Body piercing is increasing in popularity among youth today, but there is no consensus as to reasons behind this trend. Essay Example

Body piercing is increasing in popularity among youth today, but there is no consensus as to reasons behind this trend. Essay Body piercing, alongside tattooing, has become more common over the last few decades, especially made popular by the hippy culture of 1970s America. Body piercing is related to other forms of body modification such as branding, cutting, binding, inserting implants, etc in an attempt to change the appearance of the individual’s body. More broadly, body piercing can be grouped along with appearance enhancing cosmetic surgeries and gender change operations. People give several reasons for undergoing such alterations to their body parts. Those who undergo form changes usually do it for improving their appearance or to bolster their identity. Psychologists and cultural commentators, on the other hand, tend to view body art as an expression of deeper emotional disturbance with respect to the person’s self-esteem and self-identity. This essay will explore and present different viewpoints on the subject, by way of citing appropriate evidence from scholarly sources. Body piercing involves the injection of a needle into the body surface so as to make an opening in which jewelry made of various metal alloys may be worn. Apart from the earlobe, common piercing areas include â€Å"eyebrows, tongue, nose, tragus, nipple, navel, and the genitalia†. Body piercing is more commonly obtained from tattoo parlors and exclusive piercing studios, although some of these shops might employ unlicensed, unregulated practitioners. Further, some individuals even get pierced at their homes, which can potentially lead to serious complications (Aizenman Jensen, 2002). Adolescence is a phase in which the individual at times struggles for identity and control over her developing body. During this period, it is particularly appealing for the adolescent mind to pierce their bodies. In the United States of America, it is estimated that one in five adolescents either pierces her body or gets a tattoo. The phenomenon of body piercing is more prevalent among adolescent girls when compared to adolescent boys. Many research studies support this fact. According to a study conducted by the team of Aizenman and Jensen, We will write a custom essay sample on Body piercing is increasing in popularity among youth today, but there is no consensus as to reasons behind this trend. specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Body piercing is increasing in popularity among youth today, but there is no consensus as to reasons behind this trend. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Body piercing is increasing in popularity among youth today, but there is no consensus as to reasons behind this trend. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer â€Å"The involvement in body piercing differed based on gender and race. Specifically, females and White students were significantly more likely than males and non-White students to report ever having a piercing. Such differences may be due to the impact that societal messages send to different gender and racial groups regarding body piercing. Although negative stereotypes and taboos against male piercing have loosened somewhat in recent years, it may still be considered a more acceptable practice for females than males. In fact, body adornment practices (i.e., makeup, jewelry, nail polish, etc.) are often considered to lie within the â€Å"feminine domain; and previous studies have similarly found females to be more involved in piercing than males† (Aizenman and Jensen, 2007). Males and females also differ in the part of body they choose to get pierced. For instance, the navel is the most common area for a piercing for girls and young women. Females were found more likely than males to have their piercing located on an area that is easily visible for an onlooker like navel or nose, while males were more likely to have their piercing in a less obvious and more sexual location like tongue, nipple, or genitalia. Such differences go on to underline the gender-based differences in body piercing (King and Vidourek, 2007). Debates go on about the underlying motivation for people who engage in these practices. The view of cultural commentators differ from the one forwarded by the individuals undergoing piercing themselves. For example, according to scholars Lynne Carroll, Roxanne Anderson, â€Å"these components fit into the postmodern world of fashion where anything goes and had obtained their piercing in late adolescence and were motivated to do so by the desire to improve appearance and because they perceived it as a viable art form† (Carroll and Anderson, 2002, p.629). In other words, the scholars are of the view that the value derived from a piercing is carries symbolic associations. As to the reasons for piercing their bodies, the participants of the study gave a wide range of answers. Close to 30 percent of participants (who are university students) reported having a piercing recently. The locale in which they live is also found to be a significant factor. For example one in two of University students in New York were found to have piercing, whereas this number is lower in states in the Mid-West America. Moreover, â€Å"32% of university students currently had piercing while 13% had removed their piercing within the past year. Each of these studies indicates that a sizeable percentage of college-age individuals are involved in body piercing. Regarding reasons for obtaining a piercing, females were more likely to state that they obtained their piercing to be fashionable and because â€Å"they always wanted one.† The wish to be fashionable has been identified in previous studies as a common reason for piercing. In today’s fashion world, females frequently wear shirts that expose the midriff, thereby allowing navel piercing to be readily observed†. (King and Vidourek, 2007) People from other walks of life see the trend in a different perspective. Experts have forwarded alternative explanations for this practice among young people. Some suggest that for young people, body art represent a mechanism of control and ownership over their own physiques. In the neo-liberal globe of the early 21st century, with its attendant consumerist culture and individual alienation, resorting to such drastic measures of expressing individual identity has become inevitable. In other words, beyond the obvious external appearances, such behavior might indicate a deeper emotional imbalance that can lead to more serious behaviors such as self-mutilation (Carroll and Anderson, 2002, p.629). In recent years, clinicians have identified correlations between body piercing and the prevalence of self-injurious activities such as cutting, burning, and biting. The exising literature on the subject cites psychological origins for this behavior has pointed to its causes, characteristics, and treatment. In addition, anecdotal reports from student counselors suggests that â€Å"Some students who cut, bite, burn, or pick their skin also choose to undergo other painful but more socially acceptable body-altering procedures, such as tattooing and body piercing. This finding was also reported in non-college populations. This phenomenon raises questions as to what, if any, motivations or characteristics those who tattoo or body pierce may share with those engaging in behaviors more typically regarded as self-injury. However, there has been limited research comparing these areas of body modification; instead, the majority of studies have focused exclusively on one or the other type of body-altering behavior.† (Aizenman and Jensen, 2002) Researchers have also identified socio-economic factors that play a role in driving an individual to pierce her body. A combination of low socio-economic background and a male-dominated society impels young women and girls to pierce their bodies. Hence, such behavior is an offshoot of the status of women in general in contemporary American society, where they see themselves as powerless and â€Å"are reared to hate their bodies or mold them to the requirements of male sexual culture† (The Washington Times, p. B01, October, 22, 2002). Further, young people who pierce their bodies were found to be prone to indulge in other anti-social or self-destructive behaviors such as joining a gang, delinquency, using recreational drugs, etc. The earlier an adolescent pierces her body, the greater the chance for antisocial behavior. All these findings go on to suggest that body piercing might be an external manifestation of some inner psychological or emotional inadequacy in the individual, and that the enduring solution to her problems may not lie in such external changes to her appearance.

Free Essays on Fredrick Douglas

Society can be viewed from many different perspectives. During the 1800’s, two people could live under the very same constitution but have completely different outlooks on how effectively the government worked. In â€Å"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass†, this former slave describes his experience growing up as a Negro in America. He portrays what life was like as a piece of property and tells his own interpretation of freedom. His point of view of freedom clearly differs from what the founding fathers thought it to be. Since Frederick was deprived of so much as a child, his picture of freedom is much more elemental and primitive to that of a wealthy white man. Due to his poor misfortune, Frederick looks at life from a different angle than the average man. In this story, Frederick realizes how he is unique from other people and uses this knowledge to fight for his own personal freedom. Frederick knew he was a slave, but he did not always understand his ill-fated destiny and how to get himself out of that trap. In the story, an epiphany is used when he realizes who he is. An epiphany is an awakening or a moment of truth, and that is exactly what Frederick experiences. Frederick quotes, â€Å"From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. It was just what I wanted, and I got it at a time when I least expected it†¦Though conscience of the difficulty of learning without a teacher, I set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble, to learn how to read.† This is one of the many statements relative to his own awareness. He comes upon the distinct realization that he must learn how to read and write in order to receive other freedoms. He knows that being literate will bring him closer to his dream. He wants the shackles of slavery literally and metaphorically removed from him, but he must learn how to read f irst. In addition to that quote, there are many other times in t... Free Essays on Fredrick Douglas Free Essays on Fredrick Douglas Society can be viewed from many different perspectives. During the 1800’s, two people could live under the very same constitution but have completely different outlooks on how effectively the government worked. In â€Å"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass†, this former slave describes his experience growing up as a Negro in America. He portrays what life was like as a piece of property and tells his own interpretation of freedom. His point of view of freedom clearly differs from what the founding fathers thought it to be. Since Frederick was deprived of so much as a child, his picture of freedom is much more elemental and primitive to that of a wealthy white man. Due to his poor misfortune, Frederick looks at life from a different angle than the average man. In this story, Frederick realizes how he is unique from other people and uses this knowledge to fight for his own personal freedom. Frederick knew he was a slave, but he did not always understand his ill-fated destiny and how to get himself out of that trap. In the story, an epiphany is used when he realizes who he is. An epiphany is an awakening or a moment of truth, and that is exactly what Frederick experiences. Frederick quotes, â€Å"From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. It was just what I wanted, and I got it at a time when I least expected it†¦Though conscience of the difficulty of learning without a teacher, I set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble, to learn how to read.† This is one of the many statements relative to his own awareness. He comes upon the distinct realization that he must learn how to read and write in order to receive other freedoms. He knows that being literate will bring him closer to his dream. He wants the shackles of slavery literally and metaphorically removed from him, but he must learn how to read f irst. In addition to that quote, there are many other times in t...

Mimetic Violence in The Road Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mimetic Violence in The Road - Essay Example They work towards getting what they desire, and when they eventually get it, it becomes apparent that they seem to desire the possessor of the object also, not just the object. The second stage is Mimetic Rivalry. At this stage, the desire becomes so strong that it begins to reveals its violent side. At the Skandalon or Scandal stage, the violence has become so immense that it is capable of disrupting the life of an entire community. The situation becomes so scandalous that it becomes very difficult for the players to give up. Scapegoating stage, the fourth, is where a victim is picked and blamed for the sad turn of events. This is the stage where peacekeeping finally fails. Then the final stage which is known as Sacred Violence comes; the scapegoat is punished, most times killed, supposedly at the command of a god. But this doesn’t end the violence. It gives rise to persistent mimetic violence. There are different types of mimetic violence but one feature common to all is tha t the minority in the society are often the scapegoats. In some cases, it is the women. In others, it is the poor. Generally, the scapegoats are those that are not considered to be indispensable in the society. Examples of Mimetic Violence The examples of mimetic violence abound. A typical example is when politicians contest for elective offices. All the stages of that come before mimetic violence are all experienced. Even though in some climes, people are not killed during electioneering, the level of competition still reflects mimetic violence. However, in many places like Africa, during political strife, the mimetic stages eventually arrive at the level of violence. Another example of Mimetic Violence is that which is encountered is found in William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Hamlet.† Mimetic violence also develops to its final stages in the play. Hamlet and his Uncle, Claudius, try to skim out each other (for the prize – the throne). The situation at the end b ecomes very bloody as both of them get killed. However, it seems Hamlet remains the hero while Claudius is the scapegoat. Examples and Usage of Mimetic Violence in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road Before much analysis is done on how mimetic violence plays itself out in the novel, it must be clearly stated that the third person narrator in the novel uses such expression like â€Å"the man†, â€Å"the father† and â€Å"the boy† to refer to the fact that the characters represent any member of the human society. Hence, all the characters are involved in mimetic violence in at least one stage. One of the earliest revelations of mimetic violence in the novel is depicted when the boy and his father leave their original home to embark on a journey because they needed to survive. The fact that the circumstance in their original place had ceased to be welcoming reveals the high play of mimetic violence. Recognizing how hopeless their situation is, the man’s wife c ommits suicide; that is mimetic violence. One cannot but wonder why it is the woman that had to sacrifice her life. Why is it not the man that had to commit suicide? That question should actually be directed at the author. The choice of the woman as the one to commit suicide is a depiction of how the people who are considered to be less important than others are the

Linguistic Commentary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Linguistic Commentary - Essay Example As Professor Christopher John Poutain (2005) explains it, there can be three types of linguistic acceptable variations: "Acceptability may vary with a number of factors, including place (DIATOPIC variation), social group (DIASTRATIC variation) or time (DIACHRONIC variation)." In the present case, we have a diastratic variation as the boss represents a social group a lot different from the workers' group. We can see that their Spanish is quite different even though they seem to understand each other very well. As we know, the concept of linguistic competence means in pragmatic terms that there is no register better than others as long as communication is established among them. In this fragment we can note a great difference between the boss' Spanish and the workers' Spanish. Spanish is a language of constant changes as Professor John M. Lipski (n. d.) stated in one of his papers: "Spanish -a language spoken on every continent- is the product not only of its Peninsular heritage and of internal evolution, but also of a variety of language contacts, with indigenous languages, languages of forced immigration (the slave trade), and of voluntary immigration." The present fragment is a good example of the many changes that Spanish has experienced along the years. Another distinctive feature of this fragment is the vocalization and th... The boss also uses some of this broken Spanish words when he changes his register. An interesting feature is the pejorative language used by the administrator: "rotos de michica" (l. 7), "fuerino sinvergenza" (l. 17), "sinvergenzas" (l. 18). As he is mad, he uses this kind of language as a way of getting even on the workers. On the other hand, the use of colons speeds up the narrative in lines 25, 26 and 27. The narrator is omniscient. It is narrated in the third person singular. The register of the narrator's speech is standard Spanish. In lines 20 and 21 the narration is very agile: "como un mvil punto obscuro que alejndose se empequeeca". It is also very graphic as we can see the little dot getting smaller with the precise wording of the narrator. This fragment has two distinct parts: one narrative part and one dialogues part. The narration is very concise and explanatory as it gives interesting details of the motives behind the dialogues. It is also very descriptive, especially when it says in lines 12-14 the following: "hablaba ahora a Segundo, que entontecido por su mirada roja de ira, con movimiento de pndulo mova acompasadamente el cuerpo." In these lines we can see the use of a very appropriate metaphor: "pendulum's movement", when referring to the oscillating movement of Segundo's body. The narrator also makes emphasis on the wrath of the administrator. He says that his "glance was red by the wrath" (l. 13), and this image is very graphic and quite appropriate to describe the mood of the boss. But it is relevant to note that there is a change in the color of his glance due to the same wrath. In line 13 it is red,

Nestle Is The Worlds Largest Food Processing Company Marketing Essay

Nestle Is The Worlds Largest Food Processing Company Marketing Essay 1.0 INTRODUCTION The strategic management process is based on the belief that organization should continuously monitor internal and external events and trends so that timely change can be made as needed. An organization must be capable of wisely identifying and adapting to change. In this report, I will choose Nestlà © S.A, one of the most successful food processing company in the world to discuss its strategy management process. 2.0 COMPANY PROFILE Nestlà © S.A. is the worlds largest food processing company and is headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland. The company was founded by Henri Nestlà © in 1866. Nestlà © Company had made several name changes from 1866 to 1947, and finally adopted Nestlà © S.A. in 1977 as the companys name. Nestle S.A. has factories or office in almost every region of the world and markets a wide range of brands. The company is often described as the most multinational of the multinationals. in the current food industry market. Henri Nestlà ©, also know as of the main originator of condensed milk. In 1867, he developed the first milk food for infants and a baby who could not be breast-fed was rescued. Nestlà ©s invention responded to the need for a nutritionally safe alternative to breast milk. Thus, Nestlà © S.A has targeted to build a business based on sound human values and thoughts. The key to success of the company is due to its huge Research and Development network within the food processing industry. With RD as the competitive advantage, Nestlà © has become the worlds leading nutrition, health, and wellness company. The company is devoted in continuing to improve the nutritional value of their products while enhancing the flavour. Nestlà © achieves this through its brands and with initiatives like the Nutritional Compass and 60/40+. Millions of people choose to consume Nestlà © products everyday because the company sustain the quality as the fundamental ingredient in all of its brands. Consumers choose to place their trust in Nestlà © due to the companys dedication to achieve distinction and turn to Nestlà © brands to preserve nutritional balance in todays fast paced world. Switzerland-based Nestlà © S.A. has the highest ranking as the largest player throughout the entire world in the competitive position within the food industry. The rating reflects the companys competitiveness and market attractiveness. With combined sales of 110 billion (Swiss Franc) in 2008, Nestlà © states a diversified business portfolio, being the market leader in numerous product categories worldwide including bottled water, instant coffee, milk and cheese products, nutrition and baby food, ice cream, frozen foods, culinary preparations, and coco products. Nestlà ©s broad geographic coverage includes North America and Europe as well as Asian markets. The vision of Nestlà © RD is long term, it helps shape the future of foods making consumer needs into research priorities and convert new technologies into consumer benefits, and services. 3.0 STRATEGY ANALYSIS 3.1 Environmental Scanning Environmental scanning has the management scan internal environment and external environment. The factor which are the predominant factor for an organization factor is SWOT standing for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. 3.1.1 SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method developed by Albert Humphrey using data from Fortune 500 companies in the 1960s and 1970s. 3.1.1.1 Internal Environment Strengths Strengths include anything a company does well and its resources and capabilities for developing a competitive advantage. The greatest strength of Nestlà © is culture that is team focused and an open door policy. Nestlà © focuses on collectivism and performance orientation attitude which encourages employees to work harder. Nestlà © achieves broader range of products by improving existing and innovating new products. Consumer demands are switched to changes of taste, colours and design that have been undertaken to products such as Nestlà ©s Smarties and Kit Kats.  The launch of Kit Kat Chunky has proven that creativity and innovation can extend the life cycle of a product. Weaknesses The lack of certain strengths and things a company does not do well are viewed as weaknesses. Nestlà © is poor in targeting some of its products. Nestlà © MilkPak is a premium product targeted to upper middle and high class consumers. Most consumers in Pakistan are from lower middle and poor class. They are not afford to purchase it due to the premium price. Nestlà © has a complex supply chain configuration too and traceability is a critical issue for Nestlà © India. High standards of hygiene, quality of edible inputs and workforce are required in the food industry. Fragmented nature of the Indian market will cause more problems. 3.1.1.2 External Environment Opportunities The external environmental analysis a firms new opportunities for profit and growth. Nestlà © in Pakistan has a great opportunity for expanding its milk products because Pakistan is the seventh major milk producer in the world with annual output more than 22 billion litres. Threats Adjustments in the external environment present threats to a firm. For an example, shifts in consumers preferences. The major threats to Nestlà ©s products is Unilevers Walls, a famous ice-cream brand. It is distributed nationwide and has total control within the local market. Besides, economic slowdown can reduce demand, and inflation is getting higher and higher causing the purchasing power of consumers is decreasing day by day. 3.1.1.3 General Environment PEST Analysis Pest Analysis is used to illustrate a structure for the analysis of macro-environmental factors. Political Political factors include a country or governments regulations and legal issues and rules which a firm must follow. For example, Nestlà ©s famous brand Milo. The product stay within the law in all countries including being aware of legislation health and safety, commercial standards, consumer protection and trade description. Economical Economic factors such like economic growth, exchange rate and inflation rate will influence potential customers purchasing power and the firms cash flow. During recession, customers have less disposable income, demand for Milo might drop in the market. Social Social factors comprise the cultural aspects and demographic of the external macro-environment. These factors influence customer needs and potential markets size. The society are more aware of health conscious nowadays, Nestlà © can build up Milo as a new fashionable drink like 100 plus in the fitness industry. Technological Technological factors can reduce barriers to entry, improve products quality and influence outsourcing decisions. Advance in science allows Nestlà © to improve its product such as Milo, the company can add energy and healthier formula to Milo. 3.2 Porters Five Forces Analysis Michael E. Porter developed Porters five forces in 1979. It is a framework that helps marketer to differentiate a competitive environment. Threat of substitute products An analysis of the threat of substitute products will identify the consumers of a company might switch their purchasing alternative. There is a tendency for food and beverages manufacturers to produce broad range of products. These products may compete with one another to gain market share and become substitute for each other. Nestlà © Koko Krunch Cereal can be the substitute for Nestlà © Nesvita cereal drink since both of them are intended for breakfast consumption. Nestlà © is not offering all kinds of food and beverages, those unoffered kinds may act as the substitutes for the Nestlà ©s products. For example, Nestlà © has coffee in its product lines which is Nescafà ©, the substitute for it can be the soft drinks which are not in the portfolio of Nestlà ©. In this case the substitutes are very broad. Bargaining power of suppliers An analysis of the bargaining power of suppliers  will identify the changing price, quality and service of suppliers without consequence. Supplier power can be different due to seasonal or economic cycles. Supplier power is increasing as many of the food processing companies are not producing their own raw materials. Nestlà © itself gets material in the form of raw or semi-processed directly from farmers and trade channels. By considering the number of suppliers in the industry and the switching cost, the dependency to a particular supplier can be reduced. Nestlà © has operations in many countries throughout the world, if one supplier unable to offer good price for Nestlà ©, it can switch to other suppliers. The bargaining power of supplier depends heavily on the strength of the companys brand. Big companies such as Nestlà © can take advantage in bargaining. Bargaining power of buyers Food processing industry is very broad and rivals can come out with numerous product selections. When the companies step into the maturity stage, they will have even more products provided to strengthen the companys brand. Nestlà © Milo has strong market share and remains a constant favourite amongst Malaysia consumers. In order to further strengthening the brands image, the company added Milo Gold to its product range to keep the consumers loyalty towards the product. Threats of new entrants An analysis of the threat of new entrants will identify entry barriers within an industry. Industries with high barriers to entry will face low risk from new competitors than an industries with low barriers to entry. The competition of ice cream business in Pakistan is very small. This could create chances for other international ice cream brand to penetrate their products to compete with Nestlà © in Pakistan. The major substitutes of Nestlà ©s ice cream would be Walls ice cream and Hico ice cream. Competitive rivalry within an industry Rivalry among competing firms is the utmost of the five competitive forces. Firms within the same industry are competing with one another to gain customer share to increase profitability. The competitors are of roughly equal size which can make the competition even stiffer. They will attempt to gain dominance over another. Nestlà © and General Mills have joint ventured for breakfast cereal market. By having such joint venture these two companies can achieve better success instead of competing with each other. 3.3 Value Chain Analysis Value chain analysis is a development for understanding the general factors and conditions under which a value chain and its firms can achieve higher levels of performance. Manufacturing and the environmental footprint Nestlà © has a great commitment to the environment. They put in great efforts to protect the access of water and ensure everyones responsibilities as water users. Nestlà © moves to different fuel types to produce their products to improve the environmental performance. One of the significant steps in the  value chain is transport. Nestlà © initiated an experiment with  Schenker, to  evaluate the effect  of  different types of  transport, distances  driven and fuel type used to create a better environment. Nestlà ©s employees The company determined by skilled and motivated workforce for continued success. Nestlà © includes many nationalities, religions, and ethnic groups working together in one single unifying corporate culture. Farmers and Agriculture Nestlà © always assist farmers to be successful suppliers. This great effort is helping the entire region to develop a positive long-term impact to boost economic performance. Nestlà © share good environmental and water management practices with farmers by carrying out agricultural programs. Nestlà © insist code of ethics to maintain good and long-term relationship with their suppliers. Products and consumers Nestlà © strengthens its brands and customers loyalty to respond to consumers changing preferences. Nestlà © preserves the nutritious in its products while enhancing the flavour and improve the quality of their products. According to Julio Frenk, former Secretary of Health Mexico, from his experience in Mexico, he believes that Nestlà © is delivering genuine shared value through its products in the society. 3.4 Benchmarking A company should has its benchmark to improve quality of its products. In June 4, 2009, Nestlà © started make use of ASSET4 to benchmark its environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. ASSET4 is the top supplier of idea, comparable, and auditable extra-financial information. According to Nestlà ©s head of Investor Relations, Roddy Child-Villiers said that Nestlà © is committed to improve its ESG performance via Creating Shared Value, which build continuous business triumph and the establishment of shareholder value to the creation of value for society at large. 4.0 STRATEGY FORMULATION Strategy formulation is the second stage in the strategic management process. In the aspect of corporate strategy, the current objectives and strategies of Nestlà © will be discussed as well as suggestions given on how Nestlà © to be more successful in the food processing industry. For example, what amendments should be made to achieve the development objectives and strategies of Nestlà ©, the lines of business that Nestlà © is in now, and how these lines of business fit mutually. There are three main components fall under corporate strategy. These components include directional strategy, portfolio analysis and parenting strategy. 4.1 Directional strategy Directional strategy refers to a firms overall orientation towards growth, stability and retrenchment. 4.1.1 Growth strategy Growth strategy has two fundamental categories, concentration within existing industries and diversification into other lines of business or industries. In this report, I will choose to discuss the concentration strategy of Nestlà ©. Concentration strategy can be achieved via merger and acquisition (MA). MA have emerged and are widely used in many industries today. Nestlà © has been using these form of strategic alliances to link technology gaps and resources, to recruit expertise and obtain market positions. MA are essential and potentially useful for a company that wishes to enter a new industry and new markets. Merger Merger is defined as the combination of companies. In 1905, Nestlà © S.A was formed by the merger called the Nestlà © and Anglo-Swiss Milk Company. Nestlà © stepped outside the food industry for the first time and diversify its business in the cosmetic industry. In 1974, Nestlà © became a major shareholder in LOrà ©al, one of the worlds leading makers of cosmetics. Acquisition Acquisition is the act of purchase or takeover of a company that is completely absorbed by the subsidiary or division of the acquiring corporation. Since 1985, Nestlà © has made over 50 acquisitions. Nestlà ©s growth strategy began with acquisitions to diversify its product offering. In the early 1990s, it used acquisitions to expand geographically. More recently, Nestlà © has focused its acquisitions on growing a select number of very attractive businesses in markets where it can achieve leadership positions. For example, Nestlà © has acquired Frozen Food in 2010. The factors of the acquisition are due to Frozen Foods number one position in United Stated and Canada as well as strong growth profile in North America by proving fast recovery in times of economic downturn. Meanwhile, concentration strategy includes two strategies which are vertical growth and horizontal growth. I will choose horizontal growth of Nestlà ©s for further discussion. Horizontal growth refers to the expansion of operations into other geographic locations and enlarging the variety of products and services offered to current markets. Horizontal growth can be achieved via joint venture. As an example, in 2001, Coca-Cola Company and Nestlà © S.A. continue their existing joint venture business, Coca-Cola and Nestlà © Refreshments. This co-operation will be renamed Beverage Partners Worldwide (BPW) to emerge their beverage segments, especially ready-to-drink tea. 4.1.2 Portfolio Analysis Portfolio analysis is basically a product portfolio in which a company rank their products and where their products are stands in the market. There are two popular portfolio analysis techniques that will be used to analyse Nestlà ©s portfolio. There techniques include BCG Matrix (Boston Contingency Group) and GE Business Screen. For this report, BCG Matrix is selected to explain the current standing of Nestlà ©s brand in India. BCG Matrix In 1960, Bruce Henderson, president of the Boston Consulting Group design BCG Matrix to develop business strategy. There are four categories of product position which are stars, cash cows, dogs, and question marks. Stars When an industry is growing and the share of a firm is high as well, then the firm is the leader in business. Nestlà ©s Nescafà © is one of the leading coffee brands in the Indian market. It has the strong position in the market which is incomparable by other brand within the country. Nescafà © has high market share in the industry as well as the growth rate is significantly high. In addition, the name of Nescafà © has become generic with coffee. Cash Cows When the industry growth is low but the firm has high market share, then the firms products are considered Cash Cows. Nestlà ©s Maggie Noodles has more households of consumption in India and has become the first preference of Indian children in terms of instant food, yet it is still considered as Cash Cows, not a star. It has a significantly high market growth rate in the Noodles market in India, but the market growth rate of Noodle consumption is not very high. Question marks Question marks refer to products with the potential to penetrate into the market and succeed but will require a lot of cash for development. Maggie Pickles has limited variety especially in this taste crazy country, India. Maggie Pickles is doubted for two main reasons. The first reason price and packing of the product is high, which seems to target customer from upper class. The second reason is it lack of significant number of alternative, therefore it is a challenge to maintain itself in the market. Thus, it is suggested that Maggie Pickles to review its packaging and price so every citizen in India can afford to purchase the product. Dogs If the industry growth is low and a firms share is instability or low, then the products of the firm is considered dog. Nestlà ©s Dahi is considered Dog because people in India was unaware that Nestlà © offers a Dahi. The product is facing competition from Amuls Masti Dahi. The concept of Dahis packaging is not favourable by the consumer who prefer to play it safe with the local manufacturer. Nestlà © Dahi is placed in as a Dog due to lack of growing market. It is recommended that Nestlà © has to think on what it can do to make everyone in India recognize Nestlà © Dahi. 4.1.3 Corporate Parenting Strategy Corporate parenting strategy is developed to examine each business unit in terms of its strategic factors, areas in which performance can be improved, and analyze how well the parent company fits with the business unit. Horizontal strategy To expand a business to another geographic location, extra cost such as import duties, logistics and other packaging requirements will weigh down a products launch in the targeted region. Hence building an overseas plant or subcontract the manufacture of the product to a licensed local manufacturer. Nestlà ©s has many manufacturer in almost every country in the world to manufacture its products. This strategy has helped Nestlà © to cut down the extra costs as I have mentioned above. Multipoint competition Multipoint competition refers to a multinational organization compete against other multinational organizations in a number of markets. Nestlà © competes in a wide range of geographic areas in addition of broad range of product categories. Therefore it faces competition from multinational companies such as Unilever and Philip Morris with similar product lines that cross regional bounds. Since Nestlà © is facing this type of competition, it is suggested that Nestlà © must compete briskly across its worldwide customer base. 5.0 STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION Strategy implementation is the third stage in strategy management. In order to carry out the formulated strategies, Nestlà © needs to establish annual objectives, planning policies, motivation employees and allocate resources. This stage is also known as the action stage of strategic management and it is often considered to be the most complicated stage. It needs the collaboration from all the employees at all levels in Nestlà © in terms of personal discipline, commitment, and sacrifice. In this stage, I will discuss several issues that will affect to Nestlà © during the process of strategy is being implemented. 5.1 Management Issues Management changes are essentially more extensive when strategies to be implemented move a firm in a major new direction. I will select several factors from the management issue to discuss how are they going to affect Nestlà ©s organizational performance. Annual Objectives Annual objectives are especially important in strategy implementation, whereas long-term objectives are particularly important in strategy formulation. Annual objectives represent the basis for allocating resources. Resources Nestlà © need at least four types of resources in order to achieve desired objectives. Financial resources. One of the major strengths of Nestlà © is its RD which contribute a lot in supporting the companys strategy implementation. In 2006, Nestlà © invested CHF 1.73 billion in RD and over CHF 1.5 billion in Venture Capital. Thus, the company needs sufficient financial resources in order to continue its RD. Physical resources. Nestlà © has a committed sales force which is the major resource strength in terms of physical resources. It is very important as part of the companys success particularly after the strategy is implemented, and the employees able to develop markets and sell its products. Human resources. Human resources is one the significant concern while implementing strategy because it is the backbone of any organization. The fact that Nestlà © is more people and product than system oriented reflected in the way HR is functioning and is organized. Technological resources. RD at Nestlà © is an international group of science and technology centres of excellence. Its RD has a long tradition of building its own machines based on extensive in-house engineering experience. Proprietary technological claims in all products categories assist Nestlà © to maintain and improve its position as market leader. Rewards and Incentives The Real Rewards in Nestlà © USAs investment in you is a comprehensive package for waged employees. Compensation is a key part reward of Nestlà © USAs Real Rewards package to help to attract, motivate, and retain a workforce of top performance. There are three types of compensation of the Real Rewards package. Base Pay. Based Salaries are designed to be competitive which based on data specific to different position as measure in marketplace. High performance over time is recognized by base pay that is higher than the market. Short-Term Incentives. Short-Term Incentives Pay is designed to reward employees (typically yearly) for their accomplishments and contribution to Nestlà © USAs success. Long-Term Incentives. Nestlà © USAs Long-Term Incentives Plan are designed to motivate and reward those in eligible leadership position for the companys sustained success for a longer period, often three years or more. Human Resources Nestlà © Human Resources Policy encompasses those guidelines which represent a sound basis for effective and efficient HR management in the Nestlà © Group around the world. Learning is part of the company culture in Nestlà ©. Employees at all levels is conscious of the need to upgrade constantly his or her skills and knowledge to achieve personal and organizational goal. 5.2 Marketing Issues Marketing variables can determine the success and failure of strategy implementation. Market Segmentation Marketing segmentation is the process in marketing of grouping a market to identify different groups of customers with different needs or responses to marketing activity. Consumer can be segmented on the following characteristics. I will use Nestlà © Juices to discuss how Nestlà ©s marketing team is going to target the market segmentation. Geographic Segmentation, Region. People would prefer to drink juices during the hot weather or summer season. The marketing team can segment the market on the basis of high temperature zones. To boost the demand of its juices products, they can focus more in the region where the consumption remains almost the same all the year around. Demographic Segmentation, Gender. Women will be the best targeted customers as they usually shop for their family. When they are convinced that the juices will be good for the health for their family, they will eventually purchase. Psychographic Segmentation, Life style. People belonging to luxury life style tend to spend more on luxuries as compared to people in the lower class. In strategy implementation, market segmentation is an important variable. It allows Nestlà © to operate with limited resources due to unnecessary of mass production, mass advertising and mass distribution. The market segmentation decision directly affect the marketing mix variables. Marketing Mix Product strategy. Nestlà © juices main competitive advantage is its quality leadership. The company aim provide the original and best quality to their customers and fulfill their need. Place strategy. In Pakistan, Nestlà © established the distribution channels for its juices products in famous cities such as Karachi, Lahore and Gujranwala. Then they acquired maximum two to three suitable distributors in these cities to hinder from their own competition. Promotion strategy. The marketing team of Nestlà © use various sources to promote their target marketing. Sources used such like TV, Newspaper and Billboard to advertise their products. When Nestlà © launches new juice, the marketing team will use the promotion strategy that are mentioned to spread the awareness of their brand. Price Strategy. Nestlà © juices are available six flavored and two size. The packing of 200ml size is targeted for individual customer while 100ml packing is targeted for whole family. They charge price premium since they provided high quality and 100% clear juices other than competing low cost with their competitors. Nestlà © juices contain maximum profit margin compared to their rivals. Product Positioning After segmenting markets, Nestlà © can target particular customer groups, the next step is to find out what customers wants and needs. In 2009, Nestlà © launched two fortified juice drinks for children, Juicy Juice Brain Development and Juicy Juice Immunity. Customer wants. Children are targeted easily targeted for these two juice drinks because they can choose three flavours that are available including apple, berry and grape flavours in these two juice drinks. Customer needs. Parents are very concerned with their kids development. Therefore, these two juice drinks are specifically targeting brain and immune development in under five age group. 5.3 Research Development Issues RD is an investigative activities that a business choose to conduct with the purpose of discovering new products and to improve the existing products. Nestlà © is the global leader in the food processing industry with regard to RD. The RD expert team in Nestlà © have provided best practices and help in the companys implementation. For example, the RD structure offers the flexibility to use the huge sources of local ideas, bring them back and develop them for the global implementation. The major advantages of Nestlà © RD include: The company attract the best scientist and engineers from top-level universities who want to work and partner with them. To build plants, expand, grow, and market products and services more efficiently. 6.0 CONCLUSION In a nutshell, it is not easy to maintain the position as the world leader in food processing industry like Nestlà ©. A company must be able cope with any unexpected changes in order to survive and compete in the world of business. (Word Counts: 4435 words)

How is violence presented in Lord of the Flies? Essay

Binary oppositions: Civilisation vs savagery (breakdowns). Zoomorphism Binary oppositions: Dictatorship vs democracy (juxtapositions) Deaths of Simon and Piggy – animalistic, savage chanting, violent behaviour when they let their temptations get the better of them. Simon and the beast? Conclusion – end of the novel William Golding explores the theme of violence throughout his novel ‘Lord of the Flies’. He believed that every individual has the potential to bring out their inner evil, and that every human being is flawed in their nature. Hence, he wrote a novel with an aim to employ characterisation of mankind’s essential sickness, after his time spent in war. He also aimed to challenge Ballantyne’s ‘Coral Island’. ‘Lord of the Flies’ presents the helpless and violent breakdown – along with devolution, of civilisation on the island by using authoritative symbolism, metaphorical imagery and biblical references to reinforce this loss of humanity in this corrupt regime. In the exposition of the novel, we are familiarised with the setting of the island – which begins as a utopia for the boys, with â€Å"the shimmering water†. This has paradisiacal connotations, showing the island to be an obvious place of beauty, along with the â€Å"lagoon† and â€Å"young palm trees†, which again is an idyllic characteristic for a place of bliss. However, this contrasts with the dark traits of the island also being depicted – which start becoming prominent and sets the theme of violence in Golding’s novel. The plane crash on the island is described as a â€Å"scar†, implying that the mark left has permanently damaged the island, which was once untouched and flawless. The use of this intimidating and daunting word ‘scar’ shows the ruin and damage of the situation in which the plane has come from, thus portraying violent features. Furthermore, this reveals the background information to the plot – the boys are evacuees from the war who have landed  on this island due to a plane crash; which connotes violence already. Another example of violence on the island is expressed through Golding’s description of features generally associated with islands – â€Å"skull-like† and â€Å"decaying† coconuts. These adjectives have oppressive connotations. Furthermore, the â€Å"witch-like cry† symbolises evil, and this creates appositions with the previous optimistic impression of the island, which hints to the readers that this island may not really be as magical as deemed. Another way the theme of violence is presented across the novel, is through the binary oppositions – principally the theme of civilisation versus savagery. The established division between the two groups of boys each represent a certain aspect to society. The characters (predominantly) Ralph, Piggy and Simon represent civilisation with the use of the conch to display order and control during the organised and contained meetings. On the other hand, there is Jack who leads his hunters (or his â€Å"tribe†), representing savagery. At first they work together, but disagreements shortly lead to to dehumanisation of their relationships – following progression from a â€Å"shy liking† between Jack and Ralph, to Jack trying to kill ralph towards the novel’s resolution. The fundamental peak of this opposition is present during the undeniable temptation of hunger, when Ralph and Piggy join the hunters as their desperation for food takes over. The metaphorical imagery set by Golding of Simon’s death shows the height of this violence and how the boys let the evil inside of them win. Simon’s allegorical role or function in the novel includes biblical insinuations. â€Å"†¦and was covered with a coat of pearls†¦Ã¢â‚¬  these divine allusions emphasise the violence present, as they contrast with the angelic and Christ-like quality of Simon, whom the savages mercilessly murdered. Following this incident, the conch is shattered and when Piggy’s glasses are broken (along with the death of the fire that previously occurred), it foreshadows the total destruction of any possible civilisation ever returning back to the island, showing the demise but need of law, order and reason in society). Hereafter, Ralph is left alone to face the savages. This all underlines Golding’s ideas that humans have evil and hatred deep inside of them, and could let the inner beast completely and violently take over if they be submissive to even a bit of temptation. The other binary opposition also prevailing in this novel is  dictatorship versus democracy. This juxtaposition is also used to portray violence across the novel. For example, â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.† Here, we can see the development of the behaviour of the, as turning more and more violent as soon as they lose sight of the conch, and the sense of democracy is broken down or lost. Violence is presented in the novel through the very diverse deaths of both Piggy and Simon. Prior to Simon’s murder, the boys had been chanting â€Å"Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!† in â€Å"complementary circles†. These are powerful phrases which Golding pervades using the rule of three, to highlight the viciousness of this violent, tribal practice. The actions of these young boys are also atrocious and horrifying. â€Å"At once, the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, scream, struck, bit and tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws.† These animalistic verbs have connotations of zoomorphism; resonating humans with the likeness and behaviour of animals. This is also significant as humans are meant to be intelligent – with the capacity for decent communication through language and words. However, here, the boys are so engulfed and consumed in their bestial actions of brutality, that they have lost touch with their ‘human’ sides, unable to differentiate between good and bad, that they have lost that capability to converse, and instead are resorting to un-civilised, barbaric means. â€Å"Teeth and claws† are widely associated with large predators, and so by using this, Golding is showing us that once you give aside to a little violence, you can turn into a complete ‘animal’. The verb â€Å"tearing† demonstrating ripping human is shocking and also portrays vehemence. This violence is further emphasized through Golding’s angelic description, post-death of the protagonist. â€Å"†¦was covered with a coat of pearls†¦Ã¢â‚¬  shows the purity reflected upon Simon, as well as â€Å"the line of his cheek silvered†, which has Christ-like implications. The phrase â€Å"silver shape† portrays a virtuous sheen and quality in Simon, as his â€Å"dead body moved out towards the open sea†, when he finally finds peace. This is also contrasted with Piggy’s matter-of-fact, and scientific death. â€Å"Piggy’s arms and legs twitched, like a pig’s after it has been killed†. The lexical field used is gruesome and horrific, thus again portraying the violence, long with the use of sub-vocals, â€Å"zup†,  noise, and clamour used to replace language, being used by the boys to express and connect with each other. Piggy’s death had been hinted from the very start of the novel, through small incidents of violence occurring. For example, it progressed from Roger at the beginning throwing stones at the little ones, aiming â€Å"to miss†, to him rolling the boulder that killed Piggy. Violence had also been present when Ralph â€Å"machine-gunned Piggy†. Moreover, jack’s violent actions of killing the pig at the start also foreshadows piggy’s death, as it led to him being killed in the end. Towards the novel’s conclusion, we are brought back to reality and reminded that these ‘savages’, are in fact just a â€Å"group of painted boys†. This is another way that violence is presented in the novel; because we are shown that all these horrific actions in the novel, were in fact only performed by little, once innocent children. Indeed, the violence had been so strenuous, that is had caused dehumanisation of values and characters. For example, at the start Percival â€Å"recited† his name, whereas when help arrived, â€Å"there was no more to come. Percival Wemys Madison sought in his head for an incantation that had faded clean away†. This disintegration of speech, and the fact Percival as forgotten how to speak underlines the destruction caused by the violence. The ending has a deus-ex-machina factor to it – right at the peak of the violence, rescue had come. The officer asks the boys â€Å"what have you been doing? Having a w ar or something?† which is ironic because they were actually having a â€Å"war†. This could also be seen as a microcosm for the Cold war that had been occurring, during the time Golding wrote this novel.

Welcome to Ap Art History

WELCOME TO AP ART HISTORY!!! Greetings AP Art History Student! Welcome to your course! My name is Mrs. Crosier and I’m thrilled to have you as a student to work together to help you earn free college credit! An Advanced Placement (AP) course with FLVS is a rigorous, college-level learning experience. AP courses require a high level of commitment and are an opportunity to earn college credit based on a qualifying score on a national AP exam.A student should only be enrolled in an FLVS AP course if he/she plans to both prepare for and take the national AP exam in May, 2013. In fact, no AP credit will be issued until after May 2013 ( with the exception of students attending a public school in Leon, Dade, Broward, Palm Beach or Okeechobee County), once you have completed the course AND participated in the national AP Exam. To ensure this is clearly understood, you AND your parent must sign and date this document and return it to me.This form must be returned to me in order for you to move beyond your Grace Period. Again, it is vital to understand we WILL NOT issue your final grade until AFTER the AP Exam in May, 2013 and ALL Coursework is completed by May 1. Verification forms for exam participation will be distributed to students in January, 2013. If you do not plan to take the AP exam, please let me know immediately. You will begin this two semester course starting with artworks from prehistoric times to the 21st century.You can begin working in your course but you will not be activated until I meet and speak with you and your parent/guardian on the phone for a â€Å"welcome call. † This will be a brief 5-10 minute call to meet and review the welcome PowerPoint you viewed. If, however, you are no longer interested in taking this course online, please call or email me [email  protected] net and let me know and I will withdraw you without any consequence or penalty. For a brief, interactive orientation, please visit (Please be sure to copy and paste the link into a browser): http://www. lvs. net/quickstart I am available daily from 8-8. Please go to the appointment scheduler located under my name in the course or call me at 386-454-0325. In the event, I am with another student, please leave a message and I will return your call. I look forward to speaking to you and your parent or guardian and to having you as part of this class. We’re going to have a great Learning experience together! Mrs. Martha Crosier AP Art History Instructor Phone: 386-454-0325 (8-8) Email: [email  protected] net AP Exam Policy Acknowledgement and AP Credit PolicyWe acknowledge that I am required to take the May, 2013 AP Exam for this course AND will only at that time receive AP credit if I successfully complete the course and submit the signed Exam Verification form. I further acknowledge all work and exams for the course are due May 1, 2013. Student’s printed name: _____________________________________________ Student signature: ______ _______________________________________ Date ________________________ Parent/Guardian signature: _____________________________________________ Date ________________________