggression, and more likely to need special education services than students with standard movement styles, irrespective of race or other academic indicators. 20] The issue of stereotyping and discrimination with respect to cool pose raises complex questions of assimilation and accommodation of different ultra values. Jason W. Osborne identifies cool pose as one of the factors in black underachievement. [21] Robin D. G. Kelley criticizes calls for assimilation and sublimation of black culture, including cool pose. He argues that media and academics have unfairly demonic these aspects of black culture while, at the same time, through their sustained fascination with blacks as exotic others, appropriated aspects of cool pose into the broader popular culture. 22] George Elliott Clarke writes that Malcolm X, like Miles Davis, embodies essential elements of cool. As n icon, Malcolm X inspires a complex mixture of both fear and fascination in broader American culture, much like cool pose itself. [18] East Asia Main article: Cool Japan In Japan, synonyms of cool could be Ski and SSI. These are traditional commoners aesthetics of Japan to samurai, but this is historically inaccurate. In fact, samurai from the countryside have often been the target of ridicule by the commoner in the civilized Eddo in many art forms including Aragua, a form of comical story telling.Some argue that the ethic of the Samurai caste in Japan, warrior castes in India and East Asia all resemble cool. [l] The samurai-themed works of film director Kara Sarasota are among the most praised of the genre, influencing many filmmakers across the world with his techniques and storytelling. Notable works of his include The Seven Samurai, Yogi, and The Hidden Fortress. The latter was one of the primary inspirations for George Lacunas Star Wars, which also borrows a number of aspects from the samurai, for example the Jed Knights of the series.Samurai have been presented as cool in many modern Japanese movies such as Samurai Fiction, Shamuses,[23] and which was appropriated in American ivies such as Ghost Dog[25] and The Last Samurai[26] In The Art of War, a Chinese military treatise written during t he 6th century BC, general Sun TTS, a member of the landless Chinese aristocracy, wrote in Chapter XII: Profiting by their panic, we shall exterminate them completely; this will cool the Kings courage and cover us with glory, besides ensuring the success of our mission.Proof. Paul Wally considers Tokyo one of the worlds capitals of cool. Asian countries have developed a tradition on their own to explore types of modern cool or ambiguous aesthetics. In a Time Asia article The Birth of Cool author Hannah Beech describes Asian cool as a revolution in taste led by style gurus who are redefining Chinese craftsmanship in everything from architecture and film to clothing and cuisine and as a modern aesthetic inspired both by a Mining-era minimalism and a strenuous attention to detail. 27] Paul Wally, professor of Human Geography at the University of Leeds, considers Tokyo along with New York, London and Paris to be one of the worlds capitals of and the Washington Post called Tokyo Japans Empire of Cool and Japan the coolest nation on Earth. Analysts are marveling at the breadth of a recent explosion in cultural exports, and many argue that the international embrace of Japans pop culture, film, food, style and arts is second only to that of the United States. B usiness leaders and government officials are now referring to Japans gross national cool as a new engine for economic growth and societal buoyancy. 29] The term gross national cool was coined by Journalist Douglas McGraw. In a June/July 2002 article in Foreign Policy magazine,[30] he argued that as Japans economic Juggernaut took a wrong turn into a ten-year slump, and tit military power made impossible by a pacifist constitution, the nation had quietly emerged as a cultural powerhouse: From pop music to consumer electronics, architecture to fashion, and food to art, Japan has far greater cultural influence now than it did in the sass, when it was an economic superpower. [31] The notion of Asian cool applied to Asian consumer electronics is borrowed from the cultural media theorist Eric Mclean who described cool or cold media as stimulating participants to complete additive or visual media content, in sharp contrast to hot Edie that degrades the viewer to a merely passive or non-interactive receiver.Europe Mona Lisa, or La Giaconda (La Cocooned), by Leonardo dad Vinci experimentations, an aristocratic Aristocratic cool, known as supersaturate, has existed in Europe for centuries, particularly when re lating to frank amorality and love or illicit pleasures behind closed doors;[l] Repeals Portrait of Balderdash Castigation and Leonardo dad Vines Mona Lisa are classic examples of supersaturate. [32] The supersaturate of the Mona Lisa is seen in both her smile and the positioning of her hands.

A Summary of Aldous Huxleys Brave New World Essays

A Summary of Aldous Huxleys Brave New World Essays A Summary of Aldous Huxleys Brave New World Essay A Summary of Aldous Huxleys Brave New World Essay Essay Topic: Brave New World Through its pessimistic view f human nature, Huxley elaborates on the methods of achieving a utopia, depicting a future horror in reality. Using the artificially implanted ideas caused by hypermedia, community is achieved when everyone works for everyone else (peg. 91) in order to achieve maximum happiness for the whole society. One of the methods to achieve community is citizens practice a certain way of life that follows the rule that everyone belongs to everyone else (peg. 43), meaning it encourages citizens to have multiple sex partners, or participate in many sexual orgy in order to reach solidarity. Also, the World State believes erotic play between children and adolescents as normal and moral. Next, the social caste system is a high priority to community, since each of the five castes, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilons, conditioning is deluded into feeling as if they are part of the society and not a social outcast. With hypermedia, each caste is thought to appreciate higher classes and conform to the caste ones put in due to repetitive teachings such as, Alpha children wear gray. They work much harder than we do, because theyre so frightfully clever. Im really awfully glad Im a Beta, because I dont work so hard. (peg. 7) The last method used is World State citizens are required to attend strictly regulated, scheduled social activities, such as a solidarity service, obstacle golf and Centrifugal Bumble-puppy, in order to keep citizens occupied and docile. However, if a citizen is withdrawn from everyone else, not promiscuous enough, or does not agree to ones caste, community is not achieved. The methods reveal Huxley fears lack of morality, communism, and lack of free thinking. By encouraging citizens to participate in sexual activities and not think of fidelity, Huxley fears human will have a lack of morality and not know DOD conduct, or behavior is. Creating a caste system for the citizens to belong to show Huxley fear that a Communist dictatorship will run how your part of society. Requiring citizens to participate in social activities in order to keep one busy and not feel alone shows that Huxley fears that one will never be able to have free thinking, or to reflect on the meaning of life. The methods used for community is appalling, immoral, frightening, but in order for community to be achieve the results of identity must be assured. Identity is achieved by teaching World State citizens to inform to ones caste, in order to make one feel different, odd, or a social outcast if one feels more than the minimum of individuality. In the book, genetic engineering is Gamma, Delta, Epsilons, are purposely affected by genetic engineering, for it results in the subordination and inferiority the lower orders have against the upper classes. By pharmaceutically anesthetizing each caste specifically, each caste will passively serve the ruling order. The method of the caste system and using hypermedia is once again revisited, for identity is affected by citizens direct role. The lower orders are aught to hate flowers and books, for A love of nature keeps no factories busy. It was decided to abolish the love of nature, at any rate among lower classes, to abolish the love of nature, but not the tendency to consume transport. (peg. 23) Also, the teachings cause citizens to lack as an individual, for hypermedia teaches children that, Till at last the childs mind is these suggestions, and the sum of the suggestions is the childs mind. And not the childs mind only. The adults mind too-all his life long. The mind that Judges and desire and decides-made up of these suggestions. But all these suggestions are our suggestions Suggestions from the State. (peg. 28-29) Therefore causes citizens to be brainwashed to do their Jobs, either as menial labors, perform administrative Jobs, or work in the government, instead of standing out as an individual in ones caste. The methods used to achieve identity show Huxley fears the possibility of few leaders able to control the masses of the World, for Brave New Worlds government can make people think and look the same without defiance. The methods for community and identity are frightfully thought-provoking ideas but stability needs to be achieved in order for the World State society to be successful as a whole. Through World State citizens work, entertainment, and the consumption of soma, stability will be achieved. The methods to achieve stability has been previously discussed in community and identity, but in order for community and identity to be achieved there must be stability overall. Work is the first method to stabilizing the society, for if one works, there would not be enough time for one to think after work hours only time to dive into pleasure and fun, which leads to entertainment. For entertainment, citizens can do whatever they please as an unconscious reward, since there is no consequences only the risk of citizens to be occupied and docile in their own affairs. Lastly, the consumption of soma, a drug that entertains and raises the sensibility of the consumer, helps insure worldwide stability, since citizens believe a grammar in time saves nine. (peg. 89) With the shallow happiness given to citizens by the utopians government, Huxley fears that people will be controlled through rewards, which poses a greater threat to human freedom rather than punishment. In the west of the world, this seems to be the case, for the people who possess greater power control peoples spending, political loyalties, and even their thoughts with pleasure and distraction, such as large commercial businesses airing commercial Jingles to consumers to buy certain products, instead of consumers buying from little businesses. Also, Huxley fears drugs like tranquilizer, a drug that smooth out any inconvenient instincts of resistance, which is similar to a soma-holiday that eliminates unhappiness, for drugs can invade and take over the conscious mind and culture. All things considered, Brave New World does create the perfect utopian future for the real world, and achieves community, identity and stability. However, the sacrifices to peppiness such as human freedom and individualism to reach the society goals are the caste system, the way of life, the entertainment, the role citizens play in society and the soma for shallow happiness and to achieve the World States motto shows Huxley fears. Huxley fears communism, lack of individuality, lack of ones own control over mind, and the increase of industrialization, but all these fears are supposedly needed to make a perfect utopia? Indeed, through its pessimistic view of human nature, Huxley elaborates on the methods of achieving a utopia, depicting a future horror in reality.

Breack Even Point Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Breack Even Point - Coursework Example The breakeven point is also taken into consideration by the management for finalising the marketing budget and other vital expenses for a particular month, quarter or year. Breakeven analysis is also necessary for new entrants to determine the total capital requirement for starting a business. In reality, majority of the companies need approximately 18 months to reach a point from where they can start making profit. Until then, the company needs extra capital (working capital) to run the business. Breakeven analysis is one such vital tool that assists in understanding when the business will start generating profit, how much extra working capital should be arranged and how much money should be allocated for marketing and other vital activities. The given project will attempt to discuss breakeven analysis in depth to understand how it is conducted, what are the factors that should be used while determining the breakeven point. The concept will be discussed with help of a numeric exampl e so one can understand the real life application of this analytical tool in the decision making process. â€Å"Breakeven point is the point of zero profit† (Hansen, Mowen & Guan, 2007, p.591). In simple words it can be said that breakeven point is a sales volume at which the revenue earned by a firm equals the cost incurred within a specific time period. While developing the business plan for a new venture, the management takes into account different types of costs that will be incurred in the business process. The management then decides the profit margin on the products and hence the final selling price per unit is determined. Considering the total cost as well as the selling price per unit, the management determines the minimum sales so that the company can pay for all the expenses without making any profit. There are two commonly used approaches to determine the breakeven point; it can be

Business Economics for the World Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Economics for the World Market - Essay Example Based on this analysis the total costs of the project exceed the present value of future sales. It is true that the total costs of the project exceed the present value of future sales, but we have to consider the R&D costs were already incurred. If the company were to decide to reject the project the R&D expenses would become a sunk cost. A sunk cost can be defined as cost that has been incurred that cannot be reversed (Investopedia). If the firm decided to forfeit the project the accumulated sunk cost would lead to a project loss of $8 million. On the hand if the firm decided to invest an additional $4 million dollars the firm would end up with a final project loss of $2 million. It is better to lose $2 million than to lose $8 million. Another possibility of continuing the project is for the company to create extension products or other related product lines in the future. These products could help improve the total performance of the project in order to reach profitability. Another consideration for the company is that producing this product can help the firm improve its overall market share in the industry. The firm should have performed a better analysis of the potential returns of the project much earlier in the project life cycle. Since the firm already invested $8 in research and development the best decision is to continue with the project. I do not agree with the recommendation of canceling the project. The firm made bad decision in the past to undertake the project and invest $8 million in R&D without having a good estimate of the potential returns of the project. Right now rejecting the project at its current development stage would compound the original problem. 1b) The new information given that the marketing and overhead expenses associated with continuing the project amount to $4 million does not change my opinion about the best solution for the firm. Based on the new figures the company would lose $6 million if they continue with the project. If the firm decides to discontinue the project the overall loses for the project would be $8 million. The company should continue with the project in order to learn from their experiences. Based on the new information I would be more willing to reject the project if the financial conditions are not correct. For instances if the company does not have the $8 million dollars readily available I would recommend the company does not go out of their way to incurred in moves such as selling common stocks to finance this project. The firm should implement changes in its risk assessment protocols for new products or capital projects in order to incorporate the utilization of methods such NPV to assess the viability of a project prior to investing money in research and development initiatives. 2) The video rental store owner would have benefited a lot from having more knowledge about economic concepts. It is possible that the owner made a decision based on the law of demand and supply which sti pulates that by lowering the price of an item the volumes of sales will go up as a consequence. The error the video rental owner made is that he did not consider the implications of having a price of elasticity of -0.45. The price elasticity of demand is an economic variable that measures the responsiveness of the quantity demanded of a good or service to a change in its price (Absoluteastronomy). The price elasticity of the firm can be categorized as relative elastic since the value of -0.45 which is between cero and -1. This implies

Literature Review Of Forecasting And Definitions Business Essay

Literature Review Of Forecasting And Definitions Business Essay Forecasting is supposed to be one of the oldest management activities. In biblical times there were frequent allusions to clairvoyants and prophets. Nowadays it is becoming increasingly necessary for companies to make forecasts; those that do not give the prospect to their competitors a clear advantage. No forecasting is a main cause of most of todays business failures. In the past, goods could be sold on company reputation alone and forecasting was not too important. In todays more competitive times, sentiment does not apply, and firms that do not challenge their selves to make an accurate forecast on which to base their future production will find it increasingly difficult to survive (Lancaster G.A. Lomas R.A., 1985). Forecasting is important for many aspects of the modern business. Organisations make plans which become effective at some point in the future so they need information about prevailing circumstances (Waters, 2003). This information must be forecast; but unfortunately forecasting is a difficult situation and despite its importance, progress in many areas has been limited (Waters, 2003). According to literature forecasting can be defined: Forecasting is predicting, projecting, or estimating some future event or condition which is outside an organizations control and provides a basis for managerial planning (Golden J. et.al, 1994, p.33) Forecasting is generally used to predict or describe what will happen (for example to sales demand, cash flow, or employment levels) given a set of circumstances or assumptions (Waddell D., et.al, 1994, p.41) Forecasting is a projection into the future of expected demand, given a stated set of environmental conditions (Mentzer J.T. Moon M.A., 2005, p.9) 2.3 Importance of Forecasting Todays globalized business market, the systematic move from push to pull manufacturing, and the rise in consumer oriented economies, have led to a much more complex forecasting world (Lapide, 2006). Forecasters are being asked to create plans for expanding geographies, increased numbers of sales channels, and broader, more diverse, and shorter life cycle product lines. This complexity means that markets are more dynamic and the business environment is not stable (Lapide, 2006). The importance of forecasting is finding in a great range of planning and decision making circumstances. It is essential to mention those perspectives that forecasting can become a useful tool for management in many departments of an organization. In marketing, a great amount of decisions can be improved significantly by connect them with dependable forecasts of market size and market characteristics (Makridakis and Wheelwright, 1989). Having this in mind for example, a company that produces and sells electrical devices should be able to forecast what the demand will be for each of its products by geographic region and type of consumer (Makridakis and Wheelwright, 1989). In production an essential need of forecasting is the area of product demand. This relates with the both prediction of volumes mix so as the organization can plan its production schedule and organize appropriate its inventories (Makridakis and Wheelwright, 1989). Another area that the recent years have linked a lot with forecasting is finance and accounting. These departments must forecast cash flows and the rates at which various expenses and revenues will occur if they are to maintain company liquidity and operating efficiiency (Makridakis and Wheelwright, 1989). Due to the nowadays difficult economic conditions that the whole business markets face up the importance of forecasting has become more imperative than ever. Marketing practitioners regard forecasting as an important part of their jobs. For example, in Dalrymple (1975), 93% of the companies sampled pointed out that sales forecasting was one of the most critical aspects, or a very important aspect of their companys success. Also Jobber, Hooley and Sanderson (1985), in a survey of 353 marketing directors from British textile firms, found that sales forecasting was the most common of nine activities on which they reported (Armostrong J. S. et. al, 2005). Moreover Dalrymple (1987), in a survey among 134 US companies, found that 99% prepared formal forecasts when they developed written marketing plans. Winklhofer et. al (1996) notes some basic factors that the importance of forecasting has become widely essential for the organizations in recent years: The increasing complexity of organizations and their environments led to difficulties for decision makers to take account of all the factors relating to the future growth of the organization into account; Organizations have moved towards more systematic decision making that contains explicit justifications for individual actions, and formalized forecasting is one way that these actions can be maintained; The development of the forecasting methods has enables not only forecasting experts but also managers to become familiar with these techniques. 2.4 Forecasting Methods Moving on, the next step is to present and to analyze the forecasting methods. Forecasting methods can be divided in three basic categories: a) Quantitative or Statistical b) Qualitative or Judgmental c) Time Horizon 2.5 Quantitative or Statistical Quantitative Forecasts base on mathematical models and suppose that past data and other relevant factors can be combined into reliable predictions of the future (The Journal of Business Forecasting, fall 2000). In preparing a quantitative forecast it should begin with a number of observed values, past data, or observations (Makridakis and Wheelwright, 1989). These observations may represent many things, from the actual number of units sold to the cost of producing each unit to the number of people employed (Makridakis and Wheelwright, 1989). Quantitative Forecasts can be divided into two alternative options; projective and casual. 2.5.1 Projective Methods These methods rely on historical data and they are known as time-series. These can be used to discover systematic, seasonal deviations in the data, cyclical patterns, trends and growth rates of the trends (Korpela J. et.al, 1996, p.162). Time-series analyze the data to find out which patterns exist and then develop a suitable forecast equation (Mentzer T. and Mark A.M., 2005). The main forecasting techniques included in this category are moving averages, exponential smoothing and a model for trend and seasonality. A short review of these methods follows. Moving Average Moving average takes account of the calculation of the average of the sample and then forecast the next period having as a driver this average. This is a proper method in order to predict from a series of data which has shown regular historical patterns and where there is a long series. Also they are suitable of predicting seasonal sales but they cant predict accurate rapid modifications in markets. Exponential Smoothing Exponential smoothing is the most popular and cost effective of the statistical methods. It bases on the principle that the latest data should be weighted more heavily and smoothers out cyclical variations to forecast the trend (Armostrong J. S. et. al, 2005). It relies on the idea that as data gets older it becomes less relevant and should be given less weight (Waters, 2003). In order to make this calculation it is needed the old average, the actual new demand and a weighting factor (Wild, 2002). Model for seasonality and trend The techniques that have been discussed so far have assumed that the basic underlying pattern of the past sales data has been horizontal. Waters (2003) proposes a model for use under some specific circumstances such as seasonality and trend in the demand. Demand can be divided in separate parts and more specifically: a) underlying value, which characterizes the main demand that should be adjusted for seasonality and trend b) trend which is the change in demand, c) seasonality which is the cyclical variation around the trend and finally d) noise which is a random effect. 2.5.2 Casual Methods The core assumption behind the casual methods is to use refined and specific information concerning variables to develop a correlation between a lead event and the event being forecasted (Korpela J. et.al, 1996, p.162). The idea based on the hypothesis that there is a discernible relationship between the forecasted variable and a measurable independent variable (Lancaster G.A. Lomas R.A., 1985). A typical example of casual methods is regression method. Regression Method By using a regression method the demand forecast is based on a relationship of one event to another. The use of regression method requires a large amount of data for the forecast variable and the casual variables. 2.6 Qualitative or Judgmental Qualitative Forecasts (The Journal of Business Forecasting, fall 2000) are based on opinions, knowledge and skills rather than more formal analysis. They are used where there is no historical data. These types of forecasts are one of the simplest and widely used forecasting approaches available (Makridakis and Wheelwright, 1989). Its core idea rely on the corporation of the executives by discussing and deciding as a group what their best estimate for is for the item to be forecast (Makridakis and Wheelwright, 1989). The most important judgmental methods are Delphi, Market Surveys and Historical Analogy. Delphi In the Delphi method at least two rounds of forecasts are obtained independently from a small group of experts. This group can be between five and twenty experienced and suitable experts and poll them for their forecasts and reasons (Armstrong J.S, et.al, 2005). The experts never actually meet and typically do not know who the other panel members are (Wisniewski, 2006). After each round, the experts forecasts summed up and reported back to the experts (Armstrong J.S., 2006). The cycle can go on from a second to a third round and so on if appropriate (Lancaster G.A. Lomas R.A., 1985). Typically the Delphi method is used to produce a narrow range of forecasts rather than a single view of the future (Wisniewski, 2006). Market surveys Logic dictates that the most sensible approach to preparing a sales forecast might be ask ones customers (Lancaster G.A. Lomas R.A., 1985). It is a simple matter to ask customers what their likely purchases will be for the period it is desired to forecast. So companies make surveys in order to collect these data from customers and then by analysing their answers produce the forecasts. This method is best used when the number of users is small, when they are likely to state their purchasing intention with reasonable accuracy and when the forecaster knows the extent of competition in the market-place and the companys likely share of the total market (Lancaster G.A. Lomas R.A., 1985, p. 131). Historical Analogy Under limited circumstances it may be possible to produce forecasts based on observed patterns of some similar variable in the past (Wisniewski, 2006).The concept of this method based on the product life-cycle which assumes that the most of the products follow the reasonable stages of introduction, growth, maturity, decline (Lancaster G.A. Lomas R.A., 1985) as the figure 2.1 shows. The product life-cycle theory has been applied in many industries and has proved useful in identifying future strategies for products and services (Lancaster G.A. Lomas R.A., 1985). Maturity Sales/Profit Decline Growth Introduction Time Figure 2.1: Product life cycle Source: (Wisniewski M. (2006), Quantitative Methods for Decision Makers (4th Edition), Prentice Hall, p. 295) 2.7 Time Horizon Forecasts can be classified in terms of time span they cover in the future. The basic types of time horizon forecasts are long-term, medium-term and short-term (Korpela J. et.al, 1996, p.161). The long-term forecasts cover a time span of 3-10 years and they are used in the analysis of standard commitments and can be characterized as strategic decisions. The medium-term forecasts are made for one year to support production planning in the face of highly cyclical demand and can be characterized as tactical decisions. Finally short-term forecasts cover a time of one week to three months and they are used to control manufacturing levels and stock replenishment in the face of short demand variation. Short-term forecasts are concerned for operational decisions (Korpela J. et.al, 1996; Waters, 2003). 2.8 Forecast Error Inaccurate forecasts are the single most common problem that every company faces. Nowadays due to the rise of the technology there are many events or areas that can be predicted such as 1) seasonality, 2) average relationships, 3) average cyclical patterns, 4) emerging technological trends and their influence and many other factors. But on the other hand because future is something unknown there are always situations that are very difficult to predict such as 1) special events, 2) competitive actions or reactions, 3) sales of new products, 4) the start and depth of recessions, 5) changes in trends, 6) changes in relationships or attitudes, 7) and technological innovations (Makridakis and Wheelwright, 1989). Golden J. et.al, 1994, points out three ways-aspects that can reduce the forecast error by taking into consideration the followings: Knowing the market: take the pulse of those who will actually buy and use the product. Be independent. Deflate forecasts for a margin of safety. It is generally known that every forecaster knows that he/she should measure forecast errors. Most of them do it however only for the reason to see how well they are doing. The important is to measure forecasting errors for two primary reasons: to learn from them and to manage demand risk (Lapide L., 2007). Regarding learning from them, forecasts errors should be analyzed to access where errors are too high or have gotten to large so that more focus can be placed in those areas for improvement (Lapide L., 2007). Regarding managing for demand risk, users of the forecast need to know how accurate they are in order to leverage risk management strategies designed to mitigate the risk (Lapide L., 2007). 2.9 Forecasting methods criteria When carrying out market demand forecasts, one often confronts with the problem of the inappropriate selection of a forecast method. It should be noted that in every actual forecast situation methods have their advantages and disadvantages, hence, it is important to define and analyse forecast method selection criteria (Pilinkiene, 2008). In order to select the appropriate method several criteria should be considered such as a) forecast accuracy degree, b) time span, c) amount of necessary initial data, d) forecast costs, e) result implementation and applicability level (Pilinkiene, 2008). According to Cox and Mentzer study (Table 2.1) (1984;cited by Mentzer and Kahn,1995) identified accuracy (92%) and credibility (92%) as top criteria for choosing a forecast technique. Criteria Sample Size % Important Accuracy 205 92 Credibility 206 92 Customer Service Performance 199 77 Ease of Use 206 75 Inventory Turns 198 55 Amount of Data Required 205 46 Cost 205 41 Return on Investment 199 35 Table 2.1: Top criteria for choosing a forecast technique (Source: Mentzer J.T Kahn K.B., (1995) Forecasting Technique Familiarity, Satisfaction, Usage, and Application, Journal of Forecasting, vol.14, p.474) Moreover another important research made by Yokum and Armstrong (1995) (Table 2.2) which based in a survey among 322 experts in forecasting identified the most important criteria. There were 94 researchers, 55 educators, 133 practitioners (i.e. forecast preparers) and 40 decision makers (i.e. forecast users). From this study accuracy was the dominant criterion -rated 6.2 on average-, next was timeliness in providing forecasts, and cost savings resulting from improved decisions. After that five other criteria rated based on ease such as ease of use. Mean agreement rating Question Avg. Decision Maker (DM) Practitioner (PR) Educator (ED) Researcher (RS) Accuracy 6.20 6.20 6.10 6.09 6.39*DM,PR,ED Timeliness in providing forecasts 5.89 5.97 5.92 5.82 5.87 Cost savings resulting from improved decisions 5.75 5.97 5.62 5.66 5.89 Ease of interpretation 5.69 5.82 5.67 5.89 5.54 Flexibility 5.58 5.85*PR,ED,RS 5.63 5.35 5.54 Ease in using available data 5.54 5.79 5.44 5.52 5.59 Ease of use 5.54 5.84*PR,RS 5.39 5.77*PR, RS 5.47 Ease of implementation 5.41 5.80*PR,ED,RS 5.36 5.55 5.24 Incorporating judgmental input 5.11 5.15 5.19 5.12 4.98 Reliability of confidence int. 4.90 5.05 4.81 4.70 5.09 Development cost(computer, human resources) 4.86 5.10 4.83 5.02 4.70 Maintenance cost (data storage, modifications) 4.73 4.72 4.73 4.75 4.71 Theoretical relevance 4.40 3.72 4.43*DM 4.20*DM 4.81*DM *denotes significantly higher ratings (p Table 2.2: Importance of criteria in selecting a forecasting technique (scale- 1 unimportant to 7 important) (Source: Yokum, J. J.S. Armstrong (1995) Beyond Accuracy: Comparison of criteria Used to Select Forecasting Methods, International Journal of Forecasting, 11, p. 593) 2.10 Planning Practices for Improving Forecasting After the analysis of the available forecasting methods and their selection criteria the next step is to propose some planning practices that can improve forecasting, It is known that these practices are not necessary best fit with every company and before someone wants to implement them an evaluation of companys core practices should be made. That can help a company to identify its advantages and disadvantages in order to survive in todays tough market environment and with the help of these practices can become the leader of the market. The complexity and uncertainty that exist in the todays business environment creates many problems to every function of a company. This also affects supply chain management which its initial target is to meet the needs of the final consumer by supplying the right product at the right place, time and price (Helms et.al, 2000). This complexity elevates forecasting accuracy and effectiveness as an elusive target. Many companies are, however, making significant, improvements by using an approach that supports and facilitates the concept of supply chain management by improving the forecasting practices (Helms et.al, 2000). So the planning practices that can improve forecasting are: a) Sales and Operation Planning (SOP) and b) Collaborative Planning Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR). These practices will be analyzed and explained in the following subchapters. 2.10.1 Sales and Operation Planning****FRAMEWORKS*** Sales and Operating Planning (SOP), is a cross-functional process that brings together teams of individuals on a routine basis to plan for where businesses are going on a operational/tactical basis and is considered a supply chain best practice (The Journal of Business Forecasting, 2005; Lapide, 2006). Sales and Operations Planning (SOP) has emerged as a powerful decision-making tool for executives and managers (Wallace et.al, 2005). It is a set of decision making process that 1) balances demand and supply, 2) links a companys day-to-day operations with its strategic and business plans and 3) integrates operational planning with financial planning (Wallace et.al, 2005). ***ÃŽâ„ ¢ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ £ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ©ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ £ ÃŽÂ ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ ÃŽÅ ¡ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ © ÃŽÂ £ÃƒÅ½ÃƒÅ½-ΜΑ ÃŽâ€Å"ÃŽâ„ ¢ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ ÃŽÂ ¤ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 1,2,3** Each team member brings to the process a specific perspective during the development of supply and demand plans/forecasts (Lapide, 2006). Each SOP team member may have to generate, review and revise demand forecasts that reflect the aspects of a business with which they are most familiar (Lapide, 2006). SOP, leverages Supply-Demand Matching, an operating principle that involves balancing supply and demand over time in order to satisfy demand, optimize operations, and minimize wasted resources (The Journal of Business Forecasting, 2005). Under an SOP process, a companys sales and marketing plans are aligned with the plans of operations, logistics, manufacturing, and procurement in order to jointly optimize future demand-supply operations. It is a process from which the final constrained and unconstrained demand forecasts are developed and then used to drive operational planning activities (The Journal of Business Forecasting, 2005). ***Ά¢ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ £ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ÃƒÅ½-ÃŽÂ £ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ ÃŽÂ ¤ÃƒÅ½Ã… ¸ ÃŽâ„ ¢ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¤ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¡ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¤, ÃŽÂ ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ ÃŽâ€Å"ÃŽÂ ¡ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¨ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ©*** The major input for the implementation of SP is the behavioural change of the people inside the organisation and is regarded to be as the most difficult element (Wallace, 2010). Other elements such as software tools, data and the specifics of the process may be essential, but theyre of far less significance. Taking this as a standard the point is that a successful implementation of SOP is a matter of change management. The amount of change is significant. Its not a matter of doing something better; its about doing things differently-to be better (Wallace, 2010). In order to understand SOP process in is important to present and explain the four fundamentals which are demand and supply, volume and mix figure 2.2. Volume (How much?, Rates, Product families) Supply Demand Mix (Which ones?, Timing/Sequence, Products/SKUs) Figure 2.2: The Four Fundamentals Source: Wallace T. Stahl B., (2005), Sales Operation Planning- The Next Generation, pp.6) SOP is a tool to balance demand and supply at the volume level. It deals with rates of sales and production, aggregate inventories and backlogs. It is typically expressed in product families or other aggregate groupings; it answers the question how much. At the mix level the matter is about with which individual products run first, second, third and which customer orders will ship when. It answers the question which ones giving the details (Wallace et.al, 2005). Another important mission for SOP is to tie together the companys operational plans with its financial plans. The financial plans represent, critically essential evident, to deliver X amount of revenue and profit dollars for a specific period of the year. These commitments are made to some very important people such as the corporate office, the board of the directors, the Wall Street and ultimately to owners of the business: the stockholders (Wallace et.al, 2005). On the other hand, the operational plans focus on things like procurement, production, sales, inventories and so on. When these operational plans are not aligned with the business and financial plans, there is a detach. (Wallace et.al, 2005). 2.10.1.1 Sales and Operation Planning Benefits Implementing SOP in a business the benefits will be essential and immediate. These benefits can be categorized into two groups, the hard benefits and the soft benefits. As far as it concerns the hard benefits these can be the following (Wallace et.al, 2005): Higher Customer Service, by developing the ability to ship on time and complete at a higher rate than before SOP. Lower Finished Goods Inventories, by doing a better job of shipping to customers with lower, not higher, inventories. Shorter Customer Lead Times, through an enhanced ability to manage the customer order backlog and keep it at a low level. More Stable Production Rates, due to the ability to predict the future shifts in customer demand sooner and thus make smaller adjustments to production rates. Higher Productivity, by avoiding extreme fluctuations in production volumes with their attendant layoffs and rehiring. Moving on to the soft benefits these include (Wallace et.al, 2005): Enhanced Teamwork, at both the executive and operating management levels, resulting from the holistic view of the business that SOP provides. Better Decisions, by decreasing effort and time. SOP offers, increases effectiveness which improves the quality and the structure of decisions on demand and supply issues. Greater Accountability and Control, due to the backward and forward visibility that SOP provides. 2.10.1.2 Examples of Implementing Sales and Operation Planning a) Coca-Cola Midi (CCM): In France there is a manufacturing regional plant that produces -over 700 SKUs, encompassing 79,000 tons- soft drinks concentrates and juice beverages bases for Europe, Asia and Africa. SOP was implemented at CCM when the plant was started in 1991. SOP is for CCM the backbone for planning, manufacturing and supply-chain activities. SOP enables disciplined and formalized communications across the company, and between all the suppliers, partners and customers. Continuous improvement in customer service, inventory management, obsolete products, and freight costs were some of SOP benefits after the implementation. (www.partnersforexcellence.com). b) ***ÃŽÂ ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ ΒΑΆºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ © ΑΆºÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒÅ½Ã… ¸ ÃŽÂ  ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¡ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â€ž ¢ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬Å"ΜΑ*** 2.10.2 Collaborative Planning Forecasting Replenishment (CPFR) Collaborative planning forecasting and replenishment (CPFR), is a revolutionary business practices where in trading partners use technology and a standard set of business processes for Internet-based collaboration on forecasts and plans for replenishment (KJR Consulting, 2002). CPFR can be categorized into these collaborative business practices that enabled trading partners to have visibility into ones other critical demand, order forecasts and promotional forecasts. The objective of CPFR is to improve efficiencies across the extended supply chain, reducing inventories, improving service levels and increasing sales (KJR Consulting, 2002). Wal-Mart and Warner-Lambert embarked on the first CPFR pilot, involving Listerine products, in 1991. In their pilot, Wal-Mart and Warner-Lambert used special CPFR software to exchange forecasts. Supportive data, such as past sales trends, promotion plans, and even the weather, were often transferred in an iterative fashion to allow them to converge on a single forecast in case their original forecast differed (Avin Y., 2001). As a result of CPFR implementation Warner-Lamberts service levels increased from 87% to 98%, while the lead times to deliver the product decreased from 21 to 11 days (Boone T. et.al, 2000).***ÃŽÂ ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ ΆÃƒÅ½Ã‚ © ÃŽ-ΜΆ¢ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¡ÃƒÅ½Ã… ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã…“ÃŽ-ÃŽÂ ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â€ž ¢ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ** Also this pilot was very successful, having as a result an increase in Listerine sales and better fill rates, having also a reduction on inventory investment (Avin Y., 2001). The key idea behind CPRF is that the trading partners (retailer and manufacturer), work together in order to produce a common forecast. Both the retailer and the manufacturer collect market intelligence on product information, store programs etc., and share it in real-time over the Internet. In most cases, the retailer owns the sales forecast; if the manufacturer agrees with the forecast, automatic replenishments are made to the retailer via predetermined business contracts so that a specific level of inventory or customer service is maintained (Boone T. et.al, 2000). In the case that the retailer and the manufacturer cant agree on the forecasts or if there are exceptions, such as unusual demand season or a store opening, the forecasts are reconciled manually. An important point is before the implementation of CPFR when the partners should agree on several key questions such as how to measure service levels and stock-out, how to set inventory and service targets (Boone T. et.al, 2000). The difference between CPFR and other business process tools and initiatives, such as Efficient Consumer Response (ECR), is that the other models require critical mass before any benefits are realized. Promotional plans and the business goals are the most famous areas of collaboration between the trading partners. After that order/replenishment plans, inventory status and sales forecast seems to be very critical themes for this relationship. 2.10.2.1 CPFR Process Model ***ÃŽÂ ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ ÃŽÂ ¤ÃƒÅ½Ã… ¸ ÃŽÅ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ © ΑН ΒΠ¡ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ © ÃŽÅ ¡ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¤ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â€ž ¢*** 2.10.2.2 CPFR Benefits There have been recorded and identified many benefits of CPFR. The CPFR documents that are available on the VICS Committee sites show that there is a 30%-40% improvement in forecast accuracy, significant increases in customer service, sales increase between 15% and 60% and reduction in days of supply 15%-20% (Sheffi Y., 2002). AMR Research (2001) reported a range of benefits that came through CPFR implementation in many companies and there are divided into retailer benefits and manufacturer benefits as it is shown in table 2.3. Retailer Benefits Typical Improvement Better store shelf stock rates 2% to 8% Lower inventory levels 10% to 40% Higher sales 5% to 20% Lower logistics costs 3% to 4% Manufacturer Benefits Typical Improvement Lower inventory levels 10% to 40% Faster replenishment cycles 12% to 30% Higher sales 2% to 10% Better customer service 5% to 10% Table 2.3: Typical CPFR Benefits Source: Sheffi Y.,(2002), The value of CPFR, RIRL Conference Proceedings As far as it concerns the retailers benefits the highest is the reduction in inventory levels which has a drop from 10% to 40%. After that the increase in sales from 5% to 20% is another essential benefit. On the other hand the manufacturers benefits relate again with a elimination in inventory levels from 10% to 40% and also it offers a faster replenishment cycles from 12% to 30%. In accordance with a questionnaire constructed by KJR Consulting and sent via e-mail to 130 GMA (Grocery Manufacturers of America) companies that have implement CPFR best practice a great range of benefits raised that can indicate the importance of CPRF for the modern complexity businesses. These benefits have been categorized in the following Figure 2.1. Figure 2.4: Anticipated Benefits of CPFR Sou