Leading and motivating a team effectively Essay

1.1. Explain the importance of the team having a common sense of purpose that supports the overall vision and strategy of the organisation (16 marks) A shared sense of purpose in an organisation is important as it unites employees working in an organisation and can also extend to external stakeholders. An organisations shared sense of purpose represents its identity and therefore the services it provides and the persons and organisations that benefit from these services. A shared sense of purpose is important because it: †¢Ensures employees from across an organisation are working towards common goals †¢Ensures employees are motivated and engaged to achieve these goals †¢Encourages employees to feel committed to an organisation †¢Causes employees to find their work meaningful and motivates them to put in extra discretionary effort †¢Makes employees more satisfied with their working conditions and pay and makes employees motivated to stay within an organisation. †¢Provides employees with a context within which they can understand their role within the team and how their contribution plays a part in that team. †¢Enables employees to work collaboratively to achieve a goal rather than choosing their own technique or method potentially at the expense of the organisation or other employees. †¢Allows employees to share in the success of an organisation motivating them to succeed both individually and within a team. 1.2 Explain the role that communication plays in establishing a common sense of purpose (16 marks) Communication plays a key role in establishing and maintaining a common sense of purpose in an organisation. The nature, frequency, style and person communicating all contribute to establishing a sense of purpose. What, when, why and to whom are all important factors effecting the success of communication in creating a shared sense of purpose. Unnecessary communication in organisations wastes time and can create indifference to the message, staff moral is reduced and important  messages can be lost. In order to maintain a shared sense of purpose communications should be targeted to the people you wish to reach. They should be clear and say the things that are needed – not everything that can be thought of. The â€Å"story† should be adjusted to fit the experiences and aspirations of the audience. Communication plays a role in creating job satisfaction for lower level employees. These employees may feel a need for senior leaders to demonstrate that they too live and work to the shared values of the organisation. There is also a need for employees to feel their views are listened to and acted upon so creating a two way flow of information is key to employees’ satisfaction and to them feeling an integral part of an organisation. One to one communication between managers and there team such as appraisals and one to one meetings are also key to creating sense of shared purpose. Top-down communication has a role in conveying direction to employees as well as clear ideas on priorities and organisational goals. Listening and accepting bottom up communication is key to staff moral, making staff feel valued and helping them to understand the importance of theirs and others roles in a team. Peer to peer communication helps to build a knowledge base amongst staff and allows staff to test out and fine tune ideas and work together more effectively. Communications most important role is to inspire others and to convey a passion for an organisation which other people can get behind. 1.3 Assess the effectiveness of own communication skills on the basis of the above (12 marks) I assessed my own communication skills based on informal interviews with previous colleagues from my roles in science co-ordination and project management. I choose previous colleagues as I felt I would get more honest answers not having to work with them on a daily basis and I have not been in my current roles for very long in order for colleagues to assess all aspects of my communication skills. Feedback was as follows. My written communication skills are very strong. I believe this is mostly due to development of my writing in my previous PR role and the 3 years I spent working with a community of international researchers necessitating a need for clear instructions without the use of particularly advanced English vocabulary. My emails are very clear, they are friendly but make clear distinction between information I am passing on and actions which need to be  addressed. Deadlines and what is expected of the recipient is clearly stated. My persuasion skills were also thought to be strong as was ability to motivate and empathise and bring people round to my way of thinking. One respondent commented that I have a â€Å"very nice way of nagging people†. My listening skills could be improved. I am sometimes too keen to ask questions when a person has not finished speaking and my need to plan and â€Å"put things into neat boxes† can feel imposing on people with different learning styles and very creative personalities. I also have a tendency to write extensive notes in meetings and 1-2-1’s in order not to miss anything and to record peoples responses correctly – this can, however, come across as my being disengaged from the conversation and â€Å"not taking on board what is said†. My presenting skills are good. My visuals in presentations are clear and slides interesting with good use of diagrams and illustrations rather than overly wordy however I have a tendency to speak too fast, show I am nervous and not make eye contact with an audience making me appear less confident than I might be in what I am presenting. One respondent also commented that I need to â€Å"stop trying to please everybody and worrying about what everyone thinks of me†. I feel some resonance with this in that I do worry excessively about upsetting or offending people at work and have a tendency to take to heart comments from other colleagues. My colleague commented that you â€Å"can’t get everyone to like you† which is true however you can get everyone to respect you and I feel that as a leader it is important to think about others feelings and make sure they understand the motivation for you actions if they will dislike the outcome. Know how to motivate and develop the team 2.1 Describe the main motivational factors in a work context and how these may apply to different situations, teams and individuals Every employee and team will have a different set of factors that motivates them to do their best. The main motivational factors in the workplace are Extrinsic Motivational Factors †¢Financial This is a basic motivation for work. A salary provides for housing, bills, food, clothing and leisure activities. Some employees will be motivated by  potential for pay rise or promotion and an opportunity to climb the ladder, other employees may be happy to accept a lower rate of pay for a job they find interesting and satisfying or for other benefits such as flexible working, pensions, healthcare or company vehicles. †¢Personal Enjoyment / Satisfaction Although not every employee will feel there work is there main passion doing a job they enjoy is important to most employees and a large motivator in making employees happy to come to work and likely to be engaged in their work and dedicated to the businesses goals. A leader/manager has a role in providing a working environment where employees feel important and that they are rewarded for there dedication whether that be financially or emotionally. †¢Flexibility Flexibility in working practices surrounding annual leave, family leave, normal working hours and home working is important to many employees. By allowing flexibility in these areas an employer also opens up opportunities for potential employees who cannot work a normal working week in the office. Flexible working can take pressure off employees with family or care commitments and giving employees a level of autonomy shows confidence in them which can be a big motivator. Employees may also appreciate and employers understanding that there life outside of work is important and effects the quality of their work when in the office. Intrinsic motivational factors †¢Impact Employees want to know that there work matters and has a positive impact on customers, consumers and the world at large. Encouraging employees to always provide the best service they can and ensuring that customer satisfaction is communicated even to those without direct client contact can keep employees motivated and engaged with the businesses goals. †¢Recognition / Reward Ensuring that milestones such as meeting/exceeding targets or project completion are recognised and rewarded is important in maintaining motivation of individuals and teams. A reward can be financial such as a  bonus or gift or can be as simple as a thank you. Recognition can be made on a one to one basis, in a peer group highlighting an individual’s achievements or as a team recognition helping aid team cohesion and pride in work. 2.2 Explain the importance of a leader being able to motivate teams and individuals and gain their commitment to objectives It is important for a leader to be able to motivate teams and individuals as the leader plays a large part in setting the goals of the team and hence in making work of the team members achievable, enjoyable and satisfying. Leaders need to find out what motivates each employee and the team as an entity in itself so that goals can be modified to achieve agreed outcomes and satisfy all team members in a job well done. Some may be motivated by money, some by praise and thanks and some by work-life balance or a combination of all these factors and more. A manager can undertake one-on-one employee analyses to understand employees work-related desires, it is likely most employees will appreciate a leaders interest in their lives and desires. A leader can help to gain the commitment of employees by being honest and frank and dealing with individuals in a straightforward and fair manner. This ensures each individual feels they will be rewarded in proportion to their effort and also not reprimanded unfairly. A manager can also gain employee commitment by â€Å"leading by example†. If you wish to motivate employees to succeed you should behave in the way you would like them to behave and try to refrain from allowing bad habits such as distraction or procrastination to emerge. Being kind, respectful and giving thanks and praise where due will motivate employees to do the same. It is important for a leader to set realistic goals for individuals and teams in order to maintain motivations. Employees need to have milestones or performance indicators and timeframes against which they can set their achievements and a leader needs to motivate and enable employees to reach these targets. 2.3 Explain the role that a leader plays in supporting and developing the team and its members and give practical examples of when this will be necessary Arguably the most important role a leader plays in supporting and developing the team is to provide a sense of purpose. The leader is responsible for setting and defining a common goal and engaging individuals in a team to work towards this. In large organisations such as UEA there is an organisational goal defined within the mission statement by senior management but this can seem very far away from individuals. The team leader can set goals centred on the teams own daily working practices and herein instil a sense of purpose and achievement individuals and groups. A leader’s focus is to create an effective team. For the team to be effective every member must play there part so establishing a shared set of values for the team is key to ensuring high quality outputs. The leader must recognise the diversity of team members but mesh these individuals skills and aptitudes together so that each member is engaged by their work and shares a sense of satisfaction in the teams achievements as a whole. Even the lowest paid positions are essential to team and these employees should not be allowed to feel anything other than equals to other team members. A reward system that values the responsibilities of each individual can help to aid this. A leader also develops the team by coaching and training. An employee will perform better and be more engaged with their work if they feel they have opportunities to learn and develop. Making sure team members are encouraged and supported to gain new skills and develop wherever opportunities exist will also improve team loyalty, participation and raise aspirations. Some areas of work can be repetitive and potentially boring. It is a leaders responsibility to make work engaging wherever possible. In my own leadership role I have previously employed a number of junior staff to undertake data entry. To try to maintain team interest I constantly moved individuals between projects to keep things fresh in their minds and also created informal â€Å"awards† for speed and accuracy giving the work a friendly and competitive element. I also invited comment on how we could develop and improve the data entry and offered to relay these to senior management. In order to inspire employees to perform better it is often better to delegate a level of authority to team members. There is little engagement in simply performing the tasks you are instructed to do but by giving an employee ownership of a task or process they can help to improve this. Showing this  level of trust in employees, listening to their ideas and trusting there judgement can also empower them to take on further responsibility and a level of self-management. As long as a team member is given clear information about what you need them to achieve and knows you are there to support them when needed they should be able to progress without the need for micromanagement or dictatorial behaviours. Finally clear, two-way communication is key to successful leadership of teams. A leader may be involved in goal setting, allocation of tasks, scheduling work programmes etc. but can be open to team members comments on this. Asking for feedback from the team on how these allocations are working may lead to even more affective assignment of work. If the team are allowed to critic the leader they may also be more responsive to constructive criticism received from the leader. Praise, when it is due, is a very important form of communication and listening to team members ideas and/or concerns will help reassure and motivate individuals.

Gender Equality Essay

World bodies have defined gender equality in terms of human rights, especially women’s rights, and economic development. [12][13] UNICEF describes that gender equality â€Å"means that women and men, and girls and boys, enjoy the same rights, resources, opportunities and protections. It does not require that girls and boys, or women and men, be the same, or that they be treated exactly alike. [14] The United Nations Population Fund has declared that men and women have a right to equality. [15] see more:speech on gender inequality â€Å"Gender equity† is one of the goals of the United Nations Millennium Project, to end world poverty by 2015; the project claims, â€Å"Every single Goal is directly related to women’s rights, and societies where women are not afforded equal rights as men can never achieve development in a sustainable manner. [13] Thus, promoting gender equality is seen as an encouragement to greater economic prosperity. [12] For example, nations of the Arab world that deny equality of opportunity to women were warned in a 2008 United Nations-sponsored report that this disempowerment is a critical factor crippling these nations’ return to the first rank of global leaders in commerce, learning and culture. In 2010, the European Union opened the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) in Vilnius, Lithuania to promote gender equality and to fight sex discrimination. It is also worthy to note that gender equality is part of the national curriculum in Great Britain and many other European countries. Personal, Social and Health Education, religious studies and Language acquisition curricula tend to address gender equality issues as a very serious topic for discussion and analysis of its effect in society.

Terrorism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Terrorism - Assignment Example The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), or the Tamil Tigers are known to be the pioneers of suicide bombing, yet, they are seen as ‘liberators’ by local Tamils. Thus, the answer to whether the Tamil Tigers are terrorists or not is a complicated one that is dependent on subjective, biased analysis of power politics of Sri Lanka. 2) In the aftermath of the attack on the World Trade Center, the question of terrorism as a justifiable means to achieving liberation has been hotly debated within the United States of America. While many believe that terrorism, an act of harm, can never justify a quest for national freedom, there are also arguments that see terrorism as understandable under certain circumstances. The use of violence in Apartheid South Africa, in pre partition India and during the Iranian revolution, for example, has given voice to social, political and religious demands. Even so, the major drawback of acts of violence is that they affect everyone without dis crimination (Saul). A bomb blast in a shopping market may put pressure on the government, but the ones who are directly affected, injured or killed in the attack suffer regardless of their political alignment. The injustice of terrorism taints its legitimacy, and makes it an undesirable means to achieving a noble goal. 3) Faith-based natural law is justified by religious extremists in the modern world since they see their faith as the ‘one true way’ for eternal salvation (Wallis). All those believing in the truth are perceived as virtuous men while all ‘disbelievers’ are seen as worthy of violent punishment for disobeying the Divine Word. The problem with such an approach lies in the fact that there is not one religion that claims monopoly of the truth, but many religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Hinduism are part of a grand tug of war of what the true faith is (Aslan). As a result, innocent lives are put at stake by religious extremists who find legitimacy for their violent acts in religious scriptures. However, examples from history and modern day extremism give us evidence of how faith-based natural law is used to achieve political ends. Religious zealotry and fanaticism is used to power economically and politically motivated agendas. Faith-based natural law therefore does not serve to justify violent acts committed against innocent people. 4) Projected trends for the future of faith-based terrorism can be explained through the help of a five pronged model. First, there is a need to establish that in today’s world of sophisticated communication methods, the spread of extremist religious propaganda is inevitable. Not only is the World Wide Web an easy platform for religious groups to spread their thoughts and ideologies amongst everyone, television and print media also play a crucial role in popularizing support for such groups. Secondly, in the wake of the US war against Iraq, a CIA report for 2005 has rev ealed that a â€Å"new generation of Islamist Extremists† (Martin, 153) has been created, which poses serious threat to future world security. Thirdly, Al Qaeda has evolved into a symbolic representation, which continues to influence thoughts, along with, fourthly, the globalization of the Jihadi movement. Lastly, religious extremism is strongly present and growing within the Christian thought,

INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING Speech or Presentation

INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING - Speech or Presentation Example For example, the cost of sales amount represents the total amount of cost that was incurred or during the same accounting period as when the sales output was made. The purpose is to ensure that the gross profit and the net profit are generated from deducting the same period costs and expenses to the same period revenues (Dyson, 2010). Relevance concept states that all data gathered and presented must be relevant to the decision making process (Noreen, 2008). If the manager plans to set up a branch in Scotland, the manager needs relevant data from Scotland, not from China (Dyson, 2010). Additionally, the raw materials information is relevant to the management’s decision as to replacing the current raw materials with higher quality raw materials (Weetman, 2006). The move is set to increase the customers’ demand for the company’s products and services. Reliability concept states that some misstatements of the company’s financial report accounts may reduce the readers’ reliability on the financial reports (Dyson, 2010). For a report to be reliable or trustworthy, companies are required to have an independent or external auditor submit a report as the trueness of the financial reports presented to interested parties (Verzuh, 2005). On the other hand, the amount paid is recorded as a debit to taxes or licenses or business permits. The company will also record the credit to cash for the year 2012. Consequently, the amount paid increases the expenses shown in the income statement. Similarly, the balance sheet will show a deduction amounting to  £4,800 and another  £4,800 for the entire 2012 annual accounting period ending December 31 2007 (Drury, 2006). The company should record a debit to accounts receivable. The account title represents the amount that the customer promises to pay at an agreed future time. Similarly, the company will record a sales amount in the sales or revenue section of the client’s financial statements (Dyson,

Marketing and Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing and Supply Chain Management - Essay Example It is in this particular instance that each of the individual companies shows their prowess and showcases what type of management they have and how stable that management is. Adversities always call for the greatest minds to work out the best management cues that will definitely allow the company to withstand any turbulent moment and engage the stakeholders in every aspect of the decision-making pyramid. Relationship management is the main source of relief for any company that is seeking leverage in economic hardships (Goldberg 2001, p. 11). However, these relationship management strategies may come with even worse effects if not handled properly. Thus, understanding what the company requires and how this can be achieved with minimal changes is an essential step towards meeting the goals of the company. The maximum is expected but this has to be approached in a slow but sure manner (Bowersox, Closs and Cooper 2002, p. 33). As will be witnessed in this report, the case of ChemCo indus tries is one significant study that will help us understand the importance of key accounting management, the relevance of relationship management and how a mishap in implementing either can lead to total disaster. The case study will also be used to investigate the impact of KAM as applied by the company and what impact it had on its stakeholder sin the long run. The report will also explore the different ways and means through which internal and external relationships can be harmonized to create a company that has better and stronger economic outlook despite the challenges they face. Supply Chain Management and Business-to-Business Marketing Business –to-Business marketing can be defined under the notion of the changing relationships between the organisations engaging in either supplying or distribution of products amongst each other. They may be defined as the continuing interactions between the two parties rather than a sequence of encounters where manipulation of prices o r demand is done by the supplier as they engage with suspicious customers (Hoegh 2008, p. 302). This can be related to the fact that those given the chance to deal with the marketing strategies may have competing interests in the business which may hinder rational decision making when the company is in question this may be witnessed and confirmed by the fact that ChemCo’s KAM manager decided what prices were to be set for certain clients while neglecting others in a bid to win over clients during their downhill financial trend. When dealing with the market and the organisation, there is something called marketing logistics that needs to be reconsidered to help understand what is expected in any setting. The market logistics are aimed at critically analysing the relationships between the two parties. This is where theories such as the 4P’s, Porter’s five force analysis and PCDA model of quality control come into focus. The company looks at the best ways through w hich their products can be attractive, how their prices and processes can be maintained or altered to improve their appeal to their clients or how they can analyze their processes and improve them to meet the demands of the clients (Hines 2004, p. 66). As such, any supply chain manager will seek to use even broader logistics to come up with a strategy that suits the entire chain and works at meeting the goals of the company whether by including the subsidiaries or delegating duties and targets for each of the subsidiaries to achieve (Mentzer et. al. 2001, p. 3). However, it is crucial to understand that chain management does not exclude even the smallest retailers in the chain. Instead, as a manager, considering the benefits of

Ethics and Legal Environment, Business Association and Torts, Critical Assignment

Ethics and Legal Environment, Business Association and Torts, Critical Thinking - Assignment Example The negative publicity can affect the firms' performance in the market and Gabe’s tenure might also cause dissension within the organization itself, especially among the shareholders who are intent on making a profit. To decide on this matter, Badaracco impresses on the decision maker to judge responsibly. Ultimately, he proposes the evaluation of the interests of all the stakeholders involved. The idea is to determine the benefit so that the decision will achieve "the most good and the least harm" (p.5). The entire list that should be evaluated to determine the net benefit can be constituted by the entire organization. This variable is representative of the shareholders, the employees and Garry, himself, as the owner. Such evaluation, however, is complicated by the fact that a dismissal may have a mixed impact internally. For instance, the organization may benefit from it as it could achieve favorable market perception. However, the organization could also suffer from being kept out of a beneficial chairmanship. To resolve this, one could try looking at specific details of the case. An outline of these relevant facts can reveal the best possible benefit for the organization. First, there is the fact that Gabe is not only a productive leader but he also excels in forging relationships. He has great people skills, a trait that helped him earn the chairmanship in the first place. It follows, therefore, that he has excellent relations with both employees and shareholders alike. He must, therefore, be well regarded among these stakeholders. Calls for his dismissal, hence, may not be strong within the firm. It is also helpful to consider several mitigating circumstances. There is Gabe’s work for the community and his causes. In addition, there is the motivation behind the exposure of Gabe's criminal record. Skeeter had malicious intent in leaking Gabe's story to the media.

Small Business Enterprise Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Small Business Enterprise - Case Study Example Good reputation and experience in the industry. Dues to already established positive reputation, further expansion of business involves less risks. Moreover, the managers have experience in the industry, while lack of experience is one of the top reasons of small business failure (Holmes, S. Haswell, S. 1989). High quality of products served. The major reason of coffee shop success is the high quality of food served that results in positive reputation and word of mouth spread of information about services and products offered. While, undoubtedly, there is a vast number of factors that have a positive influence on business functioning, the coffee shop has significant drawbacks that should be particularly considered when planning expansion. Poor marketing campaign. The business has to concentrate on development of the marketing mix alongside with research of the target audience needs. The issue is particularly relevant due to the fact that the target audience of the gift shop is mainly tourists; consequently, word of mouth recommendations are not sufficient enough. The variety of products offered at the gift shop should also be considered in relation to the target audience needs, perhaps, the products list offered should be expanded. Poor labor specialization. Bob and Jane are the only two employees of the business. While their day to day duties involve simple serving work, obviously, the personnel are too qualified for this type of work. By hiring helpers that would serve at the coffee and gift shop, the managers could devote more time to marketing and planning of their business, thus, the efficiency of the business would grow. This issue is particularly relevant when considering business expansion. In order to neutralize the negative effects of business weaknesses, the identified strengths should be matched against weaknesses and on the base of the received outcome further planning should be implemented (Bannock, G. 2005). The effect of poor marketing campaign can be neutralized by further development of positive reputation of the business in the industry alongside with conducting marketing research in access of funds available in terms of the geographic location of the business. Poor labor specialization can be matched against high quality of products served alongside with positive reputation of the business in the industry, since expansion of the business will most likely result in diminished contacts with clients (Bitner, L. Powell, J. 1987). Part II: Existing Business Improvement and Expansion Consequently, the business should concentrate on development of the marketing mix applicable in the present situation alongside with marketing planning and labor specialization that should be considered in terms of business expansion. While development of the marketing mix and marketing campaign as well as research of the present market should be outsourced to the third party, e. g. marketing agency, such issues as financial planning and staffing should be directly solved by the management. Marketing and promotion is crucial to any business. Development of

T.S. Eliot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

T.S. Eliot - Essay Example The fourth part, by far the shortest, transitions to the final part and then moves to discuss concepts of a different persuasion. The poem, a challenging discourse which spans Literatures, characters and time creates the notion of disconnect but symbolizes in its entirety the fragmentation of today’s society bought by war despite of, or maybe because of, modernity. Eliot effectively challenges traditional poetry by setting forth the more imminent themes that are taking place in society. Because art is not merely an imitation of life, it is a tool to demonstrate a reflection of our own vanity and pitfalls as human beings. The theme of the war is a principal element of the poem which is clear by the timeframe when it was written, after the World War I which was considered in its time as the first Great War. The atrocities of war are a common knowledge that though people are aware of it, the same is not divulged by the very nature of its brutality. We know war, we understand that it does occur, but we do not recognize what actually happens in the frontlines. This notion is even more apparent in today’s world where wars are fought in distant lands involving foreign faces that are neither acknowledged nor talked about. People live in the comforts of battles fought by strangers through technologies that make it easier to defeat any other less organized or funded army crushed by the more technology-advanced force. â€Å"Unreal City,/ Under the brown fog of a winter dawn,/ A crowd flowed over London Bridge, so many,/ I had not thought death had undone so many. /Sighs, short and infrequent, were exhaled,/ And each man fixed his eyes before his feet.† (Eliot 60-65). This speaks to the author’s disbelief over the indifference of the people as to the extent of death that was upon their feet. Alaeddini and Jeihouni perceptively observe, â€Å"To Eliot inaction provides the desired pretext for the power holders

Health Promotion Plan on Substance Abuse Assignment

Health Promotion Plan on Substance Abuse - Assignment Example The selected population stratum for this teaching program is teenage school students within the age limit of 13-14 years. This segment is particularly selected because researches have shown that substance abuse usually begins in early teenage life due to various factors and not only affects the quality of present life by causing physical and mental distress but also leads to alcoholism and drug addiction later. Literature Review Alcoholism and drug addiction is an increasing problem in adolescents these days. Various researches conducted have shown an increasing trend in the consumption of sentence abuse. Where there are various factors identified for this increased pattern of consumption, one of them was found to be unsupervised teenage life in which substance abuse leads to addiction in later part of life. According to researches conducted by Changalwa et al. (2012), Bahr and Hoffman (2012) and, Peckham and Morgan-Lopez (2007), there is a direct link between parenting styles and su bstance abuse in teenagers and adolescents. Teenagers with unhealthy or strained bonding with their parents and guardians tend to develop inclination towards substance abuse during their teenage life which leads to addiction in future. ... ces of them drinking excessively later in life.† Hence, children with their parents having authoritative parenting style tend to develop healthy personalities since this parenting style is a combination of love, independence and supervision allowing children to make decisions (shunning rebellion resulting substance abuse) but with necessary guidance (which allows teenagers to be aware of what is harmful for them and do not give them over-independence). Therefore, child’s desires are well-respected but with necessary controls imposed. According to American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2011), â€Å"The most commonly used illegal drugs are marijuana (pot), stimulants (cocaine, crack, and speed), LSD, PCP, opiates, heroin, and designer drugs (Ecstasy).   The use of illegal drugs is increasing, especially among young teens.   The average age of first marijuana use is 14, and alcohol use can start before age 12.   The use of marijuana and alcohol in high school has become common†. It is important to note that drugs and alcohol are not easily accessible commodities. Therefore, for teenagers to have access to them means getting involved in criminal activities or being present in an environment which is harmful for their cognitive growth. According to researches of Baumrind (1991) and Njenga (2005), environment and inheritance are the two decisive factors which instigate substance abuse in teenagers. For an environment, current family setup, daily settings including academic setup and playgrounds, cultural forces and peer pressure are the basic elements which have direct impact on the teenagers and adolescents. On the other hand, hereditary traits also play a vital role in inducing substance abuse even if the environment is healthy enough. Various researches

Benefits of Yoga Essay Example for Free

Benefits of Yoga Essay In chapter 15, The Cauliflower Robbery, Yogananda has harvested 6 cauliflowers that he is proud to share with Sri Yukteswar. As the disciples are called out to go march, Sri Yukteswar questions Yogananda about whether he locked the door to the Ashram or not. Yogananda carelessly replies that he thinks so. In teaching a lesson, Sri Yukteswar relates thoughts with a peasant and has him steal one of Yoganandas cauliflowers. Much like the way a radio operates, Sri Yukteswars thoughts vibrate in radio waves and he receives signals from other people then carries their thoughts out. A couple days later Yoganandas lamp had been missing so he assumed the master would know where it is. The master read Yoganandas thoughts and directed him directly to where another pupil said he took it to. The lamp was not where the pupil said it was and Yogananda realized Sri Yukteswar was only mocking his expectations because he wouldnt display his powers when challenged. Weeks passed, and one day the master asked the narrator to lead his disciples on a procession walk across the beach. Yogananda was worried the sun would make the sand too hot to bare but Sri Yukteswar assured him that with faith in the Omnipresent God his problems will be resolved. The master had faith that God would protect him and his disciples as long as he was faithful in him and indeed God provided clouds to make shade for the sand trail. The lesson learned in this chapter is that God is impartial and will listen to everyone that has faith in him. He will fulfill anything one strongly desires with the right heart and faith. As a christian, this chapter strongly relates and is a recurring message in my life. Like Yogananda, I constantly forget to keep my strong faith and to trust that God will provide in the end. Many times in my life I have forgotten about God as I try to resolve all of my own issues. Things dont end up my way but usually they end up better because Gods plan is always best. Especially in the chapter of my life where I need guidance, Im searching the internet, career sources, and the counselors for answers, but what this chapter of the book reminds me is that I need to meditate or pray to God to seek answers. This class has helped me spend my time more positively. Its helped me to find my way back to my faith and has given me the ability to focus and pray deeply. Although it is only a slight change, Ive learned to spend more time  outdoors rather than indoors during my spare time. Before this class I mightve spent hours watching episodes of Gossip Girl on Netflix to relieve my stress after my last class of the week, but now I go to the beach on Fridays after class to calm my mind and body. In doing this Ive been able to spend more time reflecting on who I am as an individual and the kind of person I aspire to be. After learning basic pranayamas or breathing techniques Ive been practicing it at the beach where the repetition of the waves crash in sync to my breath. This act of going to the beach with just my towel and myself has become a favorite routine. It serves as a time for me to delve deeper into my soul and really see the person I wish to portray to the world. Through these beach meditations I have also been able to realize and expand my potential as a human being. On the other hand, the asana practice has challenged my every muscle. Having taken yoga classes for a while and being a dancer, I figured this class would just be like before or easier (I apologize for the underestimation). Instead I found myself challenged each day because you paid attention to detail to every students form and pushed students to stretch further or contract stronger. The difference with the asana practice I got out of this class and the ones I got at a yoga studio is that you, the teacher, always allowed room for the students to further stretch or strengthen. The other studios had the students placed by level and if you couldnt keep up, well then you should have signed up for an easier class. Whereas here, I felt comfortable that i was able to practice the poses at my own rate. Some were harder and some were easier. Either way I never felt above or below the class, which is very fair for all the students. Because I had such a great experience in this yoga class, Ive applied what I learned to my other classes. I became so intrigued in the lecture at the beginning of the course describing the benefits of yoga that I made a speech about it to present to my Human Communications class. All the benefits listed at the start of the course such as being able to get a better sleep, better digestion, and endurance in exercise has proven true in my life. I walked back to my dorm after every class feeling lighter and fresher. Maybe it was the post exercise endorphins but I assure you that the lightweight  feeling came from releasing my burdens during the affirmations. I was so inspired by this that I knew I had to inform others of this great practice. I also understand that yoga is not simply a physical activity, it is a spiritual trail that helps the mind think better so I stressed that in the speech. Im glad I signed up for this class, because I got both physical and spiritual benefits out of it. In the future I will continue to take yoga classes and suggest yoga classes to others.

Uniqlo In Hong Kong Business Essay

Uniqlo In Hong Kong Business Essay Many businesses exist and flourish because they are successful in satisfying a need in the market. These needs are determined by the consumers who are considered an important component of any business endeavour. The primary reason for a business existence is to continue identifying consumer needs and then come up with tangible responses to address these needs. This requirement makes business companies spend a considerable amount of effort and intellect in analysing the behaviour of the consumers in order to effectively formulate appropriate marketing strategies that would assist the firm in effective production and delivery. Smart, D. T., Martin, C. L. (1992) argued that the study of consumers makes companies and organisations recognise and internalise consumer issues that would help strengthen their marketing strategies. In this paper several issues are discussed pertaining to fashion and clothing products and services offered by UNIQLO in Hong Kong. UNIQLO Co., Ltd. was originated in Japan. The companys business line is about clothing and fashion. But basically, the company is one of the leading clothing and fashion business in Japan that design, manufacture and retail casual wears. Initially, UNIQLO Co., Ltd. was only a division of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. but by November 1, 2005, UNIQLO Co., Ltd. come into the picture through corporate restructuring and currently existing as a 100% consolidated subsidiary of Fast Retailing. UNIQLO was now listed at the Tokyo Stock Exchange. In Japan, UNIQLO is the leading clothing retail chain in terms of both sales and profits. And as of 2010, the company are also operating in Hong Kong, China, United Kingdom, South Korea, France, Singapore and United States. UNIQLO formed the idea of blending of ‘unique and ‘clothing as an symbol of originality and uniqueness of the apparel industry in Japan. UNIQLO offers fashionable and high quality clothing at reasonable prices, and was seized as an opportunity to establish a brand position domestically and internationally, combining all the facets of the business from product design to final sales and the operation of the 790 stores around the globe. Primarily offing for a highly brand conscious consumer group, UNIQLO envisions itself as a leading global casual wear company targeting high sales and profitability growth. For UNIQLO, such aim could materialise based on the established strategies such as low cost management, cheapest manufacture and marketing schedules an d prioritising customer requirements. Nowadays, UNIQLO is described as the apparel giant Gap, Inc.s counterpart based on the 4, 000% share price increase, making UNIQLO as Japans third largest clothing retailer. However, it is not always victory for UNIQLO; the subsidiary also has its own share of downturns especially on its international expansion. For instance, expansion programmes in the United Kingdom (UK) saw a tumultuous stumble in profits, forcing Fast Retailing to shut down 16 of the 21 UNIQLO stores opened, because of competition. Most recently, three UNIQLO stores in New Jersey were also closed because of economic slumps. Despite these facts, UNIQLO maintains the spirit and still believed that the brand has only but way forward. How UNIQLO will going to do such is central to this paper, focusing on the companys strategic management. External, industry and competitor analysis as well as the internal environment will be addressed. In fashion and clothing business in Hong Kong, the products and services offered by retailers that have strong brands are flourishing because they are easier to remember or they are already popular and are known for the quality. Companies like UNIQLO, HM, and Giordano are giving their best to build their brand name or brand identities because it helps consumers easily identify the product as well as acquire a rich set of symbols and meanings embodied by products. For successfully developed and managed brand names, the connections that patrons make with the brand name creates value, or brand equity, that can be a highly valued asset to the firm that develops the brand (Meyers-Levy, Louie, Curren, 1994). Chapter 2. Literature Review Environmental Analysis (PESTEL) Ø Political Analysis In the context of UNOQLO, political factors have direct effect on business conducts and operations. Decisions made by the affects the decision-making of retailers and could come in the form of policy or legislation. In Hong Kong, the ‘one country, two systems is the prevalent governance philosophy which endows the special administrative region with a high degree of autonomy and its capitalist economic system. Within a capitalistic and free market-oriented economy, retail companies make the majority of microeconomic decisions but they have to conform to specific agreements. Mainland and HK Closer Partnership Economic Arrangement (CEPA) and the US-China Textile Memorandum of Understanding are two examples of this. The former provides UNIQLO with a tariff-free treatment, stating that products which have no existing CEPA rules of origin will enjoy tariff-free treatment upon applications by local manufacturers. The latter could provide UNIQLO with an opportunity for an annual growt h of 8-17% in 21 categories of Chinese textiles and clothing exports to the US. Labor and customary regulations as well as code of conducts are also complied into including China Social Compliance 9000 and US and EU quotas (RSCA 2006; Doshi 2006). Ø Economic Analysis Domestically and globally, businesses are also being affected by economic factors whereby a strong economy indicates positive results and weak economy signifies the opposite, affecting both businesses and consumers. Hong Kongs gross domestic product is estimated at US$206.7bn with the service sector that contributes 90% of the total GDP. The region is also named as the worlds eleventh largest trading entity. Almost 50% of the total population is employed full-time and the unemployment rate has a continuous average decline by 4.1%, making disposition of income a possibility, a lower cost of living that is (Monthly Digest 2008). Spending is generally devoted for food, housing, healthcare, transportation, amusement, services and apparel. People nowadays are very particular with ‘investing in quality clothing thereby resume spending with premium apparel finds (Doshi 2006). Realising this, the price and quality characteristics of UNIQLO has a strategic fit; UNIQLO makes people look fashionable and confident in world-class clothes at a reasonable price through the company-wide integration of the Specialty Store Retailer of Private Label Apparel (SPA) model, a low-cost but effective operation model. Ø Social Analysis Demography or the population characteristics may determine buying patterns and that understanding demographic changes within a particular region or place facilitates determining whether products and services would appeal to customers as well as the number of potential customers (Barney and Hesterly 2006, p. 35). Hong Kong has a total of 6, 985, 300 population based on 2008 estimate and is continuously growing due to immigrant influx from Mainland. According to Doshi, people in HK and elsewhere have a growing interest in private labels. Consumers aspired for having private levels on everyday garments. Casual wear from HK which is known for good design and quality has a positive image on global consumers. Nevertheless, international brands are concentrated in high-end consumers while domestic brands are for low-end consumers (Doshi, 2006). In taking advantage of the wealth of the demography, UNIQLO makes effort on providing high-quality merchandise and generating values to the society by taxes. Further, UNIQLO is a company that is committed in creating positive reputation as manifested in its vision and mission, styles of management, ways of doing business and requirements to employees. Ø Technological Analysis Technological innovations are a priority for the apparel retailing industry but it will remain as labor intensive as it is today. Boosting the industrys productivity, increased in automation has been the recent trend but it is limited on specific functions, to which mostly require human intervention such as sewing and making patterns. Although there are computerised sewing machines that increase the productivity and reduce training time. Further, the uses of computer system software intended for the industry will be on making rough sketches, printing detailed designs and storing of information for easy retrieval. The customer orientation of UNIQLO was basically construed from its website in which customers can give feedbacks by email and discussion board. Hong Kong Productivity Council made a report disclosing that the apparel industry could make sense of information technology (IT) if utilise for order processing, costing analysis, order tracking, material management, reporting and connectivity (2004). Ø Legal As with any other business industry of the world, there are rules and regulations that restrict or support the facilitation of the business in the clothing and fashion market in the areas where UNIQLO operates. Ø Environmental There are currently no major environmental issues faced by the UNIQLO in Hong Kong, except for the ever-present textile and silk production issue which catch environmentalists attention die to the fact that some of its raw materials and from the skin of rare animals. Industry Analysis (Porters Five Forces) Ø Threat of Entry Barney Hesterly (2006, p. 43) point out that new entrants are the firms which have either recently begun operations or those that threaten to begin operations within an industry soon. Notably, the apparel industry is a buyer-driven industry where producers are considering buyers decision-making especially when brand names enter the picture. These buyer-centric industries have low barriers to entry mainly because of intense competition. Utilising brands as a market power source; however, this is a challenge for every clothing company. In the clothing business, mass customisation has seen to be the most effective strategy. Putting strategises into action remains to be in resilience today (Culpan 2002). Therefore, the focus must be on minimising the costs without sacrificing quality and to do this, managerial know how is a must in order to understand interactions with suppliers and consumers, to facilitate creativity and innovation and to maintain mobility in adapting to new market dem ands (Kincade, Regan and Gibson 2007). Building brand awareness and consumer loyalty is a costly endeavor since it involves advertising needed not only to promote the brand but also on sustaining awareness and loyalty. Strengthening brand names also requires that there are ‘quick response programs to increase revenues and manage risks. One of UNIQLOs major resources is its brand name, which is now synonymous with comfortable, high quality and cheap clothing merchandises. Although brand awareness outside the home country is a challenge, it is of intangible value to UNIQLO as a business asset. Brands are valuable and rare and reputable brands are acquired through the impressions one has of the company, and its products or services. Since a brand name is built overtime it becomes costly to imitate thereby providing a sustainable competitive advantage in the apparel industry (Groucutt, Lydley and Forsyth 2004, p. 285). Ø Threat of Rivalry Either in home or host countries, apparels, accessories and merchandise will always have a competitor which usually fluctuates in size. The modern market trends for the apparel industry are globalisation and intensified competition, increasing price and lower profit margin pressures, small quantity with high complexity orders, shorter lead times, multiple location operation, changing customer requirements and liberalisation on textile and clothing quota that creates new market dynamics. Being responsive to these market trends shifts the focus of the apparel industry for more extensive product development and improvements at the least possible cost. Such condition forces companies to divert on product differentiation because of high switching cost. In an industry where products are deemed to be ‘equal, the key sources of differentiation are brand image, reputation and prior existence (Byoungho 2004b). For UNIQLO, the products themselves are an important source of competitive edg e. UNIQLO strives at developing products of high quality, in various collections to enable the company to reach the highest possible number of customers. As such, the rivals would be endangered when it comes to introducing innovative products. UNIQLO is positioned in the fashion capitals of the world for the purpose of taking advantage of the new information about fashion trends. UNIQLOs ability to quickly adapt to trends and new markets has helped them develop product differentiation, something that is key to the companys success in the apparel industry. According to Tokle (1990), product differentiation is what separates the top competitors from the rest, but it something that is not costly to imitate. This is why their product differentiation is only a temporary competitive advantage. Competitive advantage could be achieved once the organisation learns to manage its capabilities that the end consumers could appreciate and competitors would find difficulties imitating (Porter 1985 ; Roney 2004). Ø Threat of Substitutes Casual wear is very particular with loose-fit, comfortable and relaxed fit. Athletic or active wear was perceived to be the closest substitute to casual wear as manifested by the booming athletic wear industry. Typically worn as casual fashion clothing, active attires could provide deterrence in the industry. Moreover, the blurring demarcation on the casual clothing family could be also seen as an opportunity for substitutes. Specialised stores offer semi-casual, smart casual and business casual lines. Semi-casual clothes are less presentational than informal but are not as loose as casual dresses. Smart casual purports conservative looks but with harmony on colors, fabrics, shoes and accessories. Business casual, on the other hand, varies in definition but the common element is the collar. Realising this, the bottomline now is the price. Moreover, based on the SPA business model, all the necessary functions at UNIQLO falls under a single umbrella especially the inbound logistics an d the production. UNIQLO is an example of a cut-make-trim company in which in which the company purchase the fabric and retain ownership of the raw materials and work-in-process, and so making it hard for rivals to imitate or produce substitutes for UNQILO brands. Ø Threat of Suppliers The prices and availability of commonly used fabrics such as cotton, blends, synthetics and wools might fluctuate significantly due to its dependence on demand, crop yields, weather, supply conditions, transportation costs, government regulations and economic condition among others (Byoungho 2004a). Quota is the major factor that affects the demand and supply of textile and fabrics. Even though the sale of raw materials is standardised, independent contractors, raw material suppliers, importers and apparel manufacturing firms could not isolate themselves from such scenario because of the prospective unsteadiness in the supply chain (Chetty 1999). As well, because of forward vertical integration, coupled with the low barrier to entry, suppliers could easily become rivals. In becoming threat of entry, suppliers could be also become a competitor to already established apparel manufacturers. In addition, contractors is also one of the threats when the demand of the labor increases, it wi ll cause labor costs price inflation. Laszlo (2008) stress that there are five main parts of the apparel value chain including raw material supply, provision of components; production networks; export channels and marketing networks at the retail level. Through the process, UNIQLO has an ownership on production and thereby a complete control on the supplies procurement. UNIQLO insources its production and handles the majority of the operational details. Sourcing is a go-to in the apparel industry but it is not rare although it can add value to UNIQLO. Ø Threat of Buyers Reaching more and diverse consuming group, the apparel industry is both a stable and unstable industry. Stable because quality price and quality products are the main element and unstable because there are many factors that affect both price and quality. In the point of consumption, for instance, there are ‘middle men such as the retail stores that offer an array of brands. In purchasing manufactured apparel, retail stores could have influence on making significant requirements and demands on their purchase, affecting prices. Though quality is inherent, prices would not be reasonable at all, and alternative clothing is readily available. This explains why apparel manufacturing companies are setting up their own stand along stores which will cater to their own produce. Important is that apparel stores must not fall dependent on s specific class of customer. Buyers are increasingly appearing to prefer above standard apparel with a much lower cost, making apparel less differentiat ed. When selling directly to consumers, buyers would incur a significant portion of their dispensable cash. Same goes with retail store, they purchase apparel at the least possible final cost, but adds up to prices of apparel. UNIQLO is involve in selling to the customers through specialty store marketing, with a minimalist strategy of pile em high, sell em cheap concept that is. In addition, the unbranded fashion or the no-logo concept was perceived to be the main reasons for peoples warm attention (Williamson 2007; Parrish, Cassill and Oxenham 2006). Competitors Analysis a) Local Competitor: Giordano According to companys website, Giordano was established in 1981 as one of the most well-known and established apparel retailers in the Asia Pacific region. The company employs 11,000 staff with over 1,700 shops operating in 30 territories worldwide. The companys vision aimed to be the best and the biggest world brand in apparel retailing with a remarkable mission i.e. â€Å"To make people feel good look great. From the companys website, they are stating that Giordano is committed to being a successful and responsible corporate citizen. Meaning, they are committed not only to delivering quality products and service to their customers and strong and sustained financial performance to their shareholders, but that are also committed in creating a positive impact in the communities where they do business. The current CEO since 1996 is Peter Lau, a Canadian Chinese. Basically, Giordano is based in Bermuda and trades on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange as 709.HK. Giordano concentrates in creating and delivering economic quality clothes such as Long Sleeve Shirts, T-Shirts, and denim jeans. On the other hand, Giordano Ladies, a sub-brand was only established in 1996. It has been instrumental to upgrading the unisex brand from a budget image to a more fashion oriented apparel retailer similar to The Gap. b) International Competitor: HM It is now a widely held view that the world economy has entered a much more complex phase where individual national economies have become inextricably linked. In this new world economy, resources and markets have ceased to have the indelible national identity of the past (Jones, 2002). Restricted resources and markets that were once legally isolated have become much more accessible to enterprises that have acquired a global strategic vision. To the more visionary global enterprises, the world is but a borderless environment with homogeneous consumers who have developed an unforgiving taste for the most sophisticated and high-quality products. In response to the needs of these global consumers, the enterprises have developed global products. How such homogenised consumers are served, however, is a question of the strategic orientation of the enterprises and their ability to exploit the ever-evolving global economic environment (Jones, 2002). With this regard, HM, a company in Sweden e ngaged in clothing and a leader in fashion business shows significant impact to their consumers in accordance to their brand and branding strategies. HM is considered as one of the worlds favourite and preferred designer of apparels and clothing for man and women. In addition, HM is also known not only for their fashion cosmetic but because of the quality of the clothes designed durability and the funkiness of its clothes. Through the online stores, HM provides the US, UK and European Market exclusive clothing designs. The main goal of this company is to provide innovative designs of apparels and clothes for different types of people in different countries all over the world. The company has been known because of its strategy of providing clothing designs exclusively for each countrys preferences and needs. HM is considered as one of the worlds favourite and preferred designer of apparels and clothing for man and women. In addition, HM is also known not only for their fashion but because of the quality of the clothes designed durability and the funkiness of its clothes (HM, 2009). The HM mission, â€Å"Fashion and Quality at its best price†. In addition, their handbags, shoes and accessories are also creating big sales and positive reactions from consumers. Through the online stores, HM provides the US, UK European Market and Asian Market exclusive clothing and even handbag designs. HM also offers perfumes and watches. The main aim of this company is to provide fast fashion goods (haute couture, ready-to-wear, handbags, perfumery, and cosmetics among others) in different countries all over the world (HM, 2009). The company has been known because of its strategy of providing fashion designs exclusively for each countrys preferences and needs which was positively accepted and loved by consumers. CPM Matrix Table 1. CPM Matrix UNIQLO Giordano HM Critical Success Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Advertising 0.20 4 0.80 5 1.00 4 0.80 Product Quality 0.15 4 0.60 4 0.60 4 0.60 Price Competitiveness 0.10 4 0.40 3 0.30 4 0.40 Management 0.10 4 0.40 3 0.30 4 0.40 Financial Position 0.15 4 0.60 3 0.45 3 0.45 Customer Loyalty 0.10 4 0.40 3 0.30 3 0.30 Global Expansion 0.15 3 0.45 4 0.60 4 0.60 Market Share 0.05 3 0.15 3 0.15 3 0.15 Total 1.00 3.80 3.70 3.70 With regards to the discussion of the local and international competitors of UNIQLO, the CPM matrix describes the edge of UNIQLO over Giordano and HM. As seen in the critical success factor, UNIQLO dominates the Product Quality, Price Competitiveness, Management, Financial Position and Customer Loyalty. Despite of this, it seems that UNIQLO was lacking in advertising which was dominated by Giordano. In addition, UNIQLO also needs to consider their efforts in global expansion and market share in order to become successful in Hong Kong. Extended Marketing Mix 8Ps of Services Marketing Furthermore, since the UNIQLO as a brand concept be similar to or is associated with service stipulation, the 8Ps method adopted for service marketing may be competently espoused for its advertising. The 8Ps are: * Product This refers to the stuff or services to be offered by the company. In the case of UNIQLO, their products and services are mostly related to clothing and fashion, thus the need for constant review should be bear in mind in order to meet the changing customer expectations. * Place In UNIQLO, the place in which this product was manufactured and distributed was somewhat accessible to both suppliers and customers. Actually, UNIQLO are considering the issue regarding product availabily at the most convenient places for the target market, i.e., current and prospective clients. * Price In terms of price, UNIQLO produce were priced competitively. * Promotion UNIQLOs most effective ways to communicate to the various target groups to stimulate greater awareness, interest and patronage are somewhat good but not exceptional. UNIQLO are now using TV advertisement, Internet marketing, and billboard advertising. * Physical Evidence In terms of presentation, UNIQLOs products are exceptional. In addition to these, the services offered by the company were also outstanding. As seen in their shops UNIQLO are known with their well-dressed staff/consultants, logos on office doors/ business cetres, letter heads, brochures, complimentary cards, consultancy reports, etc. * Process With regrds to the process, the business of UNIQLO are well management in which makes their business system flawless and customer complaints are easily handled. * People When it comes to people, UNIQLO chooses the best suitable person needed by the company. This means that UNIQLO expertly indentify the capabilities of a person that will reflect the value of UNIQLO products and services. * Promise UNIQLO with their consultants are delivering their promises. In terms of quality of products and services, UNIQLO are giving it to their customers at utmost quality. * Public Relations UNIQLO stakeholders carefully identify the various publics that can impact on UNIQLO to which PR communications can be directed. Such publics include individual consultants, clients, big practices, small practices, other related professional associations, relevant agencies of the United Nations, financial institutions, etc. Developing the Concept of Servicescape and Blueprinting Servicescape- Servicescape is a concept that was developed by Booms and Bitner to emphasize the impact of the physical environment in which a service process takes place. If you were to try to describe the differences a customer encountered when entering a branch of say like McDonalds compared with a small family restaurant, the concept of servicescapes may prove useful. Booms and Bitner defined a servicescape as the environment in which the service is assembled and in which the seller and customer interact, combined with tangible commodities that facilitate performance or communication of the service (Booms and Bitner, 1981, p. 36). Servicescape may be likened to landscape. It includes facilities exterior (landscape, exterior design, signage, parking, surrounding environment) and facilities interior (interior design decor, equipment, signage, layout, air quality, temperature and ambiance). Servicescape along with other tangibles like business cards, stationary, billing statements, reports, employee dress, uniforms, brochures, web pages and virtual servicescape forms the Physical Evidence in marketing of services. Servicescape is not defined as above. The definition above is the definition for physical evidence. Physical evidence consist of servicescape combined with the tangible elements, so servicescape is a part of physical evidence. Blueprinting Service blueprinting was initially introduced as a process control technique for services that offered several advantages: it was more precise than verbal definitions; it could help solve problems preemptively; and it was able to identify failure points in a service operation.24 Just as firms have evolved to become more customer-focused, so has service blueprinting. One early adaptation was the clarification of service blueprinting as a process for plotting the customer process against organizational structure.25 Service blueprinting was further developed to distinguish between onstage and backstage activities. These key components still form the basis of the technique and its most important feature, that of illuminating the customers role in the service process.26 In addition, it provides an overview so that employees and internal units can relate what they do to the entire, integrated service system. Blueprints also help to reinforce a customer-orientation among employees as well as clarify interfaces across departmental lines. Chapter 3. Research Methodology The aim of the study is to once again, seek the various sides of economic impact in London after winning the title to be the host of the 2012 summer Olympics. It is a big challenge for the hosting country to facilitate a mega event and the industry that is in the center of the issue is the tourism. The continuous development of an industry is possible if there are factors that can affect its growth. In the existence of the Olympic event in London, there should be an appropriate investigation that might lead in determining the economic impact of Summer Olympics. Along with the complexities defined in the countries of UK, London remains the center of attention because of the opportunity in hosting the prestigious Olympic Games. After the years of 1908 and 1948 in hosting the previous Olympics, London finally acquired the honor in hosting the mega event. Obviously, years can be evidence the world is changing and with that, London must be prepared on the various effects resulting to the Olympic Games. With the help of the appropriate method, the study can gain the chance in meeting the objectives and goals. Research Methods to be Used Since the study is concern regarding the empirical ground and current situations of Londons preparedness in the upcoming Olympics, the proposed primary method is through the use of surveys and interview. There are many types of primary research available based on the purpose of the researcher/s. The design of the method can create the accurate result and overview on the concern of the study. It is expected that survey methods are more efficient in terms of gathering the primary data therefore; it is utilized in the study. Through the form of questioning the people or groups, the study can gain the limited amount of information which is also useful in understanding the subjects point-of-views. On the other hand, the use of interview helps the research in providing the ideas of a small group similar to gathering their opinions. After the e

The Debate of Human Cloning Essay -- Cloning Clones Science Genetics E

Missing Appendix The Debate of Human Cloning Human cloning has become a hot topic for debate. As we progressed one step closer to successfully cloning and developing a human being, legislators and the general public have become more concerned about the ethical and moral implications of this procedure. The federal government has been unsuccessful in reaching an agreement as to what policy to pass and enact. Thus, any current legislation on human cloning has been developed and enforced by individual states. The state of California is one of the few states in the United States that has a policy on human cloning. Human cloning is banned in the state of California. Because current policy does not allow for any human cloning to take place, many research projects have come to a standstill. Scientists have still been able to carry out certain cloning procedures that may not be viewed as ethical by the general public as a result of loopholes in current legislation. It is recommended that the current policy in place be revised to eliminate these loopholes and rewritten to permit human cloning to take place to generate the tissue and cells needed for therapeutic development and research to take place. The ban on human cloning should only apply when the procedure is used for reproductive purposes because current research has shown that it is not safe to use in humans at this time(Appendix A.1). With proper restrictions and guidelines in place, society stands to gain many benefits through permitting human cloning for the purpose of research. DRAFT April 17, 1999 M E M O R A N D U M TO: California State Legislators and Governor Gray Davis DATE: April 17, 1999 SUBJECT: Recommendation that the state of California continues its ban on human cloning but revise the current policy to permit human cloning for research. BACKGROUND On July 5, 1996, researchers in Scotland made history when they announced the birth of Dolly, the world’s first successful cloning of a sheep (Appendix A.1). The world was shocked. The ability to reproduce human beings without sexual reproduction was no longer only an idea to be explored in sci-fi movies and books. After over forty years of research and development, human cloning is quickly becoming a reality. The basic technique used to clone humans and animals, somatic-cell nuclear transfer, involves the insertion of DNA from a soma... ...MA. 1997;278: 13-14. 11) http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html 12) Wise, Jacqui. â€Å"Bills on Human Cloning Are Full of Loopholes.† British Medical Journal. 1998;316: 573. 13) http://www.usfca.edu/cloning/ 14) http://www.humancloning.org/ 15) Mayor, Susan. â€Å"UK Authorities Recommend Human Cloning for Therapeutic Research.† British Medical Journal. 1998;317: 1613. 16) Furrow, Barry, et al. Health Law: Cases, Materials and Problems. St. Paul: West Group, 1997, p.894. 17) Bower, Hilary. â€Å"Public Consultation on Human Cloning Launched.† British Medical Journal. 1998;316: 411. 18) http://www.seattletimes.com/health-science/html98/clon_012098.html 19) Benatar, D. â€Å"Cloning and Ethics.† QJM. 1998;91: 165-166. 20) Josefson, Deborah. â€Å"US Scientist Plans Human Cloning Clinic.† British Medical Journal. 1998;316: 167. 21) Furrow, Barry, et al. Health Law: Cases, Materials and Problems. St. Paul: West Group, 1997, p. 415. 22) Furrow, Barry, et al. Health Law: Cases, Materials and Problems. St. Paul: West Group, 1997, p. 248. 23) http://www.ebglaw.com/newsstand/cloning.html 24) Furrow, Barry, et al. Health Law: Cases, Materials and Problems. St. Paul: West Group, 1997, p.435. The Debate of Human Cloning Essay -- Cloning Clones Science Genetics E Missing Appendix The Debate of Human Cloning Human cloning has become a hot topic for debate. As we progressed one step closer to successfully cloning and developing a human being, legislators and the general public have become more concerned about the ethical and moral implications of this procedure. The federal government has been unsuccessful in reaching an agreement as to what policy to pass and enact. Thus, any current legislation on human cloning has been developed and enforced by individual states. The state of California is one of the few states in the United States that has a policy on human cloning. Human cloning is banned in the state of California. Because current policy does not allow for any human cloning to take place, many research projects have come to a standstill. Scientists have still been able to carry out certain cloning procedures that may not be viewed as ethical by the general public as a result of loopholes in current legislation. It is recommended that the current policy in place be revised to eliminate these loopholes and rewritten to permit human cloning to take place to generate the tissue and cells needed for therapeutic development and research to take place. The ban on human cloning should only apply when the procedure is used for reproductive purposes because current research has shown that it is not safe to use in humans at this time(Appendix A.1). With proper restrictions and guidelines in place, society stands to gain many benefits through permitting human cloning for the purpose of research. DRAFT April 17, 1999 M E M O R A N D U M TO: California State Legislators and Governor Gray Davis DATE: April 17, 1999 SUBJECT: Recommendation that the state of California continues its ban on human cloning but revise the current policy to permit human cloning for research. BACKGROUND On July 5, 1996, researchers in Scotland made history when they announced the birth of Dolly, the world’s first successful cloning of a sheep (Appendix A.1). The world was shocked. The ability to reproduce human beings without sexual reproduction was no longer only an idea to be explored in sci-fi movies and books. After over forty years of research and development, human cloning is quickly becoming a reality. The basic technique used to clone humans and animals, somatic-cell nuclear transfer, involves the insertion of DNA from a soma... ...MA. 1997;278: 13-14. 11) http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html 12) Wise, Jacqui. â€Å"Bills on Human Cloning Are Full of Loopholes.† British Medical Journal. 1998;316: 573. 13) http://www.usfca.edu/cloning/ 14) http://www.humancloning.org/ 15) Mayor, Susan. â€Å"UK Authorities Recommend Human Cloning for Therapeutic Research.† British Medical Journal. 1998;317: 1613. 16) Furrow, Barry, et al. Health Law: Cases, Materials and Problems. St. Paul: West Group, 1997, p.894. 17) Bower, Hilary. â€Å"Public Consultation on Human Cloning Launched.† British Medical Journal. 1998;316: 411. 18) http://www.seattletimes.com/health-science/html98/clon_012098.html 19) Benatar, D. â€Å"Cloning and Ethics.† QJM. 1998;91: 165-166. 20) Josefson, Deborah. â€Å"US Scientist Plans Human Cloning Clinic.† British Medical Journal. 1998;316: 167. 21) Furrow, Barry, et al. Health Law: Cases, Materials and Problems. St. Paul: West Group, 1997, p. 415. 22) Furrow, Barry, et al. Health Law: Cases, Materials and Problems. St. Paul: West Group, 1997, p. 248. 23) http://www.ebglaw.com/newsstand/cloning.html 24) Furrow, Barry, et al. Health Law: Cases, Materials and Problems. St. Paul: West Group, 1997, p.435. The Debate of Human Cloning Essay -- Cloning Clones Science Genetics E Missing Appendix The Debate of Human Cloning Human cloning has become a hot topic for debate. As we progressed one step closer to successfully cloning and developing a human being, legislators and the general public have become more concerned about the ethical and moral implications of this procedure. The federal government has been unsuccessful in reaching an agreement as to what policy to pass and enact. Thus, any current legislation on human cloning has been developed and enforced by individual states. The state of California is one of the few states in the United States that has a policy on human cloning. Human cloning is banned in the state of California. Because current policy does not allow for any human cloning to take place, many research projects have come to a standstill. Scientists have still been able to carry out certain cloning procedures that may not be viewed as ethical by the general public as a result of loopholes in current legislation. It is recommended that the current policy in place be revised to eliminate these loopholes and rewritten to permit human cloning to take place to generate the tissue and cells needed for therapeutic development and research to take place. The ban on human cloning should only apply when the procedure is used for reproductive purposes because current research has shown that it is not safe to use in humans at this time(Appendix A.1). With proper restrictions and guidelines in place, society stands to gain many benefits through permitting human cloning for the purpose of research. DRAFT April 17, 1999 M E M O R A N D U M TO: California State Legislators and Governor Gray Davis DATE: April 17, 1999 SUBJECT: Recommendation that the state of California continues its ban on human cloning but revise the current policy to permit human cloning for research. BACKGROUND On July 5, 1996, researchers in Scotland made history when they announced the birth of Dolly, the world’s first successful cloning of a sheep (Appendix A.1). The world was shocked. The ability to reproduce human beings without sexual reproduction was no longer only an idea to be explored in sci-fi movies and books. After over forty years of research and development, human cloning is quickly becoming a reality. The basic technique used to clone humans and animals, somatic-cell nuclear transfer, involves the insertion of DNA from a soma... ...MA. 1997;278: 13-14. 11) http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html 12) Wise, Jacqui. â€Å"Bills on Human Cloning Are Full of Loopholes.† British Medical Journal. 1998;316: 573. 13) http://www.usfca.edu/cloning/ 14) http://www.humancloning.org/ 15) Mayor, Susan. â€Å"UK Authorities Recommend Human Cloning for Therapeutic Research.† British Medical Journal. 1998;317: 1613. 16) Furrow, Barry, et al. Health Law: Cases, Materials and Problems. St. Paul: West Group, 1997, p.894. 17) Bower, Hilary. â€Å"Public Consultation on Human Cloning Launched.† British Medical Journal. 1998;316: 411. 18) http://www.seattletimes.com/health-science/html98/clon_012098.html 19) Benatar, D. â€Å"Cloning and Ethics.† QJM. 1998;91: 165-166. 20) Josefson, Deborah. â€Å"US Scientist Plans Human Cloning Clinic.† British Medical Journal. 1998;316: 167. 21) Furrow, Barry, et al. Health Law: Cases, Materials and Problems. St. Paul: West Group, 1997, p. 415. 22) Furrow, Barry, et al. Health Law: Cases, Materials and Problems. St. Paul: West Group, 1997, p. 248. 23) http://www.ebglaw.com/newsstand/cloning.html 24) Furrow, Barry, et al. Health Law: Cases, Materials and Problems. St. Paul: West Group, 1997, p.435.

Hamlet - Plot Summary :: essays research papers

Act 1 Scene 1 The scene is the Castle at Elsinore. Bernardo relieves Francisco, at about midnight. Marcellus who joins Bernardo in the watch along with Horatio who was told of the appearance the previous night. Horatio believes it to be a illusion until it appears. You learn that the ghost has appeared twice in the same armor that the king wore to fight Fortinbras, king of Norway, and the Poles who he defeated. The ghost appears again and again Horatio challenges it to speak. At the crow of the cock it moves and disappears. The three agree that they should tell Hamlet of this appearance. Act 1 Scene 2 The scene is in a stateroom at Elsinore. The Lord Chamberlain Polonius, his son Laertes and other members of the court accompany the king and Queen, Claudius and Gertrude. They speak of the mourning of the death of his brother, King Hamlet. He also says that desecration prohibit excessive grief. Next he speaks of Fortinbras who demands the surrender of the lands lost by his father to King Hamlet. Claudius has sent Cornelius and Voltimand with a letter to the bedridden king of Norway to restrain his nephew. The suit of Laertes asks if he should leave for France after attending Denmark for the coronation ceremonies. And his father and the king give him permission. The king and queens attention is now towards young hamlet. They are wondering why he is still grieving of his father's death. They then realize that it is sweet and commendable for hamlet to show love for is father by immediate grief. The queen asks hamlet to stay at Elsinore and hamlet says that he will obey her and the king commends him. Hamlet is left alone in the room and expresses his innermost thoughts, and admits that he would commit suicide if it were not against god's law. Horatio, Marcellus and Bernardo then join hamlet. Hamlet greet them, but when Horatio explains that he has come for the funeral of his father, Hamlet responds that he has only come for the wedding. Hamlet in talking mentions that he has seen his father and Horatio expresses interest because of there own sighting. Alone once more the prince expresses his convection that the ghost appareled like his father, is an omen the "All is not well." Act 1 Scene 3 At Polpnius' house Laertes is saying farewell to his sister, Ophelia.

Myths Surrounding Innovation

â€Å"There are myths surrounding creativity. The intangible nature of creativity does not lend itself to easy definition†. Introduction The intangible nature of creativity does not have a specific definition for it. However, creativity can refer to many things that differ and which also over laps many other elements. Joanna: 2003). â€Å"Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize idea, alternatives, or possibilities that may be used to solving problems, communicating with other, and entertaining ourselves and others†(Robert E. Franken: 2002).It also depends on the nature of the person what are his/her characteristics, hinging power and the artistic ability. It is said that managers equate innovation with creativity, but creativity comes with innovation; creativity is Just an idea and innovation is carrying out the idea and turning it into a business and providing It to the market (Visas governing]an: 2010). There is not a one specific definition for innovation. â€Å"Technically innovation Is defined merely as Introducing something new† (Jeff Dance: 2008), it does not concern how well or admirable the Innovation Is as long it is better than what it was.It is most likely that innovation Is a narrower incept than creativity. I believe If there Is no creativity then there Is no Innovation. It is the human nature than make them feel they are not creative enough that Is why there are different myths and MIS-understanding and have failed to provide one convincing definition. It Is proven that creative people are complex as It also states creativity is complex; people who are complex have the habit of showing thoughts and actions that others set apart (Scoot Barry Kauffman: 2011).The seven myths discussed In this essay are: the smarter you, the more creative you are, If u don't express creativity ate a certain age It's too late, alcohol and drugs will make you more creative, time pressure fuels creativity, money Is a creativit y motivator, creativity come from creative people, creativity Is Just one eureka moment. The first myth states â€Å"The smarter you are, the more creative you are† (Constantine Indianapolis & Patrick Dawson: 2009 peg 19/20) this Is not necessarily true; you don't have to be smart however you need to have certain knowledge.There Is now Instant access to any Information through the Internet, but to Innovate something ND create something you need to be highly educated and smart they say (Amiable: 1996). An example would be of the greatest clients Albert Einstein who had proved the theory of relativity. He was not from a very educated background and was experiencing speech difficulties In his early days. He used to work SIX days a week on his scientific theories at the age of 26 Kneeler Rosenberg: 20th century).The other example Is of Michael Angelo who was a well known painter, sculpture, architect and a poet; he had no Interest In schooling neither any Interest In his formally financial business. He used to go vaults the church and see the people planting and drawing that gave him some knowledge about It (w. NM. Bibliography. Com/melancholies). These they were doing that made them so creative. Whereas Michael Angelo is concerned he didn't need to smart to paint all he needed were a little knowledge and an idea to express it through art.The second myth states that â€Å"If you don't express creativity by a certain age it's too late† (The ©r ©SE Actor: creative minds). This is clearly not true; there is no age to show what your creative about. Although some people find out their inner ability of being retrieve a little late, but it does not mean they cannot express it when they pass a certain age. For egg: Anna Mary Robertson Moses also known as ‘Grandma Moses' who was a well-known artist, she became a public attention in 1940 at the age 80, where she has started painting in a natural way, drawing from her memory and painting on Americans rural sceneries.Furthermore, she had no training and did it because she enjoyed doing it, all this started after she had retired from a career in embroidery because of arthritis (Silent Reed: 2013). However I believe people tend to realize their retentiveness after a certain age, when they are free are figure out what they enjoy doing enables them to bring out their creativeness and draw up a picture in their mind. People get De motivated after listening to people saying ‘it's too late or you have passed that age' which makes them even more less confidence which does not let them become creative. One is never too old to succeed in life† – Anna Mary Robertson Mosses The third myth states that â€Å"Alcohol and Drugs will make you more creative† (The ©r ©SE Actor: creative minds). I personally don't believe that's true: people have a psychological effect that makes them feel that when they are under the influence of drugs and alcohol they became creative. It is proven to be shown that people under the influence of drugs and alcohol become creative only because the stimulants creates the illusion of creativity (Mark Smith – 2010).This makes people feel that they are creative and this creativity of theirs does not remain for long and can stifle. I believe the idea of being creative after consuming alcohol and drugs tempts musicians and artists to try and instead results in an early loss of life or when they re under the influence of drugs and alcohol their behavior changes and also takes them into deeper thoughts convincing them to suicide or overdose themselves. A clear example would be of the famous Elvis Presley who was known as the king of rock and roll, who had died of overdosing himself with drugs on the 16th of August 1977.At first people thought it was Just a heart attack, later it was found that the reason of his death was because of a massive drug overdose (wry. Unsolved. Com/ Elvis Presley). â€Å"Elvis Presley woke up on the 16th of August, premeditated, planned, took and killed himself deliberately' – David Stanley. Nevertheless, there are celebrities who have overcome these dug problems and are still creative and famous. For instance the famous rapper Ben Hagglers also known as Mackerel who had also started drinking and dabbling into drugs, he also claimed â€Å"l don't have moderation when using drugs and alcohol.It got to the point where it was hurting my life, my potential†. He then entered rehab and sobered himself up in 2008 and now his having the Auk's biggest- selling single (Siam Growing: 2013). Celebrities easily get which is clearly untrue, thus a myth. The Fourth myth states that â€Å"Time pressure eels creativity' (Bill Breed: 2004) this is clearly made up from someone. I cannot think of anything creative when there is time pressure. People tend to take bad decisions in hurry which leads bad consequences and I feel are the least creative.In one of the research it is shown that people who work under great pressure fail to be creative on that day and also the next two days as well (Bill Breed: 2004). This does not allow people to engage in the problem properly and are unable to come up with a better idea. To be creative it is necessary to concentrate on the particular problem, et the problem soak into your brain completely and then let the ideas flow out, thus creativity need preparation time (Bill Breed: 2004).An example to support this myth would be of Sir Isaac Newton who was one of the greatest scientists; he also impressed many people with his knowledge on bible. His most famous theories he discovered was the motion and gravitation, thus known as the â€Å"apple story'. He was able to discover his theories when he had the eighteen months gap when his school was shut due to the plague in the summer 1665 (Chris Pinnate: last visited 2917/13). Therefore, no expert can be creative under time pressure even the world's renowned scientists too k eighteen months to discover his theories on motion and gravity.The fifth myth states that â€Å"Money is a creativity motivator† (Bill Breed: 2004) this myth is also very much untrue. Creativity comes from within one's self and the only motivation for creativity is by verbal motivation. A person presenting his creativeness and ideas should be recognized by others and supported in order to be motivated. Studies suggest that many people said that money isn't everything and it is not elevate on a daily basis.For those who want to show their creativeness's they do not need any money all they need is a little confidence to show what they are capable of. Individuals who work towards money feel that their works performance will affect their compensation are most likely to be less creative. They should be happy with their compensation they receive and research has also shown that workers are more creative when they are interested on their work and are able to extend their skills (B ill Breed: 2004).An example to illustrate this myth would be of the website Flicker. Ludicrous the inventors of flicker had before started a online multilayer gaming software in the year 2002-3, after about an year they realized on the software they had created there was this chat that enables gamers to share pictures and videos and they thought even though they got this big gaming software, they decided to get rid of it and make the sharing of pictures and videos into a big business so that's how flicker was invented (Scott Bergen: 2008).So the above example clearly states that although ludicrous was making profits out of the gaming business, but still decided to o ahead with their creative idea and started the flicker business with confidence. Therefore money was not a motivating factor that had driven them to start flicker. â€Å"Creativity takes courage† – Henry Matrices The sixth myth state that â€Å"Creativity comes from creative people† (Bill Breed: 2004 ) is not true at all. Everyone has the capabilities to become creative; it takes knowledge, skills and experience.This specially happens in organizations where the managers feel that only certain employees in the organization are creative like in marketing and research and development departments and the rest of them aren't like in the retrieve enough then there are barriers to creativity in which the employees are unable to tap their creative potential, thus reducing the success of the business (Bill Breed: 2008). People also Judge people in not being creative if they are not from a creative background and not anywhere in the creative field.There instances where somewhere is doing something creative and a very negative comment is given towards that creativity which results in that persons potential being dropped and loses confidence, but not all people lose hope after being rejected some keep trying until they where they want to be An example to challenge this myth would be Steve J obs who is a university dropout and was not anywhere creative neither had a creative background until he started at Hewlett-Packard.While working there he came up with this idea of personal computers and shared his idea with Hewlett-Packard and wanted them to build the personal computer unfortunately they had rejected his idea. What so ever, he never gave up on his idea and started with his friend Steve Waking to build the personal computer and came up with apple (Scott Bergen: 2008).Therefore, no matter how negative comments and rejections you get about your creativeness or idea , Steve Jobs never gave up on his idea and passion and had his company apple bigger and better than Hewlett-Packard. â€Å"Be a yardstick of quality, some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected† – Steve Jobs. The seventh myth â€Å"Creativity is Just one eureka moment† (Harold Evans: 2005) this is the type of myth that people have a strong belief in.They tend to wait for an eureka moment to come rather than tapping their creative side and bringing out the artistic within them. When an individual is working on a particular work and is unable to solve it, working for days and keeps thinking about the work in order to find a solution to it and finally when the brain realizes what that work process was all about and in the end the solution for that work problem is all clear in your mind, that is when the eureka moment happens (Wisped).Although Archimedes did have is eureka moment that was not true, he was already an intelligent person and he was already working on finding a solution. He simply kept his mind open and was thoughtful and observing and taking time to connect the puzzle when he finally unconnected the puzzle he screamed eureka (Andre Duran: 2013). An example to confront this myth is Henry Ford although he did not have his eureka moment, but he was creative enough to come with the assemble line idea after failing twice with two au tomobile companies (Robert Greene: 2012).

Mozart

Research Oh Susanna: The Wise Women of Mozart In Mozart's operas, as in his life, says Anat Sharon of the Department of Literature, Language and the Arts at the Open University, women rather than men are the ones who come out on top and who win our hearts. Mozart loved and valued women in his personal life and this was reflected in his operas. Through brilliant musical interpretations, his sympathetic, vividly-drawn portraits make audiences love even the most evil of women. Mozart's fascinating, complex female operatic characters are more than simply great musical creations.They also reflect the value Mozart himself placed on the women in his personal life. The women who were influential in Mozart's personal life were his mother Anna Maria; his talented sister Nannerl; his cousin Maria Anna; the woman whom he loved in his youth, Aloysia Weber; and her sister, his beloved wife Constanze. in the dramatic design of the plot. He didn't just receive completed texts; he also placed his per sonal stamp on the characters. One outstanding example of a musical image of a woman that is actually opposed to the text is the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute.In the story, her character is absolutely a negative one. But Mozart gave her the most beautiful, much-loved arias that make the audience adore her. Thanks to Mozart's music, an image that could easily have been one-sided is in fact something much more complex. † In a recent lecture, Anat Sharon discussed the way that Mozart depicted women on stage rising above every test that men subject them to. Clearly, Mozart related to the women differently from the way he related to men. According to Anat Sharon, â€Å"Mozart's attitude to women can be considered both in terms of their standing in society s a whole and in terms of his personal life. Mozart himself was open-minded and aware of the lack of justice and equality in the feudal society in which he found himself. In the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg, where he lived and worked as a musician, he was considered no more than a kind of servant. â€Å"It is clear that this social order outraged him not only with regard to what he considered his own servitude, but also with regard to women. Therefore, sometimes women in his operas work together to protect their interests against the joint ‘enemy'– men. 1 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at piano ith muses by Hausleitner (Lebrecht Music and Arts) There is no doubt that the depictions of women in Mozart's operas are deeper, broader and more interesting than the depictions of men. † The question is how much of this slant is due to the librettist and how much to Mozart himself. According to Anat Sharon, â€Å"In the operas Mozart wrote with librettist Lorenzo da Ponte, The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi fan Tutte and Don Giovanni, Mozart was a full partner Anat Sharon explains, â€Å"One of the most idealized feminine characters of all in Mozart's operas is in fact not a noblewoman but a servant. That isSusanna in The Marriage of Figaro. Although traditionally in the commedia dell'arte, servants are more full of life and wit than their employers, Susanna is much more than this. She is an intelligent woman who knows how to read, write and play music. In one scene, Susanna and the Countess sit and together write a letter in which they help catch the Count in his betrayal. The countess dictates and Susanna writes; an example of two women working in harmony against men. The music also reflects the relationship between the two. They sing a soprano duet in which the countess sings and Susanna eplies. The melodies and words are so intermingled that it is virtually impossible to determine which woman is singing which melody. In effect, the two become one. Though this is not explicitly stated in the libretto, the Research this is all in their imaginations, but in All Women Do That (Cosi Fan Tutte), it turns out to be true: when the men are not near them, women are untrue. A ccording to Anat Sharon, â€Å"Even in Cosi Fan Tutte, Mozart's sympathies are on the side of the women. Here, the men set a test of loyalty and the women, who originally hadn't thought of betrayal, are swept away.This also happens to the men, so that in fact, not only do all women ‘do that' but men too. This is apparently human nature. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera Le Nozze Di Figaro (Tristram Kenton/Lebrecht Music and Arts) music is depicting a state of equality between the two in Mozart's eyes, even though they belong to two different social levels. â€Å"This is seen even more clearly in Mozart's decision to write an aria for Susanna to sing to seduce the Count, which is actually a serenade. A woman singing a love serenade is unheard of. Susanna is behaving like a man, trying o forge her own path in life. There had been nothing like this in the world of opera, until Mozart, since women were thought at the time to lack the intellect and capacity for rational thought tha t would enable them to manage their lives for themselves. â€Å"Mozart knew this well, because he had a personal example at home. Constanze was very shrewd and had initiative and good business sense, as can be seen by how well she established herself and their children after Mozart died penniless. She guarded his heritage, helped publish his works and was instrumental in the writing of his first biography. In contrast to the women in Mozart's operas who are very aware, men in the operas tend to be rather confused. â€Å"It seems that Mozart didn't value men very highly, especially compared to women, who in his eyes were always more complex and interesting. The male characters in the operas are more one-sided. In The Magic Flute, the only character whom the audience supports wholeheartedly is Papageno, the birdcatcher, who touches our hearts with his simplicity and innocence. † In all the operas, men are convinced that women are fickle betrayers. Generally, â€Å"In spite of the ‘good' ending, there s no doubt that the message is subversive and there is an expression of something like feminism. Although the opera seems to indicate that women are dependent on men for love, in fact Mozart does not suffice with what is written in the libretto. He makes his own contribution to the different characters through musical characterization in his operas. â€Å"Another excellent example is the duet that opens The Marriage of Figaro. Figaro is measuring the size of the room where he and Susanna will live after their marriage while Susanna is trying on her wedding bonnet in front of the mirror.He is pleased with the room; she is less so. They sing a duet composed of two separate tunes – his, staccato in buffo style; hers, lyric and sensitive. The audience is made to wonder how on earth these two will ever live together compatibly if they sing in two completely different musical languages. It is also clear from the music, that she is the one who will s et the tone in their marriage. And that is indeed what happens in the opera – Figaro dances to her tune. † In such a way, in both the operas and in much of Mozart's personal life, do men dance to women's tunes. 1 1