The Important Changes of the Gilded Age

The changes that occurred in the Gilded Age led to shaping American into the superpower and well respected international country that it is recognized as today. The most important changes were the discovery of uses of copper, the assembly line production technique and the completion of the first transcontinental railroad. The uses of copper that were introduced during the Gilded Age allowed the development of necessities of life as we know it in the United States today. Because of its ability to transmit electricity and sound, it is used in telephone and telegraph systems and electric lighting – technologies that were developed and introduced during the Gilded Age. It is almost impossible to imagine what our present day lives would be like without telephones, computers and other electronic devices that evolved from the inventions that developed from the discovery of uses of copper during this great period. Henry Ford†s use of the assembly line in manufacturing the first cars in large numbers would survive and evolve to being one of the most efficient techniques of manufacturing otherwise complex and time-consuming products. The assembly line, which is still in use in many factories today, would cut the time of production and would also cut down the skills necessary to build and manufacture products. Before the assembly line, for example, a product would be crafted by a skilled person who possessed the knowledge of making the product. It would take a long time to manufacture because the manufacturing would be done alone or by a few workers. The assembly line would have a â€Å"line† of workers who would do just one function of the manufacturing process. For example, one worker would only put on a tire and that†s what that one worker would do all day long. The assembly line would, in turn, require only laborers, instead of skilled workers, to be used on the assembly line. Labor! ers would be paid much less than skilled workers and would work towards the manufacturer†s advantage. Ford†s use of this technique of labor management would allow him to make his millions quickly and efficiently. This change in focus of function instead of skill would allow efficient productivity. Without the assembly line, factories today would run more slowly and would have much smaller output than with the assembly line. Another change from the Gilded Age would be the completion and use of the first transcontinental railroad. Not only was it functionally great, but it was symbolic also. This would join the west and the east in a week†s time journey instead of taking several months. It was also a symbolic change in that the East and West were finally connected. The West would become a more accessible area for resources and settlement. This was a proud achievement of the United States also because of its own greatness in length and size. The railroads were a crucial part of the industrialization of the U.S. during this time period. They were an important part of transportation during these times. The Gilded Age gave birth to many of the corporations that exist today. The ideas, inventions and discoveries of this time were necessary for America to be where it is at today.

How Have Us-China Relationship Been Refashioned By The Crisis Essay

The economic crisis experienced over the recent past has had a resoundingly negative effect across the globe. Altman (2009a, p. 527) describes it as â€Å"the worst in over 75 years. † Different people and different occurrences contributed variedly toward this crisis. However, most researchers tend to point fingers towards the US and blame it solely for orchestrating the crisis through its dubious economic policies and financial excesses (Dibb, 2009, p. 3 and Altman, 2009a, p. 527). Wright (2009, p. 59) furthers this ideology by saying that the recession originated in New York and, and like a wildfire, spread to Asia and other parts of the world. According to Altman (2009b, p. 5), as a result, â€Å"The overall picture is a grim one: a deep, truly global and destabilizing downturn, with world GDP falling for the first time in post-war period. Given rising populations, such an outright contraction is stunning. † China on the other hand chooses to distant itself away from the blame game. Wright (2009, p. 64) supports this reaction by saying that â€Å"China is not blaming US for the crisis. † According to them, the crisis was a culmination of a series of events performed by different countries in relations to their trading methods, economic policies, domestic marketing tendencies as well as overall governance. This has been a tactful stand for china more so with the looming speculations of them wanting to take full advantage of the crisis to impose influence of their minimally scathed domestic economy. It also provides a platform for good interrelations with the US, if need be, since there is no bad-blood between them as opposed to the critiquing nations. For china, their strong domestic market acts as a cushion in this tough time that many nations are languishing in economic distress. Despite facing low revenues from their exports and generally having to deal with the challenge of fluctuating prices of commodities, it has been able to get solace from their stable Foreign exchange trading (Altman, 2009a, p. 31). In sharp contrast, the US-the strongest nation in the world is finding it difficult to cope with the crisis. Apart from allegedly overspending beyond their means, the financial injuries in their banks and credit-markets combined with the unprecedented liquidity levels have forced US down on their knees (Altman, 2009b, 529). To make matters worse, there have been recent concerns of the US loosing its focus from ensuring coherence, coordination and leadership. Altman (2009b, p. ) equates this tendency to the inward preoccupation of the US with severe unemployment, housing challenges and fiscal pressures. He exemplifies this by saying, â€Å"US household lost 20 percent of their net worth in just 18 months, dropping from a peak of $64. 4 trillion in mid 2007 to $51. 5 billion at the end of 2008 (p. 3). On the other hand, it looks like china could increase its diplomatic presence in the development world by sharing its vast acumen of resources and ideologies (Altman, 2009b p. 3). According to Altman (2009a p. 28), â€Å"This relatively unscathed position gives china the opportunity to solidify its strategic advantages as the united States and Europe struggle to recover† by investing in places where US and Europe can’t. In essence, this rise by china combined with other Scandinavian countries threatens to overthrow USA from the global driving seat. Altman (2009a, 527) aptly describes it as â€Å"shifting the world’s centre of gravity away from the united states. †An Analyst like Dibb (2009, p. 2) is already voicing out his opinions to this by saying the global wealth is speeding from the east to west. In fact, he goes further and says â€Å"We think that the global financial crisis will hasten the relative decline of America and Improve China’s status (2009, p. 5). † Such opinions are, however, greatly discouraged as they may just aggravate the highly polarised relationship between China and USA. Rediker (2009, p. 555-556) challenges America to copy from other well doing countries if they are to survive. He further voices out the deficit in ideology and capital which has facilitated null movement of the US economy, and asks them to swallow their pride by borrowing a leaf from the attested pages of China’s ideologies. This is especially important with the rising concerns of China’s ascendancy in geopolitical standings based on the increased car sales, freight shipment and electricity consumption; thus offering it great financial leverage (Altman, 2009b, p. 7). Nevertheless, other analysts believe that this crisis may lead to a better relationship between China and US. This they believe can be done by Obama administration giving China a more central role in the IMF as well as bringing them to the G8 (Altman, 2009a, p. 528). To them, China ideologies in terms of geopolitical measures are similar to those of the US i. . both do not want Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. Again, both China and US are capitalist in nature and therefore finding a middle ground for a starting a mutual relationship will not be very problematic. Based on such factors, Altman (2009b, p. 7) concludes that â€Å"It is increasingly clear that the US-Chinese relationship will emerge as the most important bilateral one in the world. † As a point of caution, Dibb (2009, p. 3) warns that USA and China should treat one another with respect-if such a deal is struck- or else, dire consequences could erupt in the event of a mass unrest from either ends. Of course there are underlying issues like USA routing for free markets and China supporting a controlled market; which may presumably conflict. However, proponents of better relations between China and US believe that the overall good of the world will supersede such minor differences (Dibb, 2009, p. 4). It is desperate times for US and maybe, that is the reason why they are going for desperate measures. Being into the unchartered waters of financial down-surge, the US has taken stern measures to resuscitate its economy. This is based on the trial and failure of an example is them stopping to spend on discretionary items and are only focusing on only the basics. Through this, they are able to save more and pay down their debts. China has commended this move and said it opens doors for fostering better relationships with other countries (Altman, 2009a, p. 531). In conclusion, hope is not lost even in these difficult times of financial distress. Coincidentally, this crisis coincides with the tenure of Barrack Obama as president and his message of hope even in times of hopelessness. As for now, Atman (2009a, p. 39) say that â€Å"The united states will have to operate from a smaller global platform-while others, especially china, will have a chance to rise faster. † Critics should nevertheless watch for USA’s comeback; their slip does not mean they have fallen (Wright, 2009, p. 556). In fact, this should be a chance for both China and USA to demonstrate good leadership by working together. By doing this, the economic crisis-which not only affects the US and China but also other parts of the world will eventually be a thing of the past (Wright, 2009, p. 566).

A Report On The Maybank ATM Machines Information Technology Essay

A Report On The Maybank ATM Machines Information Technology Essay Today, it is the largest financial services group in Malaysia. Its extensive products and services include commercial banking, investment banking, Islamic banking, offshore banking, leasing and hire purchase, insurance, factoring, trustee services, asset management, stock broking, nominee services, venture capital and Internet banking. (http://www.maybank2u.com.my/) Maybank currently ranks among the top five banks in ASEAN, and is a Qualifying Full Bank (QFB) in Malaysia. For the convenience of Maybank customers, all Maybank’s 374 branch offices and more than 2,800 ATM machines are strategically located in both the business districts and suburban estates.( http://www.maybank2u.com.my/) Today, Maybank proudly stands above its peers as Malaysia’s flagship financial services group in a vibrant, strong and highly competitive banking and financial services landscape. Total assets of the Group stand at RM310.7 billion.( http://www.maybank2u.com.my/) 2.0 Internal Chiefly, the environmental factors are categorized into two different groups, they are internal and external. Internal factors are taken place within the boundaries of organisation. Specifically to the case of Maybank, there are few significant internal factors that they are subject to will be examined such as products and services, vision and mission, SWOT analysis, and Leadership. 2.1 SWOT analysis Strength – well known bank 374 branch offices in Malaysia. – more than 2,800 ATM machines – Correspondent banking relationship with 700 foreign banks throughout the world. – Strong performance where it was listed second largest in Malaysia Stock Exchange and Bursa Malaysia Weaknesses -Inefficient Service and poor customer Service. – Have to pay huge amount of money to stakeholder Opportunities -experts in the industry and shares their experience with the employee – Maybank have many other investments from other companies Threat – Economic slowdown li ke right now where stalling economies are bad for the banking sector Table 1.0 SWOT analysis 2.1.1STRENGTHS It is a well known bank where it have over 374 branch office and more than 2,800 ATM machines. Correspondent banking relationship with 700 foreign banks throughout the world. It also have diversity in product where they provide opening account, giving loan, credit cards, investment & insurance, and Islamic banking.(http://www.maybank2u.com.my/) Strong performance where it was listed second largest in Malaysia Stock Exchange and Bursa Malaysia and Maybank workforce come from a multifaceted background of skills, disciplines, experience and industry knowledge to create talented teams of idea generators. 2.1.2WEAKNESSES Inefficient Service and poor customer service, for example Maybank does not have bank systems be automated with built-in security features to verify their customer’s accounts and details without having to rely on a piece of physical paper with a signature. T his would make customer harder to replace card or change account if go to different branch. This kind of service is totally unacceptable in today’s competitive world where time equals money. Have to pay huge amount of money to stake where dividend payout ratio (of 60%) to the stakeholders. They set policy to pay dividend of 60% percent of their profit as the long term policy. (http://www.maybank2u.com.my/) 2.1.3OPPORTUNITIE Growth of existing market where Maybank is experts in the industry and shares their experience with the employee so by then they can expand further in the industry.

Key Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Key Skills - Essay Example In line with this, businesses identify the essential role that technology plays to connect the business with the world and help the business network with its customers through platforms that technology provides. Technology helps a business organization integrate systems that enhanced operations in a business (Baskerville 317). In this regard, businesses are able to upgrade, replace, and add new technology that support  systems that help a business carry out its operations in a manner that promoted effectiveness and efficiency in business. While technology appreciation skills are  fundamental  in managing successful businesses, it is important to ensure that business executives developed these skills in an attempt to remain competitive in the contemporary society. For instance, it is evident that the world witnesses a situation whereby new technological innovations are the order of the day with systems continually changing every day. In effect, it is important for business execu tives with technology appreciation skills to understand the changes in technology and adopt the new technology in order to ensure that their business organizations incorporated new systems that were efficient. ... In this case, numeracy skills are a  crucial aspect of business since mathematical concepts are applicable in practical situations that help an individual to develop estimates in business that enhance the business’ ability to make profits. On the other hand, problem solving skills are essential in enhancing the ability of business people to think critically and analyze situations while providing their solutions (Velde 69). In line with this, it is essential to point out that problem solving numeracy skills in business are essential in carrying out an analysis of business estimates that affect the performance of a business and develop solutions based on the analysis. In addition, these skills are crucial in business forecasting since they help a business executive to interpret graphs, charts, and data that help a business make projections that affect their business (Velde 69). Business forecasting is important in decision-making. Business executives develop problem solving nu meracy skills that help them to  think critically, to  analyze  challenging situations  in  a business, and make decisions based on critical thinking and effective analysis. Problem solving numeracy skills require  to be developed in order to increase a business executive’s competency. In this case, it is important for business executives to  engage their brains  continually  by using mathematical ideas and techniques in order to develop their skills. In addition, working together in teams helps an individual gain concepts and skills from other members of staff in order to ensure that they developed their skills. In a knowledge-based economy, business executives should focus on learning skills and acquiring knowledge that focused on analyzing business

Foreign policy analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Foreign policy analysis - Essay Example Allison suggests that using this model may be too simplistic to explain accurately the full dynamics of the crisis. One of his reasons in promoting the â€Å"organizational actor† theory in contrast to this interpretation is that the State is not a single entity but rather a practical assemblage of people, processes, and institutions that often act with conflicting rates of efficiency and motivation. As Sundaram (2011) writes, â€Å"An ‘organizational process’ model in which the decision maker operates under time and information constraints, and does not seek an optimal solution. Instead, the decision maker engages in ‘satisficing’ behavior and attempts to find a solution which achieves a set (minimum) goal, and minimizes risk of failure.† (Sundaram, 2011, p.22) Allison finally modified this thesis to a â€Å"bureaucratic politics† which took into consideration the full complexity of the government in action. (Sundaram, 2011, p.25) These distinctions show why the decision-making aspects of government may proceed differently in a crisis vs. during normal times. A crisis presents a critical situation that can spiral out of control at any moment. This is seen in the nuclear escalation between the USA and USSR in the Cuban Missile Crisis. ... Practically, when the Cuban Blockade was implemented by Kenendy, the policy would be implemented not by JFK himself but by a wide range of instruments of the US bureaucracy, military, and innumerable soldiers or staff. If any one of these individuals made a mistake in the crisis, it could have spiraled out of control in a way that would have changed the way Kennedy or Khrushchev could make further decisions. Compare the negotiations between Gorbachev and Reagan that took place at Reykjavik and other locations during the end of the Cold War. In one to one negotiations at the highest level, the rational actor theory seems like a plausible way to explain history. Yet, in the Cuban Missile Crisis, the American Navy and Russian Navy could have exchanged fire at any time, creating a Gulf of Tonkin or Lusitania moment that could have led to further escalation in MAD. Allison states he expected that Kennedy made a personal and private offer to Khrushchev that defused the situation, and histo rically he was proven correct. (Marks, 1991, Web) This offer allowed Khrushchev to remove bases from Cuba with the personal assurance from Kennedy that the US nuclear weapons would also be removed from Turkey. (Marks, 1991, Web) Question 2: assess the effectiveness of military force as a tool for foreign policy In an article written just after the 9/11 attacks, MIT professor Noam Chomsky cited the US Army manual which define terrorism as "the calculated use of violence or threat of violence to attain goals that are political, religious, or ideological in nature...through intimidation, coercion, or instilling fear." (Chomsky, 2002) What Chomsky and others have noted throughout history is the fundamental relationship of military force and the violence of war to terrorism. For example,

Individual project 5 Final Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Individual project 5 Final - Assignment Example The market research was conducted through the pragmatic approach. The pragmatic approach secures effective cost benefit analysis of the current business environments (Bradley, 2007). Nordstrom Inc is a fashion store targeting the high-end American market. It was initiated by John Nordstrom and Carl Wallin; and its current headquarters is in Seattle area of Washington DC. The company started with the shoe business; but it has grown tremendously and currently stocks cosmetics, accessories, jewelry, handbags and clothing fragrances. Currently the company has over 260 stores in 35 states in America. The competitors for Nordstrom Inc in the luxury clothing sector include Lord and Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomindales and Neiman Marcas. The company is also implementing global strategies; for example it has operational stores in Canada. In the USA luxury clothing industry, Nordstrom Inc has the largest share of the store locations, and the biggest geographic representation (Gupta, 2005). Segmentation analysis entails dividing a big population into small segments so as to realize socio-demographic determinants of desired behaviors. The characteristics of members of the subpopulation are relatively similar statistically. Common factors of study in segmentation are demographic, behavioral or psychological variables like; education, age, attitudes, income and even sexual orientation (Kotler, 2006). Segmentation analysis integrates these factors into correlated attributes that identify specific population segments. Segmentation enables companies like Nordstrom Inc to produce the desired goods and services that address the requirements of the unique market segments. This will ensure increased market share, and thereafter improved sales and profit margins. Business segmentation analysis supports decision making in companies like Nordstrom. Segmentation is applied in clothing industry to ensure adequate understanding of the lifestyles, concerns or values of the

There are no circumstances under which child labour can ever be Essay

There are no circumstances under which child labour can ever be considered acceptable. To what extent can such a claim be justified Illustrate your answer with suitable evidence - Essay Example Child labour refers to the illegal practice of using children below a certain age for labour work. Despite of the fact that the legal and moral definition differs in some parts of the world but the basic idea is the same. Unfortunately, almost all the countries have been in the frontline to condemn and oppose child labor; however, very little has been done by these countries to actually prevent it and still today the numbers regarding child labour are alarming (Nangia, pp. 20-21, 1987). This paper is an attempt to look at the serious issue of child labor, and present some arguments, sufficient for opposing child labour under all possible circumstances. As mentioned in the introductory section of the paper as well that every child undergoes a process of emotional, physical, mental, social, and moral development under his introductory years of life. In fact, as psychology tells us that these years are crucial in determining the overall personality of that individual. Lessons learnt in these early years stay there forever and leave such significant impact that it becomes virtually impossible to separate a person from his or hr childhood influences. This explains why parents try their best to give their children an environment of understanding, comfort, mutual consensus, love, affection, care, consideration, devotion, and respect because they want them to learn and value all these things in their early childhood. The reason is that if they do it now, this would most probably stay with them until the rest of their lifetime (Gabalawi, pp. 54-55, 2009). Very common is to see a mother teaching his son the value of speaking truth and helpi ng others and a father telling her daughter the importance of unity and respecting their elders. More importantly, parents put in their maximum effort to keep their children out and away from any tough, stressful or

Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

Music - Essay Example The attractiveness of the melodies and careful incorporation of romantic sounds largely and continuously changes the mood of the listener to a more passionate frame of mind. Capriccio is definitely a song that I would love to continuously play when I want to relax my mind. The music, which is played by trumpet, piano and baritones, is expressively turned with great performance straight from the vocal part. The music literally raises tremendous memories of the autumn season regardless of how far the season could be through its expressive simultaneous performance of the musical instruments and the vocal part, which remains, breathtaking and propulsive throughout the song. The song remains one of the greatest arrangements of the first brass quintet that is deliberate and harmonious that describes the romantic melancholy of the autumn season. Autumn is a song that one can repeatedly listen to just to remind the listener of the great and beautiful memories of the autumn season. This song is plainly a beautiful performance that is incorporated with much intimacy and erotic smouldering that worth the occasional listening. The artistical blend of tenor and trombone and strings and the vocal part confirms the sweet musical combination that originates from the song. The variations of the strings and the tenor trombones arouses the listeners feelings and emotions thus compelling the listener to listen more and more with a thrilling feeling and emotions. Concerto is a song that will continue ringing into the ears and head of the listener even if it is not playing due to its melodious tunes. This is a song that I would heartily recommend to be one of the greatest jazz ever since because of the way it is wonderfully expressed with powerful movements of the artists. It undoubtedly stirs up the listener with its classical combination of guitars and the trombone which turns it to be a pacesetter in the innovative standard of jazz. Naked as a Jaybird

World Religions Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

World Religions Report - Essay Example It is possible to say that religion or religious inquiry — is something that virtually all people have in common. People have wondered about the meaning of life since Adam was a boy and they interested in this meaning to the present day. In all corners of the world and in all eras of history people have own beliefs, faith in higher power and question if there is anyone or anything â€Å"out there†. We have learned a lot of information about religion and as for me the best way to remember all information and understand its main essence is a personal connection with a real person who will explain major aspects of own religion and show its main advantages. I think that visitation of a real religious site will give me an opportunity to learn much more about chosen religion. Thereby, the main purposes of my paper are to interview person of chosen faith and than compare and contrast this faith with other religion that I was familiar with through my class. I chose Christianity and Islam as religions for my analysis. I think that in the first place it is necessary to remember the definition of concept â€Å"religion† and then it will be easier to talk about different kinds of religions and compare two of them.. According to Asad (1993), the concept ‘religion’ in general meaning â€Å"is a system of human thought which usually includes a set of narratives, symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to the practitioner’s experiences of life through reference to a higher power, deity or deities, or ultimate truth†. The term â€Å"religion†, however, refers not only to the personal practices that directed to communal faith, but also it refers to different group rituals and communication stemming from shared religious convictions. The notion â€Å"religion† people sometimes use except the word â€Å"faith† and usually these words consider interchangeable variants. I think that there is one big differ ence between them and this difference is caused by the specific behaviors which are the part of religious system. In the beginning of this paragraph it is necessary to mention that all religions are an attempt of man to know the truth of God. Moreover, thinking about Christianity it is possible to suppose that Christianity is not a religion, but it is God’s answer to our questions. Christians believe that the true and full communion with God can be only through appearance of Christ before people. Of course, the ancient mystics and prophets, the Sufis, the Dervishes, the Indian Brahmins - all of them have their own mystical experience and they use it to be in some way closer to God, but all of this is done through human efforts, through human striving upwards. Only in one case, in the case of Christ, God is able to show own appearance before people. This is the single most direct revelation, and therefore salvation in Christ is a unique, and the most profound approaching to Go d. Despite the fact that historical interval between Christianity and Islam is about 600 years (I-VII century AD), Koran includes a lot of information about Christianity, moreover, it includes more than other religions facts about Christianity. It can be explained by the fact that both Christianity and Islam, and even Judaism have the same geographical region at various times - the Middle East; and all of them ( the above mentioned religions) were developed among the peoples of Semitic origin (Jews and Arabs). Comparing Christianity with Islam in the way of their appearance it is necessary to state that Christianity is the second world religions by the time of its occurrence. It originated as a sect of Judaism in I century BC in Palestine. This initial relationship

Globalization and Global Strategic Planning SLP 1 (401) Essay - 1

Globalization and Global Strategic Planning SLP 1 (401) - Essay Example The company’s retail division (called Primark in UK and Penney’s in Ireland) has a global presence with over 215 stores covering a total area of 6.9 million square feet (ABF, 2010). The retail division’s outlets are located in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the UK (ABF, 2010). In 1963, the company acquired the British supermarket giant, Fine Fare which it sold later in 1986 in order to acquire British sugar (ABF, 2010). As of 2009, British Sugar fulfills the sugar (ABF, 2010). The company provides employment to more than 97,000 people and operates in more than 44 countries (ABF, 2010)The Company’s profits by geographic region are such that the company derives 53% of its profits from U.K and rest from international sales. Amongst the international regions it targets are Europe , Africa, America and Asia Pacific with Europe and Africa contributing the most and Asia Pacific contributing the least (ABF, 2010). The mode of market entry employed by ABF has been diversification of both products and markets (Whittington & Mayer, 2002). It has been observed at times, that diversification into new markets has been the result of product diversification; that is, the company has entered into new markets simply because those markets had demand for the product that the company had newly introduced. This was the case with sugar. ABF diversified into the food business because of its intention to provide one-stop convenience shopping to customers; the company had realized that customer buying habits and trends were changing (Whittington & Mayer, 2002). One of the most important reasons however was the instability of earnings from sugar sector due to its seasonal nature, coupled with the anticipated EU reform (Bertin, 2002). By the early 1900’s, ABF diversified into the tea and coffee segment (through acquisition of Twinings and Jackson), the biscuits and chips bread business (through acquisition of Burtons

How Milton develops Paradise Lost against Epic Tradition Essay Example for Free

How Milton develops Paradise Lost against Epic Tradition Essay One of the passages in Paradise Lost is â€Å"Answerable Style† specifically the Genre of Paradise Lost wherein the main concern of Milton pertains to which genre must be chosen and not just a simple matter to seek the story’s perfect medium but the writer’s anxiety in placing himself with the poetic tradition known as old centuries. With his decision in writing an epic, Milton was able to place himself in the writers’ epic tradition like for instance the Medieval and Renaissance poets Dante. The content of the Paradise Lost is the classical and epic conceits in the Renaissance concerning heavenly beings with the possible interaction while using the epic similes as well as the places and people’s catalogues with muse invocations. This means that the themes’ content is usually common to epics like for example war, its nationalism, the empire and the origin stories. Another passage in Paradise Lost is â€Å"Things invisible to mortal sight†, which means the classical epics of gods and goddesses and the desires including disagreements are mirroring the human but that of Milton is omnipresent and also invisible. Milton’s God cannot be compared to any individual because of His existence. In Paradise Lost, the story was inspired by the heavenly muse wherein fallen humans are unknowable. God’s portrayal by Milton became the subject of such debate among those scholars as well as critics. Still Milton believes in God’s power and yet explains the foreknowledge of fall and yet human beings may even fall to temptations because of free will given by God to choose and made a decision for them. This is not comparable with those gods as well as goddesses in terms of the epics in classic because of different views and beliefs but still Milton has his own presentation in his belief with God.

Dance, Girl, Dance Essay Example for Free

Dance, Girl, Dance Essay Dance, Girl, Dance is a film from the Classical Hollywood period that presents a complicated reading when viewed through a feminist lens. The 1940 film was directed by Dorothy Arzner, one of the most notable female directors and the only prominent woman in Hollywood at that time. Arzner presents her audience with an array of female characters, the main characters being Judy O’brien and Bubbles/Tiger Lily White. Judy is a dedicated dancer, honing her talents as a ballerina. Bubbles, on the other hand, uses her looks and sexuality to land jobs as a burlesque dancer. Dance, Girl, Dance reveals these characters’ experience in a dance troupe with several other girls. When the troupe disbands, Bubbles comes to offer Judy a humiliating job as her stooge. As tensions rise, the two eventually come to blows, quite literally, when both fall for the same man, Jimmy Harris. Through their relationship with each other and with men, a dynamic is defined that gives insight into the power of the male gaze and sexual politics, not only in the film but also in society at large in the context of 1930s America. This can be seen in the analysis of a particular scene near the beginning of the film. Judy and one of her roommates, Sally, are preparing for bed after their performance at the nightclub in the opening scene. Bubbles, their third roommate, arrives at home after a disappointing outing with Jimmy. This scene specifically highlights the contrast between the personalities of Judy and Bubbles, and speaks to the many ways female characters are coded based on their sexuality and appearance. The analysis of the scene begins at the moment Bubbles enters the room. She comes into the frame through the doorway in a medium shot. It is important to note her costume, as it speaks to her character. She is wearing makeup, jewelry, a fox fur stole around her shoulders and a feathered hat. One may get the impression that she is trying to look as glamorous or ostentatious as possible on her limited budget. At this point, Bubbles has already been partly established as a brash woman who does not shy away from her ability to attract men. This can be contrasted with Judy’s costume during this scene, modest button-up pajamas. The scene continues as Bubbles enters the tiny apartment. She turns on the light, when Judy whispers that Sally is asleep from off camera. Bubbles leaves the light on, looks down at Sally in the bed, and proceeds to loudly close the door while muttering â€Å"So, what? † As she delivers her dialogue, the camera follows her as she walks to her bed, panning over to include Judy in a two shot. One key element in this simple interaction is the difference of attitude toward female solidarity between Bubbles and Judy. Judy obviously cares to not disturb Sally, while Bubbles seems disappointed and only concerned with her own problems at this point. Then, the camera cuts to a close shot of Sally lying in bed, smiling and clearly awake. She then closes her eyes and continues to try and sleep, rendering her unimportant to the rest of the scene. The next cut brings us back to a long, two shot of Bubbles and Judy as they discuss what happened to Bubbles that evening. Bubbles is explaining how she had gone out with Jimmy, but he suddenly left her at the bar after giving her a little stuffed bull. In this shot, Bubbles is in the foreground, a little closer to the camera than Judy, making her appear slightly larger. This could be interpreted as signifying her social dominance over Judy, and the fact that she â€Å"stole† Jimmy from Judy earlier that evening. Bubbles dismissively tosses the bull onto a chair in front of Judy. Judy picks it up, stating â€Å"It’s cute. † Bubbles tells her that she can have it. The audience is clearly meant to get the impression that the token of the night has no significance to Bubbles, and she is merely disappointed that she could not add Jimmy to her list of men to dote on her occasionally. The camera stays stationary as Bubble walks to the background of the shot and sits on her bed. Judy gently places the bull back on the chair, already showing signs of her eventual fetishization of the bull and Jimmy. Then, she continues to bend and stretch her legs, as Bubbles pouts behind her. It is interesting to point out that as Judy resumes her exercises, she has gained the â€Å"high ground† of the shot. The reminder of her status as a dancer, a more artful and talented dancer than Bubbles, means she is the larger, more significant character in the frame now. The focus has moved from Bubbles proficiency as a female spectacle, completely at home under the male gaze, to Judy’s proficiency as a ballerina, with no real concern for superficial male attention. Then, this is reinforced when there is a cut to a medium shot of Bubbles, looking at Judy. The camera follows Bubbles line of sight and there is a quick cut to a medium shot of Judy, then it reverses back to the shot of Bubbles on her bed, shaking her head. She says, â€Å"I’ll say one thing for you, Pavlova. You’ve certainly got ambition, even if it’s dumb. As she says this, Judy’s foot briefly enters from the side of the frame as she kicks her leg. Once again, Bubbles is coded as having no passion for her craft as a dancer, seeing it as a means to an end of attracting men and/or making money, while Judy genuinely loves to dance. One way of reading the film is through the suggestion that Judy’s ballet is high art, while Bubbles’ burlesque is low art. In the world of the Dance, Girl, Dance, women utilizing their sexuality for physical and financial gratification given by men is deemed less valuable than artistic expression. What follows is a short series of counter shots between the two, as Bubbles ponders how she will get back to New York, going through her list of male suitors to find a solution to her dilemma. On a surface level, this shows that Bubbles needs men to get where she is going, whether it is for a trip to New York or a trip to stardom as they buy tickets to her shows later in the film. The scene comes to a close as Bubbles decides on Sam, the traveling salesman that is â€Å"sweet on her. As this line is delivered, there is a quick cut to Judy whipping her head around to look back at Bubbles. Judy has an expression on her face that is hard to describe, but it gets across the fact that her reality is very different from that of Bubbles’. Judy goes on to ask if there will be room for Sally, as the camera tracks Bubbles while she walks to the bathroom. As the camera stops tracking, it stops in a medium shot of Bubbles as she eventually replies, â€Å"†¦ All right, she can go, b ut don’t blame me. That guy’s got more arms than an octopus. † There is a cut to a close shot of Sally in bed with a wide-eyed, nervous expression as she quickly lifts up her head and plops back down. Like Judy, her reality is very different from the reality of the dynamic Bubbles, and the possibility of encountering a man from that reality seems to frighten her. After the last cut of the scene, it ends on a medium shot of Judy picking up the stuffed bull once again and smiling at it fondly. This emphasizes the fact Judy is not asexual and clearly is developing feelings for Jimmy. Although, Judy seems to have a more deep, emotional connection to Jimmy than Bubbles has for her various men. Judy only became interested in Jimmy after he helped the girls at the nightclub and talked with her earlier in the film. Her interest is not based solely on what he can provide to her. The differences in costume, behavior and motivation between Bubbles and Judy are relevant to a larger scope of the film involving sex and gender politics. For all of the above reasons found in the formal elements of the film’s visual and narrative composition, Bubbles is coded as superficial, purely physical and vapid. On the other hand, Judy is given much more value and depth. While Bubbles goes on to find success by exploiting her good looks, Judy is the winner in the end, when she lands her position in the ballet company and achieves her dreams. In this way, the film is sending a message that female self-worth is not derived from male approval or reaffirming of beauty, but from accomplishment of what are considered to be more substantial goals.

Definitions And Concepts Heritage Buildings Environmental Sciences Essay

Definitions And Concepts Heritage Buildings Environmental Sciences Essay This Chapter provides some definitions and concepts concerning the heritage building conservation. It outlines previous researches related to objectives of this research. In addition, the Chapter summarises past researches conducted on the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya. Theory of conservation, laws and international legislations, and international organisations that have an interest with heritage buildings are also discussed in this Chapter. 2.2 Definitions and Concepts 2.2.1 Heritage Buildings Heritage buildings are defined as those which are old and significant either in terms of architecture or of history (Chien, 1992). Heritage buildings are also defined as existing buildings with significant cultural value to society (CIB Commission, 2010). Feilden, (1994) defines heritage building in his book, Conservation of historic buildings, that building which gives us a feeling of admiration and make us need to know more about the people who lived in this building and their culture as well as knowing its beautiful, historic, archaeological, economic, social, and political value. At the beginning of last century and after signing the Venice charter in 1964 for architectural conservation, the heritage building concept has been extended to include all buildings that have architectural value and cultural. The architectural conservation concept has also been extended. It has not been limited on archaeological landmarks and religious and palaces as was in the past; but according to Itma (2007), the buildings that should be conserved have been divided into two main types: 1. Monuments: They are important buildings correlated with a collective humanitarian value on international, regional, or denominational religious level, and to conserve them, their original case must be retained without any change, this can be applied only to archaeology and some distinctive architectural buildings such as the Dome of the Rock Jerusalem (Kobbat Assakhra- Kodos) in Palestine and Colosseum in Rome, Italy. 2. Documentary buildings: They are considered as documentation for historic phases of a heritage area. In general they have less historic value than the previous buildings due to their availability in several areas around the world. They usually are found in heritage centres for old cities and towns. According to UNESCO World Heritage Website, (30 December 2012), UNESCOs Convention related to the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972) has defined and classified cultural heritage as follows: Monuments: architectural works, works of monumental sculpture and painting, elements or structures of an archaeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings and combinations of features, which are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science; Groups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings which, because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape, are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science; Sites: works of man or the combined works of nature and man, and areas including archaeological sites which are of outstanding universal value from the historical, aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological point of view. Deciding how old a building must be in order to be called heritage is difficult. In some places, 100 years old is heritage, while in other places, maybe 50 years old is enough. However, based on the Italian Law, Itma (2007) classified buildings as heritage buildings if their age is more than 50 years. 2.2.2 Approach of Architectural Conservation Strategies for action are being identified in present time in the field of preservation and restoration for heritage buildings according to international standards created by UNESCO, whether through International Conventions issued by International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) or through versions of International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) and conventions issued by World Heritage Centre (WHC), where standard definitions for methods of cultural properties preservation and standards have been issued. Generally, there are seven (7) approaches in a conservation program, used individually or a combination, depend on the circumstances and objectives of a conservation project. In the following subsections, some approaches of a conservation program are explored. 2.2.2.1 Conservation Heritage building conservation can be described by many words. According to Norlizaiha Harun (2011), conservation is a technical activity towards heritage buildings. It includes physical action to preserve the fabric and construction material of the heritage buildings. It is a process to prevent decay and the action is aiming to prolong the life of the buildings. An article, Historic preservation projects can be green, by Wishkoski (2006), defines conservation as a process that preserves, protects and maintains during physical change. The International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites in its Venice Charter (1964) describes the process of conserving a historical monument as: it implies preserving a setting which is not out of scale. Wherever the traditional setting exists, it must be kept. No new construction, demolition or modification which would alter the relations of mass and colour must be allowed. Burra Charter Article 1.4, (1990), defines cons ervation as all the processes of looking after a place so as to retain its cultural significance. 2.2.2.2 Preservation Preservation is a process aiming to stop the deterioration, decay or dilapidation state. It provides structural safety and should be carried out only in such a way that evidence of the construction or use of the fabric would not be obscured (Norlizaiha Harun, 2011). According to Civic Amenities Act, (1967) as quoted by Farayune Hajjar (2008), preservation is to protect individual buildings, structures and other artefacts that were preserved because of their relation to the great figures from the nations heritage. Moreover, it was concerned with groups of historic buildings, townscape, and the spaces between buildings. Preservation is also concerned with limiting change, and the conservation is about the inevitability of change and the management of that change. 2.2.2.3 Restoration The Burra Charter (1999) as referred in Article 1.7, defines the restoration approach as returning the existing fabric of a place to a known earlier state by removing accretions or by reassembling existing components without the introduction of new material. The Venice Charter (1964) as referred in Article 9, defines the process of restoration as a highly specialised operation that aims to preserve and reveal the aesthetic and historic value of the monument with the main focus on respect for original materials and authentic documents. Accordingly, Restoration is the process of returning a building to its original condition at a specific time period. It should work from actual evidence, as stated in the secretary of interiors guidelines (See Appendix C Standard no. 6) that repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplications of features, substantiated by historic, physical, or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the avai lability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structure. Therefore, the restoration in any case must be preceded and followed by an archaeological and historical study of the monument (Venice Charter, 1964). 2.2.2.4 Reconstruction Reconstruction Approach means the building of a historic structure using replicated design and/or materials. This approach is taken when a historic structure no longer exists but needs to be physically in place for contextual reasons. Reconstruction means also returning a place to a known earlier state and is distinguished from restoration by the introduction of new material into the fabric (Burra Charter, Article1.8, 1999). Additionally, according to Appleton Charter, (1983) reconstruction means recreation of vanished or irreversibly deteriorated resources. 2.2.2.5 Rehabilitation Rehabilitation in general means that there is a good previous case of an object, then this case has deteriorated due to certain reasons or by the passage of the time. Therefore, this object has become unfit for the modern era and needs to carry out some modifications. These modifications make this object able to continue and perform its functions again with retaining its original value. In particular, architectural rehabilitation means a series of stages of rebuilding a building to its original case to perform its old functions or a suitable new function. In other words, it means repairing and developing the building by preserving its parts and components that possess historical, architectural and cultural values during the eras in which the building has passed since its construction. This means finding a new function for the building that makes the building useful and usable, and at the same time able to continue to insure the existence of people who perform maintenance works (Itma, 2007). According to Tyler, (1994), rehabilitation describes a suitable approach when existing historic features are damaged or deteriorated but modifications can be made to update portions of the structure, even rehabilitating the building for a new purpose. When rehabilitation is chosen as the appropriate intervention technique, alterations or additions may be made, but they should not be confused with original historic elements. 2.2.2.6 Maintenance Maintenance means the continuous protective care of the fabric and setting of a place, and is to be distinguished from repair. The repair involves restoration or reconstruction (Burra Charter, Article 1.5, 1990). Maintenance can also be defined as some work focuses on retaining a property in good working condition by repairing features as soon as deterioration becomes apparent, using procedures that preserve the original character and finish of the features. In some cases, preventive maintenance is carried out before noticeable deterioration. Maintaining properties in good condition often assures that more aggressive (and expensive) measures of rehabilitation, restoration, or reconstruction are not needed at some future date (Denver Landmark Preservation Commission Planning and Development Office, 1995). 2.2.2.7 Renovation Renovation is refurbishing and/or adding to the appearance of an original building or elements of a building in an attempt to renew its appearance in keeping with contemporary tastes and perceptions of conservation (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, 2008). Renovation means also to improve by repair, to revive, and thereby enhance the usefulness and appearance of the building. The basic character and significant features are respected and preserved, but some alterations may also take place. Alterations that are made are generally reversible, should future owners wish to restore the building to its original design. The words rehabilitation and renovation are often used interchangeably (Denver Landmark Preservation Commission Planning and Development Office, 1995). 2.2.3 Conservation Guidelines The design guidelines are prepared to assist property owners, developers, architects, and designers of projects. In other words, they are written to be used by the city planners, Landmarks Commission, architects and developers, and especially the property owners, tenants, and construction trades who may be doing work on an older or heritage building in a city (Williams Elmer, 2010). They offer suggestions for conservation of heritage buildings and compatible new design to maintain buildings historic identity. According to Gioulis (1997), these guidelines are intended to: Increase public awareness of the value of historic architecture and the importance of design issues. Help reinforce the character of heritage buildings and protect their overall appearance. Preserve the integrity of designated heritage areas. Assist property owners and architects in making basic design decisions. Improve the quality of development. Protect the value of public and private investment. 2.3 Purpose of the Design Guidelines Organisation The guidelines are to assist in making improvements to the exterior of eligible residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and agricultural heritage properties, and are not to be interpreted as bylaw requirements. According to Heritage Restoration Grant Program (2009), guidelines for building conservation have two objectives: Ensuring the long-term stability of the building, in terms of its economic viability, structural improvements and compliance with building codes, when applicable. Restoration and retention of the architectural features which caused the building to be originally approved for assistance. The guidelines help protect the overall character of the heritage buildings by emphasizing preservation of architectural styles, building character, original features and streetscape elements that make up the communitys unique collection of heritage buildings. They provide background information and recommendations to help guide the appropriate conservation work and alterations to existing buildings. For additions, new construction and site work, they emphasize the compatibility of new buildings or features with existing or established historic character (Williams Elmer, 2010). 2.4 Assessment of the Current Level of Heritage Conservation and Building Defects Some previous studies reviewed the conservation activities and assessed the existing conditions of heritage buildings with taking into consideration, the conditions of building defects and conservation approach used for these buildings. For example, in Malaysia S. Johar et al (2009) reviewed the conservation activities on a traditional old mosque in Malaysia. They studied the concept and importance of conservation in general, the conservation activities on heritage buildings and mosque in Malaysia, and the approaches used for conserving to preserve the Muslims house of worship. They found that the four key conservation principles namely minimal intervention, conducting scientific research and laboratories testing, documentation of conservation work and applying effective methods and techniques for conservation. Meanwhile for conservation program, the seven approaches are preservation, reproduction, restoration, maintenance, redevelopment, rehabilitation and consolidation. Several app roaches are normally adopted for one building conservation project. Whats most important is the justification in adopting the approaches so that it complies with one of the key conservation principle, namely minimal intervention. Other research also in Malaysia by A Ghafar Ahmad et al. (2008) highlighted the existing conditions of heritage buildings in Malaysia with the main focus on the conditions of building defects and conservation approach to these buildings. The study conducted a pilot survey on several heritage towns and cities based on the existing heritage trail in Malaysia. The broad objective of this pilot survey was to examine the level of building defects and the location of building defects that normally occur in various types of historical buildings in Malaysia. At the same time, it also looked into the conservation approaches that has been done to these heritage buildings either the method are acceptable according to the basic principles and philosophy of building conservation. The study found that Malaysia faces several problems in dealing with the issues of heritage buildings. In addition, Hashimah Ismail Shuhana Shamsuddin (2005) highlighted the qualities that support the old shophouses as part of Malaysian heritage. They examined these qualities from two broad aspects, namely contribution to urban form and aesthetic aspects. They sought to highlight the strength of the old shophouses and the impending factors that threaten the continuous presence of these heritages building Malaysian town. The findings indicate that the practice of conserving the old shophouses is still not effective. A more effective measure in preserving the old shop houses needs to be undertaken. A research by Alattar, (2010), investigated a number of issues involved in the conservation process of the urban heritage of central Baghdad, which encompasses a unique collection of urban forms that belong to different phases of Baghdads history. Her study of the conservation efforts in this area revealed the appreciation of the built heritage and the will to maintain them. On the other hand, it disclosed the uncertainty of the strategies and tools utilised in the conservation process. Itma (2007) presented the situations of conservation projects in Palestine especially in the city of Nablus, by shedding light on the local institutions of labour in the domain of architectural conservation, and their important projects since the agreement of Oslo until 2007. He proved that there was not a complete or an extensive project of conservation in the old city of Nablus, during the mentioned period, but only small projects of maintaining and optimizing the old destroyed buildings. In addition, there was a very limited number of conservation projects conducted on some important heritage buildings in the old city of Nablus, Palestine. Mokadi (2008) highlighted the architectural and physical fabric of the throne villages in Palestine. The study attempted to study the historical centre of Deir Estia as a case study for the throne villages. That is to say, the study attempted to highlight the aspects of shortage and suffering, recent attempts of development, focusing on the available factors that can support establishing a tourism track which can cooperate in keeping the centre and enhancing the economic level, and to achieve building a strategy of developing that area. The study found that the throne is now facing rapid change of its physical fabric as a result of political, economic, social, and planning factors, in addition to the shortage of awareness level for the Palestinian character and values. Swilem (2008) aimed at keeping on the sustainability of the popular markets and conserve them as an economical cultural and tourist aspect. Her research attempted also to find solutions to the current market problems as well as to motivate investment in the popular markets through creating job opportunities and investment opportunities. She found that the traditional streets suffer from some problems. To overcome on these problems, the researcher suggested some strategies and policies to achieve sustainable development for the traditional streets. 2.5 Conservation Guidelines of Heritage Buildings Conservation guidelines for developing and utilizing heritage building must be created to protect these buildings from random works that influencing the historic value of a heritage building. Preparation of the conservation guidelines helps guide the development of heritage area as well as the development of heritage buildings and lots located within a heritage area. At the same time, these guidelines guide the conservation of this underutilized area into one of vibrant urban destinations. The guidelines direct development of the site; chiefly its public places, individual buildings and lots. This controls the utilization of heritage and new buildings for uses that will conserve as well as indirectly preserve the area and its heritage buildings. Several previous studies established conservation guidelines of heritage buildings. Alattar, (2010), explored the references for heritage understanding other than the physical structure, including culture, history, and traditions. The researcher tried to promote the awareness of all heritage aspects, and developed guidelines for a strategy that considers all active elements of the historical experience and provided a sustainable framework for future conservation plans for heritage buildings in Baghdad. Farayune (2008) provided the design guidelines of conservation Jakarta Kota as a heritage area, which improves and enhances the physical element and environment facilities. It is also in the revival Jakarta heritage area to become attractive place and tourism place in Jakarta. The design guidelines were based on the survey and analysis of the study area. The study found that conservation of Jakarta Kota was not only about conservation and preservation of the heritage building, but also about some aspects that need to be put on focus such as social, economic, culture, people activities and environmental facilities. These things can encourage the Jakarta Kota Area to be liveable. Abu-Hantash N. A. (2007) investigated the issue of adaptation of traditional residential buildings to contemporary needs. Her study was an attempt towards the development of a general policy for conservation and adaptation of traditional residential buildings in the heritage centre of Palestinian cities. The study demonstrated the high potentiality of the traditional house to satisfy the contemporary needs of its inhabitants. In addition, the research revealed that the modification needed varies from one building to another and are to be determined according to the building value and the level of intervention it allows. The research outlined a general policy and guidelines for housing conservation that could be applied to other heritage cities in Palestinian. In addition, Rabba I. H. (2004) examined the present reality of Dhahrieh old town by documenting its heritage monument and diagnosed the old towns problems and difficulties, in order to identify policies to safeguard its histori cal heritage. He concluded a set of policies, guidelines and suggestions to conserve the old town of Dhahrieh, Palestine. 2.6 Benefits of Conservation of Heritage Buildings Conservation of heritage buildings can generate social, economic and environmental benefits that reach far beyond the virtues of conserving a legacy for future generations. Investment in heritage properties conservation can, for instance, boost property values and tax revenues, create local jobs and skills, attract new businesses, and promote tourism (Municipal Heritage Partnership Program, 2012). The incorporation of many abandoned heritage buildings in the redevelopment process presents numerous advantages. The benefits of conservation of heritage buildings can be classified under three main topics: environmental, social, and economic (Stas, 2007). 2.6.1 Economic Benefits Conservation of heritage buildings generates economical benefits (economical returns). It represents a good way for national economic development across tourism (Itma, 2007). Conservation of a heritage building is more economic than its demolition or its rebuilding. Several economic impact studies discussed if heritage conservation yields significant benefits to the economy. In other words, these studies ask the question, Is heritage conservation considered as an economic development tool? A significant number of these studies have been undertaken across the U.S., and the answer to this question is a resounding yes-heritage conservation yields significant benefits to the economy. Rypkema (1991) compared the relative costs of building conservation versus new construction, and found that conservation makes more economic sense than new construction. Wolf et al (1999) reached the same conclusion documented by Rypkema (1991), in many cases; it is more efficient and profitable to conserve heritage buildings than construct a new building. 2.6.2 Environmental Benefits Conservation of heritage buildings generates very important benefits to the environment. A number of studies around the world have addressed this subject. Review of the literature revealed three main environmental benefits gained by conservation including: Reduction of hazardous materials; Preserving of the embodied energy; and Preserving of the Energy. 2.6.2.1 Reduction of Hazardous Materials Heritage buildings are more suitable for the environment because they have been built by using traditional materials such as mud, lime and stone. Traditional materials are natural materials. Therefore, they do not cause any pollution of the environment and also its preparations do not affect the environment. Modern building materials are generally reliant on large scale industrial processes that can emit very substantial levels of greenhouse gases, can require significant energy consumption and are often transported hundreds if not thousands of miles. For example the manufacture of cement alone accounts for 3% of greenhouse gases produced worldwide and the manufacture of PVC (Poly vinyl chloride) demands a lengthy process that requires a significant consumption of energy (Donough Cahill, 2004). A study carried out by De Sousa (2001), in the greater Toronto area, Canada found that the reduction of health risks posed by hazardous is the most important environmental benefits associated with Brownfield development. Moreover, vacant properties often contain an array of conditions such as illegal dumping, leaking, and fire hazards that pose serious threats to public health and the environment (Schilling, 2002). 2.6.2.2 Preserving of the Embodied Energy The retention of the original buildings embodied energy is one of the main environmental benefits of reusing heritage buildings. Rypkema (2005) defined the term embodied energy as the total expenditure of energy involved in the creation of the building and its constituent materials. The embodied energy can be also defined as the embodied energy is the quantity of energy required by all activities associated with a production process, including the relative proportions consumed in all activities upstream to the acquisition of natural resources and the share of energy used in making equipment and other supporting functions, i.e. Direct plus indirect energy (Treloar, 1997). Wishkoski (2006) gives an example: a heritage building with approximately 308,000 exterior bricks, each with an embodied energy value of 14,300 Thermal Units (BTU), represents 4.4 million BTUs of energy expended in the original construction of the building, or 1.3 million kilowatt hours of electricity. Planners, architects, investors, and public officials must take into consideration the energy used in the production and assembly of materials needed for new buildings, from their origin to their end of life and subsequent reuse. Conservation causes much less destruction of the natural resources than new construction. Statistics reveal that building construction consumes 40 percent of the raw materials entering the global economy every year (Bahl, 2005). Interestingly, about 85 percent of the total embodied energy in materials is used in their production and transportation (Bahl, 2005). In Australia, studies showed new buildings have much higher energy costs than buildings that are conserved. In 2001, new buildings accounted for 25 percent of wood harvest, 16 percent of fresh water supplied, 44 % of landfill, and 45 % of carbon dioxide production and up to half of the total greenhouse emissions from industrialized countries (Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2004). Besides that, demolition of buildings causes environmental loads. Whereby, the large volumes of construction waste strain landfill capacities and leads to environmental concerns. Therefore, conservation of the heritage buildings is the best resolution for this issue. Rypkema (2005) argues, the process of demolishing a historic building has a significant impact on the environment. When a building is being demolished, first, tens of thousands of dollars of embodied energy are being thrown away. Second, it is being replaced with materials vastly more consumptive of energy. Further, modern construction methods are incredibly wasteful of resources. Studies show that Up to 25 percent of the total waste generated in the United States and other countries is directly attributed to building, construction, and demolition activities (Bahl, 2005). These waste products can be environmentally hazardous and polluting, both as solids and in the atmosphere. The waster also stresses the capacity of lan dfill sites. 2.6.2.3 Preserving of the Energy. Preserving of energy is a great advantage that can be gained from conservation of heritage buildings. The old construction methods were used with taking into consideration to keep the weather out without consuming energy, namely, keeping the heritage building cooling in summer and heating in winter. When a heritage building is preserved or restored, those old cultural methods are preserved and brought back to active duty. Very likely, the old building was strategically placed to get the best orientation to the sun to make the most use of the solar energy, and the interior space and its openings were efficiently organized to keep the air circulating and cool down the space without using any sort of air conditioning and electricity. Preserving a heritage building helps avoid the consumption of additional energy by getting advantage of the old construction methods designed to cool and heat the space and keep the weather out without energy consumption (Stas, 2007). 2.6.3 Social Benefits Conservation of heritage buildings entails significant social benefits. Those benefits can be categorized under (1) Job creation, (2) Crime reduction, and (3) The sense of place factor (Stas, 2007). 2.6.3.1 Job Creation One of the social benefits for conservation of heritage building is job creation. According to Rypkema (1999), investing in vacant properties is an important tool that creates new job opportunities in communities and urban centres. Further, the labour intensity of building conservation generally means that there is a greater local economic impact in jobs and income than with the same amount spent on new construction. 2.6.3.2 Crime Reduction Abandoned heritage buildings can quickly become havens for vandals, homeless, arsonists, and drug dealers, and as a result drive down property values, taxes, and services, and discourage investment in a community. Schilling (2002) describes the effect of abandoned buildings on communities as a disease that once started it can quickly spread throughout a neighbourhood. The residents often felt unsafe walking on streets that have abandoned buildings. Local governments may succeed conserving one building but often do not have sufficient resources to keep the demand of a growing number of vacant properties. Some property owners feel helpless in trying to recruit new tenants. Property owners become less interested in investing in these neighbourhoods. Many residents eventually leave while those who remain become accustomed to blight as the neighbourhood deteriorates. This cycle continues with each new pocket of vacant and abandoned properties (Schilling, 2002). In Contrast, by conserving those vacant properties for another use, the illegal activities that used to occur in those properties will be eliminated, which will bring peace and safety back to the neighbourhood. 2.6.3.3 The Sense of Place Factor The built and natural environments are elements that express the distinctiveness of a community or a neighbourhood. Rypkema (1999) wrote about the sense of community and ownership: A sense of ownership acknowledges an individual benefit from, an individual stake in, and an individual responsibility for ones pl

Free Essays on Homers Odyssey: Powerful Women of Homer’s Odyssey :: Homer Odyssey Essays

The Powerful Women of Homer’s Odyssey There is really no way to generalize the women in Homer’s Odyssey because they all have their own distinct traits that make each of them great, strong, and powerful women. A very powerful woman is Arete. She is as powerful as the king, Alcinous. Her daughter Nausicaa is an amazing woman, even though she is so young. She displays great intelligence in handling Odysseus. These women I speak of above are great women in a good sort of way but there are also some very bad women that still have some amazing qualities. For instance Clytemnestra who has great vengeance and deceit. Another Homeric women that breaks the mold is Helen. She is so independent and headstrong it’s almost scary. These qualities I’m applying to all these women are not their only but they are the most memorable. In fact some of them share the traits I have already laid out. One other thing I would like to mention before I go on is how different these women are from what I expected. I thought they would all be weak and completely under the control of the heroic men but all the ones I’ve mentioned are very powerful and could probably do with out their men. I know Helen would be all right with out Menelaus.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Helen is extremely independent and fairly evil. For the most part only does what she wants to do. First off she ran away with Paris and started the Trojan war. Now I know it’s said that Paris took her but I would beg to differ. The best example I have is the horse story Menelaus tells Telemecus. It begins with the men in the Trojan horse waiting to ambush the city, and Helen walked around it â€Å"Three times..... / feeling, and stroking its flanks, / challenging all the fighters, calling each by name -† (Hom. 4. 310-312). What Helen wanted to do was blow the Greeks cover and help the Trojans win the war. This also shows how smart she is because the Greeks had been away from there wives for ten years and were getting a little lonely. Homer tells us that Anticlus â€Å"was hot to salute† her, but of course Odysseus had to save everyone from her (Hom. 4.320). This whole story gives a lot of insight to Helen and what she wanted. Free Essays on Homer's Odyssey: Powerful Women of Homer’s Odyssey :: Homer Odyssey Essays The Powerful Women of Homer’s Odyssey There is really no way to generalize the women in Homer’s Odyssey because they all have their own distinct traits that make each of them great, strong, and powerful women. A very powerful woman is Arete. She is as powerful as the king, Alcinous. Her daughter Nausicaa is an amazing woman, even though she is so young. She displays great intelligence in handling Odysseus. These women I speak of above are great women in a good sort of way but there are also some very bad women that still have some amazing qualities. For instance Clytemnestra who has great vengeance and deceit. Another Homeric women that breaks the mold is Helen. She is so independent and headstrong it’s almost scary. These qualities I’m applying to all these women are not their only but they are the most memorable. In fact some of them share the traits I have already laid out. One other thing I would like to mention before I go on is how different these women are from what I expected. I thought they would all be weak and completely under the control of the heroic men but all the ones I’ve mentioned are very powerful and could probably do with out their men. I know Helen would be all right with out Menelaus.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Helen is extremely independent and fairly evil. For the most part only does what she wants to do. First off she ran away with Paris and started the Trojan war. Now I know it’s said that Paris took her but I would beg to differ. The best example I have is the horse story Menelaus tells Telemecus. It begins with the men in the Trojan horse waiting to ambush the city, and Helen walked around it â€Å"Three times..... / feeling, and stroking its flanks, / challenging all the fighters, calling each by name -† (Hom. 4. 310-312). What Helen wanted to do was blow the Greeks cover and help the Trojans win the war. This also shows how smart she is because the Greeks had been away from there wives for ten years and were getting a little lonely. Homer tells us that Anticlus â€Å"was hot to salute† her, but of course Odysseus had to save everyone from her (Hom. 4.320). This whole story gives a lot of insight to Helen and what she wanted.

Essay --

Sejarah Agama Buddha Agama Buddha lahir di negara India, lebih tepatnya lagi dikenali wilayah Nepal pada masa kini. Sejarah agama Buddha bermula pada abad ke-6 SM sampai sekarang dari lahirnya Buddha Siddharta Gautama. Dengan ini, Agama Buddha adalah salah satu agama tertua yang masih dianuti di dunia ini. Agama Buddha berkembang dengan unsur kebudayaan India, ditambah dengan unsur-unsur kebudayaan Helenistik (Yunani), Asia Tengah, Asia Timur dan Asia Tenggara. Dalam proses perkembangannya, agama ini telah berkembang hampir seluruh benua Asia dan telah menjadi agama mayoritas di beberapa negara Asia seperti Thailand, Singapura, Kemboja, Myanmar, Taiwan dan lain-lain. Pencetusnya ialah Siddhartha Gautama yang dikenal sebagai Gautama Buddha oleh pengikut-pengikutnya. Ajaran Buddha sampai ke negara Tiongkok pada tahun 399 Masehi yang dibawa oleh seorang bhiksu bernama Fa Hsien. Masyarakat Tiongkok mendapat pengaruhnya dari Tibet sesuai dengan tuntutan dan nilai moral. Setiap aliran Buddha berpegang kepada Tripitaka iaitu sebagai rujukan utama kerana di dalamnya tercatat sabda dan ajaran sang hyang Buddha Gautama. Pengikut-pengikutnya mencatat dan mengklasifikasikan ajarannya kepada 3 buku iaitu Sutta Piá ¹ ­aka (kotbah-kotbah Sang Buddha), Vinaya Piá ¹ ­aka (peraturan atau tata tertib para bhikkhu) dan Abhidhamma Piá ¹ ­aka (ajaran hukum metafisika dan psikologi). Sejarah kelahiran Pencetus Agama Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) Peringkat 1: Mimpi pelik. Raja Kapilavastu, ialah ayah kepada Buddha, iaitu Siddharta Gautama. Walaupun raja telah lama berkahwin dengan Ratu Maha Maya, tetapi masih tidak mendapat cahaya mata. Semasa Ratu Maha Maya berumur 40, pada suatu malam, ratu bermimpi pelik. Dalam mimpi itu, ratu ternampak seorang pemuda yang s... ...n apabila mereka minum social, ia biasanya adalah untuk mamatuhi. Walaupun sedikit alcohol memesongkan kesedaran dan menggangu kesedaran diri. Jika arak diambil dalam kuantiti yang besar, kesannya boleh mengakibatkan kemusnahan. Kesimpulan Kesimpulannya, Agama Buddha telah menjadi 3 agama yang utama di dunia ini. Agama Buddha ini telah berjaya mempengaruhi gaya hidup orang ramai di dunia itu supaya mengamal nilai-nilai yang murni ini dalam kehidupan mereka. Kesemua ajaran-ajaran agama Buddha mengenai soal hidup mati dan juga kebenaran-kebenaran mulia yang diajar oleh Buddha telah pun dicatatkan. Pada masa kini, Agama Buddha telah menjadi salah satu daripada 3 agama utama di dunia ini. Keusahaan dan kepayahan Gautama Buddha untuk mencari jawapan kepada semua soalan-soalan itu teleh membawa kejayaan yang agung. Kejaayan ini telah membawa manfaat kepada orang ramai

IBM DB2 vs Oracle Essay -- essays research papers

For this week’s paper I have chosen to do a comparison between IBM’s DB2 database management system (DBMS) product and Oracle. Realistically, making such a comparison is akin to discussing religion with friends. Each person will have their own biases based on their own experiences. Looking for an unbiased opinion is much like looking for the Holy Grail, every bit as speculative and subjective with the results jaundiced by the outlook of the reporter (Lim, 2002). A decision between DB2 and Oracle should be based on what resources are available for use at the site. Is there specific hardware or software already onsite that can or will be used in the installation, if so this will have a major impact on the decision making process. Does the staff have an existing knowledge base that favors one or the other DBMS and is there a team that has unallocated time to dedicate to this project or will another project be put on hold to allow them to make this project their focus until completion. Finally, have the costs of ongoing maintenance for fixed and soft assets been considered? All of the above will impact the decision making processes prior to purchasing one of the DBMS’s. These factors aside, either DBMS will run as fast as the other provided that the environment has been optimized for it (Lim, 2002). A side by side analysis of the hardware and software requirements for both DBMS’s shows some remarkable similarities as well as some differences. Similarities in baseline processors across the various hardware platforms but different amounts of disk space and both applications desiring as much memory as possible to improve performance (Chigrik, 2003). For DB2 v8.1 when installed into a windows environment you will need a minimum of a Pentium or Pentium compatible processor, at least 256mb of ram, and between 100 and 350mb of hard disk space depending on whether the installation is compact, custom, or typical. Depending of the file format of the disk drives additional space may be needed by DB2 because of cluster sizes (Chigrik, 2003). Oracle 9i on the other hand requires a minimum of 128b of ram in a windows environment, although 256mb is recommended. Oracle also requires a minimum of 200mb of virtual memory for file swap space. In terms of processors, Oracle specifies a minimum of a Pentium 166 or higher. Oracle also needs 140mb of disk space on the system drive an... ... block indexes. IBM DB2 has higher limits in most of the common database features except most columns in an index key, longest index key, max char() size, max table row length, longest SQL statement, and recursive sub queries (Chigrik, 2003). In the end there is no clear cut winner, as stated previously, a lot of the outcome is determined by the experience of the developer of the database and the administrator of the database. Both DBMSs can be used to build stable and efficient transaction processing systems, with the level of experience of the personnel working with the system having a greater impact on performance, than the vendor supplying the DBMS (Chigrik, 2003). References Chigrik, A. (2003). Oracle 9i Database vs DB2 v8.1. Retrieved May 11, 2005, from MSSQL City Web site: http://www.mssqlcity.com/Articles/Compare/oracle_vs_db2.htm#part_3. Lim, C. (2002). Oracle vs DB2 vs Teradata. Retrieved May. 11, 2005, from Experts.About.com Web site: http://experts.about.com/q/1041/2465849.htm. Transaction Processing Performance Council, (2005). Retrieved May. 11, 2005, from Top Ten TPC-C by Performance Version 5 Results Web site: http://www.tpc.org/tpcc/results/tpcc_perf_results.asp.

Ethical problems Essay

What is ethics?The most common way of defining â€Å"ethics†: they are norms for conduct that distinguish between or acceptable or unacceptable behavior. (http://www.apa.org/ethics/)Most people learn ethical norms at home, in school, in church, or in other social settings. Human rights: The basic rights and freedoms, to which all humans are entitled, often held to include the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law. I would like to talk to you about privacy and confidentiality. Privacy: the quality or condition of being secluded from the presence or view of others. (http://www.answers.com/topic ) Confidentiality: Containing information whose unauthorized disclosure could be injurious to either or both parties. Not all the ethical issues have clear answers; some hinge on researcher’s judgment and scruples. Need for respect. Privacy and confidentiality should be fairly self explanatory. We need to be sensible as medical practitioners and respect the need for the protection of personal privacy in data, and need to facilitate access to data for research purposes. Respect: The state of being regarded with honor or esteem. Respect has great importance in everyday life, as children we are taught (one hopes) to respect our parents, other people’s feelings and rights. Dramatic events of World War II. Respect for patients as individuals prior to, during and after the research is one of the key issues of dramatic and horrifying events of World War II and the Nuremberg military tribunals highlight the degrading and inhuman consequences of research without respect for the individual. History: When dignity was taken away from people. History has played a large factor in the way people are treated and respected in present day. One particular incident is the Nuremberg military tribunals which played a major part in how human research is viewed concerning peoples rights. This code was formed in 1947 and still plays a big roll in research today. (Genocide. First relating to the Holocaust. It was not listed as a crime in the Nuremberg court’s charter, but after pressure from Raphael Lempkin the scholar who had actually coined the term â€Å"genocide† prosecutors included it in indictments against some of the major Nazis on trial, and their closing remarks. http://iwpr.net/pdf/reporting_justice_p1_w.pdf ). This was one scenario that took away, the rights and dignity of human beings. Another example of history that has disrespected human kind, was UNIT 731, this was biological warfare research on humans by the Japanese army. It is events like these that have shaped how ethics have come about in today’s society. Making decisions that wouldn’t be damaging. How’s people’s respect and dignity protected today? What if during the course of research, an investigator notices that a person seems to have a learning disability or some other treatable condition? The decision to share this information with guardians or other services that could help shouldn’t be made lightly, since sharing information of uncertain validity may create damaging misconceptions about that person. On the other hand researchers need to know and inform participants of their legal responsibility to report abuse or neglect or any other illegal activity of which they become aware (Papalia, Olds, Feldman; Human Development p.56). Privacy questions are also raised when employers expand the depth of their searches, sometimes including psychological, polygraph and even medical record checks. The privacy of medical records is of growing concern. Our medical history contains extremely sensitive information, and access to it should therefore be limited. However insurance providers, researchers, have an interest in obtaining and using our information. Example from national nine news. There was a story on the news about how private our personal details can be? (http:/aca.ninemsn.com.au/article, Fri 07/07/06). Victorian MP Anna Bourke says there are numerous ways in which our personal information is traded. â€Å"There are cases of doctors giving out patient information to drug companies, private schools selling off old student lists, it goes on and on. Even Centerlink has been caught out passing on personal information. You don’t realize how often you give away your details†, she says. We all value our individual personal privacy, trouble is many other people put a price on it to making your personal affairs their business, information that you think is confidential now been bought and sold without your knowledge and without your consent. In one case, being investigated by the Privacy Commission, data was outsourced to and Indian Phone Company called Bricks and Click. Somehow that information ended up on the black market- the names, addresses, driver’s license numbers and even Medicare numbers of 1000 Australians. The challenge is to create policy or legislation that can balance the legitimate needs of health care and insurance providers with individual rights to privacy. The idea of privacy is ancient. The idea that medical records should be kept private is ancient, going back to Hippocratic Oath. The oath stated, â€Å"whatever, in connection with my professional practice or not in connection with it, I see or hear, in the life of men, which ought not to be spoken of abroad, I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret†. http://www.srcd.org/ethicalstandards.htmlThis idea has become one of the keystones of medical ethics; doctors should not reveal confidential information about their patients. However, there are certain times when it appropriate to share medical information. In today’s medical world, it is common for a person to have  multiple doctors, and to seek treatment from specialists. If medical records are not readily available to doctors, than the patient’s care ultimately suffers, as information about past treatments and conditions could be unavailable. Some questions remain though, how much information should an insurer be privy to? Should they be allowed to check and individual’s genetic record? Should they know if an individual has ever taken an HIV/AIDS test? How really available should our medical information be, and what steps should be taken to protect it? These important questions are currently unanswered. Questions:Why are there so many ethical disputes and issues in our society?How would you feel if your privacy was invaded and information spread around to people who we didn’t want to have that info?References:Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2002). Australia’s health 2002. Canberra: AIHW. Barnsteiner, J., & Prevost, S. (2002). How to implement evidence based practice. Reflections in Nursing Leadership, 28 (2), 18-21. Draper G, Turrell G, & Oldenburg B (2004). Health inequalities in Australia: Mortality. Health Inequalities Monitoring Series No 1. Canberra: Queensland University of Technology and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Hamric, A. B., Spross, J.A., Hanson, C.M., (2005) Advanced Practice Nursing. An Interactive Approach (3d ed.). Elsevier Saunders. Lynch, J. W. & Kaplan, G. (2000). Socioeconomic position. In Berkman, L.F. & Kawachi, I (Eds) Social epidemiology, (pp13-35) New York: Oxford University Press. Papalia, D.E., Wenkos Olds, S., Feldman, R., (2004) Human Development (9th ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill. Polit, D. F., Beck, C.T., & Hungler, B.P. (2001) Essentials of Nursing Research (5th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Levis Strauss Case Study Analysis

launchingCompanies physical exercise various strategy models to convey their current status and formulate strategies for forthcoming directions they ought to take (Johnson et al., 2014). With the high level of pizzaz than characterises the present-day trading environment, companies need to be aw atomic number 18 of their internal capabilities, and use them to nap with the remote threats and opportunities. Among the models that merchantman aid in this ushers generic wine strategies, the PESTEL and dweeb frameworks and door guards five forces (Zott, Amit and Massa, 2011). This idea presents an abridgment of a persona study just rough Levis Strauss tercet Porters generic strategies, and further determines the societys strategic po baffleion using lift epitome. Models2.1. Porters Generic strategies (From the case study) Narrow grocery store ScopeSegmentation strategy1.Older disaffected shoppers fans who love us but quite frankly left us2.The lost contemporaries fans who enduret really know who we atomic number 18Broad Market ScopeDifferentiation strategy1. chaste pieces of clothing such(prenominal) as departure fly and trucker jacket that argon the seam for the giant business of blue jean2. Return the note to its roots date moving forward3. Innovation- Levi Strauss is using high tech by involving a team of 30 people on its Eureka science lab to work on 30 prototypes a week. The high society encourages the conversion of ideas into creation in less than 24 hours personify admiters1. reducing of inflated cost structure by the impudently Levi CEO2. Progressive harvest-tide in sales volumes for successive years. peculiarness CompetencyLow Cost Competency2.2. mill Analysis (From the case study) Strengths1. Popular and strong check off wee2. Expertise and date in the jean Industry3. Focus on things early(a) than profits- capti adeptd profits by means of principles for examples, donations and scholarships4. Levi Strauss bea u monde has a visionary CEO in poker chip Bergh Weaknesses1. The conjunction focussinges too much on brand protection2. Limited business exploitation due to emergence in competition from separate denim companies3. complacency in coming up with progressive designs for customers4. Delays in trends such as sinister jeans for women and more trig jeans for men5. With 16200 employees, the federation incurs high expenses in paying wages. Opportunities1. The passing(a) wear securities application is growing warm2. Internationalisation into emerging markets characterised by moo cost manufacturing and production3. High tech re-invention that is the use of technology to create a tech-advanced womens denim that fit depending on body shape.Threats1. Fast changing consumer tastes2. change magnitude Competition from low end substitutes such as Lee and Wrangler wherefore lower market divide4. really clam up competition for market share with rivals manoeuvering the same high-en d customer base Discussion3.1. Porter Generic strategiesMichael Porter suggests 3 tolerant generic strategies that groundwork be employ by a lodge to outdo its competitors (Porter, 2008). These are segmentation, differentiation and cost leadership strategies. From the analysis of Levi Strauss case, the strategies from Porters generic model are clearly exhibited. Cost leadership, according to the model, refers to a strategy where a company sets its prices below that of its rivals and is independent of the market structure. From the analysis, this strategy was implemented on creation of Chip Bergh the companys untried CEO cut the cost and set structure that was previously inflated as it targeted high-end customers. The adoptive prices might not be lowest in the industry, but is c pretermit to that of the companys key rivals, which in addition makes Levi products to attract new price-sensitive customers and those that were lost to separate cheaper brands. The differentiatio n strategy is also unornamented at Levi Strauss. Companies use different approaches to particularise themselves from their competitors. These implicate creation of unique designs, acceptance of new technologies and making changes their brand images (Zott, Amit and Massa, 2011). Levis has use all these strategies to achieve uniqueness in the denim industry. The company capitalises on the peculiar(prenominal) designs that will attract consumers and win their loyalty, including those that had shifted to other less costly brands.In get wind to the segmentation strategy, the company strives to meet the un fend offably and specification of a given target market for instance type of product, fixture of sales or the category of customers it targets. In relation to Levis, the customer segments it targets are the fourth-year disaffected shoppers who genuinely left the company for alternatives that suited them better and the lost generation customers, who know nothing about it. By de fining its customer segments, the company is up to(p) to design products and services that are tailored towards fight downing the necessitate and preferences of these groups. as argued by Porter (2008), a company that fails to expatiate any strategy in regards to the three broad categories defined by Porter is considered as being stuck in the oculus because it will have no emulous advantage in the market.3.2. SWOT AnalysisSWOT analysis is a strategic tool that is utilize to subjectively assess information about a company or arranging outlining its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (Ommani, 2011). Whilst strengths and weaknesses are internal elements of an organisation, opportunities and threats are external elements that the company has no control of. From the analysis present in section 2.2, Levi Strauss draws wholeness of its strengths from the fact that it has a big brand name in the denim industry with a lot of expertise and experience drawn from the fact that it is the oldest denim company. In addition to this, the company known to focus more on things related to the composed flow of business than only on profits and it has a fast growth of retail shops. These strengths have enabled the company to outlast the competition it has faced from companies like Zara and H&M.The major weakness that was noted about Levi Strauss is the complacency of the companys design team in coming up with unique products. Such weaknesses make the company prone to competition from rivals that are affiliated towards providing the best designs and are flexible tolerable to match the changing market trends. As stated by the companys CEO in the case, At Levi, designers sit in the companys memoir and look at old horse opera shirts and jeansWe have one of the greatest brands in the world, but I think that in that respect may have been periods where we thought the brand itself could carry us through thick-skulled and thin, there is no question that we got smug.The opportunities that have been identified in the SWOT analysis above give the company a prospect for better act in future(a), especially if it puts its strengths to beneficial use. These opportunities include the increase in market involve for casual wear, opportunities to expand operations into new markets, and the scientific developments taking place in the fashion industry, which can greatly increase production and marketing efficiency of the company. In regard to the probable increase in demand of casual apparel, the company needs to device strategies that will motivate its employees avoid complacency and embark on blueprint competitive products. Failure to do so will make the company to lose these potential clients to rivals because these opportunities are for all companies in this industry (Grant, 2013). The main threat, as highlighted in the case study, is the rivalry that exists in the industry. This has to be overcome by application of the strategies that were preliminary discussed in Porters generic strategy model. This will make the company a formidable competitor in the industry. Conclusion and Recommendations From the analysis above by the use of Porters generic strategies and SWOT analysis it has been identified that whilst the company may have some weaknesses, it also possesses several capabilities if well utilised, will confirm its brand position in the denim apparel industry. Several recommendation can however be made for Levi Strauss. superstar of these would be that the company should focus on the frequently changing needs of consumers in the denim market and ensure that its operations and designs are flexible enough to match with these changing trends. Taking advantage of technological milestones in the fashion industry also recommended. This will ensure the production of unique yet trendy designs. From the Ansoff matrix below, the strategic directions that a company can use to position itself in the market are presented (Ta ylor, 2012).Two of the four strategic directions suggested by this model have already been adopted by Levi Company, that is, selling brisk products to existing markets and extending existing products in new markets. It can however recommended that the company should adopt one of the two remaining factors of this model, which is the diversification through creation of more designs of products that suit a wider demographic scope of customers. This will lead to larger consumer base hence higher(prenominal) revenue.ReferencesCunningham, J., & Harney, B?. (2012) outline and Strategists. Oxford Oxford University Press.Grant, R. M. (2013) Contemporary Strategy Analysis. upstart Jersey Wiley.Johnson, G., Whittington, R., Angwin, D., Regnr, P., & Scholes, K. (2014). Exploring Strategy text Only. UK Pearson Education, Limited.Ommani, A. R. (2011) Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis for farming system businesses guidance Case of wheat farmers of Shadervan Distr ict, Shoushtar Township, Iran. African daybook of Business guidance. 5(22). p.9448-9454.Porter, M. (2008) rivalrous Strategy Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors. New York Simon and Schuster.Tanwar, R. (2013) Porters Generic Competitive Strategies. Journal of Business and Management. 15(1). p.11-17.Taylor, E. C. (2012) Competitive utility Planning Using Ansoffs hyaloplasm with Abells Model to Inform the strategic Management Process. Academy of Strategic Management 10(1). p.21-25.Zott, C., Amit, R., & Massa, L. (2011) The business model recent developments and future research. Journal of management 37(4). p.1019-1042.