Essay --

The literary movement during the 1980's in Britain was heavily influenced by the state of Britain's economy at the time. The people of Britain had become infatuated with politics due to the election of Margaret Thatcher, the first and only woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to have held office. She was known as the â€Å"Iron lady† and the leader of the Conservative Party. Her influence on the British government with her use of Thatcherism did not leave behind a good legacy in the literature department. In a New York Times newspaper article, it is stated that, â€Å"The Thatcher years were a time of remarkable cultural ferment, in which the energies of an extraordinarily diverse roster of musicians, novelists, playwrights, critics and filmmakers — to say nothing of television comedians and puppeteers — were unleashed in opposition, glum and passionate, explicit and overt, to the prime minister herself,†(nytimes.com). Many literary figures have writ ten novels in response to the events of the society's cultural downfall in the 1980's. In Doris Lessing's, The Good Terrorist, which is set in the time period of Thatcherism, she portrays her character's thoughts on bourgeois liberalism as contradictions to their personalities. The main character, Alice Mellings, assumes that she is committing these acts of terrorism for a good reason. Alice and her band of revolutionary rejects are the manifestations of Doris Lessing's various frustrations against political advancements with feminism, communism, and Thatcherism. †¨ The political views and opinions that Doris Lessing's character accumulate in The Good Terrorist are most likely fueled by Lessing's real life experiences with communist parties and her unsatisfying life in the suburbs in Rho... ...ain. During the time of the 1980's in Britain, feminism, communism, and Thatcherism were big parts of the time period. These political advancements caused many literary responses to the downfall of the government that Margaret Thatcher ruled at the time. Lessing was a feminist but was not a feminist at the same time. In an article on dnaindia.com, it is stated that, â€Å"Lessing was able to do a great deal for women without subscribing to feminism; she did it with her life, and with (not just within) her writing,†(dnaindia). Unfortunately, not a lot of research has been done on The Good Terrorist, and it being a good fictional reference into the life of a group of squatters in 1980's Britain, Doris Lessing writes from her perspective on feminist criticism and explores her ideas, hoping to expand further into more of Lessing's works and explore the meanings behind them.

Confessions of a Female Chauvinist Sow Essay

Anne Roiphe’s â€Å"Confessions of a Female Chauvinist Sow† first appeared in the magazine New York in 1972. In this essay Roiphe aims to convince her readers that women must put faith in the idea that they are equal to men, not superior. â€Å"Women who want equality must be prepared to give it and believe in it . . . .† Personal anecdotes, contrast, and comparison are techniques Roiphe skillfully uses to create a strong, convincing essay. Roiphe begins her essay with a personal anecdote describing the â€Å"horrifying† realization that she married a man exactly like her father. This technique immediately establishes the essay as informal and personal. It is a great way to capture the reader’s interest. Also, this particular anecdote is used as background information for the first point Roiphe makes in the following paragraph—that â€Å". . . people . . . have at one time or another been fouled up by their childhood experiences. † Another anecdote in the essay explains how Roiphe’s mother used to give Roiphe â€Å"mad money† before going on dates. â€Å"My mother and I knew young men were apt to drink too much . . . † and â€Å"mad money was for getting home on your own, no matter what form of insanity your date happened to evidence. † Anecdotes such as this are entertaining and tend to lighten the mood of the essay. Also, it is quite easy for readers to relate to personal experience. Another function of anecdotes in this essay is to substantiate and support main ideas. At the end of one paragraph Roiphe states, â€Å"The hidden anti-male feelings, a result of the old system, will foul us up if they are allowed to persist. † This is directly followed by the anecdote explaining the necessity for â€Å"mad money†Ã¢â‚¬â€that men are untrustworthy, inconsiderate beasts. The anecdote clearly provides evidence and support for the fact that women have anti-male feelings. Shortly after capturing the reader’s interest with the introductory anecdote, Roiphe begins using contrast. The numerous examples of contrast throughout the essay portray men and women as being drastically different, especially morally. Boys are thought to be incapable of engaging in â€Å". . . easy companionship . . . † as girls are able to do, and men are generally believed to be â€Å". . . less moral . . . † than women. â€Å"Everyone assumes a mother will not let her child starve, yet it is necessary to legislate that a father must not do so. † Roiphe uses contrast to illustrate the common anti-male attitudes women have, and in doing so, makes it obvious that women feel superior to men. This exactly, Roiphe points out, is the barrier to equality between men and women. It is clear to the reader that equality between the sexes will never exist as long as women continue to feel superior to men. The contrasts also function to support points Roiphe makes later concerning the similarities between men and women. About midway through the essay, Roiphe makes a transition from contrast to comparison. She begins focusing on the idea that women are actually quite similar to men. She bluntly states, â€Å"Intellectually I know that’s ridiculous . . . † to assume â€Å". . . that women given power would not create wars. † She admits, â€Å"Aggression is not . . . a male-sex-linked characteristic . . . .† Comparisons such as these smoothly lead Roiphe into making one of her strongest comparisons—that â€Å". . . us laughing at them, us feeling superior to them, us ridiculing them behind their backs . . . † is â€Å". . . inescapably female chauvinist sowness. † These comparisons, particularly the last one, are shocking and cause the reader to reflect on previous ideas in the essay. Roiphe’s statement, â€Å". . . what they have done to us, and of course they have, and they did and they are . . . ,† momentarily makes readers believe that men are mainly to blame for the inequality between the sexes. However, through effective comparison Roiphe leads her readers to logically infer that women must also be responsible for the inequality between men and women. It then becomes clear to the reader that the â€Å". . . secret sense of superiority . . . † women feel is what makes them equally as chauvinistic as men. More important than the functions of the techniques she uses independently is how Roiphe uses them together. For example, had she bluntly stated early in her essay that women are â€Å"female chauvinist sows,† without preceding it with contrast, a quite different effect would have been created. Her readers, particularly the women, would have undoubtedly been offended. This approach would certainly have prevented the essay from being convincing. It is obvious that Roiphe purposely used the techniques in a planned way. This allowed her to create a specifically designed essay that was beneficial in helping her present her ideas.

Manual vs. Automated Statistical Process Control in the Food Industries

Israel Ortega-Ramos The Prime Example Our recent visit to a food packaging plant in New Jersey highlighted the inconsistent results of statistical process control routinely faced by Quality Control Managers. Product weight readings were taken from the manufacturing floor, entered into an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed. The results produced no predictable under or over filling trend despite the fact that the same people used the same scales at the same time of day. The problem is simple and fundamental. Human error is an inevitable part of the process of collecting statistical data.This is consistently overlooked in companies that utilize manual SPC[1] (statistical process control) for their manufactured goods. To ensure the human error factor is eliminated, resulting in lower costs and increased profitability, manufactures must begin utilizing more â€Å"high-tech† means of collecting, analyzing, and storing SPC data. The Hidden Problems of the Current Manual SPC Process To be tter understand the core problem, and find a solution, it is pivotal to understand how this food packaging plant utilizes manual SPC.Generally, several samples are taken from a product line at different times of day, usually 15 or 20 samples at a time. These samples are then individually weighed; a line worker records the results on a clipboard for analysis. The individual weight readings are entered into a computer and various statistical calculations are derived from the weighing results, including frequency distribution charts and Pareto charts that are used to adjust the actual filling machines to deliver a consistent result.The Quality Manager must then resolve any conflict between under filling a package, which breaks government laws and overfilling a package which causes lost revenue. Using the diagram to get a better understanding of SPC will make it easier to locate the fundamental problems with the manual SPC system in use. The problems begin with the manual recording of 1 5 identical products by the line workers. The simple act of weighing an item then transferring the result to a clipboard by pencil or pen is flawed and full of possible errors, i. . the incorrect number can be recorded or a sample can be weighed accidentally more than once. This means the human emotion factor begins to play a large part in the problematic result. In addition, the manager obtains the clipboard results from the same worker who is required to climb inside the hot filling machine to adjust the volume if the weight results are not consistent. A line worker therefore might also assume that weight readings on the clipboard that differ from each other might mean he/she is not doing a good job.The underlying result of a manual SPC system is the company loses money resulting when each package of food is either overfilled beyond the nominal weight or worse being under-filled which could mean hefty government fines. To summarize, the current manual SPC process allows too many e rrors and offers no traceability of weighing results throughout the system. The implementation of an automated SPC scale system would eliminate these manual user errors with only a few changes and a small capital investment. The Advantages of an Automated SPC SystemDesigning an automatic SPC system that eliminates human error begins by removing the manual element from employee responsibility. This will alleviate human recording errors and the fudging of actual weight results. To accomplish this, the old scale, clipboard, and pencil must be removed and replaced with a scale system equipped with automated SPC software. This software is fully configurable to satisfy all SPC tolerances. The scale display will actually prompt the worker when to place a product on the scale.The fully automated â€Å"SPC Scale System† will not allow products placed on the scale to be removed; rather only permit the addition of new products. This will eliminate the possibility of placing the same pro duct on the scale more than once, as well as any confusion and/or fudging. The scale will then calculate the statistical data after the last product is placed on the scale and store this data in a password-protected memory for collection by the Quality Manager. This statistical data can then be sent wirelessly to a spreadsheet, printed on a label to accompany the sampled roduct, or simply viewed on the scale interface. The flow diagram below shows the improved SPC process. Companies can also utilize various connectivity and software options that can integrate filling machines to automated SPC scale systems. This means that fill volumes based on trends calculated by the scale can be adjusted via an automated system. Quality Control Managers and Plant Managers can also connect all the SPC scale systems in a factory via a central control computer that will provide easy access to â€Å"real-time† data.Integrating an automated SPC Scale System into a manufacturing environment will have the following advantages over the older manual SPC systems: Upgrading outdated manual SPC processes is the first step to improve overall quality, efficiency, and trace ability. This can be accomplished with as little as $5,000 in capital investment. Quality Control Managers and Plant managers have to take a hard look at how their product samples are being weighed and how these measurements are turned into results that can improve production line efficiency.It is now time for companies to step into the 21st century and upgrade to a fully automatic SPC weighing system. [pic] ———————– ———————– Error Filled SPC System START Statistical data evaluated and translated into adjustments to correct filling machine fill volumes. Data transferred from clipboard to spreadsheet for statistical evaluation. Each product is placed on scale. Random Batch of Product taken from Producti on Line.Filling machines manually adjusted according to collected data. Data collected by Quality Control Manager. Weight is recorded on clipboard in order weighed on scale. FINISH Optional Filling Machines adjusted automatically by SPC scale system. FINISH Random Batch of Product taken from Production Line. Each product is placed on scale. Scale automatically calculates statistical data. Statistical Data transferred to computer database directly via wireless or Ethernet connection. START Product Weight Scatter Graph.

Mgt602 Case Study Sample

Starbuck’ Strategy and Internal Initiatives to Return to Profitable Growth Shangze Li MGT 602 National University April 13, 2012 Starbuck’s Strategic Analysis Mission From the stuff of the textbook, there are some content about Starbucks’ mission statement. Howard Schultze who is the chairman and CEO of Starbucks would like their mission statement to convey a strong sense of organizational purpose and to articulate Starbucks’ fundamental beliefs and guiding principles. They renewed their mission statement in October, 2008.It is â€Å"To inspire and nurture the human spirit- one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time here are the principles of how we live that every day† (Thompson, 2012). The strategic mission of Starbucks is to establish Starbucks as the most recognized and respected brand name in coffee and for the company to be admired for its corporate responsibility. Starbucks has six corporate values as its own internal guideline. Firs tly, provide a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity.Secondly, embrace diversity as essential component in their business approaches. Thirdly, apply the highest standards of excellence to the purchasing process. Fourthly, roast and deliver fresh coffee. Fifthly, develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time. Sixthly, contribute positively to communities and environment, and recognize that profitability is essential to their future success. As such, Starbucks uses these principles as a guideline for all employees to achieve the company’s goals (Starbucks, 2012). Store Expansion StrategyThompson mentioned Starbucks’ expansion strategy in this case. From 1993, Starbucks began their geographic expansion strategy to target areas. They believed â€Å"Starbucks everywhere† strategy cut down on delivery and management costs. The data showing that their operating margin was 14. 3% in fiscal 2007, but declining store sales and depressed economic conditions had driven the margin down to 6. 0% in fiscal 2008 and 7. 5% in fiscal 2009. In 1995, Starbucks began entering into licensing agreements for store locations in areas where it did not have ability to locate its own outlets.Till September 2009, Starbucks had company-operated and licensed stores in 50 countries and expected to open 200 new stored internationally in fiscal 2010 (Thompson, 2012). Revenue growth is decreasing because Starbucks lacks experienced management. Schultz has never led a growth effort of such magnitude and is just learning what the job of DEO is all about. Additionally, the US economic slowdown makes Starbucks experience a steeper fall and the customers are more price sensitive the past year. Customers lose their jobs, they don’t have money to drink coffee in Starbucks.According to this situation, Starbucks should reduce their US expansion efforts. Continued aggressive expansion in the United States by adding as many new stor e locations as in the past will inevitably act to cannibalize existing locations same store sales. The specialty coffee industry in the United State has entered the mature stage. One of the qualities inherent to the mature stage of the industry lifecycle is overcapacity. Any significant expansion efforts in an environment where overcapacity is present will be met with failure.By reducing their expansion efforts in the United States, Starbucks can redirect the capital saved into their international expansion efforts. The international market provides an ideal target for expansion and the penetration rate of specialty coffee in many nations is low and these countries have the potential market share capacity (Larson, 2008). Business Strategy From the mid-1990, Starbucks started their products strategy. The strategic objectives were to capitalize on Starbucks’ growing brand awareness and brand-name strength and create a broader foundation for sustained long-term growth in revenue s and profits (Thompson, 2012).Starbucks should start new independent business unit for new products, with decentralization for products-group structure. They should reduce cross functional tasks to reduce confusion between employees and increase efficiency. Starbucks gets the outsiders of their board to gain potential new ideas in new business. Exploring new business is a blue ocean strategy and gets a first mover advantage (Paydirect, 2012). Marketing Starbucks had spent relatively little money on advertising, preferring instead to build the brand cup by cup with customers and depend on word of mouth and the appeal of its storefronts.Adverting expenditures were $126. 3million in fiscal 2009, versus $129. 0 million in fiscal in 2008. Starbucks stepped up advertising efforts in 2008 to combat the strategic initiatives of McDonald’s and several other fast-food chains to begin offering premium coffees and coffee drinks at prices below those charged by Starbucks (Thompson, 2012) . Store Ambience Starbucks should create a store atmosphere that fits the local settings and by training baristas to increase the personal connection between themselves and their customers.Starbucks encourage s feedback from their customers to induce a family like feeling and instructs all baristas to greet every customer. To further increase this emotional connection with their customers, Starbucks can implement digital picture frames in all store locations and uploads local customer photos and perhaps even customer supplied family photos, customers have the option of uploading some of their family photos into the digital picture frames Starbucks gives them the chance to personalize their local coffee shop and joins a community (Larson, 2008).Research and development Starbucks can continue in their research and development strategy by being the technological leader in the coffee retail business (Thompson, 2012). Starbucks should continually improve the coffee’s variety. Maga zine consumer reports rated McDonald’s drip coffee as tasting better than that of Starbucks in 2009. To ensure the quality of their coffee, Starbucks should continually analyze their brewing systems and practices and considers renovations.The brewing process should at all times be judged based upon its ability to bring out the complexities and distinctive flavors of the world’s different exotic specialty coffees. Starbucks introduces their Tazo tea brand into the Japanese market. After a successful trial run in Japan, Tazo is brought into the US markets. Starbucks should diversify in related business to secure its own business, as customers have brand preference such as Macdonald, Donuts and so on (Paydirect, 2012). FinanceIn March 2010, Starbucks announced it first-ever cash dividend of $0. 10 per share to be paid quarterly starting with the second quarter of fiscal 2010. Net revenues increased 8. 6 percent in the second quarter of fiscal 2010 compared with the same q uarter in fiscal 2009 (Thompson, 2012). Starbucks should use the best of their economies of scale to reduce costs. Starbucks should start new independent business unit for analyze the cost and return of new coffee’s product which is a cost driver.Accountants and auditors should follow the corporate governance to control some unnecessary expense and use performance test to identify the financial competitive advantage (Paydirect, 2012). Starbucks should evaluate their performance substantively and symbolically to avoid any accumulative financial losses to take quick corrective actions. The best evaluation method for Starbucks will be measuring ROI for any new investment they made and for the old investments as well. Starbucks should measures net profit for each store to separate between profitable and non-profitable stores.Hence, Starbucks will have a clear financial positioning (Paydirect, 2012). Reference Larson, R. C. (2008). Starbucks a strategic analysis. Retrieved on Sep 22,2012 from http:// coe. brown. edu/documents/starbucksastrategicanalysis_ R. Larson_honors_2009. pdf Paydirect. (2012). About Us. starbucks. Retrieved from Sep 20, 2012 from http://www. starbucks. com/about-us Thompson, A. A. , Peteraf, M. A. , Gamble, J. E. , Strickland III, A. J. (2012). Crafting and Executing Strategy: concepts and cases: global edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Learning Team Peer Evaluation Essay

Team C members discussed the Implementation, Strategic Controls, Contingency Plans assignment and the feedback provided for each team member’s document. In the discussion, each team member had an opportunity to summarize the strengths and weaknesses of each paper. Members noted several areas for improvement and team members will use the suggestions to make revisions to individual paper. Areas for Improvement The most common section requiring additional work is the key success factors section. Budget, forecast financials, and break-even charts require additional clarification. Some papers thoroughly cover most of the requirements but miss one area. The second topic addressed is the lack of detail for functional tactics, milestones, tasks, and resource allocation. A couple of team members are experiencing trouble identifying specific measurable objectives for their implementation plan. According to Pearce and Robinson (2013), â€Å"Objectives must clearly and concretely state what will be achieved and when it will be achievedâ€Å" (p. 193 ). The third suggestion for improvement was to tie the risk management plan to the implementation plan. Some team members struggled with describing the change in risks with the implementation plan and management of the risks. Other minor suggestions for improvement include the grammar and APA formatting. Areas of Strength Each team member prepared a well organized first draft. The papers provide an excellent understanding of the member’s company and the implementation plans suggested. The drafts indicated that the team members had performed significant research for the papers. Each team member received multiple tips or suggestions for improving his or her paper. For example, a team member suggested using tables for the financial statements to increase ease of reading. Another member pointed out the importance of the SWOT analysis as  part of the risk management plan. Conclusion Team C members completed the Implementation, Strategic Controls, and Contingency Plans assignment, provided feedback to each team member, and will use the feedback to finalize their individual paper. The exercise allows a team member to get a different perspective on the same assignment and receive valuable suggestions for improving the member’s work. Each team member’s paper is stronger due to this process. References Pearce, J.A. & Robinson, R.B. (2013). Strategic management: Planning for domestic and global competition (13th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix ebook collection database.

Poem Analysis of John Clare’s First Love Essay

The poem First Love by John Clare is written about the poet’s feelings of unrequited love for a wealthy farmer’s daughter, Mary Joyce. The poet uses various unusual effects in the poem to convey this sense of loss, providing deep insights into his mind in a seemingly simple and brief piece. Combined with words which reflect the mood in each verse, these make it a very powerful poem. An unusual form of contrast is used in First Love to create a powerful effect. The use of limited vocabulary is part of this, evident throughout the poem. The repetition of â€Å"sweet† suggests that the poet has not, or cannot, think of another adjective. This is further shown in the way that he starts the second stanza with â€Å"and then†, a very informal and unusual opening in a poem. Combined with this, an informal tone is developed with the use of phrases such as â€Å"blood rushed to my face† and â€Å"I never saw so sweet a face†. Despite this informal tone, the message of the poem is very insightful, as it shows a view into the poet’s mind. Rhythm in the poem is key to this, creating six sections in the poem, with the rhyme scheme for each being A, B, A, B, or for example â€Å"hour†, â€Å"sweet†, â€Å"flower†, â€Å"complete†. These sections of four lines each can be seen as individual thoughts of Clare, as they each deal with a slightly separate topic. Rhetorical questions such as â€Å"Is love’s bed always snow† also contribute to this effect, as they are almost addressed back to the poet, providing an insight into his mind. Creating a thoughtful, musing atmosphere, these make First Love a powerful poem by contrasting the deep insights into the poet’s mind and the effects this love has had on him with the simple tone and vocabulary. Divided into three stanzas, the poems examines the consequences of John Clare’s unrequited love for Mary Joyce. Stanza one deals with his initial effects she has on him, such as the total awe and shock at her beauty. In the first line, â€Å"struck† and â€Å"hour† create a metaphor of a clock, implying that this is the start of a new hour, or era in his life. The way that she has completely taken over Clare’s life is evident in the use of â€Å"stole my heart away†, and his helplessness in her hands is exemplified by his legs refus[ing] to walk away† and the question, â€Å"what could I ail? â€Å". These words combine to show that the sight of Mary Joyce for the first time has left the poet helpless and overcome by her, creating a powerful effect. Clare’s affected perception of reality is shown in the second stanza. The metaphor of his love taking his â€Å"eyesight quite away† so that the â€Å"trees and bushes† â€Å"seemed midnight at noonday† shows the reversal of Clare’s worldviews as a result of this love. The way that â€Å"words from [his] eyes did start†, which â€Å"spoke as chords do from the string† conveys the scope of this, that he begins to talk in a different way, one that is universally recognised like music – the language of love. These two metaphors make the poem powerful by conveying the effect love has had on the poet. The final stanza changes the tone of the poem, lamenting the fact that Clare’s love is unrequited. Introduced by two questions which compare Mary Joyce to â€Å"winter† and â€Å"snow†, it shows that she is cold and hard. It then concludes by linking Joyce’s â€Å"sweet†¦ ace† back to the â€Å"sweet flower† mentioned in the first stanza, but shows that she has trapped him, so that his â€Å"heart† â€Å"can return no more† to where it once was. The choice of cold, unforgiving words such as â€Å"winter†, â€Å"snow† and â€Å"silent† creates an atmosphere of lament and sorrow, and the final line links back to the first, which implies the start of a new age for Clare, as he â€Å"can return no more†. This stanza makes the poem powerful by effectively concluding the poem, and by introducing the sorrow which is the final effect love has had on the poet. The power and effectiveness of First Love is not in the cliched message of unrequited love itself, but the way that it portrayed. Clothed in a simple vocabulary and soft meter, a deep message is hidden which evokes great sympathy in the reader. By opening a window into the poet’s mind, the reader is able to see the complete hold the love has on Clare’s life and thoughts. Accomplished through contrast and effective word choice, this is the reason John Clare’s First Love is such a powerful poem.

Presentation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Presentation - Assignment Example The main aim of using the television is because it had a wide audience, and the retailing giants could reach as many customers as possible. Ziobro (3) identifies Wal-Mart, Target Corp as the highest advertising spenders. For example, Wal-Mart managed to spend approximately 57 million dollars on television advertising. Home Depot and Sears spent less on advertisements. Ziobro (2) denotes that Sears Holdings only spent 26 million dollars on television advertising. Ziobro (1) denotes that these figures are reliable because an advertising tracking company carried out the survey, to find out how much retailing organizations spent on advertisements during the Black Friday. The advertising company under consideration is Kantar Media. In coming up with the Data, Kantar Media managed to calculate the advertising fees a retailing unit spent for purposes of making people buy into their company. Ziobro (3) denotes that the only limitation with the methodology used to collect data is that information does not reflect how much people spent in the retailing units. It only identifies the number of visitors to a retailing unit, based on the advertisement under consideration. From this research, Ziobro (5) denotes that Wal-Mart was able to attract the highest number of visitors to its stores. This is as compared to its rival company, Target Corporation. Wal- Mart was able to attract a higher number of visitors to its retailing units as opposed to Target Corporation because in every two Wal-Mart TV ads, Target Corp had only 1. On this note, during the Black Friday Weekend, Wal-Mart was able to gather 34% of visitors, as opposed to Target Group which had on 12% of visitors. Sears, who spent less on advertisements managed to acquire only 1.9% of visitors to its stores (Ziobro, 5). Ziobro (6) goes on to denote that there are other factors that made these stores to have the number of