Different styles of leadership Essay

Marianne and Betsy do have different paths of leadership. Betsy is the more federal agency compliance director and as well a little philia of the itinerary off counsel. Marianne is more of country club management and as well as middle of the road. From experience with those management style.I compute Betsy should focus more on what her direct manager wants. If your relatively rude(a) to a company, it would be very bad to rock the boat. I dupet think she should continue to follow the same leadership style because quite frankly its not working. However she should totally lay waste to her authority leadership style. Honestly Marianne and Betsy are at a address where they desperate need to work together to get the main inclination in the right perspective.Marianne should be produce move of an authority compliant manager by giving her friendship with Bridget and Suzanne just a little separation. Betsy in any case needs to learn how to be more of a middle of the road team play er management. She cant rely on cosmos too bossy, especially when her own boss tells her she is bossy thats a very bad sign.Betsy and Marianne can work together if they both come to an to a lower placestanding. Betsy is more in a jam then Marianne. Betsy works under Marianne and Betsy is a fairly new employee. If Betsy resist Marianne and goes to senior management it could come-at-able jeopardize her employment. Furthermore Marianne has the majority vote amongst the staff. Betsy might have to untie up her rings and join more of the middle of the road management or either takes some tips into the country club management.

What is meant by financial services

fiscal work in todays company has become more than what a high street bank bunghole offer you from behind a counter. It has become a diverse operating(a) atomic number 18a within any economic all in ally adequate society. Throughout this test I have tried to grasp the main concepts concerning Financial helper and condense them into an essay of relatively minor proportions in comparison to the bow matter. I hope I flock give you, the reader an perceptiveness into the world of financial services in all its diversity.So what is meant by financial services. To be honest there is no unreserved definition such is the spread of financial services across the course spectrum. We can however dam different makeup under the movement of financial services to give you an idea of what financial service intails.Financial service is understood to include banking, insurance, building societies, stock brooking and coronation services. These are the 5 main areas described by Brian Anderton in his 1995 volume current issues in financial services. Brian also rear it tight to pinpoint a definitive meaning and found it easier to list organisation associated.Going in to detail when concerning the institution aids in creating a further understanding of financial services yourself. Of the main financial institutions banks are the most common. Banks can be either commercial or merchant. Dealing with retail and investment respectively. Commercial banks are easily found on the high street and rely on deposits from ordinary race. on that point is very little interest paid to their savings accounts however savers can borrow sums of money from the banks from which the banks make take in from interest on the loan. merchandiser banking is approximately more complicated when dealing with finances and in my mental picture is more exciting. Merchant banks arrange finance deals and charge for this service. This investing is slightly risky and less straightforward. However the profit rewards outweigh the timescale and effort needed to invest.Investment institutions such as pensions and insurance companies again take the liquefiable earnings of their clients and invest them in a wide range of profit making investments. Payment to these companies often takes the form of monthly payments taken by debit from wages. These companies give clients a sense of security, and in the claim chuck up the sponge years to come, the chance of a large windfall payment.Large investment institution deals with modern day trading, the trading of assets and debt. It is not fast companies that shell out but individual people. In this hectic rat race people and institutions stand to loose and gain huge amounts of money. Due to the uncertain constitution of this trade, people and institutions are extremely keen to lend as this is seen as a stable funds reclaim if it becomes necessary to do so.The text edition definition for GDP- across domestic product is the total value of all the goods and services produced by the residents in this country. The fact that the financial sector and service sectors are growing is in no doubt, neither is the quite straits blowing increase in gross domestic product from years 1952 1992. An overall increase of 21% of EDP from ?381m in 1952 to ?121704m in 1992 this growth is nothing less than remarkable.This forty-year spell has seen such a huge financial achievement in terms of the sheer man of profit gain that the reasons for FS change so greatly to the GDP must be assessed.In the aside Britain could be seen as a true industrialist profits made and traded with plain earnings such as machinery and farm produce. However the climbing in strength of nation such as the US and study Asian powers, with their seemingly endless resources has seen the death of Britain the industrial workhorse.On this direct Britain could have remained at a financial and trading standstill. Not so however Britain has found its new market the financial market. And with an educational population Britain set about resurrecting the countries profit making ability through out of sight earning of finance matters.The idea of visible and invisible earnings is extremely weighty to Britains economy. So let me explain that apart from obvious differences between visible and invisible.

Educating Rita Devil Wears Prada

phalanx full(a) morning listeners, this is Sam Lee with this weeks program of Into the humanness where we discuss ways individuals make challenging transitions into new and polar pieces and the risks and possibilities, which combine with them. Significant experiences in peoples lives provide opportunities for growth and development. personnel casualty into the world means moving from familiar experiences to new horizons. We are especially blessed today to prevail Willy Russell famous playwright discussing his play Educating Rita and David dogel the theatre director of The Devil Wears Prada.W. R Thank you for having me on the program it is a merriment to discuss Educating Rita. Host Willy how close is Ritas story to your own? W. R Is it that strikingly obvious Sam? I was a male hairstylist and owned my own salon before I began to compose novels, which enabled me to wee a more significantistic character for Rita. Educating Rita could be seen, as a semi-autobiography as I have already experienced the difficulties of being workings class and I am aware of the challenges people with this social punctuate may endure.Similarly to Rita I also dreamed of better things, and returned to progress education as a mature student attending even out classes at university, immersing in the delights of English literature. Host Your teach for Rita is Frank a flawed professor, why did you create such a complex mentor for Rita? W. R Frank is perfect for Rita in his imperfections as a real studious, pedantic professor would have frightened Rita off. At the start of the play, Frank and Rita can be seen as opposites and any friendship between the 2 seems unlikely, but they quickly warm to one another as for the first time appearances show.Frank sees Rita as a breath of fresh air in his behavior and he responds very well to her cheeky and irreverent ascend to almost anything. They are some(prenominal)(prenominal) involved in unsatisfactory relationships, and the y both want more from life than it seems to offer. Host Ritas marriage breaks scratch off due to her newfound ambitions to change herself. You construct Danny as a by and large un-sympathetic type, was this deliberate? W. R No, Dannys character was never created intentionally to be un-sympathetic, this perception of Danny is a result of his inability to understand Ritas appetite to be educated.He is the archetypical figure that represents the opposition to Ritas thirst for change. Danny has a traditional view of the role of women and expects Rita to settle down and have children. He does not like that she is trying to break away from their land class lifestyle. When he discovers that Rita has secretly been taking the pill to stop herself fit pregnant, he blames her behaviour on her desire to better herself and burns her books, this act is symbolic as through with(predicate)out history books have been burnt to no overhaul and knowledge cannot be destroyed by something as weak as fire.Dannys intentional rejection to embrace the new, spells the end of their relationship. Host Educating Rita can be linked to the growth, changes, as well as sacrifices made by Andy in The Devil Wears Prada where Andy is on a journey seeking to begin her life as an adult who is faced with moral and ethical choices. David would you agree that transitions into the world have greater risks and potential losses than possibilities? D. F Well Sam, Andy begins as a strong, grounded character, opposite to Rita who becomes more and more preoccupied with achiever.However alike to Rita, Andy realizes the job is lonely and in order to achieve great success there must be great sacrifices. This is linked to Rita, as they both pick up to make sacrifices in order to excel, beginning with their partners. The tension in the relationship between Andy and her boyfriend is manifest through the constant credit entry to the old Andy who he believes has gone. Nate Andys boyfriend is a constant monitor of where she came from, similarly with Danny. Host It seems that although Rita and Andy have benefited, they lose a great accord including their individuality.Would you agree Willy? W. R Well, Rita has some of the rough, and possibly more original, edges of her personality knocked off, save the things she loses are no longer of great value to her. Rita desires to know everything in order to have choice and direction in her life, as evident by I wanna discover meself. Choice, to Rita, is more then eight different types of lager as described by Denny and their social class. She now has a lot more freedom with regards with her future and what she wants, as she is educated. She has gained confidence in herself to associate with proper students. Host Any comments on this David? D. F Sacrifices need to be made in order to succeed Sam. Andy was initially involuntary to change her appearance even when pressured by colleagues. However she eventually goes through a dramatic costume change, squeezes into a size four queue with a sleek new haircut and expensive stilettos, which make her distinguishable from the rest. Host Finally would you agree Willy that if something is worth achieving it will involve struggle? W. R Any transitions into new and different worlds will involve a make up of struggle, potential risks and if successful in this change, rewarding possibilities. So yes definitely Sam, zipper worth having comes easy.

Employment Law Brief

use Law Brief The Clapton moneymaking(prenominal) Construction order located in Detroit, Michigan, is planning to expand its business into the state of Arizona. It is a medium-sized company with 650 employees and possibly increasing an additional 20% in the new state. Prior to the move, the valet de chambre resources (HR) department must be aw be of applicable trading honors that may affect the business.Outlined below are brief summaries and consequences for noncompliance of the following employment laws human activity VII of the courteous Rights passage of 1964, the Immigration Reform and function Act (IRCA), he American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended (FLSA). Relevant affair Laws Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the first employment law to consider. It prohibits discrimination on the instauration of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in aspects of employment much(prenominal) as hiring, wages, assignment, p fixed storageotions, benefits, and discipline. Title VII is the most important federal Equal Employment Opportunity law because it contains the broadest coverage, prohibitions, and remedies (Cascio, 2013, p. 83). Under the law, the Equal Employment Opportunity kick (EEOC) exists o implement laws dealing with employment discrimination. According to Cascio (2013), the law was expand in 1972 to cover almost all public and private employers with 1 5 or more employees except private clubs, religious organizations, and Indian reservations. The EEOC has the authority to conduct investigations, create resolution programs, and file lawsuits.Failure to comply with Title VII exposes the employer to both civil and criminal lawsuits with possible outcomes of fines, compensatory and punitive indemnity, or even imprisonment. The company may also have to reinstate or promote the affected employee. In 1991, the Act amended several statues enforced by the EEOC. Parties were a ble to obtain Jury trials and recover compensatory and punitive damages with cases involving intentional discrimination. The Act also placed m one(a)tary caps for future cases establish on size of the company.Another provision was enforcement of those American controlled companies abroad. The next employment law to consider is the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. This law applies to employers disregarding of size and every employee regardless of status full-time, part time, or seasonal. The IRCA prohibits employers rom hiring or continuing to employ personnel which are not legally authorized to work in the United States. The Clapton Commercial Construction Company is expanding business to Arizona with the intent of increasing the number of employees by 20%.The company must consider the demographics of that area with regard to potential employees and riposte measures to ensure an employee has documents to work legally in the United States, such as a passport or resident alien card. Other examples are located on the Employment Eligibility Verification 1-9 form that potential employees are required to complete. Penalties for noncompliance may esult in fines for each violation and defense of federal contracts. According to the Department of Homeland Security (2013), in fiscal year 2010, Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed more than 392,000 illegal workers nationwide.The American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is another law to consider. Almost 13% of people ages 21 to 64 in the United States have at least one disability, a percentage that more than doubles to 30. 2% for people ages 65 to 74 (Cascio, 2013, p. 89). The ADA prohibits an employer from discriminating against a qualified person with a disability. A qualified person is someone who can perform the infixed unctions of a Job with or without accommodation. The physical or mental handicap that limits one or more major life activities is called a disability, such as seeing, walkin g, hearing, or talking.The ADA expanded protection of drug and inebriant rehabilitation and those individuals who have tested positive for HIWAIDS. The ADA applies to private employers with 15 or more employees, state and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions. The Clapton Commercial Construction Company is not required to lower work standards or tolerate misconduct on the Job however, reasonable accommodations must be made to assist ualified Job applicants. For example, the company can purchase a computer screen magnifying glass for the vision impaired. The EEOC enforces the provisions outlined in the ADA.

Cultural Tourism Development Essay

With its modern sky line and quality infrastructure, it is difficult to recall that Dubai in the United Arab Emirates was once a small town of Bedouin traders. foreign animals used to inhabit the grounds occupied by the present-day nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide al Sheba racetrack Contemporary Dubai has been construct beyond reason open expectations, to a greater extent so from the stigma which befell a post-Gulf War Arabia. High- applied science and high-fashion shops are now as commonplace as the g overage souks. Modern Dubai is an eclectic mix of old and new, ancient and modern. touristry, hea henceish touristry inciteicularly, is considered one of the fastest-growing industries globally with fierce c entrance hallenger being its natural corollary. Dubai is collected as one of the prime tourist speechs, great(p) the country a distinct vantage in the arena. Dubais sexual intercourse advantages pertinent to touristry are manifold. First, touristry is a rapidly-growing , huge fabrication it is, in that locationfore, a of import sector that Dubai can induce advantage of. Dubai is capably cap satisfactory in meeting global standards, being in itself, a set of visions.Dubais global position, as predicted, result be that of an internationally-recognized hub and destination of choice for pagan touristry. Dubais 2010 vision reiterates this notion, stating a doubled agenda for its long-term goal of becoming an international tourist hub (1) creating a quality environment conducive to immigration and investment inflows, necessary for enticing a technologically-knowledgeable/skilled human capital base, (2) launching a form _or_ system of government of humanistic discipline and culture maturations, with the establishment of an devices center in Dubai, (3) initiating an one-year program of heathenish activities (e.g. expositions, concerts, visiting artist performances) to track its reputation as a modern society. Second, tourism is a highly- unpredictable industry, with trends and factors influential of tourist influx. Factors that positively affect tourism are disposable income join on, transportation cost decrease, tourism package cost decrease, and political stability presence. Travel distance has flummox an irrelevant tourism factor. Third, competition has spurred creative marketing strategies on the part of tourism providers.They have started providing leisure and business packages in greater variety, high quality, and to a greater extent competitive pricing scheme- thereby boosting the market take for tourism. With the watercourse trends in tourism at work, the demand being on the approbatory side, it is projected that the $ 3. 3 trillion global tourism industry bequeath grow at a 6. 8 % annual rate for the future(a) 10 years. Fourth, the tourism industry is challenged by a body of better-informed and tart clientele.Tourism providers, thus, guide to package destinations in a detail-specific and compell ing manner, categorized on the basis of market segmentation, in order to lure identically tourists. The package destinations can overly aim at a wider plod of tourists for particular destinations in order to satisfy the market demand. In view of these trends, Dubai must adhere to the aforementioned steps to be able to take advantage of the tourism sector to its fullest. Dubai must primary(prenominal)tain explore-based equilibrium determine per tourist segment, from where tourism providers can base tourist package offers from.The stir up is expect to optimize Dubais gain from possible tourism-generated re venues. It must also continue upgrading its support function in order to be able to service the increasing flock of tourists, broaden the basis of their motivation for tourism, and eventually, toady to a greater extent tourists into visiting. A study of tourisms framework is a requisite for understanding it. According to the Singaporean Board of Tourism website, the touris m landscape is composed of two sections motivating attraction and supporting services. motivating attractions include business tourism, cruise events, honeymoons, and especially, ethnic tourism. Supporting services, however, include IT & conversation systems, travel agencies, hotels, entertainment management companies, and computer reservation systems. ethnical activities, in addition, are part of a broader tourism framework by twist on both Motivating Attractions and Supporting serve, Dubai give be able to attract tourists and encourage repeat visits. Cultural TourismCultural tourism is the type of tourism intent on an exploration of and education on the culture of a particular state. The motivating attraction components of ethnical tourism are heathen/historical heritage, performing liberal arts (theatre), visual arts and music. The CulturalHistorical Heritage component includes parks sightseeing, tours, heathenish events, festivals and fairs. perform Arts (Theatre) inclu des musicals, operas, concert dance and dance exhibitions, and dramatic and classical performances.The Visual Arts component includes museums, characterization galleries, craft exhibits, and film and photo representy showcases. Music, however, includes symphonies, orchestras and concerts. Supporting Services for ethnic tourism comp grow of marketing organizations to promote the Arts and Dubais position as a center for the arts in the region, operational organizations to collaborate with performing arts talents and IT specialists for marketing, state-of-the-art venues like auditoriums, screening rooms, seminar rooms and staging arenas, and the technology that allows for world-class performances and shows.This US-based data on pagan tourism illustrates some rouge characteristics of the tourism demography (regular/cultural tourists), with important implications on the possible benefits from cultural tourism. Research suggests that promoting cultural tourism in Dubai will attract an extremely valuable clientele that will be willing to spend more ($ 174 average difference) and lengthen the succession of their visit (4% difference). Cultural tourism onward motion, research also suggests, increases the likelihood of rough drawing clients with more advanced ages (48 vs.46 average, 3% difference in retired tourists demography) and educational backgrounds (3% difference in graduate full point-holding status). Hosting much(prenominal) a demography is a boost for promoting Dubai as the image drawing card in the region, an immense contribution to the knowledge economy. The National Assembly of estate Arts agencies website asserts that some economic and cultural trends has had a huge violation on cultural tourism statistics. First, there has been a general rise in affluence and education level trends.Second, the United Arab Emirates has bore get a line to cultural diversity with expatriates now accounting for more than 75% of the UAE population. Third, an incre ase in the economic role and education of women had women typically setting up vacation plans. Fourth, a lesser time for leisure which is a mark of modern society increased the demand for and placed idiom on shorter and value-added trips. Lastly, there has been an intensified influence of technology in every domain of a function an increased awareness of cultural issues thence effected in tourists demanding a greater variety of cultural activities.These trends imply favorable growth prospects for cultural tourism in Dubai. Analyzing Dubais situation, it is evident that the current cultural tourism landscape is insufficient. Cultural Tourism Activities in Dubai are on a small-scale, fragmented, and uncoordinated way, and bereft of independent quality check and strategic guidance. The Dubai explorer 2002 has it that the only activities/establishments which garnered a medium rating on the concentration graph were Dubais six (6) parks (Creekside Park, Mushrif Park, Rashidiya Park, S afa Park, Al Mamzar Beach and Jumeira Beach Park).The Performing Arts Division (comprising of nine (9) groups and clubs), the Visual Arts Sector (composed of quaternity (4) galleries) and Falconry Divisions three (3) centers were noted as having the lowest concentrations. Dubai, however, is not deficient in Venues for Musical and Theatrical Performances which include seven (7) venues for chaste Concerts (e. g. Crowne Plaza Hotel), six (6) venues for Theatrical Performances (e. g. a 500-seat residential district Theater built in 2002 boney Nad Al Sheba) and fifteen (15) venues for Dance/ quinine water Concert Events.These physical bodys are suggestive of the budding need for abstract staging facilities and equipment the demand for performance venues having been predicted. Comparing the aforementioned figures to a cultural tourism-investing countrys infrastructure statistics will reveal some blow out of the water differences. The data has it that Dubai has 80% the GDP/capita of Hong Kong but pales in comparison with moot to cultural infrastructure- with only 15% the number of museums and 0% the number of theaters and arenas. base on these ratios, Dubai should have at least 10 museums and 5 theaters in order to parallel Hongkongs status as a tourism spot. The Cultural Tourism Industry Group and the National Assembly of differentiate Arts Agencies websites specify the apparent quality and tourism potential of museums, art galleries, concert halls, historic sites, and national and state parks as main considerations influencing cultural tourists. The organization of cultural events, festivals and fairs is a consideration too. With an understandably febrile itinerary, the logistics scheme and accompanying amenities also count.Some of these features have already been instituted/organized in Dubai such as national and state parks, cultural events, festivals and fairs. These institutions/affairs are considered highly-competitive and very manageable. On the oth er hand, theaters, concert halls and archaeological sites are basically non-existent. The construction of theaters and concert halls are reasonable, achievable objectives as exemplified by the construction of a 500-seat Community Theater (built in 2002 near Nad Al Sheba).The contrary holds for establishing archeological sites, a challenging feat. The creation of and investment in organizational networks in Dubai that promote cultural activities will beget ample dedication which will enable cultural organizations to fund, nurse and implement innovative ideas crucial to the development of cultural activities. In addition, the capital punishment of high-impact activities will command the highest visibility and draw a significant number of tourists.Those projects are intent on Cultural Tourism which is currently in assentingible in Dubai. Cultural Tourism necessitates the creation of a dedicated watchfulness committee within the DTCM structure to (1) coordinate with the personal s ector regarding the development of projects, (2) fund and harbor the development of different project concepts, and (3) assist in projects implementation to foster the development of cultural activities. Possible High-Impact Projects Cultural Tourism necessitates an identification of viable high-impact activities for implementation.Possible projects include (1) the construction of a culture complex (Barbican or Lincoln Center model-based), (2) the construction of an opera digest (Londons Royal Albert Hall-modeled), (3) erection of a major performing arts venue (in joint effort with the private sectors Community Theater project currently current), (4) the erection of a concert hall (in partnership with Moscow for purposes of return and guidance), (5) the generalization of a desert arena, (6) hosting cultural events and activities, and (7) erection of art cinema houses for Indie Films (NYCs Angelica Theater-based).Moreover, there is an apparent need for an amendment in Dubais exi sting laws on private ownership to further the development of cultural tourism in this region. In a 1999 DTCM survey, as posted in the HK Leisure and Cultural Services department website, a majority of the respondents specified the scarcity of ludicrous activities and sightings in Dubai. The respondents criticized the offered cultural activities as being small-scale, fragmented and uncoordinated.These survey results support the need for improvements in cultural tourism infrastructure, developments in ongoing cultural activities, and initiation of high-impact projects. The DTCM, with its current organizational setup, is ill-equipped for a full development of cultural services. A labor force comparison between the DTCM and the HK L&C Services Department yielded startling results the HK L&C Services Department has 26 times more employees.There is an immense need to foster a dedicated organization, in charge of coordinating the development of cultural activities in the region. The org anizational setup will be based on the Hong Kong model where its primary role would be to act as the primordial node of cultural activities in the region. Other organizational responsibilities include (1) promotion of cultural performances, (2) provision of support to festival organizers and private companies, and (3) offer of audience-aimed educational programs, and (4) boilersuit logistical operations (e. g.venues and ticketing). Conclusion It is evident that the dearth of cultural facilities and cultural activities has brought Dubai to a tourism disadvantage. Cultural facilities/activities have been described, aptly or otherwise, as being small-scale, quality control-bereft, and seemingly uncoordinated with other cultural tourism authorities. Established institutions, however, such as the Dubai Museum, Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding, and the Dubai Natural History Group have potentially important roles in boosting Dubais cultural tourism prospects.Currently, th ere is an insufficient government emphasis in Cultural Tourism, although an AED 10M Dubai Community Theatre project which is currently underway is definitely a step in the right direction. An expedient cultural tourism infrastructure will facilitate Dubais agenda of drawing a desirable demographic, generating ample revenues from increased expenses and lengthened travel duration on tourists part, and according Dubai the status of an image leader in the world.Furthermore, it is expected to heighten students thespic awareness and enthusiasm, sufficient encouragements for the scholarly and professional pursuit of the Arts. An overall improvement in the quality of life is expected with the creation of an inculturated tourism experience creative arts specialists and cultural promotion companies will then be drawn to Dubai. Implications The magnitude of Dubais long-term agenda has motley implications for the government and support systems, and marketing and performance logistics.For one, a high degree of government support is entailed, more so that the need to institute a governmental agency for cultural promotion purposes presents itself. Secondly, creating partnerships with relevant local and oversea organizations is required for the promotion and improvement of Dubais Art and Culture. Third, the creation of specialized umbrella organizations, like a National Heritage Board or an Arts Council, is a significant assistance to the government for a more focused management.Fourth, the government has to support, subsidize and grant incentives to private sector initiatives in support of Dubais cultural tourism agenda (e. g. museum foundation, arts organizations). Lastly, there is a need for the government to set guidelines and policies directed on an utile management of cultural facilities, heritage conservation and tourist education. Support services have their own share of responsibilities. First, the management of major facilities, such as stadiums and performance venues, will ensure organizers a constant facility access and facility maintenance.Second, there is a need for the implementation of an accessible and alter ticketing system, possibly with the use of the Internet, to ensure a widespread distribution and expediency. Third, the gift of financial support to festivals, events organizers, museums administration and arts organizations can be a tourism marketing tool. Lastly, the Internet is an useful marketing instrument with a global domain therefore, creating websites and publishing electronic newsletters on cultural tourism is an information dissemination option.Dubais cultural tourism agenda has peculiar implications for marketing and production logistics. First, ticket pricing has to be reasonable and demand-based with neglect offerings for senior citizens, students and children, and price markdowns on special occasions and for promotional means. Second, an effective marketing strategy is key to succeeding in this arena to get i n and organize sales missions, trade and tourism fairs, consumer fairs and other promotional events is therefore necessary.Third, cultural organizers have to be responsible for audience-briefing on cultural themes in order to help the audience appreciate different cultural performances. Lastly, an improve domain is a boost to cultural tourism therefore, the provision of educational programs addressed to students (lectures, workshops, seminars and symposia) and the encouragement of learning institutions to participate in cultural activities will significantly bolster Dubais tourism agenda. Dubais vision has crucial implications for production logistics too.First, affairs organizers have a wide array of production options ranging from traditional repertoires to avant-garde creative performances. Organizers have a corollary responsibility of heeding consumer demand and garnering independent ideas providing a means for the submission of independent project proposals is therefore requis ite. Second, it is the organizers privilege and responsibility to provide performance opportunities to both established and approaching local artists and groups.Third, there is an organizer responsibility for a performance venue planning and management, with a corollary need for the constant enhancement and upgrading of performance facilities. Lastly, production organizers have to establish and be of support to local professional artists groups like philharmonic societies, dance companies and orchestras. With a competent strategy and ample guidance, Dubais 2010 Vision of Cultural Tourism need not be an impossible action

How does Steinbeck present the theme of loneliness in ‘Of Mice and Men’? Essay

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, is company in mid-1930s the States during the depression. This depression came as a shock to America after the 1920s boom- sequence. The inspiration that Steinbeck drew upon is the troublesome times lot were living through at that time. However, the characters in the novel are favourable in that they are running(a) on a prosperous bring on, patronage millions actually being step to the fore of work at the time. In this essay, I will attempt to bring erupt key points referring to l peerlessliness and how it affects the characters in the story. The novel is set in a household called Soledad, which incidentally gist l unrivaledliness.The two central characters in the novel are George Milton and Lennie Small. The first chapter helps us get to know the characters well. George and Lennie are two workers who move from ranch to ranch in search of work and good pay. We know early on that they are currently surrounded by jobs, and are hitching lif ts to their next job. They had to move on from the last ranch because of Lennie having touched a girls dress, so they are on the run.George is quick-witted and intelligent. He is overly very fabian Lennie. You gonna be sick akin you was last night.. George is small and quick, dark of face, also with restless eyes this again stresses the point that he is cautious and jade of some early(a) people. Lennie however is very childlike Look, George. Look what I forefat here. homogeneous a small child, Lennie is trying to impress George. One point exclamatory frequently through the book is, despite his terror of hysteria, he is a man of great physical strength and is often compared to an animal He stood crying, his fist confounded in Lennies paw.In many representations, George and Lennie are the two halves of a single person, one of them is strong while the early(a) is weak. The two refer to both George strong mind, physically weak and Lennie physically strong, solely ment ally weak. Lennie is Georges shadow, he does as he is told by George whether in his best interests or not You tol me to, George, he state miserably. George and Lennie care for each other as if they were family. George plays the parent figure in Lennies life, he has taken on the responsibility for Lennie partly out of pity, partly out of affection, and partly for companionship. They actually need and depend upon one another you got me and I got you as Lennie keeps saying. They share a dream to accept a patch of land and it is this that keeps them going in the bad times. otherwise men may also extradite had this dream, but perhaps dont have as much faith in it as George and Lennie do. candy is near to the end of his useful life on the farm and knows he has little to look forward to. Candys simply companion is his hotdog, we are told Candy has raised him since he was a birth. When the dog is killed by Carlson, Candy is silent almost as if his soul was in the dog, so when the dog is destroyed, Candy is too. He is offered a new pup by Slim, but this is no consolation as he has lost a life coherent friend. Candy is easily hurt by Carlsons willingness to murder his pet Les get it over with, patronage his emotional turmoil early in the book, Candy is saved from madness by George and Lennie. He is let into their dream and he is just as enthusiastic virtually it as Lennie How much they want for a place like that? The loss of his dog is not the first he has had to brood with. He scratched the stump of his wrist nervously. I got hurt four eld ago, This scans he has wholly one hand, and has had to come to terms with the loss of something perhaps more important than a pet.Crooks is a special case. He is a literate black cripple who tends horses on the ranch. This situates him one of the loners in the novel. Because he is black, he has a room of his own but with scatter right outside the window, he is not living in luxury. His earthshaking possessions ar e his books. Whereas the ranch manpower generally read magazines, he has the time and the intelligence to read proper books. Literature, after all, educates us, allows us to enter into other worlds, and fills our time profitably. He says, A guy sets alone out here at night, maybe readin books or thinkin The books actually show that Crooks is not inferior. If anything, they show that he has a superior intelligence.However, Crooks indicates the books also reflect his loneliness he would like someone to communion to. So they also show how he is different and apart from the other workers on the ranch. He has long been the dupe of oppressive violence and prejudice, this in itself leaves him separate from the rest of the group. Despite the persecutions, the other characters seem to secretly admire him Jesus, how that nigger can pitch shoes. and then Slim replies Hes plently good, although they never complement him when he is around. Crooks does have rights, but many of them are abus ed and no-one does anything to enforce them. Crooks has trouble satisfactory in and making friends because of restrictions imposed on him by the boss he is only allowed in the bunkhouse at Christmas.Crooks character is bored with life and only wishes to be equal with white people, like he seemed to be as a child, and he only now realises why his father hated his white friends as a child. Crooks is isolated from the other ranch reach because he is different. He copes with it by keeping a distance betwixt himself and the other hands but he is drawn into the dream of working on George and Lennies farm. When Lennie is with him when the others are in town Crooks is talking about his views on companionship. Crooks tries to talk to Lennie about the loneliness he is feeling caused by being black, but Lennie is too busy thinking about George to heed to him. So Crooks ends up badger him about George not coming back.Curleys wife is seen as a possession something belonging to Curley rat her than a person in her own right. She is just described as a tart, but little more is known about her. It could be because of this that she enjoys teasing Lennie and the others on the ranch she knows Curley does not approve and it is a way of acquiring her own sense of being an individual back. She wants to be noticed as a person, her shattered dream of being a movie star is shared with Lennie as they grow a short friendship. She is described as a temptress, piece of jail-bait and a tart. She is portrayed as an evil character, although it is also emphasised that this is no fault of her own. She is blamed by Candy for the end of his own dreams, even though she was also a victim after Lennie unintentionally killed her. Being lonely she turned to Lennie for companionship, but his love of petting soft things ends in her demise.Lennie and Curleys Wife are, with the exclusion of Crooks, the most lonely and misunderstood characters in the book. In chapter five, they meet in the barn a fter Lennie has accidentally killed his puppy. Curleys Wife approaches him, but he knows he should not be talking to her, after all George verbalise she was a bad person, Well, I aint supposed to talk to you or nothing.. He reveals the dead puppy, and she begins her slow process of seduction, by soothe him telling him it was not his fault. Then she tells him about her dreams, her life story and how she was cheated out of a movie star career by her ol lady. It changes from seduction to a friendship because she had confided in him, she moved closer to Lennie and sat beside him so now there is a one way trust between the two, Curleys Wife already having confided in Lennie, but he is quench worried about what George might think and the possibility of George not let him tend the rabbits.But Lennie tells her he likes soft things, and she allows him to stroke her hair. She has fallen into a trap, and it seems she will suffer the identical fate as the other creatures Lennie has pett ed. She does. eventually killed by her own loneliness, she dies violently at the same strong hands as the mice, the dog and Curleys hand. Candy then stumbles upon the body, he knows it was Lennie and realises the terzettos dream is finished. He gets George who knows he must reach Lennie ahead Curley and the other ranch-hands, so he can help Lennie escape the violence that would ensue if he didnt catch him in time.An alternate way of life is sought by the characters, motivated by their loneliness, this is one of the reasons they foul up from ranch-to-ranch, they are continually searching. They do this, often without knowing what they are really looking for. Characters are also lonely because of something within themselves, something that almost seems to make their loneliness inevitable. Different characters seek comfort in different things for Candy it is his dog for George and Lennie it is each other for Crooks it is his pride and skill at things like pitching horseshoes. For t hem, it is an unending journey moving from place to place, the same jobs, the same routines, different people. Sadly, they never stay in one place long enough to make friends or settle down. Many dream of get a ranch of their own, but it will never happen as long as they take their pay every month and go into town and waste all they have earned on one night of recreation.

Influence And Impact Of Differing National Cultures On International Business

The world is changing politic anyy, economic each(prenominal)y, technically, and collectively at a previously out of the question rate. Both impertinent and skilled transnational firms be stumbling and committing mis issuances as they stage these recently emerging environmental forces. What is desired now is a new-fangled way of viewing both the global and foreign operations of global firms. To be as thriving as possible, these firms should be as heathenly attuned to the world and to e rattling foreign society in which they seek to cultivate as they are to their own home society.The Websters New Collegiate mental lexicon (1980) defines farming as the incorporated pattern of human behaviour that includes thought, speech, action, and artifacts and depends on mans competence for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations and the customary beliefs, hearty forms, and material behavior of a racial, religious, or social group. These definitions point to many important aspects of glossiness. First, socialization permeates all human behaviors and interactions. Second, culture is shared by members of a group.And third, it is handed down to newcomers and from wiz generation to the next. This description of culture is not aimed at institutions scarcely is truly appropriate to them (AAhad M. Osman-Gani & Zidan, S. S. 2001, pp. 452-460). The prevailing trim back in the world(prenominal) business environment in current decades has been great directness in trade, enthronization, finance and engineering science resultant in increase planetary integration and interdependence in business and between states. What is besides obvious is that large swathes of the worlds population are efficiently marginalized or veto from these trends.This segregation has been a major factor in modern anti-globalization campaigns and is oft judgment of convictions employ to justify proposals to reform or even abolish planetary institutions and to i nvalidate policies that permit contributed to international integration. Morrison (2006) characterized a global constancy as having intense levels of international competition, competitors marketing a nightclub product worldwide, industry competitors that have a presence in all happen upon international markets and superior levels of international trade.These definitions have the common thread of the need and hazard to integrate strategy across countries. Though aspects of globalization and the guiding principles of the IMF and the cosmea Bank have not al shipway been affirmative for developing countries, it is a generalization to place all or roughly of the blame for the marginalisation of developing countries onto these factors. Development is a multifaceted process but some(prenominal) countries have managed it fortunately.Considerably, it is those countries that have affianced most intensively with the outside world (that is, in East Asia), that have been most boffo i n their victimization endeavors. evenly takeable has been the keenness of each state to take a inter falsify role in the development process, a role that assorted from area to country depending on its culture and early circumstances. Development is a important, and a lot ignored, issue for international business. Too oftentimes, international business and development are simply discussed within the context of problems much(prenominal) as child dig or environmental degradation.Certainly, these and similar issues pose serious challenges for multinational enterp hold waters and policy- discombobulaters but they are ultimately problems that, with adequate political provide, are amenable to closure (admittedly, the political exit requisite is of a much greater uttermost than has hitherto been seen). Successful development, however, forms markets and improves the quality of labor forces and key features of infra mental synthesis, thereby creating investment opportunities. In vestment in turn is essential to the development process.Recognition of the need to be culturally attuned is not new. William J. Holstein and colleagues noted in a Business week article that going global john be awesome as experienced CEOs find that their executive skills developed at home are not almost as sharp when respective(a) cultures peg down the play field (Holstein et al. 1989, 9-18). To sharpen these skills and permit managers to function cross culturally, firms have characteristically focused on steering selection and training.The thought here is that if cosmos culturally attuned at home yields a non-cognitive automatic response, then befittingly oriented managers could be selected and trained in the cultures of the world to exhibit as hale as appropriate responses in otherwise societies. IBM, for instance, contends that each manager shall receive cardinal hours of training each year on topics such as managing multinational groups of people and the internati onalization of IBMs business (Callahan 1989, 28-32).Still, despite efforts such as these, ane study noted that cross-cultural obstacles facing migr employees continue to result in a failure rate of 20 to 50 percent of all expatriate assignments. International organizations develop certain assumptions, norms, patterns of speech and behavior that make them curious. Also, similar to social or racial groups, culture is one of the factors that enjoin one organization from some other. Applying the concept of culture to organizations gives them a human quality.Organizations go bad much more than than the profit margin, the creates, and the organizational charts. As living entities, organizations flummox and modify. They adapt to their environment and maintain interior(a) health. Many management scholars have focused on the thought of adapting national culture in international business. It is usually defined as a series of rudimentary assumptions that an organization has developed in learning to handle with its external environment and its internal functioning. These assumptions have been found to be reasoned and valid and are indeed communicated to new employees.Adapting foreign culture makes every international organization unique and bonds members of an organization together. The culture in the organization verifies what behaviors and ideas are acceptable and appropriate. nuance is the yardstick used to assess many behaviors and ideas, and it provides a foundation for the development of goals and strategies. For instance, an organization where one of the staple fibre postulations is that people perform best chthonian minimal control and supervision and need independence to excel would consider heavy-handed management techniques used by one of their new dismal managers.Furthermore, such an organization would be more expected to select a training program for developing participative management skills more than one stress on processes for developing p ower. A case in point is the much-publicized W. L. bloodbath and Associates, with headquarters in Newark, Delaware, that makes wire and cable, medical products, Gore-tex fibers and fabrics, and industrial filter bags. iodin of the distinctive characteristics of the firm is its casualness and the absence of pecking order and status symbols.Employees and managers do not have prescribed titles, and creative problem solving is passing encouraged. As a result, the use of status symbols that would designate a pecking order is considered highly inappropriate. This instance demonstrates how a basic cultural assumption concerning factors that top outs to potency is used to find out which behaviors are acceptable (Jimmieson, Nerina L. , Katherine M. White, and Megan Peach, 2004, C1). Culture and structure are inseparable, since structure is one of the major manifestations of culture.The culture is one of the factors that determine the relationship between employees and managers. As wit h the other elements, however, the culture whitethorn alike be the result of structure. For example, in a highly centralized organization, the death penalty of participative management and employee empowerment leave behind be impossible without a castrate in the structure. Thus, the two elements are totally intertwined (Skinner, Denise 1. 2004, 5). operative productively in an organizational setting, demands a diverse approach path of communication, management and negotiation.The majority management techniques and inter private skills are put together on a personal apprise system that is extremely influenced by culture. Both company culture and national culture recount to a persons effectual behavior (Fisher, Glen 1990, 98). clobberings in national culture beggarlys contriveing in a divergent cultural environment. As one national culture strength interpret eye contact, smiling, happy, individual space, touching, punctuality, and arousing responses in a certain way, ano ther culture might infer a totally opposite meat from the similar behavior (Moran, Robert T. nd Stripp, William G. , 1991).The deepest level of a culture is the least visible part, its value system. It becomes apparent indirectly, while working with foreigners. Basically, national culture inspires every feature of social behavior and alters communication style, personality, character, inspiration, knowledge and cognition. thither is a widespread body of work on cultural differences in communication styles in the linguistics and cultural anthropology literature (Reine, P. P. V. & Trompenaars, F, 2000, 237-243).Devoid of knowledge of the dissimilarities in national culture and mentality, without knowing how your colleague thinks, believe and proceed, or which communication theory and conflict-solving patterns these pertain, you run the risk of misunderstanding your business partners, and thus of jeopardizing your achievement both abroad as well as in locally-based inter cultural te ams (Fisher, Glen 1990). It is simply through with(predicate) the cultural, personal and communication understanding of the responsible persons that international assignments and company start-ups abroad layabout be prohibited from becoming failures.Though, powerful communication with people of national cultures is bad-temperedly challenging. Cultures give people with ways of judgment, ways of considering, investigation, and interpreting the world. Thus the similar words jackpot mean dissimilar things to people from different cultures, even when they talk the same language. When the languages are dissimilar, and translation has to be used to communicate, the prospective for misunderstandings increase (Fisher, Glen 1990). Communication is effectual when the person interpreting the message attaches a meaning to the message equal to what was intended by the person transmitting it. (Fisher, Glen 1990). The national culture in an international organization endures gradual change as the organization adapts to diverse environmental and internal events. This gradual change is incremental and rarely entails significant deviation from established patterns.Effecting massive organizational change is so very strenuous. Changing the culture of an organization is as hard as changing an individuals personality. Moreover, strong cultures will be more defiant to change than postulateon ones (Tony Proctor, and Ioanna Doukakis. 2003, 268). So as to change culture, all three of its levels have to change. vary the first level of culture which includes all artifacts, physical elements, dress codes, building decoration, symbols, logos, and yet employee behaviors and speech patternsis comparatively easy. One key to such change is a new reward system. For illustration, cooperative behavior can be confident and taught if organizational reward systems encourage it. Employees come to learn that they will be rewarded for collaboration.Changes in this first level, however, do not essentially glide by to changes in the second level, which comprises values, or in the third level, which consists of basic assumptions. The last mentioned two is much harder to amend. For example, although as a result of training and a new reward system employee can learn to behave more considerately, they might still value competition and consider it to be the key to success and high performance. In the short term, cooperation can develop into an espoused value. It can become a deeply held value simply if it is proven successful over a period of time.In addition, values that are distinct with basic assumptions are seeming to lead to conflict and tension and are little probable to be adopted (Lloyd, Margaret, and Sheridan Maguire. 2002, 149). It is the continuous success of a new behavior (first level) that leads to the development of a new value (second level). If this new value is sustained and proven effective, it can lead to changes in several basic assumptions (third level ). In the implementation of organizational change, a top down approach is less expected to be effective, although it will lead to behavioral changes.Basic assumptions can simply be changed if all organizational levels are committed to the change and adopt it as their own (McNish, Mark. 2002, 201). The process will perceptibly take longer however, employee participation leads to obligation to the development of new assumptions. Overall, although it may be moderately easy to change the discernible and obvious elements of national culture, it is very hard to amend the core of culture. Without the amendment of the basic cultural assumptions, the culture will moreover change apparently. Only with the long-term success of new behaviors will new postulations develop.However, the deep-seated paradigms may avert consideration of new behaviors and values, since they often lead to a biased interpretation of the accomplishment of new behaviors and therefore discourage their use. Without major cultural change, substantial strategic change is likely to fail. Although the formulation of new strategy may be moderately easy, its successful implementation depends almost completely on existing culture or, in many cases, on a change in the existing culture. hardly such a change is exceptionally difficult and can only be successful with broad planning.Managers can distinguish and acclimatize to different work styles and cultures. Getting work through through others entails a dispatch flow of perfect information and open, prolific relationships with employees. But thats easier said than done in a diverse workplace where lots of cultures collide. On the other hand, nearly every aspect of daily human life involves negotiations. Parenting, social relationships, commercial dealings and communications with customers, co-workers and suppliers are some of the few to name. Employees through strong negotiation skills are important assets to organizations.Armed with the accurate knowledg e, approaches and skills, well-trained and well-prepared negotiators deliver results that go immediately to the bottom line. Diverse techniques of negotiation attach to your ideas. An instance of this is when Americans were negotiating with Vietnamese. They used a plan stratagem in order to stick. Poor negotiating is when soul talks to you. Negotiating downwards is not an excellent way. It is like takes it or chase away it approach. Approximately everything is negotiable (Reine, P. P. V. & Trompenaars, F, 2000, 237-243).Another culture difference is a bigger lead toward people. It is in addition a high-level of internal negotiation, and a greater skill in managing international variety. European managers are able of managing linking extremes (AAhad M. Osman-Gani & Zidan, S. S, 2001, 452-460). Working in another culture a lot depends on the inter-cultural skills of the negotiator. Whereas technology and financial ability might be an issue in the negotiation process in our fast-gro wing world, the cultural competence of the negotiator provides a company the viable edge (Moran, Robert T. nd Stripp, William G. , 1991).Cultural values persuade all features of behavior in doing business in negotiating through people from different surroundings the most efficient approach for overcoming probable communication barriers is to centre of attention on the interests of the parties (Reine, P. P. V. & Trompenaars, F, 2000, 237-243). Why do they want what they want? You have to go at the back the validations they may use to protect why they want something finally virtually everyone can come up with an explanation for whatever they want.The actual issue is how what they want will hand out their interests (AAhad M. Osman-Gani & Zidan, S. S, 2001, 452-460). duologue progression is a build process. It is a challenging style, cooperative, working together, avoiding, and pliant style. There are negotiation tactics, which are trouble solving win-win and partnering. It is a bui ld trust, shows optimistic feeling, and reduces differences, obvious and rational. It is also inspired, peaceful shows patience, elastic, seeks common interest, makes others contented, yields to replete(p) alternatives (Wiechecki, Barbara. 999).Lots of manager has been aggravated by the employee who nods in obviously considerate of a direction, then does just the contradictory. Or there are the staff members who rise cold and distant after acquiring feedback on their work, as well as the team members who clam up at meetings when asked for ideas (Fisher, Glen 1990). Besides, our understanding, culture manipulate how close we stand, how loud we converse, how we contract with conflict even how we contribute in a meeting (AAhad M. Osman-Gani & Zidan, S. S, 2001).Though lots of cultural norms manipulate a managers behavior and ensuing reactions, mainly significant ones are hierarchy and status, groups vs. individual orientation, time realization, communication and conflict pledge. By fa iling to recognize how culture collisions each needs and preferences, managers, a lot misunderstands behaviors (Moran, Robert T. and Stripp, William G. , 1991). Think about the norm of hierarchy and status. If you desire all people to feel valued and to contribute in indicative or decision making, differences in this standard could be restrained.An employee who has been taught witness to age, sexual category or title, might out of respect fainthearted away from being sincere or religious offering ideas as offering proposals to an elder or a boss might emerge to be tough authority. The manager in addition might require structuring a climate that balances predilections for group and individual work. The employee who cant or wont subordinate individual wants or requirements for the good of the group might perform better working totally (Casse, Pierre 1995).A culturally skilled manager generates opportunities for individuals to take a fleck of risks and investigate projects that d ont need coordinating with others. Doing so can hearten employees with a sturdy individualist bent to draw concentration to significant matters, such as policies or procedures that dont work. On the other hand, when managers put too high a premium on evading workplace discord, even distinctive employees may be disheartened from providing potentially productive feedback (Moran, Robert T. and Stripp, William G. , 1991). However, managers require comprehending the people with whom they work (Casse, Pierre 1995).Devoid of clear mutual understanding, it is almost not possible for a team to attain its objectives. Even in a comparatively standardized organization, designers and accountants, for instance, might be seen as representing diverse cultural perspectives. Getting them to work efficiently together is perceptibly crucial for a companys success. And, most confidently, getting people whose cultural variety is based on diverse issues is no less significant (Adelman, Mara B and Levine D eena R. 1993). To obtain the information you require you have to get alternative approaches that are more in order with the employees culture.Here are a number of suggestions Evade yes/no questions such as Is that clear? or Do you understand? provide the employee options from which to prefer. Inquire for precise information, such as Which step will you do first with this new practice? If time allows, carry out the task along with the employee or watch to see how well he recognizes your directions. Endeavor using unreceptive language that focuses on the circumstances or behavior, rather than the individual. For instance, Galls should be answered by the third ring or All requests require accurate bear down codes so as to be processed. (Adelman, Mara B and Levine Deena R. 1993).Give workers enough lead time to gather their thoughts before a meeting so they can feel prepared to get input. Have employees work in bantam groups, engendering ideas through discussion and presenting inp ut as a group. One of the most significant functions of a manager is budding and grooming employees for encouragement. Cultural norms have a vast collision on this job as of the underlie conjecture a manager might make about an employees prospective (Fisher, Glen 1990).One has to be cautious not to designate people with a particular image, to think that everyone with a particular label thinks or acts alike. If it isnt for differences, the world would be a very uninteresting place. What we require to do is finds out how diverse interests can be addressed to yield results that work for the organizations that have the decisive liability to realize an agreement. Organizational cultural diversity is merely one of the rudiments that desire to be taken into relation to keep things operate on a cultured level.

Theme of Evil in Macbeth

English Macbeth nefariousness Homework Essay In Macbeth, Shakespe atomic number 18 presents us with a military forceful imaging on roughshod. Write your response to the above statement. Textual sustain may include reference to a particular performance of the summercater you arrest jutn. I believe the theme of this looseness of the bowels to be the passel on bad. It is a very(prenominal) powerful theme it puddles the shape twain interesting and memorable. there is an malefic presence throughout the play this is unequivocal from the very first scene where we encounter the three witches.Fundamentally, there ar two types of crime visible in Shakespeares play of Macbeth. The evil which we see, the violent acts, the violent imagery, then there is a ace of evil within the characters themselves, and the three witches, as they are considered evil beings. All of these elements assent to establish an overall atmosphere of evil. Evil characters like gentlewoman Macbeth I have in mind the strongest vision of evil in this play is demonstrated by the witches. The witches themselves are a symbol of evil, never mind their actual doings. They are supernatural and automatically feared.They like to play barbarian tricks, mislead people. Their cruel actions always cause a cruel and bleak outcome for their victim. We see examples of this in the very first scene, when they discuss how they tortured a waterman by depriving him of sleep and tossing his ship into a tempestuous storm. They enjoy unfounded acts like severing a mans thumb and retention it as a trophy. In my intuitive feeling its very purposeful that the witches are the first people we met, the set the tone of the play. The significance of this is immense it shows the prevalence of the theme of evil.Early on, we realise that the witches have a capital deal of power over events and propensity to convince a ductile mind. Their goal is non to help Macbeth gain all the glory and power which it is his ambition to achieve but to convince him that this is their aim but preferably lead him to his death They receive satisfaction in the false sense of security and hope their prophecies have given Macbeth. I think the witches have set their sights on misleading Macbeth the whole way until his death, they pray on his sense of ambition and use this to start the fire which engulfs all and ends with Macbeths death.Lady Macbeth has another important role in this play, to expand on the theme of evil and carry it further through the play. I think she, like the witches enjoys in the pursuit of evil good for the sake of it. She taunts and blackmails her economize into committing unthinkable crimes for the sake of it. Lady Macbeth is an appalling woman, from the moment we met her we see her just ready to empty her wickedness upon any poor sucker that comes along, ill-starred for Macbeth he happens to be her victim.She is a like a spider she catches him in her web and wraps him up and engrosses him in all her evil. Her true essence comes into play when she calls upon the evil spirits to take away her femininity, to take away her weaknesses and pity, come, you spirits, that turn tail on mortal thoughts, unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toenail top- enough of direst cruelty. When Macbeth refuses to be part of the act, he decides to not devour Duncan, this infuriates Lady Macbeth. She begins to try and guilt Macbeth into committing the crime. She uses violent bloody imagery to guilt him into doing it.She is very manipulative this shows us how ruthless Lady Macbeth is. Macbeth ends up changing his mind. turn the three witches and Lady Macbeth are seen as the main forms of evil in the play, we must not overlook Macbeth himself. We cannot tell if he is truly an evil human being or if he just carries out evil acts. After all, he is the one who carries out Duncans evil murder. He is the one who ordered for the killing of Banquo and Fleance (who esc apes). He is the one who employs three murders to kill Macduffs wife and kids. Is this because he is evil?Or is it because of the push Lady Macbeth gave him which light-emitting diode him to spiral out of control and with the confidence he received from the witches. The brutal slaughter of Duncan was his first step into the bloodbath from which he finds impossible to indemnity from. The violent bloody imagery used throughout the play as puff up portrays a sense of evil. The evil in the play is presented very well through pathetic fallacy. In most occasions in the play, when a murder was committed or when we came upon the witches, the weather would reflect the actions or the tightness in the play.Also, how the animals reacted after Duncans death, they all went wild and ate all(prenominal) other. I think this draws a very good image, and links everything in with the particular act. These unnatural acts mirror the evil in reality. In my opinion this overall intensifies the play an d makes you become engrossed in the play. Overall, Shakespeares Macbeth, is full of images of evil, cruelty, suffering and death. It is images like the amputated thumb, the horses eating each other of the brutality of the murders.There are also many references to the devil, hell and violence. The characters, their actions and moods all combine to make a very powerful vision of evil within the play. season we see that evil does not go unpunished, the final victory does not look like much compared to the add of evil which has been seen through this play, the amount of lives lost and how it has affected the people left behind, even though virtue and order is finally restored. It is prevalent that the main theme in this play is the theme of evil.

The Caused and Effects of Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy

The caused and effects of Lehman sidekicks lingoruptcy. ? Lehman Brothers was founded in 1850 and it is a diversified investing lodge leave al unrivaledd fiscal services for international companies, institutions, g everyplacenments and investors. Lehman Brothers was one of the roughly powerful product line and bond to a lower placewriters and dealers in the world, and it besides as the fourth largest enthronisation bank in the get together States in the beginning. Because of widely recognized to Lehmans operational capacity, the company had many world-renowned companies as its client base such as Dell, Fujitsu, IBM, Intel, Philip Morris, Shell and Wal-Mart 1.Lehman Brothers had faced four feeds before it bankruptcy, one was the bourgeon grocery store crash of 1929, second it had care range sack of $6. 7 million in 1973, and and so because of Lehmans essential conflict led to be merger and acquisitions by Ameri asshole register in 1984, and last one was short age of funds in 1994. Richard Fuld as Lehmans CEO from 1993, he led to Lehman Brothers grow up and keep off those four collapses. Even Lehman Brothers was turned the corner in these four collapses it passive declared bankruptcy as a result of $613 meg original debt in 2008 7.Lehman Brothers went to collapse make lots of impacts on financial trades, the virtually important footing caused Lehman bankruptcy is under the subprime owe crisis and complex financial markets. Before the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007, the U. S. current acres market over the supplementd financing and oil price was change magnitude rapidly, many people in the inordinate lending. However, Lehman Brothers had continued backing of mortgage bond until the outbreak of subprime mortgage crisis in 2006, Lehmans asset management, economic services, mergers and securities underwriting business accounted for Lehmans operating income of 40% 2.In 2008, because the subprime mortgage crisis spread to Lehman B rothers, the company suffered a serious hit from the financial losings and caused that stock price pretermit to altogether a few dollars. In family 2008, the Lehman Brothers CEO Dick Fuld had experience the just intimately painful financial crisis in the history of the United States and the company went bankrupt. The Lehman Brothers which had experienced 158 years history toward to end 1. Also, the collapse of Lehman Brothers brought an unprecedented shock wave for financial market and investment banking. The terrorist attack on 2001, September 11 led to conomic obliterateturn and the stock market depressed, the federal Reserve persistent to continue kept low interest tell to ensure the most of enterprises and publics can achieve loans easier 9. Due to the public would had more money to be used for mortgages and other spending, Lehman Brother seized the opportunity to develop its business so that Lehmans profits growth quickly in the second half(a) of 2002. Lehman Brothers sales revenue of subprime mortgage raised double of profits in both years 2004 and 2005 3. And Lehmans present value of subprime mortgage CDO (collateralized debt obligations) investment reached up to $80 billion 5.Lehman Brothers issued two mortgage bonds companies in the United States are BNC and Aurora. These two branches of mortgage bonds and purchased from other companies constituted the CDO package. The worth of CDO could be about hundreds of millions and even billions of dollars to divide for sale to investors around the world. The interest rate of CDO is much higher than the national bonds in the United States and other investments, so Lehman Brother as well ask advantage of sale these bonds to gained large profits. After that, the public began to disquieted more about future develop of CDOs from Lehman Brothers and other companies. consequently, Lehman Brothers shut down one of the mortgage bonds company BNC because of huge losses and this caused the publics panic of the cite crunch. The public began to suffer a serious mortgage crisis 7. As a result, the capital losses and lack of credit to the banking system, so that no banks willing to lend money unless(prenominal) borrower to pay high interest rate. The banks which involved in this business are worried about losing their money. However, Lehman Brother was unsounded announced good quarterly results even had problems and other investment banks (e. g.JP Morgan Chase, Citibank) had losses. In January of 2008, Lehman Brother reported their earnings shown that highest income up to $4 billion and their capital just $30 billion 2. At that time their stock price up to $65, precisely eight months later the price fell to $4 with more than $600 billion debt. Since 2008, Lehmans stock price had fall by 60%. Besides, Lehman Brothers had alternative assets about $40 billion such as hedge funds, private equity funds and real estate funds. In May, Lehman Brothers reported that losses in hedge funds but then said they are recovered 11.Because of Lehmans total debt $613 billion, and then the negotiation with Barclays Bank and Bank of the States about take over Lehman Brothers was failed on September 14. While at the similar time the investment banks gave up to help Lehman Brothers, Lehmans market value dropped dramatically, these fact constrained Lehman Brothers to file awayd for bankruptcy protection from the U. S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan on September 15, 2008 4. After filed for bankruptcy, Lehman Brothers exchanged trading at the OTC (Over the Counter) market only $0. 05 per share.Lehman exercised put option to ensure holders could get profit when they buy the stocks as $0. 05 per share and sell for strike price 10. When the countersign of the fourth largest bank Lehman Brothers went bankrupt came out, the dollar currency and the U. S. stock index futures was declined at the same time, this indicated that the New York stock market crash in the open market. In order to prevent the open market crash of Lehman Brothers, the U. S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve System made great effort on iii days to save markets. The investment bank Barclays and Bank of America asphyxiateed.The Britains deuce-ace largest bank Barclays decided to drop out after the government refused to provide financial guarantees to save Lehman Brothers. Then, the bank of America all announced exit the action. Because the government refused to help and no other keep, Lehman Brothers final decided to file for bankruptcy protection caused by suffered serious financial crisis6. As we can see, there are many factors caused bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, such as market changes and instability led to imperious risks, the internal problems and risks from Lehman Brothers.The internal problem is one of the most important factors to cause it collapse. As the fourth largest investment bank in the United States, Lehman Brothers more focused on the traditional investment business such as underwr iting securities, mergers and acquisitions for a long term. With the rapid evolution of financial derivatives and fixed income products trading, Lehman Brothers strived to expand these businesses and achieved great success. The real estate and credit business develop rapidly after 2000, Lehman Brothers began to involve in these business as other banks 6.However, Lehman Brothers expanded too fast and even in the decline of real estate market in 2007, the commercial real estate bonds of Lehman Brothers still grown quickly. Thus, the rapid growth created more systematic risks for Lehman Brothers. In addition, Lehman Brothers was different from other investment banks like JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America because Lehman had less own capital and its capital adequacy ratio is too low 6. In order to collected funds to expand business, Lehman had to avow on the bond market and bank lending market.The greater is the leverage ratio when the company borrowing more money from banks, but it has less equity capital. The profit is amplified by the leverage ratio when it makes money, but the loss is enlarging with the leverage ratio when the company has loss. The lack of funds would be increase the risks for the company when it loss. Moreover, to analyzed the problem of Lehman Brothers collapse, it too should be related with the U. S. subprime mortgage crisis and recent financial turmoil intensified from the summer of 2007. In addition, it also considered about the problem of insolvent.Lehman Brother had more than $600 billion bank loans, $one hundred fifty-five billion debt securities, and only $639 billion net assets 8. Besides, the U. S. government took non-interventionism accelerated collapse of Lehman Brothers. As the U. S. government did not make any financial support or warranty to save Lehman Brothers, and leave the market accept the news of the Lehman bankruptcy. The government refused to guarantee Lehman Brothers directly caused many investors to exited, while the Barclays preferred to gain ground part of Lehmans investment business in the United States, this still not strong enough to save Lehman Brothers.Furthermore, the financial markets turmoil around the world should be affect Lehman Brothers, and it also one of a reason affect many companies to left Lehman stocks and bonds whether the U. S. financial institutions or foreign enterprises. Since the market got the news of Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, the Dow Jones Index has dropped nearly 800 points 7. In short, Lehman Brothers bankruptcy caused the devaluation of investment, cash be given problems and additional losses. Also Lehman financial crisis had a great influence on investors directions.Many investors worried about Lehman crisis would be exacerbated the financial crisis and the market prospect is gloomy. Therefore, the environ Street investment bank Lehman Brothers was collapse in the financial tsunami of 2008. Then on March, 2012, it completed the bankruptcy reorganization and will be to remunerate debts to creditors. After that, the fourth largest investment bank of the United States has become a historical. The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers might impact the entire financial market, the investors worried about the outlook of the U. S. economic and the international oil rices continued to decline. And the investors also touch on that the demand of crude oil and other commodities is likely to fall under the shadow of global recession. At the same time, the risk aversion cognisance prompted investors to sell commodities and high risk assets. The U. S. stocks sharply down and European stock markets also had a significant decline. The event of Lehman Brothers gave to the world economic recovery to cast more dark shadows in 2008. References 1 Lehman Brothers Collection. Harvard Business School. Baker Library. Retrieved from http//www. ibrary. hbs. edu/hc/lehman/history. hypertext mark-up language 2 Sean Hinton. Lehman Brothers (LEHMQ). Wikinvest. Retrieve d from http//www. wikinvest. com/stock/Lehman_Brothers_%28LEHMQ%29 3 Landon Thomas Jr. (July 23, 2003). Market Place Lehman to defile Neuberger Berman For $2. 6 Billion. The New York Times. Retrieved from http//www. nytimes. com/2003/07/23/business/market-place-lehman-to-buy-neuberger-berman-for-2. 6-billion. html 4 Lehman Bros files for bankruptcy. (September 16, 2008). Retrieved from http//news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/business/7615931. stm 5 Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc.Spector Roseman Kodroff & Willis. Retrieved from http//www. srkw-law. com/areas-of-practice/international/lehman-brothers. html 6 Luigi Zingales. (October 2008). Causes and Effects of the Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy. Retrieved from http//www. scribd. com/doc/11096014/Causes-and-Effects-of-the-Lehman-Brothers-Bankruptcy 7 Lehman Brother. Retrieved from http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Lehman_Brothers 8 Kim Sarro & Justin Pak. (November 29, 2008). The Causes for the fracture of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. Retrieved from h ttp//www. articlesbase. om/business-articles/the-causes-for-the-collapse-of-lehman-brothers-holdings-inc-664202. html 9 Lehman Brothers The last empire of wealth. (December 6, 2011). Retrieved from http//www. stockmarkettoday. cc/lehman-brothers-the-last-empire-of-wealth. html 10 What Happens To Options During Bankruptcy. Option transaction Pedia. Retrieved from http//www. optiontradingpedia. com/what_happens_to_options_during_bankruptcy. htm 11 Hedge funds post biggest losses since Lehman. (June 2010). Retrieved from http//connection. ebscohost. com/c/articles/52970726/hedge-funds-post-biggest-losses-since-lehman

Activision Blizzard

Company write up and Profile Activision and roseola sport have been longstanding brands indoors the manoeuvre industry for nearly time. Activision started out in 1979 as the worlds archetypal independent developer and distri exceptor of video gimpys for fun sympathize withs much(prenominal) as Atari, Nintendo, and Sega, in addition to development devil childs play and business applications for ad hominemised computers. One of their earliest major(ip) pullulate games was Pitfall, which was fleshed for the Atari 2600 series maneuver console. This project was so successful it resulted in the production of several cl iodins, including wax arcade games. afterwards losing a multi- one thousand gazillion dollar judgment on alter involving a patent infringement, Activision went finished Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and reorganisation in 1991. It was during this time when they immov up to(p) to concentrate solely on a video shimmer production system, eventua lly developing democratic games such as Sonic, Guitar hired gun and the current accost of affair Series. From 1997 to 2007, Activision acquired multiple companies adapt towards strengthening their position relative to their playing period strategy, precisely have in any case kept their foot in the door for exserting their market into early(a) fun ventures.Beginning in 1998, Activision pitched strategic partnerships with comic and image producers Marvel amusement, Disney Interactive, and LucasArts Entertainment. In 2001, Activision acquired the rights to the Columbia Pictures feature film Spider-Man, and had signed a multi- socio- economic class publishing obligation surrounded by DreamWorks SKG in 2003. efflorescence Entertainment began in 1991 as a corporation called Silicon & Synapse, in addition designing games for Sega-Genesis, Super Nintendo, and DOS- and Mac- compatible games for personal computers.The union established the snowstorm Entertainment label in 1994, when they became one of the most hot and good respected makers of computer games. efflorescences main focus is on creating tumefy-designed, highly enjoyable put ontainment experiences, and by doing so, has maintained a reputation for flavor at heart the dramatic play industry. Released in 1994, Warcraft Orcs and Humans became their origin in a series of role-play strategy games to make it accolades as one of the best games of that year.Multi role player computer games were still relatively current at this time, and roseola began to pull in avail of the opportunities that this niche had to moroseer. They are right away the leader in the field of massively multiplayer online games (MMORPG), with to a great extent than 11. 5 one thousand cardinal monthly subscriptions. roseola has additionally develop a trio of popular PC games, including the Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo series, creating a culture that champions both productive and experimental creativene ss which inspires devoted players. Jeff Green, editor-in-chief of the online gaming magazine 1Up. om notes, Blizzard people are essentially design geniuses, make games easy enough for casual players and deep enough to attract and elevate hard- affection players. Simple to learn, difficult to master is the holy grail of game design, and Blizzard does this every single time. In late 1998, Blizzard Entertainment became a subsidiary of the French conglomerate Vivendi, grouped into its Vivendi Universal Games division. From 2000 to 2007, Blizzard Entertainment expiryd several games under their trilogy series, consistently exceeding sales projections and nice the unprecedented leader deep down the gaming industry.On December 2, 2007, it was denote that Activision would be acquired by Vivendi, with Vivendi contri onlying its gaming division plus a hard currency investment, in supersede for a majority s affect in the sunrise(prenominal) group. In 2008, Vivendi Games merged with Ac tivision, using the Blizzard brand in naming the resulting company, Activision Blizzard. SWOT Analysis Strengths Activision Blizzards balance weather sheet was initially considered to be its most valuable strength when the conjugation in the midst of the two companies transpired however, this was not necessarily the case. The apparent strategy was to rely on Blizzard Entertainment as a cash cow to finance the merger.With Blizzard Entertainment having much than $3. 3 one thousand thousand in cash and short term investments, and no debt at the time, it had the flexibility to obtain much intellectual property and talent, and thus further help to strengthen the bran- crude company. Reeling from a series of legal actions a foolst them, and suffering income losses in both 2008 and 2009, Activision Blizzard has finally begun to turn around their financial status, and is beginning to gain ground relative to their balance sheet. More on this matter impart be discussed in the financia l section of this paper.The receipts de crumbt should unless be getting smoother with the merger of Blizzard and Activision. The combined company is not as dependent as other gaming companies on console upgrade cycles for generating the majority of its revenue and win. Blizzard Entertainments World of Warcraft, as a subscription service, helps to also keep the revenue stream smoother than normal. With a large and popular range of titles, Activision Blizzard can ask for, and receive much shelf space than competitors at sell outlets that sell their products, such as GameStop and Wal-Mart.Getting the product in present of consumers with favorable shelf placement is just as important in the gaming industry as it is in the grocery industry, and Activision Blizzard uses this strategy to their advantage. Weaknesses Activision Blizzard has had a previous history of difficult relations with developers. The raw(a)-made firings and defections of product developers from Infinity Ward , producer of the hit release Call of affair Modern Warfare 2 is a elemental case in point. Also, legal materialisations have been a tremendous weakness and liability for the company.Who owns what, and what is hold upon at times are contentious issues. The ex-Infinity Ward executives claim instruction of the Modern Warfare brand line. Additionally, the musical group No interrogative sentence sued Activision Blizzard, claiming that their images were being used for any song in Band Hero, contrary to what they said had been agreed to. Opportunities At the previous(prenominal) E3 conference for the gaming industry, current Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick noted that at that place is a $3 billion used game market that we do not participate in. The tho true competition within this realm is GameStop, who would effectivenessly suffer losing a large character of their current market status if Activision Blizzard decided to enter this subdivision of the market. Activision Bliz zard also has loyal franchising capabilities. Even in the middle of a recession, gamers are bequeathing to pay for the immatureest releases and additions related to their games. A winged horse pet for World of Warcraft, priced at $25, was estimated by some reports to be bringing in as much as $2. 5 Million per hour for a period last spring.Activision Blizzard has the capabilities to proceeds advantage of this phenomenon through franchising markets. The mobile gaming medium is wide contribute Activision Blizzard successfully released a mobile version of Guitar Hero for apples iPhone. It would appear that sub delinquentd-down versions of their most popular games are on the apparent horizon to be produced for clevernessphones and iPads. With Activision Blizzards branding, they have a tremendous repertoire of brands and licenses that can be franchised or published for different markets, including c volumehing, toys, collectibles, comics and books, and even syndicated movies o r cartoons.Threats Mobile gaming is probably their biggest threat, due to small studios being able to reach a multitude of people through inexpensive downloads to smartphones. This get out certainly create a more competitive atmosphere in the very near future. Games with long franchise lives can also be a burden on the company. A good case in point would be their Guitar Hero game, which is getting old, with sales beginning to off-white and stall. Consumer Affairs cites a continued decline in the music literary genre as the primary reason given by the company for drop the game.Activision Blizzard, as a quality control measure, is retiring some of their lesser grossing games to concentrate on more revenue productive and newer versions of such games as Call of Duty, World of WarCraft, and Diablo. SWOT Conclusion When looking at the collective elements contained within the SWOT analysis, it is apparent that Activision Blizzard began their merger preferably sluggishly. This could b e attributed to differences in corporate cultures or their need to address and root pending legal issues as quickly as possible, so that pecuniary resource are readily available to fund future ventures.Opportunities abound in the realm of on-line gaming, franchising, and partnerships or joint ventures with various companies in a diverse range of markets, and it would be in their ameliorate interest to take advantage of these given opportunities in utilizing a note strategy that delivers both tangible and intangible attributes. Blizzard Entertainment has been at the forefront of this case of strategy long before their merger, with such features as Battle. net forums for its customers to chat, exchange ideas and strategies, and submit feedback on given games.Each day hundreds of gamers post new ideas and petitions in Battle. net forums while there are always designate personnel on Blizzards behalf to read and respond to them. By infusing a culture of having gamers as employees, coupled with the feedback it gets from its Battle. net forums, they are able-bodied of using this data in designing or making improvements on their current games in real time as puff up as future games. They additionally hold several events annually for their gaming customers to interact with and launch new products.BlizzCon (in the United States) and the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational (held in various other countries) are major events that showcase their talent and customer oriented initiatives. With Activision coming on board, they have taken a major step in creating a company that is virtually one with the gaming community on both a consumer level as well as a personal level, which should be a viable convention for success, regardless of which direction they choose to go. Five Forces Analysis Barriers to Entry There are little to no barriers to entry. Popular games are being developed at a rapid pace throughout the industry. Activision Blizzard posses an advantage, however, wi th their scale and catalog of games, in addition to third-party developer relationships. Their main advantage relative to this issue lies in their manufacturing and statistical distribution capabilities. Threat of Substitutes There are currently no close substitutes for games such as Call of Duty and World of WarCraft, however, new games always have a potential of becoming popular, depending upon their format, story line, and world-wide audience appeal. Other types of entertainment could also be classified as substitutes, such as music and movie videos, but it is unlikely that they would blow over the popularity of Activision Blizzards more popular games. Power of dealers With on-line distribution capabilities becoming the norm, buyer power is diminishing. Activision Blizzard allows for real time consumer feedback through various forums, which gives them a differential advantage when developing new games due to the uniqueness of the industry. Power of Suppliers Activision Blizzar d relies primarily on in-house talent to design and evelop their games. Supplier power is medium, primarily be amaze developers and console game producers need Activision Blizzard as much as it needs them. Rivalry Among Sellers Activision Blizzard is the confidential information MMORPG developer relative to on-line gaming, and they will continue to focus on this political program as a primary revenue stream. They also lead the console gaming market, and have begun a quality control model to get word a consistent and sustainable competitive advantage through vicissitude and development of quality products.Gaming is not the only business within the entertainment industry, but it serves a well-proportioned demographic, to say the least. With making a distinction between gaming and entertainment, one can see a more obvious get wind developing relative to the merger between the two companies. In joining two major players with hit franchises together, Vevendi is expecting to ensure a major coup within the entertainment side of this merger by taking advantage of Activisions relationships with major motion picture production companies.And with social gaming on the rise with the launch of smart phones, there is another consideration to make within the gaming realm. With the impulsion towards digital distribution growing, this should continue to drive down costs, which will also open the field to potentially more on-line players. Activision Blizzard faces legion(predicate) hurdles when speaking in terms of their competitive advantage in both the gaming and entertainment industries, but to be the dominant player in both industries, one must be resourceful and progressive by nature.This is truly where both companies have dominated in the past by comparison, and will most certainly be the catalyst for a rebound performance in the future, or even a new entry into other markets as well. Key Success Factors Diversified partnerships with licensing or franchising compa nies Large inventory of product, which in turn gives them a larger portion of retail shelf space New product releases (Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo) attracter in on-line gaming subscriptions (MMORPG) Corporate culture of gamers throughout company structure, coupled with collective talents of game designers Designs and develops their own gaming chopines Interactive consumer portals for introduce and feedback on their products (Battle. net, BlizzCon, Blizzard Worldwide Invitational) Financial Analysis Despite Activision Blizzard experiencing a couple of net losses in 2008 and 2009, the company is doing well when compared to its competitors. Its operating margin was 10. 55% in 2010, with a 5 year margin of 9%, versus its comely competitor earning 9% in 2010 and average margin of 12% (according to wikiwealth. om). The 2010 net deficit in retained earnings shows that Activision Blizzard has not been profitable over its existence. While cash function margins have been higher than its competitors at 15% over the past 5 years, versus its competitors 11% average value, there is not a large heart of cash flow for which the company can pay its operating bills, as its working capital was negative both in 2009 (at $423 million) and $1,030 million in 2010, and its liquidity ratios were less than 2.Within operations, the company has begun to manage its inventory and accounts due better, as its geezerhood of inventory decreased from 30 to 19 days, resulting in a better turnover from 12 in 2009 to 19 in 2010 along with the average collection period going from 63 days in 2009 to 52. 5 days in 2010. Blizzard Entertainment, one of the troika segments within the company, earned close to 35% of its total net revenues, but yielded over 60% of operating income from operations, making it the most profitable segment of the company.Keeping that in mind, it would be beneficial for them to concentrate on increase sales within this given department (on-li ne subscriptions) to facilitate a greater increase in revenues. As a side note, a lot is riding on Activision Blizzards release of their new Call of Duty console game for the holiday harden. With last years Black Ops having sold a mark $360 million in its first day, this new release could make or break their holiday season revenues. If sales do well for this holiday season, the company has the potential to enter the new year having a much greater advantage over their competition, by far.Analysis of Competitive Position Although the merger of Activision Blizzard got off to a slow start, things now appear to be on bilk for the current year, and their outlook seems to be in a much better financial and competitive positioning than for their three previous years. The ability to get down a sustainable and consistent revenue stream, while also guardianship costs down, is one of their greatest strengths, and should continue, considering their rapidly glowing portfolio of partners and strategic alliances.Given Activisions partnerships and alliances prior to their merger with companies such as Marvel, Disney Interactive, LucasArts, and Dreamworks coupled with Blizzards partnerships with various vendors in the apparel, toy, and collectible markets, Activision Blizzard has built a significant foundation through their broad differentiation strategy, which affords them a greater advantage of maintaining their number one position within not only the gaming industry, but opens the doors to other venues as well through licensing and franchising opportunities.The companys diversity is a critical advantage, because it allows them room for expansion and cross-selling opportunities across various platforms or markets. Additionally, Activision Blizzard is beginning to increase their presence in China, partnering with Netease, which is considered to be one of the best eastern on-line gaming companies to date. This opportunity will allow them to distribute their StarCraft, Wor ld of WarCraft, and Call of Duty series games to an eagerly-awaiting commonwealth within that country.Activision Blizzards new release of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 this past week resulted in the biggest launch of any console game ever, and is seen as crucial to their strategy of let go of fewer, better quality game titles each year. CEO Bobby Kotick gossipmongered that within the first 24 hours of release, 6. 5 million units were sold within North the States and the U. K. , for a total of $four hundred million dollars. He is noted as saying, We believe the launch of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is the biggest entertainment launch of all time in any medium, and we achieved this land with sales from only two territories.This surpassed last months release of Electronic Arts five million units of Battlefield 3 by 1. 5 million units, which is their closest competitor to date in the console gaming industry. The above noted quality control strategy is just another addition to thei r value chain activities, in conjunction with the antecedently distinguished Battle. net and BlizzCon forums, which affords them a real-time advantage when designing and launching games or addressing consumer issues and concerns. By doing so,Activision Blizzard maintains a proficiency in performing their core competencies, and continues to build and evolve their competitive advantage in this area. This is one of the primary reasons that Activision Blizzard has consistently held the top ranking, in addition to their model MMORPG platform that grows in subscriptions monthly. Activision Blizzards portfolio of digital and console games usually attracts more hardcore gamers than casual gamers. This is a decisive advantage in an economic downturn particularly, because Activision Blizzards sales are not as profoundly affected when there is a decrease in consumer spending.When potential customers have limited disposable income, they need to be assured of the quality of what they are spendi ng their hard-earned dollars on. The Activision Blizzard brand is quite often strong enough to convince a repeat customer of the quality of a new game. Additionally, with upgrades in digital distribution, the ability for companies to offer their products and services in digital form is becoming a necessity. Activision Blizzard is well sure of this occurrence, and has continuously been moving towards this higher-margin business model for quite some time.In fact, they already settle a good portion of their income as a percentage of revenues from this model, which is a great advantage over their competitors. They continue to branch out their subscription model, with an emphasis on direct distribution of its products to consumers. This also reduces income loss through having to pay out royalties to retailers and on-line gaming hosts. Project Beachhead, a new group formed within Activision Blizzard, will be bringing their hit series Call of Duty franchise into a subscription-based ser vice in which consumers will pay Activision Blizzard directly to use a bounteousness content that is included.Activision Blizzard is in a leading position to take advantage of this business model, considering that they have some of the most popular franchises in the world. As a point of reference, World of WarCraft currently has 11. 5 million subscribers paying fifteen dollars a month to play. Add to that the 7 million daily Call of Duty users, and one should be able to derive their true profit-making potential in this forum. Over the past twelve months, Activision Blizzard has generated just under $4. 8 billion in revenue and $800 million in operating profit, for an operating margin of almost 17% (according to Gurufocus. om), but this is actually an understatement of just how much money they are currently generating. Their exploitation through acquisitions and partnerships is likely to continue well into the future, where they continue to buy signalize franchises. As part of the se acquisitions, they place a value on intangible assets (such as brands) that they purchase. They then expense these intangibles, which have no basis in accounting circles, but most certainly impact their cash flow. After adjusting for these non-cash expenses and other write-offs, Activision Blizzard has actually earned $1. 4 billion in operating profit, for an operating margin just under 30%. proportional to disadvantages, Activision Blizzard stands to lose some market ground due to new casual and social games coming out, such as Angry Birds and Farmville, but it is actually the ease of distribution from tablet devices such as the iPad (digitized games) that could cause their competitive advantage to erode somewhat. This is particularly why they are concentrating on their current business model. Recommendations Activision Blizzards marketing strategy is more a model for the industry, as they have partnered extensively, but exactively, with various companies and brands to diversif y and expand their exposure and profitability.They have a proven track record with their on-line (MMORPG) gaming capabilities, and generate a large percentage of revenue from such. As a result, they should actively pursue this growing segment of the gaming industry, to which they are already the leading model. They should also continue their broad differentiation strategy relative to partnerships and strategic alliances, as this has proven to be quite successful for them since even before their merger. Our group recommends stepping out of their comfort geographical zone, so to speak, and to begin looking at new ways to expand their brands and licenses.With this in mind, we recommend that they explore what we consider to be a inherent transition for their gaming brands in particular, that of producing animated movies and syndicated cartoons. This actually aligns with a comment made by CEO Bobby Kotick not too long ago, in that he noted the potential of there being a StarCraft movie in the near future, which is based on one of their more popular MMORPG games. As of 11 November, their parent company (Vivendi SA) purchased EMI music group for $1. 9 billion dollars.Already owning a 26 percent market section of the music industry with Universal Music Group, Vivendi now owns an additional 9 percent, not to mention the rights to songs by such groups as the Beatles, Beach Boys, roster Stones, David Bowie, Coldplay, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Not only is this considered a coup within the music industry, but it could also play out relative to our recommendation, as it now gives them a solid foundation in choosing a select grouping of soundtracks for movie productions that can be targeted for various demographics ranging in ages from mollycoddle Boomers to Gen Xers.Our research indicates that to produce a movie, it would take an investment of approximately $200 million in revenue to do so (Negative be = Development Cost + Pre-Production Cost + Production Cost + Post- Production Cost). This is generally an current estimate of the total production cost, from the planning and development phase, to pre-production, into production or filming, and then to post-production (which includes marketing and advertising).Naturally, this estimate varies, according to several factors such as where the movie is filmed and produced, who stars in it, distribution, etc. Not only does Activision Blizzard maintain such a potential to take on a project such as this, their parent company (Vivendi) as well as several alliances and partnerships would be more than willing to share such a project cost with them, much like their current gaming model.Keeping that in mind, it would be another transition (still) to follow such companies as Pixar, Amblin, LucasFilms, and Dreamworks, which all began as production companies from one or two major film hits. Whether StarCraft would be a box office stunner is anybodys guess, but if it were, the residual revenue alone from merchand ising and franchising toys, clothing, and other products sold could potentially offset the initial cost considerably, not to mention the interest it would draw from a new generation of gamers.In developing their own production company, Activision Blizzard is ensuring that their brands stay marketable well into their more mature phases, while also maintaining control of production costs and theory the door once again for profitable partnerships in future endeavors within one more market niche of the entertainment industry. References Blizzard Entertainment Inc (2010) http//blizzard. com/us/inblizz/profile. html Cavelli, Earnest (December 23, 2008). World of Warcraft Hits 11. 5 Million Users http//www. ired. com/gamelife/2008/12/world-of-warc-1 Coleman, Freddie (2010). Why Blizzard is a Renowned Game Developer. http//ezinarticles. com/? Why-Blizzard-is-a-Renowned-Game-Developer&id=3584114 Consumer Affairs (2 Feb 2011) The while is Over for Guitar Hero Fans. www. consumeraffairs. com /news04/2011/02/the-tour-is-over-for-guitat-hero-fans. html Morris, Chris (2008). Blizzards Perfect Storm http//www. forbes. com/2008/06/30/videogames-blizzard-morris-tech-personal-cx Moser, Jason (2011). Activision Blizzards Edge May Be Smaller Than You Think http//www. fool. com/ investment/general/2011/01/31/activision-blizzards-edge-may-be-smaller-than-you-. aspx The Motley Fool- Activision Blizzard Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats http//www. fool. com/investing/general/2010/06/15/activision-blizzard-strengths-weaknesses-opportuni. aspx The Cost of Making a Hollywood Movie (2010) www. anomalousmaterial. com/movies/2010/03/the-cost-of-making-a-movie Vivendi Will Buy EMI Recorded Music Unit for $1. Billion (Bloomberg Businessweek 11 November 2011) http//news. businessweek. com/article. asp antic Formula Stock of the Week Activision Blizzard (10 October 2011) http//www. gurufocus. com Universals $1. 9 B EMI Deal In a Digital World, Market apportion Counts for Less (R euters. com 13 November 2011) http//www. reuters. com Call of Duty Sales Hit $400 Million (The Wall Street Journal- Jarzemsky and Rubin, 12 November 2011) http//online. wsj. com